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Biomedical subjects

L Ramos

Publications and source records attributed to L Ramos.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation and DNA synthesis by Vasoprin--a biologic response modifier.

The effect of Vasoprin, a biologic response modifier (BRM), on smooth muscle cell DNA synthesis and intimal proliferation was studied. In this report, we have measured DNA specific activity (SA) and intimal thickening following balloon injury (balloon de-endothelialization (BDE)) after administration of Vasoprin. Various dose schedules were employed to assess Vasoprin's effect post BDE. Forty-eight hours following vascular injury (the peak of SMC DNA synthesis), Vasoprin administered at various treatment schedules showed between 54% and 72.6% +/- 9% (P < 0.0012) inhibition of DNA SA compared with vehicle controls. Vasoprin also diminished SMC intimal thickening following its administration. Seven days after vascular injury, at which time SMC neointimal proliferation reaches its peak, Vasoprin treated animals showed marked reduction in intimal thickening by 45.5% +/- 6.6% (P < 0.008), compared with the BDE rats receiving an agent vehicle as controls. The results of this report demonstrate that a biologic response modifier (Vasoprin) has a profound effect on SMC proliferation, and that the immune system may be a component in the progression of intimal thickening and hence vascular closure.

Animals↗

Response perseveration, inhibitory control, and central dopaminergic activity in childhood behavior disorders.

We screened students (N = 710) in grades four through six at two public elementary schools for behavior problems, using the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist. Five groups of children were identified: conduct disorder (n = 8), attention deficit disorder (n = 9), conduct disorder plus attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (n = 11), anxiety-withdrawal (n = 12), and normal control (n = 15). A response perseveration task, inhibitory control task, and a noninvasive measure of dopaminergic activity were administered to selected students, and group differences were predicted based on Quay's hypotheses as derived from Gray's theory of brain function. Hypothesized group differences were not found, although analyses revealed dimensional relationships that were consistent with the hypotheses. Results are discussed in terms of Quay's hypotheses and potential modifications to tasks for future research.

Adolescent↗

Radiological assessment of the atlantoaxial distance in Down's syndrome.

People with Down's syndrome are pre-disposed to atlantoaxial instability. As part of a study to determine whether those with Down's syndrome should be screened for atlantoaxial instability before they participate in sport, a series of 279 children, aged 6 to 17 years was investigated radiologically. Lateral radiographs of the cervical spine were taken in neutral position and in flexion. The magnification factor was assessed by means of a marker attached to the nape of the neck. After correction for magnification 15% of the patients were found to have an atlantoaxial distance greater than 4 mm on the flexion film, especially boys under 11 years of age. However, sex and age together explained at most 9% of the variation in atlantoaxial distance. The maximum distance found was 6.5 mm. The disagreement between the means of first and second measurements by the same (test-retest) and by another (inter-) observer was more for those taken in the neutral position than in flexion. On a group level the results for reliability were satisfactory.

Adolescent↗

Nonvolumetric stereotaxy-assisted craniotomy. Results in 50 consecutive cases.

Craniotomy using stereotactic techniques has the potential to improve the extent of tumor resection and to reduce wound and neurologic morbidity. Most reports of stereotaxy-assisted craniotomy (SC) for tumor resection have focused on techniques using sophisticated computer hardware and volumetric software. Results of nonvolumetric SC in 50 consecutive cases for tumor using the Brown-Roberts-Wells or Cosman-Roberts-Wells stereotactic systems are presented. Tumor type included malignant glial neoplasms (20 cases), metastases (19), benign glial tumors (5), meningiomas (4), and radiation necrosis (1). Results in the SC group were compared to a concurrent series of 50 conventional craniotomies (CC) for brain tumor by other surgeons. Sustained neurologic deficits were 4% in the SC group while 10% for CC. Wound complications were 4 and 8%, respectively. Median hospital stay was 5 days (mean 5.9, range 2-20) for SC and 7 days (mean 10.4, range 3-75) for CC. Low morbidity resections of many brain lesions can be performed using conventional stereotactic systems, the operating microscope and standard CT software.

Adult↗

Clinical and ultrastructural analysis of failures in chemonucleolysis.

A series of 12 patients with failed chemonucleolysis were analyzed to determine the various causes of such failures. The ultrastructural findings observed in laminectomy specimens did not account for the failure in the enzyme treatment. The findings suggested deficient cellular nutrition secondary to enzymatic histolysis of the nucleus pulposus.

Chymopapain↗

Orthopaedic treatment in tibial diaphyseal fractures. Risk factors affecting union.

