Acute or repeated cocaine administration generates reactive oxygen species and induces antioxidant enzyme activity in dopaminergic rat brain structures.

Either a single (acute) or repeated daily (chronic) injections (1 injection/day) of 20 mg/kg cocaine for 10 days to rats was found to increase reactive oxygen species production in two dopaminergic brain structures, the frontal cortex and the striatum. We found that the mitochondrial genome was down-regulated after acute cocaine injection. Hydroperoxide and lipid peroxide generation was correlated with an increase in mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide generation and with a reduced functioning of mitochondrial complex I in response to cocaine.

[Epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated in Ile de France area during 2001].

Objective: The authors wanted to assess the level of Streptococcus pneumoniae antibiotic resistance in Ile de France.

Method: In 2001, 637 clinical strains of S. pneumoniae were prospectively collected from 32 microbiology laboratories.

Clinical features of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea due to binary toxin (actin-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase)-producing strains.

Toxins A and B are known to be the primary virulence factors of Clostridium difficile. Other potential virulence factors have been identified such as binary toxin (actin-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase toxin, or CDT). A retrospective case-control study was performed in order to identify clinical features and risk factors of C.

Association between hospital-acquired infections and patients' transfers.

Objective: To assess the risk of nosocomial infection in transferred patients and to determine whether transfer is only a risk marker or is independently associated with nosocomial infection.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: A 400-bed general hospital in the Paris area.

Association between institutionalization and carriage of multiresistant bacteria in the elderly at the time of admission to a general hospital.

The impact of institutionalization on the carriage of multiresistant bacteria among the elderly was assessed prospectively by comparing the carriage rate in institutionalized patients over 70 years of age to the carriage rate in patients over 70 living at home (58 patients/group). Nares, skin, and rectal swabs were obtained within 24 h of admission to the hospital. Among the 20 carriers identified, 75% came from institutions.