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Biomedical subjects

F Hernandez

Publications and source records attributed to F Hernandez.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[Stage T1 tumor of the bladder. From research to prognosis].

The reserved prognosis of stage T1 (A) bladder tumours is emphasised in relation to a series of 41 cases: 95% of tumours recurred, one third of these recurrent tumours posed a therapeutic problem because of their diffuse nature (15%) or tumour progression (24%). The risk of allowing a limited tumour to progress towards and extensively infiltrating carcinoma justifies the search for a prognostic factor allowing the early recognition of the more aggressive lesions. At the present time, no one prognostic element can indicate with certainty the course of the T1 tumour. All of the data obtained from detailed histological examination of the tumour and the adjacent urothelium and from the early course of the tumour allow a better evaluation of the prognosis. The search for surface antigens (ABO) and, more recently, chromosome analysis and study of the DNA content of the tumour by flow cytometry, may complete this prognostic evaluation.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

[Extracorporeal lithotripsy in a young child. Use of the EDAP LT 01 apparatus in a 20-month-old girl].

The possibility for treating adults with renal stone by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is proved to be an effective method. However, up to now, a few cases in the world were reported in childhood, never before the patient was 3 years old; although 65% of urinary stones in children can be observed before 3 years. We report the first successful application of the EDAP lithotriptor in the management of a twenty months little girl with upper urinary stone. We conclude that this treatment must be developed in future.

Age Factors↗

[Extracorporeal lithotripsy in urinary calculi using the LT 01 EDAP].

Three hundred and sixty nine extracorporeal lithotripsies for renal stones have been performed using the EDAP apparatus (ultrasound detection, piezoelectric destruction). In 7.1% of cases, the stone could not be located. By using low frequencies (1.25 to 5 cycles per second), extracorporeal lithotripsy was able to be performed in 82% of cases without anaesthesia and without premedication. 96.5% of patients treated have been followed and reviewed at one and three months: 169 (61%) cases were successful, 59 (21.3%) were partial results and 49 (17.7%) were failures. The best results were obtained in stones less than 20 mm in diameter. A poor result can only be improved by a second session of extracorporeal lithotripsy. The scintigraphic scars observed after high frequency extracorporeal lithotripsy were not observed when low frequencies were used. This new outpatient extracorporeal lithotripsy procedure without anaesthesia currently represents 79% of our primary indications in renal stones.

Adult↗

[Cecocystoplasty. Observations apropos 45 cases].

45 patients underwent urinary diversion by caecocystoplasty following simple or radical cystectomy with or without prostatectomy. The immediate postoperative course of such a major operation was surprisingly simple both in terms of the gastrointestinal tract (due to the use of automatic sutures) and in terms of the urinary tract. Micturition and diurnal continence were perfect. The few cases of incontinence related to high caecal pressure were controlled by perineal reeducation and/or the prescription of oxybutynin. A Peniflow apparatus controls the inevitable enuresis of these neobladders when the trigone has not been preserved. The upper tract is perfectly protected. The authors consider that the caecal reservoir warrants a place of choice in bladder replacement after cystectomy.

Adult↗

Immunocytochemical localization of serotonin in the reptilian lung.

The distribution of serotonin-immunoreactive cells in the lung of 4 species of reptiles was investigated. Serotonin-containing cells were found forming groups in the interconnecting septa in all 4 species studied, and also as solitary cells in Testudo graeca and Mauremys caspica. Serotonin-containing cells were also localized in the intramural ganglia of Pseudemys scripta elegans and Testudo graeca. The present study confirms that serotonin is widely distributed in the lung of vertebrates.

Animals↗

Low serum B12 levels in a hematologically normal elderly subpopulation.

Serum Vitamin B12 levels were determined on 378 patients ranging in age from 56 to 104 years with a median age of 77 for both males and females. A radiodilution method was employed for these determinations. This screening procedure identified 26 patients with low serum B12 levels. Nineteen of these patients had no other symptoms and were hematologically normal. The B12 binding proteins, transcobalamins (TC) I, II, and III were quantitated employing QUSO and DEAE cellulose batch separations. The total number of TC II binding/affinity sites for B12 were elevated in both the normal and low B12 elderly groups. About 17% of the total serum B12 was carried by TC II in the control group while only 4% of the total was carried on TC II in both the normal and low B12 elderly. This was accompanied by an increase in unsaturation in TC II for these two groups. The findings suggest that an alteration in the TC II-B12 delivery system has occurred in the elderly.

Adult↗

A microscopic study of the tracheal epithelium of Testudo graeca and Pseudemys scripta elegans.

The tracheal epithelium of Testudo graeca and Pseudemys scripta elegans was studied by means of light and electron microscopy, histochemistry and immunocytochemistry. Three cell types were detected by conventional light microscopy: mucous, ciliated and basal. The Grimelius silver argyrophil technique was positive in a population of tracheal cells. By immunocytochemistry, serotonin-containing cells were identified. The mucous cells of Testudo graeca contained sialomucins and sulphomucins; however, only sialomucins were detected in Pseudemys scripta elegans. By electron microscopy four cell types were observed: mucous, ciliated, basal and endocrine. Plasma cells were also found. The differences between the species studied lay mainly in the ultrastructure of the ciliated cells, the mucous granules and the presence of a special type of basal cell called 'clear basal cells' in non-hibernating specimens of Testudo graeca. During hibernation, the tracheal epithelium of Testudo graeca showed the following changes: (1) Myelin bodies were present in the cytoplasm. (2) The intercellular spaces were remarkably widened. (3) No 'clear basal cells' were present. In conclusion, the tracheal epithelium of the reptiles studied showed a pattern similar to that described in mammals but some differences from reptiles previously studied were found.

