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Streptococcus thermophilus is a lactic acid bacterium widely used for the production of fermented dairy products. The two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) protein profile was obtained from three independent analyses of 2-DE gels of soluble proteins of the strain PB18. About 270 spots were detected by silver staining and the average molecular weight and isoelectric point of each protein spot were calculated to be 41 600 and 5.2, respectively. Twelve proteins were purified by chromatographic techniques because their concentration was too low for direct sequencing from blots. Eleven were located in the PB18 2-DE profile after silver staining. These preliminary results contribute to the setting up of a two-dimensional image (or reference map) of the proteins from S. thermophilus in order to identify and compare strains of various origin or to follow metabolic process such as stress. Bidimensional autoradiographs of two strains (PB18 and ST105) of S. thermophilus grown in exponential phase at 42 degrees C with [35S]methionine were compared with an image analysis system. Among the eleven located proteins in the 2-DE silver-stained profile, nine were found in PB18 and eight in ST105 autoradiographs. One protein was specific to PB18. The eight proteins could play the role of internal 2-D PAGE markers of p/ and Mr for S. thermophilus.

Evoked potential mapping is a convenient technique to describe brain electrical activity using pictorial representation. A new interpolation method based on the diffuse approximation is applied to represent evoked potential distribution over the skull. The method retains most of the attractive features of the finite-element method but does not require explicit elements. In the simulation examples, the human head is assumed to be a single-layer sphere with homogeneous conductivity, and Ary eccentricity transformation is considered to approximate the more realistic three-shell model. The patterns shown in the computed maps suggest the ability of the proposed method to extract coherent information from the data from different electrodes. In the application protocol, visual evoked potentials are used to test the method with a realistic head shape.

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the clinical thrombo-embolic risk in laparoscopic digestive surgery. The study prospectively included 2384 patients, who underwent surgery between April 1991 and June 1997. All patients received peri-operative Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) thromboprophylaxis. This regimen was administered until the patients resumed normal ambulatory activity. Eight cases of phlebitis were observed (3.36/1000), but no pulmonary embolism was noted. In six out of eight cases, the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis was established after cessation of LMWH delivery, after the patients were discharged home, and before day postoperative 10. Pneumoperitoneum predisposes to deep vein thrombosis formation. Long operations, and reverse Trendelenburg are aggravating factors. In laparoscopy, heparin thromboprophylaxis has to be identical to that of open conventional surgery; i.e. appropriate for the potential risks and must be delivered for a duration of 7 to 10 days. We recommend the use of graduated compression stockings, to reduce intra-abdominal pressure and the duration of reverse Trendelenburg, and to perform intermittent exsufflation.

The boundary layer transition along the attachment line of a smooth swept circular cylinder in hypersonic flow is investigated in a blowdown wind tunnel. A wide range of spanwise Mach numbers Me (3.28 to 6.78) is covered with the help of different models at several sweep angles (60 degrees less than or equal to Lambda less than or equal to 80 degrees). The transition is indirectly detected by means of heat flux measurements. The influence of the wall to stagnation temperature ratio is investigated by cooling the model with liquid nitrogen.

To restore full genomic integrity in a eukaryotic cell, DNA repair processes have to be coordinated with the resetting of nucleosomal organization. We have established a cell‐free system using Drosophila embryo extracts to investigate the mechanism linking de novo nucleosome formation to nucleotide excision repair (NER). Closed‐circular DNA containing a uniquely placed cisplatin–DNA adduct was used to follow chromatin assembly specifically from a site of NER. Nucleosome formation was initiated from a target site for NER. The assembly of nucleosomes propagated bidirectionally, creating a regular nucleosomal array extending beyond the initiation site. Furthermore, this chromatin assembly was still effective when the repair synthesis step in the NER process was inhibited.

