Biomedical subjects

M L dos Santos

Publications and source records attributed to M L dos Santos.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

The CAG repeat polymorphism in the androgen receptor gene (AR) and its relationship to head and neck cancer.

Sex hormones may play an important role in the tumorigenic process of the head and neck. The aim of our work was to investigate whether the androgen receptor (AR) CAG repeat polymorphism is associated with an increased relative risk for head and neck cancer. Genomic DNA from 103 male patients with head and neck carcinomas and 100 male controls were analyzed for the AR CAG polymorphism by PCR amplification and direct sequencing or denaturing polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between CAG repeat length and risk of head and neck cancer in individuals with more than 20 CAG repeats [OR=2.54 (95% CI, 1.3-4.8)]. For the group of individuals with oral and laryngeal cancer the estimated relative risk was increased to 2.79 (95% CI, 1.2-6.3) and 3.06 (95% CI, 1.0-9.6), respectively, in men with CAG repeat length >20. These results suggest, for the first time, that shorter AR CAG repeat alleles have a protective effect for head and neck cancer development.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

The contribution of 700,000 ORF sequence tags to the definition of the human transcriptome.

Open reading frame expressed sequences tags (ORESTES) differ from conventional ESTs by providing sequence data from the central protein coding portion of transcripts. We generated a total of 696,745 ORESTES sequences from 24 human tissues and used a subset of the data that correspond to a set of 15,095 full-length mRNAs as a means of assessing the efficiency of the strategy and its potential contribution to the definition of the human transcriptome. We estimate that ORESTES sampled over 80% of all highly and moderately expressed, and between 40% and 50% of rarely expressed, human genes. In our most thoroughly sequenced tissue, the breast, the 130,000 ORESTES generated are derived from transcripts from an estimated 70% of all genes expressed in that tissue, with an equally efficient representation of both highly and poorly expressed genes. In this respect, we find that the capacity of the ORESTES strategy both for gene discovery and shotgun transcript sequence generation significantly exceeds that of conventional ESTs. The distribution of ORESTES is such that many human transcripts are now represented by a scaffold of partial sequences distributed along the length of each gene product. The experimental joining of the scaffold components, by reverse transcription-PCR, represents a direct route to transcript finishing that may represent a useful alternative to full-length cDNA cloning.

Expressed Sequence Tags↗

PubMed2001

[Fatal necro-hemorrhagic pancreatitis related to sodium valproate: case report].

Among the idiosyncratic reactions related to VPA, pancreatitis is the most rare and less remembered even though its potentially fatal course. We report the case of a 5 year-old boy with epilepsy treated with VPA 40 mg/kg/day associated with CBZ 20 mg/kg/day and PB 3 mg/kg/day, admitted for vomiting, abdominal pain, low grade fever, abdominal tension and amylasis of 288 UI. On evolution presented upper digestive hemorrhage, shock and amylasis of 564 UI. The patient was submitted to exploratory laparotomy with findings of hemorrhagic ascitis, retroperitoneal hematoma, increased volume of pancreas with edema and hemorrhage leading to diagnosis of necro-hemorrhagic pancreatitis and a fatal course. Pancreatic complications are well known complications related to VPA treatment and may vary between asymptomatic hyperamilasemy to fatal acute pancreatitis. The characteristics of our patient correlates with the data on literature: we found 7 similar cases reported, 4 of which died.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2000

Evaluation of the short-form 36-item questionnaire to measure health-related quality of life in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the use of the 36-item short-form questionnaire (SF-36) for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). DESIGN: : Observational data at a single point in time. SETTING: : A specialized outpatient respiratory clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-four patients (mean +/- SE age, 58.29 +/- 1.87 years) with IPF and no significant comorbidity. A matched control group for HRQL measurements was composed of 34 normal subjects (mean age, 58.00 +/- 1.89 years). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Dyspnea was measured by the baseline dyspnea index (BDI). Respiratory function evaluation included FVC, FEV(1), and resting arterial blood gases. IPF patients showed a mean BDI score of 5.21 +/- 0.46. The mean FVC and FEV(1) values were 62.41 +/- 2.96% and 66.41 +/- 3.33%, respectively. The mean PaO(2) was 67 +/- 2.51 mm Hg, and the mean PaCO(2) was 37 +/- 1. 05 mm Hg. Patients scored significantly worse than control subjects with respect to the SF-36 domains of physical functioning, physical role, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, emotional role, and mental health index. BDI scores were significantly correlated with five SF-36 components, and FVC and FEV(1) were significantly correlated with two SF-36 components. Significant negative correlations were found between arterial pH and four SF-36 domains. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IPF have a significant impairment of HRQL in both physical and psychological functioning. Dyspnea is the most important factor influencing the quality of life in these subjects. The SF-36 questionnaire is a valid instrument to evaluate HRQL in IPF patients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1992

Cross-sectional and evolutive studies of schistosomiasis mansoni in untreated and mass treated endemic areas in the southeast and northeast of Brazil.

