A Systemic Review on the Diagnostic Accuracy of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Patients With Undifferentiated Shock in the Emergency Department.

Early identification of the shock type and correct diagnosis is associated with better outcomes. Previous studies have suggested that point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) increases the diagnostic accuracy of patients in undifferentiated shock. However, a complete overview of the diagnostic accuracy of POCUS and the related treatment changes when compared to standard care is still limited.

In Reply.

This authors’ reply to a letter to the editor addresses whether young rodents are appropriate animal models for advanced-age human disease.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Animal Bleomycin Pulmonary Fibrosis Models: A Systematic Review.

Unlabelled: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is an inexorably progressive lung disease with few available treatments. New therapeutic options are needed. Stem cells have generated much enthusiasm for the treatment of several conditions, including lung diseases.

Indwelling pleural catheters for pleural effusions associated with end-stage renal disease: a case series.

Background: Pleural effusions are a common complication of end-stage renal disease.These effusions are occasionally refractory to medical management, but few options are then available. Indwelling pleural catheter insertion (IPC) has been well described for the management of malignant pleural effusions and, more recently, of nonmalignant effusions of other origin.

Effect of infection with transmissible strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on lung transplantation outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Compared with patients infected with unique strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, patients with cystic fibrosis who are infected with transmissible strains of P aeruginosa, such as the Liverpool epidemic strain, have a 3-fold greater risk of death or lung transplant. We aimed to determine if pre-operative infection with transmissible strains of P aeruginosa was similarly associated with poor health outcomes after lung transplant.

Methods: We had prospectively identified and characterized endobronchial infections in 446 adult cystic fibrosis patients in Ontario, Canada, from September 2005 until December 2009.

Stem cells in animal asthma models: a systematic review.

Background Aims: Asthma control frequently falls short of the goals set in international guidelines. Treatment options for patients with poorly controlled asthma despite inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β-agonists are limited, and new therapeutic options are needed. Stem cell therapy is promising for a variety of disorders but there has been no human clinical trial of stem cell therapy for asthma.

Use of indwelling pleural catheters for cardiogenic pleural effusions.

Background: Cardiogenic pleural effusions are rarely refractory to treatment of the underlying disease. Few options are available in these cases. Indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) insertion has been well described for the management of malignant pleural effusions.

Management of malignant pleural effusions with indwelling pleural catheters or talc pleurodesis.

Background: Management of malignant pleural effusion typically involves insertion of an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) or chemical pleurodesis with agents such as talc.

Objectives: To compare these management strategies with regard to success of pleural effusion management.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed comparing patients with malignant and paramalignant pleural effusions and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status <4 managed with IPC insertion or talc pleurodesis (TP) through tube thoracostomy during noncontemporary three-year periods at a single centre.

Lung volume recruitment in multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Pulmonary function abnormalities have been described in multiple sclerosis including reductions in forced vital capacity (FVC) and cough but the time course of this impairment is unknown. Peak cough flow (PCF) is an important parameter for patients with respiratory muscle weakness and a reduced PCF has a direct impact on airway clearance and may therefore increase the risk of respiratory tract infections. Lung volume recruitment is a technique that improves PCF by inflating the lungs to their maximal insufflation capacity.

TACE/ADAM-17 maturation and activation of sheddase activity require proprotein convertase activity.

Proprotein convertases (PCs) have been proposed to play a role in tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE) processing/activation. Using the furin-deficient LoVo cells, as well as the furin-proficient synoviocytes and HT1080 cells expressing the furin inhibitor alpha(1)-PDX, we demonstrate that furin activity alone is not sufficient for effective maturation and activation of the TACE enzyme. Data from in vitro and in vivo cleavage assays indicate that PACE-4, PC5/PC6, PC1 and PC2 can directly cleave the TACE protein and/or peptide.