Transient Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Palsy after Interventional Therapy.

Background: Hoarseness due to laryngeal nerve injury is a known complication after cardiothoracic surgery involving the aortic arch. However, this complication is only rarely reported after catheter interventions.

Results: In this article we present the unusual case of a left-sided vocal cord paralysis in four patients after primary stenting of a re-coarctation, re-dilatation of a stented coarctation, a primary stenting of the left pulmonary artery (LPA), and prestenting for percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation with dilation of the LPA.

The digestive systems of carnivorous plants.

To survive in the nutrient-poor habitats, carnivorous plants capture small organisms comprising complex substances not suitable for immediate reuse. The traps of carnivorous plants, which are analogous to the digestive systems of animals, are equipped with mechanisms for the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. Such capabilities have been acquired convergently over the past tens of millions of years in multiple angiosperm lineages by modifying plant-specific organs including leaves.

Under salt stress guard cells rewire ion transport and abscisic acid signaling.

Soil salinity is an increasingly global problem which hampers plant growth and crop yield. Plant productivity depends on optimal water-use efficiency and photosynthetic capacity balanced by stomatal conductance. Whether and how stomatal behavior contributes to salt sensitivity or tolerance is currently unknown.

Genomes of the Venus Flytrap and Close Relatives Unveil the Roots of Plant Carnivory.

Most plants grow and develop by taking up nutrients from the soil while continuously under threat from foraging animals. Carnivorous plants have turned the tables by capturing and consuming nutrient-rich animal prey, enabling them to thrive in nutrient-poor soil. To better understand the evolution of botanical carnivory, we compared the draft genome of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) with that of its aquatic sister, the waterwheel plant Aldrovanda vesiculosa, and the sundew Drosera spatulata.

Neonatal cardiac hypertrophy: the role of hyperinsulinism-a review of literature.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in neonates is a rare and heterogeneous disorder which is characterized by hypertrophy of heart with histological and functional disruption of the myocardial structure/composition. The prognosis of HCM depends on the underlying diagnosis. In this review, we emphasize the importance to consider hyperinsulinism in the differential diagnosis of HCM, as hyperinsulinism is widely associated with cardiac hypertrophy (CH) which cannot be distinguished from HCM on echocardiographic examination.

Spectrum of heart diseases in children presenting to a paediatric cardiac echocardiography clinic in the Lake Zone of Tanzania: a 7 years overview.

Background: Congenital heart diseases (CHD) are among the most common congenital malformations. It is estimated that the incidence of CHD is constant worldwide, but data are rare for most African countries including Tanzania. Even less data are available on the prevalence of acquired heart diseases (AHD) in African children.

Follow-up after biventricular repair of the hypoplastic left heart complex.

Objectives: In hypoplastic left heart complex patients, biventricular repair is preferred over staged-single ventricle palliation; however, there are too few studies to support either strategy. Therefore, we retrospectively characterized our patient cohort with hypoplastic left heart complex after biventricular repair to measure left-sided heart structures and assess our treatment strategy.

Methods: Patients with hypoplastic left heart complex who had biventricular repair between 2004 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed.

Long-term outcome of transvenous pacemaker implantation in infants: a retrospective cohort study.

Aim: Evaluation of long-term outcome of transvenous pacemaker (PM) implantation in infants.

Methods And Results: A retrospective analysis of all transvenous PM implantations in infants <10 kg between September 1997 and October 2001 was made. Indications for PM implantation, age at implantation, and determinants of long-term outcome including cardiac function, PM function, and PM (system) complications were noted.

Interventional VSD-Closure with the Nit-Occlud Lê VSD-Coil in 110 Patients: Early and Midterm Results of the EUREVECO-Registry.

In August 2010, the Nit-Occlud Lê (EUREVECO) became available for transcatheter coil occlusion of ventricular septal defects (VSDs). Retrospective European Registry for VSD Closure using the Nit-Occlud Lê-VSD-Coil; analysis of the feasibility, results, safety and follow-up of VSD-closure over a 3-year period in 18 European centers. In 102 of 111 patients (female 66), successful VSD closure was performed (mean age 8.

Midterm Follow-Up After Biventricular Repair of the Hypoplastic Left Heart Complex.

Background: In neonates with hypoplastic left heart complex (HLHC), biventricular repair is considered superior to univentricular repair. The Z-scores of the mitral and the aortic valve annulus are primary factors for the choice of repair. Predictive cutoff values for the feasibility and optimal outcome of biventricular repair are unknown.

