BackgroundPropofol and fentanyl are the most widely administered anesthesia maintaining drugs during colonoscopy. In this study, we determined the median effective concentration (EC50) of propofol required for colonoscopy in elderly patients, and the purpose of this study was to describe the pharmacodynamic interaction between fentanyl and propofol when used in combination for colonoscopy in elderly patients.MethodsNinety elderly patients scheduled for colonoscopy were allocated into three groups in a randomized, double-blinded manner as below, F0.5 group (0.5 μg.kg−1 fentanyl), F1.0 group (1.0 μg.kg−1 fentanyl) and saline control group. Anaesthesia was achieved by target-controlled infusion of propofol (Marsh model, with an initial plasma concentration of 2.0 μg.ml−1) and fentanyl. Colonoscopy was started 3 min after the injection of fentanyl. The EC50 of propofol for colonoscopy with different doses of fentanyl was measured by using an up-and-down sequential method with an adjacent concentration gradient at 0.5 μg.ml−1 to inhibit purposeful movements. Anaesthesia associated adverse events and recovery characters were also recorded.ResultsThe EC50 of propofol for colonoscopy in elderly patients were 2.75 μg.ml−1 (95 % CI, 2.50–3.02 μg.ml−1) in F0.5 group, 2.05 μg.ml−1 (95 % CI, 1.98–2.13 μg.ml−1) in F1.0 group and 3.08 μg.ml−1 (95 % CI, 2.78–3.42 μg.ml−1) in control group respectively (P < 0.05). Patients in the F1.0 group had a significantly longer awake time and length of hospital stay than those in control group (P < 0.05).ConclusionIncreasing doses of fentanyl up to 1.0 μg.kg−1 reduces the propofol EC50 required for elderly patients undergoing colonoscopy, and there was no significant difference in anaesthesia associated adverse events but prolonged awake and discharge time.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR15006368. Date of registration: May 3, 2015.

BackgroundYes-associated protein (YAP), a key player of the Hippo pathway, has been identified to have more and more important roles in tumorigenesis and may be an important biomarker for cancer therapy. YAP is important for bladder cancer cell migration, metastasis, and drug resistance; however, its function in bladder cancer stem cells remains unknown.PurposeThe aim of this work was to examine the expression and role of YAP in bladder cancer stem cells.Materials and methods:We identified that the expression level of YAP was significantly enriched in bladder cancer stem cells compared to noncancer stem cell population. Moreover, the effect of YAP on stem cell self-renewal was examined in bladder cancer cells by siRNA silencing approach. In addition, we showed that YAP is required for aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in bladder cancer cells.ResultsRNAseq analysis and quantitative real-time PCR results showed that silencing of YAP inhibited the expression of ALDH1A1 gene.ConclusionCollectively, our findings for the first time elucidated that YAP serves as a cancer stem cell regulator in bladder cancer, which provided a promising therapy strategy for patients with bladder cancer.

Poly(dimethyldiallyl ammonium)chloride [poly(DMDAAC)] was prepared in our laboratory and monomer-to-polymer structures were characterized by infrared (IR), proton, and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as well as DEPT techniques. The polyelectrolytes were used to detect the antibodies of red blood cells (RBCs) in human sera and the results were compared with hexadimethrine bromide (polybrene), bromeline, and other methods. This article presents data supporting the use of the manual poly(DMDAAC) test; the 1-min procedure at room temperature provided a rapid and sensitive test. The states of agglutination of RBCs were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of the morphology were in agreement with the manual poly(DMDAAC) test.

Background It has been known that ABO blood groups are linked to the phenotypes of certain diseases; however, and the relationship between ABO blood groups and postoperative pain have not been extensively studied, especially in children. This study was to investigate whether there would be an association between the four major ABO blood groups and postoperative pain, as indicated by the differences in pain scores and rescue fentanyl requirements among blood groups in children after adenotonsillectomy. Methods A total of 124 children, aged 3–7 years, ASA I or II, and undergoing elective adenotonsillectomy were enrolled in the study. Postoperative pain was evaluated using the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) and the rescue fentanyl requirement in post anesthesia care unit (PACU) was analyzed. Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) score and the duration of PACU were recorded. The postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) within 24 h were documented. Results Among four blood type groups, no significant differences were observed regarding surgery time, and the gaps of fentanyl given at the anesthesia induction and the first rescue fentanyl injection in PACU. However, patients from AB and B blood groups had significantly higher pain score at initial CHEOPS assessment and consequently, higher consumption of rescue fentanyl during PACU stay. A significantly higher percentage of patients had received > 1 μg/kg rescue fentanyl. Higher PAED scores were also observed in AB and B blood groups. Conclusion Paediatric patients with AB and B blood type had higher postoperative CHEOPS pain score and required significantly more fentanyl for pain control than those with A and O blood type after T&A. The initial scores of PAED in patients with AB and B blood type were also higher than that in patients with A and O blood type.