Pro-inflammatory cytokines do not affect basal or hypoxia-stimulated discharge of rat vagal paraganglia.

Vagal paraganglia are structurally similar to the carotid body and are chemosensitive to reduction in the P(O(2)). We hypothesized that they may also mediate communication between the immune system and the central nervous system via pro-inflammatory cytokines or endotoxin. In vitro experiments with isolated superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) paraganglia were performed to test this hypothesis.

Removal of a nail from bone after nail gun injury: a case report and utility of a classic technique.

Nail gun injuries are common, work-related injuries that typically involve bony impalement of an extremity with the nail. Treatment recommendations are well established, although suggestions for removing the nail itself have been lacking. In our hands, removal using typical operating room equipment has been challenging, usually resulting in nail head deformity and breakage, which makes completing the procedure even more difficult.

The singleton, cephalic, nulliparous woman after 36 weeks of gestation: contribution to overall cesarean delivery rates.

Objective: To examine the contribution of singleton, cephalic, term (37 weeks or later) nulliparous cesarean rates to overall cesarean incidence in a single institution during a 35-year period.

Methods: Cesarean rates were examined for 1974, 1984, 1994, 1999, 2005, and 2008, applying a 10-group classification system. Groups 1 (spontaneously laboring, term nulliparous women) and 2 (prelabor cesarean and induced term nulliparous women) were combined as a composite variable-the term, singleton, cephalic nulliparous woman.

Chronic hypoxia increases rat diaphragm muscle endurance and sodium-potassium ATPase pump content.

The effects of chronic hypoxia (CH) on respiratory muscle are poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of CH on respiratory muscle structure and function, and to determine whether nitric oxide is implicated in respiratory muscle adaptation to CH. Male Wistar rats were exposed to CH for 1-6 weeks.

Urinary glutathione S-transferases in the pathogenesis and diagnostic evaluation of acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery: a critical review.

Purpose Of Review: A focused review of the nature, source, physiological role and rapidly expanding evidence for glutathione S-transferase (GST) subtypes π and α as biomarkers of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Expanded insights into the site-specific expression of the GSTs in defined parts of the nephron during renal damage are presented, with particular emphasis on the pathogenesis of cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)-associated AKI and the role of GSTs in oxygen radical disposal.

Recent Findings: Recent developments have highlighted a potential role of urinary α-GST and π-GST in the diagnostic evaluation of cardiac surgery-associated AKI.

Utilization of resource leveling to optimize ERCP efficiency.

Background: Optimizing endoscopy efficiency is becoming increasingly important. This study profiled ERCP availability and assessed resource leveling as a strategy to enhance efficiency.

Design: All ERCPs performed at an academic teaching hospital between January 2007 and December 2008 were reviewed.

Diagnostic efficacy of handheld devices for emergency radiologic consultation.

Objective: Orthopedic injury and intracranial hemorrhage are commonly encountered in emergency radiology, and accurate and timely diagnosis is important. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the diagnostic accuracy of handheld computing devices is comparable to that of monitors that might be used in emergency teleconsultation.

Subjects And Methods: Two handheld devices, a Dell Axim personal digital assistant (PDA) and an Apple iPod Touch device, were studied.

Carbonic anhydrase IX expression in prostate cancer.

Tumour hypoxia is associated with over 70% of solid tumours including prostate and colorectal cancer. Hypoxia promotes tumour progression and resistance to treatment. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) is an endogenous marker of hypoxia.

A review of maternal and fetal growth factors in diabetic pregnancy.

Diabetes mellitus complicates 1-2% of all pregnancies but is associated with high perinatal morbidity and mortality. Gestational diabetes affects up to 4% of pregnancies and is associated with fetal macrosomia (large for dates). Fetal growth is a complex process influenced by determinants such as genetics, maternal factors, uterine environment and maternal and fetal hormones.

Troponin T and pro-B-type natriuretic Peptide in fetuses of type 1 diabetic mothers.

Objective: Cardiomyopathy is noted in up to 40% of infants of diabetic mothers, and the exact mechanisms are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether fetal serum markers of cardiac function differ between normal and type 1 diabetic pregnancies and to examine the relationship between these markers and fetal cardiac structure and function.

