2006 PAS Annual Meeting

April 29–May 2 
San Francisco, California

Track/Area of Interest

At A Glance Page 
(PDF format)

(as of April 13, 2006) 

Basic Science/Translational

Saturday, April 29

8:00am–11:00am
2100—Adult Stem Cells—A Primer for the Clinician
PAS/ASPHO Mini Course
Room 3014, Moscone West
Chairs: Jakub Tolar, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; and Mervin C. Yoder, Jr., Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

Target Audience: Hematologists/oncologists, endocrinologists, basic scientists and neurologists.

Adult stem cells represent a technology that is being intensively investigated currently, and this research may have wide implications for human health. This mini course will focus on recent research and potential applications in human health.

• Introduction
  Jakub Tolar, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
  Mervin C. Yoder, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

• Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cell: Hype or Reality?
  Catherine M. Verfaillie, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

• Mesenchymal Stem Cell: Harnessing the Power of Adult Stem Cells To Repair Tissues
  Darwin Prockop, Tulane University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA

• Hierarchy of Endothelial Progenitors in Human Blood and Blood Vessels
  David A. Ingram, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

• Cancer Stem Cell: Concept of Human Leukemic Development
  Craig T. Jordan, James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY

Sponsored jointly by the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and the Pediatric Academic Societies

8:00am–11:00am
2125—New Considerations for the Growth Rate of the Preterm Infant: Too Fast or Not Fast Enough?—A Review of the Evidence
PAS Mini Course
Room 3002-3008, Moscone West
Chairs: Frank R. Greer, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; and William W. Hay, Jr., University of Colorado, Aurora, CO

Target Audience: Neonatologists, hospitalists who take care of preterm infants, nutritionists and general pediatricians.

Recent nutritional emphasis in the NICU has been to achieve the normal intrauterine growth rate with more aggressive nutritional support for the low birth weight infant. In general, this has been difficult to achieve, and new evidence from long-term follow up studies shows that preterm infants are at an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome including obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This implies that the organs in the early life of the preterm infant may be programmed adversely by nutritional therapy. This raises the questions of how fast these infants should grow (including catch up growth), the importance of the composition of this growth and the urgency for defining the necessary balance between growth of the brain and the rest of the body. Ultimately, providers may want to revise the long-term and short-term goals for feeding very low birth weight or extremely low birth weight infants. This mini course will present evidence to help answer these questions and provide discussion about related practice recommendations.

• Overview
  Frank R. Greer, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
  William W. Hay, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO

• Macronutrient Requirements for Growth of Preterm Infants—Upper and Lower Limits (Energy, Fat, CHO, Protein)
  Scott C. Denne, Indiana University School of Medicine, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital, Indianapolis, IN

• Aggressive Nutritional Support of the Preterm Infant Revisited—Evidence for Efficacy and Safety
  Patti J. Thureen, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO

• Adverse Outcomes of Rapid Somatic Growth and Alterations of Body Composition in the Low Birth Weight Infant
  Frank R. Greer, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

• Fatty Acids and Neuronal Development
  Susan E. Carlson, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

• Iron and Development of the Brain
  Michael K. Georgieff, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN

• Nutritional Influences on Structural and Functional Maturation of the Developing Brain During Extended Postnatal Period
  Steve H. Zeisel, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

8:00am–11:00am
2130—Newborn Hearing Screening: From the Bedside to Beyond
PAS/PIDS Mini Course
Room 3010, Moscone West
Chairs: Mark R. Schleiss and Lisa Ann Schimmenti, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN

Target Audience: General pediatricians, geneticists and infectious disease specialists.

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in infants is the most common birth defect, and early detection improves outcome. Evidence from the CDC reveals that less than one half of screened babies are followed up. One possible reason is the low positive predictive value of bedside screening. There is a critical need to augment current strategies to prevent late diagnosis of SNHL. One solution is to propose second-tier testing for the most common causes of SNHL, as the most common causes of newborn hearing loss are infectious and genetic. Of infectious causes, cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common. Evidence of CMV infection can be found in 1% of newborns, with 10–15% developing hearing loss or other CNS abnormalities. Of the genetic causes, mutations in GJB2/GJB6 are the most common and are identified in up to one half of individuals with SNHL. The goal of this program will be to examine evidence for inclusion of infectious and genetic screening to augment current newborn screening protocols.

