摘要:

SummaryMuscle tissue obtained by needle biopsy from the quadriceps femoris of eight malnourished and eight recovered children were examined histologically. In both groups about two-thirds of the total nuclear count was due to muscle nuclei. The remaining one-third was made up of vascular, nerve, and interstitial cells and isolated nuclei in similar proportions in the two groups. A significantly greater percentage of muscle nuclei consisted of myogenic cells in recovered children as compared to malnourished children (20.7 ± 6.4vs.2.6 ± 1.4%)SpeculationThe presence of a higher percentage of myogenic cells in muscle of children who have recovered from protein-energy malnutrition suggests that muscle repletion involves hyperplastic growth and that muscle maturation in apparently fully recovered children may not be complete.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryLymphocyte transformation responses to three different mitogens (phytohemagglutinin (PHA), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), and concanavalin A (Con A)) as well as four antigens (streptolysin O (SLO), keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), streptokinase-streptodornase (SKSD) and tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD)) were studied ontogenetically in 30 human fetuses ranging in gestational age from 6–19 weeks.In most organs lymphocyte responsiveness to Con A in human fetuses seemingly develops in concert with responsiveness to PHA and PWM. One 19 week fetus had an apparent antigen specific response to SLO with stimulation of cord blood and bone marrow lymphocytes. The same fetus also had mitogen responsiveness in bone marrow.SpeculationThe onset of response to different mitogens (PHA, PWM, and Con A) apparently fails to distinguish subpopulations of lymphocytes in most fetal organs tested. Such agents may be of restricted value in studies of early immune ontogeny. Observation of one case of apparent fetal sensitization to SLO at 19 weeks gestational age suggests that transplacental immunization without gross infection may not be as rare as is believed currently.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryErythrocyte membrane proteins of premature and full-term infants were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. There were no qualitative or gross quantitative differences in the pattern of membrane proteins from premature infants, full-term infants, and adults.SpeculationErythrocyte membrane proteins are constant in character from 30 weeks of fetal gestation through adulthood.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryThe effects of a low phenylalanine diet on six retarded phenylketonuric adults were assessed. An ABA individual-subject design was used in experiment I to assess the effects of a low phenylalanine diet on social and motor behavior. Following a baseline during which the subjects ingested a normal phenylalanine diet (phase A), a low phenylalanine diet (phase B) was administered in a double blind fashion. Finally, the baseline condition (phase A) was reinstated (normal diet). The low phenylalanine diet resulted in few significant behavioral changes for those subjects with which proper methodologic controls were employed. However, for two of six subjects motor behavior, including stereotypy and tremor, seem to have ameliorated. In experiment II, applied behavior analysis techniques, including differential reinforcement of other behavior and time out, were combined to radically reduce the frequency of stereotypy and self-abuse exhibited by one of the six subjects of experiment I.SpeculationSingle-subject methodology borrowed from the experimental analysis of behavior revealed that a low phenylalanine diet was unsuccessful in producing significant desirable behavior changes in four adult retarded phenylketonuric subjects with proper experimental controls. However, when behavior therapy techniques were used with one of these same subjects, a rapid and dramatic reduction in stereotypy and self-abuse was observed.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryThe chronically reserpinized rat has been proposed as an animal model for cystic fibrosis on the basis of morphologic and secretory alterations in the submaxillary gland and of abnormalities in pulmonary secretions. In this investigation, the volume and composition of pancreatic juice from reserpine treated rats (0.5 mg/kg/day) have been compared to those of untreated controls after stimulation with purified cholecystokinin (0.1 μ/ kg body wt) and with crude and purified preparations of secretin (6μ/100 g body wt) infused iv for 30-min periods. The results demonstrate that the treated animals secreted a significantly lower volume of pancreatic juice after stimulation with these secretagogues. Flow rates were also significantly reduced after stimulation with cholecystokinin and crude secretin. Protein and amylase outputs in response to cholecystokinin were smaller than in control animals after unrestricted feedings, but greater