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Biomedical subjects

M Soler

Publications and source records attributed to M Soler.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Conservative management of a broncho-oesophageal fistula in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

We describe the case of a 56-year-old male patient with a 2-year history of productive cough and weight loss. The diagnosis of a broncho-oesophageal fistula due to a low-grade Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was made. The patient was referred for surgical closure of the fistula and resection of the left lower lobe because of intractable severe pneumonia. As an alternative treatment option, oesophageal or bronchial stent placement was considered. Because of the relatively favourable prognosis of this type of lymphoma, treatment with chemotherapy alone and a feeding gastrostomy were started. After eight cycles of cyclophosphamide and prednisone, the fistula healed spontaneously. Two years later, the patient continues to do well and is in remission. In patients with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and an oesophagorespiratory fistula, treatment should first be conservative; surgery or stent placement should be postponed.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1997

Assessment of the prognosis of coronary patients: performance and customization of generic severity indexes.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic performance of general severity systems (APACHE II [acute physiology and chronic health evaluation], simplified acute physiology score [SAPS II], and mortality probability models [MPM II]) in coronary patients and to derive new customized indexes for coronary patients using a reduced number of variables. DESIGN: Inception cohort. SETTING: Adult medical and surgical ICUs in 17 hospitals in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. PATIENTS: Four hundred fifty-six patients with acute myocardial infarction. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The APACHE II, SAPS II, and MPM II variables and survival status at hospital discharge have been collected. Performance of the severity systems was assessed by evaluating calibration and discrimination. Logistic regression was used to customize the MPM II(24) and SAPS II indexes. Discrimination was high enough for all of the models. However, calibration of the MPM II(24) was not as satisfactory as for the other models. The MPM II(24) and SAPS II were both reduced to five variables (MPM II(24 cor:) age, PaO2, continuous vasoactive drugs, urinary output, and mechanical ventilation; SAPS II(cor:) age, PaO2/FI(O2) ratio, systolic BP, Glasgow coma score, and urinary output). Both models showed better calibration and discrimination than the original ones. CONCLUSIONS: Prognostic indexes developed for multidisciplinary patients show good performance when applied to patients with acute myocardial infarction, but customization can reduce the number of variables necessary to compute them without a loss of, and a possible improvement in, prognostic accuracy.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

New vectors for combinatorial deletions in yeast chromosomes and for gap-repair cloning using 'split-marker' recombination.

New tools are needed for speedy and systematic study of the numerous genes revealed by the sequence of the yeast genome. We have developed a novel transformation strategy, based on 'split-marker' recombination, which allows generation of chromosomal deletions and direct gene cloning. For this purpose, pairs of yeast vectors have been constructed which offer a number of advantages for large-scale applications such as one-step cloning of target sequence homologs and combinatorial use. Gene deletions or gap-repair clonings are obtained by cotransformation of yeast by a pair of recombinant plasmids. Gap-repair vectors are based on the URA3 marker. Deletion vectors include the URA3, LYS2 and kanMX selection markers flanked by I-Scel sites, which allow their subsequent elimination from the transformant without the need for counter-selection. The application of the "split-marker' vectors to the analysis of a few open reading frames of chromosome XI is described.

Chromosomes, Fungal↗
PubMed1996

Reliability and validity of an HIV-specific health-related quality-of-life measure for use with injecting drug users.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability and validity of an HIV-specific quality of life (QoL) questionnaire for use with injecting drug users (IDU). METHOD: One hundred IDU with HIV infection (27 asymptomatic, 48 symptomatic, 25 with AIDS) completed the HIV adaptation of the Medical Outcomes Study questionnaire (MOS-HIV). Validity of the scale was assessed by comparing the scores on the MOS-HIV with measures of health and psychological status. Measures of health status used included Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stage, CD4 cell count and number of HIV-related illnesses. Psychological status was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Sociodemographic data and information on illegal drug consumption were also collected. RESULTS: The MOS-HIV showed a good internal reliability on all scales and the factor structure was comparable with that reported from previous studies. The psychological scales from the MOS-HIV showed good concurrent validity. For the physical aspects of QoL, however, some scales were poor at discriminating between different HIV disease stages. One reason for this may have been that factors associated with a history of injecting drug use had a significant negative impact on QoL, particularly for asymptomatic patients. It was notable that QoL in asymptomatic infection was found to be substantially lower than has been reported for gay/bisexual men using the same instruments and was more strongly associated with factors related to drug use rather than to HIV disease status. CONCLUSION: The MOS-HIV is a reliable and valid measure, but in patients with a history of injecting drug use some of the scales measuring the physical aspects of QoL may be relatively insensitive to changes in health.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Attachment and entry of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) into CHSE-214 cells.

