Statistical study of the relationship between free chlorine levels and bacteriological checks on systems in the Paris area.

The majority of French cities are supplied with treated surface water. The primary factor in determining the quality of this water concerns disinfection to ensure that the system is not contaminated with parasites, coliforms and streptococci; some of these organisms, especially coliforms, are capable of multiplying within the system. The presence of bacteria indicative of faecal contamination in water samples, which contains a significant amount of free chlorine, has revealed a possible link between the two. Based upon sampling points of the Parisian system (and in the suburbs for purposes of comparison), we show the existence of a linear relationship between the results of analyses for coliforms on a given day, D, and the content of free chlorine in the water on days D-2 and D-3. Subsequent ground tests confirm the explanations proposed regarding these phenomena.

Time series analysis on chlorides, nitrates, ammonium and dissolved oxygen concentrations in the Seine river near Paris.

Graphical and statistical time series techniques have been used to analyze the trends and specified time changes, in a 90-year record of annual average value of Seine river water quality data. The information obtained may be associated with some socio-economic variables, such as industrial or agricultural development, urban increase and wastewater discharge around or upstream of the measure station. Such a study may now be applied to more rural stations in order to compare the evolution of water quality and, perhaps, historical monthly average values to evaluate the seasonality effect on annual trends.

Immunosuppression in murine brucellosis.

Brucellosis in mice results in a distinct immunosuppression which may be abrogated by immunomodulators, such as levamisole, bestatin, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Polyporus umbellatus. The data presented here provide evidence that immunosuppression in addition to infection of target tissues and allergic reactions (including types 3 and 4) contributes to the pathogenesis of brucellosis. The present study also provides some basic data regarding the value of this animal model, and criteria for observing the effect of therapy on chronic brucellosis.

A radiochemical assay for aminopeptidase N.

We developed an assay for aminopeptidase N (AmN) in which substrate, Arg-Phe-[3H]anilide (24.9 Ci/mmol), can be used at concentrations (1-200 nM) well below Km (12 microM) and at or below enzyme concentration ([E]). Such reaction conditions simulate those in vivo where peptide hormones in picomolar concentrations (<< Km) are degraded by nano- or micromolar concentrations of enzyme. The Arg-Phe-[3H]anilide:AmN reaction obeyed first-order enzyme kinetics when human serum, human seminal plasma, guinea pig serum, or homogeneous porcine kidney AmN was used as enzyme source and substrate was within the concentration range of 1-200 nM. For porcine AmN, kcat/Km was 1.47 x 10(9) M-1 min-1, kcat 17,640 min-1. Human serum AmN was in a concentration (about 4.6 nM) in great excess over those reported for substrates such as angiotensin III. Several advantages accrue under conditions of first-order enzyme kinetics: (1) Vmax/Km is measured directly. (2) When kcat/Km is known, [E] can be computed in mol/liter. (3) IC50 values for alternative substrates can be taken as Km values. (4) IC50 values for inhibitors are Ki values when Ki >> [E]. Arg-Phe-[3H]anilide can be used to measure AmN activity in the presence of chromophores and fluorophores that interfere with photometric and fluorometric assays. We have confirmed that alleged substrates such as angiotensin III and Met-Lys- and Lys-bradykinin are bound by AmN with high affinities (Km values, 5.7, 9.1, and 14.3 microM). Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell cultures were found to possess AmN-like activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)