Search

As in many other Gram-negative plant pathogenic bacteria, the Ralstonia solanacearum hrp genes are involved in the production of a type III secretion apparatus that allows the translocation of PopA protein to the external medium. Here, we show that hrp genes are also involved in the biogenesis of pili that are mainly composed of the HrpY protein. These pili are produced at one pole of the bacterium and are also released into the external medium where they can form very long straight bundles. An hrpY mutant is defective in pilus production, impaired in interactions with plants and in secretion of the PopA protein but not in attachment to plant cells.

Thirty five years after the publication of Bowlby's founding articles (1957 and 1958), what relevance might the theory of attachment still have for the conceptual and methodological apparatus used by the psychologists who study emotional development of the young? That question is addressed throughout this article through a historic-critical review and leads to formulating two tentative responses. In the first part are shortly presented the contributions which have brought precisions, supported and prolonged the leader's propositions. In the second part we attempt to partially reconceptualize the process and behavior of attachment, following the recent suggestions of Bowlby and Ainsworth. Two cases of parent-infant interactions serve as empirical illustrations for this new perspective.

We investigated the binding properties of the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of the muscarinic antagonists trihexyphenidyl, procyclidine, hexahydro-difenidol, p-fluoro-hexahydro-difenidol, hexbutinol, p-fluoro-hexbutinol, and their corresponding methiodides at muscarinic M1, M2, M3 and M4 receptor subtypes. In addition, binding properties of the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of oxyphencyclimine were studied. The (R)- enantiomers (eutomers) of all the compounds had a greater affinity than the (S)-isomers for the four muscarinic receptor subtypes. The binding patterns of the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers were generally different. We did not observe any general correlation between the potency of the high-affinity enantiomer and the affinity ratio (eudismic ratio) of the two enantiomers. The results are discussed in terms of a 'four subsites' binding model.

The authors report data collected in a study of the association of narrow lumbar canal and vertebral hyperostosis. Five centres (Montpellier, Toulouse, Lille, Lyons and Paris) participated in this cooperative study which was both retrospective and prospective. Grid case forms were sent to homogenise the date provided. Two hundred and sixty nine cases of symptomatic lumbar canal stenosis were collected; 89 (33 per cent) had hyperostosis. Hyperostosis was definite in 74 cases and probable in 15 other cases. Certain radiological and/or CT scan morphological factors seen frequently in the hyperostosis patients group led us to undertake a second study in 2 of the 5 centres (Montpellier and Toulouse) in order to identify their specificity. Twenty eight items were adopted and studied by 3 different evaluators (2 rheumatologists and one radiologist) in the X-ray films and CT scan documents of 100 patients with acquired lumbar canal stenosis with or without hyperostosis (46 and 54 cases respectively). The most discriminative appearances, which we suggest as diagnostic criteria of narrow lumbar canal with hyperostosis concern anterior and/or posterolateral marginal somatic bone proliferations on the non-articular surfaces of the posterior apophyses and ossifications of the posterior joint capsule and of the ligaments (ligamentum flavum--posterior longitudinal ligament--supraspinous ligament). Four of these 6 criteria are necessary to make the diagnosis of lumbar stenosis with hyperostosis. The radiological and CT scan appearances of lumbar hyperostosis appear to differ from ordinary degenerative changes of osteoarthrosis and hyperostosis may be held responsible for compression of the dural cul-de-sac.

Plasma levels of the atrial natriuretic factor were prospectively measured in 15 patients suffering from connective tissue disease with alveolar-interstitial lung lesions. The mean level was significantly higher in these patients than in 12 patients without known lung lesions (74.8 +/- 20.7 pg/ml versus 30.8 +/- 12 pg/ml; P less than 0.01) and in 18 healthy subjects (25.4 +/- 12.6 pg/ml). There was no correlation between these levels and lung function tests. Three patients with isolated lymphocytosis in the alveolar lavage fluid had a high level of atrial natriuretic factor.

