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Biomedical subjects

M Beaulieu

Publications and source records attributed to M Beaulieu.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Transaxillary pleurectomy for treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax.

In the 16-year period 1962 to 1978, 409 transaxillary apical pleurectomies were carried out for definitive treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax in 362 patients. Surgical indications included recurrence (336), bilaterality of the disease (23), persistent air leak (22), and nonexpansion of the lung (10). There was 1 operative death (unsuspected brain tumor), and 3 patients required reexploration for clot removal. The average postoperative period of hospitalization was 6 days. Three hundred ten patients (86% of all patients) were contacted for follow-up 1 to 16 years after operation (average, 4.5 years). There were two documented episodes of recurrent ipsilateral pneumothorax (0.6%). Postoperative pulmonary function studies were done in 40 patients (unilateral, 29; bilateral, 11) 2 to 5 years after operation. The results indicate that there are no significant abnormalities compared with predicted values.

Adolescent↗

Sleeve pneumonectomy for bronchogenic carcinoma.

Carcinomas of the right upper lobe that locally infiltrate the trachea represent a major challenge with regard to removal and reconstruction. Sixteen patients who had right pneumonectomy with carina resection between 1969 and 1977 were reviewed, and some implications of the surgical and anesthetic techniques were analyzed. The short-term results give merit to this extended procedure, and the fact that there is one long-term survivor suggests that some patients can be cured of their disease.

Adult↗

Potent antidopaminergic activity of estradiol at the pituitary level on prolactin release.

Prior incubation of rat anterior pituitary cells with 17beta-estradiol led to an almost complete reversal of the inhibitory effect of two dopamine agonists, dihydroergocornine and RU 24213, on both basal prolactin release and thyrotropin releasing hormone-induced prolactin release. These experiments thus demonstrate a direct interference of dopamine action by a peripheral hormone. Prolactin secretion by pituitary cells in primary culture could possibly serve as an easily accessible model of a system under dopaminergic control.

Animals↗

[Specific role of sex steroids on the pituitary level. Sex steroids and anterior pituitary secretion].

Although sex steroids were known to play a role in the control of LH, FSH, TSH and prolactin secretion, in vivo experiments could not discriminate between hypothalamic and pituitary sites of action. In this study, the specific action of sex steroids at the anterior pituitary level could be achieved using rat adenohypophyseal cells in primary culture. While estrogens stimulated the sensitivity of the LH and FSH responses to LHRH, androgens had differential effects on the secretion of the two gonadotropins: marked inhibition of LH and stimulation of FSH secretion. Progesterone, on the other hand, while having no effect in the absence of estrogens, could reverse the stimulatory effect of estrogens on LH release while it led to a stimulation of FSH secretion. Estrogens and thyroid hormone exert respective stimulatory and inhibitory effects on TSH secretion by a direct action at the pituitary level. These effects appear to be mediated changes of the level of adenohy-pophyseal TRH receptors. A close correlation was observed between the specificity of binding of the dopamine agonist (3H)dihydroergocryptine and the control of prolactin release in cells in culture, thus supporting the physiological importance of the dopamine receptor in the control of prolactin release. The high degree precision of this system permits assessment of activity of not only dopamine agonists and antagonists, but also of compounds having mixed agonist-antagonistic activity. Preincubation of anterior pituitary cells with 17beta-estradiol not only stimulated basal and TRH-induced prolactin release but, more unexpectedly, led to an almost complete reversal of the inhibitory effect of dopamine agonists on prolactin secretion. Besides its own interest, the adenohypophyseal cell culture system could well be used as a model system for study of the interaction between estrogens and dopaminergic action.

Androgens↗

Mediastinopleuroscopy: a new approach to the diagnosis of intrathoracic diseases.

With the advent of modern therapy, it has become essential to obtain a tissue diagnosis in all cases of pulmonary and mediastinal disease. Since it is often necessary to resort to thoracotomy as a final step in making such a diagnosis, we have sought a procedure that is simpler while capable of providing the same information. Through a standard cervical mediastinoscopy incision, the mediastinum is first explored; if the diagnosis is not obtained, the mediastinal pleura is digitally opened and lung or pleural biopsies are taken. In the course of 1,100 mediastinoscopies since 1969, 275 pleuroscopies have been done. We were able to obtain a tissue diagnosis in 102 (78%) of 131 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma, in 92 (91%) of 102 with benign pulmonary disease, and in all 20 (100%) with pleural disease.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Inhibitory activity of analogues of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) in vitro and in vivo.

Improved inhibitors of LH-RH are those which, beside removal of the histidine residue at position 2 of LH-RH, include replacement of glycine at position 6 by a D-amino acid. A still better modification is replacement of the histidine residue at position 2 by D-phenylalanine. As examples, when tested in pituitary cells in culture, [Des-His2]LH-RH, [Des-His2, D-Leu6]LH-RH, [Des-His2, D-Phe6]-LH-RH, [D-Phe2]LH-RH, [D-Phe2, D-Leu6]LH-RH and [D-Phe2, D-Phe6]LH-RH inhibit 50% of LH release induced by LH-RH at molar ratios (MR50S) of 3000, 500, 60, 1000, 150 and 25, respectively. [D-Phe2, D-Phe6, D-Phe7]LH-RH, [D-Phe2, Phe3, D-Phe6]LH-RH and [D-Phe2, Phe5, D-Phe6]LH-RH have MR50 values of respectively 400, 100, and 75. When evaluated in vivo, some of the mentioned structural modifications permit inhibition of LH-RH action at molar ratios lower than observed in vitro. At a 500 molar ratio, [D-Phe2, Phe5, D-Phe6]-LH-RH inhibits the plasma LH rise induced by LH-RH by 75% up to 5 h after its injection. When administered at 12.00 hours at the dose of 2 mg, this analogue inhibits the spontaneous pro-oestrus LH surge and ovulation by 85 and 75%, respectively.

Animals↗

Parellel inhibition of LH-RH-induced cyclic AMP accumulation and LH and FSH release by LH-RH antagonists in vitro.

The relative potencies of seven antagonists of LH-RH to inhibit LH-RH-induced cyclic AMP accumulation and LH and FSH release were measured using rat hemipituitaries in vitro. At appropriate concentrations, [Des-His2, D-Ala6] LH-RH, [Des-His2, D-Ala6, des-Gly-NH210] LH-RH ethylamide, [Des-His2, D-Leu6] LH-RH, [D-Phe2] LH-RH, [Des-His2, Des-Gly-NH210] LH-RH propylamide, [D-Phe2, D-Leu6] LH-RH and [D-Phe2, D-Phe6] LH-RH led to parallel inhibition of cyclic AMP accumulation and LH and FSH release. [D-Phe2, D-Leu6] LH-RH and [D-Phe2, D-Phe6] LH-RH can inhibit 50% of LH-RH action at molar ratios of 100 and 30, respectively. These findings of parallel changes of cyclic AMP levels and LH and FSH release add strong support to the already obtained evidence for a mediator role of the adenylate cyclase system in the action of LH-RH in the anterior pituitary gland.

Animals↗