Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Alonso.
The attenuation of a Babesia bovis strain depends on its protease content. The present work evaluates this parameter on a virulent strain, before and after attenuation by quick passages on splenectomized calves. The protease activity at different pH values was determined in protein fractions from the blood of calves. The enzymatic test showed marked differences between the protease content of both substrains.
A serological survey using indirect immunofluorescence (IFAT) for bovine babesiosis (Babesia bovis and B. bigemina) and card test for anaplasmosis, indicates that these haemoparasites are widespread in Martinique. The high prevalences (62% for B. bovis, 52% for B. bigemina and 43% for Anaplasma marginale) lead to the hypothesis of an unstable epizootic situation for these three haemoparasitic diseases. However, the number of smears examined was too low to evaluate their clinical incidence. Both the American and Cuban card tests gave similar results in the detection of antibodies to A. marginale. Theileria mutans is described for the first time in Martinique. Trypanosomosis (Trypanosoma vivax) has disappeared from Martinique, on clinical and serological evidence.
This study was done to investigate the effects of pentagastrin and of somatostatin analog (SMS 201-995) on growth of CT26 adenocarcinoma of the colon implanted in mice. Eighty Balb C mice were inoculated subcutaneously with 100,000 cells. Four groups of 20 mice each were treated with 0.1 milliliters of saline solution every eight hours; 250 micrograms per kilogram of pentagastrin every eight hours; 100 micrograms per kilogram of SMS 201-995 every 12 hours; 250 micrograms per kilogram of pentagastrin every eight hours, plus 100 micrograms per kilogram of SMS 201-995 every 12 hours. Tumoral weight, volume and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content and mean survival rates were determined for each group. Control mice had tumors weighing 1,619 +/- 179 milligrams, of 1.47 +/- 0.2 milliliters to the third power and with 12.9 +/- 1.1 milligram of DNA, at 30 days after inoculation. The mean survival rate was 42.5 days. Pentagastrin administration increased the three parameters of tumoral growth by 40 percent and reduced survival time to 29.6 days (p < 0.01), while SMS 201-995 inhibited growth by 40 percent and prolonged survival time to 48.5 days (p < 0.01). Simultaneous administration of both peptides had no effects. These data suggest that pentagastrin has a trophic effect and SMS 201-995 an inhibitory effect on CT26 adenocarcinoma in mice.
The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a somatostatin analog (SMS 201-995), in vitro and in vivo on mice colonic adenocarcinoma cells CT 26. To perform the in vitro study 50,000 neoplasic cells were grown in RPMI 1640 culture medium with different concentrations of SMS and DNA synthesis determination was made. For the in vivo study, 100,000 cells in balb C mice were implanted. Several doses of SMS (200 micrograms/kg/12 h and 100 micrograms/kg/12 h) were given. The weight, size and DNA content of the tumors was determined. No in vitro effect of SMS was demonstrated. Nevertheless, an in vivo inhibition was found for all the parameters studied. A confirmation of these results in other cell lines could point towards possible hormonal manipulation in the treatment of colonic cancer.
The present paper is a review of 71 cases of uretero-vaginal fistulae secondary to pelvic surgery which were treated in the Urology Unit of our hospital. Surgical management of these fistula intrinsically depends on their number, location and severity. The results obtained by the different techniques were analyzed, emphasizing their merit when using the Turner-Warwick technique (uretero-cystoneostomy on psoic bladder) and any urodynamic troubles this technique can bring about when used bilaterally in patients from radical gynaecological surgery.
Complete duplication of vagina, cervix and uterus, with imperforate hemivagina and renal agenesis is a rare condition with less than 120 cases published. In those articles, urological complications are uncommon with only a 10% of the total. We report 2 cases of uterus didelphys with unilateral hematocolpos and ipsilateral renal agenesis with urological clinical complications. One of them presented a very rare onset complaining of acute urinary retention. The other patient was referred for difficulty in micturition and abdominal pain which is the most common symptom of this entity. A description of both cases and a literature review of this congenital complex syndrome and its urological complications are reported.
We report the hemodynamic and clinical effects of acute and chronic administration of iloprost in two patients with severe pulmonary hypertension caused by toxic oil syndrome. We tested the acute effect of progressive increments of iloprost, followed by long-term infusion of the drug during 14 days. The acute response produced an increase in cardiac output and moderate reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance, with no change in pulmonary artery pressure. Nevertheless, a maintained reduction in pulmonary artery pressure and resistance, as well as clinical improvement, was observed after chronic infusion. We conclude that (1) the acute effect of iloprost does not necessarily predict long-term hemodynamic response, and (2) iloprost given in long-term infusion seems to have been an efficacious and safe drug in our two patients, and it opens a new line of treatment.
Spontaneous rupture of hepatoma is very rare in our means. We present 8 cases collected in our hospital. The treatment performed was direct hemostasis and packing of the bleeding area in 4 patients, ligature of the hepatic artery in two other patients and finally an hepatectomy in the remaining two. The 4 patients in whom we performed an hemostasis died during the postoperative period. The other 4, instead have a normal postoperative course. We think that the treatment of a bleeding hepatoma is hepatectomy, and when is not possible, the ligature of hepatic artery.
Villous adenomas are extremely rare in the stomach. This type of lesion is characterized by its high capacity of malignant degeneration, as well as by its association with other tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. In this regard, we present two cases of villous adenoma of the stomach observed in our hospital, as well as a review of the characteristics of these tumors and of the treatment required.
Villous adenomas of the vermiform appendix are uncommon. Their malignant potential is unknown and their treatment is controversial. Because of a reported association between adenomas of the appendix and other gastrointestinal neoplasms, long-term surveillance is recommended. A new case of appendicular villous adenoma is reported.
