Medical Specialties Commons^™

Global, Regional, And National Disability-Adjusted Life-Years (Dalys) For 333 Diseases And Injuries And Healthy Life Expectancy (Hale) For 195 Countries And Territories, 1990-2016: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2016, Gbd 2016 Dalys And Hale Collaborators

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Measurement of changes in health across locations is useful to compare and contrast changing epidemiological patterns against health system performance and identify specific needs for resource allocation in research, policy development, and programme decision making. Using the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016, we drew from two widely used summary measures to monitor such changes in population health: disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and healthy life expectancy (HALE). We used these measures to track trends and benchmark progress compared with expected trends on the basis of the Socio-demographic Index (SDI).

METHODS: We used results from the Global …

Global, Regional, And National Incidence, Prevalence, And Years Lived With Disability For 328 Diseases And Injuries For 195 Countries, 1990-2016: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2016, Gbd 2016 Disease And Injury Incidence And Prevalence Collaborators

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: As mortality rates decline, life expectancy increases, and populations age, non-fatal outcomes of diseases and injuries are becoming a larger component of the global burden of disease. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) provides a comprehensive assessment of prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) for 328 causes in 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2016.

METHODS: We estimated prevalence and incidence for 328 diseases and injuries and 2982 sequelae, their non-fatal consequences. We used DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression tool, as the main method of estimation, ensuring consistency between …

Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-6 Alters Skeletal Muscle Differentiation Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Doaa Aboalola, Victor K. M. Han

Paediatrics Publications

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-6 (IGFBP-6), the main regulator of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2), is a component of the stem cell niche in developing muscle cells. However, its role in muscle development has not been clearly defined. In this study, we investigated the role of IGFBP-6 in muscle commitment and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells derived from the placenta. We showed that placental mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) have the ability to differentiate into muscle cells when exposed to a specific culture medium by expressing muscle markers Pax3/7, MyoD, myogenin, and myosin heavy chain in a stage-dependent manner with the …

Regulation Of Osteogenic Differentiation Of Placental-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells By Insulin-Like Growth Factors And Low Oxygen Tension, Amer Youssef, Victor K. M. Han

Paediatrics Publications

Placental mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) are multipotent cells that can differentiate in vitro to multiple lineages, including bone. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs, IGF-1 and IGF-2) participate in maintaining growth, survival, and differentiation of many stem cells, including osteoprogenitors. Low oxygen tension (PO2) can maintain stem cell multipotency and impede osteogenic differentiation. In this study, we investigated whether PMSC osteogenic differentiation is influenced by low PO2 and by IGFs. Our results indicated that low PO2 decreased osteogenic markers RUNX2 and OPN; however, re-exposure to higher oxygen tension (room air) restored differentiation. IGFs, especially IGF-1, triggered an earlier expression of RUNX2 and …

Therapeutic And Prognostic Implications Of Braf V600e In Pediatric Low-Grade Gliomas., Alvaro Lassaletta, Michal Zapotocky, Matthew Mistry, Vijay Ramaswamy, Marion Honnorat, Rahul Krishnatry, Ana Guerreiro Stucklin, Nataliya Zhukova, Anthony Arnoldo, Scott Ryall, Catriona Ling, Tara Mckeown, Jim Loukides, Ofelia Cruz, Carmen De Torres, Cheng-Ying Ho, Roger J Packer, Ruth Tatevossian, Ibrahim Qaddoumi, Julie H Harreld, James D Dalton, Jean Mulcahy-Levy, Nicholas Foreman, Matthias A Karajannis, Shiyang Wang, Matija Snuderl, Amulya Nageswara Rao, Caterina Giannini, Mark Kieran, Keith L Ligon, Maria Luisa Garre, Paolo Nozza, Samantha Mascelli, Alessandro Raso, Sabine Mueller, Theodore Nicolaides, Karen Silva, Romain Perbet, Alexandre Vasiljevic, Cécile Faure Conter, Didier Frappaz, Sarah Leary, Courtney Crane, Aden Chan, Ho-Keung Ng, Zhi-Feng Shi, Ying Mao, Elizabeth Finch, David Eisenstat, Bev Wilson, Anne Sophie Carret, Peter Hauser, David Sumerauer, Lenka Krskova, Valerie Larouche, Adam Fleming, Shayna Zelcer, Nada Jabado, James T Rutka, Peter Dirks, Michael D Taylor, Shiyi Chen, Ute Bartels, Annie Huang, David W Ellison, Eric Bouffet, Cynthia Hawkins, Uri Tabori

