The Influence of Menstrual Cycle Phases on Maximal Strength Performance in Healthy Female Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Maximal strength is a significant factor in achieving peak performance and injury prevention in athletes. In individualization strategies for the efficient development of athletes, it is necessary to consider the respective components separately. The purpose of this study was to systematically examine the effects of the different cycle phases on isometric, isokinetic, and dynamic maximum strength.

Pacemaker and ICD generator malfunctions: analysis of Food and Drug Administration annual reports.

Context: Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are complex medical devices proven to reduce mortality in specific high-risk patient populations. It is not known if increasing device complexity is associated with decreased reliability.

Objectives: To analyze postapproval annual reports submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by manufacturers of pacemakers and ICDs to determine the reported number and rate of pacemaker and ICD malfunctions and to assess trends in device performance.

Immediate termination of fibrillation at 50% probability of overall success correlates with defibrillation dose-response curve width.

Introduction: Issues in transthoracic defibrillation, including waveform shape, fixed versus escalating dose protocol, and low- versus high-energy shocks, can be addressed by examining the defibrillation dose-response curve. We tested the hypothesis that, for commonly used defibrillation waveforms, the steepness of the overall defibrillation dose-response curve, measured as normalized curve width, correlates with the probability of a successful defibrillation being immediate at the shock intensity producing 50% success.

Methods And Results: We used 16 isolated rabbit hearts to determine probability of overall success as a function of shock intensity and probability that a successful defibrillation is immediate rather than progressive (followed by several extrasystoles) at the shock intensity producing 50% overall defibrillation success.

[Respiratory and hemodynamic effects of thoracic or lumbar epidural alfentanyl after thoracic surgery].

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on pulmonary function and hemodynamics of three different types of analgesia after thoracotomy.

Material And Methods: Forty-five ASA II-IV patients undergoing thoracotomy (for lobectomy or pneumonectomy) were randomized to three groups (n = 15 each) for double-blind study. After a test dose into the epidural space at T5-7 (groups T-A and T-AL) or L2-3 (group L-A) interspace, 10 micrograms/Kg of alfentanil was administered in all groups, followed by epidural infusion of 400 micrograms/h of alfentanil (group T-A and L-A) or 400 micrograms/h of alfentanil with 50 mg/h of lidocaine (group T-AL) during surgery and 24 hours postoperatively.