Short‐wave infrared light imaging measures tissue moisture and distinguishes superficial from deep burns

Existing clinical approaches and tools to measure burn tissue destruction are limited resulting in misdiagnosis of injury depth in over 40% of cases. Thus, our objective in this study was to characterize the ability of short‐wave infrared (SWIR) imaging to detect moisture levels as a surrogate for tissue viability with resolution to differentiate between burns of various depths. To accomplish our aim, we constructed an imaging system consisting of a broad‐band Tungsten light source; 1,200‐, 1,650‐, 1,940‐, and 2,250‐nm wavelength filters; and a specialized SWIR camera. We initially used agar slabs to provide a baseline spectrum for SWIR light imaging and demonstrated the differential absorbance at the multiple wavelengths, with 1,940 nm being the highest absorbed wavelength. These spectral bands were then demonstrated to detect levels of moisture in inorganic and in vivo mice models. The multiwavelength SWIR imaging approach was used to diagnose depth of burns using an in vivo porcine burn model. Healthy and injured skin regions were imaged 72 hours after short (20 seconds) and long (60 seconds) burn application, and biopsies were extracted from those regions for histologic analysis. Burn depth analysis based on collagen coagulation histology confirmed the formation of superficial and deep burns. SWIR multispectral reflectance imaging showed enhanced intensity levels in long burned regions, which correlated with histology and distinguished between superficial and deep burns. This SWIR imaging method represents a novel, real‐time method to objectively distinguishing superficial from deep burns.     

The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol to promote recovery following esophageal cancer resection

Surgery Today - Esophageal cancer surgery, comprising esophagectomy with radical lymphadenectomy, is a complex procedure associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. The enhanced recovery...     

Effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in individuals with a familial vulnerability to alcoholism

Background and aims

A family history (FH) of alcoholism accounts for approximately 50 % of the risk of developing alcohol problems. Several lines of preclinical evidence suggest that brain cannabinoid receptor (CB₁R) function may mediate the effects of alcohol and risk for developing alcoholism including the observations that reduced CB₁R function decreases alcohol-related behaviors and enhanced CB₁R function increases them. In this first human study, we probed CB₁R function in individuals vulnerable to alcoholism with the exogenous cannabinoid Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC).

Design, setting, and participants

Healthy volunteers (n?=?30) participated in a three test day study during which they received 0.018 and 0.036 mg/kg of Δ⁹-THC, or placebo intravenously in a randomized, counterbalanced order under double-blind conditions.

Measurements

Primary outcome measures were subjective “high,” perceptual alterations, and memory impairment. Secondary outcome measures consisted of stimulatory and depressant subjective effects, attention, spatial memory, executive function, Δ⁹-THC and 11-hydroxy-THC blood levels, and other subjective effects. FH was calculated using the Family Pattern Density method and was used as a continuous variable.

Findings

Greater FH was correlated with greater “high” and perceptual alterations induced by Δ⁹-THC. This enhanced sensitivity with increasing FH was specific to Δ⁹-THC’s rewarding effects and persisted even when FH was calculated using an alternate method.

Conclusions

Enhanced sensitivity to the rewarding effects of Δ⁹-THC in high-FH volunteers suggests that alterations in CB₁R function might contribute to alcohol misuse vulnerability.     

Molecular Motions in Sucrose-PVP and Sucrose-Sorbitol Dispersions—II. Implications of Annealing on Secondary Relaxations

Purpose

To determine the effect of annealing on the two secondary relaxations in amorphous sucrose and in sucrose solid dispersions.

Methods

Sucrose was co-lyophilized with either PVP or sorbitol, annealed for different time periods and analyzed by dielectric spectroscopy.

Results

In an earlier investigation, we had documented the effect of PVP and sorbitol on the primary and the two secondary relaxations in amorphous sucrose solid dispersions (1). Here we investigated the effect of annealing on local motions, both in amorphous sucrose and in the dispersions. The average relaxation time of the local motion (irrespective of origin) in sucrose, decreased upon annealing. However, the heterogeneity in relaxation time distribution as well as the dielectric strength decreased only for β₁- (the slower relaxation) but not for β₂-relaxations. The effect of annealing on β₂-relaxation times was neutralized by sorbitol while PVP negated the effect of annealing on both β₁- and β₂-relaxations.

Conclusions

An increase in local mobility of sucrose brought about by annealing could be negated with an additive.     

The HIV protease inhibitor saquinavir impairs lipid metabolism and glucose transport in cultured adipocytes.

Treatment of HIV infection using protease inhibitors is frequently associated with lipodystrophy and impaired lipid and glucose metabolism. We examined the effect of saquinavir, one of the protease inhibitors, on lipid metabolism and glucose transport in cultured adipocytes. Saquinavir inhibited lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in 3T3-F442A and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The inhibition of LPL was 81% at a concentration of 20 microg/ml. Another closely related drug, indinavir, had a small inhibitory effect. Saquinavir also inhibited the biosynthesis of lipids from [(14)C]-acetate. Saquinavir increased the lipolysis. Saquinavir had no significant effect on the cellular protein synthesis or protein content. Saquinavir increased the basal glucose transport threefold and decreased insulin-stimulated glucose transport by 35%. These studies suggest that some HIV protease inhibitors have direct effects on lipid and glucose metabolism. This inhibition of lipogenesis and glucose transport may explain some of the lipodystrophy, dyslipidemia and disturbed glucose metabolism with the clinical use of these drugs.     

Cancer risks along the disease trajectory in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis

Clinical Rheumatology - This review appraises the current literature on carcinogenic risks in anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV). Patients with AAV are...