Significance of maternal and infant serum antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen in hepatitis B virus infection of infancy

The significance of IgM and IgG class antibodies to hepatitis B virus (HBV) core component (anti-HBc) was investigated in a study of maternal-fetal HBV transmission. An IgM anti-HBc response was lacking in the majority (49/53) of HBV-infected infants. This antibody thus cannot be used as an indicator of transplacental infection. However, most infants who became HBsAg positive during the first 6 months of life acquire infection in the perinatal period rather than transplacentally. Passively transferred maternal IgG anti-HBc in the infant and additional IgM anti-HBc positively in the carrier mother have no modulating influence on HBV infection of infants born to HBV carrier women.     

Eosinophil activation and cysteinyl leukotriene production in infants with respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that acute infantile bronchiolitis associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) may share some pathogenic features with atopic asthma in that virus-specific IgE is produced and cysteinyl leukotrienes (cLTs) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) have been detected in airway secretions. ECP is a specific marker of eosinophil activation although leukotrienes can be released from a variety of cells including mast cells, eosinophils and monocytes. OBJECTIVE: To test the association between eosinophil activation and cysteinyl leukotriene production in the upper airway secretions of infants with RSV positive (RSV+ve) bronchiolitis. METHODS: Nasal lavage samples were performed in 78 infants (0.0-11.5 months) admitted to hospital with RSV+ve bronchiolitis soon after admission (0-48 h). Leukotriene C4 (LTC4) was assayed by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) by fluoroimmunoassay (FIA). RESULTS: LTC4 was detectable in 51 and ECP in 57 of 78 samples with a significant positive relationship between LTC4 and ECP (r=0.557, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: In the majority of our subjects with RSV+ve bronchiolitis ECP and LTC4 were detectable in upper airway secretions and were significantly associated with each other. In this clinical setting much of the detected LTC4 within upper airway secretions is likely to originate from the eosinophil, an observation that may have implications for clinical management and for delineation of the underlying mechanisms associated with this illness.     

早产并胎膜早破期待治疗对母婴的影响

目的 观察早产并胎盘早破(PPROM)延长胎龄对母婴的影响。方法 对84例妊娠28-36周胎盘膜早破的患者,分保胎现察组与对照组进行对比。结果 保胎组胎龄平均延长6.8天,其分娩方式,宫内感染情况,新生儿窒息情况与对照组无差异(P>0.05),围产儿合并症发生率及病死率显著低于对照组(P<0.005,P<0.05)。结论 对早产并胎膜早破患者进行综合治疗延长孕期,不增加母婴感染,有利于围产儿预后。     

Parenting stress in mothers of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) and full-term infants: a function of infant behavioral characteristics and child-rearing attitudes

OBJECTIVE: To examine the moderating effects of child-rearing attitudes on the relation between parenting stress and infant behavioral characteristics for mothers of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) and full-term infants. METHODS: Fifty-six 9-month-old infants (23 VLBW and 33 full-term) and their mothers were the participants. Mothers completed measures of parenting stress, child-rearing attitudes, infant temperament, and infant behavioral problems. RESULTS: The VLBW infants had a higher frequency of behavioral problems, and their mothers reported more child health concerns than the mothers of the full-term infants. Regression analyses showed that the relation between parenting stress and infant distress was moderated at medium and high levels of parental strictness for only the VLBW infants. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of stress the mothers of the VLBW infants experienced was a result of the congruence between their infant's behavioral characteristics and their own child-rearing attitudes.     

Maternal HIV Infection: Parenting and Early Child Development

Examined whether support could offset the potential stress ofmaternal HIV infection with regard to parenting and early childdevelopment in two studies of low income, urban, drug-usingmothers of infants and toddlers. In one study, support was providedthrough home intervention; in the other, support was measuredthrough self-report. There were few differences in parentingand early child development related to maternal HIV infection.HIV+ mothers reported less child-related stress among theirtoddlers, more normative levels of child abuse potential following18 months of home intervention, and displayed more positiveinvolvement with their children. Results, interpreted from ecologicaltheory, suggest that although the early stages of maternal HIVinfection may have been too distal to influence the lives ofhigh-risk mothers of infants and toddlers, when differencesexisted, HIV+ mothers demonstrated more positive attitudes andbehaviors toward parenting and were more able to benefit fromhome intervention than HIV– mothers.     

