Annals of surgery
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To investigate whether transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) signaling is disrupted in human pancreatic cancer cells, and to study the role of TGFbeta receptors and Smad genes. ⋯ Pancreatic cancer cells show loss of TGFbeta responsiveness. Smads 2 and 3 and TGFbeta receptors are not defective in the cell lines studied. Transfection of Smad4 into one of the cell lines restored TGFbeta responsiveness, suggesting an important role for Smad4 in pancreatic cancer. It is likely that other, as yet unidentified genes are important in TGFbeta resistance in pancreatic cancer cells.
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To investigate the feasibility of a 48-hour postoperative stay program after colonic resection. ⋯ A multimodal rehabilitation program may significantly reduce the postoperative hospital stay in high-risk patients undergoing colonic resection. Such a program may also reduce postoperative ileus and cardiopulmonary complications. These results may have important implications for the care of patients after colonic surgery and in the future assessment of open versus laparoscopic colonic resection.
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Multicenter Study
Emergency department discharge of patients with a negative cranial computed tomography scan after minimal head injury.
To determine the negative predictive value of cranial computed tomography (CT) scanning in a prospective series of patients and whether hospital admission for observation is mandatory after a negative diagnostic evaluation after minimal head injury (MHI). ⋯ Patients with a cranial CT scan, obtained on a helical CT scanner, that shows no intracerebral injury and who do not have other body system injuries or a persistence of any neurologic finding can be safely discharged from the emergency department without a period of either inpatient or outpatient observation. Implementation of this practice could result in a potential decrease of more than 500,000 hospital admissions annually.
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To assess the mechanistic role of group IIA phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in the process of local and distant organ injury after intestinal ischemia-reperfusion. ⋯ Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion appears to produce lung injury by a mechanism that involves group IIA PLA2 activation. Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion is likely to promote intestinal and hepatic injury independent of group IIA PLA2.