Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Bertrand

Publications and source records attributed to F Bertrand.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Pericellular glycoconjugates of cultured fibroblasts from control and cystic fibrosis patients.

1. Labeled glycoconjugates released by trypsin from cell surfaces of control and cystic fibrosis (CF) skin fibroblasts were purified and fractionated by column chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and Concanavalin A Sepharose. Based on chemical analysis and specific enzymatic digestions: (1) Glycoconjugates were characterized as O-linked glycopeptides consisting predominantly of glycosaminoglycan type and N-linked glycopeptides with glycans of complex type. Their relative proportions were similar between the two groups. (2) The N-linked glycopeptides exhibited an increased molar ratio of fucose to galactose in CF fibroblasts. (3) When pericellular glycoconjugates were metabolically labeled with [14C]glucosamine and [3H]fucose, incorporation and degradation kinetics were similar between the two groups.

Carbohydrates↗
PubMed1991

Effect of upper abdominal surgery and cirrhosis upon the pharmacokinetics of methohexital.

The pharmacokinetic profile of methohexital was studied in cirrhotic patients (n = 8), patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery (n = 8) and orthopaedic patients under general anaesthesia (n = 8). The total plasma clearance of methohexital was unchanged in cirrhotics: 54 +/- 22 l.h-1 (mean +/- s.d.) as well as in patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery: 60 +/- 14 l.h-1 in comparison to orthopaedic surgery: 70 +/- 24 l.h-1. The central volume and total volume of distribution and the distribution and elimination half-lives were similar between the three groups. Despite its hepatic dependent elimination, methohexital elimination kinetics were unchanged in patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery and in cirrhosis. Owing to the high hepatic extraction ratio of methohexital, its elimination should be influenced by the hepatic blood flow. The unchanged elimination kinetics presently observed in patients with cirrhosis or those undergoing upper abdominal surgery suggest that the hepatic blood flow is less diminished than expected in these patients.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1990

Subcellular localization of zirconium in nodular lymphatic cells after administration of soluble salts. Study by electron microprobe.

In the literature two elements, beryllium and zirconium, have been described as inducing identical tissular lesions consisting of granulomas, which some authors have related to an immunological process. Intracellular lesions induced by beryllium sulphate have been studied previously. These lesions were essentially characterized by intranuclear inclusions rich in beryllium. In this work we have studied intracellular concentration sites of zirconium after injection of low doses of zirconium sulphate. Results show that the intracellular concentration sites are very different between both elements, as zirconium is uniquely localized in the lysosomes of the lymph node macrophages where it is associated with phosphorus.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Further evidence for abnormal protein kinase C regulation of macromolecule secretion in fibroblasts from cystic fibrosis patients.

In comparison to skin fibroblasts from normal subjects, those from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF): (1) bound [20-3H] phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) with a higher affinity Kd = 25.8 vs 12.8 nM respectively) but expressed a similar number of total phorbol ester binding sites (about 2.5 pmol PDBu bound/mg of protein); (2) exhibited a faster and higher response to 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA) for the stimulation of [35S]-labelled glycoconjugate release, but were equally sensitive to the synergistic effect of A23187 on this process; and (3) secreted glycoconjugates with similar [35S]-sulfate and [14C]-leucine to [14C]-glucosamine labelling ratios. Taken together, these results provide further evidence for abnormal protein kinase C (PKC) regulation of macromolecule secretion in CF disease.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1989

Perinatal mortality in Belgium.

Perinatal mortality in Belgium remains high compared with other countries of Western Europe, although a marked decrease was observed during the period from 1956 to 1984. Analysis of the death causes indicates that further progress is feasible. Social inequalities and geographic variation are persisting in spite of the long-established policy of social welfare and free access to health services. Most of the studies on perinatal mortality in Belgium are descriptive and based on data recorded in birth and infant death certificates. In the future, alternative sources of information should be used to analyze more precisely and to understand more clearly the interactions between the different determinants of perinatal mortality and to evaluate the impact of social and health services.

Belgium↗
PubMed1989

Registration of the number of macules in paucibacillary leprosy for evaluation of early diagnosis and individual prognosis.

The number of macules is usually registered at diagnosis in the first clinical examination of leprosy patients. The question studied here is whether this practice is of any interest as an indicator of the precocity of detection of the prognosis. The study is based on the 26,996 paucibacillary patients detected from 1957 to 1982 in Polambakkam Leprosy Centre (South India) for whom the number of macules and disability status are assessed and registered. Several observations suggest that the proportion of single-macule patients among the newly detected cases is a more sensitive indicator than the proportion of new patients with disabilities for the evaluation of the delay between onset of the disease and detection. Its use could be especially helpful for programmes running for several years, when it becomes difficult to observe significant variations in the proportion of patients with disabilities. Regarding the prognosis value of the number of macules, inactivation and relapse probabilities were calculated. Regularity of treatment is found to be a better predictor of early inactivation than the number of macules, while relapse probabilities are more affected by the number of macules.

Persons with Disabilities↗
PubMed1988

Phorbol ester-induced protein kinase C translocation and lysosomal enzyme release in normal and cystic fibrosis fibroblasts.

