15 ± 0.40 ng/mL vs. 2.66 ± 0.36 ng/mL, p = 0.023). The EC (95% CI) of remifentanil Ce was also significantly lower in Group D [2.75 (2.67-2.78) ng/mL] than in Group S [3.16 (3.06-3.18) ng/mL]. Emergence and recovery variables did not differ between the two groups. The remifentanil EC to prevent cough after propofol-remifentanil anesthesia was significantly lower (approximately 19%) when a combination of remifentanil and 0.5 μg/kg dexmedetomidine was used than when remifentanil infusion alone was used in patients undergoing nasal surgery. Therefore, the Ce of remifentanil may be adjusted to prevent emergence cough when used in combination with dexmedetomidine. ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03622502 , August 9, 2018). ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03622502 , August 9, 2018). Highly empiric use of carbapenem in pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is widespread problem. However, few studies have examined the association between blood culture and carbapenem use in patients with PLA in China. https://www.selleckchem.com/ Thus, we conducted this observational study. The data of patients diagnosed with PLA at two comprehensive tertiary care centers from 2014 to 2020 were retrospectively collected. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the association between blood culture and carbapenem use. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore whether the effect is different in sepsis. Blood culture was performed in 110 (46.0%) patients, of whom 44 (40.0%) patients had positive results for bacterial culture. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive blood culture isolates were detected in 8 (7.3%) patients. The positivity rate of blood culture in sepsis was higher than in non-sepsis (58.1% vs. 32.9%, P = 0.015). Fewer patients who had a blood culture received carbapenem treatment in comparison to patients without blood culture (19.1% vs. 31.8%, P = 0.026). Multivariate analysis showed that blood culture was independently associated with less carbapenem exposure (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16-0.68, P = 0.003), and this effect remained significant in the sepsis subgroup (adjusted OR = 0.17, 95% CI 0.05-0.53, P = 0.002). Blood culture had a high positivity rate and was associated with less carbapenem use in PLA, especially those who developed sepsis. More attention should be paid to performing early blood culture and less carbapenem use in PLA. Blood culture had a high positivity rate and was associated with less carbapenem use in PLA, especially those who developed sepsis. More attention should be paid to performing early blood culture and less carbapenem use in PLA. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to expand. Herein, we report the epidemiological and clinical features of 478 patients with confirmed COVID-19 from a multicenter study conducted in four cities in China excluding Wuhan. A total of 478 patients transferred by emergency medical services to designated hospitals in four major cities in China (Beijing, Chongqing, Jinan, and Nanning) were enrolled. We compared the characteristics of imported and indigenous cases and calculated the frequencies of fatal, severe, mild, and asymptomatic disease. The results were used to generate a pyramid of COVID-19 severity. The mean age of patients with COVID-19 was 46.9 years and 49.8% were male. The most common symptoms at onset were fever (69.7%), cough (47.5%), fatigue (24.5%), dyspnea (8.4%), and headache (7.9%). Most cases (313, 65.5%) were indigenous, while 165 (34.5%) were imported. Imported cases dominated during the early stages of the pandemic, but decreased from 1 February 2020 as indigenonting import of cases and controlling spread within local areas can help prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection spread. Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure is an alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with high thromboembolism risk, particularly with contraindications to OAC. The LAA itself could possess proarrhythmogenic properties. As patients undergoing LAA closure could be candidates for cardioversion or ablation, we aimed to evaluate AF disease progression following LAA closure and the outcome of patients undergoing a rhythm control strategy after the procedure. The prospective multicenter French Nationwide Observational LAA Closure Registry (FLAAC) comprises 33 French interventional cardiology departments. Patients were included if they fulfilled the following criteria history of non-valvular AF, successful LAA closure and long-term ECG follow-up. A total of 331 patients with successful LAA closure were enrolled in the study. Patients mean age was 75.4 ± 0.5years. The study population was characterized by a high thromboembolic risk (CHA DS -VAScscore 4.5 ± 0.1strategy was. The prevalent resurgence of pertussis has recently become a critical public health problem worldwide. To understand pertussis pathogenesis and the host response to both the pathogen and vaccines, a suitable pertussis animal model, particularly a non-human primate model, is necessary. Recently, a non-human primate pertussis model was successfully established with baboons. Rhesus macaques have been shown to be ideal animal models for several infectious diseases, but a model of infectious pertussis has not been established in these organisms. Studies on rhesus macaque models of pertussis were performed in the 1920s-1930s, but limited experimental details are available. Recent monkey pertussis models have not been successful because the typical clinical symptoms and transmission have not been achieved. In the present study, infant rhesus macaques were challenged with Bordetella pertussis (B.p) using an aerosol method to evaluate the feasibility of this system as an animal model of pertussis. Upon aerosol infection, monkeys infected with the recently clinically isolated B.p strain 2016-CY-41 developed the typical whooping cough, leukocytosis, bacteria-positive nasopharyngeal wash (NPW), and interanimal transmission of pertussis. Both systemic and mucosal humoral responses were induced by B.p. These results demonstrate that a model of pertussis was successfully established in infant rhesus macaques. This model provides a valuable platform for research on pertussis pathogenesis and evaluation of vaccine candidates. These results demonstrate that a model of pertussis was successfully established in infant rhesus macaques. This model provides a valuable platform for research on pertussis pathogenesis and evaluation of vaccine candidates.