[Course of the left ventricular mass in a population of 893 hypertensive patients. Effects of treatment with perindopril]. / Evolution de la masse ventriculaire gauche dans une population de 893 hypertendus. Effets d'une intervention thérapeutique par le perindopril.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is now recognized to be a major and independent risk factor of mortality and morbidity. Although all classes of antihypertensives are able to reduce left ventricular mass, two recent metaanalyses have shown that ACE inhibitors are the most effective. The antihypertensive efficacy of perindopril in man is accompanied with a significant improvement in the functional properties of large arteries and with a reduction of LVH. This study was designed to assess the course of left ventricular mass by echocardiography in a population of 893 hypertensive patients with moderate left ventricular hypertrophy, treated with perindopril for 3 months. A significant fall in blood pressure was observed by the 6th week. The morphological and functional echocardiographic parameters on a large population provided more valid statistical results than in a small series. The left ventricular cavity was found to undergo symmetrical remodelling, adapted to the new haemodynamic status. The reduction of the thickness of the wall was in line with the reduction of the size of the ventricular chamber, and left ventricular mass was reduced by 8% (p < 0.001). Systolic function was preserved and diastolic function was improved. In particular, the E/A ratio was increased by 8% (p < 0.001) and the duration of isometric relaxation was decreased by 11 ms (p < 0.02). This improvement of filling was confirmed by the reduction of the diameter of the left atrium by 0.2 mm (p < 0.001). This open study in 893 patients therefore confirmed that perindopril corrects LVH in hypertensive patients.

[Virologic diagnosis of maternal-fetal infections (HIV excluded)]. / Diagnostic virologique des infections materno-foetales (VIH exclu).

Some viral infections, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus and parvovirus B 19 infections or varicella, are particularly feared in pregnant women in view of the risk of foetal infection. Laboratory tests play an important role since there is no other way of diagnosing the infection and determining whether it is primary or secondary, a distinction which to a great extent conditions the severity of the foetal disease. However, no virological diagnosis can be made unless the examinations needed are prescribed correctly and at the right moment. The diagnosis of rubella is now well codified, but that of CMV infection still suffers from interpretation problems and that of parvovirus B 19 infection can only be obtained from specialized laboratories. The application of rapid diagnostic methods and molecular biology to foetal specimen collected under ultrasonography should provide a more accurate prenatal diagnosis of congenital viral infections.

Observation of a rotational band in the odd-Z transfermium nucleus 101251Md.

A rotational band has been unambiguously observed in an odd-proton transfermium nucleus for the first time. An in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopic study of 101/251Md has been performed using the gamma-ray array JUROGAM combined with the gas-filled separator RITU and the focal plane device GREAT. The experimental results, compared to Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov calculations, lead to the interpretation that the rotational band is built on the [521]1/2(-) Nilsson state.

Collectivity and configuration mixing in 186,188Pb and 194Po.

Lifetimes of prolate intruder states in 186Pb and oblate intruder states in 194Po have been determined by employing, for the first time, the recoil-decay tagging technique in recoil distance Doppler-shift lifetime measurements. In addition, lifetime measurements of prolate states in 188Pb up to the 8+ state were carried out using the recoil-gating method. The B(E2) values have been deduced from which deformation parameters |beta2|=0.29(5) and |beta2|=0.17(3) for the prolate and the oblate bands, respectively, have been extracted. The results also shed new light on the mixing between different shapes.

Enhanced core polarization in (70)Ni and (74)Zn.

The reduced transition probabilities B(E2;0(+) --> 2(+)(1)) of the neutron-rich (74)Zn and (70)Ni nuclei have been measured by Coulomb excitation in a (208)Pb target at intermediate energy. These nuclei have been produced at Grand Accélérateur National d'Ions Lourds via interactions of a 60A MeV (76)Ge beam with a Be target. The B(E2) value for (70)Ni(42) is unexpectedly large, which indicates that neutrons added above N=40 strongly polarize the Z=28 proton core. In the Zn isotopic chain, the steep rise of B(E2) values beyond N=40 continues up to (74)Zn(44). The enhanced proton core polarization in (70)Ni is attributed to the monopole interaction between the neutron in the g(9/2) and protons in the f(7/2) and f(5/2) spin-orbit partner orbitals. This interaction could result in a weakening of magicity in (78)Ni(50).

Bile secretion in the fistulated pig: effect of the method used for bile reinfusion.

The aim of this work was to investigate the effects on bile secretion of flow rate and site of reinfusion of the collected bile to the animal. Thirty-two pigs weighing 50 +/- 3 kg at the beginning of the experiment were fitted with a reentrant fistula in the lower common bile duct and in the upper duodenum. Bile collected from the bile duct was reinfused in four different ways (four groups of 8 animals each): into the duodenum or the lower common bile duct at a constant flow rate using a peristaltic pump, or into the duodenum or the lower common bile duct at a rate mimicking the flow rate of the secretion using an automatic apparatus. Reinfusing the bile into the lower common bile duct at a rate mimicking the secretion rate provided a daily bile acid production about 21% higher than the level recorded with the other three methods. This was mainly due to a higher bile acid concentration since the bile flow was only slightly affected by the treatment.

