Aminopeptidasic Enzymes as Early Biomarkers of Cardiac Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury and Long-Term Events.

Background: Diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) relies on serum creatinine (SCr) changes. This study investigated if urinary aminopeptidases are early and predictive biomarkers of cardiac surgery-associated AKI (CSA-AKI).

Methods: Glutamyl aminopeptidase (GluAp), alanyl aminopeptidase (AlaAp), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), proteinuria, albuminuria, N-acetyl-β--glucosaminidase (NAG), and neutrophile gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) were measured in urine samples from 44 patients at arrival in the intensive care unit (ICU) after cardiac surgery.

Underwater Endoscopic Mucosal Resection Vs Conventional Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for Superficial Nonampullary Duodenal Epithelial Tumors in the Western Setting.

Background & Aims: Conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (C-EMR) is established as the primary treatment modality for superficial nonampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADETs), but recently underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (U-EMR) has emerged as a potential alternative. The majority of previous studies focused on Asian populations and small lesions (≤20 mm). We aimed to compare the efficacy and outcomes of U-EMR vs C-EMR for SNADETs in a Western setting.

Incidence of hypophosphataemia after ICU admission in mechanically ventilated patients and its relationship with risk factors for refeeding syndrome.

Objective: To describe the incidence of hypophosphatemia in patients admitted to the ICU who have required mechanical ventilation. To analyze the presence of risk factors and its relationship with nutritional practice.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Comparison of two repositioning schedules for the prevention of pressure ulcers in patients on mechanical ventilation with alternating pressure air mattresses.

Purpose: The objective was to compare the effectiveness of repositioning every 2 or 4 h for preventing pressure ulcer development in patients in intensive care unit under mechanical ventilation (MV).

Methods: This was a pragmatic, open-label randomized clinical trial in consecutive patients on an alternating pressure air mattress (APAM) requiring invasive MV for at least 24 h in a university hospital in Spain. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to groups for repositioning every 2 (n = 165) or 4 (n = 164) h.

Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers and risk of hospital mortality in intensive care patients on mechanical ventilation.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Pressure ulcers (PUs) are a common and serious complication in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the development of a PU and hospital mortality in patients requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed over two years in patients requiring MV for ≥ 24 hours in a medical-surgical ICU.

Comparison of alternating pressure mattresses and overlays for prevention of pressure ulcers in ventilated intensive care patients: a quasi-experimental study.

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of alternating pressure air mattresses vs. overlays to prevent pressure ulcers in mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units.

Background: Pressure ulcers prevention is an important issue in the nursing of critically ill patients.

Pressure ulcer incidence and risk factors in ventilated intensive care patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of pressure ulcers (PUs) in ventilated patients in all intensive care units (ICUs) in Granada (Spain) and identify risk factors for their development.

Materials And Methods: A prospective cohort study in 9 medical-surgical ICUs was conducted. Two hundred ninety-nine patients with more than 24 hours on mechanical ventilation (MV) were enrolled during 2 periods in a 5-month study.

Positive-end expiratory pressure reduces incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in nonhypoxemic patients.

Objective: To analyze the effect on clinical outcomes of prophylactic positive end expiratory pressure in nonhypoxemic ventilated patients.

Design: Multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial.

Setting: One trauma and two general intensive care units in two university hospitals.

Toward the synthesis of thapsigargin: enantioselective synthesis of 7,11-dihydroxyguaianolides.

[reaction: see text] The enantioselective synthesis of a 7,11-dihydroxyguaianolide bearing the stereochemistry present in thapsigargin, a potent and selective inhibitor of the Ca(2+) SERCA-ATPase pumps, is described. Starting from (+)-dihydrocarvone, the synthesis presents two key steps. The first one involves the photochemical rearrangement of a gamma,delta-unsaturated ketone eudesmane into the corresponding guaiane.

Incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome and its relation to age.

Purpose: The incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was previously considered to be relatively low, at less than 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year, but recent reports suggest a higher incidence, especially in elderly patients. The objective was to determine the incidence and mortality of ARDS in our setting, both overall and by age group.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study of patients older than 14 years, admitted to the intensive care units of all hospitals in a province of southern Spain (Granada) during a 5-month period in 2001.

Laser flash photolysis in a O3/Cl2 mixture at 266 nm in a very low-pressure flow system.

The laser flash photolysis in a very low-pressure flow system with mass spectrometry detection technique was developed for the study of oxidation reactions of chlorofluorocarbons. In this work, we have studied the UV photolysis of O3 in the presence of Cl2 at room temperature, which presents two catalytic cycles of O3 depletion with efficiencies dependent on the partial pressures in the photoreactor. The ozone dissociation was initiated with fourth harmonic pulses of a Nd:YAG laser.

Quantification of lung water by transpulmonary thermodilution in normal and edematous lung.

Purpose: To analyze the accuracy of the transpulmonary thermodilution method in the determination of extravascular lung water (EVLW).

Material And Methods: Acute lung injury was produced in eight adolescent pigs weighing 28 to 35 kg by bronchoalveolar lung lavage. EVLW was measured by transpulmonary thermodilution method before and after the intratracheal introduction of 250 or 500 mL of saline solution in different lung injury conditions.