Hypoplastic Circumflex Aorta With Anomalous Left Pulmonary Artery: Uncrossing Operation in a Neonate.

Circumflex aortic arch with coarctation and anomalous origin of the left pulmonary artery from the aorta are rare cardiovascular anomalies. These conditions can lead to early pulmonary hypertension and challenging management. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention are beneficial for optimal outcome.

Distinguishing Respiratory Features of Category A/B Potential Bioterrorism Agents from Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Differentiating between illness caused by community-acquired respiratory pathogens versus infection by biothreat agents is a challenge. This review highlights respiratory and clinical features of category A and B potential biothreat agents that have respiratory features as their primary presenting signs and symptoms. Recent world events make such a reminder that the possibility of rare diseases and unlikely events can occur timely for clinicians, policymakers, and public health authorities.

Photoplethysmographic assessment of pulse transit time correlates with echocardiographic measurement of stroke volume in preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus.

Objective: We aimed to correlate photoplethysmographic parameters with stroke volume in infants with PDA. Photoplethysmography constitutes the optical signal in pulse oximetry.

Study Design: Stroke volume was determined echocardiographically.

Containment Care Units for Managing Patients With Highly Hazardous Infectious Diseases: A Concept Whose Time Has Come.

The concept of containment care for patients with highly hazardous infectious diseases originated in conjunction with the development of sophisticated biosafety level 4 laboratories at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in the late 1960s. Over time, the original containment facility served as a model for the development of other facilities in the United States at government and academic centers. The Ebola outbreak of 2014-2015 brought the issue of containment care into the mainstream and led to the development of such capabilities at strategic points around the country.

Parkinson's disease and history of outdoor occupation.

Background: Human and animal studies, albeit not fully consistent, suggest that vitamin D may reduce risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). Ultraviolet radiation converts vitamin D precursor to the active form. This study examined the hypothesis that working outdoors is associated with a decreased risk of PD.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation for dyssynchrony-induced dilated cardiomyopathy in an infant.

The relationship between accessory pathway-mediated ventricular preexcitation and left ventricular dyssynchrony-induced dysfunction has been described in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome in the absence of sustained supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Supraventricular tachycardia in infants is usually successfully suppressed with antiarrhythmic medications, but catheter ablation has ultimately been required as definitive treatment in medically resistant cases. Catheter ablation has not been described in young infants for dyssynchrony-related dilated cardiomyopathy in the absence of SVT.

Restrictive versus nonrestrictive physiology following repair of tetralogy of Fallot: is there a difference?

Background: Long-term outcome in repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is related to chronic pulmonary insufficiency (PI), right ventricular (RV) dilation, and deterioration of RV function. The aim of this study was to characterize clinical differences between restrictive and nonrestrictive RV physiology in young patients with repaired TOF.

Methods: Patients were prospectively enrolled from February 2008 to August 2009.

Subpulmonary stenosis assessed in midtrimester fetuses with tetralogy of Fallot: a novel method for predicting postnatal clinical outcome.

This study aimed to determine whether quantification of subpulmonary stenosis (SPS) in tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) in the second-trimester fetus can predict postnatal clinical outcome measured by pulmonary valve size and/or timing or type of intervention. The study retrospectively identified fetuses with TOF from 1998 to 2010 diagnosed at 26 weeks gestation or earlier. The data evaluated included pre- and postnatal pulmonary valve z-scores (PVZ).

Fetal right-ventricular hypertrophy with pericardial effusion and maternal untreated hyperthyroidism.

Uncontrolled/untreated maternal hyperthyroidism has been associated with fetal tachycardia. We report a case of right-ventricular (RV) hypertrophy with pericardial effusion related to untreated maternal Graves' disease. A 33-year-old G4P1021 woman with uncontrolled Graves' disease presented at 29 weeks gestation with abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding.

Children and adolescents with repaired tetralogy of fallot report quality of life similar to healthy peers.

Objective: The study aims to evaluate and compare self-reported and parent proxy-reported quality of life (QOL) in pediatric patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and determine relationships with residual disease.

Design: QOL was prospectively evaluated in children/adolescents with repaired TOF and parents' proxy report using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core and Cardiac Module scales. The scores were compared with published self and parent proxy-reported normative data for children considered healthy, chronically ill, and with congenital heart disease.

Success of pubovaginal sling in patients with stress urinary incontinence and efficacy of vaginal sling release in patients with post-sling voiding dysfunction.

Objective: To assess the overall success of sling procedures and surgical sling release in achieving urinary continence and voiding function in women with stress urinary incontinence.

Methods: We reviewed the charts of 107 patients with stress urinary incontinence who had a two-team abdominal-vaginal fascial sling procedure performed between January 2000 and December 2003. Data reviewed included the patients' medical history, demographic data, findings on physical examination, urodynamic studies, operative report, and findings at visits 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery.

Chromium on the hands of children after playing in playgrounds built from chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood.

Children's exposure to arsenic and chromium from playground equipment constructed with chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood is a potential concern because of children's hand-to-mouth activity. However, there exists no direct measure of Cr levels on the hands of children after playing in such playgrounds. In this study we measured both soluble and total Cr on the hands of 139 children playing in playgrounds, eight of which were constructed with CCA-treated wood and eight of which were not.

Arsenic on the hands of children after playing in playgrounds.

Increasing concerns over the use of wood treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) in playground structures arise from potential exposure to arsenic of children playing in these playgrounds. Limited data from previous studies analyzing arsenic levels in sand samples collected from CCA playgrounds are inconsistent and cannot be directly translated to the amount of children's exposure to arsenic. The objective of this study was to determine the quantitative amounts of arsenic on the hands of children in contact with CCA-treated wood structures or sand in playgrounds.

The csbX gene of Azotobacter vinelandii encodes an MFS efflux pump required for catecholate siderophore export.

The csbX gene of Azotobacter vinelandii was regulated in an iron-repressible manner from a divergent promoter upstream of the catecholate siderophore biosynthesis (csb) operon and was predicted to encode an efflux pump of the major facilitator superfamily. Other proteins that were most similar to CsbX were encoded by genes found in the catecholate siderophore biosynthesis operons of Aeromonas hydrophila and Stigmatella aurantiaca. Inactivation of csbX resulted in 57-100% decrease in the amount of catecholates released when compared to the wild-type in iron-limited medium.

Alginate formation in Azotobacter vinelandii UWD during stationary phase and the turnover of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate.

Azotobacter vinelandii UWD is a mutant of strain UW that is defective in the respiratory oxidation of NADH. This mutation causes an overproduction of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), as polyester synthesis is used as an alternative electron sink. Since PHAs have potential for use as natural, biodegradable plastics, studies of physiology related to their production are of interest.