First validation of the G-8 geriatric screening tool in older patients with glioblastoma.

INTRODUCTION: Management of glioblastoma, with a very poor prognosis, remains a challenge in older patients because of coexisting comorbidities and the increased risk of toxic treatment effects. The use of screening tools to identify vulnerable patients is essential. This study was performed to establish whether the G8 scale can be used for screening older patients with glioblastoma. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the files of patients assessed by the G8 scale and diagnosed with glioblastoma at a single center from January 2010 to July 2017. Patients aged 65 years or older were classified into three groups (more efficiently than two groups) according to their G8 score to identify those with a poor prognosis: high score group, G8 score 14.5-17; intermediate score group, G8 score 10.5-14; and low score group, G8 score < 10.5. RESULTS: Of 89 patients, 19% were classified into the high score group, 43% into the intermediate score group, and 38% into the low score group. Median overall survival was four months in the low score group, 15 months in the intermediate score group, and 42 months in the high score group (p < .0001). On multivariate analysis, G8 score was a significant independent predictor of overall survival (hazard ratio: 55.46; 99.5% confidence interval: 13.42-229.13; p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Here, we highlighted the possibility of using the G8 score, with possibly three cut-offs, in the management of older patients with glioblastoma and determined the prognostic role of this quick and easy screening tool.

Incidence, Clinical Presentation, and Associated Factors of Microscopic Colitis in Northern France: A Population-Based Study.

OBJECTIVE: To date, there are no epidemiological data on microscopic colitis (MC) in France. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of MC in the Somme department in Northern France, to evaluate clinical characteristics, and to search for risk factors for both collagenous colitis (CC) and lymphocytic colitis (LC). DESIGN: Between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2007, four pathology units in the Somme department recorded all new cases of MC diagnosed in patients living in the area. Colonic biopsies were reviewed by 4 pathologists together. For each incident case, demographic, clinical, endoscopic, and biological data were collected according to methodology of the EPIMAD registry. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty cases of MC, including 87 CC and 43 LC, were recorded during the three-year study. The mean annual incidence for MC was 7.9/105 inhabitants, 5.3/105 inhabitants for CC, and 2.6/105 inhabitants for LC. Annual standardized incidence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in the EPIMAD registry during the same period (2005-2007) were 7.4/105 and 4.9/105, respectively. Median age at diagnosis was 63 years for MC, 70 for CC, and 48 for LC. The female-to-male gender ratio was 3.5 for MC, 4.1 for CC, and 2.6 for LC. Median time to diagnosis was 8 weeks. Chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain were, respectively, present in 93 and 47 % of the cases. An autoimmune disease was associated in 28 % of MC cases. At diagnosis, proton pump inhibitor treatment was more often reported in CC than in LC (46 vs 16 %; p = 0.003). Budesonide was effective on diarrhea in 77 % of patients, and thirteen percent of patients became steroid dependent. CONCLUSION: This population-based study shows that the incidence of MC in France is high and similar to Crohn's disease incidence and confirms that this condition is associated with female gender, autoimmune diseases, and medications.

Lipophosphoramidates as lipidic part of lipospermines for gene delivery.

The DNA compacting properties of polyamines (especially spermine) are well-known, hence the use of spermine as the cationic part in several synthetic DNA carriers. Here, we describe the synthesis of modified spermines, with a "lipophosphoramidate" as the lipidic part, and their use for efficient in vitro transfection. Physicochemical measurements (particle size, zeta potentials, pKa determination) and gel retardation assays were also performed. Theoretical membrane-disrupting ability was established by FRET. Taken together, our results indicate that lipophosphoramidates constitute an interesting alternative to "classical" lipidic parts of cationic lipids used as DNA carriers.

Dicationic lipophosphoramidates as DNA carriers.

Lipophosphoramidates with two different permanent cations as polar heads were synthesized and evaluated for their gene transfer activity. Physicochemical measurements (particle size, zeta potentials) and gel retardation assays were also performed. In vitro biological evaluation was conducted with A542 and HeLa cell lines, and cytotoxicity determined by a chemiluminescent assay. The set of results indicates that, on the whole, dicationic lipophosphoramidates constitute an interesting alternative to their monocationic analogues.

Synthesis and photocytotoxic activity of new chlorin-polyamine conjugates.

This paper reports the synthesis of new chlorin-polyamine conjugates designed to improve the targeting of cancer cells. Photocytotoxic activity of these photosensitizers was tested against human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells (K562) and compared to the effects of Photofrin II and chlorin e6.

Polyamine conjugates of meso-tritolylporphyrin and protoporphyrin IX: potential agents for photodynamic therapy of cancers.

