Bone Mineral Content in Preterm Infants at Age 4 to 16

Using photon absorptiometry the forearm bone mineral content (BMC) was determined in 75 children aged 4 to 16, who all had a low birth weight. Forty-five of them were born preterm AGA (27 boys, 18 girls, mean weight 1580 g; range 920-2060 g) and 30 preterm SGA (17 boys, 13 girls, mean weight 1510; range 940-2130 g). The results were compared with a control group of children of the same age, and analyses of covariance with age, height and weight as the covariant factors were performed. The BMC, weight and height did not differ between the children born AGA or SGA. Irrespective of AGA or SGA, the BMC was significantly decreased in boys but the difference was less pronounced and less significant when height and weight were used as covariant factors. Boys who had been born preterm had a less BMC than the control boys for their age but the were also somewhat shorter and lighter than expected with regard to their age.     

Identification and characterization of human B-cell epitopes in recombinant antigens of Leishmania aethiopica

Recombinant DNA fragments from Leishmania aethiopica that code for epitopes which react with human antibodies have been characterized by cross-hybridization studies and DNA sequence analysis. Twenty clones could be grouped into seven different groups (I–VII), probably representing seven different L. aethiopica antigens. The DNA sequences of representative clones from the seven groups have been obtained and the amino acid sequence of the respective recombinant antigens established. The recombinant antigens have been analysed by epitope scanning with patient sera, and octapeptides that contain potential B-cell epitopes have been identified in all seven recombinant antigens. These octapeptides have further been tested with additional patient sera and control sera, and three octapeptides (HAFCHEEG, YHSSVVHD and SYAPCSLK) were found to contain major epitopes recognizing specific antibodies in nine, seven and four, respectively, of the twenty sera tested. Fifteen of the twenty sera reacted with one or more of these three octapeptides.     

Validity of a postal questionnaire with regard to the prevalence of myocardial infarction in a general population sample

In order to evaluate the possibility of finding persons whohave suffered a myocardial infarction (MI) by postal questionnaire,a self-administered questionnaire was sent to a random sampleof 4400 men aged 45–64 years, drawn from the general population.The response rate was 95%. 176 men indicated that they had beenhospitalized for MI, out of which 124 cases could be verifiedfrom medical records. Of the remaining men, 33 had evidenceof cardiovascular disease (CVD) in their records but no MI,and 19 men had no evidence of CVD. The sensitivity (estimatedfrom a subsample) was 100% and the specificity 98.7%. The predictivevalue was 100% for a negative response and 70.5% for a positiveresponse. The 33 positive responders whose MI could not be verified butwho had evidence of CVD had characteristics fairly similar tothe responders with verified Mis. However, the 19 positive responderswhose MI could not be verified and who had no evidence of CVDhad characteristics that were dissimilar from the MI group aswell as from the negative responders. The questionnaire thus identified all the MI cases. The needfor validation can be limited to the relatively small groupof positive responders.     

STABILITY OF FREE AND TOTAL PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN IN SERUM FROM PATIENTS WITH PROSTATE CARCINOMA AND BENIGN HYPERPLASIA

Purpose

Instability of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in serum might complicate the interpretation of the free-to-total PSA ratio. We studied the in vitro stability of free PSA and total PSA in serum of patients with prostate cancer or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), and of elderly man without known prostate disease. Furthermore, we investigated conditions to stabilize the in vitro values in serum.

Materials and Methods

The effects of storage at 4C on free and total PSA were investigated in serum of 32 men with prostate cancer, 25 with BPH and 29 older than 70 years. All had total PSA less than 25 micro g./l. The influence of total PSA levels on in vitro changes in free-total PSA was studied in serum of 39 other prostate cancer patients (total PSA 1.7 to 298 micro g./l.). Stabilization studies were performed in yet another series of samples from 54 prostate cancer patients (total PSA 1.3 to 238 micro g./l.) by adjustment of serum pH to 5.5 before storage. Free and total PSA was measured by a commercial immunofluorometric assay, as well as by in-house immunofluorometric assays. Statistical analyses of the results were performed by analysis of variance with repeated measures.

Results

We found no difference between the results obtained by the 2 assay systems. After 7 days at 4C there was a slight decrease in total PSA in sera of prostate cancer patients, BPH patients and men older than 70 years. A decrease in mean free PSA values occurred in all groups (21.3, 15.7 and 14.6%, respectively). The decrease of free PSA with time was significant (p <0.0001) in all groups but there was no significant difference among the groups (p = 0.16). The concomitant decrease in free-to-total PSA ratio was significant in all groups (p <0.0001). This change was group dependent (p = 0.003), with the largest decrease in the prostate cancer group. Large interindividual differences were observed. Storage at 4C for 7 days of sera of 39 patients with localized and disseminated prostate cancer (total PSA 1.7 to 298 micro g./l.) gave a more pronounced decrease in free PSA than in total PSA. Adjustment of serum pH to 5.5 had a stabilizing effect on free PSA and on the free-to-total PSA ratio, giving a significantly smaller change in both values (p <0.0001).

Conclusions

In vitro instability of free PSA in serum and large interindividual differences should be considered when using the ratio of free-to-total PSA in evaluation of patients with suspected prostate cancer. Serum samples should be stored frozen if not analyzed immediately or acidified to pH 5.5. Interpretation of data from determination of free-to-total PSA ratio should be done with caution if the sampling and storage conditions are not known.     

Effect of pre-treatment with desferrioxamine and mannitol on radical production and kidney function after ischaemia-reperfusion. A study on rabbit kidneys

The effects of pre-treatment with mannitol and the iron chelator desferrioxamine on oxygen radical formation and glomerular and tubular function after ischaemia in the rabbit kidney were studied. Radicals were measured with ESR and spin trapping. At reperfusion after 60 min of renal ischaemia there was a significant increase in the production of free radicals in the venous effluent from the kidney. Administration of either mannitol or desferrioxamine given before ischaemia and before recirculation reduced the radical production significantly. The iron chelator appeared to be more effective. Glomerular function measured 48 h after reperfusion was significantly better after pretreatment with desferrioxamine and mannitol compared with mannitol alone. Tubular function did not differ between the two pre-treatment groups.     

Induction of Basophilic Differentiation in the Human Basophilic Cell Line KU812

The potential for differentiation of the human basophilic leukaemia cell line KU812 was examined by means of a panel of physiologic and non-physiologic substances used as inducers. The phenotypic characteristics of non-induced KU812 cells included an immature morphology with scanty cytoplasmic granulation, expression of a low amount of high affinity, but no low affinity receptors (CD 23) for IgE, and a capacity for low-rate histamine synthesis. The differentiation process was characterized by a rapid (24 h) increase in histamine production a slower morphological maturation with the development of Alcian blue stainable granula demonstrable after 72 h. Concomitant with the phenotypic alterations, cell growth was inhibited. Differentiation in KU812 cells was inducible by Ara-C and to some extent by sodium butyrate, but not by dimethyl sulphoxide, retinoic acid, or gamma-interferon. Conditioned medium (CM) from cultured peripheral blood cells from atopic individuals and 18 out of 22 analysed glioma cell lines induced differentiation of the KU812 cells, whereas supernatant from only 1 out of 21 other cell lines, including carcinoma, melanoma, sarcoma, leukaemia, and normal fibroblasts had this activity. CM from the T-leukaemic cell line, Mo, also induced KU812 differentiation. A primary fractionation of the active substance from this cell line by reversed phase chromatography eluted the active substance at a concentration of 42-44% acetonitrile. Our present study has shown that the KU812 may serve as an appropriate model to study differentiation of basophils. In addition, its fast and specific response to biological factors makes it suitable as a biological assay for determination of active factor produced by atopic individuals.     

Minor neurological dysfunction in children with dyslexia

Aim To improve understanding of brain function in children with severe dyslexia in terms of minor neurological dysfunctions (MNDs). Method One hundred and four children (81 males, 23 females; age range 7–12y; mean age 9y 7mo, SD 1y 2mo;) with severe dyslexia (the presence of a Full‐scale IQ score of ≥85, retardation in single‐word or text reading of ≥2y), assessed in a department of dyslexia of a third‐level regional psychiatric centre, underwent a neurological examination according to Touwen and a multidisciplinary child psychiatric assessment. Special attention was paid to severity and type of MND. Data were compared with neurological morbidity data of children in the general population. Results Most children had MND (87%): 43% had simple MND, 44% complex MND. The incidence of MND was significantly higher (p<0.001) in the children with dyslexia than in the general population (simple MND 15%, complex MND 6%). Children with dyslexia showed especially fine manipulative disability and – to a lesser extent – mild dysfunction in muscle tone regulation and excessive presence of associated movements. A comorbid psychiatric syndrome was diagnosed in 66 children (63%): emotional disturbances (27%), adjustment disorder (42%), hyperkinetic disorder (15%), autism spectrum disorder (3%), specific disturbances of childhood not otherwise specified (13%). The neurological findings of children with dyslexia with and without psychiatric comorbidity were similar. Interpretation Our results demonstrate the importance of neurological and child psychiatric assessment in children with severe dyslexia. Our findings suggest that dysfunction of cortical structures plays a dominant role in dyslexia.