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Biomedical subjects

C Simon

Publications and source records attributed to C Simon.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in hens overfed a purified diet. Selected enzyme activities and liver histology in relation to liver hemorrhage and reproductive performance.

A nutritionally adequate, purified diet was developed and used in studies to characterize selected aspects of laying hens in which fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) was induced by overfeeding. Hens consuming the diet ad libitum or intubated with the diet in quantities equivalent to usual daily energy intake maintained normal rates of lay, did not become obese, and did not develop liver hemorrhage. Overfed hens had a 33% incidence of FLHS, as indicated by the presence of severe liver hemorrhage score, and displayed the full range of symptoms associated with spontaneous outbreaks of FLHS, including definitive lesions of hepatic reticulin. Among four groups of hens clinically classified according to rates of liver hemorrhage and egg production, there were no differences noted in total liver fat, liver fat concentration, or final body weight. Liver hemorrhage was associated with the degree of induction of liver lipogenic accessory enzymes. Serum enzyme activities indicate that overfed hens, unlike the overfed goose, retain hepatocellular membrane integrity. Overfeeding caused altered reproductive performance in 72% of hens. Alterations included erratic laying, increased incidence of double ovulations, shell defects, follicular collapse, and oviduct involution. Pattern of lay preceding necropsy seemed to influence follicle weight at necropsy. The data presented re-emphasize the interdependence among liver, ovary, and oviduct function in the etiology of FLHS.

Animal Feed↗

Is avoidance of surgery possible in patients with perimenopausal ovarian tumors using transvaginal ultrasound and duplex color Doppler sonography?

A total of 108 cases of small perimenopausal ovarian tumors (largest diameter, less than 7 cm) were evaluated by transvaginal sonography and duplex color Doppler sonography; 101 had criteria for benignity and 7 for malignancy. All cysts were punctured and aspirated to avoid unnecessary surgery (benign cases) and establish the cytologic diagnosis as well as to avoid the risk of leakage (malignant cases). Recurrence rate of benign punctured cysts was 25% within 1 year of follow up. No difference in recurrent rate was seen between pre- and postmenopausal patients (19 of 56 cases in the premenopausal group, and five of 28 cases in the postmenopausal group). The larger the cyst, the greater the risk of recurrence. Puncture and aspiration of seven sonographically established malignant tumors allowed cytologic diagnosis before surgery, and no evidence of leakage was noted at the time of surgery. No significant differences were observed between cytologic and histopathologic findings in cases that went to surgery. Puncture and aspiration of small endometriomas (17 cases) was found to be inefficient for therapeutic purposes. Finally, owing to the high percentage of unsatisfactory cytologic results (20%) with cyst aspiration, vaginal and color Doppler sonography seemed more efficient in distinguishing between benignity and malignancy.

Adult↗

Synthesis and analgetic activity of nicotinic esters of morphine derivatives.

The synthesis of morphine nicotinates is described using nicotinyl chloride in the presence of pyridine. Isomorphine and isocodeine nicotinates were prepared from the corresponding morphine and codeine derivatives with nicotinic acid in the presence of triphenylphosphine and diethyl azodicarboxylate. Unexpectedly the reaction of 14-hydroxy-dihydromorphinone derivatives was anomalous, enolesters were formed. The analgetic activity of selected compounds was determined.

Analgesics, Opioid↗

[Diagnosis and treatment of central venous catheter related infections].

The central venous catheter related infections are relatively common in clinical practice. These infections are particularly frequent in the patients with long-term central venous catheter, such as the oncology patients or patients with short intestine syndrome. The diagnosis of infection should be based on repeated positive blood cultures. In some cases the infection responds well to antibiotic treatment. Unless there are indications for removal of catheter antibiotic therapy should be applied for 1-2 weeks.

Bacteremia↗

[Olfactory esthesioneuroma (esthesioneuroblastoma). A pathologic study of 7 cases].

