Resistance of Salmonella and Campylobacter species to antimicrobial agents.
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Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
Biomedical subjects
C Muñoz
Publications and source records attributed to C Muñoz.
Alnespirone (S 20499), an agonist of 5-HT1A receptors, and imipramine have similar activity in a chronic mild stress model of depression.
A chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression was used to study an antidepressant-like activity of alnespirone (S 20499), a selective agonist of 5-HT1A receptors. In this model, a substantial decrease in consumption of a palatable sucrose solution over time is observed in rats subjected to a variety of mild stressors. This effect can be reversed by chronic administration of various classes of antidepressant drugs. Chronic (5 weeks) treatment with alnespirone, in a dose range between 1-5 mg/kg/day, gradually and dose dependently reversed the CMS-induced reductions in sucrose consumption without any significant effects in the non-stressed control animals. The onset of action of the most active doses (2.5 and 5 mg/kg/day) and the overall efficacy of alnespirone in the CMS model were comparable to those observed following similar administration of imipramine (10 mg/kg/ day). At the lower (0.5 mg/kg/day) and higher (10 and 20 mg/kg/day) doses, alnespirone was ineffective against the CMS-induced deficit in sucrose consumption. These data provide further support for previous suggestions, based on both the clinical observations and animal data, that agonism at 5-HT1A receptors may result in antidepressant action.
Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors↗
Rapid detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile from stool samples by a nested PCR of toxin B gene.
Toxigenic Clostridium difficile is the aetiologic agent of most cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis. The present standard method for C. difficile diagnosis is a cytotoxicity assay, performed on human fibroblast cultures. It is time consuming and requires special facilities. A nested-PCR assay detecting toxin B gene within a few hours was designed. One hundred and two stool samples were collected during four months. All samples were processed for toxin B-PCR, cultured for C. difficile and tested for cytotoxicity. This approach achieved 99% concordance with the cytotoxic assay. The sensitivity and specificity for the new PCR assay were 96.3% and 100% respectively. The procedure described is easy to perform, does not require special equipment and has produced excellent results. It deserves serious consideration for routine clinical microbiology laboratory use.
Bacterial Toxins↗
Local and systemic liberation of proinflammatory cytokines in ulcerative colitis.
Determination of plasma and tissue cytokine levels in inflammatory bowel disease have frequently resulted in conflicting data. In the present study we determined in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha liberated by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC) after 48-hr culture with pokeweed mitogen (PWM). IL-1beta, IL-6, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in the supernatant were detected by ELISA. Results show low basal levels of IL-1beta secretion by PBMC and LPMC, and a considerable increase after mitogen stimulation. Basal IL-6 production by PBMC was higher in UC patients than in controls [2029 pg/ml, CI95(-165 to 4223) vs 572 pg/ml (-383 to 1527) respectively, P = 0.05] and also after PWM activation [14,995 pg/ml (7759-22,230) vs 6598 pg/ml (3240-9956), respectively, P = 0.05]. In LPMC, no differences in IL-6 secretion were observed. TNF-alpha in activated PBMC of patients with UC was not significantly increased in relation to control (P = 0.09). No constitutive secretion of IFN-gamma was observed in mononuclear cells. IFN-gamma levels secreted by activated LPMC were lower in patients with UC than in controls [1571 pg/ml (-108 to 3251) vs 7953 pg/ml (3851-12,055), respectively, P = 0.03]. These results suggest that IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha participate as mediators in the inflammatory phenomena observed in UC. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the role of IFN-gamma in this condition.
Adult↗
CD44v6 expression in inflammatory bowel disease is associated with activity detected by endoscopy and pathological features.
AIMS: Overexpression of CD44v6 in colon crypt epithelial cells has been suggested to have diagnostic potential in differentiating ulcerative colitis from other forms of colon inflammation, including Crohn's disease. Our aim was to determine the value of CD44v6 expression in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to look for possible associations between CD44v6 expression and activity of this disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: CD44v6 expression was studied using immunohistochemical techniques in 100 surgical and endoscopic colon samples of ulcerative colitis (n = 71) and Crohn's disease (n = 29), and in every case disease activity was studied by endoscopy and microscopic examination. Fifty-five of 71 (77.5%) samples of ulcerative colitis showed monoclonal antibody 2F10 stained colon epithelium, as did 16 of 29 (55.2%) samples of Crohn's disease. CD44v6 was detected in 88.2% (15 of 17) of cases of IBD with severe disease activity and in 100% of eight cases of severe ulcerative colitis. Our study showed a strong association between CD44v6 expression and the activity of IBD (P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: CD44v6 expression in IBD is significantly associated with activity detected by means of endoscopy and pathological features. Our data suggest that CD44v6 expression may have some usefulness in conjunction with other factors as a means of evaluating the disease activity. Moreover, CD44v6 expression was higher in ulcerative colitis than Crohn's disease (P = 0.02), although this does not confirm the utility of monoclonal antibody 2F10 in differential diagnosis between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as there was a notable percentage of positive samples of Crohn's disease.