The reaction time (RT) to an auditory stimulus was measured in 27 subjects during spontaneous breathing and during controlled breathing, which consisted of maintaining a set inspiratory duration. During spontaneous breathing, reaction times were unrelated to the time the stimulus was delivered during the breathing cycle. During controlled breathing, reaction times were longer than during spontaneous breathing. Peak reaction times were observed at the transition from inspiration to expiration. After the end of controlled breathing, reaction times gradually became shorter until they reached their initial level. The findings are discussed in terms of varying allocation of attentional resources to breathing. It is argued that probe RT methodology provides a suitable means for investigating attentional control of breathing.

Hexahydro-sila-difenidol and eight analogues behaved as simple competitive inhibitors of [3H]N-methyl-scopolamine binding to homogenates from human neuroblastoma NB-OK 1 cells (M1 sites), rat heart (M2 sites), rat pancreas (M3 sites), and rat striatum 'B' sites (M4 sites). Pyrrolidino- and hexamethyleneimino analogues showed the same selectivity profile as the parent compound. Hexahydro-sila-difenidol methiodide and the methiodide of p-fluoro-hexahydro-sila-difenidol had a higher affinity but a lower selectivity than the tertiary amines. Compounds containing a p-methoxy, p-chloro or p-fluoro substituent in the phenyl ring of hexahydro-sila-difenidol showed a qualitatively similar selectivity profile as the parent compound (i.e., M1 = M3 = M4 greater than M2), but up to 16-fold lower affinities. o-Methoxy-hexahydro-sila-difenidol has a lower affinity than hexahydro-sila-difenidol at the four binding sites. Its selectivity profile (M4 greater than M1, M3 greater than M2) was different from hexahydro-sila-difenidol. Replacement of the central silicon atom of hexahydro-sila-difenidol, p-fluoro-hexahydro-sila-difenidol and their quaternary (N-methylated) analogues by a carbon atom did not change their binding affinities significantly. The four muscarinic receptors showed a higher affinity for the (R)- than for the (S)-enantiomers of hexahydro-difenidol, p-fluorohexahydro-difenidol and their methiodides. The stereoselectivity varied depending on the receptor subtype and drug considered.

We describe avascular necrosis at multiple sites in 2 young adults. This is a condition rarely seen except in hypercortisonism or hemoglobinopathies. In one case, it occurred in the first trimester of pregnancy. No obvious cause of osteonecrosis could be found but both patients were infected by the HIV. The role of the latter in the bone necrosis is questionable.

The goals of the present study were: (1) to investigate the binding properties of (R)- and (S)-procyclidine and two achiral derivatives of muscarinic M1, M2 and M4 receptor subtypes and (2) to identify the interactions which allow these receptors to discriminate between the two stereoisomers. (R)-Procyclidine showed a higher affinity for human neuroblastoma NB-OK 1 muscarinic M1 and rat striatum muscarinic M4 receptors, as compared to rat cardiac M2 receptors. (S)-Procyclidine had a 130-fold lower affinity than (R)-procyclidine for M1 and M4 receptors, and a 40-fold lower affinity for M2 receptors. Pyrrinol, the achiral diphenyl derivative with the cyclohexyl group of (S)-procyclidine replaced by a phenyl group, has an eight-fold lower affinity for M1 and M4 receptors, as compared to (R)-procyclidine, and a three-fold lower affinity for M2 receptors. Hexahydro-procyclidine, the corresponding achiral dicyclohexyl compound, had a 10- to 20-fold lower affinity than (R)-procyclidine for the three receptors. The increase in binding free energy, which is observed when the phenyl and cyclohexyl groups of procyclidine are separately replaced by cyclohexyl and phenyl groups, respectively, was additive in the case of M1, M2 and M4 receptors. This indicates that the muscarinic receptor stereoselectivity was based on the coexistence of two binding sites, one preferring a phenyl rather than cyclohexyl group and the second preferring a cyclohexyl rather than a phenyl group. In addition, there were also binding sites for the hydroxy moiety and the protonated amino group of the ligands. The greater affinity and stereoselectivity of M1 and M4 muscarinic receptors for (R)-procyclidine reflected the better fit of the cyclohexyl group of (R)-procyclidine to the subsite of M1 and M4 as compared to M2 receptors.

