Ecografía clínica: ¿prueba complementaria o una parte más de la exploración rutinaria? / Clinical ultrasound: a diagnostic test or a part of the routine exam?

La ecografía ha sido considerada una prueba complementaria que deben realizar los especialistas en imagen. Desde su inicio, determinados especialistas como obstetras o cardiólogos la han utilizado en su campo con grandes resultados. En los últimos años, los médicos generales y de otras especialidades se van acercando a la técnica, que es rápida, inocua, accesible, barata y que, sobre todo, permite completar en tiempo real la exploración del paciente. Muchos son los países y las sociedades donde los médicos no especialistas en Radiología realizan ecografía a diario y cada vez más estudios muestran la utilidad de la misma en la práctica clínica habitual (AU)

Ultrasound has been considered an additional test to be carried out by specialists in image. Since its inception some specialists as obstetricians or cardiologists have used it in its field with great results. Now, the general practitioners and other specialties are approaching this technique which is quick, safe, accessible, inexpensive, and above all allows you to complete real-time exploration of the patient. Many are beginning to be the countries and societies where the non-specialist physicians in the field of radiology ultrasound performed on a daily basis and more and more studies show the utility of the same in normal clinical practice (AU)

[Acute pancreatitis in children]. / Pancreatitis aguda en la infancia.

INTRODUCTION: Lately, there has been an increase in incidence of acute pancreatitis in childhood. Fortunately, 80% of cases are mild and do not require surgical approach. Several etiologic factors have been implicated, such as infections, trauma, congenital anomalies, drugs, biliary diseases. The aim of this study was to assess etiology, clinical features and outcomes of children with acute pancreatitis treated at our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of our cases of acute pancreatitis in patients younger than 16 years old was performed. RESULTS: 24 cases of acute pancreatitis were found from 1998 to 2010. Mean age was 8.75 years. There were 7 boys and 17 girls. The main clinical manifestations were abdominal pain, vomiting and abdominal distention. Mean amylase level was 1565 UI/L. There was one patient with normal serum amylase levels. Serum lipase was required in two patients (239 UI/L and 5,980 UI/L). Ultrasound showed pancreatic lesion in 79.2% of cases. Severe pancreatitis was presented in two cases, due to renal failure and pancreatic necrosis. Surgery was performed in 6 cases (3 cholecystectomies, 1 choledocal cyst resection, 1 percutaneous pseudocyst drainage and 1 necrosectomy) Pancreatic complications were found in 20.8% of cases (4 pseudocysts y 1 pancretic necrosis) Several causes were found: idiophatic, secondary to ERCP, congenital anomalies, drugs, infections, biliary disease and trauma. Mean hospital stay was 25.65 days. There were no deaths due to acute pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: There are several causes of acute pancreatitis in children. Some cases may present normoamilasemia, situation, in which serum lipase and clinical and radiological criteria are pivotal. Prospective studies evaluating etiological factors and incidence are required.

Pancreatitis aguda en la infancia / Acute pancreatitis in children

Introducción. La pancreatitis aguda en la infancia ha presentado un incremento en su incidencia. El 80% de los casos es leve y no requiere cirugía. Su etiología es diversa, destacándose los casos secundarios a traumatismos, infecciones, anomalías estructurales y medicamentos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la distribución etiológica, las características clínicas y los resultados de los casos de pancreatitis aguda en los niños tratados en nuestro centro. Materiales y métodos. Se efectuó una revisión retrospectiva de los casos de pancreatitis aguda en pacientes menores de 16 años atendidos en nuestro hospital entre los años 1998 a 2010. Resultados. Se presentaron 24 casos de pancreatitis aguda durante un período de 12 años. La edad media fue de 8,75 años. El síntoma principal fue dolor abdominal, seguido de vómitos y distensión abdominal. El valor medio de amilasa al inicio del episodio fue de 1.565 UI/L. Una paciente presentó pancreatitis aguda con normoamilasemia. El 79,2% de los casos tuvieron hallazgos ecográficos compatibles con pancreatitis aguda y seis casos requirieron intervención quirúrgica. El porcentaje de complicaciones pancreáticas fue del 20,8%. La distribución etiológica fue múltiple, siendo la idiopática la más común, seguida de secundaria a colangiopancreatografía, a malformaciones congénitas y de origen medicamentoso. No hubo mortalidad atribuible a la pancreatitis aguda. Conclusiones. La pancreatitis aguda en la infancia presenta una etiología muy variada. Algunos casos pueden debutar con normoamilasemia, situación en la que la determinación de la lipasa sérica es fundamental. Se requieren estudios prospectivos para evaluar la distribución etiológica y la incidencia de la pancreatitis aguda en la infancia (AU)

