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Biomedical subjects

J M Vidal

Publications and source records attributed to J M Vidal.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

[Medical anthropology: conceptual and methodological elements for an approach to health and disease].

This paper discusses the relevance, specificity, and potential of the anthropological approach to health and illness. Medical anthropology is shown as complementary to other approaches that currently deal with public health problems. The impact of social and cultural factors on health-related perceptions and behaviors is illustrated and commented. A conceptual and methodological framework is also proposed to systematize the study of representations and practices of communities in the area of public health. The specific contribution of the anthropological approach is discussed in terms of the effectiveness of public health programs.

English Abstract↗
PubMed2000

Complications after total laryngectomy in nonradiated laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas.

To study the complications of total laryngectomy, we evaluated 471 previously untreated patients who underwent total laryngectomy between 1980 and 1997. This series consisted of 358 patients with primary carcinoma of the larynx and 113 with carcinoma of the hypopharynx. Concurrent neck dissection was performed in 85% of patients. Complications were studied in relation to age, T and N stage, previous tracheostomy, neck dissection, margins, reconstruction, tracheoesophageal puncture, and surgeon. Complication treatment and hospitalization were also evaluated. The overall complication rate was 30.7%, with 29.2% major and 6.5% minor complications. The mortality rate was 0.6% (3/471). Pharyngocutaneous fistula was the most frequent wound complication (21%), followed by wound infection (4.2%) and hemorrhage (2.3%). Pneumonia (1.4%) and embolism (0.4%) were the most frequent medical complications. Hypopharyngeal tumors, neck dissection, and extended procedures had a significantly higher rate of complications. Complication causes, prevention, and treatment are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Differential transferrin receptor density in human colorectal cancer: A potential probe for diagnosis and therapy.

Transferrin receptor density was investigated in human colorectal surgical specimens. Crude membranes were prepared from 23 cancer tumors (adenocarcinoma or malignant villous tumor) and 3 non-cancer tumors (polyadenoma or villous tumor) and 26 adjacent control mucosa. Contrary to non-cancer tumors, Scatchard analysis of 125I-transferrin binding data evidenced higher maximal transferrin binding capacity and lower dissociation constant in cancer tissues (Bmax cancer 1.828+/-0.320 nmol/g, Kd 24.1+/-4.7 nM), as compared to paired control colonic mucosa (Bmax contol 0.851+/-0.182 nmol/g, Kd 30.7+/-7.3 nM), paired t-tests: Bmax p<0.001, Kd p<0.05). As the cancer/control Bmax ratio was 2.6+/-0.4,transferrin carrier constructs should be proposed for cancer imaging or therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Cloning and analysis of the coding region of the histone H1(0)-encoding gene from rat PC12 cells.

We have determined the complete coding sequence of the histone-encoding H1(0) gene from rat PC12 cells. Southern and Northern analyses suggest that rat H1(0) is encoded by a single-copy gene which generates an mRNA of about 2.2 kb. Comparison of the rat, mouse and human amino-acid sequences shows that the C-terminal domain of the protein is much more variable than the N-terminal and central domains. Rates of non-synonymous and synonymous nucleotide substitution have been calculated. The rate of non-synonymous substitution is about 2.5-times higher in the rodent lineage than in the human lineage.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

[Psychic discrepancies between animals and humans. A new light on the "autistic monad"].

Beyond obvious contrasts, cognitivist and psychoanalytical conceptions according to which austistic subjects suffer from cognitive deficiencies or from "lack of access to symbolic order", appear to meet at two points. First, they characterize autists by their lack rather than by their structure or modalities of psychological functioning. Secondly, the deficiencies they reveal--"lack of theory of mind", "absence of second order representation" or "failure of access to symbolic order"--bear witness of a particular kind of relationship the autists establish with members of their family are in relation. Comparisons between animal and human relationships allow us to specify their own characteristics: those which distinguish between "the attachment bond" (on a dyadic level) among animals and the "love bond" between humans (on a triadic level). Moreover, these comparisons allow us to specify the "autistic monad" or the kind of avoidance of all relationships autistic subjects show.

Animal Population Groups↗
PubMed1990

[Seroepidemiologic evaluation of malaria in Mayotte (Comoro archipelago) 1984-1988].

In the context of a research programme on the immunology of malaria in the islands of the south-west of the Indian Ocean, seroepidemiological studies by means of sampling surveys have been carried out annually in Mayotte Island (Comoro Archipelago) from 1984 to 1988. Apart from the transient character of the increases in rates in the wake of the epidemic outbreak of 1984, the evolution of the antibody geometric mean reciprocal titre (GMRT) by age reveals a negativation of population at large, fast only in the younger age-group. At such a high level of negativation, the GMRT does not lend itself to interpretation. In the older age-groups the negativation becomes so slow as to render a yearly periodicity too short to show differences. The correlation between GMRT and age that persisted over the five-year period suggests that the evolution of the rates according to age follows a predetermined model. The epidemiological interpretation of purely serological data, except for a general indication of the trend, is however difficult, specially in an archipelago where the levels of malaria transmission are not the same in the different islands, but where inter-island migration is quite important.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Primary fibroblastic tumor of the breast. Review of the literature apropos of a case of desmoid tumor of the breast posing nosologic problems with a low-grade fibrosarcoma].

