Effective dose of intranasal remimazolam for preoperative sedation in preschool children: a dose-finding study using Dixon's up-and-down method.

Background: Most preschool children are distressed during anesthesia induction. While current pharmacological methods are useful, there is a need for further optimization to an "ideal" standard. Remimazolam is an ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine, and intranasal remimazolam for pre-induction sedation may be promising.

Neonatal di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate exposure induces permanent alterations in secretory CRH neuron characteristics in the hypothalamus paraventricular region of adult male rats.

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) play a critical role in the modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Early-life exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has been associated with an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders in adulthood. The present work was designed to explore the impact of neonatal exposure to DEHP on adult PVN CRH neuronal activity.

Protocatechualdehyde restores endothelial dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Background: The present study was conducted with the aim of clarifying the effects of protocatechualdehyde (PCA) on the endothelial function in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Methods: Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were intraperitoneally injected with STZ (single dose of 60 mg/kg). Diabetic model rats were given PCA (25 mg/kg/day) via gavage feeding for 6 weeks.

Epidermal growth factor regulates the development of stem and progenitor Leydig cells in rats.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has many physiological roles. However, its effects on stem and progenitor Leydig cell development remain unclear. Rat stem and progenitor Leydig cells were cultured with different concentrations of EGF alone or in combination with EGF antagonist, erlotinib or cetuximab.

Protective effects of curcumin against neuroinflammation induced by Aβ25-35 in primary rat microglia: modulation of high-mobility group box 1, toll-like receptor 4 and receptor for advanced glycation end products expression.

Background: Activated microglia induced by amyloid-beta (Aβ) release proinflammatory cytokines that can induce neurotoxicity. High-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) and HMGB1-mediated inflammatory responses have been attributed with memory impairment in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is accumulating evidence to suggest curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory polyphenol.

Comparing the response of pulse oximetry and regional cerebral oxygen saturation to hypoxia in preschool children.

Pulse oximetry and measurement of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rcSO) are used to monitor peripheral and cerebral oxygenation, respectively. However, the response of rcSO and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO) to hypoxia in preschool children has not been previously assessed. A total of 36 preschool patients who had undergone a tonsillectomy [age, 4-6 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade I or II] were screened and prospectively enrolled in the present study.

Analyzing Electroencephalography (EEG) Waves Provides a Reliable Tool to Assess the Depth of Sevoflurane Anesthesia in Pediatric Patients.

BACKGROUND Studies have reported that BIS is unreliable in children because its algorithm provides misleading information about the actual depth of anesthesia. Raw EEG analysis provides direct neurophysiologic measurement of cerebral activity. The relationship between age and EEG has rarely been reported, thus the aim of the present study was to compare raw electroencephalography (EEG) among different age groups of surgical patients under general anesthesia with 1.

Emerging Role for Exosomes in the Progress of Stem Cell Research.

Exosomes are small secretory vesicles that are involved in intercellular communication. Exosomes are secreted by many types of cells and exert important functions in plasma-membrane exchange as well as the transport of bioactive substances, such as proteins, messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs), micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) and organelles. Exosomes may regulate physiological processes by altering gene regulatory networks or epigenetic recombination.

Platelet-derived growth factor BB stimulates differentiation of rat immature Leydig cells.

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is one family of growth factors that regulate cell growth and differentiation. Rat Leydig cells express PDGF-β receptor (PDGFRB) during pubertal development. However, the mechanism of PDGF in the regulation of Leydig cell development is unclear.

Bezold-Jarisch reflex occurred in a pediatric patient with giant intra-abdominal teratoma during induction of anesthesia: A case report.

Rationale: Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR) occurs when the cardioinhibitory receptors in the walls of ventricles are activated by various stimuli, with typical features of bradycardia, vasorelaxation, and hypotension. This reflex usually happens in parturient intrathecal anesthesia, as a result of decreased venous return by compression of inferior vena cava, but it is only rarely reported during general anesthesia.

Patient Concerns: Severe bradycardia and hypotension, indicating BJR, occurred during the induction of general anesthesia in a 3-month-old female child with giant intra-abdominal teratoma.

