Photo-oxidized bovine pericardium in congenital cardiac surgery: single-centre experience.

Objectives: Dye-mediated photo-oxidation of pericardium is an alternative method to chemical treatment with glutaraldehyde for cross-linking collagen, providing biostability of the patch material while avoiding late calcification and cytotoxicity. There are few data available, on using photo-oxidation-treated pericardium, in congenital cardiac surgery. This study reports the outcomes using Photofix™ bovine pericardium in neonates, infants, children and young adults undergoing paediatric cardiac surgery.

Evaluation of buprenorphine hydrochloride Pluronic(®) gel formulation in male C57BL/6NCrl mice.

Providing adequate analgesia while minimizing handling and stress post-surgery can be challenging. Recently, there have been commercial products made available for providing long acting analgesia in rodents. However, we find there are limitations for use in mice due to the viscosity of the product and the small dosing volumes needed.

Identification and Potential Regulatory Properties of Evolutionary Conserved Regions (ECRs) at the Schizophrenia-Associated MIR137 Locus.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a region at chromosome 1p21.3, containing the microRNA MIR137, to be among the most significant associations for schizophrenia. However, the mechanism by which genetic variation at this locus increases risk of schizophrenia is unknown.

Norwood Stage 1 With Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction and Mitral Valve Repair for Neonatal Idiopathic Left Ventricular Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

A newborn girl presented with a prenatal diagnosis of dilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy, mitral valve regurgitation, and ductal-dependent circulation. The left ventricle was severely dilated and hypokinetic. The patient underwent Norwood stage 1 single ventricle palliation with a Damus-Kaye-Stansel anastomosis, atrioseptectomy, and a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt.

Corticosteroids Are Essential for Maintaining Cardiovascular Function in Male Mice.

Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis results in the release of hormones from the adrenal glands, including glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. The physiological association between corticosteroids and cardiac disease is becoming increasingly recognized; however, the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. To determine the biological effects of corticosteroids on the heart, we investigated the impact of adrenalectomy in C57BL/6 male mice.

Sustainability of school-located influenza vaccination programs in Florida.

Background: School-located influenza vaccination (SLIV) programs are a promising strategy for increasing vaccination coverage among schoolchildren. However, questions of economic sustainability have dampened enthusiasm for this approach in the United States. We evaluated SLIV sustainability of a health department led, county-wide SLIV program in Alachua County, Florida.

A Comparison of Prenatal and Postnatal Models to Predict Outcomes at the Border of Viability.

Objective: To compare the accuracy of a prenatal outcomes calculator developed by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) with a postnatal neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) prediction model for mechanically ventilated infants.

Study Design: Over a 3-year period, we identified 89 ventilated infants born in our NICU between 23 and 25 weeks gestation. We retrospectively determined the predicted morbidity and mortality for each infant using the prenatal NICHD Neonatal Research Network: Extremely Preterm Birth Outcome Data website calculator.

External Saphenous Vein Support Mesh Does Not Interfere With Transit-Time Flow Measurement on Venous Coronary Bypass Conduit: Clinical Confirmation.

A 65-year-old patient underwent double coronary artery bypass grafting using the left internal thoracic artery on the left anterior descending coronary artery and nitinol alloy mesh [external Saphenous Vein Support (eSVS)]-covered saphenous vein graft to the right posterior descending coronary artery. Transit-time flow measurements (TTFMs) were obtained on meshed and bare parts of the vein graft. There was no difference in TTFM parameters (flow, pulsatility index, and diastolic fraction values) obtained from the eSVS mesh-covered and the uncovered parts of the venous graft.

Recent increases in Arctic freshwater flux affects Labrador Sea convection and Atlantic overturning circulation.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is an important component of ocean thermohaline circulation. Melting of Greenland's ice sheet is freshening the North Atlantic; however, whether the augmented freshwater flux is disrupting the AMOC is unclear. Dense Labrador Sea Water (LSW), formed by winter cooling of saline North Atlantic water and subsequent convection, is a key component of the deep southward return flow of the AMOC.

