Background: Recent data suggested that dysbiosis of the gut microbiome is associated with childhood allergic diseases. Oral administration of probiotic formulations may improve the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) by restoring imbalanced gut microbiota and reducing intestinal inflammation in children. Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a probiotic mixture on the clinical severity of AD, gut inflammatory markers and alterations in microbiome dysbiosis in children with AD.Methods: A total of 25 subjects were enrolled in this study and administered with a mixture of probiotic strains consisting of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria for 4 weeks. The clinical efficacy of the probiotic mixture was assessed using SCORAD index and TEWL. Faecal calprotectin levels were measured as a marker for intestinal inflammation. The composition and diversity of the gut microbiome were analysed using 16S rRNA pyrosequencing. Results:The SCORAD (38.9 AE 17.2 vs 29.0 AE 15.4, P < 0.001) and TEWL (58.3 AE 12.5 vs 27.3 AE 8.7 g/ m 2 /h, P = 0.028) were significantly decreased after 4 weeks administration of the probiotic mixture. The faecal calprotectin level (121.5 [27.7-292.9] vs 37.0 lg/g [12.6-108.9 lg/g], P = 0.038) was significantly decreased. The a-diversity and composition of the gut microbiome were not significantly changed, but b-diversity was increased after 4 weeks. Conclusions:The oral administration of the probiotic mixture was effective in reducing clinical severity and intestinal inflammation in children with AD. Gut microbial diversity was slightly increased after administration of the probiotic mixture. The results of this study suggest that a probiotic mixture can alleviate AD by decreasing inflammation and modulating the gut microbiota in children with AD.
Purpose: Awareness of environmental control is considered a significant influence on the performance of asthma self-management behaviors, which are involved in maintaining effective asthma control. This study aimed to investigate whether immersive virtual reality (VR) education is effective in environmental control education for asthmatic children in Korea.Methods: Thirty asthmatic children aged 9 to 13 years with aeroallergen sensitization were enrolled. Environmental control education for asthmatic participants was performed using immersive VR (VR group) or conventional leaflets provided by asthma specialists (control group). Five questionnaires, on awareness of environmental control, memory, assessment of intent to act, a satisfaction test, and an asthma control test (ACT), were used to estimate the effects of education.Results: The scores for awareness of environmental control, memory, and intent to act significantly increased after education in both groups, and the scores remained high until 4 weeks after education. Both groups' ACT scores were consistently high before and 4 weeks after education. Satisfaction scores were very high in the VR group.Conclusion: The increased scores in awareness of environmental control and intent to act indicate that the environmental control education using VR is worthy of attention as an effective educational tool for asthma management. Further developed techniques, including active environmental interventions by participants in VR, could be applied to effective asthma management.
Purpose: Awareness of environmental control is considered a significant influence on the performance of asthma self-management behaviors, which are involved in maintaining effective asthma control. This study aimed to investigate whether immersive virtual reality (VR) education is effective in environmental control education for asthmatic children in Korea.Methods: Thirty asthmatic children aged 9 to 13 years with aeroallergen sensitization were enrolled. Environmental control education for asthmatic participants was performed using immersive VR (VR group) or conventional leaflets provided by asthma specialists (control group). Five questionnaires, on awareness of environmental control, memory, assessment of intent to act, a satisfaction test, and an asthma control test (ACT), were used to estimate the effects of education.Results: The scores for awareness of environmental control, memory, and intent to act significantly increased after education in both groups, and the scores remained high until 4 weeks after education. Both groups' ACT scores were consistently high before and 4 weeks after education. Satisfaction scores were very high in the VR group.Conclusion: The increased scores in awareness of environmental control and intent to act indicate that the environmental control education using VR is worthy of attention as an effective educational tool for asthma management. Further developed techniques, including active environmental interventions by participants in VR, could be applied to effective asthma management.
Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) of childhood is characterized by encephalopathy presenting with symmetrical multiple necrotic brain lesions along with multiple organ involvement. Affected children often present dramatic and profound neurologic deficits after prodromal viral infection symptoms. We report a case of a 4-year-old boy with acute necrotizing encephalitis related to Mycoplasma pneumoniae who managed to recover from severe neurocognitive impairment. A previously healthy 4-yearold boy had traveled around America and Spain for 1 month. Ten days after return, he had fever due to acute pharyngotonsillitis. On the third day of fever, he experienced abdominal pain, vomiting, and a generalized tonic seizure. He was transferred to the emergency room with an ongoing seizure of 30 minutes which ceased after injection of lorazepam. The patient was drowsy but cranial nerve exam, pupillary light reflex, and extraocular movements were normal. Overall motor and sensory function was intact. Within 2 hours of admission the patient had three vomiting episodes. The initial diffusion-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no diffusion-restriction lesions and the intrathecal pressure was normal. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests, renal parameters, electrolyte
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.