Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Conde.
Segmental dilatation of the colon is a rare congenital entity that cause chronic constipation in children. A new case is presented and another 9 former cases described in the literature are reviewed. We think that this entity may be diagnosed before the operation, if it is kept in mind. So, the barium enema and rectal biopsy are of paramount importance. The resection of the dilated ++ segment is the treatment of choice.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) can be found in a high number of patients with respiratory tract disease (RTD). In the present study a 24 hours esophageal pH monitoring was performed in 55 children. 15 of them were normal controls, 16 patients with GER but normal score, 14 patients with GER and RTD and 9 patients with GER and only digestive symptoms. The number of reflux episodes of more than 5 minutes, the duration of the longest single reflux episode, the percentage of time the esophageal pH was less than 4, the reflux/hour index and the clearance index were measured. Comparing the results of the different groups we found that normal controls and normal vomiting patients were significatively different. Refluxers and refluxers with RTD also were different of asymptomatic controls. The main significative differences founded comparing refluxers and refluxers with RTD were the duration of the longest single reflux, the percentage of time the esophageal pH was less than 4 and the clearance index. All these parameters were longer in the refluxers with RTD. Our conclusion is that esophageal clearance is slower in the group of refluxers with RTD and that this index is helpful to distinguish them from the single refluxers.
The authors emphasize the existence of these cystic formations on the peritoneal surface. They point out that the exact diagnosis of the mesothelial cyst and the diagnostic workup with the cystic lymphangioma can only be done with an exhaustive histological examination.
During the last decades, there have been an increasing interest in exercise as a tool for maintaining good health status. The goal of this study was to measure physiologic response to exercise and level of fitness before and after 8 weeks exercise training program, three sessions per week. The participants, a group of fourteen male employees and students at the Medical Sciences Campus, U.P.R. School of Medicine, followed an exercise prescription which included a warm up session (5-10 mins), aerobic training for 20 minutes at intensity of 60-80% of heart rate maximum, progressive resistive strength training and cool down period (5-10 mins.). They evidenced decrease in resting heart rate and resting systolic blood pressure, improvement in estimated aerobic capacity, increase in hand grip strength and decrease in percent of body fat. These results were found to be in accordance with reviewed literature.
Pulmonary sequestrations communicating with the gastrointestinal are very uncommon respiratory malformations. We report two personal cases and review 33 more previously published of which 24 were intralobar and 11 extralobar. We demonstrate that this malformation can hardly be separated from "classical" pulmonary sequestrations (ie, those without g.i. communication) a fact attesting their common embryologic origin. In extralobar sequestrations there were no differences in sex, side or associated malformations. In intralobar cases there were female (83%) and right side (67%) predominances, that are not observed in sequestrations without g.i. communication. We call the attention on the great variety of anatomic forms and on the great difficulty to reach an accurate anatomic diagnosis preoperatively.
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We have studied the cross-reactivity between L. perenne, S. cereale, P. pratense, C. dactylon, and Ph. communis. The results obtained demonstrate that L. perenne, S. cereale, and P. pratense have strong cross-reactivity. C. dactylon has a number of allergens that cross-react with the rest of the grasses studied but they are minor allergens. Ph. communis possesses a moderate cross-reactivity with the species of the group but it has, as well, individual allergens.
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Authors studied the importance of occult bacteremia among children, under 24 months of age, presenting fever without localizing signs. 113 patients were studied, six had positive blood cultures (5.4%). Agents identified were: N. meningitidis twice, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus viridians and group B Streptococcus. Some clinical and laboratory data (body temperature, WBC count, neutrophil count and band count), were studied as predictors of bacteremia. None of these were statistically related to presence of bacteremia.
