Aortic root surgery with circulatory arrest: Predictors of prolonged postoperative hospital stay

Objective

Little is known about the outcomes of aortic root operations that involve inducing hypothermic circulatory arrest for relatively extensive proximal aortic surgery. We attempted to identify predictors of postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS) and factors that affect postoperative recovery.

Alexandrite Laser Hair Removal is Safe for Fitzpatrick Skin Types IV-VI

BACKGROUND: Various lasers have been developed for epilation of unwanted hair. Most studies, however, have been done in white patients with minimal reference to dark-skinned individuals. OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety profile of a long-pulsed alexandrite laser for hair removal in patients with Fitzpatrick skin types IV-VI exclusively. METHODS: Prospective clinical evaluation conducted from June 1998 to April 1999 at a referral private clinic. Prelaser skin testing was performed starting at 16 J/cm2 and energy fluence selected according to response. Complications were recorded at each visit. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty patients are reported (18 men and 132 women) ranging in age from 15 to 50 years, for a total of 550 treatment sites. Complications occurred in only 2% of cases. CONCLUSION: The long-pulsed alexandrite laser is safe for hair removal in darker skin tones. Prelaser skin testing was not helpful in this study, as there was no relationship between skin reaction and the incidence of complications.     

Inhibitory properties of the anti-bothropic complex from Didelphis albiventris serum on toxic and pharmacological actions of metalloproteases and myotoxins from Bothrops asper venom.

Anti-bothropic complex (ABC) was isolated from the serum of the South American opossum (Didelphis albiventris) by single-step affinity chromatography using a Sepharose-immobilized metalloprotease (BaP1) from Bothrops asper as the binding protein. Biochemical characterization of ABC showed the presence of two glycosylated subunits of 43 and 45 kDa, respectively, with an isoelectric point < 4. The two subunits were separated by ion-exchange HPLC. The N-terminal sequences of both subunits (LKAMDPTPXLWIETESP, where X is Arg-9 and Pro-9, respectively) showed a high degree of identity with other serum inhibitors isolated from different marsupials. Functional studies pointed out that ABC inhibits the hemorrhagic and proteolytic activities on fibrin, fibrinogen, and casein induced by the metalloproteases BaP1 and BaH4 isolated from B. asper venom. In addition to the anti-hemorrhagic and anti-proteolytic activities, ABC also showed anti-myotoxic, anti-lethal, and anti-edematogenic effects against myotoxic phospholipases A(2) isolated from the same venom. Moreover, it had inhibitory effects on the phospholipase A(2) activity of the crude venom as well as the isolated venom phospholipases A(2).