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) attaches to CHSE-214 cells through two types of cell components: specific and non-specific ones. Competition experiments with inactivated IPNV showed that IPNV requires specific components to productively infect cells. Just a low amount of adsorbed IPNV enters the cell. After 20 minutes, part of the adsorbed IPNV was internalized into acid compartments. Also, the viruses adsorbed on the cell surface require similar periods of time to escape from the neutralization of antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Characterization of domains in the yeast MAP kinase Slt2 (Mpk1) required for functional activity and in vivo interaction with protein kinases Mkk1 and Mkk2.

MKK1/MKK2 and SLT2 (MPK1) are three Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes, coding for protein kinases, that have been postulated to act sequentially as part of the Pkc1p signalling pathway, a phosphorylation cascade essential for cell integrity. By using the 'two-hybrid system' and co-purification experiments on glutathione-agarose beads, we have shown that Slt2p interacts in vivo and in vitro with both Mkk1p and Mkk2p, thus confirming a previous suggestion based on epistasis experiments of the corresponding genes. Plasmid constructs of the SLT2 gene, deleted in the whole C-terminal non-kinase region or part of it, and therefore containing all of the conserved kinase subdomains, were still functional in complementation of the slt2 lytic phenotype and in vivo interaction with Mkk1p and Mkk2p. In contrast, the Slt2p C-terminal domain (162 residues) that carries a glutamine-rich fragment followed by a 16 polyglutamine tract, was shown to be dispensable for complementation and in vivo association with Mkk1p and Mkk2p. We have also demonstrated that the N-terminal putative regulatory domain of these two MAP kinase activators is the main region involved in the interaction with Slt2p.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

[The use of ELISA and ultramicro ELISA in identifying a Coxsackie A9 strain isolated during the epidemic of neuropathy in Cuba].

During 1993 an outbreak of epidemic neuropathy characterized by 2 major clinical forms: the optic neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy, occurred in our country. Although the cause of the disease was considered to be multifactorial (mainly due to neurotoxic agents and to nutritional deficiency) an Enterovirus was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient (strain 47/93, IPK) which was subsequently classified as a Coxsackie A9 virus (Cox A9) by the neutralization test, and using pools of Lim Benyesh Melnick (LBM) serum. Results obtained during the application of ELISA and ultramicro ELISA techniques for the identification of this agent from the supernatant of a culture of infected cells are reported, as well as the detection of antibodies to the strain found within populations with high and low incidence rates of the disease.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1993

Effect of dry cleaning on mite allergen levels in blankets.

Since one of the greatest reservoirs of allergens is the blanket, we assessed mite allergen levels in dust collected from five blankets by vacuuming before and after dry cleaning with perchlorethylene and compared the results with five control blankets. Assays with monoclonal antibodies showed that group I (Der p I and Der f I) mite allergen levels per g dust were 78% lower after dry cleaning. Group I allergen levels per m2 of dry-cleaned blankets were 98% lower. RAST inhibition showed that total allergen levels decreased 70% after dry cleaning. Mite allergens were not denatured by perchlorethylene. The effect of dry cleaning resulted from physical washing out of dust and allergens.

Allergens↗
PubMed1993

The flow-volume loop in bilateral vocal cord paralysis.

A 38-year-old man with posttraumatic bilateral vocal cord paralysis and a surgically repaired avulsion of the extrathoracic trachea presented with a slight increase of exertional dyspnea (grade 2). Spirometry showed high normal FEV1 for FVC variables, but the F-V loop was characteristic for highly variable UAO with an increased FEV1/PEF ratio of 11 ml/L/min as well as a MEF50/MIF50 of 4.55. Endoscopy during forced respiration showed near total inspiratory obstruction of the larynx due to paradoxical behavior of the vocal cords. In extrathoracic airway obstruction a FEV1/PEF ratio > 10 ml/L/min combined with a MEF50/MIF50 ratio > 4 is suggestive of variable UAO caused by bilateral vocal cord paralysis rather than by a tracheal lesion.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Dengue fever and hemorrhagic dengue in infants with a primary infection].

