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Biomedical subjects

A Vergara

Publications and source records attributed to A Vergara.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Cytokeratin, vimentin and E-cadherin immunodetection in the embryonic palate in two strains of mice with different susceptibility to glucocorticoid-induced clefting.

An immunohistochemical study analyzing the pattern of distribution of some intermediate filament proteins, keratin and vimentin and, one adhesion molecule, cadherin in different stages of developing secondary palate in two strains of mice with different H-2 backgrounds was undertaken to investigate differences between a strain that is susceptible to glucocorticoid-induced cleft palate (A/Sn) and one that is resistant to glucocorticoid-induced cleft palate (C57/BL). The heads of embryos were processed by standard immunohistochemistry with antipancytokeratin (KAE1), antikeratins 18 (K18) and 19 (K19), antivimentin, and anti E-cadherin antibodies. Immunostaining with KAE1 antibody showed differences between the strains. The reaction was stronger in the medial edge epithelia of palatal processes in the A/Sn strain at all stages of palatogenesis. The C57/BL strain showed a weak immunostain to KAE1. Antivimentin antibody stained the mesenchymal cells of palatal processes and K18 and K19 showed no reaction in either strain of mice. Anti E-cadherin antibody was detected in the medial palatal epithelium of both strains of mice and in all stages of palate development. No differences were observed in E-cadherin and vimentin immunostain in palatal epithelium between the strains. The different expression of some cytokeratins in the embryonic palatal epithelium suggests that these intermediate filament proteins may be involved in different susceptibility to glucocorticoid-induced cleft palate in the mouse. The decreased immunoreaction of cytokeratins observed in the resistant strain would facilitate the disappearance of this molecule during the transformation from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype that takes place during the development of the palate. These results may be related to the loss of cytokeratin expression observed during epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in the embryonic palate.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A controlled trial of pravastatin vs probucol in the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia.

We compared the safety, tolerability and efficacy of the HMGCoA reductase inhibitor pravastatin and probucol in the treatment of patients with primary hypercholesterolemia using an active, drug controlled, double blind, randomized, double placebo design. Patients were included if LDL-C levels after a minimum of six weeks on an AHA phase I diet were greater than 150 mg/dL and triglycerides were less than 350 mg/dL. Included patients were randomly assigned to either pravastatin 40 mg pm or probucol 500 mg bi. They also received matching placebos for each drug. The active drug period lasted 16 weeks, during which the patients were seen at 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after baseline. There were no significant differences in baseline values between both treatment groups. Significantly lower values of total cholesterol and LDL-C were observed with pravastatin as compared to probucol. While a non significant increase of HDL-C was observed with pravastatin, a remarkable and statistically significant decrease was observed with probucol. A large dispersion of triglycerides levels was observed with both drugs and no statistically significant changes were demonstrated. Both pravastatin and probucol were well tolerated: only minimal clinical and laboratory changes, not considered to have been drug-related, were observed. No changes, considered drug-related, were observed in the cristalline lens. This study shows an overall superiority of pravastatin over probucol with significant larger decreases of total cholesterol and LDL-C and a better effect on HDL-C.

Double-Blind Method↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Risk factors for progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasm grade III to invasive cervical cancer.

Data from four case-control studies on invasive cervical cancer and on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III (CIN III) that were concurrently conducted in Spain and Colombia were used to look for factors that might favor the progression from CIN III to the invasive stage. These studies were compared in two ways; a case-case comparison and an estimation of the ratio of odds ratios with the use of of special logistic regression model that took into account the different design of each study and possible confounding factors. Variables studied were human papillomavirus status, viral load, viral types, sexual behavior, sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive patterns, oral contraceptives, and smoking. Both CIN III and invasive cervical cancer have a very similar profile of risk factors and none of them was different in a consistent way to suggest a role in the progression from CIN III to invasive cervical cancer. Some methodological problems such as cohort-specific differences and some selection biases could be adjusted for with a careful statistical analysis. Other problems derived from the cross-sectional nature of the design are unavoidable and should be considered in the interpretation of the results.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Risk factors for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III/carcinoma in situ in Spain and Colombia.

A case-control study of 525 histologically confirmed cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III and 512 controls was done in Spain and Colombia to assess the role of various risk factors taking into account the effect of human papillomavirus (HPV). The presence of HPV DNA, assessed by a polymerase chain reaction-based method, was the strongest risk factor identified. In Spain the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) (numbers in parentheses) were 56.9 (24.8-130.6) and, in Colombia, were 15.5 (8.2-29.4). In addition to HPV, the multivariate analysis revealed independent effects of early age at first intercourse (in Spain ORa, 4.3; 95% CI, 2.0-9.3 for ages < 17 versus 20+ years and in Colombia ORa, 9.0; 95% CI, 2.6-30.9 for ages < 14 versus 20+ years), and antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis (in Spain ORa, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1-4.5; and in Colombia ORa, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.7). High parity showed a significant effect only in Colombia (ORa, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0-5.0 for > or = 6 versus 1) while number of partners of the woman and specially of her husband showed a strong effect in Spain only (ORa, 6.9; 95% CI, 3.1-15.3 for partners of the husband > or = 21 versus 1-5). Smoking and use of oral contraceptives did not show significant or consistent associations. Among HPV-DNA positive women early age at first intercourse and high parity increased the risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III but the effect was statistically significant only for the former.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