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Biomedical subjects

H Lambert

Publications and source records attributed to H Lambert.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

[Acute central neurologic complications and the pregnancy-puerperal status. 105 cases in an intensive care unit. Contribution to the study of the relation between pregnancy toxemia and cerebral vascular accidents].

Central neurological pathology in the course of puerperium was studied in 105 observations. One could distinguish: --meeting pathology (tumoral, metabolic, infectious processes) 12 cases, --cerebral vascular accidents (arterial, venous...) 30 cases, These two groups corresponded to a pathology without any obvious connection with gravidic toxemia. --eclamptic or not eclamptic toxemia with encephalopathy: 21 cases, --finally, toxemia associated to or complicated with focused neurological syndromes: 42 cases. Concerning cerebral vascular accidents, one could verify the importance of hemorrhagical accidents (13 cases: 3 subdurhematoma, 4 sub-arachnoid hemorrhages, 6 intra-cerebral hematoma (2 of them corresponded to previous affections revealed by the hemorrhage) (angioma, chorioepithelioma, metastases) and thrombo-embolic accidents (16 cases) corresponding especially to arterial thromboses, the frequency of which seems more important than the frequency of venous thromboses. Any generalized or focused central neurological accident sets the problem of toxemia but is not obligatory toxemic. An associated disorder of hemostasis (hypercoagulability, consumption coagulopathy) has to be searched for.

Acute Disease↗

[Climatologic parameters and risk of acute vascular, neurologic and cardiac incidents].

In order to discover a possible correlation between climatic parameters and the occurrence of acute neurological vascular accidents (thrombosis, hemorrhages) and of cardiac accidents (myocardial infarction), the data of a meteorological card-index including climatological parameters [atmospheric pressure in millibars, temperature of the air under shelter in degrees Celsius, relative humidity, speed and direction of the winds, hydrometeors and electrometeors) as well as parameters of solar and ionospheric activity (daily flare index (DFI), index of the geomagnetic activity (AA), daily planetary index (AP), phases of the moon] were compared. The study concerned a period of 731 days and the parameters, subdivided into classes and gradients, were compared with the admission to hospital of 535 patients with myocardial infarction and of 378 patients with stroke. The statistical study consisted in searching for correlations between the parameters considered two by two and in applying the method of the factorial analysis of correspondence for a more extensive analysis. The frequency of the vascular accidents increased when the temperature of the air was less than 12 degrees, when there was hoar-frost with fog, rain or snow and when the DFI was less than 530. The factorial analysis of correspondence enabled to consider 3 fields in which correlations were suggestive for 3 distinct affections: myocardial infarction, cerebral hemorrhages and cerebral thrombo-embolisms.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗

Stimulus-secretion coupling in exocrine pancreas; possible role of calmodulin.

Many calcium-mediated effects in mammalian cells may be activated by calcium-calmodulin stimulated enzymes. These effects are inhibited by various antidepressant drugs which bind to and inactivate calmodulin. In the current study, calmodulin was identified by affinity chromatography and gel electrophoresis in the cytoplasm of dispersed rat pancreatic acinar cells. Its role in enzyme secretion was assessed by evaluating the effects of various antidepressants drugs on the enzyme secretory process. Chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, thioridazine, chlorprothixene and amitriptyline inhibited amylase secretion stimulated by carbachol, A-23187, and cholecystokinin-pancreozymin but not that elicited by dibutyryl cyclic AMP secretin or vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Haloperidol, sulpiride, phenobarbital, and ethanol were without effect on secretagogue-stimulated enzyme release. Only those agents which blocked secretion also inhibited 45Ca release stimulated by carbachol from isotope preloaded cells. The data suggest that calmodulin may have a functional role in pancreatic enzyme secretion.

Amylases↗

[Air embolus after Caesarean section (author's transl)].

