The Role of Early Child Nutrition in Pulmonary Hypertension-A Narrative Review.

Pulmonary hypertension is a complex condition that has distinct characteristics in pediatric populations. This review explores the important role of early childhood nutrition in the growth, progression, and management of pediatric pulmonary hypertension. Nutritional deficiencies, including those of vitamins C, D, and iron, are closely linked to worse outcomes in children with this disease, emphasizing the importance of early intervention to prevent malnutrition and promote growth.

Obesity as a Risk Factor for the Severity of COVID-19 in Pediatric Patients: Possible Mechanisms-A Narrative Review.

Obesity, the current pandemic, is associated with alarming rises among children and adolescents, and the forecasts for the near future are worrying. The present paper aims to draw attention to the short-term effects of the excess adipose tissue in the presence of a viral infection, which can be life-threatening for pediatric patients, given that the course of viral infections is often severe, if not critical. The COVID-19 pandemic has been the basis of these statements, which opened the door to the study of the repercussions of obesity in the presence of a viral infection.

Exome sequencing in a Romanian Bardet-Biedl syndrome cohort revealed an overabundance of causal BBS12 variants.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS), is an emblematic ciliopathy hallmarked by pleiotropy, phenotype variability, and extensive genetic heterogeneity. BBS is a rare (~1/140,000 to ~1/160,000 in Europe) autosomal recessive pediatric disorder characterized by retinal degeneration, truncal obesity, polydactyly, cognitive impairment, renal dysfunction, and hypogonadism. Twenty-eight genes involved in ciliary structure or function have been implicated in BBS, and explain the molecular basis for ~75%-80% of individuals.

The Role of Urinary NGAL in the Management of Primary Vesicoureteral Reflux in Children.

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is the most frequent congenital urinary tract malformation and an important risk factor for urinary tract infections (UTIs). Up to 50% of children with VUR may develop reflux nephropathy (RN), and the diagnosis and monitoring of renal scars are invasive and costly procedures, so it is paramount to find a non-invasive and accurate method to predict the risk of renal damage. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has already proven to be a good predictive biomarker in acute kidney injuries, but there are few studies that have investigated the role of NGAL in primary VUR in children.

Corrigendum: Clinical characteristics, renal involvement, and therapeutic options of pediatric patients with Fabry disease.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.

Clinical Characteristics, Renal Involvement, and Therapeutic Options of Pediatric Patients With Fabry Disease.

Inherited renal diseases represent 20% of the causes of end-stage renal diseases. Fabry disease, an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder, results from α-galactosidase A deficient or absent activity followed by globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) accumulation and multiorgan involvement. In Fabry disease, kidney involvement starts early, during intrauterine life by the Gb3 deposition.

Safety and efficacy of sucroferric oxyhydroxide in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Pediatric patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) are often prescribed oral phosphate binders (PBs) for the management of hyperphosphatemia. However, available PBs have limitations, including unfavorable tolerability and safety.

Methods: This phase 3, multicenter, randomized, open-label study investigated safety and efficacy of sucroferric oxyhydroxide (SFOH) in pediatric and adolescent subjects with CKD and hyperphosphatemia.

Lipophilicity evaluation of some thiazolyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives with antifungal activity.

The chromatographic behavior of a series of thiazolyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles with antifungal activity was studied by reverse-phase thin-layer chromatography (RP-TLC). The lipophilicity parameters derived from RP-TLC were correlated with the data derived from liquid-chromatography mass-spectrometry. Good linear relationships were observed between the chromatographic lipophilicity parameters and the theoretical lipophilicity descriptors (logP) generated by various computer software and internet modules.

New 2-Phenylthiazoles as Potential Sortase A Inhibitors: Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Molecular Docking.

Sortase A inhibition is a well establish strategy for decreasing bacterial virulence by affecting numerous key processes that control biofilm formation, host cell entry, evasion and suppression of the immune response and acquisition of essential nutrients. A meta-analysis of structures known to act as Sortase A inhibitors provided the starting point for identifying a new potential scaffold. Based on this template a series of new potential Sortase A inhibitors, that contain the 2-phenylthiazole moiety, were synthesized.

COX Inhibition Profile and Molecular Docking Studies of Some 2-(Trimethoxyphenyl)-Thiazoles.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used therapeutic agents that exhibit frequent and sometimes severe adverse effects, including gastrointestinal ulcerations and cardiovascular disorders. In an effort to obtain safer NSAIDs, we assessed the direct cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition activity and we investigated the potential COX binding mode of some previously reported 2-(trimethoxyphenyl)-thiazoles. The in vitro COX inhibition assays were performed against ovine COX-1 and human recombinant COX-2.

Synthesis, lipophilicity and antimicrobial activity evaluation of some new thiazolyl-oxadiazolines.

Background And Aims: Synthesis of new potential antimicrobial agents and evaluation of their lipophilicity.

Methods: Ten new thiazolyl-oxadiazoline derivatives were synthesized and their structures were validated by 1H-NMR and mass spectrometry. The lipophilicity of the compounds was evaluated using the principal component analysis (PCA) method.

Acute hyperkalemia as a complication of intravenous therapy with epsilon-aminocaproic acid.

Epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) is used frequently during surgery as prophylaxis to decrease blood loss and transfusion requirements. A rare complication of EACA induced acute hyperkalemia in a patient undergoing total hip replacement is presented.

A peptide-major histocompatibility complex II chimera favors survival of pancreatic beta-islets grafted in type 1 diabetic mice.

