Alterations in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis as a Response to Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Rats of Both Sexes.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the central nervous system, usually diagnosed during the reproductive period. Both MS and its commonly used animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), exhibit sex-specific features regarding disease progression and disturbances in the neuroendocrine and endocrine systems. This study investigates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response of male and female rats during EAE.

Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Influences GH-Axis in Female Rats.

Inflammation, demyelination, and axonal damage to the central nervous system (CNS) are the hallmarks of multiple sclerosis (MS) and its representative animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). There is scientific evidence for the involvement of growth hormone (GH) in autoimmune regulation. Previous data on the relationship between the GH/insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis and MS/EAE are inconclusive; therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the changes in the GH axis during acute monophasic EAE.

Asthma Inflammatory Phenotypes: How Can We Distinguish Them?

Background And Objectives: induced sputum is used to assess different inflammatory phenotypes in asthma, but is not used routinely. We aimed to determine the proportion of inflammatory asthma phenotypes based on induced sputum, to find biomarkers that can discriminate between phenotypes, and to evaluate biomarkers in patients with and without biological therapy in different inflammatory asthma phenotypes.

Materials And Methods: this cross-sectional study investigated clinical characteristics, asthma control tests, skin prick test, impulse oscillometry (IOS), spirometry, induced sputum, biomarkers (IgE, eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), serum periostin, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, IL-33) in 80 asthmatics.

Rat Ovarian Function Is Impaired during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease affecting the CNS and occurring far more prevalently in women than in men. In both MS and its animal models, sex hormones play important immunomodulatory roles. We have previously shown that experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in rats of both sexes and induces an arrest in the estrous cycle in females.

PRISM III Score Predicts Short-Term Outcome in Children with ARDS on Conventional and High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation.

Therapeutic recommendations for pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) include conventional (CMV) and rescue high-frequency oscillatory mode (HFOV) of mechanical ventilation (MV). The pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) is a frequently used mortality score for critically ill patients. In search of methods to recognize those patients, we analyzed the PRISM III score as a potential predictor of the short-term outcome in MV subjects with PARDS.

Diagnosing Single and Multiple Drug Hypersensitivity in Children: A Tertiary Care Center Retrospective Study.

Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) are a type of adverse drug reactions with heterogeneous pathophysiological mechanisms and a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Since over-diagnosing is common in children, a complete allergy work-up is needed. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care institution, covering the five-year period.

Beta-(1,3/1,6)-D-glucan from in the prevention of recurrent respiratory tract infections: An international, multicentre, open-label, prospective study.

Preschool children are particularly susceptible to recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections due to their immune immaturity and other contributing factors. Preventing and/or treating children suffering from recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) is challenging, and it is important to provide more clinical evidence about the safety and efficacy of natural immunomodulating preparations, including β-glucans. The aim of the present study was to assess the incidence of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children with a history of RRTIs for a period of 6 months (3 months of pleuran supplementation and 3 months of follow-up) compared with the same period from October to March of the previous year prior to enrolment in the study.

Agmatine Mitigates Inflammation-Related Oxidative Stress in BV-2 Cells by Inducing a Pre-Adaptive Response.

Neuroinflammation and microglial activation, common components of most neurodegenerative diseases, can be imitated in vitro by challenging microglia cells with Lps. We here aimed to evaluate the effects of agmatine pretreatment on Lps-induced oxidative stress in a mouse microglial BV-2 cell line. Our findings show that agmatine suppresses nitrosative and oxidative burst in Lps-stimulated microglia by reducing iNOS and XO activity and decreasing O levels, arresting lipid peroxidation, increasing total glutathione content, and preserving GR and CAT activity.

Third-Day Oxygenation Index is an Excellent Predictor of Survival in Children Mechanically Ventilated for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the association between oxygenation index (OI) and outcome in children with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Patients And Methods: Patients (age, >30 days) in the pediatric intensive care unit from April 2011 to March 2016 with ARDS and who were mechanically ventilated were included. Patients were divided into two age groups: infants (<12month) and older children.

Molecular Diagnostics of Cystic Fibrosis in Serbia: Our Approach to Meet the Diagnostic Challenges.