An efficient five-step synthesis method was developed to obtain tritolylporphyrin and protoporphyrin IX polyamine conjugates. These compounds were composed of either one polyamine unit (spermidine or spermine) covalently tethered to monocarboxyphenyl tritolylporphyrin or two molecules of polyamines borne by protoporphyrin IX. In each compound, an aliphatic spacer arm is linked to the N(4) polyamine position. Photocytotoxicity of these new compounds was evaluated against K562 human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells and compared to Photofrin II; protoporphyrin IX polyamine conjugates exhibited much stronger photocytocicity than Photofrin II and were shown to readily induce necrosis in treated cells.

Production of soy protein concentrates using a combination of electroacidification and ultrafiltration.

Soy protein concentrates produced by combining electroacidification and dead-end ultrafiltration with a membrane of 100 kDa (pH 7 and 6) were compared with concentrates produced by ultrafiltration (pH 9) and a traditional acid precipitation procedure at pH 4.5. Mineral removal during ultrafiltration (mainly potassium, phosphorus, and calcium) was enhanced for the pH 6 electroacidified extract, compared to the extract at pH 9. This yielded a concentrate with improved solubility characteristics. The solubility for the concentrate prepared at pH 6 was enhanced by as high as 45% when compared to the concentrate at pH 9. The concentrate produced according to the traditional acid precipitation process showed mineral contents and solubility profile similar to those of the pH 6 concentrate, but required twice as much water during the process. The effect of electroacidification treatments on ultrafiltration permeate flux was quantified through the measurement of the different hydraulic resistances. Cake resistance was the main resistance to the permeate flux, and it was minimum at pH 9, maximum at pH 7, and intermediate at pH 6.

[Pilomatrix carcinoma: histologic and immunohistochemical features. Two studies]. / Pilomatricome malin: aspects histologiques et immunohistochimiques. A propos de deux observations.

Malignant pilomatricoma is a rare malignant hair follicle tumor, that was initially described in 1980. Histologically, it shares common features with the more frequent, which benign pilomatricoma, makes its diagnosis difficult. It is a deep dermis-hypodermis epithelial tumor, well circumscribed, with no relation with the epidermis. It is composed of nodular structures with rows of basaloid cells in their periphery, as well as focal necrosis and mummified "ghost" cells in their central parts. Immunohistochemistry is of little value and can not confirm malignancy. The diagnosis remains essentially morphological. Histological examination must stress on the evaluation of the degree and extent of infiltration of the surrounding tissues, the degree of necrosis, the presence of atypical mitotic figures, and the presence or not of peri-neural or vascular invasion. Surgical wide resection is the recommended treatment. It reduces the risk of local recurrence by 50%. Malignant pilomatricoma carries a high risk of metastases to the bones, lungs, and lymph nodes. No feature is specific to confirm wether a malignant pilomatricoma arises de novo, or whether it is a malignant transformation of a pre-existing benign pilomatricoma.

Effects of type of added salt and ionic strength on physicochemical and functional properties of casein isolates produced by electroacidification.

A procedure developed for soybean protein precipitation which was based on electrodialysis was tested for the production of acid casein from reconstituted skim milk. In a previous paper, the performance of bipolar membrane electroacidification (BMEA) was evaluated under different conditions of ionic strength (micro(added) = 0, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 M) and added salt (CaCl(2), NaCl, or KCl) (1). The aim of this study, which is the complement of the work on evaluation of BMEA performance, was to evaluate the functionality of the protein isolates produced by BMEA and to compare the BMEA isolates to commercial isolates and an isolate produced by chemical acidification. It was not possible to show differences between the functional properties of isolates produced by BMEA, except at 1 M CaCl(2) micro(added), due to the variability of the isolates. However, the results showed that it is possible to obtain isolates similar to commercial isolates and that the addition of salt during the process does not induce variations in functional properties. From results on mineral concentrations, it appeared that the addition of monovalent cations did not influence the retention of monovalent or divalent cations in the BMEA isolates, while addition of divalent cations (CaCl(2)) influenced the retention of magnesium. According to previous results on evaluation of BMEA performances under different conditions of ionic strength and added salt, the difference observed for the BMEA isolate produced at 1.0 M CaCl(2) was confirmed.

Identification of Skim Milk Electroacidification Fouling: A Microscopic Approach.

Bipolar membrane electroacidification (BMEA) was used to produce high-purity bovine milk casein isolates. However, a deposit suggested to be a mix of calcium and magnesium salts was observed on the cation-exchange membrane (CEM) side in contact with the base. The aim of the present study was to complete the identification of the deposit formed on CMX membrane during bipolar membrane electroacidification of skim milk, and to characterize its physical structure at the interfaces of CEM. The results showed that a calcium deposit was found on both sides of the membranes as well as inside the membrane. This fouling was identified as calcium carbonate, but was likely a mix between calcium carbonate and hydroxyde. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.