[Polycystic kidney disease of the newborn in two different sibships]

The two only children in two different sibships died soon after birth from polycystic kidney disease. Autopsy disclosed hepatic lesions. The modes of transmission of this disease are discussed.

[Hemodynamic consequences of umbilical arterial catheterization. Photoplethysmographic study]

The hemodynamic consequences of umbilical arterial infusions in newborns can be registered by photoplethysmography. Thirty-nine children were observed according to the same protocol: it was possible to recognize, on the side of the infusion, without other clinical symptoms, very early but after different times: - in 3 cases, the supression of arteriolar oscillations, back to normal after 24 hours in one case, and after several weeks in 2 cases; - in 2 cases, a transitory increase of arteriolar oscillations; - in 7 cases, an elective decrease of the arteriolar systolic pressure, with unchanged diastolic pressure. In 4/7 cases, it became normal in less than 3 days; - in 3 cases, a decrease in arteriolar systolic and diastolic pressures, during 2 days.

[Neo-natal hyperbilirubinemia and G-6-PD Ankara deficiency, a new enzymatic variant discovered in a Turkish family (author's transl)]

A G-6-PD deficiency has been found in a Turkish male premature with neo-natal hyperbilirubinemia. His parents have no hemolytic antecedents. The propositus has a severe enzym deficiency in erythrocytes, a very decreased activity in leukocytes and platelets. His mother was heterozygous for this variant and his father had no abnormality. The deficient enzym was a new variant: G-6-PD Ankara. The main characteristics of this variant were the following: 1 degree severe enzym deficiency in erythrocytes (8% of normal); 2 degrees fast starch gel electrophoretic mobility (110% of normal); 3 degrees enzym instability in vivo and in vitro; 4 degrees increased KiNADPH; 5 degrees decreased molecular specific activity (58% of normal). Only variant B(-) G-6-PD deficiency have hitherto been described in Turkey. In contrast, G-6-PD Ankara is a fast variant and is unlike any other known variants.

[Induced hyperglycemia and its relationship to underweight fetuses: study on a newborn infant]

A study was carried out on hyperglycaemia induced by intravenous administration of glucose between the 1st and 4th day of life in healthy new-born infants and in underweight newborns. The blood glucose level in underweight infants is slightly lower than that in healthy new-born infants. The level of insulin in the blood is much lower in the underweight child after 30 minutes. Although the levels of insulin and Glucagon in the blood vary between the two groups the ratio of Glucagon to insulin is constant and evolves constantly. The ratio is higher the more underweight the child is. It is possible that this can help to maintain the level of blood glucose sufficiently high in the underweight new-born infant.

[Fetal hypotrophy: the contribution of radiology to diagnosis]

Radiographs were taken of the knees, the ankles, and the shoulders of 33 hypotrophic newborn babies and of 7 pairs of twins within three days of birth. The epiphyses appeard about 1 to 2 weeks later in 50% of the cases. These results are in agreement with the data in the literature relating to a delay in bone maturation in cases of fetal hypotrophy.