The supine-to-prone position change induces modification of endotracheal tube cuff pressure accompanied by tube displacement.

Study Objectives: To determine whether the supine-to-prone position change displaced the endotracheal tube (ETT) and, if so, whether the displacement related to this change modified ETT cuff pressure.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Operating room of a university hospital.

Differential vasodilation response to olprinone in rabbit renal and common carotid arteries.

Purpose: Olprinone, one of the most frequently used phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitors, exerts its positive inotropic and vasodilation effects by inhibiting the degradation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). The vasodilation response to olprinone is not uniform among the different vascular beds. This study was designed to compare the vasorelaxation response to olprinone between renal and common carotid arteries, and investigate its underlying mechanisms.

Volatile anesthetics inhibit angiotensin II-induced vascular contraction by modulating myosin light chain phosphatase inhibiting protein, CPI-17 and regulatory subunit, MYPT1 phosphorylation.

Background: Vascular contraction is regulated by myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation. Inhibition of MLC phosphatase (MLCP) increases MLC phosphorylation for a given Ca(2+) concentration, and results in promoting myofilament Ca(2+) sensitivity. MLCP activity is mainly determined by protein kinase C (PKC) and Rho kinase through the phosphorylation of both PKC-potentiated inhibitory protein (CPI-17) and myosin phosphatase target subunit (MYPT1).