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Biomedical subjects

J F Lopez

Publications and source records attributed to J F Lopez.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The femoral artery and flexion of the hip joint.

The behavior of the femoral a. when the hip joint passes from the position of extension to the position of flexion at 90 degrees was studied in 13 cadavers, using several methods: anatomic sections, arteriographies or vascular casts. The modifications of the direction and shape of the femoral a. were assessed in the frontal and sagittal planes. They result from a movement combining flexion and torsion of the femoral a. on its axis at 2 different points in its course. The change of direction of the artery in the sagittal plane is the most obvious modification. It corresponds to the displacement and to the inversion of an angle of 45 degrees on the course of the artery. This angle is situated below the level of the inguinal ligament when the hip joint is in extension and above the sartorius m. when it is flexed to 90 degrees. If these modifications are produced in a similar manner in the living subject, they would seem to correspond to the best possible functional adaptation of the femoral a. They may be involved in the genesis of prosthetic aneurysms.

Blood Vessel Prosthesis↗

Pathophysiology of HPA axis abnormalities in patients with major depression: an update.

Four hypotheses have been proposed to explain why nonsuppression on the dexamethasone suppression test occurs in patients with major depression. These include 1) increased metabolism of dexamethasone, 2) decreased sensitivity of pituitary glucocorticoid receptors to dexamethasone, 3) hyperresponsivity of the adrenal gland to ACTH stimulation, and 4) increased central drive of the pituitary from hypothalamic/limbic structures that overrides the action of the dexamethasone. A critical review of the literature suggests that the last hypothesis is most closely supported by the data. Despite this conclusion, factors other than depression may be involved in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction.

Depressive Disorder↗

Consistent reduction of ACTH responses to stimulation with CRH, vasopressin and hypoglycaemia in patients with major depression.

Eleven patients with major depression and 12 control subjects were administered corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), aqueous arginine vasopressin (AVP), and insulin hypoglycaemia (IH) to test for differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Patients with major depression demonstrated lower ACTH responses to CRH when compared with controls, and a trend toward such after administration of AVP. Despite lower ACTH responses in patients with depression, there were no differences in cortisol responses to these stimuli. In the CRH and AVP tests, there was no correlation between the basal cortisol and ACTH responses in either controls or patients, but in the IH test there was a negative correlation between these responses for both groups. The ACTH responses to CRH and AVP were positively correlated in controls and patients. Cortisol responses to all three provocative stimuli were positively correlated in both subject groups. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that hypothalamic or supra-hypothalamic overactivity may be involved in the development of HPA-axis abnormalities in patients with depression.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

[Treatment of morbid obesity by gastric bypass. Apropos of 1158 cases treated surgically].

After defining pathological obesity and describing the technical methods used for gastric bypass, a series of 1158 surgical cases is analysed. Discussion, supported by a review of the literature, involved post-operative mortality and morbidity, mid-term results and patient selection criteria. In the light of the results obtained, it would no longer appear justified to offer this type of surgical procedure.

Adolescent↗

Prophylaxis of post-myocardial infarction dysrhythmias by long-term timolol therapy.

The antiarrhythmic efficacy of timolol maleate was assessed in 94 patients with acute myocardial infarction. No significant differences were noted between early treatment with timolol and placebo in the mean and peak hourly ventricular premature complex rates, ventricular premature complex couplets, or runs. However, compared to the placebo treatment, there was a significant (p less than 0.001) 66% reduction in the relative fraction of early-cycle ventricular premature complexes 7 to 9 days after initiation of timolol therapy and a more prolonged significant (p less than 0.001) 73% reduction in the fraction of early-cycle supraventricular complexes throughout the 28-day timolol and placebo comparison period. The frequency distribution of QRS duration was significantly different between the placebo- and timolol-treated patients, with the mean duration 8 msec longer in the placebo-treated patients (p = 0.008). Adverse effects from early administration of timolol did not differ from those in the placebo-treated patients.

Cardiac Complexes, Premature↗

HPA axis abnormalities in depressed patients with normal response to the DST.

