Hyperlipidaemia induced by a high-cholesterol diet leads to the deterioration of guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate/protein kinase G-dependent cardioprotection in rats.

Background And Purpose: Hyperlipidaemia interferes with cardioprotective mechanisms, but the cause of this phenomenon is largely unknown, although hyperlipidaemia impairs the cardioprotective NO-cGMP system. However, it is not known if natriuretic peptide-cGMP-protein kinase G (PKG) signalling is affected by hyperlipidaemia. Therefore, we investigated the cardioprotective efficacy of cGMP-elevating agents in hearts from normal and hyperlipidaemic rats.

Ultrasonic microbubble contrast agents and the transplant kidney.

Aim: To evaluate the potential application of microbubble agents in the immediate post-transplant period, by studying contrast uptake and washout, and to correlate these values with clinical indices, and thus, assess the potential prognostic value of this technique.

Materials And Methods: The study group comprised 20 consecutive renal transplant patients within 7 days of transplantation. Sonovue was administered as an intravenous bolus with continuous imaging of the transplant kidney at low mechanical index (MI) for 1 min post-injection.

Linear and loglinear structural mean models to evaluate the benefits of an on-demand dosing regimen.

Background: Structural mean models can be used to estimate treatment efficacy when drug exposure varies. We applied structural mean model to evaluate the clinical benefits of a proton pump inhibitor prescribed to be taken as needed to alleviate epigastric pain. We also investigated a new diagnostic approach to evaluate model assumptions.

Nitric oxide/cGMP signalling mediates the cardioprotective action of adrenomedullin in reperfused myocardium.

We demonstrated previously that adrenomedullin (AM), when given during early reperfusion, limited infarct size in rat heart. The present study was undertaken to provide direct evidence of the NO-dependency of AM's cardioprotective action by assessing NO biosynthesis and involvement of the soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) pathway. Perfused hearts from male CD-1 mice were subjected to 30-min left coronary occlusion and 60-min reperfusion.

Low level laser treatment of tendinopathy: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objectives: To assess the clinical effectiveness of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of tendinopathy. Secondary objectives were to determine the relevance of irradiation parameters to outcomes, and the validity of current dosage recommendations for the treatment of tendinopathy.

Background: LLLT is proposed as a possible treatment for tendon injuries.

Evaluation of plasma fibrinogen concentration as an indicator of physeal or epiphyseal osteomyelitis in foals: 17 cases (2002-2007).

Objective: To determine whether high plasma fibrinogen concentration (> or = 900 mg/dL) is a valid indicator of physeal or epiphyseal osteomyelitis in foals.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 17 foals with physeal or epiphyseal osteomyelitis with or without septic arthritis, 17 foals with septic arthritis alone, 20 foals with non-Rhodococcus equi pneumonia, and 22 healthy foals.

The culture of massage therapy: valued elements and the role of comfort, contact, connection and caring.

Objective: To explore the attributes of the therapy encounter valued by repeat users of health-related massage therapy.

Design: A qualitative design with telephone focus group methodology was used. A total of 19 repeat users of massage therapy participated in three telephone focus groups where audiotaped semi-structured interviews were conducted.

Eccentric exercise protocols for chronic non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy: how much is enough?

Eccentric exercises for the calf muscles have been shown to be effective for chronic non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy (AT). However, the relative effectiveness of various dosages is unknown. A systematic review of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) was designed to determine whether an optimum dose of eccentric exercises could be recommended.

Fabrication of a pi-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating at twice the Bragg wavelength with the standard phase mask technique.

A pair of reflection peaks/transmission dips, at twice the Bragg wavelength, were observed in spectra of a Type I fiber Bragg grating written with the standard phase mask technique. The occurrence of two peaks/dips, rather than one, is attributed to the interleaved refractive index modulations along the fiber core, with the periodicity of the phase mask that has been observed previously in images of gratings that cause destructive interference in a reflected wave at the Bragg condition owing to the pi phase difference between the grating phases. Thus the standard phase mask technique produced an alternative type of pi-phase-shifted grating at twice the design Bragg wavelength.

Telephone focus groups in physiotherapy research: potential uses and recommendations.

The use of telephone focus groups as a research approach within health-related qualitative studies is emerging as a method of choice for some researchers. A variety of research applications of the telephone focus group method have been used within health settings over the last 10 years and have typically investigated specific health conditions, training needs, and resource development, as well as health practices and knowledge; these are all issues and contexts applicable to physiotherapy and rehabilitation research. The aim of this review is to explore the use of the telephone focus group methodology, update knowledge on its use in disciplines relevant to physiotherapy, and provide potential users with key information to conduct a telephone focus group.

Gross morphology of the vastus lateralis muscle: An anatomical review.

To understand the role of the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle in the pathogenesis of common knee disorders such as patellofemoral joint syndrome, knowledge of its anatomical structure is essential. The aim of this study was to review currently available information on the gross morphology of VL. A structured literature review was undertaken and 36 references, comprising 22 scientific papers and 14 anatomical textbooks, were included.