Introduction. Lately, there has been an increase in incidence of acute pancreatitis in childhood. Fortunately, 80% of cases are mild and do not require surgical approach. Several etiologic factors have been implicated, such as infections, trauma, congenital anomalies, drugs, biliary diseases. The aim of this study was to assess etiology, clinical features and outcomes of children with acute pancreatitis treated at our center. Materials and methods. A retrospective chart review of our cases of acute pancreatitis in patients younger than 16 years old was performed. Results. 24 cases of acute pancreatitis were found from 1998 to 2010. Mean age was 8.75 years. There were 7 boys and 17 girls. The main clinical manifestations were abdominal pain, vomiting and abdominal distention. Mean amylase level was 1565 UI/L. There was one patient with normal serum amylase levels. Serum lipase was required in two patients (239 UI/L and 5,980 UI/L). Ultrasound showed pancreatic lesion in 79.2% of cases. Severe pancreatitis was presented in two cases, due to renal failure and pancreatic necrosis. Surgery was performed in 6 cases (3 cholecystectomies, 1 choledocal cyst resection, 1 percutaneous pseudocyst drainage and 1 necrosectomy) Pancreatic complications were found in 20.8% of cases (4 pseudocysts y 1 pancretic necrosis) Several causes were found: idiophatic, secondary to ERCP, congenital anomalies, drugs, infections, biliary disease and trauma. Mean hospital stay was 25.65 days. There were no deaths due to acute pancreatitis. Conclusions. There are several causes of acute pancreatitis in children. Some cases may present normoamilasemia, situation, in which serum lipase and clinical and radiological criteria are pivotal. Prospective studies evaluating etiological factors and incidence are required (AU)

Síndrome de bilis espesa en un neonato con isoinmunización anti-c / Inspissated bile syndrome in a neonate with anti-c isoimmunization

De los antígenos del sistema Rh, la isoinmunización anti-c es la segunda más frecuente, después de la anti-D, como causa de una enfermedad hemolítica grave en el feto y el recién nacido. A pesar de que la isoinmunización anti-c suele mostrar una afectación leve en el recién nacido, presentamos un caso clínico de un neonato con diagnóstico prenatal de isoinmunización anti-c con afectación severa, que requirió tanto transfusiones intrauterinas como posnatales. En su evolución posnatal desarrolló un síndrome de bilis espesa, entidad poco conocida, asociada a todas aquellas enfermedades que pueden afectar a la composición de la bilis y/o a la secreción biliar, y que para su resolución suele requerir tratamiento quirúrgico. Sin embargo, este neonato evolucionó de forma favorable exclusivamente con tratamiento médico(AU)

Anti-c isoimmunization is a common cause of severe hemolytic disease in the fetus and newborn. Usually has a mild impairment in the newborn. Here we describe a clinic case of a neonate with prenatal diagnosis of severe anti-c isoimmunization, requiring both intrauterine and postnatal transfusions. The newborn developed an inspissated bile syndrome, a little known entity associated with diseases that can affect the composition of bile and/or biliary secretion, and often require surgery as treatment. Nevertheless our infant responded favorably with full recorvery to medical treatment, phenobarbital and ursodeoxycholic acid(AU)

Characterization of Yarrowia lipolytica mutants affected in hydrophobic substrate utilization.