Research Design And Methods: This was a prospective observational study of 45 type 1 diabetic pregnancies and 39 normal pregnancies.

Lymphovascular space involvement in early stage well-differentiated endometrial cancer is associated with increased mortality.

Objective: To study the relationship between lymphovascular space involvement (LVSI) in stage 1a or 1b well-differentiated endometrial cancer and survival.

Design: Retrospective study consisting of a search of an oncology database to identify women with endometrial cancer between January 1990 and December 2004.

Setting: Tertiary referral centre, Dublin, Ireland.

Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide interacts with TFF1 in a pH-dependent manner.

Background & Aims: Little is known about how bacteria establish chronic infections of mucosal surfaces. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a chronic pathogen that lives in the gastric mucosa of humans, interacts with the trefoil factor family (TFF) protein TFF1, which is found in gastric mucus.

Statins alter neutrophil migration by modulating cellular Rho activity--a potential mechanism for statins-mediated pleotropic effects?

The ability of neutrophils to sense and migrate toward damaged tissue is a vital component of the innate immune response. Paradoxically, this same migration serves as the hallmark of a number of inflammatory conditions, including ischemic reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, arthritis, and Crohn's disease. More recent evidence suggests that neutrophil infiltration into the cardiac allograft following transplantation is a contributing factor in allograft rejection.

Obstetric management of hepatitis C-positive mothers: analysis of vertical transmission in 559 mother-infant pairs.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine vertical transmission rates of hepatitis C in 2 tertiary level maternity units.

Study Design: This was a retrospective review of all hepatitis C-positive mothers and their pregnancy outcomes.

Results: Of 74,629 deliveries, 559 liveborn infants were born to 545 hepatitis C mothers; the rate of antenatal hepatitis C infection was 0.

Rhombencephalosynapsis: prenatal imaging and autopsy findings.

Objectives: Rhombencephalosynapsis is a rare, but increasingly recognized, brain malformation characterized by congenital fusion of the cerebellar hemispheres and absence of the vermis. Rhombencephalosynapsis is associated with significant developmental delay, seizures and involuntary head movements. We report four cases, with correlation of prenatal and postnatal imaging and autopsy findings.

Management of antiretroviral drug toxicity.

Purpose Of Review: With the emergence of very potent antiretroviral regimens, the major limitation to the success of treatment is now the tolerability of drugs, which can ultimately affect adherence. It is important, therefore, to review the current understanding on antiretroviral drug toxicity, and examine key recent data that can inform the successful avoidance or management of such toxicities.

Recent Findings: A common theme of recent research has focussed on the genetic predisposition to important immediate side-effects, such as abacavir hypersensitivity, nevirapine hepatotoxicity, efavirenz neurotoxicity and hyperbilirubinemia with atazanavir.

Effects of the dual 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor dutasteride on apoptosis in primary cultures of prostate cancer epithelial cells and cell lines.

Background: The profound reduction in serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) observed with the dual 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor (5ARI) dutasteride makes it an attractive agent for prostate cancer therapy. The objective of the current study was to determine whether dutasteride would induce apoptosis in a range of prostate epithelial cell lines and primary cultures.

Methods: Both human prostate androgen-sensitive cell lines (PwR-1E, PNT-2, LNCaP, and PC3[AR2]) and an androgen-independent cell line (PC-3) were grown to confluence.

Age-specific incidence of Helicobacter pylori.

Background & Aims: Helicobacter pylori is most likely acquired in childhood, but the incidence of infection has not been determined prospectively by using an appropriate noninvasive test. The aim of this study was to determine the age-specific incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection in children and the risk factors for infection.

Methods: Three hundred twenty-seven healthy index children between 24 and 48 months of age were enrolled over 15 months.

Accurate diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori. Other tests.

The application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with respect to Helicobacter pylori is useful for molecular epidemiologic aspects and detection purposes. The authors address the current detection methods by PCR aimed at detecting H. pylori in clinical samples collected by less invasive methods, such as gastric juice, saliva, dental plaque, and feces.

5-Year analysis of mushroom exposures in California.

Objective: To evaluate outcomes following toxic mushroom ingestions.

Design: Retrospective data analysis.

Methods: We analyzed American Association of Poison Control Center data for California from 1993 through 1997.