Adolescent↗
Nutritional support in alcoholic cirrhotic patients improves host defenses.
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is usual in patients with alcoholic liver disease and is associated with a poor outcome. Nutritional support decreases nutrition-associated complications. AIM: To demonstrate that nutritional support in ambulatory alcoholic cirrhotic patients improves host defenses. METHODS: Thirty-one male outpatients with alcoholic cirrhosis CHILD-PUGH B or C were included. Twenty-five subjects completed six months consuming daily a nutritional supplement (Ensure, 1000 Kcal and 35 g protein), in addition to their regular diet. At entrance and every three months, a clinical assessment, nutritional evaluation and indirect calorimetry were performed. Liver function tests and LPS-induced monocyte production of cytokines, salivary secretory IgA, lactulose/mannitol ratio and breath hydrogen tests were also measured in these intervals. Delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity and IgG and IgM antibody response to endotoxin were assessed at entrance and at the end of the study. RESULTS: Patients drank 85% of the provided supplement as an average. REE, total body fat and serum albumin increased, basal breath hydrogen decreased and cellular immunity improved significantly during the follow up period (p< or =0.03). All the other parameters remained unchanged throughout the study. Six patients (16.2%) died during the study, five due to upper gastrointestinal bleeding. CONCLUSION: Nutritional support in alcoholic cirrhotic patients improves nutritional status and cell mediated immunity.
Adipose Tissue↗
Acute Q fever in adult patients: report on 63 sporadic cases in an urban area.
We report here 63 sporadic urban cases of acute Q fever diagnosed in 1985-1997. Fifty-eight men and five women were included; the mean age (+/- SD) was 35.6 (+/- 10.2) years. Twenty-six patients had pneumonia, 30 had hepatitis, and 7 had a self-limited febrile illness. The most frequent radiological abnormalities were lobar or segmental alveolar opacities involving right lower lobes. Chronic bronchitis was significantly more frequent among patients with pneumonic Q fever (P = .01). Thirty-two patients' illnesses were diagnosed through seroconversion, 12 by a fourfold increase in serum antibody titer, and 19 by initial high titers. Patients who initially received doxycycline had a significantly shorter duration of fever than those treated with erythromycin or other antibiotics (P = .0001 and P = .0004, respectively). No patient died. Acute Q fever affects mainly urban men, most frequently causing hepatitis, except in those with chronic bronchitis, who more frequently develop pneumonia. Hepatic Q fever presented with more pronounced increases in liver function test values than did pneumonic Q fever. Treatment with doxycycline caused a significant reduction in the duration of fever.
Acute Disease↗
Fatal varicella with primary fibrinolysis in a renal transplant recipient.
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Adult↗
Uptake of Tc-99m sestamibi and Tc-99m MDP in anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid (nondiagnostic CT and ultrasound scans).
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Carcinoma↗
Acute abdomen due to perforation of colon by ingested chicken bone: diagnosis and endoscopic treatment.
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Abdomen, Acute↗
Treadmill training enhances glucose tolerance more in pregnant than in virgin rats.
To determine whether aerobic training throughout gestation modifies glucose tolerance, female Wistar rats were mated or kept nonpregnant and run or not on a 10 degrees slope treadmill for 5 days/week at 20 m/min, starting with a 20-min run, and with a progressive daily increase of 5 min, reaching a 75-min run on the 20th day of protocol or gestation. The exercise protocol did not modify food intake, maternal and fetal weights, litter size or blood lactic acid levels. The rise in blood glucose after an oral glucose load (2 g/kg body weight) did not differ between trained and untrained nonpregnant rats but was lower in trained than in untrained pregnant rats. In the untrained rats the rise in plasma insulin levels after the glucose load was much greater in pregnant than in nonpregnant rats; in trained rats this difference between groups was attenuated by the greater effect of exercise decreasing the plasma insulin response to the glucose load in pregnant than in nonpregnant rats. Thus, an aerobic exercise protocol that does not modify the outcome of pregnancy does significantly reduce the altered oral glucose tolerance in pregnant rats and only has a minor effect in nonpregnant rats.
Animals↗
[Evaluation of a simple rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in childhood].