Paediatrics Publications

Purpose BRAF V600E is a potentially highly targetable mutation detected in a subset of pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGGs). Its biologic and clinical effect within this diverse group of tumors remains unknown.

Patients and Methods A combined clinical and genetic institutional study of patients with PLGGs with long-term follow-up was performed (N = 510). Clinical and treatment data of patients with BRAF V600E mutated PLGG (n = 99) were compared with a large international independent cohort of patients with BRAF V600E mutated-PLGG (n = 180).

Results BRAF V600E mutation was detected in 69 of 405 patients (17%) with PLGG across a …

Activating Transcription Factor 3 Promotes Loss Of The Acinar Cell Phenotype In Response To Cerulein-Induced Pancreatitis In Mice, Elena N Fazio, Claire C Young, Jelena Toma, Michael Levy, Kurt R Berger, Charis L Johnson, Rashid Mehmood, Patrick Swan, Alphonse Chu, Sean P Cregan, F Jeffrey Dilworth, Christopher J Howlett, Christopher L Pin

Paediatrics Publications

Pancreatitis is a debilitating disease of the exocrine pancreas that, under chronic conditions, is a major susceptibility factor for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although down-regulation of genes that promote the mature acinar cell fate is required to reduce injury associated with pancreatitis, the factors that promote this repression are unknown. Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is a key mediator of the unfolded protein response, a pathway rapidly activated during pancreatic insult. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by next-generation sequencing, we show that ATF3 is bound to the transcriptional regulatory regions of >30% of differentially expressed genes during the initiation of pancreatitis. …

The Relationship Between Paediatric Practitioners And ‘Industry’, Susan Albersheim, Kevin Coughlin

Paediatrics Publications

Paediatric practitioners interact with industry representatives for many purposes but most often to receive information on new and existing products. While practitioners believe they are immune to the marketing influences exerted by these representatives, research has demonstrated otherwise. The literature suggests that the public is aware of such influences and that most people feel industry influence on practitioners is inappropriate. National guidelines go some way toward regulating practitioner–industry interactions, although they are not always clear or sufficient. The present practice point explores the context for these relationships, raises some ethical issues specific to paediatric practitioners and provides recommendations for maintaining …

Growth And Weight Gain In Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Results From The Reacch-Out Cohort., Jaime Guzman, Tristan Kerr, Leanne M Ward, Jinhui Ma, Kiem Oen, Alan M Rosenberg, Brian M Feldman, Gilles Boire, Kristin Houghton, Paul Dancey, Rosie Scuccimarri, Alessandra Bruns, Adam M Huber, Karen Watanabe Duffy, Natalie J Shiff, Roberta A Berard, Deborah M Levy, Elizabeth Stringer, Kimberly Morishita, Nicole Johnson, David A Cabral, Maggie Larché, Ross E Petty, Ronald M Laxer, Earl Silverman, Paivi Miettunen, Anne-Laure Chetaille, Elie Haddad, Lynn Spiegel, Stuart E Turvey, Heinrike Schmeling, Bianca Lang, Janet Ellsworth, Suzanne E Ramsey, Johannes Roth, Sarah Campillo, Susanne Benseler, Gaëlle Chédeville, Rayfel Schneider, Shirley M L Tse, Roxana Bolaria, Katherine Gross, Debbie Feldman, Bonnie Cameron, Roman Jurencak, Jean Dorval, Claire Leblanc, Claire St Cyr, Michele Gibbon, Rae S M Yeung, Ciarán M Duffy, Lori B Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: With modern treatments, the effect of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) on growth may be less than previously reported. Our objective was to describe height, weight and body mass index (BMI) development in a contemporary JIA inception cohort.

