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Biomedical subjects

A Blanc

Publications and source records attributed to A Blanc.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

His-154 is involved in the linkage of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae L-A double-stranded RNA virus Gag protein to the cap structure of mRNAs and is essential for M1 satellite virus expression.

The coat protein (Gag) of the double-stranded RNA virus L-A was previously shown to form a covalent bond with the cap structure of eukaryotic mRNAs. Here, we identify the linkage as a phosphoroimidazole bond between the alpha phosphate of the cap structure and a nitrogen in the Gag protein His-154 imidazole side chain. Mutations of His-154 abrogate the ability of Gag to bind to the cap structure, without affecting cap recognition, in vivo virus particle formation from an L-A cDNA clone, or in vitro specific binding and replication of plus-stranded single-stranded RNA. However, genetic analyses demonstrate that His-154 is essential for M1 satellite virus expression.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Design and results of the nursing quality assurance program in Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau: an integrated effort.

This paper aims to describe and evaluate the results of the Nursing Quality Assurance (QA) Program in the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. The program was designed in 1987 as part of a global QA program involving all aspects of patients' care. The QA Program was organized at three levels: hospital, ward and joint medical-nursing. During the first 3 years of the study the following activities were carried out: (A) nursing process and results; (B) risk management; (C) patients' opinion; (D) utilization review; (E) ward nursing QA programs. Among other significant results, the program has detected that only 55.6% patients manifest that they sleep well at hospital, hygiene of dependent males (51%) is significantly worse than dependent females (81%) and patients' falls are more prevalent among oriented patients (73%) than disoriented patients (27%). Also a significative improvement has been demonstrated after implementing corrective measures in patients' information (7.5/10-8.1/10) and patients without supervision in emergency areas became from 35% to 0.02%. New nursing records were designed as a result of the QA assessment. The most important conclusion is that the Nursing QA Program is a valid instrument to evaluate general problems in the hospital and concrete problems in each ward.

Female↗

TIF4631 and TIF4632: two yeast genes encoding the high-molecular-weight subunits of the cap-binding protein complex (eukaryotic initiation factor 4F) contain an RNA recognition motif-like sequence and carry out an essential function.

The 5' ends of eukaryotic mRNAs are blocked by a cap structure, m7GpppX (where X is any nucleotide). The interaction of the cap structure with a cap-binding protein complex is required for efficient ribosome binding to the mRNA. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the cap-binding protein complex is a heterodimer composed of two subunits with molecular masses of 24 (eIF-4E, CDC33) and 150 (p150) kDa. p150 is presumed to be the yeast homolog of the p220 component of mammalian eIF-4F. In this report, we describe the isolation of yeast gene TIF4631, which encodes p150, and a closely related gene, TIF4632. TIF4631 and TIF4632 are 53% identical overall and 80% identical over a 320-amino-acid stretch in their carboxy-terminal halves. Both proteins contain sequences resembling the RNA recognition motif and auxiliary domains that are characteristic of a large family of RNA-binding proteins. tif4631-disrupted strains exhibited a slow-growth, cold-sensitive phenotype, while disruption of TIF4632 failed to show any phenotype under the conditions assayed. Double gene disruption engendered lethality, suggesting that the two genes are functionally homologous and demonstrating that at least one of them is essential for viability. These data are consistent with a critical role for the high-molecular-weight subunit of putative yeast eIF-4F in translation. Sequence comparison of TIF4631, TIF4632, and the human eIF-4F p220 subunit revealed significant stretches of homology. We have thus cloned two yeast homologs of mammalian p220.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dosing problems in the use of topical ophthalmic drops.

The effect of two drops of the same drug, one instilled immediately after the other, was compared to the effect of a single drop in 100 healthy volunteers. The drugs investigated were tropicamide, 0.125%, and phenylephrine, 2.5%. The mydriatic effect of two drops was 30%-35% stronger than the effect achieved by a single drop.

Adult↗

The coat protein of the yeast double-stranded RNA virus L-A attaches covalently to the cap structure of eukaryotic mRNA.

The eukaryotic mRNA 5' cap structure m7GpppX (where X is any nucleotide) interacts with a number of cellular proteins. Several of these proteins were studied in mammalian, yeast, and drosophila cells and found to be involved in translation initiation. Here we describe a novel cap-binding protein, the coat protein of L-A, a double-stranded RNA virus that is persistently maintained in many Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. The results also suggest that the coat protein of a related double-stranded RNA virus (L-BC) is likewise a cap-binding protein. Strikingly, in contrast to the cellular cap-binding proteins, the interaction between the L-A virus coat protein and the cap structure is through a covalent bond.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Treatment of gingival recession with a coronally repositioned flap].

The treatment of an exposed root surface may be indicated for an aesthetic improvement of a gingival recession. The surgical technic depends on the type of the recession, the quality and the quantity of the keratinized gingiva apically or laterally from the recession. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the minimal quantity of keratinized gingiva necessary to obtain a root coverage. 10 recessions on maxillary cuspids were treated with coronally repositioned flap. Less than 3 mm of keratinized gingiva was present apically to the exposed root surface. All patients received oral hygiene instructions, plaque control and scaling and root planing. Gingival recession, width of keratinized gingiva and loss of attachment were measured at the time of surgery and three months postoperatively. The mean recession was 5.20 mm (+/- SE = 0.36) prior to treatment and the keratinized gingiva was 1.70 mm (+/- 0.16) high at T0. The mean gain of root coverage was 3.43 mm (+/- 0.29) at three months post-operatively. At T0 and 3 months post-operatively, the measures of recessions showed a statistically difference confirming the validity of the technic. The absence of correlation between initial height of keratinized gingiva and the coverage result (r = 0.05) indicates that initial width of keratinized gingiva does not affect the coverage results.

