Tuberculosis in non-UK-born persons, England and Wales, 2001-2003.

Setting: England and Wales, 2001-2003.

Objectives: To describe demographic and clinical characteristics of tuberculosis (TB) in non-UK-born persons and compare with UK-born cases to inform public health action and health service provision.

Design: Analysis of surveillance data.

Tuberculosis treatment outcome monitoring in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for cases reported in 2001.

Background: Tuberculosis treatment outcome monitoring was introduced in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2002 based on cases reported in 2001.

Objective: To estimate the proportion of treatment success and to identify predictors of non-completion for cases reported in 2001.

Method: At 12 months after the start of treatment, outcome was assessed according to a protocol based on standardised European recommendations.

The growing impact of HIV infection on the epidemiology of tuberculosis in England and Wales: 1999 2003.

Background: Previous studies have estimated the prevalence of tuberculosis and HIV infection in population subgroups in the UK. This study was undertaken to describe recent trends in the proportion of individuals with HIV infection among reported cases of tuberculosis in England and Wales, and to review the implications for clinical and public health care.

Methods: A population-based matching study using national surveillance databases was used to investigate all persons aged 15 years and over reported with a diagnosis of tuberculosis to the Health Protection Agency in England and Wales in 1999-2003.

Epidemiology and response to the growing problem of tuberculosis in London.

As in other countries with low tuberculosis incidence, tuberculosis in England and Wales tends to be concentrated in some subgroups of the population, and is mainly a problem in large cities. In 2003, almost half of all tuberculosis cases reported in England and Wales were from London, where the incidence was almost five times higher than in the rest of England and Wales. While the highest proportion of cases occur in foreign born patients, evidence from a large outbreak of drug resistant tuberculosis points to ongoing active transmission among marginalised groups including homeless people, hard drug users, and prisoners.

[The Dijon Physical Activity Score: reproducibility and correlation with exercise testing in healthy elderly subjects].

Purpose: To validate a French physical activity score for current use in healthy elderly people.

Patients And Methods: A brief questionnaire was developed for healthy elderly subjects older than 72 years. Questions asked about self-assessed physical fitness (1), daily activity (2), leisure and sport activity (5) and rest time (1).

Surveillance of tuberculosis in the WHO European Region 1995-1996.

The EuroTB programme for the surveillance of tuberculosis in Europe was set up in 1996 to collect, analyse, and disseminate data on tuberculosis cases notified in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. Following a feasibility study performed

Feasibility of surveillance resistance to antituberculosis drugs :Europe, 1997.

Between 28% and 100% of isolates from ten countries from the EuroTB network in 1997 were reported with data on antituberculosis drug susceptibility. Drug resistance was commoner among foreign-born patients and in general among patients who had been treate

Bidirectional reflectance of oceanic waters: accounting for Raman emission and varying particle scattering phase function.

The bidirectionality of the upward radiance field in oceanic case 1 waters has been reinvestigated by incorporation of revised parameterizations of inherent optical properties as a function of the chlorophyll concentration (Chl), considering Raman scattering and making the particle phase function shape (beta(rho)) continuously varying along with the Chl. Internal consistency is thus reached, as the decrease in backscattering probability (for increasing Chl) translates into a correlative change in beta(rho). The single particle phase function (previously used) precluded a realistic assessment of bidirectionality for waters with Chl > 1 mg m(-3).

Surveillance of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in Europe, 1999.

With the exception of Israel, representative data from Western and Central Europe indicate consistently low levels of resistance to isoniazid (0-9,3%) or rifampicin (0-2,1%) and of multidrug resistance (0-2,1%) among new tuberculosis (TB) cases. Resistance is more frequent among previously treated cases, but comparisons of data should be done cautiously, as criteria for inclusion in TB notifications may vary across countries. In Western Europe, drug resistance is more frequent among cases of foreign origin, a group with high TB incidence.

[From theory to practice: the dietician's role or how to translate nutritional recommendations into the management of the diabetic patient].

The theoretical dietary recommendations published by public health authorities and prescribed by the physicians to their patients must be translated in new meal habits. This is the dietician's role. He will be the link between the patient and his physician when a change in the patient's eating habits is forseen for the treatment of his health problems.

Surveillance of tuberculosis in Europe.

In 1995, countries of the WHO European Region approved WHO/IUATLD recommendations for the standardisation of tuberculosis in Europe including a common case definition, the notification of cases by both clinicians and laboratories, the computerisation of individual data and a common list of essential variables. Since 1996, the Euro TB programme started collecting data from European countries based on these recommendations. Data on tuberculosis cases, both definite (culture confirmed) and other cases, reported in 1995, 1996 and 1997 have been collected in the 51 countries of the WHO European Region.

Nitric oxide decreases microvascular permeability in bradykinin stimulated and nonstimulated conditions.

This study examined the occurrence of endothelial nitric oxide (NO)-synthase (NOS-III) in terminal mesenteric vessels and the involvement of NO in microvascular permeability. Possible effects were studied in bradykinin (BK)-induced and basal conditions. NOS expression was investigated by using NOS-III immunohistochemistry and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase histochemistry on the light- and electron-microscopic levels.

Has the sectorization of psychiatric services in France really been effective?

This paper describes the implementation of the French sectorization policy during the last 20 years, and how effectively it has delivered care to patients suffering from severe mental health disorders. This change in policy has resulted in a dramatic and progressive decline in full-time hospitalization and an increase in outpatient care, without, however, any marked increase in the readmissions rate. The resources and services provided by a representative section are described, followed by an account of a plan for closing psychiatric beds in a specific area of the centre of France.