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This twin family study first aimed to investigate the evidence for genetic factors predicting the risk of lifetime prevalence of non-specific low back pain of at least three months duration (LBP (life)) and one-month current prevalence of thoracolumbar back pain (TLBP (current)) using a study of children, adolescents, and their first-degree relatives. Secondly, the study aimed to identify associations between pain in the back with pain in other regions and also with other conditions of interest. Randomly selected families (n = 2479) with child or adolescent twin pairs and their biological parents and first siblings were approached by Twins Research Australia. There were 651 complete twin pairs aged 6–20 years (response 26%). Casewise concordance, correlation, and odds ratios were compared for monozygous (MZ) and dizygous (DZ) pairs to enable inference about the potential existence of genetic vulnerability. Multivariable random effects logistic regression was used to estimate associations between LBP (life) or TLBP (current) as an outcome with the potentially relevant condition as predictors. The MZ pairs were more similar than the DZ pairs for each of the back pain conditions (all p values < 0.02). Both back pain conditions were associated with pain in multiple sites and with primary pain and other conditions using the combined twin and sibling sample (n = 1382). Data were consistent with the existence of genetic influences on the pain measures under the equal environments assumption of the classic twin model and associations with both categories of back pain were consistent with primary pain conditions and syndromes of childhood and adolescence which has research and clinical implications.

Resume But Ce travail visait a analyser l’insuffisance renale aigue au cours de l’asphyxie perinatale (APN) du nouveau-ne a terme dans une structure sanitaire urbaine au sud du Sahara. Patients et methodes Il s’est agi d’une etude prospective, realisee du 1er juin au 30 novembre 2013, portant sur les nouveau-nes a terme hospitalises au centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) pediatrique Charles-de-Gaulle pour une APN. L’insuffisance renale (IR) a ete definie par une creatininemie ≥ 90 μmol/L. Resultats Quatre-vingt-cinq des 120 cas hospitalises pour APN ont ete inclus, soit 19,8 % des nouveau-nes hospitalises de la periode d’etude. Le sex-ratio etait de 2,1. Trente-huit nouveau-nes (44,7 %) ont eu une IR. Leur creatininemie etait en moyenne de 153,8 ± 96,6 μmol/L. Vingt-six (68,4 %) d’entre eux avaient une atteinte cerebrale au stade 2 de Sarnat et 12 (31,6 %) au stade 3. Douze nouveau-nes avec IR (31,6 %) ont eu des crises convulsives. L’echographie transfontanellaire a revele une anomalie dans 30 (78,9 %) des cas d’IR. Parmi les 38 nouveau-nes avec une IR, une albuminurie etait presente dans 21 cas (65,2 %) et une leucocyturie dans 28 cas (73,7 %). L’evolution de la fonction renale a ete favorable dans 86,1 % des cas. Aucun des nouveau-nes avec une creatininemie initialement normale n’a eu d’IR en cours d’hospitalisation. Six nouveau-nes (7,1 %) sont decedes. Conclusion Cette etude montre que l’IR aigue est frequente au cours de l’APN et concerne surtout les nouveau-nes avec une atteinte neurologique severe. Dans notre contexte, une prise en charge plus precoce de la parturiente permettrait de mieux prevenir l’APN et donc l’IR aigue du nouveau-ne.

U(Mo) particles are obtained by centrifugal atomisation or by mechanical grinding fabrication processes and display microstructures which strongly influence the gas retention efficiency and consequently the behaviour of the fuel. Moreover, during fuel plate fabrication, a partial decomposition of the γ-U(Mo) phase toward the α-U and U2Mo phases can occur and is supposed to influence also the irradiation behaviour of the fuel. In situ X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments have been performed in order to study the γ-U(Mo) phase decomposition for two types of powders produced by the atomisation and the grinding routes. The present study allows assessing differences between these powders, in terms of γ-U(Mo) phase decomposition kinetics and mechanisms.

