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Biomedical subjects

J Morel

Publications and source records attributed to J Morel.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Fossil fuel biomarkers in sewage sludges: environmental significance

Fossil fuel biomarkers, or "molecular fossils," are specific organic substances found in coals, petroleums, and sedimentary rocks. They are formed during millions of years of sedimentary burial by geochemical alteration of biological molecules, such as cholesterol, under the effect of biodegradation, temperature, pressure, and mineral catalysis, to produce geochemically mature molecules, for example, aromatic steroids (Fig. 1). Since fossil fuel biomarkers have a very specific molecular structure betraying fossil fuel sources, such markers should be useful in assessing the fossil fuel contamination of various modern media such as soils, plants, waters, and modern sediments. Here the identification of fossil fuel biomarkers of high geothermal maturity in sewage sludges provides evidence of the contamination of sludges by petroleum products. The most likely sources of contamination are contaminated vegetal food, road dust, and soil particles carried by rain water.http://link. springer.de/link/service/journals/00114/bibs/9086010/90860484. htm</HEA

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Nitric oxide synthesis inhibition attenuates behavioral actions of neuropeptide FF.

Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) has certain antiopiate actions and may play a role in opiate tolerance and dependence. Third ventricle injection of 10 micrograms NPFF induces a quasimorphine abstinence syndrome in opiate-naive rats. Nitric oxide synthesis may also contribute to opiate tolerance and dependence. The present study tests the hypothesis that NPFF acts through stimulation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Third ventricular injection of 10 micrograms NPFF precipitated an average of 46 abstinence-like signs during a 20-min observation. Pretreatment (30 min earlier) with 7.5 or 15 mg/kg s.c. of the NOS inhibitor nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) resulted in a significant and dose-dependent alleviation of NPFF-induced abstinence-like signs. The anti-NPFF activity of 15 mg/kg L-NNA was blocked by 750 mg/kg L-arginine, but not by the same amount of D-arginine, indicating that L-NNA attenuates NPFF activity through a stereospecific inhibition of NOS.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Subcutaneous injection of an analog of neuropeptide FF prevents naloxone-precipitated morphine abstinence syndrome.

There is evidence that neuropeptide FF (NPFF) has antiopiate activity and may play a role in opiate dependence and subsequent abstinence syndrome. A fragment of NPFF was modified at the C-terminal in an effort to convert it to an NPFF antagonist. It was also dansylated at the N-terminal in an effort to render it more lipophilic and increase its penetration of the blood-brain barrier. Third ventricle administration of the resulting compound, dansyl-PQRamide (0.75 microgram and 1 microgram), dose-dependently antagonized the quasi-morphine abstinence activity of NPFF (10 micrograms) in opiate-naive rats. Subcutaneous injection of dansyl-PQRamide (13 mg/kg) in chronically morphine-infused rats attenuated opiate dependence as indicated by prevention of naloxone-precipitated abstinence syndrome. Dansyl-PQRamide displaced radiolabelled ligand from NPFF receptors in a concentration-dependent manner with a Ki of 13 microM, and had a half-life over 300 times longer than NPFF under aminopeptidase digestion.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The syndrome of Hirschsprung disease, microcephaly, unusual face, and mental retardation.

Here we report on a boy with Hirschsprung megacolon associated with microcephaly, narrow palpebral fissures, broad nasal bridge, congenital heart defect, cryptorchidism, wide-base gait, short stature, developmental delay and abnormal computed tomography (CT) brain scan. The findings are compared with those of previously described patients with the same syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1990

[Bone complications of fluorotherapy: influence of androgen deficiency].

The use of sodium fluoride for treatment of osteoporosis has led to the arousal of particular complications: osteomalacia and cortical bone fractures which are enhanced by preexisting bone diseases. We report the case of a 55 years old female suffering from autoimmune Addison disease since 10 years and menopaused since 7 years. After an 18 month treatment by sodium fluoride for osteoporosis she presented radiographic, scannographic and scintigraphic evidences of unexpected stress fractures of several ribs, of the sacral part of the left sacro-iliac joint, of the symphyseal joint. The sodium fluoride treatment associated to the lack of adrenal androgens are responsible for the onset of pelvic stress fractures which usually occur in elderly subjects.

Androgens↗
PubMed1983

Modifications of plasma enzyme activities after severe head injury; evaluation of prognosis using multivariate methods.

The aim of this study was to analyse the plasma variations of four enzymatic activities (lactate dehydrogenase, aldolase, creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase) in 134 patients suffering from severe head injury. Enzymatic activities were assayed daily for 3 days after the trauma. Means of the four enzymatic activities were significantly different according to their evolution (death or survival), except for creatine kinase, 48 h after the trauma. Multivariate analysis indicated that lactate dehydrogenase and aldolase levels were useful in order to discriminate between potential survivors and non-survivors. The value of multivariate analysis in head traumatology is discussed.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1977

[Local immune response in mouse experimental airborne influenza: immunoglobulin concentrations, antibody levels of immunoglobulin classes and anamnestic response in bronchial washings (author's transl)].

Sera and bronchial washings from normal mice and from mice previously infected with influenza virus were analyzed for their concentration of four immunoglobulin (Ig) classes by the method of single radial immunodiffusion and for their content of specific antibody of these Ig classes by the immunofluorescent method. IgA were not detected in bronchial washings from normal mice. The IgA/IgG ratio was not higher than 0.33 in infected mice. The IgA level increased briefly in infected bronchial washings, but the levels of IgG2 and particularly of IgG1 exhibited a longer and higher increase. The maximal increase of these three Ig classes occurred by the seventh day and might have derived from transsudated serum. IgM was not identified in normal bronchial washings, but immunofluorescence detected IgM in infected washings, which also showed specific antibody in each of the four Ig classes. IgG2 and IgM contained antibody in greatest, IgA in lower concentration. Our results indicate that the most part of bronchial antibody was produced locally, since the ratio of Ig concentration to antibody titre of each Ig class was consistently higher for bronchial washings than for sera. An anamnestic secretory antibody response could not be demonstrated in bronchial washings.

Animals↗