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Biomedical subjects

B Blanc

Publications and source records attributed to B Blanc.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Proline iminopeptidase from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CNRZ 397: purification and characterization.

Proline iminopeptidase (PepIP) is a major peptidase in Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bularicus CNRZ397, encoded by the pepIP gene. Amplification and expression of this gene in Escherichia coli K12 resulted in a very high level of enzyme production. Moreover, export into the E. coli periplasm of 45% of PepIP activity allowed us to purify the enzyme easily by a single ion-exchange chromatography step. PepIP is a trimer of Mr 100000 , composed of three identical subunits. In the presence of 0.1% BSA, PepIP activity was optimal at pH 6-7 and stable at temperatures below 40 degrees C. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin, a serine protease inhibitor, by bestatin and by heavy metal ions. It was also inactivated by p-chloromercuribenzoate, but was reactivated by adding dithiothreitol. PepIP is characterized by a high specificity towards di- or tripeptides with proline at the NH2-terminal position, but is not able to hydrolyse longer peptides, or peptides with hydroxyproline at the NH2-end. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified PepIP corresponds to the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the pepIP gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

[Serious forms of arterial pregnancy-related hypertension].

Pregnancy related hypertension is the primary cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Its incidence is of the order of 10%. Serious forms, which account for 10% of all cases of pre-eclamptic toxemia, remain a potential cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. Retroplacental hematoma, neurological problems dominated by eclampsia, coagulation disorders, Hellp syndrome, and hepatic, pulmonary, cardiac and renal problems are the essential complications of this pathology. They are described separately here, but are often associated. These potential complications require the careful evaluation of the severity of materno-fetal status. The management of these patients requires cooperation between the anesthetist/intensive care specialist, obstetrician and pediatrician. Such teamwork results in appropriate management for each individual patient. The various types of treatment are reviewed. Maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity could nevertheless be reduced by the early and careful management of high-risk patients, in particular by the prescription of low doses of aspirin and by careful clinical, ultrasound and velocimetric monitoring.

Aspirin↗
PubMed1993

[Risk of systematic celioscopic treatment of ovarian diseases. 2 cases].

We report 2 cases of malignant ovarian tumours. These tumours had been missed at a first laparoscopic examination, and a second examination detected the presence of cancer cells disseminated in the peritoneum and the abdominal wall. The risk of propagation of an overlooked cancer makes it necessary to carry out a preoperative thorough evaluation based on clinical and ultrasonographic data before any attempt at laparoscopic surgery. If a laparoscopic treatment is decided, it must be performed under strict conditions and include meticulous exploration of the abdominal cavity, systematic peritoneal cytology, needle cytology of the cyst, emptying of the cyst in a water-tight manner, extemporaneous biopsy in case of doubt, peritoneal cleansing, and extraction of the cyst or the ovary in a bag. If malignancy is suspected, laparotomy must be performed immediately.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Prenatal diagnosis of fetal cerebral abnormalities by ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging.

We found magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the fetal brain to be effective in confirming or denying diagnosis of fetal cerebral defects when ultrasonography was inconclusive or incomplete. In this paper we describe 31 cases in which ultrasonographic evidence of fetal brain defects was verified by MRI. MRI was performed after curarization of the fetus. In 21 cases, ultrasonographic evidence was confirmed by histological study of the fetus or postnatal radiological examination. In 10 cases, ultrasonographic diagnosis was denied by MRI and healthy infants were born. In one case of cerebral toxoplasmosis, ultrasonography detected periventricular calcifications but MRI was normal. In 20 cases MRI ascertained or further documented the ultrasonographic findings. However in 4 of these 20 cases autopsy of the fetus was required to determine the exact nature of the lesion.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Biological changes in intra-uterine resections under glycine irrigation].

This study was carried out to assess the relations between plasma glycine concentrations and the biochemical changes occurring during intra-uterine resections (IUR) under glycine irrigation. Sixty patients with benign uterine conditions were included. They were all ranked ASA 1 or 2. The biological parameters were assessed before surgery (T0), at the end of surgery (T1) and 60 min afterwards (T2). They included the blood count and blood concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, proteins, bicarbonates, glucose, urea nitrogen, creatinine and glycine. Plasma osmolarity was calculated. The irrigation of the uterine cavity resulted in an increase of glycine concentrations (28% of cases), and a decrease of sodium (22% of cases), proteins and haematocrit (32% of cases). Mean osmolarity remained unchanged. Blood glycine concentrations were directly correlated with the volume of irrigating solution, as well as with the duration of surgery. Protidaemia was inversely related to the blood glycine concentration. Multiparous patients had lower glycine concentrations than nulliparous patients. This was probably due to the uterine cavity being less compliant in the latter. On the other hand, there was no correlation with the uterine pathological condition. In this series, five cases of uterine perforation occurred with very large biological variations, especially a decrease in haematocrit and osmolarity. In these cases a clinical and biological water intoxication syndrome may occur as a result of large volumes of irrigating fluid passing into the peritoneal cavity.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Two cell-wall-associated aminopeptidases from Lactobacillus helveticus and the purification and characterization of APII from strain ITGL1.