Cross-sectional and evolutive studies on schistosomiasis mansoni were carried out before and after mass treatment in the endemic areas of Capitão Andrade and Padre Paraiso, state of Minas Gerais, Riachuelo, state of Sergipe, Alhandra, state of Paraiba, and Aliança, Alegre and Coroatá, lowland of the state of Maranhão, Brazil, in the last eighteen years. The studies included clinical and fecal examination by the Kato-Katz quantitative technique, skin test for Schistosoma mansoni infection, evaluation of man-water contact and other epidemiological investigations such as infection rate and dynamic of the snail population. Results showed: (1) Higher prevalence of S. mansoni infection, greater egg load elimination and higher and earlier morbidity of the chronic forms of the disease in the southeast areas of Capitão Andrade and Padre Paraiso; (2) The incidence of hepatosplenic form is higher in some family clusters, in whites and mulattos in all the endemic areas but develop earlier in the southeast; (3) The prevalence and morbidity of schistosomiasis are decreasing both in the mass treated northeast and in the untreated southeast areas; (4) The mass treatment reduces rapidly the prevalence of the infection and the morbidity of the disease but can not control it because of the frequent reinfections due to the intensity of man-water contact.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

[The effect of nifedipine on hemodynamics and gas exchange in dogs with experimental acute respiratory insufficiency].

PURPOSE: Evaluate the action of nifedipine, a calcium channel blocking agent, on the hemodynamics and gas exchange experimental acute respiratory failure. METHODS: Lung injury was provoked in sixteen mongrel dogs with intratracheal instillation of hydrochloric acid (HC1) (0.1N; pH = 2.0; 2.0 ml/kg body weight). As steady state was achieved after HC1 instillation (maintenance of a stable arterial PO2), saline 1 ml (six dogs) or nifedipine (ten dogs) 30 micrograms/kg for body weight were intravenously injected. The hemodynamic variables and gas exchange parameters were analyzed before HC1, after HC1 and 10 and 30 minutes after nifedipine or saline. RESULTS: The intratracheal instillation of HC1 provoked significant drop of PaO2, of systemic oxygen transport index (ITO2S), and increase of venous admixture (QVA/Q). Nifedipine provoked significant reduction of the mean systemic arterial pressure (Pas), and of the systemic (IRVS) and pulmonary vascular resistance index (IRVP), with significant increase of cardiac (IC) and systolic index (IS), with no changes ot the mean arterial pulmonary (Pap) and capillary pressures (Pcap). After nifedipine there was a significant increase of PaO2, PvO2, and ITO2S, with no significant variations of QVA/Q and alveolar arterial O2 difference (P(A-a)O2). CONCLUSION: Nifedipine promoted systemic vasodilation, and probably by increasing the venous return and/or by a reflex mechanism, the cardiac output increased, augmenting the ITO2S. The IRVP decreased in the nifedipine group, with no significant alterations of Pap and Pcap, probably consequent to the systemic vasodilation provoked by the drug. The arterial PO2 augmented in the nifedipine group, as a consequence of mixed venous PO2 increase, since no changes occurred in QVA/Q, P(A-a)O2, inspired fraction of O2 and alveolar ventilation.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1989

[The role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril) on the mechanism of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. Experimental study in dogs].

In order to evaluate the action of an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (Captopril) on the pulmonary hypoxic vasoconstriction, twenty one mongrel dogs were studied in two groups: group I with hypoxia, group II with normoxia. The dogs were anesthetized, intubated, and had their femoral vein and artery cannulated for blood-gas sampling and pressure records. They were mechanically ventilated with hypoxic gas mixtures (12.3% O2-87.7% N2)--group I and room air group II, at random. In both groups we measured, before and after administration of captopril 3 mg/kg intravenously, gas exchange and hemodynamic variables, as well as plasmatic levels of renin and angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE). Our results showed that the group I dogs decreased the systemic and pulmonary vascular resistances with small changes in pulmonary arterial pressures and no significant variations of pulmonary systemic resistances ratio. There were no significant variations of the same variables in the group II dogs. The gas exchange has not changed in either group of animals. In the group I dogs Captopril provoked systemic and pulmonary vasodilatation, with no gasometric and ventilation/perfusion ratio changes. In our experimental model we could not conclude that Captopril inhibited the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and/or that the angiotensin II had some action on the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction mechanism, but there are some evidences favoring that hypothesis.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1989

[Effects of captopril on hemodynamics, gas exchange and exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Captopril, a potent inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme, was tested in patients with COPD (means forced expired volume in the first second--FEV1 = 0.73 l) and pulmonary hypertension (PAP = 41.3 mmHg). In the first phase of the experiment, patients underwent and incremental exercise test to the limit of tolerance. These were double blind, randomized, cross-over studies, where the patients received oral placebo (Pl) or captopril (Cp) 25 mg, on different days. In a second phase, the patients were submitted to hemodynamic and gasometric studies in the supine position, before placebo, the 60 min after and immediately after exercise (cycling-like leg movements). After 30 min of rest the same protocol was repeated with oral administration of 25 mg of captopril. In the metabolic evaluation (cycloergometry) captopril increased significantly exercise tolerance (means VO2-uptake at maximal exercise: CP = 0.81 vs Pl = 0.73 1/min), associated with a slower heart rate and higher O2-pulse at maximal exercise. In the hemodynamic study, when the effects of Cp and Pl were compared, the mean values of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were similar at rest, but significantly lower during exercise, after captopril (means PAP Cp = 41.3 vs Pl = 51.2 mmHg; XPVR Cp = 278 vs Pl = 392 dyn. sec. cm5). There were similar systemic hemodynamic effects after Cp, but these were more intense in the pulmonary circulation (lower PVR/SVR ratio post-Cp in relation to post-Pl, during exercise). The cardiac index, systemic O2 transport and arterial and mixed venous blood gases were similar at rest and during exercise, with Pl or Cp.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1986