Lung targeted liposomes for treating ARDS.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), associated with Covid-19 infections, is characterized by diffuse lung damage, inflammation and alveolar collapse that impairs gas exchange, leading to hypoxemia and patient' mortality rates above 40%. Here, we describe the development and assessment of 100-nm liposomes that are tailored for pulmonary delivery for treating ARDS, as a model for lung diseases. The liposomal lipid composition (primarily DPPC) was optimized to mimic the lung surfactant composition, and the drug loading process of both methylprednisolone (MPS), a steroid, and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a mucolytic agent, reached an encapsulation efficiency of 98% and 92%, respectively.

Venous Thromboembolism and Its Risk Factors in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Israel: A Population-Based Study.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious complication of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy. The aim of this population-based study was to evaluate the rate, risk factors, and long-term sequelae of VTE in children treated for ALL. The cohort included 1191 children aged 1-19 years diagnosed with ALL between 2003-2018, prospectively enrolled in two consecutive protocols: ALL-IC BFM 2002 and AIEOP-BFM ALL 2009.

Blinatumomab as a bridge to further therapy in cases of overwhelming toxicity in pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Report from the Israeli Study Group of Childhood Leukemia.

Tremendous progress in the therapy of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has been achieved through combination cytotoxic chemotherapy, leading to high cure rates, at the cost of significant life-threatening toxicity. The bispecific T-cell engager blinatumomab, recently approved for relapsed/refractory ALL, has a unique nonmyelotoxic toxicity profile. As blinatumomab causes B-cell depletion, the safety of its use during severe chemotherapy-induced toxicity is unclear.

Cesarean Delivery and Childhood Malignancies: A Single-Center, Population-Based Cohort Study.

Rising rates of cesarean deliveries worldwide prompt the evaluation of long-term morbidity to the offspring. In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated whether cesarean delivery influences the development of childhood malignancies. We identified an association of cesarean delivery with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, suggesting prudence in the recommendation of cesarean delivery for nonmedically indicated cases.

Generic superweak chaos induced by Hall effect.

We introduce and study the "kicked Hall system" (KHS), i.e., charged particles periodically kicked in the presence of uniform magnetic (B) and electric (E) fields that are perpendicular to each other and to the kicking direction.

Skin Necrosis and Purpura Fulminans in Children With and Without Thrombophilia--A Tertiary Center's Experience.

Purpura fulminans (PF) is a very rare clinicopathologic skin disorder comprising dermal microvascular thrombosis associated with perivascular hemorrhage of multiple origins. It may occur as the presenting symptom of severe congenital deficiency of protein C (PC) or protein S (PS) during the newborn period, or later in life following oral anticoagulant therapy with vitamin K antagonists, or of sepsis that may be associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation. Treatment consists of anticoagulants and PC concentrates during acute episodes.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn associated with severe congenital anemia of various etiologies.

Among the many associated features of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate (PPHN), severe congenital anemia has been described only occasionally and is not included in the list of conditions that may cause PPHN in the neonate. We describe the clinical course of a group of 12 full-term neonates with PPHN and congenital anemia due to congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (7/12), α thalasemia (1/12), Diamond-Blackfan (1/12), and epsilon gamma delta beta thalassemia (3/12). The association of congenital anemia and PPHN is more common than previously thought; it can exist with various etiologies and severity of anemia.

Influenza A/H1N1 in pediatric oncology patients.

Background: Our aim was to determine the clinical and epidemiological features of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 in immunocompromised children with solid tumors and hematological malignancies.

Patients And Methods: A prospective study was conducted during the H1N1 pandemic between August 2009 and February 2010 in a pediatric hematology-oncology unit. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from all children with suspected H1N1 infection (high fever with or without respiratory symptoms).

Biochemical analysis and quantification of hematopoietic stem cells by infrared spectroscopy.

Identification of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in different stages of maturation is one of the major issues in stem cell research and bone marrow (BM) transplantation. Each stage of maturation of HSCs is characterized by a series of distinct glycoproteins present on the cell plasma membrane surface, named a cluster of differentiation (CD). Currently, complicated and expensive procedures based on CD expression are needed for identification and isolation of HSCs.

Rituximab as monotherapy and in addition to reduced CHOP in children with primary immunodeficiency and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Children with primary immunodeficiency or chromosomal breakage syndromes are at increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphomas; they cannot tolerate standard chemotherapy regimens. We report two children with diffuse, large, B-cell lymphoma; one had ataxia telangiectasia and one had common variable immunodeficiency. Both were given rituximab, 1 as monotherapy and 1 in combination with a reduced CHOP regimen.

The effect of a water exercise program on bone density of postmenopausal women.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of a seven months program of water exercise, on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women.

Methods: Thirty-five postmenopausal women trained for seven months for three one-hour sessions per week. DEXA test findings for vertebrae L2-L4 showed that although the time factor had a significant effect only on the bone mineral content (BMC), (4.

Treatment of X-linked childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy by the use of an allogeneic stem cell transplantation with reduced intensity conditioning regimen.

Childhood cerebral form of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a rapidly progressive demyelinating condition affecting the cerebral white matter, which rapidly leads to total disability and death. The only known curative treatment for this condition is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Procedure-related toxicity is assumed to be the cause of death of patients with X-ALD.

Near haploid childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia masked by hyperdiploid line: detection by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Near-haploid (<30 chromosomes) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a rare and unique subgroup of childhood common ALL associated with a very poor outcome. It may be underdiagnosed when masked by a co-existing hyperdiploid line, which has to be distinguished from the common good-prognostic hyperdiploid (>50 chromosomes) ALL. We present three children in whom, by conventional cytogenetics, near-haploid ALL was detected on relapse.

Computer-assisted image analysis can aid the prognostication of advanced-stage neuroblastomas.

Purpose: The aim of this work was to detect nuclear parameters related to the prognosis of patients with stage III, IV or DS neuroblastomas.

Methods: Histological sections of 25 operation specimens obtained from children with advanced-stage neuroblastomas were subjected to computer-assisted image analysis. Statistical relationships between nuclear descriptors of the tumor cells and patients' clinical outcome were determined.

Melatonin replacement corrects sleep disturbances in a child with pineal tumor.

A child with a germ cell tumor involving the pineal region had marked suppression of melatonin secretion associated with severe insomnia. Exogenous melatonin (3 mg in the evening) for 2 weeks restored sleep continuity, as demonstrated by objective monitoring of rest-activity cycles. This case report provides direct evidence of the essential role of melatonin in normal sleep.

Pseudo-precocious puberty in a male patient and the melatonin-testosterone relationship.

We describe a 14 year-old boy with a pineal germ cell tumor which secreted beta HCG. Serum testosterone levels were markedly elevated with concomitant decreased LH secretion. 24-h serum melatonin levels were suppressed and lacked the normal nocturnal rise.

SPECT quantitation of iodine-131 concentration in phantoms and human tumors.

The validity of SPECT measurement of iodine-131 (131I) concentration was tested in vitro in phantoms and in vivo by measuring bladder urine concentrations. Phantom studies comparing known and SPECT measured concentrations showed a good correlation for 131I (r = 0.98, s.