[Management of a radiotherapy center during the COVID-19 outbreak: The experience of the Mulhouse hospital centre (France)]. / Organisation d'un service de radiothérapie pendant l'épidémie de COVID-19 : expérience du centre hospitalier de Mulhouse.

The COVID-19 outbreak grows exponentially in our country. Despite most of patients develops benign symptoms, cancer patients are at risk of a severe form of the disease. Radiotherapy centres are a potential contamination place due to the number of patients treated and staff present. Their organization during the outbreak period aims to ensure continuity of care while limiting the risk of death from COVID-19. In the radiotherapy department of Mulhouse hospital (France), we pointed five points out: protection of medical and paramedical staff, protection of patients undergoing treatment, detection of patients suspected of being infected by SARS-CoV-2 and their management, reorganization of the patient circuit and measures regarding the quality management. This reflection, which began at the beginning of the outbreak in our city, allows us to preserve the access to radiotherapy treatments by anticipating the risk of spreading the virus. Through biweekly meetings, we continue to adapt to the epidemic in our department, considering our material resources. The ability to perform diagnostic tests in all suspect patients would also allow us to refine our procedures.

Gas chromatographic separation and mass spectrometric identification of mixtures of oxyphytosterol and oxycholesterol derivatives application to a phytosterol-enriched food.

Pure individual phytosterols were prepared using reversed-phase HPLC in order to obtain the oxidized compounds of sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and brassicasterol. 7-Hydroxy-, 7-keto-, 5,6-epoxy-, 4beta-hydroxy-, 4-ene-6-hydroxy-, 6-keto- and 5alpha,6beta-dihydroxyphytosterols were obtained as well as analogous compounds of cholesterol. The gas chromatographic properties as well as the electronic impact mass spectra of these compounds (as trimethylsilyl ether derivatives) were studied. These data were used to identify oxyphytosterols in a spread enriched in phytosterols: the oxyphytosterols represented no more than 68 microg/g of spread (about 0.08% of phytosterols were oxidised).

Trans isomers of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in tissue lipid classes of rats fed with heated linseed oil.

The isomerization of linolenic acid into mono- and di-trans isomers takes place during heat treatment. One of these compounds, 18:3 delta 9c, 12c, 15t can be desaturated and elongated to form, in particular, the trans isomers of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. This study was undertaken to observe the incorporation of these trans long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids into the lipid classes of several tissues. Rats were fed for 8 weeks with heated linseed oil containing high levels of trans linolenic acid isomers. The lipid classes of the liver, kidney, heart and adrenals of these rats contained various levels of these compounds. The 20:5 delta 5c, 8c, 11c, 14c, 17t represented between 80 and 90% of the total 20:5 in the phospholipids, but 22:5 delta 7c, 10c, 13c, 16c, 19t and mainly 22:6 delta 4c, 7c, 10c, 13c, 16c, 19t were only present in small quantities. This may indicate that the cis fatty acids are better metabolized in these cases. Among the tissues studied, it was interesting to note a high level of 22:5 delta 19t in the adrenals, particularly in cholesterol esters.

Identification of novel trans isomers of 20:5n-3 in liver lipids of rats fed a heated oil.

Trans polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids are formed as a result of the heat treatment of vegetable oils. It was demonstrated previously that the 18:3 delta 9cis, 12 cis, 15 trans containing a cis delta 9 ethylenic bond was converted to a geometrical isomer of 20:5n-3, the 20:5 delta 5 cis, 8 cis, 11 cis, 14 cis, 17 trans. In the present study, we have identified two new isomers of eicosapentaenoic acid, the delta 11 monotrans and the delta 11, 17 ditrans isomers in liver of rats fed a heated oil. These are formed as a result of the conversion of two of the main isomers of linolenic acid which are present in refined and frying oils, the 18:3 delta 9 trans, 12 cis, 15 cis and the 18:3 delta 9 trans, 12 cis, 15 trans.

Phase II study of nitrosourea fotemustine as single-drug chemotherapy in poor-prognosis non-small-cell lung cancer.

