Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a tuberculosis DNA vaccine.

Tuberculosis is the most widespread and lethal infectious disease affecting humans. Immunization of mice with plasmid DNA constructs encoding one of the secreted components of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, antigen 85 (Ag85), induced substantial humoral and cell-mediated immune responses and conferred significant protection against challenge with live M. tuberculosis and M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). These results indicate that immunization with DNA encoding a mycobacterial antigen provides an efficient and simple method for generating protective immunity and that this technique may be useful for defining the protective antigens of M. tuberculosis, leading to the development of a more effective vaccine.

Assessment of the use of Oblada melanura (L. 1758) otolith fluctuating asymmetry as environmental disturbance indicator.

Human impact on the environment is of widespread concern. The majority of anthropogenic impacts are centred on coastal ecosystems, so surveying them is an important step in the protection of the marine environment. We have tested Oblada melanura (L. 1758) otoliths' fluctuating asymmetry as a bioindicator in a Mediterranean coastal zone. The French Riviera is characterised by a summer population increase leading in particular to more yachting, and seasonal climatic changes with reduced, more concentrated waterway flows and storm events causing soil erosion. The present three-year study compares nine sites, situated in three zones, and characterised by three types of chemical pollutant states (low; waterway mouth; recreational harbour). For O. melanura juveniles, we have not shown any significant difference in the otoliths' fluctuating symmetry between zones or types of sites. We hypothesize that high stress levels are needed to induce significant fluctuating asymmetry variation.

Macrocephaly and mental retardation. The unique association with short stature, spastic paraplegia and CNS malformations.

During a systematic clinical genetic survey of the institutionalized moderately to severely mentally retarded we had the occasion to examine two nonrelated adult patients who presented a similar MCA/MR syndrome: 1) macrocephaly (OFC > 60 cm) with high and broad forehead and contrasting relative midfacial hypoplasia; 2) short stature with small and broad hands and feet; 3) neurological symptoms of a variable degree of spastic paraplegia and severe CNS malformations on CT-scan i.e. internal hydrocephalus and Dandy-Walker variant malformation.

[Evaluation of prenatal care in Belgium and comparison between public and private medical sectors]. / Evaluation de la surveillance prénatale en Belgique et comparaison entre les secteurs médicaux publics et privés.

The Belgian health system imposes no regulations regarding antenatal care. A special study was carried out by questionnaire in a sample of 32 maternity units representative of the French-speaking region to determine the coverage rate achieved by the health system. The study also compared the private and public sectors for rate of use, socioeconomic profile of users and regularity of antenatal care. Overall results show that despite the generosity of the system, a utilization rate of 98.8%, and a coverage rate of 84%, are reached. Public and private sector attendance is comparable but their respective populations are different. Regularity of antenatal care varies considerably between the two sectors. The public sector performs better in this regard, especially when it is endowed with medico-public health teams. The results suggest that the regularity of antenatal care is a better indicator of the quality of services than of their accessibility.

[Prenatal care and occupational activity]. / Surveillance prénatale et activité professionnelle.

We studied the gestational age at the first prenatal visit and the number of prenatal visits by occupational activity among 1,573 women who delivered in 32 maternity units of the Belgium's French speaking region. The comparison with non working women showed that working women consulted significantly (p less than 0.01) earlier, whatever their professional activity, their parity and their social class. They consulted significantly (p less than 0.05) more frequently in terms of reaching the expected number of consultations calculated as a function of gestational age at the first visit. This difference disappeared when parity and social class were taken into account.

[Vascularization of the ureter and Wertheim's operation. Effect of the type of ureteral vascularization on the occurrence of urinary complications after Wertheim's operation]. / Vascularisation de l'uretère et intervention de Wertheim. Incidence du type de vascularisation urétérale sur l'apparition des complications urinaires après Wertheim.

The authors describe details of the blood supply to the ureter and how they affect the likelihood of fistula formation after studying 74 sections of the ureter from women. They confirm Shafik's work: that two different anastomotic vascular systems are found along the wall of the ureter; when there is an arterial arcade (in 76 to 88% of cases) the likelihood of ischaemia is less; when this arcade is replaced by fine vessels like a mesh net in a plexiform system, necrosis can only be avoided if the arterial supply is preserved and a careful dissection of the ureter has been carried out.