The authors collected observations concerning 11 newly histologically proved cases of a combination of Paget's disease and carcinoma metastatic to bone on the same bone from members of the French Rheumatology Society. The most frequent locations can be specified from their analysis and an analysis of 26 detailed cases from the literature, i.e. pelvis, femur, rachis, tibia, humerus, and the cancers most frequently involved--prostate, bronchi, kidney, breast and intestine. The most usual histological appearance is osteolytic, except in the case of prostatic carcinoma. The metastasis reveals the presence of cancer in 2 cases out of 3, whereas Paget's disease is most often already diagnosed. A histological examination is necessary because of the risk of non recognition of such metastases or of confusion with sarcomatous degeneration. It does not appear to be exceptional to find Paget's disease in combination with a metastasis on the same bone. Although six of the cases concern metastases only located at sites of Paget's disease, an analysis of all the cases does not seem to indicate that Paget bone is more exposed to metastases than normal bone, since both diseases in fact locate preferentially at the same sites on the skeleton.

This clinical review confirms the very positive prognosis for endodontic therapy, conditional to strict compliance with imperatives. Endodontics failures are transient and can be remedied. The authors define the attitude to be adopted and the measures to be taken in accordance with the type of difficulty encountered.

From chromosome breaks observed in lymphocyte culture of patients with auto-immune diseases, the authors study the factors favouring the onset of these breaks, (clastogenic factor and superoxide radicle) and those which appear able to reduce them (D-penicillamine and dismutase superoxide). The therapeutic implications of these findings will be the object of later publications.

Destructive arthropathy of the shoulder is reviewed and the indications of total prothesis are briefly considered. It seems that the long term functional tolerance of destructive arthropathy of the shoulder is better than would be expected considering the radiological damage which is often substantial. The indications of shoulder prosthesis are dominated by rheumatoid polyarthritis and are infrequent in the other forms of these arthropathies.

A comparison of two series of patients with rhe,matic polyarthritis, the one (n = 140) treated with dosage equal to or higher than 900 mg, the other (n = 60) with dosage between 600 and 750 mg, did not reveal significant difference in clinical and biological efficacy. The number of side-effects was not significantly reduced by lower dosage, except for digestive tract disorders. A reduction of dosage does, therefore, not permit less strict supervision and monitoring for side-effects of treatment.

A vitamin D deficiency was observed in 22 women and 6 men aged 66 to 94 years, hospitalised in a long-stay department in the Paris region for an average of 5 years and incapable of going out. The diagnosis was confirmed by measuring serum 25 (OH) D: 1.89 +/- 0.18 ng/ml during the month of June (11.5 +/- 4.2 ng/ml at the same period in II healthy young adults). The patients were randomly divided into two groups of 11 (Group I) and 17 patients (Group II). The first group was given an improved diet in calcium and Vit. D; the second group received, in addition, an intramuscular supplement of 30 mg of Vit. D3 in monthly injections of 5 or 10 mg. The serum 25 (OH) D levels were measured each month in both groups. Patients with intramuscular supplements showed a slow rise until the total injected dose exceeded 20 mg, followed by a sudden rise to values greater than 30 ng/ml. Eight months after the last injection, mean serum 25 (OH) D was still 24.7 +/- 4.6 ng/ml compared to only 3.6 +/- 3 ng/ml in Group I. Vitamin D deficiency in geriatric patients cannot be corrected by dietary supplement alone, but parenteral Vit. D3 using an easily applicable therapeutic protocol is effective and well tolerated at the suggested dosage.

