Screening of plant factors that modulate the activation of the NF-kB transcription factor in mammalian cells

The signal transduction pathway that leads to the activation of NF-kB is extensively studied because of its importance in immune system activation. Any molecule that interferes with the pathway is therapeutically important because of its potential role in triggering or inhibiting the immune response. To identify proteins that interfere with the activation of NF-kB, we designed and performed a genetic screening system of plant proteins. Our screen consisted of ankyrin repeat plant proteins expressed in mammalian tissue culture cells along with an NF-kB reporter vector that expressed Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) upon NF-kB activation. As a tissue culture system we used the easily transfected human embryonic kidney cell line FEK293T. To perform our screen, we generated an NF-kB sensitive GFP reporter plasmid by standard molecular biology cloning techniques and we constructed a library of mammalian expression vectors that contained 90 A. thaliana cDNAs by Cre-mediated recombination between plasmids. We restricted our analysis to 90 cDNAs of ankyrin repeat domain containing proteins from A. thaliana for three reasons: First, ankyrin repeat containing proteins encoded by the mammalian genome have been shown to directly bind to NF-kB, second, proteins encoded by different genomes have the potential to interact with higher affinity than those encoded by the same genome and finally, some A. thaliana ankyrin repeat domain proteins have been shown to be involved in plant immune responses. In our screen we found out that three out of 90 plant cDNAs that were expressed in mammalian cells affected TNF-ot induced NF-kB activation by changing GFP expression from our reporter vector

SARS-CoV-2 infection in children

SARS-CoV-2, a RNA virus that emerged in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan in China and took hold of the whole world, affects children as well as all age groups. In our country, we started to observe the first cases by March 2020. SARS-CoV-2, which is transmitted by droplets and by way of contact with surfaces contaminated by these droplets, is generally transmitted to children from adults through close contact. There is no proven information about other transmission routes such as fecal-oral transmission. Similar to adults, the primary symptoms at presentation include fever, cough, sore throat, malaise, nasal discharge, and rarely, vomiting and diarrhea in children. Although the majority of pediatric patients are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, severe cases have been reported in children with underlying chronic diseases. There is currently no specific antiviral treatment against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Supportive treatment is recommended in children with a mild course, and some treatments are recommended in children with comorbidities or in children who are observed to have a more severe course. Asymptomatic pediatric patients or pediatric patients who have a mild course constitute an important group in terms of transmission of the infection to the advanced age group who carry high risk. Prevention of infection is very important in terms of reducing new cases and alleviating the load on the healthcare system. In order to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2, hygienic rules should be pursued in the community, social distancing should be observed, and the family members and contacts of patients who have been diagnosed should be screened and isolated

Hidrosefali ile Komplike Olan Bir İntraventriküler Hipotansiyon Vakası

AIM: Intracranial hypotension may have variable clinical presentation. The imaging characteristics of intracranial hypotension are especially well depicted on magnetic resonance imaging studies. Although the clinical and radiological manifestations of spontaneous intracranial hypotension are increasingly recognized in many reports, many other abnormalities in this disorder and complicating cases still exist. MATERIAL and METHODS: A 16-year-old patient suffering from nausea, vomiting and blurred consciousness was admitted to the hospital. MRI showed diffuse pachymeningeal thickening resembling intracranial hypotension and ventricular enlargement like compensated hydrocephalus. The patient was investigated and treated using endoscopic third ventriculostomy. CONCLUSION: The authors presented a case of intracranial hypotension complicated with hydrocephalus. Specific causes for intracranial hypotension as well as additional new treatment options will also be discussed.Wo

