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Biomedical subjects

M L North

Publications and source records attributed to M L North.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

[Results of the first 9 months of testing for anti-HIV antibodies in blood donors in France].

An inquiry conducted in all the French blood transfusion centres from the 1st of July, 1985 to the 31st of March, 1986 in respect of blood donations confirmed to be positive for anti-HIV antibodies has given the following results: prevalence of 0.59 per thousand (1661/2,809,744); significant difference between first-time and regular blood donors (2.04% and 0.39% respectively); predominance of males (85%); 65% are less than 30 years old; the main risk factors are homosexuality (49%) and the use of I.V. drugs (28%).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[Determination of sub-populations of circulating T lymphocytes in alcoholic cirrhosis using monoclonal antibodies OKT3, 4, 5, Leu 2 and Leu 15. Effect of hepatitis B virus infection].

Peripheral T lymphocyte subpopulations were quantified in 24 alcoholic cirrhotic patients, 11 of them having anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc antibodies, and were compared with 35 healthy control subjects, 10 of them having anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc antibodies. The monoclonal antibodies utilized (OKT3, OKT4, OKT8 in simple staining, Leu 2 and Leu 15 in double staining) are considered as markers of mature (CD3), helper (CD4), cytotoxic/suppressor (CD8, Leu 2), suppressor (Leu [2+ 15+), and cytotoxic (Leu 2+ 15-) T cells. In cirrhotics, when compared to controls, the number of CD3 cells was reduced (p less than 0.01); the proportion of CD4 cells was within normal range, and that of CD8 cells diminished (p less than 0.001), contrasting with an increased proportion of Leu 2+ cells (p less than 0.01), related to an increased proportion of Leu 2+ 15+ cells. Leu 2+ 15- lymphocytes were within normal range. In control subjects, a decreased proportion of Leu 2+ 15+ cells was found (p less than 0.05) when Ac HBs and/or Ac HBc were present. In cirrhotics having at least one serologic marker of hepatitis B virus infection, when compared with negative ones, increased proportions of Leu 2+ (p less than 0.05) and Leu 2+ 15+ (p less than 0.05) cells were found. These results show that data concerning T lymphocyte subpopulations are conflicting when various types of antibodies are used. However, they suggest abnormalities of immune regulation, possibly a defect of T suppressor cell function. Hepatitis B virus infection probably modifies immune regulation in alcoholic cirrhosis, and perhaps in normal subjects.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1986

[Evaluation of malnutrition and immunity in alcoholic liver diseases].

Disorders of immunity and nutritional status are known to be present in alcohol-induced diseases of the liver, but their significance is still debated. Nutrition and immunity were evaluated at different stages of the disease in 58 alcoholic patients with steatosis (n = 20), alcoholic hepatitis (n = 14) or cirrhosis (n = 24). Most of the anthropometric data and biochemical values relating to nutrition were altered to the same degree in these 3 groups. Only patients with cirrhosis had significantly lower blood albumin and zinc levels (P less than 0.01). Humoral immunity was altered in cirrhosis only and cellular immunity in all 3 liver diseases. There was no correlation between immunity and nutrition (except for blood zinc and E rosettes; P less than 0.01) or between these and alcohol consumption. Like several nutritional parameters, blood lymphocyte values correlated negatively with a liver disease severity index. It is concluded that disorders of nutrition and immunity are broadly comparable in alcohol-induced liver diseases; there is no direct statistical correlation between these disorders which seem to be independent of the type of liver disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Lack of correlation of glycosylated haemoglobin level with the duration of diabetes or diabetic angiopathy.

Patients with severe diabetic angiopathy show an increased physiologic haemolysis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the practical influence of the resulting reduced red cells half-life on the glycosylated haemoglobin (GHb) level as determined by a routine method. 168 diabetics, aged 55.7 +/- 1.3 years, were studied. The duration of disease ranged from 3 months to 34 years; 66 patients were insulin-treated and 87 had clinical features of arteritis and/or patent microangiopathy. A highly significant correlation was found between the mean plasma glucose level determined on the first day after admission and the GHb value. The slopes of regression curves of diabetics with and without angiopathies were similar. For a given mean glucose level there was no correlation between the GHb value and the duration of diabetes. So, in clinical practice, it is not necessary to take into account the duration of diabetes or the presence of angiopathies for explaining the GHb results.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Discovery of hemoglobin J Baltimore in an episode of methemoglobinemia in an infant].

A case of a heterozygote for Hb J Baltimore is reported in a French family. This variant hemoglobin was coincidentally discovered during an episode of methemoglobinemia in a 6-week-old baby. The father and one of the brothers were also carriers of the trait. Hematological findings for all of them were normal. As Hb J Baltimore is a frequently occurring hemoglobin variant, we discuss: its possible role in the appearance of methemoglobin, and whether this mutation in different racial groups (Caucasians of West Europe, Canadians, and American blacks) has a common origin or more probably arises from a number of independent mutations.

Electrophoresis↗
PubMed1985

[Deformability of thawed erythrocytes: introduction of a new preservative solution].