The necessity for Material Testing Reactors (MTRs) to use a low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel has leaded to the development of a dense fissile material based on γ-U(Mo) alloys. The designed fuel is a composite material, made of dispersed γ-U(Mo) particles embedded in an Al based matrix. Depending on the nature of the particles obtained with various fabrication processes (centrifugal atomisation or mechanical grinding), noticeable differences about gas retention capabilities and behaviour under irradiation of the fuel are observed [1, 2 ]. Up to now, no precise links between the microstructure of the fuel and its behaviour under irradiation have been established. Several methods of characterisation have then been developed, more particularly, to characterise various types of defects and the γ-U(Mo) phase stability, which are both supposed to influence the gas retention capacities of the fuel [1, [2] , [3] ]. Our method is based on a multi-scale approach, high temperature X-Ray diffraction experiments have first been carried out followed by observations using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-Ray diffraction has revealed being a pertinent tool in order to study the kinetic of decomposition of the γ-U(Mo) phase as a function of temperatures and times, for different kind of powders. TEM is also among one of these techniques and allows a microstructure characterisation at a grain size scale. It has required the development of an original protocol set up for producing thin sections from large particles introducing a minimum quantity of defects within the material. This protocol has provided first encouraging results with the observation of dislocations within different kind of U-(Mo) powder particles. Obtained results, in both cases, are also discussed together with the fabrication processes of the studied powders.

Resume Introduction et objectifs Les anticorps anticytoplasme des polynucleaires neutrophiles ( antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies [ANCA]) sont des marqueurs de vascularites (micropolyangeite [MPA], granulomatose avec polyangeite [GPA] et syndrome de Churg et Strauss [CSS]). Ils sont egalement trouves dans d’autres pathologies mais ils sont peu frequemment mis en evidence chez l’enfant. L’objectif de cette etude est de decrire les affections associees a la presence d’ANCA en pediatrie. Patients et methodes Tous les enfants âges de moins de 15 ans admis au centre hospitalier universitaire d’Angers de juin 2004 a juin 2010 pour lesquels le depistage des ANCA par immunofluorescence indirecte (IFI) s’etait avere positif ont ete inclus. La liste exhaustive de ces enfants a ete fournie par le laboratoire d’immunologie. Les donnees cliniques et biologiques ont ete colligees retrospectivement. Les six cibles antigeniques les plus frequentes (proteinase 3, myeloperoxydase, bactericidal permeability increasing protein , cathepsine G, elastase et lactoferrine) ont ete recherchees par methode Elisa. Resultats Trente-sept enfants avaient des ANCA positifs. Aucune des specificites antigeniques testees n’a ete trouvee chez 21 enfants. Les pathologies les plus frequemment associees etaient les maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l’intestin (MICI) ( n = 10), les infections ( n = 6), les maladies hematologiques ( n = 5) et les arthrites juveniles idiopathiques (AJI) ( n = 4). Les enfants atteints d’AJI avaient un profil immunologique homogene avec predominance d’anticorps de specificite anti-elastase. Conclusion Chez l’enfant, les cibles antigeniques et les pathologies associees sont differentes de celles de l’adulte. La recherche des ANCA chez l’enfant a un interet pour porter un diagnostic de vascularite systemique et pour differencier les MICI. Dans ce travail, des ANCA de specificite anti-elastase ont ete retrouves chez la majorite des patients atteints d’AJI, ce qui, a notre connaissance, n’a pas encore ete rapporte.

Dent's syndrome is a rare inherited tubulopathy. Factors influencing renal function in this disease are not well known. The aim of our study is to investigate the evolution of the Dent's syndrome in renal plan. The study was retrospective and conducted in 2006, concerning four brothers. The genetic defect was a mutation S244L missense in exon 6 of gene CLCN5. Various parameters were studied. Patients were 8.5 to 21-years-old at the beginning of the follow-up. Two of them had chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) which evolved, at least 7 years of moderate to terminal stage. Tubular signs were made of hypokalemia, hypercalciuria, hypophosphatemia and proteinuria mostly β2 microglobulin. Improvement of these abnormalities was obtained with symptomatic treatment which has not always been well tolerated. A case of beginner nephrocalcinosis was observed. There was size and weight delay at the beginning of patient monitoring. Dent's syndrome may be complicated by CRI. It seems to appear in the second decade of life and hypercalciuria would contribute to it. Our CRI patients had significant bone disease. The hypercalciuria and proteinuria are factors over which we try to act. Clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of treatment on the reduction of CRI or its progression by reducing these factors in patients with Dent's syndrome.

