Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Angel

Publications and source records attributed to E Angel.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Laparoscopic diagnosis of acute lower abdominal pain in women of reproductive age.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the accuracy of laparoscopy performed within 24 h of admission and the conventional method based on clinical observation in the etiological diagnosis of non-specific acute lower abdominal pain (NSLAP) in women of reproductive age. METHODS: A total of 110 patients who met the selection criteria and were seen from November 1997 to June 2000 at the Instituto Materno Infantil, a referral hospital for maternal and perinatal care in Bogotá, were randomly divided into two groups. The effectiveness of each method was evaluated according to number of diagnoses reached, length of in-patient stay before diagnosis, complications, and diagnostic accuracy when compared with a standard given by microbiological and histopathological findings as well as clinical course. RESULTS: The early laparoscopy group did not experience more accurate diagnoses (85% vs. 79%, P=0.61) or a greater number of complications (11% vs. 9%, P=0.48), although the patients' stay was shorter (1.3 vs. 2.3 days, P=0.008) than the stay of the conventional-diagnosis group. Sensitivity analysis showed more accurate judgements with laparoscopy in four of the five NSLAP causes, but only in two of the cases did this greater accuracy have clinical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Early laparoscopy did not show a clear benefit in women with NSLAP.

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed2002

Galanin receptor antagonists decrease fat preference in Brattleboro rat.

The Brattleboro rat eats spontaneously 46% of its diet per day in fat when given a choice of carbohydrate, protein and fat. An overexpression of galanin (GAL) has been also observed in the hypothalamic paraventricular nuclei (PVN). This associative correlation has led to a hypothesis of a functional relation between central galanin expression and the preference for a lipid diet. In the present experiments, the effects of two GAL receptor antagonists, C7 and galantide, on fat consumption and central overexpression of GAL were investigated. Both antagonists were injected into either the cerebral ventricles or directly above the PVN, and the diet consumption followed for the subsequent 24h. C7 decreased significantly fat consumption when injected into the ventricles or directly above the PVN. In contrast, galantide must be injected above the PVN to show the same effect. However, the two antagonists did not modify GAL mRNA expression in the PVN when they were injected 2h before sacrifice. These experiments confirm a functional link between the preferential consumption of fat and hypothalamic Galanin; different subtypes of the GAL receptor are probably involved, since both Galanin antagonists were differently efficient in decreasing spontaneous fat selection of the Brattleboro rat.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Reducing infections among women undergoing cesarean section in Colombia by means of continuous quality improvement methods.

BACKGROUND: Improving obstetric care in resource-limited countries is a major international health priority. OBJECTIVE: To reduce infection rates after cesarean section by optimizing systems of obstetric care for low-income women in Colombia by means of quality improvement methods. METHODS: Multidisciplinary teams in 2 hospitals used simple methods to improve their systems for prescribing and administering perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. Process indicators were the percentage of women in whom prophylaxis was administered and the percentage of these women in whom it was administered in a timely fashion. The outcome indicator was the surgical site infection rate. RESULTS: Before improvement, prophylaxis was administered to 71% of women in hospital A; 24% received prophylaxis in a timely fashion. Corresponding figures in hospital B were 36% and 50%. Systems improvements included implementing protocols to administer prophylaxis to all women and increasing the availability of the antibiotic in the operating room. These improvements were associated with increases in overall and timely administration of prophylaxis (P<.001) in both hospitals by time series analysis, with adjustment for volume and case mix. After improvement, overall and timely administration of prophylaxis was 95% and 96% in hospital A and 89% and 96% in hospital B. In hospital A, the surgical site infection rate decreased immediately after the improvements (P<.001). In hospital B, the infection rate began a downward trend before the improvements that continued after their implementation (P =.04). CONCLUSION: Simple quality improvement methods can be used to optimize obstetric services and improve outcomes of care in resource-limited settings.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1999

Oculocardiac reflex in sedated patients having laser in situ keratomileusis.

PURPOSE: To eliminate stress as a variable in assessing the frequency of the oculocardiac reflex during laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). SETTING: Merida Ophthalmological Hospital and Oftalmedica, Mexico City, Mexico. METHODS: A pulse oximeter registered the heart rate of 30 sedated patients having LASIK. Sedation was accomplished with a combination of midazolam and fentanyl. The heart rate was noted before and during suction. The results in 1 eye of each patient were recorded. Oculocardiac reflex was defined as a decrease of 10% or more of the basal heart rate. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (46.7%) had a 10% or more decrease in heart rate when suction was applied. Ten of the 14 had a decrease in heart rate between 10% and 19%, 3 between 20% and 29%, and 1 of more than 30%. Two patients (6.6%) had an increase in the basal heart rate of more than 10%. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the oculocardiac reflex occurs more frequently in sedated patients than in nonsedated patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The immunological impairment of vasopressin (AVP) neurons into paraventricular nuclei modifies AVP expression in suprachiasmatic nuclei.