The ability of the tumor-promoting phorbol ester 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA) to induce protein kinase C (PKC) translocation and lysosomal enzyme release was examined in skin fibroblasts from normal subjects and from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). As compared to normal fibroblasts, those CF exhibited: (i) an increased sensitivity to the effect of PMA on the disappearance of PKC from cytosolic fractions as well as a greater and earlier recovery, in the membrane fraction, of the PKC activity lost in the cytosolic fraction; (ii) an earlier response to PMA for its effect on beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase release. In contrast, the inactive phorbol ester 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate (4 alpha PDD) proved ineffective in inducing PKC translocation and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase release in both normal and CF fibroblasts. The data suggest a defect in the regulation of PKC activity in CF fibroblasts, which may lead to altered secretion.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1988

Interposed abdominal compressions and carotid blood flow during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Support for a thoracoabdominal unit.

To determine if the timing of interposed abdominal compressions (IAC) affects the augmented blood flow during this form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), we performed early-onset or late-onset abdominal compressions at three vascular volumes in nine dogs. Early-onset IAC began immediately following chest compression; we predicted that this would act primarily by emptying the aorta and sustaining the elevated intrathoracic pressure. Late-onset IAC began one-fourth to one-third of the time into diastole; this would have primarily increased venous return. We measured carotid blood flow (electromagnetic flow probe) and right atrial (Pra), thoracic aortic (Pta), abdominal aortic (Paa), and intra-abdominal pressures. The IAC-CPR increased carotid blood flow compared with conventional CPR (22.8 +/- 13.1 percent vs 8.7 +/- 5.8 percent of control; p less than 0.003), but there was no difference between the early and late modes of IAC (22.7 +/- 11.6 percent vs 22.9 +/- 14.7 percent of control). The increase in carotid blood flow was present with the first abdominal compression and was constant over the 40 to 60 seconds of CPR. Peak Pra, Pta, and Paa were similar during abdominal compression (91.8 +/- 16.9 mm Hg, 96.1 +/- 16.0 mm Hg, and 102.4 +/- 15.2 mm Hg, respectively; p less than 0.001). The Pta-Pra diastolic gradient was 18.0 +/- 8.2 mm Hg for early-onset and 20.6 +/- 7.5 mm Hg for late-onset compression (not significant). We conclude that increased carotid blood flow in IAC-CPR in the dog is principally due to the increased pressure in a common thoracoabdominal unit.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1988

[Epidemiologic surveillance of congenital abnormalities using the EUROCAT Register].

The EUROCAT programme is a concerted action of the European Economic Community for the epidemiologic surveillance of congenital anomalies. Surveillance is based on a network of regional registries coordinated by a central registry. The programme started in 1979 and by 1987, 23 centres were participating, covering together more than 300,000 births per year. The surveillance process implies the selection of the anomalies possibly associated with environmental teratogens or mutagens, the definition of abnormal variations in the rate of these anomalies (the alarms), the establishment of base-line rate and the continuous monitoring of rate. The programme is evaluated by reference to four criteria: the sensitivity of the system in detecting teratogens or mutagens, the specificity of alarms, the rapidity in warning of alarm and in investigating their causes, and the programme efficiency expressed as its cost-utility ratio.

Congenital Abnormalities↗
PubMed1987

Quality of perinatal death registration. A study in Hainaut, Belgium.

The quality of national perinatal mortality statistics was evaluated from a survey in nine maternity hospitals in Hainaut, Belgium (total births: 7862). The overall completeness of perinatal death registration was 86%. Under-registration was especially frequent in low birth weight babies. In 69% of cases, the birth weight value reported on death certificates was in exact agreement with the value in hospital records. Using detailed categories of causes, there was, in 37% of cases, agreement between the underlying cause on death certificates and the main cause identified in hospital records. Using gross categories of causes, the level of agreement was 56%. Disagreement was mostly due to the lack of specificity of the underlying cause on death certificates. The authors suggest ways to improve the quality of registration.

Belgium↗
PubMed1987

Age related differences in immunocompetence and incidence of mammary adenocarcinoma in murine mammary tumor virus-infected C3H/Bi mice.

In breeder C3H/Bi female mice, infected neonatally by murine mammary tumor virus (MTV), the incidence of spontaneous mammary tumors is greater than 95% between 5 and 9 months of age. In young (2-3 months) female the probability for developing a tumor in the next month is negligible, higher than 80% in mice of middle age (5-6 months) but lower than 4% in aged (10-12 months) females. The age-related changes of some immune functions of spleen cells from these tumor free female mice have been evaluated. While the proliferative capacity of cells to Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) increases, the T cell-dependent antibody response against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) are significantly decreased in 5-6-month-old mice as compared to the young (2-3 months) female mice. The antibody response against SRBC and the mitogenic response to PHA decline markedly in 10-12-month-old mice but the ADCC increases in this group of mice. In addition, assays with monoclonal anti-Lyt-1 and anti-Lyt-2 antibodies indicate that percentage of Lyt 1- 2+ cells (suppressor and cytotoxic T cells) is lower in 10-12-month-old female as compared to 5-6-month-old animals. These results show that the immune alterations observed in 10-12-month-old C3H/Bi mice are not closely associated with an increase in incidence of spontaneous tumors and suggest that a high non-T killer cell activity could protect some of these older C3H/Bi female mice against mammary tumor development.

Aging↗