3 2 2 Abstracts The Journal of Pediatrics August 1976 cerebellum, we measured DNA polymerase activity and corre- lated it with other cell growth measurements. Hypothyroidism (PTU) was produced by feeding dams a 26% casein diet mixed with 0.2% propylthiouracil; hyperthyroidism (T3) by injecting 25 btg tri-iodothyroinine at birth and 1 t~g on alternate days there- after; malnourished rats (M), of the same weight as PTU rats, by increasing litter size to 15 pups. All the animals were sacrificed between days 4 and 35 of postnatal age. Body and cerebellum weights, RNA, and protein content were significantly decreased in PTU, T3, and M rats, at the ages studied. DNA was decreased from the sixth day in T3 and M rats; there was a transient decrease in DNA content in PTU rats at 14 days which returned to normal at 35 days without therapy. Thymidine uptake was increased 7 times in PTU rats at 21 days and only twice in M. DNA polymerase activity in T3 rats was increased at day 4 and decreased at day 14. In PTU it was increased at 21 and 28 days and returned to normal values at 35 days, while in M there was no alteration in its activity. These findings give further support to the hypothesis that thyroid status alters the timing of cell multiplication in the cerebellum of rats; hypothyroidism is associated with a recovery of DNA deficit through a longer period of cell multiplication, while in hyperthyroidism there is an increase in DNA replication in the first days of life but a shorter period of cell multiplication. Neurologic developmental examination in normal preschool children aged 3 to 7 years A. B. Lefevre, A. J. Diament, M. I. Valente, B. H. W. Ferreira, A. D'Onghia, D. M. Torres, E. Wanderley, E. T. Silva, H. S. A. Souza, I. Abramovich, I. C. C. Bacheschi, J. Amado, M. Casteloes, M. C. Miguel, M. C. P. Lobo, M. D. Gomes, M. H. F. R. Moreira, M. Cury, N. Pionsky, O. A. Mattos, O. Scarante, R. O. Gandarillas, S. Gazal, S. Cypel, S. Rosemberg, and W. Domingues, Funded by the Foundation to Support Investigation of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil During the last years a large amount of controversial literature on minimal cerebral dysfunction (MCD) has been published. There is still considerable confusion with regard to the value of "soft neurologic signs," since these signs have not been standard- ized nor compared with control groups of normal children. Despite this, many clinicians diagnose MCD on the basis of "equivocal" plantar response, syncinesias (normal in the ages in question), and obscure changes of muscular tonus like "paraton- ia," that are difficult to detect, as described by Dupre (1911). Recently, this state of affairs has been criticized by a number of neurologists (Paine, 1968; Rutter and colleagues; 1970; Towen and colleagues, 1970; Ajuriaguerra, 1971) who have stressed how necessary it is to establish a standard pattern for a neurologic developmental examination (NDE) for normal children. With this in mind, a group of nenropediatricians from Sao Paulo established a NDE which would be applicable in the 3- to 7-year preschool age group. A group of 200 normal children were selected on the basis of strict historical criteria, complemented with interviews with the parents, when necessary. There were 100 of each sex, divided into five groups Of 40. All of the children were submitted to a total of 124 tests, regardless of age, with a view to assessing speech development, static and dynamic balance, muscular tonus, limb and trunk-limb coordination, associated movements (syncinesias), motor persistence, reflex motoricity and sensibility. The tests performed satisfactorily by at least 75% of the children were set up as a normal pattern for this age, after factorial and discriminative analysis data. Thus, we are able to establish a profile of neurologic development. There has been no attempt to equate this neurologic quotient to the intellectual quotient, but rather to provide the whole team involved in treatment of MCD with the very best diagnostic resources. A longitudinal study of growth of low- birth-weight infants M. A. Barbieri, Department of Pediatrics, Ribeirao Preto School of Medicine, Brazil This investigation consists of a longitudinal study of 142 children, male and female, with low birth weight, born between 1969-1971 in the maternity service of the University Hospital of Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The following measurements were taken: Weight, length, stem length, head circumference, chest circumference and arm circumference at the 2nd, 15th, 30th, and 45th days and at 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 1lth, 12th, 15th, 18th, 21st, and 24th months of life. The tenth, fiftieth, and ninetieth percentiles were calculated for each age and sex for the determination of the curves for each linear growth and growth velocity parameter at every 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month intervals. The median for the weight/length, stem length/length, and head circumference/chest circumference ratios were calcu- lated on the 2nd day and at the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th, 21st, and 24th months. The results revealed that all of the curves of growth and growth velocity are similar to those of normal children. However, growth velocity in the low-birth-weight children of this study was greater than growth velocity of normal children during the first six months and the first year of life. There is a tendency for growth to approach that of the normal children by 12 to 24 months. Familial nephrotic syndrome: A genetic study R. Quadrelli, J. Grunberg, and T. Fleitas, Department of Nephrology, Dr. Pedro Visca Children's Hospital, Montevideo, Uruguay Five families, including a total of 11 members (7 male, 4 female) affected by familial nephroses make up 4.2% of the total number of registered cases of nephroses in the ambulatory service of this hospital. Family 1: Two sets of offspring of four and three members. Relation coefficient = 1/16. Three affected, one deceased. Family 2: Four offspring of blood-related parents. Inbreeding coefficient = 1/32. Two affected, both deceased. Family 3: Two offspring, both affected,