Biomedical subjects

P Becker

Publications and source records attributed to P Becker.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

PubMed1989

[Prevalence of esophageal and gastrointestinal symptoms in Chilean adults].

We surveyed 300 randomly selected presumable healthy adults for previously defined gastrointestinal and esophageal symptoms. Heartburn was the most common symptom, more frequent in females than in males (p less than 0.01). An association of esophageal symptoms to heartburn but not to smoking habit was found. Constipation was frequent in females and diarrhea in males. We conclude that esophageal symptoms are frequent in presumable healthy individuals.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

[Thyroid microsomal autoantibodies in thyroid disease: their value as an antigenic marker].

An autoimmune disease can be the cause of thyroid disfunction. Determination of autoantibodies titers is the best way of demonstrating its existence. We studied 172 thyroid patients (146 females, 26 males) with ages ranging from 15 to 81 years. Thyroid microsomal autoantibodies (TMA) were detected by a modified agglutination test (SERA-TEK kit, Ames Div); a dilution greater than or equal to 1/1600 was considered as diagnostic of autoimmune disease. Patients were classified according to morphological and functional status in 3 groups: GI = non toxic goiter, n = 98 (71 diffuse, 20 multi and 7 uninodular); GII = toxic goiter, n = 62 (52 diffuse, 4 multi, 2 uninodular and 4 subacute thyroiditis); G III = hypothyroidism, n = 12 (5 primary hypothyroidism and 7 chronic thyroiditis). A control group of 30 normal individuals, ages ranging from 19 to 85 years was also studied. Diagnostic titers of TMA were found in 30.8% of group I, 88.5% of group II, 91.6% of group III and only in 6.6% of controls. The high incidence of positive TMA in toxic diffuse goiter (96.1%) as well as in hypothyroid patients was expected since these are typical examples of thyroid autoimmune disease. In the non toxic goiter group, positive TMA were present in 50% of multinodular, 28% of uninodular and 25% of diffuse goiters and the incidence of positive TMA varied according to age, being higher over the age of 40 years and lower under the age of 20 years. We postulate that this unexpected high incidence of positive TMA in non toxic goiter is due to amelioration of chronic iodine deficiency inducing the expression of latent autoimmune disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

[Unusual sarcomas of the breast. Report of 3 cases].

Non phylloides sarcomas of the breast are infrequent malignant tumors that can be identified only at histologic examination since clinical presentation may not differ from the more frequent phylloides type. In addition to fibrosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, angiosarcoma and liposarcoma, the stromal sarcoma of the breast has been recently identified. We report 3 such cases with heterologous components of osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma and liposarcoma. A third case with an anti-sarcoma appearing post radiotherapy for breast carcinoma is also reported.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Detection of human IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta at the subpicomolar level by colorimetric sandwich enzyme immunoassay.

Two separate convenient sandwich enzyme immunoassay methods were developed for measuring the production of the monokines interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Polyclonal antisera raised against the recombinant proteins and selected on the basis of their ability to neutralize IL-1-induced IL-2 secretion were used for coating microtiter plates or preparing peroxidase-Fab' conjugates. Both techniques were able to accurately and specifically detect monokines from various sources in the sub-picomolar range and were not influenced by compounds currently used for cell activation. A high molecular weight form of IL-1 beta was demonstrated under certain conditions and the two enzyme immunoassays were successfully applied to the detection of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta present in cell supernatants following stimulation with mitogenic or chemical agents.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Recovery from cryptococcemia and the adult respiratory distress syndrome in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

We describe a patient who presented with cryptococcosis and the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as the initial manifestation of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This patient represents the first reported recovery from ARDS secondary to widespread cryptococcosis. He is currently doing well as an outpatient on maintenance therapy with amphotericin B and azidothymidine.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1988

The effects of anticholinergics on the photopalpebral reflex, memory and mood.

