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Biomedical subjects

M Mercier

Publications and source records attributed to M Mercier.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Patient acceptance and differential perceptions of quality of life measures in a French oncology setting.

A three-part study evaluated French cancer patients' acceptance of self-rated quality of life measures, the predictive value of these measures, and the agreement between patient and health provider ratings of patient quality of life. In part one, 93% of 137 patients indicated a willingness to complete the Qualite de la Vie-Questionnaire (QOL-Q) and Analogues Lineaires pour la Mesure de la Qualite de vie (LA), and 63.6% indicated a willingness to be interviewed by a psychologist. Willingness to complete the scales was related to hospitalization status and treatment modality. In parts two and three, 100 patients were asked to complete the QOL-Q, LA, the Karnofsky Index (KI) and a side-effects checklist, and to undergo a psychological interview. Following interview, a psychologist rated the patients using the QOL-Q, and classified patient level of emotional distress. Oncologists rated the patient using the KI and the side-effects checklist. The results indicate that the patients' ratings of their quality of life were higher than the psychologist's ratings, and that the QOL-Q has predictive value in identifying severe emotional distress. Low level of patient and physician agreement on the KI was partially explained by patient age and cancer site. A moderate level of agreement was found between patient and physician perceptions of side effects. The study suggests that the QOL-Q, not the LA, may be useful as a screening tool to identify patients with impaired quality of life, and that self-rated measures should be included in quality of life assessments.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Polychlorinated and polybrominated biphenyl congeners and retinoid levels in rat tissues: structure-activity relationships.

The purpose of this study was to examine the structural requirements of polychlorinated and polybrominated biphenyls (PCBs and PBBs) for altering tissue levels of retinoids. Seven congeneric PCBs and PBBs were studied: 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB), 2',3,3',4,5- and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyls (-PeCBs), 3,3',4,4'- and 3,3',5,5'-tetrabromobiphenyls (-TBBs), 2,2',3,3',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (-HCB), and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (-HBB). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a vitamin A-adequate diet (1.3 mg/kg) for 30 days before being given a single IP injection of one of seven polyhalogenated biphenyls (150 mumol/kg) in corn oil (10 ml/kg) or vehicle alone. Rats were killed 1 week later. Except for 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HBB, all PCBs and PBBs studied significantly decreased serum retinol levels and, except for 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HBB and 2,2',3,3',5,5'-HCB, all PCBs and PBBs also lowered the serum retinol-binding-protein (RBP) content. The activity of hepatic retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) was reduced by the treatment of 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB, 3,3',4,4'-TBB, and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HBB. The levels of hepatic retinol were decreased by 2,2',3,3',5,5'-HCB, 2',3,3',4,5-PeCB, and 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB, while levels of hepatic retinyl palmitate were decreased by 2',3,3',4,5-PeCB, 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB, 3,3',4,4'-TCB, 3,3',4,4'-TBB, and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HBB. The substantial decreases in hepatic retinyl palmitate levels could not be explained solely on the basis of hepatomegaly caused by acutely toxic PCBs and PBBs. All halogenated biphenyls which caused a decrease in hepatic retinyl palmitate also caused an increase in renal retinyl palmitate except 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB. In summary, the acutely toxic (nonortho substituted) congeners had pronounced effects on hepatic, renal, and serum retinoids whereas other biphenyls only decreased serum retinol levels. The effects of these seven compounds on REH activity were not correlated with the effects on serum retinol or RBP levels. Therefore, this study shows that the structure-activity relationships for altering hepatic retinoids differ from those for serum retinol, implying the involvement of multiple mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Soluble interleukin-2 receptor assay is unhelpful in chronic inflammatory rheumatism].

The level of soluble interleukin-2 receptors (SIL2-R), which reflects lymphocyte activation, is often described as a useful parameter for evaluating disease activity and progression in patients with inflammatory conditions. Serum SIL2-R was assayed using a sandwich ELISA method in 98 subjects including 38 controls (C), 36 patients with ankylosing spondylarthropathy (AS) and 24 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). SIL2-R levels were higher in RA patients than in controls and AS patients (p < 10(-4)), whereas the difference between AS patients and controls was small (p = 0.02). In RA patients, SIL2-R levels were not correlated with any of the clinical or biological parameters studied and remained unchanged during clinical improvements. In the AS group, SIL2-R levels showed no correlations with inflammation parameters (CRP, IgA) and was similar in patients with and without HLA B27 or appendicular joint involvement. This study failed to provide any evidence that SIL2-R levels are helpful for monitoring patients with inflammatory joint disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Measurement of quality of life. Application to the screening of psychological distress in cancer patients].

