Persistence of fetal cardiopulmonary circulation: one manifestation of transient tachypnea of the newborn

Five cyanotic newborn infants underwent cardiac catheterization between 8 and 36 hours of age with a tentative diagnosis of cyanotic congenital heart disease. All had normal cardiovascular anatomy. Cyanosis was the result of persistence of fetal cardiopulmonary circulation with right-to-left shunting across the ductus arteriosus. In all infants, cyanosis resolved spontaneously and the infants survived without sequelae. Admission chest roentgenograms of all infants showed marked hyperinflation of the lungs. Except for severe hypoxemia, the clinical presentation, chest films, and course of illness of these infants were consistent with transient tachypnea of the newborn. It is proposed that an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance, due to hyperinflation of the lungs, was the mechanism which reopened the fetal cardiopulmonary circulatory channels and produced hypoxemia, and that these infants suffered from a rare manifestation of a usually benign newborn respiratory condition. Further, given these pathophysiologic mechanisms, the use of continuous transpulmonary pressure gradients in the management of such infants would be contraindicated.     

Approaching and contacting the object another manipulates: A social skill of the 1-year-old.

Assigned 48 11–23 mo old infants at random to 1 of 4 groups distinguished by how an unfamiliar female adult acted on toys. The infant, in a room containing his or her mother and several toys, observed an adult who did nothing with the toys, periodically approached and sat down beside a predesignated toy either in a repetitive way for 1 group or in a varied manner for another. Contrasting which toys the infants of the different groups contacted indicated that the infants systematically went to and contacted the toy that the adult manipulated. Smiling, vocalizing, and gesturing to the adult, being near her, and contacting her were all reliably linked in time to the infants' contacting her toy. Further, the infants duplicated the adult's actions on the toy reliably more often than expected by a chance matching of activity. The findings suggest that approaching and contacting the object another manipulates is a basic social skill of the 1-yr-old; such behavior functions to facilitate the generation of social interaction. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparative study of plasma 17beta-oestradiol, progesterone, placental lactogen and chorionic gonadotrophin in abortion induced with intra-amniotic prostaglandin F2alpha

Serial estimations were made in plasma of 17beta-oestradiol (E2), progesterone and human placental lactogen (HPL) in 43 patients and of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in 34 patients during mid-trimester abortions induced with intra-amniotic prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha. Mean plasma concentrations of all the hormones showed a progressive fall after PGF2alpha. There was no relationship between the fall in levels of progesterone, HPL and HCG and the induction-abortion interval, signs of fetal distress or of intrauterine fetal death. Both the control level and the rate of fall of E2 were related to the induction-abortion interval and a rapid decline preceded intrauterine fetal death. The relationships of the progesterone/E2 ratio and the amniotic fluid volume/progesterone ratio to the induction-abortion interval were examined. The variation in the time at which significant falls in the concentration of individual hormones occurred was probably related to their respective half-lives in plasma.     

2 types of neuromuscular junction in the pharyngeal retractor muscle of snails

The pharyngeal retractor muscle of Helix lucorum is innervated by two symmetrical nerves which contain axons of two types forming myoneural junctions with the muscle cells. Type I junctions correspond to thick axons. These axon terminals which contain a large number of spherical, clear vesicles (41 +/- 5 nm) and a smaller number of dense-cored vesicles (67 +/- 3 nm) make contacts mainly with noncontractile sarcoplasmic processes of muscle cells. Type II junctions correspond to thin axons containing many of granules. Their axon terminals contact with contractile parts of muscle cells and contain a heterogenous population of vesicles: small spherical clear vesicles (44 +/- 2 nm), dense-cored vesicles and numerous irregularly outlined granules with fine-granular content (135 +/- 5 nm). Space between muscle cell is usually wide (50 nm and more) with the exception of sarcoplasmic processes where the gap may be less than 10 nm.     

Haematological aspects of antenatal diagnosis for thalassaemia in Britain

The results are described of 200 antenatal diagnostic tests for haemoglobinopathies performed on samples of fetal blood obtained during the second trimester of pregnancy. Haemoglobin A synthesis in the fetus was measured by incorporation of tritiated leucine in vitro and separation of the globin chains on CM23 columns. The range of HbA synthesis detected was 3.5-8.0% in normal fetuses, 2.0-5.0% in fetuses with thalassaemia trait, and less than 1.6% in fetuses with thalassaemia major. There were eight cases in which other haemoglobinopathies were diagnosed. 29% of the pregnancies were terminated because thalassaemia major was diagnosed, and 9.5% of the remaining healthy fetuses were lost for obstetric reasons. Follow up has been possible for 96% of the 124 surviving babies and three misdiagnoses have come to light; one false positive (0.5%) and two false negatives (1%). These figures represent a first effort at antenatal diagnosis for haemoglobinopathies and it is likely that they will improve with the passage of time.     