A monoclonal antibody (MAb) to vasopressin (AVP) inhibits the synthesis and the release of AVP when injected near the AVP-producing neurons. In the present experiments, the AVP-MAb was microinjected near the paraventricular (PVN) or the supraoptic (SON) neurons of the rat hypothalamus and the AVP expression was measured in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). When microinjected near PVN, the AVP-MAb modified the AVP mRNA studied by in situ hybridization, and the AVP immunoreactive content of SCN, whereas it failed to show some effect when injected near SON. This confirms the privileged relationships between AVP-producing neurons in SCN and PVN.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

The role of immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and ultrastructural cytochemistry in the diagnosis of mixed carcinoma-neuroendocrine neoplasms.

We studied four mixed carcinoma-neuroendocrine neoplasms from gastrointestinal tract and pancreas by routine light microscopy (LM), immunohistochemistry (IH), electron microscopy (EM), and ultrastructural cytochemistry (UC). By LM, the individual tumors showed fairly pure neuroendocrine (carcinoid) or epithelial (papillary) patterns, mixed neuroendocrine-carcinoma features and poorly-differentiated tumor in sheets and nests which did not lend itself to morphologic characterization. IH demonstrated mixed expression, within different areas of the same neoplasm, of epithelial antigens (keratins and carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA]) and neuroendocrine markers (neuron-specific enolase [NSE], bombesin and neurohormonal peptides). By EM, each tumor showed ultrastructural features of epithelial and neuroendocrine differentiation which varied substantially in terms of number of cells involved and their distribution; two of the neoplasms showed biphasic differentiation within single cells. The nature of the neurosecretory granules was verified with the uranaffin reaction (UR). This study illustrates the value of combining LM, IH, EM and UC for the identification of mixed carcinoma-neuroendocrine lesions.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Decidual cells.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Decidua↗
PubMed1985

Immunohistochemical demonstration of placental hormones in the diagnosis of uterine versus ectopic pregnancy.

The authors find that immunohistochemical demonstration of placental hormones in endometrium is useful in the identification of trophoblast independent of the presence of chorionic villi. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and human placental lactogen (HPL) are markers for trophoblastic cells. The markers were studied in 21 cases of gestational endometrium without villi in which the clinical differential diagnosis was ectopic pregnancy versus missed or incomplete uterine abortion. Trophoblastic cells were identified in four cases by routine microscopy and in an additional seven cases using the markers. In none of these cases was there a subsequent demonstration of ectopic pregnancy. In six of the ten negative cases, ectopic pregnancies subsequently were removed. Thus, the use of these hormone markers in endometrial specimens increases precision in the diagnosis of uterine versus ectopic pregnancy.

Abortion, Incomplete↗
PubMed1979

Evaluation of fetal monitoring by telemetry.

A radiotelemetry system for the direct monitoring of fetal heart rate and intrauterine pressure during labor has been evaluated at 5 different institutions. A conventional fetal scalp electrode and a special intrauterine pressure sensor are connected to a radio transmitter placed on the patient's thigh. The receiver can be located up to 50 feet away from the transmitter and is either a self-contained monitor or a unit that converts a conventional fetal monitor to a telemetric one. The telemetry recordings are of similar quality to those obtained from conventional monitors. Telemetry allows for greater patient comfort and mobility as well as greater convenience to the clinical staff. Continuous data can be obtained from patients while they are ambulatory or sitting in a chair as well as while they are in bed.

Electrodes↗
PubMed1978

Maternal ethanol ingestion and the occurrence of human fetal breathing movements.

The study of the development of fetal breathing movements in human gestation may provide an increased understanding of maturation of the functional central nervous system (CNS). In seven term pregnancies low maternal blood alcohol levels suppressed fetal breathing movements. No effects on fetal oxygenation or acid-base status were demonstrated at the low blood alcohol level. The suppression is therefore most consistent with a direct effect of alcohol on the fetal CNS. This investigation provides further support of the thesis that fetal breathing movements reflect some components of fetal CNS activity.

Adult↗