Late diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis based on serological follow-up: A case report.

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite infecting up to one third of the world's population. T. gondii infection is usually benign in immunocompetent patients but can be life-threatening when congenitally transmitted.

Superabsorbent dressings for copiously exuding wounds.

Exudate control is important in the management of both acute and chronic wounds. A new category of absorbent dressings that contain superabsorbent particles promises high absorbency. The aim of this multicentre, prospective, non-comparative observational study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and absorbent capacity of a superabsorbent dressing.

Application of neural network calibrations to an halide ISE array.

The Neural Network (NN) technique was applied to the calibration of an ion selective electrode (ISE) array comprising a bromide selective electrode, two chloride ISEs and one thiocyanate ISE. The measured samples were synthetic mixture solutions of chlorides and bromides in concentration ranges such that interference occurs. The NN method allowed to perform the calibration without estimating the coefficients of the Nikolskii-Eisenman theoretical relation.

Halide ion-selective electrode array calibration.

The calibration of several ions (Cl(-), Br(-), F(-) and OH(-)) measured with an ion selective electrodes (ISE) array has been carried out in the presence of interferents using an experimental design and multivariate calibration methods. Partial least squares regression and principal component regression do not seem to improve the test set prediction compared to multivariate linear regression. In the case of very slight or no interference on the ISE, each ion can be determined using the corresponding ISE and univariate calibration methods, but the use of multivariate methods does not lead to worse results.

Characterization and quantification of the skin radiance through new digital image analysis.

Background/aims: The individual perception of the radiance is difficult to define and quantify because it often includes physiological and psychological attributes. Although if they are differences in the perception of the skin radiance, dermatologists and experts in cosmetology consider that the complexion must reflect the general health of an individual. The aim of this work was to determine existing conditions of skin radiance via digital image analysis, consumer's perception and experts' evaluation, and propose a mathematical model to quantify the global radiance phenomenon.

The disynaptic group I inhibition between wrist flexor and extensor muscles revisited in humans.

The present studies are designed to further characterise the interneuronal pathway mediating the disynaptic reciprocal group I inhibition between flexors and extensors at the wrist and the elbow levels in humans. In the first series of experiments, we compared the electrical threshold of the reciprocal group I inhibition at the wrist and the elbow level after a prolonged vibration aimed at raising the electrical threshold of the antagonistic activated Ia afferents. Prolonged vibration to the 'conditioning' tendon, which raised significantly the electrical threshold of the inhibition at the elbow level, did not alter it at the wrist level.

Post-activation depression in various group I spinal pathways in humans.

This investigation was designed to study the effects of post-activation depression in different spinal pathways fed by group I afferents available to investigation in human subjects. It was precipitated by a recent investigation in the cat showing that-contrary to the general assumption-post-activation depression is not a widespread phenomenon in the spinal cord. In 24 healthy subjects comparison was made between the effects of low and high-test stimulus rates on the monosynaptic Ia excitation, known to be subject to post-activation depression, and on oligosynaptic pathways fed by group I afferents.

[The methods for screening pulmonary hypertension related to systemic sclerosis in France. Descriptive survey of the French Research Group on Sclerosis].

Context And Objectives: Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) represents one of the severest complications and is life-threatening for patients suffering from systemic sclerosis (SSc). In France, the modalities for screening and treating PHT related to SSc are not well codified and no consensus has been reached. We conducted a survey among physicians inscribed on the list of the French Research Group on Sclerosis (GRFS - Groupe de Recherche Francais sur la Sclerodermie) to gather information on the status of the management of PHT related to SSc.

[Physiopathological data of Horton's syndrome].

GREAT PROGRESS: The understanding of the physiopathology of Horton's syndrome has been made in view of the prevalence of the disease, the access to affected tissue and new molecular biology techniques. And it is now possible to specify the intricacy between the genetic, immunological and vascular components. HORTON'S SYNDROME, A GENETIC DISEASE: The preferential association of the disease with some alleles pf the HLA DR4 group has helped to emphasize the fundamental role of a few amino acids of the second hypervariable area of the HLA-DR molecule.

