Neutrophil granulocytes are key effector cells of the vertebrate immune system. They represent 50-70% of the leukocytes in the human blood and their loss by disease or drug side effect causes devastating bacterial infections. Their high turnover rate, their fine-tuned killing machinery, and their arsenal of toxic vesicles leave them particularly vulnerable to various genetic deficiencies. The a...

Children who are premature in the sense that their birth weight is not more than 5+ lb. (2 5 kg.) are generally believed to have more mental and physical defects than heavier children. It has, however, seldom been possible to compare the prevalence of defects ascertained in a standard manner in children who are premature and those who are not. Neither is the relative prevalence of specific defe...