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Biomedical subjects

M Dumont

Publications and source records attributed to M Dumont.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

[Loneliness among young people: collation of writings].

Contrary to the popular belief that loneliness is typically associated with adults, and especially with older persons, this state can occur early in life. In fact, an increasing number of studies indicate that an important proportion of adolescents experience an intense episode of loneliness. This literature review describes loneliness among younger persons. We discuss the ampleness of the problem, the definition of the phenomenon, the feeling associated with loneliness, precipitating and predisposating factors and, finally, coping strategies to deal with this experience.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

[Gynecology and obstetrics in the Bible. I. From procreation to pregnancy].

The Bible illustrates some interesting views on the matter of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Beside the Old and New Testaments, some Apocrypha have to be discussed for their content about this subject. This article concerns the following points: impregnation, formation of the human embryo, Eve's creation, indirect fecundation and spermatic pollution, bi-sexuality of the first man, libido, signs of virginity, female infertility, incest, multiparity, post-menopausal conception, the fructifying powers of amulets, plants and seeds, the course of pregnancy and antenatal care, normal and difficult labour, premature birth (was Moses premature?), perineal tears, the first birth without pain, twin pregnancy, procidentias, breech delivery, maternal deaths, midwives and Pharaoh, nursing, swaddling, breast-feeding and weaning of the baby. Uncleanliness and purification of the woman following childbirth or during menstruation according to levitical advice are discussed.

Bible↗
PubMed1990

[Gynecology and obstetrics in the Bible. II. Labor and the puerperium].

The bible illustrates some interesting views on the matter of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Beside Old and New Testaments, some Apocryphas have to be discussed for their contents about this subject. This article concerns the following points: impregnation, formation of the human embryo, Eve's creation, indirect fecundation and spermatic pollution, bi-sexuality of the first man, libido, signs of virginity, female infertility, incest, multiparity, post-menopausal conception, the fructifying powers of amulets, plants and seeds, the course of pregnancy and antenatal care, normal and difficult labour, premature birth (was Moses premature?), perineal tears, the first birth without pains, twin pregnancy, procidentias, breech delivery, maternal deaths, midwives and Pharaoh, nursing, swaddling, breast-feeding and weaning of the baby. Uncleanliness and purification of the woman following childbirth or during menstruation according to levitic advices are discussed.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1990

[Diaphragmatic hernia and pregnancy].

Congenital or traumatic hernia complicating pregnancy is a rarity but death occurs in half of the cases. Complications (respiratory distress, intestinal obstruction) are more frequent during the third trimester, during delivery and in the post-partum hours. In the asymptomatic patient, surgery should be performed specially in the first and second trimesters. During the third trimester, fetal maturity should be watched and the defect should be repaired at the time of elective cesarean section. Active labor should be avoided because of the increased abdominal pressure produced during the expulsion period. If an unexpected labor occurs, forceps application, if cesarean section could not be performed, should be realised. If signs of respiratory distress or of obstruction arise at any time, immediate repair should be undertaken, regardless of the age of pregnancy. An hernia operated before the pregnancy could recur during this one (this is the case of the author). Il is possible that some diaphragmatic hernias no complicated during previous pregnancies could be aggravated without symptoms and are complicated during a further pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[An increase of choleresis in secondary biliary cirrhosis in rats is caused by bile duct secretion].

Bile flow may be considerably increased in human cirrhosis. The mechanism of this increase has not been established. Two mechanisms have been proposed: a) increased canalicular filtration because of sinusoidal hypertension, or b) secretion by proliferated bile ductules. To distinguish between these two possibilities, we examined the determinants of bile secretion in rats with secondary biliary cirrhosis after bile duct obstruction. Sham-operated animals served as controls. Four weeks after bile duct ligation, all animals had cirrhosis. Bile flow was significantly higher and bile salt secretion significantly lower in cirrhotic animals than in controls. Biliary bicarbonate concentration was significantly higher in cirrhotic animals than in controls. Bile-to-plasma concentration ratio of erythritol was significantly lower in cirrhotic animals than in controls, suggesting a dilution of erythritol by a secretion distal to bile canaliculi. Bile-to-plasma ratio of sucrose was not significantly different in cirrhotics and controls, suggesting that paracellular permeability was not modified. Secretin, at the dose of 3 clinical units/100 g, induced an increase of approximately 75 percent in bile flow, and 70 percent in biliary bicarbonate concentration in cirrhotics. In conclusion, bile flow was increased in biliary cirrhosis in rats. The dilution of erythritol, the increase in biliary bicarbonate concentration and the increased response to secretin strongly suggest that increased choleresis was due, at least in part, to secretion by bile ductules or ducts. These results confirm that secondary biliary cirrhosis is a good experimental model for the study of alterations of bile secretion in cirrhosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Scintigraphic evaluation of renal function after extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy.