Thirty-one unrelated patients, 15-52 years old, were typed by microlymphocytotoxicity for 27 alleles of the HLA system. In addition, 12 families including 1 or more patient were also analysed. This criteria for diagnosis were those of Sohar et all. (Am. Intern. Med., 1967, 43, 227-253). All patients were of Israelite-Sephardin origin except two (Armenian and French); they were from North-Africa (Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria) and Israël. The results were compared to the antigen frequencies of 3 reference normal populations. The frequencies of the studied alleles do not differ from those of controls, except for HL-A28 and B14 slightly increased when compared to the normal frequencies. The study of 7 families with at least two sibs suffering from FMF shows a random distribution of the genotypes : 2 HLA identical, 6 different and 10 haploidentical diseased sibs. This distribution differs significantly (p less than 0.01) from that expected in the case of a recessive inheritance. These data do not support the hypothesis of a linkage between genes controlling FMF and HLA genes.

The presence of receptors, recognized by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as well as by PHI (a peptide with N-terminal histidine and C-terminal isoleucine amide), was documented in lung membranes from rat, mouse, guinea pig and man by the ability of these receptors, once occupied, to stimulate adenylate cyclase. In lung membranes from rat, mouse and guinea pig, the capacity of VIP, PHI and secretin to stimulate the enzyme and the potency of the same peptides to compete with 125I-VIP for binding to VIP receptors were similar, the affinity decreasing in the order: VIP greater than PHI greater than secretin. In addition, dose-effect curves were compatible with the coexistence of high-affinity and low-affinity VIP receptors, in the four animal species considered. If PHI was able to recognize all VIP receptors it could not, however, discriminate the subclasses of VIP receptors.

Helodermin, a newly isolated peptide from Gila Monster venom, is structurally related to VIP and secretin. When used as radioligand, [125I]helodermin bound rapidly and reversibly to crude rat liver membranes, the dissociation being accelerated by GTP. Competition binding curves of [125I]helodermin and [125I]VIP with unlabelled peptides showed the following order of decreasing affinity: VIP greater than helodermin greater than secretin greater than hpGRF(1-29)-NH2. The shape of binding curves and of concurrent adenylate cyclase activation is compatible with the specific labelling, by [125I]helodermin, of a class of high-affinity VIP receptors that is capable to stimulate adenylate cyclase.

Pyrithioxine, a chemical compound with several points in common with penicillinamine, was used for six months as the basic treatment in a series of 60 cases of rheumatoid arthritis, in a dose of 600 mg per day. The results were favourable in 60 per cent of cases, with a marked fall in articular index, a return to normal of sedimentation rate and, less commonly, negativisation of the Rose-Waaler reaction. Side effects were essentially cutaneo-mucosal (pruitus, rash) and necessitated the interruption of treatment in 16.5 per cent of cases. No complications were seen. Compared with penicillinamine, pyrithioxine appears to be less effective but better tolerated. The place of this new basic drug in the basic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis remains to be precisely determined.

Peridural anesthesia consists in impregnating by an anesthesic solution, through a lumbal puncture, the nervous radices at their emergence out of the dura mater. The authors detail the technique and its mishaps and accidents, the indications and counter-indications.

The efficacy and potency of secretin in rat heart was documented by comparing secretin and D,L-isoproterenol effects on: 1. the inotropic response of papillary muscles electrically stimulated in vitro, and 2. adenylate cyclase activity in a crude membrane preparation from heart ventricle. In male adult lean (FA/?) Zucker rats, the extent of the positive inotropic response and the stimulatory effect on adenylate cyclase were similar in magnitude for secretin and D,L-isoproterenol, the two corresponding EC50 values for inotropic effects being 5- to 10-fold lower than the EC50 values for adenylate cyclase stimulation. In male adult obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats, the stimulatory effects exerted by secretin on the inotropic response and adenylate cyclase activity were reduced by 73% and 70%, respectively, while the extent of similar D,L-isoproterenol responses were reduced, respectively, by 29% and 25% only. With D,L-isoproterenol, the EC50 value for the inotropic effect was 5-fold lower than the EC50 value for adenylate cyclase activation whereas both EC50 values were comparable when secretin was used as a stimulant.

