Candidate gene analysis in pathogenesis of surgically and non-surgically treated necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most severe and unpredictable complications of prematurity. There are two possible mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of NEC: individual inflammatory response and impaired blood flow in mesenteric vessels with secondary ischemia of the intestine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible relationship between polymorphisms: Il-1β 3953C>T, Il-6 -174G>C and -596G>A, TNFα -308G>A, and 86 bp variable number tandem repeat polymorphism of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (Il-1RN VNTR 86 bp) and three polymorphisms that may participate in arteries tension regulation and in consequence in intestine blood flow impairment: eNOS (894G>T and -786T>C) and END-1 (5665G>T) and NEC in 100 infants born from singleton pregnancy, before 32 + 0 weeks of gestation, exposed to antenatal steroids therapy, and without congenital abnormalities.

Are there any factors influencing the course of multistage treatment in Hirschsprung's disease?

Introduction: Surgical treatment of Hirschsprung's disease may be performed in a single step, or in stages with a temporary stoma. The therapy depends on the clinical condition of the patient and the severity of symptoms. Planned multistage treatment is carried out in two or three steps.

A 15-Year Experience with the One-Stage Surgery for Treatment of Hirschsprung's Disease in Newborns, Infants, and Young Children.

The treatment of Hirschsprung's disease has changed over the past several years. Significant modifications occurred after the implementation of surgery without laparotomy, using transanal access. The type of this surgery depends on the condition and the age of a child.

Alternations in genes expression of pathway signaling in esophageal tissue with atresia: results of expression microarray profiling.

Esophageal atresia (EA) is a congenital defect of the esophagus involving the interruption of the esophagus with or without connection to the trachea (tracheoesophageal fistula [TEF]). EA/TEF may occur as an isolated anomaly, may be part of a complex of congenital defects (syndromic), or may develop within the context of a known syndrome or association. The molecular mechanisms underlying the development of EA are poorly understood.

Spontaneous free floating carotid artery thrombosis.

A 64-year-old man, with no history of trauma, presented with transient visual loss. He was diagnosed with amaurosis fugax and started on dipyridamole and simvastatin. An inconclusive ultrasound (US) Doppler was followed by CT angiogram (CTA) and MRI, which demonstrated free floating intraluminal thrombus in the distal right common carotid artery.

Congenital midgut volvulus associated with fetal anemia.

Congenital volvulus is a life-threatening condition, both for the fetus and for the newborn. A volvulus is a twist of small bowel loops or a proximal part of the colon around the mesenteric artery or its branches. The potential consequences of volvulus are ileus and necrosis of the intestinal wall.

The changing face of the exocrine pancreas in cystic fibrosis: pancreatic sufficiency, pancreatitis and genotype.

(Table is included in full-text article.)Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most frequent cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in childhood. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene encodes CFTR protein that functions as cyclic AMP-dependent chloride channel allowing the passage of anions and secondarily water into the lumen of pancreatic ducts.

Fecal pyruvate kinase: a potential new marker for intestinal inflammation in children with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children creates diagnostic and clinical challenges. Clinical data, endoscopic appearance and the histopathological assessment of biopsies are essential for diagnosis. However, new methods are required for non-invasive follow-up.

Congenital heart defect with associated malformations in children.

Background: Children with multisystem involvement including congenital heart defect (CHD) are a very salient problem. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of CHD associated with malformations of other systems and to assess the modalities of treatment and perioperative mortality among patients referred to the department of pediatric cardiac surgery.

Methods: The medical records of 1856 children were reviewed retrospectively from 1997 to 2002 to establish CHD and types of associated malformations.

[Lymphangioma--the care and treatment in neonates and babies--Part two].

Lymphangioma or cystic hygroma (CH) in neonates is a rare congenital malformation (1:12000 live births), its etiology is unknown. It often occurs in head and neck region. Initial diagnosis based on physical examination is next to be confirmed by MR and CT imaging.

[Lymphangioma--prenatal and perinatal aspects--Part one].

