[Hemodialysis and ferritinemia].

Iron-deficiency is a common phenomenon in chronic renal diseases and haemodialysis patients, a treatment with iron or transfusions is always provided in an early preventive way; yet, an overload may appear. Serum ferritin, in spite of analytic variability, remains at the present time a good witness to appreciate patients' iron stores. Authors report the results obtained with four commercial reagents in healthy population and in haemodialysed children or adults.

Modification of the selected method for the determination of serum iron. Substitution of bathophenanthroline by ferene S.

The previously selected method (1977) for the measurement of iron in human serum has been modified by the working group on Iron and Iron-Transport Proteins (Sociéte Française de Biologie Clinique). Ferene S is used as the chromogen, it is more sensitive and cheaper than bathophenanthroline. The sample size has been reduced from 2 to 0.

[Sialic acid deficiency transferrin: a very promising biological marker, sensitive to chronic alcoholism].

Chronical alcohol ingestion may induce conformational molecular modifications of plasma transferrin: alcohol modifies the content of its carbohydrates. The abnormal transferrin contains reduced amounts of carbohydrates, especially sialic acid, constituting its terminal trisaccharides biantennary chains. Plasma levels of partly deficient or asialotransferrin increase in chronically drinkers.

Transcriptional selectivity in early mouse embryos: a qualitative study.

The mouse zygotic genome is activated at the 2-cell stage. At this stage, microinjected DNA can be expressed and its transcription, analysed qualitatively with LacZ reporter genes, has the following characteristics (i) Sp1-sensitive promoters are active; (ii) the SV40 early promoter does not require upstream enhancers; (iii) genes driven by the -447, +563 region of murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) are repressed and; (iv) activation of promoters is possible as shown for the promoter of acetylcholine receptor alpha-subunit by MyoD. This transactivation can occur before the formation of the zygotic genome.

[T lymphoblastic leukemia with leukemoid reaction or the extramedullary blast crisis of Philadelphia chromosome-negative chronic myeloid leukemia? Comments apropos 2 cases].

Reactive leukocytosis has been reported in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of different histologic types. On the other hand, the blastic crisis of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) can sometimes be localized outside the bone marrow and simulate lymphoma, particularly when the blasts are of lymphoid lineage and the blastic crisis is the presenting feature of the disease. We report two patients in whom the differential diagnosis between lymphoblastic lymphoma with reactive leukocytosis and blastic crisis of CML outside the bone marrow was raised.

Biochemical and histochemical adaptation to sprint training in young athletes.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of 8 months of a specific and controlled sprint training programme on three groups of young athletes (two groups of males and one of females). Biopsies of vastus lateralis were taken before and after the period of training. The type percentage and diameter of the fibres, as well as the glycogen content and the activities of the enzymes of glycogen metabolism (glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase), glycolysis (phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, aldolase and lactate dehydrogenase), oxidative metabolism (succinate dehydrogenase) and creatine kinase and aminotransferases were studied.

In vivo activation by ultraviolet rays of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat.

It has been previously shown in vitro that the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat (LTR) is activated by ultraviolet irradiation. In order to analyze if a similar effect could occur in vivo, transgenic mice carrying the lacZ gene under the control of the viral LTR were irradiated at 280-300 and 254 nm. These mice spontaneously expressed the transgene in the epidermis and the lens of both adults and embryos.

[Hypothyroid myopathy. A clinical and histologic prospective study of 19 patients].

Nineteen patients with primary hypothyroidism were prospectively studied before starting replacement therapy with thyroid hormones. Most patients had mild to moderate muscle symptoms: generalized muscle weakness, myalgia and cramps, and increased serum levels of muscle enzymes. In two patients these features were the motive for consulting the physician.

[Reference values of erythrocyte ferritin in children and adults].

The erythrocyte ferritin content was measured in 183 healthy subjects in age from 4 to 68 years; 80 were male and 103 were female. In children between the ages of 4 and 12 years there is no significant difference in the mean value between boys and girls. In females the erythrocyte ferritin concentration is independent of age.

Effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the enzymes of glycogen metabolism.

This report concerns a study of the effect of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the regulatory enzymes of glycogen metabolism. It demonstrates an inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase kinase at pH 6.8 at a very low concentration of ethanol.

[Determination of plasma lactoferrin by the "double sandwich" immunoenzymatic method in heterogeneous phase].

For the determination of lactoferrin in human plasma we describe a double-sandwich immunoenzymatic assay in 3 steps using tubes as the solid phase. The analytical performances are acceptable. Within-run and between-run CVs are respectively 4% and 13%, the lower limit of detection is 8 micrograms/l.

[Lactoferrin: biochemistry, physiological roles, and value in human biology].

Lactoferrin and transferrin exhibit very similar structure and biochemical properties but they behave as two distinct antigens and their affinity for ferric ions is not of the same magnitude. The biological functions of lactoferrin are not all well understood. It has strong bacteriostatic properties, it plays a role as a regulator of human granulopoiesis and it is probably involved in the hyposideremia of acute inflammation.

[The coefficient of saturation of iron in transferrin].

Theoretical iron fixation capacity of transferrin (FCT) can be calculated on its immunochemical titration: (FCT (mumol/l = transferrin (g/l) x 25). Today, its reckoning is more advisable to serum total iron binding capacity measurement. The authors studied the effects of this new proceeding upon usual values interval of transferrin saturation (i.

[Reference values of serum transferrin in newborn infants, children and adults].

The authors have studied the evolution of serum transferrin concentration in relation with age (newborn child, infant, adult). The mean concentration of serum transferrin is the lowest for neonates (2.15 g/l).

[Tissue and blood ferritins and isoferritins].

Ferritins which can store excess iron are localised principally in tissue. Ferritins have on apoprotein shell which is composed of 24 sub-units, from 2 types of sub-units: "H" (molecular weight about 21 000) and "L" (molecular weight about 19 000) that assemble in different proportions and give multiple forms. Protein pattern depends on tissue nature.