We evaluated renal function within 48 hours after extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) as well as 1 month and up to 6 months later employing technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid and iodine-131-labelled ortho-iodohippurate. All 17 patients displayed abnormal renal function immediately after ESWL. The abnormalities identified included focal cortical lesions, diffuse reduction of renal function, increased kidney volume, and diffusely and focally increased parenchymal transit times. The follow-up scintigraphic studies indicated that the great majority of the lesions had been temporary.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Sleep disorder symptoms among nurses and nursing aides.

Nurses and nursing aides (n = 418) currently working on a regular evening or day schedule were compared in terms of sleep disorder symptoms. The relationship between past nightwork and sleep disorder symptoms was also assessed. The prevalence of individual symptoms varied from 6 to 53%. Evening workers showed a pattern of sleep disorder compatible with sleep deprivation, whereas the pattern for day workers was more compatible with insomnia. Past nightwork was significantly associated with symptoms of day tiredness and the quantity of sleep obtained was influenced by past nightwork. The prevalence of a combination of four insomnia symptoms (initial, intermittent, and terminal insomnia and fatigue during the day) was 5.4% among current day workers but no cases were identified among evening workers. Among day workers, the trend for insomnia across levels of duration of past nightwork fell slightly short of conventional statistical significance (P = 0.09). The relationship between a combination of four symptoms was neither modified nor confounded by variables such as age, chronotype, intensity of past nightwork, and latency. In conclusion, although some sleep symptoms were associated with nightwork, a clear residual effect on a combination of symptoms could not be shown.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Antagonism between estrogens and androgens on GCDFP-15 gene expression in ZR-75-1 cells and correlation between GCDFP-15 and estrogen as well as progesterone receptor expression in human breast cancer.

The androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) caused a maximal 65% inhibition of proliferation of the human breast cancer cells ZR-75-1 after a 10-day incubation period. The same treatment, on the other hand, stimulated by 25-fold the secretion of the breast marker protein GCDFP-15 (gross cystic disease fluid protein-15). The stimulatory effect of DHT on GCDFP-15 mRNA accumulation was already significant (1.6-fold, P less than 0.01) after a 12 h exposure and reached a maximal 25-fold increase after a 12-day incubation period. On the other hand, a 2-day exposure to 1 nM 17 beta-estradiol (E2) alone decreased by 60% GCDFP-15 mRNA levels while it completely blocked the 2.5-fold stimulation of GCDFP-15 secretion induced by concomitant incubation with DHT. Furthermore, a 10-day incubation with E2 increased by 4-fold the proliferation of ZR-75-1 cells whereas such treatment decreased by about 85% both GCDFP-15 mRNA accumulation and the secretion of the glycoprotein. The presence of GCDFP-15 mRNA in human breast cancer samples was restricted to estrogen receptor positive tumors and was significantly correlated with progesterone receptor expression.

Apolipoproteins↗
PubMed1989

Permeability of the rat biliary tree to ursodeoxycholic acid.

The permeability of the biliary epithelium to [14C]ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a hypercholeretic bile acid, was compared to that of the 14C-labeled nonhypercholeretic bile acids cholic acid (CA), taurocholic acid (TCA), and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) by means of anterograde intrabiliary infusions and retrograde intrabiliary injections in the anesthetized rat. Anterograde intrabiliary infusions were performed by perfusing an isolated segment of common bile duct in vivo. After anterograde intrabiliary infusions, the fraction of unrecovered UDCA (that had presumably been absorbed from the biliary lumen) was 11.03 +/- 1.03 (SE)% (n = 6) of the administered dose. It was significantly higher than that of TUDCA (1.25 +/- 0.27%; n = 5; P less than 0.01), CA (2.62 +/- 0.43%; n = 4; P less than 0.01), and TCA (2.57 +/- 0.79%; n = 6; P less than 0.01). In separate experiments, bile was collected from the common bile duct and from the left hepatic duct. UDCA recovered from the left hepatic duct was found in the conjugated form, indicating that, after absorption in the common bile duct, it had been conjugated by the hepatocyte and secreted into bile. After retrograde intrabiliary injections of UDCA and CA, the cumulative percentages of recovered radioactivity were not significantly different (84.50 +/- 2.65 and 87.33 +/- 1.80%, respectively); however, peak recovery of UDCA was significantly delayed compared with that of CA. Moreover, UDCA was recovered mostly in the conjugated form, while CA was recovered mostly in the unconjugated form. These results suggest that, in the rat, UDCA is significantly more absorbed by the biliary tree than CA, TUDCA, and TCA. They support the hypothesis that UDCA undergoes a cholehepatic circulation.

