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P Costa

Publications and source records attributed to P Costa.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Skin tumors. Localization of basal cell carcinoma in 162 patients].

The authors present a study on the incidence of skin tumors of the face. Benign tumors are important both from an aesthetic point of view and also because some precancerous lesions may degenerate. Major emphasis is placed on the various aspects of malignant lesions: basal cell carcinomas prevail in the more exposed areas of the face. The various surgical techniques in managing facial tumors are presented and discussed, underlining the importance of both oncological radicality and functional and aesthetic aspects.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1995

[Cancer of the prostate. 1. Epidemiology].

Prostatic cancer is the second most frequent cancer in men in France. It is a serious disease with a relative 5-year survival of 42%. Although the incidence of latent forms appears to be constant throughout the world, the incidence of clinical forms varies from country to country and according to race. These aspects are in favour of a dual mechanism of prostatic carcinogenesis: initiation of a cellular modification, which may be transmitted genetically according to an autosomal dominant mode, but whose expression may be influenced by the environment, and successive steps of transformation (epigenetic factors) which are essentially environment-dependent. The main identified risk factors essentially consist of a direct family history, age and a diet rich in animal fats. In contrast, neither the presence of benign prostatic hypertrophy, nor the characteristics of the sex life or a history of vasectomy appear to influence the incidence of prostatic cancer. The main epidemiological data currently available are presented.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[Considerations on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of renal venous aneurysm].

An aneurysms of a renal vein is very uncommon an entity and even more so when a visceral vein is affected. The venous aneurysms are generally asymptomatic and are detected either at post-mortem examination or by Echography, CT scan or MR investigation. Occasionally they become symptomatic because of rupture, thrombosis and embolism, but even in those cases they are difficult to be diagnosed and can be life threatening particularly when bleeding occurs. Exceptionally an aneurysm of a visceral vein is an unexpected intraoperative finding and is detected during an abdominal procedure undertaken for other pathology. In our experience a true aneurysm of the main trunk of the left renal vein was detected during a procedure of aorto-bifemoral by-pass graft repair for chronic aorto-iliac occlusive disease. The aneurysm was resected and the vein repaired by direct suture. Congenital weakness of the vein wall was very likely the cause as suggested by the extreme thinness and media atrophy of the aneurysm and normal appearance of the wall of renal vein and inferior vena cava. Differences between varices and aneurysms of the renal veins are discussed as well as indications for surgical treatment.

Aneurysm↗
PubMed1995

[Carboplatin and urothelial tumors: review of the literature].

Polychemotherapy appears to increase survival moderately but at a cost of severe toxicity, mainly due to cisplatin. New platinum salts (chiefly carboplatin) have therefore been developed. This review on the use of carboplatin in advanced-stage urothelial tumours was undertaken to find the actual place of carboplatin in the treatment of these tumours, and to describe its best use in polychemotherapy. In 322 patients, carboplatin alone gave 12.9% objective responses (OR), 2.5% complete responses (CR) and 10.4% partial response (PR). Many polychemotherapy protocols were used, most frequently carboplatin/methotrexate/vinblastin. The results were OR: 63%, CR: 19%, PR: 44% among 146 patients. These results confirm the relative efficiency of carboplatin on urothelial tumours, particularly when used in combination. Because of the lack of prospective studies and the wide disparity in the doses and in the dose adjustment, no comparison can be made with cisplatin. Carboplatin has virtually no renal toxicity at the usual doses, and does not require hyperhydratation. The pharmacokinetic behaviour of the two platinum salts is highly different, as carboplatin does not undergo tubular metabolism. The efficiency and tolerance of carboplatin used to be optimised by adapting the dose to the glomerular filtration rate, as was shown for germ cell tumours. In conclusion, these considerations fully warrant further clinical trials of carboplatin.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1995

[Cancer of the prostate. 2. Physiology and cellular development].

Prostatic cancer is the second most frequent cancer in men in industrialised countries. The histological analysis of its initial development demonstrates the existence of precancerous lesions, PIN. The initial presence of several different cell populations accounts for the development of contingents of hormone-sensitive and hormone-resistant cells. The presence of numerous neuroendocrine cells appears to be a factor of poor prognosis. Hormones are intimately involved in the development of prostatic cancer and are an integral part of its treatment. Progress in molecular biology has furthered out knowledge of this disease. In particular, growth factors such as EGF and FGF are particularly involved and are starting to have a clinical application. The oncogene and anti-oncogene system is currently being explored (particularly p53 abd BCL 2). They are the basis for carcinogenesis and analysis of these factors will allow a better approach to the mechanisms of tumour induction and development.

