Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Delgado

Publications and source records attributed to M Delgado.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Current census rates in inpatients hospitalized in the Hospital de Poniente in Almería [Spain]].

OBJECTIVE: To study the current census rate of patients admitted to an internal medicine service. METHOD: We studied all patients admitted to the internal medicine service from January 1 to August 31, 2000 whose addresses were registered in four local authorities of our hospital district. We made exhaustive searches to ascertain whether these patients were included in the register in September 2000. RESULTS: We analyzed 1,095 admissions from a total of 1,759 up to August 31, 2000. Twenty-four percent corresponded to patients who were not registered. Fifty-eight percent of those not registered were aged more than 70 years. Twenty-seven percent of patients aged less than 40 years, most of whom were immigrants, were also unregistered. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-four percent of the admissions to the internal medicine service that were studied corresponded to patients who were not registered with their respective local authorities. A possible explanation is the large immigrant population and the lack of registration among the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Recombinant Opc meningococcal protein, folded in vitro, elicits bactericidal antibodies after immunization.

The meningococcal Opc protein has been expressed as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli. After cell disruption and successive washing of the insoluble fraction, insoluble proteins were solubilized in presence of the chaotropic agent guanidium hydrochloride. The extract was applied to a Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC)-C4 column, for further purification. The obtained recombinant Opc protein was refolded in vitro, by the addition of several compounds to the resuspended solution. Over time, the progress of renaturation was tested by immunoblot with the human monoclonal antibody LuNm03 against the meningococcal Opc protein. LuNm03 recognizes a conformational epitope on the native meningococcal Opc protein. Having established the optimal conditions of renaturation. Balb/c mice were immunized to study the humoral immune response. The human at immune response elicited in mice was measured by ELISA and immunoblot, while the functional activity of these antibodies was assayed in a bactericidal test. According to our results, it was possible to obtain a recombinant Opc protein folded in vitro, with a conformation suitable enough to generate functional antibodies in mice, capable of killing meningococci in the presence of human complement.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mining association rules with improved semantics in medical databases.

The discovery of new knowledge by mining medical databases is crucial in order to make an effective use of stored data, enhancing patient management tasks. One of the main objectives of data mining methods is to provide a clear and understandable description of patterns held in data. We introduce a new approach to find association rules among quantitative values in relational databases. The semantics of such rules are improved by introducing imprecise terms in both the antecedent and the consequent, as these terms are the most commonly used in human conversation and reasoning. The terms are modeled by means of fuzzy sets defined in the appropriate domains. However, the mining task is performed on the precise data. These "fuzzy association rules" are more informative than rules relating precise values. We also introduce a new measure of accuracy, based on Shortliffe and Buchanan's certainty factors [Shortliffe E, Buchanan B. Math Biosci 1975;23:351-79]. Also, the semantics of the usual measure of usefulness of an association rule, called support are discussed and some new criteria are introduced. Our new measures have been shown to be more understandable and appropriate than ordinary ones. Several experiments on large medical databases show that our new approach can provide useful knowledge with better semantics in this field.

Databases, Factual↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Vasoactive intestinal peptide in thymus: synthesis, receptors and biological actions.

Evidence summarized in this report indicates that thymocytes produce and secrete VIP. Moreover, different stimuli such as Con A, LPS and anti-TCR antibody induce a significant increase in VIP production by thymocytes. In addition, proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha, but not IL-2, stimulate in a similar time-dependent manner VIP production by lymphocytes. We also describe the expression of VIP1 receptor and VIP2 receptor mRNA in murine thymocytes. Thus, VIP released in thymus microenvironment may modulate immune functions through direct binding to VIP receptors on thymocytes. Our functional data support that VIP through the interaction with their specific receptors affect three important aspects of thymocytes function: cytokine production, mobility and apoptosis.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Enzyme and hormonal markers in the differential diagnosis of human azoospermia.

The serum concentrations of FSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone, and estradiol and the enzymatic activities of hyaluronidase, glucosidases (alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, alpha-mannosidase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase, and beta-galactosidase), lactate dehydrogenase and its isoenzymes (LDH1, LDH2, LDH3, LDH-X, LDH4), and total proteins were measured in the semen of 69 subjects (8 normozoospermic controls, 7 secretory, and 54 excretory azoospermic subjects). FSH levels rose with the deterioration in spermatogenesis and served to differentiate the secretory from the excretory azoospermias. The only source of hyaluronidase and LDH-X in the ejaculate is the spermatozoa. alpha-Glucosidase activity essentially originates in the epididymis. The seminal determination of alpha-glucosidase and, to a lesser extent, alpha-mannosidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase helps rapidly, sensitivity, reliably, and noninvasively to differentiate secretory azoospermias (with higher enzymatic activity) from the excretory type (less enzymatic activity) and may be of use in identifying with a certain degree of reliability the site of obstruction in the male genital tract.

