Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Albert

Publications and source records attributed to A Albert.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Absorption of glucose solutions from the peritoneal cavity in rabbits.

Complications created by the long-term administration of intravenous total-bowel parenteral nutrition solutions and the observed high transfer rate of solutes across the peritoneum during long-term peritoneal dialysis suggested that glucose absorption from the peritoneal cavity could be evaluated as a technique for providing nutritional support. We performed peritoneal dialysis on 55 rabbits using dextrose solutions. Infusion every two hours with different concentrations of dextrose solutions (in 18 rabbits) showed a direct correlation of glucose absorption with the dextrose concentration in the peritoneal fluid. Varying the duration of peritoneal fluid infusion showed (in 28 rabbits) that the maximal glucose disappearance from the peritoneal cavity and the maximum increase in serum glucose occur within two hours. Varying the volume of dialysate with each exchange (in 14 rabbits) showed a direct correlation between glucose absorption and increased fluid volumes. Resection of the omentum or 40% to 60% of the small intestine (in 11 rabbits) caused only a 6.5% to 14% decrease in glucose absorption compared with normal rabbits.

Absorption↗
PubMed1984

Membrane markers, karyotypic abnormalities, ultrastructure and functional properties of lymphocytes in a case of 'D-cell' chronic lymphatic leukemia.

D cells are lymphocytes bearing both receptors for the third complement component and the ability to form spontaneous rosettes with SRBC. We report the case of a patient with a D-cell chronic lymphatic leukemia who presented a long evolution without treatment and whose leukemic cell characteristics have been extensively studied. Cytogenetic analysis showed numerous karyotypic abnormalities among leukemic cells; all metaphases were hypodiploid and arranged in four different clones; seven marker chromosomes were present. The cells were found to bear human T-cell specific antigen, the T helper/inducer phenotype, HLA-A and HLA-B determinants, but no HLA-DR antigens. They displayed a high proliferative response to PHA and Con A, no response to PWM stimulation, and possibly the capacity of allogeneic stimulation in the mixed lymphocyte culture system. Assays for cell-mediated cytotoxicity in the CML system, and for K and NK activities were negative.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1984

Traumatic arteriovenous fistula--a case report.

Traumatic arteriovenous fistula is rare in children. We describe one case resulting from a small glass-fragment stab wound in the left leg. There was an associated false aneurysm of the anterior tibial artery. The patient was cured after multiple ligation and excision of the aneurysm.

Angiography↗
PubMed1984

State of the art of functional electrical stimulation in France.

After summarizing the various physiological and functional effects of surface electrical stimulation, the authors review its main applications, including chronic-use or training orthoses, neuromuscular facilitation and automatic cyclical stimulation. Each of the therapeutic principles is illustrated by discussion of an example, with particular emphasis being placed on the practical methods of application that determine the success of the programme.

Ankle↗
PubMed1984

On the interpretation of serial laboratory measurements in acute myocardial infarction.

Serial laboratory determinations are now routinely performed on patients admitted to intensive-care units. Adequate interpretation of such cumulative information for clinical decision-making purposes is a challenging problem. We describe a statistical method for predicting--sequentially as the data become available--the patient's outcome, death or survival. Thus, the method goes beyond previously reported techniques that base such prediction on only a single multivariate observation. The method has been applied to daily measurements of serum urea and lactate dehydrogenase, performed during one week on patients hospitalized in the coronary-care unit with acute myocardial infarction. Two baseline variables were also included in the dynamic risk index so derived: the age of the patient and the number of previous myocardial infarctions recorded on admission. We also discuss the problems of selecting the most-predictive laboratory tests and of determining for each test the amount of past data needed to achieve satisfactory prediction. We distinguish between global evaluation of the dynamic risk index obtained (in terms of specificity and sensitivity) and individual interpretation (in terms of posterior/prior probability ratio) of a given risk score for a particular patient. The approach described may contribute to more effective use of results of repeated laboratory tests on critically ill patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome in children: report of two cases and review of the literature.

In this article, we report two new cases of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome in children and review the literature over the past twenty years. This series of 70 cases demonstrates that the clinical pictures observed in children are similar to those of adults. Rectal prolapse or extrusion of polyps can be the clue to the diagnosis at an early age, even in the absence of pigmentation, which can appear later. Gastroduodenal polyps were strikingly frequent in the less than or equal to 16-yr-old group (62%) a circumstance that can create operative difficulties. Five out of the 70 patients (7.14%) had tumors during childhood (two gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas, two ovarian and one testicular neoplasms). A higher risk of tumor development in these patients does exist either as a result of degeneration of the polyps or of a genetic predisposition. Whenever operation becomes necessary, a very cautious approach must be advised in order to preserve as much intestinal length as possible in these patients, who have a lifelong disease which may require repeated operations.

