Objective To explore the changes of serum gastrin(GAS),plasma motilin(MTL) and somatostatin(SST) in critically ill children with gastrointestinal dysfunction(GID).Methods According to pediatric critical illness score,75 cases were divided into greatly critical group(score90).Fifty cases of greatly critical and critical group were divided into GID group and non-GID group.The levels of serum GAS,plasma MTL and SST were detected on an empty stomach at acute stage and convalescence stage,comparing with those of normal control group,and then,the relationship between the levels of serum GAS,plasma MTL,SST and GID,the severity of disease were analyzed.Results At acute stage,the levels of serum GAS and plasma MTL of greatly critical group and critical group were higher than those of normal control group,the levels of plasma SST of greatly critical group and critical group were lower than that of normal control group,the more severe condition of critical children,the higher level of serum GAS and plasma MTL,the lower level of plasma SST.At convalescence stage,the level of serum GAS and plasma MTL of the greatly critical group and critical group decreased and the level of plasma SST increased.The levels of serum GAS and plasma MTL of GID group were higher than those of non-GID group,but the level of plasma SST of GID group was lower than that of non-GID group.Conclusion The level of serum GAS,plasma MTL and SST can be used to assess the severity of illness and prognosis,judge the change of disease and determine the efficacy of treatment programs,and detect gastrointestinal functional lesion.

Objective To investigate the clinical features of the enterovirus 71 ( EV71 ) infection complicated with pulmonary edema or pulmonary hemorrhage as a fulminant and often fatal illness.Methods The medical records of three cases with EV71 infection were retrospectively reviewed for clinical manifestations, laboratory data, medications, and outcome.Results All the cases were infants and died of the infection. These infants had no skin or mucosal lesions, however, they had sudden onset of cyanosis and tachypnea 1 to 2 days after the onset of the febrile disease with vomiting. All these 3 cases were misdiagnosed and were treated for shock on admission. Pulmonary hemorrhage was not considered in any of the cases on admission. All the cases received tracheal intubation when foamy secretions were discharged from the mouth and nose of the patients and notable cyanosis occurred. After intubation, pink foamy fluid flew out from the endotracheal tube in all the 3 cases. The patients had hyperglycemia and limb weakness, two had tachycardia, and hypertension was found in one case. Chest X-ray showed bilateral or unilateral widespread air space opacity, but the cardiac size and shape were normal. All the patients had leukocytosis. Enterovirus 71 infection was confirmed by detection of specific nucleic acid sequences of the virus from throat swab and tracheal secretions samples and in one case in cerebrospinal fluid.Conclusions Pulmonary edema or pulmonary hemorrhage occurred in the 3 cases with EV71 infection. The initial presentation was nonspecific with fever and vomiting, and sudden appearance of cyanosis, tachypnea, tachycardia, hypertension or hypotension, limb weakness, which may suggest pulmonary edema or hemorrhage. Excessive fluid resuscitation may deteriorate the illness, on the contrary, fluid restriction and inotropic agents, and early intubation with positive pressure mechanical ventilation may be the proper treatment.

Choosing the right solvent and timely use is the basis of rational drug use and the most direct and efficient way to improve the safety of traditional Chinese medicine injections. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of solvent and drug preparation time on Shuanghuanglian injection inducing pseudo-allergic reactions with mouse mode. The two tests were carried out: (1) Comparative experiment between different solvent: Shuanghuanglian injection preparation to the appropriate concentration with 0.9% sodium chloride injection and 5% dextrose injection, mixed with Evans blue, at one time intravenous injected into mice, 30 minutes later, the mouse ears vascular permeability were observed and compared. (2) Comparative experiment among different preparation time: placed 10 min, 2.5 h, 6 h and 24 h after Shuanghuanglian injection were prepared and then to detect the pseudo-allergic reactions in mice using the same methods as in (1). The results showed that there was no significant difference in the pseudo-allergic reactions in mice which induced by the same dose of Shuanghuanglian injection, respectively with 0.9% sodium chloride injection and 5% dextrose injection preparation, and with the extension of preparation time, the degree of pseudo-allergic reactions of Shuanghuanglian injection was gradually severe.
Animals ; Drug Compounding ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; Injections ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Solvents ; Time Factors