Androgens↗
PubMed1995

[Changes in urethral pressure after intravenous injection of moxisylyte hydrochloride in urethral instability in women. Preliminary results].

OBJECTIVE: To study the action of an alpha blocker, Moxisylyte hydrochloride, during an intravenous test on the course of urethral pressure in women with urethral instability associated with urethral hypertonia. METHODS: The population consisted of 20 women with a mean age of 38 years, presenting with a clinical disorder of micturition (urinary incontinence: 15 cases, urgency: 17 cases, frequency, 17 cases) present for an average of 4 years and associated with resting urethral pressure variations ranging from 22 to 88 cm H2O (mean: 44.8 cm H2O) and static urethral pressures ranging 72 to 150 cm H2O (mean: 102.5 cm H2O). An urodynamic assessment was performed before and after intravenous injection of Moxisylyte hydrochloride at the dose of 0.5 mg/kg. RESULTS: Moxisylyte hydrochloride induced a significant reduction of urethral pressure variations, ranging from 8 to 42 cm H2O (mean: 21.9 cm H2O) and static urethral pressures, ranging from 47 to 102 cm H2O (mean: 68.8 cm H2O). Treatment was well tolerated in every case. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results need to be completed by a randomized placebo-controlled study to confirm a statistically significant effect of Moxisylyte hydrochloride on urethral pressure stability in women presenting with urethral instability.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Prevalence of hepatitis B and risk factors as motivation for vaccination campaign among adolescents].

OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of viral Hepatitis B infection (VHB) among eighth-year EGB (basic) students; associated risk factors; and the prevalence of Hepatitis C (HC). DESIGN: A descriptive crossover study. SETTING: Eighth-year EGB students from 8 schools in Villaverde-Usera (Madrid). PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 262 individuals was used to calculate the prevalence of VHB infection (prevalence defined at 1.5%, precision = 0.015, confidence at 95% and 5% loss). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Variables were age, gender, alcohol, tattoos, drugs, family history of drugs, Hepatitis, exchanging syringes, razors, syringes, sexual relations, history of transfusions or surgery. These were obtained from a questionnaire filled in by the students themselves. The definitions were: chronic HB carrier: AgHBS+ in the blood; VHB infection: anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs positives; VHC infection: presence of anti-HC. 402 children answered the questionnaire. Serology was tested in 263 before the vaccination. Average age was 13.3 +/- 0.69. There were 52.8% males and 47.2% females. Prevalence of VHB infection was 2.28% (CI = 0.93-5.14), 6 cases. Prevalence of carriers was 0.38% (CI = 0.02-2.43; one case). There were no VHC positives. No links between VHB and risk practices could be demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Low prevalence of VHB infection 2) The zero prevalence of VHC infection is lower than that in healthy donors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Effectiveness of and tolerance to intracavernous injection of moxisylyte in patients with erectile dysfunction: effect/dose relationship versus placebo].