This study investigated central anticholinergic drug effects on: (1) the Randt Memory Test, a relatively new instrument which measures the acquisition and recall of verbal and pictorial information; (2) the averaged photopalpebral reflex (PPR), an electrophysiological parameter, the validity of which needs to be further investigated in pharmacological research and; (3) mood as measured by a 16-item visual analogue scale. Atropine (1 mg and 2 mg), pirenzepine (20 mg) and a placebo were administered intramuscularly in a double-blind cross-over trial in eight healthy volunteers. There were no inter-treatment differences on the Randt Memory Test. This finding is seemingly in contrast to those reported by some authors using other memory tests. In contrast to the reported effects of some benzodiazepines, the anticholinergics used in the present study did not prolong the latencies of the PPR, but reduced the amplitudes. Visual analogue scales indicated central effects for both pirenzepine and atropine. This implies pirenzepine's penetration of the blood-brain barrier and a physiological function for central muscarinic-1-receptors. The significant anticholinergic effects were exclusive to the "alertness" factor.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Serum calcium ion concentrations in eclampsia.

Serum calcium levels were determined in black women with normal pregnancies, with severe hypertension of pregnancy and with eclampsia. Blood samples were taken before and 48 hours after delivery. Mean levels of serum calcium before and after delivery were found to be significantly lower in eclamptic patients than in those with normal pregnancies and in non-gravid controls.

Black People↗

PubMed1987

Antiviral antibodies in the sera of homosexual men: correlation with their lifestyle and drug usage.

Healthy homosexual men between the ages of 21 and 65 years, from the Washington, DC (n = 162), and New York City (n = 89) areas, were studied for antibodies in the serum against cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, and Epstein Barr virus (EBV) viral capsid antigen (VCA). CMV-specific antibodies were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), anti-HSV-1 and -2 antibodies were measured by indirect hemagglutination (IHA), and antibodies to EBV VCA were measured by the immunofluorescence assay. Antibodies to human T lymphotrophic virus III (HTLV-III) were detected by ELISA and Western blot procedures. T lymphocytes were enumerated using OKT4 monoclonal antibody. Healthy male volunteer blood donors (n = 90) matched for age range and race proportions were used as controls. The percentage of seropositive individuals in the homosexual group was higher (90-98%) for all the viruses tested than in the control group (47-87%). Comparisons of the geometric mean titers, expressed as reciprocal serum dilutions, of seropositive individuals in homosexual (H) vs control (C) group were as follows: CMV-IgG (ELISA) H = 1:794, C = 1:68; HSV-1 (IHA) H = 1:248, C = 1:14; HSV-2 (IHA) H = 1:56, C = 1:17; EBV-VCA (IFA) H = 1:385, C = 1:131. The homosexual group also showed a higher frequency of individuals with elevated titers than the control group. The CMV IgM antibody was prevalent in 17.7% of the homosexual group and 5% of the control group; arithmetic means for ELISA values for CMV IgM were 0.207 for the homosexual group and 0.05 for the control group. In the homosexual group, the anti-CMV antibody titers increased with age (P = 0.01) and with numbers of sex partners (P = 0.06). Both anti-HSV-1 and anti-HSV-2 antibodies correlated with the number of sex partners (P = 0.04 and P = 0.05, respectively). Neither age nor partner number correlated with response to EBV, and no particular sex act was related to the EBV VCA titer level. HTLV-III seropositivity was associated with higher herpes virus group antibody titers, probably because of life style cofactors. Among the HTLV-III-seropositive subjects, those with less than or equal to 400 T-helper lymphocytes/mm3 had lower antibody titers than those with greater than 400 T-helper lymphocytes/mm3 counts, suggesting an impaired immune response secondary to immunosuppression.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

The relationship between median nerve somatosensory evoked potential latencies and age and growth parameters in young children.

Median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were recorded in a group of 35 normal children aged 6-36 months and related to body length, body weight and head circumference. Recordings were made while the child was awake using the following derivations: ipsilateral clavicle--Fpz; seventh cervical vertebra (CV7)--Fpz; contralateral C'--Fpz. The clavicular-Fpz response was bilobed in 77% of the recordings, the initial negativity being designated CL1 and the following negativity, CL2. Early negativities, coincident in latency with CL1 and CL2, were often present in CV7-Fpz recordings, however, a negativity longer in latency than CL2 was always present, was designated CVN, and preceded a prominent positivity. A scalp-recorded early negativity (N1) and a following positivity (P1) were well defined in all recordings. The latency of CL1, CL2 and CVN increased with an increase in age and stature. In contrast, significant negative correlations were found between the latency of N1, P1, age and stature. The CL1-CVN interpeak latency did not correlate significantly with age, while the central conduction time (CVN-N1) declined significantly with an increase in age and stature. These findings confirmed the complexity of SEP absolute and interpeak latency changes with an increase in age and stature in young children.

