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Biomedical subjects

J Mira

Publications and source records attributed to J Mira.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Symbolic keyboard for computer aided instruction of deaf children.

We describe a computer-based method for the special education of deaf children in their stage of expanding an initial vocabulary; the method uses a symbolic keyboard to facilitate real-time communication between the deaf child and the machine. The lack of auditory feedback is partially compensated by using visual and proprioceptive sensorial modalities as alternative representations of words and concepts. To illustrate the use of the computer with display and symbolic keyboard we comment on a program for the teaching of spatial relationships. The same method is used in teaching the structure of sentences and other conventional educational material such as Geography and Physics.

Biomedical Engineering↗
PubMed1986

A computational frame to study social behaviour in animals.

This paper presents new methods and procedures for studying collective behaviour in rats. The animals are assumed to be indistinguishable one from another and the behaviour of the group is represented analysed and interpreted in terms of the temporal evolution of a finite state probabilistic automaton. The automaton states are defined by measures on the clustering degree considered as a social response variable. The electronic system developed to carry out the cluster analysis and the automatic control of the social behaviour in the experimental environment includes a multimicroprocessor interacting with a 'social box' in which, together with classical sensors and effectors, a phototransistor based position sensor is included. Preliminary experiments show the discriminative power of the cluster automaton concerning sexual differences and emotivity, as well as the extensive of a basic mechanism of clustering as a collective response to stress. Pharmacologically, the new experimental medium proposed in this paper may be used to detect a new range of products affecting social but not individual behaviour. Also, well-known products, which in normal doses produce no detectable modification of individual behaviour, might have detectable effects on the collective level. Be this as it may, the experimental environment described constitutes a further experimental facility for the analysis and control of animal behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

On fast algorithms for interval selection in event related potentials.

In this paper a computational algorithm is proposed which allows one to detect event related potentials (ERP) components and the way these components modify their amplitude with electrode location and with the variation in experimental conditions. The results of applying this algorithm to the ERPs obtained in two experimental situations (which require different modes of cognitive processing of a same visual information) are also exposed.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1982

The influence of radiation therapy quality control on survival, response and sites of relapse in oat cell carcinoma of the lung: preliminary report of a Southwest Oncology Group study.

Two hundred and ninety-eight patients with limited (confined to chest and supraclavicular area, encompassable by a single radiation portal) small cell carcinoma of the lung were entered on Southwest Oncology Group Protocol 7628. Patients were treated with multi-agent chemotherapy and radiation therapy with or without BCG. Radiation therapy quality control analysis, including dosimetric reconstruction and port film review was introduced after the protocol was activated and was retrospectively applied. Patients who were considered major protocol variations had statistically worse survival (40 weeks versus 60 weeks; P = .002), a lesser improvement in response rate after induction chemotherapy (27 versus 48%; P = .05) and a higher chest failure rate (77 versus 55%; P = .047) than evaluable patients. Five patients relapsed in the brain, all associated with chest failure. Quality control is essential in cooperative group studies.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1982

Limited squamous cell carcinoma of the lung: a Southwest Oncology Group randomized study of radiation with or without doxorubicin chemotherapy and with or without levamisole immunotherapy.

In 1976, the Southwest Oncology Group activated a four-arm randomized study of limited squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. The purpose of this study was to determine if doxorubicin and/or levamisole added to radiation therapy improved the local control rate and survival in patients with limited squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Of the 107 eligible patients, 15 (14%) had complete responses and 20 (19%) had partial responses. When compared by chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and performance status, no statistically significant difference was found in response rates or in survival. Although not statistically significant, the survival and response rates of patients in the combined levamisole arms were shorter than those of patients in the combined arms not containing levamisole. Patients receiving radiation therapy alone had the best survival. The irradiated field was the site of failure in 68 (88%) of the 77 patients in whom the site of failure was specified. Fifty (65%) of the patients failed in the radiation therapy field only. Chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy as employed in this protocol were of no benefit.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sexual forms of yeasts in clinical samples.

The sexual or teleomorphic state of yeasts has only been described in a few clinically involved species, mainly those of the Saccharomycetaceae family. With the aim of gathering information on their incidence in human pathology, a study has been made of a total of 2,135 strains isolated from clinical samples and cultivated in McClary agar. From these, 8 strains in teleomorphic state were identified: Kluyveromyces marxianus [1], Pichia anomala [2], Pichia farinosa [1], Pichia membranaefaciens [1] and Saccharomyces cerevisiae [3]. The two strains of P. anomala were responsible for fungemia; K, marxianus and the two strains of S. cerevisiae produced vaginitis; the other strains were oral cavity colonizers.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Grammatic representation of beat sequences for fuzzy arrhythmia diagnosis.

The final stage of a system for automatic monitoring of cardiac arrhythmias is the diagnosis of the rhythm or arrhythmia present in the patient during the monitoring process. In this paper we approach the detection process by means of the analysis of the electrocardiographic signal (ECG) on a surface lead produced by those arrhythmias which can be recognized by identifying specific beat sequences and taking into account contextual information, mainly rhythm information. We have developed a diagnosis process for arrhythmias which uses a fuzzy classification of beats according to their etiology or focus of origin. The process we describe permits a more adequate consideration by the user of the arrhythmias diagnosed by the system, mainly in those cases in which the information derived from ECG analysis is not determinant.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Antifungal susceptibility of emerging yeast pathogens].

