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Biomedical subjects

C Andrade

Publications and source records attributed to C Andrade.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Age-related changes of MAO-A and -B distribution in human and mouse brain.

Age-related changes of MAO-A and -B were studied in human and BL/C57 mouse brain areas (substantia nigra, putamen and cerebellum). [3H]Ro41-1049 and [3H]lazabemide were used as selective radioligands to image and quantify MAO-A and MAO-B respectively by enzyme autoradiography. MAO-A binding was higher in mouse, whereas MAO-B binding was higher in human. With aging, mouse MAO-A was significantly reduced between 4 and 8 weeks and remained unchanged until 19 months followed by a slight increase between 19 and 25 months. In contrast, no clear variation was observed in humans between the age of 17-93 years. In most of the structures studied a clear age-related increase in MAO-B was observed beginning in mouse brain at 4 weeks, whereas in human tissue this increase started at the age of 50-60 years. These results show marked differences in the levels and variations of mouse and human MAO-A and -B associated with aging and should be taken into account when extrapolating experimental data from mouse to human.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Influence of women's work status on the well-being of Indian couples.

BACKGROUND: In urban India, working women are expected to continue to discharge their traditional domestic duties; the likely result is compromised well-being due to role strain. Husbands of working women may also experience pressures and hence poorer well-being. Well-being in working couples, particularly husbands, is little researched in developing countries. METHOD: The Subjective Well-Being Inventory was administered to 46 'one-working, (only husband employed) and 51 'both-working' (both spouses employed) randomly selected urban, middle-class couples. RESULTS: In one-working as well as both-working families, wives experienced less well-being than their husbands. Working wives experienced more confidence in coping than non-working wives. Husbands in both-working families experienced better social support but less social contact, less mental mastery, and poorer perceived health than husbands in one-working families. Few or no sociodemographic variables were associated with well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Employment may benefit women but stress their husbands.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

[Encephalopathy with focal lesions due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae].

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections usually produce respiratory symptoms, that only exceptionally involve the nervous system. In this case, the infection generally causes an encephalitic picture characterized by impaired consciousness and seizures, and by normal or non-specific neuroradiological findings. However, four cases of M. pneumoniae infection associated with symmetrical lesions in the putamen and its external surrounding areas, and with extrapiramidal symptoms, have been recently published. We present the case of a patient with a clinical picture characterized by confusion, fever, and seizures, associated with a M. pneumoniae infection. The MRI study showed two symmetrical lesions that involved the areas just outside the putamen and disappeared coinciding with her clinical improvement. The present case would support that the encephalopathy associated with the M. pneumoniae infection shows a tendency to involve a particular region of the brain. Our case might represent the minimal expression of these characteristic lesions, which in the most benign cases would involve the areas immediately outside the putamen, and in other instances the putamen as well.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Attenuation of ECS-induced retrograde amnesia by using an herbal formulation.

Earlier research indicated the efficacy of a complex herbal formulation in the attenuation of electroconvulsive shock (ECS)-induced amnestic deficits in rats; this study sought to ascertain whether a simplified herbal formulation (Memorin; Phyto-Pharma, India) also was effective. Rats pretreated for a fortnight with Memorin (200 mg/kg/day) or vehicle were exposed to a passive-avoidance learning paradigm in a shuttle box. The next day, the rats were administered two true or sham ECSs, 5 h apart; recall of the pre-ECS learning was reassessed on the following day. ECS was found to produce significant retrograde amnesia (p < 0.002). Memorin attenuated the ECS-induced amnesia (p = 0.00003) without influencing the ECS seizure duration. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1997

Phytochemical and biological study of radal Lomatia hirsuta (Proteaceae).

The anti-inflammatory property of Lomatia hirsuta (Lam.) Diels ex Macbr. (Proteaceae), leaves (radal), a plant used in Chilean traditional medicine for bronchial troubles and asthma, was evaluated. The biological assays showed infusion of L. hirsuta leaves inhibits the inflammation induced by lambda-carrageenan corresponding to a 29.2% anti-inflammatory effect, and to 53.5% of the maximum effect observed with sodium naproxen (4 mg/kg) in the same experimental conditions. The coumarins, umbelliferone and scopoletin, were the major compounds isolated, along with quercetine, rhamnetin and iso-rhamnetin, with minor quantities or quercitrine and no presence of toxic naphthoquinone derivates. These results supported the folk use of L. hirsuta.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

An expert system for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction with ECG analysis.

Coronary heart disease is one of the most prevalent and costly health care problems in the world. The early and accurate diagnosis of coronary heart disease is a major problem in emergency settings. However, many primary and secondary hospitals and primary emergency units lack cardiologists on call which makes the diagnosis difficult. This paper describes an expert system for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction developed to aid physicians without cardiology specialization. Our main goal was to develop an expert system that assists in the diagnosis and indicates the need of hospitalization in a coronary unit.

Electrocardiography↗
PubMed1997

Urodynamically based modification of Mitrofanoff procedure.

