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Biomedical subjects

A Plasencia

Publications and source records attributed to A Plasencia.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Diagnosis of dominant renal polycystosis in adults by analysis of DNA polymorphism].

BACKGROUND: Adult renal polycystosis (ARP) is a dominant autosomic disease. The gene responsible for this disease in most families has been located on the short arm of chromosome 16 (16 p) by restriction analysis of the DNA polymorphisms (RFLP). METHODS: The existence of several polymorphic markers flanking this gene permits the diagnosis of any member of an affected family. A series of proximal and distal genetic markers have been used to study the segregation of the disease in a group of families with more than one affected member. RESULTS: The clinical and genetic results obtained from a study of 10 Spanish families with ARP have been reported. A high percentage of the members under 30 years of age (40%) did not present renal cysts. CONCLUSIONS: Restriction analysis of DNA are fundamentally for a disease in which a high percentage of carriers remain asymptomatic within the reproductive age.

Adult↗

Impact of tuberculosis on the new AIDS definition in Barcelona [corrected].

The impact of the new AIDS definition on tuberculosis in Barcelona is evaluated. In 1988 active epidemiological surveillance demonstrated a tuberculosis incidence rate of 58.31/100,000 and an AIDS incidence rate of 9.93/100,000 according to the old definition, and 14.16/100,000 according to the CDCs' new definition (42.5% increase). The majority of these new cases are HIV-positive drug abusers with extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Pulmonary or extra-pulmonary tuberculosis is also observed more frequently in drug abusers than in homosexuals (odds ratio = 7.4; CL 95%; 3.5-15.5). Up until 1986, 39% of AIDS cases were homosexuals and 36% drug abusers. In 1988, according to the old AIDS definition, 54.2% of AIDS cases were drug abusers and 31.9% were male homosexuals but with the new definition it is even more striking that the high risk group is still drug abusers. Today we must add to the old social problem of tuberculosis the problem of drug abusers, and all the difficulties of compliance with chemotherapy or antituberculous chemoprophylaxis. New strategies will have to be devised to deal with this new problem.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[A community outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Barcelona: epidemiologic and environmental study].

The investigation of the outbreak of legionellosis which developed in Barcelona in February 1988 included: 1) a case-control study, with the patients with Legionella pneumophila pneumonia (n = 56) and those with pneumonia by other organisms (n = 109) in the Hospital Clínic i Provincial (HCP); 2) a review of refrigeration towers and the water supply system; 3) a meteorological study, and 4) a survey of the construction works being carried out in the HCP area. The cases lived in the urban district 2 more often than the controls (odds ratio = 3.73, 95% confidence intervals 1.8-7.6), and were not associated with hospitals of hotels. L. pneumophila was not recovered from the environmental samples. The temperatures were unusually high, with a low air humidity. In the area near the HCP demolition materials were frequently removed. A causative focus was not detected; it cannot be ruled out, however, that the source of the outbreak was the removal of demolition materials in the affected area on the days preceding the epidemic outbreak.

Adult↗

Predictors of the survival of AIDS cases in Barcelona, Spain.

Factors influencing the outcome of disease were analysed in 289 adults presenting with AIDS in Barcelona, Spain from January 1986 (31 cases) to December 1987 (258 cases). One hundred and fifty-four (53.3%) were parenteral drug addicts and 100 (34.6%) were male homosexuals. Ninety-six (33.2%) presented with tuberculosis, 148 (51.2%), with other opportunistic infections, 34 (11.7%) with Kaposi's sarcoma, and the remaining 11 with a lymphoma. By February 1988, 144 (49.8%) of the 289 had died, with an actuarial survival probability of 46.7% at 2 years (40.7%-52.7%, 95% confidence interval). The factors selected by the multivariate analysis as independently worsening the prognosis were: having been diagnosed as having AIDS before 1986, being more than 45 years old, not being a parenteral drug addict and presenting with an opportunistic infection other than a tuberculosis or with a malignancy. In conclusion, some factors influencing the prognosis for AIDS patients are very dependent upon the geographical area of the series.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[Immunity in hypothyroid children (author's transl)].