In order to get deeper insights into oxidative degradation of the hydrophobic substrates (HS) triglycerides and alkanes by yeasts, tagged mutants affected in these pathways were generated by random insertion of a mutagenesis cassette MTC into the genome of Yarrowia lipolytica. About 9.600 Ura+ transformants were screened in plate tests for utilization of alkanes (C10, C16), oleic acid and tributyrin. HS degradation mutants were recovered as unable to grow on alkane or on intermediates of the pathway (AlkA-AlkE phenotype classes). To identify the disrupted genes, insertion points of the MTC were sequenced using convergent and divergent PCR. Sequence analysis evidenced both known and new genes required for HS utilization, e.g. for AlkD/E mutants MTC insertion had occurred in genes of thioredoxin reductase, peroxines PEX14 and PEX20, succinate-fumarate carrier SFC1, and isocitrate lyase ICL1. Several mutants were affected in alkane utilization depending on chain length. Mutant Z110 (AlkAb: C10- C16+) was shown to be disrupted for ANT1 encoding a peroxisomal membrane localized adenine nucleotide transporter protein, providing ATP for the activation of short-chain fatty acids by acyl-CoA synthetase II in peroxisomes. Mutants N046 and B095 (AlkAc: C10+ C16-) were disrupted for the ABC transporter encoded by ABC1 gene, thus providing first evidence for its participation in chain length dependent alkane transport processes.

Degradation of isooctane by Mycobacterium austroafricanum IFP 2173: growth and catabolic pathway.

AIMS: Isooctane (2,2,4-trimethylpentane), a major component of gasoline formulations, is recalcitrant to biodegradation probably because of the quaternary carbon group it contains. Information on the biodegradability of this hydrocarbon is essential to evaluate its fate in the environment. For these reasons, the degradation kinetics and the catabolic pathway of isooctane were investigated in Mycobacterium austroafricanum IFP 2173, the only strain characterized to use it as sole carbon and energy source. METHODS AND RESULTS: The selected strain exhibited a rather moderate maximum growth rate (micromax = 0.053 h(-1)) but degraded isooctane up to 99% with a mineralization yield of 45%, indicating attack of the quaternary carbon group. The GC/MS identification of metabolites, 2,4,4-trimethylpentanoic and dimethylpropanoic (pivalic) acids, which transiently accumulated in the cultures indicated that degradation started from the isopropyl extremity of the molecule and subsequently proceeded by catabolism of the tert-butyl moiety. The degradation of putative metabolic intermediates was investigated. The initial isooctane oxidation system was tentatively characterized. CONCLUSIONS: The isooctane-degrading strain harboured two candidate systems for initial alkane oxidation. Although a cytochrome P450 was induced by isooctane degradation, the functional oxidation system was probably a nonheme alkane monooxygenase as indicated by PCR amplification and RT-PCR expression of an alkB gene. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Isooctane is a recalcitrant branched alkane. A plausible pathway of its degradation by Myco. austroafricanum was put forward.

DNA methylation in mouse gametogenesis.

DNA methylation is involved in many biological processes and is particularly important for both development and germ cell differentiation. Several waves of demethylation and de novo methylation occur during both male and female germ line development. This has been found at both the gene and all genome levels, but there is no demonstrated correlation between them. During the postnatal germ line development of spermatogenesis, we found very complex and drastic DNA methylation changes that we could correlate with chromatin structure changes. Thus, detailed studies focused on localization and expression pattern of the chromatin proteins involved in both DNA methylation, histone tails modification, condensin and cohesin complex formation, should help to gain insights into the mechanisms at the origin of the deep changes occurring during this particular period.

Immunodetection of proteins from grapes and yeast in a white wine.

