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Biomedical subjects

I Morales

Publications and source records attributed to I Morales.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Different levodopa actions on the extracellular dopamine pools in the rat striatum.

Levodopa has been the mainstay treatment for Parkinson's disease for several decades, but the precise mechanism for its therapeutic action is still not well understood. To date, little distinction has been made between the effects of levodopa on the different brain DA pools. We studied the levodopa action on two extracellular DA pools: one was analyzed by microdialysis (often considered as indicative of volume transmission) and the other by in vivo amperometry during nigrostriatal cell stimulation (more indicative of neurotransmission). Levodopa administration induced a moderate (increased 200%) and tardy (began at 60 min) increase in the DA-pool measured by microdialysis, an effect that increased (increased 500%) and accelerated (began at 10 min) after DA-cell degeneration. Levodopa action on the DA-pool measured by amperometry was very fast (10 min) and prominent (increased 600%) in normal rats. The DA-denervated striatum showed a fast exhaustion during cell stimulation, which prevented further study of the levodopa effect on the DA amperometry-pool under this condition. This study suggests a different kinetic for levodopa action on the volume transmitter and neurotransmitter DA-pool, showing marked changes in levodopa action in the denervated striatum.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed2005

Increased sperm DNA damage in patients with varicocele: relationship with seminal oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of the testicular damage in varicocele has not been completely understood. Oxidative stress and related sperm DNA damage have been identified as significant causes of male infertility. The current study was designed to determine the extent of sperm nuclear DNA damage in patients with varicocele and to examine its relationship with oxidative stress. METHODS: Semen samples from 55 patients with clinical varicocele and 25 normozoospermic donors were examined. Varicocele sperm samples were classified as normal or abnormal according to World Health Organization guidelines. Sperm DNA damage was evaluated by the sperm chromatin structure assay/flow cytometry and by the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assay. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total antioxidant capacity were assessed by a chemiluminescence assay. RESULTS: DNA fragmentation index (DFI) (percentage of sperm with denatured DNA) values and the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells were significantly greater in patients with varicocele, either with normal (DFI, 20.7 +/- 4.0; TUNEL positive, 26.1 +/- 3.2) or with abnormal (DFI, 35.5 +/- 9.0; TUNEL positive, 32.2 +/- 4.1) semen profile, compared with controls (DFI, 7.1 +/- 0.9; TUNEL positive, 14.2 +/- 1.2). Similarly, ROS levels were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in both groups of patients with varicocele. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a varicocele is associated with high levels of DNA-damage spermatozoa even in the presence of normal semen profile. The results also indicate that oxidative damage is associated with sperm DNA damage in these patients.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2005

An outbreak of abortions and high neonatal mortality associated with Trypanosoma evansi infection in dromedary camels in the Canary Islands.

Trypanosoma evansi was diagnosed for the first time in the Canary Islands (Spain) in 1998 in a dromedary camel. Seroprevalences of 4.8% up to 9% have been observed using different diagnostic methods. Affected animals have been treated but the dissemination of the disease is unknown. This article presents an outbreak of abortions and high neonatal mortality attributable to T. evansi infection in camels as well as the clinical assessment of the affected animals. The patients were diagnosed by routine checking (three pregnant animals), after abortion (five dams), or after delivered premature or weak calves (eight dams). At clinical examination, 2 out of 16 affected animals showed moderate signs of chronic form, particularly hyporexia and intolerance to exercise. The aborted fetuses were aged 6-8 months of gestation, approximately. The main laboratorial findings were regenerative anemia (haemolytic anemia), lymphocytic and monocytic leukocytosis, hyperproteinemia, hyperglobulinemia, hypoglycaemia, serum urea increased and serum iron decreased. Treatment using trypanocidal drug (Cymelarsan) resulted highly effective. Massive treatment would be recommended in the entire camel population in the Canary Islands (less than 2000 animals), as therapeutic or preventive measure, in order to control and to achieve an eventual eradication of the disease.

Aborted Fetus↗
PubMed2005

Congenital duplication of the caudal region (monocephalus dipygus) in a kid goat.

A case of congenital duplication (monocephalus dipygus) in a goat is described. Two pelvis and four pelvic limbs were observed in the kid. Conjoined or fused symmetric twins were diagnosed. Associated abnormalities were cleft palate and anal atresia. Most of the classically recognized teratogens were ruled out by history and serology. However, progenitors were related in the second degree. Thus, genetic factors could be suspected in this case. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first report of monocephalus dipygus in a goat.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Orally administered tryptophan and experimental type 2 diabetes.

