Technology-dependent children in the community: definitions, numbers and costs.

OBJECTIVES: To assess available data on the numbers of technology-dependent children living at home in the UK and estimate the costs of caring for them. DESIGN: Data were obtained from all known secondary sources, including surveys of children with specific conditions known to specialist paediatric departments and the database of applicants to the Family Fund Trust. The costs of all services received by three hypothetical exemplar 'case study' children were calculated. RESULTS: All existing sources of data have some shortcomings. Taking these shortcomings into account, it is estimated that there may be up to 6000 technology-dependent children living at home. They appear to be disproportionately young and may be distributed unevenly between different regions of the UK. The total service costs of caring for each child will vary according to the types of technologies involved and local patterns of services, but may be as high as 150,000 pounds sterling a year. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the very high costs of services, routine information on the numbers of technology-dependent children discharged home is urgently needed. This should include details of the duration of technology dependence and the local area to which the child is discharged. New opportunities for joint service planning and purchasing should improve the co-ordination of services for these children.

Evidence for plasmid-associated lactose metabolism inLactobacillus casei subsp.casei.

Lac variants ofLactobacillus casei subsp.casei DR1002 (formerly 64H) have been produced using acriflavin, ethidium bromide, mitomycin C, or combinations of these agents. Two successive transfers in the presence of acriflavin and mitomycin C or ethidium bromide and mitomycin C resulted in nearly a 100% loss of lactose fermentation. Cesium chloride-ethidium bromide isopycnic gradient ultracentrifugal analysis of purified lysates demonstrated that the 23-mdal plasmid (pDR101) found inL. casei DR1002 was consistently absent in Lac(-) clones. We concluded that, as in lactic streptococci, lactose metablism is a plasmid-mediated train inL. casei DR1002.

Nucleic acid biosynthesis in rat embryo cells infected with X14 or H-1 parvovirus.

Nucleic acid biosynthesis was studied in rat embryo cell (REC) cultures 48 hours after infection with X14 or H-1 parvovirus. The incorporation of 14C-formate and [6-(14C]-orotic acid into purines and pyrimidines of various was lowered after infection with these parvoviruses. 14C-Formate incorporation into acid-soluble thymine was greatly inhibited in H-1 virus-infected cells whereas it was slightly inhibited in X14 virus-infected cells. These results suggest that X14 virus-infected cells can carry out the biosynthesis of thymidylic acid utilizing some endogenous pyrimidine nucleotide (e.g. deoxycytidylic acid, via deoxyuridylic acid). In the infected cells, the nucleoplasmic RNA polymerase activity was strongly inhibited. This results suggests an interference by the two viruses with hosts RNA synthesis.

Action of chloroquine on in vivo RNA and protein biosynthesis in the retina and the optic pathway of the rabbit.

The in vivo action of chloroquine on RNA and protein metabolism in the optic pathway of the albino or pigmented rabbit was examined. To study the acute effects, chloroquine in a dose of 500 mug was injected into the vitreous body of one eye. The following day the animals were injected into both eyes with [3H]uridine or [3H]leucine. At various time intervals following the isotope injections the retinal synthesis and the axonal transport of labelled RNA or protein was studied. The results showed no significant difference between the drug-treated and the control side with respect to synthesis and axonal transport of RNA or protein. Nor was any selective effect noticed on the synthesis of different RNA fractions from the retina. In long-term experiments chloroqune (100 mg/kg body weight) was administered via their drinking water 3 days a week for a period of 6 or 8 months. Following an intraocular injection of [3H]leucine no significant change in rapid axonal transport could be found in those chronically treated rabbits.