Serum interleukin -8 is not a reliable marker for prediction of vesicoureteral reflux in children with febrile urinary tract infection.

Objective: In view of the side effects of voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), identification of noninvasive markers predicting the presence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is important. This study was conducted to determine the predictive value of serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) in diagnosis of VUR in children with first febrile urinary tract infection (UTI).

Materials And Methods: Eighty children with first febrile UTI were divided into two groups, with and without VUR, based on the results of VCUG .

Melatonin's Effect in Febrile Seizures and Epilepsy.

Objective: Recognition of risk factors for febrile seizures (FS) and epilepsy is essential. Studies regarding the role of melatonin in these convulsive disorders are limited. This study determines the relationship between serum melatonin levels and FS and epilepsy in children.

Are serum procalcitonin and interleukin-1 beta suitable markers for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis in children?

Rapid diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis is important because of its association with long-standing complications. This study was conducted to compare the reliability of serum procalcitonin (PCT) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) with conventional laboratory parameters for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis in children. Seventy nine children with urinary tract infection were divided into two groups based on the result of Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan: acute pyelonephritis (n=33) and lower UTI (urinary tract infection) (n=46) groups.

CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms (-318C/T, +49A/G, +6230A/G) in Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by multiple regions of demyelination and inflammation along axons with a T cell-mediated autoimmune etiology. While the cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) gene seems to be a strong candidate gene in autoimmune diseases, we investigated its association with a group of patients with MS. One hundred and thirty five patients with relapsing-remitting form of MS and 135 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study.

Comparison of 16S rDNA-PCR Amplification and Culture of Cerebrospinal Fluid for Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis.

Objective: Early and accurate diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is of critical concern. Optimum and rapid laboratory facilities are not routinely available for detecting the etiologic agents of meningitis. The objective of this study was to compare polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with culture for detection of bacteria in central nervous system (CNS) samples from patients suspected to have meningitis.

M-2000, as a new anti-inflammatory molecule in treatment of experimental nephrosis.

The therapeutic effect of M-2000 (C6H10O7) molecule was tested in Adriamycin-induced nephropathy. To induce experimental nephrosis, Adriamycin was given once by a single intravenous injection (7.5 mg/kg) through the tail vein.