Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Hernandez.
Because the family is a system, the alcoholism of one member affects all the others, who develop defenses and symptoms parallel to those of the alcoholic. The authors describe the "survival roles" members adopt that allow the system to maintain its equilibrium and explain how this balance shifts as the family recovers.
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Nesting success of ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) breeding in the Connecticut--Long Island area has increased since 1973 and is now approaching the levels recorded prior to the 1950's. Simultaneously, DDE and dieldrin residues have declined in unhatched eggs. Levels of polychorinated biphenyls have shown no changes over the period 1969 to 1976. The increase in productivity is attributed primarily to lower levels of DDE contamination. Detrimental effects in the past on ospreys in the Connecticut River estuary are attributed to local contamination with dieldrin.
A small disc of lead placed on top of a closed incubator serves as a simple gonadal shield in the neonate. It is easily positioned by use of the collimator light.
Visualization of the suprasternal fossa in the newborn is due to suprasternal retraction. It is seen in 59% of patients with respiratory distress syndrome of the premature prior to intubation, and in 5% of patients with conditions such as pneumonia, meconium aspiration, and transient tachypnea of the newborn. The lower compliance of the lungs in patients with respiratory distress syndrome and increased compliance of the chest wall in premature infants accounts for the higher incidence of accentuation of the fossa. Visualization of the suprasternal fossa can simulate the distended proximal pouch of esophageal atresia. The two can be differentiated in the lateral view where the pretracheal location of the fossa can be appreciated.
Knee epiphyseal maturation is retarded in most neonates with congenital rubella infection, whereas neonates with congenital cytomegalovirus infection have relatively normal maturation. Asse-sment of knee maturation is useful in differentiating rubella from cytomegalovirus infection in the neonate.
Two cases of abnormal collection of fat in the abdomen are reported. One involved the omentum, the other involved the mesocolon. Both patients had few symptoms with strikingly similar radiological findings of increased radiolucency due to fat surrounding the small bowel.
The jet phenomenon is a normal finding in excretory urography. The presence of such a jet is a good sign that vesico-ureteral reflux is not present. Of 19 ureters with a jet sign, only one had minimal transient ureteral reflux, while in 39 ureters without a jet sign 15 had reflux.
Hand radiographs in 10 male patients (eight white, two black) with isolated growth hormone deficiency were studied before and after treatment. The length of the second metacarpal was the most significantly depressed measurement when considered by chronologic age and responded most to treatment with human growth hormone. All patients had osteoporosis even when evaluated by height age. The bone mass improved with treatment by subperiosteal new bone apposition. Skeletal maturation was retarded with the carpals showing more severe retardation than the tubular bones and responding more dramatically to treatment. The depression in height age and carpal age was very similar, indicating that the carpal age may have the greatest correlation with height. The greater sensitivity of the carpal age deficiency of growth hormone and its greater response to treatment suggest that the carpal age and the phalangeal-metacarpal age should be considered independently during evaluation of skeletal maturation.
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A sensitive and simple immunofluorescence test for gliadin antibodies is described, which may be suitable as a screening method for coeliac disease especially in cases with no clear-cut indication for performing a biopsy. In serum samples of 19 from 23 patients (83%) with coeliac disease proved by biopsy antibodies against gliadin could be detected. In a control group of 71 children in whom the clinical diagnosis of another malabsorptive disorder was made gliadin-IF-antibodies were found in only 3 children (4%). With better timing of blood sampling (first sample during a period with gluten containing food and in case of a negative result a second sample after 4-8 days of gluten withdrawal) the sensitivity of the screening test will be improved. The described gliadin-IF-test permits the classification of the antibodies into the different immunoglobulin classes. In each child with a positive result IgG antibodies against gliadin were detected. In 9 respectively 4 of the 19 patients with IgG antibodies IgA- respectively IgM-antibodies against gliadin were also found. Antibodies against at least one cow milk protein were identified in nearly all (91%) coeliac patients and in half (49%) of the patients with other malabsorptive disorders.
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Trials with live cytomegalovirus (TOWNE 125 strain), which was attenuated by 125 passages exclusively on WI-38 cells, were done in adult volunteers. No virus take occured after oral/nasal application. When 10(3) TCD50 was given intramuscularly an IgG antibody response was detected at four weeks in all of ten volunteers tested by immunofluorescence; an IgM response was found in seven. Only mild local side-effects and relative lymphocytosis were observed. No virus excretion was found. Many questions remain to be answered by further trials before a cytomegalovirus vaccine can be given to adolescent girls.
An immunisation trial with simultaneously applicated attenuated rubellavirus (Cendehill) and attenuated cytomegalovirus (TOWNE 125) was done in adults. There was no difference in antibody-titers against both viruses and in side-reactions (local ones only) between simultaneous or single application of the two viruses. Adults immunized against cytomegalovirus two years ago still had IF-IgG-antibodies; in only 1 of 8 volunteers there was a significant antibody-decline.