AVOID; a phase III, randomised controlled trial using indocyanine green for the prevention of anastomotic leakage in colorectal surgery.

Introduction: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the major complications after colorectal surgery. Compromised tissue perfusion at the anastomosis site increases the risk of AL. Several cohort studies have shown that indocyanine green (ICG) combined with fluorescent near-infrared imaging is a feasible and reproducible technique for real-time intraoperative imaging of tissue perfusion, leading to reduced leakage rates after colorectal resection.

Mathematical modeling of the glucagon challenge test.

A model for the homeostasis of glucose through the regulating hormones glucagon and insulin is described. It contains a subsystem that models the internalization of the glucagon receptor. Internalization is a mechanism in cell signaling, through which G-protein coupled receptors are taken from the surface of the cell to the endosome.

An observational study on survival rates of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the Netherlands after improving the 'chain of survival'.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of implemented procedures for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) by determining patient outcome defined as the percentage return of spontaneous circulation at arrival at the emergency department, and 3-month and 1-year-survival rates.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Primary emergency medical care consisting of Advanced Life Support is given by ambulance nurses and secondary care by hospitals within the mid-western part of the Netherlands covering 750 000 inhabitants.

Antisense MicroRNA Therapeutics in Cardiovascular Disease: Quo Vadis?

Heart failure (HF) is the end result of a diverse set of causes such as genetic cardiomyopathies, coronary artery disease, and hypertension and represents the primary cause of hospitalization in Europe. This serious clinical disorder is mostly associated with pathological remodeling of the myocardium, pump failure, and sudden death. While the survival of HF patients can be prolonged with conventional pharmacological therapies, the prognosis remains poor.

Evaluation of proinflammatory cytokines and inflammation markers as biomarkers for the action of thiazolidinediones in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and healthy volunteers.

Aims: Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) not only enhance cellular glucose transport but are reported to have potent anti-inflammatory effects. These effects may play an important role in the insulin sensitizing mechanism, and possibly precede the effects on parameters of glucoregulation. We sought to investigate whether these anti-inflammatory effects could yield early responding biomarkers for TZD action in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and healthy volunteers (HV) to expedite early clinical development of novel compounds.

Variability of splanchnic blood flow measurements using MR velocity mapping under fasting and post-prandial conditions--comparison with echo-Doppler.

Background/aims: The aim was to study the reproducibility of magnetic resonance velocity mapping, when measuring portal vein and superior mesenteric artery blood flow, under fasting and post-prandial conditions. Magnetic resonance flow measurements for the portal vein were compared with echo-Doppler measurements in the right portal vein.

Methods: Eight healthy volunteers were studied on two occasions, separated by 1 week.

Effects of changing liver blood flow by exercise and food on kinetics and dynamics of saruplase.

Objective: To investigate the influence of changes in liver blood flow on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of single-chain unglycosylated urokinase-type plasminogen activator.

Methods: This open, randomized, crossover trial was carried out in the clinical research unit. Infusions of 37.

Hypoxia-induced arterial endothelin does not influence peripheral vascular tone.

The effect of hypoxia (SpO2 80%) on the arteriovenous production of endothelin-1 (ET) in the forearm was investigated in six healthy volunteers. In eight other subjects the local vascular effects of a low physiologic dose of intra-arterially administered ET (0.5 pg/kg/min) was studied during normoxia.

Negligible sublingual absorption of nifedipine.

The sublingual absorption of nifedipine was investigated in 11 healthy volunteers. After the subjects bit a capsule containing 10 mg nifedipine in solution and did not swallow for 20 min (at which time the mouth was washed out), absorption was slow and led to low plasma levels (median 10 ng/ml). After the same subjects bit and swallowed a capsule, absorption was faster and higher plasma levels were achieved 982 ng/ml).