Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonism Prevents the Synergistic Effect of Metabolic Challenge and Chronic Kidney Disease on Renal Fibrosis and Inflammation in Mice.

Obesity and/or metabolic diseases are frequently associated with chronic kidney disease and several factors associated with obesity may contribute to proteinuria and extracellular matrix production. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists have proven their clinical efficacy in diabetic kidney disease with preclinical data suggesting that they may also be efficient in non-diabetic chronic kidney disease associated to metabolic diseases. In the present study we developed a novel mouse model combining severe nephron reduction and High Fat Diet challenge that led to chronic kidney disease with metabolic alterations.

Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin From Macrophages Plays a Critical Role in Renal Fibrosis Via the CCL5 (Chemokine Ligand 5)-Th2 Cells-IL4 (Interleukin 4) Pathway.

NGAL (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin; or lipocalin 2, Lcn2) is a novel mineralocorticoid target in the cardiovascular system. We showed that Lcn2 gene invalidation protects against proteinuria and renal injury upon mineralocorticoid excess and we hypothesized that NGAL produced from macrophages promotes the expression of chemoattractant molecules involved these renal lesions. The role of NGAL was analyzed using myeloid-specific (MΦ KO NGAL) Lcn2 knockout mice challenged with uni-nephrectomy, aldosterone, and salt (NAS) for 6 weeks.

The Interplay of Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Cardiovascular Fibrosis in Obese Rats.

We have evaluated the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress and its association with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress activation in the progression of obesity-related cardiovascular fibrosis. MitoQ (200 µM) was orally administered for 7 weeks to male Wistar rats that were fed a high-fat diet (HFD, 35% fat) or a control diet (CT, 3.5% fat).

The epigenetic regulation of HsMar1, a human DNA transposon.

Background: Both classes of transposable elements (DNA and RNA) are tightly regulated at the transcriptional level leading to the inactivation of transposition via epigenetic mechanisms. Due to the high copies number of these elements, the hypothesis has emerged that their regulation can coordinate a regulatory network of genes. Herein, we investigated whether transposition regulation of HsMar1, a human DNA transposon, differs in presence or absence of endogenous HsMar1 copies.

Improvement of fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with biologics: relationship with sleep disorders, depression and clinical efficacy. A prospective, multicentre study.

Objectives: To assess predictive factors of improvement in related fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients newly receiving biologic therapy, and specifically the influence of the improvement of the quality of sleep.

Methods: We conducted a multicentre prospective study in RA patients requiring initiation or change of biologic therapy. The improvement in fatigue, sleep disorders and depression was assessed respectively by the FACIT fatigue scale, Spiegel scale and Beck Depression Inventory at inclusion (M0) and 3 months (M3) after the beginning of treatment.

Improving the quality of life of multiple sclerosis patients through coping strategies in routine medical practice.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a major impact on quality of life (QoL). Coping strategies which may influence QoL have not been identified. Furthermore, there is no coping scale designed to measure coping in MS patients and concise enough for routine medical practice.

Comparative static curing versus dynamic curing on tablet coating structures.

Curing is generally required to stabilize film coating from aqueous polymer dispersion. This post-coating drying step is traditionally carried out in static conditions, requiring the transfer of solid dosage forms to an oven. But, curing operation performed directly inside the coating equipment stands for an attractive industrial application.

A short and validated multiple sclerosis-specific health-related quality of life measurement for routine medical practice.

Background And Purpose: Patient-reported health-related quality of life (Hr-QoL) is an essential end-point to assess the efficacy of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment. Most QoL tools were developed for clinical research, for which measurement accuracy is required, irrespective of ease of use or the human resources needed. In routine medical practice (RMP), time and resources are limited, requiring simple and quick tools.

Care pathways in physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM): the patient after shoulder stabilization surgery.

This document is part of the "Care pathways in physical and rehabilitation medicine" series developed by the French Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Society (SOFMER) and the French Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Federation (FEDMER). For a given patient profile, each concise document describes the patient's needs, the care objectives in physical and rehabilitation medicine, the required human and material resources, the time course and the expected outcomes. The document is intended to enable physicians, decision-makers, administrators and legal and financial specialists to rapidly understand patient needs and the available care facilities, with a view to organizing and pricing these activities appropriately.

Care pathways in physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM): the patient after proximal humeral fracture and shoulder hemi-arthroplasty.

This document is part of the "Care Pathways in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine" series developed by the French Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Society (Sofmer) and the French Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Federation (Fedmer). For a given patient profile, each concise document describes the patient's needs, the care objectives in physical and rehabilitation medicine, the required human and material resources, the time course and the expected outcomes. The document is intended to enable physicians, decision-makers, administrators and legal and financial specialists to rapidly understand patient needs and the available care facilities, with a view to organizing and pricing these activities appropriately.

Regulation of mariner transposition: the peculiar case of Mos1.

Background: Mariner elements represent the most successful family of autonomous DNA transposons, being present in various plant and animal genomes, including humans. The introduction and co-evolution of mariners within host genomes imply a strict regulation of the transposon activity. Biochemical data accumulated during the past decade have led to a convergent picture of the transposition cycle of mariner elements, suggesting that mariner transposition does not rely on host-specific factors.

Consequences of bony free flap's pedicle calcification after jaw reconstruction.

Introduction: Most of the time, discovery of free flap pedicle calcification is fortuitous. We describe this phenomenon, try to elucidate its consequences, and discuss about prevention. We studied the effect of radiotherapy on the onset of calcification.

Comprehensive study of dynamic curing effect on tablet coating structure.

