Sixty patients were mechanically ventilated and

22 patients were spontaneously breathing. Results: Significantly elevated vibration intensity was detected in patients with consolidation, as opposed to pleural effusion, atelectasis and normal CXR (p < 0.01, Mann-Whitney U test). Vibration https://www.selleckchem.com/erk.html intensity was also increased for congestion, but this increase was not significant. The positive predictive value of CXR lung opacity in combination with increased vibration intensity to detect consolidations and/or congestions was 95% (20/21). Furthermore, vibration intensity was significantly higher in mechanically ventilated patients compared to spontaneously breathing patients (p = 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). Differences related to gender, age and body position were not significant. Conclusions: Computerized lung acoustic monitoring at the bedside was found to be a useful, readily available, noninvasive, adjunctive tool in the differentiation between various CXR densities in critically ill patients. Copyright Selleckchem AG-881 (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Oxidative stress has been implicated in the uteroplacental ischemia characteristic of preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth, both of which are more common at high (>2500 m) vs low altitude. Since Andeans are protected relative to Europeans from

the altitude-associated rise in SGA, we asked whether alterations in maternal antioxidant status or oxidative stress contributed to their protection. Enzymatic antioxidant (erythrocyte catalase and superoxide dismutase [SOD]) activity and a plasma marker of lipid peroxidation (8-iso-PGF2 alpha) were measured during pregnancy and in the non-pregnant state in Andean or European residents of low (400 m) or high altitude (3600-4100 m). Pregnancy and altitude increased catalase and/or SOD activity to a greater extent in Andeans than Europeans. 8-iso-PGF2 alpha levels were independent of altitude and pregnancy. SOD was lower in mothers of SGA infants GSK2879552 cell line at weeks 20 and 36. Our findings are consistent with the possibility

that elevated enzymatic antioxidant activity contributes to Andean protection against altitude-associated SGA.”
“N-Arylsulfonyl-3-arylsulfonylamino-substituted 1,4-benzoquinonimine reacts with sodium arylsulfinates regiospecifically along 1,4-addition scheme; N-tosyl-2-(tosylamino)-substituted 1,4-benzoquinonimine regioselectively affords products of 1,4- and 6,3-addition with the latter prevailing. Arylsulfinate anion enters predominantly in the para-position with respect to the ArSO2NH group.”
“Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with impaired glucose metabolism and insulin resistance. Retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4) is an adipokine, hypothesized to induce insulin resistance.