The objective of this study was to analyze the origin of proteins of a Chardonnay wine. Three various polyclonal antibodies raised against must, yeast, and bacteria proteins were produced. For microorganisms, only the secreted macromolecules were used. To this end, yeast and bacteria were cultured in a model medium under conditions close to those of winemaking. Results obtained using these specific antibodies indicate that most of the wine proteins came from grapes and many of them were glycoproteins. Some proteins of this Chardonnay wine came from the yeast; they were released during the alcoholic fermentation and consisted of high molecular weight mannoproteins. In contrast, no bacteria proteins were detected in this Chardonnay wine.

Effect of sperm survival and CTC staining pattern on in vitro fertilization of porcine oocytes.

Polyspermy in pig oocytes fertilized in vitro remains unacceptably high. In this study, we evaluated the effects of gamete coincubation time, and determined if the proportion of capacitated spermatozoa would be predictive of the fertilizing ability of frozen-thawed semen in vitro. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected from slaughterhouse prepubertal gilt ovaries and matured in vitro for 44 h in TCM199, with EGF, FSH, cysteamine and follicular fluid. Fertilization was induced with 2 x 10(5) frozen-thawed spermatozoa/ml in TBM. Penetration of oocytes as well as polyspermic fertilization occurred 2 h after insemination. A strong correlation between penetration and polyspermic fertilization rates has been demonstrated, but there was no correlation between the proportion of capacitated spermatozoa, as assessed by chlortetracycline staining, at the time of insemination and fertilization rates. We also compared the results of IVF in three IVF media: TBM, m199 and TALP. Penetration and polyspermy were very different in these three media: 71 +/- 19% and 25 +/- 13% in TBM, 37 +/- 11% and 6 +/- 2% in m199, 10 +/- 2% and 0% in TALP, respectively. Nevertheless, survival of spermatozoa or modifications of the capacitation status were not different in these media after 6 h incubation. We concluded that survival and capacitation characteristics of the semen used for IVF could not be predictive of the IVF results. It seems necessary to act at the oocyte level to control both variability between replicates and the incidence of polyspermy. Improving the spermatozoa penetration blocking system of the oocytes and reducing the number of sperm-binding sites on the zona pellucida (ZP) are our further objectives.

Effect of follicular size on meiotic and developmental competence of porcine oocytes.

In several species, the developmental competence of the oocyte is acquired progressively during late follicular growth, after the acquisition of the competence to resume and complete meiosis. In the pig, full meiotic competence of the oocyte is reached in ovarian follicles with a diameter of 3 mm or more. However, there is no information about developmental competence acquisition. We analyzed the ability of oocytes from three foll icular size classes to resume and complete meiosis, to be fertilized, and to develop in vitro to the blastocyst stage. A total of 941 follicles were dissected from slaughterhouse gilt ovaries and classified as small (<3 mm, n = 330), medium (3-5 mm, n = 373), or large (>5 mm, n = 238). The cumulus-oocyte complexes recovered from these follicles were submitted to in vitro maturation for 44 h in TCM199 supplemented with 10 ng/ml EGF, 400 ng/ml pFSH and 570 microM cysteamine; in vitro fertilized for 18 h in mTBM with 10(5) frozen-thawed percoll-selected sperms/ml; and developed for 7 days in mSOF. Samples of oocytes or presumptive zygotes were fixed and stained at the end of maturation and fertilization. Groups of oocytes were cultured for 3 h in the presence of 35S-methionine before or after maturation for SDS-PAGE analysis of protein neosynthesis. More oocytes originating from medium and large follicles were competent for maturation than oocytes from small follicles (77 and 86% of metaphase II, respectively, versus 44%, P < 0.05). More oocytes from medium and large follicles werepenetratedby spermatozoa during in vitro fertilization, resulting in significantly more oocytes presenting two or more pronuclei at the end of fertilization (73 and 77% for medium and large follicles, respectively, versus 53% for small follicles, P < 0.05). More oocytes from medium and large follicles developed to the blastocyst stage (14 and 23%, respectively) than those from small follicles (3%, P < 0.05), even if the development rates were corrected by the maturation or fertilization rates. It is concluded that a high proportion of oocytes harvested from follicles of less than 3 mm in the pig are not fully competent for meiosis and are cytoplasmically deficient for development.

