Liver damage in a neonate with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency due to phenotype PiZ null (Z-)

An infant with neonatal liver damage had α-1-antitrypsin deficiency, having inherited the Z allele from the father and the rare null allele from the mother. This indicates that while a lack of serum antiprotease predisposes to early liver disease, homozygosity for the Z allele is not essential.

May spina bifida result from an X-linked defect in a selective abortion mechanism?

It is suggested that the major genetic factor in determining the birth of children with neural tube defects may be a single X-linked gene. It acts as an X-linked dominant, not by producing neural tube defects, but by enabling the affected fetus to survive selective spontaneous abortion. This mechanism, mediated at the deciduoplacental junction, may be under the control of both maternal and fetal genes. With more mutant alleles, survival would become more likely, reaching a maximum in the homozygous affected female fetus of a homozygous affected mother. The female excess in anancephaly is greater than that in spina bifida because of its prenatal severity, thus requiring relatively more mutant alleles for survival.

The effects of insulin glucose administration in fulminant hepatic failure

Insulin glucose therapy can correct hyponatraemia and renal sodium retention in burns, sepsis and circulatory failure. A case of fulminant hepatic failure (F.H.F.) is described in which the same effect was observed. Insulin was thought to have corrected abnormal cell membrane permeability. The actions of insulin are discussed in relation to its possible role in the management of F.H.F.

Isoelectric focusing of non-specific esterases of developing human brain in thin-layer polyacrylamide gels

Isoelectric focusing in thin-layer polyacrylamide gels shows differences between the non-specific esterase patterns of human fetal and adult brains. This heterogeneity is as expected from starch gel electrophoresis. The discrepancy with the only previous report on this subject is discussed, and is attributed to differences in the experimental conditions employed.