Neonatal rats were given aqueous lead acetate intragastrically from d 2-20 of life at doses of 0, 10, 50, and 225 mg Pb/kg. Blood Pb concentrations on d 21 were (mean ± SE) 23 ±3 (control), 63 ± 19, ...246 + 55, and 994 ± 223 μg/100 ml, and brain Pb concentrations were 14 ± 2, 60 ± 5, 114 ± 15, and 275 ± 26 μg/100 g, respectively. Growth was significantly depressed only in rats given the highest dose of Pb (225 mg/kg.). Solvent-ex tractable lipofuscin pigment concentration of brain tissue progressively decreased over the 21-d duration of the experiment but was not significantly altered at any dose of Pb. Brain glutathione peroxidase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydro-genase, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activities were stimulated on d 20 at the maximal dose of Pb, but the activities of brain superoxide dismutases and catalase were not altered by Pb exposure. Locomotor activity was significantly increased in the male animals on d 20, but only at the highest dose of Pb. These results indicate that Pb toxicity in neonatal rats is not associated with accelerated in vivo lipid peroxida-tion in the brain, but that certain oxidant defense mechanisms in the brain are stimulated by Pb.
Aplasia cutis congenita affecting the elbows, knees, hips, and gluteal area was observed in a female newborn, product of a twin pregnancy. One of the twins was a fetus papyraceous detected at 15 ...weeks of pregnancy. During the course of the pregnancy, maternal thrombocytosis was diagnosed and treated with aspirin. alpha-Fetoprotein was elevated in maternal serum and amniotic fluid, and a distinct electrophoretic acetylcholinesterase band was seen in amniotic fluid. These findings are in agreement with the classification of aplasia cutis congenita as proposed by Frieden et al in which type V is related to the presence of a fetus papyraceous or placental infarcts. The findings in the present case may be explained by the effect of the dead twin on the surviving fetus and the extensive denuded skin areas. Long-term follow-up of the infant showed that the lesions were cured, most of them with minimal scars. Increased risk for aplasia cutis congenita should be considered when elevated maternal and amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein and a distinct electrophoretic band of acetylcholinesterase are found. Especially when one of the twins is dead.