We describe a case of full monosomy 21 which was prenatally diagnosed in chorionic villi by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Because of intrauterine fetal death, a curettage was performed and cytogenetic analysis of skin fibroblasts confirmed the presence of monosomy 21 in fetal cells. DNA investigations showed a paternal origin of the single chromosome 21. Inspection and autopsy of the fetus revealed several congenital malformations. Some of them have been reported in earlier studies of monosomy 21; others concern new observations. Regarding the eye, the following abnormalities were microscopically observed: absence of the anterior and posterior eye chambers, aniridy, a hypoplastic ciliary body, Peter's anomaly, and a double retina with secondary dysplasia. In addition, malformations of the extremities were seen: partial, proximal syndactyly of digits 3 and 4 of the right hand; pes varus position of the right foot; and transverse reduction defect at the tarsals of the left foot. To our knowledge, this is the first case in which full monosomy 21 has been proven.

Attachment line boundary layer transition on swept cylinders is studied in a low enthalpy hypersonic wind tunnel at M(x) = 7.14. Sweep angles of 60 degrees and 70 degrees are used and transition is detected by means of heat flux measurements. The influence on attachment line transition of single 2D-roughness elements, in the form of tripwires or slots, as well as 3D obstacles is determined and the results are analyzed with respect to Poll's criterion.

A fetus with transverse limb reduction defects and jejunal atresia after exposure to chorionic villus sampling (CVS) at 9 weeks of amenorrhoea is described. A theory involving disruption of end-arteries due to the CVS procedure is suggested.

Combined color-coded Doppler and pulsed Doppler ultrasonography allows visualization of the fetal pulmonary circulation and study of pulmonary blood flow velocity waveforms. Systolic and diastolic changes were observed in fetal pulmonary artery flow velocity waveforms in a case of fetal pulmonary hypoplasia at 34 weeks of gestation. This observation supports our hypothesis that Doppler velocimetry can detect lung hypoplasia based on post- mortem examination of decreased total size of the pulmonary vascular bed, decreased number of pulmonary vessels per unit lung tissue and increased pulmonary vascular muscularization.

Experimental materno-embryonic transfusions with serum that is immunologically active against blood group antigens cause congenital malformations in the rat embryo. In view of the possible increased incidence of vascular disruptive syndromes after chorionic villus sampling (CVS), we investigated the occurrence of materno-fetal transfusions (MFTs) in this procedure. In 18 pregnant women experiencing two needle introductions at CVS, we looked immunohistochemically at the presence of haemoglobin A1-containing maternal erythrocytes in the fetal circulation of the separately collected first and second chorionic villus samples. In 4 of 18 patients (22 per cent), a significant increase of maternal cells was observed in the second sample compared with the first sample, indicating the occurrence of MFT by CVS. On the rare occasion of maternal immunization against fetal antigens, a CVS-associated MFT might provoke immunological damage to the fetus.

Estrogens are the major steroids produced by equine gonads. To identify the cells responsible for estrogen synthesis, an antiserum against purified equine testicular cytochrome P450 aromatase was produced in rabbits. The reactivity and specificity of the antiserum were assessed by ELISA, immunoblot analysis, and immunoneutralization studies. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that in the male gonad, cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom) was localized in the interstitial tissue, whereas, under the experimental conditions used, the Sertoli and germ cells did not show any specific staining. In the ovary, the granulosa cells of small follicles exhibited faint immunofluorescent staining for P450arom and the granulosa cells of large, viable more follicles showed a high degree of immunoreactivity. In the corpus luteum, all the luteinized cells showed immunoreactivity. No immunoreactivity was detected in other cells of small and large viable follicles. Immunolocalization of P450arom in the equine testicular Leydig cells and in ovarian granulosa and luteinized cells indicates that these cells have the ability to metabolize androgens to estrogens and possibly to catechol estrogens.

At 20 weeks of gestation, a typical combination of a massive enlargement of the right fetal leg and multiple cystic lesions was detected at ultrasound examination. Color-coded Doppler examination revealed no arteriovenous fistulae. These findings allowed an in utero diagnosis of the Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome, which was confirmed after subsequent termination of the pregnancy. The severe malformation involved the upper and lower right leg. No arteriovenous fistulae were found.