Lymphangioma or cystic hygroma is a congenital malformation of the lymphatic system which has been commonly associated with fetal aneuploidy, hydrops, structural malformations and intrauterine death. In this paper we would like to report two cases of lymphangioma diagnosed prenatally in the third trimester in the fetuses with normal karyotype, normal NT in the first trimester and without other structural anomalies and with good perinatal outcome.

[Congenital diaphragmatic hernia--diagnostic and therapeutic procedures].

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is connected with a high risk of neonatal mortality and morbidity, which are caused mostly by lung hypoplasia. Frequency of these congenital malformations is 1: 2000-3000 live birth. CDH can be isolated, but in as many as 23% of cases, it co-exists with other fetal anomalies.

[Clinical investigations of children with chronic renal failure and peritonitis treated with peritoneal dialysis].

Unlabelled: Peritonitis and catheter-related infection are the most-common complications of peritoneal dialysis treatment. The aim of study was to analyse frequency causes, effectiveness of therapy and risk factors of peritonitis in patients treated with continuous peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). We described 13 patients aged 6-21 years, mean 12 years, who initiated CAPD between 1995 to 2000.

[Intrauterine therapy of obstructive uropathy--case report].

The use of vesicoamniotic shunt in the case of obstructive uropathy was described. On the base of ultrasound screening it has been diagnosed urethral obstruction. This abnormality of urinary tract was found in male fetus.

[Review of surgical treatment results for vesicoureteral reflux in children using the Politano-Leadbetter technique].

The analysis presents 622 children in the age ranged from 4 months to 14 years, operated on vesicoureteral reflux. The treatment was carried on in Department of Pediatric Surgery in Poznan between 1983 and 1992. All these children were operated on with antireflux Politano-Leadbetter technique, modified by Sarrazin, protecting reimplanted ureters with stenting catheters.

[Analysis of results after primary heminephrectomy in surgical treatment of duplicated pyelo-caliceal system].

Aim: Determination of the effective diagnostics and therapeutic procedures in duplicated pyelo-calyceal system with upper pole dysfunction.

Method: Retrospective review of operative procedures and follow-up.

Material: In Department of Pediatric Surgery University of Medical Sciences in Poznań (Poland), 383 children with duplicated pyelo-calyceal system were treated between 1976 and 1997.

[Treatment of varicocele with laparoscopy].

To assess the efficacy of laparoscopic techniques for the operative therapy of varicocele in children and adolescents. Thirty-two children and adolescents who underwent laparoscopic varicocelectomy, between May 1995 to December 1997 were evaluated. In all patients laparoscopic therapy was effective and no major complications occurred.

Two ways of iron oxidation by yeast.

It has been found that yeast cells suspended in saline containing ferrous salts could oxidize them to the ferric form by excreting H2O2 and ammonia. Excretion of ammonia accelerates spontaneous oxidation of iron by molecular oxygen. Ammonia generation probably results from the degradation of amino acids within starving cells.

Conversion in the peptides coating cadmium:sulfide crystallites in Candida glabrata.

Cultures of Candida glabrata treated with CdCl2 form intracellular Cd(II) complexes that evolve with the time of culturing. Initially, glutathione (gamma ECG) appears to be the major buffering component. One type of Cd(II)-glutathione complex exists as a cadmium:sulfide (CdS) crystallite coated with glutathione.

Superoxide dismutase deficiency and the toxicity of the products of autooxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in yeast.

Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, deficient in cytosolic superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were used to study the role of various oxygen species in the process of lipid peroxidation in yeast cells. Lipid peroxidation does not occur normally in yeast, because this organism is unable to form fatty acids with more than one double bond, whereas under physiological conditions, only fatty acids with at least two double bonds undergo this process. The fatty acid content of cellular lipids was modified by growing the cells in anoxia in the presence of oleic or linolenic acid.

The role of respiratory chain in paraquat toxicity in yeast.

Yeast respiratory deficient mutants are resistant to paraquat. Similar resistance is caused by lowering the respiration by physiological mechanisms, as well as by some inhibitors of electron transfer chain of mitochondria. Presented results suggest that the major contribution of mitochondria to overall toxicity of paraquat in yeast is a consequence of very low level of cytochrome P-450, and presumably its presumably its reductase in aerobic yeast cells.