Objective. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been detected in sacroiliac joint biopsy specimens from patients with spondylarthropathy. The present open pilot study was undertaken to test the efficacy of the anti-TNF monoclonal antibody infliximab in the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods. Eleven patients with AS of short duration (median 5 years, range 0.5-13 years) that had been active for at least 3 months (range 3-72 months) were treated with 3 infusions of infliximab (at weeks 0, 2, and 6), in a dosage of 5 mg/kg. Ten of the 11 patients had elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (>6 mg/liter) before treatment; these elevations were known to have had persisted >1 year in at least 3 patients. The Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), pain as measured on a visual analog scale, and the Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI) were assessed. Quality of life was assessed using the Short Form 36 instrument. Laboratory markers of disease activity, including interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, were determined. Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine was performed in 5 patients. Results. One patient withdrew from the study due to the occurrence of urticarial xanthoma 8 days after the first infusion. At study enrollment, 3 of 5 patients had evidence of spinal inflammation (spondylitis and spon-dylodiscitis) as detected by MRI; followup MRI 2-6 weeks after the third infusion revealed improvement in 2. Improvement of >50% in activity, function, and pain scores was documented in 9 of 10 patients; the median improvement in the BASDAI after 4 weeks was 70% (range 41-94%). This clear-cut benefit lasted for 6 weeks after the third infusion in 8 of 10 patients. The median CRP level decreased from 15.5 mg/liter (range <6-90.8) to normal, and the median IL-6 level from 12.4 mg/liter (range 0-28.4) to normal (<5). There was improvement in all 9 SF-36 concepts; the improvement was significant for 6 concepts. Conclusion. These data suggest that anti-TNF therapy is very effective for several weeks in AS. Whether this therapy, in addition to its antiinflamma-tory effect, prevents ankylosis remains to be determined .

-The microflora of Ibores cheese made with raw goat's milk without any starter addition was studied throughout the ripening period. The microbial counts for total lactic acid bacteria, presumptive lactococci and presumptive lactobacilli attained maxima of 9-10 log units with little or no variation throughout ripening. Leuconostocs and enterococci levels were 2-3 log units lower, also with little variation. Coliforms and staphylococci declined steadily from relatively high initial counts, the coliforms to low levels and the staphylococci disappearing completely. Moulds and yeasts were at low levels throughout ripening. Among the identified isolates, lactococci formed the prevalent group throughout ripening, followed by leuconostocs and enterococci at similar levels to each other, and then lactobacilli at low levels. The prevailing species and subspecies were Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. dextranicum, Ln. mesenteroides ssp. mesenteroides, Weissella paramesenteroides, Enterococcus faecium, E. faecalis, Lactobacillus casei and Lb. plantarum. Small numbers of other species from each of the genera were also identified. The changes in certain physicochemical parameters during ripening were determined. By 60 days, the values of the pH, total solid content, and NaCl content were 5.18, 58.9% and 2.5%, respectively. The correlation of some of the physicochemical parameters with the log counts of the microbial groups was also established.Goat's milk cheese / ripening / lactic acid bacteria / identification Résumé -Fromage des Ibores : changements microbiologiques et physico-chimiques pendant l'affinage. La microflore de fromages de type Ibores, faits avec du lait cru de chèvre, sans addition de levain, a été suivie pendant l'affinage. Les concentrations de bactéries lactiques totales, de

-The effect of adding four Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis autochthonous strains as single starters (A, B, C and D) on the microbiological, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Ibores raw goat's milk cheese was investigated. Batches with a commercial starter (E) and with raw goat's milk without starter (F) were also made as controls. At the first day of ripening, the pH values of cheeses manufactured with any type of starter were significantly lower than those made without starter. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in pH between batches, although no clear relationship with the starter type appeared. No significant differences (P < 0.05) in values of total solids (TS) or NaCl content were found between any of the batches after 7 d of ripening. The levels of the nitrogen fractions SN/TN and TCASN/TN were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in cheeses without starter after 7 and 30 d of ripening, but no significant differences were found between batches made with different starters. The evolution of lactic acid bacteria counts during ripening were very similar for all batches. While the enterococci counts in all types of cheeses throughout ripening remained practically constant, in cheeses manufactured with the commercial starter they were significantly (P < 0.05) lower at any given stage of ripening than those of the remaining types of cheeses. In cheeses made with autochthonous starters, the levels of coliforms and coagulasepositive staphylococci were reduced earlier in ripening than in the E and F cheeses. The best scores in the overall sensorial characteristics were awarded cheeses manufactured with two of the autochthonous starters, although the differences were not significant (P < 0.05) relative to cheeses made without starter.Goat milk cheese / autochthonous starter / ripening / sensorial quality Résumé -Effet de levains autochtones sur les caractéristiques microbiologiques, physicochimiques et sensorielles de fromage Ibores au lait de chèvre cru. Nous avons examiné l'effet de quatre souches autochtones pures de Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis (A, B, C et D), utilisées comme levains, sur les caractéristiques microbiologiques, physicochimiques et sensorielles de fromage Ibores au lait de chèvre cru. Ces fromages ont été comparés aux fromages élaborés avec un levain du commerce (E) et à ceux fabriqués sans addition de levain (F). En début d'affinage, le pH des fromages sans levain était significativement (P < 0,05) plus haut que celui des autres fromages.