METHODS: Canadian children newly-diagnosed with JIA 2005-2010 had weight and height measurements every 6 months for 2 years, then yearly up to 5 years. These measurements were used to calculate mean age- and sex-standardized Z-scores, and estimate prevalence and cumulative incidence of growth impairments, and the impact of disease activity and corticosteroids on growth.

RESULTS: One thousand one hundred forty seven children …

Accurate Cytogenetic Biodosimetry Through Automated Dicentric Chromosome Curation And Metaphase Cell Selection, Jin Liu, Yanxin Li, Ruth Wilkins, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Joan H. Knoll, Peter Rogan

Biochemistry Publications

Accurate digital image analysis of abnormal microscopic structures relies on high quality images and on minimizing the rates of false positive (FP) and negative objects in images. Cytogenetic biodosimetry detects dicentric chromosomes (DCs) that arise from exposure to ionizing radiation, and determines radiation dose received based on DC frequency. Improvements in automated DC recognition increase the accuracy of dose estimates by reclassifying FP DCs as monocentric chromosomes or chromosome fragments. We also present image segmentation methods to rank high quality digital metaphase images and eliminate suboptimal metaphase cells. A set of chromosome morphology segmentation methods selectively filtered out FP DCs …

Heterozygous De Novo Ubtf Gain-Of-Function Variant Is Associated With Neurodegeneration In Childhood., Simon Edvardson, Claudia M Nicolae, Pankaj B Agrawal, Cyril Mignot, Katelyn Payne, Asuri Narayan Prasad, Chitra Prasad, Laurie Sadler, Caroline Nava, Thomas E Mullen, Amber Begtrup, Berivan Baskin, Zöe Powis, Avraham Shaag, Boris Keren, George-Lucian Moldovan, Orly Elpeleg

Paediatrics Publications

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is transcribed from rDNA by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) to produce the 45S precursor of the 28S, 5.8S, and 18S rRNA components of the ribosome. Two transcription factors have been defined for Pol I in mammals, the selectivity factor SL1, and the upstream binding transcription factor (UBF), which interacts with the upstream control element to facilitate the assembly of the transcription initiation complex including SL1 and Pol I. In seven unrelated affected individuals, all suffering from developmental regression starting at 2.5-7 years, we identified a heterozygous variant, c.628G>A in UBTF, encoding p.Glu210Lys in UBF, which …

Choosing Wisely Canada: The Canadian College Of Medical Geneticists’ (Ccmg) List Of Five Items Physicians And Patients Should Question, Elaine Goh, Andrea Guerin, Joanna Lazier, Sharan Goobie, Tanya N. Nelson, Ron Agatep, Victoria Mok Siu, Yaren Y. Niederhoffer, Julie Richer

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Brain Biomarkers And Pre-Injury Cognition Are Associated With Long-Term Cognitive Outcome In Children With Traumatic Brain Injury, Amy A Wilkinson, Maureen Dennis, Nevena Simic, Margot J Taylor, Benjamin R Morgan, Helena Frndova, Karen Choong, Craig Campbell, Douglas Fraser, Vicki Anderson, Anne-Marie Guerguerian, Russell Schachar, Jamie Hutchison

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are frequently at risk of long-term impairments of attention and executive functioning but these problems are difficult to predict. Although deficits have been reported to vary with injury severity, age at injury and sex, prognostication of outcome remains imperfect at a patient-specific level. The objective of this proof of principle study was to evaluate a variety of patient variables, along with six brain-specific and inflammatory serum protein biomarkers, as predictors of long-term cognitive outcome following paediatric TBI.

METHOD: Outcome was assessed in 23 patients via parent-rated questionnaires related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder …

Preeclampsia Biomarkers: An Assessment Of Maternal Cardiometabolic Health, Genevieve Eastabrook, Tuba Aksoy, Samantha Bedell, Debbie Penava, Barbra De Vrijer

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Publications

No abstract provided.

