Risk Factors, Pathogens, and Outcomes of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Non-Cardiac Surgical Patients: A Retrospective Analysis.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a critical hospital-acquired infection following non-cardiac surgeries, leading to poor outcomes. This study identifies VAP risk factors in non-cardiac surgical patients and determines the causative pathogens. A retrospective analysis with 1:4 propensity-score matching was conducted on patients in a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) from 2010 to 2020 at a private tertiary medical center.

Gram-negative bacterial infections in surgical intensive care unit patients following abdominal surgery: high mortality associated with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection.

Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (GNB), is an emerging nosocomial pathogen. This study assessed the clinical outcomes of GNB infections in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients post-abdominal surgery, focusing on the differences between S. maltophilia and other GNBs, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The incidence and risk factors of proximal lower extremity deep vein thrombosis without pharmacologic prophylaxis in critically ill surgical Taiwanese patients: A prospective study.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in critically ill patients has been well-studied in Western countries. Many studies have developed risk assessments and established pharmacological protocols to prevent deep venous thrombosis (DVT). However, the DVT rate and need for pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis in critically ill Taiwanese patients are limited.

An Engineered Mouse Model That Generates a Diverse Repertoire of Endogenous, High-Affinity Common Light Chain Antibodies.

Bispecific antibodies have gained increasing popularity as therapeutics as they enable novel activities that cannot be achieved with monospecific antibodies. Some of the most popular bispecific formats are molecules in which two Fab arms with different antigen specificities are combined into one IgG-like molecule. One way to produce these bispecific molecules requires the discovery of antibodies against the two antigens of interest that share a common light chain.

Prognostic factors for critically ill surgical patients with unplanned intensive care unit readmission: Developing a novel predictive scoring model for predicting readmission.

Background: Unplanned readmission to the surgical intensive care unit has been demonstrated to worsen patient outcomes. Our objective was to identify risk factors and outcomes associated with unplanned surgical intensive care unit readmission and to develop a predictive scoring model to identify patients at high risk of readmission.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (2020-2021) and categorized them as either with or without unplanned readmission.

VHH CDR-H3 conformation is determined by VH germline usage.

VHHs or nanobodies are single antigen binding domains originating from camelid heavy-chain antibodies. They are used as diagnostic and research tools and in a variety of therapeutic molecules. Analyzing variable domain structures from llama and alpaca we found that VHHs can be classified into two large structural clusters based on their CDR-H3 conformation.

Clinical impact of carbapenems in critically ill patients with valproic acid therapy: A propensity-matched analysis.

Background: Valproic acid (VPA) is one of the most widely used broad-spectrum antiepileptic drugs, and carbapenems (CBPs) remain the drug of choice for severe infection caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria in critically ill patients. The interaction between VPA and CBPs can lead to a rapid depletion of serum VPA level. This may then cause status epilepticus (SE), which is associated with significant mortality.

Magnolol regulates miR-200c-3p to inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition and retinoblastoma progression by modulating the ZEB1/E-cadherin axis in vitro and in vivo.

Background: Retinoblastoma, the most common pediatric intraocular malignancy, can develop during embryogenesis, with most children being diagnosed at 3-4 years of age. Multimodal therapies are typically associated with high levels of cytotoxicity and side effects. Therefore, the development of novel treatments with minimal side effects is crucial.

Impact of Illness Severity and Interventions on Successful Weaning from Nasal CPAP in Very Preterm Neonates: An Observational Study.

This study aims to identify clinical variables that could affect successful weaning from nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) in very preterm infants. Infants born at a gestational age (GA) of <32 weeks were retrospectively enrolled. Weaning from NCPAP was initiated when the infants were clinically stable.

Association between Wakeup Frequency at Night and Atherogenic Dyslipidemia: Evidence for Sex Differences.

Aim: This study aimed to determine whether sleep disturbance, defined as the wakeup frequency at night, is associated with atherogenic dyslipidemia and to explore possible sex differences.

Methods: A total of 1,368 adults aged 19-70 years were included in the study of lifestyles and atherogenic dyslipidemia at the National Taiwan University Hospital in the period of 2008-2012. They completed a questionnaire regarding lifestyle information and sleep quality, including sleep hour duration, use of sleeping pills, and wakeup frequency during nighttime sleep.

