[Geriatric particularities of Parkinson's disease: Clinical and therapeutic aspects]. / Particularités gériatriques de la maladie de Parkinson: aspects cliniques et thérapeutiques.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a frequent and complex progressive neurological disorder that increases in incidence with age. Although historically PD has been characterized by the presence of progressive dopaminergic neuronal loss of the substantia nigra, the disease process also involves neurotransmitters other that dopamine and regions of the nervous system outside the basal ganglia. Its clinical presentation in elderly subjects differs from that in younger subjects, with more rapid progression, less frequent tremor, more pronounced axial signs, more frequent non-motor signs linked to concomitant degeneration of non-dopaminergic systems, and more frequent associated lesions. Despite the high prevalence of PD in elderly subjects, few therapeutic trials have been conducted in geriatric patients. Nevertheless, to improve functional disability while ensuring drug tolerance, the principles of optimized and multidisciplinary clinical management have to be known. The aim of this review is to provide an update on clinical and therapeutic features of PD specifically observed in elderly subjects.

Diversity of the surface properties of Lactococci and consequences on adhesion to food components.

Bacteria possess surface properties, related to their charge, hydrophobicity and Lewis acid/base characteristics, that are involved in the attachment processes of microorganisms to surfaces. Fermentation bulks and food matrixes are complex heterogeneous media containing various components with different physicochemical characteristics. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether (i) bacteria present in a food matrix, interacted physicochemically at their surface level with the other constituents and (ii) the diversity of bacterial surface properties could result in a diversity of microbial adhesion to components and thus in a diversity of tolerance to toxic compounds. The surface properties of 20 lactic acid bacteria were characterized by the MATS method showing their relatively hydrophilic and various basic characteristics. The results obtained from a set of representative strains showed that (i) the strains with higher affinity for apolar solvents adsorbed more to lipids and hydrophobic compounds, (ii) the more the strains adsorbed to a toxic solvent, the less they were tolerant to this solvent. A diversity of bacterial surface properties was observed for the strains in the same species showing the importance of choosing bacteria according to their surface properties in function of technological objectives.

Phytohaemagglutinin stimulation of human lymphocytes: effect of fatty acids on uridine uptake and phosphoglyceride fatty acid profile.

1. When added to cultures of human peripheral lymphocytes, saturated (palmitate, stearate, heptadecanoate) and unsaturated (oleate, linoleate, arachidonate) fatty acids bound to albumin at an acid-albumin ratio of 2:1, inhibited the phytohaemaegglutinin-stimulated uptake of [14C]-uridine. Uridine uptake in unstimulated cells was not affected by any of these fatty acids. 2. When saturated and unsaturated acids were present simultaneously in the incubation mixture the inhibit but relieved the inhibitory effects of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. 4. Stimulated and unstimulated cells incorporated exogenous fatty acids into membrane phosphoglycerides. Details of the fatty acid profiles are given. 5. Evidence is presented that the inhibition results, at least in part, from modification of phosphoglyceride fatty acid profile.

The effects of dietary (n-3) fatty acid supplementation on lipid dynamics and composition in rat lymphocytes and liver microsomes.

Rats were fed diets devoid of (n-3) fatty acids (olive oil supplementation) or high in (n-3) fatty acids (fish oil supplementation) for a period of 10 days. In spleen lymphocytes and liver microsomes derived from animals fed fish oil diets, relatively high levels of (n-3) eicosapentaenoic (20:5), docosapentaenoic (22:5) and docosahexaenoic acids (22:6) were obtained compared to minimal levels when fed the olive oil diet. When the average lipid motional properties were examined by measuring the fluorescence anisotropy of diphenylhexatriene, no significant different was found between intact liver microsomes from animals fed the two diets. However, when lipid motion was examined in vesicles of phosphatidylcholine, isolated from the microsomes from fish oil fed animals (21.4% (n-3) fatty acids), the fluorescence anisotropy was significantly less than the corresponding phosphatidylcholine from olive oil fed animals (5.6% (n-3) fatty acids), indicating a more disordered or fluid bilayer in the presence of higher levels of (n-3) fatty acids. Phosphatidylethanolamine (n-3) fatty acids were also elevated after fish oil supplementation (41.3% of total fatty acids), compared to the level after olive oil supplementation (21.4%). The major effect of the fish oil supplementation was a replacement of (n-6) arachidonic acid by the (n-3) fatty acids and when this was 'modeled', using liposomes of synthetic lipids, 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonyl(n-6) or docosahexaenoyl(n-3)-phosphatidylcholine, significant differences in lipid motional properties were found, with the docosahexaenoate conferring a more disordered or fluid lipid environment. Thus it appears that although lipid order/fluidity can be significantly decreased by increases in the highly unsaturated (n-3) fatty acid levels, alterations in membrane domain organization and/or phospholipid molecular species composition effectively compensated for the changes, at least as far as average lipid motional properties in the intact membranes was concerned.

