Conséquences de la chimiothérapie anticancéreuse sur la fertilité de la femme

Sterility is a potential toxic effect of chemotherapy. This risk is well established for alkylating agents, but is less clearly defined for anthracyclines, methotrexate and fluorouracil and poorly defined for alkaloids, platinum, etoposide and taxanes. The main predictive factors for ovarian toxicity are the additive effect of cytotoxic drugs, the cumulative dose of each drug and the patient’s age. This effect of chemotherapy is evaluated on menstrual cycles, hormonal assays and the number of pregnancies observed in patient cohorts. Chemotherapy induces destruction of oocytes and granulosa cells. In mice, it has been shown that adriamycin may induce oocyte apoptosis, which can be prevented by modulation of cycle cell signalling (dysregulation of Bax gene or, on the contrary, expression of its antagonist gene Bcl-2 or inhibition of apoptosis with sphingosine-1-phosphate or caspase inhibitors). Clinical data in the literature are usually based on retrospective studies and are somewhat confused: global fertility after MOPP chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s disease is about 20%, adjuvant chemotherapy with CMF, F(A)C or TAC for breast cancer induces amenorrhea in 50% to 70% of cases, PVB or BEP chemotherapy for ovarian germ cell tumors has little effect on fertility when the uterus and one ovary can be preserved, and the majority of women treated with methotrexate, actinomycin D or various combinations for persistent trophoblastic disease remain fertile. Preservation of fertility is a major goal for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: in vitro fertilization could preserve the couple’s fertility, but is usually not feasible as it would delay initiation of chemotherapy until after stimulation of ovulation; oocyte or ovarian tissue cryopreservation is at the stage of research; oral contraceptives have not been demonstrated to be effective to preserve ovarian function; gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists prevent cyclophosphamide toxicity in rat and monkey ovaries, and a few pilot clinical studies suggest that chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea could be prevented by administration of GnRH analogues simultaneously to chemotherapy, but randomised studies are necessary.     

Effets de la radiothérapie sur la fonction testiculaire de l'adulte

Radiation therapy plays a major role in the curative management of numerous neoplasms, such as Hodgkin's disease or testicular cancer. However, the adverse effects of low-dose radiation scattered to radiosensitive normal tissues adjacent to the radiation fields, such as the testes, have been recognized. Experimental studies performed on healthy volunteers showed that no lesion was detectable on sperm counts or testicular biopsies after single doses of less than 10 cGy. Oligospermia has been reported after 15 cGy and 100 cGy result in a 90% incidence of azoospermia. In the radiotherapy of cancer, fractionated regimens are used to increase the differential effect between normal and tumoral tissues. For the same dose, a fractionated radiation regimen results in a higher incidence and a longer period of azoospermia than a single dose irradiation. Fractionated doses of >50 cGy result in a 100% incidence of azoospermia. For doses up to 200 cGy, recovery occurs but normal sperm production remains uncertain. Although the recovery time can be very long (more than 10 years), there is a risk of definitive azoospermia after doses of >200 cGy. Spermatogonia are the most radio-sensitive cell type and their depletion after small irradiation doses explain the effect of radiotherapy on fertility. Clinical hypogonadism is very unfrequent in usual practice, what seems to prove a relative radio-resistance of the Leydig cells. However, functionals studies show that there is a rise in serum LH with increasing dose to the testes. A decrease in testosterone levels has been reported after high testicular doses.     

Modélisation de l'impact des mollusques cultivés sur la biomasse phytoplanctonique de l'étang de Thau (France)

A model coupling a 2D transport equation and a simple model of the nitrogen cycling was developed for the Thau lagoon (France). The model took into account the wind forcing on the hydrodynamism, the effect of the temperature on the biological processes, the input of the watershed area, the light dependence of the pelagic primary production and the prédation of the phytoplankton by the cultivated filter feeders. The model ran under two steady-state situations of wind with constant temperature and light values corresponding to spring weather conditions. Simulations showed that the biological flows were very sensitive to the wind. The budget of the nitrogen flows were computed for the three areas devoted to the filter feeder cultivation and the results highlighted the impact of cultivated oysters as a source of nutrients and an important nitrogen flow through the predation of phytoplankton.     

