Respiratory syncytial virus-associated seizures in Korean children, 2011-2016.

Purpose: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection can cause various neurological complications. This study aimed to investigate the RSV-associated neurologic manifestations that present with seizures.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged less than 15 years with laboratory-confirmed RSV infections and seizures between January 2011 and December 2016 in a regional hospital in South Korea.

The Akt/mTOR/p70S6K Pathway Is Involved in the Neuroprotective Effect of Erythropoietin on Hypoxic/Ischemic Brain Injury in a Neonatal Rat Model.

Background: The mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling pathway is a master regulator of cell growth and proliferation in the nervous system. However, the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) treatment on the mTOR signaling pathway have not been elucidated in neonates with hypoxic/ischemic (H/I) brain injury.

Objectives: We investigated the mechanism underlying the neuroprotective effect of EPO by analyzing the mTOR signaling pathway after H/I injury in a neonatal rat model.

A new mosaic der(18)t(1;18)(q32.1;q21.3) with developmental delay and facial dysmorphism.

We report the case of a 22-month-old boy with a new mosaic partial unbalanced translocation of 1q and 18q. The patient was referred to our Pediatric Department for developmental delay. He showed mild facial dysmorphism, physical growth retardation, a hearing disability, and had a history of patent ductus arteriosus.

Prolonged N200 is the early neurophysiologic change in the patient with minimal hepatic encephalopathy.

Background: In neurophysiological studies, P300, is well known for reflecting early cognitive impairment in minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). Although P300 is investigated extensively, other early event-related potential (ERP) parameters have not been studied in MHE.

Methods: The subjects were 21 adult cirrhotic patients without clinical encephalopathy and 29 normal controls.

Practical application of kangaroo mother care in preterm infants: clinical characteristics and safety of kangaroo mother care.

Aim: To determine the clinical characteristics and safety of kangaroo mother care (KMC) according to the gestational age (GA) or postmenstrual age (PMA).

Methods: We conducted a prospective clinical study in 31 infants between 25 and 32 weeks' GA. The subjects were categorized into two groups (25-28 weeks' and 29-32 weeks' GA groups) to compare the clinical characteristics associated with KMC.

Neurological and muscular manifestations associated with influenza B infection in children.

Background: Influenza viruses have been associated with various neurological and muscular symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pediatric neurological and muscular manifestations of influenza B during a 5-month epidemic at a single center.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 355 pediatric patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza B infection.

Human parathyroid hormone increases the mRNA expression of the IGF system and hematopoietic growth factors in osteoblasts, but does not influence expression in mesenchymal stem cells.

Osteoblasts, which are derived from pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), play an important role in hematopoiesis. Human parathyroid hormone (hPTH) induces osteoblasts to produce many factors that are essential to hematopoietic stem cells. However, little is known about the impact of hPTH on MSCs to enhance hematopoiesis.

Protective effect of hypoxic preconditioning on hypoxic-ischemic injured newborn rats.

Brief episodes of cerebral hypoxia-ischemia cause transient ischemic tolerance to subsequent ischemic events that are otherwise lethal. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of hypoxic preconditioning on hypoxic-ischemic injury in the neonatal rat and the persistence of a protective window after hypoxic preconditioning. The rats were preconditioned with hypoxia (8% oxygen, 92% nitrogen) for three hours, subjected to ischemia using ligation of the right common carotid artery, and then exposed to another three hours of hypoxia.

Clinical features of encephalopathy in children with cancer requiring cranial magnetic resonance imaging.

We analyzed acute neurotoxic problems attributable to chemotherapy or immunosuppression in the context of childhood neoplastic diseases, based on clinical and neuroradiologic findings. This retrospective single-center study reviewed the acute neurologic complications of 62 children receiving conventional chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from July 2005-July 2008. We excluded patients with central nervous system metastasis and various neurotoxic manifestations not usually requiring cranial magnetic resonance imaging.

Acoustic effects of lamotrigine in pediatric patients with epilepsy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the acoustic effects of lamotrigine in pediatric epileptic patients. Newly diagnosed 52 pediatric epileptic patients were assessed standard speech test through a Computerized Speech Lab applied before the beginning of therapy with lamotrigine and 2months after dosage had been stabilized. The voice onset times for /t/, /k(h)/, /p'/ and /t'/ after the therapy and those for /p/, /k/, /p(h)/, /t(h)/ and /k'/ was not affected.

Hypohidrosis-related symptoms in pediatric epileptic patients with topiramate.

Background: Topiramate is one of the most commonly prescribed newer antiepileptic drugs. However, we have encountered quite a few cases of pediatric epileptic patients on topiramate complaining about the symptoms related to hypohidrosis. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and define the clinical characteristics of hypohidrosis-related symptoms with topiramate in pediatric patients.