Use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations. Spina bifida aperta has been linked specifically to valproic acid (VPA) (estimated risk, 1 to 2%). The actual risk, the exclusive association of VPA with spina bifida and not anencephaly, and the precise causative relation remain matters of discussion. A prospective cohort study of pregnant women with epilepsy receiving AEDs and referred for prenatal diagnosis before week 22 of gestation was conducted, with follow-up to 3 months after birth. Pregnancies (291 singleton and 6 twin) in 261 women were evaluated. The prevalence of anomalies after exposure to any AED was 6.9%. For fetuses exposed to VPA, the prevalence was 9.4%, including six cases of spina bifida, two of which were in monozygotic twins (giving a prevalence rate of 6.3%, or 5.4%, if twins counted as one). Spina bifida was associated with a significantly higher average daily dose of VPA as compared with pregnancies with normal outcome (1.640 +/- 136 mg/d vs 941 +/- 48 mg/d, p = 0.0001). No relation was observed between the occurrence of spina bifida and type of maternal seizure or epilepsy, family history of epilepsy or neural-tube defects, or medical history. From these results we suggest that when the use of VPA during pregnancy cannot be avoided, the teratogenic risk might be diminished by reduction of the daily dose.

To determine correlates of condom use in adolescent males, we administered a sexual behavior questionnaire to 105 urban males attending a general adolescent clinic. The mean age was 16.5 +/- 1.6 years, and all reported heterosexual activity during the prior 3 months. Condom use was significantly (p less than 0.05) associated with perceived hassle of use (Spearman's rho = -0.40), perception of girlfriend's attitude toward condoms (rho = -0.36), self-confidence in correct use (rho = 0.26), younger age (rho = 0.25), reported degree of exposure to sexually transmitted disease (STD) education (rho = 0.23), perceived condom safety (rho = 0.23), and perceived risk of STD if not wearing a condom (rho = 0.21). Using stepwise multiple regression, four variables explained a significant amount of variation in condom use: perceived hassle of use, perceived girlfriend's attitude toward condom use, age, and self-confidence in correct use (adjusted R2 = 0.28, p less than 0.001). Intention to use free condoms was significantly (p less than 0.05) associated with past use (rho = 0.63), girlfriend's attitude toward use (rho = -0.46), self-confidence in correct use (rho = 0.36), perceived hassle (rho = -0.31), and degree of exposure to STD education (rho = 0.25). Three variables in a regression model explained a significant amount of variation in intent to use free condoms: self-reported past use, girlfriend's attitude, and self-confidence in correct use (adjusted R2 = 0.51, p less than 0.001).

• This study investigated reasons for adolescents' attrition from school-sponsored sports teams and the relationship between attrition and intention to participate in organized and nonorganized sports in the future. Of 674 high school student athletes, 26% dropped off at least one team in 1989-1990, and overall attrition increased to 29.8% when attrition from more than one sport was considered. Attrition was higher among black students, students reporting an athletic injury, those injured playing football, and those sustaining a knee injury. Injury was cited as the most frequent reason for attrition, followed by being cut from the team, "other reasons," needing to get a job, inconvenient game or practice schedule, and needing more time to study, although the main reason for attrition also varied by sport. When athletes were classified according to externally precipitated attrition, athlete-initiated attrition, or completion of the sports season, no differences were noted in the three groups' intent to engage in organized sports in the future. However, the group with externally precipitated attrition expressed a stronger intent to engage in nonorganized sports in the future than the other two groups. ( AJDC . 1991;145:1119-1123)

During etomidate-N2O vecuronium anaesthesia for appendectomy, three groups of 13 children received fentanyl as a 10 micrograms.kg-1 loading dose and 2 micrograms.kg-1 increments in Group F, alfentanil as a 100 micrograms.kg-1 initial loading dose and either 20 micrograms.kg-1 increments in Group AB or 1 microgram.kg-1.min-1 continuous infusion in Group AI. On the basis of intraoperative heart rate changes, the opioid regimen was less efficient in Group AB (P less than 0.05). Based upon equianalgesic cumulative dosage, the alfentanil/fentanyl potency ratio was in the range of 1/10 to 1/13. The awakening time was similar in all groups, as were the duration of postoperative analgesia, the incidence of postoperative pain and the incidence of nausea and vomiting. We conclude that high-dose alfentanil is as efficient as fentanyl for intra and postoperative analgesia in children undergoing appendectomy.

