Association between prophylactic intermittent non-invasive positive pressure ventilation and incidence of pneumonia in patients with cervical spinal cord injury: a retrospective single-center cohort study.

Background: Patients with cervical spinal cord injuries (CSCIs) have a high incidence of respiratory complications. The effectiveness of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) in preventing respiratory complications such as pneumonia in acute CSCIs remains unclear. We evaluated whether intermittent NPPV (iNPPV) could prevent pneumonia in patients with acute CSCIs.

Self-assembly of malto-oligosaccharide-block-solanesol in aqueous solutions: Investigating morphology and sugar-based physiological compatibility.

Starch-derived hydrophilic malto-oligosaccharides (Glc, where n = 1-7) conjugated to hydrophobic solanesol through click chemistry, i.e., Glc-b-Sol copolymers, have demonstrated significant promise in developing fully natural block co-oligomers for solid-state nanopatterning applications.

Fully biosourced amphiphilic block copolymer from tamarind seed xyloglucan and solanesol: synthesis, aqueous self-assembly, and drug encapsulation.

This study aims to explore the development of natural bio-based amphiphilic block copolymers for drug delivery applications. We investigated block copolymers derived from tamarind seed xyloglucan and solanesol, focusing on their synthesis, structural analysis, aqueous self-assembly, and drug encapsulation. Specifically, xyloglucan hydrolysate segments with number-average degrees of polymerization (DPs) of between 8 and 44 (XOS, XMS, XMS, XMS, and XMS) were used as the hydrophilic blocks, whereas plant-sourced solanesol was selected as the hydrophobic segment.

Common Iliac Vein Injury Due to a Rectal Impalement Wound Treated Conservatively.

BACKGROUND Iliac vein injuries usually require surgical intervention due to their high mortality rates. Although conservative management may be applicable in some cases of blunt trauma, the suitability of this approach for treating penetrating injuries remains underexplored. CASE REPORT A 51-year-old man sustained a common iliac vein injury following rectal impalement in a collapsing chair.

Multi-omics analysis-based clinical and functional significance of a novel prognostic and immunotherapeutic gene signature derived from amino acid metabolism pathways in lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Studies have shown that tumor cell amino acid metabolism is closely associated with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) development and progression. However, the comprehensive multi-omics features and clinical impact of the expression of genes associated with amino acid metabolism in the LUAD tumor microenvironment (TME) are yet to be fully understood.

Methods: LUAD patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were enrolled in the training cohort.

The Relationship Between Beta-Blocker Use and Prognosis of Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Background:  Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has a poor prognosis. Patients with shockable rhythms often have better outcomes than those with nonshockable rhythms. A previous study reported a decline in shockable rhythms and poorer outcomes with the use of beta-blockers before OHCA.

Fungal infection-related conditions and outcomes in severe COVID-19: a nationwide case-control study.

Background: Fungal infections are significant complications of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although various risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with COVID-19 have been identified, clinical and treatment factors associated with fungal infections in patients with severe COVID-19 remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate clinical factors associated with fungal infections during severe COVID-19 treatment.

Photothermal therapeutic effect by gold nanostars/extracellular vesicles nanocomplex on melanoma cells.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a method for treating cancer using the heat generated by light irradiation, often in combination with light-absorbing materials. Efficient PTT requires a drug delivery system to deliver light-absorbing materials to cancerous tissues. Gold nanostars (GNSs) enable efficient PTT through absorbing long-wavelength light.

A Treatment Strategy for Severe Legionella Pneumonia Using Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which often requires intense ventilatory management. is an aerobic bacterium that prefers a high-oxygen environment. However, existing treatment strategies, including veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO), have not considered the pathogen's preference for high-oxygen environments.

Molecular structure of enzyme-synthesized amylose-like chimeric isomaltomegalosaccharides and their encapsulation of the sulfasalazine prodrug.

The glucoconjugation between linear chimeric α-(1→4)- and α-(1→6)-glucosidic segments exhibits functional properties throughout their structure. In this study, we enzymatically synthesized three new series of chimeric nonreducing isomaltomegalosaccharides (N-IMS-n/m), each featuring a constant n, α-(1→4)-segment (average degree of polymerization, DP = 22-25) at the nonreducing terminal, and varying m, α-(1→6)-main chain lengths (DP = 7-53). The synthesized compounds-N-IMS-25/7, N-IMS-24/19, and N-IMS-22/53-were compared to amylose (DP = 28) and previous samples of N-IMS-15/35 and D-IMS-28.

