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ABSTRACT Background: Children who experience alkaline injury are at risk for the development of esophageal strictures and the need for esophageal dilations. Objective: We aimed to assess predictors for a higher number of esophageal dilatations in children following alkali ingestion. Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study including children who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) after alkali ingestion. Possible predictive factors for the need for esophageal dilatations were evaluated. Results: A total of 34 patients were included, and 19 were female (55.9%). The median age at the time of the accidents was 20.6 months (IQR 15-30.7). All alkali ingestions were accidental, in all cases involving liquid products, and most (24/34; 70%) occurred at the child’s home. Homemade liquid soap was the agent in half of the cases. The most frequently reported symptom at presentation was vomiting (22/34, 64.7%). The median follow-up time was 3.2 years (IQR 1.1-7.4). On follow-up, the median number of esophageal dilatations required for these patients was 12.5 (IQR 0-34). Among demographic factors, male gender (P=0.04), ingestion of homemade products (P

Objective: To evaluate the demographics, genotype, and clinical presentation of pediatric patients presenting with distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS), and factors associated with DIOS recurrence. Methods: Case series of ten patients (median age 13.2 years), followed‐up in a reference center, retrospectively assessed. Data analyzed included age, gender, cystic fibrosis genotype, meconium ileus at birth, hydration status, pulmonary exacerbation, Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization, pancreatic insufficiency (PI), body mass index (BMI) at the episodes, clinical manifestations of DIOS, imaging studies performed, acute management of DIOS, maintenance therapy, and recurrence on follow‐up. Results: All patients had two positive sweat chloride tests, and nine of ten also had genotype study. The most common genotype identified was homozygosis for the delta F508 mutation. In seven cases, a previous history of meconium ileus was reported. All patients had pancreatic insufficiency. Diagnosis of DIOS was based on clinical and imaging findings. Of the total number of episodes, 85% were successfully managed with oral osmotic laxatives and/or rectal therapy (glycerin enema or saline irrigation). Recurrence was observed in five of ten patients. Conclusion: In this first report of pediatric DIOS in South America, the presence of two risk factors for DIOS occurrence was universal: pancreatic insufficiency and severe genotype. Medical history of meconium ileus at birth was present in most patients, as well as in the subgroup with DIOS recurrence. The diagnosis relied mainly on the clinical presentation and on abdominal imaging. The practices in the management of episodes varied, likely reflecting changes in the management of this syndrome throughout time. Resumo: Objetivo: Avaliar os dados demográficos, o genótipo e o quadro clínico de pacientes pediátricos que apresentam síndrome da obstrução intestinal distal (DIOS) e os fatores associados à recidiva da DIOS. Métodos: Casuística de 10 pacientes (média de 13,2 anos) monitorados em um centro de referência e avaliados de forma retroativa. Os dados analisados incluíram idade, sexo, genótipo da fibrose cística, íleo meconial no nascimento, estado de hidratação, exacerbação pulmonar, colonização por Pseudomonas aeruginosa, insuficiência pancreática (IP), IMC nos episódios, manifestações clínicas da DIOS, estudos de diagnóstico por imagem realizados, manejo agudo da DIOS, terapia de manutenção e recidiva no acompanhamento. Resultados: Todos os pacientes apresentaram dois exames de cloreto no suor positivos e 09/10 também apresentaram estudo do genótipo. O genótipo mais comum identificado foi a homozigose da mutação delta F508. Em sete casos foi mencionado um histórico de íleo meconial. Todos os pacientes apresentaram insuficiência pancreática. O diagnóstico da DIOS teve como base achados clínicos e de imagem; 85% do número total de episódios foram tratados com sucesso com laxantes osmóticos orais e/ou terapia retal (enema de glicerina ou irrigação salina). A recidiva foi observada em 5 de 10 pacientes. Conclusão: Neste primeiro relatório da DIOS pediátrica na América do Sul, a presença de dois fatores de risco na ocorrência da DIOS foi universal: insuficiência pancreática e genótipo associado a doença grave. O histórico de íleo meconial no nascimento esteve presente na maioria dos pacientes, bem como no subgrupo com recidiva da DIOS. O diagnóstico dependeu principalmente do quadro clínico e do diagnóstico por imagem abdominal. As práticas de manejo de episódios variaram, provavelmente refletiram as mudanças no tratamento dessa síndrome ao longo do tempo.