Etomidate pharmacokinetics were compared in 12 children (P group) (age 7 to 13 years, weight 22 to 48 kg) and in 4 adult women (A group) (age 28 to 52 years, weight 46 to 72 kg), A.S.A. 1, undergoing minor non abdominal surgery. They were unpremedicated and anaesthetized with alfentanil 100 micrograms.kg-1, and isoflurane 2 vol % in N2O/O2 (1/1). Etomidate was administered as a bolus: 0.3 mg.kg-1 in adults and 0.4 mg.kg-1 in children. Venous plasma samples were frozen until further etomidate assay with a HPLC technique. In all patients but two children, data were fitted to a three rather than a two compartment model. Differences between groups (mean +/- SD values) included Vdc (P: 0.66 +/- 0.31 l.kg-1; A: 0.27 +/- 0.15 l.kg-1; p less than 0.01), t1/2 pi (P: 5.4 +/- 2.9 min; A: 2.7 +/- 5.7 min; p less than 0.05) and plasma clearance (P: 17.2 +/- 4.6 ml.kg-1.min-1; A: 10.9 +/- 3.3 ml.kg-1.min-1; p less than 0.05). No statistical difference was found between A and P groups for the following parameters: t1/2 alpha (37.1 +/- 12.0 min vs 26.8 + 15.1 min), t1/2 beta (260 +/- 99 min vs 175 +/- 99 min), Vdss (2.5 +/- 1.11.kg-1 vs 2.8 +/- 1.61.kg-1), Vd beta (4.1 +/- 2.41.kg-1 vs 4.0 +/- 2.21.kg-1), and MRT (228 +/- 80 min vs 172 +/- 101 min). No age-related difference was found inside P group with regard to pharmacokinetic parameters. In conclusion, a 30% higher etomidate bolus dosage is required in children than in adults to achieve similar plasma concentrations, due to a higher volume of the initial compartment. In comparison to adults the higher clearance suggests higher maintenance dose requirements in children.

• This study investigated the relationships between the findings from a standardized preparticipation athletic examination, the sport played, and athletic injuries requiring treatment by a physician and/or requiring the athlete to miss one or more games. Of public high school students receiving a preparticipation athletic examination during the 1989-1990 academic year, 674 (56%) either completed a telephone interview or returned a mailed questionnaire at the end of the academic year. The sample consisted of 408 (60.5%) blacks and 243 (36.1%) whites; 470 (69.7%) of the subjects were males. The subjects ranged in age from 13 to 20 years (mean ± SD, 16.1 ±1.2 years), and participated in at least 10 school sports. Injuries were reported by 29.5% of the athletes. The highest proportion of athletes injured occurred among male football (36.3%), female basketball (33.3%), male baseball (19.4%), male soccer (17.2%), and female track and field (15.8%) participants. Responses by the athletes and their parents on the standardized health history were significantly associated with injuries in several specific areas. Knee injuries were associated with previous knee injuries, knee surgery, and history of injuries requiring medical treatment. Ankle injuries were associated with previous ankle injuries and previous injuries requiring medical treatment. Both arm and other leg injuries were associated with previous fractures. Male athletes with either abnormal knee or ankle findings. from the physical examination were more likely to injure the knee or ankle, respectively. However, the sensitivities and positive predictive values of these relationships are weak. These data suggest that the preparticipation athletic examination may not predict certain athletic injuries and that additional prevention efforts for specific body areas of injury are needed in certain sports. (AJDC. 1992;146:85-91)

(1989). Hemingway's the Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. The Explicator: Vol. 47, No. 3, pp. 44-47.

The "in flight" saturated absorption technique is extended to the measurement of hyperfine structure splittings of a non-resonant transition in a free ion. Structures spreading over several ten gigahertz are analysed with an instrumental linewidth of 150 MHz. The measured hyperfine structure constants A and B for the (4p 5 5s) 3/2 [3/2]2 0 and (4p 5 5p) 3/2 [1/2]1 levels of Rb+ are interpreted with resonable accuracy within the traditional semi empirical framework. Further theoretical development will however become necessary as soon as more results of the same precision will be available for several levels of the same configurations.

In the stallion testis, aromatase activity was localized in the microsomal fraction. Androgen aromatization occurred through the loss of 1 beta,2 beta hydrogen atoms and appeared to involve free sulfhydryl groups. A single enzyme system seemed to aromatize androgen and norandrogen at the same rate while having a much lower affinity for norandrogens.

Hyperfine structure of several rovibronic transitions in the B-X system of B79r2 has been analyzed and the quadrupolar and nuclear spin rotation hyperfine coupling constants have been obtained. A strong hyperfine predissociation effect has been observed for the first time in Br2 and the related hyperfine and rotational parameters were determined in the B(0u+)ν′ = 11 level.

The authors have observed zero-field quantum beats between hyperfine levels in the 3p 3P term of 14N IV. They obtain an A value of 705+or-30 MHz for this term.

During bacterial multiplication, Listeria monocytogenes (strain EGD) secretes sulfhydryl-dependent cytotoxin, termed listeriolysin O, a virulence factor presumable promoting intracellular growth of this ubiquitous pathogen. The role of this exotoxin in the process of T cell activation was studied in vivo during the course of an experimental infection in the mouse. By using highly purified listeriolysin O, it was found that infection with viable, replicative bacteria induced in vivo the emergence of T cells specifically reacting against this exotoxin, as demonstrated by eliciting the expression of delayed-type hypersensitivity to listeriolysin O in Listeria-immune mice. The kinetics of this inflammatory reaction followed the same pattern as that observed with crude Listeria antigenic preparation classically used for the detection of delayed-type hypersensitivity, with a peak of expression by day 6 and a slow decline over the next 3 wk to a residual level, indicating the presence of memory T cells reacting with the exotoxin. This result, therefore, allowed us to identify for the first time that a pure immunogenic molecule secreted by L. monocytogenes is specifically recognized by sensitized T cells induced during the course of infection by L. monocytogenes. The expression of T cell-mediated immunity to listeriolysin O was generated by very low amounts of replicative bacteria, indicating that the exotoxin released in host tissues during the process of intracellular growth is highly immunogenic. Our data favor the view that the binding of listeriolysin O to the membrane cholesterol might be a critical event potentiating the in vivo expression of delayed sensitivity against this exotoxin. Indeed, the insertion of listeriolysin O into the cell membrane induced resistance to enzymatic proteolysis and membrane-bound listeriolysin O was significantly more effective in inducing delayed inflammatory reaction in Listeria-immune mice.

We review the field of lifetime measurements on ions using fast beams selectively excited by fixed frequency and tunable CW lasers. These experiments involve the sampling of fluorescent intensities as a function of the separation between the selective excitation region and the detection region. Three variations of the FIBLAS (Fast Ion Beam-Laser Spectroscopy) technique are described. Two of these methods are time-of-flight measurements employing either crossed or collinear beam geometries. The third method, which is new, also uses the collinear beam arrangement but avoids any mechanical motion of either the excitation or detection regions in contrast to the other FIBLAS methods. All three methods are capable of determining excited state lifetimes to 1% or better.

