Anandamide absorption by direct hemoperfusion with polymixin B-immobilized fiber improves the prognosis and organ failure assessment score in patients with sepsis.

Purpose: Direct hemoperfusion (DHP) with polymixin B-immobilized fiber (PMX) has been reported to be effective for patients with septic shock. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of PMX-DHP effect on septic shock.

Methods: The following parameters were measured in septic shock patients who were treated with PMX-DHP: survival rate, sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE-II) score, and plasma concentrations of cannabinoids [anandamide (ANA) and 2-arachidonyl glyceride (2-AG)], cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10], transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)].

[A trial of introduction of portfolio to elective clinical clerkship in anesthesiology].

Background: Portfolio as one of the educational techniques was introduced to elective clinical clerkship (CC) of Anesthesiology in Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine in the 2003 fiscal year.

Methods: Fourteen medical students who elected Anesthesiology CC for 3 weeks had a duty to study and feed back their CC everyday by writing portfolio, and the attending checked and fed back their portfolio every week. At the end of the CC, questionnaire surveys by 5 step Likert measure and group discussion were conducted to determine the evaluation by students of the portfolio in Anesthesiology CC.

[Evaluation by undergraduate medical students of clinical clerkships in the department of anesthesiology--comparison with the evaluation in previous fiscal year].

Background: Clinical Clerkships in the Department of Anesthesiology were evaluated by undergraduate medical students and compared with other clinical departments and those of previous fiscal year 2003.

Methods: Questionnaire surveys by 5 step Likert measure were conducted to ask the students for the evaluation of each department or division, and formative evaluation was performed after the all clerkships. The questionnaire consisted of 12 questions on 1) orientation, 2) learning chances and provision of teaching materials, 3) feedback, learning promotion and teaching attitude, 4) coordination of human relationship between medical staff and students, and 5) overall evaluation of teacher's physician.

Protein kinase C inhibitors produce mitochondrial flavoprotein oxidation in cardiac myocytes.

Inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) antagonizes ischemic preconditioning of myocardium. Opening of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent potassium (mitoK(ATP)) channels and subsequent oxidation of mitochondria are known to contribute to ischemic preconditioning. We therefore tested the effects of PKC inhibitors on flavoprotein oxidation, measured by flavoprotein fluorescence, as an index of mitoK(ATP) activity in ventricular myocytes from guinea pigs.

[A case of suspected pulmonary thrombosis in a patient with reactive thrombocytemia who underwent liver subsegmentectomy].

A 68-year-old man with reactive thrombocytemia (platelet count: 97.2 x 10(4).mm-3) underwent liver subsegmentectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Intracellular mechanism of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel activation with isoflurane.

Unlabelled: The precise mechanism of isoflurane and mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel (mitoK(ATP)) interaction is still unclear, although the mitoK(ATP) is involved in isoflurane-induced preconditioning. We examined the role of various intracellular signaling systems in mitoK(ATP) activation with isoflurane. Mitochondrial flavoprotein fluorescence (MFF) was measured to quantify mitoK(ATP) activity in guinea pig cardiomyocytes.

Intermittent pneumatic compression prevents venous stasis in the lower extremities in the lithotomy position.

Purpose: To investigate the interactions of a new lithotomy positioning device (LPD) with two intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices by measuring femoral venous flow velocity.

Methods: Subjects were divided into three groups: 1) supine position as a control, 2) lithotomy position using a conventional LPD, and 3) lithotomy position using a new LPD, Levitator(TM). These three groups were further divided in two according to the type of IPC device used: AV-impulse(TM) (rapid IPC) and SeQuel(TM) (standard IPC).

Effects of lumbar puncture position on arterial blood gases.

We observed the changes in partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO ) and carbon dioxide (PaCO ) before and during assumption of the lateral position prior to lumbar puncture in 81 patients to investigate whether lung volume decreased and ventilation was suppressed. PaO significantly decreased while the patients were in the lateral position, while PaCO remained unchanged. There was a negative correlation between the change in PaO and age [change in PaO (mmHg)=-0.