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To study the efficacy, specificity and sensitivity of ultrasonography, cytology and phospholipid/fatty acid quotient (PL/FA) in the detection of recurrences in patients with superficial bladder cancer we performed these three examinations simultaneously with cystoscopy. In over 405 cystoscopies, 348 were negative and 57 were positive for tumor. Sensitivity, the most important parameter, was 73% for the three examinations together. Each method separately had the following sensitivity: ultrasound 26%; cytology 14%, and PL/FA 47%. Considering that there were only 15 false-negatives, with this follow-up scheme we save the patient from a lot of cystoscopies, avoiding their inherent morbidity.
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Since the antibiotherapy for tuberculosis, psoas abscess is an infrequent disease. The psoas abscess can be divided in primary and secondary, being the primary the most infrequent. We present two other cases of primary psoas abscess treated in our hospital. We review also the symptoms, the diagnosis and the therapy of this disease.
Eye washing with chamomile tea is a folk remedy used by the general public to treat conjunctivitis and other ocular reactions. Chamomile is also found in many cosmetic products. Some cases of contact dermatitis (but not reactions of type I) were reported following its topical applications. We present seven hay fever patients that suffered from conjunctivitis; two of them also had lid angioedema after eye washing with chamomile tea. All seven patients had positive skin prick tests to the chamomile tea extract, Matricaria chamomilla pollen and Artemisia vulgaris pollen extracts. Positive conjunctival provocations were also observed in all the patients with the chamomile tea extract. In contrast, no symptoms were observed after oral challenges with this infusion. IgE activity against chamomile tea and Matricaria and Artemisia extracts (composite pollens) was detected by ELISA in the seven patients' sera. A cross reactivity among the above extracts was observed by an ELISA inhibition study. In all cases, the IgE activity to chamomile tea could fully be absorbed by Matricaria pollen extract. Skin prick tests and conjunctival provocation tests also performed in 100 hay fever controls revealed a positive immediate skin response to Artemisia in 15 patients, eight of them also to Matricaria pollen and five of them to Chamomile tea as well. Only two of the last patients had a positive conjunctival response. The results were negative in the rest of the controls. We conclude that the chamomile tea eye washing can induce allergic conjunctivitis. Matricaria chamomilla pollens contained in these infusions are the allergens responsible for these reactions.
Activation of human T cells through the CD3-T cell receptor complex caused an augmentation in the cell surface expression of CD2 and CD5 glycoproteins. Evidence that protein kinase C is involved in the up-regulatory mechanism of these cell surface molecules has been obtained by three different approaches: (a) the changes in antigen expression were observed with activators of protein kinase C such as phorbol esters but not with activators of kinases dependent on calcium/calmodulin or cAMP; (b) the overexpression of CD2 and CD5 is also observed in cells treated with 1,2-dioctanoyl-rac-glycerol, an analogue of the physiological activator of protein kinase C; and (c) 1-(5-isoquinolinyl)-2-methylpiperazine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C but not N-(2-guanidinoethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide dihydrochloride, an inhibitor of the cAMP-dependent kinase, impairs CD2 and CD5 up-regulation. These changes in cell surface antigen expression appear to be caused by the concomitant increase in the mRNA levels for CD2 and CD5. Phosphorylation studies of the CD2 and CD5 glycoproteins indicated that the overexpression of these molecules was not associated with a specific pattern of phosphorylation since it was observed independently of their hyperphosphorylated or nonphosphorylated state.
Fourteen patients with cirrhosis and subclinical hepatic encephalopathy were randomised to treatment with lactitol or lactulose for a 2-month period during which they were monitored clinically, by electroencephalography and by manually administered and computer-based psychometric testing. Following a washout period of 4-6 weeks patients were crossed-over to treatment with the alternative sugar for a similar period of monitoring. None of the patients showed evidence of overt hepatic encephalopathy and only one showed slowing of the electroencephalogram mean cycle frequency at the onset of the trial. However, significant impairment was observed in the group as a whole in the performance of all three manually administered psychometric tests and in four of the ten computer-based test variables. No changes were observed in clinical status or in electroencephalogram mean cycle frequency during treatment with either lactitol or lactulose. However, psychometric performance improved consistently, and to the same degree, during treatment with both sugars. Patients required a mean of 26 g (range 8-36) of lactitol and 25 ml (10-60) of lactulose to achieve two semi-soft stools per day. The majority of patients complained of flatulence during treatment with both sugars but this tended to resolve with continued treatment. Diarrhoea developed in a small number of patients during both treatment periods but this was invariably dose-related. Patients were equally divided in their preference for the two sugars. Patients with subclinical hepatic encephalopathy benefit from treatment with lactitol and lactulose in terms of their psychometric performance. The feasibility and benefits of long-term treatment for this condition need to be elucidated.
Thermal enhancement of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (DDP) induced renal and intestinal toxicities by whole body hyperthermia (WBH) were compared using a F344 rat model. Thermal enhancement ratios (TER) for DDP-induced nephrotoxicity were calculated using renal functional assays and morphological techniques. TER values for gastrointestinal (G.I.) toxicity were calculated using "severity of diarrhea" and jejunal crypt cell survival as assays. TER's for renal damage varied between 3 and 3.4, whereas the TER measured for G.I.-toxicity was 1.8. Physiological changes caused by WBH or intrinsic differences in the sensitivities of normal tissues to DDP +/- WBH may be responsible for the differences in thermal enhancement of DDP-induced renal and intestinal toxicities.