Vesicoureteral reflux in children with urinary tract infection: comparison of diagnostic accuracy of renal US criteria.

Purpose: To directly compare various renal ultrasonography (US) criteria for vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) with voiding cystography, the reference method, for diagnostic accuracy in helping to determine an intermediate strategy of screening children who require cystography.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval and parental consent were obtained for this prospective hospital-based cohort study involving children with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Renal length, ureteral dilatation, pelvic dilatation, and corticomedullary differentiation were analyzed and compared.

[Prognostic value of clinical exercise testing in adult patients with cystic fibrosis].

Background: Current guidelines for referring cystic fibrosis (CF) patients for lung transplantation, based on resting parameters, are insufficient to predict 3-year mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in adult CF patients.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective study on 3-year outcomes was made on 51 adult CF patients who underwent CPET with blood gas analysis.

[The fungal risk in cystic fibrosis: a pilot study].

Prevalence of Aspergillus fumigatus, as well as other species, and factors associated with risk induced by fungal colonization are poorly defined in cystic fibrosis (CF). We set up a national prospective study to document this risk. As a pilot study, the fungal risk was determined for 21 CF adult patients in a multidisciplinary way: using clinical parameters, notifying treatment, determining fungal presence in sputum and documenting ABPA status.

Impressive renal damage after acute pyelonephritis in a child.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections in children, and its role in the pathogenesis of scarred kidney is debated. We report on a 7-year-old child who presented with severe UTI. The early (day 4) renal computed tomography (CT) scan showed normal-sized kidneys (110 mm on the left, 105 mm on the right), whereas the control CT scan and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scan, performed 1 and 2 months later, respectively, showed a small scarred right kidney (60 mm) with a 12% residual function.

Hospitalization for severe bacterial infections in children after exposure to NSAIDs: a prospective adverse drug reaction reporting study.

Background: NSAIDs are widely used to treat fever and pain in children, but their possible role in the progression of some bacterial infections is controversial.

Objective: This study was performed to analyse reported cases of severe bacterial infection associated with NSAID exposure in children admitted for this reason to a general paediatric department.

Methods: This study was based on the reporting system of hospital admissions for severe bacterial infections in children after NSAID exposure, and followed the recommendations of the European Guidelines of Pharmacovigilance for medicines used in a paediatric population.

Biodiversity of indigenous staphylococci of naturally fermented dry sausages and manufacturing environments of small-scale processing units.

The staphylococcal community of the environments of nine French small-scale processing units and their naturally fermented meat products was identified by analyzing 676 isolates. Fifteen species were accurately identified using validated molecular methods. The three prevalent species were Staphylococcus equorum (58.

Tacrolimus nephrotoxicity: beware of the association of diarrhea, drug interaction and pharmacogenetics.

Tacrolimus is known to potentially lead to adverse events in recipients with diarrhoea and/or calcium channel blocker (CCB) co-administration. We report a renal transplant recipient who suffered from severe nephrotoxicity related to a toxic tacrolimus trough concentration in both conditions, diarrhoea and CCB co-administration, and with genotyped CYP3A system and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) polymorphisms. To our knowledge, this is the first case to be investigated for such polymorphisms.

Biodiversity of coagulase-negative Staphylococci in French cheeses, dry fermented sausages, processing environments and clinical samples.

In this study, the biodiversity of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CNS) strains isolated in France from cheese related samples (227 isolates) and dry sausage related samples (204 isolates) was compared to the biodiversity of 297 clinical isolates. Species identification was performed using different molecular methods (specific PCR, "Staph array" hybridization and sodA gene sequencing). Infraspecific biodiversity of strains belonging to the main CNS species found in both food and clinical samples was then assessed by pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

The very low penetrance of cystic fibrosis for the R117H mutation: a reappraisal for genetic counselling and newborn screening.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by compound heterozygosity or homozygosity of CF transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) mutations. Phenotypic variability associated with certain mutations makes genetic counselling difficult, notably for R117H, whose disease phenotype varies from asymptomatic to classical CF. The high frequency of R117H observed in CF newborn screening has also introduced diagnostic dilemmas.

Fine calibration of the residual dissipation in a surface forces apparatus using a capacitive sensor.

The design of a dynamic surface force apparatus using a capacitive sensor has been useful in the past to study the nanorheological behavior of thin liquid films confined between a sphere and a plane. This allows a precise measurement of the hydrodynamical boundary condition of liquids down to some molecular sizes. However for thick liquid films, the viscous force is decreased and the dissipation due to the flow of air in the capacitive sensor becomes of the same order of magnitude than the force due to the liquid flow.

Investigation of associations of Yarrowia lipolytica, Staphylococcus xylosus, and Lactococcus lactis in culture as a first step in microbial interaction analysis.

