[De Quervain's thyroiditis, gammagraphic differential diagnosis from other causes of hyperthyroidism].
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
E Romero
Publications and source records attributed to E Romero.
Neural morphological effects of long-term implantation of the self-sizing spiral cuff nerve electrode.
The paper reports on the histological effects of chronic implantation of self-sizing spiral cuff nerve electrodes on the cat sciatic nerve. The implantation period is about 4.4 months. Four different experimental conditions are evaluated: control, sham, bare cuff (cuffs without contacts and leads) and full cuff. The total number of axons in the nerves of the control group is compared with the three other groups. The surface occupied by collagen fibres in the nerve section, perineurium thickness, fibre diameter and myelin thickness are also measured. The average number of axons in the control nerves is found to be 16,416 (+/- 1,509) and does not differ significantly from the three other groups (p > 0.1). Collagen measurements show an extrafascicular epineurial fibrosis in the two implanted groups that is found to be significantly different (p < 0.05). No differences are encountered in the perineurium thickness analysis. Fibre diameter distributions show a regular bimodal pattern for all groups. Centrality (mean and Pm) and dispersion statistics (P25 and P75) extracted from fibre diameter distributions do not reveal significant differences. Myelin thickness distributions are also similar for all groups, as well as centrality and dispersion statistics. The present morphometrical results suggest that the effects produced by a chronic spiral cuff implant on this animal model are negligible.
Animals↗
Viral excretion in cervicovaginal secretions of HIV-1-infected women receiving antiretroviral therapy.
A longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate the viral shedding present in cervicovaginal secretions of HIV-1-seropositive women receiving antiretroviral therapy. A total of 128 paired cervicovaginal and blood samples was obtained from 37 women during a median follow-up period of 21 months. A sensitive, competitive, polymerase chain reaction and a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used for the simultaneous quantitation of HIV-1 proviral DNA and RNA in cervicovaginal cells and cell-free RNA in cervicovaginal secretions, as well as HIV-1 RNA in peripheral blood. The cumulative probability of detecting proviral DNA in genital secretions was significantly higher over time in women with detectable viremia than in women in whom HIV-1 RNA was persistently undetectable in plasma (< 50 copies/ml) (P = 0.028 by log-rank test). The presence and amount of proviral DNA, cell-associated RNA and cell-free RNA in the cervicovaginal secretions were positively correlated with the presence of detectable viremia or the number of HIV-1 RNA copies in plasma (Spearman rank correlation, 0.290, 0.279, and 0.305, respectively; all P < 0.01), but no correlation was found with the CD4+ cell count. In addition, vaginal infections were positively correlated with the detection of proviral DNA in cervicovaginal secretions (odds ratio, 2.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-5.70). However, the positive correlation between the presence and amount of HIV in cervicovaginal secretions and the viral load in plasma provides no assurance that HIV shedding does not occur in the genital tract of women with undetectable HIV-RNA in plasma.
Adult↗
[Severe hypothyroidism secondary to interferon alpha].
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Antiviral Agents↗
Dissipation of racemic mecoprop and dichlorprop and their pure R-enantiomers in three calcareous soils with and without peat addition.
Two racemic herbicides, mecoprop (R,S-MCPP) and dichlorprop (R,S-DCPP), as well as their enantiopure R-forms, were incubated in three calcareous soils at 15 degrees C and 80% of their field capacity to try to elucidate their behaviour in soil and compare the dissipation rates when racemic and enantiopure compounds are used. Quantitation of pesticides is made by HPLC and the R/S ratio by GC-MS. The inactive S-enantiomer from the racemic forms persists longer than the R-forms in silt and sandy loam soils, but for shorter time in the clay loam soil. The pure R-enantiomers, both for MCPP and DCPP, after incubation in soil, are partially converted into their S-forms. In all cases, the dissipation of racemic and pure enatiomeric forms is lower in the clay loam soil than in the silt and sandy loam soils. The R-forms' peristence, in the three soils, is approximately two times lower when they are incubated alone than when they are incubated as racemic compounds. When peat is added, the persistence of these herbicides in the silt and sandy loam soils increases, while in the clay loam soil it decreases. Besides, in the clay loam soil, the enantiomeric ratio (ER) changes from its S-preferential degradation to a preferential degradation of its R-form, so an increase in the persistence of the inactive S-form occurs.
