[Renal adrenergic beta receptors and experimental neurogenic hypertension].

Sinoaortic denervation SAD in dog induces a permanent rise in blood pressure and heart rate leading to an experimental model of arterial hypertension. This model is associated with a marked increase in plasma catecholamine levels during the two first months. The present study investigates the changes in some renal vasoactive systems (renin activity, aldosterone and kallikrein) and cortical renal beta adrenoceptors during the development of this experimental neurogenic hypertension in dogs.

Determinants of condom use among French heterosexuals with multiple partners.

In September 1988, a sample of French individuals between 18 and 49 years of age, who reported more than one sexual partner in the past six months and who considered themselves heterosexuals (n = 1088), were interviewed at home about risk perception of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission, sexual behavior, and condom use. Systematic or occasional use of condoms during the previous 12 months was reported by 46.9 percent of respondents.

Increase in urinary kallikrein excretion following hemodialysis.

Urinary kallikrein excretion (UKE) was measured in 20 patients before and after hemodialysis (HD). When compared to the values of normal subjects (136 +/- 56 micrograms/24 h, n = 100), UKE was decreased in all patients before HD (6.6 +/- 5.

Effects of cicletanine on vasoactive systems in conscious sinoaortic-denervated dogs.

The present study investigates the antihypertensive action of cicletanine, a new antihypertensive compound with diuretic properties (or placebo), on vasopressor (catecholamines, renin-aldosterone) as well as vasodepressor (prostaglandins, kallikrein-kinin) systems in conscious chronic sinoaortic denervated (SAD) dogs. Cicletanine (10 mg/kg twice a day, per os, for one month) lowered blood pressure and heart rate. The antihypertensive action does not involve an effect on sympathetic tone (since plasma catecholamine levels were unmodified) or on plasma aldosterone levels.

Cost-effectiveness of HIV screening of pregnant women in hospitals of the Paris area. The Paris-Tours study group of antenatal transmission of HIV, Group '9 maternites'.

In the context of an epidemiologic multicentric study about perinatal transmission of HIV, screening was systematically proposed to all pregnant women attending nine maternities clinics of the Paris region (n = 7600, between August 1987 and July 1988) at their first prenatal visit. Among them, 2145 had already been tested and 45 were known to be HIV positive. So, 5660 tests were performed during the first 6 months (period 1), and 17 pregnant women were discovered to be positive.

Socio-cultural inequities in access to prenatal diagnosis: the role of insurance coverage and regulatory policies.

The article presents the results of a 4-month-period survey by questionnaire among all women attending the Marseille Centre for Prenatal Diagnosis for amniocentesis. Socio-cultural status of women getting access to amniocentesis is significantly higher than in the general population of pregnant women in the same geographic area of south-eastern France. Socio-cultural status is also higher among women who have to cover costs of procedure to get access to amniocentesis than among those who benefit from it free-of-charge according to French Social Security regulations.

Searching for consensus through multi-criteria decision analysis. Assessment of screening strategies for hemoglobinopathies in southeastern France.

Until now, no systematic strategy for the prevention of major hemoglobinopathies has been implemented in southeastern France, in spite of frequencies of beta-thalassemia trait and HbS trait as high as 2.5-8% in some ethnic populations. The purpose of the study was to help a group of experts, brought together by the Regional Center for Disease Control, to reach a consensus about screening for carriers of heterozygote hemoglobinopathies.

[Cost-benefit analysis of amniocentesis in the prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities].

The article presents a cost-benefit analysis of amniocentesis for detection of chromosomal anomalies based on data (1985/87) collected in the Marseille area. In this geographic area, it is possible to confront, in an exhaustive manner, pregnant women's access to amniocentesis and incidence of fetal anomalies due to chromosomal aberrations. Results show that prenatal diagnosis is highly cost-beneficial, the average cost of one "avoided" case of Down's syndrome being lower than the lifelong costs of care for such a child.

[Cost-effectiveness analysis of HIV screening in pregnant women in hospitals in the Paris region].

Spontaneous diffusion of HIV screening at the occasion of pregnancy has been especially rapid in France. In April-May 1988, 45% of general practitioners systematically prescribed HIV screening during premarital or prenatal consultations. Experimentation of systematic prenatal HIV screening has been performed for some time in various French maternity hospitals.

Social acceptability of HIV screening among pregnant women.

The paper presents the results of a survey about risk perception, knowledge, and attitudes towards HIV infection among 397 pregnant women in France. The survey was carried out between December 1987 and March 1988 in two Paris-region maternity hospitals where HIV testing is routinely proposed during the first prenatal visit. Uptake of HIV prenatal testing has been rapid in France: before coming to the maternity hospitals, 26.