The clinical manifestations in 21 children with chronic toxic epidemic syndrome (TES) and musculoskeletal manifestations were analysed and compared with those of the adult population. The sex ratio (2.5:1, F/M) was different from the one found in adults (6:1, F/M). The neuromuscular syndrome, the scleroderma-like picture, the pulmonary hypertension, and the Raynaud's phenomenon characteristic of TES were similar to those in adults but milder in children. The less severe vascular endothelial lesions found on microscopic examination might explain the better prognosis in this age group.
To explore the association between occupation and the occurrence of brain tumor, an epidemiologic study was conducted using data from the death certificates of 951 adult white male Maryland residents who died of brain tumor during the period 1969 through 1982. Compared with the controls, men employed in electricity-related occupations, such as electrician, electric or electronic engineer, and utility company serviceman, were found to experience a significantly higher proportion of primary brain tumors. An increase in the odds ratio for brain tumor was found to be positively related to electromagnetic (EM) field exposure levels. Furthermore, the mean age at death was found to be significantly younger among cases in the presumed high EM-exposure group. These findings suggest that EM exposure may be associated with the pathogenesis of brain tumors, particularly in the promoting stage.
Benomyl prevents nuclear fusion in mating mixtures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cytoductants, heterokaryons and diploids may be recovered from these mixtures.
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Subcutaneous and cerebral cysticercosis, the latter visualized in computer tomography, occurred in a 38 year-old Filipina who had multiple asymptomatic subcutaneous nodules and headache. Treatment with praziquantel was given at 35 mg/day for 10 days, dexamethasone and carbamazepine were also given to reduce side effects. Three months after praziquantel therapy most of the subcutaneous nodules, the headache and the intracranial lesion disappeared and at 9 months 23 of the original 26 subcutaneous nodules had disappeared. Computer tomography is a valuable adjunct to the diagnosis and follow up of cerebral cysticercosis and praziquantel was found to be very effective in the treatment of the parasitoses.
To optimize the conversion of carbohydrates to ethanol, strains of several Saccharomyces species were examined for the ability to grow and ferment in a range of sucrose and ethanol concentrations. A total of 632 wine yeasts, most of them isolated from wineries in Andalusia and Extremadura, southwestern Spain, were subjected to screening and selection. Growth and fermentative capacity in different ethanol and sucrose concentrations varied from one strain to another. There was no correlation between growth and fermentative capacity. The best 35 strains grew in 15% ethanol and fermented in 18% ethanol. Ethanol accumulated, although at a reduced rate, after the cells stopped growing. Most yeast strains were highly fermentative in 50% sucrose. Some of them effectively utilized the carbohydrates of the culture, yielding final ethanol concentrations of > 14%. Of the 35 selected strains, 16 were promising for genetic analysis and breeding because of their capacity to sporulate. These strains were homothallic, and their spores were viable. The meiotic products analyzed so far were also homothallic.
Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective for nuclear fusion have been isolated. Their mutations have been characterized by meiotic analysis, dominance-recessivity and complementation. Twelve of the mutations are allelic to the previously described kar 1-1; five affect a second gene designated KAR 2 and three affect a third gene designated KAR 3. There is evidence suggesting that other two mutants are affected in a gene different from the three mentioned. Mutations in KAR 1 and KAR 2 genes are recessive and do not cause obvious effects other than the failure of the karyogamy. Mutations in KAR 3 are semidominant and do cause pleiotropic effects affecting both a mitosis and meiosis.
Three threonine-overproducing mutants were obtained as prototrophic revertants of a hom3 mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The gene HOM3 codes for aspartokinase (aspartate kinase; EC 2.7.2.4), the first enzyme of the threonine-methionine biosynthetic route, which is subjected to feedback inhibition by threonine. Enzymatic studies indicated that aspartokinase from the revertants has lost the feedback inhibition, resulting in overproduction of threonine. These revertants also bore one or two additional mutations, named tex1-1 and tex2-1, which alone or jointly made possible the excretion of the threonine accumulated. The effect of these two genes on excretion is potentiated by excess inositol in the medium.
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