Biomarkers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Primary adenocarcinoma of the duodenum: a report of 2 cases and a review of the world literature].

We presented two cases of adenocarcinoma of the duodenum diagnosed at the Gastroenterology Unit of the General Hospital of Lidice Dr. Jesús Yerena and reviewed retrospectively the pathology cases from 1980-1990. We review the world literature and found that the most common clinical presentation was as obstructive type. In our cases perforation and jaundice were the presentation.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Solitary rectal polyp and endoscopic polypectomy in a pediatric population: 3 years' experience].

During defecation, rectal polyps represent one most frequent causes of bleeding in infancy. The advent of endoscopic polypectomy has resulted very useful in their treatment. From January 1987 to March 1990, 113 children with rectal bleeding were evaluated; 22 of them had solitary rectal polyp, between 5 to 15 cm from anal margin at rectoscopy. 6 patients were excluded because they had autoamputation of the polyp, 16 patients, 9 girls and 6 boys between 2 and 11 years of age were studied with blood tests, series stools, contrast study with barium, colonoscopy with polypectomy and polyp histology investigation. 14 patients had chronic anemia, 10 had parasitic in stools. The barium enema identified rectal polyps in 14 patients (87.5%), colonoscopy and polypectomy was performed in every children. Juvenile histologic type predominated (82%). It is demonstrated that chronic anemia can follow rectal bleeding by polyps in children. Parasitic infections such as tricocephalous in conjunction with solid feces, may have a traumatic effect and produce chronic inflammation. Double contrast X-rays of the colon is useful to identify polyps. Non complications were observed during or after polypectomy. It is demonstrated that endoscopic polypectomy in children is a simple, safety and effective method.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Immunologic modulation of tumor aggressiveness in cancer of the larynx. II. Clinicopathologic correlations with the loss of expression of the HLA ABC antigens].

A series of 60 primary laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours, 24 lymph node metastases and normal tissue were evaluated in frozen sections for the expression of MHC class I antigens, using monoclonal antibodies. We found 13 cases presenting total HLA-ABC losses, 5 selective losses of HLA-A antigens and 1 of HLA-B antigens. We were able to find statistical association between these losses and a number of clinical and pathological parameters, such as T and N stage, degree of differentiation, scores according to Jakobsson and Glanz grading systems, vascular invasion or leukocytic infiltrate. Our results lead us to the following conclusions: a) HLA class I losses were found in a group of tumours showing a greater aggressiveness and worse prognosis; b) these alterations in the expression are not associated with a increased metastatic potential. Thus, the absence of HLA molecules in laryngeal tumours is related to a greater local aggressiveness, and the loss of class I antigens seems to constitute and adaptive tumour mechanism to avoid the different anatomical and immunological barriers present in the laryngeal organ.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Early management of foreign bodies in the upper digestive tract with flexible fiberendoscopy].

We present our five year experience (1983-1988) in 74 patients who intentionally or accidentally ingested foreign bodies, and their management with flexible fibroendoscopy. A higher incidence was observed in children under 6 years of age, and adults between 30 and 50 years of age. The major presenting symptom was the "sentation of foreign body", and 24% of patients presented no symptomatology. The most commonly encountered foreign bodies were: fishbone, coins, chicken bones, and meat fragments. An esophageal location was the most commonly found, predominantly in the proximal third. Flexible endoscopy performed in 59 patients (80%), successfully removing the foreign body in 93.2%. In the remaining cases it was demonstrated previously that the foreign body could not be reached by the endoscope.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence of dental caries in a coastal zone of Granada].

In the present study, the problem of caries and its actual state in a seaside region of Granada is analyzed. 1.001 aged 5 to 15 scholars from three towns--Motril, Itrabo and Molvizar--were studied. In the descriptive survey, the prevalence of the illness by CO, CAOD, CAOS and CAOM epidemiologic indexes is registered, and also its distribution by place, age and sex. A general 1.45 CO, global 1.22 CAOD, 1.36 total CAOS and 0.94 CAOM were estimated. The relation of sweets taken out of the eating time, buccodental hygiene degree and fluorization drinking water levels with caries are studied in the analitic part. Straight connection was observed of sweets consuming to the total of caries (in both temporary and permanent teeth). A significant clear correlation was also observed between the levels of fluor and the prevalence of caries in temporary teeth, which was higher than in permanent teeth.

Adolescent↗