Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A M Duarte.
Scabies is a pruritic skin infestation caused by the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Physical proximity allows the mite to move from one host to another. The diagnosis is made by identifying the mite or its eggs or excrement microscopically from a sample of skin scrapings. Treatment is achieved with topical application of a scabicide and elimination of the mite from the patient's surroundings.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 6 is classically considered a mucosatropic virus. Interestingly, clinical manifestations of HPV 6 infection that involve nonmucosal or nongenital sites have rarely been described. The reasons for this site specific infectivity of HPV 6 are unknown. We describe a patient who had condylomata acuminata-like lesions that involved cutaneous nongenital sites; HPV 6 DNA was detected in skin biopsy specimens with use of the polymerase chain reaction, followed by hybridization with use of type-specific DNA probes.
Compensatory responses tending to prevent a thrombotic state in rats fed a high lipid diet have been investigated. Platelet membranes from these animals had an increased cholesterol content but the membrane fluidity was found to be within values nearly normal. A decrease in phosphatidylethanolamine was noted. These changes may maintain normal platelet sensitivity to aggregating agents. In fact, platelets from hyperlipidemic rats were hypersensitive to thrombin, but not to adenosine diphosphate. In addition, platelets were apparently able to correct, at least in part, the stated hyperactivity of hyperlipidemic plasma to coagulate, as shown by thrombelastographic tests in both platelet-rich plasma and plasma from hyperlipidemic rats. Finally, thrombelastographic features of whole blood from these animals were found to be normal. This suggests an important role of blood cells in compensating plasma hyperactivity to coagulate during hyperlipidemia.