Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Fabry.
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The interactions between health and the environment are at the heart of the concerns of the political actors in Villeurbanne. Their participation in the network "Villes-Santé" and the adoption of the Municipal Plan for the Environment, has incited them to promote a local approach based on the identification of the health problems linked to the environment that are expressed and felt by the inhabitants. The study, carried out among 567 individuals (1/150 of the inhabitants of Villeurbanne), showed that overall, 73% complain of two important environmental problems linked to their state of health: air pollution (48% of inhabitants), and noise (district noise 37%, and noise from the neighbours 24%). Traffic is the main source of these urban nuisances. Despite this, the environment is not very important in the minds of many people (36.5%) when compared to unemployment (68.1%), drugs (48.5%), and violence (58%).
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Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) may play a critical role in controlling the progression of HIV-1 disease. Conventional assays for demonstration of CTL against HIV-1 have used either fresh PBMC or T cell lines and clones generated by non-specific stimulation. These methods are limited in their sensitivity since without specific secondary stimulation in vitro, epitopes recognized at low frequency may not be detected. Moreover, derivation of CTL clones is labor intensive and not practical for studying a large number of patients. We have developed a simple method to enrich HIV-1 specific CTL in vitro. Autologous antigen presenting cells (APC), either adherent macrophages or EBV transformed B-lymphoblastoid cells, are infected with recombinant vaccinia virus encoding individual HIV-1 proteins and after overnight culture the vaccinia virus is inactivated by uv irradiation in the presence of psoralin. The infected APC are then cultured with patient's T cells and CTL activity determined 10-14 days later. We have used this method to stimulate patients' T cells obtained directly from PBMC and also after mitogenic stimulation. In both systems, the HIV-1 specific response could be enhanced up to five to ten fold. This enhancement is comparable to CTL selection by exposure to HIV-1 immunodominant peptide incubated APC. In some patients, viral-specific CTL could be detected after HIV-vaccinia selection even though the mitogen stimulated cultures had no demonstrable antiviral CTL activity. Selective expansion of CTL directed against multiple HIV-1 proteins (env, gag and RT) could be obtained from PBMC as well as from mitogen-stimulated lines from individual patients. As these lines are predominantly CD8+ T cells by flow cytometric analysis and are free of vaccinia virus as ascertained by the lack of cytopathic effect in culture, in vitro vaccinia selection might also be useful to generate CTL lines for adoptive immunotherapy.
A hospital based case-control study was carried out in Lyon with the aim of assessing the association between haematologic malignancies and occupational exposures to 320 compounds. Job histories were obtained by questionnaire for 118 cases (52 non Hodgkin lymphomas, 48 acute myeloid leukemia, 18 others leukaemias), and 118 controls with diseases other than cancer from the same general hospital; controls were matched for sex, age and nationality. Systematic coding of exposures based on a blind analysis of job histories, was done by a team of experts in chemistry and occupational health. Mantel-Haenszel analysis was performed. Significantly elevated odds-ratio were observed for non Hodgkin lymphomas and exposure to mineral oils (14.86; 2.76-80.0), excavation dusts (3.91; 0.94-15.95), alkali compounds (2.90; 1.09-7.68), inks (2.47; 1.09-5.17). For inks, a dose-response relation was observed. Elevated odds-ratios appeared for acute myeloid leukaemias and arsenic compounds (3.02; 0.90-10.13) and lead compounds (3.70; 1.09-13.44). When regarding industrial activities, two of them are more frequently found: food industries (14 cases/5 controls), public works (12 cases/0 control). When regarding jobs, winding (6 cases/0 control), glass workers (8 cases/1 control) and warehousemen (10 cases and 4 controls) are more often seen among cases.
OBJECTIVES: A hospital-based case-referent study was carried out in Lyon with the purpose of generating hypotheses about the role of occupational exposures to 320 compounds in bladder carcinogenesis. METHODS: Job histories were obtained by questionnaire for 116 cases and 232 reference patients with diseases other than cancer (one referent from the same hospital ward and one from another ward of the same hospital per case); the referents were matched for gender, hospital, age, and nationality. Systematic coding of exposures, with a blind analysis of job histories, was carried out by a team of experts in chemistry and occupational health. RESULTS: Significantly elevated odds ratios were observed for exposure to pyrolysis and combustion products [odds ratio (OR) 2.3, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.0-4.0] when the general referents were used and for cutting fluids (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.4) when tobacco consumption was adjusted for. The latter was highest among the category consisting of blue-collar and unskilled workers, supervisors, and agricultural workers (OR 4.6 95% CI 2.0-10.6), while the odds ratio for the other category was 0.8 (95% CI 0.3-2.7). An elevated odds ratio for exposure to inks was observed for the women (OR 14.0, 95% CI 1.8-106.5) on the basis of 14 exposed cases, but confounding factors could have been responsible for this result. Odds ratios for several other exposures (rubber: OR 5.7, nitrates: OR 8.2, coke dust: OR 3.5, meat additives: OR 3.8) were also elevated, but not significantly so when based on a small number of exposed cases. CONCLUSION: The observations of this investigation should be tested in future studies, in particular since exposures to agents such as cutting fluids or pyrolysis products are ubiquitous in industrial settings and may present an important public health hazard.
