Ontogenic development of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity in the gastrointestinal tract and the influence of dietary changes in rats

The ontogenic development of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity (NTLI) in the gastrointestinal tract was studied in three groups of male rats on different diets. Group I rats were weaned physiologically. Group II rats received only mother's milk until 25 days of age. Group III rats were fed mother's milk alone for 20 days and then switched abruptly to laboratory chow. The NTLI concentration in the gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to the small intestine was almost the same as that in adult rats before weaning. It increased after weaning to a peak on day 20 or 25, and then decreased to the adult level. The NTLI concentration in the cecum and large intestine, however, decreased from high neonatal level, reaching the adult level on day 20 or 25, and it remained constant thereafter. Prolonged mother's milk feeding alone enhanced neurotensin production in the esophagus and postponed the physiological decrement of NTLI concentrations in the duodenum and small intestine. The sudden change from mother's milk to laboratory chow accelerated the decrement of intestinal NTLI concentrations.     

Iron therapy and refeeding in experimentally malnourished rats.

1. Rats suffering from protein-energy malnutrition were found to have low serum iron, low PCV, and low hemoglobin concentrations. 2. Oral iron supplement during the refeeding of these animals caused various types of infection, the severity of which was related to the dose given. 3. A close association between high serum iron, low serum transferrin, and high incidence of bacterial infection was found. 4. A high protein diet without any oral iron supplement was found to raise the PCV and hemoglobin concentration to the same levels as a high protein diet containing 65 mg iron/kg body wt/day, although this dose of iron was sufficient to produce infection in the malnourished rats during refeeding. Speculation Iron supplementation during the treatment of children with protein-energy malnutrition may predispose to bacterial infection, the severity of which depends on the dose of iron given.     

Perinatal brain serotonin metabolism in rats malnourished in utero

The fetal brain serotonin metabolism has been studied in two types of gestationally malnourished rats: protein-calorie and after ligation of one branch of the uterine artery. The results showed an elevation of L-tryptophan and serotonin content and an enhancement of tryptophan-5-hydroxylase activity in the malnourished fetal brain, continuing up to day 10 of postnatal life. The possible implications of these early changes of the serotoninergic system in brain differentiation and a lasting change in tryptophan-5-hydroxylase kinetics are proposed for further study.     

手足口病患儿淋巴细胞亚群和免疫球蛋白及补体C3、C4水平分析

目的 分析淋巴细胞亚群、免疫球蛋白及补体C3、C4在手足口病患儿免疫状态评估中的临床应用价值。方法 选取282例手足口病患儿为手足口病组,130例健康儿童为健康对照组;检测两组外周血CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD8⁺T淋巴细胞、CD19+B淋巴细胞、CD56+自然杀伤细胞比例,CD4⁺/CD8⁺、IgA、IgM、IgG和补体C3、C4水平。结果 多因素分析显示,手足口病组CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD8⁺T淋巴细胞比例及补体C3、C4水平低于健康对照组（P < 0.05）,CD56+自然杀伤细胞比例、IgG水平高于健康对照组（P < 0.05）。单独效应分析显示,0岁~手足口病组CD4⁺/CD8⁺高于健康对照组（P < 0.05）;0岁~及3岁~的男性手足口病组IgM水平高于健康对照组（P < 0.05）;3岁~男性及0岁~女性手足口病组IgA水平低于健康对照组（P < 0.05）。结论 手足口病患儿存在细胞免疫及体液免疫功能紊乱,监测淋巴细胞亚群、免疫球蛋白水平可以为手足口病患儿的免疫状态评估提供实验室依据。     

Serum C-reactive protein and C3 complement protein levels in severely malnourished Nigerian children with and without bacterial infections

Bacterial infections are the major determinants of fatality in severe protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Unfortunately, these infections are difficult to diagnose clinically. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were determined in 17 infected and 10 non-infected Nigerian children with severe PEM and compared with age/ sex-matched apparently healthy controls. The aim was to study the response of this acute phase protein to bacterial infections as well as to assess its value in the diagnosis of infections in severe PEM. C3 complement protein levels were also determined in the same group of subjects. The major organisms isolated in samples from these subjects were S. aureus and the coliforms. Mean CRP level in the non-infected children with severe PEM was 13.8 ± 6.21 mg/1 and rose to 159.83 ± 124.07 mg/1 in the presence of infection. The mean value in healthy non-infected controls was 2.01 ± 0.96 mg/1. The difference in the mean CRP levels between the infected and non-infected PEM children was statistically significant at p < 0.01. The mean difference between the non-infected and the control subjects was not significant. Using a diagnostic level of 20.00 mg/1 of CRP gave a sensitivity of 85.0% and a specificity of 80.0%. This CRP level is a useful index of bacterial infections in severe PEM. C3 complement protein was low in the non-infected malnourished group, but rose significantly in the presence of infection to values similar to that of the healthy controls. C3 protein thus behaves as an acute phase reactant in the presence of infection in severe PEM, and does not appear to be consumed, probably due to a deficiency in the early components of the complement cascade. This suggests a role for C3 measurement in the monitoring of bacterial infections in severe PEM.     