A retrospective of 216 tibial fractures treated orthopedically was carried out. The aim was to analyze a set of clinicobiological parameters that owing to their assumed action on the physiological model of consolidation can be considered as risk factors to be taken into account in all kinds of orthopedic treatment, because they may lead to a lengthening of the normal consolidation time of the fracture. The variables analyzed were the following: type of immobilization, causative agent of the fracture, location of the focus of the fibular fracture, initial displacement, degree of conminution, type of wound, type of fracture, appearance of radiologically observable callus, commencement of weight-bearing, post-fracture hematoma, secondary displacement, and infection of soft tissues. In the particular case of immobilization by an ischiopedic plaster cast, the following parameters showed a greater degree of prognostic significance: initial displacement, secondary displacement, and age.

Adult↗

The AIDS Rapid Anthropological Assessment Procedures: a tool for health education planning and evaluation.

Health education is an essential part of efforts to limit and manage the current AIDS pandemic. The information needed to develop meaningful and culturally appropriate educational interventions is often difficult to obtain because topics related to the prevention and treatment of AIDS are invariably culturally and/or personally sensitive. This article describes the data collection guidelines of the HIV/AIDS Rapid Anthropological Assessment Procedures developed by the Social and Behavioural Research Unit of the World Health Organization's Global Programme on AIDS. The guidelines apply anthropological methods of observation, participant observation, informal and formal interviews, and focus group interviews to the collection of information on AIDS-related beliefs and behaviors. When researchers focus on specific issues in countries, cultures, and languages with which they are already familiar, relatively rapid assessments can be made with a high degree of validity. This article briefly discusses these methods and their application to AIDS-related topics, together with the validity and reliability of the various methodological tools available to social and behavioral scientists.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Quantitative immunocytochemical staining for recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is a serine protease which cleaves plasminogen to its active form, plasmin. tPA plays a physiologic role in hemostasis, wound healing, and embryogenesis. Therapeutically, recombinant human tPA is used as a thrombolytic in myocardial infarction. Although production of therapeutic quantities of tPA in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the human gene for tPA is practical, production costs remain high. One important factor which determines the ultimate cost of tPA (or any other recombinant protein expressed in mammalian cells) is its production level on a per cell basis. We have used postembedding immunocytochemical staining with colloidal gold to study the subcellular localization of tPA in CHO cells expressing recombinant tPA (rCHO) in an effort to understand the factor(s) which might limit secretion. Staining for tPA was evaluated visually and by morphometric analysis and was specific and reproducible. Serially passaged rCHO showed no significant change in staining density over 31 serial passages. Staining density was greatest over dilated cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope. Golgi stacks and large acid phosphatase-positive vacuoles (probably lysosomes) were also heavily stained. Staining of lysosomal vacuoles suggested that rCHO might be degrading nascent tPA. Incubation of rCHO with 125I-tPA showed that the cells were not internalizing tPA from the media. These results suggest that rCHO fail to secrete a portion of the tPA they synthesize and that it is degraded in lysosomes. This observation may have important implications on the choice of expression systems for efficient production of large quantities of recombinant proteins.

Animals↗

[Two-dimensional color-Doppler in the diagnosis of left ventricle-right atrium shunts].

Left ventricular to right atrial shunts, known as Gerbode's defects, are a kind of uncommon atrioventricular defect, the diagnostic of which had been always based on hemodynamic and angiographic findings. Although, at the present, this diagnosis can be done easily by color Doppler echocardiography, there are few references in the literature. We show 4 patients in whom the diagnosis was made by this technique, pointing out the aspects to keep in mind in order to avoid erroneous interpretations. The diagnostic criteria were: systolic turbulence and high velocity jet without pulmonary hypertension or right ventricular out flow stenosis.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

[Comparative study between conservative orthopedic therapy and intramedullary osteosynthesis of diaphyseal tibial fractures].

The authors present the results obtained in a series of 275 tibial shaft fractures, 216 of which were treated by a functional orthopaedic procedure and 59 with different kinds of nailing techniques. The results are evaluated according to the criteria established by Johner and Wruhs. "Good" results were obtained with both kinds of treatment; "excellent" results were slightly more frequent with nailing techniques, owing to better alignment and a lesser degree of shortening in the fractures, although the residual deformities after the functional orthopaedic treatment were tolerable.

Adolescent↗

[Radiological appearance of the paranasal sinuses in allergic rhinitis. Apropos of 255 cases. Comparison between patients from urban and rural environments].

