Age vs. Experience: Evaluation of a Video Feedback Intervention for Newly Licensed Teen Drivers, TPF-5(207), 2013

This project examines the effects of age, experience, and video-based feedback on the rate and type of safety-relevant events captured on video event recorders in the vehicles of three groups of newly licensed young drivers: 1. 14.5- to 15.5-year-old drivers who hold a minor school license (see Appendix A for the provisions of the Iowa code governing minor school licenses); 2. 16-year-old drivers with an intermediate license who are driving unsupervised for the first time; 3. 16-year-old drivers with an intermediate license who previously drove unsupervised for at least four months with a school license. METHODS: The young drivers’ vehicles were equipped with an event-triggered video recording device for 24 weeks. Half of the participants received feedback regarding their driving, and the other half received no feedback at all and served as a control group. The number of safety-relevant events per 1,000 miles (i.e., “event rate”) was analyzed for 90 participants who completed the study. RESULTS: On average, the young drivers who received the video-based intervention had significantly lower event rates than those in the control group. This finding was true for all three groups. An effect of experience was seen for drivers in the control group; the 16-year-olds with driving experience had significantly lower event rates than the 16-year-olds without experience. When the intervention concluded, an increase in event rate was seen for the school license holders, but not for either group of 16-year-old drivers. There is strong evidence that giving young drivers video-based feedback, regardless of their age or level of driving experience, is effective in reducing the rate of safety-relevant events relative to a control group who do not receive feedback. Specific comparisons with regard to age and experience indicated that the age of the driver did not have an effect on the rate of safety-events, while experience did. Young drivers with six months or more of additional experience behind the wheel had nearly half as many safety-relevant events as those without that experience.

Elaboración de un video sobre calidad, seguridad y medio ambiente en la Unidad de Laboratorios Docentes (ULD) de la Facultad de Farmacia de la Universidad de Barcelona

La Unidad de Laboratorios Docentes (ULD) de la Facultad de Farmacia (UB) ha implantado un sistema de gestión de la calidad (SGC) que permite transmitir al estudiante una formación adicional con el objetivo de mejorar sus competencias transversales (siguiendo las directrices del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, EEES). Además, en el curso académico 06-07, se instauraron las Buenas Prácticas Ambientales (BPAL) para disponer de un sistema de gestión que incorporase los criterios de calidad, medioambiente y seguridad (sistema de gestión integrada, SGI). Durante el presente curso académico se ha procedido a la grabación y edición de un video sobre calidad, seguridad y medioambiente en la ULD con el objetivo de mejorar la formación transversal de los estudiantes facilitando la integración de los conocimientos y habilidades profesionales. De esta forma, al salir del entorno universitario, los licenciados y graduados de la Facultad de Farmacia dispondrán de un valor añadido en su formación, mejorando así sus competencias para el desarrollo de su futura profesión. En el video se muestra la manera de trabajar correctamente según las normas de calidad, seguridad y medioambiente recogidas además en un tríptico que se entrega a los estudiantes al acceder por primera vez a un laboratorio de prácticas. El video se difundirá a través de la página web de la ULD, de la videoteca de la UB, del canal You Tube Canal UB, así como de las asignaturas que lo soliciten (sirviendo de soporte para el personal docente).

Elaboración de un video sobre calidad, seguridad y medio ambiente en la Unidad de Laboratorios Docentes (ULD) de la Facultad de Farmacia de la Universidad de Barcelona

La Unidad de Laboratorios Docentes (ULD) de la Facultad de Farmacia (UB) ha implantado un sistema de gestión de la calidad (SGC) que permite transmitir al estudiante una formación adicional con el objetivo de mejorar sus competencias transversales (siguiendo las directrices del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, EEES). Además, en el curso académico 06-07, se instauraron las Buenas Prácticas Ambientales (BPAL) para disponer de un sistema de gestión que incorporase los criterios de calidad, medioambiente y seguridad (sistema de gestión integrada, SGI). Durante el presente curso académico se ha procedido a la grabación y edición de un video sobre calidad, seguridad y medioambiente en la ULD con el objetivo de mejorar la formación transversal de los estudiantes facilitando la integración de los conocimientos y habilidades profesionales. De esta forma, al salir del entorno universitario, los licenciados y graduados de la Facultad de Farmacia dispondrán de un valor añadido en su formación, mejorando así sus competencias para el desarrollo de su futura profesión. En el video se muestra la manera de trabajar correctamente según las normas de calidad, seguridad y medioambiente recogidas además en un tríptico que se entrega a los estudiantes al acceder por primera vez a un laboratorio de prácticas. El video se difundirá a través de la página web de la ULD, de la videoteca de la UB, del canal You Tube Canal UB, así como de las asignaturas que lo soliciten (sirviendo de soporte para el personal docente).