• Diagnostic Evaluation and Management of Childhood Hearing Loss
  Margaret Alene Kenna, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA

• Range of Mutations in GJB2-Associated Hearing Loss
  Lisa Ann Schimmenti, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN

• Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection and Hearing Loss
  Karen B. Fowler, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

• Newborn Hearing Screening: Audiologic Assessment
  Yvonne Sininger, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Sponsored jointly by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the Pediatric Academic Societies

8:00am–12:00pm
2180A—LWPES Plenary Session I
LWPES Plenary Session
Room 3007-3009, Moscone West
Chairs: Lynne Levitsky, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Henry Anhalt, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ; and Alan D. Rogol, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Target Audience: Endocrinologists, nephrologists, cardiologists, general pediatricians, immunologists, geneticists and molecular biologists.

• Opening Remarks
  Lynne L. Levitsky, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

• Lawson Wilkins Lecture:
  Recent years have witnessed a significant revision of the traditional view of fat cells as simple stores of excess energy. Studies in the speaker's lab as well as many others have clearly demonstrated that adipocytes produce and regulate many metabolic and hormonal signals, which generate profound effects on systemic endocrine equilibrium. In his earlier studies, he also demonstrated that these cells exhibit an inflammatory capacity that is abnormal in obesity and key to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and diabetes. Recently, he identified a key molecular mechanism underlying the link between inflammatory responses and insulin action. This pathway involves obesity-related activation of the serine, threonine kinase, JNK, and the consequent inhibition of insulin receptor signaling via phosphorylation of a substrate of insulin receptor, IRS-1.

  • Integration of Metabolic and Inflammatory Pathways in Metabolic Disease
    Gokhan S. Hotamisligil, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

• Robert Blizzard Lecture:
  One of the greatest questions asked of physicians caring for children with autoimmune diabetes is "why did this happen?" This session will unravel some of the mysteries surrounding the etiology and pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes from an investigator who has dedicated his life to this issue.

  • On the Unravelling of the Etiopathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes: Are We Stuck or Are We Winning?
    Gian Franco Bottazzo, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesú, Scientific Institute, Rome, Italy

• Break

• Esoterix Lecture:
  The attendee will familiarize him/herself with newer molecular mechanisms of growth failure that are due to abnormalities in receptor and post-receptor translation of GH signaling.

  • Molecular Mechanisms and Defects in Growth Hormone Receptor Signaling
    Peter Rotwein, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR

9:00am–11:00am
2196—Modulators of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
PAS Platform Session
Room 3003-3005, Moscone West
Chairs: Suhas G. Kallapur and Lawrence M. Nogee

Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Dey, L.P.

12:00pm–3:00pm
2505—Embryonic Stem Cells: A Primer for Clinicians
PAS Mini Course
Room 3014, Moscone West
Chair: Michael T. Longaker, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Embryonic stem cells offer incredible promise for treating diseases affecting both children and adults. This mini course will provide an overview of stem cells and a basic understanding of how to derive human embryonic stem cells, recent research and ethical considerations. After attending this session, attendee will have a better understanding of: 1) what are embryonic stem cells; 2) how human embryonic stem cells are derived; 3) recent progress in human embryonic stem cell research; 4) ethical considerations in human embryonic stem cells.

• Stem Cells: Embryonic, Adult and Cancer
  Michael T. Longaker, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

• What It Takes Clinically To Get an Embryonic Stem Cell
  Linda C. Giudice, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

• What Can You Do with an Embryonic Stem Cell in Research
  Renee Reijo Pera, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

• Ethical and Oversight Considerations in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
  Hank Greely, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

• Panel Discussion

Supported in part by an unrestricted educational grant from Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics - Seattle Children's Hospital

12:00pm–3:00pm
2510—Inherited Disorders Caused by Inappropriate Apoptosis
PAS Mini Course
Room 3010, Moscone West
Chairs: Cynthia J. Tifft, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; and Hans Andersson, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA

Target Audience: Pediatric researchers interested in genetic basis of disease and apoptosis.

This session will describe the recent findings of the role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of genetic diseases. Inappropriate apoptosis and acquired resistance to apoptosis are important mechanisms in some genetic disorders and a better understanding of this role is expected to lead to potential therapies.