Animals↗

Gastric mucosal somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in peptic ulcer.

Somatostatin (SS) has been reported to exert potent inhibitory effects on gastric acid, pepsin and gastrin secretion. Although still controversial, the results of several studies have shown a possible influence of a local decrease in gastric somatostatin in the physiopathologic characteristics of peptic ulcer disease. In the present study, immunoreactive SS content (SLI) of antral (SLI-a), corpal (SLI-c) and fundic (SLI-f) mucosal extracts was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in control patients (C) and in those patients with duodenal ulcer (DU) or gastric ulcer (GU) to further study a possible role of SS in peptic ulcer disease. Fifty-five patients (C = 20, DU = 21 and GU = 14) were included in the study. Gastric mucosal samples were obtained either by endoscopic biopsy (4.6 +/- 0.2 milligrams of weight) or operation (52.3 +/- 3.8 milligrams of weight). RIA was performed after a modified Arimura's method and results were expressed as nanograms per milligram of tissue plus or minus standard error of the mean. Chromatographic analysis of gastric mucosal extracts was performed on a Sephadex G-25 fine column. A great interindividual variation in SLI levels was observed (a range of 0.02 to 5.30 nanograms per milligram of weight). The mean SLI concentrations were: C (SLI-a, 2.55 +/- 0.45, SLI-c, 0.99 +/- 0.46 and SLI-f, 1.03 +/- 0.21); DU (SLI-a, 0.48 +/- 0.16, SLI-c, 0.43 +/- 0.13, and SLI-f, 0.58 +/- 0.12), and GU (SLI-a, 1.10 +/- 0.25, SLI-c, 0.40 +/- 0.10, and SLI-f, 0.81 +/- 0.24). Significantly greater amounts of SLI contents were found in the antrum of control patients as compared with those found in the corpus or fundus (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01, respectively). SLI-a levels were lower in peptic ulcer patients (DU, p less than 0.001 and GU, p less than 0.05) than in control patients. There was also a significant difference between SLI-a levels in DU versus GU patients (p less than 0.05). No significant differences were found in SLI-c and SLI-f contents in all three groups studied. In conclusion, these results suggest that decreased SS levels in antral gastric mucosa could be the alteration underlying the various physiopathologic mechanisms involved in the development of peptic ulcer disease.

Adult↗

Antral gastrin-producing G-cells and somatostatin-producing D-cells in peptic ulcer.

The number of G cells and D cells per area unit and the G cell/D cell ratio was studied in control subjects and patients with duodenal or gastric ulcer. A great inter-individual variation in the population density of both types of cells was observed in the three groups studied. G cell density was significantly decreased in both duodenal and gastric ulcer patients, when compared with controls; whereas no difference in G cell density was seen between duodenal ulcer patients and gastric ulcer patients. However, D cell density was significantly decreased in duodenal ulcer patients when compared with control subjects and gastric ulcer patients. In this latter group, D cell density was also lower than in control subjects. A significant positive linear correlation between G cell number and D cell number was found in the three groups studied. The G cell/D cell ratio was significantly increased in duodenal and gastric ulcer patients when compared with controls. This was mainly due to a decrease in D cell numbers. It is concluded that a local deficit in antral D cells in patients with peptic ulcer may favor the pathogenesis of ulcer disease.

Adult↗

Temperature effects on cholinesterases from rat brain capillaries.

The activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in rat brain capillaries were measured as a function of temperature. Arrhenius plots of the data revealed that AChE exhibits a biphasic Arrhenius plot with a distinct break (transition temperature) at about 15.2 kcal/mol. In contrast, BuChE did not show evidence of discontinuity. BuChE showed an activation energy higher than that of AChE in the physiological range of temperature. These data suggest a lack of lipid-protein interaction in the case of BuChE. Although the possibility exists that BuChE is weakly anchored to the membranes, our results indicate that BuChE is not bound, at least significantly, to cellular membranes in brain capillaries as is AChE.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Folate and vitamin B12 levels in an urban elderly population with chronic diseases. Assessment of two laboratory folate assays: microbiologic and radioassay.

Folate levels of serum and red blood cells (RBC) and vitamin B12 serum levels were investigated in 326 urban chronically ill elderly ambulatory patients and 41 healthy young control subjects. Two laboratory methods were used for investigating the folate levels, the microbiologic assay (MBA) with Lactobacillus casei and radioassay (RA). Serum and RBC samples of 326 patients were tested by the folate MBA and 270 of the same samples by the RIA methods. In the MBA 6.8% of the patients and 12.2% of controls had low levels of folate RBC (less than 200 ng/mL) and 1.8% of patients and 4.8% of controls had low serum folate levels (less than 5 ng/mL). All of the patients with the low folate levels had normal hematologic findings and no clinical symptoms of folate deficiency. In the RIA method, all of the patients and almost all of the control subjects (except one) had normal folate levels. Ten of the patients (3%) had low levels of serum vitamin B12 (less than 200 pg/mL). They were hematologically normal. They had normal Schilling tests and normal vitamin B12 dietary intake. Their RBC folate levels were normal and even somewhat higher. Forty percent of these patients had macular degeneration of the eyes. The data indicate the superiority of the RA method over the MBA and bring into question the accuracy of previous studies. The data furnish further evidence that a low vitamin B12 level in the elderly is not necessarily a true vitamin B12 deficiency and raise the possibility of an association between low B12 serum levels and macular degeneration of the eyes.

Adult↗