[A gonadoblastoma in a true hermaphrodite. A case history (author's transl)]. / Gonadoblastome et hermaphrodisme vrai. A propos d'une observation.

The gonadoblastoma has been found in patients with gonadodysgenesis of a pure or mixed variety or who have male pseudo-hermaphroditism. This gonadic tumour is rarely found in true hermaphroditism. This case history would seem to be the first that has been reported in France. The patient had been followed since birth because of having an intersex state with doubtful external genital organs and male internal genital organs consisting of a testis on the left side and feminine ones consisting of an ovary on the right. The caryotype was 46 XY. The gonadoblastoma was discovered at the age of 18 following a hysterectomy with castration which had become necessary because of pyometra and a tubal abscess. The discovery was a chance one, as there had been no clinical sign suggestive of it. Since a gonadablastoma is potentially malignant this finding highlights the problem of management of the gonads in such patients when the caryotype includes the Y chromosome.

[Neonatal mortality and birth weight. Which strategy for the future?]. / Mortalité néonatale et poids à la naissance. Quelle stratégie pour le futur?

In this study the authors analysed the neonatal mortality rates in Belgium in 1981 and 1982. Newborns were grouped into four categories according to their birth weight: 500-1,499 gr (Cat. A), 1,500-2,499 gr (Cat B), 2,500-3,499 gr (Cat C), 3,500 gr or more (Cat D). The distribution of neonatal deaths in those four categories was 33.2% in category A, 29% in category B, 27.3% in category C and 10% in category D. A specific strategy to lower neonatal mortality in each category could be worked out. The authors analysed what priority should be given to each category according to the data found in the literature concerning the following criteria: effectiveness, cost and doing the least damages. They concluded that the present focus on category A, is over done and should not be the strategy to be used at present. The higher neonatal mortality of newborns of category C (2,500-3,499 gr) as compared with the neonatal mortality in category D (3,500 gr and more) is generally underestimated and underanalysed. Reducing this extra mortality could result in lowering Belgium neonatal mortality by 12%. The organisation and accessibility of obstetric care seem to be linked to this higher mortality. In their conclusions the authors suggest other studies and short-term objectives that should be considered in order to lead to a continued lowering in neonatal mortality.

Quantification of stem-cement interfacial gaps: in vitro CT analysis of Charnley-Kerboul and Lubinus SPII femoral hip implants.

Interfacial defects between the cement mantle and a hip implant may arise from constrained shrinkage of the cement or from air introduced during insertion of the stem. Shrinkage-induced interfacial porosity consists of small pores randomly located around the stem, whereas introduced interfacial gaps are large, individual and less uniformly distributed areas of stem-cement separation. Using a validated CT-based technique, we investigated the extent, morphology and distribution of interfacial gaps for two types of stem, the Charnley-Kerboul and the Lubinus SPII, and for two techniques of implantation, line-to-line and undersized. The interfacial gaps were variable and involved a mean of 6.43% (sd 8.99) of the surface of the stem. Neither the type of implant nor the technique of implantation had a significant effect on the regions of the gaps, which occurred more often over the flat areas of the implant than along the corners of the stems, and were more common proximally than distally for Charnley-Kerboul stems cemented line-to-line. Interfacial defects could have a major effect on the stability and survival of the implant.

Interleukin-6 production in Mycobacterium bovis BCG-infected mice.

Mycobacterium bovis BCG and its subcellular components (bacterial extract, culture filtrate, purified protein derivative, and muramyl dipeptide MDP) are potent in vitro IL-6 inducers in spleen cell cultures from uninfected and BCG-infected BALB/c mice. Both plastic adherent and nonadherent spleen cells are capable of producing IL-6. Athymic nude mice produce more IL-6 than euthymic mice, suggesting that monocyte/macrophages are the main IL-6-producing cells in response to BCG. Finally, IL-6 production seems to be controlled to some extent by T lymphocytes, as down-regulation of CD4+ cells resulted in a marked increase in IL-6 production. Interferon-gamma does not seem to be involved in this regulation.

Perinatal geography of Belgium.