For a long time investigators have focused attention on the relationship between specific immunity and hormones. In the present paper, authors investigated on 26 children, 9 males and 17 females, from 9 months to 14 and 10/12 years old, with primary hypothyroidism. All patients were in substitutive treatment. The following studies were done to all the patients: serum IgG, IgA, IgM and complement. Blood lymphocyte counts, percentages of B and T lymphocytes, as well as the response of lymphocytes to PHA. Skin tests were also carried out: tuberculin, candidin and streptokinase-streptodornase. All results obtained in both, hypothyroid and control groups fell within the range of normal age-matched values for our laboratory, and by results of statistics studies carried out they were considered of little significance, except the percentage of circulating B lymphocytes that was lower in hypothyroid group (p less than or equal to 0.01).

Adolescent↗

[Schwartz-Jampel syndrome. Report of two cases and review of the literature (author's transl)].

Two cases of Schwartz-Jampel syndrome are reported in addition to the 30 described previously. Authors present a study on the incidence of different signs and symptoms in all cases reviewed by them and on the radiological, biochemical, electromyographic, immunological and pathologic findings of all these cases concluding that the definitive data, present in all of them, is the association of facial dysmorphia, osteomuscular dystrophy and a muscular syndrome of myotonic aspect.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

[Obese children. Psychical aspects studied by Rorschach's test (author's transl)].

A group of obese children comparatively to a control group of normal children using Rorschach's protocols is studied. Quantitatively it doesn't appear significant differences, although a serie of characteristics in obese children (a proportional increase in answer of small detail and human movement, less number of answer of colour-form and animal contents), is found. Cualitatively some differences (desvitalitation phenomenous and shock in front of grey colours) are also found. The present work deduces that it doesn't exist reasons to think about an specific structure and dynamic in personality of obese children.

Affective Symptoms↗

Practical evaluation of standard-based low-cost video conferencing in telemedicine and epidemiological applications.

The results of the evaluation of use of low-cost video conferencing systems (VCSs) in telemedicine is presented. Applications sharing, a new feature of these systems, recently has allowed high-quality computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW). The video conferencing (VCing) equipment used was Intel ProShare 200 v2.0a. It is representative of other low-cost VCSs. The areas of application are epidemiology and telemedicine (orthopaedics and radiology). Potential end users filled out 58 evaluation questionnaires concerning user profiles, contents and benefits of the sessions, organizational aspects, user friendliness, user acceptance, cost effectiveness, technical and multipoint related aspects. Although the end users had a lot of computer experience, their knowledge in VCSs was rather limited. The users assessed the system capable of being integrated into routine work, despite a high organizational impact. The VCS is user friendly, application sharing being used in almost every session. Audio quality was not always sufficient. The remote video was sufficient, as was the quality of medical images such as CT, MRI or X-ray. The user acceptance of the system was high. Multipoint sessions require a structured protocol to be effective. Some technical problems with MCUs (Multipoint Control Units) occurred. The use of low-cost standard VCSs in telemedicine is advisable and is a good substitute for real meetings.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

Effects of sex on differences in awareness, treatment, and control of high blood pressure.

Our purpose was to explain the reasons for sex differentials in the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension by identifying major social and behavioral predictors of these three sequential stages of high blood pressure control. We analyzed data on all 1,433 hypertensive subjects from the First Connecticut Blood Pressure Survey. Hypertensive women were more likely than hypertensive men to be aware of their high blood pressure (odds ratio = 1.40; confidence interval = 1.10-1.79) and to have controlled levels of blood pressure (odds ratio = 1.62; confidence interval = 1.08-2.44). Men and women who were aware of their hypertension were equally likely to be treated. Sex still explained differences in awareness and control of hypertension after adjusting for other significant variables. We conclude that sex is an important predictive covariate for adjustment in explaining differences in awareness and control of high blood pressure. Health care professionals should be aware of the differential role of sex when informing and treating hypertensive patients.

Adolescent↗