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Biomedical subjects

V Vigi

Publications and source records attributed to V Vigi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Supplementation of an adapted formula with bovine lactoferrin: 1. Effect on the infant faecal flora.

The development of the infant faecal flora was studied over the first three months of life in infants receiving breast milk, a modern adapted formula and adaptations of this formula. Breast-fed infants developed a flora rich in Bifidobacterium sp. Facultative anaerobes were ubiquitous, but in relatively small numbers within the diet group. Other obligate anaerobes, such as Clostridium sp. and Bacteriodes sp. were rarely isolated. Standard formula produced a flora rich in bifidobacteria, but the growth of facultative organisms was not suppressed by this diet. Clostridium sp. and Bacteroides sp. were more common in this feeding group. After the addition of lactoferrin at 10 mg/100 ml to the formula diet, a flora similar to that of the standard formula-fed babies was achieved. Lactoferrin at 100 mg/100 ml was able to establish a "bifidus flora" in half of the babies given this formula, but only at age three months. Clostridium sp. and Bacteroides sp. were common faecal isolates from babies receiving both the lactoferrin diets.

Age Factors↗

Conservative management of urinary abnormalities detected in utero.

During a 5-year period, we observed 48 fetuses with urinary malformations diagnosed by antenatal sonography. Postnatal investigations confirmed the presence of a urinary tract anomaly in 44 of the 48 fetuses selected by prenatal ultrasound (91%). Accurate antenatal diagnosis was made in 35 of the 48 cases (73%). In 9 fetuses renal disease was detected, but its specific nature was not in accordance with the prenatal diagnosis. In our series the most common anomaly was hydronephrosis secondary to ureteropelvic junction obstruction. This condition was observed in 31 of the 44 patients (70.4%); 7 of the newborns who showed an obstructive pattern were submitted to early surgical repair, while the remaining 24 cases and 1 renal unit of the group undergoing early surgical repair were relegated to expectant observation, with periodic clinical and laboratory controls. A spontaneous recovery was observed in 12 cases; the dilatation remained unchanged in 10 cases, while 3 patients showed a progressive worsening of the condition which led to a surgical correction. Our findings agree with those in recent reports in providing little support for early, indiscriminate surgical repair. Moreover, our experience confirms the possibility of a spontaneous recovery in newborns with hydronephrosis and draws attention to the benefit of a conservative management in properly selected patients.

Female↗

Neonatal periventricular leukomalacia: diagnosis and evolution evaluated by real-time ultrasound.

Recent advances in imaging techniques have provided the opportunity to obtain prompt diagnosis and to study the natural evolution of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Three premature neonates were followed up by brain sonograms from birth to six, four and three months of age, respectively. Sequential ultrasound examinations confirmed previous observations which identified four stages of PVL; 1. increased echogenicity in the periventricular white matter, 2. apparent normalization, 3. cystic cavitation, 4. resolution of cysts and development of ventriculomegaly. Decreased perfusion of the periventricular end-arterial zone is responsible for the development of PVL; this selective hypoperfusion has been documented in infants with a significant history of cardiorespiratory disturbances and group-B streptococcal sepsis. Two of our patients and other cases described in the literature, however, did not exhibit these clinical features. The present study suggests the involvement of chronic hypoxia and toxic insults in the pathogenesis of this condition and confirms the value and accuracy of sequential sonography in the diagnosis of PVL.

Encephalomalacia↗

Serum zinc concentration in exclusively breast-fed infants and in infants fed an adapted formula.

Serum zinc concentrations have been determined in 28 healthy full-term Italian infants of both sexes at birth, as well as at 3 and at 5 months of age. Fourteen exclusively breast-fed infants who served as a control group were compared with 14 infants fed a cow's milk based adapted infant formula. No significant differences in serum zinc concentration between the breast-fed and the bottle-fed group became apparent during the study. The results of this study suggest a similar zinc nutriture in both groups. The availability of zinc from the adapted infant formula was not significantly different from that of human milk. These findings may be explained by the composition of the adapted formula tested, e.g. by a protein composition fairly close to that of human milk, by the presence of zinc derived from the natural ingredients only, by the low Fe/Zn ratio and by the elevated citrate content.

Breast Feeding↗

A longitudinal study on plasma somatomedin activity in full-term, preterm and small-for-gestational age newborns.

Plasma somatomedin (SM) activity was measured longitudinally in the first days of life by Van den Brande bioassay in 10 term, 8 premature and 5 small-for-date newborns. Other term, premature and small-for-date newborns were assayed between the 4th and 8th days by a cross-sectional-type study. A very significant increase in SM activity was observed in term newborns on the 3rd day lasting for about a week, when values usually observed in young children were reached. In premature and small-for-date newborns such an increase was not present but rather a slight decrease on the 3rd day was observed. The presence of a circulating inhibitory substance in the plasma of premature and small-for-date newborns with undetectable SM activity was shown.

Aging↗

Suprarenal abscess in a newborn.

A case report of a new born with unilateral suprarenal abscess extending in to the right kidney is represented. Both the adrenal gland and the kidney had to be surgically removed. Early diagnosis is important, so the surgical intervention, the only successful therapy, can be kept as conservative as possible.

Abscess↗

Three cases of ring chromosome 2, one derived from a paternal 2/6 translocation.

Two cases of primary ring chromosome 2 and one case of a ring secondary to a paternal 2/6 translocation are described and compared with a fourth case of ring 2 from the literature. The breakpoints in two cases are identical and the same as the breakpoint on chromosome 2 in the composite 2/6 ring. The three primary rings have a number of symptoms in common, but other cases are needed to identify a possible deletion syndrome. The levels of the enzyme MDH-1 were within the normal range in Cases 1 and 2. Thus we localised the locus for MDH-1 to segment 2p23 leads to p25; this had previously been localised to segment p23 leads to pter.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Risk for recombinants in pericentric inversions of the (p11 leads to q21) region of chromosome 18.

A child with female hypospadia complicated by bilateral hydronephrosis, hydroureter, and hydrocolpos was heterozygous for a pericentric inversion of chromosome 18, 46,XX,inv(18)(p11q21). The normal mother and her father had the same inversion. The abnormal phenotype of the girl could be due to undetectable recombination or to a position effect. She had a low level of the enzyme peptidase-A whose locus is on 18q, while her mother and grandfather had normal levels. The two other cases of familial inversions for chromosomes 18 in the literature both involve the same (p11 leads to q21) region. These three families give a tentative figure of at least 10% as the risk for a normal carrier of this pericentric inversion to have an affected offspring due to recombination.

Chromosome Aberrations↗