Inappropriate apoptosis has been implicated in the causation of several inherited disorders with specific interest for pediatricians. The pathophysiology of inherited neurodegenerative disorders have long eluded explanation and recent studies suggest that storage of abnormal compounds in lysosomes act as a trigger for apoptosis. Additionally, nephropathic cystinosis has recently been shown to be caused by inappropriate onset of apoptosis caused by abnormal cystinylation. This session will provide a clinical perspective on the role of apoptosis in genetic disorders affecting the pediatric population.

• Overview
  Hans C. Andersson, Tulane University Medical School, New Orleans, LA

• Microglial Activation and Inflammation Precedes Apoptosis in Tay-Sachs Disease
  Cynthia J. Tifft, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC

• Lysosomal Cystine Enhances Apoptosis and Yields the Nephropathic Cystinotic Phenotype
  Jess G. Thoene, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA

• Niemann Pick Disease, Type C: Glycolipid Gridlock and Apoptosis
  Marc C. Patterson, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY

• Role of GM1-Ganglioside in ER-and Mitochondrial-Mediated Neuronal Apoptosis
  Alessandra D'Azzo, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN

• Discussion

1:00pm–3:00pm
2610—Genetics and Epigenetics of Neonatal Disease
PAS Platform Session
Room 3022, Moscone West
Chairs: Aaron Hamvas and Jeffrey C. Murray

1:30pm–3:30pm
2670A—Controversies in Care in Pediatric Endocrinology—The Great Debates
LWPES Workshop
Room 3001, Moscone West
Chairs: William Clarke, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA; and Henry Anhalt, St. Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ

Target Audience: Endocrinologists, general pediatricians and adolescent medicine specialists.

The attendee will be part of a lively debate on a number of areas of controversy in pediatric state-of-the-art diabetes management.

• Is Primary Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes Possible?

  • Pro—Desmond A. Schatz, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

  • Con—Dorothy J. Becker, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

• Should Glucose Sensors Be Routinely Used?

  • Pro—Stuart Alan Weinzimer, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

  • Con—Darrell M. Wilson, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA

• Should Metformin Be Used To Treat Pediatric Patients with Insulin Resistance?

  • Pro—Michael S. Freemark, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

  • Con—Philip Scott Zeitler, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO

3:00pm–5:00pm
2710A—Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation—An Update
ASPHO Symposium
Room 3016-3018, Moscone West
Chairs: Jakub Tolar and K. Scott Baker, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

The program will begin with a review of unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation, now a common practice in the treatment of pediatric malignancies. The program will follow with a presentation of the most recent data on reduced intensity hematopoietic cell transplantation for treatment of malignant and non-malignant diseases in children. The symposium will conclude with an overview of immune implications of mesenchymal stem cell infusion, including their use for graft versus host disease prophylaxis and treatment. Cellular therapy has yielded notable successes in the past decade and holds considerable promise, and one should walk away from the session with a realistic overview of the possibilities and limitations of cellular therapy for childhood cancer.

After attending this session, it is expected that the learner will be able to:

1. Identify efficacious cellular therapy approaches.
2. Recognize the limitations of cellular therapy for childhood cancer.

• Introduction
  Jakub Tolar, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

• Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation: Current Practice and Future Innovations
  John E. Wagner, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN

• Non-myeloablative Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Children
  Morris Kletzel, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL

• Immunobiology of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
  Katarina Le Blanc, Karolinska University, Stockholm, Sweden

• Question and Answer Session

3:15pm–5:15pm
2725—Integrating Genetic Susceptibility and Environmental Influences in Pediatric Research
PAS Topic Symposium
Room 2008, Moscone West
Chair: Bruce P. Lanphear, Cincinnati Children's Environmental Health Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

Target Audience: A broad pediatric audience with the goal of promoting interdisciplinary understanding and greater integration of genetic and environmental research.

Asthma, preterm birth, ADHD and other prevalent pediatric conditions are widely recognized to result from interactions of environmental influences and genetic susceptibility. Tremendous progress has been made in measuring both environmental and genetic risk factors. Increasingly, researchers are moving beyond ecological methods (e.g., questionnaires, air monitoring) to directly measure in humans hundreds of environmental chemicals, from nicotine to metals to DDT and phthalates. Similarly, unprecedented innovation has led rapidly to high-throughput methods that assess DNA variation across large cohorts. New interdisciplinary collaborations that integrate state of the art approaches to both environmental and genetic influences should greatly improve our ability to predict and prevent disease and disability. Such studies will be critical for understanding mechanistic pathways, defining susceptible subpopulations and developing effective interventions. This session will provide an overview of gene–environment research, describe recent advances in biomarkers of environmental exposure and review new methods for measuring genetic variability.

