Ocular surface lesions due to keratoconjunctivitis sicca: in primary Sjögren's syndrome

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is usually part of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) which is systemic disease. Ocular surface lesions are ascribed either to the reduction, or to the low quality of tears. To address this question, ocular surface lesions were evaluated in 20 SS patients by the rose bengal test (RBT). The results were compared to those obtained in 20 normal volunteers and collated with the quality (estimated by the break-up-time) and the quantity of tears (estimated by the shirmer's I test and the level of lacrimal lactoferrin, LF). The RBT scores did not correlate with the shirmer's test results, neither did they with the break-up times. This is consistent with the view that Schirmer's I Test and break-up-time cannot make any distinction between patients from controls. In contrast, the RBT scores correlated well with the levels lacrimal LF and paralleled to serological abnormalities.     

Relations of the histopathology of sublingual and labial salivary glands to the clinical presentation in primary Sj?gren's syndrome

This study was designed to further analyse the histopathologic appearance of the sublingual and labial salivary gland biopsies performed in 50 patients suspected of having Sj?gren's syndrome (SS). Three kinds of lesions were evaluated: occurrence of foci (an aggregate of more than 50 lymphocytes), lymphocytic infiltration of the duct walls, and the remaining abnormalities (such as scattered lymphocyte infiltrates, interstitial sclerosis, dilatation and regression of ducts and acini). The occurrence of foci correlates well with SS and even better when there is a lymphocytic infiltration of the ducts within the foci. The remaining changes were not specific for SS.     

Levels of T lymphocytes, but not specific antibodies, reflect clinical presentation in human herpes simplex keratitis

Total erythrocyte Rosette-forming cells (ERFC) have been found to be decreased in 44 patients with recurrent ocular herpes but normal in 26 patients with the primary form of the disease. Active ERFC have been found to be decreased in 27 patients with herpetic keratouveitis and normal in 43 patients with superficial herpetic keratitis. Antibodies to herpes simplex virus could not be used to distinguish the various clinical presentations of the disease.     

Effets tardifs de la radiothérapie chez l'enfant

Although most pediatrie tumors can be cured with lower doses of radiation than their adult counterparts, long-term radiation-induced complications and sequelae remain a major concern both in terms of frequency and intensity. Most of them have been extensively documented in the pre-chemotherapeutic era like those affecting bone, cartilage and soft tissue growth or CMS and endocrine glands. More recently the emphasis has been put on the apparent increasing incidence of reported second malignancies. This could have been favored by the chemo-radiation combinations used in most children but also has been made possible mainly by the extensive follow-up of the increasing cohort of cured children.     

Effect of folic acid deficiency on nonspecific immunity (phagocytic activity and nitroblue - tetrazolium reduction)

Fifty three critically ill patients (two of the following criteria : thyroxin - binding - prealbumin less than or = to 24 mg/dl, creatinin - height - index less than or = to 80 percent and transferrin less than or = to 225 mg/dl) were divided into two groups according to the level of folic acid (FA). Group A consisted of 29 with FA less than or = to 3 ng/ml and group B of 24 with FA greater than 3 ng/ml. The phagocytic activity (PA) was significantly lower in group A and significantly corrected by AB sera, whereas the NBT reduction capacities were within the normal range. A correlation is shown between PA and level of FA as well in autologous sera as in AB sera.     

HLA Antigens and Monoclonal Gammapathy

Despite the strict criteria required to distinguish Multiple Myeloma (M.M.) or Waldstr?m's Macroglobulinemia (W.M.) from Benign Monoclonal Gammapathy (B.M.G.), nosological frontiers are still unclear and accordingly justify a comparative serological study of M.M., W.M., and B.M.G. patients.     

Establishment of a novel human B-CLL-like xenograft model in nude mouse

We have developed a novel murine model for B-CLL by engrafting human prolymphocytic leukemia (PLL) or B-CLL cell line cells (JVM-3 and MEC-2 cell lines, respectively) into nude mice. Not only treatment of the mice was a prerequisite for the success of the graft, but also for the first time, females appeared to accept the cells more easily than males. Surprisingly, tumoral murine models for B-CLL could be established with PLL cells but not with B-CLL cells. JVM-3 cells were efficiently transplanted into nude mice through subcutaneous or intravenous routes. Irradiated female mice appeared to be the optimal recipients for tumor growth. Such murine models for human B-CLL may help the development of therapeutic agents.