Child↗
PubMed1983

The relationship of human atrial cellular electrophysiology to clinical function and ultrastructure.

Although previous studies have described the electrophysiological and ultrastructural characteristics of human cardiac fibers, no attempt has been made as yet to describe quantitatively the relationship between the ultrastructural and cellular electrophysiological derangements occurring with cardiac disease, and their clinical manifestations. In this study, we used standard microelectrode techniques to record the action potential characteristics of human atrial fibers obtained during cardiac surgery and correlated the electrophysiological parameters with clinical and ultrastructural data. Ultrastructure was studied by optical and electron microscopy. We found a multiple linear regression among maximum diastolic potential, atrial size and pressure, P wave duration and ultrastructure changes. Proliferations of Z band material, widening of intercalated discs, and degenerative changes were quantified and correlated with electrophysiological and clinical data. These studies emphasize the relationship between hemodynamic anomalies and resultant changes in both human atrial fiber structure and electrical function. Finally, the likelihood of occurrence of arrhythmias can be predicted using the analytic method described.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

[Surgical repair of the spleen in children].

Splenectomy is the easiest solution, and a still widespread surgical approach for the management of traumatic spleen rupture. Nevertheless, the evidence of an increased risk of overwhelming sepsis in splenectomy patients has encouraged the development of techniques for organ repair and conservation. We report on four patients with spleen rupture repaired surgically in our institution. In two of them we performed a splenorrhaphy alone and in the remaining two this was completed with a partial splenectomy. There were no immediate or late postoperative complications. The patients have been followed-up for periods ranging from 1 to 2 1/2 years and all show isotopic evidence of spleen activity in amount related to the remaining organ. We feel that splenic repair and conservation is possible in most cases and must always be given a trial.

Child↗
PubMed1983

Prognostic value of combined data on enzymes and inflammation markers in plasma in cases of severe head injury.

We measured certain enzyme activities (aldolase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase) and inflammation markers (alpha 1-antitrypsin, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and leukocytes) each day for four days in plasma of patients with severe head injury. The univariate prognostic efficiency of each biochemical parameter was assessed 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after trauma. By stepwise multivariate analysis applied every day, we found that (a) four variables, two enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase) and two inflammation markers (C-reactive protein and leukocytes), sufficed to reliably predict the patient's outcome and (b) data recorded at 72 h best discriminated between survivors and nonsurvivors. A risk index based on the four selected variables and validated on a large control sample allowed the correct allocation of, respectively, 90% of survivors and 88% of nonsurvivors at 72 h. We discuss why results obtained at 72 h are more predictive than those obtained at any other of the times considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Does lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-5 contribute to the predictive power of total lactate dehydrogenase in myocardial infarction?

In 385 patients with acute myocardial infarction, lactate dehydrogenase (LD; EC 1.1.1.27) isoenzymes were determined electrophoretically 24, 48, and 72 h after admission. At those times, LD-1/LD-2 ratios exceeding 1 were recorded in 78.9, 88.8, and 92.2% of the cases, respectively. LD-1 ranged from 181 to 2674 U/L, or 21.9 to 66.1% of the total activity. On the first day of hospitalization, 27.3% of the patients demonstrated abnormal LD-5 (greater than 6% of total LD); this finding dropped to 20.5% and 17.4% in the two following days. Early increases in LD-5 were most frequently observed in patients associating inferior infarcts with posterior or lateral extension and having a previous history of myocardial infarction. On day 1, LD-5 was significantly increased in early deceased patients as compared to long-term survivors (9.7% vs 4.9% of total LD, p less than 0.01). LD-5 definitely contributes to the prognostic efficiency of total LD in acute myocardial infarction, but does not replace it as a risk predictor. This study confirms the superiority of total LD over the isoenzyme measurements to achieve short-term prognostication.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

[Wound infection in pediatric surgery].