Indoor allergen levels and other environmental risk factors for sensitization in Estonian homes

The prevalence of allergic disease is low in Eastern Europe for reasons that are poorly understood. Our study aimed to investigate the levels of exposure to indoor allergens and living conditions among Estonian infants in relation to sensitization. Dust samples were collected during four winter months in 1993/94 from the homes of 197 infants participating in a prospective study of sensitization. Information about living conditions was collected through home visit and interviewing the mothers when the children were 6 weeks old. Three dust samples were collected from each home: i.e., from the infant's mattress, bedroom floor, and living-room carpet. The levels of allergens were determined by ELISA with monoclonal antibodies. The highest allergen level in a home was regarded as the peak value. The peak geometric mean values (±SD) of Der p 1 and Der f 1 were 0.3 (0.07–1.4) μg/g dust, of Can 1, 0.86 (0.23–3.12) μg/g dust, and of Fel d 1, 0.1 (0.01–0.9) μg/g dust. In 12 homes (9%), the peak value of house-dust mite (HDM) allergens exceeded 2 μg/g dust, with Der p 1 as the dominating allergen. Multivariate analyses indicated that high levels of HDM allergens were more common in apartments that were on the ground floor or first floor, that were heated with stoves, and/or that had a dampness problem. The mean allergen levels at home were similar in children sensitized to HDM (n = 17. 0.29 v.s 0.3 μg/g dust), dog (n=5, 0.55 vs 1.06 μg/g dust, and cat (n= 18, 0.21 vs 0.09 μg/g dust) and in children who were not sensitized to these allergens. Most of the sensitized children were exposed to relatively low allergen levels at home; i.e., below 1 μg/g dust. This level was exceeded in the homes of 4/17 mite-, 5/18 cat-, and 0/5 dog-sensitized children. The similar levels of the major indoor allergens in Estonia and in Scandinavia indicate that the large differences in atopy prevalence among children and young adults in the two regions are not due to differences in allergen exposure. No allergen threshold level for sensitization was identified.     

Effects of temperature on ultrasound production by infant albino rats

The influence of temperature on production of ultrasonic distress calls by infant Wistar rats was investigated. Call rates of pups aged 2 to 18 days were recorded at ambient levels chosen to provide for a decline in body temperature (2° and 20°C), an increase in body temperature (40°C), and minimal changes in body temperature (35°C). Isolated pups were exposed to each temperature for 4 1/2 min, during which ultrasounds from 30 to 50 kHz were monitored. Low ambient temperatures consistently elicited high rates of ultrasound production, although call rate was not inversely proportional to ambient temperature. High ambient temperatures were ineffective in eliciting increased calling. Calling was infrequent at the neutral temperature, indicating that nonthermal stimuli associated with the isolation condition are relatively ineffective in eliciting ultrasound production. Decline in call rate beyond 8 days of age is apparently related to developing homeothermy which reduces the survival value of distress calls in attracting the mother.     

早产儿及低体重儿四种支原体感染状况研究

为了解早产儿、低体重儿人型支原体 (Mh)、解脲脲原体 (Uu)、生殖支原体 (Mg) ,发酵支原体 (Mf)等 4种支原体的感染状况 ,我们于 1997年～ 1998年分别收集了 2 7例早产儿和 2 1例低体重儿的咽拭子标本应用套式PCR (nPCR)法进行上述 4种支原体特异性核酸检测。结果早产儿和低体重儿的Mh阳性率分别为 92 6 %、95 2 % ;Uu阳性率分别为 5 5 5 %、38 1%。Mh Uu合并感染状况严重 ,分别为 5 5 5 %、33 3%。Mg只有 1例阳性 ,Mf无阳性病例发现。无论是早产儿 ,还是低体重儿 ,剖宫产与阴道产的各种支原体检出率无差别 (P均 <0 0 5 )。剖宫产娩出儿咽部查出支原体可确认为宫内感染 ,由此可见 ,支原体宫内感染状况严重。本文并就支原体感染与早产和新生儿出生低体重的发生原因进行了讨论。     

超声检查在不同月龄婴幼儿发育性髋关节脱位诊断中的应用研究

目的: 探讨超声在婴幼儿发育性髋关节脱位( Develepment Dislocationg of the Hip,DDH) 中的应用,并
研究超声检查适合的月龄组。方法: 将就诊的高危DDH 患儿人群按月龄分为4 组,( 80 例,160 髋) 。A 组为0 ～
3mo; B 组为4～ 6mo; C 组为7～ 9mo; D 组为10～ 12mo。分别进行双侧髋关节超声检查( Graf 法) 及骨盆正位X 线
平片检查。并对其阳性检出率进行比较。结果: A 组: 超声检查阳性率高于普通X 线检查,P＜0．05,差异有统计
学意义。B 组: 超声检查阳性率与普通X 线检查阳性率无差别,P＞0．05,差异无统计学意义。C、D 组: 普通X 线
检查阳性率高于超声检查,P＜0．05,差异有统计学意义。结论: 在DDH 的诊断上,超声波能够更加早期地发现髋
关节脱位的征象。超声波检查方法可以显示尚未骨化的新生儿和小婴儿时期的髋关节结构。适用于6mo 以下
的儿童,特别适用于3mo 以下的婴幼儿,超声波没有电离辐射危害,具有独特的影像学的优势。