Comparison of Intraoperative Aminophylline Versus Furosemide in Treatment of Oliguria During Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives: To determine if intraoperative aminophylline was superior to furosemide to prevent or attenuate postoperative cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury.

Design: Single-center, historical control, retrospective cohort study.

Setting: PICU, university-affiliated children's hospital.

Maternal high-fat hypercaloric diet during pregnancy results in persistent metabolic and respiratory abnormalities in offspring.

Background: We have shown in a previous population-based study significant correlation between childhood asthma and early abnormalities of lipid and glucose metabolism. This study's specific aim was to determine whether maternal nutrition in pregnancy affects postnatal metabolic and respiratory outcomes in the offspring.

Methods: On gestation day 1, dams were switched from standard chow to either high-fat hypercaloric diet or control diet.

Importance of android/gynoid fat ratio in predicting metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk in normal weight as well as overweight and obese children.

Numerous studies have shown that android or truncal obesity is associated with a risk for metabolic and cardiovascular disease, yet there is evidence that gynoid fat distribution may be protective. However, these studies have focused on adults and obese children. The purpose of our study was to determine if the android/gynoid fat ratio is positively correlated with insulin resistance, HOMA2-IR, and dislipidemia in a child sample of varying body sizes.

Vertical transmission of respiratory syncytial virus modulates pre- and postnatal innervation and reactivity of rat airways.

Background: Environmental exposure to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of respiratory infections in infants, but it remains unknown whether this infection is transmitted transplacentally from the lungs of infected mothers to the offspring. We sought to test the hypothesis that RSV travels from the respiratory tract during pregnancy, crosses the placenta to the fetus, persists in the lung tissues of the offspring, and modulates pre- and postnatal expression of growth factors, thereby predisposing to airway hyperreactivity.

Methodology: Pregnant rats were inoculated intratracheally at midterm using recombinant RSV expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP).

Effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticle exposure on neuroimmune responses in rat airways.

Exposure to ambient nanoparticles (defined as particulate matter [PM] having one dimension <100 nm) is associated with increased risk of childhood and adult asthma. Nanomaterials feature a smaller aerodynamic diameter and a higher surface area per unit mass ratio compared to fine or coarse-sized particles, resulting in greater lung deposition efficiency and an increased potential for biological interaction. The neurotrophins nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor are key regulatory elements of neuronal development and responsiveness of airway sensory neurons.

The role of neurotrophins in inflammation and allergy.

Allergic inflammation is the result of a specific pattern of cellular and humoral responses leading to the activation of the innate and adaptive immune system which, in turn, results in physiological and structural changes affecting target tissues such as the airways and the skin. Eosinophils activation and production of soluble mediators such as IgE antibodies is a pivotal feature in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases. In the past few years, however, convincing evidence has shown that neurons and other neurosensory structures are not only a target of the inflammatory process but also participate in the regulation of immune responses by actively releasing soluble mediators.

Neurotrophic and neuroimmune responses to early-life Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in rat lungs.

Early-life respiratory infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is common in children with cystic fibrosis or immune deficits. Although many of its clinical manifestations involve neural reflexes, little information is available on the peripheral nervous system of infected airways. This study sought to determine whether early-life infection triggers a neurogenic-mediated immunoinflammatory response, the mechanisms of this response, and its relationship with other immunoinflammatory pathways.

NGF is an essential survival factor for bronchial epithelial cells during respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Background: Overall expression of neurotrophins in the respiratory tract is upregulated in infants infected by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), but it is unclear where (structural vs. inflammatory cells, upper vs. lower airways) and why, these changes occur.

Nephron number determines susceptibility to renal mass reduction-induced CKD in Lewis and Fisher 344 rats: implications for development of experimentally induced chronic allograft nephropathy.

Background: The Fisher 344 (F344) rat kidney transplanted to a Lewis rat recipient is a common model of chronic renal allograft nephropathy (CAN); however, CAN does not develop when the Lewis kidney is grafted into a F344 recipient. In this study we investigated whether a difference in nephron number/glomerular volume exists between the strains that could contribute to a greater susceptibility to development of kidney disease in the F344.

Methods: Separate animals, male F344 and Lewis rats, were subjected to either sham surgery or right uni-nephrectomy and infarction of 2/3 of the left kidney, to produce a 5/6 ablation/infarction injury (5/6 A/I).