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Biomedical subjects

R Mercier

Publications and source records attributed to R Mercier.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

How to characterize meiotic functions in plants?

Our understanding of plant meiosis is rapidly increasing thanks to the model Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we present the results of a screening for meiotic mutants carried out with a library containing 30,719 T-DNA insertion lines. An average of one mutant per 1000 lines was recovered. Several phenotypic classes could be distinguished and are presented. In parallel, 39 proteins known to be involved in meiosis in non-plant organisms were chosen and a search was performed for homologue sequences in the completed Arabidopsis thaliana genome. Approximately 30% of the meiotic related sequences showed similarities with one or several Arabidopsis putative genes. The relevance of forward versus reverse genetics in order to characterize meiotic functions is discussed.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of external gastrointestinal fistulas by a combination of total parenteral nutrition and somatostatin.

Thirty-seven patients with external gastrointestinal fistulas were treated with a combination of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and somatostatin (ST). There was a significant fall in fistula output within the first day of treatment (p less than 0.001). On the first day of combined therapy, the reduction of fistula output was 70%, and in 68% of the cases, the fistula output fell to less than 50% of the initial level. Spontaneous closure was observed in 82% of the cases, and the time taken to close the fistula ranged between 1 and 14 days of starting therapy [5.4 +/- 0.7 days (mean +/- SEM)]. The response to TPN-ST treatment occurred, irrespective of age and sex of patients, duration and daily output of the fistulas before ST use, and their location in the gastrointestinal tract. Infection of fistula output was a factor of adverse prognosis. In all cases, and in the absence of mechanical obstacles, treatment that combines TPN and ST could be tried and continued up to 14 days in cases in which the fistula output falls more than 50% on the first day of treatment.

Adult↗