[Evaluation of autonomy and disability in elderly people in France, using O.E.C.D. questions and the number of illnesses (author's transl)].

Three approaches (traditional nosology, functional ability, socio-economic implications) to health status have been taken into account simultaneously in the development of different indicators from a sample of 2802 elderly persons aged 65 years and over: -using traditional nosology: the existence of different illnesses and total number of conditions for an individual, -on the functional level: the level of disability taking into account both physical and mental deficiencies, -on the socio-economic level: the basic level of dependency established according to the person's ability to perform activities of daily living. The techniques discussed will be generalized to larger populations allowing comparisons between the elderly living at home or in a private institution, and between socio-demographic groups.

Isolation of two species of human lymphoblastoid (Namalva) cell-derived interferon that differ in rates of clearance, size, and cell specificity.

Chromatography of human lymphoblastoid (Namalva) interferon on blue dextran Sepharose has separated the interferon activity into two species which differ in affinity to the dye Cibacron Blue F3GA. The separated species differ also in rates of clearance from the circulation of mice, size, and specificity toward human and bovine cells. The species retained by the dye manifests a slower clearance rate, is about 20,000 mol.

Interferon production and lymphocyte transformation in lymphocytes of leukemic patients.

The high incidence of viral infections in patients with lymphocytic leukemia is well documented, but the role played by interferon in the pathogenesis of such infections is not known. In this study, we investigated the possibility that gamma (gamma) interferon production, induced by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) might be impaired in leukocytes from patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). We also compared this response with alpha (alpha) interferon production, and with PHA-stimulated lymphocyte transformation.

Factors affecting the large scale production of human lymphoblastoid interferon.

Large scale production of human lymphoblastoid (Namalva) interferon (IFN) is carried out in pilot-plant-scale fermentors having up to 250 liter culture volume. Cells are grown in a semi-continuous culture. For IFN production, which is an IFN-alpha (Ly), harvested cells were induced by Sendai virus.

Silicates as nonspecific adsorbents of bacteriophage: a model for purification of water from viruses.

Amorphous silicates having small particles with a large surface area were found to have high nonspecific adsorption capacity. Investigations with Escherichia coli T4 bacteriophage have shown adsorption capacity of up to 99.9% on different tested silicates.

Silicates: non-specific adsorbents in purification of water from viruses.

Amorphous silicates having small particles with large surface area, were found to have high non-specific adsorption capacity. Escherichia coli T4 bacteriophage was used as a model in this research. Investigations have shown an adsorption capacity of up to 99% on different tested commercially available silicates.

Pilot plant scale production of human lymphoblastoid interferon.

Pilot plant scale production of human lymphoblastoid (Namalva) interferon (IF) is described. Namalva cells were grown in a semicontinuous cultivation method in pilot plant scale fermentors having up to 40-liter culture volume. The harvested Namalva cells were suspended in a serum-free medium at a concentration of 10(7) cells per ml and were induced to produce IF by infection with Sendai virus.

A new cellulose-based microcarrier culturing system.

A search for new substrates to be used as microcarriers for culturing mammalian cells was carried out. Commercially available microgranular anion exchange DEAE-cellulose (DE-52 of Whatman) were investigated as microcarriers for anchorage-dependent-cells. Cells from CCL-1 mouse cell line were grown on the investigated microcarriers.

Inhibition or augmentation of PHA-induced lymphocyte transformation by factors of calculated lymphoblastoid cell lines.

Stimulation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was found to be suppressed or augmented by the addition of supernatants or cell dialysates of cultured lymphoblastoid cell lines.

Glycosylation of interferons. Effects of tunicamycin on human immune interferon.

Human immune interferon, induced in leukocytes by phytohemagglutinin, was prepared in the absence and presence of tunicamycin, an antibiotic which selectively inhibits the glycosylation of newly synthesized glycoproteins. Interferon preparations, produced in the absence of the antibiotic, displayed a considerable chromatographic heterogeneity on: (a) concanavalin A-agarose, (b) phenyl-agarose, (c) Cibacron Blue F3GA-agarose, and (d) polyuridylic acid-agarose. This heterogeneity was completely eliminated when tunicamycin (2 microgram/ml) was present during induction of interferon; all activity was then recovered in the breakthrough fractions from all sorbents.

Pluronic polyols in human lymphocyte cell line cultures.

Pluronic polyols markedly improved the growth of two human lymphocyte cell lines when added to the growth medium in concentrations of 0.05 to 0.1%.