Influence de la distance à l'océan sur les peuplements ichtyologiques des récifs frangeants de Nouvelle-Calédonie

Coral reef fish are bound to the pelagic environment throughout their larval stage, although they spend most of their adult life on reefs. Thus, the morphology of a lagoon and the location of a reef within the lagoon may influence the nature of its fish assemblage. Because of its asymetrical shape, the SW lagoon of New Caledonia allows us to test such a hypothesis. Several fringing reefs located 4–34 km from the open ocean were compared with one another. No influence of the reef-ocean distance could be found on the global values of diversity, density or biomass. However, presence-absence data of the 343 taxa encountered are related to this distance. Similarly, ecological structures based on diet, size and mobility of fish present strong correlations with reef—ocean distance. Thus, the major effects of an increase in reef—ocean distance concern both taxinomical and ecological structures. Suggested explicative hypotheses are linked to the fish feeding habits closely related to the environment but also to their utilisation of space. Territorial behaviour seems indeed to be important in structuring reef fish assemblage.     

Recherches sur l'expression des facteurs létaux héréditaires chez l'embryon de la drosophile

Résumé Les variations du volume du protoplasme pendant le développement ont été suivis chezD. virilis etD. melanogaster. Le protoplasme de l'uf fraîchement pondu remplit la membrane vitelline; bientôt, il se produit une contraction de volume, et il se forme un ellipsoïde. Le protoplasme continue à sa contraction pendant quelque temps, puis il se produit à une augmentation de volume. La projection des cellules polaires se fait immédiatement après cette augmentation. Celle-ci est élevée après la formation des cellules polaires et le volume atteint alors un maximum. Pendant cette période, la formation du blastoderme s'accomplit. Ensuite, pendant la période de la formation de la gouttière ventrale, le volume de l'embryon se réduit à nouveau; mais cela la contraction se limite à la partie céphalique seulement. Dans l'embryon létal nullo X, la contraction et l'augmentation de volume se font comme dans l'embryon sain, bien que les noyaux n'exécutent pas leur migration centrifuge. La relation entre la variation de volume et la migration des noyaux est discutée.     

Influence de la nature et de l'abondance des proies sur l'augmentation des effectifs de deux coccinelles prédatrices de la cochenille du manioc au Congo

Résumé Les variations d'abondance des 2 cochenillesPhenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero etFerrisia virgata Cockerell et des 2 prédateurs CoccinellidaeHyperaspis senegalensis hottentotta Mulsant etExochomus flaviventris Mader sont étudiées dans une parcelle de manioc. La colonisation de cette dernière parE. flaviventris est précoce, en présence de faibles niveaux numériques des 2 proies, mais avec une dominance deF. virgata; celle d'H. s. hottentotta intervient un mois plus tard en relation semble-t-il avec la présence d'une population deP. manihoti abondante et jeune. Nos observations font ressortir une dynamique des populations propre à chaque espèce de coccinelle, conditionnée par l'abondance de l'une ou l'autre des proies, la structure des colonies de chaque cochenille et les conditions climatiques (température) qui interviennent en synergie. Ainsi, la réponse numérique deH. s. hottentotta, plus forte que celle d'E. flaviventris, semble en relation plus étroite avecP. manihoti. PourE. flaviventris il appara?t difficile de séparer ce qui revient à chaque espèce de cochenille:F. virgata joue sans doute un r?le important pour son implantation dans les champs, puis sa raréfaction, mais c'est probablementP. manihoti qui permet l'augmentation de ses effectifs.      

Quelques considérations sur l'enseignement de la médecine physique et de la réhabilitation

Particularly since World War II physical medicine and rehabilitation have assumed a growing importance. The efforts of the Canadian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, following a survey of Canadian universities, to increase the theoretical and practical teaching of physiatrics are emphasized. It is considered important that the teaching of physical medicine and rehabilitation should be carried out concurrently with other medical and surgical teaching programs. Paramedical and auxiliary rehabilitation personnel should participate in the teaching program. The number of hours devoted to physiatrics should be increased, and the medical student should be permitted to choose physical medicine and rehabilitation as a part of his internship program.     

