Focal vibration of the plantarflexor and dorsiflexor muscles improves poststroke spasticity: a randomized single-blind controlled trial.

Background: Post-stroke spasticity is a cause of gait dysfunction and disability. Focal vibration (FV) of agonist-antagonist upper limb muscle pairs reduces flexor spasticity; however, its effects on ankle plantarflexor spasticity are uncertain.

Objective: To assess the effects of focal vibration administered by a trained operator to the ankle plantarflexor and dorsiflexor muscles on post-stroke lower limb spasticity.

Bio-Scaffolds as Cell or Exosome Carriers for Nerve Injury Repair.

Central and peripheral nerve injuries can lead to permanent paralysis and organ dysfunction. In recent years, many cell and exosome implantation techniques have been developed in an attempt to restore function after nerve injury with promising but generally unsatisfactory clinical results. Clinical outcome may be enhanced by bio-scaffolds specifically fabricated to provide the appropriate three-dimensional (3D) conduit, growth-permissive substrate, and trophic factor support required for cell survival and regeneration.

Hydrogen Sulfide Modulates the S-Nitrosoproteome and the Mitochondrial Morphology in Endothelial Cells.

Background: Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is one of the endogenous gaseous molecules promoting the production of nitric oxide (NO) which has cardioprotective functions. However, the role of the HS-mediated protein S-nitrosoproteome and its subsequent physiological response remains unclear.

Methods: Endothelial cells EAhy 926 were treated with 50 μM of HS for 2 hours.

An Efficient VLSI Architecture for Multi-Channel Spike Sorting Using a Generalized Hebbian Algorithm.

A novel VLSI architecture for multi-channel online spike sorting is presented in this paper. In the architecture, the spike detection is based on nonlinear energy operator (NEO), and the feature extraction is carried out by the generalized Hebbian algorithm (GHA). To lower the power consumption and area costs of the circuits, all of the channels share the same core for spike detection and feature extraction operations.

Arsenic modulates posttranslational S-nitrosylation and translational proteome in keratinocytes.

Arsenic is a class I human carcinogen (such as inducing skin cancer) by its prominent chemical interaction with protein thio (-SH) group. Therefore, arsenic may compromise protein S-nitrosylation by competing the -SH binding activity. In the present study, we aimed to understand the influence of arsenic on protein S-nitrosylation and the following proteomic changes.

Agreement of cardiac output measurement between pulse contour analysis and thermodilution in various body positions: a porcine study.

Background: We elucidated the effects of various body positions on the agreement of cardiac output (CO) measurement between pulse contour analysis with the PiCCO monitor and thermodilution with pulmonary artery catheterization.

Methods: Fifteen anesthetized and mechanically ventilated pigs (40 ± 2 kg) were sequentially placed in various positions to facilitate simultaneous CO measurement. Between-methods agreement was assessed using the Bland-Altman method.

Airway management of patients with craniofacial abnormalities: 10-year experience at a teaching hospital in Taiwan.

Background: Airway management for patients with craniofacial abnormalities poses many challenges. It potentially has a high rate of morbidity and even mortality.

Methods: We reviewed our experience in administering anesthesia to patients with a diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis or Pierre Robin sequence in the past 10 years (July 1998 to October 2008).

Intermittent small doses of propofol for sedation of pediatric patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Sedation of children is always necessary for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). General anesthesia may be recommended for infants and small children to protect the airway or in children who have previously failed sedation. Our practice has been to use intermittent administration of small doses of propofol.

Delayed tension pneumothorax during surgery.

Tension pneumothorax is a life-threatening emergency that rapidly results in cardiopulmonary arrest. It requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. We present 2 cases from our practice, 1 caused by blunt chest trauma and the other resulting from laparoscopic surgery.