Lactobacillus helveticus ITGL1 is able to hydrolyse many amino-acyl and dipeptidyl-p-nitroanilides. Analysis of heat inactivation kinetics, metal ion and protease inhibitor effects, and the subcellular location of aminopeptidase activities in both the parental strain and mutants deficient in lysyl-p-nitroanilide hydrolysis, led to the characterization of two cell-wall-associated aminopeptidases, APII and APIV. APII, which catalysed L-lysine p-nitroanilide hydrolysis, was purified about 28-fold to homogeneity from cell-wall extracts of L. helveticus ITGL1 and characterized. The purified enzyme appeared to be monomeric, with a molecular mass of 97 kDa. Aminopeptidase activity was greatest at pH 6.5 and 50 degrees C. APII was completely inhibited by bestatin, chelating agents such as EDTA or 1,10-phenanthroline and the divalent cations Zn2+ and Cu2+. The activity of the EDTA-treated enzyme was restored by Co2+, Ca2+ or Mn2+. Although APII was able to degrade several dipeptides and tripeptides with hydrophobic N-terminal amino acid (Leu, Ala), it was inactive on peptides containing Pro or Gly, and may thus contribute to the development of cheese flavour by processing bitter peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

[Delivery after 2 previous cesarean sections. A series of 41 uterine trials].

It has been possible to consider how delivery should be carried out in view of the progress that has been made handling scarred uteruses. Over 21 months 41 tests of uterine function have been authorized in our department out of 67 cases where there were two scars in the uterus (67%). 26 patients delivered vaginally (63.4%) and 5 had Caesarean sections because of failure of the test of the scar. When the relationship between the fetus and the pelvis was satisfactory, the fact that the cervix was not ripe and the presenting part was not engaged, did not prevent carrying out a trial of scar in 78% of cases. It is important to assess conditions continuously during labour and this assessment should include fetal heart monitoring, internal tokometry, fetal pH assessment and ultrasound of the scar at the onset of labour. Oxytocics had to be used in 96.2% of cases because there was at the outset marked dynamic dystocia. Epidural anaesthesia was used in 90.2% of cases. A full obstetric team must be present throughout the whole labour so that the conduct of the labour can be observed, and if necessary corrected quickly if anything in its progress is becoming abnormal. It has become reasonable to carry out tests of uterine scars even after two scars have been made in the uterus because of the absence of any maternal or fetal complications in this series or in the literature.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗
PubMed1992

[Current role of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cysts].

Between October 1986 and March 1990, 220 patients underwent surgical treatment for ovarian cysts. 156 of these patients underwent an initial celioscopy and could potentially benefit from celiosciopic treatment. The group mean age was 33.3 years. The circumstances under which the cysts were discovered usually consisted of pelvic pain or diagnosis during a routine examination. Twenty-four patients underwent laparotomy immediately after coelioscopy either due to a suspect macroscopic diagnosis either due to technical difficulties. 84.6 percent of the patients in the group were able to undergo celioscopic treatment only, essentially consisting of intraperitoneal cystectomy. The main advantages were the reduction in adherent sequelae in these women of a sexually active age, but also some financial savings related to the reduced duration of hospitalization and of sick leave. The theoretical reservations consist of the risk of malignancy and macroscopic diagnosis following coelioscopic exploration must be very restricted, with laparotomy whenever there is any doubt. No malignant tumor was escaped detection in this group.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Four years of screening cervical smears of cervical lesions].

Twelve thousand two hundred and eighty nine Pap smears were collected from public hospitals and from private practices during a four year period (January 1987 to December 1990). 4.2% of Pap smears exhibited condylomatous or dysplastic lesions. 94.5% of such lesions were encountered in Pap smears taken from the transformation zone and which contained endocervical cells. Therefore, these smears represent the only adequate sample for cervical cancer screening. In our study, a close concertation between biologists and clinicians results in an improvement of the smear quality. The percentage of those containing endocervical cells increased from 49% in 1987 to 72% in 1990. Then, more cervical lesions were encountered on smears of patients from a low socio-economic level. New techniques such as detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA on routine Pap smears by in situ hybridization would allow to improve the cytological diagnosis of HPV infections, mainly for non specific cytological alterations (11% in our series for 1990) and for cytological aspects of dysplasia only. These results point out how a cervical cancer screening can be better carried out.

Colposcopy↗