Mentors' perspectives on the successes and challenges of mentoring in the COG Young Investigator mentorship program: A report from the Children's Oncology Group.

Background: Identification and development of young investigators (YI) is critical to the long-term success of research organizations. In 2004, the Children's Oncology Group (COG) created a mentorship program to foster the career development of YIs (faculty <10 years from initial appointment). This study sought to assess mentors' long-term assessment of this program.

Protein microarray analysis of disease activity in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease demonstrates elevated serum PLGF, IL-7, TGF-beta1, and IL-12p40 levels in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients in remission versus active disease.

Objectives: Cytokines and growth factors play a major role in the dysregulated immune response in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We hypothesized that significant differences exist between the serum cytokine and growth factor profiles of pediatric IBD patients with active disease (AD) and those in remission, and that levels of some of these soluble mediators may be used to define regulators in IBD and determine disease activity.

Methods: Eighty-eight consecutive patients with confirmed Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) seen at the Duke Children's Hospital were prospectively enrolled and a serum sample was obtained.

Ethical issues in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The case of Baby Y presented a difficult and complex ethical dilemma for the family and the staff involved. The issues of religious beliefs and law, up-holding these beliefs in the center of a religious community, financial concerns, and health care workers disagreeing about carrying out treatments made this case one that few will forget. When asked after Baby Y died how they felt, many members of the staff answered that it should not have gone on as long as it did and that they learned a lot from the family and the experience.