British journal of anaesthesia
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Little is known about the targets in the CNS that mediate ethanol analgesia. This study explores the role of spinal astrocyte aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2), a key ethanol-metabolising enzyme, in the analgesic effects of ethanol in mice. ⋯ These findings provide evidence that ALDH2 in spinal astrocytes mediates spinal ethanol metabolism and ethanol-induced analgesic effects by promoting GABA synthesis and GABAergic transmission in spinal cord.
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Observational Study
Surgical activity in England and Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide observational cohort study.
A significant proportion of healthcare resource has been diverted to the care of those with COVID-19. This study reports the volume of surgical activity and the number of cancelled surgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ The volume of surgical activity in England and Wales was reduced by 33.6% in 2020, resulting in more than 1.5 million cancelled operations. This deficit will continue to grow in 2021.