The authors investigated the optima dose (efficacy and safety) of moxisylyte, an alpha-blocking agent, in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study in 30 patients. The origin of the erectile dysfunction was predominantly psychological in 14 patients and neurological in 16 patients. Each patient received 4 intracavernous injections in a randomized order (placebo, 10, 20, 30 mg of moxisylyte) at 7-day intervals. Regardless of the dose, moxisylyte induced significantly greater penile responses than placebo on all erection criteria. The frequency of responses allowing sexual intercourse appeared to be dose-dependent in the two aetiological groups. The erectile responses most frequently obtained were complete rigidity in the "neurological" group and tumescence in the "psychological" group. The safety was excellent for 95.6% of injections and no case of priapism was observed. One patient (neurological patient) experienced two prolonged erections after the dose of 20 mg and another patient (psychological patient) reported 2 headaches after the dose of 30 mg. No pain was experienced on injection. Moxisylyte is very well tolerated and is able to induce an erectile response from the dose of 10 mg. This dose appears to be sufficient in patients with central neurological erectile dysfunction; a dose of 20 mg tends to improve the quality of response in patients with a predominantly psychological disorder, although the differences observed between the doses were not statistically significant in this number limited of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Efficacy and tolerance of intracavernous injection of moxisylyte in patients with erectile dysfunction: double-blind placebo-controlled study].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of intracavernous moxisylyle versus placebo in patients with erectile dysfunction of various origins. To assess the local tolerance and systemic safety of moxisylyte by self-administered injection. METHODS: Multicentre study, comprising two treatment phases: The first, double-blind phase, was conducted in two parallel groups of randomized patients, over a 1-month period (1 injection per week) in the investigator's office; the second phase was conducted under open conditions in the patient's home, over a period of 3 to 11 months. Self-administered injections (1 to 2 per week) were performed using a prefilled syringe containing 10 mg of moxisylyte. RESULTS: Out of 307 patients evaluated during the first phase, the qualitative and quantitative superiority of erectile response induced by moxisylyte compared to placebo was confirmed (p < 0.0001). The stability of the response to moxisylyte was also confirmed on 4 injections, and the frequency of responses compatible with sexual intercourse ranged from 48% to 52% from one injection to another. This efficacy was also maintained during the open phase, as 92% of the 4,487 self-administered injections generated positive erectile responses. The quality of these responses was considered sufficient to allow sexual intercourse after 62% of injections. The local tolerance was considered to be excellent for more than 95% of injections, without any major adverse effects, and a very low risk of prolonged erection and fibrotic reaction. The systemic safety was also considered to be excellent for more than 98% of erections. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the possibility of obtaining an erectile response by intracavernous injection of 10 mg of moxisylyte with a very low incidence of local and systemic adverse effects. It also tends to confirm the superior efficacy of moxisylyte by self-administered injections at home than by injection in the doctor's office.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Defective inflammatory response in interleukin 6-deficient mice.

Systemic and localized inflammation elicit a number of host responses which include fever, cachexia, hypoglycemia, and major changes in the concentration of liver plasma proteins. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is considered an important mediator of the inflammatory response, together with IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). The purpose of this study was to unequivocally determine the role of IL-6 in these phenomena making use of IL-6-deficient mice that we have recently generated by gene targeting. We report here that in the absence of IL-6, mice are unable to mount a normal inflammatory response to localized tissue damage generated by turpentine injection. The induction of acute phase proteins is dramatically reduced, mice do not lose body weight and only suffer from mild anorexia and hypoglycemia. In contrast, when systemic inflammation is elicited through the injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), these parameters are altered to the same extent both in wild-type and IL-6-deficient mice, demonstrating that under these conditions IL-6 function is dispensable. Moreover, we show that LPS-treated IL-6-deficient mice produce three times more TNF-alpha than wild-type controls, suggesting that increased TNF-alpha production might be one of the compensatory mechanisms through which a normal response to LPS is achieved in the absence of IL-6. We also show that corticosterone is normally induced in IL-6-deficient mice, demonstrating that IL-6 is not required for the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Our results reinforce the idea that different patterns of cytokines are involved in systemic and localized tissue damage, and identify IL-6 as an essential mediator of the inflammatory response to localized inflammation.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed1994

Development of progressive kidney damage and myeloma kidney in interleukin-6 transgenic mice.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has been postulated as playing a role in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma, chronic autoimmune diseases, and alcoholic liver cirrhosis. We generated transgenic mice carrying a fusion between the mouse metallothionein-I (MT-I) gene promoter and the human IL-6 cDNA. MT-I/IL-6 transgenics express IL-6 constitutively in the liver and secrete the cytokine in the blood. They show initially activation of acute-phase response genes and accumulation of alpha 2- and beta-globulins in the plasma, which is followed by polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia. MT-I/IL-6 transgenics die between 12 to 20 weeks of age. Histologic examination of transgenic animals at different ages and after necropsy showed, as expected from previous studies of IL-6 disregulation in vivo, an increase in the number of megakaryocytes in the spleen and bone marrow and, at later stages, IgG plasmacytosis in the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus. However, no plasma cell infiltration was detected in other organs. The distinguishing feature of MT-I/IL-6 transgenics is the development of a progressive kidney pathology, in which the initial membranous glomerulonephritis is followed by focal glomerulosclerosis and finally by extensive tubular damage that reproduces the damage observed in patients at terminal stages of multiple myeloma (myeloma kidney). The pathogenetic role of IL-6 overproduction and of the resulting serum protein overload in the kidney damage is discussed.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1994

Expression of a wide T cell receptor V beta repertoire in human T lymphocytes derived in vitro from embryonic liver cell precursors.

