GM1 Ganglioside : past studies and future potential

Gangliosides (sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids) are abundant in neurons of all animal species and play important roles in many cell physiological processes, including differentiation, memory control, cell signaling, neuronal protection, neuronal recovery, and apoptosis. Gangliosides also function as anchors or entry points for various toxins, bacteria, viruses, and autoantibodies. GM1, a ganglioside component of mammalian brains, is present mainly in neurons. GM1 is one of the best studied gangliosides, and our understanding of its properties is extensive. Simple and rapid procedures are available for preparation of GM1 as a natural compound on a large scale, or as a derivative containing an isotopic radionuclide or a specific probe. Great research interest in the properties of GM1 arose from the discovery in the early 1970s of its role as receptor for the bacterial toxin responsible for cholera pathogenesis

Early versus late cord clamping: effects on peripheral blood flow and cardiac function in term infants.

BACKGROUND: In the debate on the best cord clamping time in newborn infants, we hypothesized that late cord clamping enables an increased volemia due to blood transfer to the newborn from the placenta. AIM: To assess whether clamping time can affect limb perfusion and heart hemodynamics in a group of 22 healthy term newborn infants. STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study. SUBJECTS: Eleven early-clamped (at 30 s) vaginally-delivered newborn infants were compared with eleven late-clamped (at 4 min) newborns. OUTCOME MEASURES: The two groups were studied using near-infrared spectroscopy and M-mode echocardiography. RESULTS: Late cord clamping coincided with a higher hematocrit (median 62% versus 54%) and hemoglobin concentration (median 17.2 versus 15 g/dL), whilst there were no changes in bilirubin level. Echocardiography showed a larger end-diastolic left ventricle diameter (1.7 cm median value versus 1.5) coupled with unvaried shortening and ejection fraction values. There were no changes in calf blood flow, oxygen delivery, oxygen consumption or fractional oxygen extraction calculated from the NIRS measurements, or in foot perfusion index. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that late cord clamping coincides with an increased placental transfusion, expressed by higher hematocrit and hemoglobin values, and larger left ventricle diameter at the end of the diastole, with no changes in peripheral perfusion or oxygen metabolism

Early-versus late-cord clamping: Hemodynamic effects in healthy term newborn infants.

I.F. 2.83

\u201cSilent\u201d patent ductus arteriosus and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in low birth weight infants

We conducted a clinical study on the antecedents of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in 290 premature RDS infants with 641.75 kg birth weight (BW). They were enrolled in a prospective trial of indomethacin treatment for \u201csilent\u201d patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), screened by 2-D echocardiographic and pulsed Doppler evaluation on the third day of life. The trial took place at the NICU of the Pediatric Department of Padua University between January 1987 and December 1991. Out of 290 infants screened, 96 had evidence of \u201csilent\u201d PDA (33%) and 77 responded to indomethacin treatment (80%). Comprehensively 79 (27%) developed BPD., and from thse the incidence of BPD was statistically increased in infants with \u201csilent\u201d PDA., 47 out of 96 (49 \ub1 9%), with respect to 32 out of 194 (16 \ub1 3%) preterm infants without PDA. Statistical analysis showed that in preterm infants with \u201csilent\u201d PDA the development of BPD was correlated at 99% C. L. to their low BWs (mean BW. = 1.13 kg): in fact the mean and the mode of BW. distributions were statistically lower in the presence of BPD., 1.03 kg versus 1.24 kg, and 0.88 kg versus 1.65 kg respectively. Moreover, the preterm infants with \u201csilent\u201d PDA unresponsive to the first course of indomethacin and/or submitted later to surgical closure, presented a statistically lower BW. with respect to the early responders, 1.06 kg versus 1.18 kg, and at the same time a statistically higher incidence of BPD (63 \ub1 20% versus 43 \ub1 9%). From these data we conclude that, although \u201csilent\u201d, PDA increase per se the incidence of BPD., even if benefits from an early induced closure. Furthermore, a lower BW. of infants affected by \u201csilent\u201d PDA represents a contributing factor to the development of BPD. \ua9 1995 by Walter de Gruyter & Co