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) applied to the diagnosis Helicobacter pylori infection in the pediatric population, by means of a rapid and simple method of extraction and posterior detection by a colorimetric hybridation of amplified H. pylori DNA. METHODS: Fifty three gastric biopsies, obtained through upper gastrointestinal endoscopy from 53 patients with gastric pathology (45 recidivant abdominal pain and eight hematemesis), were processed from october 1995 to july 1996. Three non invasive tests were performed: detection of IgG by (Cobas) Core Anti-H. pylori EIA (Roche), breath test with 13C-urea and PCR of dental plaque, as well as four invasive ones: histologic study, culture into selective (Pylori Agar, bioMérieux) and non selective media (Columbia Agar with 5% sheep blood, bioMérieux), test of rapid urease and PCR of gastric biopsies. A 20% solution of Chelex 100 resin (DNA Extraction Reagen, Perkin Elmer) was used for DNA extraction, amplification was performed from gen ureA (Clayton, 1992) and amplified DNA was detected by colorimetric hybridation (PCR ELISA, Boehringer, Mannheim). Duration of the PCR process was: extraction 25 min, amplification two hours and detection three hours. RESULTS: Results of culture and PCR from gastric biopsies agreed in 84.3% of cases (27 positives, 16 negatives and two not determined). Two samples were positive by culture and negative by PCR, and were considered as PCR false negatives due to positivity of three or more other tests. Six samples were negative by culture and positive by PCR, being considered as culture false negatives due to positivity of three or more other tests. Sensitivity of PCR and culture was 94.2 and 82.8%. Specificity was 100% for both tests. None of the dental plaque samples was positive. CONCLUSIONS: When invasive techniques are to be done for microbiologic diagnose of H. pylori, PCR increases the confirmation rate of infection; the present procedure enables daily routine work due to its simplicity and its short turnaround time.
Adolescent↗
Pregnancy modifies the alpha2-beta-adrenergic receptor functional balance in rabbit fat cells.
The sympathetic nervous system controls lipolysis in fat by activation of four adrenergic receptors: beta1, beta2, beta3, and alpha2. During pregnancy, maternal metabolism presents anabolic and catabolic phases, characterized by modifications of fat responsiveness to catecholamines. The contributions of the four adrenergic receptors to adipocyte responsiveness during pregnancy have never been studied. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of pregnancy on adrenergic receptor-mediated lipolysis in rabbit white adipocytes. Functional studies were performed using subtype-selective and non-selective adrenergic receptor agonists. Overall adrenergic responsiveness was measured with the physiological agonist epinephrine. Non-adrenergic agents were used to evaluate different steps of the lipolytic cascade. The alpha2- and beta1/beta2-adrenergic receptor numbers were determined with selective radioligands. Non-adrenergic agents revealed that pregnancy induced an intracytoplasmic modification of the lipolytic cascade in inguinal but not in retroperitoneal adipocytes. Pregnancy induced an increase in beta1- and specially beta3-mediated lipolysis. The amounts of adipocyte beta1/beta2- and alpha2-adrenergic receptors were increased in pregnant rabbits. Epinephrine effects revealed an increased contribution of alpha2-adrenergic receptor-mediated antilipolysis in adipocytes from pregnant rabbits. These results indicate that pregnancy regulates adipocyte responsiveness to catecholamines mainly via the alpha2- and beta3-adrenergic pathways. Pregnancy induces an intracytoplasmic modification of the lipolytic cascade, probably via hormone-sensitive lipase, with differences according to fat location.-Bousquet-Mélou, A., C. Muñoz, J. Galitzky, M. Berlan, and M. Lafontan. Pregnancy modifies the alpha2-beta-adrenergic receptor functional balance in rabbit fat cells.
Adipocytes↗
[Analysis of telomeric length in epithelial carcinoma of the ovary].
BACKGROUND: As a consequence of the high cell division rate, telomeric repeat reduction in human tumor cells, giving rise to genetic instability, has recently been described. The aim of this study was to analyze by Southern blot telomeric length alterations in a retrospective group of patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Tumor and corresponding normal DNA were isolated from paraffin-embedded tissue of 16 patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma. Telomeric Restriction Fragments (TRF) were studied by Southern blot and densitometric analysis. RESULTS: No telomere alterations were detected in 37.5% of patients (6/16). Of the remaining ten, 5 were found to have telomere reduction and five telomere elongation. No significant correlation was found between clinicopathological variables, response to chemotherapy, survival rate or time to progression, and telomere length alterations. CONCLUSIONS: In ovarian epithelial carcinoma telomere elongation may be a marker of the presence of immortal cells within the tumor, but telomere or the absence of telomeric alterations do not rule out the presence of these cells. Although TRF analysis can be performed in paraffin-embedded tissues, it is not the best indicator of telomerase activity and thus of tumor aggressiveness in early stages of this carcinoma.
