Winter 2014 DIG Report: Karthik Raghunathan, MD, MPH
Comparative effectiveness in Perioperative and Critical Care Medicine: Crystalloid Fluid Therapy
Different types of Intravenous Fluids are widely used for the treatment of patients with serious infections who are admitted to the ICU. The conventional comparison has always been between fluids called, “crystalloids,” versus, “colloids.” Despite years of debate, these types of fluids have proved equivalent.
Winter 2012 DIG Report: Mihai V. Podgoreanu, MD
Elucidating Adaptive Mechanisms of Perioperative Cardioprotection Following Ischemia-reperfusion in Hibernating Arctic Ground Squirrels
The overall goal of this study was to understand how hibernating animals have developed natural defense mechanisms to withstand extremes of environment, and to ultimately apply this knowledge for organ protection in humans undergoing heart surgery.
Spring 2013 DIG Report: Miklos Kertai, MD, PhD
Pharmacogenomics of β-blockers: Implication for Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation
The purpose of our study is to identify genetic variations in human genes that are responsible for modulating the efficacy of beta-blockers for the prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation. For the purposes of the present study, we are using isolated DNA and human atrial tissue from patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery at Duke University Medical Center.
Spring 2013 DIG Report: Michael W. Manning, MD, PhD
Cardiopulmonary Bypass Induced Inflammatory Changes in the Atrial Wall: The Novel Role for Cardiac Chymase produced Angiotensin II in the Development of Atrial Fibrillation
Over the last four months, I have been working to establish many of the tools that we will need to conduct these new and exciting experiments.
Winter 2012 DIG Report: Jorn A. Karhausen, MD
Determinants of Intestinal Epithelial Wound Healing
The main hypothesis of our proposal was that the local interplay of hypoxic and inflammatory mechanisms in intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury plays an important role in epithelial recovery through the action of the transcription factor ZEB-1.
Spring 2013 DIG Report: Steve Melton, MD
Neurointerventional Regional Anesthesia to Improve Hand Rehabilitation in Stroke
This collaborative research project between investigators from anesthesiology, physical therapy, and neurology is proceeding as planned. Initial groundwork, preparation, and coordination have occurred to facilitate successful recruitment, enrollment and implementation of the study design and data collection.
Winter 2012 DIG Report: Huaxin Sheng, MD
Effect of an Mn-porphyrin in Neuropathic Pain
With the support of our DIG, we developed two mouse models of spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced neuropathic pain in the lab.
Spring 2013 DIG Report: Karthik Raghunathan, MD, MPH
Comparative effectiveness in Perioperative and Critical Care Medicine: Crystalloid Fluid Therapy
Balanced salt solutions are often used for the treatment of dehydration among patients undergoing surgical procedures, while intravenous saline solutions are the most commonly used fluid among patients with serious infections.
Duke Everest Trekkers Gather
Kathmandu
Despite the vagaries of air travel, all trekkers managed to converge on the Summit Hotel in preparation for the journey to Base Camp.
Duke Xtreme Everest 2 Recap
In 10 days the team trekked 40 miles and climbed 8,300 feet to the final Everest Base Camp altitude of 17,651 feet, where the barometric pressure is typically 400 mmHg (slightly higher than one half of the normal atmospheric pressure at sea level). Before commencing their descent a few of our team made the arduous climb to the top of Kala Pattar (altitude 18,192 ft). After 17 days at high altitude in the Khumbu Valley the Duke team returned to Kathmandu on April 21st to relax for a couple of days before flying home.