One hundred ninety-five patients suffering from active rheumatoid arthritis were included in a two-week double blind multicentric study, whose purpose was to compare the efficacy and tolerance of a daily dose of 600 mg of pirprofen to that of 1200 mg and the placebo. The results show that there is a dose-effect relationship of definite clinical interest. Thus, the investigators judged the clinical results satisfactory in 60% of the patients in the 1200 mg group (400 mg t.i.d.) 44% of those in the 600 mg group and 36% of those on placebo. The difference is statistically significant (p less than 0.05). Side effects, primarily digestive, were noted in 34% of patients receiving 1200 mg/day, 15% of 600 mg/day and 32% placebo. 2 patients in the 1200 mg group interrupted their treatment for gastralgia and 1 patient on placebo for palpitations.

Whipple's disease is a systemic illness whose pathogenesis, which is still poorly understood, implies an infectious agent accessible to antibiotic therapy. The authors report a case which is made unusual by the manifold systemic manifestations, important eosinophilia and destructive nature of the joint lesions of the hips. The physiopathological mechanisms of ocular and cutaneous manifestations are considered. A dramatic improvement is obtained with tetracyclin.

The diterpene forskolin stimulated rat cardiac adenylate cyclase activity at least 20-fold and potentiated the effect of NaF. The stimulatory effect of forskolin was reduced in the presence of Gpp(NH)p. Ethanol markedly reduced the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin while potentiating NaF and Gpp(NH)p stimulation. The inhibitory effect of ethanol on forskolin stimulation appeared to be of a mixed type with both a competitive and a non-competitive component. Three other short-chain linear alcohols (methanol, propanol, butanol) also inhibited forskolin-stimulation, this effect being proportional to the number of carbon atoms.

The response of a crude particulate adenylate cyclase preparation from surgically removed human lung to guanine nucleotides, sodium fluoride, beta-adrenergic agonists, prostaglandins, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), secretin, and [Val5]secretin was investigated. The enzyme activity increased 5, 10, and 9-fold, respectively, with GTP, Gpp(NH)p, and sodium fluoride. This activity was stimulated (in the presence as well as in the absence of added GTP) by D,L-isoproterenol, L-epinephrine and L-norepinephrine, the relative potency of these agonists being compatible with the existence of beta-adrenoceptors of the beta2 subtype. Prostaglandins E1 and E2, but not PGF1alpha and PGF2alpha, stimulated the enzyme, PGE1 being at least 10 times more potent than PGE2. The biphasic pattern of stimulation of the same adenylate cyclase activity by VIP suggested the presence of high- and low-affinity VIP receptors coupled to the enzyme. This stimulation by VIP was not inhibited by secretin-(7-27). The stimulation of adenylate cyclase by secretin and [Val5]secretin was also biphasic, suggesting the coexistence of high- and low-affinity secretin receptors. Secretin-(7-27) was able to inhibit completely the secretin stimulation acting through high-affinity secretin receptors but exerted no effect on the stimulation operating through low-affinity secretin receptors, which might indicate that the latter receptors were in fact "VIP-preferring receptors". [Val5]secretin was also used to differentiate these peptide receptors, since its properties were more VIP-like than those of secretin.