We recently demonstrated that Campylobacter jejuni produces a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) that is the major antigenic component of the classical Penner serotyping system distinguishing Campylobacter into >60 groups. Although the wide variety of C. jejuni serotypes are suggestive of structural differences in CPS, the genetic mechanisms of such differences are unknown. In this study we sequenced biosynthetic cps regions, ranging in size from 15 to 34 kb, from selected C. jejuni strains of HS:1, HS:19, HS:23, HS:36, HS:23/36 and HS:41 serotypes. Comparison of the determined cps sequences of the HS:1, HS:19 and HS:41 strains with the sequenced strain, NCTC11168 (HS:2), provides evidence for multiple mechanisms of structural variation including exchange of capsular genes and entire clusters by horizontal transfer, gene duplication, deletion, fusion and contingency gene variation. In contrast, the HS:23, HS:36 and HS:23/36 cps sequences were highly conserved. We report the first detailed structural analysis of 81-176 (HS:23/36) and G1 (HS:1) and refine the previous structural interpretations of the HS:19, HS:23, HS:36 and HS:41 serostrains. For the first time, we demonstrate the commonality and function of a second heptose biosynthetic pathway for Campylobacter CPS independent of the pathway for lipooligosaccharide (LOS) biosynthesis and identify a novel heptosyltransferase utilized by this alternate pathway. Furthermore, we show the retention of two functional heptose isomerases in Campylobacter and the sharing of a phosphatase for both LOS and CPS heptose biosynthesis.

It has long been recognized that where people live and work can be a relevant factor in helping to explain demographic behavior, yet the treatment of location in censuses and surveys remains surprisingly crude. Emphasis is still being given to the urban–rural dichotomy based on definitions that most countries around the world introduced 40 to 50 years ago and have modified little since. Given the increase in the complexity of settlement systems in recent decades in less developed as well as in more developed contexts, this simple classification is no longer adequate for examining the role of settlement in demographic processes. The time has come to rethink how settlement should be differentiated in population data collection and analysis. Contemporary technologies and methodologies make it possible to analyze spatially referenced data in ways that are more rapid and sophisticated than could have been imagined when the conventional approach was devised.

Selective pore formation can be electrochemically initiated on n-type InP(100) on presensitized surfaces. To create this presensitization, defect patterns were written into the surface by focused ion beam (FIB) implantation of Si ++ . These implant sites represent initiation sites for pore growth or for selective material dissolution in the patterns, if anodic polarization is carried out positive to the pore formation potential (PFP) of the defective surface but cathodic to the PFP of the intact surface. A variety of internal and external factors were found to influence the selectivity of the process. Parameters that significantly affect the morphology are polarization voltage, implantation dosage, the time and the anion present in the electrolyte. In the present work it is shown, that pore formation in 1 M HF only occurs for a small potential range and a certain dosage range of the implanted Si ++ ions. At other potentials or dosages, a homogenous dissolution of the implanted patterns takes place. Apart from direct selective porosification of InP surfaces, the process described can be used for a selective surface patterning.

Pore growth on n-type InP(100) can be electrochemically initiated in HCl and HF solutions by polarizing the material anodic to a critical potential value—the pore formation potential (PFP). At surface defects however, the PFP is significantly lower (shifted cathodically). This is evident from simple scratch experiments as well as experiments using focused ion beam (FIB) implantation of Si 2+ to write defined surface damage/implant patterns into n-type InP(100) substrates. These implant sites represent initiation sites for the onset of dissolution processes. Selective pore formation within the implant patterns is achieved if polarization of the n-type material is carried out anodic to the PFP corresponding to defects but cathodic to the PFP of the unimplanted surface. Furthermore, it is shown that the pore morphology depends strongly on the type of halogen acid present in the electrolyte. Scanning AES images show that the composition of the porous layers is strongly altered from the bulk composition.

