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Biomedical subjects

D Costa

Publications and source records attributed to D Costa.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Electromyographic study of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in head movements.

The function of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in head movements of 30 young individuals (19-28 years old, both sexes) was studied electromyographically using a TECA TE-4 electromyograph and Beckman surface electrodes. Action potentials were found in the following head movements: free heterolateral rotation; free homolateral inclination; free and counter-resistance protraction; free and counter-resistance flexion and free extension. These movements were performed with the subjects seated and in supine position.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1989

Changes in melatonin levels but not cortisol levels are associated with depression in patients with eating disorders.

Disturbances were studied in the nocturnal circadian pattern of serum melatonin and plasma cortisol levels in 33 female patients with an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, n = 11; bulimia nervosa, n = 12; or both, n = 10) and in ten female control subjects of comparable age. Blood samples were obtained hourly from 8 PM to 6 AM under controlled darkness. Serum melatonin levels in all patient groups were initially similar to those of control subjects. When patients were divided according to depression status, those with concurrent major depression had significantly lower nocturnal melatonin values than the nondepressed group. Weight did not appear to influence melatonin levels. In contrast, all patient groups had significantly higher nocturnal levels of plasma cortisol than control subjects, and neither weight nor depression separated patient groups on profiles of plasma cortisol.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Bidirectional cavopulmonary shunts: clinical applications as staged or definitive palliation.

A standard Glenn anastomosis between the superior vena cava and the right pulmonary artery has been the accepted mode of treatment for patients with complex cyanotic congenital heart disease. We report our experience in 18 patients with such disease who underwent a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt because of increasing cyanosis and growth cessation. All patients were considered less than "ideal" candidates for a Fontan procedure. We divided the patients into two groups: group 1 had azygos continuation and group 2 did not. Fourteen patients required hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. Bidirectional pulmonary blood flow was achieved in all patients. Only 1 death occurred (group 2). The improvement in oxygen saturation and overall clinical condition of these patients, together with the low mortality and morbidity, is encouraging. However, long-term follow-up is mandatory for a comprehensive evaluation of this surgical approach as definitive palliation or as a first stage for a Fontan operation.

Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical↗
PubMed1989

Production of free radicals arising from the surface activity of minerals and oxygen. Part I. Iron mine ores.

The excess incidence of lung cancers observed in many metal mines probably is not only correlated with radioactivity but also with the inhaled dusts. In an attempt to determine a possible mechanism of carcinogenicity related to the surface activity of dusts, using the spin-trapping agent and ESR spectroscopy, one can demonstrate that some mineral dusts from iron ore mines are very active in an oxidative process in aqueous medium, implying the formation of radical oxygen species on reducing surface sites of the solid. This reducing surface activity of the dusts depends on the presence of Fe2+ ion in the lattice and on the process of activation and passivation of the surface sites. The more simple process of activation is the dissolution of the oxidized coating on the particle surface. Among the oxides, oxyhydroxides, carbonates, and silicates, the magnesium-iron phyllosilicates (chlorite, biotite, berthierine) appear the most active. The siderite FeCO3 is also active, but the iron oxides and oxyhydroxides are generally nonactive.

Free Radicals↗
PubMed1989

Production of free radicals arising from the surface activity of minerals and oxygen. Part II. Arsenides, sulfides, and sulfoarsenides of iron, nickel, and copper.

The excess incidence of lung cancers observed in metallic mines other than iron mines probably can be correlated not only to radioactivity, but also to dust pollution. The present work investigates the role of surface properties of sulfides and arsenides, which are present in metal mines, in oxidizing mechanisms capable of inducing oxidative stress and, possibly, of participating in carcinogenesis. Using added spin-trapping agent followed by ESR spectroscopy, it was observed that nickel and copper arsenides can be very active in the oxidation of formate or DMSO, by reducing the oxygen dissolved in a cell-free medium. Sulfides, on the other hand, are not active, except for the iron sulfides, which are very active as an air-aged powder. The process of activation and rendering the particle surface passive was investigated. Surface dissolution and moderate grinding were found to be activating factors, while air-aging generally rendered the particle surface passive. The critical factor in determining activity is the availability of reducing species of iron, copper, or nickel on the surface of the minerals.

Arsenates↗
PubMed1986

Benign monoclonal gammopathy presenting with severe renal failure.

A patient with monoclonal gammopathy and renal failure due to kappa light chain deposition in the glomerular basement membrane is reported. After 8 months, he developed a progressive and severe renal failure requiring haemodialysis. 30 months later, the monoclonal gammopathy was unchanged. Clinical features, as well as kinetic and immunological studies, were consistent with a diagnosis of benign monoclonal gammopathy (BMG). This case suggests that the renal failure complicating a monoclonal gammopathy is not related to its malignancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Efficacy and safety of mianserin in the treatment of depression of women with cancer.

