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Background: miR-144-3p exerts inhibitory roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This paper aims to explore that miR-144-3p and its predictive target gene, SLIT- and NTRK-like family member 4 (SLITRK4), in HCC progression. Materials and Methods: The levels of SLITRK4 and miR-144-3p were determined by western blot and qPCR. A loss- and gain-of-function test was used to test whether the relationship between miR-144-3p and SlitrK4 affected the growth of HCC cells. StarBase examined the miR-144-3p target prediction using SLITRK4. Through the use of a luciferase reporter experiment, miR-144-3p's targeting SLITRK4 was identified. The salvage experiment confirmed that miR-144-3p interacts SLITRK4 to regulate the progression of HCC. Results: Findings showned that the expression of miR-144-3p decreased in HCC tissue and cells. MiR-144-3p inhibits deterioration progression of HCC cell progression. MiR-144-3p targeted SLITRK4 and negatively modulated SLITRK4 levels. Besides, miR-144-3p upregulation decreased HCC migration and invasion activity, while SLITRK4 overexpression reduced this inhibition effects. Conclusions: MiR-144-3p regulates invasion and proliferation activity in HCC by targeting SLITRK4. MiR-144-3P/SLITRK4 axis might provide a potential anti-cancer therapy pathway for clinical diagnosis, treatment and prognosis in hepatoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes the safety and efficacy of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Methods We performed a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science. We identified randomized controlled trials that compared HFNC to conventional oxygen therapy. We pooled data and report summary estimates of effect using relative risk for dichotomous outcomes and mean difference or standardized mean difference for continuous outcomes, with 95% confidence intervals. We assessed risk of bias of included studies using the Cochrane tool and certainty in pooled effect estimates using GRADE methods. Results We included 9 RCTs (n = 2093 patients). We found no difference in mortality in patients treated with HFNC (relative risk [RR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67-1.31, moderate certainty) compared to conventional oxygen therapy. We found a decreased risk of requiring intubation (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.74-0.99) or escalation of oxygen therapy (defined as crossover to HFNC in the control group, or initiation of non-invasive ventilation or invasive mechanical ventilation in either group) favouring HFNC-treated patients (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.51-0.98), although certainty in both outcomes was low due to imprecision and issues related to risk of bias. HFNC had no effect on intensive care unit length of stay (mean difference [MD] 1.38 days more, 95% CI 0.90 days fewer to 3.66 days more, low certainty), hospital length of stay (MD 0.85 days fewer, 95% CI 2.07 days fewer to 0.37 days more, moderate certainty), patient reported comfort (SMD 0.12 lower, 95% CI 0.61 lower to 0.37 higher, very low certainty) or patient reported dyspnea (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.16 lower, 95% CI 1.10 lower to 1.42 higher, low certainty). Complications of treatment were variably reported amongst included studies, but little harm was associated with HFNC use. Conclusion In patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, HFNC may decrease the need for tracheal intubation without impacting mortality., Author(s): B. Rochwerg [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.22], D. Granton [sup.1], D. X. Wang [sup.3], Y. Helviz [sup.4], S. Einav [sup.4] [sup.5], J. P. Frat [sup.6] [sup.7] [sup.8], A. Mekontso-Dessap [sup.9] [sup.10], [...]

OBJECTIVE: Ciprofol is a newly developed intravenous sedative-hypnotic drug. The objective of the study was to prove whether ciprofol was non-inferior to propofol for the successful induction of general anesthesia. The ideal post-induction sedation level was assessed by comparing patients' clinical symptoms and their hemodynamic effects in responding to noxious stimuli, mostly tracheal intubation and bispectral index (BIS) alterations following ciprofol/propofol administration PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this multi-center, randomized, double-blind phase 3 trial, selective surgery patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either ciprofol 0.4 mg/kg (n = 88) or propofol 2.0 mg/kg (n = 88) groups. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with successful anesthesia inductions. Secondary endpoints included the times to successful induction of general anesthesia and loss of the eyelash reflex, changes in BIS, as well as safety indicators. RESULTS: The anesthesia induction success rates for both ciprofol 0.4 mg/kg and propofol 2 mg/kg groups were 100.0%, with a 95% CI lower success limit of -4.18% difference between the two groups, indicating that ciprofol was non-inferior to propofol. For secondary outcomes, the average time to successful anesthesia and loss of the eyelash reflex were 0.91 min and 0.80 min for ciprofol and 0.80 min and 0.71 min for propofol, respectively. The pattern of BIS changes with ciprofol was similar to propofol and stable during the anesthesia maintenance period. Safety was comparable with 88.6% TEAEs in the ciprofol group compared to 95.5% in the propofol group. The incidence of injection pain was significantly lower in the ciprofol group compared to the propofol group (6.8% vs. 20.5%, p < 0.05). In addition, the patients treated with ciprofol had a lesser increase in blood pressure and heart rate, and fewer cases with BIS > 60 within 15 min of intravenous administration, which indicated that ciprofol may provide a better ideal sedation level during the post-induction period under an equivalent dosing regimen to propofol. CONCLUSIONS: Ciprofol for patients undergoing selective surgery is a new option for the induction of general anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of HSK3486 for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia in elective surgical patients, but excluding emergency, cardiothoracic, cerebral and endoscopic sinus cases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 40 eligible patients were randomly assigned to HSK3486 (n = 30) or propofol (n = 10) dosage groups in a ratio of 3:1. Drugs were administered as a bolus injection of 0.4 mg/kg (HSK3486) or 2.0 mg/kg (propofol) for induction, followed by maintenance infusion with the same anesthetic. An additional 6 non-randomized patients received propofol (2.0 mg/kg) for induction and were given HSK3486 for maintenance. RESULTS: The primary efficacy endpoint - the success rate of anesthesia maintenance - was 100% in the 3 arms. The secondary efficacy endpoints included times from discontinuation of HSK3486 or propofol maintenance to full alertness, respiratory recovery, extubation and reaching the goal of the Aldrete score. Also, the proportion of patients who constantly maintained BIS40-60 or those with a period of BIS40-60 during maintenance anesthesia showed no significant difference in the HSK3486 and propofol groups (all p > 0.05). Patients who received HSK3486 exhibited a higher satisfaction score from anesthesiologists during the induction period (p = 0.024). The occurrence and types of treatment-emergent adverse events were similar among the 3 arms, both with a severity of grade 1 or 2. Drug-related hypotension occurred in 14 (46.7%) and 7 (70.0%) patients treated with HSK3486 and propofol, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HSK3486 exhibited good efficacy for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia and was well tolerated by patients who underwent elective surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin D is important for maintaining physiological functions including cognition and its deficiency is associated with the occurrence of cognitive impairment. This study was to explore the association between preoperative vitamin D status and the occurrence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in elderly patients undergoing major surgery.Methods: This was a predefined exploratory sub-analysis of one-centre data from a randomized controlled trial. In all, 123 elderly (≥ 65 years) patients who were scheduled to undergo major cancer surgery were recruited. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was measured before surgery. In total, 59 nonsurgical control subjects with comparable age and education level were also enrolled. A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered the day before and the 7th day after surgery in patients or at the same time interval in control subjects. POCD was diagnosed according to the ISPOCD1 definition.Results: 71.5% (88/123) of elderly patients had vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration < 12 ng/ml) before surgery; 24.4% (30/123) of them developed cognitive dysfunction at 1 week after surgery. After adjusting for confounding factors, high preoperative serum 25-hydroxyvitamine D concentration was related to a decreased risk of POCD (odds ratio [OR]: 0.829, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.708-0.971; P = 0.020), whereas preoperative vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased risk of POCD (OR: 8.427, 95% CI: 1.595-44.511; P = 0.012).Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in elderly patients undergoing major cancer surgery and increases the risk of early POCD development. Whether prophylactic vitamin D supplementation can reduce POCD in the elderly deserves further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of corticosteroid on hospital mortality, hospital length of stay, and time of viral clearance in patients with severe and critical COVID-19. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with severe and critical COVID-19 who had been discharged or expired were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into corticosteroid group and non-corticosteroid group according to the systemic corticosteroid use or not. Clinical data were collected, and hospital mortality, hospital length of stay, time of viral clearance, time of mechanical ventilation, and duration from illness onset to symptom resolution were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 72 inpatients who were diagnosed with severe and critical COVID-19 were enrolled, in which 47 patients were divided into corticosteroid group and 25 were involved as the non-corticosteroid group. Baseline characteristics were generally similar between the two groups. Four (5.6%) patients died during hospitalization, and 68 (94.4%) were discharged. Among survivors, the mean duration time from admission to discharge was 19.5d (SD 7.05 d). The mean time of viral clearance among survivors was 17.5d (SD 7.67 d), with a maximum of 37 d, and a minimum of 5 d. Hospital mortality (4.3% vs. 8.0%), length of hospital stay (18.7d vs. 21.0d), and time of viral clearance (16.1d vs. 19.4d) had no significant difference between two groups (p>0.05). The duration of symptoms suffering was shorter in the corticosteroid group than non-corticosteroid group, with statistically significant difference (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Corticosteroid therapy in patients with severe COVID-19 cannot reduce the hospital mortality, and is not associated with delayed viral clearance, but it could relieve the inflammatory storm and improve clinical symptoms in brief. Patients with severe COVID-19 could benefit from low-dose corticosteroid treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]