Rapidly progressive brain atrophy in ventilated patients: a retrospective descriptive study.

The relationship between mechanical ventilation-induced brain volume changes and ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is not clear. We assessed brain volume change in ventilated patients and identified associations with changes in extremity muscle strength. Patients admitted to the ICU due to the need for ventilation, and who underwent at least two head CT scans during hospitalization, were included.

A Comparison of Pumping Infusion-Induced Contamination With Different Syringe Types.

Health care providers use several types of syringes in their daily routine to provide or safely deliver therapeutic agents to patients. Pump infusion with a syringe (PIS) are used for the rapid delivery of large amounts of fluid or blood to patients in critical conditions, such as hypovolemic shock. Patients often experience bacterial infections, such as catheter-related bloodstream infections, specifically when they are in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery or undergoing resuscitation in an emergency department.

Identification of an osteopontin structural element for the restoration of a normal endometrial epidermal growth factor (EGF) profile determined by the EGF concentration on day 3 of estrous cycle and pregnancy outcome in repeat breeder dairy cows.

The loss of a cyclic change with two peaks of increased endometrial epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentration on days 2-4 and 13-14 during the estrous cycle has been linked to low fertility in repeat breeder (RB) cows. We have shown that an intravaginal infusion of osteopontin (OPN) restored the EGF profile in RB cows. The present study aimed to determine a structural element of OPN to restore the normal EGF profile and fertility.

Dantrolene for Control of Refractory Shivering in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Study.

BACKGROUND Hyperthermia is strongly associated with a worse neurological outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can be exacerbated by shivering. However, effective treatments for uncontrolled shivering have yet to be established. We successfully treated a patient with severe TBI and repeated episodes of shivering using dantrolene sodium hydrate (dantrolene).

Substrate Specificity of GH29 α-L-Glucosidases from .

We recently found two α-L-glucosidases, which can hydrolyze -nitrophenyl α-L-glucopyranoside (PNP L-Glc) rather than -nitrophenyl α-L-fucopyranoside, in glycoside hydrolase family 29. This study evaluated their substrate specificity for -nitrophenyl α-L-rhamnopyranoside (PNP L-Rha), α-L-quinovopyranoside (PNP L-Qui), and α-L-xylopyranoside (PNP L-Xyl), of which structure is similar to PNP L-Glc. The two α-L-glucosidases had little activity toward PNP L-Rha.

Mutant β-fructofuranosidase synthesizing blastose [β-d-Fruf-(2→6)-d-Glcp].

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are leading prebiotics that help keep the gut healthy and aid wellness by stimulating the growth and activity of beneficial intestinal bacteria. The best-studied FOS are inulin-type FOS, mainly oligosaccharides with β-Fruf-(2→1)-Fruf linkages, including 1-kestose [β-Fruf-(2→1)-β-Fruf-(2↔1)-α-Glcp] and nystose [β-Fruf-(2→1)-β-Fruf-(2→1)-β-Fruf-(2↔1)-α-Glcp]. However, the properties of other types of FOS-levan-type FOS with β-Fruf-(2→6)-Fruf linkages and neo-type FOS with β-Fruf-(2→6)-Glcp linkages-remain ambiguous because efficient methods have not been established for their synthesis.

Stable and inhalable powder formulation of mRNA-LNPs using pH-modified spray-freeze drying.

A powder formulation for mucosal administration of mRNA-encapsulated lipid nanoparticles (mRNA-LNPs) is expected to be useful for respiratory diseases. Although freeze-drying is widely used to obtain solid formulations of mRNA-LNPs, highly hydrosoluble cryoprotectants, such as sucrose are necessary. However, sucrose is not a suitable excipient for inhalation powders because of its hygroscopic and deliquescence properties.

Practical approach to thrombocytopenia in patients with sepsis: a narrative review.

Thrombocytopenia frequently occurs in patients with sepsis. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) may be a possible cause of thrombocytopenia owing to its high prevalence and association with poor outcomes; however, it is important to keep the presence of other diseases in mind in sepsis practice. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), which is characterized by thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and complement-mediated HUS, is characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and organ damage.