Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Cabrera

Publications and source records attributed to C Cabrera.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Radionuclide ventriculography in dynamic cardiomyoplasty.

Dynamic cardiomyoplasty improves ventricular function by increasing pump function and by limiting cardiac dilatation. The aim of this study was to assess long-term myocardial performance by radionuclide ventriculography on dilated cardiomyopathy patients subjected to cardiomyoplasty. Thirteen survivors were included. Radionuclide ventriculography was performed one week before surgery and one year later. Five patients were also studied two years following surgery. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), end-diastolic volume (EDV) and ventricular amplitude ratio (VAR) to assess mitral regurgitation were measured. Every case after one year showed a non-significant increase in LVEF. However, the decrease in EDV and in VAR was significant (p < 0.01). No significant difference in these values was found after two years. We conclude that the effects of cardiomyoplasty--reduction of cardiac dilatation, wall stress and mitral regurgitation--are more evident during the first year after surgery. Thereafter, a certain stabilization is observed.

Adult↗

Segmental ejection fraction in normal subjects.

Following a modification of the area method described by Gelberg et al., left ventricular regional wall motion was studied in 30 normal subject. The left ventricular cineangiograms were filmed in the right anterior oblique projection at 48 frames/s after injection of 76% sodium-meglumine diatrizoate. The end-diastolic and end-systolic frames were each divided into 8 regions using a grid formed by longitudinal axis, which was traced from the midpoint of the aortic valve to the apex, and three equally spaced perpendiculars to the long axis. Segmental ejection fraction was estimated by determining the percent decrease in each segment area in end-systole with respect to the end-diastolic area. The mean values +/- S. D. obtained for each segment were: anterobasal 58 +/- 14%; anterolateral-proximal 59 +/- 6%; anterolateral-distal 58 +/- 4%; apical-superior 59 +/- 8%; apical-inferior 58 +/- 7%; diaphragmatic-distal 58 +/- 9%; diaphragmatic-proximal 55 +/- 6%; and posterobasal 42 +/- 15%. The values obtained are useful for comparison when evaluating left ventricular performance in patients.

Cardiac Output↗

Improved endotracheal intubation technique in the rat.

A safe method for endotracheal intubation was successfully employed in rats weighing 300-400 g. A catheter from a commercial intravenous cannulation assembly was introduced into the trachea under direct visualization. A surgical operating microscope supplied magnification and light to facilitate the procedure.

Anesthesia, General↗

Genesis of arrhythmias and mechanism of electrical defibrillation of the heart.

Atrial arrhythmias were induced in experiments on dogs by electrical stimulation or by local application of aconitine and methacholine to the atrium. The action of the defibrillator discharge on these arrhythmias was studied. The defibrillator discharge abolished the arrhythmias maintained by the circus movement of the excitation wave over the atria but did not abolish sinus tachycardia or ectopic aconitine tachysystoles. The threshold of the defibrillating effect depends on the existence of micro-or macro-reentries. Thmechanism of defibrillation consists of excitation of the atrial myocardium with a consequent decrease in the pathway for the circulation of excitation to below the critical size for maintaining the circus movement of the excitation wave. The axtion of the defibrillator does not inihibit the automatism of the nomotopic and heterotopic cardiac pacemakers.

Aconitum↗

Optimized determination of iron in grape juice, wines, and other alcoholic beverages by atomic absorption spectrometry.

This paper describes a study of the different methods of sample preparation for the determination of iron in grape juice, wines, and other alcoholic beverages by atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization; results are also reported for the practical application of these methods to the analysis of commercial samples produced in Spain. The methods examined include dealcoholization and dry and wet mineralization treatment using different acids and/or mixtures of them, both with and without heating. The sensitivity, detection limit, accuracy, precision, and selectivity of each method were established. The best results were obtained for wet mineralization with heated acid (HNO3-H2SO4); the results for table wines had an accuracy of 97.5-101.6%, a relative standard deviation of 3.51%, a detection limit of 19.2 micrograms/L, and a determination limit of 32.0 micrograms/L. The method was also sufficiently sensitive and selective. It was applied to the determination of iron in grape juice, different types of wines, and beverages with high alcoholic content, all of which are produced and widely consumed in Spain. The values obtained ranged from 3.394 +/- 2.15 mg/L for the juice, 2.938 +/- 1.47 mg/L for the white wines, 19.470 +/- 5.43 mg/L for the sweet wines, 0.311 +/- 0.07 mg/L for the brandies, and 0.564 +/- 0.12 mg/L for the anisettes. Thus, the method is useful for routine analysis in the quality control of these beverages.

Alcoholic Beverages↗

[Use of procholinergics in the prevention of postoperative delirium in hip fracture surgery in the elderly. A randomized controlled trial].