Influence of lysozyme treatments on champagne base wine foaming properties.

The objective of this study was to estimate the effect of lysozyme on the foaming characteristics of Champagne base wine. Lysozyme additions were made to the musts and also to the wines before and after bentonite or charcoal treatments, which remove endogenous proteins. Treatments with bentonite diminished foamability and foam stability of wines, whatever the dose (30 or 80 g/hL) and variety [Chardonnay, -28%; Pinot noir, -20% (at 30 g/hL)]. An addition of lysozyme in must raised Pinot noir wine foamability by 21%, whereas the difference is hardly perceptible for Chardonnay wine (+3%). Pinot noir and Chardonnay wines, originating from lysozyme-treated musts, in addition to bentonite treatment on the wine, presented higher foamability than wines treated only with bentonite. Lysozyme was removed (91-100%) by the bentonite treatment. Then, it was not responsible for the increase in foamability but seemed to have a protective effect on the wine proteins. When wines were initially treated with bentonite (150 g/hL) and then enriched with 80 g/hL lysozyme, this enzyme was not able to restore foaming properties. Treatments with charcoal always diminished foamability. The average increase in foamability due to an addition of lysozyme after charcoal treatment (80 g/hL) was 23%. Results showed a real positive effect of lysozyme on foam stability when wines have to be treated with charcoal (+25% and +56% for the Pinot noir wine and the Chardonnay wine, respectively, at 30 g/hL).

Effects of cell cycle dependent kinases inhibitor on nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of porcine oocytes.

The aims of this study were to assess the effectiveness of roscovitine, a potent inhibitor of cell cyclin kinases, to prevent meiotic resumption in porcine oocytes, and to test the subsequent fertilisability and developmental competence of these oocytes. Roscovitine blocked porcine oocytes at the GV stage during 22-44 hr of culture. This effect was dose-dependent, and a concentration of 25 microM was sufficient to prevent meiotic resumption in 92+/-5% of the oocytes after 22 hr in the presence of EGF and FSH. Cumulus expansion was also inhibited under these conditions. The histone H1 kinase activity in oocytes was inhibited in a dose-dependent way, and maintained at a basal level with 25 microM of roscovitine. Synthesis of proteins of 29, 47 and 79 kDa, normally synthesized during maturation, was inhibited too. All these effects were fully reversible. However, the kinetics of maturation were accelerated after roscovitine removal, and the acceleration was more pronounced after 44 hr of inhibition than after 22 hr. Fertilization of oocytes blocked for 22 hr before a 44 hr maturation was decreased compared to control, but was not different from that of oocytes matured for 66 hr. The developmental competence was decreased for the oocytes cultured for 66 hr, including or not an inhibition period, but it was less reduced for oocytes maintained under inhibition for 22 hr. Roscovitine may thus protect oocytes against the aging mechanisms responsible for developmental competence loss, but not against loss of fertilisability. In conclusion, roscovitine provides a useful tool to study the morphological and biochemical basis of porcine oocyte terminal differentiation.

Meiotic and developmental competence of prepubertal and adult swine oocytes.