The interactions that may occur between microorganisms in different ecosystems have not been adequately studied yet. We investigated yeast-bacterium interactions in a synthetic medium using different culture associations involving the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica 1E07 and two bacteria, Staphylococcus xylosus C2a and Lactococcus lactis LD61. The growth and biochemical characteristics of each microorganism in the different culture associations were studied.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of tobramycin administered by the PARI eFlow rapid nebulizer in cystic fibrosis.

Background: Nebulization times have been identified as an issue in patient compliance with tobramycin solution for inhalation (TSI) therapy in cystic fibrosis (CF).

Methods: In this randomized, open-label, multicentre, two-period, crossover study, patients (n=25) with CF and chronic pulmonary pseudomonal infection received TSI for 15 days via eFlow rapid or LC PLUS nebulizer. Nebulization times and sputum/serum tobramycin concentrations were determined, and safety evaluated.

[Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Introduction: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe chronic lung disease. Pulmonary rehabilitation could improve the quality of life of patients with this condition.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated the impact of an 8 week home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program over 10 months in stable patients suffering from IPF.

Successful anti-TNFalpha treatment in a child with posttransplant recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Posttransplant recurrence of focal and segmental glomulosclerosis (FSGS) occurs in approximately 30% of patients, and remains after uncontrolled despite increased immunosuppression and plasma exchanges (PE) in approximately 30% of cases. New immunosuppressive drugs might then be warranted. We report the case of a 15-year-old boy with FSGS leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who presented with an early posttransplant recurrence of disease.

Comparative subproteome analyses of planktonic and sessile Staphylococcus xylosus C2a: new insight in cell physiology of a coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in biofilm.

Staphylococcus xylosus is a Gram-positive bacterium found on the skin of mammals and frequently isolated from food plants and fermented cheese or meat. To gain further insight in protein determinants involved in biofilm formation by this coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, a comparative proteomic analysis between planktonic and sessile cells was performed. With the use of a protocol previously developed, protein patterns of the cytoplasmic and cell envelope fractions were compared by 2-DE.

Controlling brain tumor growth by intraventricular administration of an AAV vector encoding IFN-beta.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive type of all primary brain tumors, with an overall median survival <1 year after diagnosis. Despite introduction of multimodal treatment approaches, the prognosis has not improved significantly over the past 50 years. In this study we investigated the effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding human interferon-beta (AAV-hIFN-beta) on glioblastoma growth.

Long-term outcome after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation of a single-center cohort of 90 patients with severe combined immunodeficiency.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative treatment for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Detailed assessment of the long-term outcome of HSCT, ie, the occurrence of clinical events and the quality and stability of immune reconstitution, is now required. We performed a single-center retrospective analysis of the long-term outcome of HSCT in 90-patient cohort followed for between 2 and 34 years (median, 14 years).

Serum procalcitonin level and other biological markers to distinguish between bacterial and aseptic meningitis in children: a European multicenter case cohort study.

Objective: To validate procalcitonin (PCT) level as the best biological marker to distinguish between bacterial and aseptic meningitis in children in the emergency department.

Design: Secondary analysis of retrospective multicenter hospital-based cohort studies.

Setting: Six pediatric emergency or intensive care units of tertiary care centers in 5 European countries.

The effects of cystic fibrosis on couples: marital satisfaction, emotions, and coping strategies.

An earlier diagnosis and better overall multidisciplinary care enable people suffering from Cystic Fibrosis (CF) to have a life expectancy of 40. Consequently, new populations and questions about the development of the life of couples have arisen. This study by questionnaires takes a first look at marital adjustment, anxiety, depression, and emotion focused, social support focused, and problem focused coping strategies in 16 CF patients and their partners.

Relevance of NH4F in acid digestion before ICP-MS analysis.

In order to implement a simpler, less expensive and more safe sample dissolution procedure, we have substituted the HF-HClO(4) mixture by NH(4)F. By testing three certified reference materials, lichen 336, basalt BE-N, soil 7, it was found that the three-reagents digestion without HF and HClO(4) (HNO(3)+H(2)O(2)+NH(4)F was used) was very effective for the pretreatment of ICP-MS measurement. The comparison was based on the measurement results and their uncertainties.

[Septic splenic infarction after acute arterial embolism].

History And Clinical Findings: A 62-year-old woman was admitted because of sudden onset of increasingly severe pain in the left lower leg and foot. She also reported having had diarrhoea for the past few days.

Investigations: Physical examination revealed a cold and pale left leg below the knee joint.

Preventing growth of brain tumors by creating a zone of resistance.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a devastating form of brain cancer for which there is no effective treatment. Here, we report a novel approach to brain tumor therapy through genetic modification of normal brain cells to block tumor growth and effect tumor regression. Previous studies have focused on the use of vector-based gene therapy for GBM by direct intratumoral injection with expression of therapeutic proteins by tumor cells themselves.