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Biomedical subjects

G Lucas

Publications and source records attributed to G Lucas.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

A follow-up study of childhood psychosis.

A cohort of 227 children having attended the same day treatment facility during their childhood was followed-up in adult life. A questionnaire was designed to collect data on various aspects of social and personal adjustment. The length of the follow-up period is 17 years. Information was obtained on 99 subjects whose mean age was 27-years. Of these, 55 had been admitted to the facility for childhood psychosis, and the remaining 44 subjects served as a comparison group. The results show that, in adulthood, the psychotic children fare significantly worse than the controls for employment, autonomy, marriage and the need for continuing medical care. Although non significant, a trend is found in the same direction for educational attainment and medication consumption. We then looked at the clinical and therapeutic variables in the childhood of the psychotic group which were the strongest predictors of adjustment in adulthood. We found that those children who had been admitted at a younger age, whose length of stay in the day treatment hospital had been longer, who scored lower on IQ tests and who had been discharged towards other specialised institutions, were less well adjusted. The results of this study must be interpreted with caution in light of the important attrition during the follow-up period. The discussion then focuses on case definition issues. Emphasis is placed on the need for careful diagnostic assessment and for the use of precise diagnostic assessment and for the use of precise diagnostic criteria. Further, our result on the prognostic significance of IQ level suggests that the assessment of cognitive functioning in autistic and psychotic children is key information which should be more systematically taken into account both in clinical practice and in future research projects.

Adult↗

French day hospitals for children: an overview.

Over the last 30 years, with the implementation of a catchment-area policy in France, a number of day hospitals have been created to replace full-time hospitalization or other residential programs as a treatment modality for child psychotics. Considered as one treatment possibility among others available in any given geographic area, day hospitals differ tremendously in how they are organized, but the approach to treatment has been, so far, inspired largely by psychoanalysis. Recently, parents favoring cognitive or behavioral techniques have begun to challenge that position. This paper contains an overview of the general situation in France and presents in greater detail methods used at the day hospital of the Rothschild Foundation, located in Paris' 13th district. Longitudinal studies going back to 1973 point to a need for extreme caution in establishing prognoses, as progress can occur when least expected. The authors favor a strategy of ongoing support for parents and children, devised on a case-by-case basis, rather than preestablished treatment plans applied according to symptoms.

Adolescent↗

[Vasectomy: criteria of choice or protocol?].

The authors describe the experience of a medical staff specialized in welcoming, advising and realizing vasectomies on patients, and this according to a particular method in which traditional preliminary criteria of age, fatherhood and autoconservation are substituted by a continuous effort to listen and advise patients over a long period of time. 1385 cases have been selected over a period of one to ten years. The socio-demographic analysis defines an "ideal-type candidate": he is a middle or upper white collar; aged 37; married; he has fathered more children than the average and at a younger age than the average; and he has used up every well-tried means of contraception. The only technical variation observed was the length of the resected canal. The more widely defined failure rate can be evaluated at 2.3% of the 1426 cases. This failure rate appears to be linked with the size of the resection, too small (less than 5 mm) during two years. This caused the repermeabilization through granulomas, histologically authentified, of half of the observed cases that failed over a period of twelve years. The psychosexual consequences, analyzed through questionnaires, are judged satisfactory and confirm the possibility for the authors to accept vasectomy demands in a humanistic perspective, conciliating individual autonomy and safety in selecting candidates.

Adult↗

[Hemangioma of the adrenal gland. Apropos of a case].

A case of adrenal hemangioma is reported, displayed by computed tomography and confirmed by pathologic investigation. This rare tumor poses a difficult diagnostic challenge and rejoins the problem of incidentally discovered adrenal masses.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Human T-cell tumours containing chromosome 14 inversion or translocation with breakpoints proximal to immunoglobulin joining regions at 14q32.

T-cell tumours are frequently found to carry an inversion of chromosome 14 (inv(14)) (q11;q32) or more rarely a chromosome 14 translocation t(14;14) with the same cytogenetic breakpoints (q11;q32). We have examined the molecular junctions of an inv(14) and a translocation t(14;14) using T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha joining (J) region probes. Both of these chromosomal abnormalities have breakpoints within the TCR J alpha locus at 14q11 and both have breakpoints which are proximal (i.e. on the centromeric side) to the immunoglobulin heavy chain JH region at 14q32. The cloned segments corresponding to the junctions at 14q32 are not associated with obvious immunoglobulin-like sequences. This contrasts to the previously described inv(14) in the cell line SUP-T1 and places a potential cluster of chromosome 14 breakpoints downstream of the Ig JH locus. The possible role of the varying breakpoints in the development of these tumours is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The influence of the type of immunosorbent on rabies antibody EIA; advantages of purified glycoprotein over whole virus.

