[Neonatal screening of mucoviscidosis using radioimmunologic levels of trypsin in dried blood eluates].
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Cystic Fibrosis↗
Biomedical subjects
P Franchimont
Publications and source records attributed to P Franchimont.
[Epicondylitis and epicondylalgia].
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Adult↗
[Anesthesia in osteo-articular pathology and its specific problems].
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Anesthesia↗
Immunoreactive trypsin in the adult respiratory distress syndrome.
With the purpose of studying the role of proteinases in the development of ARDS, plasma levels of immunoreactive trypsin (IRT) and amylase were measured in 43 intensive care patients at risk of developing ARDS (22 polytrauma, seven abdominal surgery, four burns, two DIC and eight pancreatitis). Twenty four of these 43 patients developed ARDS and 31 presented abnormal IRT values (above 70 micrograms/L). Twenty-one of these 31 patients had ARDS; a significant correlation thus appeared between ARDS and abnormal IRT values. In nine patients, IRT values were higher than 800 micrograms/L and remained high for 3 to 4 days. A statistically significant correlation also appeared between abnormal IRT and septic phenomena: 20 patients with high IRT values presented septic problems. When IRT values were high, amylase values were often also abnormal: 12 of 23 patients with high IRT had abnormal amylase levels (the eight patients with documented pancreatitis were excluded); no other clinical signs or symptoms of pancreatitis were present in these patients. IRT could be one of the mediators of ARDS in septic patients. It is not clear that the pancreas is the origin of IRT in all cases.
Abdomen↗
Auranofin and D-penicillamine: a one year comparative study of safety and efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis followed by a two year open assessment of auranofin.
Forty-six patients with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis participated in a prospective clinical trial comparing auranofin 6 mg/day (26 patients) with D-penicillamine 500 mg/day (20 patients) during one year. NSAIDs were also given throughout the study period. After the first year, patients receiving auranofin with a satisfactory response continued for a further two years with a reduced dose of 3 mg/day. However the 6 mg dose could be reinstituted in patients showing deterioration after dose reduction. This paper only discusses the long-term treatment with auranofin. Seven out of 26 patients did not complete the one year treatment period; three because they did not return to follow-up, one because of inefficacy, and 3 because of untoward events. During the second year 5 more patients discontinued treatment, one because he was lost to follow-up, two because of inefficacy, one because of untoward events and another one because of a surgical procedure of the left knee. Two more patients discontinued auranofin treatment during the third year, one because of a flare up of his disease activity, and one because of a rash. Statistically significant improvements in the number of tender joints, activity and articular indices, duration of morning stiffness, pain score and ESR were observed at each time analysed. Statistically significant reductions in the number of swollen joints were seen throughout the first two years of treatment. Increases in grip strength were statistically significant at 6, 24 and 30 months. A statistically significant reduction was seen after 6 months of treatment in serum IgA and IgM concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Adult↗
Ovarian function is effectively inhibited by a low-dose triphasic oral contraceptive containing ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel.
For various metabolic and clinical reasons, it has been strongly advocated to reduce the dose of both the estrogen and progestogen components of oral contraceptives (OCs). In this study, we compared after 6 months of treatment, the action on various hormonal parameters of a standard-dose combined OC containing ethinylestradiol (EE) 0.050 mg and levonorgestrel (LNg) 0.250 mg and a low-dose triphasic combination containing a 59% reduced amount of the same steroids. Hormonal measurements in the last 3 days of OC intake indicated that basal levels of FSH and LH were less inhibited by the low-dose preparation, while PRL levels were unchanged. However, gonadal function was effectively inhibited by both high and low dose OCs, as demonstrated by equally low levels of E2, E1, P and 17-P. Consequently, no residual gonadal function could be anticipated from the observed low steroid concentrations. These results corroborated other studies (reviewed in this paper) in which serial hormonal measurements also revealed a complete lack of follicular maturation during low-dose triphasic OC treatment. Moreover, inhibition of circulating levels of A, DHEA, DHEAS, free T and DHT was similarly obtained with both preparations. Collectively, these data indicate that ovarian function is as effectively inhibited by a low-dose triphasic preparation as by a higher, standard-dose OC containing the same steroids.