新生儿期血清Cystatin C动态变化的研究

目的探讨不同胎龄和不同日龄新生儿血清Cystatin C的变化。方法将60例新生儿根据胎龄分为5组,其胎龄分别为~32周、~34周、~37周、~40周、>40周,每组12例。将120例新生儿根据日龄分为6组,其日龄分别为~1 d、~3 d~、5 d、~7 d、~14 d、~28 d,每组20例。比较各组新生儿血清Cystatin C水平的差异。用微粒子增强免疫比浊法测定新生儿血清Cystatin C水平。结果(1)5组不同胎龄的新生儿出生时血清Cystatin C值分别为:(1.25±0.40)、(1.34±0.59)、(1.20±0.24)、(1.12±0.28)(、1.24±0.29)mg/L,差异无显著性意义(P>0.05)。(2)6组不同日龄的新生儿血清Cystatin C值分别为(1.30±0.34)(、1.28±0.42)(、1.22±0.37)(、1.29±0.37)(、1.28±0.46)(、1.18±0.35)mg/L,差异无显著性意义(P>0.05)。结论Cystatin C在新生儿期不受胎龄和日龄的影响,可作为评价新生儿期肾小球滤过功能的指标。     

新生儿高胆红素血症中胱抑素C的变化及临床意义

目的 了解胱抑素C(CysC)在新生儿高胆红素血症中的变化.方法 104例高胆红素血症新生儿为高胆组,根据其血总胆红素水平分为轻、中、重3组,各28、58、18例;同时选择40例非高胆红素血症新生儿为非高胆组.测定血尿素氮(BUN)、肌酐(Cr)和CysC,并比较高胆组与非高胆组,以及轻、中、重高胆组新生儿之间的差异;分析各指标与血总胆红素的相关性.结果 高胆组和非高胆组新生儿的BUN、Cr均在正常范围,差异无统计学意义(P ＞ 0.05);高胆组新生儿的CysC高于非高胆组,差异有统计学意义(P ＜ 0.05);轻、中、重度高胆组新生儿的CysC逐渐增高,差异有统计学意义(F ＝ 5.39,P ＜ 0.05).新生儿的血总胆红素水平与CysC水平呈直线正相关(r ＝ 0.3,P ＜ 0.05).结论 高胆红素血症时,新生儿的CysC增高并随着血总胆红素水平升高而加剧,可能成为判断高胆红素血症时早期肾功能损害的敏感生物学指标.     

Antibody deficiency without decrease in the level of serum immunoglobulins

The paper reports the case of a 14 year-old boy, born at full term with intra-uterine growth retardation (1,640 g) who presented with short stature, generalized eczema and recurrent infections. During the first years of life, hypogammaglobulinemia with antibody deficiency occurred. The in vitro T lymphocyte function was normal. The infections have become less severe. The plasma levels of IgA, IgG, IgM and IgE are normal. There is hyperimmunoglobulinemia D. The deficiency of antibodies against most of the tested antigens persists. T and B lymphocyte counts are normal. The in vitro lymphocyte proliferation with Concanavalin A, Phytohemagglutinin, Pokeweed mitogen and Nocardia is normal. The OKT4+ and OKT8+ cell counts are normal. The ratio "helper T cell/suppressive T cell activity" appears to be abnormal. A very prolonged maturation delay, possibly associated with fetal hypotrophy may be hypothesized.     

Quantitative aberrations in serum immunoglobulins in children with acute viral hepatitis

Serum levels of IgG, IgA and IgM were determined by LASER nephelometry in 134 patients with acute viral hepatitis. Different types of hepatitis were serologically differentiated by radioimmunoassays. 102 patients had hepatitis A, 27 patients hepatitis B and 5 hepatitis non-A-non-B infections. 30 patients with hepatitis A and 9 with hepatitis B were checked in a follow-up-study. The IgA levels showed the least changes and were found to be within normal range in over 75% in hepatitis types A and B. On the other hand, IgG levels and - to a greater extent - IgM levels were found to be elevated in a great number of these patients. Levels below the 2s-range were found only rarely. Children with hepatitis B had elevated IgG and IgM in 44,4% and 33,3% of the cases. In patients with hepatitis A IgG level elevations (above 2s-range) were found in 44,2% and IgM level elevations in 96, 1% of the cases. No significant differences were found between the age Groups 0-1 year, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-15 years of patients with hepatitis A regarding their serum immunoglobulin levels. 14 days after diagnosis a decrease of the elevated IgM was found in patients with hepatitis A parallel to an increase in the IgG values. No significant changes were observed in patients with hepatitis B. The IgA levels remained constant both in patients with hepatitis A and B infections. For hepatitis non-A-non-B a statistical evaluation was not possible due to the small number of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)