Anesthesiology
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Although upregulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in spinal cord after peripheral inflammation has been well documented, the effect of surgery on spinal COX-2 has not been examined in detail. The present study uses a bilateral foot incision in rats to examine the magnitude and duration of surgically induced changes in spinal COX-2 protein. ⋯ After bilateral foot incision in rats, lumbar spinal COX-2 protein levels increase, although the magnitude and duration are less than reported in models of peripheral inflammation. This COX-2 upregulation does not seem to be mediated by afferent nerve activity.
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Volatile anesthetics disappear from an organism after the end of anesthesia. Whether changes of protein expression persist in the brain for a longer period is not known. This study investigates the question of whether the expression of proteins is altered in the rat brain after the end of desflurane anesthesia. ⋯ Desflurane anesthesia produces changes in cytosolic protein expression up to 72 h after anesthesia in the rat brain, indicating yet unknown persisting effects.
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Editorial Comment
Genetic testing for malignant hyperthermia in North America.
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Biography Historical Article
Peter J Pronovost, M.D., Ph.D. Recipient of the 2003 Presidential Scholar Award.