Setting: Hotel-Dieu Hospital, Paris Cedex, France.

Methods: The IOLs were coated with Teflon AF, an amorphous, transparent, and highly hydrophobic fluorocarbon polymer, by immersing them in Teflon AF 5% and evaporating the solvent (C8F18). The surface quality of the Teflon-coated IOLs was control PMMA (n = 10) IOLs were implanted in rabbit eyes. The presence of iris-IOL synechias and the number of deposits on the IOL surfaces were clinically evaluated in both groups to assess the antiadhesive effect of Teflon AF. The Teflon-coated IOLs were removed, their surfaces were evaluated by SEM, and their elemental composition was checked by EDXA acid Raman spectrometry,

Results: The PMMA IOLs were completely coated with Teflon AF. The Teflon group had no iris-IOL synechias and the control group, two extensive synechias. There were significantly fewer deposits on the surfaces of Teflon-coated IOLs than on the control IOLs 30 and 60 days postoperatively (P < .0001). Scanning electron microscopy showed lens epithelium proliferation and spindle-shaped cells on the surfaces of the PMMA IOLs and cell deposits on the irregular regions of the Teflon-coated IOLs. White-yellow spots were present on the Surfaces of both IOL types. The elemental composition of Teflon-coated IOLs was stable.

Conclusion: Teflon AF had an antiadhesive effect that increased the biocompatibility of PMMA IOLs in vivo.

Mean plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, vitamin C, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and copper increased significantly after 6 months of supplementation in groups receiving vitamins alone or associated with trace elements. Serum selenium concentrations were significantly increased at 6 months of supplementation, and serum zinc only after one year in the trace element groups, Serum lycopene levels were significantly decreased by trace element supplementation. A significant increase in Se-glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels was observed in groups receiving trace elements alone or associated with vitamins. No effect was noted on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity or TBARs production.

No effect of supplementation was found for in vitro lymphocyte proliferative responses or most lymphocyte subsets, except for a significantly lower percentage of CD2 subsets observed in groups receiving mineral supplementation either alone or associated with vitamins. A significant difference in CD19 subsets was found in groups receiving trace elements. Mean IL-1 production was significantly higher after 6 months of supplementation in the vitamin groups.

beta-lactoglobulin aggregates formed after heat-induced denaturation were studied by light and neutron scattering techniques over a range of wave vectors covering more than 4 decades. The results demonstrate clearly that the aggregates have a fractal structure at larger length scales and their number distribution is self similar. Their local structures depend on the pH and the ionic strength of the solutions and can be either globular at pH 7 or rigid rodlike at pH2 with a persistent length which increases with decreasing ionic strength. The explicit analysis of the dynamic light scattering data allows one to characterise precisely the mass distribution. The calculated structure factors are in good agreement with the experimental data.

partial derivative(t)X(t,x) = partial derivative(x)(2)X(t,x) + psi(X(t,x)) + phi(X(t,x))(W)over dot(t,x), (t,x) is an element of R+ x [0,1],

with the Neuman boundary condition

partial derivative X/partial derivative x(t,0) = partial derivative X/partial derivative x(t,1) = 1

and some initial condition.

We use the Malliavin calculus in order to prove that, if the coefficients phi and psi are smooth and phi > 0, then the law of any vector (X(t,x(1)),...,X(t,x(d))), 0 less than or equal to x(1) less than or equal to ... less than or equal to x(d) less than or equal to 1, has a smooth, strictly positive density with respect to Lebesgue measure.

The electronic motion is solved in direct time, the wavefunctions being discretized on an evenly spaced grid. The theoretical framework is the time dependent density functional theory, restricted to a version local in time and space (LSDA).

The other parts of the clusters are either a jellium or an explicit ionic background exerting local or non-local pseudopotentials. The ionic dynamics is discussed, as well as the relevance of various observables.

The corresponding numerical techniques are given: either a selfconsistent Crank-Nicholson method is used, approximated by an alternate propagation in every space direction, or a method alternating between direct and Fourier space. The equations suggest a parallel treatment.

Several examples of application are given. The case of Na-9(+) is thoroughly discussed, then the less simple case of Na-11(+). Spectra obtained for sodium clusters deposited on sodium chlorine surfaces are shown. An example of a simulation with a moving ionic background is handled: the transfer to the ionic degrees of freedom of the energy deposited in a twelve sodium atoms cluster by a femtosecond laser pulse is discussed. The electronic resonance spectrum for a linear carbon cluster C-5 is then given.

In the conclusion, the work is discussed as well as possible improvements and developments from the theoretical or numerical point of view.

METHODS: Children aged between 6 months and 6 years were included in the study. Inclusion criteria were health status requiring a blood sample and amount of blood available after ordered tests sufficient for lead blood analysis. The study group included 365 children.

RESULTS: Mean blood level in the 365 children was 37.2 +/- 20.6 mu g/l. Six of the children had blood levels greater than 100 mu/l. None of the children had a level over 200 mu g/l. Location of the home or date of construction of the home were not significantly correlated to blood lead levels, however blood lead levels were higher in children with neurological or behavioral disorders. This observation was made in a limited number of children.

CONCLUSION: The risk of excessively high blood lead levels in children under 6 years of age is low in the Le Mans region. There is however a risk when old houses are renovated or in children with neurological or behavior disorders. (C) 1998, Masson, Paris.

PACS: 05.20.-y; 02.50.-r; 42.72; 05.30.Jp.

Case report. A 79-year-old man on intermittent corticosteroid therapy for bronchospasm was admitted for bullous and necrotic purpura and fever. Subcutaneous nodules with a sporotrichoid aspect developed despite wide-spectrum antibiotics. Microbiology samples cultured on Sabouraud medium evidenced Scedosporium apiospermum. The pathogenic nature of the infection was proven on a skin biopsy showing numerous myceleal filaments with Gomori-Grocott staining despite negative PAS. No pulmonary involvement was evidenced. The patient was treated unsuccessfully with itraconazole. A Pseudomonas lung infection was fatal.

Discussion. Scedosporium apiospermum, an ubiquitous ascomycetes anamorphous to Pseudallescheria boydii, is the cause of a growing number of human infections due to widespread use of immunosuppressors. Skin and lung localizations predominate. The inaugural bullous and necrotic purpural skin manifestations in this case are unusual. In addition, the patient was only minimally immunodepressed and despite demonstrated in vitro sensitivity, itraconazole was ineffective clinically. Treatment is not well defined, but surgery is essential in combination with empirically chosen antifungals.

In order to determine the nature of a complex motor disorder, the clinical can call on different diagnostic tools such as motor blocks or gait analysis measuring time-distance parameters, kinematic, kinetics, gait dynamic electromyography and energy expenditure for gait performance.

Clinical assessment is guided by the therapeutic goal (function, gait, mobility, pain relief, nursing), both to propose treatment and objectively monitor treatment results in terms of deficit (strength, flexibility, appropriate contraction, muscle activation) and handicap (gait, transfers, activities of daily living).

In a second part, we apply the results of the first part for studying the problem of existence of open-loop Nash equilibrium points for nonzero sum linear-quadratic stochastic differential games with random coefficients. We show existence, and give their expression, of such points without any limitation of the duration of the game. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.