Clinical impact of physician staffing transition in intensive care units: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Intensivists play an essential role in improving the outcomes of critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs). The transition of ICU physician staffing from low-intensity ICUs (elective intensivist or no intensivist consultation) to high-intensity ICUs (mandatory intensivist consultation or a closed ICU) improves clinical outcomes. However, whether a transition from high-intensity to low-intensity ICU staffing affects ICU outcomes and quality of care remains unknown.

Pulmonary vein thrombosis and cerebral infarction after video-assisted thoracic surgery of the left upper lobe: a case series.

Background: Pulmonary vein thrombosis (PVT) and cerebral infarction are rare but critical complications after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

Case Presentation: We experienced two cases of massive middle cerebral artery infarction after VATS for the left upper lobe. Although the precise source of their embolus was never identified, both cases were clinically suspected PVT.

Kinase-kinase interaction and modulation of tau phosphorylation.

The microtubule (MT)-associated protein tau attaches to neuronal MT networks and regulates their integrity. The phosphorylation state of tau alters its binding activity. MT integrity is maintained by the phosphorylation state of tau, which is under the control of the kinase-phosphatase balance.

[Anesthetic management of undiagnosed pheochromocytoma: a case report].

A 55-year-old man was scheduled for resection of an adrenal tumor under the diagnosis of a non-functioning adrenal tumor. He was admitted for unstable angina 58 days preoperatively, and on the second hospital day, he had an episode of ventricular tachycardia for 20 seconds following epigastric pain. Abdominal computed tomography scans revealed a retroperitoneal abscess, which was subsequently drained effectively, and a right adrenal tumor.

[Awareness during anesthesia with sevoflurane: a case report].

We report a case of a patient who experienced awareness during general anesthesia with sevoflurane. A 71-year-old man, weighing 57 kg, was operated on for a malignant tumor of the parotid gland. He was given 2 mg diazepam orally as a premedication.

Potentiation of proopiomelanocortin gene expression in cultured pituitary cells by benzodiazepines.

Background: Benzodiazepines are frequently used not only as a part of general anesthesia but also for the purpose of sedation during regional anesthesia. Effects of these drugs on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity have been studied, but are still controversial. It is not known whether benzodiazepines affect expression of proopiomelanocortin, precursor protein of adrenocorticotropic hormone and related peptides.

Truncation of CDK5 activator p35 induces intensive phosphorylation of Ser202/Thr205 of human tau.

Hyperphosphorylated tau is a major component of neurofibrillary tangles, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. CDK5 is a kinase that phosphorylates the tau protein, and its endogenous activator, p35, regulates its activity. Recently, calpain was found to digest p35 to its truncated product, p25.