ASEAN as network governance: An alternative lens to evaluate policymaking and performance.

This article offers a new perspective of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as network governance (NG) using the policy network theory (PNT) for the analysis. Two case studies were selected from the ASEAN Community to examine the applicability and effectiveness of NG in promoting ASEAN cooperation. These case studies were chosen due to their prominence and the prevalence of critical comments about their effectiveness in promoting cooperation.

3Rs implementation in veterinary vaccine batch-release testing: Current state-of-the-art and future opportunities. A webinar and workshop report.

Regulatory authorities require veterinary batch-release testing to confirm vaccine potency and safety, but these tests have traditionally relied on large numbers of laboratory animals. Advances in vaccine research and development offer increasing opportunities to replace in vivo testing, and some stakeholders have made significant progress in incorporating 3Rs elements in quality control strategies. A three-part event series entitled "3Rs Implementation in Veterinary Vaccine Batch-Release Testing: Current state-of-the-art and future opportunities" was jointly organized by the Animal-Free Safety Assessment Collaboration, HealthforAnimals, and the International Alliance of Biological Standardization.

Cardiac valvular chondroma.

The case of a 36-year-old woman with a tricuspid valvular tumor is presented. The lesion was successfully resected through the right atrium. Histologic examination showed a chondroma arising in a cardiac valve.

Factors influencing immediate results, complications, and short-term follow-up status after Inoue balloon mitral valvotomy: a North American multicenter study.

Clinical trials with the Inoue mitral valvotomy balloon have recently begun in the United States. We assessed the effects of 17 demographic, echocardiographic, procedural, and hemodynamic variables on the immediate results, complications, and short-term follow-up of 200 patients in 15 centers undergoing valvotomy with this device. The study population had a mean age +/- SD of 53 +/- 15 years, and the total echocardiographic score was 7.

Myocardial energetics and efficiency in patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy: response to dobutamine and amrinone.

Nine consecutive patients having severe idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were studied for their response in ventricular function, coronary sinus blood flow and myocardial oxygen consumption, lactate extraction and efficiency following incremental doses of dobutamine, followed by the combination of dobutamine and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor amrinone. Results, presented as baseline and the response to the peak dose (15 micrograms/kg/min) of dobutamine and to the combination of dobutamine and amrinone (each at 15 micrograms/kg/min) (differences compared with baseline) were: wedge pressure decreased from 28 +/- 7 to 26 +/- 8 mm Hg (p = NS) and to 20 +/- 6 mm Hg (p less than 0.01); cardiac index rose from 1.