Individual and joint associations of obesity and metabolic health parameters on arterial stiffness: Evidence from the UK Biobank.

Aims: There is conflicting evidence regarding whether excess adiposity without metabolic abnormalities reflects a truly benign phenotype. This study evaluated the independent and joint associations of the presence of excess adiposity and metabolic abnormalities on arterial stiffness.

Materials And Methods: Participants in UK Biobank with body mass index (BMI) and arterial stiffness index (ASI) recorded between 2006 and 2010, free from cardiovascular diseases and not underweight (BMI <18.

The burden of skin and soft tissue, bone and joint infections in an Australian cohort of people who inject drugs.

Introduction: There are currently limited data regarding the clinical and economic significance of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) and bone and joint infections in Australian people who inject drugs (PWID).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study in adult PWID admitted to Monash Health, a large heath care network with six hospitals in Victoria, Australia. Inpatients were identified using administrative datasets and International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) coding for specific infection-related conditions.

Frequency of use and adequacy of Cochrane risk of bias tool 2 in non-Cochrane systematic reviews published in 2020: Meta-research study.

Risk of bias (RoB) assessment is essential to the systematic review methodology. The new version of the Cochrane RoB tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) was published in 2019 to address limitations identified since the first version of the tool was published in 2008 and to increase the reliability of assessments. This study analyzed the frequency of usage of the RoB 2 and the adequacy of reporting the RoB 2 assessments in non-Cochrane reviews published in 2020.

Coronary embolism due to probable clinical bioprosthetic aortic valve thrombosis: a case report.

Background: Coronary embolism is a relatively rare but important non-atherosclerotic cause of acute coronary syndrome, mainly caused by atrial fibrillation and mechanical heart valve thrombosis due to subtherapeutic anticoagulation. There have been increasing reports of bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT), but thromboembolic events are rare and mainly affect the cerebrovascular system. Coronary embolism is an extremely rare complication of BPVT.

Protocol of a scoping review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses about COVID-19 vaccines and associated adverse events from vaccination.

The continuous dissemination of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) literature can inform decision-makers and the public. Since the widespread use of COVID-19 vaccines, more systematic reviews have summarized the effectiveness and reported adverse events associated with vaccination. Previous systematic and scoping reviews on COVID-19 summarized various aspects surrounding COVID-19, however, a scoping review is needed to summarize the characteristics of COVID-19 vaccines and associated adverse events reported in systematic reviews and meta-analyses to provide comprehensive evidence for informed medical decision-making.

Efficacy and Safety of Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have assessed the role of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) when paired with standard rehabilitation in stroke patients. This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of VNS as a novel treatment option for post-stroke recovery.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and CINAHL Plus for articles published from their date of inception to June 2021.

Clinical and financial burden of spinal infections in people who inject drugs.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are known to be at increased risk of infectious diseases including bacterial and blood-borne viral infections. However, there is limited literature surrounding the burden of spinal infections as a complication of injecting drug use (IDU).

Aims: To quantify the clinical and financial burden of IDU-related spinal infections.

Generation of quasi-continuous-wave vacuum-ultraviolet coherent light by fourth-harmonic of a Ti:sapphire laser with KBBF crystal.

We report the generation of quasi-continuous-wave vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) coherent light based on a Ti:sapphire laser with two successive frequency doubling stages. In the first stage, UV light at 399 nm with power of 1.1 W was obtained by exploiting an enhanced cavity.

[Stonefish stings: difficult analgesia and notable risk of complications].

Introduction: Marine activities and water sports in tropical countries entail some dangers. In our emergency department, stonefish (Synancae verrucosa) stings are second only to those by sea urchins among the 400 consultations a year for wounds by marine animals.

Method: We retrospectively collected data for all emergency department visits for stonefish stings over a 5-year period from 2001 through 2005.

Five year outcomes study of dental rehabilitation conducted under general anesthesia for special needs patients.

We assessed the safety of general anesthesia for dental treatment of special needs patients as it related to American Society of Anesthesiology Physical Status (ASAPS) classification, procedure, and other factors. After Institutional Review Board review and approval, special needs patients who were admitted to the outpatient surgical operating room for comprehensive dental rehabilitation (CDR) under general anesthesia within a period of 5 years had their medical records evaluated retrospectively for intraoperative and postoperative complications both related to anesthesia and surgery. All records were evaluated by an independent evaluator who tabulated the patients' age, gender, ASAPS, and duration of procedure.

Autonomic activity during desflurane anesthesia in patients with brain tumors.

Objective: Although intracranial tumors may affect autonomic function, there are few reports of autonomic changes during anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate autonomic effects of anesthesia in patients with brain tumors compared to neurosurgical controls.

Methods: Two groups were evaluated: group 1 = 10 neurosurgical patients undergoing spinal cord surgery, group 2 = 10 patients with intracranial tumors.

A novel computer-assisted technique for pedicle screw insertion.

Background: Commercially available systems for computer-assisted pedicle screw placement are prohibitively expensive, even in advanced countries. The advantage of the great accuracy of computer-assisted systems for pedicle screw insertion makes them highly desirable and essential for current spinal surgeries.

Methods: We have tried to develop a new software for pedicle screw placement, based on paired point matching.

Autonomic activity during dexmedetomidine or fentanyl infusion with desflurane anesthesia.

Study Objective: To evaluate autonomic activity with dexmedetomidine or fentanyl infusion and desflurane anesthesia during laparoscopic gastric banding.

Study Design: Randomized, single-blinded, open-label study.

Setting: Operating rooms at a university hospital.

Bispectral index system (BIS) monitoring reduces time to extubation and discharge in children requiring oral presedation and general anesthesia for outpatient dental rehabilitation.

Purpose: Pediatric oral rehabilitation patients who receive presedation with oral Versed and general anesthesia (GA) occasionally experience prolonged sedation and delayed discharge. The Bispectral Index System (BIS) is an EEG monitor that measures the anesthesia level. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of monitoring the BIS to not monitoring the BIS on time from discontinuation of GA to extubation and to discharge.

Fentanyl or dexmedetomidine combined with desflurane for bariatric surgery.

Study Objective: Because fentanyl has ventilatory depressing effects, alternative methods for analgesia may be beneficial for management of bariatric surgery. We evaluated whether dexmedetomidine infusion could replace fentanyl for facilitation of open gastric bypass surgery.

Design: Randomized, single blinded, open label.

Recovery from paralysis with succinylcholine increased Response entropy and EMG but not State entropy.

Objective: It is reported that the electromyogram is an indicator of patient arousal during pain stimulation if anesthesia is inadequate. This may not be true during recovery from succinylcholine induced paralysis. We evaluated State entropy of the electroencephalogram (EEG, 0.

Bispectral Index System (BIS) monitoring reduces time to discharge in children requiring intramuscular sedation and general anesthesia for outpatient dental rehabilitation.

Purpose: Pediatric patients who receive both intramuscular (i.m.) sedation and general anesthesia (GA) for oral rehabilitation occasionally experience prolonged sedation and delayed discharge.