Bovine respiratory syncytial virus strains currently circulating in the Czech Republic are most closely related to Danish strains from 1995

In this study we showed a high degree of genetic homogeneity among recently (2002-2003) circulating Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) strains in cattle population in the Czech Republic. These strains are in a phylogenetic tree more closely related to the Danish strains from 1995 than to the Czech strain VS97 from 1997 that shares the highest similarity with the French strain F1 and the Belgian strain P10. From the sequence analysis we deduce that the revealed high diversity between BRSV strains from 2002-2003 and those from 1997, at both nucleotide (0-11.4%) and amino acid (0-21%) level, is more likely due to distinct sources of the virus strains than to the sequence evolution.     

Lack of association between the TNF alpha G -308 A promoter polymorphism and periodontal disease

BACKGROUND: Immunorelevant gene polymorphisms might influence the susceptibility for periodontal disease. The present study assessed the frequency of a promoter polymorphism (-308G-to-A) of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha gene in patients with periodontitis and controls. METHODS: Eighty-one patients with generalized chronic periodontitis and 80 healthy controls were genotyped for the -308 polymorphism of the TNF alpha gene by PCR amplification and subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The diagnosis of chronic periodontitis was made for each subject on basis of standardized clinical and radiographic criteria. RESULTS: In patients with peridontitis and controls, the frequency of the TNF alpha-308 A allele was comparable (19.1% [31/162] versus 13.8% [22/160]; p=0.193). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed no association between the -308 TNF alpha gene polymorphism and periodontal disease.     

The peak oxygen uptake of healthy Turkish children with reference to age and sex: a pilot study

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) has an important place in the assessment of cardiopulmonary fitness. Currently there is insufficient normative data for Turkish children. With this preliminary study, we aimed to set up a normative data for our lab which may also serve as a basis for future large population based studies in Turkey. We assessed the peak oxygen consumption of 80 healthy Turkish children aged 5-13 years and examined the cardiopulmonary responses to exercise test in relation to their age, sex and body size. Dynamic lung functions were positively and significantly correlated with age. A similar correlation was observed for the peak VO2. A significant positive correlation between peak VO2 and body size was demonstrated only in boys for height. There were no differences in all of the test parameters with reference to sex except in the age group of 13 years. Boys who were 13 years old had higher mean values of maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold, peak VO2, and exercise test duration than those of girls of the same age (p < 0.05). VO2 plateau was detected only in 25%, and when two groups with and without VO2 plateau were compared, there were no differences regarding the age, sex, weight, height and exercise test results. Assessment of VO2 by graded exercise stress testing by treadmill is accepted as a safe and effective method of evaluating the physical fitness of children. Current study presents normal data for a limited subpopulation of healthy Turkish children.     

Serum selenium levels in acute gastroenteritis of possible viral origin

Selenium, as an essential micronutrient, is required for the proper functioning of the immune system and its deficiency affects the occurrence, virulence, or disease progression of some viral infections. We conducted a study to determine the serum selenium levels of children with acute gastroenteritis of possible viral origin and the effect of the serum selenium levels on the severity and the morbidity of the disease. The study was performed prospectively on 109 children aged 2-24 months with diarrhea of less than 8 days' duration admitted to the Diarrheal Disease Training and Treatment Unit. Blood samples were taken for selenium measurement on admission and 7-10 days after the end of the disease. Forty-three healthy children formed the control group. The mean serum selenium level on admission (62.41 +/- 13.06 microg/dl) was significantly lower than the mean of the second samples 7-10 days after the end of the diarrhea (81.73 +/- 17.10 microg/dl). The mean of the control group was 74.36 +/- 10.75 microg/dl, which was lower than the mean of the second samples but higher than the first sample. The frequency of vomiting and purging on admission and at the control visit, duration of diarrhea on admission, total duration of diarrhea, dehydration, breastfeeding, sex of the patients, and severity score of the disease did not alter the serum selenium levels. No correlation was detected between serum selenium levels and the parameters above. Further studies about the changes in selenium status during infectious diseases and the effect of selenium status on related mortality and morbidity are required to determine if there is need for supplementation.     

Effect of glutamine supplementation on diarrhea, interleukin-8 and secretory immunoglobulin A in children with acute diarrhea

OBJECTIVE: Glutamine is an important fuel for rapidly dividing cells such as enterocytes and lymphocytes. Exogenous glutamine supplementation in catabolic states preserves intestinal mucosal structure and function, decreases bacterial translocation, and supports normal immunologic responses. This study was planned to assess the effect of glutamine supplementation on duration and severity of diarrhea and to assess its immunomodulatory effect by measuring serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) and salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in children with acute diarrhea. METHODS: In this placebo-controlled, double-blind and randomized trial, 6- to 24-month-old otherwise healthy children admitted to the Diarrheal Diseases Training and Treatment Center with acute diarrhea received either 0.3 g/kg/day of glutamine (n = 63) or placebo (n = 65) for 7 days. Serum IL-8 and sIgA levels were determined on admission and 7 days later. All cases were followed until the diarrheal episode ended. Anthropometric measurements and history of subsequent infectious diseases were monitored monthly for 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: Mean duration of diarrhea in the glutamine treated group was significantly shorter than that of the placebo group (3.40 +/- 1.96 days, 4.57 +/- 2.48 days, respectively; P = 0.004). No differences in serum IL-8 and sIgA were found between groups on admission or 1 week later. During 3 month follow-up, mean weight gain and incidence of infectious diseases were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Duration of diarrhea was shorter in children supplemented with glutamine. The beneficial impact of glutamine supplementation seems to be through effects on gastrointestinal mucosa rather than the host immune response.     

Efficacy of daily and weekly iron supplementation on iron status in exclusively breast-fed infants

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) remains the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in infants worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of daily and weekly iron supplementation for 3 months to improve the iron status in 4-month-old, exclusively breast-fed healthy infants. Infants 4 months of age were eligible for the open, randomized controlled trial if their mothers intended to continue exclusive breast-feeding until the infants were 6 months of age. Infants or mothers with iron deficiency (ID) or IDA on admission were excluded. The infants (n = 79) were randomly assigned to three groups, the first group receiving daily (1 mg/kg daily), the second group weekly (7 mg/kg weekly), and the third group no iron supplementation. Anthropometric measurements were taken on admission and at 6 and 7 months of age. Iron status was analyzed on admission and monthly for 3 months. Both hematologic parameters and anthropometric measurements were found to be similar among the three groups during the study period. Seven infants (31.8%) in the control group, six (26.0%) in the daily group, and three (13.6%) in the weekly group developed ID or IDA (P > 0.05). Infants whose mothers had ID or IDA during the study period were more likely to develop ID or IDA independently from iron supplementation. Serum ferritin levels decreased between 4 and 6 months of age in the control and daily groups; the weekly group showed no such decrease. In all groups, the mean levels of serum ferritin were significantly increased from 6 months to 7 months of age during the weaning period. In this study, which had a limited number of cases, weekly or daily iron supplementation was not found to decrease the likelihood of IDA. In conclusion, exclusively breast-fed infants with maternal IDA appeared to be at increased risk of developing IDA.     

Acrocallosal syndrome: report of five Turkish patients

Acrocallosal syndrome is characterized by agenesis of the corpus callosum, craniofacial anomalies, psychomotor retardation, and polydactyly. The clinical spectrum of this syndrome is broader than previous reports suggest. Five Turkish patients including dizygotic twins are reported.