Cat-301 immunoreactivity in the lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex of the strabismic amblyopic cat

Purpose: It was investigated whether alterations in neuronal structure and function occasioned by strabismic amblyopia also may be reflected in alterations in the expression on Y type neurons of a Cat-301 antibody sensitive antigen in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and cortex of our cat model of strabismic amblyopia. Methods/Results: The percentage of positively labelled cells was reduced in LGN laminae that received input from the deviated eye in strabismic amblyopic cats compared with normal cats. In the strabismic cortex, the density of immunopositive neurons was significantly reduced compared with normal, the effect being most pronounced in layer IV Conclusions: Despite previous physiological recordings indicating a decrease in X-cell associated acuity in strabismic amblyopia, the present findings imply that the changes in the early visual experience occasioned by strabismus also produce specific molecular changes in theY neuronal class.     

Kawasaki disease in Auckland, 1979-1988

Records of 34 children diagnosed as having Kawasaki disease in the Auckland region from 1979 to 1988 inclusive were reviewed. Diagnostic and associated features were similar to those reported from North America and Japan. The incidence (average 5.1 per year per 100,000 less than 5 years of age) was similar to that reported in Europe and North America amongst nonorientals and was similar in Polynesians and nonPolynesians. Coronary artery abnormalities were found in five cases (15%), and two cases, both of whom presented before five months of age, died. Those with abnormal coronary arteries had fever for a significantly longer period than those with normal coronary arteries.     

Aortopulmonary window with patent ductus arteriosus and interrupted aortic arch: A case report

Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery -     

Treatment of refractoriness to platelet transfusion by protein A column therapy

Ten thrombocytopenic patients (platelets < 10–24 × 10(9)/L) who were refractory to platelet transfusion were investigated for their responsiveness to staphylococcal protein A column therapy. Nine patients had previously been treated with steroids, intravenous immune globulin, and/or other forms of immunosuppressive therapy without improvement in their transfusion response. All patients were receiving multiple platelet transfusions without achieving 1-hour corrected count increments (CCIs) > or = 7500. Eight patients had antibodies that reacted with platelets and were directed against HLA class I antigens, ABO antigens, and/or platelet-specific alloantigens. Plasma (500-2000 mL) from each patient was passed over a protein A silica gel column and then returned to the patient. Patients received from 1 to 14 treatments. A positive response to protein A therapy was defined as at least a doubling of the pretreatment platelet count and/or two successive 10- to 120-minute posttransfusion CCIs > or = 7500. Following plasma treatments, 6 of 10 patients responded with daily platelet counts that averaged 48 +/− 11 × 10(9) per L as compared with counts of 16 +/− 7 × 10(9) per L (p < 0.0005) before treatment. Posttransfusion CCI values determined in four of these patients averaged 2480 +/− 810 and 10,010 +/− 3540 (p < 0.005) before and after treatment, respectively. In contrast, among the four unresponsive patients, platelet counts averaged 10 +/− 9 and 13 +/− 10 × 10(9) per L (p = NS), respectively, while posttransfusion CCIs were 700 +/− 1410 and 1520 +/− 2460 (p = NS), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Dietary carnitine intake related to skeletal muscle and plasma carnitine concentrations in adult men and women

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if there was any relationship between dietary carnitine intake and the concentrations of carnitine in skeletal muscle and blood plasma in healthy adult men and women. Subjects (14 men, 14 women, fasted 8 h) reported to the Biodynamics Laboratory where they completed a 24-h diet recall questionnaire. Resting muscle biopsy (vastus lateralis) and blood plasma samples were taken and assayed for free, short-chain, and long-chain acyl carnitine concentrations. Dietary carnitine intake was estimated from data on concentrations in food. There was no significant relationship between either protein or carnitine intake with skeletal muscle carnitine concentrations. There was a significant relationship between both dietary carnitine (r = 0.50) and protein (r = 0.48) intake with blood plasma total acid soluble carnitine concentrations (p less than 0.01) in all subjects.