The influence of graded hyperglycemia with and without physiological hyperinsulinemia on forearm glucose uptake and other metabolic responses in man.

We studied the influence of hyperglycemia on glucose homeostasis in man by determining the effect of graded hyperglycemia on peripheral glucose uptake and systemic metabolism in the presence of basal and increased serum insulin concentrations in 10 normal men. This was achieved by the simultaneous application of forearm and clamp techniques (euglycemic and hyperglycemic) during the combined iv infusion of somatostatin, glucagon, and insulin. While mean (+/- SE) basal serum insulin levels (14 +/- 2 microU/ml) were maintained, the elevation of fasting arterial glucose concentrations (90 +/- 1 mg/dl) to 146 +/- 1 and 202 +/- 1 mg/dl (each for 120 min) increased forearm glucose uptake (FGU) only modestly from 0.06 +/- 0.01 to 0.15 +/- 0.02 and then to 0.24 +/- 0.03 mg/100 ml forearm X min, respectively. During physiological hyperinsulinemia (47 +/- 3 microU/ml), the influence of similar graded hyperglycemia on FGU was considerably enhanced. At plasma glucose concentrations of 90 +/- 1, 139 +/- 1, and 206 +/- 1 mg/dl, FGU rose to 0.33 +/- 0.05, 0.59 +/- 0.07, and 0.83 +/- 0.12 mg/100 ml forearm X min, respectively. The glucose infusion rate required to maintain the glucose clamp with basal insulin levels was 1.08 +/- 0.20 and 2.67 +/- 0.39 mg/kg X min at glucose concentrations of 146 +/- 1 and 202 +/- 1 mg/dl, respectively. During physiological hyperinsulinemia, however, the glucose infusion rate required was 4.15 +/- 0.39, 9.45 +/- 1.05, and 12.70 +/- 0.81 mg/kg X min at glucose levels of 90 +/- 1, 139 +/- 1, and 206 +/- 1 mg/dl, respectively. Lactate concentrations rose significantly during hyperglycemia, but the rise in the presence of increased insulin concentrations (from 0.72 +/- 0.06 to 1.31 +/- 0.11 mmol/liter; P less than 0.001) considerably exceeded the increment (from 0.74 +/- 0.05 to 0.92 +/- 0.03 mmol/liter) with basal insulin levels. While both FFA and glycerol concentrations were immediately reduced by euglycemic hyperinsulinemia, the fall in FFA during hyperglycemia in the presence of basal insulin levels preceded the decrease in glycerol concentrations by 45 min. Forearm oxygen consumption did not change throughout the study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cloning, sequencing, and characterization of five genes coding for acyl-CoA oxidase isozymes in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica.

The Acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX) isozymes catalyze the first steps of peroxisomal beta-oxidation, which is important for the degradation of fatty acids. Using conserved blocks in previously identified yeast POX genes encoding AOXs, the authors have shown that five POX genes are present in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. These genes show approx 63% identity among themselves, and 42% identity with the POX genes from other yeasts. Mono-disrupted Y. lipolytica strains were constructed using a variation of the sticky-end polymerase chain reaction method. AOX activity in the mono-disrupted strains revealed that a long-chain oxidase is encoded by the POX2 gene and a short-chain oxidase by the POX3 gene.

Intracellular pH-dependent efflux of the fluorescent probe pyranine in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica.

8-Hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (pyranine) can be used as a vital intracellular pH (pH(i)) indicator. In the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, a partial efflux of the probe was detected by using the pH-independent wavelength of 415 nm. A simplified correction of the fluorescent signals was applied, enabling to show for this species a good near-neutral pH(i) maintenance capacity in a pH 3.9 medium. Octanoic acid, which is known to have toxic effects on yeast, decreased the pH(i) and increased the 260-nm-absorbing compounds leakage. However, this acid inhibited the fluorescent probe efflux linearly with its concentration suggesting a pH(i)-dependent efflux of pyranine from cells.

"Faux pas du coit" with associated rupture of corpora cavernosa and urethra.

Associated rupture of both corpora and urethra during coitus is a rare urologic emergency. When recognized early and surgically repaired, a good functional result regarding micturition and erection can be expected.

Purification of hydroperoxide lyase from green bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits for the generation of C6-aldehydes in vitro.

The aim of this work was to compare the efficiency of different extracts of hydroperoxide lyase from green bell peppers in producing aldehydes: a crude extract, a chloroplastic fraction, and a purified enzyme were investigated. From a crude extract, the HPO lyase was purified by ion-exchange chromatography with a 22.3-fold increase in purification factor. Analysis by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis under denaturating conditions showed only one protein with a molecular weight of 55 kDa, whereas size-exclusion chromatography indicated a molecular weight of 170 kDa. A maximum of 7500 mg of aldehydes per g of protein was obtained with the purified enzyme within 20 min of bioconversion compared to 392 and 88 mg of aldehydes per g of protein within 50 and 60 min, respectively, for the chloroplast fraction and the crude extract.

