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Biomedical subjects

G Debry

Publications and source records attributed to G Debry.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Effects of coffee on the respiratory system].

The consumption of coffee is a very old and popular habit. It is possible that it may have an effect on the respiratory system and on the regulation of respiration. Apart from the manifestations of hypersensitivity linked to the handling of green coffee, the consumption of coffee can have different effects. On the one hand it has a beneficial effect on bronchospasm. On the other hand its consumption has been suspected of contributing to the development of chronic airflow obstruction (COPD) and also in the genesis of bronchial cancer, without, however, its responsibility being proven in a clear fashion. In fact, in these two latter pathological circumstances, the causal relationship is probably indirectly linked to the fact that there is a strong positive correlation between the consumption of coffee and of tobacco. Finally the consumption of coffee increases ventilatory frequency in normal subjects and also in the course of COPD, and if taken in large quantities by pregnant women, there is an increased risk of neonatal apnoea in the newborn, by an abrupt cessation in the caffeine level.

Adult

[Advertisements for the treatment of obesity or deceit without limits].

In magazines the advertisements for slimming diets or products are more and more frequent. The study of these advertisements shows that most of them do not give any indication on the composition of products or on the nature of the proposed methods. The selling arguments are the most often fallacious: freely diminution of body weight without dieting and physical activities, lack of checks, no successive increase of body weight, dramatic and quick slimming, debatable informations on the mechanisms of actions. In addition these treatments are followed without medical supervision. They are the antithesis of the right therapeutics of obesities. The diffusion of these methods as that of the numerous books on the slimming diets or technics in various European countries requires a study in order to protect the patients against their exploitation and a proposal of legislation for the European Countries in the whole which will make up the future Great European Community.

Advertising

[Enteral feeding. Principles and techniques, nutritive solutions].

A great number of nutritional solutions can be found owing to the technical progress of enteral nutrition and the diversity of available nutritive solutions. In this paper are described the various materials, their advantages and disadvantages together with the available nutritive solutions. The interests of new methods of gastrostomy by endoscopy and the progress due to the use of nutritive pumps are pointed out. Physicians can now choose the type of feeding adapted to specific nutrients requirements of the patients. They can also vary it in relation to its tolerance and the evolution of nutritional situation. Practice of enteral nutrition needs a very accurate knowledge of material, nutritive solutions and technical uses. They also have to be in agreement with the strict obligations of food hygiene.

Enteral Nutrition

Physiological importance of omega-3/omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in man. An overview of still unresolved and controversial questions.

The 'essentiality' of (omega-6) and (omega-3) fatty acids in mammals is well known. Nevertheless, some important points remain unclear concerning their implication in physiology. After a short discussion about the definition of essential fatty acids deficiency, this brief overview deals with some of these points, pointing out some of the unresolved questions. Different subjects are approached concerning the (omega-6) and (omega-3) fatty acids metabolism: desaturases, eicosanoids, production, as well as some of their metabolic effects on cell membranes, intestinal function, glucose and lipid metabolism, haemorheology.

Aging

Evaluation of (13C)ethanol incorporation into very-low-density lipoprotein triglycerides using gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry coupling.

Gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/IRMS) coupling was used to evaluate (13C)ethanol incorporation into plasmatic very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides of three healthy human volunteers. After the perfusion of 13C-enriched alcohol, VLDL triglyceride fractions were extracted from plasma samples and prepared for the analysis of (13C)fatty acid methyl esters. The GC/IRMS coupling line, the analytical procedure and the data collection are described. The results show that ethanol itself may be used as a substrate for lipogenesis, though to a small extent: less than 10% of VLDL triglycerides may be derived from this metabolic pathway. Ethanol incorporates predominantly into myristic and palmitic acid. The small amount of sample material required for analysis, which minimizes the amount of isotope-labelled substrate required, makes this technique a valuable tool for metabolic investigations in human subjects.

Carbon Isotopes

Lactose and cataract in humans: a review.

In this review, the relationship between lactose and human cataract is examined from the presently available biochemical, metabolic, and epidemiological data. The exceptional cases of homozygous enzyme deficiency being excluded, fragmentary data give reason to believe that a risk of cataract secondary to lactose and galactose ingestion is present in certain subpopulations. In these population groups, the size of which is unknown, the lens could be exposed to intermittent episodes of hypergalactosemia due to the presence of a partial enzyme deficiency in the galactose metabolic pathway, and/or the persistence of a high adult jejunal lactase activity, and/or to a large and repeated consumption of either whole lactose or easily absorbed lactose (hydrolyzed forms and nonpasteurized yogurt).

Animals

Effects of dietary cholesterol and phytosterol overload on Wistar rat plasma lipids.