This paper reviews our experience with the Mitrofanoff principle as applied in eight patients. Of four patients with post-traumatic urethral stricture, three required the appendix as continent catheterizable conduit, with a modified appendicovesical anastomosis technique-that is, without a submucosal tunnel- and in one patient, the remnant ureter of a previous simple nephrectomy was used. Of the four remaining patients, one with a hypotonic bladder and three with urethral stricture, a complete laparoscopic approach was used to perform the same modified Mitrofanoff procedure with the appendix. With a mean follow-up of 19.5 months, all patients were completely dry. Only three patients had persistently positive urine cultures, but without evidence of renal function impairment. The modified direct appendicovesical anastomosis technique reduces the operative time, has a lower complication rate, and allows us to use a laparoscopic approach with the resulting benefits of a minimally invasive surgical procedure. As shown in urodynamic tests, urinary continence is preserved.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Evaluation of pre-ECS antihypertensive drug administration in the attenuation of ECS-induced retrograde amnesia.

Two once-daily electroconvulsive shocks (ECS) produced retrograde amnesia in rats trained on a Hebb-Williams maze; Verapamil (12.5 mg/kg, i.p.) or felodipine (10 mg/kg, p.o.) administered half an hour before each ECS attenuated this ECS-induced amnesia. Hence, these drugs may hold promise for the containment of amnesia induced by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Speculatively, one or more of several mechanisms may be involved: cerebral vasodilatation, enhancement of cholinergic tone, and inhibition of calcium-mediated impairment of neuronal function. These drugs may also act by attenuating the systolic surge in blood pressure during ECT, thereby decreasing edema due to cerebral hyperperfusion, as well as decreasing the possible transfer of potentially neurotoxic macromolecules through a putative breach in the blood-brain barrier.

Amnesia, Retrograde↗
PubMed1996

AgNORs and their relationship to cell size, histological grade, lymph node involvement, metastases, and survival pattern in carcinoma of the breast: a study from south India.

An AgNOR count using the Smith and Crocker [Histopathology 12:113-125, 1988] method of staining was performed on 200 cases of carcinoma of the breast. A count of coarse AgNORs per nucleus was made on 50 random cells and the mean of their number per nucleus calculated. The relationship of a single variable "AgNOR count" to other variables such as cell size, histological grade, number of positive ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes, and presence of metastasis in regions other than the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes was found using a univariate method of analysis. Also, the effect of different independent variables, e.g., number of AgNORs, cell size, histological grade, number of positive axillary lymph nodes, and metastasis on a single variable, i.e., 4-year period of survival, was also assessed by a univariate method of statistical analysis. It was found that the AgNOR count was significantly related to the cell size, histological grade, and presence of metastasis. Large cells, grade III tumors, and neoplasms with evidence of metastasis showed larger numbers of AgNORs in their nuclei. It was observed that the number of AgNORs significantly affected the 4-year survival of patients. The higher the AgNOR counts, the poorer were the chances of surviving for 4 years. The other factors that influenced survival in the present study were the number of positive axillary lymph nodes and metastasis to sites other than axillary lymph nodes.

Axilla↗
PubMed1996

Medical students' attitudes toward electroconvulsive therapy: an Indian perspective.

A questionnaire addressing issues related to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was administered to 165 undergraduate medical students in an urban hospital in India. Of various sources, the mass media contributed most to the students' knowledge about and attitudes toward the treatment. Senior and junior students differed little in their knowledge and attitudes. Many students believed that ECT is cruel and barbaric and that it occasions pain to the patient; however, few considered that it compromises thinking and reasoning, that it causes brain damage, that it is misused, that it is used to punish violent or uncooperative patients, that it is outmoded, or that it should be banned. Many students thought that the use of ECT should be governed by law. Myths and concerns about ECT were identified in a subset of students who expressed reluctance to receive ECT if indicated for themselves. There is a need to improve undergraduate medical education on ECT.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Felodipine potentiates morphine analgesia in control and streptozotocin diabetic female rats.

Tolerance to morphine analgesia was seen in diabetes. Calcium channel blockers potentiate opioid analgesia while calcium agonists antagonize. Therefore, the present study using thermal pain threshold was taken up to find out, whether felodipine, altered morphine analgesia in experimental diabetes. From the end of 6th week of streptozotocin-diabetes, felodipine was administered po for 2 week to half of the control and diabetic female rats. Morphine analgesia was recorded 1 hr after the first (acute effect) and last dose (chronic effect) of felodipine. Significant elevation of pain threshold was seen in the first 6 weeks in diabetic rats compared to controls. No tolerance was seen to morphine (2 mg/kg, sc) analgesia in diabetic rats. In both control and diabetic rats acute administration of felodipine produced significant analgesia while both acute and chronic administration of felodipine produced significant potentiation of morphine analgesia in control diabetic rats. The results suggest that prior felodipine may enhance morphine analgesia, and that this needs to be explored further in various types of pain.

Analgesics, Opioid↗