Resume Objectif – L’objectif de cette etude etait de decrire l’attitude des equipes de reanimation neonatale devant un nouveau-ne en insuffisance renale terminale ou preterminale. Methode – Dans une enquete nationale par questionnaire menee aupres des centres de reanimation neonatale de France metropolitaine et dˈOutre-mer, il a ete demande aux medecins d’expliquer leur position de principe en face d’une insuffisance renale (pre-) terminale d’origine perinatale (Etes-vous favorable a la prise en charge de ces enfants dans un programme dialyse–transplantation ?). Deux observations de nouveau-nes avec insuffisance renale (pre-) terminale, morbidite neurologique associee et situation socioeconomique difficile etaient egalement proposees. Resultats – Le taux de reponse des centres universitaires a ete de 92 %. D’importantes differences dans la volonte de prendre en charge les nouveau-nes en insuffisance renale ont ete mises en evidence. Parmi les 34 equipes hospitalo-universitaires qui se sont exprimees, trois centres (9 %) avaient une vision tres positive pour accompagner ces nouveau-nes jusqu’a l’âge de la transplantation. A l’oppose, 11 centres (32 %) se prononcaient clairement, soit en faveur d’un retrait actif, soit d’une poursuite des soins palliatifs seuls sans inscription dans un programme de dialyse–transplantation. Entre ces deux extremes se situaient un groupe de huit centres (24 %) plutot favorables, et un autre groupe de 12 centres plutot reticents a la prise en charge (35 %). La decision etait toujours le fruit d’une discussion partagee entre les equipes de reanimation et le nephrologue pediatre. Les equipes des regions sanitaires de moins de 2,5 millions d’habitants se sont montrees globalement plus favorables a la prise en charge de ces nouveau-nes. Conclusion – Cette enquete met en evidence de grandes differences dans le souhait de prendre ou de ne pas prendre en charge un nouveau-ne en insuffisance renale terminale ou preterminale en France. Les raisons de ces divergences sont a la fois d’ordre ethique, medical et organisationnel du circuit de soins. L’impact epidemiologique de ces decisions perinatales pourrait etre important et concerner 20 % environ des insuffisances renales terminales de l’enfant.

This study aimed to analyze acute renal failure in perinatal asphyxia (PNA) of term newborns in a sub-Saharan urban health center.The study was prospective, conducted from 1st June to 30th November 2013 on term newborns hospitalized at the centre hospitalier universitaire pédiatrique Charles-de-Gaulle for PNA. Renal insufficiency (RI) was defined by a serum creatinine greater than or equal to 90 μmol/L.Eighty-five PNA cases were included, or 19.8% of newborns hospitalized in the study period. The sex ratio was 2.1. Thirty-eight newborns (44.7%) had RI. Their creatinine averaged 153.8±96.6 μmol/L. Twenty-six of 38 (68.4%) had brain damage in Sarnat stage 2 and 12 (31.6%) stage 3. Twelve newborns with RI (31.6%) had seizures. Transfontanellar echography revealed an abnormality in 30 cases (78.9%) of RI. Of the 38 newborns with renal failure, albuminuria was found in 21 cases (65.2%) and leukocyturia in 28 cases (73.7%). Renal function improved in 86.1% of cases. Newborns with initially normal serum creatinine had no RI during hospitalization. Six newborns (7.1%) died.This study showed that acute RI is common during PNA most particularly in newborns with severe neurological impairment. In our context, earlier support for women in labor could help prevent PNA and therefore newborn acute RI.

The demographic regime in western Europe and many other countries of the developed world is now very different from that of 30-40 years ago and is continuing to evolve. At the same time, settlement systems have been altering significantly in spatial structure, notably in terms of the emergence of polycentric urban configurations. This paper examines the nature of these two sets of changes and searches for linkages between them. First, it outlines the main features of the changing demographic regime. Secondly, it attempts to identify what constitutes 'polycentric urban regions' as opposed to traditional monocentric structures. Thirdly, it assesses how recent demographic developments relate to traditional urban structures and discusses whether they are more conformable with polycentric urban forms.

Pore formation on n-type GaAs(100) under anodic polarization in I M HCI has been studied. Focused ion beam implantation of Si 2+ into GaAs was used to write defined surface damage/implant patterns into the substrate. These implant sites represent initiation sites for pore growth and show pore formation at potentials significantly cathodic to the intact surface. Hence, pore growth within the patterns can be achieved selectively if anodic polarization is kept below the pore formation potential of the unimplanted surface. The results show that both the polarization potential and the implantation dose strongly influence the morphology and the photoluminescence behavior of the porous structures. Monte Carlo simulations of the implantation process revealed that the morphology of the etch process and its kinetics are both strongly connected to the implant/damage profile. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that green-light-emitting porous GaAs lift-off layers can be produced.

