Complete Endotracheal Tube Obstruction Due to Highly Viscous Secretions Immediately After Tracheal Intubation: A Case Report.

Obstruction of the endotracheal tube (ETT) from secretions can cause severe respiratory distress and potentially life-threatening complications; therefore, prompt decisions and management are needed. Cases of ETT obstruction have been observed in patients who have been ventilated for extended periods but are rare in patients immediately after endotracheal intubation. Herein, we present a rare case of ETT obstruction after endotracheal intubation.

Serum CETP status is independently associated with reduction rates in LDL-C in pitavastatin-treated diabetic patients and possible involvement of LXR in its association.

Background: Statins decrease cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) levels, which have been positively associated with hepatic lipid content as well as serum low density lipoproteins-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. However, the relationship between the CETP status and statin-induced reductions in LDL-C levels has not yet been elucidated in detail. We herein examined the influence of the CETP status on the lipid-reducing effects of pitavastatin in hypercholesterolemic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus as well as the molecular mechanism underlying pitavastatin-induced modifications in CETP levels.

The development of a filter to enhance the efficacy and safety of excimer light (308 nm) therapy.

Background: Excimer light (308 nm) therapy is a new ultraviolet (UV) B phototherapy for which the efficacy and resulting DNA damage are not well established.

Purpose: To develop an effective and safe phototherapy using the excimer lamp, we studied the effects of different light cut-off filters, A and B.

Methods: Efficacy was evaluated by measuring apoptosis using fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis.