Mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase) are differentially regulated during cardiac volume and pressure overload hypertrophy.

Chronic pressure overload (PO) and volume overload (VO) result in morphologically and functionally distinct forms of myocardial hypertrophy. However, the molecular mechanism initiating these two types of hypertrophy is not yet understood. Data obtained from different cell types have indicated that the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) comprising c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and p38 play an important role in transmitting signals of stress stimuli to elicit the cellular response.

Revisiting the surgical creation of volume load by aorto-caval shunt in rats.

Cardiac hypertrophy is an early landmark during the clinical course of heart failure, and is an important risk factor for subsequent morbidity and mortality. The hypertrophy response to different types of cardiac overload is distinguished both at the molecular and cellular levels. These changes have been extensively characterized for pressure load hypertrophy; however, similar information for volume load hypertrophy is still needed.

The infectivity of Plasmodium yoelii in different strains of mice.

We evaluated the effect of using Medium 199 alone and Medium 199 supplemented with 5% normal mouse serum, 5% fetal calf serum, 5% bovine serum albumin or 5% Albumax on Plasmodium yoelii sporozoite yield from infected mosquitoes and infectivity in BALB/c mice. The sporozoites yield, as well as their infectivity, was statistically lower (P = 0.0031) when unsupplemented Medium 199 was used to separate sporozoites from infected mosquitoes.

Aortic aneurysm after patch aortoplasty for coarctation: analysis of patch size and wall growth.

Aortic aneurysm may develop after surgery for coarctation of aorta especially patch aortoplasty. The size of patch and of adjacent native aortic wall was analyzed to determine whether aortic dilatation represents a true aneurysm. Electron beam tomography (EBT) was done on 19 patients, three months to 17.

Intermediate results of the anatomic repair for congenitally corrected transposition.

Background: Anatomic repair of congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries has several advantages over the traditional approach but lacks long-term evaluation.

Methods: The data on 12 patients who had the procedure between January 1989 and June 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. Associated lesions included ventricular septal defect in 12 patients, pulmonary stenosis in 10 patients, and moderate to severe tricuspid valve regurgitation in 4 patients.

Isolated congenital absence of a single pulmonary valve cusp.

Isolated absence of a single pulmonary valve is extremely unusual. We present a 16-year-old male with the absence of one cusp resulting in significant pulmonary regurgitation, right ventricular enlargement, and dilatation of the main pulmonary artery and its branches. Surgery consisted of creating a valve cusp from the posterior wall of the pulmonary artery at the base of the pulmonary trunk.

Dexamethasone induced cardiac hypertrophy in newborn rats is accompanied by changes in myosin heavy chain phenotype and gene transcription.

Cardiac hypertrophy has been observed in newborn infants treated with dexamethasone (DEX). This study was undertaken to examine whether DEX-induced hypertrophy in newborn rats is associated with redistribution of cardiac myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms and, if so, the effects involve transcriptional regulation. Newborn rats were injected with either DEX (1 mg/kg/day; s.

Alternative techniques for surgical management of recoarctation.

Objective: To evaluate the different surgical options in patients with recoarctation and minimal collaterals.

Methods: Thirty-three cases operated on between January 1980 and January 1995 were reviewed. Initial repair was end-to-end anastomosis in 16 patients, subclavian artery aortoplasty in 10, synthetic patch aortoplasty in 4 and bypass conduit in 3 patients.

Management of hypoplastic aortic arch associated with neonatal coarctation.

Controversy still exists as to whether hypoplastic aortic arch frequently associated with neonatal coarctation, should be enlarged at the time of coarctation repair. To determine the indications for and the outcome of repair of hypoplastic aortic arch, pre- and postoperative angiograms/echocardigraphy of 77 cases with isolated (n = 25, Group 1) or complex (n = 52, Group 2) neonatal coarctation operated upon between 1/80 and 12/89 were reviewed. Age was 5-14 days (mean 8 +/- 1.

Tilapia cage culture and the dissolved oxygen trends in Sampaloc Lake, the Philippines.

The 28-hectare tilapia cage culture that occupied the 104-hectare Sampaloc Lake, a crater lake, shifted to intensive method in 1986 when tilapia growth slowed done at the beginning of 1982. Thus, commercial feeds became the main source of allochthonous organic matter in the lake. Total feeds given annually for the 28-hectare cage culture at 3 croppings per year amounted to 5250 tons.

Technical modifications for improved results in total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage.

To delineate factors that contribute to improved surgical outcome in patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, we reviewed the records of 52 consecutive patients. Venous drainage was supracardiac in 25 (48%), cardiac in 12 (23%), infracardiac in 10 (19%), and mixed in five (10%). Preoperative pulmonary venous obstruction was present in 18 patients (35%).