A phase II study was designed to evaluate objective response rate and toxicity of fotemustine as single-drug chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer. Eighty-seven patients with unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer took part in the study. Seventy-seven were evaluable for response. Of these, 60% had received prior chemotherapy and 74% had metastatic disease. Moreover, 22 patients had central nervous system metastases (of whom 12 were evaluable for this site). Treatment consisted of fotemustine 100 mg m-2 administered on days 1 and 8 followed by a 5 week rest period. Afterwards, responding or stabilised patients received fotemustine 100 mg m-2 every 3 weeks as a maintenance therapy. Toxicity and quality of life were recorded during therapy. Thirteen patients (17%; 95% CI 9-25%) had an objective response (11% for pretreated, 26% for non-pretreated) with a median duration of 22 weeks (range 7-41 weeks). Two objective responses were observed among the 12 patients with evaluable brain metastases. No response was observed among the 14 patients with adenocarcinoma. Haematological, gastrointestinal, hepatic and renal toxicities were mild to moderate and manageable. The most frequent biological adverse reactions were delayed thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. Quality of life did not significantly decrease during the first 6 treatment weeks. Moreover, it remained stable during the study period in patients with response or stabilisation, whereas it significantly decreased in patients who experienced progression of the disease. Fotemustine is feasible for single-drug chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer even though poor prognostic variables such as brain metastases are present. It can be administered on an outpatient basis and toxicity is moderate and manageable. Thus, fotemustine can be considered as a putative drug in further combinations.

Separation of 20:4n-6 and 20:4n-7 by capillary gas-liquid chromatography.

The use of a capillary column coated with 100% cyanopropyl polysiloxane (CP(TM)Sil 88) allows the separation of several fatty acids associated with fat deficiency. Starting with liver mitochondrial phospholipids of weanling rats fed a fat-free diet, an unusual fatty acid was isolated, along with 20:4n-6, by thin-layer chromatography on AgNO3-impregnated silica gel plates. After partial hydrazine reduction of these acids, the resulting monoenes were isolated and subjected to ozonolysis in BF3/methanol. The resulting monomethyl and dimethyl esters were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Our data indicate that the unusual component corresponds to 20:4n-7. Based on published biochemical and analytical studies and on our own chromatographic retention data, some of the other unusual fatty acids were tentatively identified as 18:2n-7, 20:2n-7 and 20:3n-7. The CP(TM)Sil 88 column appears to be a simple and useful tool for the separation of fatty acids of the palmitoleate series.

Occurrence of geometrical isomers of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in liver lipids of rats fed heated linseed oil.

Mono trans geometrical isomers of 20:5 n-3 and 22:6 n-3 were detected in liver lipids of rats fed heated linseed oil. The isomers were identified as being 20:5 delta 5c,8c,11c,14c,17t and 22:6 delta 4c,7c,10c,13c,16c,19t. These fatty acids were isolated as methyl esters by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on reversed phase columns followed by silver nitrate thin layer chromatography (AgNO3-TLC). The structures were identified using partial hydrazine reduction, AgNO3-TLC of the resulting monoenes, oxidative ozonolysis of each monoene band, and gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) of the resulting dimethyl esters and monomethyl esters. Fourier-transform-infrared spectrometry confirmed the trans geometry in isolated 20:5 and 22:6 isomers. The isomers of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in liver lipids probably resulted from desaturation and elongation of 18:3 delta 9c,12c,15t, a geometrical isomer of linolenic acid present in the heated dietary oil.

[Do inguinal lymph node metastases of germinal tumors of the testis exist?]. / Les métastases ganglionnaires inguinales des tumeurs germinales du testicule existent-elles?

Abdomino-aortic glands are usually involved by regional extension of germinal tumors of testis. Inguinal gland extension may occur from alteration of lymphatic circulation due to inguinoscrotal surgery and post-orchidectomy scrotal contamination. Among 140 patients treated in Val-de-Grâce Army Hospital between 1978 and 1985, only one patient with a pure non-seminoma germinal tumor developed inguinal gland metastases. Causes of inguinal gland extension are analyzed based on past history of this patient, involving repair of inguinal hernia and orchidopexy. Proposed therapy includes inguinoscrotal radiotherapy for seminoma, surveillance or chemotherapy for a pure non-seminoma germinal tumor.

