The direct early diagnosis of cystic fibrosis by the detection of the deltaF508 CFTR gene mutation in a prematurely delivered boy

The suspicion of prenatal meconium ileus syndrome was raised in a pregnancy in a family with no history of cystic fibrosis because of significantly higher maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein in the 16th and 19th week of gestation, dispersed areas with increased echogenity in the fetal abdomen, slight fetal ascites in the 24th-25th weeks of gestation, decreased amniotic fluid gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity and alpha-fetoprotein level in the 25th-26th weeks, and normal 46,XY karotype of the fetus. The detection of a homozygous deltaF508 cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene mutation, by means of PCR from a small amount of white blood cells and urine sediment cells, substantiated the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis in a prematurely delivered boy in the 28th week of gestation. The repeated sweat test was unsuccessful. The autopsy examination confirmed the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. Fetal meconium ileus syndrome was complicated by peritonitis and by formation of a meconium pseudocyst. Direct PCR typing improves postnatal diagnostic possibilities in the early neonatal period in prematurely delivered babies when the sweat test is difficult to perform.     

ZT胶作为门静脉栓塞材料的实验研究

目的探讨ZT胶行兔选择性门静脉栓塞（SPVE）的安全性及有效性。方法新西兰白兔24只，随机分为3组，A组为ZT胶：碘油（1：1）混合物组，B组为ZT胶：碘油（1：2）混合物组，对照组C组为碘油组。对各组门静脉左支进行SPVE，术后检测门静脉压力、肝转氨酶（ALT、AST）的变化，术后30d右肝重／全肝重、全肝重／体重。结果SPVE后门静脉压力、肝转氨酶呈一过性升高；栓塞后肝左叶萎缩、纤维化，肝右叶代偿性增生肥大．右肝重／全肝重B组为69．41％，而C组为39．00％。统计学分析显示，B组栓塞效果明显优于其他组（P〈0．05）。结论ZT胶：碘油（1：2）混合物是一种安全、有效的门静脉栓塞材料。     

Relation of sweat chloride concentration to severity of lung disease in cystic fibrosis

In cystic fibrosis (CF), sweat chloride concentration has been proposed as an index of CFTR function for testing systemic drugs designed to activate mutant CFTR. This suggestion arises from the assumption that greater residual CFTR function should lead to a lower sweat chloride concentration, as well as protection against severe lung disease. This logic gives rise to the hypothesis that the lower the sweat chloride concentration, the less severe the lung disease. In order to test this hypothesis, we studied 230 patients homozygous for the DeltaF508 allele, and 34 patients with at least one allele associated with pancreatic sufficiency, born since January 1, 1955, who have pulmonary function data and sweat chloride concentrations recorded in our CF center database, and no culture positive for B. cepacia. We calculated a severity index for pulmonary disease, using an approach which takes into account all available pulmonary function data as well as the patient's current age and survival status. Patients with alleles associated with pancreatic sufficiency had significantly better survival (P = 0.0083), lower sweat chloride concentration (81.4 +/- 23.8 vs. 103.2 +/- 14.2 mEq/l, P < 0.0001), slower rate of decline of FEV(1) % predicted (-0.75 +/- 0.34 vs. -2.34 +/- 0.17% predicted per year), and a better severity index than patients homozygous for the DeltaF508 allele (median 73rd percentile vs. median 55th percentile, P = 0.0004). However, the sweat chloride concentration did not correlate with the severity index, either in the population as a whole, or in the population of patients with alleles associated with pancreatic sufficiency, who are thought to have some residual CFTR function. These data suggest that, by itself, sweat chloride concentration does not necessarily predict a milder pulmonary course in patients with cystic fibrosis.     

Relation between radionuclide angiographic regional ejection fraction and left ventricular regional ischemia in awake dogs

Multigated equilibrium radionuclide angiography was used to quantitate global and regional ejection fraction (EF) in 26 awake dogs 10 minutes after distal and then proximal occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) or left circumflex (LC) coronary artery. Changes in global and regional EF were correlated with simultaneous measurements of the extent of acute left ventricular (LV) ischemia measured by radioisotope-labeled microspheres. The extent of ischemia, defined as the percentage of LV mass with greater than 25% reduction in blood flow from normal regional flow, was linearly related to the percent change in global EF after LAD (r = 0.84) and LC (r = 0.77) occlusions. The extent of ischemia also correlated with regional EF (r = 0.47 to 0.88 for LAD and r = 0.41 to 0.69 for LC occlusions). In 24 of 25 LAD occlusions and in all 20 LC occlusions that produced a measurable ischemic zone, the maximal percent change in regional EF exceeded the percent change in global EF. Two LAD occlusions and 2 LC occlusions reduced regional EF but not global EF. Thus, global and regional EF decreased in direct proportion to the extent of acute myocardial ischemia; regional ischemia produced greater changes in regional than in global EF.     

Osteoporosis in children and young adults

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem with serious long-term complications. In children, the definition of osteoporosis is not only based on densitometric criteria but also takes into account vertebral and long bone fragility fractures. Several factors, such as long-term high-dose steroids, chronic inflammation, malnutrition, immobility, lack of sex steroids, and medication can reduce bone density and increase the risk for fragility fractures when left untreated. Also, genetic conditions can predispose to primary bone fragility disorders, with osteogenesis imperfecta being the most common. Furthermore, since the growing skeleton is at an increased rate of bone remodeling, the ability to heal long bone fractures and reshape vertebral fractures differentiates children from adults. The scope of this chapter is to review the risk factors of osteoporosis and fragility fractures and describe the commonest causes of primary and secondary osteoporosis and their management in children and young adults.     

Comparison of multigated radionuclide angiography with ultrasonic sonomicrometry over a wide range of ventricular function in the conscious dog

This study compared the noninvasive assessment of left ventricular function with radionuclide angiography with that obtained with ultrasonic sonomicrometry. Left ventricular ejection fraction and rate of ventricular ejection (dV/dt) were measured with both techniques over a wide range of ventricular function. Six dogs were prepared with epicardlal crystals across the major and minor axes of the left ventricle, paired transmural wall thickness crystals and a left ventricular catheter. The animals were studied while awake after they had recovered from operation. Left ventricular volume was calculated from the ultrasonic sonomicrometric dimension measurements and the equation for a prolate ellipsoid; dV/dt was calculated from the stroke volume and ejection time. Radionuclide angiograms were performed using technetium-99m-labeled red blood cells and an Anger camera with a converging collimator interfaced to a computer programmed for multigated acquisition.A wide range of ventricular function was produced with sequential infusion of isoproterenol, propranolol, phenylepnrine and sodium thiamylal. Ejection fraction and dV/dt were measured simultaneously during each intervention using the time-activity curves of the multigated radionuclide anglogram and ultrasonic sonomicrometric dimensions. Regression analyses demonstrated a close correlation between the simultaneous measurements of ejection fraction (r values ranged from 0.95 to 0.99) and dV/dt (r values ranged from 0.87 to 0.99). these data indicate that noninvasive multigated radionuclide angiography accurately assesses changes in ejection fraction and dV/dt over a wide range of ventricular function.