APA finances: Introduction.

Discusses the profits and investments of the American Psychological Association (APA). Other topics include the financial control system, which provides for 5-yr advance planning, annual budgeting, and current reporting built around programs. These programs are divided into such categories as publications and services and activities. APA revenues, expenses, and net earnings for 1951–70 are listed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of a specific platelet-activating factor antagonist on cardiovascular and peripheral cellular responses to colonic ischemia and reperfusion in anesthetized ponies

The role of platelet-activating factor in mediating the cardiovascular and peripheral cellular responses to large-colon ischemia and reperfusion, was explored in anesthetized ponies. A specific platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonist (WEB 2086) was administered to a group of 6 ponies, and another 6 ponies (controls) were given an equivalent volume of saline solution, prior to 1 hour of large-colon torsion. After correction of the torsion, ponies were monitored during the reperfusion period. Significant (P < 0.05) hypotension and metabolic acidosis developed in all ponies after correction of colonic torsion, cardiac index increased initially, but then decreased significantly (P < 0.05) over the study period. Mean times between correction of torsion and onset of cardiac failure and death were not different between groups. Significant (P < 0.05) thrombocytopenia developed during the reperfusion period in control ponies, but not in WEB-treated ponies. Blood leukocyte concentration in control ponies was more variable and significantly (P < 0.05) decreased immediately upon reperfusion, compared with that in WEB-treated ponies. We conclude that although the cardiovascular responses to colonic ischemia and reperfusion are not prevented by use of a specific PAF-antagonist, specific peripheral cellular responses are mediated by PAF.     

Evaluation of high-resolution CT and MR cisternography in the diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid fistula

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Whether inflammation of the cardia indicates gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and/or is a manifestation of pangastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori infection is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cardia inflammation, H. pylori infection, and cardia intestinal metaplasia in patients with and without GERD. METHODS: Patients with GERD were compared with controls undergoing endoscopy for a variety of other conditions. Endoscopic biopsy specimens from the distal esophagus and cardia, fundus, and antrum were evaluated for inflammation, H. pylori infection, and intestinal metaplasia. RESULTS: Neither the prevalence of H. pylori infection (controls, 48%; GERD, 41%) nor cardia inflammation (controls, 41%; GERD, 40%) differed between groups. All 11 controls and 22 of 23 patients with GERD (96%) and cardia inflammation had H. pylori infection. Esophagitis was more common among GERD patients (33%) than controls (7%; P = 0.01). Cardia intestinal metaplasia was more common among controls (22%) than GERD patients (3%; P = 0.01); all had cardia inflammation, 7 had H. pylori infection, and 6 had metaplasia elsewhere in the stomach. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cardia inflammation is similar in patients with and without GERD and is associated with H. pylori infection (P < 0.001). Cardia intestinal metaplasia is associated with H. pylori-related cardia inflammation (P = 0.01) and intestinal metaplasia elsewhere in the stomach, indicating that it is distinct from Barrett's esophagus.     

The factor V Leiden mutation increases the risk of venous thrombosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Thromboembolic disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and possible association of the factor V Leiden mutation with the development of thrombosis in patients with IBD. METHODS: This retrospective study included 11 patients with IBD and arterial or venous thrombosis and 51 patients with IBD and no history of thrombosis who were matched for age, sex, ethnic/racial origin, and type of IBD (controls). The presence of the factor V Leiden mutation was determined by coagulation assay and confirmed by a polymerase chain reaction method. RESULTS: Four of 11 IBD patients (36%) with thrombosis and 2 of 51 IBD controls (4%) were heterozygotes for the factor V Leiden mutation (relative risk, 14.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.55-169.25; P = 0.009, Fisher exact test). All thrombotic events in the patients with activated protein C resistance were venous with a calculated prevalence of 50% (4 of 8 patients) and a relative risk of venous thrombosis in IBD patients with factor V Leiden of 23 (95% confidence interval, 2-294; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with IBD, inheritance of the factor V Leiden mutation results in a significant increased risk of venous thrombosis.