Evaluation of the Video Intubation Unit in morbid obese patients.

BACKGROUND: Tracheal intubation may be more difficult in morbidly obese (MO) patients than in the non-obese. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinically if the use of the Video Intubation Unit (VIU), a video-optical intubation stylet, could improve the laryngoscopic view compared with the standard Macintosh laryngoscope in this specific population. METHODS: We studied 40 MO patients (body mass index >35 kg/m(2)) scheduled for bariatric surgery. Each patient had a conventional laryngoscopy and a VIU inspection. The laryngoscopic grades (LG) using the Cormack and Lehane scoring system were noted and compared. Thereafter, the patients were randomised to be intubated with one of the two techniques. In one group, the patients were intubated with the help of the VIU and in the control group, tracheal intubation was performed conventionally. The duration of intubation, as well as the minimal SpO(2) achieved during the procedure, were measured. RESULTS: Patient characteristics were similar in both groups. Seventeen patients had a direct LG of 2 or 3 (no patient had a grade of 4). Out of these 17 patients, the LG systematically improved with the VIU and always attained grade 1 (P<0.0001). The intubation time was shorter within the VIU group, but did not attain significance. There was no difference in the SpO(2) post-intubation. CONCLUSION: In MO patients, the use of the VIU significantly improves the visualisation of the larynx, thereby improving the intubation conditions.

Video Evaluation of Highway Drainage Systems, HR-317, 1991

Since 1978 the concept of longitudinal edge drains along Iowa primary and Interstate highways has been accepted as a cost-effective way of prolonging pavement life. Edge-drain installations have increased over the years, reaching a total of nearly 3,000 mi by 1989. With so many miles of edge drain installed, the development of a system for inspection and evaluation of the drains became essential. Equipment was purchased to evaluate 4-in.-diameter and geocomposite edge drains. Initial evaluations at various sites supported the need for a postconstruction inspection program to ensure that edge-drain installations were in accord with plans and specifications. Information disclosed by video inspections in edge drains and in culverts was compiled on videotape to be used as an informative tool for personnel in the design, construction, and maintenance departments. Video evaluations have influenced changes in maintenance, design, and construction inspection for highway drainage systems in Iowa.

Development of a dose-controlled multiculture cell exposure chamber for efficient delivery of airborne and engineered nanoparticles

In order to study the various health influencing parameters related to engineered nanoparticles as well as to soot emitted b diesel engines, there is an urgent need for appropriate sampling devices and methods for cell exposure studies that simulate the respiratory system and facilitate associated biological and toxicological tests. The objective of the present work was the further advancement of a Multiculture Exposure Chamber (MEC) into a dose-controlled system for efficient delivery of nanoparticles to cells. It was validated with various types of nanoparticles (diesel engine soot aggregates, engineered nanoparticles for various applications) and with state-of-the-art nanoparticle measurement instrumentation to assess the local deposition of nanoparticles on the cell cultures. The dose of nanoparticles to which cell cultures are being exposed was evaluated in the normal operation of the in vitro cell culture exposure chamber based on measurements of the size specific nanoparticle collection efficiency of a cell free device. The average efficiency in delivering nanoparticles in the MEC was approximately 82%. The nanoparticle deposition was demonstrated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Analysis and design of the MEC employs Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and true to geometry representations of nanoparticles with the aim to assess the uniformity of nanoparticle deposition among the culture wells. Final testing of the dose-controlled cell exposure system was performed by exposing A549 lung cell cultures to fluorescently labeled nanoparticles. Delivery of aerosolized nanoparticles was demonstrated by visualization of the nanoparticle fluorescence in the cell cultures following exposure. Also monitored was the potential of the aerosolized nanoparticles to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) (e.g. free radicals and peroxides generation), thus expressing the oxidative stress of the cells which can cause extensive cellular damage or damage on DNA.

