Paternal Tobacco Smoke Correlated to Offspring Asthma and Prenatal Epigenetic Programming.

Little is known about effects of paternal tobacco smoke (PTS) on the offspring's asthma and its prenatal epigenetic programming. To investigate whether PTS exposure was associated with the offspring's asthma and correlated to epigenetic CG methylation of potential tobacco-related immune genes: or/and genes. In a birth cohort of 1,629 newborns, we measured exposure rates of PTS (23%) and maternal tobacco smoke (MTS, 0.

A prospective birth cohort study of different risk factors for development of allergic diseases in offspring of non-atopic parents.

Background: Allergic diseases are thought to be inherited. Prevalence of allergic diseases has, however, increased dramatically in last decades, suggesting environmental causes for the development of allergic diseases.

Objective: We studied risk factors associated with the development of atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma (AS) in children of non-atopic parents in a subtropical country.

Gender-dependent effect of GSTM1 genotype on childhood asthma associated with prenatal tobacco smoke exposure.

It remains unclear whether the GSTM1 genotype interacts with tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) in asthma development. This study aimed to investigate the interactions among GSTM1 genotype, gender, and prenatal TSE with regard to childhood asthma development. In a longitudinal birth cohort in Taiwan, 756 newborns completed a 6-year follow-up, and 591 children with DNA samples available for GSTM1 genotyping were included in the study, and the interactive influences of gender-GSTM1 genotyping-prenatal TSE on childhood asthma development were analyzed.

Different genetic associations of the IgE production among fetus, infancy and childhood.

Elevation of serum IgE levels has long been associated with allergic diseases. Many genes have been linked to IgE production, but few have been linked to the developmental aspects of genetic association with IgE production. To clarify developmental genetic association, we investigated what genes and gene-gene interactions affect IgE levels among fetus, infancy and childhood in Taiwan individuals.

Incidence and result of treatment-demanding retinopathy of prematurity using revised U.S. screening guidelines.

Objective: To study the incidence of treated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) using the revised U.S. screening guidelines, the rate of missed treatment, and unfavorable anatomic outcomes over a period of 2 years.

Perinatal gene-gene and gene-environment interactions on IgE production and asthma development.

Atopic asthma is a complex disease associated with IgE-mediated immune reactions. Numerous genome-wide studies identified more than 100 genes in 22 chromosomes associated with atopic asthma, and different genetic backgrounds in different environments could modulate susceptibility to atopic asthma. Current knowledge emphasizes the effect of tobacco smoke on the development of childhood asthma.

Clinical presentation of children with gastroschisis and small for gestational age.

Background: Gastroschisis (GS) is defined as a full-thickness paraumbilical abdominal wall defect associated with evisceration of fetal abdominal organ. Although the concomitant nongastrointestinal anomalies and aneuploidy are rarely presented, fetal growth restriction is common. The aim of this study is to compare the primary and secondary outcomes of GS between infants small for gestational age (SGA) and those appropriate for gestational age as well as term and late preterm infants.

CTLA-4, position 49 A/G polymorphism associated with coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease.

Objective: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology and primarily affects children less than 5 years of age. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) has been suggested as a candidate gene for conferring susceptibility to autoimmunity. This study examined the correlation of CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms in KD with and without coronary artery lesions (CAL).

Partial protein-hydrolyzed infant formula decreased food sensitization but not allergic diseases in a prospective birth cohort study.

Background: Exposure to cow's milk protein in early infancy could lead to increased rates of allergic diseases later in life. We investigated whether feeding a protein-hydrolyzed formula (HF) in the first 6 months of life decreased allergic diseases up to 36 months later.

Methods: Newborns who had at least 1 first-degree family member with a history of atopy and could not breast-feed were enrolled.

Urachal catheter provides new choice for long-term urinary diversion in prune belly syndrome.

Prune belly syndrome has been identified as a clinical triad of abdominal muscle deficiency, bilateral cryptorchidism, and urologic abnormalities. We present the case of a discordant monozygotic twin with prune belly syndrome and voiding dysfunction that was relieved by long-term urinary catheterization by way of the urachus. To the best of our knowledge, this alternative method has not been previously reported.

Clinical manifestations of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in term neonates: 18 years of experience in a medical center.

Background: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is an uncommon but important cause of morbidity and mortality in term neonates. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical characteristics and developmental outcomes of symptomatic ICH in term neonates.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all term neonates (less than 1 month old) diagnosed with ICH and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Kaohsiung Chang Gung Hospital from December 1991 to December 2008.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia in the neonatal period: review of 21 years' experience.

Background: Despite advances in therapeutic modalities, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) still accounts for significant neonatal mortality. This study aimed to describe the demographic features, clinical experiences of postnatal care, and differences between non-survivors and survivors with CDH.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of neonates with CDH admitted to Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital over a 21-year period.

Infant frequent wheezing correlated to Clara cell protein 10 (CC10) polymorphism and concentration, but not allergy sensitization, in a perinatal cohort study.

