Publications

Diabetic angiopathy includes those complications associated with chronic hyperglycaemia. The major long-term complications of diabetes can be categorized into two classes: macrovascular (i.e., cardiovascular complications) and microvascular (i.e., nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy). Clinically evident diabetic vascular disease is rare in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: however, the permanent threat of severe vascular organ disease within one or two decades, of early invalidity and limited life expectancy following long-term poor metabolic regulation (which is known to the health professional but only incompletely sensed by the young patient), forces the paediatrician to try to reach from the start the aim of normoglycaemia instead of merely somewhat reduced hyperglycaemia, normal lipid and amino acid patterns and near normal fluctuations of all metabolic parameters. With our present means of intervention, this goal is achieved only temporarily, if at all, necessitating immense permanent efforts by the patient and his or her family, including a greater responsibility (compared to that of his/her peers) for his/her everyday lifestyle. In this review natural history, risk factors and screening of diabetic microvascular and macrovascular complications will be described, with particular emphasis to the aspects of these complications in childhood and adolescence. Pediatric diabetologists, other health professionals and families of children must be aware of the risk of diabetic angiopathy (a Damocle's sword on the head of patients with diabetes) and try to do their best for preventing these complications.

The pest status of aphids on strawberry crops has changed with time. They were mainly considered with respect to virus transmission. Now, they are rather considered as sap-feeders and honeydew producers. As such, low populations regulated by natural enemies can be tolerated and systematic use of insecticides avoided. A survey of the species present in the different areas of production has been undertaken during 1999 and 2000 in France. During this survey, well known species of the strawberry crops have been found, like Chaetosiphon fragaefolii, Aphis forbesi or Acyrthosiphon rogersii. Widely polyphagous species like Aphis gossypii, Aulacorthum solani, Myzus ascalonicus or Macrosiphum euphorbiae were also present quite often. Eventually, aphids of the Rosaceae, not considered before as important pests of the strawberries, like Rhodobium porosum, have also been found in many different areas. The biology of the different species and their natural enemies have to be taken into account with respect to integrated control of strawberry pests.

We have studied the properties of helper T cells specific for sheep erythrocytes (SRBC), keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), or poly-L-(Tyr,Glu)-poly-DL-Ala-poly-L-Lys [(T,G)-A–L]. These T cells differentiated and were primed in vivo in irradiation chimeras constructed of various combinations of F1 and parental bone marrow donors and irradiated recipients. Primed T cells were then tested for helper activity in the in vitro response of B cells and macrophages (Mphi) of parental or F1 origin to the hapten trinitrophenol coupled to the priming antigen. When testing either SRBC or KLH-specific T cells of parental H-2 type which had differentiated in F1 hosts, we found that they cooperated equally well with B cells and Mphi of either parental H-2 type. On the other hand, when testing F1 T cells which had differentiated in parental hosts, we found that they cooperated well only with B cells and Mphi which had the K-IA region type of the parental host. In similar experiments we found that (T,G)-A–L-specific T cells of low responder H-2 type which had differentiated in (high responder X low responder) F1 hosts induced high responses in high responder B cells and Mphi (T,G)-A–L-specific F1 T cells which differentiated in high responder but not those which differentiated in low responder hosts induced high responses in high responder B cells and Mphi. Low responder B cells and Mphi yielded low responses in all cases regardless of the source of (T,G)-A–L-specific T cells with what they were tested. Our results support the conclusion that I-region and Ir genes function via their expression in B cells and Mphi and in the host environment during helper T-cell differentiation, but not, at least under the conditions of these experiments, via their expression in the helper T cell itself. These findings place constraints upon models which attempt to explain the apparent dual recognition of antigen and I-region gene products by helper T cells.

Neuroleptic analgesia, which is used for the major part of the conduct of labour, has the advantage of abolishing the pain of uterine contractions without altering the mother's state of consciousness. A study of the effects of droperidol together with phenoperidine on the mother and the child has been carried out. Clinical results, the parameters of the intra-uterine pressure curves and the fetal heart rates as well as of the acid base balance and the pO2 of the mother and infant during dilatation of the cervix and the two first hours of life have been monitored. The conclusion is that neuroleptic analgesia does not cause neonatal depression and can be used as a method for conducting labour so long as very strict monitoring conditions are applied.

An optimized end-point method that requires little sophisticated equipment is described for estimating serum cystyl-aminopeptidase during pregnancy. S-Benzyl-L-cysteine-4-nitroanilide is used as the substrate.