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Biomedical subjects

M Bost

Publications and source records attributed to M Bost.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

A selenium supplement associated or not with vitamin E delays early renal lesions in experimental diabetes in rats.

Seventy rats were separated into five groups: one group of 12 was used as a control and received a purified diet, and four groups of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, totalling 58, were fed the same diet without or with selenium (Se) supplementation. Of the noncontrol rats, 14 were without supplementation (Group D), 14 were fed a Se-rich yeast diet (i.e., selenion) (Group DSel), 14 received selenomethionine (Group DSm), and 16 received selenomethionine + tocopherol acetate (Group DSmE). Supplementation with Se in all groups was 0.99 micromole/100g of diet and with tocopherol acetate was 0.145 micromole/100 g. All diabetic rats were mildly balanced by insulin. After 24 weeks of diet, plasma glucose tended to decrease in diabetic Se-supplemented groups DSmE > DSm > DSel versus Group D. In DSm and DSmE groups, plasma lipid peroxides also decreased compared with Group D, but this decrease reached significance only for DSmE (P < 0.01 for both TBARS and conjugated dienes). Plasma triglycerides also decreased in DSm and DSmE groups versus Group D (P < 0.01; P < 0.05, respectively). At the same time, Se increased significantly in kidneys of Groups DSel and DSm versus D and more weakly in Group DSmE, but in this case was associated with a large increase of vitamin E. These beneficial effects of selenium supplement and more so of selenium combined with vitamin E were associated with a protection of kidneys in diabetic rats which found expression in a significant correction of renal hyperfiltration (P < 0.05) and in a diminution of the number and severity of glomerular lesions (P < 0.0005).

Animals↗

Molecular diagnosis of Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A disease and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies by quantifying CMT1A-REP sequences: consequences of recombinations at variant sites on chromosomes 17p11.2-12.

The most frequent form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT1A; OMIM118.220) is the result of a duplication on chromosome 17 in pll.2-p12. This region contains PMP22, a gene expressed in peripheral myelin. The mutation results from an unequal crossing-over involving repeated sequences, CMT1A-REP, located on both sides of the duplicated region. The reciprocal product of this recombination is a deletion of the same region, which is associated with hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP; OMIM162.500). Proximal and distal CMT1A-REP sequences can be distinguished by the presence of a variant EcoRI site. We quantified the number of these repeat sequences in 36 CMT1A and 40 HNPP patients. CMT1A-REP sequences are involved in almost all of the mutations. The majority of recombination breakpoints occur distally from the variant EcoRI site. However, a few have a breakpoint proximal to this site, which creates the risk of misinterpretation with respect to a duplicated/deleted status.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease↗

[Selenium, glutathione peroxidase, peroxides and platelet functions].

In the last five years, there has been a renewal of interest in the protective role of selenium in vascular disorders, inspired by experimental evidence that this trace element could modulate leukotriene and prostaglandin synthesis in both endothelial cells and platelets. In people living in low-selenium areas, a relationship has been established between a decrease in plasma selenium and an increase in the risk of coronary disease, atherosclerosis, platelet hyperaggregability and synthesis of proaggregant and proinflammatory compounds like thromboxane A2 and leukotrienes. Selenium, as an essential part of glutathione peroxidase, takes part in the reduction of hydrogen peroxides and lipid peroxides. The concentration of these peroxides, in turn, regulates the activities of cyclooxygenase and lipooxygenase pathways, ultimately influencing the production of eicosanoids and modulating the balance between a proaggregatory and antiaggregatory state. Recent evidence shows that selenium, via its action on glutathione peroxidase activity, may be primarily responsible for the regulation of the endogenous hydroperoxide level. In human platelets, the activity of glutathione peroxidase is particularly high and is very sensitive to the requirement of selenium. This sensitivity could explain why platelets of selenium-deficient subjects show increased aggregation, thromboxane B2 production and synthesis of the lipoxygenase-derived compounds. In these deficient subjects, selenium administration increases platelet glutathione peroxidase activity and inhibits platelet hyperaggregation and leukotriene synthesis. These results support the hypothesis that selenium supplementation has a positive effect on platelet aggregation in selenium-deficient subjects. In France, more than 10% of the population is selenium-deficient and long-term supplementation with low doses of selenium could have a beneficial effect on the prevention of both thrombosis and coronary heart disease in these subjects.

Animals↗

Restriction polymorphisms of the ceruloplasmin gene on chromosome 3.

Using a probe isolated from a human liver cDNA library, polymorphisms were observed in the human ceruloplasmin gene with the enzymes PstI and MspI. The PstI polymorphism was frequent (allele frequencies, 0.46 and 0.54) whereas the polymorphisms found with MspI were rare.

Ceruloplasmin↗

Diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis by immunoblotting and relationship with other methods.