• Gene–Environment Interaction in Common Pediatric Conditions: Conceptual Overview and Recent Evidence
  Robert S. Kahn, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH

• Advances in Biomarkers of Environmental Exposure in Pediatric Research
  Bruce P. Lanphear, Cincinnati Children's Environmental Health Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

• Measuring Genetic Susceptibility to the Environment: Study Designs and Genotyping Methods
  Robert O. Wright, Harvard Children's Environmental Health Center, Boston Children's Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

3:15pm–5:15pm
2730—Mechanisms of Hypertension in the Molecular Era
PAS/ASPN/IPHA/LWPES Topic Symposium
Room 2003-2005, Moscone West
Chairs: Bruce Z. Morgenstern, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ; and Julie R. Ingelfinger, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Target Audience: General pediatricians, nephrologists, endocrinologists and neonatologists.

Our understanding of the pathophysiology of hypertension has been changing rapidly due to advances in molecular genetics, most notably the identification of several single-gene defects that cause hypertension. This session will update participants on the latest advances in our knowledge of molecular mechanisms of a variety of forms of hypertension.

• Role of Dopamine Receptors
  Pedro A. Jose, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC

• Perinatal Programming and the Development of Hypertension
  Lori Woods, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR

• Low Renin Hypertension in Childhood
  Maria I. New, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY

• WNK Kinases and Blood Pressure Regulation
  Richard Lifton, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

Sponsored jointly by the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, the International Pediatric Hypertension Association, the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society and the Pediatric Academic Societies

3:15pm–5:15pm
2763—New Approaches in Stem Cell Technology
PAS Educational Workshop
Golden Gate Hall A1, SF Marriott
Leader: Kathleen Sakamoto, Los Angeles, CA; Co-leaders: Ed Horwitz, Harley Kornblum, and Punam Malik

Recent advances in molecular and cellular techniques have provided new approaches to studying the role of gene function in a variety of cell types, including stem cells. It is critical for pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists to understand the basis and use of these emerging technologies. This workshop will provide an overview of new methods that are currently being used to study stem cells. The topics include RNA interference (RNAi), isolation and purification of stem cells, gene expression profiling, and gene therapy. Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to describe (a) uses of RNAi in stem cells, (b) approaches to isolate and purify mesenchymal stem cells, (c) characterization of neural stem cells using expression profiling, and (d) applications of gene therapy and stem cells.

3:15pm–5:15pm
2767—How Do I Incorporate Proteomics Technology Into My Research?
PAS Educational Workshop
Golden Gate Hall A3, SF Marriott
Leader: Anne Murphy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; and Co-leader: James Schilling, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

Laboratory scientists, physician-scientists and trainees as well as clinical scientists interested in disease biomarkers.

Proteomics is a technology driven field. Many investigators not currently employing these technologies would love to incorporate them into their research. This workshop will address some strategies for investigators contemplating the use of the gel, mass-spectrometry, and array based approaches. Discussions of strategies to choose technologies to match the question, strategies for assessing post-translational modifications, and how to best work with a core facility will be addressed. The workshop attendees should emerge with an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various broad-based proteomic technologies. This will permit them to match techniques with an experimental question and to maximize interactions with core facilities already in place within their institutions.

• Approaches To Analyze The Phosphoproteome
  Anne M. Murphy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

• Overview of Approaches
  David R. Graham, Johns Hopkins University-Bayview Campus, Baltimore, MD

• Sample preparation
  James Malone, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

• Mass Tagging Approaches to Biomarker Discovery
  K.W. Michael Siu, Centre for Research in Mass Spectrometry, York University, Toronto, Ontario Canada

• Statistics and Data Analysis
  Robert Tibshirani, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Supported in part by an unrestricted educational grant from Applied Biosystems and GE Healthcare

3:45pm–5:15pm
2785A—Celiac Disease for the Non-gastroenterologist
LWPES Workshop
Room 3010, Moscone West
Chair: Michelle M. Pietzak, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Target Audience: Gastroenterologists and endocrinologists.

Celiac disease affects approximately 10-15% of children with diabetes. Often times the screening tests are vexing. This workshop is aimed at clarifying the disease process and how to diagnose it.