Cet ensemble de quatre volumes publies par l'OPCS/ONS (Office of Population Censures & Surveys/Office for National Statistics) est consacre a l'introduction d'une question directe sur l'origine ethnique, innovation significative du recensement de la population de la Grande Bretagne de 1991.

Resume Les uropathies malformatives diagnostiquees in utero sont en nombre sans cesse croissant. Ce travail decrit la strategie decisionnelle adoptee a Angers pour la prise en charge neonatale de ces anomalies. Patients et methode. — Cent enfants, nes entre 1988 et 1990, suspects en antenatal d'uropathie malformative, ont ete inclus dans l'etude et ont ete suivis pendant une periode de 3 ans. A la naissance, une echographie a ete realisee dans tous les cas. En cas de persistance de l'anomalie, une cystographie a ete effectuee dans la premiere semaine de vie. Une urographie intraveineuse et/ou une exploration isotopique renale ont ete pratiquees dans le courant du deuxieme mois de vie. Resultats. — Vingt-neuf enfants etaient normaux et 71 etaient atteints de 126 uropathies isolees ou associees entre elles, les plus frequentes etant le syndrome de jonction pyelo-ureterale (JPU) [48], les mega-ureteres [18] et les dysplasies multikystiques [13]. Un reflux vesico-ureteral etait associe dans 22 % des cas. Le diagnostic etait bien correle avec le diagnostic antenatal dans 50 % des cas, imparfait ou incomplet dans 9 % des cas, mal correle dans 41 % des cas. Quatorze des enfants normaux ont cu un controle echographique ulterieur, entre 2 et 9 mois. Trois d'entre eux ont presente secondairement un syndrome de JPU modere. Parmi les 48 syndromes de JPU, 22 % d'entre eux ont ete operes. Les autres uropathies obstructives sont reslees stables ou se sont spontanement ameliorees. Discussion. — Ces resultats nous amenent a discuter le grand nombre de dilatations pyelocalicielles antenatales de regression spontanee et la necessite d'etablir un consensus pour le seuil pathologique ante- et postnatal du diametre anteroposterieur du bassinet, l'interet d'effectuer une cystographie apres la naissance pour toutes dilatations des voies urinaires confirmees, l'interet des explorations isotopiques renates dans le diagnostic et le suivi des uropathies obstructives et l'absence d'urgence dans la prise en charge chirurgicale des uropathies. Conclusion. — Nous proposons un arbre decisionnel pour la conduite a tenir devant la decouverte d'une dilatation pyelocalicielle antenatale. Il peut etre un element de reflexion pour les equipes medicales prenant en charge ces uropathies en vue d'une attitude plus consensuelle.

Nuclear fuel plates based on a γU-Mo/Al mixture are proposed for research reactors. In this work their thermal behavior in the [425; 550°C] temperature range has been studied mainly by neutron and high energy X-ray diffraction. Even if complementary studies will be necessary, the kinetics of first the growth of the interaction layer between γU-Mo and Al and second of the γU-Mo destabilization have been accurately measured. This basic work should be helpful for defining manufacturing conditions for fuel plates with optimized composition.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are usually considered as serological markers of vasculitis (microscopic polyangiitis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and Churg-Strauss syndrome), but they have also been described in other diseases. They are rarely observed in children. Therefore, this study aims to describe the clinical spectrum associated with positive ANCA in children.All the children below 15 years of age, admitted to the Angers University Hospital between June 2004 and June 2010 presenting with an ANCA-positive test by indirect immunofluorescence were included in this study. The exhaustive list of ANCA-positive children was obtained from the immunology unit. Six antigenic targets were routinely tested by Elisa, i.e., proteinase 3, myeloperoxidase, bactericidal permeability increasing protein, cathepsin G, elastase, and lactoferrin. Clinical and biological data were retrospectively collected.Thirty-seven children were identified with positive ANCA in this 6-year period. None of the antigenic targets tested was found in 21 patients. The most frequent diseases associated were inflammatory bowel disease (n=10), infections (n=6), hematological disease (n=5), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (n=4). Patients with JIA presented with a predominance of antielastase antibodies.In contrast to the findings usually observed in adults, we obtained a wide spectrum of clinical entities associated with positive ANCA in this cohort. In children, the ANCA test has 2 advantages: to diagnose systemic vasculitis and to differentiate inflammatory bowel disease. Patients with JIA seemed to have more frequent antielastase antibodies: in the future, this finding should be further investigated in larger prospective studies.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections in children but Haemophilus is rarely involved. In our institution, only 3 children below the age of 15 years presented with UTI due to Haemophilus influenzae between January 2010 and October 2011. These children had typical symptoms of UTI: fever, abdominal pain and dysuria. In all 3 patients, standard urinalysis remained negative, but H. influenzae was found after bacterial growth in special media, i.e., blood agar (or chocolate agar). These patients had abnormalities of the urinary tract. The first patient, a 5-year-old girl, had a right ureteropelvic junction syndrome found after her UTI. The second, a 4-year-old girl, had a bilateral ureteral duplication found after many UTIs. The third, a 2-month-old boy, had a right ureteropelvic junction syndrome that had been diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound. In our hospital, during the study period, the prevalence of UTI caused by Haemophilus was 0.02% of all pediatric UTIs. There are few reports in the literature on UTI caused by Haemophilus in children (1%): they are frequently associated with urinary tract abnormalities. The bacterium is not able to grow in usual media, so that when there is a clinical UTI with Gram negative bacilli on the direct exam but not found in the culture, an infection with Haemophilus should be discussed, and blood agar used, which is all the more important when there are underlying abnormalities of the urinary tract.