Deviations From The Expected Relationship Between Serum Fgf23 And Other Markers In Children With Ckd: A Cross-Sectional Study., Daisy Liu, Ana Catalina Alvarez-Elías, Brooke Wile, Vladimir Belostotsky, Guido Filler

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: High levels of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) are associated with mortality. In chronic kidney disease (CKD), FGF23 levels rise as renal function declines. We analyzed the contribution of laboratory values to the variance of FGF23 levels in relationship to a curve of expected FGF23 levels for a given GFR.

METHODS: Following approval by the research ethics boards, we measured FGF23, CysC eGFR, creatinine, urea, albumin, calcium, phosphate, vitamin D metabolites, PTH, alkaline phosphatase, CRP, and venous gases in 141 pediatric CKD patients (45, 37, 32, 13 and 14 CKD stages I, II, III, IV, and V, respectively). Data were …

Eight-Year-Old Girl With Hepatomegaly, Becky Biqi Chen, Chitra Prasad, Joanna C Walsh, Dhandapani Ashok

Paediatrics Publications

CASE DESCRIPTION

An 8-year-old girl was referred for abdominal pain and elevated liver transaminases. She was previously healthy and was not on any medications. There was no prior history of blood transfusions, toxin exposures or parenteral nutrition. Her parents were nonconsanguineous, and of French and Irish descent. Her family has no history of liver diseases but maternal and paternal grandparents have elevated cholesterol. Her weight was 25.5 kg (27th percentile), height 127 cm (21st percentile) and body mass index (BMI) was 15.8 kg/m2 (42nd percentile). On abdominal examination, both liver and spleen were enlarged. There was no scleral icterus or …

Inhibition Of Mt1-Mmp Proteolytic Function And Erk1/2 Signalling Influences Cell Migration And Invasion Through Changes In Mmp-2 And Mmp-9 Levels, Mario A. Cepeda, Caitlin L. Evered, Jacob J.H. Pelling, Sashko Damjanovski

Paediatrics Publications

Membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP, MMP-14) is a unique protease that cleaves extracellular proteins, activates proMMPs, and initiates intracellular signalling. MCF-7 cells are non-invasive and deficient in MT1-MMP, MMP-2, and MMP-9 expression. We created an MCF-7 cell line (C2) that stably produces active MT1-MMP and demonstrated increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation. MAPK inhibition in this cell line showed an inverse relationship in MMP-2 and MMP-9 transcripts where levels of these genes increased and decreased, respectively. Using invasive MDA-MB 231 cells that endogenously produce MT1-MMP and have naturally high pERK levels, we demonstrated the identical inverse relationship between MMP-2 and -9 transcript and …

Psychometric Properties Of The Ndetei–Othieno–Kathuku (Nok) Scale: A Mental Health Assessment Tool For An African Setting, Christy A. Denckla, David M. Ndetei, Victoria N. Mutiso, Christine W. Musyimi, Abednego M. Musau, Eric S. Nandoya, Kelly K. Anderson, Snezana Milanovic, David Henderson, Kwame Mckenzie

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Research suggests that psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents are highly debilitating, with sparse resources for assessment and treatment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability, validity, and latent factor structure of an ethnographically-grounded assessment instrument for detecting common mental health complaints among rural Kenyan children and adolescents. Methods: The Ndetei–Othieno–Kathuku Scale (NOK) was delivered to 2 282 children aged 10 to 18 years old. Exploratory factor analysis identified four latent factors. This structure was confirmed in subsequent confirmatory factor analyses. External validity was explored by investigating associations …

The Clinical Impact Of Copy Number Variants In Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes, Nicolas Waespe, Santhosh Dhanraj, Manju Wahala, Elena Tsangaris, Tom Enbar, Bozana Zlateska, Hongbing Li, Robert J Klaassen, Conrad V Fernandez, Geoff D E Cuvelier, John K Wu, Yves D Pastore, Mariana Silva, Jeffrey H Lipton, Joseé Brossard, Bruno Michon, Sharon Abish, Macgregor Steele, Roona Sinha, Mark J Belletrutti, Vicky R Breakey, Lawrence Jardine, Lisa Goodyear, Liat Kofler, Michaela Cada, Lillian Sung, Mary Shago, Stephen W Scherer, Yigal Dror

Paediatrics Publications

Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFSs) comprise a genetically heterogeneous group of diseases with hematopoietic failure and a wide array of physical malformations. Copy number variants (CNVs) were reported in some IBMFSs. It is unclear what impact CNVs play in patients evaluated for a suspected diagnosis of IBMFS. Clinical and genetic data of 323 patients from the Canadian Inherited Marrow Failure Registry from 2001 to 2014, who had a documented genetic work-up, were analyzed. Cases with pathogenic CNVs (at least 1 kilobasepairs) were compared to cases with other mutations. Genotype-phenotype correlations were performed to assess the impact of CNVs. Pathogenic …

Pharmacogenomic Screening For Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity In Childhood Cancer, Folefac Aminkeng, Colin J D Ross, Shahrad R Rassekh, Michael J Rieder, Amit P Bhavsar, Shubhayan Sanatani, Daniel Bernstein, Michael R Hayden, Ursula Amstutz, Bruce C Carleton

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Allied Health Professional Support In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Survey From The Canadian Children Inflammatory Bowel Disease Network—A Joint Partnership Of Cihr And The Ch.I.L.D. Foundation, Wael El-Matary, Eric I. Benchimol, David Mack, Hien Q. Huynh, Jeff Critch, Anthony Otley, Colette Deslandres, Kevan Jacobson, Jennifer Debruyn, Matthew W. Carroll, Eytan Wine, Johan Van Limbergen, Mary Sherlock, Kevin Bax, Sally Lawrence, Ernest Seidman, Robert Issenman, Thomas D. Walters, Peter Church, Anne M. Griffiths

Paediatrics Publications

Objectives. The current number of healthcare providers (HCP) caring for children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) across Canadian tertiary-care centres is underinvestigated. The aim of this survey was to assess the number of healthcare providers (HCP) in ambulatory pediatric IBD care across Canadian tertiary-care centres.

Methods. Using a self-administered questionnaire, we examined available resources in academic pediatric centres within the Canadian Children IBD Network. The survey evaluated the number of HCP providing ambulatory care for children with IBD.

Results. All 12 tertiary pediatric gastroenterology centres participating in the network responded. Median full-time equivalent (FTE) of allied health professionals providing IBD …

Association Of Suicidality And Depression With 5Α-Reductase Inhibitors, Blayne Welk, Eric Mcarthur, Michael Ordon, Kelly K. Anderson, Jade Hayward, Stephanie Dixon

Paediatrics Publications

IMPORTANCE There have been concerns raised by patients and regulatory agencies regarding serious psychiatric adverse effects associated with 5α-reductase inhibitors. OBJECTIVE To determine if there is an increased risk of suicide, self-harm, or depression among older men starting a 5α-reductase inhibitor for prostatic enlargement. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A population-based, retrospective, matched cohort study using linked administrative data for 93 197 men ages 66 years or older (median [IQR] age, 75 [70-80] years) in Ontario, Canada, who initiated a new prescription for a 5α-reductase inhibitor during the study period (2003 through 2013). Participants were matched (using a propensity score that …

Unexpected Widespread Hypophosphatemia And Bone Disease Associated With Elemental Formula Use In Infants And Children, Luisa F Gonzalez Ballesteros, Nina S Ma, Rebecca J Gordon, Leanne Ward, Philippe Backeljauw, Halley Wasserman, David R Weber, Linda A Dimeglio, Julie Gagne, Robert Stein, Declan Cody, Kimber Simmons, Paul Zimakas, Lisa Swartz Topor, Sungeeta Agrawal, Andrew Calabria, Peter Tebben, Ruth Faircloth, Erik A Imel, Linda Casey, Thomas O Carpenter

