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Biomedical subjects

A Perrot

Publications and source records attributed to A Perrot.

47 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

Evolution of the digestive microflora in a unit of specified-pathogen-free mice: efficiency of the barrier.

RhoIco strain], barrier-maintained since 1970, is described. Some "contaminants" appeared spontaneously during the period 1971-1973, but microorganisms belonging to the genera Lactobacillus Streptococcus, Enterobacteria, Escherichia and Bacillus remained stable. The methods of investigation used were not suitable for the assessment of strictly anaerobic strains. The stability of the digestive microflora durine the last 2 years of this study is believed to be related to the skill and conscientiousness of the technicians responsible for the daily care of these mice.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Growth hormone treatment in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Treatment with human recombinant growth hormone (GH) has yielded conflicting results in patients with congestive heart failure. We analyzed the baseline somatotrophic axis in 50 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Then, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of GH was performed. We randomly allocated these patients to treatment with subcutaneous GH (2 IU daily) or placebo for a minimum of 12 weeks. The primary end-points were the effect on left ventricular (LV) mass and systolic wall stress. The secondary endpoint was LV ejection fraction. Severity of heart failure as determined by cardiac index, LV end-diastolic diameter, and plasma noradrenaline concentrations correlated markedly with baseline serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels. Patients in the GH group had an increase in LV mass compared with the placebo group (p = 0.0001). There was no significant difference in LV systolic wall stress, mean blood pressure, or systemic vascular resistance between the two groups. New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification and distance in 6-minute walk test remained unchanged. The change in IGF-1 concentrations between GH and placebo group was notably related (p = 0.0001) to the change in LV mass (p = 0.0001). The GH-induced increase of IGF-1 predicted the changes of ejection fraction (p < 0.05). A marked increase of ejection fraction of 7% was observed in patients whose IGF-1 increased by more than the median increase, in comparison to the patients with an increase below the median (p = 0.03). Serum levels of IGF-1 reflecting GH secretion are diminished in relation to severity of heart failure in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. GH-induced increases of IGF-1 of more than 80 pg/mL caused notable improvement of ejection fraction. There is a marked increase in LV mass in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy given GH. Changes in LV mass are related to changes in serum IGF-1 concentrations.

Biomarkers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[ROC (receiver operating characteristics) curve: principles and application in biology].

Laboratory test's diagnostic performances are generally estimated by means of their sensibility, specificity and positive and negative predictive values. Unfortunately, these indices reflect only imperfectly the capacity of a test to correctly classify subjects into clinically relevant subgroups. The appeal to ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve appears as a tool of choice for this evaluation. Used in the medical domain since the 60s, ROC curve is a graphic representation of the relation existing between the sensibility and the specificity of a test, calculated for all possible cut-off. It allows the determination and the comparison of the diagnostic performances of several tests. It is also used to consider the optimal cut-off of a test, by taking into account epidemiological and medical - economic data of the disease. Used in numerous medical domains, this statistical tool is easily accessible thanks to the development of computer softwares. This article exposes the principles of construction and exploitation of a ROC curve.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Obstetrical activities at the Dakar Principal Hospital (a 4-year retrospective 1978-1981)].

The authors give an account of the obstetrical activity at Dakar Principal Hospital over the last four years. After a short description of the operating conditions, they present two tables: one displays the comprehensive activity and the other lists the indications for the cesarean section which are, most frequently, carried out with an emergency background and the incidence of which rates much lower (2,9 p. 100) than reported in the industrialized countries.

Cesarean Section↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Rett syndrome and autism. Early comparative evaluation for signs of autism using family movies].

Rett's syndrome progresses in 4 stages: the first signs of the disorder appear after a period of 6 to 7 months, during which development is considered to be normal. This asymptomatic period is apparently an essential criterion of the diagnosis, but some parents have reported some prodromes. In stage II of the disease (before 3 years), signs common with autism dominate the clinical picture and the diagnosis of the latter was often formulated. Our working hypothesis is that the pedopsychiatric analysis of home movies of young girls with Rett's syndrome, taken by the parents before the age of 2, may be able to show early clinical signs. The present study involved examining home movies of children subsequently diagnosed as having Rett's syndrome (n = 9) in comparison to those of autistic (n = 9) and normal (n = 9) children, using semiological evaluation tools (IBSE, BFE). The persons scoring were not advised of the diagnosis. The observations were thus situated before the disorders and/or at the time of their appearance. The study confirms the asymptomatic interval between birth and the first signs of the disease, it defines the mode of onset and shows the disturbance of certain functions such as intent and imitation, more pronounced in Rett's syndrome children between 12 and 18 months. At this age, it also enables Rett's and autistic children to be differentiated on the basis of the different involvement of the "cognition" function and unusual posture, more pronounced in these girls. It does not, however, differentiate Rett's from autism between 6 and 12 months and it is thus not surprising that at this stage the diagnosis of rett's syndrome or autism may be a source of confusion.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Further clinical evaluations elicited by functional biological investigations in childhood autism].

As childhood autism is usually considered as a developmental disorder, complete assessment of each patient requires non only clinical examination but various biological investigations: EEG and evoked potentials recordings, biochemical dosages and sometimes, cerebral blood flow measures, molecular biologic explorations.... These investigations help to understand neurophysiological dysfunctionings which underly different autistic syndromes. It therefore seems necessary to develop quantified clinical tools which could allow closer matching between clinical evaluations and biological numerical data. These complementary evaluations must be both simple and quick to perform in medical practice, as they are added to an already heavy clinical examination. The main tools used in our bioclinical Department are described here. For each child, psychiatric, pediatric and neurological examination was performed. Different scales were progressively elaborated and validated to complete and precise behavioral parameters. Attention and perception were evaluated by a Behavior Summarized Evaluation (BSE) scale, association and imitation by appropriate scales, language by the Pre-Verbal Behavior Summarized Evaluation (PV-BSE) scale, early symptoms by the Infant Behavior Summarized Evaluation (t-BSE) scale. The main neurophysiological dysfunctionings were grouped in a Behavioral Functional Inventory (BFI). Clinical genetic data were scored in a summarized assessment carrying both on the antecedents and on the somatic abnormalities. The completed clinical data were gathered in a Quantified Multidimensional Assessment (QMA), with four axes: socialization, communication, cognition and neurological observation. These clinical evaluations provide behavioral details that can be integrated into a bioclinical database and give an objective approach to the heterogeneity of autism. They invite both clinicians and biologists to deepen the description of individual profiles which allow better understanding of physiopathological mechanisms in autistic children.

Attention↗