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Biomedical subjects

J Camp

Publications and source records attributed to J Camp.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

[Seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection at an emergency service of an urban area].

BACKGROUND: Objectification of the seroprevalence of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among patients consulting in a hospital emergency ward of an urban area is presented. Detection of unknown carriers of HIV is also reported as well as an evaluation of the reasons for consultation by these patients in emergency wards. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out in the emergency ward of internal medicine with the random selection of 500 patients. In each case the following were evaluated: previous epidemiology of HIV, reason for consultation and clinical suspicion of HIV infection. The determination of HIV antibodies was carried out in all patients by ELISA with a further ELISA and Western blot being performed for seropositivity. RESULTS: 8.4% of the patients included were previously known carriers of HIV. In addition, 1.1% presented positive serology vs previously unknown HIV. The most frequent reason for consultation was a febrile syndrome followed by digestive and respiratory symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high seroprevalence of HIV carriers among patients consulting in emergency wards with an unnegligible percentage of unknown carriers. The profile of previously unknown HIV carriers is that of male between 25-35 years of age consulting for a febrile syndrome of no apparent focus who pertains or has previously pertained to a risk group.

Adult

Peripheral markers of neurochemical function among workers exposed to styrene.

A cross sectional study of biological markers of neurochemical function in peripheral blood cells, and self reported nervous system symptoms, was conducted among 60 workers exposed to styrene in three reinforced plastics plants and 18 reference workers not exposed to styrene or other solvents. Concentrations of styrene in the air at the plants ranged from less than 1 to 160 ppm. Biomarkers of neurochemical function measured were: sigma receptor binding in lymphocytes, monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) activity in platelets, and serotonin uptake by platelets. Blood styrene concentration was used as the exposure index to take account of the use of protective equipment and dermal uptake. Four blood styrene exposure groups were defined as: non-exposed (reference) and exposed to less than 0.05, 0.05-0.19, and greater than or equal to 0.20 micrograms/ml. The prevalences of headache, dizziness, light headedness, fatigue, irritability, memory loss, and feeling "drunk" at work increased with increasing blood styrene concentration. No effect on sigma receptor binding was seen. A slight positive correlation was found for uptake of serotonin, which has been used as an exposure related effect indicator in previous studies of workers exposed to solvents. The MAO-B activity decreased with increasing blood styrene concentration; the mean (SE) MAO-B values for the four groups were 34.2 (3.0), 28.1 (5.3), 20.1 (4.8), and 16.9 (7.7) pmol/10(7) cells/min. The MAO-B activity also correlated negatively with the number of reported nervous system symptoms, whereas no associations were seen between prevalence of symptoms and either serotonin uptake or sigma receptor binding. The findings for MAO-B activity are consistent with previously reported experimental data, and suggest that MAO-B may be a useful marker of styrene neurotoxicity.

Adult

Trial of a negative ion generator device in remediating problems related to indoor air quality.

It has been suggested that supplementation of indoor air with negative ions can improve air quality. This study examined the effects of a "negative ion-generator" device on air contaminants and symptom reporting in two office buildings. Separate sets of functional and nonfunctional negative ion generators were monitored using a double blind, crossover design involving two 5-week exposure periods. There were no detectable direct or residual effects of negative ion generator use on air ion levels, airborn particulates, carbon dioxide levels, or symptom reporting. Symptom reporting declined at both sites initially and appeared to be consistent with placebo effect. Job dissatisfaction was an apparent contributor to symptom reporting, with a magnitude comparable to presumed effects of air quality. Further testing of such devices is needed before they should be considered for office air quality problems.

Adult

[Hemoptysis: a prospective study of 108 cases in an emergency service].

A prospective study is performed in 108 patients presenting hemoptysis who were attended in the emergency department. Final diagnosis was achieved in 89 cases (82.4%), being lung infections of tuberculous origin or not, neoplasias, and chronic obstructive lung emphysema the main observed etiologies. A low percentage of severe hemoptysis is found (5.6%). Diagnosis was obtained in 79.6% of patients by clinical history, physical exam, chest x-ray and ORL exam. Only 13.6% of patients who were not diagnosed in the Emergency department were later diagnosed by follow up and performance of complementary tests. Similarly, the lack of an initial etiological diagnosis had no repercussion, by itself, in a worse prognosis. Therefore, it is recommended to perform a single strict evolution control in patients with hemoptysis of unknown origin who present risk factors of lung neoplasia (male sex, age greater than 40 years, smoking greater than 45 packs/year).

Age Factors

Experimental models to promote healing of tears in the avascular segment of canine knee menisci.

Longitudinal tears were created in canine lateral menisci and techniques were applied to induce healing by removal of a core of tissue from the periphery of the meniscus to the tear or by implantation of a vascularized synovial flap into the tear. The meniscal tears did not heal in knees that were not immobilized, and they healed poorly and sporadically in knees that were immobilized in a cast but bore some weight. However, a higher percentage of tears that were treated by the core-removal or synovial-flap technique healed when the knee was firmly immobilized and weight-bearing was prevented by the use of an external skeletal fixator across the joint for eight to twelve weeks. Neovascularization and access to a source of reparative cells appear to be important in the healing process.

Animals

[Acute abdomen due to hemoperitoneum as the first manifestation of a liver tumor. Report of four cases (author's transl)].

Four cases of spontaneous acute hemoperitoneum due to rupture of a liver tumor are presented. The resulting acute abdomen was the first manifestation of the neoplasia. The four tumors corresponded histopathologically to a cavernous hemangioma, a bening adenoma related to anabolizing androgens, and two hepatocarcinomas in cirrhotic livers. All of the patients presented abdominal pain and shock, the characteristics of which are described in this report. One of the patients died due to cardiac arrest before surgical treatment. Emergency surgery was performed on the other three, consisting of left hepatic lobectomy and ligature of the hepatic artery for the hemengioma, and segmented hepatectomy for the adenoma and the hepatocarcinoma. Only the patient with benign tumor survived. Lastly, the authors review the literature, commenting on the clinical, physiopathologic, therapeutic, and prognostic aspects.

Abdomen, Acute

[Myomectomy].

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Female

A multicenter comparison of adhesion, preference, tolerability, and safety characteristics of two transdermal nitroglycerin delivery systems: Transderm-Nitro and Deponit.

One hundred forty-two patients with stable angina were enrolled in a four-week, multicenter, office-based study to compare the adhesion properties, patient preference, and tolerability of two commercially available transdermal nitroglycerin patches. Data from 139 patients were analyzed. Each patient simultaneously wore one 5-mg Transderm-Nitro (TDN) patch and one 5-mg Deponit (DPT) patch. Patients daily recorded the following information in a diary format: number of angina attacks, frequency of sublingual nitroglycerin use, patch adhesion, and problems at the adhesion site or other medical problems. At the end of the study, patients rated their patch preferences based on ease of application and removal, ease of removing backing, overall adhesion, and adhesion under specific conditions, such as showering, swimming, exercise, hot weather, high humidity, and perspiration. They also specified which patch they would choose for their next prescription. Differences in adhesion properties (P less than 0.0001) and tolerability at the site of application favored TDN over DPT. In addition, significantly more patients (P less than 0.0001) specified TDN as their next prescription choice (83% vs 11%).

Adhesiveness