Comparison of traditional and molecular methods for typing nontoxigenic strains ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae

Thirty-eight nontoxigenic strains ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae isolated between 1987 and 1992 from clinical specimens of French patients were typed by biotyping, antibiograms, bacteriophage typing, ribotyping, and restriction analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Excellent correlation occurred between the genotypes defined by PFGESfil profiles or by ribotypeBstEll profiles. Genotyping revealed seven genotype patterns among the 26 biotype mitis isolates, five among the nine biotype gravis isolates, and three among the three biotype belfanti isolates. Phage typing was nonreactive for nine of the 38 isolates. A combination of all the typing methods led to the identification of 19 different types ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae.     

Pulmonary sequelae of long-term ventilation of very low birth weight premature infants. Results of a follow-up study of 6-to-9-year-old children

Fifty six children with a birth weight of less than 1500 g and gestational age less than 34 weeks were studied at a mean age of 7.7 years. All had required mechanical ventilation, 36 suffered from hyaline membrane disease, 17 from atelectasis and three from pneumonia. Of these patients 37 developed broncho-pulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The study included skin prick test, measurement of ciliary beat frequency, chest X-ray, whole-body plethysmography and histamine challenge. Eight patients suffered from recurrent pulmonary infections up to the age of 4 years. Eleven children had a positive skin prick test. Three suffered from allergic asthma and six from hay-fever. The family history of atopy in these premature infants was no different from that of the general population. Ciliary beat frequency was normal in all cases (frequency: 11.8 +/- 1.8 Hz). In 34 patients X-rays showed minimal changes (peribronchial thickening n = 6, mild emphysema n = 28). Pulmonary function was normal except for an increase of thoracic gas volume which was correlated to grade of BPD according to Northway. There was a significant correlation between oxygen-score and radiological stage of BPD (r = 0.7). Histamine challenge showed hyperresponsiveness in 53% of the children. Eight patients showed a threshold similar of mild asthma (less than 1000 micrograms histamine per ml). The degree of airway hyperreactivity was correlated to the grade of BPD (r = 0.7; p less than 0.01) and the oxygen-score (r = -0.63; p less than 0.05). The oxygen-score may be considered a predictor of hyperresponsiveness and pulmonary outcome in later childhood.     

Antitumor effect of synthetic derivatives of lipid A in an experimental model of colon cancer in the rat

Colon carcinoma is one of the most frequent causes of cancer death in industrialized countries. The patients generally die of the metastases. In a colon cancer rat model, the authors have shown that lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli induced the regression of carcinomatosis and cured 20%-30% of the rats. Some synthetic derivatives of lipid A, which are less toxic than lipopolysaccharides, were injected 14 days after the tumor cells. They induced the complete regression of peritoneal carcinomatosis consisting of numerous nodules measuring 1-5 mm in 20%-30% of rats. Only compounds with three or more hydroxymyristic acid residues were effective. In vivo effects were correlated with the capacity to induce the production of interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor but not with the capacity to induce macrophage-mediated cytolysis. It is therefore possible to synthesize weakly toxic derivatives of lipopolysaccharides retaining their antitumoral property in vivo.     

Thyroid hormone correlates of sensation seeking and anxiety in healthy human females.

The present study explores the relationships among a number of personality measures (the Sensation-Seeking Scale, SSS; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Susceptibility to Punishment Scale) and some parameters of the pituitary-thyroid axis. The study was carried out on a group of 37 physically and mentally fit female volunteers, none of whom had a personal history of psychiatric or endocrinologic illness. The subjects were controlled for the menstrual cycle. The most relevant result was a significant negative relationship between the SSS score and plasma basal levels of thyroxine (T4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Interaction between T4 and TSH levels with trait anxiety was also observed.     

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine in patients with primary Sj?gren's syndrome.

The prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine inhalation in a consecutive series of 21 patients with primary Sjögren''s syndrome was studied prospectively. Slight to severe BHR was seen in 12/20 (60%) of the patients. Ten of 12 patients with BHR (83%) had a non-productive cough, wheezing, or intermittent breathlessness. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness was more common in patients with extraglandular symptoms (10/14, 71%) than in those with only glandular symptoms (29%). Spirometrically 29% (6/21) of the patients had ''small airways'' disease'', and all those had BHR. Of 6/21 (29%) who had diffuse interstitial lung disease, two had BHR. Three of the four patients with obstructive lung function were challenged with methacholine and two of them had BHR. Only two patients with BHR had normal spirometry findings. The data showed that respiratory disease--mostly mild or moderate but even severe bronchial hyperresponsiveness--is commonly seen in patients with primary Sjögren''s syndrome.     

Radioimmunoassay method for the detection of IgE antibodies specific to alcuronium

A radio-immunoassay (RIA) was used to screen for specific IgE to myorelaxants. Alcuronium was coupled to epoxy-activated Sepharose. Sixteen patients with anaphylaxis to alcuronium (n = 2), gallamine (n = 2) or suxamethonium (n = 12) were studied. The diagnosis was established by intradermal tests (ID), passive cutaneous anaphylaxis tests and human basophil degranulation tests. The amount of non specific label retained by Sepharose-ethanolamine (with sera of patients) and Sepharose-alcuronium (with sera of 11 control subjects) was estimated. The RIA was positive 10/16 (8/14 patients having reacted to a muscle relaxant other than alcuronium). The RIA seemed to be useful in the diagnosis of anaphylaxis to muscle relaxants. Drug-reactive antibodies were specific of the quaternary ammonium radical, which was the common allergenic determinant of all molecules of muscle relaxants. This test accounted for in vitro cross-reactivity, but had no predictive value for the clinical risk of crossed-anaphylaxis. This risk was best assessed by ID; it was positive in three cases. Although it was not possible to compare ID and RIA, the interpretation of which was different, both tests should be recommended for the detection of sensitivity to muscle relaxants.