To evaluated the pseudo-allergic reactions of cordate houttuynia, pulse-activating and Qingkailing injection in mice, the ICR mouse were divided into different test groups, then were intravenously injected with three traditional Chinese medicine injections, positive control compound 48/80 and physiological saline as normal control. All test substances were mixed with 0.4% Evans blue. The reaction and vascular permeability of the ears were observed and measured 30 min after injection. At the same time, the mechanisms of the traditional Chinese injections' pseudo-allergic reactions was studyed. ICR mice were injected with the test substances as above without EB, blood in a part of mice were collected after 5 min, and the level of histamine in the plasma were measured. Blood in the other part of mice were collected after 30 min, and the level of VEGF, TNF-α and IL-10 in the serum were measured. The reasults showed that except the cordate houttuynia injection, pulse-activating injection in 1. 5 times clinical concentration and Qingkailing injection in 3.3 times clinical concentration caused mild pseudo-allergic reactions mainly for vascular permeability, no pseudo-allergic reactions occurred when the concentration of the two injections was below the concentration metioned above; 5 minutes after intravenous injection of the three TCM injections into ICR mice with the highest dose, the levels of histamine in plasma of pulse-activating injection and Qingkailing injection groups were increased significantly, 30 minutes later, the levels of VEGF, TNF-α and IL-10 in the serum of all groups were no significant change compared to normal group. The mouse of pulse-activating and Qingkailing injection groups showed inflammatory changes in ear and lung tissues. It can be conluded that when the dose or concentration increased to a certain extent, pulse-activating and Qingkailing injection could induce pseudo-allergic reactions on ICR mice, the increased histamine realease maybe the main reason for pseudo-allergic reactions of the two traditional Chinese medicine injections. In addition the author preliminary thought that inflammatory mechanisms leading to hyperpermeabilities were the main reason of the traditional Chinese medicine injection's pseudo-allergic reaction.
Animals ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Humans ; Injections ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; adverse effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR

OBJECTIVEThis study sought to analyze the clinical manifestations and intervention of fulminant septic shock in community-acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia.

METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records for diagnosis, antibiotic therapy, clinical course of septic shock, respiratory support, laboratory data etc.

RESULTSEight of nine cases with P. aeruginosa septic shock died. Fever (nine cases) and cough (three cases) or diarrhea (3 cases) were the 2 most common initial symptoms, three cases developed skin gangrenosum later. Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection was not considered in any of the cases before death or blood culture showed positive result. Only 3 cases were initially treated with susceptible antibiotic regimen but no anti pseudomonas combination therapy was applied, susceptible antibiotic monotherapy was applied in 7 cases after transfer to the ICU. The mean latency of shock occurrence was 5.1 hours (range 0 to 21 hours) after admission, the mean duration from the occurrence of shock to death was 13.8 hours (range, 1 - 32 hours). All the patients were transfer red to ICU for shock, the appropriate resuscitation of shock patients was delayed by 49.3 minutes (range 25 - 80 minutes) by transfer. Only two cases were diagnosed and treated for shock on admission; after transferred to ICU, only 5 patients were diagnosed as having shock, and only 3 received anti-shock treatment. Eight of the patients died of persistent shock. In 6 patients who died, mechanical ventilation was not applied until cardiac arrest occurred. All the patients had hypoalbuminaemia, elevated serum C-reactive protein concentration, leukopenia and 6 cases had DIC.

CONCLUSIONThe initial presentation of the cases with community-acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia was nonspecific with fever and cough or diarrhea. Clinicians often underestimated the severity of the infection, few patients received effective antimicrobial therapy. The authors suggest that an anti-pseudomonas antibiotic should be included in the initial empiric antibiotic regimen to cover P. aeruginosa high-risk patients; the front-line clinician should be educated for early recognition and aggressive resuscitation of P infection. aeruginosa septicemia.

Adolescent ; Child, Preschool ; Community-Acquired Infections ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pseudomonas Infections ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic ; microbiology

Pseudoallergic reactions of Qingkailing injection (QKLI) was assessed by vascular hyperpermeability which were indicated by ear blue staining in ICR mice after single intravenous injection of QKLI mixed with Evans blue (EB) and skin blue spot formation in SD rats after intradermal injection of QKLI and intravenous injection of EB. In addition, QKLI-induced histamine, VEGF, TNF-alpha release was measured after ICR mice received the single dosing of QKLI iv. The mild vascular hyperpermeability characterized by ear blue staining could be observed in mice after intravenous injection of QKLI and EB. Intracutaneous injection of 50 micro L of test solution containing QKLI (25,50 microL) in rat back skin caused obvious local vascular hyperpermeability at the injection sites so as to result the larger diameters of blue spots than that in negative control group (P <0. 01). QKLI induced a significant increase of VEGF and a slight elevation of histamine in mice after intravenous administration, while TNF-alpha showed no change after QKLI iv. The results in this study indicated that both intravenous injection and intracutanous injection of QKLI could induce vascular hyperpemeability so as to cause pseudoallergic reaction in mice and rats. QKLI-induced pseudoallergic reaction may be associated with the release of histamine and VEGF.
Animals ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; blood ; etiology ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Histamine ; blood ; Injections ; Male ; Mice ; Rats ; Skin ; drug effects ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood

Reproductive toxicity research takes an important place in traditional Chinese medicine pre-clinical safety evaluation. Modern reproductive toxicity experiment includes drug-related miscarriage, fetal death, teratism, and adverse effects on fertility, genital system, embryonic development and fetus, which is different from contraindicated in pregnancy in traditional Chinese medicine theory. Now the three-phases reproductive toxicity study is the method mainly applied in traditional Chinese medicine reproductive toxicity evaluation. Besides that, alternative methods of whole embryos culture and embryonic stem cell test are also used in traditional Chinese medicine embryo toxicity evaluation. This article reviews research progress and pre-clinical evaluation on reproductive toxicity of traditional Chinese medicine.
Animals ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; toxicity ; Embryonic Development ; drug effects ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pregnancy ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Toxicity Tests

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the embryotoxicity of alkaloids in Senecionis Scandentis Hebra on in vitro cultured mouse embryos. Mouse whole embryo culture (WEC) was applied in this study. Post-implantation (8.5 d) mouse embryos were isolated from their mothers, and cultured in medium of immediately centrifuged serum (ICS) with different concentrations of seneciphylline (target concentrations were 100, 50, 25 and 12.5 μg x mL(-1)) or senkirkine (target concentrations were 50, 25 and 12.5 μg x mL(-1)) for 48 h. After culturing completed, the development and organic morphodifferentiation of the cultured embryos were evaluated microscopically. Treatment with seneciphylline and senkirkine had adverse effects on the development and organic morphodifferentiation of embryos. The effect also had clear dose-response. Alkaloidals in Senecionis Scandentis Hebra had embryotoxicity on cultured embryos, which indicated that pregnant people exposed to Senecionis Scandentis Hebra may get potential risk on fetus.
Animals ; Embryo Culture Techniques ; Embryo, Mammalian ; drug effects ; Female ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ; toxicity ; Senecio ; chemistry ; Teratogens ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the telomerase activity and to document biological behaviors of HeLa cells upon treatment with specific PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibitor, LY294002.

METHODSCCK-8 assay was used to determine IC50 of LY294002. The expressions of total AKT and phosphorylation AKT (P-AKT) were determined using Western blot. Telomerase activity of cell was measured by TRAP-ELISA assay. Cell growth curve, flow cytometry technique and Hoechst33258 stain were used to evaluate the cell growth, cell cycle and apoptosis respectively. Cell migration was determined by cell wound healing assay.

RESULTSIC50 value of LY294002 of treated HeLa cells was 1.73 mg/L. Western blot showed that LY294002 enabled to decrease P-AKT activity in the presence of same total AKT protein. The cell telomerase activity was decreased to 36.72% in contrast to 98.61% of the control. LY294002 decreased the telomerase activity in HeLa cells, and the growth capacity of the cells was significantly suppressed. The number of cells at G0/G1 phases increased to 66.88% compared with that of the control cells (47.36%). The apoptosis rate also increased from 2.4% to 14.9%. The relative migration distance decreased to 24.6% compared with that of control (62.57%).

CONCLUSIONLY294002 inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway leads to alteration of telomerase activity along with changes of the biological behaviors of the HeLa cells suggesting that regulation of telomerase activity may be closely related to PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; G1 Phase ; drug effects ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Telomerase

AIMTo study the formation and localization of ADM mRNA in lung tissues and investigate the effects of ADM on isolated tracheal strip contraction induced by histamine in asthmatic guinea pig.

METHODSThe guinea pigs (n = 22) were randomly divided into two groups of 11 each: asthmatic group and control group. The formation and localization of ADM mRMA were observed by in site hybridization. The effect of exogenous ADM on contractions of isolated tracheal strip of the asthmatic guinea pigs to histamine was examined.

RESULTSThere were strong positive expression for ADM mRNA in airway epithelial cells (AEC), smooth muscle cells (ASMC) in asthmatic group. The control group showed significantly decreased number of ADM mRNA positive cells in lung tissues. From 10(-11) mol/L to 10(-7) mol/L, ADM may cause concentration depend pentiation of the isolated tracheal strip contraction induced by histamine of asthmatic group which was higher significantly compared the control group (P < 0.05). 10(-8) mol/L ADM reached the maximal relaxation, with the increasing of ADM, neither asthmatic nor control group can increase the relaxation.

CONCLUSIONThere is ADM mRNA overproduction in AEC and ASMC and exogenous ADM may inhibit isolated tracheal strip contraction induced by histamine of asthmatic guinea pig, which may contribute to airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in asthma.

Adrenomedullin ; metabolism ; Airway Resistance ; Animals ; Asthma ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Guinea Pigs ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Trachea ; physiopathology