Adult↗
Immunohistochemical detection of alphalactalbumin in breast lesions.
Alphalactalbumin was investigated in breast cells using the immunoperoxidase technique with a specific anti-alphalactalbumin serum. In 50 benign tumors alphalactalbumin immunoreactivity was demonstrated in the epithelium of fibroadenomas and in fibrocystic disease showing apocrine metaplasia. Alphalactalbumin immunoreactivity, investigated in 124 breast cancers, was present in all cells of lobular tumors but in only 76% of other cancers where the pattern was heterogeneous. Perineoplastic mammary tissue of normal appearance was not labeled with the anti-alphalactalbumin antiserum except where lobular hyperplasia was present. The presence of alphalactalbumin-type immunoreactivity was not correlated with the histopathological staging of Bloom and Richardson, nor with menopausal status. The incidence of positivity was 90% when estrogen and progesterone receptors were present in the tumor. The demonstration of alphalactalbumin using immunoperoxidase could be used to complement the histological classification of breast cancers.
Breast Neoplasms↗
Radioimmunoassay of proteoglycans.
Human articular cartilage proteoglycan monomers (PG) were purified and used for developing a radioimmunoassay. Its analytical sensitivity is 0.6 ng/tube and its clinical sensitivity is 20 microliter/tube for serum and 0.12 microliter/tube for synovial fluid. The intra- and between-assay variation coefficient are less than 10 and 20%, respectively, in the linear part of the curve. There is a complete cross reaction with costal, vertebral disk and tracheal cartilage PGs and the PGs extracted from vein and artery. Concerning the latter, inhibition curves are not parallel. No cross reaction exists with PGs from various fetal tissues and small PGs from bone. However, large PGs from bone produce a weak cross reaction. Furthermore, the assay is species specific since cartilage PGs from dog, rat, chicken and calf embryos either do not or weakly cross react in the assay. Other constituents of cartilage: type II collagen, fibronectin, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid do not interfere with the assay. The antigenic determinants are localized on the protein core of the PG, as shown by the lack of cross reaction with glycosaminoglycans and PG treatment with various enzymes.
Animals↗
Age-related differences in the effect of castration upon hypothalamic LHRH content in male rats.
Male rats aged between 15 and 75 days were orchidectomized or only anesthetized. After various periods from 2 h to 42 days, 8 animals of both groups were sacrificed. Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) as well as the hypothalamic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) content were determined by radioimmunoassay. At the times studied within 15 days of castration, no significant change in hypothalamic LHRH content was observed in rats orchidectomized at 21 days of age. However, when studied 3-6 weeks after castration, those animals showed a reduced hypothalamic LHRH content. No differences were observed between anesthetized and orchidectomized rats aged 15, 18 or 21 days and studied 1 week later. In contrast, castration of 75-day-old rats resulted in a significant reduction of the hypothalamic LHRH content after 2-15 days. A significant decrease was also observed 1 week after orchidectomy of rats aged 24-50 days. 1 day after orchidectomy, LH and FSH serum levels were markedly increased in 21- as well as 75-day-old rats. In the latter, serum LH concentrations did not change any further whereas in the former a plateau was only seen after 1 week. In rats orchidectomized at various ages ranging from 15 to 50 days, no consistent differences appeared in serum gonadotropin concentrations evaluated 7 days later. According to these data, variations in hypothalamic LHRH content after orchidectomy differ according to age and maturity. In 15- to 21-day-old rats, the age-related increase in hypothalamic LHRH content was not immediately affected by castration as it was in older animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Aging↗
Effect of neuraminidase on inhibin activity in vivo and in vitro.
Matrex gel red A purified follicular fluid has been used to study whether or not this material contains sialic acid residues and their importance in maintaining the biological activity of inhibin both in vitro and in vivo. It appears that sialic acid is present in these preparations and can be released either by neuraminidase treatment of acid hydrolysis. The addition of intact and desialylated inhibin-containing material to isolated rat pituitary cells in culture gives similar inhibition of LHRH-induced FSH release of these cells indicating that sialic acid is not required for inhibin activity in vitro. The injection of intact inhibin preparations leads to a reduction of the uterine weight increase seen in immature female mice primed with human chorionic gonadotropin. By contrast, the inhibition of this uterine weight increment by 80% desialylated inhibin-containing material is significantly reduced, suggesting that sialic acid residues play an important role in maintaining the biological activity of inhibin in vivo.