Transcatheter embolization of a large aneurysm in a congenital coronary cameral fistula from the left coronary artery to the right ventricle.

A congenital coronary cameral fistula (CCCF) is characterized by left ventricular dysfunction, electrocardiographic changes due to a reduced left coronary blood flow and impaired physical activity. CCCF's with a giant aneurysm are very rarely seen. The presence of a giant aneurysm imposes even greater health risks.

Comparability of Z-score equations of cardiac structures in hypoplastic left heart complex.

Background: Hypoplastic left heart complex (HLHC) is characterized by a mitral valve or an aortic valve annular Z score < -2, antegrade flow in the ascending aorta, ductal dependency, coarctation or aortic arch hypoplasia, and absence of significant (sub)valvar stenosis. The Z scores of the mitral and aortic valve annuli are major determinants of HLHC. Therefore, the algorithm for Z-score calculation is essential for diagnosis.

Fetal heart disease: severity, associated anomalies and parental decision.

Objective: This study describes the association between the complexity of congenital cardiac and extracardiac malformations, and the parental decision of pregnancy continuation or termination.

Methods: Congenital heart defects (CHD) was diagnosed by ultrasound in 251 fetuses before the 24th week (23 + 6 weeks) of gestation during the four year period from 2007 to 2010. All fetuses from the Utrecht region were referred to our center due to a strict referral pattern.

Synthesis and evaluation of new guanidine-thiourea organocatalyst for the nitro-Michael reaction: Theoretical studies on mechanism and enantioselectivity.

A new guanidine-thiourea organocatalyst has been developed and applied as bifunctional organocatalyst in the Michael addition reaction of diethyl malonate to trans-β-nitrostyrene. Extensive DFT calculations, including solvent effects and dispersion corrections, as well as ab initio calculations provide a plausible description of the reaction mechanism.

Isolated atrioventricular block in the fetus: a retrospective, multinational, multicenter study of 175 patients.

Background: Isolated complete atrioventricular block in the fetus is a rare but potentially lethal condition in which the effect of steroid treatment on outcome is unclear. The objective of this work was to study risk factors associated with death and the influence of steroid treatment on outcome.

Methods And Results: We studied 175 fetuses diagnosed with second- or third-degree atrioventricular block (2000-2007) retrospectively in a multinational, multicenter setting.

Chiari's network as a cause of fetal and neonatal pathology.

Chiari's network is a remnant of the eustachian valve located in the right atrium. Incomplete involution of the fetal sinus venosus valves results in "redundant" Chiari's network, which may compromise cardiovascular function. This report describes a case with the novel finding of prenatal compromise due to redundant Chiari's network and an uncommon case with significant postnatal symptoms.

Chiral BINOL-derived phosphoric acids: privileged Brønsted acid organocatalysts for C-C bond formation reactions.

BINOL-derived phosphoric acids have emerged during the last five years as powerful chiral Brønsted acid catalysts in many enantioselective processes. The most successful transformations carried out with chiral BINOL phosphates include C-C bond formation reactions. The recent advances have been reviewed in this article with a focus being placed on hydrocyanations, aldol-type, Mannich, Friedel-Crafts, aza-ene-type, Diels-Alder, as well as cascade and multi-component reactions.

Juxtaductal coarctation of both pulmonary arteries in a cat.

A 4-year-old, male, neutered cat was referred because of recurrent episodes of dyspnea. Physical examination revealed a harsh systolic murmur, with the point of maximal intensity in the left heart base, with an intensity of 4 out of 6. Echocardiographic diagnosis was severe supravalvular pulmonary artery stenosis.

Prognosis for neonates with enterovirus myocarditis.

Objective: To assess the severity of the disease and the long-term cardiac prognosis for neonates who developed enterovirus (EV) myocarditis within the first weeks of life.

Design: Clinical presentation, echocardiographic and ECG findings and the outcome of seven infants with EV myocarditis admitted to the intensive care unit are reported. Additionally, 28 previously reported cases are described.

Spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking in the aldol reaction and its potential relevance in prebiotic chemistry.

The origin of the single chirality of most biomolecules is still a great puzzle. Carbohydrates could form in the formose reaction, which is proposed to be autocatalytic and contains aldol reaction steps. Based on our earlier observation of organoautocatalysis and spontaneous enantioenrichment in absence of deliberate chiral influences in the aldol reaction of acetone and p-nitrobenzaldehyde we suggest that a similar effect might be present also in the aldol reactions involved in gluconeogenesis.