Modified Cardiovascular Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score in Sepsis: External Validation in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Background: There is a need to update the cardiovascular (CV) Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score to reflect the current practice in sepsis. We previously proposed the modified CV SOFA score from data on blood pressure, norepinephrine equivalent dose, and lactate as gathered from emergency departments. In this study, we externally validated the modified CV SOFA score in multicenter intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Gastric insufflation and surgical view according to mask ventilation method for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled study.

Background: Proper mask ventilation is important to prevent air inflow into the stomach during induction of general anesthesia, and it is difficult to send airflow only through the trachea without gastric inflation. Changes in gastric insufflation according to mask ventilation during anesthesia induction were compared.

Methods: In this prospective, randomized, single-blind study, 230 patients were analyzed to a facemask-ventilated group (Ventilation group) or no-ventilation group (Apnea group) during anesthesia induction.

Transplantation of patient-specific bile duct bioengineered with chemically reprogrammed and microtopographically differentiated cells.

Cholangiopathy is a diverse spectrum of chronic progressive bile duct disorders with limited treatment options and dismal outcomes. Scaffold- and stem cell-based tissue engineering technologies hold great promise for reconstructive surgery and tissue repair. Here, we report a combined application of 3D scaffold fabrication and reprogramming of patient-specific human hepatocytes to produce implantable artificial tissues that imitate the mechanical and biological properties of native bile ducts.

High-flow nasal cannula application in an infant patient with laryngomalacia during general anesthesia: A case report.

Rationale: Laryngomalacia is defined as the collapse of supraglottic structures and can cause not only strider but also trigger difficulties with ventilation and endotracheal intubation during anesthesia management. High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has been used to manage patients at high risk of hypoxemia in the intensive care unit; however, limited literature information is available for the application of HFNC to infant patients with laryngomalacia during anesthesia practice.

Patient Concerns: A 2-month-old male infant was scheduled to undergo surgery for inguinal hernia and undescended testis with general anesthesia.

The Presence or Absence of Alkaline Phosphatase Activity to Discriminate Pluripotency Characteristics in Porcine Epiblast Stem Cell-Like Cells.

Porcine embryonic stem cells (pESCs) would provide potentials for agricultural- and biotechnological-related applications. However, authentic pESCs have not been established yet because standards for porcine stem cell-specific markers and culture conditions are not clear. Therefore, the present study reports attempts to derive pluripotent epiblast stem cells either from or derived porcine embryos.

Ultrasound-guided dynamic needle tip positioning technique for radial artery cannulation in elderly patients: A prospective randomized controlled study.

Background: Radial artery cannulation, which is a useful procedure for anesthetic management, is often challenging in elderly patients. Recently, the dynamic needle tip positioning (DNTP) technique was introduced to facilitate ultrasound-guided vascular catheterization. Therefore, we performed this prospective, parallel group, randomized, controlled trial to compare the ultrasound-guided DNTP technique with the palpation method in elderly patients.

The Protective Effects of Dexmedetomidine Preconditioning on Hepatic Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats.

Background: Ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury is 1 of the major problems in liver surgery. This study aims to evaluate the histologic and biochemical effects of dexmedetomidine on ischemia/reperfusion injury in the liver of rats.

Methods: Twenty-two Sprague-Dawley male rats were separated into 3 groups: group sham, IR (IR injury), and IR-D (IR with dexmedetomidine).

Effect of remifentanil infusion on the hemodynamic response during induction of anesthesia in hypertensive and normotensive patients: a prospective observational study.

Background: The induction of general anesthesia may cause hemodynamic instability. Remifentanil is often administered to suppress the hemodynamic response. We aimed to evaluate the effect of remifentanil infusion on the hemodynamic response to induction of anesthesia in hypertensive and normotensive patients.

Co-administration of erythropoietin and iron complex improves late-phase liver regeneration.

Erythropoietin and iron have individually shown beneficial effects on early-phase liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy (PHx); however, there are limited data on the combined effect on late-phase liver regeneration after PHx. Here we examined combined effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO, 3,000 IU/kg) and iron isomaltoside (IIM, 40 mg/kg) on late-phase liver regeneration following PHx and investigated the possible underlying mechanism. Rats administrated with rhEPO showed significantly higher liver mass restoration, interleukin-6 (IL-6, a hepatocyte mitogen) levels, and Ki-67-positive hepatocytes on day 7 after PHx than saline-treated controls.

Feasibility of Assessing Maxillary and Mandibular Bone Mineral Density for Dental Implantation by Using Multidetector Computed Tomography.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of measuring bone mineral density (BMD) of the maxillary and mandibular bones for dental implantation by using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).

Materials And Methods: We performed MDCT in 141 patients (78 women and 63 men) at the lumbar vertebrae and at the maxillary and mandibular bones, with a view to dental implantation, from July 2015 to June 2017. Quantitative CT (QCT) using MDCT was performed to obtain Hounsfield unit (HU) values for the maxillary and mandibular bones and to obtain T scores for the lumbar vertebrae.

Effects of acute normovolemic hemodilution on healing of gastric anastomosis in rats.