Recently, KANE et al. (Centre de Transfusion Sanguine, Strasbourg) designed an original preservative medium, called ESOC, allowing a prolonged storage of thawed RBC. We studied on 15 days the evolution of thawed RBC deformability, while RBC where kept preserved, on the one hand in this ESOC solution, on the other hand in physiologic water, without any preservative medium. We tried to correlate this rheological evolution with cellular ATP, cellular 2,3-DPG and membrane proteins evolution. Deformability was measured by filterability with an Hemorheometre. The results are given as a rigidity index, IR. In ESOC, IR and cellular ATP stay in normal values during the 15 days. In physiologic water, deformability decreases strongly and IR is out of normal values after the fifth day. Cellular ATP decreases out of normal values as soon as the third day. 2,3-DPG decreases in both media. Membrane proteins electrophoresis does not show any difference neither in ESOC nor in physiological water, all fifteen days long. We only observed parallelism between deformability and cellular ATP and IR was higher than normal values. We found no correlation between deformability and 2,3-DPG. We also can conclude, with this study, that ESOC allows a good preservation of thawed RBC and by this way complies with the needs for delayed transfusion in current practice.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate↗
PubMed1985

Natural HLA antibodies.

"Natural antibodies" directed against antigens of the Major Histocompatibility Complex have been observed in aged mice but very seldom in humans. It is likely that HLA natural antibodies are more common than previously supposed: our results suggest they may be found in 1% of normal blood donors. Most of these antibodies seem to be weak and can only be detected when B lymphocytes (BL) are used as target cells in the lymphocytotoxicity technique or when indirect immunofluorescence is used with peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). The behavior of these natural IgM antibodies was compared to that of weak immune IgG HLA antibodies detected in the same way. Absorption tests showed that "natural antibodies" were very specifically absorbed, whereas "immune antibodies" could also be absorbed by cells not carrying the specific antigen. Furthermore, about half of the "natural antibodies" detected to date carried the HLA-B8 specificity. Various hypotheses have been put forward to attempt to explain the appearance of these antibodies.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Hepatitis B virus, serological markers of viral infections and humoral immunity in alcoholic cirrhosis].

In order to define the role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in alcoholic liver disease and to study the relationship between HBV and other common viruses, the serological markers of viral disease (HBV, Rubella, Polio, Herpes, and Cytomegalovirus-CMV) were compared in 163 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (group C), 100 patients with alcoholic steatosis (group S) and in 168 non-alcoholic control subjects (group NA). A significantly increased prevalence of HBV markers in group C was related to the presence of anti-HBc antibodies, in 10.5 p. 100 of cirrhotic patients, vs. 1.2 p. 100 in group S and 1 p. 100 in group NA (p less than 0.01). In cirrhotic patients with HBV markers (HBV +) incidence of alcoholic hepatitis was 4 times lower and the total duration of alcohol overconsumption was significantly lower than in cirrhotic patients without these markers (HBV-). Hepatic function tests were not different in HBV + and HBV- cirrhotic patients, excepted for the ASAT/ALAT ratio (1.55 +/- 0.10 vs. 1.92 +/- 0.12; p less than 0.05). Prevalence of anti-CMV antibodies, and anti-herpes greater than 1/100 antibodies, was significantly increased in S and C groups (p less than 0.01). Anti-Rubella, Polio, and CMV antibody titers were higher (p less than 0.05) in HBV + than in HBV- cirrhotic patients. In cirrhotic subjects, titers of these 3 anti-virus antibodies were not related to alcoholic hepatitis or to IgG and IgM concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1985

[Prevalence of HLA-A and -B antigens, anti-HBc and -HBs antibodies in alcoholic hepatopathies].

The frequency of 26 HLA-A and B antigens and of antibodies to the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and surface antigen (anti-HBs) has been studied in 150 alcoholic patients divided into 3 groups: I) n = 50, isolated hepatic steatosis; II) n = 50, acute alcoholic hepatitis +/- cirrhosis; III) n = 50, cirrhosis without acute alcoholic hepatitis. For the control group 184 blood donors were selected. In all these subjects, as in all the alcoholic patients, the Alsatian origin of four grand parents was proved. An increased frequency of HLA-B15 was observed in group III (34 p. 100) compared to the control group (9.8 p. 100) (corrected p less than 0.001). There was no significant difference between the four groups for all the other HLA antigens. In group III, the prevalence of anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs was higher in patients with HLA-B15 (64.7 p. 100) than in patients without this antigen (15.1 p. 100) (p less than 0.001). In groups I and II, there was no significant difference. These results suggest that there is a genetic predisposition to cirrhosis without acute alcoholic hepatitis, dependent on HLA-B15 antigen. This predisposition could involve the hepatitis B virus.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

[Determination of synovial fibronectin by laser nephelometry. Its diagnostic value in rheumatology].

