Pre- and Postnatal Fine Particulate Matter Exposure and Renal Fibrogenesis in Adult Male Rats: The Role of Vitamin D Supplementation.

Prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) has been implicated in accelerated aging, including organ fibrosis. This study aimed to investigate whether prenatal and postnatal PM exposure promotes renal fibrogenesis in adulthood and whether long-term vitamin D supplementation alleviates associated renal injury. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups: control (normal saline, NS), PM exposure, and PM exposure with vitamin D supplementation during gestation and lactation ( = 3/group).

Long-Term Alterations of Renal Microvasculature in Rats Following Maternal PM Exposure: Vitamin D Effects.

: This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of maternal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) with or without vitamin D supplementation on the renal microvasculature in adult rat offspring. : Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to normal saline, PM, and PM with vitamin D for one month during nephrogenesis. Male offspring kidneys were taken for analyses on postnatal day 56.

Combined nutcracker syndrome and glomerulonephritis in pediatric patients: a single-center retrospective case series.

Background: Nutcracker syndrome (NCS) has been reported to coexist with various glomerulonephritis (GN). This study investigated clinical features of NCS combined with GN in a pediatric case series and the possible relationship between these two conditions.

Methods: Clinical and pathologic findings of 15 children with NCS and biopsy-proven GN were analyzed.

Urine specific gravity, pyuria, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin for identifying urinary tract infection in young children.

Background: To determine whether urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) might be superior to pyuria for detecting urinary tract infection (UTI) regardless of urine specific gravity (SG) in young children.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of children aged < 3 years who were evaluated for UTI with urinalysis, urine culture, and uNGAL measurements during a 5-year period. Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios (LRs), predictive values (PVs), area under the curves (AUCs) of uNGAL cut-off levels, and various microscopic pyuria thresholds for detecting UTI were calculated for dilute (SG < 1.

Exposure to airborne particulate matter induces renal tubular cell injury : the role of vitamin D signaling and renin-angiotensin system.

Background: Exposure to air pollution can interfere with the vitamin D endocrine system. This study investigated the effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) on renal tubular cell injury and explored the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: HK-2 human renal proximal tubule cells were treated with PM with or without 1,25(OH)D analog, 19-Nor-1,25(OH)D (paricalcitol, 10 nM) for 48 h.

The Delivery of the Recombinant Protein Cocktail Identified by Stem Cell-Derived Secretome Analysis Accelerates Kidney Repair After Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Recent advances in cell therapy have shown the potential to treat kidney diseases. As the treatment effects of the cell therapies are mainly attributed to secretomes released from the transplanted cells, the delivery of secretomes or conditioned medium (CM) has emerged as a promising treatment option for kidney disease. We previously demonstrated that the controlled delivery of human placental stem cells (hPSC)-derived CM using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) ameliorated renal damages and restored kidney function in an acute kidney injury (AKI) model in rats.

Obesity and chronic kidney disease: prevalence, mechanism, and management.

The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide at an alarming rate. While obesity is known to increase a variety of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, it also acts as a risk factor for the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). During childhood and adolescence, severe obesity is associated with an increased prevalence and incidence of the early stages of kidney disease.

Impact of early-life weight status on urinary tract infections in children: a nationwide population-based study in Korea.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the association between early-life weight status and urinary tract infection (UTI) risk in children.

Methods: A nationwide study was conducted using Korean National Health Screening (NHS) data and National Health Insurance Service data. A sample cohort was selected using data from the 2014 and 2015 NHS for infants and children (4-71 months) and followed up until the end of 2017.

Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin: a marker of urinary tract infection among febrile children.

Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has emerged as a valuable biomarker of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of urinary NGAL (uNGAL) with those of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count for predicting UTI and acute pyelonephritis (APN) in febrile children.

Methods: The medical charts of children undergoing uNGAL measurements between November 2017 and August 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.

Angiotensin inhibition and cellular senescence in the developing rat kidney.

Cellular senescence is important for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis during normal development. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of renin angiotensin system (RAS) blockade on renal cell senescence in the developing rat kidney. Newborn rat pups were treated with enalapril (30 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for seven days after birth.

Associations of Plasma Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin, Anemia, and Renal Scarring in Children with Febrile Urinary Tract Infections.

Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a bacteriostatic agent, is known to inhibit erythropoiesis leading to anemia. We aimed to investigate the associations of NGAL, anemia, and renal scarring in children with febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 261 children with febrile UTIs.

Controlled Delivery of Stem Cell-Derived Trophic Factors Accelerates Kidney Repair After Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats.

Renal disease is a worldwide health issue. Besides transplantation, current therapies revolve around dialysis, which only delays disease progression but cannot replace other renal functions, such as synthesizing erythropoietin. To address these limitations, cell-based approaches have been proposed to restore damaged kidneys as an alternative to current therapies.

Angiotensin inhibition in the developing kidney; tubulointerstitial effect.

Background: Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade during nephrogenesis causes a broad range of renal mal-development. Here, we hypothesized that disruption of renal lymphangiogenesis may contribute to tubulointerstitial alterations after RAS blockade during kidney maturation.

Methods: Newborn rat pups were treated with enalapril (30 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 7 days after birth.

Capillary rarefaction and altered renal development: the imbalance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors in response to angiotensin II inhibition in the developing rat kidney.

Proper and timely assembly of the kidney vasculature with their respective nephrons is crucial during normal kidney development. In this study, we investigated the effects of enalapril (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor) on angiogenesis-related gene expression and microvascular endothelium related to glomeular and tubular changes in the neonatal rat kidney. Enalapril-treated rats had higher tubular injury scores and lower glomerular maturity grades than those of untreated rats.

Genetic Contributions to Childhood Obesity: Association of Candidate Gene Polymorphisms and Overweight/Obesity in Korean Preschool Children.

This study was aimed to investigate the association of candidate gene polymorphisms and obesity or overweight in young Korean children. A total of 190 Korean preschool children (96 control, 48 overweight, and 46 obese children) were genotyped for the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) insertion (I)/deletion (D), angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2) C3123A, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 T869C, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) T460C, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α G308A polymorphisms. No differences were found among the groups with respect to age, sex, birth weight, blood pressure levels, and serum concentrations of glucose and total cholesterol.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis in an 18-year-old male with prolonged nephrotic syndrome.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare disease characterized by prominent eosinophilic tissue infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we report a case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis in an 18-year-old patient with prolonged nephrotic syndrome who presented with abdominal pain and peripheral hypereosinophilia. During the previous 2 years, he had visited local Emergency Department several times because of epigastric pain and nausea.

Early Treatment With Enalapril and Later Renal Injury in Programmed Obese Adult Rats.

Obesity-related kidney disease should be prevented or retarded. We aimed to investigate whether early treatment with enalapril ameliorates later renal injury induced by early postnatal overnutrition. Three or ten male pups per mother were assigned to either the Obese or Lean group during the first 21 days of life.

Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin: a marker of acute pyelonephritis in children.

Objectives: This study was designed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) with procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cells (WBCs) for predicting acute pyelonephritis (APN) in children with febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Materials And Methods: In total, 138 children with febrile UTIs (APN 59, lower UTI 79) were reviewed retrospectively. Levels of NGAL, PCT, CRP, and WBCs in blood were measured on admission.

Impaired angiogenesis in the enalapril-treated neonatal rat kidney.

Purpose: Nephrogenesis is normally accompanied by a tightly regulated and efficient vascularization. We investigated the effect of angiotensin II inhibition on angiogenesis in the developing rat kidney.

Methods: Newborn rat pups were treated with enalapril (30 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (control) for 7 days after birth.

Evaluation of new American Academy of Pediatrics guideline for febrile urinary tract infection.

Purpose: To evaluate the practical applications of the diagnosis algorithms recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics urinary tract infection (UTI) guideline.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of febrile UTI patients aged between 2 and 24 months. The patients were divided into 3 groups: group I (patients with positive urine culture and urinalysis findings), group II (those with positive urine culture but negative urinalysis findings), and group III (those with negative urine culture but positive urinalysis findings).

Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin predicts acute pyelonephritis in children with urinary tract infections.

Background: The identification of acute pyelonephritis (APN) is still a challenge.

Methods: Patients admitted for their first urinary tract infection (UTI) were enrolled. Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels were measured at admittance and after treatment.