Purpose: Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) is an autologous transfusion method, using blood collected during surgery, to reduce the need for allogeneic blood transfusion. ANH is controversial because it may lead to various complications. Among the possible complications, anastomotic leakage is one that would have a significant effect on the operation outcome.

Amorphous Fluoropolymer Membrane for Gas Separation Applications.

Amorphous fluoropolymers have been studied in the past few decades and received extensive attention due to their unique and useful properties. One of the remarkable properties of amorphous fluoropolymers is high fractional free volume (FFV), and they tend to retain large amounts of solvent inside their polymer chains. In this study, amorphous flouoropolymer membranes were employed to examine the influences of the residual solvent and drying condition on the thermal properties, gas permeation behavior, and structure change by the polymer chains.

Effects of nefopam with fentanyl in intravenous patient-controlled analgesia after arthroscopic orthopedic surgery: a prospective double-blind randomized trial.

Background/aim: We performed this prospective randomized double-blind study to compare the effects of nefopam versus ketorolac in intravenous fentanyl-based patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) after shoulder arthroscopic orthopedic surgery. Materials and methods: Ninety-two patients were randomly divided into two groups to receive intravenous PCA. Patients were assigned to either the nefopam group (nefopam 120 mg and fentanyl 20 µg/kg) or the ketorolac group (ketorolac 2 mg/kg and fentanyl 20 µg/kg).

The caspase-8/Bid/cytochrome c axis links signals from death receptors to mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production.

Ligation of the death receptors for TNF-α, FasL, and TRAIL triggers two common pathways, caspase-dependent intrinsic apoptosis and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The apoptotic pathway is well characterized; however, a signaling linker between the death receptor and ROS production has not been clearly elucidated. Here, we found that death receptor-induced ROS generation was strongly inhibited by mitochondrial complex I and II inhibitors, but not by inhibitors of NADPH oxidase, lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase or xanthine oxidase, indicating that ROS are mostly generated by the impairment of the mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Incidence and Management of Fractured Dental Implants: Case Reports.

The fracture of dental implants is a rare occurrence in clinical settings. Possible causes of implant fracture include design or production flaws, overloaded occlusion force, implant location, metal fatigue, and bone resorption around the implant. This study reports on the successful removal and reimplantation of fractured implants.

Comparative Study on Osseointegration of Implants After Flap and Flapless Surgery in the Mandible of Dogs.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the implant stability and osseointegration of implants using a flap or flapless technique.

Material And Methods: Mandibular premolars and molars were extracted from both sides in 6 dogs. After 8 weeks, 4 fixtures were implanted using either a flap or flapless technique.

Efficacy of Pentax airway scope versus Macintosh laryngoscope when used by novice personnel: A prospective randomized controlled study.

Objective To determine whether intubation education using the Pentax Airway Scope (AWS) in normal airways is more useful than direct laryngoscopy (Macintosh laryngoscope) in novice personnel. Methods Eleven intern doctors without intubation experience performed 60 sequential intubations with each device on a manikin and 10 sequential intubations in adult patients. The time required for successful intubation, percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score, number of intubation attempts, and number of dental injuries were analyzed for each intubation technique.

Licochalcone-E induces caspase-dependent death of human pharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells through the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways.

The aim of the present study was to investigate licochalcone-E (Lico-E)-induced apoptosis and the associated apoptotic signaling pathway in FaDu cells, a human pharyngeal squamous carcinoma cell line. Treatment with Lico-E exhibited significant cytotoxicity on FaDu cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC value of Lico-E in FaDu cells was ~50 µM.

Design and Fabrication of a Thin-Walled Free-Form Scaffold on the Basis of Medical Image Data and a 3D Printed Template: Its Potential Use in Bile Duct Regeneration.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, combined with medical imaging technologies, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has shown a great potential in patient-specific tissue regeneration. Here, we successfully fabricated an ultrathin tubular free-form structure with a wall thickness of several tens of micrometers that is capable of providing sufficient mechanical flexibility. Such a thin geometry cannot easily be achieved by 3D printing alone; therefore, it was realized through a serial combination of processes, including the 3D printing of a sacrificial template, the dip coating of the biomaterial, and the removal of the inner template.

Comparative study on the osseointegration of implants in dog mandibles according to the implant surface treatment.

Objectives: This study compared the impact of implant surface treatment on the stability and osseointegration of implants in dog mandibles.

Materials And Methods: Six adult dogs received a total of 48 implants that were prepared using four different surface treatments; resorbable blast media (RBM), hydroxyapatite (HA), hydrothermal-treated HA, and sand blasting and acid etching (SLA). Implants were installed, and dogs were separated into 2- and 4-week groups.

Successful transfusion-free pancreatectomy in Jehovah's Witness patients.

Backgrounds/aims: Although perioperative therapies have improved greatly, pancreatectomies still often need blood transfusions. However, the morbidity from blood transfusions, the poor prognosis of blood transfused patients, high cost, and decreasing supply of blood products is accelerating transfusion-free (TF) surgery in the patients who have pacreatectomies. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of TF pancreatectomies for patients who are Jehovah's Witness.