Why do Italian people rate their health worse than French people do? An exploration of cross-country differentials of self-rated health

The prevalence of bad self-rated health (SRH) varies considerably across countries. Here we present the results of a cross-national comparative study based on the data of National Health Surveys conducted in France and Italy. According to these data, 11% of the Italian and 6% of the French adult population aged between 45 and 74 rate their health as bad or very bad. This gap may result from differences in population structure regarding the individual characteristics (sociodemographic characteristics, diseases and disabilities, lifestyle, and others) that impact on SRH i.e., a structural effect. It may also be that the link between these characteristics and SRH is “country-specific” i.e., a contextual effect. We use logistic regression models to assess the contribution of both explanations. We find that the structural effect plays a prominent role in the higher prevalence of bad SRH in Italy compared to France.     

A literature review of autograft and allograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Knee anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery has significantly evolved and now includes the option of using an allograft. This has resulted in numerous studies evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of allografts. The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate this research and present important findings to allow the selection of the most appropriate graft source when considering allograft versus autograft reconstruction.     

Candida albicans osteomyelitis of the spine: progressive clinical and radiological features and surgical management in three cases

Candida albicans vertebral osteomyelitis is rare. Three cases are presented. Without antifungal treatment, they developed spinal collapse and neurological deterioration within 3–6 months from the onset of symptoms. There was a delay of 4.5 and 7.5 months between the onset of symptoms and surgery. All patients were managed with surgical debridement and reconstruction and 12-week fluconazole treatment. The neurological deficits resolved completely. The infection has not recurred clinically or radiologically at 5–6 years follow-up. Although rare, Candida should be suspected as a causative pathogen in cases of spinal osteomyelitis. Without treatment the disease is progressive. As soon as osteomyelitis is suspected, investigations with MRI and percutaneous biopsy should be performed followed by medical therapy. This may prevent the need for surgery. However, if vertebral collapse and spinal cord compression occurs, surgical debridement, fusion and stabilisation combined with antifungal medications can successfully eradicate the infection and resolve the neurological deficits.     

Indole-3-carbinol and 3,3'-diindolylmethane induce apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells.

Cruciferous vegetables contain glucobrassicin which, during metabolism, yields indole-3-carbinol (I3C). In a low pH environment I3C is converted into polymeric products, among which 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) is the main one. The apoptotic effects of I3C and DIM were exhibited in human breast cancer cells. The objectives of this study were: (a) examination of the potential effects of I3C and DIM on the proliferation and induction of apoptosis in human prostate cancer cell lines with different p53 status; (b) to try to characterise the mechanism(s) involved in these effects. Our results indicate that both indole derivatives suppress the growth of these cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, by inducing apoptosis. It appears that these indolic compounds may offer effective means against prostate cancer. Induction of apoptosis was p53-independent. Moreover, the indole derivatives employed did not affect the levels of bcl-2, bax and fasL.     

Two tyrosinase nonapeptides recognized on HLA-A2 melanomas by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes

A number of cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones derived from several melanoma patients have been found to recognize a majority of melanomas from HLA-A2 patients. We have reported previously that two such CTL clones recognize a product of the tyrosinase gene that is presented by HLA-A2. Here we show that one of these CTL clones recognizes a peptide encoded by the first nine amino acids of the putative signal sequence of tyrosinase. The other CTL clone recognizes a different tyrosinase peptide corresponding to amino acids 368–376. Both peptides contain consensus motifs of HLA-A2 binding peptides.     

The gastrointestinal prokinetic benzamide derivatives are agonists at the non-classical 5-HT receptor (5-HT4) positively coupled to adenylate cyclase in neurons

Summary We have previously shown that a non-classical 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT₄) receptor mediates the stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in mouse embryo colliculi neurons in primary culture. The pharmacological characteristics of this receptor exclude the possibility that it belongs to the known 5-HT₁, 5-HT₂ or 5-HT₃ receptor types. Here we report that this 5-HT receptor can be stimulated by 4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxy substituted benzamide derivatives. All these compounds have been reported to be potent stimulants of gastrointestinal motility and some of them are 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists. The rank order of potency of these substituted benzamide derivatives in stimulating cAMP formation was: cisapride > BRL 24924 > 5-HT > zacopride > BRL 20627 > metoclopramide. The non-additivity of benzamide and 5-HT activities suggests that 5-HT and the substituted benzamide derivatives act on the same receptor. Only ICS 205930, a recognized 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist, competitively antagonized the stimulatory effect of cisapride, zacopride and BRL 24924. However, its pK _i (6–6.3) for this new receptor was very different from its pK _i for 5-HT₃ receptors (pK _i = 8 –10). Other selective 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists with an indole group (BRL 43694 and GR 38032F), with a benzoate group (cocaïne, MDL 72222) or with a piperazine group (quipazine) were ineffective in reversing the stimulatory effect of benzamide derivatives. Exposure of neuronal cells to potent agonists at this receptor such as BRL 24924 rapidly reduces its capacity to stimulate cAMP production. For example, a preincubation of 10 min with BRL 24924 (100 mol/l) reduced by 42% the ability of 5-HT to stimulate cAMP production. Cross-desensitization occurs between the effects of 5-HT and benzamides. The unique pharmacology of these nonclassical 5-HT receptors that we propose to call 5-HT₄ is very close and even identical to the pharmacology of the high affinity 5-HT receptors involved in the indirect stimulation of smooth muscle in the guinea pig ileum. These receptors are different from the 5-HT₃ receptors also present in guinea pig ileum.Send offprint requests to A. Dumuis at the above address     

Serodiagnosis of tuberculosis and leprosy by enzyme immunoassay

Objective: To evaluate the use of serodiagnosis for tuberculosis and leprosy using mycobacterial antigen 38 kDa, with kits from Omega laboratories, to detect IgG by enzyme immunoassay (EIA).
Method: The study population consisted of 58 patients with evidence of tuberculous infection (culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex or microscopic evidence), of whom 23 had pulmonary and 35 had extrapulmonary disease. There were six subjects who had recently been treated for tuberculosis, 11 patients on treatment for leprosy and 137 patients suspected of having tuberculosis on clinical or radiologic grounds (without laboratory evidence). A control group comprised 35 healthy individuals or patients suffering from diseases other than tuberculosis.
Results: The tests showed that there was a significant difference in antibody levels between the patients with active pulmonary disease, extrapulmonary tuberculosis and leprosy in comparison with the control group ( p <0.001). The sensitivities of the two tests together for proven pulmonary tuberculosis were 100% and 95.7% at 1.0–1.5 and >1.6 EIA cut-off points respectively, while the specificities were 88.5% and 100% at the same cut-off points. The sensitivities for extrapulmonary tuberculosis were 71.4% and only 51.4% at 1.0–1.5 and >1.6 EIA cut-off points. The test was positive in 30 (21.9%) of the 137 suspected patients, while 43 (31.4%) had an equivocal result and the remaining 64 (47.7%) suspects were definitely negative. There was again a significant difference in positivity rates between suspects and the control group.
Conclusions: Omega IgG test is useful in the serodiagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis and leprosy, but less sensitive in extrapulmonary disease, particularly in children. Equivocal results may only add to the evidence of tuberculosis in early or minimal disease.