Basal release of 6-cyanodopamine from rat isolated vas deferens and its role on the tissue contractility.

6-Cyanodopamine is a novel catecholamine released from rabbit isolated heart. However, it is not known whether this catecholamine presents any biological activity. Here, it was evaluated whether 6-cyanodopamine (6-CYD) is released from rat vas deferens and its effect on this tissue contractility.

Multiphasic changes in smooth muscle Ca transporters during the progression of coronary atherosclerosis.

Ischemic heart disease due to macrovascular atherosclerosis and microvascular dysfunction is the major cause of death worldwide and the unabated increase in metabolic syndrome is a major reason why this will continue. Intracellular free Ca ([Ca]) regulates a variety of cellular functions including contraction, proliferation, migration, and transcription. It follows that studies of vascular Ca regulation in reductionist models and translational animal models are vital to understanding vascular health and disease.

Babesia crassa-Like Human Infection Indicating Need for Adapted PCR Diagnosis of Babesiosis, France.

Human babesiosis in Europe is caused by multiple zoonotic species. We describe a case in a splenectomized patient, in which a routine Babesia divergens PCR result was negative. A universal Babesia spp.

Intracellular Ca Dysregulation in Coronary Smooth Muscle Is Similar in Coronary Disease of Humans and Ossabaw Miniature Swine.

Intracellular free Ca ([Ca]) dysregulation occurs in coronary smooth muscle (CSM) in atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) of metabolic syndrome (MetS) swine. Our goal was to determine how CAD severity, arterial structure, and MetS risk factors associate with [Ca] dysregulation in human CAD compared to changes in Ossabaw miniature swine. CSM cells were dispersed from coronary arteries of explanted hearts from transplant recipients and from lean and MetS swine with CAD.

Worsening disability status in multiple sclerosis predicts urologic complications.

Purpose: Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes voiding dysfunction and might predispose to urologic complications. However, long-term complications and risk factors for complications are unknown. We aim to assess long-term changes in voiding function and to determine risk factors for urologic complications during MS follow-up.

Effect of Age on Diabetogenicity of Alloxan in Ossabaw Miniature Swine.

According to a single study in dogs that was conducted in 1949, the diabetic effects of the β-cell toxin alloxan are dependent on age. The current study examined whether this age-dependence of alloxan is present in the clinically relevant Ossabaw miniature swine () model of metabolic syndrome. Juvenile swine ( = 8; age, 4.

Volatile Acid-Solvent Evaporation (VASE): Molecularly Homogeneous Distribution of Acyclovir in a Bioerodable Polymer Matrix for Long-Term Treatment of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Infections.

Treatment for herpes simplex virus-1 and -2 (HSV-1 and -2) patients who suffer from recurrent outbreaks consists of multiple daily doses of the antiviral drugs acyclovir (ACV), penciclovir, or their more orally bioavailable derivatives valacyclovir or famciclovir. Drug troughs caused by missed doses may result in viral replication, which can generate drug-resistant mutants along with clinical sequelae. We developed a molecularly homogeneous mixture of ACV with the bioerodable polymer polycaprolactone.

Effect of metabolic syndrome and aging on Ca dysfunction in coronary smooth muscle and coronary artery disease severity in Ossabaw miniature swine.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and aging are prevalent risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and contribute to the etiology of CAD, including dysregulation of Ca handling mechanisms in coronary smooth muscle (CSM). The current study tested the hypothesis that CAD severity and CSM Ca dysregulation were different in MetS-induced CAD compared to aging-induced CAD.

Methods: Young (2.

Alloxan-induced diabetes exacerbates coronary atherosclerosis and calcification in Ossabaw miniature swine with metabolic syndrome.

Background: There is a preponderance of evidence implicating diabetes with increased coronary artery disease (CAD) and calcification (CAC) in human patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), but the effect of diabetes on CAD severity in animal models remains controversial. We investigated whether diabetes exacerbates CAD/CAC and intracellular free calcium ([Ca]) dysregulation in the clinically relevant Ossabaw miniature swine model of MetS.

Methods: Sixteen swine, eight with alloxan-induced diabetes, were fed a hypercaloric, atherogenic diet for 6 months.

[Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: do not ignore cardiac involvement].

