Medical Sciences Commons^™

Cell-Cycle Regulatory Proteins In Podocyte Cell In Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome Of Childhood., Tarak Srivastava, Robert E. Garola, J M. Whiting, Uri S. Alon

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The podocyte cell is believed to play an important role in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) of childhood. In adults with cellular and collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), the expression of cell-cycle regulatory proteins such as p27, p57, and cyclin D is decreased and expression of cyclin A, Ki-67, and p21 is observed in podocyte cells suggestive of a dysregulated podocyte phenotype. We investigated for alterations in the expression of cyclin kinase inhibitors, p27, p57, p21, and cyclins D and A in the podocyte cell of children with INS.

METHODS: Forty-two kidney biopsies were investigated; 14 with minimal-change disease (MCD), …

Factors Influencing Immunization Status In Primary Care Clinics, David Page, Jan Meires, Amy B. Dailey

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: National standards and goals for childhood immunization rates are well established. Yet, despite clear standards and goals, physicians do not achieve the desired rate (90%) for immunization coverage. This study examined factors related to immunization status for 2-year-old children in pediatric and family practice settings.

Methods: Specially trained personnel used computer software to audit 2,552 records from 42 practices in Northeast Florida throughout 1997–1999. Immunization records were judged as either complete or incomplete, and factors related to immunization status were studied. Clinic type and 18 immunization practice standards were reviewed for effect on immunization status.

Results: The …

Association Of Viral Genome With Graft Loss In Children After Cardiac Transplantation., Girish S. Shirali, J Ni, R E. Chinnock, J K. Johnston, G L. Rosenthal, N E. Bowles, J A. Towbin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The survival of recipients of cardiac allografts is limited by rejection, lymphoproliferative disease, and coronary vasculopathy. The purpose of this study in children who had received heart transplants was to evaluate the cardiac allografts for myocardial viral infections and to determine whether the presence of viral genome in the myocardium correlates with rejection, coronary vasculopathy, or graft loss.

METHODS: We enrolled heart-transplant recipients 1 day to 18 years old who were undergoing evaluation for possible rejection and coronary vasculopathy. Endomyocardial-biopsy specimens were evaluated for evidence of rejection with the use of standard criteria and were analyzed for the presence …

Helicobacter Pylori Serology And The Diagnosis Of H. Pylori Infection In Children, Yoram Elitsur, Rafah Aflak, Cheryl Neace, W. E. Triest

Biochemistry and Microbiology

Serological screening accuracy rate may be dependent on clinical and pathological determinants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Hp serology test (Roche Biomedical Lab., Labcorp), In the diagnosis of Hp infection in 121 children who were seen in the Pediatric Gastoenterology Clinic at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine In Huntington. Positive serology detected children with Hpassociated gastritis with a sensitivity of 51.6%. Positive serology significantly correlated with the degree of gastric inflammation and density of Hp organisms in the gastric mucosa (ANOVA p < 0.001). The Labcorp. Hp-ELISA test had a poor accuracy rate for the detection of Hp-gastritis in children. Gastric biopsies should always be performed to establish the diagnosis of Hp infection in children.

Childhood Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: An Immunophenotypic Analysis., Sajid Hussain Shah, Suhail Muzaffar, Shahid Pervez, Sheema H. Hassan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To observe the frequency of histological subtypes of childhood non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma and its immunohistochemical profile.

Setting: All cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosed in children (<15 years) in the section of histopithology at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi during the period of three years.

Methods: These consecutive cases were evaluated on H&E stained sections and then immunohistochemistry analysis of these tumors was performed by employing Peroxidase Anti-Peroxidase (PAP) technique.

Results: The present series included 61 cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. NHL was more common in males as compared to females with male to female ratio of 5.8:1. High grade NHL comprised 87% of childhood lymphoma. The mode of presentation in majority of NHL (57%) was extranodal. Burkitt’s lymphonia (33%) …

The Role Of Gap Junctions In Congenital Diseases Of The Heart, Scott Henry Britz-Cunningham

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Gap junctions are thought to have a crucial role in the synchronized contraction of the heart and in embryonic development. Connexin43, the major protein of gap junctions in the heart, is targeted by several protein kinases that regulate myocardial cell-cell coupling. We hypothesized that mutations altering sites critical to this regulation would lead to functional or developmental abnormalities of the heart.

Methods. Connexin43 DNA from 25 normal subjects and 30 children with a variety of congenital heart diseases was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. Mutant DNA was expressed in cell culture and examined for its effect …

Comparison Of Cytotoxic Properties Of Neonatal And Adult Neutrophils And Monocytes And Enhancement By Cytokines., E . R. Stiehm, R. L. Roberts, B. J. Ank, S. Plaeger-Marshall, N. Salman, L. Shen, M. W. Fanger

Dartmouth Scholarship

We studied cytotoxic capabilities of newborn polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and monocytes and their enhancement by cytokines and antibodies. Umbilical cord PMNs were assessed for their ability to kill various target cells spontaneously, after activation with phorbol myristate acetate, in the presence of antiserum (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity), and in the presence of dually specific antibody (heteroantibody-mediated cytotoxicity). Target cells included the K562 cell line (natural killer cell target), chicken erythrocytes (CRBCs), and herpes simplex virus-infected CEM cell lines. Newborn PMNs were equivalent to adult PMNs in their cytotoxic capacity in several cytotoxicity assays. Neither adult nor newborn PMNs lyse tumor cell …

Maternal-Neonatal Serum Vitamin A Concentrations., Girish S. Shirali, D G. Oelberg, K P. Mehta

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Prevention of neonatal vitamin A deficiency is related to the adequacy of maternal vitamin A stores. In this study we investigated maternal and cord serum vitamin A and retinol-binding protein (RBP) values in an Indian population including, for the first time, clinically vitamin A-deficient mothers. Twenty-eight maternal-neonatal pairs were selected from maternal cohorts of high socioeconomic status without clinical evidence of vitamin A deficiency (group I) and low socioeconomic status with conjunctival xerosis and Bitot's spots (group II). Maternal education, caloric and vitamin A intakes, weight, height, hemoglobin, and birth weight were significantly lower in group II. Serum vitamin A …