Bile restitution procedures for studying bile secretion in fistulated pigs.

In order to study bile secretion in the fistulated pig, an apparatus which reinfused the secreted bile at a rate reflecting the secretion rate, was used. The essential parts were a glass container equipped with two platinum wire electrodes, an electronic relay, a stop valve, and a peristaltic pump. This apparatus allowed a reinfusion of collected bile in a volume determined by the position of one of the electrodes, the recording of bile flow, and a continuous sampling for chemical analysis.

Experimental cecitis in gnotobiotic quails monoassociated with Clostridium butyricum strains isolated from patients with neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis and from healthy newborns.

Using axenic quails fed a diet containing lactose, we have investigated the potentially pathogenic roles of six Clostridium butyricum strains of human origin. Three strains (CB155-3, CB1002, and CB203-1) isolated from neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis patients and two of three strains (CB19-1 and CB25-2) isolated from healthy newborns led to cecal or crop lesions or both similar to those observed in human neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: thickening of the cecal wall with gas cysts, hemorrhagic ulcerations, and necrotic areas. The lactose-negative strain (CB46-1) did not develop any lesions. The neuraminidase-producing strain (CB155-3) caused lesions in all monoassociated quails, whereas the other strains caused lesions in 28 to 85% of animals. Removal of dietary lactose suppressed all pathological incidence. These results show that lactose fermentation is a prerequisite in these pathological changes and stress the roles played by both the strain and the host in the expression of C. butyricum enteropathogenicity.

Liver/kidney microsome antibody type 1 and hepatitis C virus infection.

Recent studies have shown that hepatitis C virus antibodies are present in a large proportion of patients with autoimmune hepatitis type 2. We have studied 83 patients with liver/kidney microsome antibody-positive type 1 hepatitis. Hepatitis C virus antibodies were sought in every case by second-generation tests (hepatitis C virus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and recombinant immunoblot assay). Hepatitis C virus RNA sequences were sought in 22 patients (12 with recombinant immunoblot assay-positive results and 10 with recombinant immunoblot assay-negative results) by means of polymerase chain reaction and by use of primers located in the 5' noncoding region. Sixty-four patients (77%) had positive results for hepatitis C virus antibodies in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test, and 41 (49.3%) were confirmed by recombinant immunoblot assay. Hepatitis C virus RNA sequences were found in all the recombinant immunoblot assay-positive patients but in none of the 10 who were recombinant immunoblot assay-negative. The recombinant immunoblot assay-negative patients were younger than those who were positive (13 +/- 11 vs. 50 +/- 11 years) and had higher gamma-globulin levels and liver/kidney microsome antibody-positive type 1 titers (61% had a titer of 1:1,000 or more, vs. only 17% of the recombinant immunoblot assay-positive patients).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

New shape isomer in the self-conjugate nucleus 72Kr.

A new isomeric 0(+) state was identified as the first excited state in the self-conjugate (N=Z) nucleus 72Kr. By combining for the first time conversion-electron and gamma-ray spectroscopy with the production of metastable states in high-energy fragmentation, the electric-monopole decay of the new isomer to the ground state was established. The new 0(+) state is understood as the band head of the known prolate rotational structure, which strongly supports the interpretation that 72Kr is one of the rare nuclei having an oblate-deformed ground state. This observation gives in fact the first evidence for a shape isomer in a N=Z nucleus.

Isomer spectroscopy in (216)(90)Th(126) and the magicity of (218)(92)U(126).

Excited states in (216)Th were investigated via prompt and delayed gamma decays and the recoil-decay tagging method. The decay schemes of the I(pi) = (8+), t(1/2) = 128(8) micros, the I(pi) = (11-), t(1/2) = 615(55) ns, and the I(pi) = (14+), t(1/2) > or = 130 ns isomers were established. The configuration pi h(9/2)f(7/2) is assigned to the I(pi) = (8+) isomer, which implies that the h(9/2) and f(7/2) states are nearly degenerate. This is ascribed to increased binding of the f(7/2) orbital by its coupling to a low-lying I(pi) = (3-) state at E(x) = 1687 keV. The role of octupole and pairing correlations for a Z = 92 shell closure prediction is discussed on the basis of shell model calculations.

Conversion electron cascades in 254(102)No.

The spectrum of prompt conversion electrons emitted by excited 254No nuclei has been measured, revealing discrete lines arising from transitions within the ground state band. A striking feature is a broad distribution that peaks near 100 keV and comprises high multiplicity electron cascades, probably originating from M1 transitions within rotational bands built on high K states.