[Pharmaceutical consultations in oncology: Implementation, one-year review and outlooks]. / Consultations pharmaceutiques en oncologie : mise en place, bilan à un an et perspectives.

OBJECTIVES: The oral route is becoming increasingly important in the panel of anti-cancer therapeutics, but it generates difficulties (adherence, management of adverse effects...). In order to secure medication management, the pharmaceutic team chose to set up pharmaceutical consultations. Its objectives are multiple: understanding of treatment for better adherence, pharmaceutical analysis, enhancement of the city-hospital link. This work presents the setting up of the pharmaceutical consultations and makes an assessment after one year. METHODS: The initial step was a meeting with institutional health professionals who work with patients to define the place, the objectives, and the patients targeted by the pharmaceutical consultation. The targeted patients are all patients receiving temozolomide and some patients initiating oral chemotherapy, considered at risk, on medical solicitation. Documents were created to standardize practices in the team from the collection of information and pharmaceutical analysis until the conduct of the consultation and the consultation report (integrated into the computerized patient's medical file). Activity indicators were defined and collected. RESULTS: Over one year, 65 pharmaceutical consultations were conducted, of which 23 % resulted in pharmaceutical interventions. The average duration of consultation was 34minutes. The whole team (four pharmacists and two residents) was involved in this activity. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmaceutical consultations help secure medical care of patients, providing tools, dedicated and personalized time, pharmaceutical analysis, etc. Ultimately, the goal is to accompany the patient throughout his treatment by having follow-up pharmaceutical consultations, in collaboration with community pharmacists thanks to the city-hospital link that we have established.

Stability of sufentanil and baclofen mixtures for intrathecal analgesia at different concentrations in polypropylene syringes.

BACKGROUND: Intrathecal analgesia is a method using various molecules alone or in combination. Among these, the association sufentanil/ baclofen is widely used. Instead of moving patients to the few expert centers taking charge of these specific preparations, it could be better to transport syringes to peripheral centers managing pump refilling. That is why, it is interesting to demonstrate the stability of the mixture, and so to be able to ensure the best transport conditions of syringes. METHODS: A stability indicating UPLC-DAD method was developed and validated according to the ICH guidelines. Four mixtures of sufentanil baclofen stored in 5±3°C and 25±2°C were evaluated for seven days and compared to the initial observed concentrations. RESULTS: The stability is demonstrated only for preparations stored at 5±3°C for seven days thanks to relative concentrations (95% confidence intervals of the mean of 3 samples) systematically positioned between 90% and 110%. On the other hand, after few days, degradation products of sufentanil appeared for all mixtures stored at 25°C±2°C. CONCLUSION: This study shows the stability of a weakly and a highly concentrated mixture of sufentanil and baclofen solutions in polypropylene syringes stored at 5±3°C for seven days. This result will allow the transport of the preparation under optimal conditions. Advance preparations for intrathecal pump refills could also be feasible.

Validated chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of eight drugs (morphine, ropivacaine, bupivacaine, baclofen, clonidine, sufentanil, fentanyl and ziconotide) for intrathecal analgesia.

Intrathecal analgesia has increased over the past two decades in various indications: chronic refractory pain from cancerous or non-cancerous origins, spasticity. These different indications involve the use of different molecules alone or in combination such as morphine, ropivacaine, bupivacaine, fentanyl, sufentanil, clonidine, baclofen and ziconotide. Pump refills are prepared at the pharmacy under a laminar flow hood. An analytical control should be carried out before release of the preparation. A new method of analytical control by chromatography has been developed and validated according to the International Conference on Harmonization guideline in order to secure the production process.

The Effects of a Short-Term Novel Aquatic Exercise Program on Functional Strength and Performance of Older Adults.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a short-term novel multidimensional aquatic exercise program on functional abilities of healthy older adults. Twenty-six men and women (mean age 76.33 ± 5.55 years) were recruited and assigned to an aquatic- (n = 15) or land-based (n = 11) training group. The aquatic training group completed a multidimensional water exercise program that incorporated resistance training, functional exercise movements and rudimentary aquatic plyometric activities. The active control group participated in a supervised land-based fitness program. Each exercise intervention was conducted over an 8-week period (16 sessions of 30 - 40 minutes) with the training load progression adjusted equally between groups using the 6 - 20 Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (RPE). Prior to and immediately following the intervention, both groups were evaluated with select components of the Senior Fitness Test. The 30-second chair stand, 30-second arm curl, and 8 foot up and go were selected as measures of strength and functional abilities. The results of an independent t-test indicated that the control and experimental groups were matched for functional abilities prior to the intervention. A 2 (group) × 2 (time) analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with repeated measures revealed significant differences in the pre- to post-testing measures for the aquatic training program for the arm curl (p < 0.01) and the 8 foot up and go (p = 0.02). Analysis of the active control revealed no pre-post differences for any measure. Thus, a short-term aquatic exercise program with multidimensional intervention strategies will significantly enhance functional abilities in older adults when compared to a functionally matched active control group.

