The effects of a self-care program on patients with heart failure.

Background: A lack of adequate knowledge and misconceptions by heart failure (HF) patients can lead to the improper use of self-care skills, as well as a lack of confidence in those same self-care skills. The existing literature suggests that care providers using a video-tape or a teaching booklet to educate HF patients, combined with telephone or telemonitoring counseling can effectively promote self-care and reduce readmission rates, and in turn promote overall patient health. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of self-care programs in patients with HF.

Comparison of the effect of intensive versus conventional insulinotherapy in patients with cardiac surgery after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Hyperglycemia occurs commonly in clinically ill patients. Insulin therapy and glycemic control have been recommended for patients with septic shock. The present study investigated the effect of intensive (INIT) versus conventional insulinotherapy (COIT) in cardiac surgery patients who received cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Hemodynamic mechanism of ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension.

Arterial hemodynamic assessments with technique of spectral analysis can obtain complete hemodynamic parameters including steady and pulsatile components. The steady parameters include arterial pressure (AP), heart rate, cardiac output, stroke volume and total peripheral resistance (TPR). Parameters of pulsatile hemodynamics are characteristic impedance (Zc), arterial compliance (Cm) and pulse wave reflection (Pb) etc.

"Inflammatory response to colloids compared to crystalloid priming in cardiac surgery patients with cardiopulmonary bypass".

"Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) induces a systemic inflammatory response syndrome that may contribute to postoperative morbidity and mortality. We investigated the in-flammatory responses to colloids compared to crystalloid priming in cardiac surgery patients with cardiopulmonary bypass. Thirty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) preparing for CPB were randomized into Ringer's solution (RS), 10% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) or 25% human albumin (HA) group.

The protective role of nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthases in whole-body hyperthermia-induced hepatic injury in rats.

Purpose: The present study was designed to elucidate the role of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS)-derived NO and heat-shock protein (Hsp70) in a rat model of whole-body hyperthermia (WBH)-induced liver injury.

Materials And Methods: Real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to observe the mRNA and protein expression of eNOS, iNOS and Hsp70. Rats were exposed to hyperthermia by immersion for 60 min at a conscious state in a water bath maintained at 41°C.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome and lung injury: Pathogenetic mechanism and therapeutic implication.

To review possible mechanisms and therapeutics for acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ALI/ARDS causes high mortality. The risk factors include head injury, intracranial disorders, sepsis, infections and others.

Niacinamide mitigated the acute lung injury induced by phorbol myristate acetate in isolated rat's lungs.

Background: Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) is a strong neutrophil activator and has been used to induce acute lung injury (ALI). Niacinamide (NAC) is a compound of B complex. It exerts protective effects on the ALI caused by various challenges.

Involvement of nitric oxide in mesenteric vascular reactivity following intraperitoneal pancreatic juice in rats.

The purposes of this study were to examine the protein expressions of endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase (eNOS and iNOS) of the rat intestinal smooth muscle, and to elucidate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the reactivity of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) to vasoconstrictors following intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of pancreatic juice.

Effects of phorbol myristate acetate and sivelestat on the lung injury caused by fat embolism in isolated lungs.

Background: Fat embolism syndrome (FES) associated with acute lung injury (ALI) is a clinical condition following long bone fracture. We have reported 14 victims due to ALI with FES. Our laboratory has developed an animal model that produced fat emboli (FE).

Oscillating gas bubbles as the origin of bowel sounds: a combined acoustic and imaging study.

Bowel sounds have been speculated to stem from the movement of gas or a mixture in the bowel lumen, with gas as the major component. The exact role and the mechanism through which gas participates have not been elucidated. Video images of actively moving bubbles under either real-time ultrasonography (RU, n = 4) or videofluoroscopy (VF, n = 4) with synchronous sound recording were studied and a total of 24 bubbling bowel sounds (BBS's) were obtained.

Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome: experimental and clinical investigations.

Acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can be associated with various disorders. Recent investigation has involved clinical studies in collaboration with clinical investigators and pathologists on the pathogenetic mechanisms of ALI or ARDS caused by various disorders. This literature review includes a brief historical retrospective of ALI/ARDS, the neurogenic pulmonary edema due to head injury, the long-term experimental studies and clinical investigations from our laboratory, the detrimental role of NO, the risk factors, and the possible pathogenetic mechanisms as well as therapeutic regimen for ALI/ARDS.