Ring-reinforced Sano right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit at Norwood stage I.

Reinterventions for proximal conduit obstruction or on the pulmonary arteries are frequent after Sano-modified stage I Norwood palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. We report our experience with a modified Sano stage I, in which the right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery (PA) conduit used is reinforced by external rings to avoid collapse, and the conduit is inserted into the right ventricle through a limited ventriculotomy and 'dunked' into the ventricular cavity. In our experience, this modification was associated with fewer reinterventions or complications with the proximal anastomosis (P = 0.

Oviductal estrogen receptor α signaling prevents protease-mediated embryo death.

Development of uterine endometrial receptivity for implantation is orchestrated by cyclic steroid hormone-mediated signals. It is unknown if these signals are necessary for oviduct function in supporting fertilization and preimplantation development. Here we show that conditional knockout (cKO) mice lacking estrogen receptor α (ERα) in oviduct and uterine epithelial cells have impaired fertilization due to a dramatic reduction in sperm migration.

Neonatal Mitral Valve Repair in Biventricular Repair, Single Ventricle Palliation, and Secondary Left Ventricular Recruitment: Indications, Techniques, and Mid-Term Outcomes.

Objectives: Although mitral valve repair is rarely required in neonates, this population is considered to be at high risk for adverse outcomes. The aim of this study was to review the indications for surgery, mechanisms, repair techniques, and mid-term outcomes of neonatal mitral valve repair.

Methods: The demographic, procedural, and outcome data were obtained for all neonates who underwent mitral valve repair from 2005 to 2012.

Uterine glucocorticoid receptors are critical for fertility in mice through control of embryo implantation and decidualization.

In addition to the well-characterized role of the sex steroid receptors in fertility and reproduction, organs of the female reproductive tract are also regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. These endocrine organs are sensitive to stress-mediated actions of glucocorticoids, and the mouse uterus contains high levels of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Although the presence of GR in the uterus is well established, uterine glucocorticoid signaling has been largely ignored in terms of its reproductive and/or immunomodulatory functions on fertility.

An outbreak of acute delirium from exposure to the synthetic cannabinoid AB-CHMINACA.

Background: Synthetic cannabinoid containing products are a public health threat as reflected by a number of outbreaks of serious adverse health effects over the past 4 years. The designer drug epidemic is characterized by the rapid turnover of synthetic cannabinoid compounds on the market which creates a challenge in identifying the particular etiology of an outbreak, confirming exposure in cases, and providing current information to law enforcement.

Results: Between 28 May 2014 and 8 June 2014, 35 patients were evaluated and treated at the University of Florida Health Medical Center in Gainesville following reported exposure to a synthetic cannabinoid containing product obtained from a common source.

Nineteen-Millimeter Bioprosthetic Aortic Valves Are Safe and Effective for Elderly Patients With Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Replacing a stenotic aortic valve with 19-mm bioprostheses remains controversial owing to potential patient-prosthesis mismatch concerns. We report a single-center 10 year experience with 19-mm bioprosthetic valves implanted in elderly patients. We hypothesized patients would have acceptable in-hospital and long-term outcomes.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy patient specific quality assurance using a two-dimensional array at extended source to surface distance.

Methods: Five patients with 38 fields have been analyzed in this study. The plans were optimized for the following clinical sites: one liver, one lung, one brain, one prostate and one spine. The detector array used for the measurements was the PTW Seven29 array.

Auditory difficulties in blast-exposed Veterans with clinically normal hearing.

Unlabelled: Vast numbers of blast-injured Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation New Dawn personnel report postconcussive symptoms that include headache, dizziness, poor memory, and difficulty concentrating. In addition, many report hearing problems, such as difficulty understanding speech in noise, yet have no measureable peripheral auditory deficits. In this article, self-report and performance-based measures were used to assess 99 blast-exposed Veterans.