Correlation between sleep quality and blood pressure changes in Iranian children

Background: Hypertension has a growing trend all around the world among children. Evidences imply that inadequate sleep duration and its poor quality are related to hypertension. But there are only few studies to show this relationship in children. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between sleep quality parameters and blood pressure (BP) changes in children. Patients and Methods: Eighty six patients aged 5-15 years old with the history of urinary tract infection were included in this study. They underwent 24-hour BP monitoring. In addition, the Pittsburg Sleep Quality index questionnaire was filled out and the data were compared with BP records. Results: After excluding duplicate cases and those with insufficient data, 76 children entered into study. Overall sleep quality was good in 48 and poor in 28 children. Mean diastolic BP load (P = 0.019), diastolic load Awake-Time (P = 0.045), mean systolic Sleep-Time (P = 0.022), Non-Dipper state (P = 0.009) were statistically different among groups. By dividing the children into two groups of good and poor sleeper, the parameters of BP were not different. In addition, there was no correlation between BP classifications and sleep latency, duration of sleep, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, day dysfunction due to sleepiness, and overall sleep quality score. Conclusions: Our study could not show any correlation between sleep quality and ambulatory BP monitoring parameters in children with abnormal BP. © 2015, Iranian Society of Pediatrics

Cytogenetical Studies in Range Grasses of Iran

Cytogenetical and breeding studies of range grasses are in hand. Present article describes preliminary cytogenetical analysis of wheatgrass (Agropyron) and bromegrass (Bromus) taxa (Agropyron trichophorum n = 21, A. pectinoforome n = 21), two different populations of A. repens (n = 28) and Bromus stenostachyus (n = 14). The species varied with regard to chiasma number and distribution. The highest value occurred in A. repens (Mako population). Heterogenity test for the paired samples showed lack of heterogenity for chiasmata indicating homogenity of Agropyron taxa. However a test for ring and rod bivalents showed significant differences between the two populations of A. repens indicating genomic differences. Multivalents occurred regularly except in A. pectiniforome showing diplontic behaviour. B-chromosomes occurred in Bromus stenostachyus which moved to the poles, but were seen as laggard too. UPGMA cluster analysis separated two populations of A. repens, indicating their genomic differences. Other meiotic variations noticed were: occurrence of a synezetic knot and cytomixis causing aneuploidy in B.stenostachyus; clumping and laggards occurred frequently, indicating heterozygosity of the taxa due to cross pollination

Acute transverse myelitis in children, literature review

Objective Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is a rare inflammatory demyelinating disorder characterized by relatively acute onset of motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction. Children comprise 20 of total cases of ATM. In this review, we described the current literature on childhood ATM, focusing on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, approach to diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome in the pediatric population. Materials &Methods We searched the related articles in electronic databases such as Scopus, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PubMed. All study designs were included and the essential key words for searching were myelitis, acute transverse myelitis, childhood transverse myelitis, and acquired demyelinating syndromes. Results The related data focusing on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnostic approach and differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome of pediatric ATM were gathered and described. Conclusion ATM is a heterogeneous disorder in children with a broad spectrum of clinical presentation, etiology, and outcome. It may be the first presentation of relapsing acquired demyelinating syndromes and also must be distinguished from compressive and noninflamatory myelopathies. Correct diagnosis is crucial for treatment and prognosis. © 2018, Iranian Child Neurology Society. All rights reserved

Acute transverse myelitis in children, literature review

Objective Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is a rare inflammatory demyelinating disorder characterized by relatively acute onset of motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction. Children comprise 20 of total cases of ATM. In this review, we described the current literature on childhood ATM, focusing on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, approach to diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome in the pediatric population. Materials &Methods We searched the related articles in electronic databases such as Scopus, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PubMed. All study designs were included and the essential key words for searching were myelitis, acute transverse myelitis, childhood transverse myelitis, and acquired demyelinating syndromes. Results The related data focusing on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnostic approach and differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome of pediatric ATM were gathered and described. Conclusion ATM is a heterogeneous disorder in children with a broad spectrum of clinical presentation, etiology, and outcome. It may be the first presentation of relapsing acquired demyelinating syndromes and also must be distinguished from compressive and noninflamatory myelopathies. Correct diagnosis is crucial for treatment and prognosis. © 2018, Iranian Child Neurology Society. All rights reserved