Paediatrics Publications

OBJECTIVE: Hypophosphatemia occurs with inadequate dietary intake, malabsorption, increased renal excretion, or shifts between intracellular and extracellular compartments. We noticed the common finding of amino-acid based elemental formula [EF] use in an unexpected number of cases of idiopathic hypophosphatemia occurring in infants and children evaluated for skeletal disease. We aimed to fully characterize the clinical profiles in these cases.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review of children with unexplained hypophosphatemia was performed as cases accumulated from various centres in North America and Ireland. Data were analyzed to explore any relationships between feeding and biochemical or clinical features, effects of treatment, and …

Implementation Of Clinical Research Trials Using Web-Based And Mobile Devices: Challenges And Solutions., Roy Eagleson, Luis Altamirano-Diaz, Alex Mcinnis, Eva Welisch, Stefanie De Jesus, Harry Prapavessis, Meghan Rombeek, Jamie A Seabrook, Teresa Park, Kambiz Norozi

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: With the increasing implementation of web-based, mobile health interventions in clinical trials, it is crucial for researchers to address the security and privacy concerns of patient information according to high ethical standards. The full process of meeting these standards is often made more complicated due to the use of internet-based technology and smartphones for treatment, telecommunication, and data collection; however, this process is not well-documented in the literature.

RESULTS: The Smart Heart Trial is a single-arm feasibility study that is currently assessing the effects of a web-based, mobile lifestyle intervention for overweight and obese children and youth with congenital …

Pulmonary Surfactant Fortified With Cath-2 As A Novel Therapy For Bacterial Pneumonia, Brandon J. Baer

Western Research Forum

Background: Bacterial pneumonia is a leading cause of death worldwide, with high mortality rates persisting even after antibiotic treatment. Current treatments for pneumonia involve administration of antibiotics, however after the bacteria are killed they release toxic substances that induce inflammation and lung dysfunction. Host defense peptides represent a potential solution to this problem through their ability to down regulate inflammation. However, effective delivery to the lung is difficult because of the complex branching structure of the airways. My study addresses this delivery problem by using exogenous surfactant, a pulmonary delivery vehicle capable of improving spreading of these peptides throughout the …

Guideline For The Prevention Of Oral And Oropharyngeal Mucositis In Children Receiving Treatment For Cancer Or Undergoing Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Lillian Sung, Paula Robinson, Nathaniel Treister, Tina Baggott, Paul Gibson, Wim Tissing, John Wiernikowski, Jennifer Brinklow, L Lee Dupuis

Paediatrics Publications

PURPOSE: To develop an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the prevention of oral mucositis in children (0-18 years) receiving treatment for cancer or undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

METHODS: The Mucositis Prevention Guideline Development Group was interdisciplinary and included internationally recognised experts in paediatric mucositis. For the evidence review, we included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in either children or adults evaluating the following interventions selected according to prespecified criteria: cryotherapy, low level light therapy (LLLT) and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). We also examined RCTs of any intervention conducted in children. For all systematic reviews, we synthesised the occurrence …

Evaluation Of Treatment-Related Mortality Among Paediatric Cancer Deaths: A Population Based Analysis., Jason D Pole, Paul Gibson, Marie-Chantal Ethier, Tanya Lazor, Donna L Johnston, Carol Portwine, Mariana Silva, Sarah Alexander, Lillian Sung

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Objectives were to describe the proportion of deaths due to treatment-related mortality (TRM) and to identify risk factors and probable causes of TRM among paediatric cancer deaths in a population-based cohort.

METHODS: We included children with cancer ⩽18 years diagnosed and treated in Ontario who died between January 2003 and December 2012. Deaths were identified using a provincial registry, the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario Networked Information System. Probable causes of TRM were described.