Off-season physiological profiles of elite National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III male soccer players.

The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of soccer-related fitness parameters on elite National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III male soccer players during the off-season. Sixteen underclassmen from a recent NCAA Division III national championship soccer team completed a series of tests across 3 separate occasions over a 15-day period, with adequate recovery time between sessions to eliminate any carryover effect. Physiological parameters measured included aerobic endurance, anaerobic power and capacity, jumping power, agility, hamstring flexibility, and body composition. Descriptive statistics such as the mean (±SD) and range were calculated for each test. Two-tailed Pearson correlations were run to determine significant relationships that existed between variables. Test results were T-Tests (9.9 ± 0.4), Active Knee Extension degrees (-34.2 ± 11.9 right, -34.0 ± 13.9 left), vertical jump (61.8 ± 7.2 cm), percent fat (5.6 ± 1.6), Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) laps (113.2 ± 12.3), estimated VO2max (53.6 ± 2.9 ml · kg(-1) · min(-1)), Wingate peak (802.7 ± 155.6 W), Wingate peak (10.9 ± 1.2 W · kg(-1)), Wingate mean (651.2 ± 101.6 W), Wingate mean (8.9 ± 0.6 W · kg), and Wingate fatigue rate (35.9 ± 8.4%). Strong correlations existed between PACER laps and percent fat, between peak W and peak W · kg(-1), and between peak W and fatigue rate. These results suggest that elite Division III soccer players maintain relatively high fitness levels during the off-season. Additionally, they provide coaches with preliminary norms that can be used to determine off-season training expectations and adjust programs accordingly for their athletes.

Evidence for magmatic evolution and diversity on Mars from infrared observations.

Compositional mapping of Mars at the 100-metre scale with the Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) has revealed a wide diversity of igneous materials. Volcanic evolution produced compositions from low-silica basalts to high-silica dacite in the Syrtis Major caldera. The existence of dacite demonstrates that highly evolved lavas have been produced, at least locally, by magma evolution through fractional crystallization. Olivine basalts are observed on crater floors and in layers exposed in canyon walls up to 4.5 km beneath the surface. This vertical distribution suggests that olivine-rich lavas were emplaced at various times throughout the formation of the upper crust, with their growing inventory suggesting that such ultramafic (picritic) basalts may be relatively common. Quartz-bearing granitoid rocks have also been discovered, demonstrating that extreme differentiation has occurred. These observations show that the martian crust, while dominated by basalt, contains a diversity of igneous materials whose range in composition from picritic basalts to granitoids rivals that found on the Earth.

The acute effects of static and ballistic stretching on vertical jump performance in trained women.

Traditionally stretching has been included as part of a warm-up that precedes athletic participation. However, there is mixed evidence as to whether stretching actually enhances or hinders athletic performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of static (SS) and ballistic stretching (BS) on vertical jump (VJ) performance and to investigate whether power was altered at 15 and 30 minutes after stretching. Sixteen actively trained women performed a series of vertical jumps (countermovement and drop jumps) after an initial nonstretching (NS) session and after participating in BS and SS sessions that were conducted in a balanced and randomized order. The results indicated that there was no significant difference (p < 0.05) in VJ scores as a result of static or ballistic stretching, elapsed time, or initial flexibility scores. This suggests that stretching prior to competition may not negatively affect the performance of trained women.

Results from the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer.

The Thermal Emission Spectrometer spectra of low albedo surface materials suggests that a four to one mixture of pyroxene to plagioclase, together with about a 35 percent dust component provides the best fit to the spectrum. Qualitative upper limits can be placed on the concentration of carbonates (<10 percent), olivine (<10 percent), clay minerals (<20 percent), and quartz (<5 percent) in the limited regions observed. Limb observations in the northern hemisphere reveal low-lying dust hazes and detached water-ice clouds at altitudes up to 55 kilometers. At an aerocentric longitude of 224 degrees a major dust storm developed in the Noachis Terra region. The south polar cap retreat was similar to that observed by Viking.

Near-infrared spectroscopy and spectral mapping of Jupiter and the Galilean satellites: results from Galileo's initial orbit.

The Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer performed spectral studies of Jupiter and the Galilean satellites during the June 1996 perijove pass of the Galileo spacecraft. Spectra for a 5-micrometer hot spot on Jupiter are consistent with the absence of a significant water cloud above 8 bars and with a depletion of water compared to that predicted for solar composition, corroborating results from the Galileo probe. Great Red Spot (GRS) spectral images show that parts of this feature extend upward to 240 millibars, although considerable altitude-dependent structure is found within it. A ring of dense clouds surrounds the GRS and is lower than it by 3 to 7 kilometers. Spectra of Callisto and Ganymede reveal a feature at 4. 25 micrometers, attributed to the presence of hydrated minerals or possibly carbon dioxide on their surfaces. Spectra of Europa's high latitudes imply that fine-grained water frost overlies larger grains. Several active volcanic regions were found on Io, with temperatures of 420 to 620 kelvin and projected areas of 5 to 70 square kilometers.

