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Biomedical subjects

S Rivière

Publications and source records attributed to S Rivière.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Evolution and prognosis of adult onset Still's disease. A monocentric study of 17 patients].

UNLABELLED: Adult-Onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare condition of unknown origin with various presentations and unpredictable outcome. The aim of this study was to analyse clinical and biological presentation, and outcome of patients admitted to an internal medicine service. METHOD: A retrospective cohort design with prospective follow-up was used. All the patients admitted to our internal medicine service for AOSD between January 1998 and March 2004 were included. RESULTS: According to Yamaguchi's classification criteria, 17 patients were analysed with a mean age at onset of 37.3 years and a 2.4 sex-ratio (female/male). Mean follow-up length was 52.1 months. Eight patients developed a monocyclic systemic form, 8 a polycyclic systemic form and 1 a chronic articular form. Arthralgia (87%) and arthritis (53%) were less frequent than in other series. Sixteen patients were treated: 14 by corticosteroids, 6 by non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, 5 by methotrexate, 2 intravenous polyglobulin and one by anti-TNF drug. Patients with a corticodependant or corticoresistant form had more polyarthritis at the onset of the disease (3/6 vs 0/11, P=0.029). DISCUSSION: In internal medicine activity, AOSD without oligo- or polyarthritis may be more frequent than expected according to the literature. Corticotherapy alone is often efficient in these AOSD form without synovitis, and methotrexate use is uncommon.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

[Incidence and presentation of the central neurological manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis: a monocentric study of 14 cases].

PURPOSE: Central nervous system manifestations are rare clinical features of Wegener's granulomatosis, and occur in 4-8% of the patients, but few studies were dedicated to them. METHODS: This retrospective study (1988-2001) include 14 consecutive patients suffering from Wegener's granulomatosis. Involvement of central nervous system was defined as follows: suggestive neurological signs, compatible cerebral imaging, efficacy of the specific treatment of the granulomatosis. RESULTS: Four patients had a central nervous system manifestation (29%), including three women (average age 51 years). The signs were inaugural in a case. The manifestations were the following: sensibility disturbance (three cases), motor weakness (two cases), aphasia (one case), and mood disorders (two cases). Cranial nerves were constantly involved. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging findings were: pachymeningitis and venous thrombosis (one case), vasculitis (two cases). Under steroid therapy associated with cyclophosphamide, in spite of a recurrence at 27 months in one patient, all patients had a complete remission. There was no death, with a median follow-up of 66 months. Except the ocular signs, that were more common (three cases), these patients had the usual characteristics of the Wegener's granulomatosis: rhinosinusitis (four cases), pulmonary (three cases), renal (three cases), and peripheral nervous system involvement (three cases). CONCLUSIONS: Our study, based on precise criteria, indicates that the frequency of the central neurologic manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis is probably under estimated. Cranial nerves involvement is highly evocative. The long-term prognosis seems good, in spite of the associated multivisceral disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Vascular resistances in lower limb arterial disease used to evaluate the quality of peripheral arteries. Preliminary study].

UNLABELLED: Peripheral resistance of lower limb arteries is not a common clinical measurement despite easy-to-apply non-invasive techniques. The aim of our trial has been to test this new parameter as a marker of arterial lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this prospective study, hemodynamic data acquired non-invasively [Ankle brachial index (ABI), peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastole velocity (VTD) and peripheral artery quality] in patients with lower limb arterial disease were compared with the resistance index measured in the common femoral artery (Arbeille index: IR=VTD/PSV). RESULTS: Between February 1, 2003 and April 30, 2003, 150 measurements of resistance index were made in 99 individuals with ischemia following a strain (69% men, 31% women, average age 64.8+/-15.2 years). Forty-one of the resistance measurements (27%) were also made in patients with arterial disease factors (diabetics, renal replacement therapy). The resistance index was closely associated with end-diastole velocity. (r=-0.76; DDL=148; p<0.01) as well as peripheral artery quality (r=0.81; DDL=148; p<0.01); on the contrary the resistance index was not affected by the arterial disease factors (0.3+/-0.1 vs 0.33+/-0.12; p=NS). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the hemodynamic impact might be evaluated more precisely diabetics and renal replacement therapy patients whose hemodynamic parameters are difficult to assess due to their arterial disease factors. Prospective studies are needed to determine the role of the resistance index in the follow up of these patients, and its contribution in comparison with the measurement of end-diastole velocity.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Hydrophobins in ectomycorrhizas: heterologous transcription of the Pisolithus HydPt-1 gene in yeast and Hebeloma cylindrosporum.