[Identification of an atypical polyunsaturated fatty acid present in the liver of rats after the ingestion of heated linseed oil]. / Identification d'un acide gras polyinsaturé atypique présent dans le foie de rats ayant ingéré de l'huile de lin chauffée.

A C20:5 fatty acid with a trans delta 17 ethylenic bond was identified in liver lipids of rats fed with heated linseed oil. This component was isolated using a combination of high performance liquid chromatography on a reverse phase column and AgNO3 thin layer chromatography (TLC). This fatty acid was identified after hydrazine reduction, methoxy-bromomercuric adducts fractionation, AgNO3-TLC and ozonolysis in BF3-MeOH. It could be a metabolite of one trans isomeric linolenic acid formed during the heat treatment of linseed oil.

[Detoxification by the rat of compounds formed during thermal polymerization of linseed oil. II. Effects of discontinuous administration of the heated oil on the urinary excretion of glucuronides, liver weight and the tissue content of cyclic monomers]. / Détoxification par le rat des composés formés au cours de la thermopolymérisation de l'huile de lin. II.--Effets d'une administration discontinue d'huile chauffée sur l'excrétion urinaire de glucuronides, le poids du foie et les teneurs tissulaires en monomères cycliques.

During four successive periods of 9 days each, adult rats were fed alternatively fresh or hermopolymerized linseed oil in their diet. As compared to the control animals, the rats fed with the thermopolymerized oil showed increased urinary glucuronide excretion and higher liver weight, as well as a rise in the cyclic monomer content in that organ and, to a lesser degree, in the fat tissue. When fresh oil was substituted for heated oil in the diet, these animals recovered the levels of urinary glucuronides and liver monomers observed in the control rats. On the contrary, the rise in liver weight still observed can be considered as an indication of diet toxicity.

[Fatty acid composition of testicular and adrenal lipids of rats fed with fresh or thermopolymerized linseed oil]. / Composition en acides gras des lipides des testicules et des surrénales de rats soumis à des régimes alimentaires contenant de l'huile de lin fraîche ou thermopolymérisée.

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids presenting an unusual structure were found in testis and adrenal lipids of rats fed thermopolymerized linseed oil: they might be metabolites including at least one trans double bond.

[Urinary excretion of glucuronic and hippuric acids in rats ingesting heated linseed oil]. / Excrétion urinaire d'acide clucuronique et d'acide hippurique, chez le rat ingérant des huiles de lin chauffées

Nutritionally harmful substances are formed when edible vegetable oils are heated (cyclization, polymerization of unsaturated fatty acids, ...). How are these substances metabolized in animals? This work is a first attempt to experiment if these altered fatty acids or their metabolites are excreted as conjugated compounds in the urine. Weaning rats (weighing 45 g) were divided into 3 groups of 9 animals each. They received balanced diets containing 10 p. 100 by weight of lipids. In the first group, the dietary of lipids was linseed oil which had been heated for 12 hours at 275 degrees C under nitrogen (group HC275); in the second group, the linseed oil had been heated 100 hours at 200 degrees C in presence of air (group HC200). These two groups of animals were fed ad libitum. The control group (group HF) was fed a diet containing fresh linseed oil and its food consumption was restricted to the quantity eated by the HC275 group (pair feeding). Urines were collected daily from the 8th to the 15th day of experiment and pooled for each rat. Hippuric acid and glucuronic acid contents were determined in these urines. During this period the hippuric acid excretion in HC275 and HC200 groups is twice as high as in HF group (32, 35 and 17 mumoles respectively). On the other hand urinary excretion of glucoronic acid is 8 times higher in HC275 and 3 times in HC200 than in HF (2214, 739 and 269 mumoles respectively). Hippuric acid excretion is very small as compared to that of glucuronic acid. Therefore it seems that most of the compounds formed during heating of the oil or their metabolites are excreted as glucoronic acid conjugates.