A Functional Network Driven by MicroRNA-125a Regulates Monocyte Trafficking in Acute Inflammation.

During the onset of acute inflammation, rapid trafficking of leukocytes is essential to mount appropriate immune responses towards an inflammatory insult. Monocytes are especially indispensable for counteracting the inflammatory stimulus, neutralising the noxa and reconstituting tissue homeostasis. Thus, monocyte trafficking to the inflammatory sites needs to be precisely orchestrated.

Chances and limitations of isolated mouse heart models for investigating the endothelial glycocalyx1.

Background: The endothelial glycocalyx plays a decisive role in maintaining vascular homeostasis. Previous animal models have mainly focused on in-vitro experiments or the isolated beating guinea pig heart. To further evaluate underlying mechanisms of up- and down regulation, knock-out animals seem to be a promising option.

Mechanical Power and Development of Ventilator-induced Lung Injury.

Background: The ventilator works mechanically on the lung parenchyma. The authors set out to obtain the proof of concept that ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) depends on the mechanical power applied to the lung.

Methods: Mechanical power was defined as the function of transpulmonary pressure, tidal volume (TV), and respiratory rate.

Lung inhomogeneities and time course of ventilator-induced mechanical injuries.

Background: During mechanical ventilation, stress and strain may be locally multiplied in an inhomogeneous lung. The authors investigated whether, in healthy lungs, during high pressure/volume ventilation, injury begins at the interface of naturally inhomogeneous structures as visceral pleura, bronchi, vessels, and alveoli. The authors wished also to characterize the nature of the lesions (collapse vs.

Compressive forces and computed tomography-derived positive end-expiratory pressure in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: It has been suggested that higher positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) should be used only in patients with higher lung recruitability. In this study, the authors investigated the relationship between the recruitability and the PEEP necessary to counteract the compressive forces leading to lung collapse.

Methods: Fifty-one patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (7 mild, 33 moderate, and 11 severe) were enrolled.

Lung inhomogeneity in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Rationale: Pressures and volumes needed to induce ventilator-induced lung injury in healthy lungs are far greater than those applied in diseased lungs. A possible explanation may be the presence of local inhomogeneities acting as pressure multipliers (stress raisers).

Objectives: To quantify lung inhomogeneities in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Limits of normality of quantitative thoracic CT analysis.

Introduction: Although computed tomography (CT) is widely used to investigate different pathologies, quantitative data from normal populations are scarce. Reference values may be useful to estimate the anatomical or physiological changes induced by various diseases.

Methods: We analyzed 100 helical CT scans taken for clinical purposes and referred as nonpathological by the radiologist.