Toll-Like Receptor 4 Deficiency Ameliorates Propofol-Induced Impairments of Cognitive Function and Synaptic Plasticity in Young Mice.

Propofol is one of the most used intravenous anesthetic agents, which is widely used in clinical anesthesia induction and maintenance of pediatric patients. Exposure of the developing brain to propofol has been reported to lead to adverse brain changes, which in turn can induce persistent behavioral abnormalities in adulthood. However, the mechanisms by which propofol exposure in the developing brain induces cognitive impairment remain unclear.

Factors associated with outcomes of septic shock patients receiving high dose noradrenaline according to three primary infection sites.

Objective: To identify factors associated with outcome of septic shock patients receiving high dose noradrenaline according to three primary infection sites.

Methods: This retrospective study was based on data from a publicly available ICU database (Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care [MIMIC] III. Septic shock patients receiving high dose (≥1 μg/kg per min) noradrenaline and ≥18 years were identified and their characteristics and outcomes were compared according to three primary infection sites (abdominal, respiratory and urinary tract).

High 28-day mortality in critically ill patients with sepsis and concomitant active cancer.

Objective: This study was performed to explore the characteristics and outcomes of patients with sepsis accompanied by active cancer who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: The baseline characteristics, infection profiles, and outcomes of patients with sepsis were retrospectively analyzed according to the presence of concomitant active cancer. The association between concomitant active cancer and 28-day mortality was explored.

Assessment of the effect of continuous sedation with mechanical ventilation on adrenal insufficiency in patients with traumatic brain injury.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of continuous propofol sedation plus prolonged mechanical ventilation on adrenal insufficiency (AI) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Eighty-five adult patients diagnosed with moderate TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 9-13) from October 2011 to October 2012 were included in this prospective study. The patients comprised three groups: no mechanical ventilation and sedation (n=27), mechanical ventilation alone (n=24) and mechanical ventilation plus sedation (n=34).

Antihypertensive therapy with nicardipine for patients with aortic disease is associated with more esmolol usage than urapidil.

Background: Acute aortic disease is a common but challenging entity in clinical practice. Titration the blood pressure and heart rate to a target level is of paramount importance in the acute phase regardless of whether the patient will undergo a surgery or not eventually. In addition to the initially intravenous β-blockers, parenteral infusion of nicardipine and urapidil are the most common used antihypertensive therapy currently in mainland China.

[Association of the MspI polymorphism of cytochrome P4501A1 gene and smoking to the susceptibility to coronary artery disease].

Objective: To investigate the association of MspI polymorphism of Cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) gene and smoking to the susceptibility to coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: The genotypes of CYP1A1 MspI site were detected using the methods of polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 349 cases with CAD and 404 non-CAD as controls. CAD diagnosis was confirmed by coronary angiograms.

[Effects of vaccae on airway inflammation and Th1/Th2 cytokines in sensitized mice].

Objective: To study the inhibitory effect of Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae) on the accumulation of airway inflammatory cells and its regulatory effect on IFN-gamma/IL-4 balance in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) from ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged and sensitized mice, therefore to provide experimental evidence for the application of M. vaccae in the treatment of asthma.