We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the anesthesia-controlled time and factors that contribute to prolonged extubation in open colorectal surgery. Using our hospital database, demographic data, various time intervals (waiting for anesthesia time, anesthesia time, surgical time, emergence time, exit from operating room after extubation, total operating room time, and post-anesthesia care unit stay time), and incidence of prolonged extubation (≥ 15 mins), were compared between patients who received desflurane/fentanyl-based anesthesia and total intravenous anesthesia via target-controlled infusion with fentanyl/propofol. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between variables that contributed to prolonged extubation. In conclusion, the anesthesia-controlled time was similar in desflurane anesthesia and propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia for open colorectal surgery in our hospital. Surgical time greater than 210 minutes, as well as age, contributed to prolonged extubation.

Smoking rates in the military are evaluated through questionnaire surveying. Because the accurate identification of smokers facilitates the provision of smoking cessation services, this study conducted urine cotinine concentration testing to verify the accuracy of self-reported smoking behavior by female volunteer soldiers and analyzed the effects of second-hand smoking on urine cotinine concentrations. This study is a cross-sectional study conducted using purposive sampling on female volunteer soldiers receiving training at the Taichung Recruit Training Center in May 2014. This study simultaneously collected questionnaires and urine samples, and urine samples were analyzed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The self-reported smoking rate of female volunteer soldiers was 19.3%, whereas the smoking rate as determined by urine cotinine concentration testing was 26.3%, indicating an overall underestimation of 7.0%. Chi-square (χ²) goodness of fit test results indicated that the distribution of self-reported smoking behaviors and that verified from urine cotinine concentration testing were significantly different. The sensitivity of self-reported smoking behavior was 66.7% with a specificity of 97.6%. There was no significant association between second-hand smoking and urine cotinine concentrations. Questionnaire survey self-reporting methods could underestimate the smoking behavior of female volunteer soldiers and routine testing with biochemical verification is necessary.

Acute water intoxication after hysteroscopy is a rare, life-threatening condition, often accompanied with delayed diagnosis owing to masked symptoms because of general anesthesia. Herein we presented a 39-year-old female who presented with cardiac arrest after hysteroscopic myomectomy because of acute water intoxication and survived after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, continuous venous–venous hemofiltration, and aggressive high sodium fluid resuscitation. Failure to recognize and treat this condition appropriately may lead to potentially lethal cardiopulmonary complications.

Neuropathic pain (NP) is difficult to treat due to complex pathophysiological mechanisms. Pulsed radiofrequency (RRF) has been used widely with neuromodulation effect in refractory chronic pain treatment. A recent study found that PRF treatment may decrease chronic pain-related anxiety-depressant symptoms in patients, even though the mechanisms are unclear. Additionally, accumulated evidence has shown serotonin uptake is correlated with various neuropsychiatric diseases. Therefore, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of PRF on depression-like behaviors, resulting from spared nerve injury (SNI)-induced NP. We examined the indexes of mechanical allodynia, cold allodynia, depression-like behavior, and blood cytokines by dynamic plantar aesthesiometry, acetone spray test, forced swimming test, and ProcartaPlex multiplex immunoassays in male Wistar rats, respectively. Serotonin transporters (SERTs) in rat brains were examined by using 4-[18F]-ADAM/PET imaging. We found that specific uptake ratios (SURs) of SERTs were significantly decreased in the brain regions of the thalamus and striatum in rats with SNI-induced NP and depression-like behaviors. Additionally, the decrease in SERT density was correlated with the development of a depression-like behavior indicated by the forced swimming test results and pronounced IL-6 cytokines. Moreover, we demonstrated that PRF application could modulate the descending serotoninergic pathway to relieve pain and depression behaviors.

Graphical Effects of dietary supplementation of fish oil and sunflower seed oil on the levels of BUN, creatinine, GPT, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lactate, glucose, LDH, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺). Data are expressed as mean ± SD. BUN, blood urea nitrogen; GPT, glutamate pyruvate transaminase; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; n, number of rats that survived.