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Medical Sciences50%

Selected Abstracts

Characterization of the A-type potassium current in murine gastric antrum

THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002
Gregory C. Amberg
A-type currents are rapidly inactivating potassium currents that operate at subthreshold potentials. A-type currents have not been reported to occur in the phasic muscles of the stomach. We used conventional voltage-clamp techniques to identify and characterize A-type currents in myocytes isolated from the murine antrum. A-type currents were robust in these cells, with peak current densities averaging 30 pA pF,1 at 0 mV. These currents underwent rapid inactivation with a time constant of 83 ms at 0 mV. Recovery from inactivation at ,80 mV was rapid, with a time constant of 252 ms. The A-type current was blocked by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) and was inhibited by flecainide, with an IC50 of 35 ,M. The voltage for half-activation was ,26 mV, while the voltage of half-inactivation was ,65 mV. There was significant activation and incomplete inactivation at potentials positive to ,60 mV, which is suggestive of sustained current availability in this voltage range. Under current-clamp conditions, exposure to 4-AP or flecainide depolarized the membrane potential by 7-10 mV. In intact antral tissue preparations, flecainide depolarized the membrane potential between slow waves by 5 mV; changes in slow waves were not evident. The effect of flecainide was not abolished by inhibiting enteric neurotransmission or by blocking delayed rectifier and ATP-sensitive K+ currents. Transcripts encoding Kv4 channels were detected in isolated antral myocytes by RT-PCR. Immunocytochemistry revealed intense Kv4.2- and Kv4.3-like immunoreactivity in antral myocytes. These data suggest that the A-type current in murine antral smooth muscle cells is likely to be due to Kv4 channels. This current contributes to the maintenance of negative resting membrane potentials. [source]

Using Telemedicine to Avoid Transfer of Rural Emergency Department Patients

THE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2001
Lanis L. Hicks Ph.D
ABSTRACT: Access to emergency treatment in rural areas can often mean the difference between life and death. Telemedicine technologies have the potential of providing earlier diagnosis and intervention, of saving lives and of avoiding unnecessary transfers from rural hospital emergency departments to urban hospitals. This study examined the hypothetical impact of telemedicine services on patients served by the emergency departments of two rural Missouri liospitals and the potential financial impact on the affected hospitals. Of the 246 patients transferred to the hub hospital from the two facilities during 1996, 161 medical records (65.4 percent) were analyzed. Using a conservative approach, only 12 of these cases were identified as potentially avoidable transfers with the use of telemedicine. Of these 12, 5 were admitted to the hub hospital after transfer. In addition to this conservative estimate of avoidable transfers based on current availability of resources in the rural hospitals, two more aggressive scenarios were developed, based on an assumption of increased service availability in the rural hospitals. Economic multipliers were used to estimate the financial impacts on communities in each scenario. This evaluation study demonstrates the potential value of telemedicine use in rural emergency departments to patients, rural hospitals and rural communities. [source]

Prehospital airway management on rescue helicopters in the United Kingdom

ANAESTHESIA, Issue 6 2009
M. Schmid
Summary Adequate equipment is one prerequisite for advanced, out of hospital, airway management. There are no data on current availability of airway equipment on UK rescue helicopters. An internet search revealed all UK rescue helicopters, and a questionnaire was sent to the bases asking for available airway management items. We identified 27 helicopter bases and 26 (96%) sent the questionnaire back. Twenty-four bases (92%) had at least one supraglottic airway device; 16 (62%) helicopters had material for establishing a surgical airway (e.g. a cricothyroidotomy set); 88% of the helicopters had CO2 detection; 25 (96%) helicopters carried automatic ventilators; among these, four (15%) had sophisticated ventilators and seven (27%) helicopters carried special face masks suitable for non-invasive ventilation. We found a wide variation in the advanced airway management equipment that was carried routinely on air ambulances. Current guidelines for airway management are not met by all UK air ambulances. [source]

Peanut Allergy, Peanut Allergens, and Methods for the Detection of Peanut Contamination in Food Products

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY, Issue 2 2007
Hsiao-Wei Wen
ABSTRACT:, Attention to peanut allergy has been rising rapidly for the last 5 y, because it accounts for the majority of severe food-related anaphylaxis, it tends to appear early in life, and it usually is not resolved. Low milligram amounts of peanut allergens can induce severe allergic reactions in highly sensitized individuals, and no cure is available for peanut allergy. This review presents updated information on peanut allergy, peanut allergens (Ara h1 to h8), and available methods for detecting peanuts in foods. These methods are based on the detection of either peanut proteins or a specific DNA fragment of peanut allergens. A summary of published methods for detecting peanut in foods is given with a comparison of assay formats, target analyte, and assay sensitivity. Moreover, a summary of the current availability of commercial peanut allergen kits is presented with information about assay format, target analyte, sensitivity, testing time, company/kit name, and AOAC validation. [source]