Metformin therapy in COVID-19: inhibition of NETosis

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis -     

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....     

Oxyhemoglobin changes in the prefrontal cortex in response to cognitive tasks: a systematic review

Purpose of the study: the aim of this study was to synthesize PFC fNIRS outcomes on the effects of cognitive tasks compared to resting/baseline tasks in healthy adults from studies utilizing a pre/post design.

Material and methods: original research studies were searched from seven databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, SCOPUS, PEDro and PubMed). Subsequently, two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts followed by full-text reviews to assess the studies' eligibility.

Results: eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and had data abstracted and quality assessed. Methodology varied considerably and yet cognitive tasks resulted in the ΔO₂Hb increasing in 8 of the 11 and ΔHHb decreasing in 8 of 8 studies that reported this outcome. The cognitive tasks from 10 of the 11 studies were classified as “Working Memory” and “Verbal Fluency Tasks”.

Conclusions: although, the data comparison was challenging provided the heterogeneity in methodology, the results across studies were similar.     

The Presence of Portal Vein Thrombosis Alters the Classic Enhancement Associated with Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Digestive Diseases and Sciences - To determine whether the presence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) where venous flow within the liver may be altered may delay the diagnosis of HCC and be...     

Catheter-directed middle hemorrhoidal artery embolization for life-threatening rectal bleeding.

Over the past 10 years, arteriography has become a well-established technique for the diagnosis of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding, but not particularly for rectal bleeding. However, to the authors' knowledge, the technique of middle hemorrhoidal artery embolization has rarely been reported in the literature. In the present report, three patients with life-threatening rectal bleeding are presented, which was controlled by superselective embolization of the middle hemorrhoidal artery or selective embolization of the internal iliac artery as a last resort.     

Anatomic study of a new axial skin flap based on the cutaneous branch of the medial plantar artery

A new axial skin flap based on the middle cutaneous branch of the medial plantar artery was evaluated in 33 fresh cadaver legs. The vascular pedicle of the skin flap is based on the middle cutaneous artery, its venae comitantes, and segments of the great saphenous vein, if necessary. The middle cutaneous artery is the largest cutaneous branch, arising from the medial plantar artery 2.5 cm distal to its origin. The diameter of its origin is 1.2 mm, and its pedicle is 2 cm long. The midline of the flap runs from the first web space to the heel tip. The upper and lower borders of the flap are 3 to 4 cm on either side of this line. The upper border is medial to the extensor hallucis tendon, and the lower border is medial to the abductor hallucis. Distally, the border begins 2 cm proximal to the metatarsalphalangeal joint; proximally, the border is at the middle of the medial malleolus. The flap diameter can be up to 8 × 12 cm. The middle cutaneous branch of the medial plantar artery was found in all cadaver specimens, except for one with a common trunk. The new flap design leaves the major blood supply to the foot and the plantar aponeurosis intact. It is easy to harvest and may be used either as an island flap or free flap. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.