Association of preoperative coronavirus disease 2019 with mortality, respiratory morbidity and extrapulmonary complications after elective, noncardiac surgery: An observational cohort study.

Study Objective: To assess the impact of preoperative infection with the contemporary strain of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative mortality, respiratory morbidity and extrapulmonary complications after elective, noncardiac surgery.

Design: An ambidirectional observational cohort study.

Setting: A tertiary and teaching hospital in Shanghai, China.

A new abietane diterpenoid from .

A new abietane diterpenoid, 1, 11-epoxyabieta-12-hydroxy-8, 11, 13-triene-7-one (), along with three known compounds (), was isolated from . Their structures were confirmed by the analysis of 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS data, and comparison with previous spectral data. All compounds were tested for inhibitory activities against A549, HepG2 and MCF-7 tumor cell lines.

LncRNA-mediated effects of vitrification temperatures and cryoprotectant concentrations on bovine oocyte development following vitrification at the GV stage.

We evaluated the effects of different vitrification temperatures (VTs) and cryoprotective agent concentrations (CPAs) on the viability and expressions of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in bovine oocytes following vitrification at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. Our findings provide a theoretical support for improvement of the cryopreservation technology of bovine immature oocytes (BIOs). Bovine cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected and randomized into five groups: fresh oocytes (control), oocytes vitrified in liquid helium (LHe; -269 °C) with 5.

L-Type Amino Acid Transporter 1 Regulates Cancer Stemness and the Expression of Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand 1 in Lung Cancer Cells.

The l-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is a membranous transporter that transports neutral amino acids for cells and is dysregulated in various types of cancer. Here, we first observed increased LAT1 expression in pemetrexed-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells with high cancer stem cell (CSC) activity, and its mRNA expression level was associated with shorter overall survival in the lung adenocarcinoma dataset of the Cancer Genome Atlas database. The inhibition of LAT1 by a small molecule inhibitor, JPH203, or by RNA interference led to a significant reduction in tumorsphere formation and the downregulation of several cancer stemness genes in NSCLC cells through decreased AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation.

Comparison of 1.0 g/kg of 20% mannitol initiated at different time points and effects on brain relaxation in patients with midline shift undergoing supratentorial tumor resection: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Previous studies have suggested the use of 1.0 g/kg of 20% mannitol at the time of skin incision during neurosurgery in order to improve brain relaxation. However, the incidence of brain swelling upon dural opening is still high with this dose.

Effect of strict intraoperative blood pressure management strategy on postoperative acute kidney injury in non-cardiac surgery: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most serious perioperative complications. 20% to 40% of high-risk patients who undergo non-cardiac surgery have AKI and those with AKI are eight-times more likely to die within 30 days after surgery. It may be related to intraoperative hypotension, which is mainly caused by vasodilatory and cardiodepressant effects of anaesthesia, and/or hypovolemia.

Relationship between bovine oocytes developmental competence and mRNA expression of apoptotic and mitochondrial genes following the change of vitrification temperatures and cryoprotectant concentrations.

The present study analyzed the relationship between bovine oocytes developmental competence and mRNA expression of apoptotic and mitochondrial genes following the change of vitrification temperatures (VTs) and cryoprotectant agent concentrations (CPAs). Cumulus oocyte complexes were randomly divided into five groups: control, vitrified in liquid nitrogen (LN; -196 °C) with 5.6 M CPAs (LN 5.

Comparing remifentanil and sufentanil in stress reduction during neurosurgery: a randomised controlled trial.

Background In most scenarios, anaesthesiologists titrate opioids to control nociceptive surgical stress based on intraoperative haemodynamic changes. Remifentanil was reported to cause more profound cardiovascular depression than sufentanil. A concern is that this direct cardiovascular depression might counteract the hypertension and tachycardia caused by surgical manipulation and mask inadequate analgesia.

Comparing two airway management strategies for moderately sedated patients undergoing awake craniotomy: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Background: In the monitored anesthesia care (MAC) setting for awake craniotomy (AC), maintaining airway patency in sedated patients remains challenging. This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the validity of the below-epiglottis transnasal tube insertion (the tip of the tube placed between the epiglottis and vocal cords) and the nasopharyngeal airway (simulated by the above-epiglottis transnasal tube with the tip of the tube placed between the epiglottis and the free edge of the soft palate) with respect to maintaining upper airway patency for moderately sedated patients undergoing AC.