Evaluation of errors in alpine skiing video analysis

INTRODUCTION: Video records are widely used to analyze performance in alpine skiing at professional or amateur level. Parts of these analyses require the labeling of some movements (i.e. determining when specific events occur). If differences among coaches and differences for the same coach between different dates are expected, they have never been quantified. Moreover, knowing these differences is essential to determine which parameters reliable should be used. This study aimed to quantify the precision and the repeatability for alpine skiing coaches of various levels, as it is done in other fields (Koo et al, 2005). METHODS: A software similar to commercialized products was designed to allow video analyses. 15 coaches divided into 3 groups (5 amateur coaches (G1), 5 professional instructors (G2) and 5 semi-professional coaches (G3)) were enrolled. They were asked to label 15 timing parameters (TP) according to the Swiss ski manual (Terribilini et al, 2001) for each curve. TP included phases (initiation, steering I-II), body and ski movements (e.g. rotation, weighting, extension, balance). Three video sequences sampled at 25 Hz were used and one curve per video was labeled. The first video was used to familiarize the analyzer to the software. The two other videos, corresponding to slalom and giant slalom, were considered for the analysis. G1 realized twice the analysis (A1 and A2) at different dates and TP were randomized between both analyses. Reference TP were considered as the median of G2 and G3 at A1. The precision was defined as the RMS difference between individual TP and reference TP, whereas the repeatability was calculated as the RMS difference between individual TP at A1 and at A2. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: For G1, G2 and G3, a precision of +/-5.6 frames, +/-3.0 and +/-2.0 frames, was respectively obtained. These results showed that G2 was more precise than G1, and G3 more precise than G2, were in accordance with group levels. The repeatability for G1 was +/-3.1 frames. Furthermore, differences among TP precision were observed, considering G2 and G3, with largest differences of +/-5.9 frames for "body counter rotation movement in steering phase II", and of 0.8 frame for "ski unweighting in initiation phase". CONCLUSION: This study quantified coach ability to label video in term of precision and repeatability. The best precision was obtained for G3 and was of +/-0.08s, which corresponds to +/-6.5% of the curve cycle. Regarding the repeatability, we obtained a result of +/-0.12s for G1, corresponding to +/-12% of the curve cycle. The repeatability of G2 and G3 are expected to be lower than the precision of G1 and the corresponding repeatability will be assessed soon. In conclusion, our results indicate that the labeling of video records is reliable for some TP, whereas caution is required for others. REFERENCES Koo S, Gold MD, Andriacchi TP. (2005). Osteoarthritis, 13, 782-789. Terribilini M, et al. (2001). Swiss Ski manual, 29-46. IASS, Lucerne.

Prospective randomized study of two cryopreservation policies avoiding embryo selection: the pronucleate stage leads to a higher cumulative delivery rate than the early cleavage stage.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cumulative live birth rates obtained after cryopreservation of either pronucleate (PN) zygotes or early-cleavage (EC) embryos. DESIGN: Prospective randomized study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): Three hundred eighty-two patients, involved in an IVF/ICSI program from January 1993 to December 1995, who had their supernumerary embryos cryopreserved either at the PN (group I) or EC (group II) stage. For 89 patients, cryopreservation of EC embryos was canceled because of poor embryo development (group III). Frozen-thawed embryo transfers performed up to December 1998 were considered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Age, oocytes, zygotes, cryopreserved and transferred embryos, damage after thawing, cumulative embryo scores, implantation, and cumulative live birth rates. RESULT(S): The clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were similar in all groups after fresh embryo transfers. Significantly higher implantation (10.5% vs. 5.9%) and pregnancy rates (19.5% vs. 10.9%; P< or = .02 per transfer after cryopreserved embryo transfers were obtained in group I versus group II, leading to higher cumulative pregnancy (55.5% vs. 38.6%; P < or = .002 and live birth rates (46.9% vs. 27.7%; P< or = .0001.Conclusion(s): The transfer of a maximum of three unselected embryos and freezing of all supernumerary PN zygotes can be safely done with significantly higher cumulative pregnancy chances than cryopreserving at a later EC stage.

