Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Incision and Drainage in the Treatment of Mediastinal Abscess.

Mediastinal abscess, mostly resulting from esophageal perforation or cardiothoracic surgery, is a serious condition carrying high morbidity and mortality. Antibiotic therapy alone normally did not achieve a satisfactory outcome, due to poor circulation of abscess that hampers drug delivery. Surgical intervention for debridement and drainage is recommended, but it poses a high risk in patients with poor health status and could lead to various complications.

Both Underweight and Obesity Are Associated With an Increased Risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Severity.

As coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has evolved into a global pandemic, increasing numbers of reports have linked obesity to more severe COVID-19 illness and death. However, almost all the studies focused on an increased risk of mortality or intensive care unit (ICU) admission among hospitalized obese patients with COVID-19. Is obesity also associated with the incidence of acute lung injury (ALI) in the patients with COVID-19? How about underweight patients? The answer is lacking.

Polymorphisms in CYP11B2 and CYP11B1 genes associated with primary hyperaldosteronism.

Several frequent polymorphisms in the CYP11B2 gene are suggested to be associated with essential hypertension and aldosterone secretion. In this study, we investigated the association of polymorphisms in CYP11B2 and CYP11B1 genes with the risk of primary hyperaldosteronism (PH). Three polymorphisms in the CYP11B2 gene (intron 2 conversion, rs1799998 and rs4539) and two polymorphisms in the CYP11B1 gene (rs6410 and rs6387) were analyzed in patients with PH and in the normal population.

[Effect of petroleum ether extract from Melilotus suaveolens Ledeb on the expression of NF-kappaB and Heme oxygenase 1].

Aim: To study the anti-inflammatory effect of petroleum ether extract from Melilotus suaveolens Ledeb.

Methods: Inflammatory cell model was constructed by LPS acting on the RAW264.7 cell line.