High heterogeneity levels of cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) are manifested in different populations. The aim of this study was to analyze comprehensively all mutations in the CFTR gene in Serbian patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to use the findings to propose a testing algorithm for the Serbian population. Cascade screening was employed to detect mutations in the CFTR gene of 90 patients suspected of having CF, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism or PCR-mediated site directed mutagenesis, Sanger sequencing, and/or next-generation sequencing.

The Variants in the 3' Untranslated Region of the Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Gene as Modulators of Treatment Outcome in Children with Asthma.

Purpose: The maintaining of asthma control is difficult due to high variability in response to therapy among patients. Since matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) is implicated in inflammation and remodeling of asthmatic airways, it could be associated with adequate response to asthma therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether variants in 3' end of the MMP9 gene are associated with clinical phenotype and responsiveness to treatment in children with asthma.

Influence of the Polymorphism C-509T in the Gene Promoter on the Response to Montelukast.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) is a multifunctional cytokine with a key role in asthma airway inflammation and remodeling. Since elevated levels of this cytokine in airways might be associated with response to asthma therapy, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of the polymorphism C-509T in the promoter of the gene is associated with response to montelukast. A group of 102 asthmatic patients was genotyped for the presence of the C-509T polymorphism by DNA sequencing and subjected to induced sputum sampling.

The Role of Oxidative Stress in the Clinical Manifestations of Childhood Asthma.

Introduction: The significance of oxidative stress in pathogenesis of childhood asthma was recognized, but its role in the clinical manifestations of disease is still unclear.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted in 96 asthmatic children. The urinary biomarker of oxidative stress, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG/creatinine) was determined by using HPLC-MS/MS.

Neutrophil elastase gene polymorphisms: modulators of response to therapy in childhood bronchiectasis?

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate polymorphisms in the promoter region of the neutrophil elastase (ELANE) gene as potential modulators of the therapeutic response in children with idiopathic bronchiectasis.

Methods: The study included 48 children between 5 and 17 years old who were diagnosed with idiopathic bronchiectasis based on high-resolution computed tomography of the thorax. In all patients therapy included administration of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, expectorants, and postural drainage.

Complications of mechanical ventilation in pediatric patients in Serbia.

Background: Mechanical ventilation is a frequently applied therapy in critically ill children and can be lifesaving in many cases. Clinical use of this technique has well documented benefits, but can be associated with different complications and adverse physiologic effects.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the complications and clinical outcome of mechanical ventilation in Serbian pediatric patients.

Clinical presentation of mild cystic fibrosis in a Serbian patient homozygous for the CFTR mutation c.1393-1G>A.

We present a case of a 19-year old male with uncommon initial clinical cystic fibrosis (CF) presentation and a rare CFTR genotype, homozygote for c.1393-1G>A mutation (legacy name 1525-1G>A).

Anaphylaxis followed by unilateral lung opacity and hypocomplementemia in a young female.

A 36-year-old woman was stung in the right wrist by a bee, suffered typical anaphylaxis, and was transferred to a local hospital. After a few hours, which corresponded to late-onset reaction, she developed shortness of breath and weakness and was transferred to the emergency department, where the diagnosis of anaphylaxis was confirmed. Serum complement levels, components C3 and C4, were undetectable.

Analysis of CFTR Gene Variants in Idiopathic Bronchiectasis in Serbian Children.

This study has investigated a potential role of common Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene variants in the etiology of noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in Serbian children. The study has encompassed 48 patients (19 male and 29 female, aged between 5 and 18 years, median age 10.6±3.

Novel cftr gene sequence variation in Serbian patient with idiopathic disseminated bronchiectasis.

This paper reports a novel Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene variant, 1811+1G-->T, detected in a 5-year-old girl diagnosed with idiopathic disseminated bronchiectasis and negative sweat chloride test (17 mmol/L). The performed CFTR gene mutation analysis included detection of the F508del mutation, analysis of Tn polymorphism and screening of CFTR exons 3, 10 and 11. The CFTR gene screening has shown the altered band pattern in exon 11.

[Value of a rapid test for identification of beta-hemolytic streptococcus antigens in children with streptococcal pharyngitis].

Beta-hemolytic group A streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) is the most common bacterial agent associated with the upper respiratory tract infections in humans. The most frequently group A streptococcus-associated disease is pharyngitis. Males and females are equally affected by group A streptococcus.