Inverse relationship between renal and urinary kallikrein during chromate-induced acute renal failure in rat: urinary kallikrein excretion as a possible recovery index.

Acute renal failure (ARF) was induced in rat following a single injection of sodium chromate. A transient polyuria and a 10-fold decrease in glomerular filtration rate was immediately observed after sodium chromate administration. Urinary sodium and potassium excretion were reduced within 24 h and remained decreased for 8 to 10 days.

Testicular size in infertile men: relationship to semen characteristics and hormonal blood levels.

Testicular volume was assessed in 1029 infertile men and found to be normal in 704; 71 patients had unilateral and 213 had bilateral testicular hypotrophy; 4 had unilateral and 37 had bilateral atrophy. Sperm count and motility decreased in accordance with testicular volume. The lowest mean sperm counts and lowest mean motility percentages were found in patients with bilateral testicular atrophy.

Effects of pinacidil on the sympatho-adrenal system in dogs.

1. The aim of the present work was to study the antihypertensive effect of pinacidil, a potassium channel opener, in sinoaortic denervated (SAD) conscious dogs and to investigate whether the involvement of the sympathetic nervous system induced by this vasodilator compound is only of baroceptor reflex origin. 2.

[Social sciences in the face of AIDS: between silence and too much talk?].

During the recent years, many behavior surveys have been performed, for instance in San Francisco, Chicago, New York (U.S.A.

Misconceptions about transmission of AIDS and attitudes toward prevention in the French general public.

A survey of the social perception of AIDS and its prevention was carried out in December 1987 in a representative sample of the adult population of the Paris region (France). A significant part of the general public still holds misconceptions about transmission by casual contact and blood donation. Misbeliefs about modes of transmission clearly encourage individuals' willingness to stigmatize AIDS patients and to support the most coercive measures of prevention (such as quarantine).

Renal kallikrein excretion as a distal nephrotoxicity marker during cadmium exposure in rats.

Cadmium exposure is known to induce hypertension, but development of hypertension is not universal in exposed animals. However, the cellular uptake of cadmium could also exert renal cytotoxic effects which have been, until now, essentially only studied at the proximal tubule level. Kallikrein is an enzyme synthetized in renal cortex and excreted in the urine in the distal tubule.

[Social acceptability of screening for HIV seropositivity in pregnant women. An inquiry in the Paris region].

Current debate about screening strategies for HIV during pregnancy is not limited to clinical and epidemiologic arguments; ethical and social concerns about the risk of stigmatization against HIV carriers are also taken into account. Therefore, data on public perception of AIDS and attitudes toward preventive measures against the disease can be of interest. In December 1987, a survey was carried out, through personal interview, in a representative sample (900 individuals selected by the quota method) of the 10.

Urinary kallikrein excretion following chronic sinoaortic denervation in conscious dogs.

Urinary kallikrein excretion (UKE) was investigated in neurogenic hypertensive dogs for a period of 8 months. The animals were made hypertensive by sinoaortic denervation (SAD). Plasma catecholamine levels (PC), plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and urinary sodium excretion (UNa) were also measured.

Factors influencing genetic counseling attendance rate: a geographically based study.

A study of factors influencing genetic counseling attendance rate has been conducted in the Bouches-du-Rhône area, in the south of France. In this area, a birth defects monitoring system (Eurocat n. 22) annually covers 23,000 births.

Modifications of sexual behaviour related to AIDS: a survey in Paris region.

A survey on the effects of AIDS upon sexual behaviour has been carried out, in December 1987, in a representative sample (n = 900) of the population of 18 years of age and over of the Paris region. Among the sexually active population, 13.8% have been tested for HIV at least once in 1987, 10.

[Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of school screening for hereditary hemoglobin abnormalities: prospective study in Bouches-du-Rhône. School screening for hemoglobinopathies].

Screening in schools for heterozygote carriers of haemoglobinopathies traits has been carried out experimentally in southeast France ("Bouches du Rhône", the Marseille region) since 1977. The study compares, in cost-effectiveness terms, the screening strategy now followed with 27 alternative strategies in all the pupils (14-16 years). Although the frequency of heterozygote carriers in this school population as a whole is only 7.

Simple, rapid enzymatic determination of glycerophosphocholine in human seminal plasma.

We have devised a new enzymatic determination of sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (GPC) in human seminal plasma. This is based on GPC hydrolysis by a phosphodiesterase (PDE), free choline being then determined by the choline oxidase method. The whole procedure involves a first incubation in the presence of choline oxidase and catalase, to eliminate the excess of choline present in seminal plasma (10-fold, compared with GPC).