Description of changes in clinical outcomes following the implementation of an antibiotic stewardship program in a level IV hospital.

Introduction: Inadequate prescription of antibiotics has been recognized as a public health problem by the World Health Organization. In this context, antibiotic stewardship programs have been implemented as a tool to mitigate its impact.

Objetive: To describe the changes in clinical outcomes after the implementation of an antibiotic stewardship program in a level IV hospital.

Role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in blood-brain barrier disruption after peripheral thermal injury in rats.

Object: A relationship has been found between peripheral thermal injury and cerebral complications leading to injury and death. In the present study, the authors examined whether tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) play a causative role in blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption after peripheral thermal injury.

Methods: Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to thermal injury.

Preischemic induction of TNF-alpha by physical exercise reduces blood-brain barrier dysfunction in stroke.

This study explores the neuroprotective action of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induced during physical exercise, which, consequently, reduces matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity and ameliorates blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction in association with extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to exercise on a treadmill for 3 weeks. A 2-h middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion was administered to exercised and nonexercised animals to induce stroke.

Second-trimester pregnancy termination with 600-microg vs. 400-microg vaginal misoprostol and systematic curettage postexpulsion: a randomized trial.

Background: This study was conducted to compare efficacy and safety of 600 mcg of misoprostol vaginally every 6 h up to four doses vs. 400 mcg of misoprostol vaginally every 4 h up to five doses, followed by systematic curettage of the uterine cavity, for pregnancy termination between 12 and 20 weeks' gestation.

Study Design: We used a randomized clinical trial conducted at Hospital Gineco-Obstétrico "Eusebio Hernández", Havana, Cuba.

Exercise preconditioning reduces brain damage and inhibits TNF-alpha receptor expression after hypoxia/reoxygenation: an in vivo and in vitro study.

Exercise reduces ischemia and reperfusion injury in rat stroke models. We investigated whether gradual increases in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) reported during exercise down-regulates expression of TNF-alpha receptors I and II (TNFRI and II) in stroke, leading to reduced brain damage. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to 30 minutes of exercise on a treadmill each day for 3 weeks.

Early inflammatory response in rat brain after peripheral thermal injury.

Previous studies have shown that the cerebral complications associated with skin burn victims are correlated with brain damage. The aim of this study was to determine whether systemic thermal injury induces inflammatory responses in the brain. Sprague Dawley rats (n=28) were studied in thermal injury and control groups.