Anatomic variations of neck vessels and the course of pediatric internal jugular veins.

Background: Landmark-guided internal jugular vein cannulation is difficult for pediatric patients but useful, especially when ultrasound equipment is unavailable. Therefore, it is important to define the adjacent anatomic characteristics of the pediatric internal jugular vein.

Methods: In 210 children the course of the internal jugular vein, and common carotid and vertebral arteries was measured from the level of the cricoid cartilage to the supraclavicular area using ultrasound.

Leukemia inhibitory factor stimulates steroidogenesis of rat immature Leydig cells via increasing the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has many physiological roles. However, its effects on Leydig cell development are still unclear. Rat immature and adult Leydig cells were cultured with different concentrations of LIF alone or in combination with luteinizing hormone (LH) for 24 h.

In utero perfluorooctane sulfonate exposure causes low body weights of fetal rats: A mechanism study.

Objectives: The objective of the present study is to investigate the mechanism of perfluorooctane sulfonate-induced low body weight of fetus by analysis of glucocorticoid metabolizing enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 and gene expression profiling of the placenta after in utero PFOS exposure.

Study Design: Pregnant Sprague-Dawley dams were gavaged with 0, 5, and 20 mg/kg body weight PFOS daily from gestational day 12-18. On gestational day 18, pregnant dams were euthanized, placentas, and fetuses were collected.

Allopregnanolone attenuates Aβ25-35-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells by reducing oxidative stress.

Massive accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) has been implicated as a pivotal event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. The underlying mechanisms of Aβ-induced neurotoxicity include generation of reactive oxidative species (ROS), inflammation, and neurons loss. Allopregnano-lone (APα), a neurosteroid derive from neuroactive progesterone, has been demonstrated to have neuroprotective properties in vivo and vitro.

In Utero Exposure to Diethylhexyl Phthalate Affects Rat Brain Development: A Behavioral and Genomic Approach.

Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is one of the most widely utilized phthalate plasticizers. Previous studies have demonstrated that gestational or postnatal DEHP exposure induced adverse effects on rat brain development and function. In this study, we investigated the effects of gestational DEHP exposure on gene expression profiling in neonatal rat brain and cognitive function change at adulthood.

Time-course changes of steroidogenic gene expression and steroidogenesis of rat Leydig cells after acute immobilization stress.

Leydig cells secrete testosterone, which is essential for male fertility and reproductive health. Stress increases the secretion of glucocorticoid (corticosterone, CORT; in rats), which decreases circulating testosterone levels in part through a direct action by binding to the glucocorticoid receptors (NR3C1) in Leydig cells. The intratesticular CORT level is dependent on oxidative inactivation of glucocorticoid by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (HSD11B1) in Leydig cells.

Alterations of gene profiles in Leydig-cell-regenerating adult rat testis after ethane dimethane sulfonate-treatment.

Only occupying about 1%-5% of total testicular cells, the adult Leydig cell (ALC) is a unique endocrine cell that produces androgens. Rat Leydig cells regenerate after these cells in the testis are eliminated with ethane dimethane sulfonate (EDS). In this study, we have characterized Leydig cell regeneration and messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNA) profiles of EDS treated rat testes.

Gene expression profiling in fetal rat lung during gestational perfluorooctane sulfonate exposure.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent environmental contaminant found in the tissues of humans and wildlife. It has been reported that gestational exposure to PFOS causes neonatal death of rats. However, the mechanism is still unclear.

Effects of phthalates on 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 activities in human and rat testes.

The 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 (17β-HSD3) are involved in the reactions that culminate in androgen biosynthesis in Leydig cells. Human and rat testis microsomes were used to investigate the inhibitory potencies on 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD3 activities of 14 different phthalates with various carbon numbers in the ethanol moiety. The results demonstrated that the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)s) of dipropyl (DPrP), dibutyl (DBP), dipentyl (DPP), bis(2-butoxyethyl) (BBOP) and dicyclohexyl (DCHP) phthalate were 123.