Evaluating the efficiency of toxicity abatement in a constructed wetland with Ceriodaphnia dubia.

Constructed wetlands are becoming increasingly popular as low-cost, high-efficiency means of treating agricultural and municipal wastewaters. Monitoring programs for constructed wetlands usually measure physical and chemical characteristics of wetland treatment, including hydraulic residence time and removal of nutrients (N, P), suspended solids, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). However, toxicity abatement is seldom measured as evidence of wetland treatment efficiency. In this study, toxicity tests combined with chemical measurements were employed to measure the efficiency of a constructed wetland in treating swine wastes during fall and winter sampling periods. Although the wetland system operated at three wastewater loading rates, only the high-loading-rate cells were tested because of their year-round flows. Wastewater samples were collected prior to, during, and following wetland treatment to track treatment progress as effluents passed through the wetland cells. Toxicity tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia showed significant toxicity abatement of wastewater as it progressed through the constructed wetland system; however, residual toxicity was still observed in the final wetland effluent. No seasonal differences were observed in toxicity abatement between fall and winter wastewater samples, although nitrate and BOD were removed more efficiently during the fall. Results suggest that, while the constructed wetland system is effective in reducing toxicity in swine wastewater, further pre- or posttreatment or additional dilution is necessary before treated effluents are discharged into surface water.

[Gas dissection of the vertebral body or the vertebral intrasomatic space phenomenon. Physiopathological arguments]. / La dissection gazeuse du corps vertébral ou phénomène du vide intrasomatique vertébral. Arguments physiopathologiques.

Some features concerning the ischemic origin of the gaseous dissection of the vertebral body and the physiopathology of the necrose, are considered in the adult: --in the way, the anterior topography of vaccum phenomenon is on the model of the arterial distribution in the vertebral body, implying ischemic origin of gaseous dissection; --further, two cases of intravertebral vaccum cleft, noticed after minor trauma, suggest the major role of fractures at the origin of ischemia.

Use of a Doehlert factorial design to investigate the effects of pH and aeration on the accumulation of lactones by Yarrowia lipolytica.

AIMS: To detect rate-limiting steps in the production of lactones by studying the combined effect of pH and aeration on their accumulation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A Doehlert experimental design was chosen to evaluate the accumulation of four lactones in the pH (3.5-7.3) and K(L)a (4.1 h(-1) to 26 h(-1)) experimental domain. The accumulation of gamma-decalactone was higher at pH around 5 and increased at low aeration reaching 496 mg l(-1) at pH 6.35 and K(L)a 4.5 h(-1). The specific accumulation increased at low aeration. The 3-hydroxy-gamma-decalactone accumulation was higher at low pH and high aeration conditions: 660 mg l(-1) at pH 4.4 and 26 h(-1). For dec-2-en-4-olide and dec-3-en-4-olide, lower amounts were reached (104 mg l(-1) and 66 mg l(-1), respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although the accumulation of the four lactones should be related to catalytic steps requiring oxygen, the accumulation of gamma-decalactone was higher in low aeration conditions whereas the one of 3-hydroxy-gamma-decalactone was promoted for high aeration. Decenolides accumulate independently of pH or aeration. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study gives new insights into the catabolism of lipids, such as the role of co-factor regulation and the fact that the 3-hydroxylactone dehydration step is insensitive to pH or aeration.

Yeast as an efficient biocatalyst for the production of lipid-derived flavours and fragrances.

Responding to consumer' demand for natural products, biotechnology is constantly seeking new biocatalysts. In the field of hydrophobic substrate degradation, some yeast species known some years ago as non-conventional, have acquired their right to be considered as good biocatalysts. These Candida, Yarrowia, Sporobolomyces ... are now used for themselves or for their lipases in processes to produce flavours and fragrances. In this paper we present some examples of use of these biocatalysts to generate high-value compounds and discuss the new trends related to progress in the development of molecular tools or the mastering of the redox characteristics of the medium.

Bioconversion of methyl ricinoleate to 4-hydroxy-decanoic acid and to gamma-decalactone by yeasts of the genus Candida.

The capacity of several strains of yeasts to do the bioconversion of methyl ricinoleate into gamma-decalactone, was studied in a medium containing this methylic ester of fatty acid as sole carbon source. Amongst the strains which are able to do this bioconversion, two types of behaviour are observed: some of the strains produce gamma-decalactone during all the incubation in bioconversion medium while others produce this aroma compound very quickly and then consume it fast too. The tested strains produce at the same time gamma-decalactone and the corresponding acid form (4-hydroxy-decanoic acid), and this, in variable proportions.