Articles: function.
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Critical care medicine · Jul 2015
Xenon Protects Against Septic Acute Kidney Injury via miR-21 Target Signaling Pathway.
Septic acute kidney injury is one of the most common and life-threatening complications in critically ill patients, and there is no approved effective treatment. We have shown xenon provides renoprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury and nephrotoxicity in rodents via inhibiting apoptosis. Here, we studied the effects of xenon preconditioning on septic acute kidney injury and its mechanism. ⋯ Our findings demonstrated that xenon preconditioning protected against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury via activation of miR-21 target signaling pathways.
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Boxer's fractures are common hand injuries, but their management varies greatly. Two years ago, a boxer's fracture care pathway was developed for use in the Royal London Hospital emergency department to standardise management. ⋯ The evaluation examined the functional outcomes of patients with boxer's fractures with 50° or less palmar angulation who were discharged with no follow up. Findings show that most returned to work immediately and had good functional outcomes, which suggests that the pathway is safe for uncomplicated fractures with 50° or less palmar angulation.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2015
ReviewA Quantitative Approach to the Intraoperative Echocardiographic Assessment of the Mitral Valve for Repair.
Intraoperative echocardiography of the mitral valve has evolved from a qualitative assessment of flow-dependent variables to quantitative geometric analyses before and after repair. In addition, 3-dimensional echocardiographic data now allow for a precise assessment of mitral valve apparatus. Complex structures, such as the mitral annulus, can be interrogated comprehensively without geometric assumptions. ⋯ Given this context, echocardiographers may be expected to diagnose and quantify valvular dysfunction, assess suitability for repair, assist in annuloplasty ring sizing, and determine the success and failure of the repair procedure. As a result, anesthesiologists have progressed from being mere service providers to participants in the decision-making process. It is therefore prudent for them to acquaint themselves with the principles of intraoperative quantitative mitral valve analysis to assist in rational and objective decision making.
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Visceral pain is a particularly difficult symptom to manage in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Our aim was to examine whether noninvasive neurostimulation applied to the motor cortex or lumbosacral region can modulate human visceral sensation. Sixteen healthy adult volunteers and 10 patients with IBS were evaluated. ⋯ When applied to patients with IBS, rectal pain thresholds were increased across all time points after both 1-Hz rLSMS and 10-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (P < 0.05) compared with sham. The application of magnetoelectric stimuli to the cortical and lumbosacral areas modulates visceral sensation in healthy subjects and patients with IBS. This proof-of-concept study provides supportive evidence for neurostimulation in managing functional gastrointestinal disorders.