PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

N Charles

Publications and source records attributed to N Charles.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Effects of packaging systems on the natural microflora and acceptability of chicken breast meat.

The effect of 3 packaging systems on the spoilage microflora, objective color, and sensory characteristics of fresh commercial broiler chicken breast meat was investigated. Fresh skinless and boneless chicken broiler breasts were purchased from a local poultry processing plant and packaged in either (1) a conventional Styrofoam tray with polyvinyl chloride overwrap and absorbent pad, (2) a Styrofoam tray with polyvinyl chloride overwrap minus absorbent pad, or (3) a Fresh-R-Pax (FRP) container equipped with an absorbent liner-gel system. All packages were heat sealed and stored at 1.2 +/- 1 degrees C for 8 d. At each sampling period (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 d), packages from each treatment were analyzed for Pseudomonas spp., psychrotrophic organisms, objective color, and sensory characteristics. In general, Pseudomonas spp. and psychrotrophic counts increased as storage time increased for all packaging systems. Color and overall appearance were similar (P >0.05) for all packaging systems. Although not significant, the off-odor scores for breast meat packaged in FRP were higher (P >0.05) after 6 and 8 d when compared with the breast meat packaged in a Styrofoam tray with polyvinyl chloride overwrap with or without an absorbent pad. Although the absorbent pad did not control microbial growth, it maintained aesthetic appeal by absorbing all visible moisture released from the meat during storage.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Risk factors associated with default, failure and death among tuberculosis patients treated in a DOTS programme in Tiruvallur District, South India, 2000.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors associated with default, failure and death among tuberculosis patients treated in a newly implemented DOTS programme in South India. DESIGN: Analysis of all patients registered from May 1999 through April 2000. A community survey for active tuberculosis was underway in the area; patients identified in the community survey were also treated in this programme. RESULTS: In all, 676 patients were registered during the period of the study. Among new smear-positive patients (n = 295), 74% were cured, 17% defaulted, 5% died and 4% failed treatment. In multivariate analysis (n = 676), higher default rates were associated with irregular treatment (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.3; 95%CI 2.5-7.4), being male (AOR 3.4; 95%CI 1.5-8.2), history of previous treatment (AOR 2.8; 95%CI 1.6-4.9), alcoholism (AOR 2.2; 95%CI 1.3-3.6), and diagnosis by community survey (AOR 2.1; 95%CI 1.2-3.6). Patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) were more likely to fail treatment (33% vs. 3%; P < 0.001). More than half of the patients receiving Category II treatment who remained sputum-positive after 3 or 4 months of treatment had MDR-TB, and a large proportion of these patients failed treatment. Higher death rates were independently associated with weight <35 kg (AOR 3.8; 95%CI 1.9-7.8) and history of previous treatment (AOR 3.3; 95%CI 1.5-7.0). CONCLUSIONS: During this first year of DOTS implementation with sub-optimal performance, high rates of default and death were responsible for low cure rates. Male patients and those with alcoholism were at increased risk of default, as were patients identified by community survey. To prevent default, directly observed treatment should be made more convenient for patients. To reduce mortality, the possible role of nutritional interventions should be explored among underweight patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

IgE receptor type I-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipid scramblase.

To identify new effectors of IgE receptor (FcepsilonRI) signaling, we purified proteins from FcepsilonRI-stimulated RBL-2H3 rat mast cells on anti-phosphotyrosine beads and generated mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against these proteins. Two mAbs bound to a protein that was identified as a new isoform of phospholipid scramblase (PLSCR) after screening an RBL-2H3 cDNA expression library. This isoform differed from PLSCR1 by the absence of an exon 3-encoded sequence and by an insert coding six QGPY(P/A)GP repeats. The PLSCR family of proteins is responsible for a redistribution of phospholipids across the plasma membrane. Although rat PLSCR is a 37-kDa protein, anti-phosphotyrosine immunoblots revealed the presence of 37-49 kDa phosphoproteins in the material immunoprecipitated with either anti-PLSCR mAb but not with unrelated monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Depletion of PLSCR resulted in the absence of these phosphoproteins. Additional experiments led to the identification of these phosphoproteins as phospho-PLSCR itself. Stimulation of RBL-2H3 cells upon FcepsilonRI engagement resulted in a dramatic increase in PLSCR tyrosine phosphorylation. A comparison of the relative amounts of phospho-PLSCR and nonphosphorylated PLSCR demonstrated that only a tiny fraction was thus modified, indicating a finely targeted involvement of PLSCR in FcepsilonRI signaling. Thus, this study reports the cloning of a new isoform of PLSCR, as well as the first observation that a member of the PLSCR family is a target for tyrosine kinases and is involved in signaling by an immune receptor. These findings open new perspectives on the role of phospholipid scramblases and to the mechanisms involved in their regulation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

