The placenta: Immunologic or hemodynamic protector of the fetus?

Complete separation of the maternal and fetal circulation during normal pregnancy has been regarded as an extremely important protective factor from the immunologic standpoint. This hypothesis was tested in outbred rabbits in which a direct maternal-fetal parabiosis was established during the last week of pregnancy by implanting an intact maternal omental pedicle subcutaneously into the fetus. A functional cross-circulation, which developed after 48 hours as evidenced by maternal⁵¹Cr-labeled erythrocytes, led to pathologic changes culminating in fetal death within 70 to 80 hours postoperatively. Hyperacute graft rejection, previously postulated as the etiology of these fetal changes, was ruled out since the same characteristic syndrome occurred in similarly treated inbred fetuses syngeneic with their mothers. This study indicates that the absence of direct vascular intercommunication between mother and fetus at the level of the placenta is clearly necessary for physiologic as well as immunologic reasons.     

A continuously monitored recirculating perfusion system for measuring intestinal absorption

A system was developed for the continuous and simultaneous measurement of water and nutrient (or electrolyte) absorption from the intestine. A recirculating loop (with a reservoir) was kept moving by means of two peristaltic pumps. Water was quantitated by means of a chromogenic nonabsorbed marker and a spectrophotometer. The nutrient (or electrolyte) was present in radiolabeled form and was quantitated by means of a gamma-ray detector. Use of the system was illustrated by the study of²²NaCl and⁷⁵Se-l-selenomethionine. By utilization of a suitable detector, beta-emitting radionuclides may also be used in the perfusing fluid.Supported by U. S. Public Health Service Grants CA06519 and AM09429.     

A study on the delivery practices in riverine & non-riverine blocks of the district of South 24-Parganas, West Bengal

A cross sectional study was undertaken in three riverine and two non-riverine blocks of South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal to study the delivery practices and compare between two locality. During the reference period of one year, of 3073 total deliveries, 89.36% were home deliveries. Home deliveries were higher in the riverine blocks (95.07%) compared to non-riverine blocks (81.64%). 'Dai' conducted 58.36% and 90.62% of home deliveries in riverine and non-riverine blocks respectively. Only 18.4% of the 'Dai' were trained.