Changes in the expression of satellite glial cell-specific markers during postnatal development of rat sympathetic ganglia.

The sympathetic ganglia represent a final motor pathway that mediates homeostatic "fight and flight" responses in the visceral organs. Satellite glial cells (SGCs) form a thin envelope close to the neuronal cell body and synapses in the sympathetic ganglia. This unique morphological feature suggests that neurons and SGCs form functional units for regulation of sympathetic output.

Interleukin-21 receptor gene polymorphisms in kawasaki disease.

Background And Objectives: Interleukin-21 receptor (IL-21R) gene polymorphism is related with the development of systemic vasculitis. In this study, we investigated the polymorphisms of IL-21R gene in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD).

Subjects And Methods: We genotyped the promoter region of IL-21R gene (-2500 bp to +1 bp) in 100 patients with KD and 100 healthy controls.

Elevated Serum Levels of IL-21 in Kawasaki Disease.

Purpose: The serum level of immunoglobulin (Ig)E has been reported to be elevated in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD). We investigated whether interleukin (IL)-21, rather than IL-4, could be related to elevated serum levels of IgE in KD.

Methods: Sera from 48 patients with KD and 12 controls with high fever were collected to determine the level of IgE using an immunoassay system and the levels of IL-4 and IL-21 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.

Predicting factors for refractory kawasaki disease.

Background And Objectives: About 10-15% of Kawasaki disease (KD) is refractory to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. This study was designed to investigate the predicting factors for refractory KD.

Subjects And Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the clinical records of 77 patients with typical KD admitted at Wonju Christian Hospital from January, 2005, to December, 2008.

Relationship between gallbladder distension and lipid profiles in kawasaki disease.

Background And Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis in children which causes coronary arterial dilatation (CAD) and gallbladder distension (GBD). There is a dearth of investigating the relationship between the severity of KD and GBD with lipid profiles.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 80 patients with 'complete KD' who were diagnosed from January 2005 to May 2009 was enrolled in this study.

The comparative evaluation of expanded national immunization policies in Korea using an analytic hierarchy process.

The purpose of this paper is to propose new evaluation criteria and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model to assess the expanded national immunization programs (ENIPs) and to evaluate two alternative health care policies. One of the alternative policies is that private clinics and hospitals would offer free vaccination services to children and the other of them is that public health centers would offer these free vaccination services. Our model to evaluate the ENIPs was developed using brainstorming, Delphi techniques, and the AHP model.

The effects on cognitive function and behavioral problems of topiramate compared to carbamazepine as monotherapy for children with benign rolandic epilepsy.

Purpose: To evaluate the cognitive and behavioral effects of topiramate (TPM) versus carbamazepine (CBZ) using efficacious doses of each drug as monotherapy for children with benign rolandic epilepsy.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, observer-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial was conducted. TPM was introduced at a dose of 12.

Spontaneous recurrent seizure following status epilepticus enhances dentate gyrus neurogenesis.

It is known that evoked seizures can increase neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus in adult rats. Whether spontaneous seizures occurring after status epilepticus (SE) also results in alterations in neurogenesis is not known. Here, we measured neurogenesis in rats with and without spontaneous seizures following SE.

Long-term effects of status epilepticus in the immature brain are specific for age and model.

Purpose: Status epilepticus (SE) is more common in children than adults and has a high mortality and morbidity rate. SE in adult rats results in long-term disturbances in learning and memory, as well as an enhanced seizure susceptibility to further seizures. In contrast, a number of studies suggest that the immature brain is less vulnerable to the morphologic and physiologic alterations after SE.

Effects of lesions of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in newborn rats on susceptibility to seizures.

The cholinergic system modulates cerebral excitability. We recently reported that immunolesions of the basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic neurons in adult rats increase the susceptibility to generalized seizures. In this study we investigated the effects of lesions of the BF cholinergic neurons in neonatal rats on seizure susceptibility and cognitive function.

Effectiveness of muscimol-containing microparticles against pilocarpine-induced focal seizures.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of in situ lipid-protein-sugar particles (LPSPs) in mitigating the epileptogenic and histologic effects of intrahippocampal pilocarpine in rats.

Methods: LPSPs with and without muscimol were produced by spray-drying, sized by Coulter counter, and muscimol content determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HLPC). Particles, free muscimol or saline, were injected into the hippocampi of Sprague-Dawley rats before 40 mM pilocarpine, and seizure activity was scored.

Effect of topiramate following recurrent and prolonged seizures during early development.

Topiramate, an antiepileptic drug with a number of mechanisms of action including inhibition of glutamate activity at the AMPA and KA receptors, was assessed as a neuroprotective agent following seizures. We administered topiramate, 80 mg/kg, or saline for 4 weeks following a series of 25 neonatal seizures or status epilepticus (SE) induced by lithium-pilocarpine in postnatal day 20 rats. Age-matched control rats without a history of seizures were administered topiramate or saline.

Memory impairment following status epilepticus in immature rats: time-course and environmental effects.

Status epilepticus (SE) has a high mortality and morbidity rate in children. Disturbances in learning and memory are frequently associated with SE although it is not clear when the cognitive deficits occur. If cognitive dysfunction occurs immediately following the seizure, the window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention is limited.