after a 24-hr fast. Total bicarbonate output was also reduced after stimulation with either crude or purified secretin and the normal excretion patterns for bicarbonate and chloride were either absent or reversed in the secretin-stimulated pancreatic juice of the treated animals. Whole pancreas homogenates from the treated animals showed significant increases in Ca++and protein content. These results indicate that chronic administration of reserpine alters the secretion of water, protein, and bicarbonate from the rat pancreas and that it affects several of the exocrine glands involved in cystic fibrosis. These findings lend support to the concept of an animal model for the human disease.SpeculationThe chronic administration of reserpine to rats has been shown to induce alterations in salivary and pulmonary secretions which resemble those seen in patients with cystic fibrosis. The concept of an animal model has been proposed on the basis of these observations. The pancreas is another exocrine gland prominently involved in cystic fibrosis and if it can be demonstrated that reserpine administration also induces alterations in pancreatic secretion, the concept of the animal model would be strengthened considerably.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryIn 35 neonatal sera, comparisons were made of bilirubin binding capacity determined by Sephadex gel filtration and by peroxidase oxidation techniques. The serum indirect bilirubin concentration was 11.1 ± 4.6 mg/100 ml (190 ± 79 μM/liter); the serum concentration of unbound bilirubin was 50 ± 60 μg/100 ml (0.85 ± 1.03 μM/liter) by gel filtration and 0.77 ± 0.66 μg/100 ml (0.013 ± 0.011 μM/liter) by peroxidase oxidation. Binding capacity averaged 22.9 ± 5.6 mg/100 ml (392 ± 96 μM/liter) by gel filtration and 22.1 ± 6.1 mg/100 ml (378 ± 104 μM/liter) by peroxidase oxidation. The binding capacity, expressed as moles of bilirubin bound per mole of albumin, was 0.80 mol bilirubin/mol albumin by the Sephadex method and 0.77 by the peroxidase method. Individual values for binding capacity were in close agreement (r = 0.961,P< 0.001). At saturation of the first bilirubin binding site, the unbound bilirubin concentration was 190 ± 80 μg/100 ml (3.25 ± 1.37 μM/liter) by gel filtration and 1.87 ± 0.54 μg/100 ml (0.032 ± 0.009 μM/liter) by peroxidase oxidation. There was no correlation between unbound bilirubin concentrations estimated by the two methods. The peroxidase method requires a smaller volume of serum than the Sephadex method and is more sensitive to small changes in free bilirubin concentration.SpeculationBoth Sephadex gel filtration and peroxidase oxidation techniques appear capable of predicting the indirect bilirubin concentration at which the first or “tight” bilirubin binding site will be saturated, and above which free bilirubin concentration will be greatly increased. In neonatal sera, the two methods showed close agreement for individual determinations of binding capacity over a wide range of molar ratios. The lower limit for the neurotoxic concentration of unbound or “free” bilirubin is not precisely known and may vary in the face of multiple clinical factors. However, it seems likely that free bilirubin concentrations in excess of those measured at saturation of the first binding site would be potentially neurotoxic, and that bilirubin bound to secondary binding sites would be more readily dissociable.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryPurified human liver arylsulfatase A on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 4.0 is separated into two protein forms with enzymatic activity and two distinct inactive subunits. All of these components were immunologically distinguishable using different antisera preparations. In late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy, only one of the two inactive subunits was immunologically detected, whereas in the juvenile form of metachromatic leukodystrophy, both inactive subunits were antigenically present.SpeculationArylsulfatase A is a dimeric enzyme composed of two distinct subunits. In late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy, the molecular defect results in the absence of one of the subunits and therefore no active dimer is formed. In contrast, in the juvenile form of the disease, the mutation does not cause the absence of either of the subunits, as they are immunologically detectable, but does cause the formation of an unstable dimer.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryFactors which may explain lower serum uric acid in a new therapy of patients with glycogen storage disease (GSD) type I have been studied. [1-14C]Glycine incorporation into urine uric acid was 0.68% of the injected dose during a 6-day period of frequent high carbohydrate feedings, 0.40% with the same diet and nocturnal nasogastric feeding by Vivonex, and 0.18% in a control patient with GSD type III. Fractional renal uric acid excretion in the patient with GSD type I increased from 11.3% to 26.3% after beginning nocturnal nasogastric feeding of Vivonex. Red cell phosphoribosylpyrophosphate levels were not changed by the therapy. Addition of Vivonex nocturnal feedings to frequent high carbohydrate feedings (1) decreased the accelerated de novo purine synthesis to a level still higher than control and (2) increased fractional renal uric acid excretion.SpeculationNear normalization of purine metabolism with nocturnal feeding should decrease the risk of gout in GSD type I.