Blotting, Southern↗
Interference of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs with very late activation antigen 4/vascular cells adhesion molecule 1-mediated lymphocyte-endothelial cell adhesion.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the adhesion of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) to activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) under conditions that resemble blood flow. METHODS: Assays of adhesion of PBL to HUVEC or recombinant vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (rVCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and E-selectin were performed under continuous rotation at 37 degrees C. The phenotype of PBL subpopulations attached was characterized by flow cytometry. Lymphocytes were pretreated with different doses (5-100 microg/ml) of aceclofenac, diclofenac, indomethacin, or piroxicam or with inhibitory monoclonal antibodies (MAb) prior to the adhesion assays. The effect of NSAIDs on lymphocyte adhesion molecules was assessed by flow cytometry. To determine whether NSAIDs interfere with the affinity state of very late activation antigen 4 (VLA-4) integrin, we studied the effect of these drugs on the appearance of a beta1 activation-dependent epitope recognized by the HUTS21 MAb both on human T lymphoblasts and on synovial fluid lymphocytes (SFL). RESULTS: In the flow-resembling model, PBL-HUVEC adhesion was mainly mediated by the VLA-4/ VCAM-1 adhesion pathway. The major PBL subset attached was the CD3+, CD45RO+ memory T cell, with CD49d(high) expression. Aceclofenac, diclofenac, and indomethacin, but not piroxicam, were able to inhibit PBL adhesion to HUVEC or rVCAM-1. However, the quantitative expression of VLA-4 was not affected by treatment of PBL with any of the NSAIDs studied. On T lymphoblasts and SFL, mostly CD45RO+ cells, the expression of the beta1 activation-dependent epitope detected by HUTS21 MAb was significantly decreased by aceclofenac, diclofenac, and indomethacin. CONCLUSION: Some NSAIDs are able to inhibit the adhesion of PBL to HUVEC under conditions that resemble blood flow by interfering with the conformational change in VLA-4 that increases its affinity for VCAM-1.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
In vitro encystation of Blastocystis hominis: a kinetics and cytochemistry study.
The kinetics of in vitro encystation of Blastocystis hominis was studied over 9 days. The differentiation between trophic (TF) and cyst forms (CF) was determined by differential counts before and after treatment with distilled water. A cytochemistry study using acridine orange and Calcofluor white wet-mount preparations of CF was carried out. The growth curves of TF and CF were related because the decrease in TF was followed by an increase in CF, and vice versa. The maximum of CF counts was obtained on the 6th or 7th day. Using the differential acridine orange stain, two subpopulations of CF, yellow-orange fluorescent cells or precysts and green fluorescent cells or cysts, were detected and their curves were also related. CF was stained by Calcofluor white, which suggested the existence of beta-(1-4)-glycosyl residues in the wall cysts of B. hominis.
Acridine Orange↗
[Congenital anomalies of the mitral valve in the adult: presentation of 3 cases].
Congenital mitral valve anomalies are uncommon and their incidence in adults is very unusual. Transthoracic echocardiography is essential for their diagnosis. In this study two adult patients with parachute mitral valve and one with isolated cleft of mitral valve are described. An echocardiographic exam was decisive in obtaining the diagnosis for each of these patients. Clinical aspects, typical echocardiographic findings and therapeutical approaches of these entities are discussed.
Adolescent↗
Aerobic exercise during pregnancy reverts maternal insulin resistance in rats.
PURPOSE AND METHODS: To determine whether pregnancy modifies the effect of aerobic exercise on insulin responsiveness, female rats were mated or kept nonpregnant and exercised or not on a treadmill (10 degrees slope, 20 m.min-1) 5 d.wk-1 during a 20-min period that was increased progressively up to 70 min on the 19th d. On day 20, a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp was performed with 0.8 IU insulin.h-1.kg-1 under conscious conditions. RESULTS: Food intake and body weight, circulating lactic acid, glucose, and insulin as well as fetal body weight and number were unaffected by the exercise protocol. The rate of glucose infusion required to maintain basal glucose levels during the clamp was similar in exercised and nonexercised virgin rats and significantly lower in pregnant than in virgin nonexercised rats. However, in exercised pregnant rats the glucose infusion rate was almost as high as in the exercised virgin rats. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that although our aerobic exercise protocol does not affect insulin responsiveness in nonpregnant rats, it completely reverts the insulin resistance present in late pregnant rats.
Analysis of Variance↗