Background: Transplantation of pancreatic islets showed a tremendous progress over the years as a promising, new therapeutic strategy in patients with type 1 diabetes. However, additional immunosuppressive drug therapy is required to prevent rejection of engrafted islets. The current immunosuppressive therapies showed limited success in maintaining long-term islet survival as required to achieve insulin independence in type 1 diabetes, and they induce severe adverse effects.

Differential partitioning and trafficking of GM gangliosides and cholesterol-rich lipid rafts in thymic and splenic CD4 T cells.

The GM gangliosides and cholesterol components of plasma membrane lipid rafts play an important role in the recruitment and signaling of protein receptors in eukaryotic cells. Herein, we have analyzed at the single-cell level the partitioning and intracellular trafficking of GM gangliosides and cholesterol in quiescent (CD4+CD69-) and CD3-activated (CD4+CD69+) thymic and splenic T cells. First, regardless the gender and the quiescent or activated status of T cells, the GM and cholesterol content in cytosol and plasma membrane as well as the expression levels of GM synthase, Sphingomyelin phosphodiestarase 2 and HMG Co-A reductase genes involved in GM and cholesterol synthesis were constantly lower in CD4 thymocytes than in CD4 splenocytes.

Molecular aspects of regulation of collagen gene expression in fibrosis.

Fibrosis, the hyper-accumulation of scar tissue, is characterized by the overproduction and deposition of type I and III collagen by fibroblasts and is the one of the main pathologic outcomes of the autoimmune disorder scleroderma. While the causes of fibrosis in scleroderma are unknown, cytokines such as TGF-beta, IL-4 and IL-13, play a crucial role in the stimulation of collagen production have been implicated in the disease process. In fibroblasts stimulation of collagen production by these cytokines is dependent on the Smad and STAT6 signaling pathways induced by TGF-beta and IL-4, IL-13 respectively.

Spectrofluorimetric determination of phenyl-beta-naphthylamine used as rubber antioxidant.

Phenyl-beta-naphthylamine (PBN) used as rubber antioxidant was found to have native fluorescence. A spectrofluorimetric method for determination of PBN in multicomponent mixtures of polymer additives is described. The apparent excitation and fluorescence wavelengths used are 348 and 413.

Cellular and molecular studies of B cells exhibiting reverse somatic mutation throughout life.

Somatic mutation of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes plays an important role in generating antibody diversity. The frequency of somatic mutation appears to vary throughout life. However, this process has been difficult to study in vivo because the DNA in and around rearranged V genes undergoes random mutation, causing silent or replacement mutations.

[Yag-Nd posterior capsulotomy.When? Where? How?].

Purpose: To answer a few elementary questions raised when confronted with the patient with aftercataract: Which are the indications and counter indications of the posterior capsulotomy? How can be evaluated the degree of PCO (posterior capsule opacification)? Which are the ideal size and location of the capsular opening? Is it mandatory to dilate the pupil? What energies are to be used? Which would be the recommended follow-up pattern?

Method: This paper is a retrospective analysis of the 956 posterior capsulotomies performed between January 2001 and December 2002 at Bucharest Eye Hospital, Ophthalmology III Clinic, Nd:Yag laser surgery department.

Results: The best outcome is obtained with the fewest complications when the following conditions are met: the capsulotomy is performed no sooner than 6 months postoperatively; the capsular opening is small--2 mm în diameter--but perfectly aligned relative to the pupil and the IOL (sometimes this is difficult to achieve and the surgeon must always bare în mind the geometry of the posterior chamber and the parallax effect); laser pulses have low energy and are posteriorly defocused; when energy higher than 2 mJ is employed, the capsulotomy is performed by applying punctures în a circular pattern instead of a crosslike rectilinear pattern (in the case of IOL pitting, the visual axis is spared).

Conclusion: The Nd:Yag photodisruptive laser offers a swift, safe and elegant method for dealing with a common and disturbing complication of the modern cataract surgery, the posterior capsule opacification.

Molecular mechanisms of interleukin-4-induced up-regulation of type I collagen gene expression in murine fibroblasts.

Objective: There is evidence that interleukin-4 (IL-4) plays a major role in the induction of extracellular matrix protein synthesis in fibrotic disease. We therefore examined the effect of IL-4 on collagen synthesis in primary fibroblasts isolated from normal and TSK/+ mice, which spontaneously develop a scleroderma-like syndrome characterized by diffuse cutaneous hyperplasia.

Methods: Expression of the IL-4 receptor was determined by flow cytometry and Western blotting.

[Pigmentary tumors of the conjunctiva in children: analysis of surgical decision].

Pigmentary tumors of the conjunctiva are rare in children, but they deserve special attention as, under some circumstances, they can question the quo ad vitam prognosis. The management of these tumors is controversial because the clinical diagnosis is uncertain, not reliable for a long term evolution prognosis. In this study, after a short review of the literature, the authors present their own experience in the field (47 cases during the last 10 years, out of which 18 underwent surgery) and they try to develop an algorithm of surgical decision based on age-related factors, clinical appearance, aesthetic factors and on the possibility of establishing a good relationship with the patient and the family.

Water warming garment versus forced air warming system in prevention of intraoperative hypothermia during liver transplantation: a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN32154832].

BACKGROUND: The authors compared two strategies for the maintenance of intraoperative normothermia during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT): the routine forced-air warming system and the newly developed, whole body water garment. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized and open-labelled study, 24 adult patients were enrolled in one of two intraoperative temperature management groups during OLT. The water-garment group (N = 12) received warming with a body temperature (esophageal) set point of 36.