Hypoxia in early life is associated with lasting changes in left ventricular structure and function at maturity in the rat.

Background: There is a growing population of adults with repaired cyanotic congenital heart disease. These patients have increased risk of impaired cardiac health and premature death. We hypothesized that hypoxia in early life before surgical intervention causes lasting changes in left ventricular structure and function with physiological implications in later life.

Nuclear β-adrenergic receptors modulate gene expression in adult rat heart.

Both β(1)- and β(3)-adrenergic receptors (β(1)ARs and β(3)ARs) are present on nuclear membranes in adult ventricular myocytes. These nuclear-localized receptors are functional with respect to ligand binding and effector activation. In isolated cardiac nuclei, the non-selective βAR agonist isoproterenol stimulated de novo RNA synthesis measured using assays of transcription initiation (Boivin et al.

Gbetagamma is a negative regulator of AP-1 mediated transcription.

Following stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) at the cell surface, heterotrimeric G proteins are activated. Both Galpha and Gbetagamma subunits regulate specific effectors to transmit signals received by the receptor. Recent data suggest potential nuclear localization or translocation of the Gbetagamma subunit.

Repair of atrioventricular canal with double-outlet right ventricle, transposition, or truncus arteriosus.

Atrioventricular canal and conotruncal anomalies are a heterogeneous group of lesions presenting unique challenges for surgical repair. These are the establishment of unobstructed pathways from left ventricle (LV) to aorta and from right ventricle (RV) to pulmonary artery, closure of the inlet ventricular septal defect (VSD) and atrial septal defect (ASD) ostium primum, and the avoidance of significant left and right atrioventricular valve (AV) regurgitation. Repair of complete atrioventricular canal (CAVC) with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) has been most commonly achieved, either using a single-patch or a 2-patch technique.

Association of neonatal hypoxia with lasting changes in left ventricular gene expression: an animal model.

Objective: Innovations in pediatric cardiovascular surgery have resulted in significant improvements in survival for children with congenital heart disease. In adults with such disease, however, surgical morbidity and mortality remain significant. We hypothesized that hypoxemia in early life causes lasting changes in gene expression in the developing heart and that such changes may persist into later life, affecting the physiology of the adult myocardium.

The phenotype and potential origin of nestin+ cardiac myocyte-like cells following infarction.

Nestin+ cardiac myocyte-like cells were detected in the peri-infarct/infarct region of the ischemically damaged heart. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the phenotype and potential origin of nestin+ cardiac myocyte-like cells and identify stimuli implicated in their appearance. In the infarcted human and rat heart, nestin+ cardiac myocyte-like cells were morphologically and structurally immature, exhibited a desmin-immunoreactive striated phenotype, expressed the beta(1)-adrenergic receptor, and associated with an aberrant pattern of connexin-43 expression and/or organization.

Use of methylene blue for catecholamine-refractory vasoplegia from protamine and aprotinin.

We present two cases of catecholamine-refractory and vasopressin-refractory vasoplegic syndrome associated with intraoperative anaphylaxis during cardiac surgery. One case was related to the administration of protamine and the other case to the administration of aprotinin. Both cases were successfully managed using intravenous methylene blue.

The nomenclature, definition and classification of cardiac structures in the setting of heterotaxy.

In 2000, The International Nomenclature Committee for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease was established. This committee eventually evolved into the International Society for Nomenclature of Paediatric and Congenital Heart Disease. The working component of this international nomenclature society has been The International Working Group for Mapping and Coding of Nomenclatures for Paediatric and Congenital Heart Disease, also known as the Nomenclature Working Group.

Renal failure after cardiac surgery: timing of cardiac catheterization and other perioperative risk factors.

Background: The incidence of acute renal failure after cardiac surgery remains high, and the ability to predict renal failure using well-defined baseline risk factors is important. The relationship between the timing of preoperative cardiac catheterization and the incidence of postoperative renal failure has not been previously described.

Methods: Perioperative variables for 649 patients over 12 months were prospectively collected.

Spheroid preparation from hanging drops: characterization of a model of brain tumor invasion.

Background: The use of three-dimensional in vitro models of brain tumor invasion has provided a system for reconstructing some of the cellular microenvironments present in the tumor mass. While spheroids of murine and human astrocytoma cells can be prepared using spinning cultures, spheroid preparation using many cell lines is not amenable to this method. We have developed a reproducible system of creating implantable spheroids that is applicable to different cell lines, and is independent of cell line characteristics.