[Recent findings on occupational allergic alveolitis].

Occupational allergic alveolitis may be observed in agricultural or industrial environment. The presence of serum precipitins to specific antigens remains a valuable symptom. But other immunologic tests, such as inhibition of leucocyte migration, may be performed in doubtful cases or for retrospective diagnosis.

[Various amniotic studies in the assessment of fetal pulmonary maturity].

The need for knowledge concerning foetal pulmonary maturity has led biochemists to develop a number of techniques based upon knowledge of amniotic phospholipids. Study of these phospholipids of foetal pulmonary origin is possible using biochemical and physical methods. The former include the L/S (Lecithin/sphingomyelins) ratio, as well as the measurement of total lecithins, or the palmitic acid/stearic acid ratio (P/S).

Phospholipids and microviscosity study in broncho-alveolar lavage fluids from control subjects and from patients with extrinsic allergic alveolitis.

Bronchoalveolar lavages were studied in control subjects and patients with extrinsic allergic alveolitis. Phospholipids, fatty acid composition of the different phospholipid species found and cholesterol were investigated. In allergic alveolitis, the phosphatidylcholine was absent, whereas two usually minor components in lung surfactant, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol, were considerably enhanced.

A rapid and sensitive fluorometric assay of serum phospholipid.

A fluorometric assay of phospholipid in serum is presented. The reaction is based upon the binding of phospholipids with a fluorescent probe: 1-6-Diphenyl-1-3-5 hexatriene (DPH). The method is in very good agreement with other techniques for phospholipid estimation: phosphorus assay phospholipid extraction (Fiske and Subarrow), and enzymatic assay of phospholipid containing choline (Takayama).

[Lipids and phospholipids in the fluid of broncho-alveolar lavage. Value for the study of alveolar penetration of corticosteroids by aerosol (author's transl)].

Broncho-alveolar lavages from 13 control subjects have been studied for the following parameters : phospholipids, free fatty acids, total last parameter, through the depolarisation of Diphenylhexatriene, is independent of the recovered volume. An identical study has been performed for two bronchiolo-alveolar cancers. A treatment with hydrocortisone-containing aerosol has been associated with an increase in phospholipid amount and a drastic decrease in microviscosity.

[Foetal pulmonary maturity: estimation by the palmitic/stearic acids ratio and by the Clements' test in amniotic fluid (author's transl)].

Two parameters have been used to estimate the foetal pulmonary maturity: Clements' test or bubble test and palmitic acid/stearic acid ration. The reliability and the limits of these tests have been studied in function of several pathological pregnancies and the gestations's age. A value greater than 5 for the P/S ratio was a good pronostic at any gestational age.