Animals↗
Puberty-related increase in episodic LHRH release from rat hypothalamus in vitro.
The retrochiasmatic hypothalamus (RCH) was removed from brains of male rats between 12 and 50 days of age, and immediately studied in vitro. The release of LHRH from the RCH was evaluated by periodic (7.5-min) collections of culture medium and subsequent RIA. With synthetic LHRH in the experimental system, the mean (+/- 1 SD) recovery was 94 +/- 7% with a variation coefficient of 14 +/- 3%. An increase in LHRH release was considered to be significant when it exceeded 6 pg/7.5 min. Biological viability of RCH in vitro was assessed by an increased release of LHRH in response to the depolarizing effect of veratridine. As age increased, from 12 to 50 days, the hypothalamic LHRH content steadily increased. However, a significant increase in veratridine - induced release of LHRH occurred only at 23 days and thereafter. At various ages, single hypothalami were studied during a mean 112-min period to evaluate the spontaneous release of LHRH. In all age groups, the in vitro LHRH release occurred in pulses. However, mean pulse frequency increased significantly with age: in 12- and 17-day-old rats, 0.3 pulse/112 min was observed; at 23, 25 and 27 days, this frequency varied between 1.8 and 3.0 pulses/112 min. At 50 days of age, the observed frequency was within the same range. We conclude that the RCH obtained from rats of various ages may retain in vitro its capacity to release LHRH episodically and that the frequency of these episodic pulses markedly increases with age to the time of the onset of puberty in male rats.
Age Factors↗
Effect of follicular atresia on inhibin production by bovine granulosa cells in vitro and inhibin concentrations in the follicular fluid.
The ability of bovine granulosa cells to produce inhibin and to synthesize oestradiol-17 beta increased with increasing follicle size in healthy but not atretic follicles. Granulosa cells from small (less than or equal to 5 mm diam.) healthy follicles were indistinguishable from cells of atretic follicles in terms of their ability to produce inhibin and to aromatize androgen. However, granulosa cells from healthy and atretic follicles, irrespective of size, differed markedly in their morphological appearance after culture for 24 h. Testosterone (1 microgram/ml) stimulated inhibin production by granulosa cells from healthy and atretic follicles while FSH (100 ng/ml) stimulated inhibin production by granulosa cells from healthy follicles only. The relative ability of granulosa cells from different sizes of healthy and atretic follicles to produce inhibin in vitro was reflected in inhibin concentrations in follicular fluid. There was a significant positive correlation between inhibin concentration in follicular fluid and the number of granulosa cells per follicle. There was also a significant positive correlation between follicular diameter and inhibin concentration in follicular fluid, but only in healthy follicles. These findings show that both follicular size and atresia influence follicular inhibin production.
Animals↗
Biological determination of inhibin in rat ovarian-cell culture medium.
Rat ovarian-cell culture medium contains steroids and inhibin material that are able to influence basal and LHRH-stimulated secretion of FSH and LH from dispersed pituitary cells. Studies on procedures to remove steroids, such as ethyl acetate extraction and charcoal: dextran adsorption, showed that adsorption of the culture medium with 0.5 to 1.0% charcoal and 0.05 to 0.1% dextran, respectively, was the optimal method to eliminate most of the steroids in the medium without a detrimental effect on inhibin activity. The inclusion of serum or bovine albumin in the culture medium after the culture protected the inhibin from adsorption by the charcoal: dextran treatment. The inhibin present in the rat ovarian-cell culture medium treated with 1.0% charcoal: 0.1% dextran behaved like the inhibin reference standard (from rete testis fluid of the sheep: RTFS) in the basal secretion of FSH and the LHRH-stimulated secretion of FSH and LH in the in-vitro bioassay.
Adsorption↗
An in-vitro model for the study of inhibin production by rat ovarian cells.
A culture system for ovarian cells from immature rats injected with PMSG was developed to study the production of inhibin. The results showed that 2 X 10(6) cells per culture dish (60 X 15 mm) were necessary for sustained production of inhibin and that serum was an obligatory component in the medium. Serum from bovine fetuses was better than serum from newborn calves for inhibin production. The constituents responsible for the maintenance of inhibin production by fetal bovine serum could be adsorbed with 1% charcoal and 0.1% dextran.
