Direct transformation of equilateral hexagonal Frank vacancy loops to stacking fault tetrahedra under thermal fluctuation.

Stacking fault tetrahedra (SFTs) are highly interesting three-dimensional vacancy defects in quenched, plastically deformed or irradiated face-centered-cubic metals and have a significant impact on the properties and subsequent microstructural evolution of the materials. Their formation mechanism and stability relative to two-dimensional vacancy loops are still debated. Equilateral hexagonal Frank vacancy loops (faulted, sessile) observed in microscopy have been considered unable to directly transform to SFTs due to separation of Shockley partial dislocations as well as embryonic stacking faults.

Peritoneal-mediastinal communication complication in peritoneal dialysis.

Peritoneal-mediastinal communication is a rare complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). We report the first case of peritoneal-mediastinal communication complication in a 36-year-old Caucasian man on continuous cycler peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) after undergoing cardiac surgery. He developed end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) due to calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity and BK virus nephropathy in the setting of prior heart transplantation.

Relationship between High Red Cell Distribution Width and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome after Extracorporeal Circulation.

Objective: Cardiac surgical operations involving extracorporeal circulation may develop severe inflammatory response. This severe inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is usually associated with poor outcome with no predictive marker. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a routine hematological marker with a role in inflammation.

Effect of prosthesis patient mismatch in mitral position on pulmonary hypertension.

Objectives: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with poor outcome after mitral valve replacement (MVR). We proposed to evaluate the effect of valve prosthesis patient mismatch (PPM) on pulmonary arterial (PA) pressure following MVR.

Methods: Five hundred patients who have undergone MVR were studied retrospectively.