Background: Wheezing episodes are common in young infants. However, the molecular mechanism of wheezing is unclear, and very few therapeutic regimens are effective.

Objective: This study investigated the genetic and environmental factors predisposing to infant wheezing in a birth cohort study.

Unequal crossover recombination - population screening for PHOX2B gene polyalanine polymorphism using CE.

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by abnormal autonomic central nervous system control of breathing during sleep. Mutations in the paired-like homeobox 2B (PHOX2B) gene, including point mutation, frameshift, and polyalanine expansion, are associated with the pathogenesis of CCHS. In this study, PHOX2B mutations were analyzed in seven CCHS patients, their family members, and 1520 healthy individuals from the general population using CE to provide high sensitivity and resolution screening for the PHOX2B polyalanine polymorphism.

Concomitant existence of total bowel aganglionosis and congenital central hypoventilation syndrome in a neonate with PHOX2B gene mutation.

Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is characterized by the absence of intramural ganglion cells in the distal gut, resulting in bowel obstruction shortly after birth. Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) results in hypoventilation, most pronounced during sleep, with relative insensitivity to hypercarbia and reduced insensitivity to hypoxia. Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome with HSCR is a rare condition with variable severity.

Alterations of postsynaptic density proteins in the hippocampus of rat offspring from the morphine-addicted mother: Beneficial effect of dextromethorphan.

Infants passively exposed to morphine or heroin through their addicted mothers usually develop characteristic withdrawal syndrome of morphine after birth. In such early life, the central nervous system exhibits significant plasticity and can be altered by various prenatal influences, including prenatal morphine exposure. Here we studied the effects of prenatal morphine exposure on postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), an important cytoskeletal specialization involved in the anchoring of the NMDAR and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), of the hippocampal CA1 subregion from young offspring at postnatal day 14 (P14).

Kawasaki disease: infection, immunity and genetics.

Kawasaki disease is an acute multisystem vasculitic syndrome of unknown etiology occurring mostly in infants and children younger than 5 years of age. In developed countries, Kawasaki disease is currently the leading cause of acquired heart diseases in children. However, it is still a mysterious disease.

Correlation of augmented IL-8 production to premature chronic lung disease: implication of posttranscriptional regulation.

Despite that advances in neonatal medicine have significantly reduced the early mortality of premature infants, a considerable number of them are still prone to develop chronic lung disease (CLD) later. To find a method of early prevention, we investigated the efficacy of using certain early proinflammatory responses to predict the development of CLD. In the present study, 34 premature infants who required endotracheal intubation within 4 h of birth were recruited for analysis of IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-alpha levels in their bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and blood.

Higher spontaneous and TNFalpha-induced apoptosis of neonatal blood granulocytes.

Granulocytes play an important role in inflammatory diseases. Neonates tend to develop granulocytopenia under sepsis and stress. It remains unclear whether apoptosis of neonatal granulocytes is different from that of adult granulocytes.

Gender-limited association of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) polymorphism with cord blood IgE levels.

Allergic mechanism has long been attributed to IgE-mediated reaction. The relationship between gene polymorphism and cord blood IgE (CB IgE) is unclear. We investigated whether elevation of CB IgE levels was associated with polymorphisms of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) at (-318) CT and (+49) AG positions in a gender-limited fashion.

Association of cord blood cytokines with prematurity and cerebral palsy.

Background: Many studies have shown that certain cytokines in amniotic fluids are correlated to premature labor and neonatal brain insults.

Aims: We investigated whether different fetal phagocyte and vascular mediators including IL-8, myeloperoxidase (MPO), PGE(2) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) levels were correlated to prematurity and cerebral palsy (CP) of premature infants.

Subjects: Umbilical cord blood samples from 96 preterm babies from 2250 cord blood collections were studied.

Prenatal prediction of infant atopy by maternal but not paternal total IgE levels.

Background: The atopic history of parents has long been used to predict infant atopy. However, bias from questionnaires of allergic history are also frequently suspected, because a large number of vasomotor rhinitis, intrinsic asthma, and seborrheic dermatitis cases are probably misinterpreted to be atopic diseases.

Objective: We attempted to identify a risk factor other than parental atopic history to predict elevated infant IgE levels and infant atopy.

Prediction of elevated cord blood IgE levels by maternal IgE levels, and the neonate's gender and gestational age.

Background: Elevation of cord blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) is used to predict childhood atopy. In an effort to catch such problems at an earlier time, we sought to identify the impact of parental atopy as well as gestational age, the baby's gender, and the season of delivery on cord blood IgE levels.

Methods: The allergic history of parents was collected during pregnancy.

Retrospective analysis of 17 liveborn neonates with hydrops fetalis.

Background: Hydrops fetalis (HF) is a condition with a high mortality rate. The cause may be due to a variety of underlying diseases. In the majority of cases, death occurs antepartum and intrapartum.