The AA. consider the X-ray findings verified in 3 groups of subjects: with Hayfiber, with perennial rhinitis and the last one being a control group. The whole figure comprise as well urban or rural inhabitants. The conclusion drawn out is that more 50 per cent of allergic sufferers show radiologic evidences, especially the urban people, probably on account of the cities pollution.

Female↗

Place of the extra-intra-cranial-bypass in aneurysm-surgery.

Before the use of the EC/IC-bypass, despite several tests to predict complications, ligation of the i.c.a. (e.g. in treatment of an unclippable aneurysm) offered a significant risk of cerebral ischemia, either acutely or on long term. In this article the hemodynamic background of the EC/IC-bypass as well as its probable effect on local cerebral blood flow are discussed. Next, a series of 26 patients is presented in which ligation of the i.c.a or the m.c.a. was considered. To prevent cerebral ischemia, first an EC/IC-bypass was established. After all, in 15 patients ligation of the i.c.a. was necessary. Beside one major complication the other complications after ligation were only minor and temporary.

Adult↗

[Variation in the composition of fatty acids of zeaxanthin and astaxanthin monoesters in the ovary and hepatopancreas of Penaeus schmitti during ovogenesis].

The carotenoid esters of the shrimp, Penaeus schmitti, were investigated by thin layer chromatography and absorption spectrophotometry. Astaxanthin monoester and zeaxanthin monoester were identified in hepatopancreas and ovaries during the sexual development. The nature of fatty acids derived from these natural esters has been determined quantitatively by gas chromatography of their methyl esters. The variations of linkage between fatty acids and carotenoids during ovogenesis are measured. The role of zeaxanthin monoester in carotenoids transfer from hepatopancreas to ovaries during this sexual development, and relations between lipid and carotenoid metabolism are discussed.

Animals↗

[Variation in the free amino acid content of ovary, hepatopancreas and hemolymph of Penaeus schmitti during ovarian maturation (Crustacea, Decapoda, Penaeidae)].

Quantitative and qualitative variations of free-amino-acids contents (FAA) of ovaries, hepatopancreas and haemolymph have been studied in the course of ovarian maturation in Penaeus schmitti. In the ovary, FAA content, expressed as microM/g ovary fresh weight, decreases from 56.2 to 23.6 microM between gonadosomatic index (GSI) 0.8 and GSI 7.1. There is an increase of hepatopancreas FAA content of 33.4% till GSI 4. Haemolymph FAA content increases from 0.32 to 1.76 microM/ml, with maximal values of 3.74 microM/ml when GSI are between 3 and 4. FAA content of ovaries, expressed as microM/g of animal, is 3.2 fold higher at the end of maturation, with a main increase in the first stages of ovogenesis. Maturation process has a quantitative effect on all FAA, but, on a qualitative point of view, it concerns mainly lysine, arginine and glycine. The main variations of AA composition (expressed as percentage of total FAA) are observed in haemolymph.

Amino Acids↗

Morphologic and dynamic changes of atherosclerotic plaque at the carotid artery bifurcation: sequential imaging by real time B-mode ultrasonography.

Occurrence of new symptoms of focal cerebrovascular disease, including completed cerebral infarction, transient cerebral ischemic attack and amaurosis fugax, was correlated with changes in size and morphology of atherosclerotic plaques at the carotid artery bifurcation visualized by real time B-mode ultrasonography. Bilateral serial images of 246 plaques in 123 patients were made in a time interval of 9 to 35 months between initial and follow-up studies. There was a significantly higher incidence of symptoms ipsilateral to plaques that grew [30 (25%) of 121] than of symptoms ipsilateral to plaques that diminished or remained unchanged [8 (8%) of 98] (p less than 0.001). Plaques that became hemodynamically obstructive by causing disruption of laminar flow or reduction of distal perfusion pressure at the ophthalmic artery were associated with a higher frequency of symptoms [12 (40%) of 30] than were nonobstructive plaques [26 (13%) of 201] (p less than 0.001). There was also a strong association between symptoms and plaque configuration. Mural plaques growing in a crescentic configuration along the wall of the carotid bifurcation between the first and second examination had a higher incidence of symptoms [22 (40%) of 56] than did plaques that grew but maintained a nodular configuration [8 (12%) of 65] (p less than 0.001), although the same proportion of each became hemodynamically obstructive. Sequential visualization of atherosclerotic plaques by real time B-mode ultrasonography of the carotid bifurcation may provide a method for studying the pathogenesis of arterial thrombosis.

Aged↗