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Minimal Potential (minimal + potential)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

Role of Ca2+ -Activated Cl, Current in Ventricular Action Potentials of Sheep During Adrenoceptor Stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001
Arie O. Verkerk
Adrenoceptor stimulation enhances repolarising and depolarising membrane currents to different extents in cardiac myocytes. We investigated the opposing effects of the repolarising Ca2+ -activated Cl, current (ICl(Ca)) and depolarising L-type Ca2+ current (ICa,L) on the action potential configuration of sheep ventricular myocytes stimulated with noradrenaline. Whole-cell current-clamp recordings revealed that noradrenaline accelerated and prolonged phase-1 repolarisation. We define the minimal potential at the end of phase-1 repolarisation as ,notch level'. Noradrenaline (1 ,M) caused the notch level to fall from 14 ± 2.6 to 7.8 ± 2.8 mV (n= 24), but left action potential duration, resting membrane potential or action potential amplitude unaffected. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings showed that 1 ,M noradrenaline increased both ICa,L and ICl(Ca), but it had no significant effect on the principal K+ currents. Blockage of ICl(Ca) by 0.5 mM 4,4,-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2,-disulphonic acid (DIDS) in both the absence and the presence of noradrenaline abolished phase-1 repolarisation. In the presence of noradrenaline, DIDS caused elevation of the plateau phase amplitude and an increase in the action potential duration. In conclusion, elevation of the plateau phase amplitude and action potential prolongation associated with an increased ICa,L upon adrenoceptor stimulation is prevented by an increased ICl(Ca) in sheep ventricular myocytes. [source]

Review article: rifaximin, a minimally absorbed oral antibacterial, for the treatment of travellers' diarrhoea

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 11 2010
P. LAYER
Aliment Pharmacol Ther,31, 1155,1164 Summary Background, Travellers' diarrhoea, a common problem worldwide with significant medical impact, is generally treated with anti-diarrhoeal agents and fluid replacement. Systemic antibiotics are also used in selected cases, but these may be associated with adverse effects, bacterial resistance and drug,drug interactions. Aim, To review the clinical evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of the minimally absorbed oral antibiotic rifaximin in travellers' diarrhoea. Methods, PubMed and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Clinical Trials (to January 2010) and International Society of Travel Medicine congress abstracts (2003,2009) were searched to identify relevant publications. Results, A total of 10 publications were included in the analysis. When administered three times daily for 3 days, rifaximin is superior to placebo or loperamide; it is at least as effective as ciprofloxacin in reducing duration of illness and restoring wellbeing in patients with travellers' diarrhoea, both with and without identification of a pathogen, as well as in diarrhoea caused by Escherichia coli infection. Rifaximin demonstrates only minimal potential for development of bacterial resistance and for cytochrome P450-mediated drug,drug interactions, and its tolerability profile is similar to that of placebo. Conclusion, When antibiotic therapy is warranted in uncomplicated travellers' diarrhoea, rifaximin may be considered as a first-line treatment option because of its favourable efficacy, tolerability and safety profiles. [source]

Treatment of invasive candidiasis with echinocandins

MYCOSES, Issue 6 2009
Andreas Glöckner
Summary Blood stream infections by Candida spp. represent the majority of invasive fungal infections in intensive care patients. The high crude mortality of invasive candidiasis remained essentially unchanged during the last two decades despite new treatment options that became available. The echinocandins, the latest class of antifungals introduced since 2001, exhibit potent activity against clinically relevant fungi including most Candida spp. In several randomised multicentre phase III trials, anidulafungin, caspofungin and micafungin showed convincing efficacy when compared with standard treatment regimens. In all trials, echinocandins were at least non-inferior to standard treatments. Anidulafungin was shown to be superior to fluconazole. Echinocandins have a favourable tolerability profile and exhibit a minimal potential for drug interactions since their pharmacokinetics is independent of renal and , largely , hepatic function. As a result of these properties, echinocandins are appropriate drugs of choice for invasive candidiasis in intensive care where many patients experience organ failure and receive multiple drugs with complex interactions. [source]

A case report and critical appraisal of the literature on the use of DermaSilk® in children with atopic dermatitis

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 8 2009
C. Vlachou
Summary Atopic dermatitis (AD) is easily aggravated by detergents, synthetic and woollen clothing, and bacterial colonization. Cotton clothing is often recommended for children with AD, but cotton can contain rough fibres that may act as skin irritants. In contrast, silk is characterized by smooth fibres with minimal potential for irritation. We report a sericin-free silk (DermaSilk®), which is treated with AEGIS AEM5772/5, a product that has antibacterial properties, and evaluate its use in the treatment of AD. [source]