The authors present a case of fibromatosis in the breast in a young nulliparous patient. These are rare tumours comparable to abdominal desmoid tumours. They are characterised by their ability to recur if spread locally, that is why they have to be widely removed. After having studied the anatomical and clinical characteristics as well as the biological ones of breast fibromatoses the authors discuss the problems of nosology which are often very difficult for this kind of a tumour and also of the therapy that has to be adapted.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Facial circumscribed ossifying myositis. Anatomo-clinical and tomodensitometric study].

1 case of circumscribed myositis ossificans of the temporal muscle is reported in a 21 years-old man. The initial complaint was a sudden non traumatic swelling. Roentgenography showed a characteristic feature: peripheral radio-opacity around a non-opacified area. Under microscope, we could find 3 zones: a central fibroblastic area, an intermediate zone with immature osteoid bone, a peripheral zone with mature lamellar bone. In addition, we used histoenzymological and electron microscopical methods. The difficulties of diagnosis, the pathogenesis and the prognosis of this disease were also discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Undifferentiated epithelioma of the parotid and cystadenolymphoma. Apropos of a case].

A case of undifferentiated epithelioma of the left parotid gland occurred 2 years after the removal of a cystadenolymphoma in the right parotid gland. The relationship of these two tumours was supported by several statements: the immunohistochemical study demonstrated in the epithelial cells of the 2 neoplasms the existence of ACE, usually thought as characteristic of cystadenolymphoma. Besides, it showed a high number of plasma cells secreting IgA in the stroma of the 2 tumours, the ultrastructural study performed on the epithelioma also demonstrated some similarities between epitheliomatous cells and epithelial cells of cystadenolymphomas (outlined epidermoid or glandular differentiation, numerous mitochondria). A peculiar, perhaps immunological mechanism could induce the cancerization, according to the theories used to explain the histogenesis of cystadenolymphoma.

Adenolymphoma↗
PubMed1983

Electrophysiologic studies in atrial fibrillation. Slow conduction of premature impulses: a possible manifestation of the background for reentry.

Extrastimulus-induced intraatrial conduction delays were measured in 12 patients with documented episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF) by recording atrial electrograms at the high right atrium, His bundle region, and coronary sinus. Seventeen patients with and without heart disease, but without atrial arrhythmias served as the control group. During baseline-paced atrial rhythms, a conduction delay zone could be delineated, near the atrial effective refractory period, during which all extrastimuli produced conduction delays. When compared at the same paced cycle lengths (500 to 650 ms), the patients with AF had shorter atrial effective refractory periods (mean +/- standard deviation 206 +/- 24.1 versus 233 +/- 28.2 in control patients, p less than 0.02), wider conduction delay zones (79 +/- 21.7 ms versus 52 +/- 21 in control patients, p less than 0.01), and longer conduction delays both to the His bundle region (64 +/- 18.3 ms versus 35 +/- 21.7 in control patients, p less than 0.005) and the coronary sinus (76 +/- 18.9 ms versus 35 +/- 16.1 in control patients, p less than 0.001). Repetitive atrial responses were recorded in 6 patients with AF and in 9 control subjects. Sinus nodal function abnormalities were detected in 6 of the patients with fibrillation. Patients with AF had a higher tendency than control subjects to develop slow intraatrial conduction, as well as shorter effective refractory periods. Since both features would favor reentry, they may be the electrophysiologic manifestations of the abnormalities making these patients prone to atrial reentrant arrhythmias. Repetitive atrial responses were of no predictive value. Sinus nodal dysfunction was frequently found, but was not essential for the occurrence of AF.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Mechanism and clinical significance of atrial repetitive responses in man.

We have studied the electrophysiological correlates of atrial repetitive responses, induced by single extrastimuli, in a group of 25 patients undergoing electrophysiologic studies for a variety of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. The incidence of repetitive responses was not related to a previous history of atrial tachyarrhythmias. Repetitive responses were observed only when the extrastimulus elicited a significant intra-atrial conduction delay, as measured from the extrastimulus artifact, to two or three points in the atria. This condition was fulfilled only when the basic atrial rhythm was paced, and it was also facilitated by increasing atrial rate, which shortened the atrial effective refractory period. Atrial pacing thus seemed to facilitate the production of atrial repetitive responses by both promoting intra-atrial conduction delays during extrastimulation, and by shortening the atrial refractory period. Atrial repetitive responses are probably a nonspecific phenomenon, unrelated to a tendency towards atrial tachyarrhythmias; their mechanism is probably local re-entry, related to slow conduction of impulses during incomplete repolarization, and under favorable conditions they may precipitate atrial flutter or fibrillation in predisposed patients.

Adult↗