Studies concerning the course of some acute respiratory diseases in nine districts of south-east area of Romania between November 1994 and April 1995. Epidemiological, virological and serological data.

A moderate level of morbidity through acute respiratory diseases (ARD), of the upper tract, viral pneumonia and clinical influenza was recorded during November 1994 and April 1995 in the South-East area of Romania (nine districts). By virological and serological investigation adenosyncytial respiratory, parainfluenza type 3 and influenza type B viruses were found to be the most frequent etiological agents of these infections which affected especially the babies and the children of 1-14 years of age. Sporadic influenza outbreaks were noticed from which influenza strains of virus were isolated, antigenically related to the prototype strain A/Johannesburg 33/94.

Use of Harvard Graphics program in processing of the results obtained from investigations on involvement of some viruses in malignant human diseases.

Different possibilities of graphic representation of the results obtained from investigations on the involvement of some viruses in the malignant and nonmalignant human pathology are analysed. The Harvard Graphics package available in many IBM compatible computers was used. Owing to its several graphic options and access to the drawing area it was preferred to the Epi Info-program specialized in recording and numerical processing of epidemiology data and lesser in their graphic representation.

[The action of amphiphilic drugs on human fibroblasts in vitro. Their possible use in antiviral and antitumor chemotherapy]. / Observations sur l'action de quelques drogues amphiphiles sur les fibroblastes humains in vitro. Applications possibles en chimiothérapie antivirale et antitumorale.

The LDH cytotoxicity test is able to emphasize the stabilisation of human embryo fibroblast membranes, in vitro, by two amphiphilic drugs: the metomidate and the thymolol. The membrane stabilisation is emphasized by the reduced LDH externalization as compared with the untreated cells. The use of the LDH test for the selection of some natural complexes or synthetic drugs with membrane stabilising and potential antiviral activity is proposed. The inhibition of LDH by metomidate was recorded, as decreasing of the enzyme activity with increasing metomidate concentration. This fact explains the known lactic acid accumulation, under metomidate treatment of human subjects. The use of metomidate in classical cancer treatment potentiation is proposed instead of lactate externalization inhibitors, already used for this aim.

The evidence of circulation of some viruses in a great town of Romania during the first half of 1992.

Complex serological survey performed in the town B. during the first half of 1992 emphasized an active circulation of some respiratory viruses, especially of parainfluenza type 3 and 1, influenza subtypes A(H3N2) and A(H1N1), adeno and syncytial respiratory as well as of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Less important was the frequence of antibodies against Chlamydia psittaci, East equine, West Nile and tick-borne encephalitis as well as parainfluenza type 2 and influenza type B viruses.

[Epidemiological and virological research on influenza and viral respiratory infections in the southeastern region of Romania in the cold season of 1991-1992]. / Investigations épidémiologiques et virologiques concernant la grippe et les infections respiratoires virales dans la région du sud-est de la Roumanie au cours de la saison froide 1991-1992.

Investigations pointed out the high level of respiratory diseases and pneumonias in children, especially in the youngest ones (0-1 year-old) during all the surveyed period. An influenza outbreak during the second half of February was registered in the infantile population--school and low-age children--which gave most of the cases. Serology and isolations incriminated an influenza virus related to the A/Beijing 353/89 (H3N2) strain. Isolations worked out after the influenza epidemics pointed out circulation of parainfluenza and adenoviruses. The necessity is emphasized of the anti-influenza vaccination of low-age children.

Automated densitometry of polyacrylamide gel electrophoregrams.

A device is described which enables to convert a spectrophotometer in a high performance densitometer. Test samples for the evaluation of densitometric characteristics are presented. The estimations can be carried out in the UV-visible range without applying the common staining procedure, on either cylindrical or plane gel plates in absorption or fluorescence. Polyacrylamide gel migrated commercial protein mixtures as well as A(H1N1) influenza virus and Sendai virus polypeptides were used as biological samples.

Intrinsic fluorescence of some myxo- and paramyxoviruses and of their subviral fractions.

Fluorescence spectra of Sendai and influenza A(H1N1) viruses have different emission maxima; their quantum yield is much lower than that of tobacco mosaic virus. Solubilized envelopes and nucleoproteins of Sendai, influenza and mumps virus have different half-bandwidth and relative quantum yield values of emission, according to the agent used for disruption. Thus emission (as well as excitation and absorption) spectra of Triton X-100-solubilized envelopes show a marked hypsochromic shift as compared with the envelopes obtained by Tween20-disruption. The results are correlated with the different disruption extent achieved with the two agents.