Pediatric hypereosinophilic syndrome associated with liver damage, portal vein, splenic vein and superior mesenteric vein thromboses: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a group of rare blood disorders characterized by persistent eosinophilia and damage to multiple organs. HES can be either primary, secondary or idiopathic. Secondary HES are commonly caused by parasitic infections, allergic reactions or cancer. We described a pediatric case of HES associated with liver damage and multiple thrombi. A 12-year-old boy with eosinophilia was complicated with severe thrombocytopenia, liver damage, portal vein, splenic vein, and superior mesenteric vein thromboses. The thrombi recanalized after treatment with methylprednisolone succinate and low molecular weight heparin. No side effects appeared after 1-month. CONCLUSIONS: Corticosteroids should be used at an early stage of HES to prevent further damage to vital organs. Anticoagulants should be recommended only in cases with thrombosis which should be actively screened as a part of evaluation of end organ damage.

Effect of nano yam polysaccharide on the blood glucose and blood lipid in rats.

Chinese yam is the dry rhizome of dioscoreaceae plant. Polysaccharide in yam is one of significant functional components, its pharmacological effects include glucose-lowering, lipid-lowering, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation and enhancing the immune. The effects of nano yam polysaccharide on the metabolism of blood glucose and blood lipid in model rats were systematically investigated in this study. The results showed that the diabetic rat model can been successfully induced by the peritoneal injection of 200mg/kg alloxan. The rats were fed with the high-fat diet for 30d, which could induce a model of hyperlipidemia rat successfully. After the model rats were fed with nano yam polysaccharide of 50mg/ml and 100mg/ml per day for 12d and 30d, respectively. For each nano yam polysaccharide group, the blood glucose level was significantly reduced, the glucose tolerance, glycogen and the content of C-peptide were improved in alloxan rats. Moreover, the symptom of one little and three more in diabetic rats was ameliorated and the contents of TC, TG and LDL-C in the serum for the high fat rats were significantly decreased.

A retrospective study of probiotics for the treatment of children with antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

This retrospective study aimed to explore the benefits and safety of probiotics (live combined Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium granules with multivitamines) for the treatment of children with antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).A total of 72 children with AAD were analyzed in this study. Of these, 36 children received routine treatment plus probiotics, and were assigned to a treatment group. The other 36 children underwent routine treatment alone, and were assigned to a control group. Patients in both groups were treated for a total of 7 days. The efficacy and safety were evaluated by duration of diarrhea (days), number of dressings needed daily, abdominal pain intensity, stool consistency (as assessed by Bristol Stool Scale (BSS)), and any adverse events.After treatment, probiotics showed encouraging benefits in decreasing duration of diarrhea (days) (P < .01), number of dressings needed every day (P < .01), abdominal pain intensity (P < .01), and stool consistency (BSS (3-5), P < .01; BSS (6-7), P < .01). In addition, no adverse events were documented in this study.The findings of this study demonstrated that probiotics may provide promising benefit for children with AAD. Further studies are still needed to warrant theses findings.

Hydroalcoholic extract from Abelmoschus manihot (Linn.) Medicus flower reverses sleep deprivation-evoked learning and memory deficit.

Previous researches have indicated that sleep plays a vital role in cognitive functions. Sleep deprivation (SD) causes learning and memory damage, which is associated with oxidative stress. This study was performed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of an extract of Abelmoschus manihot flower (EAM) against memory deficit induced by SD in mice. The SD model was evoked by multiple platform method for 5 days, successively. The learning and memory-improving effects of EAM were assessed by behavioral trials and the underlying mechanism was investigated by measuring the oxidative stress alteration. Our findings indicated that the SD-induced memory deficit and the EAM treatment improved the cognitive functions of mice in the object location recognition test and passive avoidance task. In addition, EAM effectively improved the activities of the antioxidant enzyme, decreased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), and restored the protein expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) and glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1) in brain tissues. In conclusion, EAM could improve the SD-evoked learning and memory impairments. The possible underlying mechanisms of EAM may be related to its antioxidant capacity and enhanced BDNF/TrkB/GluR1 levels in the hippocampal memory.

Effect of dopamine receptor 1 on apoptosis of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes in simulated ischaemia/reperfusion.

Dopamine receptors exist in many tissues, including rat cardiac tissue. However, the physiological importance of dopamine receptors in the homeostatic regulation of cardiac function is unclear. In this study, a model of ischaemia/reperfusion was established by culturing primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes in ischaemia-mimetic solution for 2 hr, followed by incubation in normal culture medium for 24 hr. Lactate dehydrogenase activity, superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde content were determined colorimetrically with a spectrophotometer. Apoptotic cell death was assayed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labelling staining and flow cytometry, and morphological alterations were observed with transmission electron microscopy. The intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was measured by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Finally, the expression of dopamine receptor 1 (DR1), caspase-3, -8 and -9, Fas, Fas ligand and Bcl-2 and the release of cytochrome c were analysed by Western blot. The results showed that DR1 expression was increased markedly during ischaemia/reperfusion. Treatment with 10 microM SKF-38393 (DR1 agonist) significantly increased lactate dehydrogenase activity, decreased superoxide dismutase activity and increased malondialdehyde content in the culture medium. The DR1 agonist promoted the release of cytochrome c, accumulation of [Ca2+]i, and apoptosis induced by ischaemia/reperfusion. Furthermore, SKF-38393 up-regulated the expression of caspase-3, -8 and -9, Fas and Fas ligand, and down-regulated Bcl-2 expression. In contrast, 10 microM SCH-23390 (DR1 antagonist) had no significant effects on the above indicators. In conclusion, DR1 activation is involved in the apoptosis of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes in simulated ischaemia/reperfusion through the mitochondrial and death receptor pathways.