Complications of unilateral weight bearing.

The most common and significant complication of excessive unilateral weight bearing in adult horses is support limb laminitis. Young horses with unilateral lameness problems develop support limb laminitis infrequently compared with adult horses.

Exercise therapy, manual therapy, or both, for osteoarthritis of the hip or knee: a factorial randomised controlled trial protocol.

Background: Non-pharmacological, non-surgical interventions are recommended as the first line of treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip and knee. There is evidence that exercise therapy is effective for reducing pain and improving function in patients with knee OA, some evidence that exercise therapy is effective for hip OA, and early indications that manual therapy may be efficacious for hip and knee OA. There is little evidence as to which approach is more effective, if benefits endure, or if providing these therapies is cost-effective for the management of this disorder.

Locking compression plates for pancarpal arthrodesis in a Thoroughbred filly.

Objective: To report treatment of a comminuted ulnar carpal (UC) bone fracture associated with carpal instability by pancarpal arthrodesis using 2 locking compression plates (LCP).

Study Design: Case report.

Animals: A 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly.

Fixation and consensus times on a network: a unified approach.

We investigate a set of stochastic models of biodiversity, population genetics, language evolution, and opinion dynamics on a network within a common framework. Each node has a state 0 View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Factors impacting on doctors' management of acute low back pain: a systematic review.

The aim of this review was to determine the factors that impact on doctors' management of patients with acute low back pain. A methodological assessment of databases (Medline, EMBASE, Psychinfo, BIOSIS, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) identified papers which were screened for inclusion criteria by two independent reviewers. Data were extracted from accepted papers, and the internal validity and strength of the evidence were determined using valid and reliable scales.

Pharmacological targets revealed by myocardial postconditioning.

Postconditioning is an intervention in which controlled, brief, intermittent periods of ischaemia at the onset of reperfusion protect myocardium from the lethal consequences of reperfusion ('reperfusion injury'). Postconditioning has been demonstrated in humans with acute myocardial infarction and offers the possibility of further limiting infarct size in patients undergoing reperfusion therapy. We review current research that focuses on the molecular mechanisms of postconditioning.

Salicylic acid sans aspirin in animals and man: persistence in fasting and biosynthesis from benzoic acid.

Salicylic acid (SA), which is central to defense mechanisms in plants and the principal metabolite of aspirin, occurs naturally in man with higher levels of SA and its urinary metabolite salicyluric acid (SU) in vegetarians overlapping with levels in patients on low-dose aspirin regimens. SA is widely distributed in animal blood. Fasting for major colorectal surgery did not cause disappearance of SA from plasma, even in patients following total proctocolectomy.

Clinical effectiveness of laser acupuncture: a systematic review.

The use of laser light as an alternative to needles to stimulate acupuncture points has been promoted for almost three decades. However, there has been no systematic assessment of the evidence to support the effectiveness of this form of acupuncture to date. A systematic review was therefore undertaken of RCTs evaluating laser acupuncture as a primary intervention.

Travel time and cancer care: an example of the inverse care law?

Introduction: There is growing evidence that in rural areas cancer mortality is higher and referral occurs later, indicating different patterns of care. In Scotland services to rural areas have been organized through 'managed clinical networks'. In some cases, these organizational networks have been structured so that the referral hospital is not the one nearest to the patient's home.

Quantitative phase and refractive index analysis of optical fibers using differential interference contrast microscopy.

A systematic and straightforward image processing method to extract quantitative phase and refractive index data from weak phase objects is presented, obtained using differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. The method is demonstrated on DIC images of optical fibers where a directional integration routine is applied to the DIC images to extract phase and refractive index information using the data obtained across the whole DIC image. By applying the inverse Abel transform to the resultant phase images, an accurate refractive index profile is obtained.

Economic evaluation of etanercept in the management of chronic plaque psoriasis.

Background: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has recommended that etanercept 25 mg twice weekly (biw) be used in adults with severe plaque psoriasis. However, its economic model did not consider the alternative licensed regimen of etanercept 50 mg biw.

Objectives: To assess the cost-effectiveness of etanercept 50 mg biw for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis, and to explore characteristics of patients who benefited most from 50 mg dosing.

Visible and near infra-red up-conversion in Tm3+/Yb3+ co-doped silica fibers under 980 nm excitation.

The spectroscopic properties of Tm(3+)/Yb(3+) co-doped silica fibers under excitation at 980 nm are reported. Three distinct up-conversion fluorescence bands were observed in the visible to near infra-red regions. The blue and red fluorescence bands at 475 and 650 nm, respectively, were found to originate from the (1)G(4) level of Tm(3+).

Acupuncture for acute non-specific low back pain: a pilot randomised non-penetrating sham controlled trial.

Objective: A pilot study to assess the feasibility of a trial to investigate the efficacy of acupuncture compared to placebo needling for the treatment of acute low back pain (LBP). As part of this, the study was designed to establish the credibility of the placebo control, and to provide data to inform a power analysis to determine numbers for a future trial.

Study Design: A pilot patient and assessor blinded randomized controlled trial.