There is a link between diabetes and oxidative stress. Hyperglycaemia leads to free radical generation and alterations of endogenous antioxidants. Our aim is to study the effect of orally administered L-tryptophan (TRP), the melatonin precursor, an endogenous antioxidant, on circulating levels of glycaemia, insulin and melatonin, and on the superoxide dismutase and catalase antioxidant systems in non-diabetic (ND) and type 2 diabetic (n5-STZ) male Wistar rats. At 19:30 every day for 15 days, TRP (125 mg/kg body weight) was administered orally. At 09:00 every two days the glycaemia was measured and every day the intake of food and water was recorded. At the beginning and end of treatment (at 09:00; 21:00; 02:00) plasma insulin and melatonin levels were measured, and (at 09:00) the enzymatic activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in erythrocytes were also measured. Glycaemia values were greater (p < 0.01) in n5-STZ rats than in ND rats, while insulin levels were lower (p < 0.05) at all times studied and these parameters were not altered by the TRP administration. Melatonin levels at 02:00 were lower in n5-STZ than in ND rats (p < 0.05). The TRP administration did not modify the circulating melatonin levels in ND rats, but raised (p < 0.01) the levels at 02:00 in the treated n5-STZ group. In ND rats after TRP administration there was a decline in catalase activity (p < 0.05), while in n5-STZ rats there was a rise (p < 0.01) at the end of treatment. However, there were no significant changes in SOD activity. There was increased food intake (g/day) in the treated n5-STZ group (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the oral administration of TRP did not modify glycaemia or insulinaemia levels, but raised melatonin levels in diabetic rats at 02:00, lowered catalase activity in ND rats but raised it in n5-STZ rats, and increased food intake in n5-STZ rats.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2003

Clinical graft evolution of lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear cells, and antigen expression in tubular renal cells in the urine sediment of 20 renal allograft recipients.

Urinary samples from 20 kidney transplant recipients were studied to determine the cellular composition of the sediments using an immunocytological (IC) technique. The expression of HLA class I (A, B, C) and class II (DR, DQ, DP), CD2, CD3, CD4, CD8, and interleukin (IL)-2 receptor (IL-2R) on lymphocytes was assessed using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. The results were correlated with graft function and with the number of episodes of acute renal graft rejection (AR) during a period of 6 months posttransplantation. The cellular infiltration of lymphocytes (LC) and polymorphonuclear cells (PMNC) also was studied using a standard cytology (SC) technique. During this period, 17 of 30 episodes of graft dysfunction due to AR occurred in 12 patients: 8 to acute tubular necrosis (ATN) (n = 8); 4 to cyclosporine (CsA) toxicity (n = 4) and 1 to amphotericin toxicity (n = 1). The diagnosis of AR was made clinically by 3 independent observers, using biopsy in some cases. The immunocytology showed a significantly increased expression of HLA-DR, DO, and DP namely, greater than 20% positivity in 10% of samples on the tubular epithelial cells (TEC) of patients presenting with versus without AR (P < or =.001). In addition, a high correlation was observed between the expression of IL-2R and the presence of AR (p < or =.002). The standard cytology results showed a significantly increased percentage of LC and decreased percentage of PMNCs in samples obtained 2 days prior to the clinical manifestations of patients who developed AR (P =.001). A greater level of expression of antigen determinants was observed prior to AR. These results suggest that immunocytology of urinary sediments, which is a noninvasive technique, has enormous clinical potential for the differential diagnosis of AR, ATN, and CsA toxicity. In our study, the use of HLA class IL-specific monoclonal antibodies (Abs) gave a 100% specificity, 95% sensitivity, and 95% predictability. Although our results also indicate a potential value in the increased IL-2R expression, these findings must be confirmed by further studies. Furthermore, the combination of both immunologic and SC techniques in urinary sediments allows early detection of AR and is cost effective and simple features that could be used routinely for follow-up of renal transplant recipients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Bacteremia in hospitalized patients with human immunodeficiency virus: A prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial infections complicate the course of patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. The purpose of this study was to describe the bacterial pathogens causing blood stream infection, identify the risk factors for the development of blood stream infection and determine the impact of blood stream infection on the outcome of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. METHODS: The incidence, etiology, risk factors and outcome of bacterial blood stream infection were prospectively determined in 1,225 consecutive hospitalizations of adults with human immunodeficiency virus infection. RESULTS: Blood stream infection occurred in 88 hospitalizations (7%); 73 of 89 infections (82%) were community acquired. The most commonly isolated gram-positive organism was Streptococcus pneumoniae (21); gram-negative, Escherichia coli (14). Blood stream infection was detected in 8% of African Americans and 22% of Hispanics compared with 2% of whites (P = 0.0013). Patients with blood stream infection had higher white blood cell counts (median, 6.5 vs. 4.9 x 109/L; P = 0.0002) and mortality (18% vs. 4%; P < 0.0001) than patients without infection. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with human immunodeficiency virus, blood stream infection is associated with an increased mortality rate. Recognition of the incidence, etiology, and risk factors of blood stream infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection could lead to measures that reduce the increased mortality.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Clinical course and outcome of patients admitted to an ICU for status asthmaticus.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To describe the prognostic factors, clinical course, and outcome of patients with status asthmaticus treated in a medical ICU (MICU). DESIGN: Analysis of prospective data. SETTING: A multidisciplinary MICU of an inner-city university hospital. PATIENTS: We collected data on 132 hospital admissions of 89 patients with status asthmaticus treated in our MICU from August 1995 through July 1998. MEASUREMENTS: APACHE (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) II scores were among the parameters measured. RESULTS: Seventy-nine percent of the patients were female, and 67% were African American (mean +/- SD age, 42.4 +/- 15.1 years). Patients in 48 of the 132 hospital admissions (36%) required invasive mechanical ventilation; sepsis developed in patients during 17 hospital admissions (13%), nonpulmonary organ failure developed during 16 hospital admissions (12%), and ARDS developed during 2 hospital admissions (2%). Pneumothorax developed in four patients and required tube thoracostomy in all four patients. The median APACHE II score was 11. Predicted mortality and actual mortality were 6.7% and 8.3%, respectively. The two most common immediate causes of death were pneumothorax (n = 3) and nosocomial infection (n = 3). All the deaths occurred in female patients. Compared with survivors, nonsurvivors had higher APACHE II scores (median, 26 vs 15; p < 0.0001), PaCO(2) (63.8 +/- 21.3 mm Hg vs 47.8 +/- 19.1 mm Hg, p = 0.0101), and lower arterial pH (7.09 +/- 0.12 vs 7.27 +/- 0.12, p < 0.0001), respectively. Patients in 10 of 48 hospital admissions (21%) who required mechanical ventilation died. CONCLUSIONS: The hospital mortality of patients admitted to an MICU for status asthmaticus is higher than expected. Higher APACHE II score and PaCO(2) and lower arterial pH within 24 h of hospital admission are associated with increased mortality. Sepsis and nonpulmonary organ failure are more likely to develop in nonsurvivors than survivors.