Hydrophobins are fungal cell wall proteins involved in aggregation of hyphae. Upon the development of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis between tree roots and fungal hyphae, the transcripts of hydrophobin genes markedly accumulated. As the precise role of these proteins in symbiosis is not yet known, we develop heterologous expression system of the Pisolithus hydrophobin HYDPt-1. This gene has been introduced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Hebeloma cylindrosporum. Introns were required for hydPt-1 transcript accumulation in the basidiomycete H. cylindrosporum. Heterologous transcript accumulation did not alter the phenotype of either species. The lack of altered phenotype resulted from the absence of HYDPt-1 polypeptide accumulation in transformed strains.

Basidiomycota↗
PubMed2001

[HIV-associated myelopathy: an uncommon indicator of AIDS].

INTRODUCTION: Spinal cord lesions are an uncommon mode of discovering acquired immunodeficiency syndrome because they usually appear at a later stage. EXEGESIS: We report a 58-year-old patient who had a spastic paraparesia and sphincter dysfunction. The spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging showed spontaneous hypersignals on T2-weighted images at the cervical and thoracic levels, enhanced with gadolinium, and without swelling. No cause was found. The HIV serology was positive and allowed us to consider an HIV-associated myelopathy. The antiretroviral therapy led to functional recovery. CONCLUSION: An HIV serology is suggested whenever an unexplained intramedullary lesion is discovered. Indeed, the diagnosis of HIV-associated myelopathy implies a specific therapeutic approach.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed2001

A nutritional education program could prevent weight loss and slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Weight loss is a common problem in patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). It is a predictive factor of mortality and it decreases patients' and caregivers' quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To determine if a nutritional education program can prevent weight loss in AD patients. SUBJECTS: 151 AD patients and their caregivers were enrolled to follow the intervention and 74 AD patients and their caregivers constituted a control group. METHOD: Caregivers in the intervention group followed 9 nutritional sessions of one hour each, over one year. Caregivers in the control group didn't follow any sessions but were offered advice provided in a normal follow-up. Patients weight, nutritional state, cognitive function, autonomy, mood, behaviour disorders at baseline and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Caregivers burden, nutritional and AD knowledge at the baseline and at the 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: During the year follow-up, the mean weight increased in the intervention group (0.7+/-3.6 kg) whereas it decreased in the control group (-0.7+/-5.4 kg) (p<0.05). The nutritional status (MNA) was maintained in the intervention group (0.3+/-2.6) whereas it decreased significantly in the control group (-1.0+/-3.4) (p<0.005). After adjustment for baseline differences between the two groups (caregiver age, nutritional state, eating behaviour disorders, depression), the weight change between the two groups was not significant (0.6+/-0.4 kg vs. -0.6+/-0. 6 kg respectively in intervention group and control group). However, the percentage of patients with significant weight loss is decreased. The MMSE change became significant between the two groups: -2.3+/-0.3 vs. -3.4+/-0.4 respectively in intervention group and control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a nutritional educational program intended for caregivers of AD patients could have a positive effect on patients weight and cognitive function.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Nutrition and Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease begins with cognitive deficiencies that gradually become worse with the extension of cerebral lesions. Other troubles arise such as loss of independence, orientation impairments, disordered eating behavior, and weight loss. This weight loss increases the risk of infections, skin ulcers, and falls and consequently decreases quality of life in Alzheimer's patients. Various hypotheses (increased energy expenditure, mesial temporal cortex atrophy) were suggested to explain weight loss. We set up a Health Promotion Program that aims to prevent weight loss in patients with Alzheimer's disease. This program uses various tools (nutrition calendar, Mini Nutritional Assessment, nutrition education sessions) described in this article.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Low plasma vitamin C in Alzheimer patients despite an adequate diet.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the vitamin C and E plasma levels in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to assess the vitamin C intake and nutritional status. DESIGN: Case-control study. Four groups of sex- and age-matched subjects were compared: severe AD and moderate AD, in patients with moderate AD and controls. SETTING: Community and hospitalized patients in the region of Toulouse, France. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with dementia who fulfilled criteria for Alzheimer's disease: severe Alzheimer group (N = 20), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score range 0-9; moderate Alzheimer group (N = 24), MMSE 10-23; hospitalized Alzheimer group (N = 9), MMSE 10-23. Control group (N = 19), MMSE 24-30. MEASURES: Plasma vitamin E and C were quantified by HPLC-fluorescence. Consumption of raw and cooked fruit and vegetables was evaluated in order to determine the mean vitamin C intakes. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and plasma albumin were used to measure nutritional status. RESULTS: Institutionalized and community subjects were analysed separately. MNA scores were normal in home-living Alzheimer subjects with moderate dementia and significantly lower in those with severe disease, despite normal plasma albumin levels. In the home-living Alzheimer subjects, vitamin C plasma levels decreased in proportion to the severity of the cognitive impairment despite similar vitamin C intakes, whereas vitamin E remained stable. The hospitalized Alzheimer subjects had lower MNA scores and albumin levels but normal vitamin C intakes, but their plasma vitamin C was lower than that of community-living subjects. Institutionalized Alzheimer subjects had significantly lower MNA scores but normal vitamin C and albumin levels and vitamin C intakes compared with community-dwelling subjects of similar degree of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: Plasma vitamin C is lower in AD in proportion to the degree of cognitive impairment and is not explained by lower vitamin C intake. These results support the hypothesis that oxygen-free radicals may cause damage.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Proteins and their amino acid compositions: uniqueness, variability, and applications.

Amino acid compositions (AAC) of proteins were analyzed in terms of their uniqueness and variability. Using several measures of convergence between the AACs of randomly chosen proteins versus those stored in protein data banks, it was established that certain families of proteins have unique AACs despite the mutations of their sequences which were imposed in the process of evolution. AACs may be used to establish the identities of many proteins which were sorted through various chromatographic media prior to their fractionation on two-dimensional (2D) gels. Subfractionations of proteins markedly enhance the chances for proper identification of low-abundant proteins which rest inaccessible if the total protein extract of an organ is analyzed on 2D gels. Although the amino acid composition versus protein identity (AAC-PI) method allows identification with high confidence of unique proteins resolved on monodimensional SDS-PAGE (1D) gels and arrays of protein isoforms resolved on two-dimensional (2D) gels, selective immunoblotting is still a more robust method. Thus, in principle, the AAC-PI method may allow limiting the number of "unknown" spots on 2D gels which could be further investigated by microsequencing and/or mass spectroscopy. However, to resolve certain ambiguities inherently linked with protein identities derived only from their AACs, the AAC-PI method must be sometimes aided by microsequencing and immunoblotting, especially in the construction of high-resolution 2D maps of proteins. A suite of algorithms which form the AAC-PI method are described in detail.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1995

Amino acid compositions of proteins and their identities.

A critical overview is given on the application of amino acid composition data for the establishment of the protein's identity (amino acids composition vs. protein identity, the AAC-PI method). Several criteria are used to measure the differences between the amino acid compositions of various proteins. The AAC-PI method unambiguously identifies proteins which belong to the families with a high phylogenetic conservancy of their sequences. The identification of pure proteins can be accomplished with a relatively high level of confidence. The AAC-PI method, however, sometimes needs the support of N-terminal or internal sequencing of proteins since, alone, it cannot distinguish whether the lack of finding a candidate protein in protein data bases is because the investigated amino acid composition corresponds to an unknown protein or its processed form or because it is a sum of at least two protein components, or whether it is due to other experimental errors. The identification of a few new proteins such as "arginine-rich protein", macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and the preformed neurotrophic factor present in the calf brain cytosol is also reported.

Algorithms↗