Audiovisual Distraction Increases Prefrontal Cortical Neuronal Activity and Impairs Attentional Performance in the Rat.

Involvement of attentional processes is generally evidenced by disruption of behavior in the presence of distracting stimuli. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) seems to play a role in fine-tuning activity during attentional tasks. A novel titration variant of the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-choice serial reaction time titration variant [5CTV]) that adjusts task difficulty based on subject performance was used to evaluate the effects of audiovisual distraction (DSTR) on performance and mPFC single spike activity and local field potential (LFP).

Timing of adding blood to prime affects inflammatory response to neonatal cardiopulmonary bypass.

Complications from systemic inflammation are reported in neonates following exposure to cardiopulmonary bypass. Although the use of asanguinous primes can reduce these complications, in neonates, this can result in significant haemodilution, requiring addition of blood. This study investigates whether the addition of blood after institution of bypass alters the inflammatory response compared with a blood prime.

Venovenous extracorporeal life support improves survival in adult trauma patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Background: Venovenous extracorporeal life support (VV ECLS) has been reported in adult trauma patients with severe respiratory failure; however, ECLS is not available in many trauma centers, few trauma surgeons have experience initiating ECLS and managing ECLS patients, and there is currently little evidence supporting its use in severely injured patients. This study seeks to determine if VV ECLS improves survival in such patients.

Methods: Data from two American College of Surgeons-verified Level 1 trauma centers, which maintain detailed records of patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF), were evaluated retrospectively.

Prevention of surgical site infections in high-risk patients with laparotomy incisions using negative-pressure therapy.

Background: This study evaluates the efficacy of negative-pressure therapy (NPT) in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) in high-risk surgical oncology patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 191 operations for colorectal, pancreatic, or peritoneal surface malignancies was performed. Incisional NPT was used in patients with multiple SSI risk factors.