Acute transverse myelitis in children, literature review

Objective Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is a rare inflammatory demyelinating disorder characterized by relatively acute onset of motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction. Children comprise 20 of total cases of ATM. In this review, we described the current literature on childhood ATM, focusing on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, approach to diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome in the pediatric population. Materials &Methods We searched the related articles in electronic databases such as Scopus, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PubMed. All study designs were included and the essential key words for searching were myelitis, acute transverse myelitis, childhood transverse myelitis, and acquired demyelinating syndromes. Results The related data focusing on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnostic approach and differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome of pediatric ATM were gathered and described. Conclusion ATM is a heterogeneous disorder in children with a broad spectrum of clinical presentation, etiology, and outcome. It may be the first presentation of relapsing acquired demyelinating syndromes and also must be distinguished from compressive and noninflamatory myelopathies. Correct diagnosis is crucial for treatment and prognosis. © 2018, Iranian Child Neurology Society. All rights reserved

Associations among milk production traits and glycosylated haemoglobin in dairy cattle: importance of lactose synthesis potential

Abstract Glucose is the major precursor of lactose synthesis in the mammary gland. Lactose the major carbohydrate and osmolyte of milk, controls milk volume and its concentration. Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbG) is a retrospective measure of mean blood glucose level and it is largely unaffected by recent physiological conditions and environmental events. The purposes of this study were to determine the correlations between lactose traits and other milk production traits in dairy cattle and to investigate whether HbG level can be correlated with milk and lactose production traits. Here, HbG percentage, milk and lactose production traits including milk yield, lactose, protein, SNF, total solid and fat percentages and yields were measured in 485 second calved Iranian Holstein cattle. Statistically significant negative correlations were established between HbG and milk yield (r=−0.88), lactose yield (r=−0.83), SNF yield (r=−0.81), protein yield (r=−0.79) and total solid yield (r=−0.74). Positive correlations were established between lactose yield and milk (r=0.96), protein (r=0.81), SNF (r=0.92) and total solid (r=0.79) yields. The negative correlation between HbG and milk and total lactose production is probably related to the higher glucose demands in the lactating mammary gland of more productive cows. The positive correlation between lactose yield and milk, protein, SNF and total solid yield indicates that the level of lactose synthesis influences milk production traits in ways other than merely via its osmolytic action

A rare case of Sjogren-Larsson syndrome with recurrent pneumonia and asthma

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is a rare autosomal recessive neurocutaneous disorder with worldwide incidence of 0.4 per 100,000 people. It is characterized by the triad of congenital ichthyosis, spastic diplegia or quadriplegia, and mental retardation. Herein we report a 2-year-old male child with SLS, asthma, and recurrent pneumonia. SLS was confirmed by a molecular genetics study that revealed a deletion mutation in the ALDH3A2 gene. An ALDH3A2 gene mutation results in dysfunction of the microsomal enzyme fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase and impaired metabolism and accumulation of leukotriene B4, which is a key molecule and a pro-inflammatory mediator in developing allergic diseases, especially asthma. An increased level of leukotriene B4 has been reported in SLS patients. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of SLS associated with asthma and recurrent pneumonia. In conclusion, pediatricians should be aware of and evaluate patients with SLS for possible associated asthma and allergic disorders. © 2016 by The Korean Pediatric Society

The association between failure to thrive or anemia and febrile seizures in children between 6 months to 6 years old age

Objectives: Febrile seizure is the most common seizure disorder in childhood. Anemia or failure to thrive can predispose children to febrile seizure by affecting the nervous system function. The current study investigated the association between febrile seizures and anemia or failure to thrive. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was performed on 307 children 6 months to 6 yr old age hospitalized at the Ali Asghar Children`s Hospital, Tehran, Iran from 2011 to 2014 divided into two groups as follows: A case group including 158 children with febrile seizures and a control group including 149 febrile children without seizure. The amount of Hgb, Hct, RBC count, MCV, MCH, and MCHC was recorded and weight-for-age and weight-for-height was calculated based on the WHO Z-Score charts. The data were compared between two groups. Results: There were no differences regarding age and sex between the groups. Statistically significant differences were found regarding the mean RBC count between the case group (4.38�106 ± 0.72�106) and the control group (4.24�106 ± 0.84�106) (P=0.013), as well as about the mean MCV that was 78.73 ± 0.97 and 76.78 ± 1.00 in the case and control groups, respectively (P=0.005). Anemia was seen in 28.5 of the cases and 42.3 of control group which was statistically significant (P=0.012). There was not statistically significant difference regarding failure to thrive between two groups. Conclusion: In children with febrile seizures, anemia was lower comparing with febrile children without seizure. Moreover, there was not any association between failure to thrive and febrile seizures. © 2018, Iranian Child Neurology Society. All rights reserved