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Objective: To measure plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and several cytokines (Interleukin [IL]-6 IL-8, IL-10) during the first week of life to examine the relationship between protein expression and likelihood of developing respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).Study Design: Levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and VEGF were measured from plasma obtained from preterm patients during the first week of life. Newborns were recruited from a single center between April 2009 and April 2019. Criteria for the study included being inborn, birth weight of less than 1500 grams, and a gestational age of less than 32 weeks at birth.Results: The development of RDS in preterm newborns was associated with lower levels of VEGF during the first week of life. Higher plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-8 plasma were associated with an increased likelihood and increased severity of BPD at 36 weeks postmenstrual age. In contrast, plasma levels of VEGF, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 obtained during the first week of life were not associated with respiratory symptoms and acute care use in young children with BPD in the outpatient setting.Conclusions: During the first week of life, lower plasma levels of VEGF was associated with the diagnosis of RDS in preterm infants. Preterm infants with higher levels of IL-6 and IL-8 during the first week of life were also more likely to be diagnosed with BPD. These biomarkers may help to predict respiratory morbidities in preterm newborns during their initial hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the performance of pulmonary hypertension (PH) biomarkers in children with Down syndrome, an independent risk factor for PH, in whom biomarker performance may differ compared with other populations.Study Design: Serum endostatin, interleukin (IL)-1 receptor 1 (ST2), galectin-3, N-terminal pro hormone B-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), IL-6, and hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) were measured in subjects with Down syndrome and PH (n = 29), subjects with Down syndrome and resolved PH (n = 13), subjects with Down syndrome without PH (n = 49), and subjects without Down syndrome with World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension group I pulmonary arterial hypertension (no Down syndrome PH group; n = 173). Each biomarker was assessed to discriminate PH in Down syndrome. A classification tree was created to distinguish PH from resolved PH and no PH in children with Down syndrome.Results: Endostatin, galectin-3, HDGF, and ST2 were elevated in subjects with Down syndrome regardless of PH status. Not all markers differed between subjects with Down syndrome and PH and subjects with Down syndrome and resolved PH. NT-proBNP and IL-6 levels were similar in the Down syndrome with PH group and the no Down syndrome PH group. A classification tree identified NT-proBNP and galectin-3 as the best markers for sequentially distinguishing PH, resolved PH, and no PH in subjects with Down syndrome.Conclusions: Proteomic markers are used to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of PH but, as demonstrated here, can be altered in genetically unique populations such as individuals with Down syndrome. This further suggests that clinical biomarkers should be evaluated in unique groups with the development of population-specific nomograms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standardized biodegradation testing methods, like the OECD 308 Aerobic and Anaerobic Transformation in Aquatic Sediment Systems, generate data on biodegradation required during environmental risk and hazard assessment of chemicals under different European and international regulations. However, difficulties arise when applying the OECD 308 guideline for testing hydrophobic volatile chemicals. Especially the use of a co-solvent (like acetone) as a measure to facilitate the application of the test chemical in combination with a closed setup to reduce losses due to volatilization tend to deplete/restrict the amount of oxygen in the test system. The result is a low oxygen or even anoxic water column in the water-sediment system. Thus, the degradation half-lives of the chemical generated from such tests are not directly comparable to the regulatory half-life values for Persistence assessment of the test chemical. The aim of this work was to further develop the closed setup to improve and maintain aerobic conditions in the water phase of the water-sediment systems for testing slightly volatile hydrophobic test chemicals. This improvement was attained by optimizing the test system geometry and agitation technique to maintain aerobic conditions in the water phase in a closed test setup, investigating appropriate co-solvent application strategy, and trialing the resulting test setup. This study shows that when using a closed test setup for OECD 308 tests, agitation of the water phase overlaying the sediment and the test item application using low co-solvent volume is critical for maintaining an aerobic water layer. [Display omitted] • Agitation of the water-sediment sample without/limited sediment resuspension. • Use of co-solvent for application should be limited while testing volatiles using closed setup. • Improved closed setup results in stable aerobic conditions and higher degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]