The aim of this work was to offer a description of the clinical manifestations developed by patients under 1 year who had dengue virus infection and dengue hemorrhagic fever during the epidemic which broke out in 1981, and to determine if the passive transfer of maternal dengue antibodies to the fetuses influenced the occurrence of a severe development of the disease, through a retrospective study. In 20 cases, type 2 dengue virus infection was confirmed. Eight patients showed the clinical manifestations of dengue hemorrhagic fever of dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS), and the other 12 had the typical dengue virus infection. The former were of the white racial phenotype, aged under 6 months. There was a predominance of type 1 dengue antibodies in the mothers of children with DHF/DSS. Fever, rash, vomiting and diarrheas (not frequent) appeared in the two clinical manifestations of the infection; blood leukocytes were predominantly lymphocytic; and erythrocyte sedimentation was always normal. Patients with DHF/DSS presented with some bleeding (87.5%); cyanosis and ascites (37.5%); and shock (25%), as well as hepatomegaly. All these infants with DHF/DSS had thrombocytopenia and most of them showed hemoconcentration. No deaths occurred.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Treatment of postoperative incisional hernias by a composite prosthesis (polyester-polyglactin 910). Clinical and experimental study].

Because of complications resulting from the use of intraperitoneal prosthetic materials, the authors studied a new double Layered composite mesh (formed by a Dacron mesh, and a polyglactin 910 mesh). The experimental study (40 rats) compared the composite mesh with Dacron mesh. Statistical analysis demonstrated the following conclusions. At 6 months, the poor fibroblastic activity with the composite mesh, indicated the absence of replacement of the polyglactin 910 mesh by a neo-tissue. The Dacron mesh remained in contact the abdominal viscera and contracted with them as many adhesions as when Dacron mesh was used alone. The composite mesh showed poor biological tolerance, lower than that of Dacron mesh. The clinical study concerned 24 patients, 3 recurrences were observed. In one case, we observed migration of the mesh in the small bowel. The unfavorable results of the experimentation, and the risk of visceral migration lead us to avoid the use of composite mesh in intraperitoneal sites.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Use of indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with hot saline solution extracts of a variant (M-) strain of Brucella canis for diagnosis of brucellosis in dogs.

An ELISA, using hot saline solution extracts (HSS) of a less-mucoid variant (M-) strain of Brucella canis as antigen, was developed for detection of antibodies against B canis in dogs. The test was applied to 177 field serum samples previously tested by use of the 2-mercaptoethanol rapid slide agglutination test, 2-mercaptoethanol-tube agglutination test, and agar gel immunodiffusion containing HSS and cytoplasmic antigens of B. canis. Results indicated that this ELISA seems to be highly specific (95.6%) and slightly less sensitive (93.8%). The HSS obtained from B canis wild-type RM 6/66 also have been used, but in our study, it seemed to be unsuitable for use in ELISA because of the high background values observed for sera with negative test results.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Cardiac fulguration, a new alternative therapy for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

Ten patients underwent endocardial catheter ablation of the atrioventricular junction for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardias. Unipolar cathodic discharges at the distal electrode were administered against an external plate. Bipolar His and atrial deflections showed a mean of 0.15 mv and 0.5 mv respectively. Mean total energy used per patient was 195 J (range: 50-750), with a mean number of ablating discharges of 2.0 per patient, (range: 1-5). Complete atrioventricular block was achieved, but conduction reappeared in all except one patient, after a mean interval of 19.9 min. Electrophysiological evaluation was assessed 3-8 days after ablation. Sustained atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardias were no longer inducible in any patient. Retrograde conduction was abolished in six, and was slow and decremental in four. First-degree atrioventricular block, with intranodal delay was diagnosed in six, with an AH interval that ranged from 240 to 130 ms. Mean cycle length for appearance of Wenckebach atrioventricular block was 390 ms after ablation. One patient developed complete atrioventricular block after two discharges of 50 J, another required a repeat ablation for recurrence of intranodal tachycardia and also developed complete anterograde block in a new session of ablation with a 150 J discharge. In these two patients permanent pacing was needed. Eight patients were cured after a mean follow-up of 20 months. Less energy and fewer discharges should be administered to abolish functional dissociation of the atrioventricular node, without complete interruption of anterograde conduction.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Localization of calcium changes in stimulated rat mast cells.

We studied intracellular free, bound, and sequestered calcium in rat mast cells after various stimulations. The use of a fluorescent probe combined with digitized imaging on individual living cells demonstrated transient increases of free Ca2+ in the micromolar range. The use of histochemical techniques (K pyroantimonate and anhydrous fixation), together with X-ray microanalysis, energy electron-loss spectroscopy, and electron spectroscopic imaging, revealed large amounts of stored calcium within the cells (in the millimolar range). Chelation experiments and stimulations enabled us to identify at least two pools of bound calcium which exhibited different dynamic behaviors. Stimulation in the presence of EGTA did not modify calcium from granules, granule membranes, and heterochromatin, whereas it decreased calcium from other cell compartments. Stimulation triggered variations in the amount of bound calcium but they did not parallel free calcium movements. Hence, whereas free calcium is implicated in exocytosis, bound calcium may be involved in altogether different cell functions.

Animals↗