Biomedical subjects
I Simon
Publications and source records attributed to I Simon.
[Dermatitis herpetiformis in childhood].
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[A new class of drugs: the hypotensive-antithrombotic agents].
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Topology of membrane proteins.
Integral membrane proteins play important roles in living cells. Due to difficulties of experimental techniques, theoretical approaches, i.e., topology prediction methods, are important for structure determination of this class of proteins. Here we show a detailed comparison of transmembrane topology prediction methods. According to this comparison, we conclude that the topology of integral membrane proteins is determined by the maximum divergence of the amino acid composition of sequence segments. These segments are located in different areas of the cell, which can be characterized by different physicochemical properties. The results of these prediction methods compared to the X-ray diffraction data of several transmembrane proteins will also be discussed.
Nutritional status and age at menarche of Senegalese adolescents.
Growth and maturation during adolescence has not been well described in rural African populations, although it may represent the missing link between high levels of preschool stunting and nearly 'normal' adult heights. In 1995 the homes of subjects aged 10.3-17.5 years, living in a rural area of Senegal, were visited, and all adolescents present, 1527 boys and 1126 girls, were included in the analysis. A number of girls were absent because they worked in the capital city Dakar. Resident girls (n = 705) had significantly higher means than boys for all anthropometric variables (weight, body mass index, arm circumference and muscle arm circumference, triceps and subscapular skinfolds), except for height and head circumference. Girls who had just returned from seasonal migration to Dakar (n = 415) were, on average, 2 kg heavier, but not taller, than resident girls (p < 0.0001). The girls fell off in height from 11 to 13 years compared to the NCHS reference and then 'caught up' until the age of 17, while boys fell off during the entire age span. Mean age at menarche was estimated at 16.1 years (95% fiducial CI: 15.8-16.4) from status quo data by probit analysis. No significant difference was found between residents and migrants. Postmenarcheal girls had better nutritional status than premenarcheal girls in terms of height, weight, body mass index, percentage body fat and arm muscle circumference (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, puberty, as assessed by age at menarche, is delayed by about 3 years in this population, probably due to malnutrition.
Prenatal diagnosis of sporadic Apert syndrome: a sequential diagnostic approach combining three-dimensional computed tomography and molecular biology.
Apert syndrome is characterized by coronal craniosynostosis, midfacial hypoplasia, symmetrical syndactyly of the hands and feet described as 'mitten-like' with varying degrees of mental retardation. It results from a mutation of the fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGFR2) gene. In the absence of a family history, prenatal diagnosis may be difficult based on sonography alone. We report a case in which the prenatal diagnosis of Apert syndrome was suspected by ultrasonography, established by three-dimensional computed tomography scan (3DTS) and confirmed by the detection of a mutation on amniotic cells. This underscores the usefulness of a sequential diagnostic approach combining 3DTS and molecular biology in cases in which sonography alone is not con- clusive.
Prostatic growth rate determined from MRI data: age-related longitudinal changes.
Men with prostatic enlargement are at highest risk of developing symptomatic lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and related outcomes, such as acute urinary retention. The study of prostatic growth rate can identify the age range at which prostate growth peaks. Evaluation of the natural course of prostate growth requires repeated intraindividual volume measurements at time intervals sufficient to document growth. Our objective was to examine age-stratified prostate growth rates from men taking part in a longitudinal study of aging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the prostate. Sixty-four men (ages 30-71 years) enrolled in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) who had T2 pelvic MRIs taken approximately every 2 years were studied. Men were age stratified into four groups: <45, 45-55, 56-65, and >65 years old. Whole prostate and central gland (anatomically referred to as the transition zone) volumes were determined from the MRI images by a semi-automated image analysis program. Peripheral gland volumes were calculated as the difference between whole prostate and central gland volumes. Growth rates (cc per year) were calculated as change in volume divided by the time interval. On the basis of measurements from the T2 images (n = 128), we observed a linear trend between prostate volume and age. The overall prostate growth rate was 2.36 +/- 3.52 cc per year. Age-stratified growth rates revealed that prostate growth increased with age, peaked at 4.15 +/- 4.98 cc/year for the 56-65-year-old age group and then declined rapidly for the older-aged men. The central gland growth rates followed a trend similar to total prostate volume. These data suggest that there is an age-related increase in prostate growth rate that peaks in men ages 56-65 and then declines. Identification of this trend in prostate growth may aid physicians in targeting men for early diagnosis of LUTS and for possible early intervention. Future studies with a larger sample size are necessary to substantiate these findings.
[Multicenter prospective study of cardiac accidents during treatments with 5-FU].
