Surfactant protein B polymorphisms are associated with severe respiratory syncytial virus infection, but not with asthma.

Background: Surfactant proteins (SP) are important for the innate host defence and essential for a physiological lung function. Several linkage and association studies have investigated the genes coding for different surfactant proteins in the context of pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or respiratory distress syndrome of preterm infants. In this study we tested whether SP-B was in association with two further pulmonary diseases in children, i.

Jerusalem artichoke and chicory inulin in bakery products affect faecal microbiota of healthy volunteers.

A study was conducted to test the effects of Jerusalem artichoke inulin (JA) or chicory inulin (CH) in snack bars on composition of faecal microbiota, concentration of faecal SCFA, bowel habit and gastrointestinal symptoms. Forty-five volunteers participated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. At the end of a 7 d run-in period, subjects were randomly assigned to three groups of fifteen subjects each, consuming either snack bars with CH or JA, or snack bars without fructans (placebo); for 7 d (adaptation period), they ingested one snack bar per day (7.

Nature of smectic A*-C* phase transitions in a series of ferroelectric liquid crystals with little smectic layer shrinkage.

The smectic layer spacing of two homologous series of ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds was characterized by small-angle x-ray diffraction and different degrees of smectic layer shrinkage on cooling from the SmA* into the SmC* phase were observed. The smectic A*-smectic C* phase transition was further studied by measuring the thermal and electric field effects on the optical tilt angle and the electric polarization. With decreasing length of the alkyl terminal chain the phase transition changes from tricritical exhibiting high layer shrinkage to a pure second-order transition with almost no layer shrinkage.

High IFN-gamma production of individual CD8 T lymphocytes is controlled by CD152 (CTLA-4).

CD8 T cell expansion and cytokine production is needed to generate an effective defense against viral invasion of the host. These features of CD8 T lymphocytes are regulated, especially during primary responses, by positive and negative costimulation. We show in this study that surface expression of CD152 is highly up-regulated on activated CD8 T lymphocytes during primary immune responses, suggesting a prominent regulatory role.

TLR-4 and CD14 polymorphisms in respiratory syncytial virus associated disease.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common viral respiratory pathogen during infancy world wide. It induces innate and adaptive immune response in host cells. The toll like receptor 4 (TLR4)/CD14 complex is particularly important for the initiation of an innate immune response to RSV.

Lipopolysaccharide binding protein is a potential marker for invasive bacterial infections in children.

Background: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that elevated lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) serum concentration is a useful marker in the early diagnosis of invasive bacterial infection in children. We measured LBP in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children with proven invasive infection caused by Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis.

Patients And Methods: Samples were collected from 39 children (aged 2 months to 17 years) with bacterial sepsis (n = 19) or meningitis (n = 20).

Adhesion molecules in pediatric intensive care patients with organ dysfunction syndrome.

Objective: To determine serum concentrations of the soluble forms of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and E-selectin in ventilated neonatal and pediatric intensive care patients with varying severity of multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) with or without infection-triggered organ failure.

Design And Setting: Prospective pilot study, a level III neonatal and pediatric intensive care unit at a University children's Hospital.

Patients: We studied 22 ventilated pediatric (n=15) and neonatal (n=7) intensive care patients (aged 3 days-16 years).

Haplotypes of surfactant protein C are associated with common paediatric lung diseases.

Surfactant protein C is part of the surfactant complex lining up the alveoles and thereby inhibiting collapse of the airways. In addition it is involved in innate immune responses. Rare polymorphisms within surfactant protein C have been linked to sporadic paediatric lung diseases, like proteinosis or interstitial lung diseases.

Genetic polymorphisms of adhesion molecules in children with severe RSV-associated diseases.

Adhesion molecules are involved in the pathophysiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated diseases. By testing polymorphisms within ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin, we found no evidence for association of any polymorphism with severe RSV infections. Thus, we conclude that these genes do not predispose to severe RSV-associated diseases.

Restriction of ongoing intensive care in neonates: a prospective study.

Objective: The purpose of this work was to record the current practice of restricting ongoing intensive care in severely ill newborns.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study over a 30-month period of consecutive newborns for whom restriction of ongoing intensive care was taken into consideration, discussed, or decided on. A standardized form recorded patients' medical condition, the type of restriction decided on, parents' wishes, and their information level.

ICAM1 amino-acid variant K469E is associated with paediatric bronchial asthma and elevated sICAM1 levels.

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) acts as ligand for beta2-integrin molecules and mediates leucocyte trafficking to the site of inflammation. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1-deficient mice show impaired lymphocyte recruitment to the lung, less airway hyper-responsiveness and less lung inflammation than healthy controls. Thus, the aim of the study was to test common ICAM1 polymorphisms for association with paediatric asthma.

Thrombolytic therapy of acute ischemic stroke during pregnancy.

The authors report eight pregnant women with acute ischemic stroke treated with thrombolysis (rt-PA [recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator] or urokinase). Seven women recovered. Two extracranial and two asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhages complicated treatment; one woman died of arterial dissection complicating angiography.

Impact of IL8 and IL8-receptor alpha polymorphisms on the genetics of bronchial asthma and severe RSV infections.