The present study was conducted to compare meiotic and cytoplasmic competence of prepubertal and adult porcine oocytes, and the effects of EGF (0 to 100 ng/mL), FSH (0 to 400 ng/mL) and prepubertal pFF (0 to 10%) on nuclear maturation. Prepubertal oocytes were less responsive to FSH and pFF than were adult oocytes in terms of stimulation of nuclear maturation. The best nuclear maturation rates for prepubertal oocytes were obtained with 10 ng/mL EGF and 400 ng/mL FSH, whereas for adult oocytes no additional effect of EGF was seen in the presence of 400 ng/mL FSH. Supplementation with pFF had no additional effect on MII yield over that obtained with EGF plus FSH. After maturation in the presence of EGF, FSH and cysteamine, fertilization rates were not different between adult and prepubertal oocytes, but polyspermy was more frequent in prepubertal oocytes (31 +/- 17% vs. 17 +/- 7% in prepubertal and adult oocytes, respectively, P < 0.05). The addition of pFF to maturation medium decreased oocyte fertilization of adult oocytes and polyspermic fertilization in prepubertal oocytes. Blastocyst yield and developmental competence were significantly reduced in prepubertal oocytes compared to adult oocytes. The mean cell numbers in blastocysts cultured for 7 days ranged from 61 to 74, and did not differ among groups. Finally, the viability of the 2- to 4-cell embryos and blastocysts produced was assessed by embryo transfer experiments. One offspring was obtained after transfer of 2- to 4-cell embryos, and one after transfer of in vitro-produced blastocysts. In conclusion, although prepubertal gilt oocytes appeared less meiotically and developmentally competent than their adult counterparts, they can be used to produce blastocysts able to develop to term.

Biodegradability of volatile hydrocarbons of gasoline.

The biodegradability under aerobic conditions of volatile hydrocarbons (4-6 carbons) contained in gasoline and consisting of n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, cycloalkanes and alkenes, was investigated. Activated sludge was used as the reference microflora. The biodegradation test involved the degradation of the volatile fraction of gasoline in closed flasks under optimal conditions. The kinetics of biodegradation was monitored by CO2 production. Final degradation was determined by gas chromatographic analysis of all measurable hydrocarbons (12 compounds) in the mixture after sampling the headspace of the flasks. The degradation of individual hydrocarbons was also studied with the same methodology. When incubated individually, all hydrocarbons used as carbon sources, except 2,2-dimethylbutane and 2,3-dimethylbutane, were completely consumed in 30 days or less with different velocities and initial lag periods. When incubated together as constituents of the light gasoline fraction, all hydrocarbons were metabolised, often with higher velocities than for individual compounds. Cometabolism was involved in the degradation of dimethyl isoalkanes.

Detection and quantification of lysozyme in champagne wines.

We describe here techniques to detect and quantify lysozyme in Pinot noir and Chardonnay Champagne wines. Using a dot-blot technique, lysozyme antibodies were able to recognize their antigens even when the concentration of lysozyme in wine was 75 mg/L. SDS-PAGE was the second technique used. After Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) staining or antibody immunostaining was performed, the wine originating from the lysozyme-treated must gave only one band corresponding to the lysozyme. It is then possible to precisely determine the concentration of lysozyme in a must or a wine by densitometric measurement of this band. The control wine gave no band with the CBB staining, such as with the immunostaining. The quantification of lysozyme with HPLC is another useable technique because the lysozyme elution time is largely superior to that of all of the wine compounds. In wines, losses of lysozyme were higher when the enzyme was added at one time to the must (-34% for the Pinot noir and -37% for the Chardonnay) than when lysozyme is added in 2-fold both in the must and in the wine (around -26% for the two wines). The lowest diminution is observed when lysozyme was added to the wine only (-18%) in comparison to the addition to the must at 300 mg/L (-43%).

A Mycobacterium strain with extended capacities for degradation of gasoline hydrocarbons.