The dissolution method is still widely used to determine curing end-points to ensure long-term stability of film coatings. Nevertheless, the process of curing has not yet been fully investigated. For the first time, joint techniques were used to elucidate the mechanisms of dynamic curing over time from ethylcellulose (Aquacoat)-based coated tablets.

Physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) care pathways: "patients after total hip arthroplasty".

This document is part of a series of documents designed by the French Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Society (SOFMER) and the French Federation of PRM (FEDMER). These documents describe the needs for or a specific type of patients; PRM care objectives, human and material resources to be implemented, chronology as well as expected outcomes. "Care pathways in PRM" is a short document designed to enable the reader (physicians, decision-maker, administrator, lawyer or finance manager) to quickly apprehend the needs of these patients and the available therapeutic care structures for proper organization and pricing of these activities.

Physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) care pathways: "patients after total knee arthroplasty".

This document is part of a series of documents designed by the French Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Society (SOFMER) and the French Federation of PRM (FEDMER). These documents describe the needs for or a specific type of patients; PRM care objectives, human and material resources to be implemented, chronology as well as expected outcomes. "Care pathways in PRM" is a short document designed to enable the reader (physicians, decision-maker, administrator, lawyer or finance manager) to quickly apprehend the needs of these patients and the available therapeutic care structures for proper organization and pricing of these activities.

Interoperability of medical databases: construction of mapping between hospitals laboratory results assisted by automated comparison of their distributions.

In hospital information systems, laboratory results are stored using specific terminologies which may differ between hospitals. The objective is to create a tool helping to build a mapping between a target terminology (reference dataset) and a new one. Using a training sample consisting of correct and incorrect correspondences between parameters of different hospitals, a match probability score is built.

Real-time predictions of drug release and end point detection of a coating operation by in-line near infrared measurements.

The aim of this work was to carry out real-time near infrared (NIR) predictions of drug release from sustained release coated tablets and to determine end point of coating operation. In-line measurements were ensured by implementation of a NIR probe inside a pan coater. Tablets were coated using a functional aqueous dispersion of ethylcellulose blended with PVA-PEG graft copolymer to obtain a controlled drug release dosage form over 16h.

Education in the management of low back pain: literature review and recall of key recommendations for practice.

Introduction: Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is a continuous medical care process whose role in lower back pain (LBP) has yet to be well defined.

Objective: To evaluate the role and impact of TPE in the medical and surgical management of LBP.

Method: A non-systematic literature review.

Development of a Process Analytical Technology (PAT) for in-line monitoring of film thickness and mass of coating materials during a pan coating operation.

The aim of this study was to perform in-line Near Infrared (NIR) measurements inside a pan coater to monitor a coating operation in real-time, by predicting the increases in mass of coating materials and coating thickness. A polymer combination of ethylcellulose/poly(vinyl-alcohol)-poly(ethylene-glycol) graft copolymer was used as functional aqueous coating. Coated tablets were sampled at regular intervals during the coating operation, then subjected to either simple and fast weighing (n=50) or accurate and non-destructive Terahertz Pulsed Imaging (TPI) measurements (n=3).

Surface responses and desirability functions to determine optimal granulation domains.

Background: Single pot mixer-granulator-dryer (high-shear granulator with in situ double jacket vacuum drying) and multiphase equipment (high-shear granulator associated with fluid bed dryer) are classically used for wet granulation. At present time, industrial production imperatives may require to switch one formulation from one equipment to another.

Method: To compare the two processes and to define, for each of them, the optimal formulation domain, experiments were organized according to Doehlert experimental designs.

Oncology and physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Introduction: Cancer patients are living longer with deficiencies and functional impairments requiring often typically a care in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR).

Objective: To examine the care of cancer patients in PMR.

Method: Investigation made with a questionnaire diffused from the e-mail listing of the Société Française de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation.

Comparison of single pot and multiphase granulation. Part 2: Effect of the drying process on granules manufactured in a single pot granulator and dried either in situ or in a fluid bed dryer.

The aim of this study was to highlight the effect of the drying process on granules manufactured in a pilot scale single pot granulator and dried either in situ or in a fluid bed dryer, for formulations differing in drug substance and its concentration (1%; 25%). Although most of raw data were within specifications, single pot drying tended to improve granule comprimability and seemed less sensitive to formulation. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the formulation impacted on granule median diameter, packing ability, comprimability, residual lower punch pressure and tablet dissolution kinetics.

Comparison of single pot and multiphase granulation. Part 1: Effect of the high shear granulator on granule properties according to the drug substance and its concentration.

Pharmaceutical granulations are usually developed with regard to a specific manufacturing process but switching from one piece of equipment to another can be necessary to comply with the available industrial equipment. Investigations were undertaken on formulations differing in the drug substance and in its concentration. Our aim was to highlight the effect of the granulation process on granules manufactured in a pilot scale Moritz Turbosphere TS50 or in Fielder PMA 65 and dried in a Glatt GPCG1 fluid bed dryer.

Comparison of single pot and multiphase high shear wet granulation processes related to excipient composition.

At present time, industrial production imperatives can require the transposition of a formulation from one equipment to another. In order to evaluate the impact of such a switch on the properties of granules and tablets, investigations were undertaken on formulations manufactured both in a single pot mixer-granulator-dryer (high shear granulator with in situ double jacket vacuum drying) and in a multiphase equipment (high shear granulator/fluid bed dryer). Principal component analysis highlighted the major contribution of the binder ratio on granule size distribution, flow and packing ability whereas the relative ratio of mannitol and lactose, used as fillers, mainly impacted on compressibility and tablet cohesion.