Recherches sur la conservation du virus de la densonucléose

Résumé Le virus de la densonucléose (VDN) conserve une partie de sa virulence en solution aqueuse entre 0°C et 30°C pendant deux mois. Son pouvoir infectieux se maintient à—10°C pendant deux mois mais est supprimé après dix jours de dessication. On peut done considérer ceParvovirus d’Insectes comme un virus relativement résistant aux températures que l’on rencontre ordinairement dans la nature et au laboratoire.

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Summary The persistence of DNV is described. This virus retains a part of its infectivity in aqueous solution between 0°C and 30°C. The log LD₅₀ initially 7,15 drops to 2 after two months. The virus keeps its infectivity at 10°C but it loses all its pathogenicity after 10 days in dry conditions.

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Ce travail a été réalisé en partie dans le cadre d’une convention I.N.R.A.-D.R.M.E.     

Recherches écologiques sur les faunes des plages arbitées de la région d'Arcachon

Resume 1. Le présent travail est consacré à l'étude écologique des plages abritées de la baie d'Arcachon (France). L'auteur tout d'abord, reconnaît et localise dans la région étudiée les quatres zones classiques qui partagent les estrans meubles abrités: slikke, haute slikke, schorre et zone parhalienne. Chacune d'entre elles est ensuite étudiée de manière plus détaillée, quant aux peuplements qui les occupent et aux structures édaphiques qui leur correspondent.2. Dans la slikke, l'auteur, reconnaît et décrit quatre faciès fondamentaux: les herbiers deZostera nana, les sables nus, type sables à arénicoles, les vases àNereis diversicolor et les vases à scrobiculaires. Chacun de ces faciès est analysé quant à sa teneur en eau, porosité, salinité, pH et oxygène dissous, répartition hypsométrique. En ce qui concerne la faune de ces slikkes sablo-vaseuses, l'auteur souligne l'importance de la macrofaune endogée, son caractère infralittoral, la faible mobilité de ses représentants.3. Dans la haute slikke, l'auteur reconnaît et décrit cinq faciès: les sables argileux àBledius spectabilis, les sables vaseux àCorophium volutator, les sables poreux àBledius arenarius, les aires àSpartina maritima et les microfalaises. De nouveau, sont étudiés successivement les caractéristiques abiotiques, puis les peuplements de chaque faciès; l'auteur souligne l'action réciproque des structures édaphiques sur la répartition des peuplements, mais aussi des peuplements sur les structures édaphiques. Par exempleCorophium volutator etBledius spectabilis édifient des galeries à parois stables, permanentes, qui ne peuvent être aménagées que dans certains types de sédiments; mais tandis que les galeries deB. spectabilis sont denses et étanches à la marée, celles deC. volutator sont plus dispersées et inondables; aussi la présence de l'insecte permet l'installation d'une faune d'accompagnement supralittorale, qui s'enterre au moment de la haute mer, celle de l'amphipode s'accompagne au contraire, d'une faune médiolittorale inondable.4. Enfin, dans le schorre et la zone parhalienne, l'auteur souligne l'absence de macrofaune endogée, la mobilité des peuplements vagiles épigés, leur balancement saisonnier lié au régime des marées. Il montre notamment qu'en été, le schorre abrite à la fois des espèces supralittorales marines ou halobies, et des espèces adlittorales haloxènes qui, venant de la zone parhalienne, sont attirées par la richesse trophique du Puccinellietum. En hiver, au contraire, la fréquence des immersions dans le schorre oblige la faune à refluer dans la zone parhalienne, où elle trouve son abri.5. Une classification des faciès étudiés en fonction de leur teneur en eau écologiquement utilisable par la macrofaune, un tableau de correspondance entre slikke, haute slikke, schorre et zone parhalienne d'une part, et étages intertidaux d'autre part, enfin une comparaison entre les peuplements des plages abritées et plages semi-abritées, complètent l'ensemble du travail.