• Celiac Disease for the Non-gastroenterologist
  Michelle M. Pietzak, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

3:45pm–5:15pm
2790A—Hyperthyroidism
LWPES Workshop
Room 3000, Moscone West
Chair: Scott A. Rivkees, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

Target Audience: Generalists.

Much controversy exists about the most effective and safest treatments for hyperthyroidism in children. This workshop will clarify some of the newer evidence based approaches to the diagnosis and management of hyperthyroidism, with a special emphasis on radioactive ablation.

• Hyperthyroidism
  Scott A. Rivkees, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

3:45pm–5:15pm
2795A—Neonatal Diabetes
LWPES Workshop
Room 3001, Moscone West
Chair: Mark A. Sperling, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Target Audience: Endocrinologists and neonatologists.

Over the past few years much has been learned about the pathogenesis of neonatal diabetes. This workshop will impart knowledge on important considerations in the diagnosis and work-up of this rare condition.

Sunday, April 30

8:00am–10:00am
3100—Advances in Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Management of Kawasaki Disease
PAS/PIDS Topic Symposium
Room 3001, Moscone West
Chairs: Marian Melish, University of Hawaii, Kapiolani Children's Hospital, Honolulu, HI; and Stanford T. Shulman, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL

Target Audience: Infectious disease specialists, cardiologists, rheumatologists, immunologists and primary care pediatricians.

Cloning the IgA antibody response in acute Kawasaki Disease has led to exciting new insights into the etiology and pathogenesis of this enigmatic illness. The diagnosis of incomplete Kawasaki Disease remains a significant clinical problem, and new guidelines have been published to help the clinician in making this diagnosis. Approximately 10–15% of children with acute Kawasaki Disease do not respond to conventional intravenous gammaglobulin and aspirin therapy, and new data regarding treatment with steroids and Remicade are emerging. Knowledge regarding optimal management of cardiac complications and long-term outcome continues to evolve as patients diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease in the 1970s and 1980s age.

• Overview
  Marian E. Melish, University of Hawaii, Kapiolani Children's Hospital, Honolulu, HI

• IgA Response in Acute Kawasaki Disease Targets Inclusion Bodies in Acute Kawasaki Disease Bronchial Epithelium
  Anne H. Rowley, Northwestern University, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL

• Clinical Dilemma of Diagnosing Incomplete Kawasaki Disease
  Jane C. Burns, University of California, San Diego, CA

• Treatment of Refractory Kawasaki Disease
  Stanford T. Shulman, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL

• Management of Cardiac Complications and Long-Term Outcome
  Jane W. Newburger, Harvard University, Children’s Hospital of Boston, Boston, MA

Sponsored jointly by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the Pediatric Academic Societies

8:00am–10:00am
3110—Probiotics in Necrotizing Enterocolitis—Their Clinical Effect and Possible Mechanisms
PAS/ASPR/JPS/NASPGHAN Topic Symposium
Room 3003-3005, Moscone West
Chairs: W. Allan Walker, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and Yuichiro Yamashiro, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Target Audience: Neonatologists, gastroenterologists, pediatric surgeons, NICU nurses and bacteriologists in perinatal medicine.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious gastrointestinal disease seen predominantly in very low birth weight (VLBW) and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. NEC is probably a complex, multifactorial disease. Currently, the precise pathogenic mechanisms remain to be elucidated; however, clinical use of probiotics has been reported to be useful for preventing NEC development in VLBW and ELBW infants. This session will provide us the current knowledge about the role of probiotics in the management of NEC.

• Fifteen-Year's Experience of Early Administration of Bifidobacterium Breve to Preterm Infants
  H. Kitajima, Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Osaka, Japan

• Oral Probiotics Reduces Incidence of NEC in VLBW Infants
  H. C. Lin, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

• Effects of Probiotics on the Immunological Development and Short Chain Fatty Acids in ELBW and VLBW Infants
  Yoshikazu Ohtsuka, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Japan

• Possible Role of Probiotic Supplementation for Prevention from NEC
  Michael S. Caplan, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Sponsored jointly by the Asian Society for Pediatric Research; Japan Pediatric Society; North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition and the Pediatric Academic Societies

8:00am–10:00am
3125—Developmental Origins of Adult Disease—Metabolism
PAS Platform Session
Room 3010-3012, Moscone West
Chairs: William W. Hay and Rebecca A. Simmons