A Case of intracranial Hypotension Complicated with Hydrocephalus

ABSTRACT AIM: Intracranial hypotension may have variable clinical presentation. The imaging characteristics of intracranial hypotension are especially well depicted on magnetic resonance imaging studies. Although the clinical and radiological manifestations of spontaneous intracranial hypotension are increasingly recognized in many reports, many other abnormalities in this disorder and complicating cases still exist. MATeRIAL and MeTHodS: A 16-year-old patient suffering from nausea, vomiting and blurred consciousness was admitted to the hospital. MRI showed diffuse pachymeningeal thickening resembling intracranial hypotension and ventricular enlargement like compensated hydrocephalus. The patient was investigated and treated using endoscopic third ventriculostomy. CoNCLUSIoN: The authors presented a case of intracranial hypotension complicated with hydrocephalus. Specific causes for intracranial hypotension as well as additional new treatment options will also be discussed. KeywoRdS: Intracranial hypotension, Triventricular hydrocephalus, Lumbar puncture, Herniation ÖZ AMAç: İntrakranial hipotansiyon farklı klinik bulgular verebilen bir antitedir. MRI bulguları literatürde ayrıntılı olarak tarif edilmekle birlikte, nöroşirürji pratiğinde her zaman akla gelmemektedir. Aynı bulguların farklı sinir sistemi hastalıklarında da görülebilmesi, vakaları komplike hale getirmektedir. yÖNTeM ve GeReç: 16 yaşında bayan hasta bulantı-kusma ve bilinç bulanıklığı nedeniyle hastanemize yatırıldı. MRI intrakranial hipotansiyonla uyumlu difüz pakimeningeal kalınlaşma ve kontrast tutulumu ve eşlik eden triventriküler genişleme gösterdi. Hasta ayrıntılı olarak incelendi ve endoskopik yolla 3. ventrikülostomi yapılarak tedavi edildi. SoNUç: Yazarlar, arrest hidrosefali ile komplike olan bir intrakranial hipotansiyon vakasını sunmuş ve tedavi yöntemi ile birlikte tartışmışlardır. Endoskopik 3. ventrikülostomi, bu vaka için tanı koydurucu ve emniyetli bir seçenek olmuştur

Coronavirus infections in childhood and vaccine studies

In late December 2019, a new coronavirus (CoV) called the severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which had not been detected in humans before, caused a worldwide pandemic. Owing to the highly infectious nature of this virus, it spread rapidly from person to person despite the warnings of the World Health Organization and all the measures taken by the governments. Although it has been reported that SARS-CoV-2 is more likely to infect the elderly, all age groups are susceptible to this virus, including newborns. CoV disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms seem to be less severe in children than in adults, but similar to the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, in the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of cases and the risk of serious diseases increase as age increases. The treatment of COVID-19 is still challenging, especially in children, and the virus continues to cause death worldwide. The safest and most controlled way to effectively and sustainably prevent COVID-19 in a society is to have an effective and safe vaccine and to successfully vaccinate the majority of the population. It is possible that vaccines with safety and efficacy that have been proven in phase III trials will be effective in handling COVID-19

Determination of tuberculin skin test for isoniazid prophylaxis in BCG vaccinated children who are using anti-TNF agents for rheumatologic diseases

Objective The use of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (anti-TNF) has a risk of activating latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). This study was performed to investigate LTBI according to tuberculin skin test (TST) size and to determine the frequency of tuberculosis (TB) in bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-vaccinated children receiving anti-TNF treatment for rheumatological disease. Materials and Methods The study consisted of 559 children. Information on demographics, anti-TNF agents, TST size, and isoniazid (INH) prophylaxis was recorded. Patients (n = 254) with TST size >= 5 mm were divided into three groups according to TST size and INH prophylaxis: group 1, TST size 5 to 9 mm and no INH prophylaxis; group 2, TST size 5 to 9 mm with INH prophylaxis; and group 3, TST size >= 10 mm with INH prophylaxis. Results The 559 patients comprised 314 (56.3%) females and 245 (43.6%) males; they had a mean age of 13.1 +/- 4.1 years. The mean TST size in all patients was 4.2 +/- 4.7 mm. Group 1 consisted of 76 (29.9%) patients, group 2 consisted of 88 (34.6%) patients, and group 3 consisted of 90 (35.4%) patients. The mean TST sizes for the three groups were 6.8 +/- 3.1 mm, 7.2 +/- 3.2 mm, and 13.9 +/- 2.8 mm, respectively. New TB was diagnosed in only two (0.35%) patients. Both of them were in group 3. Conclusions A TST size of >= 10 mm in BCG-vaccinated children receiving anti-TNF treatment may distinguish children at high risk for reactivation of LTBI