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryTo provide a noninvasive method for serum bilirubin determination in newborn infants, a reflectometer system was developed using a novel fiber optic arrangement permitting measurement of the light reflected from a small area (3 cm2) of the infant's skin. The reflectometer was operated over the spectral region 400–750 nm with a 30-sec scan time. The reflectometer consisted of a monochomatic light source, fiber optic probe, detector, and data acquisition systemSpectral reflectance measurements were performed on the blanched and unblanched skin on the backs of 56 Caucasian newborn infants. Examples of the spectra and corresponding serum bilirubin values of 30 of the infants are presented, illustrating that near 460 nm, the spectral reflectance of the skin decreases with increasing serum bilirubin concentrations. It was also observed that the individualities in epidermal hemoglobin concentration affected the skin reflectance spectra. For this reason the statistical analysis was limited to inclusion of only reflectance spectra of blanched skin.The multispectral analysis of the data was based upon statistical regression analysis investigating the predictability of serum bilirubin level from reflectance spectra. The spectrum between 400 and 740 nm was divided into 5-nm intervals (71 discrete bands). First order linear, multiple linear, and polynomial nonlinear regressions were performed on the spectral reflectance values at each of the intervals with respect to serum bilirubin level. The coefficients of determination (R2values) are summarized.Because an R2of only 0.783 was observed at 450 nm, scatter diagrams of serum bilirubin concentration versus spectral skin reflectance at a given wavelength were studied. These indicated that a logarithmic transformation of the data might yield improved results. The double natural logarithm was taken of the 71 discrete spectral reflectance values and a polynomial nonlinear regression was performed with respect to serum bilirubin concentration. The best results of this regression analysis were obtained for a combination of five wavelengths yielding an R2value of 0.931.The ability to predict serum bilirubin concentration from skin reflectance using this relationship was tested using the original observations. The 95% prediction limit for this empirical relationship was shown to be ± 2 mg/100 ml.SpeculationSpectral reflectance measurements on the newborn skin provide a noninvasive screening method for neonatal jaundice and may also be useful in assessing the efficacy of phototherapy and the potential for kernicterus.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

SummaryDynamic aspects of whole body nitrogen metabolism in children recovering from burn injury have been examined in relation to basal metabolic rate (BMR). A continuous administration of [15N]glycine was used to estimate the rates of whole body protein synthesis (S) and breakdown (C) in five acutely burned children (ages 5–16 years) and in nine healthy subjects (ages 9–18 years). S (grams of protein per kg body wt per day) and BMR were significantly correlated (r= +0.73;P< 0.01). There was no significant correlation of C with BMR. The ratio of S (grams of protein per day) to BMR (kilocalories per day) was the same in burned and healthy children; the mean value for all children was 0.10 ± 0.03 g protein synthesis/basal kcal. Calorie intake and S were significantly correlated (r= +0.70;P< 0.01). There were significant correlations between BMR and percentage of total body surface area burned (r= +0.66;P< 0.01), and BMR and age (r= −0.57;P< 0.05). Age did not correlate significantly with percent of total body surface burned.SpeculationA significant proportion of basal energy expenditure is directly associated with energy needs for whole body protein synthesis and breakdown. The results of the present study demonstrated an increase in BMR in children recovering from burn injury, and the statistical correlations between the rate of S and BMR suggest that body protein synthesis accounts for approximately 50% of the variation in resting energy expenditure in the burned child. If more extensive data on the correlation between rates of S and energy expenditure can be obtained, it should be possible to exploit this relationship to estimate the energy intake required to support a rate of S that would equal or exceed the rate of C and result, therefore, in net tissue protein gain.

ISSN:0031-3998    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1978

数据来源: OVID