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Biomedical subjects

J Fransen

Publications and source records attributed to J Fransen.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Therapeutic efficacy of itraconazole in systemic candidosis in guinea pigs.

Fifty non-immunocompromised guinea pigs were infected by the intravenous route with 8,000 blastospores of Candida albicans per gram body weight: 26 were treated orally with the excipient, 12 with itraconazole at 1.25 mg X kg-1 and 12 at 5 mg X kg-1, once daily for 14 days starting on the day of infection. Hematology was checked for all animals before infection and on days 7, 14 and 17 after infection. Histopathological examinations were done for 2 animals of each group on days 7, 14 and 17. The infection and the therapeutic efficacy were checked by clinical observation, at autopsy and by cultures of organs. Itraconazole was highly active at both concentrations, resulting in clinical cure, negativation of cultures, normalisation of the blood picture and absence of fungal elements and presence of only small remnants of lesions on days 14 and 17 in some organs. No drug-related side effects were observed.

Animals↗

The pathology of experimental Schistosoma curassoni infections in mice and hamsters.

The histopathology of experimental Schistosoma curassoni infections in white mice and hamsters was studied. In mice, hepatic lesions were severe with characteristic extensive perilobular fibrosis and large perilobular granulomas throughout the parenchyma. Only a few granulomas were detected in the lung, small intestine, and rectum of mice. In hamsters, lesions in the liver were limited. Few granulomas were found but the giant cell reaction was pronounced. Lesions in the lung and small intestine were minimal. Many subserosal and submucosal epithelioid cell granulomas were in the colon and rectum of hamsters. Parasites were not detected in the bladder of either mice or hamsters.

Animals↗

Pathology of Schistosoma curassoni infection in sheep.

The gross- and histopathology of natural and experimental Schistosoma curassoni infections in sheep were studied. The data obtained showed that S. curassoni infection in sheep causes only slight clinico-pathological manifestations with preferential involvement of the liver, the lower intestine and the urinary bladder. A variable spectrum of host reaction to the eggs within an individual animal was observed, reflecting the duration of presence of eggs in the organs. In the liver, egg granulomas were most numerous in the perilobular regions, while in the intestine, lesions were most pronounced in the mucosa of the rectum. The presence of eggs in 10% of the urinary bladders examined indicated some bladder involvement.

Animals↗

Oral treatment with ketoconazole in systemic candidosis of guinea-pigs: microbiology, hematology and histopathology.

Non-pretreated Albino guinea-pigs were infected intravenously with Candida albicans and treated orally either with placebo or ketoconazole. The 17-day follow-up of the fungal dissemination was based upon hematology, on gross and microscopic lesions and on the demonstration of the fungus by culture techniques. The efficacy of ketoconazole, both with regard to the quantity and the morphology of fungi in various organs and the tissue-healing process are discussed. The treatment of human systemic candidosis will also be considered. No side-effects due to the therapy were observed in these experiments.

Administration, Oral↗

"Calcium entry blockers" as cerebral protecting agents: comparative activity in tests of hypoxia and hyperexcitability.

The group of drugs described as "Ca2+-entry blockers" is chemically and pharmacologically heterogeneous. It is believed now that these drugs are useful in the treatment of ischemic disease. In an effort to define which drugs could offer the best therapeutic alternative, a comparative pharmacological study was made. Nine drugs (D-600, diltiazem, flunarizine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, nitrendipine, verapamil, tiapamil) were tested in experimental screening models of brain hypoxia, ischemia, cellular intoxication and against bicuculline-induced seizures. Three types of activity were found. Verapamil, D-600, tiapamil and diltiazem were almost inactive, possibly due to their poor brain penetration. The dihydropyridines had a broad spectrum of activity, but considerable differences between these compounds exist. They all were active against hypoxia and less active against ischemia. Out of this subgroup, only nicardipine protected against metabolic intoxication and nifedipine and nicardipine could block seizure components at very high doses. Flunarizine was the only compound with a dose-related effect in all the tests. These results suggested that this combination of screening tests could be used to find compounds with an interesting activity in the field of cerebral protection.

Animals↗

Histopathology of experimental systemic candidosis in guinea-pigs.

Unpretreated Albino guinea-pigs were infected intravenously with Candida albicans. Cutaneous candidosis with (pseudo-) hyphal outgrowth in the hair shafts and in the keratinized layers of the epidermis developed as a consequence of systemic dissemination. The spread of the infection was followed by cultures and by gross- and micropathological study of various organs of different animals during a follow-up period of 35 days. The possible relationship of organ invasion by C. albicans and skin candidosis is discussed.

Animals↗

Natural infection with schistosomes of the Schistosoma haematobium group in a dog in Zambia.

Post-mortem examination of an adult male Jack Russell dog from Zambia revealed that it was heavily infected with schistosomes. The dog had been admitted, with a history of retching, 4 days before its death. At necropsy, the liver was found to be enlarged, with multiple pin-point yellowish-white foci scattered diffusely throughout the organ. Multiple pin-point recent and old haemorrhages were seen on the mucosal surface of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly in the stomach and proximal duodenum. Large numbers of schistosome worm pairs and eggs were found in all mesenteric, gastric and hepatic veins. Histological examination of the intestines, mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach and lungs revealed numerous strongly fibrotic, encapsulated, epithelioid-giant cell granulomata containing dead, degenerating and viable eggs. A few examples of the Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon were also detected. The eggs collected at necropsy had a terminal spine and an average length and breadth of 187.6+/-14.1 microm and 57. 3+/-4.1 microm, respectively. DNA analysis of female worms indicated that the schistosomes were either Schistosoma haematobium or a hybrid of Schistosoma mattheei and S. haematobium.

Animals↗

The Disease Activity Score and the EULAR response criteria.

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), inflammatory activity cannot be measured using one single variable. For this reason the Disease Activity Score (DAS). has been developed. The DAS is a clinical index of RA disease activity that combines information from swollen joints, tender joints, the acute phase response and general health. The DAS-based European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria were developed to measure individual response in clinical trials. The EULAR response criteria classify individual patients as non-, moderate, or good responders, dependent on the extent of change and the level of disease activity reached.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

DAS remission cut points.

The Disease Activity Score (DAS) and DAS28 are continuous measures of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity. Values of DAS %lt;1.6 and DAS28 %lt; 2.6 correspond with an increased likelihood of being in remission. This review presents development of the DAS and DAS28 remission cut points and their interpretation.

Antirheumatic Agents↗

Defining remission in psoriatic arthritis.

Driven in part by the introduction of highly effective agents, there has been growing interest in the overall therapeutic approach to patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). As with any form of arthritis, the goal of treatment for PsA would be to improve the outcome to the greatest extent possible. In other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, recent discussions have centered on how best to define "remission." For patients with PsA, the heterogeneity among disease manifestations as well as the need to validate outcome measures make definition of remission challenging. In this paper we present a number of key principles and considerations critical to laying the groundwork for defining remission in PsA.

Arthritis, Psoriatic↗