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M Torres

Publications and source records attributed to M Torres.

369 records · Page 21Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of enzyme linked immunosorbent-assay and western blot for diagnosis of histoplasmosis.

This study evaluates the use of a enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis and it compares it with a complement fixation test. The results showed a sensitivity of 86% in this diagnosis of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis and specificity of 91% using anti-human IgG. For antihuman IgM the sensitivity was 66% and the specificity 100%. There was a good correlation between the titer of complement fixation test and the optical density index by ELISA. Neither ELISA or complement fixation were useful for the diagnosis of disseminated histoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients. Using Western blot we identified antibodies against four different histoplasma antigens (91, 83, 70 and 38 kD) in sera from patients with histoplasmosis. These antigens were identified also in patients with disseminated histoplasmosis. We conclude that ELISA is a useful test for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis, and the Western blot could be useful for the diagnosis of disseminated histoplasmosis.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Racism and the physical and mental health status of African Americans: a thirteen year national panel study.

This paper examined the relationships between the experiences and perceptions of racism and the physical and mental health status of African Americans. The study was based upon thirteen year (1979 to 1992), four wave, national panel data (n = 623) from the National Survey of Black Americans. Personal experiences of racism were found to have both adverse and salubrious immediate and cumulative effects on the physical and mental well-being of African Americans. In 1979-80, reports of poor treatment due to race were inversely related to subjective well-being and positively associated with the number of reported physical health problems. Reports of negative racial encounters over the 13-year period were weakly predictive of poor subjective well-being in 1992. A more general measure of racial beliefs, perceiving that whites want to keep blacks down, was found to be related to poorer physical health in 1979-80, better physical health in 1992, and predicted increased psychological distress, as well as, lower levels of subjective well-being in 1992. In conclusion, the authors suggested future research on possible factors contributing to the relationship between racism and health status among African Americans.

Adaptation, Psychological↗