Norovirus infections in children under 5 years of age hospitalized due to the acute viral gastroenteritis in northeastern Poland

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and seasonality of norovirus infection in hospitalized Polish children under 5 years of age, and a secondary aim was to compare the clinical severity of norovirus and rotavirus disease. The prospective surveillance study was carried out from July 2009 through June 2010. Stool samples from 242 children hospitalized due to acute viral gastroenteritis were tested for rotavirus group A and adenovirus with commercial immunochromatographic test and for norovirus with EIA assay. Single norovirus infection was found in 35/242 (14.5%) patients and in a further 5 (2.1%) children as co-infection with rotavirus. Overall, norovirus was detected in 16.5% of stool specimens. Norovirus infections tended to peak from October to November and again from February to March. In autumn months and in February, the proportion of norovirus gastroenteritis cases was equal or even surpassed those of rotavirus origin. Both norovirus and rotavirus infections most commonly affected children between 12 and 23 months of age. The low-grade or no fever was significantly more common in children infected with norovirus (94.3%) compared to rotavirus cases (52.9%). Overall, norovirus gastroenteritis was less severe than rotavirus disease with regard to 20-point severity scale (p < 0.05). Noroviruses have emerged as a relevant cause of acute gastroenteritis in Polish children. There is a great need for introducing routine norovirus testing of hospitalized children with gastroenteritis

Glycosaminoglycan-Mediated Interactions in Articular, Auricular, Meniscal, and Nasal Cartilage

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are ubiquitous components in the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM). Ultrastructural arrangement of ECM and GAG-mediated interactions with collagen are known to govern the mechanics in articular cartilage, but these interactions are less clear in other cartilage types. Therefore, this article reviews the current literature on ultrastructure of articular, auricular, meniscal, and nasal septal cartilage, seeking insight into GAG-mediated interactions influencing mechanics. Ultrastructural features of these cartilages are discussed to highlight differences between them. GAG-mediated interactions are reviewed under two categories: interactions with chondrocytes and interactions with other fibrillar macromolecules of the ECM. Moreover, efforts to replicate GAG-mediated interactions to improve mechanical integrity of tissue-engineered cartilage constructs are discussed. In conclusion, studies exploring cartilage specific GAGs are poorly represented in the literature, and the ultrastructure of nasal septal and auricular cartilage is less studied compared with articular and meniscal cartilages. Understanding the contribution of GAGs in cartilage mechanics at the ultrastructural level and translating that knowledge to engineered cartilage will facilitate improvement of cartilage tissue engineering approaches.</p

Macromolecular Interactions in Cartilage Extracellular Matrix Vary According to the Cartilage Type and Location

Objective To investigate GAG-ECM (glycosaminoglycan–extracellular matrix) interactions in different cartilage types. To achieve this, we first aimed to determine protocols for consistent calculation of GAG content between cartilage types. Design Auricular cartilage containing both collagen and elastin was used to determine the effect of lyophilization on GAG depletion activity. Bovine articular, auricular, meniscal, and nasal cartilage plugs were treated using different reagents to selectively remove GAGs. Sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) remaining in the sample after treatment were measured, and sGAG loss was compared between cartilage types. Results The results indicate that dry weight of cartilage should be measured prior to cartilage treatment in order to provide a more accurate reference for normalization. Articular, meniscal, and nasal cartilage lost significant amounts of sGAG for all reagents used. However, only hyaluronidase was able to remove significant amount of sGAG from auricular cartilage. Furthermore, hyaluronidase was able to remove over 99% of sGAG from all cartilage types except auricular cartilage where it only removed around 76% of sGAG. The results indicate GAG-specific ECM binding for different cartilage types and locations. Conclusions In conclusion, lyophilization can be performed to determine native dry weight for normalization without affecting the degree of GAG treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare GAG-ECM interactions of different cartilage types using different GAG extraction methods. Degree of GAG depletion not only varied with cartilage type but also the same type from different anatomic locations. This suggests specific structure-function roles for GAG populations found in the tissues. </jats:sec

Macromolecular Interactions in Cartilage Extracellular Matrix Vary According to the Cartilage Type and Location

Objective: To investigate GAG-ECM (glycosaminoglycan–extracellular matrix) interactions in different cartilage types. To achieve this, we first aimed to determine protocols for consistent calculation of GAG content between cartilage types. Design: Auricular cartilage containing both collagen and elastin was used to determine the effect of lyophilization on GAG depletion activity. Bovine articular, auricular, meniscal, and nasal cartilage plugs were treated using different reagents to selectively remove GAGs. Sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) remaining in the sample after treatment were measured, and sGAG loss was compared between cartilage types. Results: The results indicate that dry weight of cartilage should be measured prior to cartilage treatment in order to provide a more accurate reference for normalization. Articular, meniscal, and nasal cartilage lost significant amounts of sGAG for all reagents used. However, only hyaluronidase was able to remove significant amount of sGAG from auricular cartilage. Furthermore, hyaluronidase was able to remove over 99% of sGAG from all cartilage types except auricular cartilage where it only removed around 76% of sGAG. The results indicate GAG-specific ECM binding for different cartilage types and locations. Conclusions: In conclusion, lyophilization can be performed to determine native dry weight for normalization without affecting the degree of GAG treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare GAG-ECM interactions of different cartilage types using different GAG extraction methods. Degree of GAG depletion not only varied with cartilage type but also the same type from different anatomic locations. This suggests specific structure-function roles for GAG populations found in the tissues.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Biomaterials & Tissue Biomechanic

High‐Dose Pulse Glucocorticoid Treatment Prevents White Matter Spinal Cord Pseudoatrophy in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis

Objective: Spinal cord (SC) atrophy correlates with and predicts the underlying progressive biology in active and non-active multiple sclerosis (MS), thereby providing a biomarker for clinical trials and patient management. Initiation of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) may be followed by early pronounced central nervous system (CNS) volume loss due to resolution of inflammation (pseudoatrophy) and confounding the interpretation of atrophy. High-dose glucocorticoids (HDGs) reduce inflammation and might therefore modify pseudoatrophy. Methods: One hundred twenty-three newly diagnosed and DMT-naïve MS participants (relapsing–remitting, 70% female participants, median age = 36 years, Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] 2.0) were followed for up to 3 years. Forty-two participants received HDG before baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; DMT-HDG; median = 52 days, interquartile range [IQR] = 37–71), whereas 60 did not (DMT/no-HDG). Twenty-one participants remained untreated (no-DMT), and 102 started DMT after baseline MRI. SC total cervical cord cross-sectional area (TCA), gray matter area (GMA), and white matter area (WMA) and regional brain volumes were analyzed using mixed effects models. Results: The DMT-HDG, DMT/no-HDG, and no-DMT groups had similar demographic, clinical, and radiological features. Pronounced SC pseudoatrophy was observed based on more year 1 versus year 2 volume loss for DMT/no-HDG (−2.06% vs. 0.83%; P = 0.02) but not DMT-HDG (−0.51% vs. 0.66%; P = 0.8) and more year 1 volume loss for DMT/no-HDG compared to DMT-HDG (−2.06% vs. 0.51%; P = 0.02). Interpretation: HDG preceding baseline MRI suppresses CNS white matter (WM) pseudoatrophy after DMT initiation, most conspicuously for the SC. Suppression of pseudoatrophy with HDG may improve the fidelity of clinical trials and enhance the feasibility for short-term trials with SC and brain MRI outcomes in active MS by pretreatment with HDG. ANN NEUROL 2025