Persistent median artery: paedogenesis of the antebrachial arterial system in the human body.

The persistence of the median artery in adult life, a remnant of the early brachial artery in the embryonic stage, has been reported in many anatomical and clinical studies. Herein, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and origin of the median artery in cadavers. We examined 53 adult Japanese cadavers and carefully dissected 106 upper limbs, and the arterial systems in the forearms and hands were observed macroscopically.

Early Fluid Balance Is Associated with 90-Day Mortality in Patients Receiving Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is widely used to control fluid balance, but the optimal fluid balance to improve the prognosis of patients remains debated. Appropriate fluid management may depend on hemodynamic status. We investigated the association between 90-day mortality and fluid balance/mean arterial pressure (MAP) in patients receiving CRRT.

Impact of Different KDIGO Criteria on Clinical Outcomes for Early Identification of Acute Kidney Injury after Non-Cardiac Surgery.

The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines are currently used in acute kidney injury (AKI) diagnosis and include both serum creatinine (SCR) and urine output (UO) criteria. Currently, many AKI-related studies have inconsistently defined AKI, which possibly affects the comparison of their results. Therefore, we hypothesized that the different criteria in the KDIGO guidelines vary in measuring the incidence of AKI and its association with clinical outcomes.

Effect of preconditioning on propofol-induced neurotoxicity during the developmental period.

At therapeutic concentrations, propofol (PPF), an anesthetic agent, significantly elevates intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2 +]i) and induces neural death during the developmental period. Preconditioning enables specialized tissues to tolerate major insults better compared with tissues that have already been exposed to sublethal insults. Here, we investigated whether the neurotoxicity induced by clinical concentrations of PPF could be alleviated by prior exposure to sublethal amounts of PPF.

Prediction Model of Extubation Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

Liberation from mechanical ventilation is of great importance owing to related complications from extended ventilation time. In this prospective multicenter study, we aimed to construct a versatile model for predicting extubation outcomes in critical care settings using obtainable physiological predictors. The study included patients who had been extubated after a successful 30 min spontaneous breathing trial (SBT).

Renal, Cardiac, and Autonomic Effects of Catheter-Based Renal Denervation in Ovine Heart Failure.

[Figure: see text].

Systemic haemodynamic, renal perfusion and renal oxygenation responses to changes in inspired oxygen fraction during total intravenous or volatile anaesthesia.

Background: Anaesthesia-induced changes in renal perfusion are dependent on the choice of anaesthetic agent. However, the effects of varying inspired oxygen fraction (FiO) on renal perfusion and oxygenation during TIVA (propofol + fentanyl) or volatile anaesthesia (VA; isoflurane) are unknown.

Methods: In 16 Merino ewes, we surgically implanted a renal artery flow probe and laser-Doppler and oxygen-sensing probes in the renal medulla and cortex.

Carotid artery and cerebral blood flow during experimental cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A systematic review of the literature.

Background: The carotid artery blood flow (CABF) or cerebral blood flow (CBF) achieved with current techniques of cardiac compression in humans are unknown. Animal experiments may provide useful information on such flows and on possible techniques to optimize them.

Objectives: To obtain an estimate of carotid and cerebral blood flows during cardiac compression with different techniques.

Renal perfusion, oxygenation, and sympathetic nerve activity during volatile or intravenous general anaesthesia in sheep.

Background: Global and intra-renal perfusion and oxygenation may be affected by the choice of anaesthetic. We compared the effects of isoflurane with those of propofol and fentanyl on renal blood flow (RBF) and intra-renal perfusion and oxygenation, and assessed how these were associated with renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA).

Methods: A renal artery flow probe and laser Doppler and oxygen-sensing probes were surgically implanted in the renal medulla and cortex in 20 Merino ewes.

Positive association between the cross-sectional area of the rhomboid muscle, and the range of shoulder abduction after neck dissection surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the association between the cross-sectional area of selected shoulder and scapular muscles and the range of shoulder abduction, early after neck dissection surgery.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-seven patients (contributing 34 upper limbs), who had undergone neck dissection surgery for head and neck malignancy, were enrolled into the study. Loss of strength of the trapezius muscle at 1-month post-surgery was quantified by the change in active range of shoulder abduction (%A-ROM), measured by hand-held goniometry in a standing position, from baseline, before surgery.

Effects of Fluid Bolus Therapy on Renal Perfusion, Oxygenation, and Function in Early Experimental Septic Kidney Injury.

Objectives: To examine the effects of fluid bolus therapy on systemic hemodynamics, renal blood flow, intrarenal perfusion and oxygenation, PO2, renal function, and fluid balance in experimental early septic acute kidney injury.

Design: Interventional study.

Setting: Research institute.

Alterations in regional kidney oxygenation during expansion of extracellular fluid volume in conscious healthy sheep.