Absorption↗
PubMed1989

Down-regulation of estrogen receptors by androgens in the ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cell line.

Much clinical evidence indicates that androgens have beneficial effects in the treatment of breast cancer in women. Physiological concentrations of androgens strongly inhibit both basal and estrogen-induced cell proliferation in the human breast cancer cell line ZR-75-1 through their interaction with the androgen receptor. The present study shows that androgens strongly suppress estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor contents in this model, as measured by radioligand binding and anti-ER monoclonal antibodies. Similar inhibitory effects are observed on the levels of ER messenger RNA (mRNA) measured by ribonuclease protection assay. The androgenic effect is observed at subnanomolar concentrations of the nonaromatizable androgen 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, regardless of the presence of estrogens, and is competitively reversed by the antiandrogen hydroxyflutamide. Such data on ER expression provide an explanation for at least part of the antiestrogenic effects of androgens on breast cancer cell growth and moreover suggest that the specific inhibitory effects of androgen therapy could be additive to the standard treatment limited to blockade of estrogens by antiestrogens.

Androgens↗
PubMed1989

[Effect of chronic administration of cyclosporin A on choleresis in rats].

The effect of therapeutic doses of cyclosporine A (CyA) on bile flow and bile salt output was studied in the rat. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 to 380 g) were injected intraperitoneally with CyA (n = 15) or vehicle (n = 15) at the dose of 10 mg.kg-1 for 3 weeks. The effect of CyA on basal and taurocholate-induced bile flow, on basal bile salt output and bile salt output under taurocholate infusion, and the effect of chronic administration of CyA on bile salt-independent bile flow was evaluated. Administration of CyA was associated with a decrease in basal bile flow (5.6 +/- 0.7 vs 6.7 +/- 0.7 microliters.min-1.100 g-1; p less than 0.001) and bile flow under taurocholate infusion (8.0 +/- 0.8 vs 10.9 +/- 1.1 microliters.min-1.100 g-1; p less than 0.001). Basal bile salt output (133.9 +/- 48.2 vs 173.8 +/- 53.6 nmol.min-1.100 g-1; p less than 0.003) and bile salt output under the infusion of taurocholate were significantly lower in cyclosporine-treated rats than in controls (443.3 +/- 48.2 vs 617.2 +/- 172.7 nmol.min-1.100 g-1; p less than 0.001). There was no significant difference in bile salt-independent bile flow between the 2 groups. There was no modification of seric alanine aminotransferase activity or hepatic histology. This study confirms that chronic administration of CyA at therapeutic doses can induce cholestasis. Cholestasis is related mainly to a decrease in bile salt secretion and bile salt-dependent flow.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[The unfortunate pregnancy of the first French feminist, Olympe de Gouges].

Olympe de Gouges, born in 1748, led in Paris, the brilliant and dissolute life of a rather mediocre writer and a passionate feminist, demanding for women the right to go into politics. Unfortunate mother, she offended Robespierre and was put in jail. Sentenced to death by Fouquier-Tinville, she simulated a pregnancy, as the execution of pregnant women was usually postponed until delivery. But Fouquier-Tinville disregarded this, since Olympe forty-five years old, the pregnancy unlikely and the medical reports inconclusive. Olympe was guillotined on November 3, 1793. Pons, the representative from Verdun, on April 12, 1795, made his colleagues adopt a resolution, specifying that pregnant women should not be executed and should be released.

Female↗
PubMed1989

[The long and difficult birth of symphysiotomy or from Severin Pineau to Jean-Rene Sigault].

Jean-René Sigault and his assistant Alphonse Le Roy first performed in Paris symphyseotomy on the 1st of october 1777 and thereby successfully delivered Madame Souchot. This patient had a rachitic pelvis with an antero-posterior diameter of 6.5 to 7 centimeters and had previously given birth to four dead children. In fact symphyseotomy had been advocated in 1597 by Séverin Pineau after his description of a diastasis of the pubis on a hanged pregnant woman and Ambroise Paré approved Pineau. The operation was performed many times after Sigault's report but was opposed by the famous French obstetrician Jean-Louis Baudelocque. The discussion was so bitter that the Parisian physicians became divided in two groups, cesareans and symphyseans. Symphyseotomy, as a result of poor technic and its use in unsuitable cases, soon fell into disrepute and was forgotten until 1863 when Morisani, in Italy, performed it again. The procedure was reintroduced in France in 1891 by Pinard, very impressed by the demonstration of the visiting Spinelli. Pinard, Farabeuf and Varnier described an "open sky" technic based on a precise anatomic study. At the same time, in 1893, Gigli, in Italy, performed a new operation called pubiotomy praised before in 1786 by Aitken in Edinburgh. It consisted in severing the pubic bone to one side of the symphysis by means of the "Gigli saw". In fact, cesarean section was the operation chosen in almost all the cases by the obstetricians, symphyseotomy and pubiotomy being generally discarded in view of their many complications: hemorrhage, urinary fistulas, walking troubles... A simple new method of symphyseotomy was described in 1920-1924 by Enrique Zarate of Buenos-Aires called "subcutaneous partial symphyseotomy" which respects the superior ligament and a part of the inferior ligament of the symphysis. Accurately realised, it is little dangerous and is still used sometimes in difficult cases in some remote countries.