The use of routinely collected perinatal data allows calculation of health indicators at regional levels. It helps the health managers in making decisions and provides etiological clues for epidemiology. The information is more easily assimilated with the use of maps. In Belgium, the rates of perinatal mortality, low-birthweight and preterm births vary widely between the districts. Southern districts maintain the highest rates of low-birthweight and preterm births. Even though these two factors account for most perinatal mortality cases, within 20 years, a disproportion of perinatal mortality rates between the north and the south of the country was progressively inversed to the disadvantage of the north. Advances in perinatology of some major services of the southern part may explain a good deal of this change. Discrepancies between low-birthweight and preterm rates in some districts may be explained by biomedical characteristics of ethnic groups concentrated in these areas.

Comparison of interferon action in interferon resistant and sensitive L1210 cells.

Translation inhibition, leu-tRNA aminoacylation and double-stranded RNA and ATP dependent phosphorylation were examined in interferon-treated and control cell-free lysates of leukaemic mouse L 1210 R and L 1210 S cells. No differences were observed between the respective interferon-treated and control cell-free extracts, except for the presence of an enhanced 67K dalton phosphoprotein fraction in interferon-treated L 1210 S cell-free extracts. In non-responding cell-free lysates, the lack of stimulation of a 67K dalton phosphoprotein fraction cannot be explained by the presence of an increased level of some inhibitory activity, such as a phosphatase.

Effect of interferon on two human choriocarcinoma-derived cell lines.

Two cell lines derived from human choriocarcinomas (HCCM-5 and BeWo) are resistant to several biological effects of human interferon such as inhibition of VSV multiplication and inhibition of cell growth, but they develop a normal antiviral activity against EMCV. Nevertheless, in both cell lines, 2-5A synthetase and protein kinase are induced by IFN. 2-5A-dependent endonuclease can be measured by two independent methods and 2-5A itself is detected at least in poly(rI):poly(rC)- and IFN-treated BeWo cells. This is another example of two cell lines that are partially, with respect to the antiviral effect toward VSV, and totally, with respect to the anticellular effect, refractory to IFN treatment, although all the known elements of the 2-5A system are present.

[Recent trends in infant mortality. The case of Belgium]. / Evolution récente de la mortalité infantile. Le cas de la Belgique.

In this study concerning the whole of Belgium, the trends in infant mortality and of its two main components, neonatal mortality (NNM) and post-neonatal mortality (PNNM) from 1960 to 1981 were studied. NNM and PNNM followed similar trends until 1975 when PNNM became steady at a rate of 4-4.5%. On the other hand, an acceleration was observed in the rate of decrease for NNM, from -52% before 1975 to -71% between 1975-1981.

Decreased production of IL-6 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and related disorders.

The present study has shown a decreased production of IL-6 by LPS-stimulated mononuclear cells of B-CLL blood. This decrease with attributed to an abnormality of either monocytes or T lymphocytes. A similar decrease was seen in HCL and NHL. Experiments with mixtures of normal and CLL cells suggest that the decreased IL-6 production in CLL is due neither to an inhibition of normal blood mononuclear cells IL-6 production by B-CLL lymphocytes nor to the absence in CLL blood of cell(s) or cytokine(s) needed for IL-6 production.

High interleukin-6 serum levels and increased production by leucocytes in alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Correlation with IgA serum levels and lymphokines production.

Hypergammaglobulinaemia and enhanced serum IgA levels are common in alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is identical to B cell differentiation factor BSF2 and is implicated in various autoimmune diseases, has been studied in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Increased serum levels and spontaneous or induced production of IL-6 by peripheral blood monoclonal cells have been found. IL-6 production correlates closely with IgA serum levels and negatively with impaired interleukin-2 and interferon gamma production. This abnormality could be related to overproduction of immunoglobulins and immune disturbances observed in this disease.

Organization of prenatal care in Belgium.

Prenatal care in Belgium is characterized by regional variations between the Flemish- and French-speaking communities. Generally, care in the former area is provided by a general practitioner or a gynecologist/obstetrician in private practice, and in the latter by a gynecologist/obstetrician on a private or public basis. The level of use of prenatal care observed is, on average, high, but variations do exist according to the socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the families and the health care services which they frequent.