Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a public health concern, and causes cognitive dysfunction, emotional disorders, and neurodegeration, as well. The currently available treatments are all symptom-oriented with unsatifying efficacy. It is highly demanded to understand its underlying mechanisms. Controlled cortical impact (CCI) was used to induce TBI in aged female mice subjected to ovariectomy. Brain damages were assessed with neurological severity score, brain infarction and edema. Morris water maze and elevated plus maze were applied to evaluate the levels of anxiety. Apoptosis in the hippocampus was assayed with Fluoro-Jade B staining and TUNEL staining. Western blot was employed to measure the expression of NMDA receptor subunits and phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and biochemical assays were used to estimate oxidative stress. 17beta-Estradiol (E2) was intraperitoneally administered at 10-80 μg/kg once per day for 7 consecutive days before or after CCI. Chronic administration of E2 both before and immediately after CCI conferred neuroprotection, reducing neurological severity score, brain infarction, and edema in TBI mice. Additionally, E2 improved many aspects of deleterious effects of TBI on the hippocampus, including neuronal apoptosis, dysfunction in spatial memory, reduction in NR2B, enhancement of oxidative stress, and activation of ERK1/2 pathway. The present study provides clue for the notion that E2 has therapeutic potential for both prevention and intervention of TBI-induced brain damages.

Background Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe respiratory disease with a high mortality rate. It is characterized by acute onset of pulmonary edema, hypoxemia, and the need of mechanical ventilation. As the primary treatment, ventilation has been considered effective in treating patients with ARDS. Recently, numerous studies have shown that prone position ventilation demonstrates more efficacy compared with traditional supine position. However, the potential impact of the non‐physiological prone position on patients remains unclear. Current study aims to evaluate the effect of prone position ventilation on right heart function in ARDS patients. Methods Following Berlin Diagnostic Criteria, 80 eligible patients were recruited and randomly assigned into prone position ventilation group and supine position ventilation group. Different ventilation methods were implemented in these two groups. Results Both positions showed the beneficial effects, as evidenced by decreased PV score and APACHE II score, enhanced blood gas index and right heart function parameters, and the prognosis analysis. However, compared with those receiving SPV treatment, the patients demonstrated greater benefits from PPV treatment, with significant differences in PV score (p < 0.01) and APACHE II score (p < 0.001), blood gas index such as PAPm (p < 0.05), and right heart function indicators (p < 0.05). Conclusion Prone position mechanical ventilation is more beneficial than supine position ventilation in improving the blood gas status of patients with moderate to severe ARDS, and it is more helpful to reduce the load on the right heart and promote the recovery of patients.