A survey on clinical presentation and nutritional status of infants with suspected cow' milk allergy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cow's milk is the most common food allergen in infants and the diagnosis of cow's milk allergy is difficult, even with the use of several diagnostic tests. Therefore, elimination diets and challenge tests are essential for the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. The aim of this study is to report the clinical presentation and nutritional status of children evaluated by pediatric gastroenterologists for the assessment of symptoms suggestive of cow's milk allergy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An observational cross-sectional study was performed among 9,478 patients evaluated by 30 pediatric gastroenterologists for 40 days in 5 different geographical regions in Brazil. Clinical data were collected from patients with symptoms suggestive of cow's milk allergy. The nutritional status of infants (age ≤ 24 months) seen for the first time was evaluated according to z-scores for weight-for-age, weight-for-height, and height-for-age. Epi-Info (CDC-NCHS, 2000) software was used to calculate z-scores.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of suspected cow's milk allergy in the study population was 5.4% (513/9,478), and the incidence was 2.2% (211/9,478). Among 159 infants seen at first evaluation, 15.1% presented with a low weight-for-age z score (< -2.0 standard deviation - SD), 8.7% with a low weight-for-height z score (< -2.0 SD), and 23.9% with a low height-for-age z score (< -2.0 SD).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The high prevalence of nutritional deficits among infants with symptoms suggestive of cow's milk allergy indicates that effective elimination diets should be prescribed to control allergy symptoms and to prevent or treat malnutrition.</p

Induction of Intrahepatic HCV NS4B, NS5A and NS5B-Specific Cellular Immune Responses following Peripheral Immunization

<div><p>Numerous studies have suggested that an effective Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) vaccine must induce strong cytotoxic and IFN-γ+ T cell responses targeting the non-structural region of the virus. Most importantly, these responses must be able to migrate into and remain functional within the liver, an organ known to cause T cell tolerance. Using three novel HCV DNA vaccines encoding non-structural proteins NS4B, NS5A and NS5B, we assessed the ability of peripheral immunization to induce functional intrahepatic immunity both in the presence and absence of cognate HCV antigen expression within the liver. We have shown that these constructs induced potent HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses in the spleen of C57BL/6 mice and that these responses were detected within the liver following peripheral immunization. Additionally, using a transfection method to express HCV antigen within the liver, we showed that intrahepatic HCV-specific T cells remained highly functional within the liver and retained the ability to become highly activated as evidenced by upregulation of IFN-γ and clearance of HCV protein expressing hepatocytes. Taken together, these findings suggest that peripheral immunization can induce potent HCV-specific T cell responses able to traffic to and function within the tolerant environment of the liver.</p> </div

E-coli virulence factors in children with neurogenic bladder associated with bacteriuria

The value of E. coli virulence factors in patients with neurogenic bladder has not been established. The aim of this study is to correlate E. coli virulence factors with asymptomatic and symptomatic UTI in children with neurogenic bladder. Fifty E. coli strains, which were collected in sequence, underwent analysis in relation to: the association to pyuria, serotype (O:H), the presence of genes and expression of fimbriae P, type 1, S and hemagglutinin Dr, the presence of the gene and production of hemolysins and cytotoxins (CNF1). We also analyzed the cell adherence capability and pattern and presence of usp (uropathogenic-specific protein). Pyuria was present in most of the positive urine cultures, with 86% AB and 97% UTI. Low rates of uropathogenic strains were observed in the two groups, with 18% AB and 21% UTI. Type 1 fimbria predominated in 44% of the E. coli strains. Of the bacteria studied, 30% (15 strains) exhibited papG genotypes (11 class II and 4 class III). Of these, 12/15 patients presented AB. Production of hemolysins was detected in 38% of the strains (16 AB and 3 UTI) and usp in only 18% of the strains, with 8 AB and 1 UTI. Adherence tests demonstrated the adhesive capacity in all samples analyzed. Neither group (AB or symptomatic UTI) presented a statistically significant difference in relation to the virulence factors studied. E. coli clones that caused symptomatic UTI in children with neurogenic bladder expressed few virulence factors, with no statistically significant difference in comparison to the AB group.21337638

E. Coli Virulence Factors In Children With Neurogenic Bladder Associated With Bacteriuria

The value of E. coli virulence factors in patients with neurogenic bladder has not been established. The aim of this study is to correlate E. coli virulence factors with asymptomatic and symptomatic UTI in children with neurogenic bladder. Fifty E. coli strains, which were collected in sequence, underwent analysis in relation to: The association to pyuria, serotype (O:H), the presence of genes and expression of fimbriae P, type 1, S and hemagglutinin Dr, the presence of the gene and production of hemolysins and cytotoxins (CNF1). We also analyzed the cell adherence capability and pattern and presence of usp (uropathogenic-specific protein). Pyuria was present in most of the positive urine cultures, with 86% AB and 97% UTI. Low rates of uropathogenic strains were observed in the two groups, with 18% AB and 21% UTI. Type 1 fimbria predominated in 44% of the E. coli strains. Of the bacteria studied, 30% (15 strains) exhibited papG genotypes (11 class II and 4 class III). Of these, 12/15 patients presented AB. Production of hemolysins was detected in 38% of the strains (16 AB and 3 UTI) and usp in only 18% of the strains, with 8 AB and 1 UTI. Adherence tests demonstrated the adhesive capacity in all samples analyzed. Neither group (AB or symptomatic UTI) presented a statistically significant difference in relation to the virulence factors studied. 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Scaling properties and ordering phenomena of star polymers in solution

Star polymers are prototype systems both for tethered chains as well as for branched polymers. In this study we present a thorough investigation of the single star form factors in dilute solutions spanning a range of functionalities from 8 to 128. Using the zero average contrast method the form factor determination was also extended into the semidilute regime. As a consequence of their very inhomogeneous monomer density distribution star polymers exhibit osmotic repulsion leading to ordering phenomena in the neighborhood of the overlap concentration. We present a detailed investigation of such ordering phenomena in star polymer solutions with varying functionality and molecular weight. In all cases we observe an interparticle structure factor which is most pronounced at the overlap concentration Φ*. The ordering tendency increases with increasing functionality. These results are compared with current theoretical predictions