Factors affecting outcome in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in term infants

Forty-nine term infants were prospectively shown to have hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). All infants survived the neonatal period, and all but two infants (seen at 12 months) were followed up to at least 27 months of age. Factors that significantly correlated with outcome included the Sarnat encephalopathy stage and the occurrence of intractable seizures not controlled by phenobarbital sodium alone. There was no association between the one- or five-minute Apgar score, the need for early ventilation, the EEG, the occurrence of seizures, and the subsequent outcome. There was no significant difference in outcome for those infants who received dexamethasone sodium phosphate (n = 29) v those who did not receive the drug (n = 20). A review of 97 term infants with HIE from a regional perinatal program during a one-year period (1979), including 35 of the 49 infants in the present study, did show a significant increase in morbidity and mortality for transported infants.     

Effect of galactose and sugar substitutes on blood insulin levels in normal and obese individuals

Eighteen male patients between the ages of 25 and 50 were given on a double blind randomized basis (A) 40 gms. galactose (B) 50 gms. arabinogalactan and 0.11 gm. sodium saccharin (C) 2 gm. methyl cellulose and 0.083 gm. sodium saccharin and (D) 4 gm. galactose, all in 200 ml water. Blood glucose, galactose and insulin levels were determined during a six hour period before and after ingestion. The three first mentioned solutions tasted equally sweet, the fourth was essentially tasteless. None of these feedings altered plasma insulin or glucose levels. It appears that in contrast to other conclusions reached by earlier investigators sweet taste is unable to induce insulin secretion through neurogenic pathways.     

Isolation of a spotted fever group rickettsia from the Pacific Coast tick, Ixodes pacificus, in Oregon

A rickettsia of the spotted fever group was isolated on three occasions from Ixodes pacificus in western Oregon. These isolations, and additional evidence furnished by complement fixation tests on guinea pigs inoculated with other Oregon ticks of this species, indicate that the association of this rickettsia with the Pacific Coast tick may be widespread. This is the first isolation of a spotted fever group rickettsia from I. pacificus. Because the Oregon isolates are mildly virulent for guinea pigs they resemble the Western U and Rickettsia montana strains of rickettsiae. However, preliminary evidence from cross-immunofluorescence tests of mouse antisera suggests the Tillamook and Grants Pass strains are antigenically different from all known spotted fever group agents.     

Analysis of three restriction fragment length polymorphisms in the human type II procollagen gene

Cloned genomic DNA sequences corresponding to various regions of the human type II procollagen gene were used to analyze the DNA from 78 normal volunteers. Southern hybridization experiments detected polymorphic HindIII, BamHI, and EcoRI sites. The presence of the polymorphic HindIII site results in a 7.0-kilobase (kb) band, and the absence of this site results in a 14.0-kb band. When present, the BamH1 polymorphic site yields a 4.8-kb band, and when absent, yields a 7.2-kb band. The presence of the EcoRI polymorphic site results in a 3.7-kb band, and its absence results in a 7.0-kb band. Each polymorphic site was mapped. Analyses of the data demonstrated that the sites are present in overall gene frequencies of .39 for HindIII, .04 for BamHI, and .02 for EcoRI. Gene frequencies of the polymorphic sites were also studied with respect to race. The polymorphic sites are present in a Hardy-Weinberg distribution in the study population. Study of an extended family demonstrated that the segregation of the HindIII polymorphic site is consistent with Mendelian inheritance.