As cancer treatments are becoming more and more traumatic the quality of life of these patients must be taken into consideration. This study was set up in 1982 and aimed at screening patients suffering from major psychological distress using a quantitative assessment of the quality of life. A self-administered questionnaire (QLQ) and linear analogues (LA) were developed and validated. The patient's acceptance of these two measuring instruments was tested on a sample group of patients in the Oncology Department of Besançon University Hospital and gave a result of 94% which was higher than that of a psychological interview (64%). A comparison of the assessment of the quality of life by the patient, the psychologist and the physician is an important phase in this concept. Agreement by the doctor and the patient using the Karnofsky indices was moderate (62% of the cases using a simplified scale): patients tended to overstate the extremes. The overall scores and the different questionnaire items completed by the patient and the psychologist were correlated, but agreement varied according to each item. An attempt was made to establish a predictive value for the questionnaire and the linear analogues to identify patients suffering from major psychological distress and requiring psychosocial support by comparing the results of the tests with the assessment of the psychologist during an interview. A stepwise logistical regression selected a combination of three items which screened more than 80% of these patients. The linear analogues were not sufficiently discriminatory to be used. The overall results suggest that a quality of life measurement can be integrated into daily clinical practice.

Humans↗
PubMed1992

[Epidemiology of kidney cancers].

Renal carcinomas represent 2% of all tumors. More than 90% of these cancers occur in adults with the frequency in adult males being twice as high as that in adult females. The frequency of renal carcinomas is relatively high in France especially in males. Renal carcinomas mortality has been increasing in France over the last 40 years by more than 2% per year and suggests that tobacco is involved in this increase. Obesity, especially in women, and chronic renal failure are two other frequent associations found with renal carcinomas. The prognosis for this cancer is not clear-cut as the relative 5-year survival rate for all adult tumors ranges from 36 to 54%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Langerhans-cell histiocytosis of the vulva. General review and a case history].

Localisation of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (HCL) is rare. In solitary form the prognosis for this pathology is good, if the tumour occurs in a woman of 36 years of age. (In this case the woman's age was 91) The appearances may be misleading clinically. The diagnosis is made by histological examination of P-S 100 positive cells and by finding Birbeck's granules on electron microscopy. Treatment may be surgical or as in our case medical.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1979

Determination of Kováts retention indices with a capillary column and electron-capture detection: application to the assay of the enzymatic conversion of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene into diepoxybutane.

A method is described that allows for alternate operation of a "pin and cup"-type electron-capture detector (ECD) in the normal ECD mode and in the metastable argon ionization mode. By such means, marker n-alkanes can be run without a change of the gas or temperature parameters, and measurements can be made of the Kováts retention indices of unknown compounds that are detectable in trace amounts by ECD only. As an application, tests are reported which support the probable enzymatic conversion of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene into diepoxybutane during incubation of the former with rat liver microsomes.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Microsomal vinyl oxide synthetase: modification of its kinetic parameters by chemical carcinogens.

The kinetic parameters of liver microsomal vinyl oxide synthetase as well as their modifications under the influence of various pretreatments have been evaluated, using 1,1,2-trichlorethylene (TCE) as a substrate. The results were correlated with those obtained using aldrin oxide synthetase and benzpyrene hydroxylase as typical cytochrome P-450 dependent enzymatic activity. The treatments of animals with chemical carcinogens selectively increase the affinity of those enzymes for their substrates.

Aldrin↗
PubMed1979

Liver extract mediated mutagenicity of acrylonitrile.

The mutagenic activity of acrylonitrile vapours towards Salmonella typhimurium strains strictly depends upon the presence of a liver postmitochondrial fraction. The reversion rate varies according to the animal species from which the S9 fraction is obtained as well as to the pretreatment of the animals. The comparatively weak activating effect of the microsomal fraction and the inability of both SKF525A and carbon monoxide to inhibit the S9 mediated mutagenicity of acrylonitrile (ACN) suggest that the cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases do not play a major role in the metabolic activation of ACN into a mutagenic intermediate (s).

Acrylonitrile↗