BACKGROUND: To study the antifungal susceptibility of emerging yeast pathogens to know their possible resistance under the need of applying a treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We investigated the in vitro susceptibility of 69 yeast strains isolates of clinical samples, belonging to 24 different species, to amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole and 5-fluorocytosine. RESULTS: Only 9 species showed susceptibility to all antifungal agents: Candida famata, C. guillermondii, C. holmii, C. kefyr, C. pelliculosa, C. rugosa, C. utilis, C. zeylanoides y Trichosporon cutaneum; the rest of them presented resistance to some antifungal agent. C. haemulonii, Pichia farinosa and Trichosporon mucoides were resistant to amphotericin B; C. haemulonii, C. inconspicua, C. lusitaniae, C. norvegensis, C. pintolepesii, C. valida, P. ohmeri, Rhodotorula glutinis, R. minuta, R. mucilaginosa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were resistant to azoles; Blastoschizomyces capitatus and C. lipolytica were resistant to 5-fluorocytosine. CONCLUSIONS: The resistance of emerging yeast pathogens to amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine is low, while resistance to azoles is significative, especially to fluconazole (36%). Many of this yeasts present problems of intrinsic resistance. In yeast infections, the correct identification of species and the study of the in vitro susceptibility is important in order to choose the most adequate antifungal treatment.

Amphotericin B↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Isolation of Hanseniaspora uvarum (Kloeckera apiculata) in humans.

Isolation of Hanseniaspora uvarum, a yeast of the ascomycetes group, whose anamorph corresponds to Kloeckera apiculata, obtained from stool and two ungual specimens from three patients, is reported. This yeast has been found in soil, water, various fruits, bivalve molluscs, crabs, prawns and fruit flies; in Spain, it has been described in the fermentation processes of some wines. In our region, it has also been found in the intestine of mackerel (Scomber scombrus). Its finding in humans constitutes a clinical rarity.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Increase in high resistance to penicillin of clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Cádiz, Spain.

The aim was to determine the increase and present standing of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in Cádiz, Spain. We have studied retrospectively a total of 385 strains of S. pneumoniae obtained during the years 1991, 1993 and 1995. Strains tested were isolated from clinical samples of patients attended at the University Hospital Puerta del Mar of Cádiz, Spain. The resistance rate to penicillin was 71.2% (47.0% in 1991, 72.8% in 1993 and 89.3% in 1995). The percentage of strains with high resistance was 51.4%. The increase was from 29.4% in 1991 to 75.2% in 1995. The incidence of penicillin-resistant pneumococci was more marked in nasopharyngeal carrier children (75.8%) than in invasive strains (30.2%). The increase in high resistance to penicillin in clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae is very pronounced in Cádiz, Spain.

Cefotaxime↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Multilobated large B-cell lymphoma diagnosed cytologically. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy can be used to reliably classify most conditions involving lymph nodes or, at least, significantly reduce the differential diagnosis. CASE: A 70-year-old male presented with an ulcerated mass arising from the left tonsillar fossa and involving the anterior and posterior pillars. A biopsy of the tonsillar mass performed at an outside hospital was interpreted as a large cell undifferentiated carcinoma. Subsequently the patient developed systemic lymphadenopathy. A bone scan showed intense uptake within the medial tibial plateau of the left knee. FNA biopsy of the right axillary mass was interpreted at University of Cincinnati Medical College as a large cell lymphoma, multilobated type. Histologic and immunohistochemical studies of the lymph node confirmed the presence of multilobated B-cell lymphoma. Lymphoma chemotherapy was initially successful but was discontinued due to toxicity. The patient died two months after the initial cytologic diagnosis of lymphoma. CONCLUSION: Multilobated lymphomas are an unusual variant of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (mostly B-cell type). Cytology and immunocytochemistry are useful diagnostic procedures that can help to diagnose this relatively uncommon type of lymphoma and significantly reduce the possibility of misdiagnosis.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Thyroid transcription factor-1 and cytokeratins 7 and 20 in pulmonary and breast carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of a lung epithelial gene transcription factor, thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1), in lung and breast carcinoma in pulmonary cytologic preparations and to correlate the results with the expression of cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and 20 (CK20). STUDY DESIGN: Cell blocks of cytologic specimens were immunostained with antibodies to TTF-1, CK7 and CK20. Specimens included 41 primary lung carcinomas (21 adenocarcinomas, 8 squamous cell carcinomas and 12 small cell undifferentiated carcinomas) and 6 metastatic breast adenocarcinomas. RESULTS: The lung adenocarcinomas showed nuclear reactivity for TTF-1 in 76% (16/21) of the cases and a staining combination of CK7+/CK20- in 95% (20/21) of the cases. Only one case was CK7+/CK20+. All the breast carcinomas were nonreactive to TTF-1, and all were CK7+/CK20-. The squamous cell carcinomas and small cell undifferentiated carcinomas showed TTF-1 positivity in 38% (3/8) and 83% (10/12), respectively.

Adenocarcinoma↗