Searching for Preclinical Models of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: a Concise Narrative Overview and a Novel Swine Model

Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy - Available animal models of acute heart failure (AHF) and their limitations are discussed herein. A novel and preclinically relevant porcine model of decompensated...     

A randomised controlled trial of intravenous dexmedetomidine added to dexamethasone for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and duration of interscalene block

Prolongation of peripheral nerve blockade by intravenous dexamethasone may be extended by intravenous dexmedetomidine. We randomly allocated 122 participants who had intravenous dexamethasone 0.15 mg.kg⁻¹ before interscalene brachial plexus block for day-case arthroscopic rotator cuff repair to intravenous saline (62 participants) or intravenous dexmedetomidine 1 μg.kg⁻¹ (60 participants). The primary outcome was time from block to first oral morphine intake during the first 48 postoperative hours. Fifty-nine participants reported taking oral morphine, 25/62 after placebo and 34/60 after dexmedetomidine, p = 0.10. The time to morphine intake was shorter after dexmedetomidine, hazard ratio (95%CI) 1.68 (1.00–2.82), p = 0.049. Median (IQR [range]) morphine doses were 0 (0–12.5 [0–50]) mg after control vs. 10 (0–30 [0–50]) after dexmedetomidine, a difference (95%CI) of 7 (0–10) mg, p = 0.056. There was no effect of dexmedetomidine on pain at rest or on movement. Intra-operative hypotension was recorded for 27/62 and 50/60 participants after placebo vs. dexmedetomidine, respectively, p < 0.001. Other outcomes were similar, including durations of sensory and motor block. In conclusion, dexmedetomidine shortened the time to oral morphine consumption after interscalene block combined with dexamethasone and caused intra-operative hypotension.     

Effect of obstructive sleep apnoea on retinal microvascular function: a randomised controlled trial

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - Retinal microvascular endothelial dysfunction is thought to be of importance in the development of ocular vascular diseases....     

江苏省曼氏迭宫绦虫宿主感染调查

目的　了解江苏省曼氏迭宫绦虫宿主感染情况，为曼氏裂头蚴病防控提供科学依据。方法　2018—2019年在江苏省随机抽取9个县（市、区）作为调查点。各调查点随机抽取100名常规健康体检者作为调查对象，进行曼氏迭宫绦虫血清学及病原学检查；在野外环境中调查猫、犬等终宿主及剑水蚤等中间宿主曼氏迭宫绦虫感染情况。结果　江苏省9个调查点人群曼氏迭宫绦虫感染率均为0（0/900），血清抗曼氏裂头蚴IgG抗体阳性率为1.22%（11/900）；中间宿主剑水蚤原尾蚴阳性率为0.33%（3/900），猫、犬等终宿主粪检曼氏迭宫绦虫虫卵阳性率为1.48%（2/135）。结论　江苏省自然环境中存在曼氏迭宫绦虫感染，应加强曼氏裂头蚴病危害和感染途径的健康教育。