This is case history of a primigravid woman on whom Caesarean section was carried out in normal conditions for fetal distress, the patient being placed in Trendelenburg position. After the abdomen had been closed there was a sudden collapse with cyanosis, right bundle branch block and then coma with hypertonicity, hyperreflexia and transitory hemiplegia. The only possible diagnosis that could be made was of air embolus following Caesarean section in the light of many investigations that were carried out and the improvement under hyperbaric oxygen treatment and the very irregular progress of the neurological symptoms. Published case histories are rare [12] (published by Walrop, 1953 and Nelson 1960) and over all the result has been unfavourable. The diagnosis can be proven when gas has been found in the blood vessels at autopsy or by the finding of certain clinical signs which indicate the presence of air in the heart or in the blood vessels (water mill sound and the sound of air in the blood vessels). Diagnosis is made by exclusion. The differential diagnosis must be made with amniotic fluid embolus and the other cerebro-vascular accidents, as well as obstetrical shock. The principal factors that bring about air embolus are the entry of air into the dilated uterine veins which is helped by the negative pressure achieved by the Trendelenburg position. As soon as this diagnosis is made it is important to start hyperbaric oxygen treatment and symptomatic resuscitation.

Adult↗

[Ergotism of therapeutic origin. A report of 4 new cases (author's transl)].

The observations concern ischemic accidents with various localizations (lower limbs, tongue, uterus, intestine, heart, liver) corresponding to 4 observations for which ergot derivatives (ergotamine tartrate) can be responsible. The most typical accidents are localized at the level of limbs and especially of lower limbs. In the greatest part of observations, a specific terrain (puerperium, vasomotor disorders, suspicion of temporal arteritis) can be considered and favouring factors (infection, and especially associated medicinal treatments with triacetyloleandomycin [2 observations] and Doxycyclin [1 observation]). The posologies of ergot alcaloïds were either superior to the limit prescription or normal. The duration of prescription was variable, but generally short. The arteriography confirms a vascular spasm. In an observation with very severe evolution, various ischemic localizations inducing amputation, two intestinal resections and an hemodialysis for lactic acidosis were noted. These ischemic accidents have to be noticed as early as possible in order to start a treatment; the best one seems to be the association of sodium nitroprussiate in intravenous perfusion with peri-dural anesthesia in an antalgic aim.

Adolescent↗

[Haemoperfusion on coated activited charcoal. Experience in French anti-poison centres based upon 60 cases (author's transl)].

Sixty three sessions of haemoperfusion on coated activated charcoal were carried out in 60 cases of poisoning. The indications concerned 2 clinical situations: - massive poisoning with coma (by hypnotics or chlorine-containing solvents) with high extracellular concentrations of the toxic agent, with the aim of reducing the duration of the coma; - intoxications with a high mortality rate, such as those due to paraquat, colchicine, digitoxine, tricyclic antidepressants, and heavy metals, even when plasma levels were low in relation to the dose ingested. Such discordance may be related not only to predominantly intracellular fixation, but also to low intestinal absorption. The effectiveness of haemoperfusion was estimated in terms of the amount of toxic substance extracted, measured either indirectly by repeated calculation of the arteriovenous difference multiplied by the flow rate through the column, or directly by elution of the column. This method for the removal of toxic substances would not appear to be life-saving, is too costly for the extraction obtained and is not free from specific complications. Thrombocytopaenia remains an epiphenomenon, but the frequency of infection is significantly higher than with haemodialysis. An effective and safe method for the vascular extraction of poisons, particularly one favourising removal of toxic substances from intracellular localisation, remains to be found.

Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic↗

Analysis of human spermatozoal fertilizing ability using zona-free ova.

An in vitro fertilization assay employing zona-free hamster eggs was used to analyze human spermatozoal fertilizing ability. Human spermatozoa were preincubated for 18 to 20 hours in Biggers, Whitten, and Whittingham's medium (1971) at a concentration of 1 X 10(7) sperm/ml prior to the addition of zona-free superovulated hamster eggs. Eggs were examined microscopically 2 hours later for evidence of swelling or decondensing sperm heads in the cytoplasm. A total of 6266 eggs were examined in assays for both suspected fertile and infertile donors; 50 eggs/sample were examined. The percentage fertilization was found to range from 14% to 100% in the suspected fertile group with an average of 56.3%. The sperm concentration in this fertile group ranged from 22 to 303 million/ml with an average of 114. The suspected infertile samples yielded fertilization rates of 10% or less and an average count of 50.6 million/ml. These data suggest that human spermatozoa fuse with the vitelline membrane of zona-free hamster eggs and decondense with varying efficiencies. The percentage of fertilization in this cross-species system did not show a significant correlation with sperm concentration or motility. However, suspected infertile samples always yielded 10% or less fertilization in this assay. This method may have potential value as a diagnostic tool in evaluating human spermatozoal fertilizing capacity which avoids the ethical and logistcal problems associated with fertilization of human eggs in vitro.

Animals↗