This article reports research that tried to make the father's commitment to the child's development more apparent. Based in extensive research, they differenciated two groups of 17 babies: children brought up "only and primarily by the mother"; and children brought up "as much by the father as the mother" -- a balanced sample group regarding age and sex. The dependent variable was revealed by a check of observable relational and motor skills inside a day-care center: each child was watched for 10 minutes at each of ten sessions of recreational activity, for a total of 100 minutes. Factoral analysis of the relationships allows us to think that the child's behavior is influenced by the father's sharing the caregiving on 3 levels: motors skills, opening-up to playmates (peers), a healthy safe relationship with the adult. Interpreting this co-occurrence would now be worthwhile.

Since it was opened 18 months ago, the blood donor sampling Center at Orsay has used traditional means of advertising. However, although the results were satisfactory for the first year, they soon levelled off; and it was decided to adopt another approach, in the form a promotion campaign, including posters, brochures, cartoons... The campaign "Vive la Vie" has been limited to the immediate vicinity of Orsay. It was set up in such a way to enable the staff to implement it easily and progressively and thus precisely follow and record the results. The data are reported in this article. The advantages of the system are a two-step appeal which allows more persuasive information to be given; a graduated approach welcoming both the convinced and the more reluctant donors to the Centre; and the compiling of an index by means of the forms returned by the population.

The presence of receptors, recognized by Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) and Peptide having N-terminal Histidine and C-terminal Isoleucine amide (PHI), was documented in membranes from human right auricle and left ventricular cardiac muscle by the ability of these peptides to stimulate adenylate cyclase. The capacity of VIP and PHI to activate the enzyme was comparable, in auricle as well as ventricle membranes, the affinity of the system being moderately higher for VIP than for PHI. In auricles, dose-effect curves appeared compatible with the coexistence of high-affinity and low-affinity VIP receptors. PHI could not, however, discriminate these subclasses of VIP receptors.

This study involved three adult men and six elderly individuals (3 men and 3 women). Adult subjects served as the control group. All subjects were given one dose of 10 microCi of tritiated vitamin D3 (approximately 15 IU) per os. Blood samples were taken 5 min., 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, 120 h, 144 h, 168 h and 192 h after administration of vitamin D3. The concentrations of tritiated vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, its principal metabolite, were measured in each sample after extraction and purification by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition, two adult subjects and three elderly women subjects were given an identical dose of tritiated vitamin D3 approximately 10 days following the end of the initial experience. Blood samples were collected at the times indicated above and analyzed in identical fashion. The percentage of intestinal absorption of vitamin D3 and the amount of vitamin D3 metabolized to 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 were calculated as were the time constants for vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 disappearance curves. Review of these parameters confirmed that significant individual variations exist for intestinal absorption of vitamin D3. Study results did not furnish any evidence of a decrease in 25-hydroxylation of vitamin D3, nor any increase in the rate of disappearance of vitamin D3 or 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 which might explain the very low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, often found in aged persons.

Secretin stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in crude membrane preparations from right and left rat atria, when tested in the presence of the potentiating activator forskolin. Its maximal effect on adenylate cyclase activity was greater in the right atrium than in the left atrium but the peptide efficiency was lower, in both atria, than that of D,L-isoproterenol. Secretin stimulated the rate of contraction of the spontaneously beating right atrium, but less efficiently than D,L-isoproterenol. Although this positive chronotropic action of secretin was inhibited by D,L-propranolol, it was probably not mediated by the release of endogenous catecholamines as: a) the inhibitory effects of D- and L-propranolol were similar and b) the efficiency of secretin on the in vitro beating of right atrium was the same in control and reserpinized rats. Secretin stimulated the force of contraction of spontaneously beating right atrium, even in the presence of propranolol, i.e. when the chronotropic effect of secretin was abolished. The hormone exerted also a positive inotropic effect on the electrically stimulated rat atrium. This effect was blocked neither by tetrodotoxin nor by propranolol. When comparing the dose-effect curves of secretin and D,L-isoproterenol on adenylate cyclase activation on the one hand, and on the stimulation of rate and contractility on the other hand, it is tempting to suggest that cyclic AMP might be involved in the modulation by secretin of the mechanical properties of rat atria.