Liver trauma: hepatic vascular injury on computed tomography as a predictor of patient outcome.

Objectives: To evaluate hepatic vascular injury (HVI) on CT in blunt and penetrating trauma and assess its relationship to patient management and outcome.

Method And Materials: This retrospective study was IRB approved and HIPAA compliant. Informed consent was waived.

Scribble co-operatively binds multiple α-adrenergic receptor C-terminal PDZ ligands.

Many G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are organized as dynamic macromolecular complexes in human cells. Unraveling the structural determinants of unique GPCR complexes may identify unique protein:protein interfaces to be exploited for drug development. We previously reported α-adrenergic receptors (α-ARs) - key regulators of cardiovascular and central nervous system function - form homodimeric, modular PDZ protein complexes with cell-type specificity.

Time to conventional angiography in gastrointestinal bleeding: CT angiography compared to tagged RBC scan.

Purpose: To compare CT angiography (CTA) and tagged red blood cell (RBC) scan as a function of time from these initial imaging studies to subsequent conventional angiography and catheter-directed embolization in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.

Methods: An IRB-approved retrospective study was conducted of 35 consecutive patients diagnosed with GI bleeding that received angiography for planned catheter-directed embolization. Of these patients, 20 were diagnosed with bleeding using a tagged RBC scan, whereas 15 were diagnosed using CTA.

Social Cognition Impairments in Mice Overexpressing Alpha-Synuclein Under the Thy1 Promoter, a Model of Pre-manifest Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) may exhibit deficits in "Theory of Mind", the ability to read others' mental states and react appropriately, a prerequisite for successful social interaction. Alpha-synuclein overexpression is widely distributed in the brain of patients with sporadic PD, suggesting that it may contribute to the non-motor deficits observed in PD patients. Mice over-expressing human wild-type alpha-synuclein under the Thy1 promoter (Thy1-aSyn mice) have synaptic deficits in the frontostriatal pathway, low cortical acetylcholine, and high level of expression of mGluR5 receptors, which have all been implicated in social recognition deficits.

Cognitive deficits in a mouse model of pre-manifest Parkinson's disease.

Early cognitive deficits are increasingly recognized in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), and represent an unmet need for the treatment of PD. These early deficits have been difficult to model in mice, and their mechanisms are poorly understood. α-Synuclein is linked to both familial and sporadic forms of PD, and is believed to accumulate in brains of patients with PD before cell loss.

Tricuspid valve repair in hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) remains an obstacle for staged palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Because previous results from our institution suggested that posterior leaflet obliteration (PLO) is effective in tricuspid valve repair (TVR), we preferentially used this method. This report analyzes the effect of this preference on repair success and patient survival.

Coated carbon hemoperfusion provides limited clearance of protein-bound solutes.

This study assessed the capacity of a cartridge containing coated granular carbon to clear protein-bound solutes. Clearances for test solutes were measured while an albumin solution representing plasma was pumped from a 10 L reservoir through the cartridge at a rate of 200 mL/min for 5 h. Clearance values for phenol red, phenytoin, and indican were well below the limit imposed by the plasma flow and declined with time.

Increasing the clearance of protein-bound solutes by addition of a sorbent to the dialysate.

The capacity of sorbent systems to increase solute clearances above the levels that are provided by hemodialysis has not been well defined. This study assessed the extent to which solute clearances can be increased by addition of a sorbent to the dialysate. Attention was focused on the clearance of protein-bound solutes, which are cleared poorly by conventional hemodialysis.

Dynamic kinetic asymmetric allylic alkylations of allenes.

The dynamic kinetic asymmetric allylic alkylations of racemic allene acetates has been developed with the DACH-phenyl Trost ligand 2 to give general access to allenes with high enantiomeric excess (84-95%) for both malonate and amine nucleophiles. Further, a most unusual dependence of enantioselectivity on base has been uncovered. The magnitude of the enantioselectivity is heavily dependent on the base for the malonate nucleophiles, but the sense and magnitude of the asymmetric induction is dependent on the base for the amine nucleophiles.