Adsorption↗
Increase in ovulation rate after active immunization of sheep with inhibin partially purified from bovine follicular fluid.
Four Romney ewes were actively immunized with a partially purified preparation of inhibin derived from bovine follicular fluid and their ovulation rates in four successive oestrous cycles were compared with those of four ewes receiving adjuvant alone. The ovulation rates of the ewes immunized with the inhibin preparation were significantly higher than those of the control ewes (2.06 +/- 0.16 (S.E.M.) vs 1.31 +/- 0.06 ovulations/ewe, n = 4). Plasma concentrations of FSH and LH, measured in blood samples taken three times a week for 11 weeks, during which time each ewe was immunized three times, were not significantly different between the two treatment groups. These results suggest that active immunization with inhibin-enriched follicular fluid may be a potential means of increasing fecundity in sheep.
Animals↗
[Are chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and its alpha and beta subunits useful markers in non-trophoblastic tumors?].
HCG and its subunits alpha and beta are produced by trophoblastic cancers constituting an index of early detection and monitoring for these tumors. Unlike HCG-alpha, we can obtain specific HCG and HCG-beta assays with LH-neutralized antiserum. Many normal non-trophoblastic tissues exhibit a HCG-like immunoreactivity. All choriocarcinomatous testicular tumors produce HCG and HCG-beta. Half of all testicular teratomas produce HCG and its subunits while a third of all seminomas exhibit an HCG-like immunoreactivity, whether choriocarcinomatous component is present or not. Serum HCG levels are elevated in seminomas (5 to 22%) as well as teratomas '55 to 89%). Less than 15% of breast, digestive and lung cancers have increased serum levels of HCG and/or its 2 subunits. HCG is most often produced by undifferentiated lung cancers, hepatoblastomas and adrenal carcinomas. There is usually a parallel relation between these serum levels and the clinical evolution of the disease under chemotherapy. In breast cancer, these levels do not constitue a "prognosis index". HCG production by non-trophoblastic tumors can induce clinical symptoms such as precocious puberty and gynecomastia.
Breast Neoplasms↗
[Human chorionic gonadotropin and its subunits in normal and pathologic pregnancies].
Improved sensitivity and specificity of radioimmunoassays (RIAs) for hCG, hCG alpha and hCG beta have allowed measurements of these substances to become a powerful diagnostic aid applicable to several clinical disorders of pregnancy. In threatened abortion of the 1st trimester, the doubling time of hCG concentrations is significantly slower than in early normal pregnancies. Low levels of hCG are uniformly encountered in case of impending abortion. The overall predictive value of hCG determinations is 75-97%, whereas the predictive value of hCG alpha and hCG beta levels 88%. In patients progressing slowly to inevitable abortion, an increase in hCG alpha and/or the ratio hCG alpha: hCG is frequently observed. In ectopic pregnancies, sensitive new-generation tube tests and RIAs can detect urine or serum hCG in almost 100% of the cases. Abnormally low levels of hCG are encountered in about 85% of the patients. A significant increase in the ratio hCG alpha: hCG is observed. Toxemia of pregnancy is abided by significantly higher maternal levels of serum hCG, hCG alpha and hCG beta and by a lower ratio hPL: hCG than in normal pregnancies, or pregnancies complicated by isolated or chronic hypertension. It is concluded that in the above-mentioned pathological conditions of pregnancy, hCG is a reliable trophoblastic marker and that, additionally, hCG alpha could prove to be an index of chronic placental hypoxia.
Abortion, Spontaneous↗
Effects of arginine aspartate and its components on growth hormone, insulin and glucagon secretion in the rat.
The effects of orally administered arginine aspartate (250 mg per kg) on the secretion of insulin, glucagon and growth hormone in the rat have been compared with those of equimolar doses of arginine (142 mg per kg) and aspartic acid (108 mg per kg). There were no significant changes in the blood levels of insulin and glucagon. Arginine aspartate increased growth hormone levels whereas its two components failed to induce any significant changes. This stimulatory effect on growth hormone is discussed.
Animals↗