Teaching global public health in the undergraduate liberal arts: a survey of 50 colleges.

Undergraduate public health and global health studies are usually found at universities with graduate programs in the disciplines. Following the experience of teaching a short course in global health within the liberal arts, we reviewed global and public health offerings at 50 liberal arts colleges for the 2009-2010 academic year. Forty-two percent had a track, concentration, or program, and 30% had global or public health student organizations.

Beating-heart percutaneous mitral valve repair using a transcatheter endovascular suturing device in an animal model.

Background: The edge-to-edge (Alfieri) technique for mitral valve repair is a versatile method of treating mitral insufficiency. Because of its simplicity, it has been applied in minimally invasive surgery, and recently, in the design of endovascular closed-heart devices.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acute in-vivo safety and feasibility of a novel percutaneous mitral valve repair system based on Alfieri technique in an animal model.