High soluble interleukin-2 receptor values in Indian paediatric & adult controls - Need for population-specific threshold in the diagnosis of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Background & Objectives: Elevated soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL2R) is a diagnostic criterion for haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). International guidelines propose a 2400 U/ml cut-off or individual laboratory-defined cut-off. However, sIL2R normal values are so far not known in Indians.

Atomic-resolution crystal structures of the immune protein conglutinin from cow reveal specific interactions of its binding site with -acetylglucosamine.

Bovine conglutinin is an immune protein that is involved in host resistance to microbes and parasites and interacts with complement component iC3b, agglutinates erythrocytes, and neutralizes influenza A virus. Here, we determined the high-resolution (0.97-1.

Infantile Achalasia Cardia.

Background: Achalasia is extremely rare in infants.

Case Characteristics: We report three infants of age 9, 7 and 12 months, who presented with recurrent non-bilious vomiting, repeated chest infection and severe failure to thrive. Diagnosis of achalasia cardia was confirmed on contrast-swallow study.

Transilluminating testicular mass.

Testicular tumor in prepubertal age group is uncommon. Most of the testicular tumors are benign in this age group and present as painless, hard testicular mass. We present a case where a 7 year male child presented to us with painless scrotal swelling, which was cystic and transilluminating, clinically mimicking as hydrocele.

Delayed presentation of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: a rare case.

Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) is the most common cause of gastric outlet obstruction in infants, with an incidence of 1.5 to 3 per 1000 live births, and classically presents at 3 to 4 weeks of age. Delayed presentation of HPS is an extremely rare occurrence after early infancy.

Defining targets for complement components C4b and C3b on the pathogenic neisseriae.

Complement is a key arm of the innate immune defenses against the pathogenic neisseriae. We previously identified lipooligosaccharide on Neisseria meningitidis as an acceptor for complement C4b. Little is known about other neisserial targets for complement proteins C3 and C4, which covalently attach to bacterial surfaces and initiate opsonization and killing.

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the common bile duct.

A two-and half-year-old boy presented with a short history of fever, jaundice and abdominal distension. At laparotomy, a rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) arising from the common bile duct (CBD) was found. The tumor including the CBD was successfully excised and a Roux-en-Y hepaticodochojejunostomy was performed.

Congenital pouch colon: Massive redilatation of the tubularized colonic pouch after pull-through surgery.

Background/purpose: Children with a type I/II congenital pouch colon (CPC) malformation associated with imperforate anus usually are treated by subtotal excision of the colonic pouch, tubularization of the remaining portion, and pull-through of the tubularized colon during definitive surgery. The authors report 3 patients treated in this fashion who presented 2 to 10(1/2) years later with massive redilatation of the previously tubularized colon and enterocolitis

Methods: There were no anal strictures or malpositioning of the pulled through bowel. Contrast enema showed massive redilatation of the colonic pouch.