Functionalization of Poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) Particles for Selective Removal of Bilirubin.

Hyperbilirubinemia is one of the main causes of death in patients with severe hepatic problems, which justifies the research for bilirubin removal solutions. In this study, St-MMA particles with PEGMA and/or GMA brushes were synthesized. First, the recipe for St-MMA was optimized and then adapted for PEGMA and GMA incorporation.

A noninvasive postoperative clinical score to identify patients at risk for postoperative pulmonary complications: the Air-Test Score.

Background: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) negatively affect morbidity, healthcare costs and postsurgical survival. Preoperative and intraoperative peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) levels are independent risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). The air-test assesses the value of SpO2 while breathing room-air.

Effects of oxygen on post-surgical infections during an individualised perioperative open-lung ventilatory strategy: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: We aimed to examine whether using a high fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO) in the context of an individualised intra- and postoperative open-lung ventilation approach could decrease surgical site infection (SSI) in patients scheduled for abdominal surgery.

Methods: We performed a multicentre, randomised controlled clinical trial in a network of 21 university hospitals from June 6, 2017 to July 19, 2018. Patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive a high (0.

Individualised perioperative open-lung approach versus standard protective ventilation in abdominal surgery (iPROVE): a randomised controlled trial.

Background: The effects of individualised perioperative lung-protective ventilation (based on the open-lung approach [OLA]) on postoperative complications is unknown. We aimed to investigate the effects of intraoperative and postoperative ventilatory management in patients scheduled for abdominal surgery, compared with standard protective ventilation.

Methods: We did this prospective, multicentre, randomised controlled trial in 21 teaching hospitals in Spain.

Rationale and study design for an individualised perioperative open-lung ventilatory strategy with a high versus conventional inspiratory oxygen fraction (iPROVE-O2) and its effects on surgical site infection: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a serious postoperative complication that increases morbidity and healthcare costs. SSIs tend to increase as the partial pressure of tissue oxygen decreases: previous trials have focused on trying to reduce them by comparing high versus conventional inspiratory oxygen fractions (FIO) in the perioperative period but did not use a protocolised ventilatory strategy. The open-lung ventilatory approach restores functional lung volume and improves gas exchange, and therefore it may increase the partial pressure of tissue oxygen for a given FIO.

Global end-diastolic volume could be more appropiate to reduce intraoperative bleeding than central venous pressure during major liver transection.

Background: Central venous pressure often fails to identify the true value of cardiac preload. Our purpose is to investigate whether Global End-Diastolic Volume (GEDV) values can control hemodynamic parameters for the measurement of fluid volume, cardiac preload and blood loss during liver transection.

Methods: This was a prospective clinical study that included patients undergoing liver resection.

The Global End-Diastolic Volume (GEDV) Could Be More Appropiate to Fluid Management Than Central Venous Pressure (CVP) During Closed Hyperthermic Intrabdominal Chemotherapy with CO Circulation.

Background: Closed hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) may increase abdominal pressure and effects of hemodynamic changes due to maintenance hyperthermia. Our aim was to analyze the safety and effectiveness of our closed technique with CO circulation in management fluid status and hemodynamic parameters by means of cardiac preload control measured by Global End Diastolic Values (GEDV) and a gas exchanger.

Material And Methods: A Pilot Clinical Study that included 18 advanced ovarian cancer patients undergoing citoreductive surgery and HIPEC.

Rationale and study design for an individualized perioperative open lung ventilatory strategy (iPROVE): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Postoperative pulmonary and non-pulmonary complications are common problems that increase morbidity and mortality in surgical patients, even though the incidence has decreased with the increased use of protective lung ventilation strategies. Previous trials have focused on standard strategies in the intraoperative or postoperative period, but without personalizing these strategies to suit the needs of each individual patient and without considering both these periods as a global perioperative lung-protective approach. The trial presented here aims at comparing postoperative complications when using an individualized ventilatory management strategy in the intraoperative and immediate postoperative periods with those when using a standard protective ventilation strategy in patients scheduled for major abdominal surgery.

A wireless multi-channel bioimpedance measurement system for personalized healthcare and lifestyle.

Miniaturized, noninvasive, wearable sensors constitute a fundamental prerequisite for pervasive, predictive, and preventive healthcare systems. In this sense, this paper presents the design, realization, and evaluation of a wireless multi-channel measurement system based on a cost-effective high-performance integrated circuit for electrical bioimpedance (EBI) measurements in the frequency range from 1 kHz to 1 MHz. The resulting on-chip spectrometer provides high measuring EBI capabilities and together with a low-cost, commercially available radio frequency transceiver device.

Alfalfa nodules elicited by a flavodoxin-overexpressing Ensifer meliloti strain display nitrogen-fixing activity with enhanced tolerance to salinity stress.

Nitrogen fixation by legumes is very sensitive to salinity stress, which can severely reduce the productivity of legume crops and their soil-enriching capacity. Salinity is known to cause oxidative stress in the nodule by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Flavodoxins are involved in the response to oxidative stress in bacteria and cyanobacteria.

Nitrogen fixation persists under conditions of salt stress in transgenic Medicago truncatula plants expressing a cyanobacterial flavodoxin.

Several recent studies have demonstrated that the expression of a cyanobacterial flavodoxin in plants can provide tolerance to a wide range of environmental stresses. Indeed, this strategy has been proposed as a potentially powerful biotechnological tool to generate multiple-tolerant crops. To determine whether flavodoxin expression specifically increased tolerance to salt stress and whether it might also preserve legume nitrogen fixation under saline conditions, the flavodoxin gene was introduced into the model legume Medicago truncatula.

Overexpression of flavodoxin in bacteroids induces changes in antioxidant metabolism leading to delayed senescence and starch accumulation in alfalfa root nodules.

Sinorhizobium meliloti cells were engineered to overexpress Anabaena variabilis flavodoxin, a protein that is involved in the response to oxidative stress. Nodule natural senescence was characterized in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) plants nodulated by the flavodoxin-overexpressing rhizobia or the corresponding control bacteria. The decline of nitrogenase activity and the nodule structural and ultrastructural alterations that are associated with nodule senescence were significantly delayed in flavodoxin-expressing nodules.

Aldehyde oxidase (AO) in the root nodules of Lupinus albus and Medicago truncatula: identification of AO in meristematic and infection zones.

Phytohormones are involved in the organogenesis of legume root nodules. The source of the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in nodules has not been clearly determined. We studied the enzyme aldehyde oxidase (AO; EC 1.

Evaluation of Cobas Integra 800 under simulated routine conditions in six laboratories.

The new selective access analyser Cobas Integra 800 from Roche Diagnostics was evaluated in an international multicentre study at six sites. Routine simulation experiments showed good performance and full functionality of the instrument and provocation of anomalous situations generated no problems. The new features on Cobas Integra 800, namely clot detection and dispensing control, worked according to specifications.