[Acute renal failure and 2,8-dihydroxyadeninuria]

We report the case of a 65 year old man, with a history of recurrent urolithiasis, who was referred for an acute renal failure. Investigations deny obstructive or glomerular involvement. 2,8-Dihydroxyadeninuria was diagnosed with the help of crystalluria. This rare metabolic disease is due to a deficiency of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase, a purine salvage enzyme. Allopurinol, a low purine diet and high fluid intake made possible the nearly entire regression of renal failure.

Double pi(0) Photoproduction on the Proton at GRAAL

The double pi(0) photoproduction off the proton has been measured in the beam energy range of 0.65-1.5 GeV. The total and differential cross sections and the Sigma beam asymmetry were extracted. The total cross section measured for the first time in the third resonance region of the nucleon shows a prominent peak. The interpretation of these results by two independent theoretical models infers mostly the selective excitation of P11- and D13-nucleon resonances.

Measurement of vacuum-assisted photoionization at 1 GeV for Au and Ag targets

We report a measurement of photon impact ionization of K and L shell of Au and K shell of Ag targets in the 1-GeV energy range. We show that the cross section is dominated by a contribution from a new channel called vacuum-assisted photoionization. In this process the energy-momentum balance associated with the removal of the innershell electron is obtained by conversion of a high-energy photon into an electron-positron pair. This measurement is consistent with the theoretical prediction that vacuum-assisted photoionization is the most probable ionization mechanism at very high energies.

[Socio-economic and juridical aspects of nosocomial infections]

The medical and paramedical personnel shows concern about clinical and epidemiological aspects of nosocomial infections, but pays also attention to their economical and legal aspects. The acquired infections in hospital bring about economic and social consequences. It is logical to study the ratio cost/efficiency insofar as the social and human dimension of illness and suffering are taken into account and the struggle and the prevention are not only seen from their economical aspect. The legal liability of hospital or State health personnel is now well-know et the number of instituted proceedings is in continuous increase. The penal jurisdiction is the most common way. No negligence is permitted and nobody can be safe. The clarity and the dialog with the patients and their families are the best means to avoid a conflict prejudicial for everybody.

[Urinary Corynebacterium group D2 infections. A hospital epidemic and antibiotic sensitivity]

An outbreak of Corynebacterium group D2 urinary tract infections was recently observed at Nice CHR. These infections were characterized by alkaline urine. The five first cases were reported in the same department and the ten other cases were latter observed in different departments. Age average was 79 and all patients had either an intra-vesical catheter of a urinary collector. Among samples of material tested, only one gave a positive culture. The 15 isolates showed a similar identification and antibiotic phenotype. These strains presented a multiple antibiotic resistance: resistance to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides (except streptomycin), erythromycin, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines. All strains were susceptible to rifampin, pristinamycin, fusidic acid and vancomycin.

[Psychoses and unidentified flying objects]

Some individuals claim to have come into contact and communicated with occupants of flying objects of extraterrestrial origin who often would have entrusted them with "missions" regarding the safeguard of humanity. The authors, who have observed six such subjects, conclude that five of them suffered from a paranoid delusional state often akin to paraphrenia; whereas other analogous cases previously reported have been diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Their beliefs, inaccessible to criticism and to reasoning, presumably help them to remain outside psychiatric reach. The present article does not take an interest in the physical existence of this phenomenon and does not wish to be reductionistic. It does not claim to express a judgment on the witnesses of such phenomena whose mental health must be evaluated through a rigorous and impartial examination, and not be evaluated in terms of the examiner's preconceptions toward the witnesses' assertions.

[Severe pneumopathy due to Legionella pneumophila: report on two cases]

Two patients with severe forms of legionnaires' disease presented similar manifestations of a confusional syndrome, a major infectious syndrome resistant to cyclines, beta-lactams, and aminoglycosides, altered hepatic and renal functions, and a fulminating course with the need for assisted ventilation in one case. Indirect immunofluorescence serology gave very positive results in both patients and changes in serum levels were reported 6 and 8 months after the onset of the disease. A serotype I strain of Legionella pneumophila was isolated by direct immunofluorescence from bronchial aspiration products in the second case. These cases are discussed in relation to reports in the published literature.