À propos d’une note de 1926 sur un essai du BCG dans le traitement de la lèpre

By 1926, two French physicians working in Indochina, R. Pons and L. Chastel, have suggested to treat leprosy by subcutaneous injections of bacillus Calmette-Guerin. This treatment appeared efficient since the lepromatous lesions quickly regressed and the Hansen bacillus disappeared from the nasal mucus. These results were quickly confirmed by other authors. They were all more appreciated than, at this time, the Chaulmoogra oil and its products, the only available drugs, were poorly efficient against the disease. Nevertheless, although not a panacea, the BCG therapy allowed to relieve these unfortunate patients until the beginning of the 1950’s when an effective treatment by sulfones was at length available.     

L’engagement dans le don de plasma : étude des déterminants chez des donneurs réguliers en plasmaphérèse

The purpose of this study, based on the Theory of planned behavior, is to identify and ultimately better understand what determines the fidelity and the regularity of donors committed in plasmapheresis donation. This qualitative study is a primary stage to establish a classification of donors in a French socio-cultural context. For this reason, we have carried out a survey among 16 regular plasmapheresis donors, by way of semi-structured individual interviews at the Établissement français du sang - Brittany. The level of commitment of these regular donors is considered as a level of appropriation. If subjective norms have initially influenced their decision to donate blood, no specific motivation has been highlighted for them to donate plasma except a generally favourable attitude towards the voluntary donation process. The perception of control over their environment is a variable which played a decisive role in the donor's intention to give, with little cost associated to plasmapheresis donation and recourse to internal causal explanations. A better comprehension of the plasmapheresis donors’ determinants should lead us to a more efficient awareness of new potential donors, thereby enhancing recruitment and retention. Due to the increasing need for plasma-derived products, this study's ultimate issue is closely correlated both with ethical and socio-economic aspects. Following which, after analysing the results, a certain number of recommendations will be made.     

Copolymères solubles inhibiteurs de l'angiogenèse in vitro

Water-soluble statistic copolymers composed of sodium styrene sulfonate (NaSS) and methacrylic acid (MA) were synthesized. They inhibited adherence and proliferation of human breast cancer cells MCF7. One polymer, chemical composition 30%mol MA and 70%mol NaSS (MA–NaSS 30–70), shown a growth inhibition rate of 42% at day 6 at 100 μg/mL. Effects on human endothelial cells were then tested. The activity of four polymers MA–NaSS 30–70, 50–50, 60–40 and poly(NaSS), at various concentrations on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was investigated. Results showed an inhibition of 80% on HUVECs growth. The effect of copolymers on cell morphology was investigated. When HUVECs were cultivated in the presence of MA–NaSS 30–70 and poly(NaSS) at 10 μg/mL, cells remained rounded-shaped and did not spread. Moreover, cell area was systematically smaller for cells cultivated in the presence of copolymers versus control. The cytoskeleton of HUVECs was sensitively affected. Actin stress fibers were neither elongated nor well differentiated and the number of focal contacts was dramatically decreased in comparison with control. The effect on angiogenesis was studied. After 24 hs of contact with MA–NaSS 30–70 at 10 μg/mL, HUVECs did not form tubules. In contrast, tubules were numerous and elongated on control samples. The expression of integrins mediating HUVECs adhesion or angiogenesis was studied. DNA electrophoresis of adherent and non-adherent cells were performed after 72 hours of incubation with MA–NaSS 30–70. For adherent cells β₁, β₃, and α_V were less expressed α₅ was more expressed and α₂ expression was unchanged when compared to the controls. For non adherent cells β₁and α₅ were more expressed than in controls and α₂, α_V and β₃ were almost the same as control. Our copolymers are able to in vitro inhibit cancer cells growth and angiogenesis. Their activity is based on the inhibition of integrins mediated cell adherence to the extracellular matrix.     

L’hémovigilance française de 1994 à nos jours : évolution et perspectives

Born in France in 1993, haemovigilance aims at monitoring the blood transfusion chain from the donor to the recipient, receiving labile blood products. It differs from the other vigilances due to its organization and its completeness dealing with the collected information. Prior to the European directive, the French agency created a new gravity level: grade 0, aiming at reporting and analyzing the blood transfusion chain dysfunction. Thus, haemovigilance gradually integrates the management of the risks and is given new missions in hospitals and private hospitals. One of its first actions will be to achieve an a-priori analysis, preventing the risks throughout the blood transfusion chain. Such crosscutting missions will be used to manage the coordination of vigilance and in some cases identity monitoring. Haemovigilance may be a key player in identity monitoring because patients’ immunology-hematological data base can make it possible to confirm or deny a patient's identity (misused identity or homonyms). Haemovigilance is going to meet other challenges such as the training of health professionals’, the implementation of patients’ blood management and the periodic revision of the blood transfusions bulletin. A new crosscutting medical profession appears in some countries: blood transfusion practitioner. It combines vigilance, risk management, support for the therapeutic blood transfusions, health professionals training and the evaluation of practices and results. A final mission would be for haemovigilance to be responsible for medicinal products derived from human blood to allow a better monitoring of plasma transfusions.