8:00am–10:00am
3145—Genetic Basis of Disease: Pathogenesis and Treatment
PAS Platform Session
Room 3000, Moscone West
Chairs: George A. Diaz and Brendan H. Lee

Includes

• SPR Fellow's Basic Research Award: Conditional Mutagenesis of the Homeobox Gene [italic]Hhex[/italic] Reveals Novel and Essential Roles in Development of the Liver and Extrahepatic Biliary Tract
  Michael Hunter, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

• SPR Student Research Award: Germ Line [italic]KRAS[/italic] Mutations Encoding Proteins with Novel Biochemical and Functional Properties Cause Disorders of the Noonan Syndrome Spectrum
  Suzanne Schubbert, University of California, San Francisco, CA

8:00am–11:00am
3240—Manuscript Preparation and the Process of Peer-Reviewed Publication
PAS Educational Workshop
Willow, SF Marriott
Leader: Stephen Daniels, Denver, CO; Co-leaders: Thomas Welch, Robert Wilmott, Sarah Long

Target Audience: Trainees, fellows, junior faculty, mid-level faculty, senior faculty, community practitioners.

This interactive workshop will address multiple aspects of publication in scientific journals and provides insights from editors of The Journal of Pediatrics on the publication process. Presenters will discuss preparation of materials, including the initial decision that the data are sufficient to justify publication. Issues related to manuscript writing will include length, focus, adherence to journal formats, and referencing. The editorial process, from submission to publication, will be described in depth, with particular attention to ways in which authors can interact with journal editors. Another section of the workshop will cover ethical issues in publication including review boards, authorship, duplicate publication, intellectual property rights, and conflict of interest. There will be open discussion of sample cases and questions derived from the experiences of the participants.

Objectives:

– To learn about preparing and submitting work for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
– To discuss ethical issues related to publication of research and clinical work.
– To have the opportunity to ask and have answered questions about publication and to offer insights.

Format: Open discussion, question-and-answer.

Designed to meet elements of the core curriculum for pediatric fellowship subspecialty training.

9:45am–11:45am
3300A—Pure Red Cell Aplasia
ASPHO Symposium
Room 3016-3018, Moscone West
Chair: Jeffrey M. Lipton, Schneider Children’s Hospital, New Hyde Park, NY

The pure red cell aplasias (PRCA) represent a form of bone marrow restricted to the erythroid lineage. Research has led to new insights into the molecular basis of erythroid development. Transcriptional regulation of erythropoiesis will be discussed in this symposium. In pediatrics, intrinsic stem/progenitor cell defects are the most important cause of red cell failure. One of the most common forms of pure red cell aplasia in pediatric patients is Diamond-Blackfan Anemia. The clinical and molecular basis of this disease will be presented. Congenital dyserythropoietic anemias (CDA) are rare forms of erythroid cytopenias. New information on the pathophysiology of CDA will be presented during this symposium.

After attending this session, it is expected that the learner will be able to:

1. Describe the biology of erythropoiesis.
2. Describe the clinical presentation and molecular basis of Diamond-Blackfan Anemia.
3. Describe the clinical presentation and pathophysiology of congenital dyserythropoietic anemia.

• Introduction: How "Pure" Is Pure Red Blood Cell Aplasia?
  Jeffrey M. Lipton, Schneider Children's Hospital, New Hyde Park, NY

• Biology of Erythroid Development
  Mitchell Weiss, Children's Hospital of Phiadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

• Clinical and Molecular Biology of Diamond-Blackfan Anemia
  Adrianna Vlachos, Schneider Children's Hospital, New Hyde Park, NY

• Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemias 2006: Where Are We Now?
  Bertil E. Glader, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

• Question and Answer Session

2:00pm–4:00pm
3705—Infections at the Maternal–Placental–Fetal Interface: Immunopathogenesis of Group B Streptococcus, Listeria monocytogenes and Cytomegalovirus
PAS/PIDS Topic Symposium
Room 3022-3024, Moscone West
Chairs: John R. Schreiber, University of Minnesota Medical School and University of Minnesota Children's Hospital/Fairview, Minneapolis, MN; and Robert F. Pass, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

Target Audience: Neonatologists, infectious disease specialists, immunologists, developmental biologists and general pediatricians.

