Cytotoxicity of lymphocytes in the newborn.

Antibody-dependent, phytohaemagglutinin-induced, and spontaneous cytotoxicity was studied in 44 term and 60 preterm newborn babies, all of whom were healthy and of normal weight for gestational age. Twenty-seven adults were used as controls. Antibody-dependent cytotoxicity was low in term babies particularly in the preterm ones during the first 4 days of life, but soon rose to adult levels.

Exchange transfusion in severe neonatal infection with sclerema.

Two critically ill newborn babies with severe infection associated with sclerema were successfully treated with appropriate antibiotics and repeated exchange transfusions.

Systemic allergic reaction to initial insulin therapy in a juvenile diabetic. Enhanced blast transformation to insulin.

A 14-year-old girl with recent onset of diabetes developed a severe systemic allergic reaction to beef-pork insulin on the third day of insulin therapy. The same reaction developed following the injection of pork insulin and monocomponent insulin. The patient was induced to tolerate pork insulin by systemic desensitization to this insulin over an interval of 6 days.

Serum levels of lysozyme in term and preterm newborns.

Serum lysozyme levels were studied in term babies at the time of delivery and again between 7th and 30th postnatal days, and in preterm babies on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th postnatal days. Levels in term babies at delivery (mean 2.28 mug/ml) were similar to those found in adults, but they fell between the 7th and 30th postnatal days.