Objective: To evaluate the demographics, genotype, and clinical presentation of pediatric patients presenting with distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS), and factors associated with DIOS recurrence. Methods: Case series of ten patients (median age 13.2 years), followed-up in a reference center, retrospectively assessed. Data analyzed included age, gender, cystic fibrosis genotype, meconium ileus at birth, hydration status, pulmonary exacerbation, Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization, pancreatic insufficiency (PI), body mass index (BMI) at the episodes, clinical manifestations of DIOS, imaging studies performed, acute management of DIOS, maintenance therapy, and recurrence on follow-up. Results: All patients had two positive sweat chloride tests, and nine of ten also had genotype study. The most common genotype identified was homozygosis for the delta F508 mutation. In seven cases, a previous history of meconium ileus was reported. All patients had pancreatic insufficiency. Diagnosis of DIOS was based on clinical and imaging findings. Of the total number of episodes, 85% were successfully managed with oral osmotic laxatives and/or rectal therapy (glycerin enema or saline irrigation). Recurrence was observed in five of ten patients. Conclusion: In this first report of pediatric DIOS in South America, the presence of two risk factors for DIOS occurrence was universal: pancreatic insufficiency and severe genotype. Medical history of meconium ileus at birth was present in most patients, as well as in the subgroup with DIOS recurrence. The diagnosis relied mainly on the clinical presentation and on abdominal imaging. The practices in the management of episodes varied, likely reflecting changes in the management of this syndrome throughout time. Resumo: Objetivo: Avaliar os dados demográficos, o genótipo e o quadro clínico de pacientes pediátricos que apresentam síndrome da obstrução intestinal distal (DIOS) e os fatores associados à recidiva da DIOS. Métodos: Casuística de 10 pacientes (média de 13,2 anos) monitorados em um centro de referência e avaliados de forma retroativa. Os dados analisados incluíram idade, sexo, genótipo da fibrose cística, íleo meconial no nascimento, estado de hidratação, exacerbação pulmonar, colonização por Pseudomonas aeruginosa, insuficiência pancreática (IP), IMC nos episódios, manifestações clínicas da DIOS, estudos de diagnóstico por imagem realizados, manejo agudo da DIOS, terapia de manutenção e recidiva no acompanhamento. Resultados: Todos os pacientes apresentaram dois exames de cloreto no suor positivos e 09/10 também apresentaram estudo do genótipo. O genótipo mais comum identificado foi a homozigose da mutação delta F508. Em sete casos foi mencionado um histórico de íleo meconial. Todos os pacientes apresentaram insuficiência pancreática. O diagnóstico da DIOS teve como base achados clínicos e de imagem; 85% do número total de episódios foram tratados com sucesso com laxantes osmóticos orais e/ou terapia retal (enema de glicerina ou irrigação salina). A recidiva foi observada em 5 de 10 pacientes. Conclusão: Neste primeiro relatório da DIOS pediátrica na América do Sul, a presença de dois fatores de risco na ocorrência da DIOS foi universal: insuficiência pancreática e genótipo associado a doença grave. O histórico de íleo meconial no nascimento esteve presente na maioria dos pacientes, bem como no subgrupo com recidiva da DIOS. O diagnóstico dependeu principalmente do quadro clínico e do diagnóstico por imagem abdominal. As práticas de manejo de episódios variaram, provavelmente refletiram as mudanças no tratamento dessa síndrome ao longo do tempo.

Calamitic liquid crystalline dimer containing azobenzene moiety and a decyloxy biphenyl linked by flexible spacers {4-[7-(4′-decyloxy-biphenyl-4-yloxy)-alkyloxy]-phenyl}-(4-decyl-phenyl)-diazene has been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods. The transition temperatures and phase behaviours were studied by Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and Polarizing Optical Microscope (POM). The synthesized compounds exhibited enantiotropic liquid crystal phase with higher spacer display nematic and smectic C phases while lower spacer shows nematic and smectic A phases.

Aim. We aimed to determine if sitagliptin added to standard postoperative standardized sliding-scale insulin regimens improved blood glucose. Methods. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted in diabetic cardiac surgery patients. Patients received sitagliptin or placebo after surgery for 4 days. The primary endpoint was to estimate the effect of adjunctive sitagliptin versus placebo on overall mean blood glucose in the 4-day period after surgery. Results. Sixty-two patients participated. Repeated measures tests indicated no significant difference between the groups in the overall mean blood glucose level with a mean of 147.2±4.8 mg/dL and 153.0±4.6 mg/dL for the test and the control group, respectively (P=0.388). Conclusions. Sitagliptin added to normal postoperative glucose management practices did not improve overall mean blood glucose control in diabetic patients in the postoperative setting.

African Americans are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes (T2DM) yet few studies have examined T2DM using genome-wide association approaches in this ethnicity. The aim of this study was to identify genes associated with T2DM in the African American population. We performed a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) using the Affymetrix 6.0 array in 965 African-American cases with T2DM and end-stage renal disease (T2DM-ESRD) and 1029 population-based controls. The most significant SNPs (n = 550 independent loci) were genotyped in a replication cohort and 122 SNPs (n = 98 independent loci) were further tested through genotyping three additional validation cohorts followed by meta-analysis in all five cohorts totaling 3,132 cases and 3,317 controls. Twelve SNPs had evidence of association in the GWAS (P