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Ecological research on the faunas of the sheltered beaches of the region of Arcachon

In these ecological studies of the sheltered beaches of the bay of Arcachon (France), the author distinguishes and locates four traditional zones: slikke, upper slikke, schorre and parhalian zone. Animal communities and edaphic structures of each zone are treated in detail. In the slikke, four fundamental facies are distinguished:Zostera nana zones, bare sands (such asArenicola sands),Nereis diversicolor slime andScrobicularia slime. Each facies is analyzed with regard to its amount of water, porosity, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen content, as well as its hypsometric distribution. With respect to the fauna of sand and slime slikkes, the importance of the endogeous macrofauna, its infralittoral characteristics and the low degree of mobility of its species are emphasized. In the upper slikke five facies are described:Bledius spectabilis clay sands,Corophium volutator slimy sands,Bledius arenarius porous sands,Spartina maritima areas and micro cliffs. Again, abiotic characteristics and animal communities of each facies are studied successively. The importance of edaphic structures for the distribution of animal communities, and vice versa, is stressed. For instance, the amphipodCorophium volutator and the coleopteranBledius spectabilis build tubes with firm and permanent inner surfaces only in certain types of sediment: yet, while theBledius spectabilis tubes are dense and watertight, those ofCorophium volutator are less tight and often flooded. Thus, the presence of the insect allows a supralittoral fauna to establish itself, whereas that of the amphipod is, in contrast, accompanied by a mediolittoral fauna resistant to flooding. In the schorre and parhalian zone, endogeous macrofauna elements are entirely absent; the vagrant epigeous species exhibit considerable degrees of mobility, migrating according to tidal rhythms. In summer, the schorre zone shelters both marine supralittoral or halobiotic species as well as adlittoral haloxene species which, coming from the parhalian zone, are attracted by the trophically rich Puccinellietum. In winter, however, frequent floodings of the schorre force the fauna to retreat to the parhalian zone for shelter. A classification is presented of the facies studied, based on the amount of water ecologically usable by their respective macrofaunas. The relationships between slikke, upper slikke, schorre and parhalian zone on the one hand, and the intertidal zones on the other are illustrated in the form of a synopsis. Finally, a comparison is made between animal communities of sheltered and of partly sheltered beaches.

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Ce travail constitue la 2ème partie d'une thèse de Doctorat ès Sciences naturelles soutenue à la Faculté des sciences de l'Université de Bordeaux (n^o d'ordre 197) et intitulée «Recherches écologiques sur les faunes des plages arbitées et des étangs saumatres de la region d'Arcachon». L'exemplaire dactylographié de la thèse in extenso a été déposé au C.N.R.S. et enregistré sous le n^o A.O. 1612.     

Influence de la température sur la cinétique,de croissance et le coefficient de maintenance de Candida lipolytica cultivé sur n-alcane

The effect of growth temperature on the evolution of kinetic parameters and yields was determined for Candida lipolytica cultures with ntetradecane as substrate, in a temperature range of 18°C to 30°C, which is below the critical growth temperature in order to work only in the activation zone of these parameters.In such a culture limited by substrate transfer, growth rate depends on biological rates, related to microorganisms characteristics, and diffusional rates, related to mass transfer. The effect of temperature thus depends on the limiting step. The activation energy, calculated from exponential growth rate determinations is .When the activation energy is calculated from the maximal rate of cell production (determined at the growth curve's inflexion point), it's found to be E _X=71,200 J/mole in the 18°C–24°C range, and E _X=28,000 J/mole in the 24°C–30°C range. The latter one is characteristic of a diffusion-limited process. Above 24°C, growth is controlled by substrate-transfer, as physiological potentialities are preferentially increased with temperature than diffusional ones: 24°C is thus the transition temperature T _t from physiological to diffusional limitation.The apparent yield is almost constant, over the 18°C to 30°C temperature range, although maintenance coefficients are very dependent on temperature. The activation energies related to maintenance coefficients for alkane and oxygen respectively are and .The m _s/m_{O 2} ratio is about 3 (g/g), whereas that, for a strict oxidation reaction of n-tetradecane ought to be 3.47 (g/g). A satisfactory correlation, relating maintenance coefficients to the maximal growth rate of yeast, is given.

