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Biomedical subjects

B Foliguet

Publications and source records attributed to B Foliguet.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Quantitative analysis of the elastic fibres in the human temporomandibular articular disc and its attachments.

A quantitative study of the elastic fibres found in the human temporomandibular disc and its attachments was performed. Seven left discs from 57- to 82-year-old subjects, without macroscopic evidence of a TMJ disorder, were analysed and prepared in parasagittal sections. The surface amount was measured, thresholded and expressed from 0 to 1, using microscopic digitized views after Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin staining of elastic fibres. Fibre density rates ranged from 0 to 0.687. The mean density was 0.1532 (sigma=0.1150) in the upper bilaminary zone, 0.1097 (sigma=0.1159) in the lower bilaminary zone, 0.0474 (sigma=0.0782) in the anterior band, 0.0180 (sigma=0.0603) in the posterior band and null in the intermediate zone. The difference in density rate between the structures was significant, except for the posterior band and the intermediate zone. The elastic fibre density rates in central and medial locations of the upper and lower bilaminary zones were twice as big as in the lateral locations. In the anterior band, the elastic fibre density was less abundant medially than in its lateral part. These quantitative results support the current elastic fibre distribution scheme, and confirm the necessity of studying their orientation, taking into account age and temporomandibular joint health parameters.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Ultrasound-guided radiofrequency-driven umbilical cord occlusion: an in-vitro study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the ability and safety of radiofrequency (RF) to induce cord thermal lesions using in-vitro perfused umbilical cords. METHODS: Nineteen human term umbilical cords were cannulated at both ends and perfused continuously with saline serum in a saline serum bath (37 degrees C). The RF electrode was then inserted into the cord close to the umbilical vein. Different RF power and temperature controls were applied to determine the optimal RF procedure in terms of cord tissue injury and safety in nine experiments. The safety of RF procedures was investigated in ten cords by measuring temperature changes at different sites close to the RF electrode insertion and the impact of RF on cord narrowing was evaluated by continuous monitoring of intraluminal pressure. Subsequent histopathological analysis was carried out in all cases. RESULTS: The optimal RF procedure reached a temperature of 100 degrees C in 10 min. RF produced a significant increase in intraluminal pressure (from 54.2 +/- 16.4 mmHg at baseline to 118.3 +/- 42.7 mmHg after 10 min, P < 0.05). There was no significant increase in temperature next to the site of insertion during the RF procedure. Histopathological analysis confirmed a > 30% decrease in cord and vein diameter. Cord tissue lesions were characterized by damage in the vessel walls and in the surrounding Wharton's jelly. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that RF might be a feasible and safe technique to induce occlusion of umbilical vessels. Further in-vivo experiments are needed to assess its ability to induce a complete occlusion of the umbilical cord.

Catheter Ablation↗
PubMed2004

[Negative impact of cigarette smoking on male fertility: from spermatozoa to the offspring].

Cigarette smoking has negative effects on male fertility. Recent studies showed an active transfer of several components of cigarettes through the blood-testis barrier. The presence of these components in the seminal plasma may induce a degradation of sperm parameters and nuclear quality of spermatozoa, and compromise the chances of pregnancy. Moreover, smoking may have a negative impact on the smokers'offspring: poor quality embryos, development of childhood cancers. Oxidative stress-induced DNA damage seems to be one of the major causes of sperm quality alteration. Several methods are now available to analyze the degree of DNA fragmentation. In order to optimize the success rate of assisted reproduction technologies, the deleterious effects of smoking on male fertility and the necessity of cessation have to be explained in detail to these patients.

Blood-Testis Barrier↗
PubMed2001

Choroid plexus and ageing in rats: a morphometric and ultrastructural study.

Choroid plexuses (CP) are intraventricular structures involved in the production of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in the synthesis and transport of numerous CSF components. Age-related modifications of the CP structure are still ill defined. We performed an ultrastructural and morphometric study of ageing CP in nine Sprague-Dawley rats 6, 18 and 30 months of age. Epithelial cells of CP villi were cubic in shape at 6 months, more dome-like at 18 months, and significantly flattened at 30 months of age. Epithelial basement membranes were thin and regular at 6 months, significantly thicker at 18 months and thicker and irregular at 30 months. Intravillous stroma increased nonhomogeneously with age. The ageing of CP in rats is characterized morphologically by epithelial atrophy, irregular fibrosis of the stroma and a thickening of epithelial basement membranes. These modifications suggest an alteration of secretory and filtrating functions in ageing CP.