INTRODUCTION: 40 to 50% of elderly with hip fracture present delirium. The morbimortality increase in patients whose presented delirium. OBJECTIVE: To study the use of citicoline (CDP choline) in the prevention of delirium in elderly under hip fracture surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A randomized control trial. The patients with hip fracture without dementia or an other organic brain illness. The medication were administered 24 hours before and during 4 days after surgery. The doses was 1.2 g/day. The primary outcome measure was percentage of patients with delirium measured with Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) and Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). The Mini Mental State (MMS) was used before and 4 days after surgery. All treatment comparation was considered statistically significant at p< 0.05 calculating chi square and Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: The sample size was 81 patients (46 placebo and 35 citicoline). The mean age was 79.45 for tested group and 79.97 for placebo. There was no statistically significant difference between groups with respect to ASA class of anesthesia. The incidence of delirium was 17.39% in placebo and 11.76% in citicoline group (p= 0.6). CAM and AMT at 1, 2, 3, 4 days post surgery was not significant in placebo and citicoline group (p= 0.8 and p= 0.34). CONCLUSION: In the present study the citicoline did not prevent or reduce the incidence of delirium in hip fracture surgery in elderly.

Aged↗

[Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Nicaraguan students. Isle of Youth Special Municipality. February, 1987].

A seroepidemiologic study on American trypanosomiasis was performed to a group of Nicaraguan students in Isle of the Youth Special Municipality, during February 1987, using indirect hemagglutination and indirect immunoflorescence techniques. The prevalence obtained with both tests and the percentage of the most frequent titer of indirect immunofluorescence are pointed out. The youth living in rural zones presented higher risk of acquiring the infection than those living in urban zones. The students coming from the Atlantic Coast, Rio San Juan and Masaya, presented the highest positive rates. Of those who were interviewed, 59% identified the Triatoma, and 13% of them manifested to have seen it inside homes. The background of being bitten by the Tritoma was present in 16.2% of those with positive results.

Adolescent↗

Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric determination of cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and selenium in fruit slurry: analytical application to nutritional and toxicological quality control.

A method is described for direct determination of cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and selenium in slurried fruit samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The fresh samples were suspended in Triton X-100 and shaken with 10 g zirconia spheres until a slurry was formed. The graphite furnace conditions were optimized for each element. The detection limits were 0.3, 3.5, 15.0, 0.5, and 10.0 ng/g for Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Se, respectively. Accuracy and precision were checked against sample mineralization in a microwave acid-digestion bomb. Results for analyses of National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference materials agreed closely with certified values. Analytical application of this method was tested with 40 samples of 8 widely consumed fruit species. The mean values (referred to fresh weight of edible fraction) for each fruit species had ranges of 0.0003-0.050 microgram/g for Cd, 0.316-1.094 micrograms/g for Cu, 2.00-5.50 micrograms/g for Fe, 0.050-0.396 microgram/g for Pb, and 0.010-0.020 microgram/g for Se. The proposed method is useful for routine multielemental analysis in nutritional and toxicological quality control of fruits and similar foodstuffs.

Cadmium↗

Determination of levels of lead contamination in food and feed crops.

A rapid, precise procedure is described for the determination of lead in food and feed products with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Samples were mineralized in a microwave acid digestion bomb in the presence of nitric acid and vanadium pentoxide. Lead concentrations were determined directly from digested samples. The detection limit was 0.04 ng/mL. Accuracy and precision were checked against National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference material. The analytical method was tested with 51 food and feed crops from Mediterranean zones in Spain and found to be suitable for these products. Lead concentrations in samples ranged from not detectable to 2.695 micrograms/g (fresh weight).

Animal Feed↗

Determination of chromium in wine and other alcoholic beverages consumed in spain by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

A reliable and rapid method is described for the determination of chromium in alcoholic beverages by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) after optimization of the temperature-time program for the graphite furnace. Chromium in wines was determined directly without sample pretreatment. Other samples were first mineralized with HNO3 and V2O5. The method was validated, and its analytical characteristics were checked. The detection limit was 1 pg (for a sample volume of 10 microL). Accuracy was 99.20 +/- 3.80% for wines and 98.90 +/- 2.00% for other beverages. Precision ranged from 3.50 to 4.50%. The proposed method was applied to 124 samples of alcoholic beverages frequently consumed in Spain. Mean values obtained (microgram/L) were 20.28 for wines, 8.75 for beer, 7.85 for cider, 14.60 for brandy, 7.50 for rum, 10.25 for whisky, 8.80 for gin, 9.25 for vodka, 24.45 for anisette, and 10.08 for liquors. The advantages of the proposed method (rapidity, sensitivity) and versatility) make it useful for routine analyses and for estimations of dietary intake of chromium.

Alcoholic Beverages↗