With an histological, immunohistochemical study of 7 cases of olfactory esthesioneuromas (4 of them had an ultrastructural study), our purpose was to revise the problem of the too often ambiguous terminology and of the different histological lower classes classifications of these tumors. Our own results and the literature demonstrate that they are polymorphic. In standard histology, they are often right diagnosed but an immunohistochemical study can be useful and an ultrastructural study absolutely necessary for a reliable diagnosis. For an easier nomenclature, we advise to use only one terminology for these tumors = olfactory esthesioneuroma. But, because of their important polymorphism, we keep to an histological lower classes classification according to their degree of differentiation in light microscopy: well differentiated tumors (old esthesioneuroepitheliomas), moderately differentiated tumors (old esthesioneurocytomas), poorly differentiated tumors (old esthesioneuroblastomas and so on described as neuro-endocrine carcinomas by Silva and al).

Adolescent↗

Nocturnal prolactin pulses in relation to luteinizing hormone and thyrotropin.

The two hypothalamic releasing factors, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), have been shown to stimulate pituitary prolactin (PRL) release as well as their respective pituitary hormones, luteinizing hormone (LH) and thyrotropin (TSH). In this study the influence of LH and TSH regulatory mechanisms on nocturnal PRL secretion was investigated by evaluating whether the coincidence of PRL with LH and TSH pulses occurred more frequently than would be expected if the hormone generators were not coupled. Thirty night studies were conducted in twelve healthy male subjects. Six subjects underwent 3 studies and 6 subjects 2 studies. Blood was collected into aliquots at 10 min intervals throughout the night and plasma concentrations of PRL, TSH, and LH were determined. From the plasma profiles, hormone secretory rates were calculated using a method of deconvolution. Significant plasma and secretory hormone pulses were identified by a peak detection computer program. For statistical analysis the night studies of each subject were concatenated. Concomitance between the plasma pulses of both TSH and LH with PRL was insufficient to reject the null hypothesis of random coincidence. An increase in the number of subjects demonstrating significant coincidence between the hormone pulses was obtained when secretory pulses were analysed. Seven of the 12 and 10 of the 12 subjects showed significant concomitance between PRL and respectively TSH and LH. This proportion was sufficient to confirm copulsatility between PRL and LH. These results suggest that LH regulatory mechanisms are involved in the generation of the nocturnal pulsatile PRL profile, TRH may also play a role in the secretion of PRL at a central level, but was not reflected in the plasma or secretory profiles because of other overriding regulatory factors.

Adult↗

Substance P like-immunoreactivity release from enterochromaffin cells of rat caecum mucosa. Inhibition by serotonin and calcium-free medium.

Location, endogenous contents, and release of Substance P like-immunoreactivity were investigated in the rat caecum, using Immunohistochemistry and RadioImmunoAssay. Our immunohistochemical results indicate that Substance P was present both in the neuromuscular and mucosal compartments of this intestinal structure. However, detection of the peptide in the enterochromaffin cells of the mucosa remained very difficult. That may be explained by the very low endogenous contents of Substance P detected in the mucosa, using RIA. As we have already described a serotonin release from rat caecum mucosa, we show, now, that Substance P like-immunoreactivity may be released from the same structure. This release was stable, calcium-dependent, inhibited by serotonin, and not influenced by the chemical depolarization. Our data demonstrate an active release of Substance P like-immunoreactivity from intestinal mucosa, in the rat caecum. It seems that the endogenous pool of Substance P like-immunoreactivity is involved as a functional pool. The mechanisms responsible of this release seem to be different than that observed for the serotonin release. Substance P like-immunoreactivity may be released in precise physiological conditions, or even, in pathological conditions.

Animals↗

[Abdominal, perineal and vaginal sonographic diagnosis of cervix insufficiency].

In patients with cervical incompetence, the diagnostic efficiency of abdominal, perineal and vaginal sonography was compared. 73 patients, who were divided into three groups, were examined: Group A (n = 50) control group, Group B (n = 11) normal pregnancies, Group C (n = 12) pregnancies with demonstrated cervical incompetence. According to our results, using vaginal sonography, only the incompetent pregnancies showed significant shortening of the cervical length. Characteristic scans were also obtained (membrane herniation) which were useful in diagnosis and control in the performance of cerclage.

Abortion, Habitual↗

Relationship between smoking and diet: the MONICA-France project.