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗
Nutritional treatment for acquired immunodeficiency virus infection using an enterotropic peptide-based formula enriched with n-3 fatty acids: a randomized prospective trial.
OBJECTIVE: Dietary counseling and intervention based on application of conventional criteria have been ineffective in preventing the progressive weight loss associated with HIV infection. The aim of the study was to compare the progression of clinical and nutritional indicators during nutritional supplementation with or without an enterotropic peptide-based formula enriched with n-3 fatty acids. DESIGN: Randomized trial. SETTING: Tertiary care. SUBJECTS: Ninety-one patients were screened for the study. Twenty-three did not meet the inclusion criteria, therefore 74 patients were randomized. Of these, 38 were randomized to group I (standard formula) and 36 were randomized to group II supplementation (enterotropic peptide-based formula enriched with n-3 fatty acids). INTERVENTIONS: Group I received standard enteral formula and group II received a enterotropic peptide-based enteral formula. The volume was the same (3 cans/day, 236 ml per can). In both groups enteral supplementation were recommended in conjunction with a registered dietitian under a dietary counseling program based on standard nutrition principles. Patients received a prospective serial assessment of nutrition status, nutritional intake with 24 h written food records, GI symptoms, immune function, anthropometric status and intercurrent health events including infections and hospitalization. These determinations were performed at baseline and at 3 months. RESULTS: Treatment with both supplements resulted in a significant and sustained increase in weight (3.2% in group I and 3.1% in group II); this increase was mostly due to fat mass (12.8% in group I) and (7.5% in group II). Total body water and fat free-mass remained unchanged. CD4 counts remained stable in group I, while a significant increase was detected in group II (576+/-403 vs 642+/-394 cells/mm(3); P<0.05). After the 3 month period CD4 counts remained higher in group II. Hospitalization events (infections) were also followed during the 3 month period. Group II had fewer hospitalizations than group I, but no statistical differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: Oral nutritional supplements for a 3 month period were well tolerated and resulted in body weight gain in HIV-infected patients. Supplement-enriched formula, with peptides and n-3 fatty acids, increased CD4 count.
Adolescent↗
Values and antisocial behavior among Spanish adolescents.
A number of studies have indicated that delinquent adolescents have characteristic value systems. However, most of these studies have adopted a "known-groups" design--that is, they have compared institutionalized delinquents and non-institutionalized adolescents, assuming those adolescents to be non-delinquent. Designs of this type do not distinguish effectively between the statistical effects of delinquency and of institutionalization. In this study, the authors investigated relationships between values and self-reported antisocial behavior in three adolescent groups: 435 school-attending boys, 529 school-attending girls, and 95 delinquent boys in juvenile rehabilitation centers or prisons. The results indicate that antisocial behavior is associated with hedonistic values and a lack of interest in conventional values and social values. These relationships cannot be explained by the institutionalization effects.
Adolescent↗
Adsorption of methabenzthiazuron on six allophanic and nonallophanic soils: effect of organic matter amendment.
This article reports on methabenzthiazuron [1-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)-1,3-dimethylurea] (MBT) adsorption process on six agricultural allophanic and nonallophanic soils. The effect of amendment with exogenous organic matter was also studied. Adsorption kinetic fits an hyperbolic model. MBT adsorption reached an apparent equilibrium within 2 h and followed a second-order reaction. The maximum adsorbed amounts for natural soils ranged from 32 to 145 microg g(-1). Rate constants were considered relatively low (0.27-1.5 x 10(-4) [microg g(-1)](1-n) s-1); the slow process was attributed to a combined effect of difussion and adsorption. MBT adsorption fits the Freundlich model with r values > or =0.998 at P < or = 0.001 significance levels. Kf and Freundlich exponents (l/n) ranged from 5.3 to 82.1 cm3 g(-1) and from 0.66 to 0.73, respectively. Kf values for soils with a low organic matter content were lower than that obtained from the only typical allophanic soil derived from volcanic ash under study. Lineal regression analysis between Kf and organic matter content of nonallophanic soils gave a correlation coefficient of 0.980 (P = 0.02). Dispersion of Kd values together with close values of K(OM) indicate that organic matter (OM) was the principal component responsible for MBT adsorption in unamended soils. Addition of peat decreased soil pH and increased adsorption capacity for allophanic and nonallophanic soils. Kinetic experiments showed enhancements of Xmax values and lower rate constants.