Epithelial Attachment↗

[A case of hemangioma].

A case of an atypic hemangioma involving the incisors palatal mucosa of a 12 year old patient is presented here. The biopsy shows some features of hemangioma: blood vessels with large lumen surrounded by endothelial cells, suggesting arteries. A large part of the connective tissue is fibrous and inflammatory. These observations lead us to the diagnosis of fibro angiomatous tumor. The treatment consisted in surgical excision. No recurrence has since occurred.

Child↗

[Cataplectic falls disclosing hypercalcemia].

Clinical manifestations of hypercalcaemic encephalopathy were heralded in three patients by isolated cataplexy-like falls without loss of consciousness. In one patient the falls with global hypotonia occurred every 5 to 10 seconds and were unaccompanied by changes in E.E.G. The falls disappeared after hypercalcaemia was corrected by excision of a parathyroid adenoma in two patients and by calcitonin injections in one. For this reason, there is little doubt that they were due to the hypercalcaemia, but their mechanism is poorly understood; it probably involves metabolic disturbances in the reticular systems of the brain stem. The connections between calcium metabolism and neuromediators in the brain stem are discussed.

Adenoma↗

[Biological, psychometric and tomodensitometric study of treated neurosyphilis].

Results of follow-up examinations of the CSF in 6 patients with neurosyphilis, including 5 with general paresis, following treatment with high doses of aqueous penicillin G are reported. Persistence of any residual active infection of the nervous system could be eliminated since as well as fairly rapid restoration of normal CSF cytology and chemistry there was a slow reduction (and sometimes return to normal) of initially very high levels of immunoglobulins G, disappearance of their oligoclonal distribution (3 cases), and negativation of quantitative immunofluorescence serology (F.T.A. ABS). Clinical efficacy of treatment was shown by stabilization of the intellectual deficit investigated by serial psychometric tests. Memory disturbances were prominent mainly in the initial stages, and sometimes adopted a rather frontal nature. Psychometric tests can contribute to the assessment of initial extension of the treponemic infection in the aborted types of general paresis. The atrophy observed constantly on CT scans appeared to be stationary on serial examinations (2 cases). It was of a diffuse type affecting cortical sulci and ventricles. The onset of anomalies such as ischemic complications was not related to recurrence of infection.

Adult↗

[Mitral valve prolapse: do rhythm disorders have an electrophysiologic substratum?].

The mechanism of arrhythmias in mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine if there were electrophysiological features common to patients with MVP. Eighteen patients with MVP documented on echo and angiocardiography underwent electrophysiological investigation. The series comprised 5 patients with ventricular arrhythmias and 5 with supraventricular arrhythmias, two of whom had ECG appearances of the Wolff-Parkinson-White, syndrome, and one a short PR interval. The RR interval, PR interval, intraatrial conduction (PA), atrio-hisian conduction (AH), intraventricular conduction (HV) the effective refractory periods of the atrium, AV node and ventricle, and the corrected sinus node recovery time were measured in the MVP group and in 20 presumed normal control subjects. There was a significant increase in the PR interval (p less than 0,05) at the expense of nodal conduction (AH) in the MVP group. In addition the Wenckebach point was significantly lower in this group. The other electrophysiological parameters in spontaneous rhythm and the atrial, AV nodal and ventricular refractory periods were the same in both groups. Sinus node function was comparable in both groups. In two patients without paiviously documented tachycardia, junctional tachycardia was initiated by provocative stimulation. However, no ventricular arrhythmias could be induced by pacing. A large number of preexcitation syndromes was observed in the MVP group (4/18), including one case of a latent Kent bundle, in patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias. On the other hand, the value of electrophysiological investigation seems to be limited for clarifying the mechanisms of the ventricular arrhythmias, probably because of their endomyocardial origin. Nevertheless, hemodynamic investigation showed abnormalities of left ventricular contraction in 4 of the 5 patients with ventricular arrhythmias.

Adolescent↗

[Left paramedian thalamic infarct. Memory and language study].

Unusual findings in a patient with a paramedian infarct of the left thalamus, shown by CT scan were the elective nature and long duration of memory disorders. Mild amnesia has been relatively stable for two years, and is apparent during tests as an anterograde verbal memory deficiency for all modalities (serial, associative, logical), without facilitation during learning or recall by semantic or phonologic cues. On the other hand, anterograde visual, gestual or tactile memory, and particularly retrograde verbal and visual memory are well retained. The worsening effect of verbal interferences on word learning is emphasized, whereas no similar phenomenon has been observed for visual material. The antero-internal thalamic lesion in the dominant hemisphere results in a memory disorder of a particular type which cannot be explained by the cognitive disorder, or by the very transient initial aphasic disturbance. Prolonged verbal amnesia with persistent reduction in fluency most probably results from a deficiency of specific incitation in using and memorizing verbal material, without other negligence phenomena. The role of the thalamocortical and particularly frontocingular connections are discussed, according to the semiology.

Association Learning↗