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Liste des symboles A constante de saturation de modèle de croissance(1) - B vitesse spécifique considérée - C substrat carboné ou oxygène (g/l) - E energie d'activation (J/mole) - S _m quantité de substrat consommée par maintenance au cours d'une fermentation discontinue (g) - O₂ quantité d'oxygène transférée au milieu de culture (g/l) - R rendement global de la fermentation - R rendement global de la fermentation - constante des gaz parfaits (J/mole K) - S concentration en substrat carboné (g/l) - T température de croissance (°K) - X concentration en biomasse (g/l) - Y rendement limite - m coefficient de maintenance (h^-1) - t duree de fermentation (h) - tømpérature de croissance (^o Celsius) - taux de croissance (h^-1) Indices 1 relatif à la température 1. - 2 relatif à la température 2 - c relatif au substrat carboné ou à l'oxygène - f relatif au temps final - i relatif au point d'inflexion - m maximum - mO₂ relatif au coefficient de maintenance sur l'oxygène - m _s relatif au coefficient de maintenance sur le substrat carboné - o relatif au temps initial - O₂ relatif à l'oxygène - s relatif au substrat carboné - t de transition - T relatif à la température de croissance T - U _m relatif au taux de croissance maximal - X relatif à la productivité maximale en biomasse     

Incidences des variations de la pression barométrique sur l'activité spontanée du rat

Résumé L'étude de l'activité spontanée de 21 rats mesurée pendant 73 jours en cage à tambour permet les conclusions suivantes: les fluctuations naturelles de l'activité des animaux sont influencées par les variations de pression atmosphérique. Les hausses de pression barométrique entrainent une augmentation de la motilité spontanée alors que les baisses barométriques tendent à produire un effet inverse; cependant les chutes très brutales de pression provoquent, elles aussi, un surcroit d'activité. Des travaux récents permettent d'interpréter cette apparente contradiction.Ces corrélations disparaissent si les animaux sont protégés de l'ionisation atmosphérique par des cages reliées à la terre.Sachant que les variations de pression atmosphérique entrainent des modifications de l'ionisation atmosphérique, on peut donc admettre que cette dernière est en fait le facteur météorologique efficace sur la motilité spontanée, d'autant plus que l'aéro-ionisation est connue comme affectant nettement l'activité du rat.Enfin, au niveau neurohumoral, la sérotonine semble être l'intermédiaire par lequel l'ionisation intervient sur le comportement.

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Influence of variations of barometric pressure on the spontaneous activity in the bat

Summary Changes in the spontaneous activity of 21 rats were studied for 73 days with the help of a revolving wheel.Natural fluctuations of spontaneous activity of the animals are influenced by variations of barometric pressure. When rises of barometric pressure occur, the spontaneous activity is increased, whereas barometer on the fall tends to produce an opposite effect; however, sudden and important falls in atmospheric pressure may also induce an increased activity, an observation which is discussed in the light of recent results.These correlations between activity and barometric pressure disappear when animals are shielded from atmospheric ionization by means of grounded cages.Knowing that atmospheric ionization is depending upon atmospheric pressure variation, one may admit that ionization is the main meteorological factor really effective in the action reported on activity. In other words, changes observed in spontaneous activity of the rat are mediated by variations of air ionization, themselves influenced by changes of atmospheric pressure. These data are in agreement with previous observations, by other authors demonstrating that aeroionization is acting on rat activity.Finally, the physiological link between these meteorological factors and animal behaviour appears to be a modulation of serotonin metabolism; arguments in favour of this mediation are discussed.

     

Influence de la densité de population larvaire sur la taille des adultes,la durée de développement et la fréquence de la diapause chezPteromalus puparum L. [Hym., Chalcidien]

Summary The parasitoid waspPteromalus puparum was reared for many generations under controlled laboratory conditions: larval development in diapausing pupae ofPieris brassicae, 14 hours photoperiod, temperature of 21 °C or 25 °C. The fluctuations in the density of population appear to be the main source of variation for larval development. An increase in the number of larvae living in the same host pupa results in a decrease of adult size, a reduction of developmental time and a diminution of incidence of larval diapause. According to these results, it appears that a high population density hastens the occurrence of metamorphosis and makes it easier. It is suggested that various nervous stimulations, such as food shortage and interactions between larvae, may induce the onset of neurosecretion by the brain.