Percutaneous angioplasty and stenting of the superficial femoral artery.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to examine factors predictive of success or failure after percutaneous angioplasty (PTA) and stenting (S) of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and to compare the results of PTA/S with a contemporary group of patients treated with femoropopliteal bypass.

Methods: A database of patients undergoing PTA and/or S of the SFA between 1986 and 2004 was maintained. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed.

Percutaneous and open renal revascularizations have equivalent long-term functional outcomes.

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is a significant cause of poorly controlled hypertension and progressive renal dysfunction leading to ischemic nephropathy and other end-organ damage. The optimal treatment of renovascular disease contributing to hypertension and renal dysfunction is not known. This study compares the anatomic and functional outcomes of both open and endovascular therapy for chronic, symptomatic atherosclerotic renal artery disease.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate-induced smooth muscle cell migration involves the mammalian target of rapamycin.

Background: Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration is an important component of the development of intimal hyperplasia. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S-1-P) is a lipid released from activated platelets with numerous cellular effects including the stimulation of SMC migration in vitro. We examined the role of the mammalian target of rapamycin and ribosomal p70S6 kinase (p70S6K) in S-1-P-induced SMC migration .

Research knowledge among parents of children participating in a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Parental permission is required for child research, but parents' understanding of research aims and procedures has not been well documented. Parental research knowledge was assessed during a clinical trial in autism.

Method: Parents of 101 children (age 5-17 years) with autism participating in a placebo-controlled trial of risperidone were given a questionnaire at the end of the study.

Use of computer simulation for determining endovascular skill levels in a carotid stenting model.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether performance on a simulator model of carotid artery stenting correlates with previous endovascular experience and to assess the effects of repetition and training.

Methods: Participants were stratified to untrained and advanced skill groups on the basis of number of endovascular procedures previously performed. Baseline performance was assessed by means of a pretest, and participants were randomized to practice and no-practice groups.

Rotational muscle flap closure for acute groin wound infections following vascular surgery.

Since 1996, 41 patients have presented to our institution with deep but localized groin infection following bypass (30) or isolated femoral artery surgery (11). These patients were treated with antibiotics, debridement, and rotational muscle flap coverage either immediately or within a few days. Patients had one of three patterns: serous leak from a groin incision within a few days of operation (Acute, n = 10), early serous leak that later became grossly infected (Acute-observed, n = 8), or obvious purulent drainage following an initially normal, healed wound (Delayed, n = 23).

Comparison of increasingly detailed elicitation methods for the assessment of adverse events in pediatric psychopharmacology.

Objective: To improve the gathering of adverse events (AEs) in pediatric psychopharmacology by examining the value and acceptability of increasingly detailed elicitation methods.

Method: Trained clinicians administered the Safety Monitoring Uniform Report Form (SMURF) to 59 parents and outpatients (mean age +/- SD = 11.9 +/- 3.

Differential regulation of ERK1/2 and p38(MAPK) by components of the Rho signaling pathway during sphingosine-1-phosphate-induced smooth muscle cell migration.

Objective: To determine the role of rhosignaling in sphingosine-1-phosphate (S-1-P)-induced smooth muscle cell migration.

Background: S-1-P is a bioactive sphingolipid released from activated platelets stimulating migration of smooth muscle cells (SMC) in vitro through Galphai G-proteins and MAPK activation. Rho is one of the key small GTPases required for cytoskeletal reorganization and MAPK activation during migration.

Studies toward the synthesis of luminacin D: assembly of simplified analogues devoid of the epoxide displaying antiangiogenic activity.

[reaction: see text] A series of structurally simplified luminacin analogues devoid of the epoxide ring are assembled in a stereocontrolled manner from 2,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde using a syn-selective aldol reaction as the key step. The success of the approach is critically dependent on the nature and extent of the alcohol protecting groups. The synthetic analogues inhibit VEGF-stimulated angiogenesis in an in vitro assay indicating that the epoxide is not essential for biological activity in this compound class.

Positional vomiting due to a thoracic spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. Case report.

The authors report the unique case of a patient with a thoracic spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) causing remote brainstem symptoms of positional vomiting and minimal vertigo. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain demonstrated high signal abnormality in the medulla, presumably related to venous hypertension, and spinal MR imaging revealed markedly dilated veins along the dorsal aspect of the cord. Spinal angiography confirmed the presence of a thoracic spinal DAVF.

Demographic factors and playing variables in online computer gaming.

