Meta-Analysis of Polymorphisms with Air Pollution on the Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease Worldwide.

The purpose of this updated meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of nitric oxide synthase-3 ( G894T polymorphisms, air pollution and their interaction on ischemic heart disease (IHD) risk across populations worldwide. Recursive partition trees, nonlinear association curve fit and geographic information system maps were incorporated to verify results of conventional pooled analyses for sources of heterogeneity. Results from 61 studies (16,219 cases, 12,222 controls) revealed a significant increased relative risk (RR) of IHD associated with 894 polymorphisms TT (RR = 1.

Acute Pressor Response to Psychosocial Stress Is Dependent on Endothelium-Derived Endothelin-1.

Background: Acute psychosocial stress provokes increases in circulating endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels in humans and animal models. However, key questions about the physiological function and cellular source of stress-induced ET-1 remain unanswered. We hypothesized that endothelium-derived ET-1 contributes to the acute pressor response to stress via activation of the endothelin A receptor.

Characterization of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients with a Long Length of Stay: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study.

Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation is one of the most common reasons for hospital admission. Patients with COPD with a long length of stay (LoS) occupy a disproportionately high fraction of hospital bed-days. The objective of this study was to identify associations of long LoS in patients admitted with COPD exacerbation.

APOA5 Gene Polymorphisms and Cardiovascular Diseases: Metaprediction in Global Populations.

Background: Apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) 1131 is one of the most investigated gene polymorphisms in association with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) for its roles in epigenetics pathways.

Objectives: The major objective of this metaprediction study was to comprehensively examine the association of polymorphism risk subtypes of APOA5 1131 gene and potential contributing factors of CVD risks in global populations.

Methods: This study is a meta-analysis to determine APOA5 gene polymorphisms as risk factors for CVDs.

Medical handovers across shifts within a five-day-working model: results from an electronic handover system in an acute NHS trust.

Electronic handover tools have been advocated as a potential strategy to improve the quality of handover, especially during on-call periods at night and weekends. We aimed to quantify, categorise and explore the temporal relationship of handover tasks stored on an electronic handover system (eHandover) in an acute UK hospital trust in which the day-time primary team worked only weekdays, with only the day-time and night-time on-call teams being available at weekends. Second, we evaluated whether tasks that remained in the eHandover system throughout several shifts were likely to be completed.

Considerations and proposals for the management of patients after prolonged intensive care unit admission.

The majority of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) have a short stay of only a few days. However a small but significant number require prolonged intensive care. This is typically due to persisting, and sometimes complex, medical/surgical problems.

Successful treatment of HIV-associated multicentric Castleman's disease and multiple organ failure with rituximab and supportive care: a case report.

Introduction: Multicentric Castleman's Disease (MCD), a lymphoproliferative disorder associated with Human Herpes Virus-8 (HHV-8) infection, is increasing in incidence amongst HIV patients. This condition is associated with lymphadenopathy, polyclonal gammopathy, hepato-splenomegaly and systemic symptoms. A number of small studies have demonstrated the efficacy of the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab, in treating this condition.

Association between thymoma and persistent hypothermia: a case report.

Introduction: Thymomas are rare, slow-growing tumours that present in a variety of ways such as incidental findings on chest radiographs following symptoms of cough and dyspnoea. Thymomas may also present with symptoms due to intrathoracic spread such as superior vena cava obstruction, or with symptoms of an associated paraneoplastic disorder. Such paraneoplastic disorders are typified by the generation of autoantibodies directed against a variety of self antigens including myasthenia gravis, neuromyotonia, and hypogammaglobulinaemia.

Pulmonary epithelium is a prominent source of proteinase-activated receptor-1-inducible CCL2 in pulmonary fibrosis.

Rationale: Studies in patients and experimental animals provide compelling evidence of the involvement of the major thrombin receptor, proteinase-activated receptor-1 (PAR(1)), and the potent chemokine, chemokine (CC motif) ligand-2 (CCL2)/monocyte chemotactic protein-1, in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). PAR(1) knockout mice are protected from bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis and this protection is associated with marked attenuation in CCL2 induction.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine which cell types represent the major source of PAR(1)-inducible CCL2 in the fibrotic lung.

Absence of proteinase-activated receptor-1 signaling affords protection from bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis.

Activation of the coagulation cascade is commonly observed in the lungs of patients with both acute and chronic inflammatory and fibrotic lung disorders, as well as in animal models of these disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of the major thrombin receptor, proteinase-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1), during the acute inflammatory and chronic fibrotic phases of lung injury induced by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin in mice. Inflammatory cell recruitment and increases in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein were attenuated by 56 +/- 10% (P < 0.