We concluded that the mean depth of the NIM EMG tube would be a useful reference value for detecting the malposition of electrodes and adjusting the depth of tube during the operation.

Combination of dexmedetomidine loading with topical anaesthesia provides significant benefit for AFOI in intubation condition, patient tolerance, haemodynamic response, amnesia and satisfaction. Dexmedetomidine is effective for AFOI in anticipated difficult airway with only minor and temporary haemodynamic adverse effects.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine influence of prognostic factors in addition to UICC staging systems, on cancer-specific and overall survival rates for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) undergoing surgical treatment.MethodsBetween January 1996 and December 2006, a total of 1367 CRC patients who underwent surgical treatment in Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital were analyzed. We retrospectively investigated clinicopathologic features of these patients. All patients were followed up intensively, and their outcomes were investigated completely.ResultsOf 1367 CRC patients, there were seven hundred and fifty-seven males (55.4%) and 610 (44.6%) females. The median follow-up period was 60 months (range, 3–132 months). A multivariate analysis identified that low serum albumin level (P = 0.011), advanced UICC stage (P < 0.001), and high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level (P < 0.001) were independent prognostic factors of cancer-specific survival. Meanwhile, a multivariate analysis showed age over 65 years (P < 0.001), advanced UICC stage (P < 0.001), and high CEA level (P < 0.001) were independent prognostic factors of overall survival. Furthermore, combination of UICC stage, serum CEA and albumin levels as predictors of cancer-specific survival showed that the poorer the prognostic factors involved, the poorer the cancer-specific survival rate. Likewise, combination of UICC stage, age and serum CEA level as predictors of overall survival showed that the poorer the prognostic factors involved, the poorer the overall survival rate. Of these prognostic factors, preoperative serum CEA level was the only significant prognostic factor for patients with stage II and III CRCs in both cancer-specific and overall survival categories.ConclusionPreoperative serum albumin level, CEA level and age could prominently affect postoperative outcome of CRC patients undergoing surgical treatment. In addition to conventional UICC staging system, it might be imperative to take these additional characteristics of factors into account in CRC patients prior to surgical treatment.

By elucidating differences in domain-level symptoms of betel-quid dependency and individual and environmental factors, this study draws attention to the population-level psychiatric problems of betel-quid chewing that undermine health consequences for OPMD in six Asian communities.

Background and purpose: KMUP-1 is known to increase cGMP, enhance endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and suppress Rho kinase (ROCK) expression in smooth muscle. Here, we investigated the mechanism of action of KMUP-1 on acute and chronic pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) in rats. Experimental approach: We measured pulmonary vascular contractility, wall thickening, eNOS immunostaining, expressions of ROCK II, RhoA activation, myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) phosphorylation, eNOS, soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), protein kinase G (PKG) and phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE-5A), blood oxygenation and cGMP/cAMP, and right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) in rats. Key results: In rings of intact pulmonary artery (PA), KMUP-1 relaxed the vasoconstriction induced by phenylephrine (10 mM) or the thromboxane A2-mimetic U46619 (0.5 mM). In endothelium-denuded PA rings, this relaxation was reduced. In acute PAH induced by U46619 (2.5 mg·kg -1 ·min -1 , 30 min), KMUP-1 relaxed vasoconstriction by enhancing levels of eNOS, sGC and PKG, suppressing those of PDE-5A, RhoA/ROCK II activation and MYPT1 phosphorylation, and restoring oxygenation in blood and cGMP/cAMP in plasma. Incubating smooth muscle cells from PA (PASMCs) with KMUP-1 inhibited thapsigargin-induced Ca 2+ efflux and angiotensin II-induced Ca 2+ influx. In chronic PAH model induced by monocrotaline, KMUP-1 increased eNOS and reduced RhoA/ROCK II activation/expression, PA wall thickening, eNOS immunostaining and RVH. KMUP-1 and sildenafil did not inhibit monocrotaline-induced PDE-5A expression. Conclusion and implications: KMUP-1 decreased PAH by enhancing NO synthesis by eNOS, with consequent cGMPdependent inhibition of RhoA/ROCK II and Ca 2+ desensitization in PASMCs. KMUP-1 has the potential to reduce vascular resistance, remodelling and RVH in PAH.