RESULTS: Among the 964 deaths identified, 821 were included. The median age at diagnosis was 6.6 years (range 0-18.8) and 51.8% had at least one …

Mosaic Expression Of Atrx In The Mouse Central Nervous System Causes Memory Deficits, Renee J Tamming, Jennifer R Siu, Yan Jiang, Marco A M Prado, Frank Beier, Nathalie G Bérubé

Paediatrics Publications

The rapid modulation of chromatin organization is thought to play a crucial role in cognitive processes such as memory consolidation. This is supported in part by the dysregulation of many chromatin-remodelling proteins in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. A key example is ATRX, an X-linked gene commonly mutated in individuals with syndromic and nonsyndromic intellectual disability. The consequences of Atrx inactivation for learning and memory have been difficult to evaluate because of the early lethality of hemizygous-null animals. In this study, we evaluated the outcome of brain-specific Atrx deletion in heterozygous female mice. These mice exhibit a mosaic pattern of ATRX …

Accuracy Of Seizure Identification By Critical Care Providers Using Quantitative Eeg Displays, Saptharishi Lalgudi Ganesan, Craig Stewart, Eshetu Atenafu, Roy Sharma, Jamie Hutchison, Anne-Marie Guerguerian, Cecil Hahn

Data and Test Instruments

No abstract provided.

Molecular Characterization Of Nrxn1 Deletions From 19,263 Clinical Microarray Cases Identifies Exons Important For Neurodevelopmental Disease Expression, Chelsea Lowther, Marsha Speevak, Christine M Armour, Elaine S Goh, Gail E Graham, Chumei Li, Susan Zeesman, Malgorzata J M Nowaczyk, Lee-Anne Schultz, Antonella Morra, Rob Nicolson, Peter Bikangaga, Dawa Samdup, Mostafa Zaazou, Kerry Boyd, Jack H Jung, Victoria Siu, Manjulata Rajguru, Sharan Goobie, Mark A Tarnopolsky, Chitra Prasad, Paul T Dick, Asmaa S Hussain, Margreet Walinga, Renske G Reijenga, Matthew Gazzellone, Anath C Lionel, Christian R Marshall, Stephen W Scherer, Dimitri J Stavropoulos, Elizabeth Mccready, Anne S Bassett

Paediatrics Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study was to assess the penetrance of NRXN1 deletions.

METHODS: We compared the prevalence and genomic extent of NRXN1 deletions identified among 19,263 clinically referred cases to that of 15,264 controls. The burden of additional clinically relevant copy-number variations (CNVs) was used as a proxy to estimate the relative penetrance of NRXN1 deletions.

RESULTS: We identified 41 (0.21%) previously unreported exonic NRXN1 deletions ascertained for developmental delay/intellectual disability that were significantly greater than in controls (odds ratio (OR) = 8.14; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.91-22.72; P < 0.0001). Ten (22.7%) of these had a second clinically relevant CNV. Subjects with a deletion near the 3' end of NRXN1 were significantly more likely to have a second rare CNV than subjects with a 5' NRXN1 deletion (OR = 7.47; 95% CI: 2.36-23.61; P = 0.0006). The prevalence of intronic NRXN1 deletions was not statistically different between cases and controls (P = 0.618). The majority (63.2%) of intronic NRXN1 deletion cases had a second rare CNV at a prevalence twice as high as that for exonic NRXN1 deletion cases (P = 0.0035).

CONCLUSIONS: The results support the importance of exons …

Cytoplasmic Distribution Of Hiv-1 Tat Sensitizes Jurkat T Cells To Sulphamethoxazole-Hydroxylamine Induced Toxicity, Kemi Adeyanju, Gregory A. Dekaban, Michael J. Rieder

Paediatrics Publications

Background: One medication commonly used by HIV-1-infected individuals is the antimicrobial sulphamethoxazole (SMX), which is used in the treatment and prophylaxis of pneumocystis pneumonia. However, SMX is responsible for a very high incidence of hypersensitivity adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the HIV-1 population. While the pathophysiology of ADRs in general is unknown, sulphamethoxazole-mediated ADRs have been linked to its reactive metabolite sulphamethoxazole-hydroxylamine (SMX-HA). Our previous work has shown that increased expression of the HIV-1 Tat protein in T cells correlated with increased apoptosis after incubation with SMX-HA. In this study we sought to determine the region of the Tat protein …