The object of the present study was to define the optimal conditions for the quantitative determination of fibronectin in synovial fluid by laser nephelometry and to determine the diagnostic importance of this analysis in rheumatology. The results show that this technique is sensitive (threshold sensitivity is 70 mg/l if the sample is diluted 1/30 and 5 mg/l for a sample diluted to 1/2), accurate, reproducible (coefficient of variation less than 10%), specific, simple and rapid. The response is linear for dilutions from 1/30 to 1/240. Fibronectin P and fibronectin S were determined in 104 subjects who had contracted an arthropathy; 26 cases of rheumatoid polyarthritis, 43 mechanical arthropathies and 35 cases of non-rheumatoid arthritis. the plasma fibronectin does not vary significantly from one group of arthropathies to another but the mean value for the total population of arthropathies is significantly lower than that for a control group. In the synovial fluid the mean value for fibronectin in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (583 + 76 mg/l) is very considerably higher than that in non-rheumatoid (379 + 58 mg/l) or mechanical (367 + 32 mg/l) arthritis patients. Thus, the determination of synovial fibronectin may provide useful information for the etiological diagnosis of inflammatory arthropathies.

Arthritis↗
PubMed1984

[Hemoglobin E: report of the first 2 cases in French subjects].

Hemoglobin E has been discovered casually in the blood of two French donors: one coming from the Alsace region, the other one coming from the Champagne region. In the two cases, the hemoglobin E is in an heterozygote state and takes the place of 33 per cent of the total haemoglobin in the first and 24 per cent in the second. We investigated in their families and found that other members of these families had hemoglobin E. Each time, it was associated with a microcytosis and polycythaemia without anemy or iron deficiency. The red cells morphology shows many microspherocytes and target-cells. There is no relationship between these two families and the research of an asiatic antecedent proved negative. These two observations give a supplementary proof that the geographic repartition of the hemoglobin E is larger than what we read in the first publications and shows the interest to study the hemoglobin of unexplained polycythaemia with microcytes in the blood of blood donors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

[Comparative study of three presentations for research on HBs antigen by the immunoenzyme technique].

The authors present the results of a study comparing the detection of HbSAg by enzyme immunoassay using the following three different commercial kits and their corresponding apparatus: Auszyme II, Quantum II from Abbott; Enzygnost micro Elisa, Elisa Processor from Behring; Hepanostika, washer and reader micro Elisa system from Organon. The purpose of the study is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the reaction and the extent of automation of this method. The sensitivity and specificity of the 3 kits are compared with those of a reference technique, the radioimmunoassay Ausria II, Abbott. The sensitivity of Auszyme II is equivalent to that of Ausria II and is approximately 0.2 mg/ml. The other two kits are somewhat less sensitive. The proportion of false negative is less than 1%, but with all 3 kits it is necessary to verify a negative result. The results of this study confirm the high level of sensitivity and specificity of the enzyme immunoassay for the detection of HbSAg in the serum or plasma of blood donors. This technique therefore offers an alternate method of HbSAg detection to laboratories which cannot or prefer not to use a radioimmunoassay.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMed1984

[Biological studies and research of immunologic deficiencies in blood donors from a prison environment].

The prison population may be considered as a population at risk for AIDS. Biological parameters were studied in order to detect significant anomalies commonly observed in AIDS patients. With respect to are age matched control population of donors, there are no statistically significant differences concerning the nutritional and inflammatory states of the two populations. The investigation of the humoral immunity shows comparable levels of circulating antibodies in the two groups: a high level of anti-cytomegalovirus and anti-herpes antibodies is more frequently found in the penal population. The markers for hepatitis B were also studied. None of the individuals is a carrier of the HBs antigen. The percentage of individuals having biological markers of hepatitis B is higher in the at risk group (45%) than in the control group (10%). The evaluation of the cell-mediated immunity shows that there are no significant differences between the mean values found in the two groups for OKT3, T11, OKT4 and OKT8. There is no inversed OKT4/OKT8 ratio in the at risk group while one donor in the control group shows an inversed OKT4/OKT8 ratio.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1984

[Iron overload in a beta thalassemia heterozygote of the intermediate type in a subject of Alsation origin. Results of iron chelation treatment].

Heterozygous beta thalassaemia with microcytic anaemia (hemoglobin concentration 77 g/l) has been recognized in a 49 year-old woman of Alsatian extraction. A long history of microcytic anaemia had led to inadequate oral iron treatment before the patient was referred to us because of the persisting microcytic anaemia and iron loading. Indeed the patient also had haemosiderosis with a high transferrin saturation (73%) and markedly elevated ferritinaemia (1,114 micrograms/ml). Ferrokinetic data showed increased plasma iron turnover, early transfer of iron to the liver and evidence of ineffective erythropoiesis. She was treated with desferrioxamine (3 g every three days subcutaneously) and serum ferritin levels gradually decreased together with transferrin saturation. After 15 months serum ferritin and transferrin saturation were within the normal range. Several hypotheses are discussed to explain why this patient had haemosiderosis associated with heterozygous beta thalassaemia. The propositus was found to be HLA-A3, which is strongly associated with idiopathic haemochromatosis. Her sister also carries HLA-A3 with heterozygous beta thalassaemia but she has neither anaemia nor iron overload. Thus double heterozygotism is unlikely in our patient.

Anemia↗