As shown recently, CD3+/TcR+ functional T lymphocytes can be derived in culture from embryonic liver cell precursors at a gestational age (6-8 weeks) preceding the colonization of the epithelial thymus. In this report, we analyzed the V beta repertoire of T lymphocytes derived from embryonic liver by applying a quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction technique. To this end, oligonucleotide primers for C alpha or the various human V beta have been used to study both freshly derived embryonic liver cell suspensions and CD3+/TcR+ populations derived after approximately 6 weeks upon stimulation with 1% phytohemagglutinin and culture in 100 units/ml recombinant interleukin-2. In order to exclude possible contaminations with mother-derived T lymphocytes, only T cells displaying both X and Y chromosomal sequences (i.e. derived from male embryos) were further analyzed. While neither C alpha nor the various V beta could be detected in fresh liver cells, C alpha and the large majority of V beta were detected in in vitro cultured populations. The levels of the various V beta expressed by embryo-derived T cells was similar to that detected in adult peripheral blood-derived T lymphocytes. These experiments indicate that the immature liver precursors can potentially give rise in vitro to T cells which express a wide V beta repertoire and may provide a suitable in vitro system for the analysis of the selection processes mediated by either major histocompatibility complex antigen or superantigens.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1994

Analysis of the whole CFTR coding regions and splice junctions in azoospermic men with congenital bilateral aplasia of epididymis or vas deferens.

Several recent studies have demonstrated the presence of mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene in healthy males with infertility caused by congenital absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD), previously recognized as an idiopathic genetic condition distinct from CF. In order to document further the genetic commonality of these two disorders, we undertook a double screening of the entire coding and flanking sequences of the CFTR gene, by using single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis in 12 unrelated infertile men with abnormalities of the vas deferens and/or epididymis. This strategy allowed us to identify 11 DNA sequence alterations considered as CF-causing mutations and several variations. Despite this double analysis, only two patients out of eight with CBAVD could be demonstrated as compound heterozygotes for CF mutations.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Sponastrime dysplasia: report on a male patient.

We report on a boy in the fourth family known to be affected with sponastrime dysplasia. The clinical and radiological features are presented. In this patient, the ossification delay was severe. The pattern of inheritance of this condition is discussed.

Bone Diseases, Developmental↗
PubMed1994

Lack of m2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor mRNA in rat lymphocytes.

The presence of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors on lymphocytes has been demonstrated by radioligand binding experiments. Although the specific subtype(s) of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors expressed in lymphocytes is still unknown, some reports suggest the presence of the m2 subtype. In this study we analyzed the expression of m2 subtype mRNA in rat mononuclear cells, B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes by Northern blot hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Positive signals for the presence of m2 mRNA were found in rat heart, brainstem, cerebral cortex, corpus striatum and hippocampus, which were used as positive controls. On the other hand, no expression of m2 was detected in lymphocytes. These results indicate that mRNA for the m2 subtype is absent in rat lymphocytes and that one or more other subtypes may be responsible for the reported results in binding experiments.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Tissue-type plasminogen activator level is decreased in human seminal plasma with abnormal liquefaction.

OBJECTIVE: To determine plasminogen activators (PAs) and PA inhibitor levels in seminal plasma of patients attending an infertility clinic. DESIGN: Quantification by immunologic method of PAs in seminal plasma. SETTING: Patients of Department of Urology and Andrology, University Hospital, Nimes, France. PATIENTS: Ninety-two men attending for assessment because of infertility. INTERVENTIONS: Semen were collected by masturbation. Usual sperm parameters were determined; immediately after liquefaction, samples were snap-frozen at -85 degrees C until used for immunologic determination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Tissue-type PA antigen, urokinase-type PA antigen, and type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels in seminal plasma. RESULTS: Median values of PA were 270 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 5.4 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in normozoospermia; 290 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 5.7 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in oligozoospermia; 325 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 3.5 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in oligoasthenozoospermia. Type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels were often under detection limit. Tissue-type PA was 173.5 ng/mL in semen with abnormal liquefaction and 290 ng/mL in semen with normal liquefaction. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed the presence of both types of PAs in seminal plasma, tissue-type PA being largely predominant. No difference was found in tissue-type PA, urokinase-type PA, or type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels between normal and oligozoospermic semen nor between normal and asthenozoospermic semen. On the other hand, semen with abnormal liquefaction had significantly lower tissue-type PA level than normal semen.

Adult↗