During the five-year period 1977-1982, 97 (3,37%) out of 2,898 pediatric surgical wounds became infected, 23 out of 2,140 (1,07%) corresponded to "clean" wounds, 18/475 (3,8%) belonged to the "clean-contaminated", 14/91 (15,4%) to the "contaminated" and 42/192 (21,8%) to the "dirty" groups. These rates were somewhat lower than those found in similar studies carried out in adults. The bacteriologic studies revealed that the source of infection of "clean" wounds was exogenous and almost exclusively due to --Staphylococci, whereas that of most of the remaining wounds was the patient's own enteric flora, with aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and very constant presence of E. coli and B. fragilis. Our antibiotic policies were guided by this evidence. In spite of the lack of mortality related to this minor complication, the risk and uncomfort incurred by the patients aside with the higher cost of hospital stay justify every effort to prevent this complication.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1982

Effect of the haptoglobin phenotype on the size of a myocardial infarct.

We investigated the relation between haptoglobin (Hp) phenotypes and serum levels of various biochemical markers after myocardial infarction in 496 patients. In 122 subjects selected on the basis of short delays until hospitalization, patients with Hp 2-2 had higher cumulated creatine kinase activity than patients with Hp 1-1, or Hp 2-1 (P less than 0.05), as well as higher myoglobin concentrations (P less than 0.02) 12 to 28 hours after admission. Comparison of serum enzyme activities in the remaining 374 patients confirmed that Hp 2-2 patients had significantly higher total creatine kinase, creatine kinase isoenzyme MB fraction, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase peak levels. Complications of left ventricular failure were more frequent in these patients (P = 0.05). Our results suggest that Hp 2-2 patients have more severe myocardial infarctions than Hp 1-1 and Hp 2-1 patients, However, no difference in the distribution of haptoglobin phenotype was found between patients who had a myocardial infarction and healthy subjects, indicating that Hp 2-2 does not predispose to the occurrence of infarction.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Desialylation of fibrinogen with neuraminidase. Kinetic and clotting studies.

The removal, with time, of sialic acid residues from human fibrinogen by neuraminidase, can be explained, as a result of a mathematical analysis, by the summation of two first order reactions with clearly different rate constants. Quantitative studies on the bound sialic acid to isolated fibrinogen chains, after reduction and alkylation of the partially desialylated fibrinogen, show that the fast reaction takes place with the sialic acid bound to the B beta chains. This indicates that the carbohydrate located in the gamma chains is somehow protected or less accessible to the enzyme. Coagulation with thrombin of desialylated fibrinogen shows that the aggregation rate increases linearly as the amount of sialic acid residues decreases, regardless of their location in the fibrinogen molecule.

Blood Coagulation↗
PubMed1982

Critical evaluation of serum uric acid levels in acute myocardial infarction.

Serial measurements of serum uric acid were performed on patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction. Nearly 80 percent of the cases demonstrated a fall in uric acid concentrations during the first two days of hospitalization and a subsequent return to initial levels within six to eight days. There was a relationship between the decrease in uric acid levels and the serum lactate dehydrogenase activity. No evidence could be found that male patients were hyperuricemic as compared to control subjects. However, female patients between 40 and 60 years of age demonstrated significantly higher uric acid levels than healthy women of corresponding ages, even after adjustment for diuretic use.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Fourth Smissman Award Address. The long search for valid structure-action relationships in drugs.

In 1869, Crum Brown discovered the first structure-activity link by showing that alkaloids, even convulsive ones, were converted by N-methylation to muscle relaxants resembling curarine (itself a quaternary amine). This led to an attempt to link every type of drug action to its own cluster of atoms. This quest was jolted when Loewi (1926) found that a quaternary amine (acetylcholine) was the principal activator of muscle! Suddenly it was seen that a chemical group could be either an agonist or antagonist, depending on its molecular setting. That the agonists were smaller molecules suggested operation of a steric factor. Moreover, Cushny (1926) had focused attention on optical enantiomers: usually only one member of each pair had biological activity, although both were identical in all other properties. The stage was now set for physical properties to play the leading role in relating structure to activity. People recalled the demonstration by Overton and Meyer (1900) that the depressant action of a drug was linked to its lipophilicity. Unhappily, further physical correlations were slow to appear. My colleagues and I, who had been studying (from 1941) the antimicrobial action of aminoacridines and hydroxyquinolines, established quantitatively the role of ionization and chelation (two electronic influences) in the action of drugs. Today most people would agree that the most important properties in determining the action of drugs are not some particular nucleus or substituent but a trio of physical properties: lipophilicity, electron distribution, and shape. Although these properties govern the activity of drugs, their selectivity is due, as I have long maintained, to another trio of properties, namely, comparative distribution (not necessarily lipophilic), comparative biochemistry, and comparative cytology.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