The association between smoking habits and diet was examined in a sample of 1126 men, aged 45-64 years, from the general population living in the three French MONICA monitoring areas: Bas-Rhin (BR) (n = 346), Haute-Garonne (HG) (n = 400) and Urban Community of Lille (UCL) (n = 380). Diet was assessed by the 3-day record method. The energy and nutrient intakes were calculated for each of the 3 centres, using the same food composition tables. Alcohol consumption was higher among smokers (P less than 0.001). Taking into account alcohol consumption, age, body mass index, centre, educational level and family size, the analyses showed no difference in non-alcoholic energy intake, proteins, carbohydrates, and total fat. However, smokers had a lower intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (P less than 0.05) and dietary fibre (P less than 0.01) than non-smokers. With regard to food items, smokers had a higher intake of sucrose (P less than 0.05) and a lower intake of vegetables (P less than 0.001), dairy products (P less than 0.05) and cheese (P less than 0.05). These results suggest that analyses in future epidemiological research regarding the role of diet in the aetiology of tobacco-related diseases should consider this association of potential risk factors.

Alcohol Drinking↗

Influence of azithromycin and other macrolides on the intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus by human polymorphonuclear leucocytes of healthy donors and a patient with Chédiak-Higashi syndrome.

A mixture of human blood phagocytes from healthy donors and opsonized staphylococci was incubated in vitro for 30 min. After that time all the bacteria were phagocytosed. The test tubes were further incubated for 2, 4 and 24 h with or without addition of a macrolide (erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin) and the effect of these drugs on the survival of intracellular staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923) was measured. The minimal effective concentration of the antibiotic which killed 80-90% of the bacteria after a 4-hour incubation was 0.1 mg/l for erythromycin, azithromycin and clarithromycin and 1.2 mg/l for roxithromycin. The percentage of surviving bacteria after 2 and 4 h incubation was not significantly different between these macrolides at the minimal effective concentration. Increasing the concentration of each antibiotic above the minimal effective concentration did not alter the killing rate of intracellular staphylococci. The bacterial activity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) from a patient with Chédiak-Higashi syndrome was less in comparison to PMNL from healthy donors, but was improved in vitro by the addition of erythromycin or azithromycin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Is hospital competition wasteful?

Recent attention has been given to the hypothesis that local hospital competition takes the form of costly duplication of specialized services--the "medical arms race." This contrasts with the hypothesis that the supply of specialized services is determined solely by "the extent of the market." We develop a model predicting the provision of specialized services in local markets. Our analysis of California hospitals provides minimal support for the medical arms race hypothesis while suggesting substantial scale economies for many services. Our results emphasize the importance of properly specifying the extent of the market. Failure to do so leads one to overestimate the importance of competition.

California↗

Brain tissue heterotopia in the nasopharynx. Contribution of MRI to assessment of extension.

The authors report two cases of brain tissue heterotopia in the nasopharynx, without other malformations and, in one of the cases, with a persistent craniopharyngeal canal opening onto the heterotopia. This exceptional malformation is very similar to brain heterotopia in the nose, or "nasal glioma", which is more frequent and less diversified at histology. The malformation is revealed by obstruction of the pharynx with respiratory distress immediately after birth or during the first weeks of life. Total surgical excision provides cure without sequelae. The diagnosis is based on histology. MRI is essential to the diagnostic and pretherapeutic evaluation, notably to avoid missing an ectopic hypophysis, but it is insufficient to diagnose a sphenoidal meningoencephalocele.

Brain↗

[Branhamella catarrhalis as a disease pathogen].

Since 1980, numerous reports have been published throughout the world on the pathogenic role of Branhamella catarrhalis. Apparently, Branhamella infections have been increasing in many places. Although they can affect various organs, they are most commonly observed in the airways and eye (both in children and adults). Not infrequently, Branhamella catarrhalis causes sepsis, in particular in immunosuppressed patients. The rapid increase in beta-lactamase-forming Branhamella strains results in frequent ineffectiveness of treatment with penicillin. In patients treated with penicillin for a primary infection by other bacteria, a secondary infection due to penicillin-resistant Branhamella organisms can subsequently occur. For treatment, therefore, beta-lactamase-stable antibiotics should be preferred.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Innovative medicine--a case study of a modern healer.

African healing is widely regarded as inflexible and unchanging. By way of a case study, it is suggested that this is no longer the reality. Instead, the healer emerges as highly innovative in his quest to attract a steady clientele. A Xhosa healer, who borrows numerous medical items and symbols from his Western counterparts, is described.

Black or African American↗