The counterurbanisation decade of the 1970s appears to have been followed by a period of more mixed trends in migration between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. This author examines the experience of Great Britain against the background of developments reported for other countries. The British Census small-area statistics are used to calculate 1981–91 rates of population change for a typology of local labour-market areas in order to test for the existence of population deconcentration, and the results are compared with the rates for the three previous intercensal decades. Annual population estimates are then used to examine the migration component of 1981–91 population change and to investigate the extent and timing of fluctuations in growth rates since the early 1960s. The results indicate that the differentials in the population growth rate between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan Britain narrowed somewhat between the 1970s and the 1980s, but the negative relationship between urban status and population change remained very clear. Moreover, contrary to the experience of the USA and a number of European countries, in the mid-1980s Britain saw a resurgence of nonmetropolitan growth which had widespread impact across the country. These results raise questions which can in part be addressed by in-depth research on the 1991 Census and related data sets.

This is the second in a two-yearly series of papers which examines key aspects of urban and regional demographic change in the developed world....This paper draws on the wealth of recent studies....The first section outlines the problems faced in the study of international migration....The second section identifies the principal developments which have taken place over the last 20 years highlighting the increasing volume of international movement the trends in the types and geographical patterns of migration and the contextual changes which lie behind these shifts. The third section examines the demographic impact of these movements in terms of both direct and indirect effects on population size composition and distribution. (EXCERPT)

Despite being the hearth of mass urbanization, Europe still possesses a substantial rural population, whether the latter is measured on the basis of non-urban settlements or the characteristics of larger statistical areas. Moreover, on the latter definition, there are many parts of rural Europe that have been gaining population in recent years, notably in the western as opposed to the eastern half and close to metropolitan centres rather than in more remote regions. The chapter goes on to show that, while natural-change differences help to explain the weakness associated with both remoteness and a post-socialist context, migration is the dominant driver of regional diversity across rural Europe. The following two sections therefore deal respectively with rural out-migration, especially the exodus of young adults, and rural in-migration, including the contribution of retirees, the non-elderly and international labour migrants. The concluding section discusses the policy implications and suggests an agenda for future research.

This case study describes a patient who developed peanut allergy following lung transplantation. A 54-year-old woman underwent bilateral lung transplantation on June 2009 owing to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She had no history of food allergy before transplantation. The donor, however, was a 20-year-old man who was fatally injured during an automobile accident; he was allergic to peanuts. At 3 months after transplantation, the lung recipient presented with acute dyspnea and urticaria 15 minutes after consuming food containing peanut derivatives. Pre- and posttransplantation recipient blood samples analyzed for the presence of IgE antibodies specific for peanut allergens confirmed that the allergy had been passively transfered as a consequence of transplantation. Food allergy following solid organ transplantation is thought to be rare, mostly occurring in children. Two mechanisms may explain the observations described for the patient reported in this study: de novo development of peanut allergies after transplantation, or passive transfer of peanut allergies from a peanut-sensitized organ donor. This case report documenting pre- and posttransplantation IgE status in a lung transplantation case suggested that the allergic status of organ donors should be thoroughly assessed before transplantation, and potential allergy transfer risks must be discussed with the transplant team and the patient.