Discrimination of respiratory dysfunction in yeast mutants by confocal microscopy, image, and flow cytometry.

Living yeast cells can be selectively stained with the lipophilic cationic cyanine dye DiOC6(3) in a mitochondrial membrane potential-dependent manner. Our study extends the use of flow cytometric analysis and sorting to DiOC6(3)-stained yeast cells. Experimental conditions were developed that prevented the toxic side effect of the probe and gave a quantitative correlation between fluorescence and mitochondrial membrane potential, without any staining of other membranes. The localization of the fluorochrome was checked by confocal microscopy and image cytometry. The mitochondrial membrane alterations were also tested through cardiolipin staining with nonyl acridine orange. Differences in light scattering and in fluorescence were detected in mutants (rho-, rho degrees, mit-, or pet-) and wild-type (rho+mit+) populations of yeast. The dye uptake of respiratory-deficient yeast strains was significantly reduced as compared to that of the wild-type. Application of an uncoupler (mCICCP), which collapsed the mitochondrial membrane potential (alphapsi(m)), led to a drastic reduction of the dye uptake. It was observed that a decrease in deltapsi(m), was usually correlated with a decrease in cardiolipin stainability by nonyl acridine orange (NAO). Quantitative flow cytometry is a fast and reproducible technique for rapid screening of yeast strains that might be suspected of respiratory dysfunction and/or mitochondrial structural changes. We give evidence that it is an adequate method to characterize and isolate respiratory mutants through sorting procedure, with selective enrichment of the population studied in respiring or non-respiring yeast cells. Confocal microscopy and image cytometry corroborate the flow cytometry results.

Galileo infrared imaging spectroscopy measurements at venus.

During the 1990 Galileo Venus flyby, the Near Infaied Mapping Spectrometer investigated the night-side atmosphere of Venus in the spectral range 0.7 to 5.2 micrometers. Multispectral images at high spatial resolution indicate substanmial cloud opacity variations in the lower cloud levels, centered at 50 kilometers altitude. Zonal and meridional winds were derived for this level and are consistent with motion of the upper branch of a Hadley cell. Northern and southern hemisphere clouds appear to be markedly different. Spectral profiles were used to derive lower atmosphere abundances of water vapor and other species.

Viking infrared thermal mapper.

The infrared thermal mapper (IRTM) was designed to measure the emitted and reflected radiance of Mars. Carried by the Viking Orbiter, the IRTM contains four small Cassegrainian telescopes which each image the same, seven circular areas. There is a total of twenty-eight channels in four surface and one atmospheric thermal bands from 6 microm to 30 microm and a broad solar reflectance band. All channels are sampled simultaneously, using the spacecraft scanning capability to map the radiance over small and large areas of the planet. All channels use thermopile detectors; spectral passbands are determined by a combination of interference filters, detector lense materials, antireflection coatings, and restrahlen optics.

Martian north pole summer temperatures: dirty water ice.

Broadband thermal and reflectance observations of the martian north polar region in late summer yield temperatures for the residual polar cap near 205 K with albedos near 43 percent. The residual cap and several outlying smaller deposits are water ice with included dirt; there is no evidence for any permanent carbon dioxide polar cap.

Soil and surface temperatures at the viking landing sites.

The annual temperature range for the martian surface at the Viking lander sites is computed on the basis of thermal parameters derived from observations made with the infrared thermal mappers. The Viking lander 1 (VL1) site has small annual variations in temperature, whereas the Viking lander 2 (VL2) site has large annual changes. With the Viking lander images used to estimate the rock component of the thermal emission, the daily temperature behavior of the soil alone is computed over the range of depths accessible to the lander; when the VL1 and VL2 sites were sampled, the daily temperature ranges at the top of the soil were 183 to 263 K and 183 to 268 K, respectively. The diurnal variation decreases with depth with an exponential scale of about 5 centimeters. The maximum temperature of the soil sampled from beneath rocks at the VL2 site is calculated to be 230 K. These temperature calculations should provide a reference for study of the active chemistry reported for the martian soil.

Temperatures of the martian surface and atmosphere: viking observation of diurnal and geometric variations.

Selected observations made with the Viking infrared thermal mapper after the first landing are reported. Atmospheric temperatures measured at the latitude of the Viking 2 landing site (48 degrees N) over most of a martian day reveal a diurnal variation of at least 15 K, with peak temperatures occurring near 2.2 hours after noon, implying significant absorption of sunlight in the lower 30 km of the atmosphere by entrained dust. The summit temperature of Arsia Mons varies by a factor of nearly two each day; large diurnal temperature variation is characteristic of the south Tharsis upland and implies the presence of low thermal inertia material. The thermal inertia of material on the floors of several typical large craters is found to be higher than for the surrounding terrain; this suggests that craters are somehow effective in sorting aeolian material. Brightness temperatures of the Viking 1 landing area decrease at large emission angles; the intensity of reflected sunlight shows a more complex dependence on geometry than expected, implying atmospheric as well as surface scattering.