Two types of in vitro assay (enzyme immunoassay and sero-neutralization test) for the titration of rabies antibodies were used to assay sera from mice and humans immunized with cell culture vaccines or neural tissue vaccines. Enzyme immunoassays (EIA) were performed in plates sensitized with whole virus, purified glycoprotein or purified nucleocapsid. Neutralizing antibody titres were determined by the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (REFIT) and by an in vitro seroneutralization test including a rapid enzyme immunotitration of intracellular antigens (REITICA). The results obtained with sera of immunized mice and humans showed that (1) cell culture vaccines mainly induced the synthesis of antiglycoprotein neutralizing antibodies; and (2) neural tissue vaccines induced a high synthesis of antinucleocapsid non-neutralizing antibodies and a more or less important synthesis of antiglycoprotein antibodies depending on the origin of the tissue used for their preparation. Consequently, it was emphasized that when using EIA, the antibody titration must be run in glycoprotein-coated plates rather than in whole virus-coated plates to appreciate correctly the immunizing potency of a rabies vaccine, especially neural tissue vaccine.

Animals↗

Elimination of serum proteins and potential virus contaminants during hepatitis B vaccine preparation.

As first generation hepatitis B vaccines are derived from human plasma, detailed information is required concerning the elimination of hepatitis B virus and other potential transmissible infectious agents during vaccine preparation. To demonstrate the safety of a hepatitis B vaccine, the efficiency of each of the six main steps used in the preparation process to remove or destroy pathogens was determined for representatives of major groups of animal viruses. Infectivity of all the tested viruses was reduced 10(5)-fold to a factor of 10(9)-fold by the first and last steps, namely PEG fractionation and formalin treatment. The four successive zonal ultracentrifugations decreased virus infectivity by at least 10(7)-fold. Five of these steps tend also to purify the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) which increases the HBsAg: protein ratio by at least 10(5)-fold. Considering the high degree of purity obtained, checked on each batch, it is concluded that the procedure consistently eliminates any potential virus with a ide safety margin.

Blood Proteins↗

[Production of rabies vaccine in animal diploid cells].

Modalities for production of inactivated rabies vaccine derived from diploid hamster cell cultures are reported. The inactivated concentrated virus, purified by zonal centrifugation, is utilised for the preparation of vaccines destinated to carnivores, either in the form of monovalent vaccine or associated with distemper and canine contagious hepatitis vaccines. The inactivated concentrated virus is utilised for the preparation of bovine vaccine. The procedure is compatible with industrial production. The results concerning safety and potency tests of the experimental lots are presented.

Animals↗

Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal neoplasms.

Laparoscopy is being used to assist in an increasing number and variety of bowel procedures. However, when being used for neoplastic disease concerns of margins and adequacy of mesenteric dissection must be addressed. We've performed 110 laparoscopic-assisted bowel procedures, with 45 of these performed for neoplastic disease. Ninety-two bowel resections were performed including 24 subtotal, total, or proctocolectomies. In this chapter we review the results of our series, as well as other reported series, and discuss some of the controversies involved with laparoscopy for neoplastic disease.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗

Surgical options for familial adenomatous polyposis.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a genetic disorder transmitted in an autosomal dominant pattern. One-half of members of an affected family will carry the gene, and all carriers will succumb to colon cancer or extracolonic manifestations if not detected and treated early. When the diagnosis is made, surgery is indicated. Surgical options include total proctocolectomy with ileostomy, continent ileostomy, total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis, and total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis. Many diverse factors, such as extent of rectal disease, the presence and extend of carcinoma, sphincter function, and extracolonic disease, influence which surgical procedure is most appropriate for the individual patient with FAP. This article reviews the surgical options for treating FAP, with emphasis on specific indications, contraindications, and anticipated outcomes.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

Biomechanical and computer analysis of radial head prostheses.

Radial head fractures can lead to significant upper extremity disability. A comminuted radial head fracture with a medial collateral ligament tear presents a clinical conundrum. The radiocapitellar (RC) joint should be maintained, yet the head frequently cannot be reduced and stabilized. The silicone rubber implant currently available is not biomechanically or clinically satisfactory, and thus there is a need for a more suitable prosthetic replacement for the radial head. We have attempted to design such a prosthesis and have examined prosthetic design with various materials that would best transmit force of the RC joint. Design configurations based on our cadaveric and radiographic measurements were tested with structural finite element method computer analyses. Materials examined included titanium alloy, cobalt-chrome alloy, alumina ceramic, and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Metals and ceramic transmitted force at the distal bone and implant interface and strain shielded the proximal radial cortex while UHMWPE distributed load uniformly through the cortex and along the entire bone and implant interface. In addition, load transmission comparisons were made with the intact radial head, with a silicone prosthesis, and with 6 and 10 mm thick UHMWPE prostheses in cadaveric specimens. UHMWPE prostheses transmit more force to the RC joint than the silicone prosthesis and with leads closer to physiologic levels at all flexion angles. UHMWPE prostheses not only transmit much more force than silicone, but because of substantially less deformation under load, also provide more stability to the joint.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