A novel procedure to improve functional preservation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in cord blood stored at +4°c before cryopreservation.

During storage and transportation of collected cord blood units (CBUs) to the bank prior to their processing and cryopreservation, it is imperative to preserve the functional capacities of a relatively small amount of cells of interest (stem and progenitor cells) which are critical for graft potency. To improve CBU storage efficiency, we conceived an approach based on the following two principles: (1) to provide a better nutritive and biochemical environment to stem and progenitor cells in CB and (2) to prevent the hyperoxygenation of these cells transferred from a low- (1.1%-4% O2 in the CB) to a high-oxygen (20%-21% O2 in atmosphere) concentration.

Influence of the extracellular matrix on the frictional properties of tissue-engineered cartilage.

Low-friction surfaces are critical for efficient joint articulation. The tribological properties of articular cartilage have been studied extensively in native tissue and joints. Despite their importance, very few studies have examined the frictional properties of tissue-engineered cartilage.

Maximal thickness of the normal human pericardium assessed by electron-beam computed tomography.

The purpose of this study was to determine the maximal value of normal pericardial thickness with an electron-beam computed tomography unit allowing fast scan times of 100 ms to reduce cardiac motion artifacts. Electron-beam computed tomography was performed in 260 patients with hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertension, as these pathologies have no effect on pericardial thickness. The pixel size was 0.

Fibrinogen and its relations to subclinical extracoronary and coronary atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic men.

The association between plasma fibrinogen and the presence of carotid, femoral, and aortic plaque (high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography) and coronary calcium deposit (ultrafast computed tomography scanner) was determined in 693 hypercholesterolemic, never-treated men free of previous or current clinical symptoms of cardiovascular disease. The number of subjects with extracoronary disease sites and coronary calcification deposits was significantly higher in the upper than in the lower tertile of fibrinogen. Plasma fibrinogen increased according to the number of diseased sites.

Hypertension promotes coronary calcium deposit in asymptomatic men.

Despite its important role in coronary disease, coronary atherosclerosis has been poorly investigated in uncomplicated hypertension. Therefore, we evaluated the presence and amount (score) of coronary calcium with ultrafast computed tomography in 73 pairs of age-matched asymptomatic hypertensive or normotensive men. We also estimated the extent of peripheral atherosclerosis as the number of arterial sites (carotid, aortic, femoral) with echographic plaque.

Reproducibility of coronary calcification detection with electron-beam computed tomography.

If coronary calcification scores obtained with electron-beam computed tomography (EBT) were proved to be correlated to coronary atherosclerosis, the reproducibility of the technique had to be assessed before being used for patient follow-up. A total of 150 patients, selected as a result of a cholesterol screening programme, were studied by EBT. Twelve contiguous 3-mm-thick transverse slices beginning on the proximal coronary arteries were obtained through the base of the heart.

Evaluation of the sialic acid content of LDL as a marker of coronary calcification and extracoronary atherosclerosis in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic subjects. PCVMETRA Group.

Recent studies have shown that the sialic acid content of LDL isolated from patients with angiographically demonstrated advanced coronary atherosclerosis is lower than that of LDL isolated from healthy subjects. These observations raise the question as to whether LDL sialic acid content could be used as an early marker of atherosclerosis. We screened for carotid, aortic, and femoral plaques by ultrasonography and for coronary calcifications by ultrafast computed tomography in 160 hypercholesterolemic subjects free of cardiovascular disease to investigate the relation between LDL sialic acid content and the prevalence of these early atherosclerotic lesions.

[Angioscanner analysis using Imatron C100 in 44 cases of hepatic tumors].

We studied 44 patients with focal benign (n = 13) or malignant (n = 31) liver tumors prouved by histology or follow-up. The flow mode was acquired by electron beam CT (EBCT) after injection (35 cc at 6 ml/sec): 20 slices with a 400 ms exposure time. We looked for abnormal vessels and density curves inside the tumor, liver and aorta.

[Detection and significance of coronary calcinosis].

Coronary calcifications (CC) are the witness of atheromatous disease because they lies in intima. This is a best stamp of coronary atheromatosis than all the well know risk factors. CC scores is perfectly estimated by EBT.

[Electron beam scanner and thoracic transplantation].

To follow an heart transplantation, EBCT is more precise than ultrasonography and scintigraphy to calculate a stroke volume. In lung transplantation, it is important before surgery to know the value of right ventricule stroke volume in order to choice the surgical protocol. After lung transplantation SFE helps to follow the patient to look after complications, to drain a collection or to guide a biopsy.

[Electron canon computed tomography. Technique and clinical applications in cardiac imaging].