The in vivo induction of T cell-mediated immunity was studied by infecting mice with two genetically closely related mutants from Listeria monocytogenes, differing only with respect to the secretion of an active SH-dependent hemolysin. It is shown that even minute doses of hemolytic bacteria capable of growing in host tissues easily induced the expression of T cell-mediated immunity, as estimated by the level of delayed sensitivity, adoptive protection and long-lasting immunological memory. On the contrary, nonhemolytic bacteria unable to multiply in host tissues totally failed to initiate the expression of T cell-mediated immunity in vivo. This failure was even observed when mice were repeatedly infected by high doses of nonhemolytic bacteria, allowing to maintain a significant amount of viable bacteria for several days in host tissues. These results mean that the presence of viable bacteria at a significant level in the host is not sufficient per se to induce detectable T cell clonal expansion in the in vivo setting, implying that the process of bacterial growth inside macrophages is required to initiate in vivo the expression of T cell-mediated immunity.

DNA repair in the eukaryotic cell disrupts local chromatin organization. To investigate whether the resetting of nucleosomal arrays can be linked to the repair process, we developed model systems, with both Xenopus egg extract and human cell extracts, to follow repair and chromatin assembly in parallel on circular DNA templates. Both systems were able to carry out nucleotide excision repair of DNA lesions. We observed that UV-dependent DNA synthesis occurs simultaneously with chromatin assembly, strongly indicating a mechanistic coupling between the two processes. A complementation assay established that chromatin assembly factor I (CAF1) is necessary for this repair-associated chromatin formation.

By immunoblotting with an antiserum raised against purified listeriolysin O, we have detected the presence of a truncated protein of 52 kilodaltons in culture supernatants of a Tn1545-induced nonhemolytic mutant of Listeria monocytogenes (J.L. Gaillard, P. Berche, and P. Sansonetti, Infect. Immun. 52:50-55, 1986). The region of insertion of the transposon has been cloned and sequenced. The transposon had inserted in an open reading frame the listeriolysin O gene. The deduced amino acid sequence of this open reading frame revealed that listeriolysin O is homologous to streptolysin O and pneumolysin, although homologies were not detectable at the DNA level.

A hemodialyzed woman with radiologically and histologically proven osteomalacia presents a spontaneous fracture that is associated with aluminium intoxication. The hyperalbuminemia (16,6 mumol/1) was not caused by the aluminium contained in the dialysate fluid but by oral ingestion of aluminium gel in a patient presenting hyperabsorption of this metal. Increased absorption could be demonstrated by oral administration of aluminium hydroxide (2 x 12 g A1 (OH)3 spread over 48 hrs) whereas the same test failed to reveal hyperabsorption in two other hemodialyzed patients. The precise mechanism of increased absorption of aluminium is not known. It is concluded that increased digestive absorption of aluminium should be investigated in patients with kidney failure treated with aluminium gel and presenting high blood levels of this metal.

A minor and benign encephalitogenic reactions was observed in the days following administration of suckling mouse brain anti-rabies vaccine. The syndrome appeared at the 18th day of the treatment, undertaken according to Gamet and Atanasiu's shortened treatment schedule. Recovery occured without sequellae after 5 days of corticosteroid therapy. Compared to the reports of the literature, the benignity of the central nervous system involvement was unexpected. Three immunological problems are stressed out: the presence of sheep anti-red blood cells antibodies after antirabies vaccines; the presence of antismooth muscle antibodies; a previous BCG vaccination one month before antirabies treatment might play an adjuvant participation.

An in vitro study of the sensitivity of three cephalosporins of the third generation was performed on 119 wild strains of enterobacteriae selected because of their resistance to cefalotine and cefoxitine. Cefotaxime, latamoxef and cetriaxone remain very active on such strains since almost all of the strains were inhibited by a dose of 4 micrograms/ml and CI 50 p. cent was below 0.20 micrograms/ml. The activity of these three cephalosporins was comparable on groups E. coli, Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia and C. freudii. Ceftriaxone appeared clearly more active than latamoxef and cefotaxime on Proteus stains.