In a prospective, multicenter study, we evaluated the incidence of adverse cardiac effects in 1097 patients receiving 5-FU as a short i.v. perfusion or as a continuous perfusion over 3 to 5 days. There were 29 cardiac events (incidence 1.6%; 4.5% in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, 1.1% in the remainder). Adverse effects were more frequent in the patients with advanced WHO (WHO = OMS) stage (2 or 3) primary tumors of the upper respiratory or digestive tract, or of the gastrointestinal tract, when 5-FU was given as a continuous perfusion. They also appeared to be more frequent in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, and mainly occurred during the second or third day of the first course of treatment. Retreatment of eight patients with 5-FU led to the recurrence of symptoms in five. The outcome of these adverse cardiac effects was generally favorable, but 11.5% of the patients died.
[Continued education in nursing - an absolute necessity].
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[The current situation of mycobacterial chemoresistance and its implications for antitubercular treatment].
The data in the present paper consider, for a longer period, the secondary and the initial drug resistance in pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The paper studies mainly the period of the last 9 years (1979-1987) in comparison with a previous period of 6 years (1973-1978). The 2,194 antibiograms performed for 7 common tuberculostatics show an increase, in the last years, of the general resistance of the germs from 24.3% to 36%. The increase of the resistance is noticed to all the tuberculostatics, but mainly to Rifampicin, from 14.8% to 49.3% and to streptomycin, from 22.7% to 44.8%. An important increase is found, at present, mainly in the drug resistance of germs in the extrapulmonary specimens (lymph nodes 28.5% and CSF 40%) to streptomycin and INH.
An evaluation of transillumination for caries detection in primary molars.
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Predictions from the regularities of the primary structure of proteins.
Statistical analysis of large data sets indicates the existence of short-range regularities in the primary structure of proteins. In this paper the range and measure of these short-range regularities and various prediction methods based on them are discussed. The methods include predictions for domain boundaries of multidomain proteins; sizes of low-energy building blocks used in the calculation of protein structure as an assembly of stable overlapping segments; replaceability of amino acids; cis and trans conformation of proline residues; disulfide-forming Cys residues; surface exposure of amino acids; and tyrosine sulfation sites in proteins.
[Pancreatic and extrapancreatic fluid collections following acute and chronic pancreatitis].
Intra- or extrapancreatic liquid collections are common complications for acute and chronic pancreatitis, with variable morphologic features and possible evolution toward complications. A total of 31 liquid collections (pseudocysts, ascites and/ or enzymatic pleurisy) in 22 patients are presented. The study assems the etiology, the diagnostic methods and the treatment of the liquid collections. The preferred surgical treatment is either cysto-digestive anastomosis or distal pancreatic resections. Also some new therapeutic modalities are analyzed percutaneous or endoscopic drainage.
[Cholelithiasis following gastric surgery].
A retrospective study was carried out in order to verify the correlation between the biliary disease and previous gastroduodenal operations for various lesions. The 24 patients (18 males and 6 females with an average age of 54 years) reported were diagnosed with chronic or acute cholelithiasis (with common bile duct stones and cholangitis) which imposed emergency or short delayed surgery in most of the cases. The previous gastric operations performed 5 up to 23 years ago were classic gastrectomies with Polya (9 cases) or Péan (8 cases) anastomosis, truncal vagotomy with pyloroplasty or gastroenterostomy for gastric and duodenal ulcers, one hemigastrectomy, one antrectomy and one tumorectomy for benign gastric tumours (one schwannoma and two polyps), one enlarged subtotal gastrectomy for adenocarcinoma and, finally, one gastrotomy for a suspected bleeding gastric tumour. The causal connection between cholelithiasis and previous gastric surgery is obvious, anatomical changes and alterations in the kinetics of the duodenum and common duct being incriminated.
[Psychiatric hospitalizations after the June 27 1990 Law in a French department].
The law, edicted on the 27th june 1990, has introduced in France the without consent hospitalization, to replace the law of 30th june 1838 which was composed of confinements or psychiatric placings. On of the both new types of a without consent admission, called "by a third person request" hospitalization (HDT) containing a procedure called "usual" and another one called "situation emergency", appeared to us more and more used in our practice, particularly the "situation emergency" HDT. Therefore we compared on three periods, one before the law, the two others ones 3 and 6 years after it, the different types of psychiatric admissions in all of the seven psychiatric sectors of a french department. All the hospitalization's forms increase with the chronologic time in Côte d'Or. We notice too in this department an important increase of the HDT, but especially in the "situation emergency" ones, and this, with a statistically revealing way compared to the other types of admission. If this phenomena wasn't purely localized, which only the departmental commissions of psychiatric hospitalization, created by the 1990's law, can reveal by proceeding to an expected assessment of the law consequences, the legislator should fastly take this evolution into account.