Release of vancomycin and teicoplanin from a plasticized and resorbable gelatin sponge: in vitro investigation of a new antibiotic delivery system with glycopeptides.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sustained release of vancomycin and teicoplanin from a resorbable gelatin glycerol sponge, in order to establish a new delivery system for local anti-infective therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 plasticized glycerol gelatin sponges containing either 10 or 20% gelatin (w/v) were incubated in vancomycin or teicoplanin solution at 20 degrees C for either 1 or 24 h. In vitro release properties of the sponges were investigated over a period of 1 week by determining the levels of vancomycin and teicoplanin eluted in plasma using fluorescent polarization immunoassay. The rate constant and the half-life for the antibiotic release of each group were calculated by linear regression assuming first order kinetics. RESULTS: Presoaking for 24 h was associated with a significant increase in the total antibiotic release in all groups opposed to 1 h of incubation, except for the 10% sponges presoaked in teicoplanin. Doubling the gelatin content of the sponges from 10 to 20% significantly increased the total release of antibiotic load only in teicoplanin-containing sponges after 24 h incubation. In all corresponding groups investigated, release of vancomycin was more prolonged compared to teicoplanin, which allowed a gradual release beyond 5 days. The half-life (h +/- SEM) of both types of vancomycin-containing sponges was significantly prolonged by 24 h incubation in comparison to 1 h incubation (29.1 +/- 5.9 vs 5.9 +/- 1.0; p < 0.001, 30.0 +/- 2.1 vs 11.1 +/- 1.9; p < 0.001). However, neither doubling the gelatin content of the sponges nor a prolonged incubation was associated with a significantly prolonged delivery of teicoplanin. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a better diffusion-controlled release of vancomycin-impregnated glycerol gelatin sponges compared to those pretreated with teicoplanin. The plasticized glycerol gelatin sponge may be a promising carrier for the application of vancomycin to infected wounds for local anti-infective therapy.

Controlled delivery of 5-chlorouracil using poly(ortho esters) in filtering surgery for glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the antimitotic and toxic effects of 5-chlorouracil (5-CU) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and study their potential to delay filtering bleb closure in the rabbit eye when released by poly(ortho esters) (POE). METHODS: Rabbit Tenon fibroblasts and human conjunctival cells were incubated with various 5-CU and 5-FU concentrations. Antiproliferative effects and toxicity were evaluated at 24 and 72 hours by monotetrazolium, neutral red, and Hoechst tests and cell counting. Mechanisms of cell death were evaluated using TUNEL assay, annexin V binding, immunohistochemistry for anti-apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and LEI/L-DNase II. Trabeculectomy was performed in pigmented rabbits. Two hundred microliters of POE loaded with 1% wt/wt 5-FU or 5-CU was injected into the subconjunctival space after surgery. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and bleb persistence were monitored for 150 days. RESULTS: In vitro, 5-FU showed a higher antiproliferative effect and a more toxic effect than 5-CU. 5-FU induced cell necrosis, whereas 5-CU induced mostly apoptosis. The apoptosis induced by 5-CU was driven through a non-caspase-dependent pathway involving AIF and LEI/L-DNase II. In vivo, at 34 days after surgery, the mean IOP in the POE/5-CU-treated group was 83% of the baseline level and only 40% in the POE/5-FU-treated group. At 100 days after surgery, IOP was still decreased in the POE/5-CU group when compared with the controls and still inferior to the preoperative value. The mean long-term IOP, with all time points considered, was significantly (P < 0.0001) decreased in the POE/5-CU-treated group (6.0 +/- 2.4 mm Hg) when compared with both control groups, the trabeculectomy alone group (7.6 +/- 2.9 mm Hg), and the POE alone group (7.5 +/- 2.6 mm Hg). Histologic analysis showed evidence of functioning blebs in the POE-5-CU-treated eyes along with a preserved structure of the conjunctiva epithelium. CONCLUSIONS: The slow release of 5-CU from POE has a longstanding effect on the decrease of IOP after glaucoma-filtering surgery in the rabbit eye. Thus, the slow release of POE/5-CU may be beneficial for the prevention of bleb closure in patients who undergo complicated trabeculectomy.

Dispositifs de délivrance de principes actifs pour des applications ophtalmologiques [Drug delivery systems for intraocular applications].

Numerous drug delivery systems (DDSs) can be used as intraocular tools to provide a sustained and calibrated release for a specific drug. Great progress has been made on the design, biocompatibility, bioavailability, and efficacy of DDSs. Although several of them are undergoing clinical trials, a few are already on the market and could be of a routine use in clinical practice. Moreover, miniaturization of the implants makes them less and less traumatic for the eye tissues and some DDSs are now able to target certain cells or tissues specifically. An overview of ocular implants with therapeutic application potentials is provided.

Cellular delivery of pyrenyl-arene ruthenium complexes by a water-soluble arene ruthenium metalla-cage.