Methods: Sixty patients scheduled for elective AC were randomized to receive below-epiglottis (n = 30) or above-epiglottis (n = 30) transnasal tube insertion before surgery.

Defining the Vulnerability Window of Anesthesia-Induced Neuroapoptosis in Developing Dentate Gyrus Granule Cells - A Transgenic Approach Utilizing POMC-EGFP Mice.

Exposure to commonly used anesthetics is associated with widespread neuroapoptosis in neonatal animals. Vulnerability of developing hippocampal dentate gyrus granule cells to anesthetic neurotoxicity peaks approximately 2 weeks after cell birth, as measured by bromodeoxyuridine birth dating, regardless of the age of the animal. The present study examined whether the vulnerable window can be further characterized by utilizing a transgenic approach.

[Effect of intrahippocampal injection of anti-cellular prion protein monoclonal antibody on cognitive deficits in APPswe/PSEN1 transgenic mice].

Objective: To study the effects of intrahippocampal injection of cellular prion protein (PrP) antibody on cognitive deficits of APPswe/PSEN1 transgenic mice.

Methods: Eight-month-old male APPswe/PSEN1 transgenic mice were subjected to bilateral intrahippocampal injection of a single dose (2 µL) of anti-PrP monoclonal antibody (EP1802Y) or PBS, with wild-type C57Bl/6J mice serving as the control group. After two months, the mice were tested for cognitive behaviors using open filed (OF) test, Morris water maze (MWM) test, fear conditioning (FC) test, and novel object recognition (NOR) test, and immunohistochemistry was used to examine the changes in hippocampal expression of Aβ.

Discovery of a Novel Anti-Cancer Agent Targeting Both Topoisomerase I & II as Well as Telomerase Activities in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo: Cinnamomum verum Component Cuminaldehyde.

Cinnamomum verum is used to make the spice cinnamon and has been used for more than 5000 years by both of the two most ancient forms of medicine in the words: Ayurveda and traditional Chinese herbal medicines for various applications such as adenopathy, rheumatism, dermatosis, dyspepsia, stroke, tumors, elephantiasis, trichomonas, yeast, and virus infections. We evaluated the anticancer effect of cuminaldehyde (CuA), a constituent of the bark of the plant, and its underlying molecular biomarkers associated with carcinogenesis in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. The results show that cuminaldehyde suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis as indicated by mitochondrial membrane potential loss, activation of caspase 3 and 9, increase in annexin V+PI+ cells, and morphological characteristics of apoptosis, including blebbing of plasma membrane, nuclear condensation, fragmentation, apoptotic body formation, and comet with elevated tail intensity and moment.

Cinnamomum verum component 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde: a novel antiproliferative drug inducing cell death through targeting both topoisomerase I and II in human colorectal adenocarcinoma COLO 205 cells.

Background: Cinnamomum verum is used to manufacture the spice cinnamon. In addition, the plant has been used as a Chinese herbal medication.

Methods: We investigated the antiproliferative effect of 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde (2-MCA), a constituent of the cortex of the plant, and the molecular biomarkers associated with tumorigenesis in human colorectal adenocarcinoma COLO 205 cells.

Cuminaldehyde from Cinnamomum verum Induces Cell Death through Targeting Topoisomerase 1 and 2 in Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma COLO 205 Cells.

Cinnamomum verum, also called true cinnamon tree, is employed to make the seasoning cinnamon. Furthermore, the plant has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medication. We explored the anticancer effect of cuminaldehyde, an ingredient of the cortex of the plant, as well as the molecular biomarkers associated with carcinogenesis in human colorectal adenocarcinoma COLO 205 cells.

Cinnamomum verum ingredient 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde: a new antiproliferative drug targeting topoisomerase I and II in human lung squamous cell carcinoma NCI-H520 cells.

Cinnamomum verum has been used as a Chinese herbal medication. We investigated the antiproliferative effect of 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde (2-MCA), a constituent of the cortex of the plant, and the molecular biomarkers associated with tumorigenesis in human lung squamous cell carcinoma NCI-H520 cells. The effects of 2-MCA on cell growth, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and topoisomerase I and II activities in human lung squamous cell carcinoma NCI-H520 cells were evaluated in vitro and in vivo.

Molecular Mechanism of Cinnamomum verum Component Cuminaldehyde Inhibits Cell Growth and Induces Cell Death in Human Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma NCI-H520 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo.