APACHE↗
PubMed2001

[Laparoscopic splenectomy in the treatment of hematologic diseases].

Laparoscopic approach to surgical procedures in children is used in different diseases, but there are some controversies for using this technique in the splenectomy. Laparoscopic surgery decreased pain, postoperative ileus and the hospital stay; and improve cosmetics, the most important disadvantage is the longer operating time. Splenectomy is indicated more in immune thrombocytopenic purpura (PTI) and hereditary espherocytosis (HE). We review our experience in laparoscopic spelenectomy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Uterine prolapse in 2 dromedary camels.

Two cases of uterine prolapse in dromedary camels in a herd with concomitant cases of white muscle disease are described. Serum selenium and glutathione peroxidase in whole blood were investigated in both patients and showed statistical difference compared with a control group. Results suggest that selenium deficiency could promote uterine prolapse in dromedary camels.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Organic matrix composition and ultrastructure of eggshell: a comparative study.

1. The avian eggshell is a biomineralised composite ceramic consisting of calcium carbonate embedded in an organic matrix. Matrix components are supposed to be involved in the control of mineralisation, crystallographic texture and biomechanical properties of eggshell. 2. The structure and eggshell matrix composition of various domesticated bird species were compared to gain insight into the universality of the eggshell mineralisation process. 3. The SDS-PAGE profiles of soluble eggshell matrix were specific within groups of birds (a: laying hen, breeder hen, quail, pheasant and possibly turkey; b: guinea fowl; c: duck and goose) but some of the protein bands were common to all groups. 4. Analogies between species were confirmed by Western blotting using hen protein antibodies. Ovocleidin-17 (OC-17) and ovalbumin were revealed in all species (except quail for OC-17). Lysozyme was present only in hen eggshell. Another egg white protein: ovotransferrin showed a positive signal in hens, turkey and quail. Osteopontin was observed in laying and breeder hens and quail. 5. Different proteoglycans were localised to discrete regions within the eggshell. Dermatan sulphate was observed within the matrix of the calcified shell of all species except quail which contained chondroitin-6-sulfate. Keratan sulphate was observed in mammillary bodies of breeder and laying hen, quail, pheasant and turkey while chondroitin sulphate was also present in guinea fowl and duck. 6. The general structural organisation of the different avian eggshells was similar but specific differences were observed in the ultrastructure of the mammillary layer. Species of the same taxonomic family could be grouped according to their structural analogies: breeder hen, turkey and pheasant resembled that of the domestic fowl. Guinea fowl was unique. Goose and duck were quite similar with large and confluent mammillary bodies. 7. Some matrix components are therefore common to eggshells of various species but more information is needed to relate differences in matrix composition between taxonomic groups with differences in ultrastructure.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Kinetic assessment of salivary secretory response to citric acid. Differences with pilocarpine].

BACKGROUND: Induction of salivation is becoming increasingly popular in the assessment of salivary gland status. Various mechanical or pharmacological procedures are empirically used to produce salivation. Oral stimulation by citric acid (AC) is by far the most used sialagogue procedure. AIM: To characterize the salivary secretory response to AC solutions applied to the dorsolateral tongue surfaces. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Young healthy women from the upper levels of a medical career (n = 19) participated as volunteers. Salivary volume and UV-absorbing organic material in saliva from single subjects were measured after various protocols of topical stimulation by AC. RESULTS: After a single stimulation by 1-8% AC the salivary flow rate peaked before 30 seconds and recovered the basal level earlier than 2 minutes. Repetitive stimulations at 30-sec intervals kept the flow rate at a maximum. After suspending these stimulations, basal flow rate was recovered before 2 minutes. Repetitive AC-stimulations at 8-min intervals produced a series of identical and independent secretory responses. The concentration of organic material in saliva remained unaltered after the various modes of stimulation. Thus, the profile of organic material secretion was always a direct expression of changes in salivary flow rate. In contrast to AC, the oral administration of the cholinergic agonist pilocarpine (PIL) produced a two-wave salivary response that as a whole lasted for about 30 minutes. In this case the volume and the amount of organic material were at least 10-fold the ones secreted in response to AC. CONCLUSIONS: AC provoked a rapid and short-lived salivary response that differs markedly from the one produced by other secretagogues, like pilocarpine.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Devices for saliva collection from the major salivary glands. Results in normal subjects].

BACKGROUND: Collection of saliva produced by the major salivary glands may be accomplished either by cannulation of the glandular ducts or by the application of specific collecting devices to the emergence area of the glandular ducts. Those procedures are complex, slow, invasive and require skilled personnel. AIM: To report the design and application of a device to collect parotid saliva (snail collector) and another device to collect saliva from the submandibular/sublingual complex. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The saliva collection devices were tested in 40 healthy volunteers (20 male) aged 18 to 22 years old. Saliva was collected using conventional conditions, during 5 to 15 min. RESULTS: An average of 1 to 1.5 ml of saliva was collected in the 10-15 min period from both parotid and submandibular/sublingual glands. Flow rates from parotid glands were 80 microliters/min and 180 microliters/min from submandibular/sublingual glands. Parotid saliva had a protein and organic material concentration twice as high than saliva from submandibular/sublingual glands. The presence of human alpha-amylase duplet (Mr 55 kD and 58 kD) predominated in parotid saliva, whereas saliva from submandibular/sublingual glands had other molecular markers such as the lysozyme duplet (Mr 18.5 kD and 17 kD). CONCLUSIONS: The tested devices were easily applicable, comfortable and allowed the collection of both parotid saliva and submandibular/sublingual saliva from various subjects at once, under the supervision of a single professional.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Protein diffusion patterns in human saliva].

BACKGROUND: There are two modes of saliva protein diffusion on a cellulose flat matrix. The monophasic mode of diffusion consists in a homogeneous distribution of salivary protein components on the matrix. On the contrary, in the biphasic mode, an area occupied by nondiffusible proteins is surrounded by an area occupied by diffusible proteins. AIM: To study protein diffusion patterns of saliva obtained from normal human volunteers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Saliva was obtained from 33 subjects aged 67.5 +/- 12 years old (29 female). Forty microliters of saliva were deposited in the center of cellulose disks for protein diffusion assays. RESULTS: Thirty three whole saliva samples and 31 submandibular/sublingual samples showed a biphasic diffusion pattern. On the contrary, 62 out of 66 samples of parotid saliva displayed a monophasic diffusion pattern. In one parotid saliva samples and 2 submandibular/sublingual samples, the diffusion pattern could not be established. Patterns of salivary protein diffusion were highly consistent within the same individual. Eighty percent of subjects had an unequivocal pattern of saliva protein diffusion. CONCLUSIONS: The monophasic mode of saliva protein diffusion is a feature of parotid saliva, whereas the biphasic mode is characteristic of submandibular/sublingual and whole saliva.

Aged↗