Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Gervais

Publications and source records attributed to A Gervais.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Comparison of once-daily evening versus morning sustained-release theophylline dosing for nocturnal asthma.

Eight diurnally active (approximately 0730-1100 hr) adults (41-61 yr) suffering from nocturnal asthma volunteered for a double-blind, cross-over randomized study of a once-daily dosing (600-900 mg/24 hr) of Armophylline (Rorer s.a., France), a sustained-release theophylline given either at 0800 hr or 2000 hr for 8-day durations. Study variables monitored daily were: (a) self-measured peak expiratory flow (PEF), heart rate, oral temperature and self-rated fatigue checked every 2 hr during the waking span as well as upon spontaneous nocturnal awakenings and (b) duration and subjective characteristics of sleep rated every morning. In addition, serum theophylline concentration (STC) plus the variables in (a) were sampled every 2 hr during the 24 hr of the eighth day of each timed treatment span. Rx at 0800 hr was associated with a nocturnal dip in PEF of 20 +/- 2.8% (X +/- S.E.M.) from the level achieved at the time of the diurnal crest; Rx at 2000 hr moderated the nocturnal fall; it was only 10 +/- 2.1% and within the physiologic limits of non-asthmatic persons. The STC peak height (Cmax) was greater (P less than 0.05) and time-to-peak (Tmax) shorter (P less than 0.005) with Rx at 0800 hr than at 2000 hr. With Rx at 2000 hr an STC plateau of approximately 12 hr resulted. A statistically significant correlation (r = 0.86; P less than 0.01) between PEF and the corresponding-in-time STC was observed with Rx at 2000 hr but not with Rx at 0800 hr. A small, but statistically significant, higher heart rate resulted from 2000 hr dosings in five out of eight subjects relative to the 0800 hr dosing. There were no differences in the sleep characteristics nor in oral temperature between dosing times. Once-daily (600-900 mg) SRT dosing at 2000 hr controlled the nocturnal dip of bronchial patency with no major side-effects in diurnally active adult patients with nocturnal allergic asthma.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Patent foramen ovale and hypoxemia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In an obese 50 year-old heavy cigarette smoker with finger clubbing, persistent hypoxemia following an episode of right heart failure proved to be caused in part by a 12% right-to-left shunt through a patent foramen ovale. In this case report, we review the mechanisms of hypoxemia in patients with such a combination of diseases and suggest that the functional opening of a patent foramen ovale is likely to occur in some 25% of patients with right heart failure.

Heart Failure↗
PubMed1980

Exercise capacity, residual abnormalities and activity habits following total correction for tetralogy of Fallot.

The maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) of 68 patients, at a mean of 5.6 years after total correction for tetralogy of Fallot, was lower than that of normal subjects (36.3 +/- 7.5 and 43.1 +/- 9.0 ml/kg-min). At the time of treadmill evaluation only the female patients were less active in daily life than the normals. Patients having had an elevated right ventricle to pulmonary artery resting systolic pressure gradient, evaluated at a mean of 2.2 years after surgery, had lower VO2 max than those with lesser residual gradients (34.7 +/- 7.2 and 38 +/- 7.3 ml/kg-min). No significant differences in VO2 max were found between patients with none or slight versus moderate to severe pulmonary regurgitation as well as between patients with and without a residual left-to-right ventricular shunt.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1977

A possible molecular mechanism of the action of digitalis: ouabain action on calcium binding to sites associated with a purified sodium-potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase from kidney.

Calcium binding at 0 degrees C to a purified sheep kidney Na+,K+-ATPase was described by linear Scatchard plots. Binding at saturating free calcium was 65-80 nmol/mg of protein, or 30-40 mol of calcium/mol of enzyme. Aqueous emulsions of lipids extracted from Na+,K+-ATPase yielded dissociation constants and maximum calcium-binding values that were similar to those for native Na+,K+-ATPase. Phospholipase A treatment markedly reduced calcium binding. Pretreatment of native Na+,K+-ATPase with ouabain increased the dissociation constant for calcium binding from 131 +/- 7 to 192 +/- 7 muM without altering maximum calcium binding. Ouabain pretreatment did not affect calcium binding to extracted phospholipids, ouabain-insensitive ATPases, or heat denatured Na+,K+-ATPase, Na+ and K+ (5-20 mM) increased the dissociation constants for calcium, which suggests competition between the monovalent cations and calcium for the binding sites. At higher concentrations of monovalent cations, ouabain increased the apparent affinity of binding sites for calcium. Extrapolation to physiological cation concentrations revealed that the ouabain-induced increase in apparent affinity for calcium may be as much as 2- to 3-fold. These results suggest: (1) calcium binds to phospholipids associated with Na+,K+-ATPase; (2) ouabain interaction with Na+,K+-ATPase induces a perturbation that is transmitted to adjacent phospholipids, altering their affinity for calcium; and (3) at physiological concentrations of Na+ or K+, or both, ouabain interaction with Na+,K+-ATPase may lead to an increased pool of membrane-bound calcium.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1975

[Comparative study of a new antihistamine, mequitazine, and placebos].

In a double-blind trial lasting 2 weeks, a new, long-acting antihistamine, Mequitazine, and a placebo, were compared. 115 allergic patients participated in this experiment (mequitazine n = 56, placebo n = 59). Therapeutic results and the effect on diurnal alertness were evaluated by means of a questionnaire filled in daily by the patients. Whether considering the day by day results or the results of the entire treatment period, statistically, Mequitazine (10 mg/24 hrs) is very significantly more active than the placebo. The daytime drowsiness induced by Mequitazine is statistically no greater than that induced by the placebo, whether analyzed on a day by day basis or over the entire treatment period (P = 0.23). The side effects, 8 for Mequitazine, 5 for placebo, are mild and did not lead to discontinuation of the treatment in the Mequitazine group.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Is magnetic resonance imaging texture analysis a useful tool for cell therapy in vivo monitoring?

Assessment of anti-tumor treatment efficiency is usually done by measuring tumor size. Treatment may however induce changes in the tumor other than tumor size. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Texture Analysis (MRI-TA) is presently used to follow activated lymphocyte cell therapy. We used a 7T microimager to acquire high-resolution MR images of an experimental liver metastasis from colon carcinoma in rats treated (n = 4) or not (n = 3) with a cell therapy product. MRI-TA was then performed with Linear Discriminant Analysis and showed: i) a significant variation of tumor texture with tumor growth and ii) a significant modification in the texture of tumors treated with activated lymphocytes compared with untreated tumors. T2-weighted images or volume calculation did not evidence any difference. MRI-TA appears as a promising method for early detection and follow-up of response to cell therapy.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Asthma and professional life (author's transl)].

In world industry and agriculture as a whole, the number of people with asthma and complex pneumopathies related to chemical and organic pollution seems important. Indeed, subjects with an atopic inclination are often the first to be jeoparized. However, it must be stressed that occurrence of asthma in relation with work should always lead to investigate an anomaly in professional hygiene. For other workers this latter eventuality constitutes in the long run a threat of precipitin pneumopathy, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis, or even cancer (in the case of nickel). Selection upon hiring is an unsatisfactory measure. The improvement of the atmospheric conditions at work should always be sought for. In some professional asthma cases, we were able to confirm that medication provides efficient protection. This solution, however, seems only slightly satisfactory since the subject is still left in contact with substances which have harmful effects other than asthma. It is therefore important that doctors track down and explore the cases of professional asthma, declaring their existence to social security and work inspection organizations, in order to establish an epidemiological knowledge, regularly updated, which would provide an indispensable basis for any prevention through improvement of working conditions.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