Despite the growing popularity of online game playing, there has been no primary survey of its players. Therefore, an online questionnaire survey was used to examine basic demographic factors of online computer game players who played the popular online game Everquest (i.e.

Endovascular management of central venous stenoses in the hemodialysis patient: results of percutaneous therapy.

The purpose of this study was to determine the functional results of transvenous angioplasty for the treatment of central venous stenoses in patients with failing upper extremity arteriovenous access. Two hundred consecutive patients presented with threatened arteriovenous access from January 1999 through July 2002. Angiographic evidence of central venous stenosis was present in 35 patients (18%) (superior vena cava 5, brachiocephalic veins 14, and subclavian veins 18).

Combined endoscopic approach for the management of a difficult recto-sigmoid anastomotic stricture.

A 48-year-old woman underwent an emergency laparotomy for a perforated diverticular abscess. At operation, a peritoneal lavage was carried out, but no colonic resection was undertaken. Subsequently, she developed recurrent sepsis and underwent a second laparotomy.

Identification and assessment of new vaccine candidates for group A streptococcal infections.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a human-specific pathogen responsible for a wide variety of human diseases. Numerous GAS surface antigens interact with the human immune system and only some of these proteins have been studied in depth. A few of these may elicit protective response against GAS infection.

Preclinical evaluation of a vaccine based on conserved region of M protein that prevents group A streptococcal infection.

Background & Objectives: Infection with group A Streptococcus (GAS) may result in a number of human diseases ranging from the relatively benign pharyngitis to the potentially life-threatening invasive diseases and post-infectious sequelae. We have previously defined a minimal B-cell epitope from the conserved region of the M-protein. Here we report on the immunogenicity, opsonic potential of the resulting sera and the level of protection induced by this peptide in comparison to a pepsin extract of the M protein.

Inspired gas temperature in ventilated neonates.

The warming and humidification of inspired gases for ventilated neonates are routine. There are no data on the temperature of the gas at the airway opening in ventilated neonates. Is the inspired gas temperature at the airway opening, as expected and set on the humidifier, around 37 degrees C? We aimed to measure temperature at the airway opening and compare this with the circuit temperature.

Can endovascular therapy of infrainguinal disease for claudication be justified?

Traditionally, patients with exercise-induced lower extremity ischemia (claudicants) have been treated conservatively. It is important to remember that this is not because the pain of claudication is less important than pain due to other problems, but because the only 'cure', operative bypass, has been judged too invasive by both patient and physician. Recent data suggest that endovascular treatment of atherosclerotic disease below the inguinal ligament yields good short-term results, with low periprocedural morbidity and does not compromise future surgical alternatives in the long-term.

A novel mounting device for attaching intracranial probes to the skull for use in experimental research models.

A simple mount capable of securely holding a variety of intracranial probes to the skull was constructed from commonly available clinical consumables. Using this device the cerebral cortical blood flow of preterm lambs was measured using a laser Doppler flow probe, and cerebral pH and cortical electrical impedance were measured in newborn piglets using pH electrodes and Ag/AgCl wire electrodes. In both studies, the mount held the various probes for periods up to 6 h with no dislodgement or probe failure.

Arterial injury repair in nonhuman primates-the role of PDGF receptor-beta.

Background: This study documents the time course of the response to injury of the saphenous artery in baboons and the role of the platelet-derived growth factor-beta. Fundamental differences with the well-characterized rat arterial injury model have been found.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight baboons received a unilateral balloon injury to the saphenous artery and were treated with a chimeric blocking antibody to PDGFR-beta or vehicle control for 7, 14, or 28 days.

Relationship of proximal fixation to postoperative renal dysfunction in patients with normal serum creatinine concentration.

Objectives: This study was performed to determine whether there is deterioration in renal function during follow-up in patients who have undergone endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), as recommended by the device manufacturers; to determine whether suprarenal fixation correlates with impairment of renal function; and to explore the potential implication of life-long surveillance of renal function with contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

Methods: One hundred forty-six consecutive patients underwent EVAR at our institution. Data from 113 of these patients who were free from preoperative renal insufficiency or postoperative renal disease were analyzed.

Immune response to superoxide dismutase in group A streptococcal infection.

Extracellular localisation of manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase (SodA) by group A streptococcus (GAS) may have a role in protection of this pathogenic bacterium from exogenously produced reactive oxygen species. In this study we show that SodA is found both in surface protein extracts and in culture supernatants of GAS. To investigate whether SodA is a possible vaccine candidate outbred Quackenbush mice were subcutaneously vaccinated with recombinant SodA.