A Brain-Melanocortin-Vagus Axis Mediates Adipose Tissue Expansion Independently of Energy Intake.

The melanocortin system is a brain circuit that influences energy balance by regulating energy intake and expenditure. In addition, the brain-melanocortin system controls adipose tissue metabolism to optimize fuel mobilization and storage. Specifically, increased brain-melanocortin signaling or negative energy balance promotes lipid mobilization by increasing sympathetic nervous system input to adipose tissue.

A randomized-controlled, double-blind study to evaluate the efficacy of caudal midazolam, ketamine and neostigmine as adjuvants to bupivacaine on postoperative analgesic in children undergoing lower abdominal surgery.

Unlabelled: • Background: Caudal epidural is the most commonly used technique for the management of postoperative pain in children. The aim of the present study was to assess and compare the efficacy of caudal bupivacaine as a postoperative analgesic alone or combined with midazolam, ketamine, and neostigmine in pediatric patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery.

Methods: Eighty pediatric patients categorized under the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I and II Classification System, who have been scheduled to undergo lower abdominal surgery were randomly designated into four groups to receive caudal block with either 1 ml/kg of 0.

Biochemical surrogate markers of hemolysis do not correlate with directly measured erythrocyte survival in sickle cell anemia.

Hemolysis is a key feature of sickle cell anemia (HbSS). Direct quantitation of hemolysis could be used as an objective outcome in clinical trials of new therapeutics for HbSS and would also enable better human studies of the pathogenesis of complications of HbSS that are ostensibly hemolysis-related, such as pulmonary hypertension. However, contemporary human studies in HbSS have used only surrogate markers of hemolysis rather than direct measurements of RBC survival.

Connectivity of pacemaker neurons in the neonatal rat superficial dorsal horn.

Pacemaker neurons with an intrinsic ability to generate rhythmic burst-firing have been characterized in lamina I of the neonatal spinal cord, where they are innervated by high-threshold sensory afferents. However, little is known about the output of these pacemakers, as the neuronal populations that are targeted by pacemaker axons have yet to be identified. The present study combines patch-clamp recordings in the intact neonatal rat spinal cord with tract-tracing to demonstrate that lamina I pacemaker neurons contact multiple spinal motor pathways during early life.

Application of the upper lip catch test for airway evaluation in edentulous patients: An observational study.

Background: Application of upper lip catch test (ULCT) for airway evaluation in edentulous patients.

Methods: This research is an evaluation of a clinical diagnostic test in edentulous patients prior to operation. Five hundred eighty eight edentulous patients in a referral university hospital, between March 2008 and June 2011 scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled.

Diagnostic value of the upper lip bite test in predicting difficulty in intubation with head and neck landmarks obtained from lateral neck X-ray.

Background: Unanticipated difficult tracheal intubation remains a primary concern of anaesthesiologists and upper lip bite test (ULBT) is one of the assessments used in predicting difficult intubation. In this study, we aimed to check the utility of lateral neck X-ray measurements in improving the diagnostic value of the ULBT.

Methods: In a prospective study conducted from January 2007 until December 2010, we recorded personal and demographic data of 4500 patients who entered the study and subjected them to standard lateral neck radiography.

Anesthetic techniques for fetal surgery: effects of maternal anesthesia on intraoperative fetal outcomes in a sheep model.

Background: Use of high-dose inhalational anesthesia during open fetal surgery may induce maternal-fetal hemodynamic instability and fetal myocardial depression. The authors' preliminary human retrospective study demonstrated less fetal bradycardia and left ventricular systolic dysfunction with lower dose desflurane supplemented with propofol and remifentanil IV anesthesia (SIVA). In this animal study, the authors compare maternal-fetal effects of high-dose desflurane anesthesia (HD-DES) and SIVA.

Comparing the effect of using atracourium and cis-atracourium as adjuvant agents to the local anesthetic substance on peribulbar-induced akinesia.

Peribulbar anesthesia is widely applied in cataract surgeries. The aim of this study was comparing the effect of using Atracourium, cis-Atracourium, and placebo as adjuvant agents to the local anesthetic substance on peribulbar-induced akinesia in cataract surgeries. The study was double-blind randomized clinical trial, among the patients candidate for the cataract surgery who were hospitalized in ocular surgery ward in Farabi Hospital between 2006 and 2007.

Comparing the efficacy of prophylactic p6 acupressure, ondansetron, metoclopramide and placebo in the prevention of vomiting and nausea after strabismus surgery.

To compare the efficacy of acupressure wrist bands, ondansetron, metoclopramide and placebo in the prevention of vomiting and nausea after strabismus surgery. Two hundred patients, ASA physical status I or II, aged between 10 and 60 years, undergoing strabismus surgery in Farabi Hospital in 2007-2008 years, were included in this randomized, prospective, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Group I was the Control, group II received metoclopramide 0.

Oral contrast for abdominal computed tomography in children: the effects on gastric fluid volume.

Background: Oral enteric contrast medium (ECM) is frequently administered to achieve visualization of the gastrointestinal tract during abdominal evaluation with computed tomography (CT). Administering oral ECM less than 2 hours before sedation/anesthesia violates the nothing-by-mouth guidelines and in theory may increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia. In this study we measured the residual gastric fluid when using a protocol in which ECM is administered up to 1 hour before anesthesia/sedation.

Acupressure using ondansetron versus metoclopramide on reduction of postoperative nausea and vomiting after strabismus surgery.

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of acupressure with treatment induced by ondansetron and metoclopramide on reduction of the severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after strabismus surgery.

Methods: There were 200 patients with ASA classes I-II, ages 10 to 60 years old, who underwent strabismus surgery that were included in this randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Group I was the control, group II received metoclopramide 0.

Upper lip bite test as a predictor of difficult mask ventilation: a prospective study.

Background: Oxygenation and ventilation by means of bag-mask and ambubag play a significant role in maintaining an optimal oxygen saturation of blood and hence the essence of life itself. Predicting difficulty in mask ventilation is again of paramount importance at the time of induction of anesthesia, and in emergency situations. In this study we aimed at evaluating factors that could help in predicting the difficulty of bag-mask ventilation.

Evaluation of pediatric CPR course on knowledge of pediatric residents--before and after ACLS course.

An evaluation was conducted on the knowledge gained by pediatric residents on CPR, before and after a PALS (Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Life Support) course. Following an examination of all pediatric residents at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, they were divided into two groups: non-trained (Group 1) and a group scheduled to undergone training (Group 2). A course on ACLS was conducted.

Outcome of lupus nephritis in Iranian children: prognostic significance of certain features.

The objective of this study was to determine the clinical and histopathological features and outcome of children with lupus nephritis (LN). Of 84 children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we retrospectively studied 58 children (69%) under 15 years of age with biopsy-proven LN who had been followed between October 1989 and January 2005. The mean age at diagnosis or initial referral was 10.