The Risk of Bleeding and Adverse Events with Clopidogrel in Elective Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Patients.

Orthopedic surgeons often face a clinical dilemma on how to manage antiplatelet therapies during the time of surgery. This retrospective study is aimed to investigate the bleeding risk and adverse events in patients who hold or keep clopidogrel during elective major joints arthroplasty. Two hundred and ninety-six patients that were treated with clopidogrel while undergoing total hip or knee joint replacement between January 2009 and December 2018 were studied.

New developments in neonatal respiratory management.

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is the major cause of respiratory failure in preterm infants due to immature lung development and surfactant deficiency. Although the concepts and methods of managing respiratory problems in neonates have changed continuously, determining appropriate respiratory treatment with minimal ventilation-induced lung injury and complications is crucially important. This review summarizes neonatal respiratory therapy's advances and available strategies (i.

Importance of daptomycin dosage on the clinical outcome in liver transplant recipients with vancomycin-resistant enterococci infection.

We retrospectively studied 16 (3 colonization and 13 infections) early post-liver transplant (≤60-day after transplantation) patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) colonization/infection from 2016 to 2019. All VRE isolates were . Of 13 patients with VRE infection, 12 (92.

Computer-Aided Detection (CADe) System with Optical Coherent Tomography for Melanin Morphology Quantification in Melasma Patients.

Dark skin-type individuals have a greater tendency to have pigmentary disorders, among which melasma is especially refractory to treat and often recurs. Objective measurement of melanin amount helps evaluate the treatment response of pigmentary disorders. However, naked-eye evaluation is subjective to weariness and bias.

Teicoplanin versus β-lactam for febrile patients with Staphylococcus-like bacteremia: focus on methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

Background: Many studies have shown that vancomycin is inferior to β-lactam antibiotics in terms of effectiveness in the treatment of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia. However, limited data are available regarding the comparison of clinical outcomes between patients receiving initial teicoplanin and those receiving β-lactam antibiotics for MSSA bacteremia.

Methods: Eighty-four adults with MSSA bacteremia were included: initial teicoplanin treatment group (n = 28) and β-lactam treatment group (n = 56).

Interactions between carbapenems and valproic acid among the patients in the intensive care units.

Purpose: To evaluate risk factors for epileptic seizures or status epilepticus (SE) in patients concomitantly receiving valproic acid (VPA) and carbapenems.

Materials And Methods: Adult patients in the intensive care units (ICUs) who concomitantly received VPA and carbapenems from 2007 to 2017 were included. The impacts of different carbapenems on serum concentration of VPA were compared.

Impact of biofilm production by Candida species and antifungal therapy on mortality of patients with candidemia.

Background And Objectives: Few studies have investigated the clinical outcomes of patients with candidemia caused by Candida species with different levels of biofilm formation. We aimed to investigate the impact of antifungal therapy on the outcome of candidemia caused by Candida species that were categorised as low biofilm formers (LBFs), moderate biofilm formers (MBFs), and high biofilm formers (HBFs).

Methods: Adults with candidemia caused by LBF and HBF/MBF Candida species that were susceptible to fluconazole and caspofungin were included to investigate the impact of treatment with fluconazole vs an echinocandin on 30-day crude mortality.

Increased financial burdens and lengths of stay in patients with healthcare-associated infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria in intensive care units: A propensity-matched case-control study.

Background And Objectives: Incidence rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) depend upon infection control policy and practices, and the effectiveness of the implementation of antibiotic stewardship. Amongst intensive care unit (ICU) patients with HAIs, a substantial number of pathogens were reported to be multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB). However, impacts of ICU HAIs due to MDRB (MDRB-HAIs) remain understudied.

Electronic cigarette vapour moderately stimulates pro-inflammatory signalling pathways and interleukin-6 production by human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen presenting cells that play a critical role in bridging innate and adaptive immunity. Numerous studies have shown that tobacco constituents present in conventional cigarettes affect the phenotype and function of DCs; however, no studies have examined the effects of vapour from E-cigarettes on human DCs. Here, the effects of E-cigarette vapour extract (ECVE) on the phenotype and function of DCs were investigated by creating an in vitro cell culture model using human monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs).