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Biomedical subjects

R W Logan

Publications and source records attributed to R W Logan.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Fucosidosis in a native-born Briton.

This investigation reports the biochemical findings in a native-born Briton suffering from the adult form of fucosidosis. Alpha-L-fucosidase, alpha-L-iduronidase, and beta-D-galactosidase were studied in cultured fibroblast and leucocytes from the patient with fucosidosis, her maternal grandfather, and several normal controls. A complete lack of alpha-L-fucosidase activity was found in the patient's fibroblasts and leucocytes while the grandfather exhibited a heterozygous level of alpha-L-fucosidase activity in his leucocytes. Excessive excretion of what is very likely to be a fucose-containing sphingolipid was demonstrated in the patient's urine by thin-layer chromatography. Compared with five isoenzyme forms of alpha-L-fucosidase activity in normal leucocytes, cellulose acetate electrophoresis of the patient's leucocytes produced evidence of a single band of slight activity associated with one of the isoenzymes. This residual activity probably accounts for the survival of such patients into adolescence and beyond.

Adult↗

Florid and subclinical rickets among immigrant children in Glasgow.

200 Asian 300 African, Chinese, or Scottish children were examined for clinical, biochemical, and radiological evidence of vitamin-D deficiency. Among the Asians there were 10 with florid rickets and 15 with subclinical rickets. Among the African, Chinese, and Scottish children there were no cases of florid rickets and only 7 cases of subclinical rickets (3 African, 3 Chinese, and 1 Scottish). Loss of metaphyseal definition is considered to be the radiological pattern of minimal active rickets and metaphyseal bands to represent the healing stage. Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentrations were low in clinical and subclinical minimal active rickets although there was some overlap with the wide range found in the "normal" group. Elevated serum-alkaline-phosphatase levels alone should not be regarded as indicating vitamin-D deficiency. The continuing prevalence of rickets in Asian children and in particular among schoolchildren warrants immediate action, which is long overdue.

Africa↗

Failure of phenobarbitone to prevent febrile convulsions.

One-hundred-sixty-five children without known neurological disorder who presented with their first febrile convulsion between the ages of six months and three years were assigned to daily phenobarbitone treatment or to a control group and followed up at a special clinic for six months. One-hundred-and-sixty-one-one children completed the trial, and of the 88 children assigned to phenobarbitone treatment 10 had further convulsions during this period compared with 14 of the 73 control children. Only 49 of those assigned to phenobarbitone took the drug regularly throughout the trial, and four of these had further febrile convulsions, a proportion not significantly different from that in the controls. All four had mean plasma phenobarbitone concentrations over 69 mumol/l (16 mug/ml) during the trial and in three the plasma concentration was at or over this figure within eight hours over 69 mumol/l (16 mug/ml) during the trial and in three the plasma concentration was at or over this figure within eight hours of the repeat convulsion. Regular phenobarbitone does not seem to prevent febrile convulsions. Attention should instead be directed to organising emergency services to allow early termination of fevrile convulsions, whether first or subsequent, to prevent irreversible brain damage.

Child, Preschool↗

Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium concentrations in plasma during first week of life and their relation to type of milk feed.

Serial changes in plasma levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, and total proteins have been investigated in 138 healthy, term Caucasian infants. Blood samples were obtained for each infant from cord blood and on day 1 and day 6. The infants were studied in three groups according to whether they were breast fed, received 'Ostermilk No. 1' or 'Cow and Gate V' formulas. Levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, and total proteins did not differ between the groups at birth or on day 1. By day 6 calcium levels were higher and phosphorus levels lower in the breast-fed infants compared with either of the artificially-fed groups. Phosphorus levels were lower in the V Formula group compared with the Ostermilk group but the mean calcium levels of these two groups did not differ significantly. However, only 2-8% of the V Formula group developed hypocalcaemia compared with 18-2% of the Ostermilk group. The only infant developing clinical tetany belonged to the group fed Ostermilk. Evidence is also given which suggests that those infants with low calcium levels on day 1 who were fed the high-solute milk tended to show a fall in calcium by day 6. This did not apply to the two other groups. It is concluded that the use of adapted cows' milk preparations for infant feeding should lead to a reduction in the incidence of neonatal tetany.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