Expansion of extracellular fluid volume with crystalloid solutions is a common medical intervention, but its effects on renal cortical and medullary oxygenation are poorly understood. Therefore, we instrumented sheep under general anesthesia to enable continuous measurement of systemic and renal hemodynamics, global renal oxygen delivery and consumption, and intrarenal tissue perfusion and oxygen tension (Po) in conscious animals ( n = 7). The effects of three sequential intermittent infusions of 500 ml of compound sodium lactate solution, administered at hourly intervals, were determined.

Intravenous anesthetic-induced calcium dysregulation and neurotoxic shift with age during development in primary cultured neurons.

Anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity in the developing brain is a concern. This neurotoxicity is closely related to anesthetic exposure time, dose, and developmental stages. Using calcium imaging and morphological examinations in vitro, we sought to determine whether intravenous anesthetic-induced direct neurotoxicity varies according to different stages of the days in vitro (DIV) of neurons in primary culture.

Enhancement of Lymphatic Vessels in the Superficial Layer in a Rat Model of a Lymphedematous Response.

Background: The morphologic and histologic behavior of lymphatic vessels in lymphedema has not been well analyzed using laboratory animals. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the regeneration process of lymphatic vessels after acute lymphedema in a rat model.

Methods: The acute lymphedema was induced by an amputation and a replantation surgery on a rat hind limb.

An Ovine Model for Studying the Pathophysiology of Septic Acute Kidney Injury.

The development of acute kidney injury (AKI) is both a significant and independent prognostic factor of mortality in patients with sepsis, but its pathophysiology remains unclear. Herein, we describe an ovine model of sepsis evoked by the administration of live Escherichia coli in which there is hypotension, peripheral vasodilatation with a large increase in cardiac output; a similar hyperdynamic state to that commonly reported in humans. Interestingly, in this sheep model of sepsis, despite an increase in global kidney blood flow, there is a progressive reduction in renal function.

Differential effects of isotonic and hypotonic 4% albumin solution on intracranial pressure and renal perfusion and function.

Objectives: Albumin is used to resuscitate trauma patients but may increase intracranial pressure (ICP). Its effects on renal blood flow and function are unknown. Our aim was to examine the effects of hypertonic albumin on ICP and renal function, and if any effects are due to the hypotonicity of the solution containing albumin or to albumin itself.

Responses of Korean physical therapy students after practice with a virtual anatomical system in Japan.

[Purpose] To investigate responses of Korean physical therapy students, receiving medical terminology education in physical therapy both in Korean and English, after practice with a virtual anatomical system. [Subjects and Methods] The participants were 25 physical therapy students from Konyang University in South Korea visiting the International University of Health and Welfare for training purposes. The virtual anatomy practice was conducted in English using 3 dimensional virtual anatomy software constructed using real cadaver photographs.

Urinary Oxygenation as a Surrogate Measure of Medullary Oxygenation During Angiotensin II Therapy in Septic Acute Kidney Injury.

Objectives: Angiotensin II is an emerging therapy for septic acute kidney injury, but it is unknown if its vasoconstrictor action induces renal hypoxia. We therefore examined the effects of angiotensin II on intrarenal PO2 in ovine sepsis. We also assessed the validity of urinary PO2 as a surrogate measure of medullary PO2.

Direct cerebral perfusion and cooling in experimental cardiac arrest.

Background: Cerebral protection is a key priority during cardiac arrest (CA). However, current approaches are suboptimal.

Objective: To test whether direct perfusion and cooling of the anterior cerebral circulation by means of cerebral vessel cannulation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) increases cerebral oxygenation and induces cerebral hypothermia during CA.

Test-retest reproducibility of extrastriatal binding with I-FP-CIT SPECT in healthy male subjects.

I-labeled 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl) nortropane (I-FP-CIT) is used to assess striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) expression, but it can also quantify extrastriatal serotonin transporter (SERT) expressions. While FP-CIT uptake in extrastriatal regions has been quantified, no information exists on the reproducibility of the I-FP-CIT specific uptake ratio (SUR) in extrastriatal regions. We investigated test-retest reproducibility of I-FP-CIT binding in the striatum, the midbrain, and cortical regions in eight healthy male subjects.

Microstructural Differences in the Corpus Callosum in Patients With Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder.

Objective: It is difficult to distinguish between bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients lacking a clear history of mania. There is an urgent need for an objective biomarker for differential diagnosis. Using diffusion tensor imaging, this study investigated the differences in the brain white matter microstructure between patients with bipolar disorder and MDD.

Thiopental sodium preserves the responsiveness to glutamate but not acetylcholine in rat primary cultured neurons exposed to hypoxia.

Although many in vitro studies demonstrated that thiopental sodium (TPS) is a promising neuroprotective agent, clinical attempts to use TPS showed mainly unsatisfactory results. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of TPS against hypoxic insults (HI), and the responses of the neurons to l-glutamate and acetylcholine application. Neurons prepared from E17 Wistar rats were used after 2weeks in culture.