Three pyrenyl-arene ruthenium complexes (M(1)-M(3)) of the general formula [Ru(η(6)-arene-pyrenyl)Cl(2)(pta)] (pta = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) have been synthesised and characterised. Prior to the coordination to ruthenium, pyrene was connected to the arene ligand via an alkane chain containing different functional groups: ester (L(1)), ether (L(2)) and amide (L(3)), respectively. Furthermore, the pyrenyl moieties of the M(n) complexes were encapsulated within the hydrophobic cavity of the water soluble metalla-cage, [Ru(6)(η(6)-p-cymene)(6)(tpt)(2)(donq)(3)](6+) (tpt = 2,4,6-tri-(pyridin-4-yl)-1,3,5-triazine; donq = 5,8-dioxydo-1,4-naphthoquinonato), while the arene ruthenium end was pointing out of the cage, thus giving rise to the corresponding host-guest systems [M(n)⊂Ru(6)(η(6)-p-cymene)(6)(tpt)(2)(donq)(3)](6+) ([M(n)⊂cage](6+)). The antitumor activity of the pyrenyl-arene ruthenium complexes (M(n)) and the corresponding host-guest systems [M(n)⊂cage][CF(3)SO(3)](6) were evaluated in vitro in different types of human cancer cell lines (A549, A2780, A2780cisR, Me300 and HeLa). Complex M(2), which contains an ether group within the alkane chain, demonstrated at least a 10 times higher cytotoxicity than the reference compound [Ru(η(6)-p-cymene)Cl(2)(pta)] (RAPTA-C). All host-guest systems [M(n)⊂cage](6+) showed good anticancer activity with IC(50) values ranging from 2 to 8 μM after 72 h exposure. The fluorescence of the pyrenyl moiety allowed the monitoring of the cellular uptake and revealed an increase of uptake by a factor two of the M(2) complex when encapsulated in the metalla-cage [Ru(6)(η(6)-p-cymene)(6)(tpt)(2)(donq)(3)](6+).

Severe hypertension following accidental clonidine overdose during the refilling of an implanted intrathecal drug delivery system.

BACKGROUND:   Complications associated with intrathecal pumps may be linked to the surgical procedure, the implanted device, or the medication itself.¦CASE REPORTS:   Three patients treated chronically with intrathecal clonidine presented with clonidine overdose due to inadvertent extravasation during the refilling procedure. All patients experienced loss of consciousness and severe systemic hypertension that required aggressive parenteral treatment.¦DISCUSSION:   Clonidine is an alpha-2 agonist with a nearly 100% bioavailability after oral or rectal administration. With high plasma concentration secondary to massive systemic overdose, the specificity for the alpha-2 receptor is lost and an alpha-1 agonist activity predominates and causes marked hypertension. Management of clonidine overdose consists of supportive therapy guided by signs and symptoms.¦CONCLUSION:   Inadvertent injection into the subcutaneous pocket rather than the reservoir is rare but very dangerous as the drug cannot be retrieved and massive doses are involved. Signs and symptoms of systemic overdose with drugs commonly used in implanted drugs delivery system should be well known to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.

