Propofol context-sensitive decrement times in children.

Plasma drug concentration is the variable linking dose to effect. The decrement time required for plasma concentration of anesthetic agents to decrease by 50% (context-sensitive half-time) correlates with the time taken to regain consciousness. However, the decrement time to consciousness may not be 50%.

Acute respiratory compromise due to bilateral pneumothoraces in a patient with Rett syndrome.

This is a case of acute respiratory distress in a nine-year-old with severe Rett syndrome who required immediate anaesthetic assistance in the emergency department and during her subsequent hospital stay. Rett syndrome is a rare inherited neurodevelopmental disease that more commonly affects females. It is characterised by a period of normal development up to between six and 18 months of age, followed by a gradual but progressive loss of developmental skills leading to severe cognitive and physical decline.

Differential Dopamine D1 and D3 Receptor Modulation and Expression in the Spinal Cord of Two Mouse Models of Restless Legs Syndrome.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is often and successfully treated with dopamine receptor agonists that target the inhibitory D3 receptor subtype, however there is no clinical evidence of a D3 receptor dysfunction in RLS patients. In contrast, genome-wide association studies in RLS patients have established that a mutation of the gene is associated with an increased risk in developing RLS, but the effect of dysfunction on sensorimotor function remain unknown. Mouse models for a dysfunctional D3 receptor (D3KO) and Meis1 (Meis1KO) were developed independently, and each animal expresses some features associated with RLS in the clinic, but they have not been compared in their responsiveness to treatment options used in the clinic.