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The finding of microscopic haematuria in the course of systematic screening accounts for 10 percent of consultations in nephrology clinics. We carried out an investigation in a population of 8,194 workers of the metallurgical and chemical industries, 89.6 percent of whom were male and 69.8 percent were under 49 years of age; 51.2 percent were smokers or ex-smokers, 9.9 percent had arterial hypertension and 2.1 percent had diabetes mellitus. Microscopic haematuria was detected by the dipstick method in 3.53 percent of the subjects tested. Phase contrast microscopy, performed in 222 subjects, showed that the origin of the haematuria was glomerular in 90.5 percent, extraglomerular in 2.5 percent and undetermined in 0.9 percent of the cases. Urinary sediment was normal in 6.3 percent. The prevalence of microscopic haematuria was significantly higher in women, in subjects under 49 years of age, in hypertensive subjects, in smokers or ex-smokers, in subjects who has received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the past 6 months and in chemical industry workers.
A systematic survey of all centres of diagnosis and care of breast cancer patients in the Rhône "département" of France was carried out to evaluate, for the year 1985, the incidence rate of breast cancer in an urban, industrialised part of France not covered by a cancer registry. Two hundred and fifty seven institutions or individuals were involved, covering the public and private sectors in the Rhône département, but also in neighbouring cities and elsewhere in France, which also enabled a search to be carried out for cases diagnosed or treated outside the département. Altogether, over this 1-year period, 801 new cases were identified (791 women and 10 men). This study demonstrated a high incidence of female breast cancer (80.5 new cases per 100,000 woman-years, standardised to the world population) which was particularly marked among women aged 40-60. This incidence is higher than that described by the cancer registry of the neighbouring département of Isère, but is close to the incidence found in Geneva. Results also concur with the relatively high mortality rate from breast cancer observed in the Rhône département.
The dose related effects of recombinant porcine somatotropin (rpST) on growth, carcass characteristics, muscle properties, and meat quality were investigated in lean Belgian Landrace finishing pigs. Ninety-six pigs (48 barrows and 48 gilts) were injected daily with either vehicle, 1.5, 3, or 6 mg of rpST from 60 to 97.5 kg live weight. Each treatment group consisted of six pens of four pigs each (two of each sex). Pigs were given ad libitum access to a high-protein (20.4% CP) cereal-based diet. Administration of rpST increased (P less than .05) growth rate (16.3 to 25.4%) and improved (P less than .05) feed efficiency (16.9 to 29.4%). Feed consumption was reduced (12%; P less than .05) only in the 6 mg of rpST group. Liver, kidney, and heart weights were increased (P less than .05) in the 3 and 6 mg of rpST groups. Although the Belgian Landrace pigs are bred for superior carcass quality, rpST further improved (P less than .05) carcass composition at all dose levels as evidenced by a reduction (10 to 50%) in a number of subcutaneous fat depth measurements, an increase (10 to 20%) in longissimus muscle area, and an improvement in the lean cut:fat cut ratio. Rate of pH decline in the gluteus and longissimus muscles was similar, but rapid, in all groups (pH after 30 min = 5.74 to 5.94); the ultimate (24 or 72 h) pH was .15 to .2 pH units higher (P less than .05) in the pigs that received the 3 and 6 mg of rpST doses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
In order to study the relevance of the influence of environmental factors in Insulin-dependent Diabetes, we dressed a statistical analysis of season-related diabetes (Roger's test and Wallenstein's test). At the same time, we made a statistical analysis of space-time clusters of IDDM patients (Knox method and Mantel method). We noted an illness increase between August and February, although not significantly. The Wallenstein test clearly shows the existence of several significant season-related symptoms. As for the space-time clustering tests, and taking into account the relatively short duration of these environmental factors none in fact allows to assert the existence of such influences.