Photodynamic therapy for enhanced drug delivery to tumor

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used as an adjunct to cytoreductive surgery in patients with malignant pleura mesothelioma (MPM). However, it was associated with substantial side effects and found to be only of modest clinical benefit. In contrast, Visudyne®-mediated low-dose PDT has been shown to selectively increase the concentration of macromolecular cytostatic compounds in various tumors grown subpleurally on rodent lungs. Consequently, it was thought that PDT-assisted enhanced tumor penetration for cytostatic agents might be better suited to achieve additional tumor control after cytoreductive surgery for mesothelioma. This effect seems to be mainly related to PDT-mediated modulations of tumor vessels which improve the distribution of circulating, systemically administered chemotherapeutic macromolecular agents. However, the mechanisms involved and the optimization of this effect for therapeutic implications remain to be solved. By using the dorsal skin fold chamber method we demonstrated that both angiogenesis and microcirculation of human mesothelioma xenografts can be continuously assessed in vivo by intravital microscopy. We described a new, simple, reproducible and reliable scoring system for the assessment of tumor angiogenesis and microcirculation in this model, thereby allowing the quantitative description of the neo-vascular network development while avoiding a complicated technical setup. This method can serve as a useful tool for the assessment of novel vessel-targeted therapies against MPM. We then applied this newly established model so as to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of PDT-induced extravasation of macromolecular compounds across the endothelial barrier in tumors and surrounding normal tissue. We found that low-dose PDT selectively enhanced the uptake of macromolecular compounds in human mesothelioma xenografts compared to surrounding normal tissue. Interestingly, this increase of effective permeability of tumor vasculature was not related to the inflammatory stimuli generated by PDT such as the mobilization of leucocytes and their adhesion and penetration of the injured vessel wall. We then used the model for optimizing the drug-light conditions of low- dose PDT in order to obtain maximal leakage of the macromolecular compounds in the tumor with minimal uptake in normal surrounding tissue and we were able to identify such a therapeutic window. With these optimized PDT treatment conditions, we assessed the therapeutic effect of this new treatment concept in vivo by measuring tumor growth rates on subcutaneously grown mesothelioma xenografts in nude mice after low-dose PDT of the tumors following systemically administered liposomal (macromolecular) cisplatin, a cytostatic compound commonly used in clinical practice. We were able to demonstrate that low-dose PDT with optimized drug-light conditions combined with systemic chemotherapy indeed resulted in a reduction in tumor growth compared to chemotherapy or PDT alone. In conclusion, our work demonstrates that low-dose PDT may selectively enhance the uptake of macromolecular cytostatic drugs in superficially growing tumors such as mesotheliomas and opens new perspectives for the treatment of these diseases. - Les effets cytotoxiques de la thérapie photodynamique (PDT) sur le mésothéliome pleural malin (MPM) n'ont pas apporté de bénéfice clinique significatif. Toutefois, une application innovante non cytotoxique de la PDT serait la bienvenue en supplément des chimiothérapies pour améliorer le contrôle local de la tumeur. Le prétraitement des néovaisseaux tumoraux par une PDT à bas régime, qui améliorerait la distribution d'une chimiothérapie administrée par voie systémique de façon concomitante, a attiré une attention particulière pour de futures applications cliniques. Toutefois, les mécanismes impliqués dans cet événement et les implications thérapeutiques de ces changements physiopathologiques restent non résolus. Dans cette thèse, nous avons observé en premier que l'angiogenèse et la microcirculation dans les xénogreffes de mésothéliomes humains peuvent être observées et analysées in vivo par microscopie intravitale. Le nouveau système de score appliqué pour l'évaluation de l'angiogenèse et de la microcirculation tumorale dans cette étude est une méthode simple, reproductible et fiable servant à décrire de manière quantitative le réseau néo-vasculaire en développement, tout en évitant d'utiliser une installation technique compliquée. Ce modèle sert de nouvel outil pour l'évaluation des thérapies anti-vasculaires dirigées contre le MPM. Le modèle animal nouvellement établi a alors été utilisé pour élucider les mécanismes sous-jacents de Γ extravasation d'agents macromoléculaires induite par PDT dans les vaisseaux tumoraux et normaux. Nous avons trouvé que la PDT à fable dose améliore la distribution ciblée de drogues macromoléculaires dans des greffes de mésothéliome humain, de manière sélective pour la tumeur. La perméabilité vasculaire tumorale n'est pas influencée par les stimuli inflammatoires générés par la PDT, ce qui joue un rôle important dans la sélectivité de notre photodynamic drug delivery. Ensuite, nous avons recherché la fenêtre thérapeutique optimale de la PDT pour obtenir une accumulation sélective du colorant macromoléculaire dans le tissu tumoral ainsi qu'une efficacité de la PDT combinée avec une chimiothérapie macromoléculaire sur la croissance tumorale. Nous avons démontré que la PDT à faible dose combinée avec une administration systémique de cisplatine liposomale mène à un ralentissement de la croissance tumorale dans notre modèle de mésothéliome malin humain. En conclusion, l'utilisation de la PDT comme prétraitement pour améliorer sélectivement la distribution d'agents thérapeutiques dans des tumeurs poussant superficiellement est prometteuse. Cette observation fourni une preuve du concept remarquable et garanti la suite des investigations, éventuellement ayant pour but de développer de nouveaux concepts de thérapie pour les patients atteints de mésothéliome. Une PDT intra cavitaire à faible dose après pleuro- pneumonectomie pourrait améliorer la pénétration des agents cytostatiques administrés de façon concomitante par voie systémique dans les îlots tumoraux résiduels, et ainsi améliorer le contrôle local.