Dent's syndrome is a rare inherited tubulopathy. Factors influencing renal function in this disease are not well known. The aim of our study is to investigate the evolution of the Dent's syndrome in renal plan. The study was retrospective and conducted in 2006, concerning four brothers. The genetic defect was a mutation S244L missense in exon 6 of gene CLCN5. Various parameters were studied. Patients were 8.5 to 21-years-old at the beginning of the follow-up. Two of them had chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) which evolved, at least 7 years of moderate to terminal stage. Tubular signs were made of hypokalemia, hypercalciuria, hypophosphatemia and proteinuria mostly β2 microglobulin. Improvement of these abnormalities was obtained with symptomatic treatment which has not always been well tolerated. A case of beginner nephrocalcinosis was observed. There was size and weight delay at the beginning of patient monitoring. Dent's syndrome may be complicated by CRI. It seems to appear in the second decade of life and hypercalciuria would contribute to it. Our CRI patients had significant bone disease. The hypercalciuria and proteinuria are factors over which we try to act. Clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of treatment on the reduction of CRI or its progression by reducing these factors in patients with Dent's syndrome.

We present a four-channel wavelength division demultiplexing detector using the principle of quantum confined Stark effect. This device is based on a ridge waveguide GaAs–AlGaAs single quantum well graded index separate confinement heterostructure. Four detectors are fabricated sequentially along the wave guide and their band gaps are tuned to progressively smaller values by applying progressively larger reverse bias voltages. Thus each detector responds preferably to one of the four input wavelengths. For transverse electric polarization, better than −10 dB crosstalk was achieved with a 14 nm wavelength separation. When operated as a three-channel device, better than −15 dB crosstalk was achieved with a 18 nm wavelength separation. For transverse magnetic polarization, better than −10 dB crosstalk was achieved with a 16 nm wavelength separation. We also present a theoretical study that leads to the optimization of the device.

The authors report a four-channel wavelength-division-demultiplexing detector based on a reverse-biased GaAs/AlGaAs single-quantum-well graded index separate confined heterostructure laser having segmented contacts. They achieve better than -15-dB channel crosstalk for three-wavelength operation, and better than -10-dB crosstalk for four-wavelength operation. The optimum wavelength separation is 18 nm for three channels and 14 nm for four channels. The authors show that by optimizing the segment lengths better performance can be obtained from the same layer structure. >

This is the first in a planned series of review essays on urban and regional demographic trends in developed countries. Two recent trends are identified. "One is the acceleration of population ageing resulting primarily from the decline in fertility rates since the early 1960s. The other relates to changes in the size and composition of households consequent upon lower fertility rising divorce rates and other sources of household fission. The remainder of the paper investigates the recent literature on the changing urban and regional distribution of population with particular reference to the latest trends in concentration and deconcentration...." (EXCERPT)

The principal results of the third and latest Booming Towns study are presented. The patterns of local economic performance across Britain's 280 local labour market areas for the late 1980s are examined and the degree of variation within regions compared with that between regions. In particular, the extent to which the economic recovery which began in London around 1983 penetrated across the country over this period is assessed and the effects of this process on the scale of the North-South divide are investigated.

In this paper the value of the Booming Towns approach to ranking local areas on the basis of their economic performance is assessed. More specifically, detailed methodological issues, such as the choice of appropriate areal units, the selection of indicator variables, and the manner of combining and ranking indicators to derive synthetic indices are discussed, with reference to possible alternative approaches.

Pore growth on n-type GaAs (100) can be initiated in 1 M HCl solution by electrochemical polarization of the material anodic to a critical potential value—the pore formation potential (PFP). At surface defects, however, the PFP is significantly lower (shifted cathodically). Focused ion beam, implantation of Si++ was used to create defined patterns in the substrate. At these implant sites, the growth of porous GaAs was selectively achieved by polarization below the overall PFP. From the porous GaAs patterns visible photoluminescence at green-yellow wavelengths can be observed. This technique, thus, allows the production of light emitting porous GaAs micropatterns of arbitrary shape by a direct writing process.