Female↗
PubMed1989

[Milk fever].

Infectious complications following delivery were, in the past, attributed to "milk fever": these were milk congestion, milk deposits, rancid milk, etc., that were held responsible. The milk was reabsorbed into the blood of the patient and settled in the peritoneum ("milk peritonitis"), in the broad ligaments (pelvic abscess), in the thighs (phlebitis) and also in the breasts (breast abscess). This belief, originated by Aristotle, was accepted by excellent authors like Andre Levret (1703-1780), one of the most famous French obstetricians and Nicolas Puzos, at the same time. More recently, authors alluded to it and blamed "milk fever" for being at the origin of dramatic pictures which they described in their novels, like Victor Hugo and Guy de Maupassant, for instance.

Female↗
PubMed1989

[The sabbatical year of a young French gynecologist-obstetrician in 1880].

During the year 1880, a young French gynecologist travelled through European countries, mostly in England, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. He was then able to listen to the teachings and to admire the dexterity of the most famous obstetricians and gynecologists of the time. In London, Spencer Wells in his operating room was surrounded by a listerian "carbolic fog" like the Thames's dickensian one. Alfred Hegar in Freiburg-in-Brisgau advocated bilateral castration in the treatment of myomatous hemorrhage. Breisky in Prague demonstrated the technic of Porro's cesarean hysterectomy. Olshausen in Halle supported the use of vaginal hysterectomy and Freund in Strasburg was the pioneer of abdominal complete hysterectomy for uterine cancer. Robert Barnes in London performed the tracheoplasty described by Marion Sims in 1861. Puerperal sepsis was at this time a great and frequent danger and, in Vienna, the old masters who rejected Semmelweis's theory explaining contagion and transmission of septic germs were still present. The young doctor visited Matthews Barnes in London, famous for his theory on the mechanism of placental expulsion, Hegar and his sign of early pregnancy and his dilators, Olshansen and his theory of rotation of the fetal head, Peter Müller in Bern and his maneuver for evaluating the cephalopelvic relationship (known also in the U.S. as Müller-Hillis maneuver), Theodor Langhans, also in Bern, who described three years ago his famous placental cells, Frankenhaüser in Zurich, the man of the plexiform ganglion of the parametrium, discovered before in 1842 by Robert Lee of Scotland. Last but not least, the visitor was astonished by some beds made of straw, burnt after the mothers were dismissed from the hospital, for keeping out dangers of contagion, by the student midwives so respectful that they kissed the hand of the Professor...and by the regular attendance of the students at the lessons. Among them, in Munich, was a friend of the young Frenchman, a Bavarian "Student Prince" as in the famous Sigmund Romberg musical comedy. After all, an operating room is, as you like it or not, a real stage with merely players... the best one being the patient. Perhaps Shakespeare would have thought so!

Europe↗
PubMed1988

Increased content of immunoreactive Leu-enkephalin and alteration of delta-opioid receptor in hearts of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The levels of immunoreactive Leu-enkephalin (ir-Leu-Enk) were measured in acid extract of hearts and lungs of adult normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. Heart contents in ir-Leu-Enk were significantly higher in SHR rats (2.67 pmol/g) than in WKY rats (1.5 pmol/g). However, no significant change was observed in lung ir-Leu-Enk levels of these same animals (0.7-0.91 pmol/g). Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) of heart extracts indicated that the major form of ir-Leu-Enk in SHR rats coelutes with synthetic Leu-Enk and is increased by an approximate factor of 4.2-fold as compared with its eluting counterpart in the WKY chromatogram. The delta-selective opioid ligand, [3H][D-Pen2, D-Pen5]-Enk [( 3H]DPDPE) bound to two distinct receptor sites in membrane preparations of hearts from WKY rats with Kd of 1.33 and 22.8 nM and Bmax of 3.9 and 14.6 pmol/g protein, respectively. The binding with the heart membrane preparation of SHR rats displayed only the high affinity delta-binding site with a Kd of 1.53 nM and a Bmax of 6.5 pmol/g protein. These data indicate that the hypertensive state in SHR rats is manifested through a rise in the cardiac level of Leu-Enk and a selective down-regulation of its low-affinity delta-opioid receptor.

Animals↗