scholarly journals Maternal transmission as a symbiont sieve, and the absence of lactation in male mammals

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
George W. A. Constable ◽  
Brennen Fagan ◽  
Richard Law

Gut microbiomes of humans carry a complex symbiotic assemblage of microorganisms. As in all mammals, the special mode of feeding newborn infants through milk from the mammary gland enhances the opportunity for vertical transmission of elements of this microbiome. This has potential benefits, but it also brings with it some hazards for the host. We point out here that vertical transmission from both parents would allow host populations to be invaded by elements that are deleterious. In contrast, vertical transmission, when restricted to one parent, acts as a sieve preventing the spread of such elements. Because some transmission from mother to infant is unavoidable in placental mammals, uniparental transmission of symbionts, if it were to be selected, would require some separation of the father from the newborn infant. This paper therefore puts forward the hypothesis that the asymmetry in roles of mother and father, together with the hazards that come with biparental transmission, generate a selection pressure against male lactation in humans, and in mammals in general.

1980 ◽  
Vol 43 (02) ◽  
pp. 099-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Whaun ◽  
P Lievaart ◽  

SummaryBlood from normal full term infants, mothers and normal adults was collected in citrate. Citrated platelet-rich plasma was prelabelled with 3H-adenine and reacted with release inducers, collagen and adrenaline. Adenine nucleotide metabolism, total adenine nucleotide levels and changes in sizes of these pools were determined in platelets from these three groups of subjects.At rest, the platelet of the newborn infant, compared to that of the mother and normal adult, possessed similar amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), 4.6 ± 0.2 (SD), 5.0 ± 1.1, 4.9 ± 0.6 µmoles ATP/1011 platelets respectively, and adenosine diphosphate (ADP), 2.4 ± 0.7, 2.8 ± 0.6, 3.0 ± 0.3 umoles ADP/1011 platelets respectively. However the marked elevation of specific radioactivity of ADP and ATP in these resting platelets indicated the platelet of the neonate has decreased adenine nucleotide stores.In addition to these decreased stores of adenine nucleotides, infant platelets showed significantly impaired release of ADP and ATP on exposure to collagen. The release of ADP in infants, mothers, and other adults was 0.9 ± 0.5 (SD), 1.5 ± 0.5, 1.5 ± 0.1 umoles/1011 platelets respectively; that of ATP was 0.6 ± 0.3, 1.0 ± 0.1,1.3 ± 0.2 µmoles/1011 platelets respectively. With collagen-induced release, platelets of newborn infants compared to those of other subjects showed only slight increased specific radioactivities of adenine nucleotides over basal levels. The content of metabolic hypoxanthine, a breakdown product of adenine nucleotides, increased in both platelets and plasma in all subjects studied.In contrast, with adrenaline as release inducer, the platelets of the newborn infant showed no adenine nucleotide release, no change in total ATP and level of radioactive hypoxanthine, and minimal change in total ADP. The reason for this decreased adrenaline reactivity of infant platelets compared to reactivity of adult platelets is unknown.Infant platelets may have different membranes, with resulting differences in regulation of cellular processes, or alternatively, may be refractory to catecholamines because of elevated levels of circulating catecholamines in the newborn period.


1976 ◽  
Vol 35 (03) ◽  
pp. 712-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Del Principe ◽  
G Mancuso ◽  
A Menichelli ◽  
G Maretto ◽  
G Sabetta

SummaryThe authors compared the oxygen consumption in platelets from the umbilical cord blood of 36 healthy newborn infants with that of 27 adult subjects, before and after thrombin addition (1.67 U/ml). Oxygen consumption at rest was 6 mμmol/109/min in adult control platelets and 5.26 in newborn infants. The burst in oxygen consumption after thrombin addition was 26.30 mμmol/109/min in adults and 24.90 in infants. Dinitrophenol did not inhibit the burst of O2 consumption in platelets in 8 out of 10 newborn infants, while the same concentration caused a decrease in 9 out of 10 adult subjects. Deoxyglucose inhibited the burst in O2 consumption in newborn infant and adult platelets by about 50%. KCN at the concentration of 10−4 M completely inhibited basal oxygen consumption but did not completely inhibit the burst after thrombin. At the concentration of 10−3 M, it inhibited both basal O2 consumption and the burst in infants and adult subjects.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1963 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 946-951
Author(s):  
Samuel O. Sapin ◽  
Leonard M. Linde ◽  
George C. Emmanouilides

Angiocardiography from an umbilical vessel approach was performed in 10 critically sick newborn infants. The umbilical vein route was successfully employed up to the eighth day of life, while the umbilical artery was safely used as late as age 5 days. This approach has advantages over other methods of catheterization and angiocardiography. Angiocardiographic quality was satisfactory for accurate interpretation.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1952 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 534-543
Author(s):  
LYTT I. GARDNER

Three cases of newborn tetany are described, pointing out the relationship between dietary phosphate load and the manifestations of this disease. An additional three newborn infants are described who showed other symptomatology than tetany in association with dietary phosphate load. [See Table 1 in Source Pdf]. Data concerning diet, cause of death and degree of parathyroid hyperplasia are tabulated in eight newborns who were found to have parathyroid hyperplasia at autopsy. Similar data are tabulated on eight newborns and five older children who were found to have normal parathyroid glands at autopsy. Several other factors possibly involved in newborn tetany and newborn parathyroid hyperplasia are discussed. The importance of measuring serum inorganic P in the differential diagnosis of neonatal distress is pointed out.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 870-870
Author(s):  
T. E. Cone

infant-from Latin infans; in (neg.) + fans speaking (fans is the participle). In Roman law infant means a child not old enough to talk... Cretin-Old French-chretien, a Christian. Perhaps used first as a perjorative term by the ancient Romans because to them the first Christians were stupid enough to "turn the other cheek" when attacked by mobs or by the lions in the Roman amphitheater. Meconium-from Greek mekonion meaning the poppy juice obtained from pressing the whole plant which gives a thick Juice of black, greenish-brown color. The intestinal content of the newborn infant has a similar consistency and appearance and so Galenadopted the term for the content of the bowels of newborn infants. (Meconism means the opium habit). lcterus-from Greek ikteros, a yellow bird, probably the golden thrush or a species of oriole. Pliny relates that if a person suffering from jaundice looks at a yellow bird, the bird will die and the patient recovers. Icterus was first used in pediatrics by Ludwig von Buhl (1816-1880) when he described icterus neonatorum.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1957 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-97
Author(s):  
Jo-Anne E. Richards ◽  
Richard B. Goldbloom ◽  
Ronald L. Denton

Forty-three full-term infants have been studied with respect to hemolysis of erythrocytes in solutions of hydrogen peroxide and concentrations of bilirubin in the serum. Mean values for concentration of bilirubin in the serum and percentage of hemolysis followed similar patterns in the first few days of life. However, statistical analysis of the data in individual cases showed no significant correlation between the degree of hemolysis in solutions of hydrogen peroxide and the concentrations of bilirubin in the serum. Administration of vitamin E prevented an increase in hemolysis of erythrocytes in solutions of hydrogen peroxide but failed to produce any significant change in concentrations of bilirubin as compared with the control group. The evidence suggests that the relative deficiency of vitamin E which exists in most newborn infants does not play a part in the causation or maintenance of physiologic hyperbilirubinemia. The clinical significance of increased hemolysis of the erythrocytes of the newborn infant in solutions of hydrogen peroxide remains a mystery. Possible approaches to the clarification of this problem are suggested.


Medicines ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Mirjam Pocivalnik ◽  
Manfred Danda ◽  
Berndt Urlesberger ◽  
Wolfgang Raith

Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a very common choice of antidepressive drug-therapy during pregnancy. In up to 30% of cases, they have been found to cause neonatal abstinence syndrome in newborn infants. Although often both time-limiting and self-limiting, severe symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) can occur. Methods/Results: We report a term male infant suffering from a severe brief resolved unexplained event caused by his mother’s sertraline intake during pregnancy. Conclusions: Newborn infants exposed to selective serotonine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy should be evaluated very carefully concerning NAS and monitored for NAS symptoms for a minimum of 72–96 h, or until symptoms have fully recovered using standardized protocols. There is a risk of severe NAS symptoms which might occur, and this circumstance should be discussed with the parents and taken into account before administering the drug.


1972 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
JORMA HEIKKILÄ

SUMMARY The amounts of oestriol and 15α-hydroxyoestriol (oestetrol) were determined in 24-h urine samples collected from pregnant women before and after delivery. In addition, the concentrations of these oestrogens were estimated in the urine of the newborn infants born to these mothers. The excretion of both these oestrogens decreased exponentially in maternal urine after delivery, the rate of decrease being significantly slower for oestetrol. The concentration of oestriol and oestetrol in the urine of the newborn infants also fell rapidly after delivery, the reduction being a linear function of time. The concentration of oestetrol in the urine of the newborn infant was relatively high in comparison to that of oestriol, and during the first day of life was the same as in maternal urine before delivery.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1962 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-116
Author(s):  
M. Klaus ◽  
W. H. Tooley ◽  
K. H. Weaver ◽  
J. A. Clements

The plethysmographic technique of Du-Bois and associates has been modified for use in newborn infants and found suitable for the measurement of lung volume. Of 37 normal infants studied with this method, most achieved full functional residual capacity during the first few minutes of life.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1959 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 1063-1084
Author(s):  
Eleanor Colle ◽  
Elsa Proehl Paulsen

Balance data for sodium, potassium, chloride, nitrogen, and water were obtained postoperatively in 15 newborn infants operated upon in the first 4 days of life and in 5 control newborn infants. The infants showed a response in terms of electrolyte and water balances which is significantly different from that reported in adults: The volumes of urine were equal to or greater than those in normal infants of a comparable age. The data suggest a diminished capacity of the newborn to conserve water postoperatively, but a normal capacity to dilute the urine. No evidence of retention of water was observed. The urinary excretion of sodium and chloride was equal to or larger than that of normal infants. The infants who had losses postoperatively from gastrointestinal suction showed no capacity to reduce renal excretion of these ions while they suffered these large extrarenal losses. The concentrations of sodium and chloride in the serum remained normal or became slightly elevated postoperatively. Losses of potassium and nitrogen in the urine were of the same relative magnitude as those in adults. The observed responses are discussed in terms of the function of antidiuretic and adrenocortical hormones in the newborn infant. The application of these data to practical considerations of fluid and electrolyte therapy in the postoperative management of the newborn infant are discussed briefly.


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