Electron Beam CT (EBCT) was initially devoted to both dynamic and morphological cardiac studies. ECG gated slices acquired in 100 milliseconds produce cardiac images without motion artefacts. Intracavitary tumors and thrombus are clearly detected and EBCT contributes to the stagging and follow-up of masses.

[Value and future of electron beam computed tomography].

Mecanic computed tomography would probably never reach the acquisition brevity obtained by EBT. This machine is the best for exploration of cardiovascular diseases, and non cooperative patients, and for cine and flow studies. Morever, there are never tube cooling delays or interruptions in any procedures.

[Detection of coronary calcifications and coronary disease].

Objectives: The diagnosis of clinically silent coronary artery disease would be a major step in preventing episodes of acute cardiac ischaemia. We screened asymptomatic patients with hypercholesterolaemia with electron computed tomography (ultrafast CT) to determine the effectiveness of this method in detecting calcium deposits in coronary arteries.

Methods: During a 3-year period, 1000 male subjects with hypercholesterolaemia were selected among the general population consulting for systematic work-shop check-ups.

[The transplanted kidney. Role of imaging in early non-functioning grafts].

Renal failure following transplantation can be classified in two groups: initial non function characterized by the absence of renal function after transplantation and delayed secondary non function after an initial improvement. In the first group, the most frequent etiology is an acute tubular necrosis (30 to 50% of the cases) which usually heals within three weeks. Arterial thrombosis are rare but of very bad prognosis.

[Biliary cystadenocarcinoma. Apropos of a case].

Biliary cystadenocarcinoma is rare biliary ductal neoplasm, usually occurring in middle-aged women, which arises in a healthy liver, with a better prognostic than other malignant tumors of the liver. We report a new case documented by echography, CT scan and MR. Echography showed multiple heterogeneous and septate masses with fluid-fluid level and dilatation of the intra-hepatic biliary ducts.

Serum Lp(a) as a discriminant marker of early atherosclerotic plaque at three extracoronary sites in hypercholesterolemic men. The PCVMETRA Group.

To investigate the role of lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) as an atherogenic condition related to hypercholesterolemia, we studied the serum concentration of Lp(a) as measured by immunonephelometry in relation to the presence of asymptomatic echographic plaques in the peripheral arteries of 103 untreated hypercholesterolemic, normotensive, middle-aged men. Plaque was found at carotid, aortic, and femoral sites in 36%, 51%, and 53% of subjects, respectively. The Lp(a) level was higher in the group with carotid plaques than in the group without (0.

Vascular complications in the adult kidney transplant recipient.

Vascular complications of renal transplantation occurred in 15% of the cases. They are thrombotic infarct, arterial stenosis, arterio-venous fistula, and chronic arterial diseases. From 900 renal transplantations performed, only 120 (made since 1989) were studied with color flow Doppler (CFD).

[Hypertension has no effect on coronary calcifications in asymptomatic patients with hypercholesterolemia].

Since calcium in coronary artery walls is considered as an indicator for atherosclerosis, we used ultrafast computed tomography to quantify it non invasively in 111 hypercholesterolemic men. They were selected at worksite by a cholesterol screening program, had total cholesterol (TC) above 5.2 (6.

Coronary calcification and its relation to extracoronary atherosclerosis in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic men. The PCV METRA Group.

Background: The prevalence of coronary calcifications and extracoronary plaques was studied in patients with asymptomatic hypercholesterolemia.

Methods And Results: Ultrafast computed tomography for coronary calcification (presence or absence: calcium score) and echographic assessment of carotid, aortic, and femoral plaques were performed in 111 hypercholesterolemic men: 65% had coronary calcification, 72% had extracoronary plaque. The two lesions were associated as: 1) compared with subjects without coronary calcification, those with calcification had a higher prevalence of aortic (p less than 0.

[Reproducibility of Doppler measurements in renal circulation].

Duplex ultrasonography is now used to detect renal artery (RA) stenosis, but measurement reproducibility was not assessed systematically in renal circulation. Our aim was to definite intra and inter-observer variabilities of initial acceleration time (AT), peak systolic velocity (SV), and end-diastolic velocity (DV) in RA. We examined 12 hypertensive patients with angiographically normal RA and 2 normotensives.

Risk factors and early extracoronary atherosclerotic plaques detected by three-site ultrasound imaging in hypercholesterolemic men. Prévention Cardio-vasculaire en Médecine du Travail METRA Group.

Ultrasonic detection of atherosclerotic plaque of carotid abdominal aortic and femoral arteries and evaluation of risk factors were performed in 208 hypercholesterolemic men without cardiovascular disease. Twenty-six percent of them had no plaque. Plaque at the carotid, aortic, and femoral sites was found in 37%, 48%, and 53% of subjects, respectively.