Cinnamomum verum is used to make the spice cinnamon and has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. We evaluated the effects and the molecular mechanisms of cuminaldehyde (CuA), a constituent of the bark of Cinnamomum verum, on human lung squamous cell carcinoma NCI-H520 cells. Specifically, cell viability was evaluated by colorimetric assay; cytotoxicity by LDH release; apoptosis was determined by Western blotting, and morphological analysis with, acridine orange and neutral red stainings and comet assay; topoisomerase I activity was assessed using assay based upon DNA relaxation and topoisomerase II by DNA relaxation plus decatentation of kinetoplast DNA; lysosomal vacuolation and volume of acidic compartments (VAC) were evaluated with neutral red staining.

Cinnamomum verum Component 2-Methoxycinnamaldehyde: A Novel Anticancer Agent with Both Anti-Topoisomerase I and II Activities in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo.

Cinnamomum verum is used to make the spice cinnamon and has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. We evaluated the anticancer effect of 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde (2-MCA), a constituent of the bark of the plant, and its underlying molecular biomarkers associated with carcinogenesis in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. The results show that 2-MCA suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis as indicated by an upregulation of pro-apoptotic Bax and Bak genes and downregulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL genes, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, cytochrome c release, activation of caspase-3 and -9, and morphological characteristics of apoptosis, including plasma membrane blebbing and long comet tail.

The Ankyrin Repeat Domain 49 (ANKRD49) Augments Autophagy of Serum-Starved GC-1 Cells through the NF-κB Pathway.

The ankyrin repeat domain 49 (ANKRD49) is an evolutionarily conserved protein highly expressed in testes. However, the function of ANKRD49 in spermatogenesis is unknown. In this study, we found that ANKRD49 resides primarily in nucleus of spermatogonia, spermatocytes and round spermatids.

Tuberculosis as a risk factor for systemic lupus erythematosus: results of a nationwide study in Taiwan.

A previous study, with relatively small number of patients, showed that prior Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) may precipitate SLE in patients from endemic areas. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between prior TB infection and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan. Cases of SLE and TB were identified from the NHIRD with corresponding ICD-9 codes 710.

Outcome predictors of cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial empyema.

Background: Spontaneous bacterial empyema (SBE) is a complication of cirrhotic patients in which a pre-existing pleural effusion becomes infected. This retrospective study was designed to investigate the bacteriology and outcome predictors of SBE in cirrhotic patients.

Methods: Medical records of cirrhotic patients treated in a tertiary care university hospital from December 2004 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed.

Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax: which associated conditions benefit from pigtail catheter treatment?

Objective: The study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of pigtail catheter drainage for patients with a first episode of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) and different associated conditions.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with SSP who received pigtail catheter drainage as their initial management between July 2002 and October 2009. A total of 168 patients were included in the analysis; 144 (86%) males and 24 (14%) females with a mean age of 60.

[The protective effect of puerarin on Abeta(25-35)-induced PC12 cell injury].

Objective: To study The protective effect of puerarin on Abeta(25-35)-induced PC12 cell injury.

Methods: PC12 cells were treated with puerarin for 0.5 h, then incubated with Abeta(25-35) (50 micromol/L) for 24 h to investigate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential levels and Caspase-3 activation; The expressions of Bax, bcl-2 were measured by Western Blotting.

Ultrasound-guided pigtail catheters for drainage of various pleural diseases.

Objective: Little is known about the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided pigtail catheters for the management of various pleural diseases in the emergency department, ward, and intensive care unit.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a university hospital during a 1-year interval.

Results: A total of 276 patients (178 men and 98 women) underwent 332 pigtail catheters (the drain size ranged from 10F to 16F) under ultrasound guidance.

[Effects of total flavonoids from Rhizoma Drynariae medicated serum on proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle and apoptosis of osteoblasts in vitro].

Objective: To observe the effects of total flavonoids from Rhizoma Drynariae medicated serum on cell proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle and apoptosis of rats' osteoblasts cultured in vitro.

Methods: The osteoblasts from cranium of newborn SD rats were cultured by collagenase method. MTT, PNPP, PI and Annexin V/PI methods were used to observe the proliferation, activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), every stage cells in the cell cycle, and the ratio of apoptosis cells by different concentrations of total flavonoids from Rhizoma Drynariae medicated serum at different time points.