In 1981-2 a retrospective study was undertaken in a polyamide-polyester factory in Lyon, France, to evaluate the effect of exposure to phthalates, nickel catalysers, and other chemicals in the work environment. The present paper reports the results of the follow up of this cohort up to July 1986. A slightly increased risk of cancers, in particular of the lung (44 cases), marginally related to exposure category but not significantly related to duration of exposure was found. The excess of skin cancers noted previously has disappeared, whereas an excess of cases of bladder cancer (based on seven cases) may be noted, mainly among nylon workers. The cohort is still young, however, and a continued follow up is likely to yield important information about the potential hazards associated with the nylon and tergal polymer industry.
Effects of daily injections of pituitary-derived bovine somatotropin (bST) for 6 wk were evaluated in 10 growing heifers and compared to 9 placebo-treated control animals. Bovine somatotropin was injected at 50 micrograms/kg BW each day. Body weight and growth, plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and somatotropin (ST) were assessed. To measure plasma concentrations of IGF-I, we validated a RIA in which bovine plasma samples were extracted with acid-ethanol, a method that resulted in greater than 90% recovery of IGF-I. Average daily gain was similar during the first 4 wk of the experiment in both control and bST-treated groups; however, at the end of the experimental period (wk 4 and 6) ADG was greater (P less than .05) in bST-treated heifers (1.24 +/- .21 kg/d vs .75 +/- .25 kg/d). Plasma IGF-I from wk 2 to wk 6 were increased in bST-treated animals (452 +/- 97 ng/ml at wk 2; 683 +/- 106 ng/ml at wk 6) compared with controls (293 +/- 62 ng/ml at wk 2 (P less than .01) and 293 +/- 115 ng/ml at wk 6 (P less than .001). Moreover, ADG over the 6-wk experimental period was correlated with mean IGF-I concentrations determined over the same period (r = .55; P less than .01). As expected, mean plasma ST concentrations were increased in bST-injected animals from wk 1 to 6. Gel chromatographic profiles of bovine plasma exhibit a 150,000 molecular weight ST-dependent binding protein-IGF-I complex and a 30,000 molecular weight non-ST-dependent complex. This study validates a method for measuring IGF-I in cattle, and shows a positive relationship among IGF-I and ADG after ST treatment. No correlation, however, was found between plasma ST and growth performance.
The average incidence rate of juvenile diabetes in Wuhan (People's Republic of China) between 1971 and 1985 was 0.6/10(5) in children less than 14 years of age. This incidence rate is close to that observed in Japan but seven times lower than the French rate and much lower than the incidence rate in other occidental countries. This is the second study to show a lower incidence rate of juvenile diabetes among Asian populations as opposed to occidental populations. However, interpretation of the results must be cautious with regard to the method of data collection.
Short-term treatment of bovines with growth hormone (GH) has shown that GH increases nitrogen balance. In the present experiment we studied the effects of exogenous GH on weight gain, feed efficiency, carcass grade and meat quality. Twenty heifers of the Belgian White Blue breed were used. After an 8-week pre-experimental period, during which we recorded individual growth rates, the animals were allotted to two groups for 18 weeks; one group (T) received daily 50 micrograms of pituitary GH per kg of liveweight, whereas the other group (C) was given a placebo. Long-term treatment with GH induced weight gain (C: 117.1 +/- 25.5 kg; T: 144.6 +/- 23.7 kg; 23.5% increase, P less than 0.05) and increased feed efficiency (C: 10.34 +/- 2.04 kg DM/kg weight gain; T: 8.24 +/- 1.03 kg DM/kg weight gain). Digestibility of diet dry matter was identical in both groups (C: 60.1 +/- 2.7%; T: 59.8 +/- 2.4%). There were no difference in the classification of group C and T carcasses according to the EUROP pattern and after monocostal segment dissection (7th rib). Furthermore, the meat analysis of the two groups was identical with respect to protein, fat and collagen content. This was also true for tenderness, pH and juice loss after cooking. We concluded that stimulation of bovine weight gain by GH was significant and efficient while meat quality and carcass grade were not improved.
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Chemical workers have become increasingly concerned about the presence of carcinogens in their occupational environment. As a result, a number of studies of excess cancer mortality have been undertaken in groups of workers with well-characterized exposures. This paper reports the results of one such study carried out in a polyamide-polyester factory in France. A retrospective cohort design was chosen to evaluate the effect of exposure to phthalates, nickel catalyzers, and other chemicals in the work environment. Only a slight excess of cancers, marginally related to exposure category yet not significantly related to length of exposure, was found. The cohort, however, was young but stable, and a continued follow-up is therefore both feasible and justifiable, since it is likely to yield important information about the potential hazards associated with the tergal polymer industry.
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