A bacterial strain (strain IFP 2173) was selected from a gasoline-polluted aquifer on the basis of its capacity to use 2,2, 4-trimethylpentane (isooctane) as a sole carbon and energy source. This isolate, the first isolate with this capacity to be characterized, was identified by 16S ribosomal DNA analysis, and 100% sequence identity with a reference strain of Mycobacterium austroafricanum was found. Mycobacterium sp. strain IFP 2173 used an unusually wide spectrum of hydrocarbons as growth substrates, including n-alkanes and multimethyl-substituted isoalkanes with chains ranging from 5 to 16 carbon atoms long, as well as substituted monoaromatic hydrocarbons. It also attacked ethers, such as methyl t-butyl ether. During growth on gasoline, it degraded 86% of the substrate. Our results indicated that strain IFP 2173 was capable of degrading 3-methyl groups, possibly by a carboxylation and deacetylation mechanism. Evidence that it attacked the quaternary carbon atom structure by an as-yet-undefined mechanism during growth on 2,2,4-trimethylpentane and 2,2-dimethylpentane was also obtained.

Selection of microbial populations degrading recalcitrant hydrocarbons of gasoline by monitoring of culture-headspace composition.

A methodology was devised and was found useful for the selection of populations degrading recalcitrant hydrocarbons. The work was part of a programme aiming at developing knowledge of the intrinsic capacities of autochtonous microflorae of the environment for gasoline biodegradation. The methodology involved monitoring the progress of degradation in enrichment liquid cultures on the selected hydrocarbon by gas chromatographic analysis of CO2 production and O2 consumption. Populations degrading in particular o-xylene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, cyclohexane were obtained. Concerning 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (isooctane), one microflora (and a pure strain derived from it) growing on this hydrocarbon were obtained from gasoline-polluted water.

Characterisation by drop tensiometry and by ellipsometry of the adsorption layer formed at the air/champagne wine interface.

A foam ring composed of small bubbles on the surface of a champagne glass is one of its hallmarks. The equilibrium state of that ring is linked with the rate of formation and of disappearance of bubbles. The stability of bubbles is usually ascribed to the occurrence and to the properties of an adsorption layer formed at the gas/liquid interface. Our goal is to characterise such an adsorption layer at the gas/wine interface in order to understand its role in bubble stability. Alcohol in wine lowers the surface tension to 49 mN/m. The adsorption of other molecules may cause a further decrease of 2 mN/m. Such a situation makes the study of adsorption by surface tension measurement inaccurate. To overcome this problem, we have diluted the wine four times with water before its surface tension measurement by pendant drop shape analysis. In these conditions, ethanol lowers the surface tension to 64 mN/m and the adsorption of other molecules of the wine can be monitored over 6-8 mN/m. The usual behaviour of such a diluted wine is a lowering of the surface tension during at least 20 min after drop formation. Since the role of macromolecules on the foaming properties of wine had been previously observed, we have chosen to evaluate the effect of this fraction of the wine molecules on its surface properties. Thus, wines were ultrafiltrated on a membrane with a 10000 molecular mass cut-off. The ultrafiltrate (UF) does not show any decrease of its surface tension over a 20-min period while the ultraconcentrate (UC) has a kinetics similar to that of unfiltered wine. Mixtures of UF and UC have behaviours intermediate between those of these products. A technological treatment of the wine with bentonite, believed to lower the content of macromolecules, yields a wine similar to UF. The effect of ultrafiltration was also analysed by spectroscopic ellipsometry. UF has a spectrum similar to that of a water/alcohol mixture with the same ethanol content and its ellipticity is stable during at least 20 min. On the contrary, wine or UC show spectra with the features of an adsorption layer and those characteristics increase during more than 20 min. Two varieties of vine were compared: 'Chardonnay' and 'Pinot noir'. The former is known to have better foaming properties than the latter. Its surface properties measured in this study are also more pronounced than those of Pinot noir. However, the representation of the dilational modulus against the surface pressure (which, in some instances, may be a mathematical transformation of the state equation) puts all the samples (wines, UF and UC of each) on the same master curve, a fact in favour of a common nature for all the adsorption layers. It can be concluded that surface properties of champagne wines are mostly determined by ethanol and by macromolecules with a molecular mass larger than 10000. Moreover, the adsorption layers seem to have the same nature, irrespective of the vine variety and of the concentration ratio of the wine.