Conal enlargement for diffuse subaortic stenosis.

Twelve patients underwent conal enlargement for diffuse subaortic stenosis over a 3 1/2-year period. The subaortic stenosis was due to tunnel outflow in 11 and malattached mitral valve in one. Mean age was 4.

Advantages of early relief of subaortic stenosis in single ventricle equivalents.

Thirteen patients with single ventricle equivalents and subaortic stenosis underwent relief of the stenosis and subsequent Fontan operation. Nine patients, group 1, had the obstruction relieved at 3.6 +/- 1.

Extended aortic valvuloplasty: a new approach for the management of congenital valvar aortic stenosis.

A new technique for the treatment of congenital valvar aortic stenosis is described. It consists of augmenting the aortic cusp by extending the commissurotomy incision into the aortic wall around the leaflet insertion, mobilizing the valve cusp attachment at the commissures, and freeing the aortic insertion of the rudimentary commissure. The results of standard valvotomy performed on 48 patients (group 1) were compared with those of the new extended valvuloplasty carried out on 16 patients (group 2).

Variations in local PGE levels: a potential factor in therapeutic responsiveness?

It was hypothesized that it is the concentration of PGE in the plasma which actually reaches the ductus arteriosus which determines ductal response to PGE administration. Therefore, site specific PGE levels were studied in two infants with ductus dependent congenital heart lesions who were receiving PGE1 infusions. PGE levels were found to vary in a fashion related to the infusion site and the specific cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics of each patient.

Cardiac abnormalities in children with sickle cell anemia.

The cardiac status of 64 children (ages 0.2 to 18 yr) with sickle cell anemia documented by hemoglobin electrophoresis was evaluated by echocardiography. Left atrial, left ventricular and aortic root dimensions were significantly increased in over 60 percent of these children at all ages compared to values for 99 normal black (non-SCA) control subjects.

Repair of complete atrioventricular septal defect with tetralogy of Fallot.

Repair of complete atrioventricular canal with tetralogy of Fallot was performed in 9 patients. Ventricular septal defect was closed through the right atrium using a single polytetrafluoroethylene patch with ample anterior extension to avoid subaortic obstruction. The atrial septal defect was closed with a separate patch.

Cardiovascular effects of hypertransfusion therapy in children with sickle cell anemia.

Thirteen children, age 1.9 to 14.8 years with documented sickle cell disease, underwent echocardiographic assessment of cardiac status while on and off periodic hypertransfusion therapy (HTX).

Transatrial relief of diffuse subaortic stenosis after ventricular septal defect closure.

Transatrial enlargement of the left ventricular outflow tract for serious obstruction was performed in 3 patients with previous ventricular septal defect closure. Two patients had recurrent subaortic stenosis as resection had already been performed at initial operation. In all patients, the obstruction was located below the ventricular septal defect patch.

Aortic root replacement for complicated bacterial endocarditis in an infant.

We report the case of a 10-week-old girl with streptococcal aortic valve endocarditis that was resistant to medical management and complicated by aortic insufficiency, congestive heart failure, annular abscess, and a large periaortic pseudoaneurysm. She underwent successful aortic valve and root replacement (with coronary artery reimplantation) utilizing an aortic valve homograft (allograft). The patient recovered completely and was discharged 3 weeks postoperatively.

Echocardiographic functions and blood pressure levels in children and young adults from a biracial population: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

M-mode echocardiograms were obtained on 651 healthy subjects, 7-22 years of age, whose diastolic blood pressure levels remained in the same height-, race-, and sex-specific decile during two biannual examinations. Echocardiographic measures of heart size and dynamics were compared across the total blood pressure distribution. Left ventricular stroke volume, cardiac output and ejection fraction, minor axis shortening, velocity of circumferential fiber shortening, and peripheral vascular resistance were correlated with blood pressure levels.

Congenital left atrial aneurysm in an infant.

Congenital left atrial aneurysm, without associated cardiac abnormalities, is a rare defect. We report the case of a large left atrial aneurysm filling almost the entire left hemothorax. This is the first report of this anomaly occurring in an infant less than 1 year of age.

Small aortic valve annulus in children with fixed subaortic stenosis.

Twenty-one hearts with fixed subaortic stenosis (FSAS) were examined pathologically. Thirty children with no hemodynamically significant heart disease, 31 children with valvar aortic stenosis, and 25 children with FSAS were studied by echo- and angiocardiography. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) Patients with FSAS often have abnormal aortic valve leaflets as well as small aortic valve annulus.