Evidence for recurrent inhibition of reciprocal inhibition from soleus to tibialis anterior in man.

Reciprocal inhibition between ankle flexors and extensors has been the subject of numerous studies in Man. They have demonstrated that this reciprocal inhibition is in all likelihood caused by a disynaptic pathway at least partly fed by Ia afferents. It is thus generally agreed that this reciprocally organized inhibition between ankle flexors and extensors in Man is similar to the reciprocal Ia inhibition described in the cat.

[Severe Moorens ulcer: efficacy of monthly cyclophosphamide intravenous pulse treatment].

Purpose: Mooren's ulcer (MU) is a chronic peripheral corneal ulceration featuring conjunctival immunoglobulin deposits. It is considered as the result of a limbic immune process with hyperactivation of T and B lymphocytes. The etiology remains unknown.

[Coxiella burnetii pneumopathy on return from French Guiana].

Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis but is not often a common cause of fever among travellers returning from the tropics. We report a case of acute Q fever, revealed by a pneumonia and acquired by a traveller in French Guyana. The chest radiography showed alveolar opacities and pleural effusion.

Modulation of presynaptic inhibition of la afferents during voluntary wrist flexion and extension in man.

Changes in presynaptic inhibition of Ia terminals directed to flexor carpi radialis (FCR) motoneurones (MNs) were investigated in normal human subjects at rest and during voluntary wrist flexion and extension. To that end, two independent methods were used: (1) the radial-induced D1 inhibition of the FCR H reflex, which assesses the excitability of PAD (primary afferent depolarisation) interneurones controlling presynaptic inhibition of Ia terminals mediating the afferent volley of the FCR H reflex; and (2) the heteronymous monosynaptic Ia facilitation induced in the FCR H reflex by intrinsic muscle Ia afferent stimulation, which assesses the ongoing presynaptic inhibition of Ia terminals. With respect to results at rest, it was found that at the onset of (and during tonic) voluntary wrist flexion, D1 inhibition was reduced and heteronymous monosynaptic Ia facilitation was increased.

[Renin secreting tumor and severe hypertension. Apropos of a new case].

A renin-secreting tumour has been observed in a 32-year-old female with severe hypertension known for 17 years. The excision of the tumour lead to the complete normalisation of the blood pressure. Histological examination showed that the tumour was benign, contained secretion granules at different stages of maturation, and derived from the juxta-glomerular apparatus.

[Value of the lateral chest x-ray in the diagnosis of traumatic pleural effusions].

Forty patients were admitted to a hospital emergency department after closed chest injury. Chest X-rays, a-p and lateral, with low and high voltage, were performed in a supine position. The aim of the study was to show the interest of lateral films in the diagnosis of post-traumatic pneumo- and hemothoraces.

[Role of antigens and adjuvant substances in the histological response in experimental granulomas (immunogenic granuloma)].

The injection in rabbits of vaccinal antigens combined with immunity adjuvants (in particular calcium phosphate) causes a local lesion in which it is possible to recognize histologically, after a transitory afflux of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, a central area of adjuvant deposit, a middle area of histiocytes and monocytes, and a peripheral immunogenic area of lymphocytes and plasmocytes. These two cellular zones are rich in highly fluorescent cells in the presence of an antiglobulin serum with an embedding technique which respects to the upmost the structures and immunoreactivity of the cells. These histological features are not completely observed on the separate injection of antigen or adjuvant.

[Results of a survey on post-transfusional malaria in France between 1960 and 1974].

This inquire demonstrated that transfusion malaria was not so rare as we thought. So 56 cases have been numbered between 1960 and 1974, and probably they do not reflect exactly the real situation. In our country, plasmodium falciparum, specifically responsible of the most serious accidents, is the form most frequently incriminated and its frequency increases among the years: 76,1% of the infects between 1970 and 1974.