In order to identify depressed patients with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis abnormalities who have a normal response to the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), the authors administered a series of neuroendocrine tests including insulin-induced hypoglycemia, arginine vasopressin challenge, and a DST. Using standard sensitivity measures, as well as logistic regression, they concluded that many patients with HPA abnormalities are not identified by the DST. These findings suggest that other neuroendocrine tests, which are sensitive to HPA axis abnormalities, may be helpful in subtyping depression on the basis of HPA axis functioning.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Effects of low dose ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone in humans: endocrine relationships and beta-endorphin/beta-lipotropin responses.

The effects of low doses (0.03 and 0.1 microgram/kg) of ovine CRH (oCRH) on plasma beta-endorphin/beta-lipotropin (beta End/beta LPH), ACTH, and corticosteroid levels were studied in normal men. The 0.03 microgram/kg oCRH dose produced a reproducible response, with a rapid increase in plasma oCRH to peak levels between 45 and 95 fmol/mL and an appropriate doubling of plasma peptide and corticosteroid concentrations. The relationship between the corticosteroid rise and the rapid beta End/beta LPH and ACTH declines suggested negative feedback by corticosteroids on the release of these pituitary products. Plasma oCRH levels were proportionate to those reported in studies using much higher oCRH doses, and produced plasma oCRH levels in the reported range for the hypophyseal portal circulation. Molecular sieving of the beta End-immunoreactive materials in basal and post-oCRH (0.1 microgram/kg) plasma samples revealed an average basal beta End to beta LPH ratio of 1:1.5; 15 min after oCRH stimulation the average ratio was 4:1. We conclude that a low (threshold) dose of oCRH can reliably stimulate POMC peptide secretion and may preferentially release beta End from the anterior pituitary.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Enhanced adrenal sensitivity to exogenous cosyntropin (ACTH alpha 1-24) stimulation in major depression. Relationship to dexamethasone suppression test results.

ACTH alpha 1-24 (cosyntropin) (250 micrograms by intravenous bolus) was given to 38 medicated patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and to 34 normal control subjects. Patients with MDD had significantly higher plasma cortisol concentrations and significantly higher increases in plasma cortisol levels 60 minutes after cosyntropin infusion than did control subjects. Patients who were nonsuppressors in the dexamethasone suppression test had significantly higher 60-minute cortisol concentrations and cortisol increases than did normal subjects and patients with MDD who were suppressors. There were significant, strongly positive correlations between cortisol secretory responses to cosyntropin and postdexamethasone cortisol concentrations in patients with MDD. These findings confirm that adrenal sensitivity to corticotropin (ACTH) is enhanced in MDD and suggest that this endocrine abnormality may be related pathophysiologically to the resistance of cortisol secretion to dexamethasone suppression.

Adolescent↗

Stable adrenocorticotropin-stimulated 11-beta-hydroxylase activity but loss of age-related changes in patients with hypercortisolemia.

Eleven-beta-hydroxylase activity was measured before and after acute adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation in 28 controls, 25 depressed Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) suppressors, 13 DST nonsuppressor patients, and 8 patients with Cushing's syndrome to investigate changes in states of cortisol hypersecretion. Eleven-beta-hydroxylase activity was equivalent among groups both before and after stimulation. Such 11-beta-hydroxylase stability, however, resulted in higher cortisol and 11-deoxycortisol poststimulation levels in both depressed DST nonsuppressors and Cushing's patients than in controls. Basal 11-beta-hydroxylase activity is positively correlated and 11-deoxycortisol is negatively correlated with age in controls and DST suppressors, but not in the patients tested with evidence of cortisol hypersecretion. These findings suggest that in vivo basal 11-beta-hydroxylase activity rises gradually with age, but does not rise after acute administration of exogenous ACTH. The age relationship is lost in states of cortisol hypersecretion, but the lack of response to acute exogenous ACTH is not affected.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

The HPA axis response to insulin hypoglycemia in depression.

Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, demonstrated by failure to suppress cortisol secretion after dexamethasone, is found in approximately 50% of patients with major depression (MD). In this study, we examined the response of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in 20 healthy controls and 18 inpatients with MD [12 dexamethasone suppressors (S) and 5 dexamethasone nonsuppressors (NS)]. After the administration of 0.15 U/kg of regular insulin, both controls and patients with MD showed an increase in plasma ACTH and cortisol levels. Controls had a significantly higher ACTH peak (p less than 0.01) and ACTH increment (p less than 0.01) than MD patients. There were no statistically significant differences between patients who were S and NS. Although baseline plasma cortisol levels were significantly higher in MD patients, there were no significant differences in the peak cortisol or increment in plasma cortisol after hypoglycemia between patients with MD and controls or between patients who were S and those who were NS. These findings suggest that a defect exists in the regulation of the HPA axis at the pituitary level in MD and that this defect is not necessarily reflected in the dexamethasone suppression status of the patient.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Stimulation of the pituitary-adrenal axis with arginine vasopressin in patients with depression.

The ACTH response to arginine vasopressin was the same in patients with depression while cortisol response was significantly greater in patients with depression when compared to the control population. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that vasopressin corticotroph receptors are not downregulated in depression and that there is increased adrenal responsiveness in patients with depression to endogenous ACTH.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

[Tumors of the organ of Zuckerlandl. Diagnostic approach apropos of 2 cases].

We report 2 cases of both functional and non functional paragangliomas. Emphasis is put on preoperative localization. CT along with echography is recommended as the initial radiographic procedure. If the tumor is not detected or in case of multiple tumors, a scintigram using MIBG is performed as a second still difficult to define. This feature is of importance in the long term follow up.

Adolescent↗

Quantification of mitral valvular incompetence.

The hemodynamic and angiographic data of 147 individuals were analyzed in an attempt to assess the value of three techniques used in the diagnosis of mitral incompetence. One hundred patients had clinical evidence of mitral incompetence (group A) and 47 had normal hemodynamics (group B). The degree of mitral incompetence was assessed in all 147 individuals by two methods: determination of a regurgitant index (RI) using indicator dilution curves and determination of a regurgitant fraction (RF) using left ventricular volumes. In 26 patients of group A and 26 individuals in group B mitral incompetence was also assessed by cineangiocardiography. Each of these methods was compared with the clinical and hemodynamic evidence of mitral valvular incompetence. Both the determination of RI by dye dilution curves and RF by angiocardiography were found to be useful in separating normal individuals from patients with mitral valvular incompetence. Severe mitral incompetence is associated with an RI greater than 35% and with an RF greater than 55%. The degree of incompetence by either method was not well correlated with any independent hemodynamic variable. The use of cine angiocardiography to quantify the degree of mitral incompetence was found to be too subjective, depending on the observer, and thus less useful.

Adult↗

Effects of verapamil on the extracellular K+ rise during myocardial ischaemia in dogs.

The effects of verapamil on the [K+]o rise produced by myocardial ischaemia were assessed in 26 open chest mongrel dogs. Ischaemia was produced by intermittent occlusion of the LAD artery (15 dogs) or by reduction of flow of the cannulated LAD (11 dogs). Specially constructed valinomycin K+ sensitive electrodes were inserted into the mid myocardium in the central zone of ischaemia (CZ); in the margin (MZ) and in the nonischaemic zone (NZ). Occlusion of the coronary artery under controlled conditions produced significant [K+]o rise, greater in the CZ than in the MZ. During the infusion of verapamil the ischaemic [K+]o rise was substantially reduced in both zones. During controlled 75% reduction of coronary flow the [K+]o reached a plateau that remained stable until reperfusion was re-established. During verapamil infusion, the plateau showed a steady decline, both in the CZ and in the MZ. The changes in [K+]o produced by verapamil, during myocardial ischaemia are probably due to: coronary dilatation of the marginal arteries and+or to a reduction of the late cellular K+ conductance due to a decrease in the intracellular Ca2+, produced by verapamil.

Animals↗

[Typical and atypical ultrasonic forms of retinoblastoma].

Ultrasonographic examination of leukokoria has proved useful to demonstrate the presence of an intraocular mass and to confirm a suspected retinoblastoma. However, some retinoblastomas present atypical clinical and ultrasonic appearances leading to errors in diagnosis. The ultrasonic characteristics of the two classic types, are presented, together with a third type in which the appearance is diffuse or pseudoinflammatory, one case having been previously misdiagnosed as sub-clinical endophthalmitis. The different characteristics of the three types and their relationship with histologic forms are discussed.

Child, Preschool↗