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Biomedical subjects

C Jacques

Publications and source records attributed to C Jacques.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Primary pulmonary hypertension and human immunodeficiency virus infection in a non-hemophiliac man.

We describe clinical and postmortem findings in a 44-year-old man with pulmonary hypertension and infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Plexogenic angiopathy and veno-occlusive lesions were present, in addition to a mild, patchy pulmonary interstitial lymphoid infiltrate. The clinical data for 14 previously reported cases of HIV-associated primary pulmonary hypertension are summarized. We speculate that these vascular changes may be due to damage from a specific immune response to HIV.

Adult

Sulphidopeptide leukotrienes in asthma.

Bronchial asthma is characterized by airways inflammation and airways hyperresponsiveness. It is unlikely that the pathophysiology of asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness can be explained on the basis of a single cell or a single class of mediators. Nevertheless, the possibility that leukotrienes may contribute to the pathogenesis of the inflammatory, vasoactive ans spasmogenic components of bronchial asthma is suggested by the properties of these lipid mediators, the preferential capacity of inflammatory cells to generate leukotrienes and the presence of leukotrienes in the airways of asthmatic subjects. The sulphidopeptide leukotrienes are potent bronchoconstrictor agonists when inhaled. The airways of asthmatic subjects are hyperresponsive to leukotrienes as to other bronchoconstrictor agonists. Nevertheless, the airways responsiveness of asthmatic subjects to these agonists demonstrate several unusual properties. While the airways of asthmatic subjects are relatively less responsive to LTC4 and LTD4, compared to agents such as histamine or methacholine, they demonstrate a marked and selective hyperresponsiveness to LTE4, suggesting a possibly unique role for this mediator in the pathogenesis of airways hyperresponsiveness. In addition an increased sensitivity of the airways to LTE4 may contribute to the mechanism of aspirin-induced asthma. The capacity of the sulphidopeptide leukotrienes to increase the airways responsiveness of normal subjects to methacholine and of asthmatic subjects to histamine is further evidence for a role for these substances in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma.

Animals

Differentiation of vaccine and field strains of bovine herpesvirus type 1 by restriction endonuclease analysis.

Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) DNA molecules obtained from a limited number of infected cells were cleaved with a variety of restriction endonucleases. By use of selected DNA fragments in Bgl 1, Pst 1, Pvu 1 and Pvu 11 restriction patterns, one reference, two vaccine and three wild-type strains of BHV-1 were distinguished from one another. The simplified DNA fingerprinting method described here should be most useful, not only to control the genetic stability of BHV-1 vaccines during production, but also to differentiate the vaccine strains from other isolates in clinical cases.

Animals

Locus of control and anxiety in children from intact and maritally disrupted families.

This study investigated the associations of Locus of Control (Children Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale) with state and trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children) in 302 children aged 9 to 12 yr. No significant differences were found between the groups. No significant correlations were found between the anxiety measures and externality for the 31 children from maritally disrupted families, but significant positive Pearson correlations were found for the 271 children of intact families. The results are discussed in terms of the possibility of under-reporting of marital disruption by children.

Anxiety

Genome typing of mouse adenoviruses.

Restriction endonuclease cleavage site analysis was used to differentiate between mouse adenovirus (MAV) types 1 and 2 strains. Viral DNA of suitable purity and quantity for multiple enzymatic digestions was obtained from cloned CMT-93 mouse tumor cells infected with each type of MAV. Clear differences between the MAV-1 (FL) and MAV-2 (K87) genomes were observed after cleavage with restriction enzymes such as BglII, EcoRI, and PaeR7. Fast electrophoresis of DNA fragments in miniature agarose slab gels allowed rapid and unequivocal identification of the MAV strains. This relatively simple and accurate method should be quite useful to determine the different modes of transmission of mouse adenoviruses and their presence in various animal populations.

Adenoviridae

TRH-induced TSH and prolactin responses in the elderly.

Since there are divergencies in the thyrotropin (TSH) response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in old age, and since a hypothalamopituitary dysfunction has been suggested in the elderly, we have studied the thyroid function and the TRH responsiveness of TSH and prolactin (PRL) in 56 euthyroid patients over 70 years old, grouped according to age (70-79, 80-89, 90 or more years) and sex. Results were compared to those of 15 postmenopausal women and 11 men. In the elderly patients there was a decrease in plasma tri-iodothyronine (T3) and an increase in reverse T3 (rT3) levels while thyroxine (T4), basal TSH and PRL levels remained normal. The mean TSH and PRL responses to TRH (250 micrograms i.v.) were reduced but there was no age effect within the elderly. Only a sex effect was detected, TSH and PRL responses being appreciably lowered in men. In eight patients without severe disease or malnutrition, the response of TSH was not significant. We conclude that despite an apparent euthyroid status, TSH and PRL responses are blunted in elderly patients, and more in men than in women. These data, consistent with a hypothetical hypothalamopituitary dysfunction, indicate the difficulties of thyroid status assessment in the elderly.

Aged

[Screening for diabetes during pregnancy (author's transl)].

Screening for diabetes, or more commonly the study of maternal glucose tolerance, a routine procedure during pregnancy. The first step consists of assessing the diabetic risk for the patient. Screening tests should be applied early if risk factors for diabetes are present, and/or at a later stage in all pregnant women. The initial test should always be provoked hyperglycemia by the intravenous route. According to the value of the glucose assimilation coefficient K, the test will be repeated using the oral route. Screening can only be effective if applied to all pregnant women.

Administration, Oral

[Disorders of haemostasis in patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis, with special reference to recurrent arteriovenous fistula thrombosis. Effects of dipyridamole (author's transl)].

Platelet functions and blood coagulation have been regularly investigated in 31 patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis for 5 months to 6 years. Fifteen of them suffered from at least two arteriovenous fistula thrombosis during the year prior the first examination. Eleven patients, including eight with recurrent thrombosis, received 300-400 mg per day dipyridamole during 1 month to 2 years. Some abnormalities are commonly observed in the whole studied population: lowering of platelet adhesiveness, defective aggregation in the presence of both collagen and ADP 5. 10-5 M; increased level of factor V and mainly factor VIII. Mean platelet factor 3 activity was in the normal range with variations from one case to another. The only unusual feature observed in patients with recurrent thrombosis was an increase of platelet aggregation induced by ADP 0.5. 10-6 M. Neither spontaneous aggregation nor significant abnormality of plasminogen level and plasma antithrombin activity were observed. Under dipyridamole therapy, correction of platelet hyperaggregability was observed in all patients and improvement of platelet adhesiveness in half the studied cases (despite the unchanged anaemia). The treatment significantly decreased the frequency of arteriovnous fistule thrombosis in the six patients observed during two consecutive years, the first one without and the second under treatment: the total number of thrombosis was 18 during the first and 3 in the second period.

Adenosine Diphosphate