Depression is a major complication of cancer. The efficacy and safety of mianserin were evaluated in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of 73 depressed women with cancer. According to RDC diagnosis, all patients showed situational major depression. Both groups were well matched for cancer localization, clinical stages, Karnofsky scores, duration of depression, baseline values on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSRDS), and Clinical Global Impression of Illness Severity (CGI-S), and for type of depression, whether dominantly depressive or depressive-anxious. Between days 7-21, there were significantly fewer dropouts with mianserin (7) than with placebo (15). When compared with placebo, there were significant improvements for mianserin for HDRS on days 7, 21 and 28, for ZSRDS on days 7 and 28, and for CGI-S on days 7, 14, 21 and 28. According to Clinical Global Impression of Illness Improvement (CGI-I) there were significantly more responders with mianserin (28) than with placebo (18). The efficacy index for mianserin was significantly greater than for placebo on days 21 and 28. At the end of the trial the scores for HDRS sleep disturbance factor and HDRS anxiety-somatization factor were significantly reduced for mianserin than for placebo. There were no significant differences in side-effects between treatment groups. It is concluded that mianserin is superior to placebo in reducing the severity and duration of depression which is present especially in patients with advanced cancer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Breast and other cancer deaths in a mental hospital.

The neuroleptics, well known as stimulants of prolactin release, are supposed to increase breast cancer incidence. To verify this hypothesis, we selected a group of 853 deaths of female inpatients with mental diseases recorded in the Dr. G. Marinescu Hospital between 1929 and 1978. Using proportionally and indirect standardization methods, we did not find any association between the incidence of breast cancer death and neuroleptic therapy, widely used in the above-mentioned hospital after 1959. Several authors reported a low cancer death incidence in mental patients. Between 1925 and 1978, 2168 deaths were recorded in this hospital. Besides death certificates, we also studied 1444 complete autopsy protocols (66.60% of all the deaths). Cancer deaths represented 1.94% of 1231 deaths recorded between 1925 and 1960. Cancer deaths represented 7.04% of 937 deaths in the period of 1961-1978, in comparison with 13.36% of the whole population of Romania (p less than 0.001). Among these 937 deaths, statistically significant lower cancer ratios than in general population were found in ten-year age groups, i.e. between 15 and 74 years in women and between 45 and 74 years in men. No case of leukemia was recorded over 1925-1978. Deaths from pneumonia, bronchopneumonia and cardio-vascular diseases are now frequent in major mental disorders. New prospective studies are required to elucidate the problem of cancer incidence in mental patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Endogenous depression and imipramine levels in the blood.

Approximate determinations of imipramine plus desmethylimipramine levels in the blood made by a method available in routine clinical chemistry laboratories, in 20 nondelusional endogenous depressives after 3 weeks of treatment (mean dose 130 mg/day, SEM 18.05 mg/day) have shown levels ranging from 10 ng/ml to 494 ng/ml. A positive significant correlation between blood levels and percentage change in scores on the Hamilton scale was found (Spearman's O = 0.49 P < 0.05). Patients with levels above 85 ng/ml had a significantly better therapeutic response than patients with levels below 85 ng/ml. Among the 11 nonresponders, 8 had low levels, 2 had intermediate levels, and 1 had the highest level of the study. In a given nonresponder, approximate determination of imipramine plus desmethylimipramine in the blood may be useful.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Selective effects of clofibrate on alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in serum.

Administration of clofibrate to both hyperlipidaemic patients and normolipidaemic subjects produced a significant decrease, averaging 22%, in serum alkaline phosphatase activity. Quantitative isoenzyme analysis showed that this change was entirely attributable to an average reduction of 39% in the activity of liver alkaline phosphatase, and that no significant change in the bone isoenzyme occurred. An accompanying fall in serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity was seen in some subjects but this change was not statistically significant in the group as a whole.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Acid phosphatase after examination of the prostate.

We report the effect of rectal examination of the prostate and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) on the serum level of tartrate labile acid phosphatase (TLAP) in 18 normal cases, 31 with benign enlargement of the prostate and 20 with carcinoma. Rectal examination had no effect on TLAP in normal patients, those with benign enlargement and those with carcinoma, either after 5 min or the following morning. TURP for both benign and malignant disease raised the TLAP transiently with a rapid return to normal. We believe that there is no justification for postponing estimation of TLAP following rectal examination.

Acid Phosphatase↗