Hyperlipidemia in School Children with Family Histories of Premature Coronary Heart Disease

ABSTRACT. Children starting their schooling were given a questionnaire asking about the occurrence of premature (before 50 years of age in men, 55 years in women) coronary heart disease (CHD) in first degree relatives. 1920 of 2069 questionnaires were answered, 140 of the 7-year-old children were reported to have a first degree relative with premature CHD. 84 of these 140 families agreed to participate in our study. In 79 of the 84 families both the child and the parent at 'high risk' were tested. In the initial test 19 of 84 children had total cholesterol (TC) levels above the 95th percentile (>5.35 mmol/l). In the repeat test 12 of the 19 TC tests remained abnormal and all 12 also had LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels above the 95th percentile (>3.40 mmol/l). None had abnormal HDL-cbolesterol or triglyceride levels. Among the high risk parents, 12 of 79 had abnormal initial blood lipid tests. In the repeat test 10 parents had both TC and LDL-C levels above the 95th percentile. In five families both the child and the parent had abnormal TC and LDL-C levels. In conclusion, a considerable proportion of children and parents with family histories of premature CHD have TC and LDL-C concentrations above the 95th percentile (in the present study, about 40 individuals in 140 high-risk families, if the parent and child considered at high risk all had agreed to participate). Prevention of heart disease should begin in childhood when patterns of life-style are developed. Identification by obtained family histories as in the current study may be a method of choice.     

Conformation of a biologically active C-terminal hexapeptide analog of the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide by NMR spectroscopy

The solution conformation of a biologically active C-terminal hexapeptide analog of the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide Tyr-d -Phe-Ser-Pro-Arg-Leu-NH₂ has been studied by NMR spectroscopy. A β-turn conformation was identified from the NOE connectivities observed for the peptide in a mixed solvent of water and DMSO, indicating that this is the biologically active conformation of the peptide. This study also suggests that the use of such an aqueous-like solvent mixture allows the observation of a preferred conformation for small linear peptides in the presence of conformational averaging.     

Natural History of Congenital Complete Atrioventricular Block

An update of studies onthena tural history of congenital complete A V block is presented. A risk for heart failure, syn -cope, and sudden death is present at any age including fetal life. Unfavorable prognostic signs in utero are low and decreasing ventricular rate (VR), hydrops, AV valve regurgitation, and low aortic flow velocity. Indications for pacing in infancy are congestive heart failure, ventricular rate < 55 beats/min in isolated block and < 65 beats/min with associated disease, prolonged QT_c, syncope attacks, frequent ventricular ectopic beats, and alternating ventricular pacemakers. Indications for immediate pacing in childhood and adult life are syncope, presyncope, VR rates lower than median for age, periods ofjunc-tional exit block, prolongation of QT_c and mitral regurgitation, and change of ventricular pacemaker. Pacing is recommended to all patients older than 15 years.     

IMMUNOREACTIVE TRYPSIN, CHYMOTRYPSIN, AND PANCREATIC SECRETORY TRYPSIN INHIBITOR IN CORD BLOOD FROM INFANTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS

ABSTRACT. Borgström, A., Sveger, T., Lindberg, T., Kullander, S. and Svanberg, L. (Departments of Clinical Chemistry, Paediatrics and Obstetrics, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Malmö, Sweden). Immunoreactive trypsin, chymotrypsin and pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor in cord blood from infants with cystic fibrosis. Acta Paediatr Scand, 70: 619,.–Immunoreactive trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor in cord blood were measured in six infants with cystic fibrosis and in ten control infants for each index child. These three pancreatic proteins were 2.5–6.7, 2.2–7.5, and 1.3–4.2 times higher, respectively, than the corresponding mean levels of the control infants.     

A Risk Group's Visits to Medical Services: Five Years'Usage of Well-Baby and Medical Clinics by a Group of Children with a1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

ABSTRACT. Visits to medical services during the first 5 years of life for 61 children with a, ATD (but without liver disease) and 61 demographically similar control children without ATD were studied for frequency, diagnosis, severity of illness/complaint and extent of treatment. No significant differences were found between the ATD and control groups on any of these variables, suggesting no increased sickliness in the ATD-group and no evidence of increased parental anxiety about the child's health reflected in medical visits for little or no physical abnormality.     

Comparison of bone reactions to coated tricalcium phosphate and pure titanium dental implants in the canine iliac crest

Abstract — Titanium and TCP-coated implants were compared after insertion in the canine iliac crest. Observation time was 14 wk. Evaluation included pull-out tests, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and histologic examination of in situ , undemineralized implants. The TCP-coated implants were more firmly attached to bone than were the titanium implants. The calcium/ phosphorus ratios around the titanium implants were higher than around the TCP-coated implants. Both types of implants were closely surrounded by bone after a 14-wk implantation.     

Intracisternal administration of avian pancreatic polypeptide lowers respiration rate and enhances the clonidine induced reduction of respiration rate in α-chloralose anesthetized rats: Possible interactions with an α2-adrenergic receptor

Avian pancreatic polypeptide (APP) is a 36 amino acid peptide isolated from chicken pancreas (Kim-mel et al. 1975) and there exists a wide-spread distribution of APP-like immunoreactive nerve cell bodies and terminals in the central and peripheral nervous systems (Lorén et al. 1979, Hökfelt et al. 1981). Furthermore, it has recently been discovered (Lundberg et al. 1980a) that an APP-like immunoreactive substance (Kimmel et al. 1975) is present in central phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT) immunoreactive neurons and in some noradrenaline (NA) neurons. Thus, an APP-like peptide and adrenaline (A) may coexist in some A nerve cells in the central nervous system (see also Hunt et al. 1981). This coexistence appears to exist in A nerve cells of both cell groups C1 and C2 (Hökfelt et al. 1974, Lundberg et al. 1980a). Evidence exists that many of the A neuron systems of the brain represent vasodepressor pathways, and it has been suggested that clonidine may produce at least part of its hypotensive actions via activation of postsynaptic α₂-adrenergic receptors linked to A synapses in the brain, especially in the medulla oblongata (Bolme et al. 1974, Fuxe et al. 1975, Fuxe et al. 1980). It has also been suggested that certain A neurons regulate respiration rate and the clonidine induced reduction of respiration rate may therefore at least in part be mediated via α₂-adrenergic receptors linked to A synapses in the medulla oblongata (Bolme et al. 1974). In order to understand the possible functional significance of co-storage of APP-like material and A we have now investigated the effects of APP and for comparison also bovine pancreatic polypeptide (BPP) (Chance & Jones 1974), which differ in only one or two positions from other mammalian forms of the peptide, on cardiovascular parameters and on respiration rate and on clonidine induced reduction of arterial blood pressure and respiration rate. BPP differs in 21 positions from APP, but BPP-like and APP-like immunoreactive neurons are distributed in the rat brain in a similar way and seem to represent one and the same neuronal system (Ol-schowska et al. 1981). Thus, APP/BPP-like immunoreactive material exists in the A neurons, but its exact identity is unknown.