Infections in newborns commonly result from acquisition either during the delivery process or transplacentally. The host and pathogen factors that contribute to acquisition of infections at the maternal–placental–fetal interface are poorly understood. This symposium will review the basic science and immunopathogenesis of three diverse pathogens that all share the ability to cause infections at the placental level: cytomegalovirus, group B streptococcus, and Listeria monocytogenes.

• Intrauterine Cytomegalovirus Infection, Transplacental Spread of Virus and Control by Maternal Immunity
  Lenore Pereira, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

• Host and Bacterial Factors in Invasive Group B Streptococcal Infection
  Craig E. Rubens, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

• Listeriosis in the Pregnant Guinea Pig: A Model of Vertical Transmission
  Daniel A. Portnoy, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

• Discussion

Sponsored jointly by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the Pediatric Academic Societies

2:00pm–4:00pm
3722—Neonatal Lung Inflammation: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications
PAS Platform Session
Room 3014, Moscone West
Chairs: Rose M. Viscardi and Stephen E. Welty

Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Dey, L.P.

2:00pm–4:00pm
3732—Pulmonary and Cardiac Development: Transcriptional Control and Stem Cells
PAS Platform Session
Room 2004, Moscone West
Chairs: Lawrence M. Nogee and George A. Porter

Includes

• SPR Student Research Award: Critical Requirement of C/EBP[alpha] for Lung Maturation and Funct
  Prithy Martis, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

• Role of MicroRNAs in Cardiogenesis
  Yong Zhao, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, University of California San Francisco

2:00pm–5:00pm
3750—Endocrine Disrupters
PAS/LWPES Mini Course
Room 3010-3012, Moscone West
Chairs: Mary M. Lee, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA; and Henry Anhalt, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ

Target Audience: Endocrinologists, generalists, neonatologists and basic scientists.

Concerns regarding clinical consequences of endocrine disrupting chemicals have increased over the past decade as researchers have documented detrimental effects in wildlife. Federal attention to endocrine disrupters began in earnest in 1996 when the U.S. Congress passed the Food Quality Protection Act and amended the Safe Drinking Water Act. These laws mandated testing to determine if pesticides and industrial chemicals might behave like hormones; therefore, the U.S. EPA formed the Endocrine Disrupters Screening and Advisory Committee. In addition to direct effects, some environmental disrupters act through non-genomic actions, some of which persist for several generations. This program presenting innovative studies on mechanisms of action of endocrine disruptors will be of critical interest to endocrinologists, both clinical and basic scientists, as well as public health experts.

• Prenatal Programming with Estrogen/Estrogen Mimetics
  Kenneth S. Korach, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC

• Epigenetic Transgenerational Actions of Endocrine Disruptors on Male Fertility and Other Diseases
  Michael K. Skinner, Washington State University, Pullman, WA

• Prenatal Programming with Native and Environmental Steroids
  Vasantha Padmanabhan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Sponsored jointly by the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society and the Pediatric Academic Societies

4:15pm–5:45pm
3805—Fetal Homeland Security: New Insights into Old Threats
PAS State of the Art Plenary
Room 3002-3008, Moscone West
Chairs: Phil W. Shaul, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX; and Rashmin C. Savani, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Target Audience: Neonatologists, pediatricians and researchers interested in perinatal biology.

In addition to premature birth, there are a select number of maternal conditions that have marked negative impact on the well being of the fetus and newborn. This symposium will highlight recent advances in our understanding of these classical threats to our most vulnerable pediatric patient population.

First, new knowledge of the mechanisms by which maternal diabetes alters embryonic and fetal development will be discussed. Second, the newly discovered role of circulating anti-angiogenic proteins of placental origin in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia will be presented. Finally, novel mechanisms by which biochemical events in the fetal lung trigger the initiation of labor will be discussed. Further advances in each of these realms will ultimately lead to new therapies to protect the fetus and yield healthy outcomes at term.

• Mechanisms by Which Maternal Diabetes Modifies Embryonic and Fetal Development
  Kelle H. Moley, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

• Role of Circulating Anti-angiogenic Proteins of Placental Origin in the Pathogenesis of Preeclampsia
  S. Ananth Karumanchi, Harvard Medical School, Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA

• Fetal–Maternal Signaling in the Initiation of Labor
  Carole R. Mendelson, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

4:15pm–5:45pm
3810—RNA Interference, Technological Development of siRNAs and Potential Treatments for Childhood Diseases
PAS State of the Art Plenary
Room 3016-3018, Moscone West
Chair: R. Alan B. Ezekowitz, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA