A developmental study of low birth weight infants in 1986

Evolution of the newborn infant weighing 1,000-1,499 g, was studied in 1986 in the "Mariana Grajales" Gynecologic and Obstetric Teaching Provincial Hospital, Department of Neonatology, Santa Clara. Data was obtained from the clinical histories of the newborns and of their mothers. A control group was selected in order to analyze and compare the causes of low birthweight, and as causes of it were determined age and height, and as associated diseases, urinary sepsis, anemia and toxemia of pregnancy. Premature rupture of membranes was significant. Half of the infants of the group under study was severe and moderately depressed. At the somatic evolution was observed a trend to increment and a high coefficient of correlation within the three variables under study. Main nursing actions offered fit up to the attention of these neonates.     

A procedure to determine the radiation isocenter size in a linear accelerator

Measurement of radiation isocenter is a fundamental part of commissioning and quality assurance (QA) for a linear accelerator (linac). In this work we present an automated procedure for the analysis of the stars-shots employed in the radiation isocenter determination. Once the star-shot film has been developed and digitized, the resulting image is analyzed by scanning concentric circles centered around the intersection of the lasers that had been previously marked on the film. The center and the radius of the minimum circle intersecting the central rays are determined with an accuracy and precision better than 1% of the pixel size. The procedure is applied to the position and size determination of the radiation isocenter by means of the analysis of star-shots, placed in different planes with respect to the gantry, couch and collimator rotation axes.     

Interaction of prolactin, ANPergic, oxytocinergic and adrenal systems in response to extracellular volume expansion in rats

The present study evaluated the effect of acute extracellular volume expansion (EVE) induced by intravenous injection of isotonic (0.15 m NaCl) or hypertonic saline (0.3 m NaCl) on prolactin, corticosterone, vasopressin, oxytocin and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretion. Male Wistar rats were treated with bromocriptine, sulpiride or dexamethasone. After isotonic and hypertonic EVE, the control group showed a significant increase in the plasma concentrations of prolactin, corticosterone, ANP and oxytocin. The increase in ANP and oxytocin levels in response to hypertonic EVE was more pronounced than to isotonic EVE. Bromocriptine and sulpiride treatments did not modify corticosterone, ANP and oxytocin responses to either isotonic or hypertonic EVE. The increases in prolactin and oxytocin, but not ANP, were blocked in dexamethasone pretreated rats. In conclusion, isotonic or hypertonic EVE induced an increase in the plasma concentrations of prolactin, corticosterone, ANP and oxytocin. The increases in ANP and oxytocin were independent of plasma concentrations of prolactin. The increases in prolactin and oxytocin were blocked by the inhibition of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by dexamethasone. However, dexamethasone did not alter the increase in ANP secretion induced by isotonic or hypertonic EVE. Therefore, prolactin might participate in regulation of the hydroelectrolytic balance in mammals; however, in the present study, there was no evidence for direct interaction with ANPergic and oxytocinergic systems. In addition, the responses of prolactin and oxytocin induced by isotonic or hypertonic EVE are modulated by the HPA axis.     

Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Afro-Venezuelan populations

Summary.  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among Venezuelan populations of African origin was analyzed. These populations exhibited lower HBV prevalence than the one found in the African continent. Sequence analysis of 6 isolates showed that 3 belonged to genotype F, while the 3 others were HBV genotype A. HBV genotype A was more common in the Afro-Venezuelan groups than in the general Venezuelan population. This might reflect the introduction of genotype A during the slavery period. The absence of the African genotype E among these isolates supports the hypothesis of a recent origin for this HBV genotype. HBV genotype F has already been introduced to these relatively isolated communities. Received February 18, 2002; accepted March 8, 2002 Published online July 22, 2002     

Indirect enzyme‐linked Immunosorbent assay for detection of cow's milk in goat's milk

An indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for the specific detection of cow's milk (1–25%) in goat's milk. The test uses polyclonal antibodies raised in rabbits against bovine whey proteins (BWP). The anti‐BWP antibodies were recovered from the crude antiserum by immunoadsorption and elution from a column containing immobilized BWP. The anti‐BWP antibodies were biotinylated and rendered cow's milk specific by mixing them with lyophilized ovine and caprine whey proteins. Streptavidin‐peroxidase was used to detect the biotinylated anti‐BWP antibodies bound to bovine milk proteins immobilized on 96‐well plates. The colour developed by the subsequent enzymic conversion of the substrate gave clear absorbance differences when assaying mixtures of goat's milk containing variable amounts of cow's milk.     

Transplant aspirative cytology: Analysis of morphological and immunocytochemical parameters in renal allograft dysfunction

We have analyzed 245 transplant aspirative cytologies (TACs) from 96 renal allograft patients. TACs were divided in two chronological groups: Early (TACs performed during the first 3-mo post-transplantation) and late (TACs performed after the third month post-transplantation), in order to assess the effect of allograft tolerance on TAC features. Both morphological and immunocytochemical aspects were evaluated, including CD4, CD8, IL2-R, and HLA-DR immunolabeling. A final diagnosis for each case of allograft dysfunction was achieved by other independent diagnostic means. Four diagnostic groups were considered in the present study: acute rejection (AR), chronic rejection (CR), acute tubular necrosis (ATN), and Cyclosporin A toxicity (CsA-T). In addition, a control group (C) was established from patients with stable allograft function. We found that immunocytochemical analysis of TACs is particularly helpful in the diagnosis of late allograft dysfunction, a time period when the simple cytological study of renal infiltrate is not informative enough to help take therapeutic decisions.     

A computer model for the study of breast cancer

A computer model was designed as a relational database to assess breast cancer screening in a cohort of women where the growth and development of breast cancer originates with the first malignant cell. The concepts of thresholds for growth, axillary spread, and distant sites are integrated. With tumor diagnosis, staging was performed that includes clinical and sub-clinical states. The model was parameterized to have staging characteristics similar to data published by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) Program. Validation was accomplished by comparing simulated staging results with non-SEER sources, and simulated survival with independent clinical survival data.     

Microsatellite instability, mitochondrial DNA large deletions, and mitochondrial DNA mutations in gastric carcinoma

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) large deletions and mtDNA mutations have been demonstrated in various types of human cancer. The relationship between the occurrence of such alterations and the nuclear microsatellite instability (MSI) status of the neoplastic cells remains controversial. In an attempt to clarify the situation in gastric carcinoma, we studied, by PCR/SSCP and sequencing, five mitochondrial genes and two D-loop regions in 32 gastric carcinomas that had been previously screened for MSI and mitochondrial common deletion. MtDNA alterations were detected in 26 carcinomas (81%). All the mtDNA mutations, which occurred mainly in the D-loop and ND1 and ND5 genes, were transitions. D-loop alterations (insertions and/or deletions) were not significantly associated with mutations in the coding regions. There was a trend towards an inverse relationship between the occurrence of mitochondrial common deletion and mtDNA mutations. No significant relationship was observed between MSI status and mtDNA mutations, whereas the mitochondrial common deletion appeared to be almost exclusively restricted to MSI-negative tumors. The latter finding--almost no gastric carcinoma with MSI-positive phenotype has large deletions of mtDNA--needs to be confirmed in a larger series and in tumors from other organs.     

Cytokine flow cytometry differentiates the clinical status of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients

In this study we have examined intracellular cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of MS patients by flow cytometry (cytokine flow cytometry). MS progressive patients showed an increased number of cells producing interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) after activation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin, compared with patients with clinically inactive forms (P < 0001) and with healthy controls (P = 0001). These cells belonged to the CD4+ and CD8+ subsets in similar proportions. Clinically inactive patients showed a lower level of cells producing IL-2 than controls (P = 0.03) and active MS patients (P = 0.03). Most IL-2-producing cells were CD4+ lymphocytes, although a small part of the IL-2 was also produced by CD8+ cells. The percentage of cells producing simultaneously IL-2 and IFN-gamma was increased in active MS and they were mainly CD4+ lymphocytes. No differences in the production of IL-4 were observed between groups. However, we found an increased IL-10 production in clinically active MS patients (P = 0.03). Treatment with IFN-beta of active MS patients showed lower levels of cytokines when compared with untreated MS patients. This methodological approach could help in the follow up and therapeutic monitoring of MS patients.     

Prevalence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 infection among Spanish drug users measured by HTLV-1 assay and HTLV-1 and -2 assay. HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 Spanish Study Group.

The prevalence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 infection in 1992 and 1993 was determined by testing 2,152 specimens from injection drug users living in 11 geographic areas in Spain. Results obtained by an authentic HTLV-1 and -2 test were compared with those obtained by an HTLV-1 assay. HTLV infection was identified in 7 of 11 regions, with an overall prevalence of 2.5% (range, 0.4 to 11.5%). Fourty-four (81%) of 54 subjects were infected with HTLV-2; the viral strains in the remaining 10 subjects could not be serologically typed. Underestimation of HTLV infection because of the low sensitivities of HTLV-1 enzyme immunoassays for HTLV-2 antibody was relatively low (< 20%). Therefore, previous epidemiologic findings generated with HTLV-1 enzyme immunoassays appear to be reasonably accurate. Our results suggest that the rate of HTLV infection may have been increasing recently among Spanish drug users.