[On the stability and modifiability of the sense of coherence in active seniors]. / Zur Stabilität und Modifizierbarkeit des Kohärenzgefühls aktiver älterer Menschen.

According to Antonovsky, the sense of coherence (SOC) determines health and wellbeing. This life orientation is shaped up to the age of 30 and is supposed to remain constant up to senior age. In a field study, in which the SOC, psycho-social resources and subjective health were assessed at three points in time, it could be shown for the first time that the SOC in old age can be malleable and expanding. The master sample (time t(1)) consisted of N = 58 active and "healthy" seniors at the mean age of 66.3 years (65.5% female), who decided to take part in a 14-week program focusing on physical activity and/or self-reflection (endurance training, strength training, yoga, or meditation), respectively. One year before, 90% of them had participated in the Greifswald Aging Study (t0). The intervention study was attended regularly by n = 42 persons (t1 and t2). The SOC and associated health appraisals remained constant over a period of one year (t0-t1); re-test reliabilities varied from satisfactory to very good. Overall, the current SOC (t1) was more important than the past SOC (t0) in accounting for current well-being (t1). The intervention (t1-t2) revealed that the elderly's SOC was significantly strengthened-independently of the program they took part in. Correspondingly, participants' wellbeing, subjective health and psycho-social resources were enhanced. Taking part in a systematic, age-based and group-oriented program that encourages an active and productive every-day life brings about coherence-promoting and health-promoting life experiences in old age.

[Motor competence and quality of life in elderly active persons]. / Motorische Handlungskompetenz und Lebensqualität älterer aktiver Menschen.

Physical activity is a vital pre-condition for healthy aging and well-being. While the association between objective and subjective health in old age has extensively been investigated, the relationship between objective motor competence-the capability of mastering motor demands in everyday life adequately by using motor resources optimally-and subjective health-related quality of life has not been studied yet. In an interdisciplinary study, 168 active seniors (36 men) at the mean age of 67 (range: 59-89) underwent a test battery assessing motor resources and two objective domains of everyday life motor competence-"Perceiving and Reacting" and "Mastering Complex Situations". Subsequently, participants rated their mental, physical, social, functional health and life satisfaction by questionnaire. Motor competence domains were age-dependent; the strongest decrease was found for "Mastering Complex Situations". Only "Mastering Complex Situations" was predicted by motor resources: competent seniors in this domain were faster in motor activity, simple reactions, body movements following acoustic and optic signals, and showed a stronger handcraft and a higher mobility. Overall, health-related quality of life was contingent upon motor competence: physical and functional health and-to a lesser extent-mental health and life satisfaction showed a systematic but moderate relationship to both motor competence domains. The results emphasize the significance of age-compatible and everyday life-adjusted physical activity for the well-being of elderly persons. Even active elderly persons show deficits in motor competence and should be trained, taking into account individual resources and flaws.

[Serology of anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa and mucoviscidosis: diagnostic aid in the differentiation between colonization and infection]. / Sérologie anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa et mucoviscidose: aide au diagnostic des états de colonisation et d'infection.

Serologic test for Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been found useful for differentiating colonization from infection, especially in chronic disease. A Western blot method was compared with the ELISA used routinely. The Western blot detected serum IgGs against P. aeruginosa outer membrane proteins, whereas the ELISA reacted with IgGs against soluble P. aeruginosa antigens. Among the 103 sera from 58 cystic fibrosis patients studied, all those with ELISA reactivity were positive by Western blot. The antibody response was detected earlier by Western blot than by ELISA, suggesting that the former technique may be useful for the early diagnosis of infection.

[Pseudomonas aeruginosa and imipenem: correlation between membrane protein D2 and resistance in fifteen strains isolated from patients with mucoviscidosis]. / Pseudomonas aeruginosa et imipénème: corrélation entre protéine de membrane D2 et résistance chez quinze souches isolées de patients mucoviscidosiques.

A characteristic feature of imipenem-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is loss or decreased expression of the outer membrane protein (OMP) D2, whose molecular weight is 45 to 49 kDa. D2 was studied in 15 strains of P. aeruginosa with intermediate susceptibility or resistance to imipenem recovered from the sputum of 15 patients with cystic fibrosis. The OMP was extracted using Sarkosyl and separated by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Electrophoresis patterns were compared to those of reference strains 3B and 3C which are resistant and susceptible to imipenem, respectively. Expression of D2 was normal in three strains, weak or very weak in 11 strains and absent in one strain. For 12 strains, the alteration of the D2 protein was consistent with previous reports. However, the finding of normal D2 production in three strains is unusual and suggests the possible presence of another mechanism of resistance.

[Detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases by the rapid ATB E technique. Value of the API V2.1.1 expert system]. / Détection des bêtalactamases a spectre elargi par technique Rapid ATB E. Intérêt du système expert API V2.1.1.

Twenty-two extended-spectrum betalactamase-producing strains of enterobacteriaceae recovered in the authors' hospital were tested using the Rapid ATB E coupled with the API V2.1.1. expert system. The expert system detected 90.9% of ESBL-producing strains. Two strains producing a SHV2 and a CTX1, respectively, escaped detection by the expert system despite concomitant resistance to aminoglycosides.

[Listeria monocytogenes nosocomial infection in the maternity ward]. / Infection nosocomiale à Listeria monocytogenes en maternité.

Nosocomial infection with Listeria monocytogenes 4b occurred in January 1990 in a maternity hospital in Grenoble. The 3 patients involved were born within a 24 hour-interval. The premature newborn responsible for contamination was asymptomatic. Two other newborns without any perinatal infectious risk presented with meningitis, one on the 5th day of life in the maternity hospital, the other one on the 11th day while already at home. The 3 strains of Listeria had the same serovar and lysovar. Epidemiologic investigations led to suspect a contamination in the delivery room and during the care of the children. Strict respect of hygiene orders is imperative to avoid nosocomial infections.

[Evaluation of a DNA probe test for the detection of Legionella SPP]. / Evaluation d'une technique de détection de Legionella SPP par sonde nucléique.

Seventeen suspension of Legionella pneumophila and ten of Legionella bozemanii in saline or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were tested using the Gen Probe technique. The detection threshold was found to be 10(3)-10(4) CFU/ml. Specificity and sensitivity were evaluated by using the probe on 8 suspensions of bacteria other than Legionella and by performing a comparative study of the probe test, direct immunofluorescence and culture with 103 specimens (BAL fluid in most instances) from 92 patients with possible legionellosis. Sensitivity was found to be acceptable (3 of the 4 culture-positive specimens were positive by the probe test) and specificity was 100% despite the fact that most (80/99) BAL specimens were not sterile and regardless of the cutoff level used to define positivity. The advantages of the DNA probe test, including rapidity, simplicity and objectivity, should be weighed against its disadvantage, i.e., only acceptable sensitivity and use of radioactivity.

[Maternal-child transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis. A prospective inquiry in 168 pregnant women]. / Transmission materno-infantile de Chlamydia trachomatis. Enquête prospective chez 168 parturientes.

A prospective study was performed in 168 pregnant women in order to evaluate the frequency of perinatal transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis and to measure its effects on the child's health during his first 3 months of life. The micro-organism was detected by an immunoenzymatic method specific to Chlamydia antigens, and microimmunofluorescence was used for serological testing. Cervical smears taken at the end of pregnancy were positive in 3 women (1.7 per cent), while the sera of 37 women were positive for Chlamydia trachomatis. Altogether, 26.8 per cent of the women explored had had a contact with the micro-organism. Conjunctival smears taken from 1 month old infants were all negative, but 4 infants (out of 126) had positive nasal smears. The mothers of 2 of these had been exposed to the bacterium, but all 4 mothers had negative cervical smears. Antibody titres in 3-month old infants were 1.2 dilution on average below those found in the mothers. Women exposed to Chlamydia trachomatis are frequently unmarried; their pregnancies tend to shorter than normally, and their infants have more frequent episodes of rhinitis. These peculiarities are insufficiently pronounced to single out a population at risk that might benefit from detection of the bacterium.

[Chlamydia trachomatis in pediatrics]. / Chlamydia trachomatis en pédiatrie.

In developed countries, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is found on the cervix of the uterus in 2-8% of pregnant women. Two thirds of neonates from infected mothers are contaminated at delivery at the level of ocular, respiratory and digestive mucosal surfaces. This infection is responsible for 40% of neonatal conjunctivitis and afebrile pneumonitis in the second and third month after birth. In older children and adolescents, CT is responsible for genital infections contracted by venereal contact. The treatment requires taking a macrolide orally for 15 days. Prevention requires the detection of high-risk women, and hygiene in sexual intercourse.