Reduction in transfer of micro-organisms between patients and staff using short-sleeved gowns and hand/arm hygiene in intensive care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A simulation-based randomised trial.

Background: Current personal protective equipment (PPE) practices in UK intensive care units involve "sessional" use of long-sleeved gowns, risking nosocomial infection transmitted via gown sleeves. Data from the first wave of the COVID19 pandemic demonstrated that these changes in infection prevention and control protocols were associated with an increase in healthcare associated bloodstream infections. We therefore explored the use of a protocol using short-sleeved gowns with hand and arm hygiene to reduce this risk.

International Society of Blood Transfusion survey of experiences of blood banks and transfusion services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background And Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted blood systems worldwide. Challenges included maintaining blood supplies and initiating the collection and use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). Sharing information on the challenges can help improve blood collection and utilization.

Increasing Intracranial Pressure After Head Injury: Impact on Respiratory Oscillations in Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity.

Experiments have shown that closed-box conditions alter the transmission of respiratory oscillations (R waves) to organ blood flow already at a marginal pressure increase. How does the increasing intracranial pressure (ICP) interact with R waves in cerebral blood flow after head injury (HI)?Twenty-two head-injured patients requiring sedation and mechanical ventilation were monitored for ICP, Doppler flow velocity (FV) in the middle cerebral arteries, and arterial blood pressure (ABP). The analysis included transfer function gains of R waves (9-20 cpm) from ABP to FV, and indices of pressure-volume reserve (RAP) and autoregulation (Mx).

Evidence for preferences of Italian patients for physician attire.

Background: The relationship between patient and physician is a complex interaction that includes multiple factors. The objective of this study was to explore Italian patients' preferences regarding physician appearance.

Methods: A questionnaire was developed to survey patients in different medical and surgical settings; each subject was asked to choose one picture of either a male or female physician from a selection of different attires (professional, casual, surgical scrubs, trendy, and careless).

Time constant of the cerebral arterial bed.

We have defined a novel cerebral hemodynamic index, a time constant of the cerebral arterial bed (τ), the product of arterial compliance (C(a)) and cerebrovascular resistance (CVR). C(a) and CVR were calculated based on the relationship between pulsatile arterial blood pressure (ABP) and transcranial Doppler cerebral blood flow velocity. This new parameter theoretically estimates how fast the cerebral arterial bed is filled by blood volume after a sudden change in ABP during one cardiac cycle.

The limitations of near-infrared spectroscopy to assess cerebrovascular reactivity: the role of slow frequency oscillations.

Background: A total hemoglobin reactivity index (THx) derived from near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has recently been introduced to assess cerebrovascular reactivity noninvasively. Analogously to the pressure reactivity index (PRx), THx is calculated as correlation coefficient with arterial blood pressure (ABP). However, the reliability of THx in the injured brain is uncertain.

Critical thresholds for transcranial Doppler indices of cerebral autoregulation in traumatic brain injury.

Background: Transcranial Doppler-derived indices of cerebral autoregulation are related to outcome after TBI. We analyzed our retrospective material to identify thresholds discriminative of outcome for these indices.

Methods: 248 sedated and ventilated patients after head injury were eligible for the study.

Endoscopic dilation of benign colorectal anastomotic stricture after low anterior resection: A prospective comparison study of two balloon types.

Background: Benign strictures arise in 5.8% to 20% of colorectal anastomoses. For such strictures, endoscopic dilation has proven to be a valid and safe treatment.

Relationship between hiatal hernia and inguinal hernia.

Several theories explain the development of hiatal hernia (HH). Since inguinal hernia (IH) is due to abdominal wall herniation, we hypothesized that if HH is caused by an excessive "push" from increased intraabdominal pressure, there would be a greater than chance association between HH and IH. The aim of this prospective case-control study was to determine the relationship between HH, identified at endoscopy, and IH, found on clinical examination.