Introduction: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a thrombotic microangiopathy due to ADAMTS13 deficiency (a von Willebrand factor's metalloprotease) with multiple organs' involvement, one of which may be the heart.

Case Report: We report a 29-year-old woman who presented a TTP during her last trimester of pregnancy, under the features of a HELLP syndrome. After caesarean section, cardiac involvement was revealed by chest pain, ECG changes, antero-septal hypokinesia and troponin rise.

[Admission of women to an intensive care unit during pregnancy or the postpartum period: circumstances and prognosis. A retrospective series of 96 cases].

Purpose: Very few studies had been published about admission of obstetric patients in French intensive care units (ICU).

Patients And Methods: Files of women who had been admitted during pregnancy or the postpartum period to ICU of an academic hospital between January 1st 1997 and 31st December 2006 were analyzed. Diagnosis at admission, severity, main treatments and outcome were studied during two successive periods of 5 years.

Acute kidney injury in the critically ill: is iodinated contrast medium really harmful?

Objectives: To assess whether the use of iodinated contrast medium increases the incidence of acute kidney injury in ICU patients, compared with patients not receiving iodinated contrast medium.

Design: Prospective observational matched cohort study.

Setting: Two ICUs in two tertiary teaching hospitals.

Gentamicin in hemodialyzed critical care patients: early dialysis after administration of a high dose should be considered.

Gentamicin is a widely used antibiotic in the intensive care unit (ICU). Its dosage is difficult to adapt to hemodialyzed ICU patients. The FDA-approved regimen consists of the administration of 1 to 1.

Renal function of renal transplantation patients after hospitalization in an intensive care unit.

Kidney transplantation is the favored method to treat end-stage renal disease. Some recipients develop severe diseases requiring admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication among critically ill patients but few data are available among renal transplant recipients.

An unusual case of central venous catheter-related bacteremia.

Some hemodialysed patients need definitive central venous catheterization. One of the main complications is catheter infection, and each infection must be treated. We report a case of an unusual cause of central venous catheter (CVC) infection: physical examination and catheter opacification demonstrated two pin-holes in the catheter.

Relation between mean arterial pressure and renal function in the early phase of shock: a prospective, explorative cohort study.

Introduction: Because of disturbed renal autoregulation, patients experiencing hypotension-induced renal insult might need higher levels of mean arterial pressure (MAP) than the 65 mmHg recommended level in order to avoid the progression of acute kidney insufficiency (AKI).

Methods: In 217 patients with sustained hypotension, enrolled and followed prospectively, we compared the evolution of the mean arterial pressure (MAP) during the first 24 hours between patients who will show AKI 72 hours after inclusion (AKIh72) and patients who will not. AKIh72 was defined as the need of renal replacement therapy or "Injury" or "Failure" classes of the 5-stage RIFLE classification (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, End-stage renal disease) for acute kidney insufficiency using the creatinine and urine output criteria.

[Severe acute asthma: isoflurane administration via AnaConDa™, is it safe?].

Standard treatments against severe acute asthma can be insufficient and need salvation treatments, such as isoflurane delivery. These treatments have not been much assessed and could lead to unrecognized side-effects. We report the case of a young man who suffered from intracranial hypertension associated with severe hypercapnia during the delivery of isoflurane via the system AnaConDa™ or Anaesthetic Conserving Device™ (ACD) (Sedama Medical).

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: risk factor for nonmelanoma skin cancer following kidney transplantation.

Nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC) are the most common malignant tumors following solid organ transplantation. Risk factors for NMSC mainly include immunosuppression, age, sun exposure and patient phototype. Recent findings have suggested that autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) may increase the risk of developing NMSC.

Ultrastaging of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) vs. non-SLNs in colorectal cancer--do we need both?

Background: The aim of this study to analyze whether ultrastaging of initially negative nonsentinel lymph nodes (non-SLNs) would increase nodal positivity in colon cancer and rectal cancer.

Methods: After SLN mapping (SLNM), SLNs were ultrastaged by 4 hematoxylin and eosin and 1 immunohistochemistry sections. A blinded pathologist reexamined initially negative non-SLNs by 3 additional hematoxylin and eosin and 1 immunohistochemistry sections.