A study of digestive absorption in four cases of Down's syndrome. Down's syndrome, malnutrition, malabsorption, and Alzheimer's disease.

Many data suggest that patients with Down's syndrome (DS) suffer from digestive malabsorption. A fecal test of absorption (search for undigested meat fibers following the ingestion of a measured diet) was conducted in 4 patients with DS. The results point to malabsorption in these patients and support the hypothesis of malabsorption in DS. The etiology of probable malabsorption in DS is discussed. Data are presented suggesting that chronic malnutrition caused by malabsorption could be the cause of the neuropathologic signs of Alzheimer's disease occurring at or slightly before the fourth decade in all patients with DS.

[Serodiagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni using an egg extract semi-purified by precipitation with ammonium sulfate]. / Diagnostic sérologique de la bilharziose à S. mansoni à l'aide d'un extrait ovulaire semi-purifié par précipitation par le sulfate d'ammonium.

Fifty one sera from bilharziosis patients and thirty control sera were examined with a Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen purified by precipitation with ammonium sulphate at 50% saturation. Sensitivity and specificity were good and showed a good correlation with results obtained by MSA1 antigen, but antigen tested is far more easier to prepare than MSA1.

[Immunofluorescence test of antibodies directed against antigens of the intestinal epithelium of Schistosoma mansoni. II. In the bilharziasis patient]. / Etude par la réaction d'immunofluorescence des anticorps dirigés contre les antigénes de l'épithélium intestinal de Schistosoma mansoni. II. Chez le sujet bilharzien.

Specific IgM antibodies to antigens present in the epithelial cells of the gut of adult S. mansoni were measured in 2 230 persons living in areas of different levels of endemicity. Significant differences were found in the prevalence of IgM antibodies in the infected patients of the compared bilharziasis foci: lower prevalences were found in high endemic foci, involving the possibility of a tolerance phenomenon.

[Evolution of serum gammaglutamyl transpeptidase activity in treated hyperthyroid and hypothyroid patients]. / Evolution de l'activité sérique gammaglutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) au cours des hyperthyroïdies et des hypothyroïdies traitées.

The pattern of gammaglutamyl transpeptidase levels was studied in the sera of 25 subjects with hyperthyroidism and 11 subjects with hypothyroidism, before and after treatment, and in 14 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Gammaglutamyl transpeptidase levels were significantly increased in hyperthyroidism (65 +/- 59 U/l) (p less than 0.01) and significantly decreased under treatment (40 +/- 27 U/l) (p less than 0.001). Before treatment, gammaglutamyl transpeptidase levels correlated with alkaline phosphatase levels and 5'-nucleotidase levels, the correlation persisting after treatment with 5'-nucleotidase. Alkaline phosphatase levels significantly increased under treatment (p less than 0.01). The percentages of gammaglutamyl transpeptidase variation correlated with thyroxine (r = 0.44, p less than 0.03), triiodothyronine (r = 0.47, p less than 0.02) and latent fixation capacity (r = 0.44, p less than 0.03) variations. Subjects with hypothyroidism had significantly decreased gammaglutamyl transpeptidase levels before treatment (18 +/- 9 U/l, p less than 0.01). Alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly decreased before treatment, and significantly increased after treatment. For all subjects with hyperthyroidism of hypothyroidism, the percentages of gammaglutamyl transpeptidase variations correlated with thyroxine (r = 0.48, p less than 0.003) and triiodothyronine (r = 0.39, p less than 0.016) variations. These results suggest that variations in gammaglutamyl transpeptidase levels in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are, at least in part, in relation with variations in thyroid hormone levels.

[Detection of antibodies against ovum antigens in Schistosoma mansoni bilharziasis]. / Mise en évidence des anticorps dirigés contre les antigènes ovulaires au cours de la bilharziose à Schistosoma mansoni.

Fifty-five sera from bilharziasis patients from West Indies and thirty-five control sera (from normal subjects and patients with hydatidosis and fascioliasis) were examined by ELISA for antibodies reacting with S. mansoni soluble egg antigen MSA1 . MSA1 antigen was prepared according to Pelley and coupled to isothiocyanate substituted plastic discs. Sensitivity and specificity of reaction were good. Moreover, in experimental infection in mice, sera of mice cured with praziquantel became negative. The sera were also examined by a whole egg antigen in counter immunoelectrophoresis. The results of the two different techniques correspond well although ELISA using purified antigen prove to be more specific and sensitive.

[Immunofluorescent reaction of antibodies against antigens of the intestinal epithelium of Schistosoma mansoni. I--In experimentally infested mice]. / Etude par la réaction d'immunofluorescence des anticorps dirigés contre les antigènes de l'épithélium intestinal de Schistosoma mansoni. I--Chez la souris expérimentalement infestée.

The present study was carried out to test with the immunofluorescent antibody test the presence of antibodies directed against the gut epithelium of adult schistosomes in experimental schistosomiasis in mice. Paraffin sections of adult female worms fixed in Rossman's fixative were used and antibodies of the different classes and subclasses could be studied with monospecific conjugates. IgM were the predominant antibodies: they appeared at day 12 after infection, reached a peak value by the 2nd month and remained present at lower levels by the 12th month. The different IgG subclasses were also present but they appeared later and tend to disappear in the chronically infected animal. IgA and IgE antibodies could not be detected. After treatment by Praziquantel, transitory but important elevation of antibodies was observed. No false positive reaction was observed with sera from mice infected by Fasciola hepatica or Trichinella spiralis.