"I just cope from day to day": unpredictability and anxiety in the lives of women.

Data are presented from in-depth interviews with 35 women in an industrial town in South Wales, U.K., many of whom were from low income households. The research aimed to explore women's own concerns about their health and the ways in which health problems affected their lives. This paper focuses on one prominent theme in these interviews: unpredictability. In particular, women described how their lives had become less predictable and amenable to control as a result of health problems--epilepsy, asthma, ME, anxiety, nerves and panic attacks, for example. Women's accounts are used to show how they experienced these problems, how they influenced women's self-identity and the ways in which women struggled to cope with the dreadful uncertainty that characterized their days. They often hid these problems, and the privacy of this aspect of their lives is striking. The data are set within the context of class and gender relations which diminish women's control over their lives and erode their self-esteem and sense of autonomy. Class and gender combine with ill health to create the conditions for women's sense of unpredictability and powerlessness. They can aggravate and provoke the health problems women described: women spoke of the challenges they faced in their roles as wives and mothers, the problems associated with widowhood, the loss of their jobs, the impact of unemployment and their efforts to cope with severe financial problems. In part, these provided them with a framework for understanding the uncertainty, anxiety, nerves and panic they experienced.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1997

[Dropped head syndrome: diagnostic discussion apropos of 3 cases].

We report three cases presenting mainly with neck extensor weakness, or dropped head syndrome, revealing respectively myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and non-inflammatory neck extensors myopathy. We discuss the different diagnosis of this rare syndrome and this late onset localized myopathy of unknown etiology.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[Disulfiram (Esperal) toxicity. Apropos of 3 original cases].

Prescribed since 1948 to control chronic alcoholism, disulfiram may cause severe toxicity as report in three cases of acute motive axonal polyneuritis. Disulfiram toxicity may present different clinical aspects: 1) Cytolytic hepatitis with fatal evolution in 30% of cases (fulminant hepatitis), and full recovery for the other 70%. The onset of the symptoms usually occurs as early as 15 days to a maximum of 6 months (most within 2 months) after initiation of treatment. 2) Severe optic neuritis with full recovery in 2 months. 3) Peripheral neuropathy usually dose dependent, with different clinical presentations: polyneuritis with sensory, motor, or both deficits, and few cases of tetraplegia. 4) Encephalopathy frequently associated with one of the precedent symptoms, having a favorable outcome (probably resulting in inhibition of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase by disulfiram). The mechanism of toxicity (direct or idiosyncractic) remain unclear. Disulfiram has been used safely in millions of people since 1948, and we have only few cases reports of severe toxicity. From a practical point of view, treated patients should benefit by a neurological examination once a month, ophtalmological examination every 2 months, and hepatic enzymes monitored twice a month during the 2 first months. This is the price to prevent and to detect side effects of disulfiram therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Neurological complications caused by gold salts. Nosologic report apropos of a case].

Gold therapy is responsible for many neurological complications. We report a case presenting with the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of neuromyotonia, polyradiculoneuritis and Morvan's fibrillary chorea. The various neurological complications of gold therapy and the possible relationships between these different syndromes are discussed.

Antirheumatic Agents↗
PubMed1993

[Arnold-Chiari malformation in adults. Development of diagnostic conditions since the availability of MRI].