Background: Interleukin 8 (IL8) belongs to the family of chemokines. It mediates the activation and migration of neutrophils from peripheral blood into tissue and hereby plays a pivotal role in the initiation of inflammation. Thus it is important in inflammatory lung diseases like bronchial asthma or severe infections by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

Amino acid variants in Surfactant protein D are not associated with bronchial asthma.

Surfactant protein D (SFTPD) belongs to the family of collectins and is part of the innate immune system. Thereby it plays an important role in the defense of various pathogens. Besides it is involved in the development of acute and chronic inflammation of the lung.

Association between severe respiratory syncytial virus infection and IL13/IL4 haplotypes.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. In both diseases, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 play important roles. By investigating IL4 and IL13 polymorphisms in 131 children with severe RSV infection and 270 control subjects, we found an association between IL13 polymorphism -1112C/T and severe RSV infection (P = .

Microbial and immunological responses relative to high-altitude exposure in mountaineers.

Purpose: High-altitude exposure is often associated with gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation, and an increased risk of infection. We suspected microbial and immunological responses to high-altitude exposure in mountaineers resulting from changes in the balance of the intestinal microflora.

Methods: We investigated fecal samples and serum of seven mountaineers who took part in a 47-d German expedition to the Nepalese Himalayas in 2002, for microbial response by changes in different fecal bacterial population groups (fluorescent in situ hybridization), immune response by serum levels of IgG-, IgM-, and IgA anti-LPS (E.

The spatial and temporal heterogeneity of regional ventilation: comparison of measurements by two high-resolution methods.

High-resolution estimates of ventilation distribution in normal animals utilizing deposition of fluorescent microsphere aerosol (FMS technique) demonstrate substantial ventilation heterogeneity, but this finding has not been confirmed by an independent method. Five supine anesthetized sheep were used to compare the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of regional ventilation measured by both the FMS technique and by a ventilation model utilizing the data from computed tomography images of xenon gas washin (CT/Xe technique). An aerosol containing 1 microm fluorescent microspheres (FMS) was administered via a mechanical ventilator delivering a 2-s end-inspiration hold during each breath.

Dielectric spectroscopy of de Vries-type smectic-A* -smectic-C* transitions.

We report results of dielectric investigations on a number of ferroelectric liquid crystalline (FLC) compounds with different degrees of layer shrinkage in the smectic-A(*) -smectic-C(*) phase transitions. With a decreasing extent of layer shrinkage the investigated FLCs exhibit a significantly increasing soft-mode absorption, decreasing leading Landau coefficient alpha, and a considerably broader mean-field regime. We explain these tendencies by the fact that the low layer shrinkage materials come closer to the diffuse cone model of de Vries than to the common model of rigid rods which maintain their orientational order during tilting.

Pressure support ventilation combined with volume guarantee versus synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation: a pilot crossover trial in premature infants in their weaning phase.

Objective: To compare pressure support ventilation combined with volume guarantee (PSV-VG) to synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) regarding safety, course of blood gases, and infant-ventilator interaction in premature infants.

Design: Prospective, two-treatment, crossover pilot study.

Setting: Tertiary care neonatal unit.

Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917: significant reduction of neonatal calf diarrhea.

Inappropriate daily use of antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of intestinal diseases is associated with an increased risk of antibiotic resistance. Thus, the establishment of new forms of therapy is still needed. Our objective was to examine the effect of the nonpathogenic Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917 on the prophylaxis and treatment of neonatal calf diarrhea in a hypothesis-generating study (study I) and a subsequent confirmatory clinical study (study II) under field conditions.

Effect of posture on regional gas exchange in pigs.

Although recent high-resolution studies demonstrate the importance of nongravitational determinants for both pulmonary blood flow and ventilation distributions, posture has a clear impact on whole lung gas exchange. Deterioration in arterial oxygenation with repositioning from prone to supine posture is caused by increased heterogeneity in the distribution of ventilation-to-perfusion ratios. This can result from increased heterogeneity in regional blood flow distribution, increased heterogeneity in regional ventilation distribution, decreased correlation between regional blood flow and ventilation, or some combination of the above (Wilson TA and Beck KC, J Appl Physiol 72: 2298-2304, 1992).

Classical conditioning and conditionability of insulin and glucose effects in healthy humans.

We examined whether the effects of intravenously injected insulin and glucose (the physiological endogenous insulin production stimulus) could be classically conditioned in healthy humans. We expected a conditioned blood glucose decrease to a conditioned stimulus (CS) previously paired with insulin and an, albeit lower, blood glucose decrease to a CS paired with glucose injection. In addition, we analyzed glucoregulatory hormone and symptom conditionability.

Jerusalem artichokes stimulate growth of broiler chickens and protect them against endotoxins and potential cecal pathogens.

Control of intestinal pathogens during the earliest phases of broiler production may be the best strategy for the reduction of human pathogens on processed broiler carcasses. The recent ban on antibiotics in poultry feed has served to focus much attention on alternative methods of controlling the gastrointestinal microflora. A field trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of the fructan-rich Jerusalem artichoke, or topinambur (administered as 0.