Adsorption↗
Effect of repaglinide addition to NPH insulin monotherapy on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
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Aged↗
[Anabolic steroids and gynecomastia. Review of the literature].
Gynaecomastia is a common situation, with a proliferation of glandular component of male breast secondary to an imbalance in sexual hormones in mammary tissue. A main cause of gynaecomastia is anabolic steroids consumption. Few studies have been performed in patients with high consumption of anabolic steroids, showing a high prevalence (52%). In this article we present a case of bilateral gynaecomastia secondary to anabolic steroids intake, with a partial response to tamoxifen. In summary, a patient with sportive habits and gynaecomastia, an early suspicious diagnosis is anabolic steroid intake. After suppression of anabolic steroid intake and treatment with tamoxifen, a high remission rate can be achieved. If gynaecomastia persisted, surgery is a good option.
Adult↗
[What can help us to die in peace?].
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Adult↗
Automatic morphometry of nerve histological sections.
A method for the automatic segmentation, recognition and measurement of neuronal myelinated fibers in nerve histological sections is presented. In this method, the fiber parameters i.e. perimeter, area, position of the fiber and myelin sheath thickness are automatically computed. Obliquity of the sections may be taken into account. First, the image is thresholded to provide a coarse classification between myelin and non-myelin pixels. Next, the resulting binary image is further simplified using connected morphological operators. By applying semantic rules to the zonal graph axon candidates are identified. Those are either isolated or still connected. Then, separation of connected fibers is performed by evaluating myelin sheath thickness around each candidate area with an Euclidean distance transformation. Finally, properties of each detected fiber are computed and false positives are removed. The accuracy of the method is assessed by evaluating missed detection, false positive ratio and comparing the results to the manual procedure with sampling. In the evaluated nerve surface, a 0.9% of false positives was found, along with 6.36% of missed detections. The resulting histograms show strong correlation with those obtained by manual measure. The noise introduced by this method is significantly lower than the intrinsic sampling variability. This automatic method constitutes an original tool for morphometrical analysis.
Animals↗
Quantification of HIV-1 proviral DNA in patients with undetectable plasma viremia over long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the prognostic role of proviral DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with undetectable viremia over long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS: Eighty-two human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected patients, free of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), received zidovudine plus lamivudine plus indinavir. Levels of plasma HIV-RNA, and PBMC proviral DNA and RNA unspliced (US) transcripts were evaluated by using competitive polymerase chain reaction (cPCR) assays, every 3 months over 1 year. RESULTS: Among patients with undetectable viremia at baseline, 13 of 18 with CD4 cell count 350/mm3 or less and 12 of 16 with CD4 between 351 and 700/mm3, constantly maintained undetectable RNA levels; in these patients, a mean proviral DNA decrease of 0.67 6 0.7 and 1.03 6 0.53 log (P < 0.001), respectively, a significant decrease of RNA-US transcripts (P < 0.001), and significant correlations between decreases of proviral DNA and RNA-US transcripts (P = 0.008 and P < 0.001, respectively) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Proviral DNA quantitation permits the continued monitoring of HAART in patients with undetectable viremia.
Anti-HIV Agents↗
Transfusion-transmitted virus infection in HIV-1-seropositive patients.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence, persistence and genome heterogeneity of transfusion-transmitted (TTV) in HIV-1-infected patients, a group at high risk both of contracting blood-borne viruses and having viral persistence relating to immunodepression. METHODS: Plasma samples from 238 HIV-1 seropositive subjects and 226 healthy blood donors were examined for TTV-DNA both by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers from the conserved regions in the N22 clone and PCR using primers deduced from the untranslated region (UTR). Direct DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were used to characterize 27 TTV isolates from HIV-1 patients or healthy controls. RESULTS: Using PCR with the UTR primers, TTV DNA was detected in a very high percentage (> 80%) of samples both from HIV-1 seropositive subjects and from blood donors. Using PCR with N22 primers, shown to detect viral strains associated with hepatitis of unknown etiology, TTV DNA was found in 103 of 238 (43.3%) HIV-1-infected patients and in 22 of 226 (9.7%) blood donors. There was no difference in the prevalence of the TTV DNA in HIV seropositive subjects with regard to clinical features related to immunosuppression, markers of HCV infection or intravenous drug use; presence of TTV DNA was associated significantly only with male gender (P = 0.003). Persistent or intermittent viremia was detected in plasma samples taken up over a period of 19 months in all (15 of 15) HIV-infected patients tested. CONCLUSIONS: The persistence and high frequency of infection detected by PCR with N22 primers in HIV-1 seropositive patients suggest that further clinical investigation of immunocompromised hosts will provide information to clarify the pathogenic role of TTV.
