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The arrays of proteins adsorbed from plasma onto a series of polystyrene copolymeric latexes were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of washed beads and immunoblotting of proteins desorbed from the beads and separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Beads were prepared by continuous emulsion polymerization in the absence of surfactant. Coomassie brilliant blue staining of gel electropherograms of desorbed proteins indicated that the presence of small amounts of comonomers (1 to 10 mole %) significantly influenced the composition of the adsorbed protein layer. Immunoblotting revealed that fibrinogen, fibronectin, and vitronectin were adsorbed by all surfaces investigated. C3 and Clq adsorption varied significantly with copolymer composition. The ELISAs revealed that although the concentrations of vitronectin and fibronectin in plasma are similar, the extent of vitronectin adsorption from 70% to 85% plasma was greater by two orders of magnitude than fibronectin adsorption. Vitronectin adsorbed on carboxylic acid-containing copolymers reacted more strongly with a conformationally sensitive antivitronectin monoclonal antibody (MoAb) than vitronectin adsorbed to polystyrene and was more susceptible to cleavage by plasma proteases(s). The results show that vitronectin is a major protein adsorbed from concentrated plasma and that small changes in the chemical composition of a copolymer profoundly affects the extent and nature of protein adsorption from complex mixtures such as plasma.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the IgE-mediated response as a predictable index of immunosensitization to different types of feeding (breast milk, adapted formula, soya formula and serum protein hydrolyzate formula) in the first days of life. The study population included 231 newborns (128 males and 103 females). There was a family history of atopy (at least 1 parent with an atopic disease) in 116 subjects at risk for allergy. 115 newborns were without any family history of atopy. The results showed significantly higher total IgE levels on the 4th day than in cord serum in the whole group of newborns. The same result was obtained comparing subjects at risk and controls separately. No significant difference was detectable between serum IgE levels in the cord blood of the four groups. Conversely, a significant increase in IgE levels between cord and 4th day blood in soya-fed and adapted-formula-fed babies was noticed. This increase did not occur in neonates fed breast milk and serum protein hydrolyzate.

Background: Clinically apparent pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) occurs in 5%–7% of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and is associated with significantly increased mortality rate and severe pulmonary and central nervous system morbidities. To date, little information on the pathogenesis of the condition is available, although recent evidence suggests a key role for inflammation. Here, we tested the hypothesis that subclinical chorioamnionitis (s-CA) is associated with the development of PH in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) newborns.Methods: The clinical and placental histology findings of ELBW infants died with severe PH (PH+: n=9; M:2, F:7; gestational age[mean ± SD]: 25.7 ± 1.2 weeks, birth weight: 768 ± 179 g; age at death [median; interquartile range)]: 4 days; 3–7) were compared to those of a gestational age- and birth weight-matched ELBW population without PH (PH-: n=15; M:7, F:8; gestational age: 26.1 ± 3.1 weeks, birth weight: 787 ± 255 g).Results: PH+ ELBW newborns showed significantly higher proportions of histological s-CA [8/9 (88.9%) vs. 1/15 (6.7%), p=0.0001; relative risk = 13.3; 95 % CI: 1.97 - 89.8], preterm premature rupture of membranes [9/9 (100%) vs. 5/15 (33.3%), p=0.0020], together with higher frequency of intraventricular haemorrhage degree 3–4 [IVH3–4: 8/9 (88.9%) vs. 2/15 (13.3%), p=0.0049] than the PH- population. Conversely, no statistical differences were observed between the groups regarding the other examined variables, including coagulation screening work-up, antenatal steroids, multiple gestation, emergency caesarean section, 1-min and 5-min Apgar scores, fetal growth restriction, patent ductus arteriosus, air leak, necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, I.M.-vitamin K1 supplementation, fresh frozen plasma administration, surfactant replacement and number of surfactant doses, type of assisted ventilation, as well as energy, fluid, glucose protein, and lipid intakes during the first postnatal week (p=0.21).Conclusion: These findings appear to support the hypothesis that s-CA, associated with a fetal systemic inflammatory response syndrome, may play a key role in the pathogenesis of severe PH in ELBW infants.

During their post at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Consolata Hospital NKUBU, a rural hospital in Meru District, 230km NE higldands from Nairobi, Kenya, two members of our Department collected data, through a card system, on delivered women and their babies, from Jan 1987 to Dec 1988. The total number of deliveries was 10861. The prevalence of LBWIs (bw = 2500g) was 11.5% of the total population (9.5% SGA term and 2% preterm infants). LBWIs (n-1240) significantly differed from NBWIs (bw > 2500g; n=9621) for maternal age, purity, fetal mortality rate, presence of major malformations (p < 0.0001), but not for previous abortions, sex or dystocic deliveries. Preterm LBW infants differed from term SGA infants for fetal mortality rate and multiparity (p<0.01), but not for maternal age, purity, previous abortions, dystocic deliveries, sex, major malformations anil provenance area (data on provenance area were available only for LBWIs). The single most important factor in the prediction of bw (a stepwise multiple regression was computed in which maternal age, parity, previous abortion, sex and major malformations were entered),. was maternal age (r2=.027). A highly significant relationship was found between maternal age and weight, with younger and older mother delivering the lightest babies, which was best expressed by a second order polynomial regression (r=.20, p < 0.0001). Parity was strictly associated with maternal age and it was not associated with bw when the independent variable ‘maternal age’ was controlled.