Aging↗
PubMed2001

Protected renal stenting with the PercuSurge GuardWire device: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of renal artery angioplasty and stenting utilizing a distal protection device to reduce the risk of intraprocedural atheroembolism. METHODS: Twenty-eight hypertensive patients (18 men; mean age 71.3 +/- 8.6 years, range 49-87) with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (4 bilateral) underwent angioplasty and stenting with distal protection in 32 renal arteries (29 ostial lesions). The lesion was crossed with a GuardWire temporary occlusion balloon, which was inflated to provide parenchymal protection. Generated debris was aspirated and analyzed. Blood pressure and serum creatinine levels were followed. RESULTS: Immediate technical success was 100%. All lesions were stented, either directly (14 ostial lesions), after predilation (15 ostial lesions), or owing to suboptimal angioplasty (3 nonostial lesions). Visible debris was aspirated from all patients. Mean particle number and diameter were 98.1 +/- 60.0 per procedure (range 13-208) and 201.2 +/- 76.0 microm (range 38-6206), respectively. Mean renal artery occlusion time was 6.55 +/- 2.46 min (range 2.29-13.21). Mean follow-up was 6.7 +/- 2.9 months (range 2-17). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure declined from 167.0 +/- 15.2 and 103.0 +/- 12.0 mm Hg, respectively, to 154.7 +/- 12.3 and 93.2 +/- 6.8 mm Hg after the procedure. The mean creatinine level dropped from 1.34 +/- 0.35 mg/dL preprocedurally to 1.22 +/- 0.36 mg/dL at 24 hours and remained constant. At 6-month follow-up, renal function did not deteriorate in any patient, whereas 5 patients with baseline renal insufficiency improved after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest the feasibility and safety of distal balloon occlusion during renal interventions to protect against atheroembolism. This technique's beneficial effects should be evaluated by randomized studies.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Monocyte-derived IL-10-secreting dendritic cells in choroid plexus epithelium.

Choroid plexuses form an interface between peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Dendritic-like cells have been reported in a few studies of choroid plexuses in man. Here we used electron microscopy and immunophenotyping to precise the morphologic features and phenotype of these cells. Examination of 10 human choroid plexuses evidenced intra-epithelial dendritic cells with a clear cytoplasm, reniform nucleus and long expansions. These cells express MHC Class II, CD11b, CD14, CD32, CD68 and IL-10, but not CD40, CD80 or CD86, suggesting an immunosuppressive role for these dendritic cells. Their sentinel position could make them participate to the immunological silence of the brain.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Morphological alterations of the choroid plexus in late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Anomalies of the cerebrospinal fluid flow rate and composition that have been reported in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) could be related to alterations of the choroid plexuses (CD). Here we report a photonic and electron morphometric study in which we compared the height of CP epithelial cells and the thickness of their basement membrane on post-mortem samples from AD patients, age-matched controls and two newborns. Ageing appeared associated with epithelial atrophy and basement membrane thickening, but these features were significantly accentuated in AD. These data suggest that a dramatic alteration of the secretion and filtration could be involved in the multiparametric pathogenesis of late-onset AD.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed2000

Eosinophil count in nasal secretions of subjects with and without nasal symptoms.

The aim of this paper, based on a cross-sectional study of 129 patients with nonallergic chronic nasal symptoms and 40 healthy controls, was to examine the leucocyte differential count in nasal secretions as a diagnostic test. Nasal secretions were collected using preweighed suction glass canulas under controlled conditions (-100Pa, 30 sec). Leucocyte and differential counts were performed using a Thoma hemocytometer and on cytospin slides after May-Grünwald-Giemsa staining. The percentage of eosinophils (Eo) was significantly higher in patients (mean +/- SEM: 15.1 +/- 2.3%) than in controls (5 +/- 2.6%) (p < 0.04). Comparison of the frequency distribution of the percentage of Eo in patients and controls clearly showed a subgroup of patients presenting with nasal secretion hypereosinophilia, and allowed us to set the positivity criterion at Eo = 20%. Diurnal variations in Eo count in 11 controls and 8 patients confirmed the value of the cutoff point. In 28 patients with nasal polyposis who underwent surgery, a correlation was found between secretion and tissue eosinophelia (r = 0.58, p = 0.001). Patients with nasal secretion hypereosinophilia had no more leucocytes in their secretions than healthy controls, the increase in eosinophils being balanced by a decrease in neutrophils. In patients without hypereosinophilia, the number of leucocytes per milligram of secretion was four times higher (8672 +/- 2521) than in the controls (2020 +/- 823) (p = 0.06) (cut-off point = 2500 leu/mg). These data show that the nasal cytogram can be modified either in qualitative or quantitative way, probably depending on the underlying inflammatory process.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

3D reconstruction of the mouse's mesonephros.

The present work reports on the three-dimensional reconstruction of the segmented mesonephros during the embryonic development of the mouse. With a light microscope and an automatic reconstruction of surfaces, aspects of the mesonephros are described. These surfaces are obtained by using digitized contour lines. A new interpolation method called DSI (Discrete Smooth Interpolation) enables correction of the distortion induced by microtomy in paraffin sections. After a triangulation step, this method uses a smoothing algorithm, which implies a spatial redistribution of the vertices of the triangles to correct the rotational and translational misalignment. The use of this 3D program improves the understanding of the development patterns and helps us to appreciate changes in the rebuilt mesonephros. By 10.5 embryonic days, tubules emerge from the Wolffian body and begin their formation, then between 11.5 and 13.5 embryonic days, tortuous mesonephric tubules bound to the Wolffian duct form small curls, which grow and finally unwind. At the same time, mesonephric tubules unbound to the Wolffian duct appear, and on 13.5 embryonic days, the Müllerian duct is visible. After 14.5 embryonic days, the segmented mesonephros keeps its general aspect but decreases in size. At this time, each gonad is provided with both Wolffian and Müllerian ducts. Later, the Wolffian duct differentiates into the definitive male duct system, whilst the Müllerian duct regresses. Conversely, the paramesonephric duct differentiates into the definitive female duct system, whilst the mesonephric duct in turn degenerates. By this time degeneration has begun in the cranial portion of the mesonephros and this process progresses caudally. The spatial organization of the mesonephric tubules and the precise organization of all connections between these elements and the ducts may be well defined. Such approach can allow for a high definition of the normal pattern of mesonephros differentiation.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Evaluation of human sperm acrosome reaction and viability by flow cytometry.

We report in this work a quantitative procedure developed to evaluate the acrosomal reaction and vitality of human spermatozoa, with three color staining simultaneously. Twenty normal human sperm were labeled with GB24 monoclonal antibody, a fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated lectin and propidium iodide (supravital stain). Four conjugated lectins were investigated: WGA, Con-A, PNA and UEA-1. Acrosome reaction was induced with calcium ionophore A-23187. Analyses were made by flow cytometry and electron microscopy. A high percentage of spermatozoa that stained with propidium iodide was found. The results of four lectins show an interaction between GB24 and lectin binding. Significant differences of fluorescence index were obtained between the samples with calcium ionophore A-23187 and the samples without it. The WGA-GB24 association shows an independent behavior and this may depend on the fact that WGA binds to the cytoplasmic membrane of human spermatozoa and GB24 antibody bind inner acrosome membrane. Using Con-A, PNA and UEA-I a crowded staining is likely to occur because these lectins and GB24 antibody mainly bind to acrosome membranes, and our results then show a close relation.

Acrosome Reaction↗
PubMed1998

Differentiated aspect of female and male mouse mesonephroi.

In the mouse, Sryis expressed by somatic cells in the genital ridge and leads to initiate the transformation of the indifferent gonad into a testis. Here, we have examined the segmented female and male mesonephroi over the developmental period when the initiation of seminiferous cord formation takes place. We have generated three-dimensional models which reveal structural differences between male and female mesonephric tubules at 11.5, 13.5 and 14.5 days post coitum. We evaluate, following structural parameters, that form and orientation of the tubules could evolve differently in both sexes. We propose that the structural organization of the mesonephric tubules presents an early dimorphism.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Ultrastructural and immunohistological evidence for dendritic-like cells within human choroid plexus epithelium.

Ultrasonic examination of human choroid plexus (CP) disclosed the presence of a possibly new type of CP cells displaying many of the features of dendritic cells and apparently expressing HLA Class II antigens. These cells bear long processes, devoid of tight junctions, inserted between CP epithelial cells, and have close contacts with CP basement membrane. They could, therefore, play a key role in immunosurveillance in the central nervous system.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Seminal cytokine concentrations (IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-6, sR IL-2, sR IL-6), semen parameters and blood hormonal status in male infertility.

Several lines of evidence indicate that cyokines are involved in male fertility. They are secreted by different parts of the male genital tract and may exert effects on steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis and sperm functions. We measured the concentrations of interleukins (IL-beta, IL-2, IL-6) and those of interleukin soluble receptors (sR IL-2, SR IL-6) in semen of fertile subjects (n = 21) and of patients with a range of andrological diseases (n = 119). The seminal concentrations of cytokines were analysed according to semen parameters as well as to the blood hormonal profiles of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and testosterone. An increase of IL-1beta was observed in the group of patients with infertility. No difference was found between the different subgroups defined on the basis of progressive motility, percentage of abnormal forms and diagnosis of infection. The seminal cytokine concentrations were independent of the blood hormonal status. Our data suggest that the determination of interleukins (-1beta, -2 and -6) or interleukin soluble receptors (sR IL-2, sR IL-6) in human spermatozoa does not provide convenient information in male routine infertility work-up.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1996

A morphometric and functional study of the toxicity of atmospheric ammonia in the extrathoracic airways in pigs.

The effects of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) on the nasal and tracheal mucosa of pigs were investigated by morphometric and functional methods. Pigs were exposed to four concentrations of NH3 [5 (control), 25, 50 and 100 ppm] for 6 days in a specially designed air-pollutant exposure chamber. Samples were taken from the turbinates and the trachea, and the respiratory mucosa was examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. Dose-response curves to carbachol and isoproterenol were constructed using isolated strips of tracheal smooth muscle, with or without epithelium. In pigs exposed to ammonia, considerable mucosal injuries were observed in the turbinates but not in the trachea. The number of neutrophils in the epithelial layer and in the lamina propria, and epithelial hyperplasia were closely and significantly correlated with the concentrations of ammonia (r = 0.894, p < 0.001; r = 0.727, P < 0.001; and r = 0.818, p < 0.001, respectively). Except for the lamina propria, all these changes were significant (p < 0.05) at ammonia concentrations as low as 25 ppm. The percentage of the surface of the turbinate mucosa that was ciliated tended to decrease with increasing ammonia concentration (r = 0.439, p < 0.082). Ammonia induced smooth-muscle hyperresponsiveness to carbachol with a close linear correlation between individual values of the carbachol-induced maximal effect and the NH3 concentrations (r = 0.526, p < 0.003). While mechanical destruction of the epithelium induced an increase in Emax in the control group, no difference was observed between the intact and denuded strips from animals exposed to ammonia. The response to isoproterenol was not influenced by ammonia. It was concluded that quantitative histological analysis of the inflammatory infiltration and epithelial hyperplasia in the turbinates is a useful tool for quantifying the effects of atmospheric pollutants in pigs; a 6-day exposure to ammonia induces nasal irritation and functional disturbances of the tracheal smooth-muscle contractions at concentrations as low as 25 ppm.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1996

[Evaluation of the blood quality collected by cell-saver during cesarean section].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the quality of blood salvaged and processed during Caesarean section with a cell-saver. STUDY DESIGN: Laboratory study. PATIENTS: The study included 20 patients of ASA physical class 1 or 2 undergoing a scheduled Caesarean section. METHODS: A separate suction device was used from the beginning surgery until the delivery of the fetus, to remove most of the amniotic fluid coming from the surgical field. Thereafter using an Haemolite 2Plus (Haemonetics), the blood was separated and washed with 2 L of normal saline solution. Blood quality was assessed through detection of fetal cells and measuring out of alpha-fetal-protein, tissue factor. A Kleihauer test was also performed. RESULTS: Cell-saver processing removed most of alpha-fetal-protein and tissue factor while fetal cells were rarely seen. The Kleihauer test could not be performed because of haemolized blood samples. However, the results were very heterogeneous and after washing some salvaged units contained very high concentrations of alpha-fetal-protein or tissue factor. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results show that intra-operative autologous transfusion is not fully safe during Caesarean sections. In addition, there is an immunological risk if a significant part of fetal red blood cells are reinfused into maternal circulation. Therefore, additional studies are needed to better assess this risk.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Resorption rates of 2 commercially available bioresorbable membranes. A histomorphometric study in a rabbit model.

The respective resorption rates of recently commercialized collagen versus polylactic acid-citric acid ester membranes were compared. 16 rabbits were implanted with 2 mm x 4 mm pieces of membrane of both types in the alveolar mucosa just apically to the incisors on either side of the mouth. 1 animal was sacrificed on day 0, just after the operation. The others were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12 weeks. The specimens were prepared for histologic examination. Observations showed that the cross-linked collagen membranes induced severe inflammation and were resorbed within 2 weeks. The polylactic acid-citric acid ester polymer barriers produced a much more moderate infiltrate and were still not totally resorbed at 12 weeks. Although resorption rates in the rabbit may not be similar to those observed in humans, it seems that the durability of the polymer barrier is more adequate for guided tissue regeneration than the cross-linked collagen.

Animals↗