To study the effects of dietary phytosterols on plasma cholesterol, Wistar rats were fed diets containing a cholesterol overload (24 mg/day), to which phytosterols were added or not (24 or 96 mg/day). The cholesterol overload led to a marked increase in cholesterol, mainly linked to very-low-density and low-density lipoproteins. Phytosterols reduced those effects, the highest dose being most efficient. No undesirable effect was observed either on body or on liver weights. This shows that low doses of phytosterols are sufficient to significantly decrease a plasma cholesterol enhancement induced by a dietary cholesterol overload.

Animals

The effect of dietary sulfur-containing amino acids on the activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes in rat-liver microsomes.

Male Wistar rats were fed either a balanced diet whose protein source was a mixture of amino acids (diet 1), or a similar diet which differed only in having 48% less the quantity of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine (diet 2). The diets were given either continuously for 1 month or for 15 days after a protein-free diet. Both diets 1 and 2 permitted good growth of rats and relatively stable microsomal protein content. Protein depletion decreased the total proteins, total phospholipids, and cytochrome P-450 content, and it strongly increased UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity in rat-liver microsomes. Repletion with diet 1 restored those values, to the level found in control rats. However, diet 2, given continuously induced an increase in UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity and in the cytochrome P-450 concentration. Since high UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity was related to lessened amounts of sulfur-containing amino acids in the diet, we discuss the possible effect of methionine and cystine on the regulation of glucuronoconjugation in relation to sulfoconjugation.

Amino Acids

[Study of lipid metabolic coefficient K2 in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia type IV before and after reduction of triglyceride level by adapted diet therapy].

An intravenous fat tolerance test (IV FTT) was performed in a group of patients with type IV hyperlipoproteinemia before and after reduction of triglyceride level, the latter is obtained through a diet adapted to the nutritional sensitivity, body weight remaining constant. Before the diet the increase in cholesterol (CT) and triglycerides (TG) was related in both obese and non-obese patients to an increase in very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), while other lipoprotein fractions were not affected. In these patients, K2 is significantly lower than in controls whatever the nutritional sensitivity. However, K2 is lower in obese patients than in patients with normal weight, VLDL-CT and VLDL-TG are tremendously reduced by the relevant diet and K2 is constantly and significantly increased, although it does not reach a normal value in obese subjects. There is a highly significant correlation between VLDL-TG levels and K2 in obese and non-obese subjects. Several physiopathological explanations are discussed to account for the variation of K2 according to TG levels. The results obtained support the view that the K2 defect is secondary to the hyperlipoproteinemia.

Adult

Dynamic study of the blood viscosity of insulin-dependent diabetics by means of an artificial pancreas.

The blood viscosity of 15 insulin-dependent, poorly controlled, diabetic subjects was determined by using a microviscosimeter at low shear rates, with cylindrical cuvettes of the Couette type. It was found that the blood viscosity of these diabetics was more elevated than that of control patients (p less than 0.001). In ten diabetics, the return to a strict metabolic control over a period of more than 24 h by means of an artificial pancreas resulted in a significant systematic lowering of blood viscosity. These results suggest that the metabolic control of diabetes influences blood viscosity, and they underline the importance of an artificial pancreas for the dynamic study of the factors affecting blood viscosity during the course of diabetes.

Adolescent

High molecular weight substances with insulin immunoreactivity.

Substances which react with anti-insulin antibodies, but have a higher molecular weight than insulin are described. They have been studied by various authors in pancreatic adenomas, pancreas extracts, serum and cell-free systems. Proinsulin was the first of these products to be discovered, followed by its precursor, pre-proinsulin, and subsequently by a whole series of substances of ill-defined composition and more or less similar properties, grouped under the heading of "high molecular weight immunoreactive insulin" (HWIRI).

Adenoma

Effects of ornithine alphaketoglutarate on blood insulin, glucagon and aminoacids in alcoholic cirrhosis.

After summing up existing theories about the origins and development of functional hepatic encephalopathy, the authors report on the effects of six-hour intravenous infusions of ornithine alphaketoglutarate (60 g dissolved in 500 ml distilled water), administered to 10 patients with ethylic hepatic cirrhosis in conjunction with a normal protein intake (70 g/day). Arterial blood ammonemia, venous blood aminoacidemia and the insulin/glucagon ratio did not vary during or after infusion. This method of treatment therefore seems to meet the protein requirements of these undernourished patients.

Amino Acids

The feet in diabetes. Roentgenologic observation in 1501 cases.

The manifestations of diabetic osteoarthropathy are described. Computerized analysis of the films of the feet of 1501 diabetic patients showed one or more lesions in 55% of patients. Exostosis (36%), vascular calcifications (25%) and osteoporosis (12.2%) are by far the most frequent symptoms. Geodes (3.7%), destructive lesions (3.9%), sclerosis (4%) and articular lesions (5.1%) are second in frequency. Osteolytic lesions and reconstruction showed a high female predominance, whereas sclerosis is predominant in males (61.6--38.4%).

Diabetes Complications