Blood Donors↗
Effect of cerivastatin on serum cholesterol levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is greatly increased in overweight diabetic patients. Modification of dietary intake and weight loss improve hypercholesterolaemia. However, cholesterol goal levels are not achieved in several patients under this treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of Cerivastatin, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A population of 40 diabetic type 2 outpatients were analyzed in a prospective way. The mean+/-SD age was 60.7+/-11.6 years, with a diabetes duration of 8.5+/-6.6 years. All patients were treated with cerivastatin (0.2 mg once a day) for 6 months. Weight HbAlc fasting blood glucose, urine microalbuminuria, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were measured at the beginning of the study and again after 3 and 6 months of treatment with cerivastatin. An improvement in lipid levels was achieved, with a significant decrease in LDL-cholesterol (27.7%), total cholesterol (21.4%), triglycerides levels (10.4%) and a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol levels (8.3%) (P<0.05). Cardiovascular risk ratios such as; total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol improved during treatment, decreasing 11.3% and 30%, respectively (P<0.05). Low incidence of side effects was demonstrated. In summary, cerivastatin improved lipid control in patients with type 2 diabetes, with a low incidence of side effects.
Aged↗
Treadmill exercise-induced stress causes a rise of blood histamine in normotensive but not in primary hypertensive humans.
We have previously shown an interaction between noradrenergic and histamine-containing neurons in the rat vas deferens. As a generalized phenomenon, this interaction is involved in a novel peripheral reflex that, in an inhibitory way, modulates sympathetic activity and arterial pressure. Consistent with this, an activation of postganglionic sympathetic neurons causes a rise in rat blood histamine. In the present study, we showed that enhanced sympathetic activity due to treadmill exercise in normotensive humans, is accompanied by a rise in blood histamine, suggesting the presence of a similar neuronal interaction in humans. In contrast, the rise in blood histamine does not occur in primary hypertensive humans during the same degree of physical exercise, suggesting that this interaction is faulty in such hypertensives and could be involved in the pathophysiology of the disease.
Adult↗
Hybrid finite elements and spectral method for computation of the electric potential generated by a nerve cuff electrode.
An original numerical method is developed to compute the 3D electric potential generated by a dot-contact cuff electrode implanted around an axisymmetrical, inhomogeneous, anisotropic nerve. The technique is based on a 2D finite-element approach coupled with a semi-analytical Fourier spectral decomposition to approximate the solution behaviour in the azymuthal direction. The method only requires a 2D FEM mesh and allows an accurate electrode description, with any number of contacts at different angular positions. Results show that the convergence of the Fourier series is very fast: typically, the relative error due to series truncation (estimated by the norm of the difference between the solution computed with M modes and the one computed with M-1 modes, normalised by the norm of the solution computed with M modes) reaches the order of 10(-3) with six spectral modes (M = 6). As a consequence, the whole algorithm has the complexity of a 2D approach.
Computer Simulation↗
Cow's milk and intestinal blood loss in late infancy.
OBJECTIVES: Young infants commonly show occult intestinal blood loss when fed cow's milk, but in older infants blood loss may be less common. This study examined intestinal blood loss in response to cow's milk feeding in normal 7(1/2)-month-old and 12-month-old infants. STUDY DESIGN: Infants (n = 62) were fed formula for 1 month and then pasteurized cow's milk for 2 months. Stools were collected for quantitative determination of hemoglobin. Iron nutritional status was assessed. RESULTS: Infants fed cow's milk from 7(1/2) months of age showed a significant increase in guaiac-positive stools and in stool hemoglobin concentration. These effects were largely limited to those infants who had been breast fed early in life. Infants fed cow's milk from 12 months of age at baseline had greater stool hemoglobin concentrations than 7(1/2)-month-old infants, but cow's milk produced no significant increase. In neither age group did cow's milk affect iron nutritional status. CONCLUSION: The response to cow's milk is attenuated in infants aged 7(1/2) months compared with younger infants. By 12 months of age, the response has disappeared entirely. We conclude that the gastrointestinal tract of healthy infants gradually loses its responsiveness to cow's milk.
Age Factors↗