Immunoblot has been evaluated as a diagnostic method for congenital toxoplasmosis. Like enzyme-linked immunofiltration assay (ELIFA), immunoblot can be used to compare antibody patterns and to determine if the antibodies are transmitted by the mother or synthesized by the fetus or infant. Among the 48 infants tested, 27 had congenital toxoplasmosis and 21 were suspected but had none. Reproducibility, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values in immunoblot for immunoglobulins (Igs) G+M+A and/or G+M were 90, 92.6, 89.1, and 92.4%, respectively. G+M immunoblot and G+M ELIFA have better sensitivities than the conventional IgM immunosorbent agglutination assay, IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), IgM immunofluorescence antibody test, in vitro culture, and mouse inoculation. The novel antibodies, i.e., those synthesized by infants against Toxoplasma gondii, were of the IgG class in most cases, although a confident diagnosis could be related to the number of observed Ig classes (G+M, G+A, and G+M+A). Immunoblot has a better resolution than ELIFA. In prenatal diagnosis, immunoblot could be complementary to in vitro culture and mouse inoculation. In the other cases, early detection by immunoblot appears to give the best results when compared with the other serological methods.

Animals↗

Final height in Turner syndrome patients treated with growth hormone.

The first treatment trials on patients presenting with Turner syndrome were successful in accelerating growth velocity. It is therefore essential to know the final height of the patients who were treated in order to ascertain whether or not growth hormone treatment increases final height. We are reporting on a group of 117 patients with Turner syndrome whose growth hormone treatment was initiated in 1986. The mean growth hormone dose was 0.74 IU/kg/week for an average period of 4 years. At the start of treatment, the patients' chronological age was 129/12 years, height -3.8 +/- 1.0 standard deviation scores (SDS) and bone age 10.5 +/- 2.1 years. Mean final height was 147.7 +/- 5.6 cm, i.e. a gain of 1.5 SDS. We noted no significant difference due to the type of chromosomal abnormality, nor to oxandrolone or estrogen-associated treatment. A significant correlation was found between final height, mean parental height, the duration of the treatment, height SDS at the start of treatment and growth hormone peak during pharmacological stimulation tests. However, there was no correlation between growth hormone dosage, chronological age and bone age at the start of treatment. These results show that the growth hormone treatment improves the final heights of patients with Turner syndrome.

Age Determination by Skeleton↗

A review of 76 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes treated with danazol.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) remains unsatisfactory. A limited number of reports provide contradictory information on whether danazol, a synthetic androgen, may be useful in patients with MDS. METHODS: Between 1984 and 1992, 76 patients were treated with danazol (Danatrol, Winthrop) in an open nonrandomized study. Clinical status, blood counts, differential marrow cell counts, transfusion requirements, and liver enzymes were monitored at 3-month intervals during and 6 months after discontinuation of therapy. The authors present the retrospective analysis of this cohort of patients. RESULTS: This study shows a limited usefulness of danazol in patients with MDS. Blood counts were not significantly changed during danazol administration; neither were transfusion requirements. Overall survival and the rate of leukemic transformation were not affected when compared with 50 untreated patients or with data available in the literature. An increase in platelet numbers in four patients and in hemoglobin level in one patient was observed; these patients were unremarkable and were not transfused before initial danazol therapy; therefore, changes in blood counts were of limited clinical significance. The search for subgroups of patients likely to have a favorable response was unsuccessful. Side effects of danazol were limited. In addition, this study provides information on the frequency of antiplatelet antibodies and other autoantibodies in patients with MDS. CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support a positive effect of danazol in patients with MDS during long term follow-up. Anecdotal positive evolution in a few patients cannot be formally ascribed to danazol. These results should be interpreted by comparison with previous publications that report on small numbers of patients with limited follow-up. Based on these data, the authors cannot recommend the systematic use of danazol in MDS.

Adult↗

[Early pediatric-psychiatric management of suicide attempts in adolescents].

The authors describe an experience of early intervention by child psychiatrists in adolescents attending an emergency care pediatrics unit for suicide attempts. The two main aspects of this intervention are: 1) a former interview between the child psychiatrist and the suicidal adolescent taking place within the emergency care pediatrics unit; 2) a systematic few days hospitalization of the suicidal adolescent in a child-adolescent psychiatric unit allowing early therapy for both the adolescent and his/her parents. Based on preliminary results the authors believe that early child psychiatrist intervention provides an improvement in the care of suicidal adolescents, especially to prevent recurrent suicide attempts, as compared with conventional care with delayed child psychiatrist participation.

Adolescent↗

[Children in parental separation. Review of the literature].

The authors present a synthesis of the studies published in the literature since 1980 concerning the psychological consequences of parental separation on children. The risk of psychological disturbances varies according to the age and the sex of the child, and to the different parental attitudes. Pediatricians have an important role in preventing psychological consequences of parental separation on children by giving information to the parents and helping the children to understand and accept the event. In addition early recognition of psychological disturbances is important in order to offer a specialized support to the child.

Adolescent↗

A case of polycythemia vera occurring in a patient with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) in long-term first complete remission.

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a chronic myeloproliferative syndrome which in a minority of patients evolves into acute leukemia. The association with other hematopoietic malignancies has also been reported. The relationship between PV, leukemia, and treatment used for PV remains unclear. We here report the unusual observation of a young patient who developed the complete clinical and biological picture of PV, 6 years after being successfully treated with conventional chemotherapy for acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL).

Adult↗