We reviewed retrospectively 47 patients with a Chiari malformation (CM) who had been admitted to the Clinique de Neurologie of Lyon from 1971 to 1991. The purpose of this report is to assess the possible influence on the frequency and the clinical pattern at presentation of CM since 1985 when Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) became available to us. A diagnosis of CM was made for 21 patients before 1985 (group 1) and for 26 patients thereafter (group 2), i.e., a 2.5 increase of incidence of CM frequency (1.5 patients/year before 1985 vs 3.7 patients/year thereafter). This increase was even more striking for cases without syringomyelic symptoms and signs (SSS) (42.9% in group 1, vs 76.9% in group 2). The accuracy of clinical diagnosis was 68.1% for the total surveyed period (90.5% before 1985 and 50% thereafter). For cases with SS at presentation, a syringomyelic cavity was radiologically demonstrated in 80% of the cases in the pre-MRI period and 90.9% of the cases since MRI was available. On the other hand, when a syringomyelic cavity was radiologically demonstrated, there was a related clinical SS in 70% of group 1 patients and 50% of group 2 patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

No association or linkage with HLA-DR or -DQ genes in south Indians with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Studies of the HLA class II genes were performed in patients and multiple families with pulmonary tuberculosis from South India to seek any association of disease susceptibility with an individual allele or haplotype. TaqI RFLP analysis of HLA-DRB, -DQA and -DQB genes was done in 38 patients and 36 healthy control subjects. No significant association with any particular allele or haplotype was obtained. Linkage analysis performed in 12 families and haplotype sharing analysis in 9 families showed that the genetic susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis was not linked to the HLA region. The results suggest that the RFLP patterns of HLA class II genes DRB, DQA and DQB are not associated with susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis and that the genes controlling susceptibility or resistance may be located outside the HLA region.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed1992

Partial remission of hemiplegia and somatoparaphrenia through vestibular stimulation in a case of unilateral neglect.

In a case of long lasting severe neglect resulting from a large right parieto-temporo-occipital infarct, vestibular stimulation produced a temporary reduction of the motor deficit and disappearance of the somatoparaphrenic delusion, in addition to the already reported improvement of extrapersonal and personal neglect and anosognosia. These data open new perspectives in the understanding of the neglect syndrome and of functional involvement of the parietal lobe in space representation.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Vertigo and upside down vision due to an infarct in the territory of the medial branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery caused by dissection of a vertebral artery.

A 48 year old woman developed an acute vestibular syndrome associated with upside down vision a few hours after minor cervical trauma. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an ischaemic lesion in the territory of the medial branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. An arteriogram showed a dissection of the left extracranial vertebral artery.

Aortic Dissection↗
PubMed1992

Cervicobrachial neuralgia: diagnostic problems in neurology.

A population of 205 patients hospitalized for evaluation of cervicobrachial pain was retrospectively studied. Four aetiological groups were individualized: common cervicobrachial neuralgia (CBN) due to nucleus pulposus herniation or spondylarthrosis (119 cases); inflammatory radicular lesion (39 cases); CBN reflecting lesions of the cervicobrachial plexus or the spine (23 cases) and pain of undetermined origin (22 cases). The semiological characteristics of these four groups are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Myasthenia gravis in childhood and infancy. Usefulness of electrophysiologic studies.

The diagnostic yield of electrodiagnostic tests was evaluated in 21 children with myasthenia gravis (MG). Twelve children had juvenile autoimmune MG, four had neonatal MG, four had congenital MG, and one had MG with arthrogryposis. Repetitive stimulation (RS) of the ulnar nerve was performed in every patient, sometimes with sensitization by ischemia. When the RS test was negative, the spinal or facial nerve was tested. In the group with neonatal MG, the RS test disclosed a significant decrement in 75% of the patients. Among the 17 other children, the overall percentage of positive RS tests was 88%. An ulnar nerve RS test was positive in 41% of them. Sensitization of ulnar nerve RS by ischemia improved the diagnostic yield to 66%. A spinal or facial nerve RS test was positive in seven of 10 patients. These results confirmed the diagnostic value of RS, with sensitization by ischemia, when necessary, in childhood MG whenever a careful technique is provided.

Adolescent↗