From neurogenic pulmonary edema to fat embolism syndrome: a brief review of experimental and clinical investigations of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most devastating form of acute lung injury (ALI) or pulmonary edema (PE). We presented the experimental studies and clinical investigations of two serious forms of ALI. Drastic and severe PE could be induced by intracranial hypertension or cerebral compression (CC).

Enhancement effects of hypercapnia on the acute lung injury caused by acid aspiration.

Acid aspiration or intrapulmonary instillation of gastric particles causes lung inflammation leading to acute lung injury (ALI). Hypercapnia exerts different effects on ALI caused by various insults. The effects of hypercapnia on lung inflammation and injury due to acid aspiration are yet to be determined.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with hypercalcemia without parathyroid disorders.

Acute lung injury (ALI) can be induced by various causes. The occurrence of ALI associated with hypercalcemia has rarely been reported and the mechanisms are unknown. In the present study, we reported the clinical manifestation and pathological findings in patients with hypercalcemia and metastatic calcification.

Physiological, psychological and autonomic responses to pre-operative instructions for patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Several studies have reported that the experience may induce emotional reactions before and after surgery. Various Studies have demonstrated that effective pre-operative information reduces stress and anxiety levels. However, little is known about the effect of pre-operative instruction on autonomic responses as measured by heart rate variability (HRV) before cardiac surgery.

Endothelin and gelatinases in renal changes following blockade of nitric oxide synthase in hypertensive rats.

We investigated the involvement of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitor (TIMP) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the renal damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) following nitric oxide (NO) deprivation. SHR received Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) from 5 wk-old for a period of 30 days. An ETA antagonist, FR139317 was used.

Oxidative and nitrosative mediators in hepatic injury caused by whole body hyperthermia in rats.

The involvement of oxidative and nitrosative mediators in liver injury caused by heat stress remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS)-derived NO and nitrotyrosine in the whole-body hyperthermia (WBH)-induced liver injury. Rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal pentobarbital, and were exposed to a heating lamp for 60 min to raise the core temperature to 42.

Dynamic effects of respiration on aortic blood flow and its autonomic control in rats.

1. Respiratory related arterial pressure variability may reflect body fluid status and/or cardiac sympathetic function. The underlying mechanism is not clear.

Analysis of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms with cardiovascular diseases in eastern Taiwan.

A few studies have been carried out to address the correlation between the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphisms and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) within the Taiwanese population. However, no report has documented the situations in eastern Taiwan, which has different ethnic groups from those in western Taiwan. In this study, we explored the relationship between polymorphic eNOS alleles and CVD in eastern Taiwan.

Comparison of the effect of protocol-directed sedation with propofol vs. midazolam by nurses in intensive care: efficacy, haemodynamic stability and patient satisfaction.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of protocol-directed sedation propofol vs. midazolam by nurses in intensive care on efficacy, haemodynamic stability and patient satisfaction.

Background: Protocols represent one method potentially to reduce treatment delays and ensure that medical care is administered in a standardised manner.

Malignant alterations following early blockade of nitric oxide synthase in hypertensive rats.

Nitric oxide (NO) is important for the homeostasis of organ functions. We studied the structural and functional changes in the cardiovascular (CV) and renal systems following early NO deprivation by various nonspecific and specific NO synthase (NOS) inhibitors: N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), N-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), S-methyl-isothiourea (SMT), and L-N6-(1-iminoethyl)-lysine (L-Nil). The aim is to elucidate the involvement of NO through endothelial or inducible NOS (eNOS and iNOS).

Pulmonary pathology in patients associated with scrub typhus.

Aims: Scrub typhus is a zoonotic disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. Severe cases resulting in mortality from this disease have rarely been reported. We present two scrub typhus cases (a man and a girl) who died of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Protective effects of propofol on acute lung injury induced by oleic acid in conscious rats.

Objectives: Oleic acid has been used to induce acute lung injury (ALI) in animals. In patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the blood level of oleic acid was increased. The mechanism and therapeutic regimen of ARDS and oleic acid-induced ALI remain undefined.

Nitric oxide mediates acute lung injury caused by fat embolism in isolated rat's lungs.

Background: The involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in acute lung injury (ALI) induced by fat embolism (FE) has not been investigated. The present study elucidated the role of NO in ALI because of FE.

Methods: FE was produced by introduction of fatty acid (corn oil micelles) into the isolated rat's lungs.