Oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of renal injury after ischemia-reperfusion. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis extract, exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. To determine whether CAPE offers any advantage over alpha-tocopherol, we compared their effects on an in vivo model of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. CAPE at 10 micromol/kg or alpha-tocopherol at 10 mg/kg was administered intraperitoneally before reperfusion. Acute administration of CAPE suppressed ischemia-reperfusion induced renal lipid peroxidation and tissue injury more than alpha-tocopherol. CAPE may therefore offer a therapeutic advantage in acute injury settings.

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Calciphylaxis is a poorly understood and highly morbid syndrome of vascular calcification and skin necrosis. Hypercalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and secondary hyperparathyroidism are the factors implicated in the pathogenesis of calciphylaxis, which is generally identified in patients with hyperparathyroidism secondary to end-stage renal disease. It has also been observed in primary hyperparathyroidism, end-stage liver disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, in the absence of renal disease. There are few case reports of calciphylaxis occurring in hypercalcemia of malignancy. An unusual case is reported of calciphylaxis associated with malignant melanoma of the soft parts in the absence of renal or parathyroid disease. This is the first reported case of this soft tissue sarcoma showing calciphylactic changes.

Encephalitis is a complex neurological disease that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and the etiology of the disease is often not identified. Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in children. Few reports are available showing possible involvement of hMPV in development of neurologic complications. Here, we describe an infant, the youngest case in literature, with refractory status epilepticus and severe encephalitis in whom hMPV was detected in respiratory samples and review diagnostic workup of patient with encephalitis.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is characterized by hypertension, seizure, headache, clouding of consciousness, and visual disturbance, and is diagnosed in the presence of typical lesions on magnetic resonance imaging. We retrospectively evaluated five patients who were diagnosed as having posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and followed up in Meram Medical Faculty, Pediatric Intensive Care and Hematology wards, between January 2010 and January 2014. We reviewed the demographic and clinical data, and neuroimaging findings. The primary diseases of the subjects included acute lymphocytic leukemia (n=2), Henoch-Schönlein purpura (n=1), systemic lupus erythematous (n=1), and acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (n=1). The mean age was 10±4.58 years (range, 5-14 years). Acute elevation of blood pressure was found in all patients (n=5). Initial neurologic manifestations included seizure, clouding of consciousness, headache, and visual disturbance. After the diagnosis was made through clinical evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging, complete clinical recovery was obtained in all patients with the appropriate therapeutic approach. In conclusion, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients who present with encephalopathy and underlying diseases such as nephritis, vasculitis, malignancy accompanied by hypertension, and a history of use of medication.