Biomedical subjects

C Foucher

Publications and source records attributed to C Foucher.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1987

[Scintigraphy in the diagnosis of visceral candidiasis].

From the features of two cases, the authors stress the usefulness of the scintigraphy as regards to the diagnosis of visceral candida abscesses. Such fungal localisations are not infrequent, especially in immunodeficient patients (haematologic malignancies undergoing chemotherapy, lupus, serious visceral illness...). The positive diagnosis is uneasy because of non-specific clinical features and frequent negative blood cultures. Splenic localisation is the most likely. Citrate Gallium scintigraphy together with splenic labeled RBC scan enables us to give a precise view of the splenic involvement and even of the abdominal extension of the fungal abscess. From the literature review and these two cases, the excellent adequacy of the scintigraphy to the follow-up of systemic candidiasis is underlined and is compared to other usual morphological studies such as US scan and CT examination. In both cases, the diagnosis is fully confirmed by mycological examination.

Abscess↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Anti-metastatic activity of MDP-L-alanyl-cholesterol incorporated into various types of nanocapsules.

A lipophilic immunomodulator (MTP-Chol) was included in nanocapsules prepared from different polymers and the anti-metastatic effects of the resulting drug delivery systems were evaluated in a murine model of liver metastases. Loaded nanocapsules were effective if they were given 2 days before tumor inoculation. Neither the nature of the polymer nor the total dose of immunomodulator affected the antimetastatic capacity. However, enhanced anti-metastatic activity was obtained when indomethacin nanocapsules were associated with MTP-Chol nanocapsules. These results show that nanocapsules containing an immunomodulator possess anti-metastatic activity, but only when given as a prophylactic treatment; this would correspond, in the clinic, to patients undergoing surgery for a primary tumor and at risk of developing liver metastases.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Vulvoperineoplasty for vulvar pain in the posterior fourchette (15 cases)].

BACKGROUND: Vulvar pain is a common presenting complaint in dermatology consultations arising from numerous possible causes. Where such pain is mechanical, resulting from stretching of the vulva, particularly during sexual intercourse, the patient should be checked for anatomical features that could account for the pain, localised anatomical adhesions or sclerosis of the fourchette, and amenable to treatment by vulvoperineoplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of all patients undergoing vulvoperineoplasty for vulvar pain in the fourchette was carried out between 1.1.1993 and 1.1.2003. RESULTS: Fifteen successive patients were included in the study. The mean rate of sexual intercourse doubled between the pre-operative period and the post-operative period, rising from 5 (0 to 30) to 9.8 (3 to 30). Mean pain intensity during intercourse on a scale of 1 to 10 fell from 7.6 (5 to 9) before surgery to 1.6 (0 to 5) after surgery. None of the patients experienced any sequelae. All patients except one (who was no longer sexually active), expressed willingness to undergo vulvoperineoplasty again if necessary. DISCUSSION: Vulvoperineoplasty is a simple procedure and proved useful for female patients presenting vulvar pain and adhesions or sclerosis of the fourchette.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Fatty acid metabolism, pharmacological nutrients and hypertension.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of a concentrated preparation (EPA 30) containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) on the limiting desaturation steps of the polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Adult SHR were divided into two groups: one group received a standard diet, and the experimental group the standard diet including 0.8% of EPA30 for 9 weeks. Blood pressure was measured at the end of the diets. The desaturase activities and fatty acid composition were determined in isolated hepatocytes. The blood pressure did not decrease in the experimental group. The desaturated products of the n-6 family (gamma-linolenic acid, 18:3 n-6 and arachidonic acid, 20:4 n-6) were lowered in the EPA30 group, when their respective substrates (18:2 n-6 and 20:3 n-6) were increased. EPA and DHA were higher in the experimental group delta 6 n-3, delta 6 n-6 and delta 5 n-6 desaturase activities were depressed approximately 20% in the EPA30 group. EPA30 being an active nutrient on the EFAs cascade, increasing the level of PG3 precursors and decreasing the level of PG2 precursors, favourable conditions have been established to reduce hypertension. The underlying mechanism related to the regulation of desaturase activities by these fatty nutrients remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Association of cyclosporin to isohexylcyanoacrylate nanospheres and subsequent release in human plasma in vitro.

Polyisohexylcyanoacrylate nanocapsules containing cyclosporin were prepared by mixing in a 1:2 ratio an oil/ethanol solution of monomer and drug with an aqueous phase. Drug nanoencapsulation rate was controlled by its partition coefficient between the inner (organic) and outer (aqueous) phases. Thus highest encapsulation yields (88 per cent) were achieved by reducing cyclosporin solubility in the aqueous phase, i.e. by reducing ethanol concentration under reduced pressure, achieving a 3-fold volume reduction. Due to the relative insolubility of cyclosporin in water, no drug was released from the nanocapsules during storage in this injectable vehicle. Upon a 1/5 dilution in human plasma at 37 degrees C in vitro around 40 per cent of the initially encapsulated cyclosporin diffused quickly out of the capsules and an equilibrium was reached, the drug being most likely dissolved in the fatty compartment of the plasma such as lipoproteins, etc. This release mechanism is different from plain polymeric nanoparticles. Indeed, in this case the drug was released in two phases: an initial burst (around 60 per cent) of adsorbed drug as a result of the dilution, followed by a slow release (around 20 per cent over 3 h) which is likely to result from the progressive enzymatic erosion of the polymer. The initial burst was markedly more pronounced (around 80 per cent) when nanoparticle suspensions were evaporated to 1/3 of their initial volume under reduced pressure. Finally, experiments performed at 0 degree C allowed a reduction of the fraction released immediately from both types of nanospheres, probably because of a reduced solubility in plasma. In the case of nanoparticles the second phase of slow release is also inhibited at 0 degree C, in agreement with an enzymatically controlled release mechanism.

Capsules↗