Aging↗

PubMed1987

Is there a relationship between gastric mucosal blood flow and stress lesions in hemorrhagic shock?

The relationship between gastric mucosal blood flow and stress lesion formation during hemorrhagic shock was studied in anesthetized dogs. Shock was induced by graded arterial bleeding. Blood flow was measured by means of the radioactive microsphere technique. Mapping of blood flow was achieved by measuring the microsphere accumulation in mucosal and muscle segments of 1-2 cm side length of the entire stomach. To produce a varying incidence of lesions the metabolic acidosis of shock was either fully corrected by intravenous sodium bicarbonate (n = 5), partially corrected (n = 4) or left uncorrected (n = 3). Mucosal lesions developed more frequently in dogs without correction than in dogs with partial correction or full correction. In 4 dogs not subjected to shock, no mucosal lesions were observed at the end of the experiments. Mucosal blood flow varied from segment to segment by a factor of up to 20, but individual segments tended to maintain their relative flow values during shock. Correction of metabolic acidosis did not significantly affect blood flow. Likewise, flow was similar in segments with and without lesions. Therefore, low regional blood flow did not predispose to the development of lesions and high flow did not prevent them. We conclude that focal mucosal ischemia alone does not lead to stress lesion formation during hemorrhagic shock.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

The effect of pancreatic mesenchyme on the differentiation of endocrine cells from gastric endoderm.

To determine whether mesenchyme plays a part in the differentiation of gut endocrine cells, proventricular endoderm from 4- to 5-day chick or quail embryos was associated with mesenchyme from the dorsal pancreatic bud of chick embryos of the same age. The combinations were grown on the chorioallantoic membranes of host chick embryos until they reached a total incubation age of 21 days. Proventricular or pancreatic endoderm of the appropriate age and species reassociated with its own mesenchyme provided the controls. Morphogenesis in the experimental grafts corresponded closely to that in proventricular controls, i.e. the pancreatic mesenchyme supported the development of proventricular glands from proventricular endoderm. Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin cells and cells with pancreatic polypeptide-like immunoreactivity differentiated in the pancreatic controls. The latter three endocrine cell types, together with neurotensin and bombesin/gastrin-releasing polypeptide (GRP) cells, developed in proventricular controls and experimental grafts. The proportions of the major types common to proventriculus and pancreas (somatostatin and glucagon cells) were in general similar when experimental grafts were compared with proventricular controls but different when experimental and pancreatic control grafts were compared. Hence pancreatic mesenchyme did not materially affect the proportions of these three cell types in experimental grafts, induced no specific pancreatic (insulin) cell type and allowed the differentiation of the characteristic proventricular endocrine cell types, neurotensin and bombesin/GRP cells. However, an important finding was a significant reduction in the proportion of bombesin/GRP cells, attributable in part to a decrease in their number and in part to an increase in the numbers of endocrine cells of the other types. This indicates that mesenchyme may well play a part in determining the regional specificity of populations of gut endocrine cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

[Complement activation following head and brain trauma].

The prognosis for a patient with a severe head injury is dependent not only upon the location and the degree of this trauma, but also upon additional complications. For example, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) can occur because of the thromboplastic activity of the damaged brain tissue that enters the circulation. The complement (C) system is activated by certain enzymes that cleave the clotting factors. Therefore, after head injuries we searched for C activation because it could result in the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Patients and methods. We had two groups of patients: (1) 23 with large destruction and (2) 13 with little destruction of the brain tissue. Eighteen patients in group 1 and 8 in group 2 had isolated brain trauma. Blood samples were taken--upon arrival at the hospital and then 1, 3, 7, 12, 24, and 48 h later; after that we took weekly blood samples up to the completion of their treatment in the intensive care unit. We measured the total hemolytic serum C activity (CH50), activation of alternative pathway hemolysis (APH50), cleavage products C3a and C3d, and total protein. Furthermore, we studied the coagulation parameters of the extrinsic (prothrombin time) and intrinsic (partial thromboplastin time) pathways and fibrinogen content. From the patients records we extracted clinical parameters such as neurological status, intracranial pressure, pathological details on computer tomography hemoglobin and arterial-alveolar oxygen difference. Results. Figure 1 shows the different reactions of the C system in both groups: while patients of group 1 suffered from a decrease in total and alternative hemolytic activity, the other group increases in both parameters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1987