Publications

We developed a model of orthotopic transplantation of bladder tumor cells in female Fischer rats using a new reproducible technique. After first performing the mechanical abrasion of a portion of the bladder urothelium with an Abrader inserted transurethrally via a catheter, we administered a suspension of 5-40 x 10(6) viable AY-27 tumor cells in sterile phosphate-buffered saline to the bladder cavity. This rapidly led to a tumor growth incidence of approximately 100%. The induced bladder tumors grew expansively into the

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The two major steps in our study on the treatment of bladder tumors by photodynamic therapy (PDT) were the development of a new bladder tumor model in Fischer rats by implantation of tumor cells and the use of fluorescence spectroscopy, a semi-quantitative and non-invasive method, in order to determine the time after general or local administration of a photosensitizer when the tumor:normal bladder ratio was at its highest. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) (250 mg/kg body weight) was injected i.p. or instilled

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Epidermoid carcinomas, clinically and histologically similar to human squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), were obtained in hairless Skh-1 mice. Tumor cells originated from chemically-induced skin cancers. We developed three models of orthotopic skin tumors: (1) intradermal injection of a tumor cell suspension, (2) superficial abrasion of the skin, cell grafting and application of a hydrocolloid dressing, (3) skin incision, seeding and application of a hydrocolloid dressing. Intradermal injection was 100% successful. Skin incision, displaying histological evidence of rapid invasive tumor growth,

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Commercial edible seedlings of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris L.) contain high concentration of nonprotein amino acids and trigonelline. Both seedlings grown in the laboratory or purchased in a supermarket were studied by HPLC. Samples from both origins contained trigonelline, alpha-aminoadipic acid, homoserine, beta-(isoxazolin-5-on-2-yl)-alanine (BIA), and gamma-glutamyl-BIA. Garden pea seedlings also contained a uracil-alanine derivative (isowillardiine) in substantial amount. Some of these compounds such as BIA and alpha-aminoadipic acid have neurotoxic activity.

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A capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method that is specific, simple, rapid and also cheap was developed to analyse some natural UV-absorbing isoxazolinone compounds with toxic potential present in legume seedlings. The six most common natural isoxazolinone compounds were separated within 10 min with 25 mM potassium phosphate (pH 7.5) containing 8% 1-propanol as running buffer. A 60 cm coated fused-silica capillary (52.6 cm effective length x 75 microm I.D.), with an electric field of 375 V/cm at 30 degrees C

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The amino acid content of seeds and 4-day-old seedlings were studied in five species of lentil: Lens culinaris, L. orientalis, L. ervoides, L. nigricans and L. odemensis. Free amino acid and also total protein amino acid content after HCl hydrolysis were determined by HPLC. The nonprotein UV-absorbing amino acids were determined by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The content of free protein amino acids in seeds varied among species and increased dramatically after germination. Asparagine is quantitatively most important in both

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Solid state fermentation of several low‐toxin varieties of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L) seeds with Aspergillus oryzae and Rhizopus microsporus var chinensis removed the neurotoxin β‐ODAP (3‐N‐oxalyl‐L‐2,3‐diaminopropanoic acid) to a considerable degree from the seed meal. The detoxification efficiency was statistically significant and ranged from 52.4% (p < 0.01) to 82.2% (p < 0.001), which was lower than for a high‐toxin variety processed by the same fermentation procedure (94.8%, p < 0.001). While the content of β‐ODAP decreased, those of other free protein amino acids, especially glutamic acid, histidine, threonine, tyrosine, valine and lysine,

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The importance of fresh seedlings for human consumption on European markets continues to increase. Although the contents of free amino acids and potentially toxic free nonprotein amino acids in these fresh and supposedly healthy seedlings is very different from those of the seeds, the crude composition is never mentioned on commercial packages. A commercial product containing seven different kinds of fresh seedlings including kamut, adzuki bean, chickpea, mungbean, pinto bean, garden pea, and lentil has been analyzed by HPLC. Per

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Rapeseed meal is an important protein source because of its well-balanced amino acid composition. However, its use in animal feeding is limited because of glucosinolates and a high fibre content. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality of two products, a toasted industrial rapeseed meal with a low myrosinase and glucosinolate content and a dehulled rapeseed meal, with a low fibre content, which had been defatted at 50 °C. An ad libitum food intake experiment was conducted with adult rats fed 200 g/kg protein

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A new rat model was established up to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of compounds in visceral pain. The test consisted in measuring the performance of rats in an aversive light stimulus avoidance experimental device. Rats with TNBS-induced colitis had a lower number of total active lever pressings and did not discriminate the active lever from the inactive one. Morphine (1 mg/kg, s.c.) and CI-977 (0.001 mg/kg, s.c.) treatment restored the level of pressing activity of animals and their ability to

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