Two-year review of firearm-related DNA casework evidence: A triage process to improve quality and efficiency.

A two-year casework review of 617 firearm-related submissions representing 119 cases has provided a DNA testing triage template for prioritizing and processing touch evidence associated with firearms and firearm accessories. The evidence consisted of swabbings from various locations of a firearm or a firearm-related item, and each submission was assigned to one of the following descriptive groups: Body, Magazine, Trigger Area, Rifles, Gun Accessories, Barrel, Miscellaneous, or Revolvers. Ultimately, there were 543 submissions analyzed from DNA extraction through electrophoresis, and interpretable profiles evaluated to determine eligibility for entry into The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

Surge and Mortality in ICUs in New York City's Public Healthcare System.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of ICU surge on mortality and to explore clinical and sociodemographic predictors of mortality.

Design: Retrospective cohort analysis.

Setting: NYC Health + Hospitals ICUs.

DNA backlog reduction strategy: Law enforcement agency partnerships for a successful biological screening laboratory.

In 2009, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Forensic Biology Unit developed an innovative DNA backlog strategy to construct and operate a centralized biological processing laboratory (BPL) within a law enforcement agency, the Boca Raton Police Services Department. The BPL became fully operational in 2012 and obtained accreditation in 2017. This coordinated, multi-agency agreement resulted in a streamlined process exemplifying several benefits such as communicating timely testing results, decreasing the case turnaround time, and decreasing the DNA case backlog.

Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)-Based analysis of untested sexual assault evidence in Palm Beach County Florida.

In August 2015, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) initiated a CODIS-Based Sexual Assault Evidence Testing Initiative, hereto referred to as the , as a direct result of the ongoing national inquiry about the number of untested sexual assault cases having DNA evidence stored in law enforcement agency vaults. The was designed to research sexual assault related evidence including the estimated 1800 untested sexual assault kits stored in the custody of Palm Beach County Law Enforcement Agencies to determine if probative evidence was available, conduct DNA testing on the evidence, and enter all eligible DNA profiles into the CODIS database. Between December 2015 and July 2018 more than 5500 cases were researched and evaluated resulting in evidence from 1,558 cases spanning a 43-year period being tested at a cost of $1,032,496.

Surgical Correction of Truncus Arteriosus With Unusual Origin of the Right Coronary Artery.

An 11-year-old male with a diagnosis of truncus arteriosus (common arterial trunk) with origin of the right coronary artery anteriorly from the pulmonary segment of the common trunk underwent reparative surgery. The pulmonary trunk was long, and it had a kink with stenosis that protected the distal pulmonary vascular bed from elevated pressure. Adequate flow allowed well-developed distal branch pulmonary arteries.

[Teeth size reduction in the prehistoric populations in Serbia].

Introduction: Anthropological studies show craniofacial changes with a reduction in teeth size during evolution of the human population.

Objective: The objective was to measure and compare the sizes of teeth in the population of the Mesolithic-Neolithic sites in the Iron Gate Gorge and the population from the Early Bronze Age site of Mokrin.

Methods: The study included teeth without advanced wear near the pulp.

Scanning electron microscopic examination of Enamel surface after fixed orthodontic treatment: in-vivo study.

Introduction: Therapy with fixed orthodontic appliances starts with bracket bonding and ends with debonding of brackets, leaving enamel surface varied. Objective The aim of this pilot study was to examine enamel surface before and after debonding of orthodontic brackets by the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Methods: Epoxy replicas of four patients' premolars indicated for therapy with fixed orthodontic appliances were made and brackets were bonded to their teeth with a different adhesives (Enlight, No-mix, Fuji Ortho LC and Heliosit Orthodontic) (n=4).

Surgical electrocautery facilitated transseptal puncture in children.

Background: Transseptal puncture has been performed in adults and children for decades. However, transseptal puncture can be challenging especially in pediatric patients because of an elastic septum and small atria. In adults, dedicated radiofrequency (RF) to facilitate transseptal puncture has become routine.

Pediatric cardiovascular surgery in South america: current status and regional differences.

Very little information is available about the epidemiology of congenital heart disease in developing parts of the world, including South America. This article describes the incidence of congenital cardiac disease, the different treatment rates among countries, and future solutions for achieving improved coverage for the children with cardiac diseases in South America. An incidence of congenital cardiac disease of 8 per 1000 live births appears to be a fair approximation for the population of the world and also the population in South America.

Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery: intermediate results of coronary elongation.

A two coronary system is preferred for correcting anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA); however, translocation is not always possible. In countries where neonatal arterial switch operations have not been perfected coronary transfer can be difficult. The purpose of this report is to describe the intermediate results using the coronary elongation and translocation technique in developing countries.

The use of 3D contrast-enhanced CT reconstructions to project images of vascular rings and coarctation of the aorta.

Background: Aortic arch and pulmonary artery anomalies make up a group of vascular structures that have complex three-dimensional (3D) shapes. Tortuosity as well as hypoplasia or atresia of segments of the aortic arch or pulmonary artery makes the conventional two-dimensional (2D) imaging difficult.

Methods: Nine patients with native coarctation or recoarctation and 4 patients with a vascular ring had a CT scan as a part of their clinical evaluation.

Paediatric cardiac assistance in developing and transitional countries: the impact of a fourteen year effort.

Background: Paediatric cardiac services are poorly developed or totally absent in underdeveloped countries. Institutions, foundations and interested individuals in those nations in which sophisticated paediatric cardiac surgery is practised have the ability to alleviate this problem by sponsoring paediatric cardio-surgical missions to provide care, and train local caregivers in developing, transitional, and third world countries. The ultimate benefit of such a programme is to improve the surgical abilities of the host institution.

The use of stereolithographic hand held models for evaluation of congenital anomalies of the great arteries.

Imaging anomalies of the great vessels has traditionally been accomplished using conventional biplane modalities as well as three-dimensional (3D) video displays. Our aim was to review the use of stereolithography to create 3D models to assess coarctation of the aorta and vascular rings. Twelve patients had high-resolution CT scans to evaluate anomalies of the great arteries (coarctation: 9, vascular ring: 3).

Congenital right ventricular diverticulum associated with a ventricular septal defect: a rare echocardiographic finding.

A neonate presented on the first day of life with tachypnea and poor feeding. The infant's initial echocardiogram demonstrated outpouching of the lateral wall of the right ventricle (RV) associated with a large ventricular septal defect (VSD). At 9 days of age he was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI).

Successful management of acute failure of the systemic right ventricle with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Management of systemic right ventricular (RV) failure can be challenging. Anatomical abnormality due to congenital heart disease adds to the complexity when interventions are performed. We report a patient with acute systemic RV failure who was successfully managed with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Coincidence of long QT syndrome and propionic acidemia.

Propionic acidemia and long QT syndrome (LQTS) are rare disorders. In addition, both conditions are potentially lethal. The patient presented in this article was initially diagnosed with propionic acidemia.

Are we improving after 10 years of humanitarian paediatric cardiac assistance?

Background: Paediatric cardiovascular services are frequently absent or poorly developed in many countries around the world. Our foundation made 83 trips in support of cardiovascular services between April 1993 and March 2003 to help alleviate this problem. In this study, we present an analysis of our results over these period of 10 years.

Effectiveness of fludrocortisone and salt in preventing syncope recurrence in children: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of salt and fludrocortisone versus placebo in the prevention of syncope recurrence in children.

Background: Intravascular volume expansion with fludrocortisone and salt has been reported to be effective in the treatment of syncope in children. However, no pediatric placebo-controlled data are available on the effectiveness of this mode of therapy.

Flap valve double patch closure of ventricular septal defects in children with increased pulmonary vascular resistance.

Background: Closure of a large ventricular septal defect (VSD) in children with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Sophisticated medications and circulatory assist devices may not be available to assist in the care of children with elevated PVR undergoing VSD closure. We designed a fenestrated flap valve double VSD patch to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with the closure of a large VSD in this high-risk group.

International pediatric cardiac assistance in Croatia: results of the 10 year program.

Aim: In an effort to help alleviate the lack of an adequate pediatric cardiac surgical service that existed in Croatia following 1991 the International Childrens Heart Foundation (ICHF) was asked to provide the necessary surgery. Initially, this project was undertaken as a humanitarian program to provide pediatric cardiac operations. After 5 years, the Republic of Croatia financially sponsored the program.

Medtronic Freestyle valve for right ventricular reconstruction in pediatric Ross operations.

Background: The use of homograft conduits to reconstruct right ventricle (RV) to pulmonary artery (PA) connections is an essential component of the Ross operation. Homograft availability and cost may be problematic when considering the Ross operation. We elected in January 1998 to utilize commercially available xenografts as an alternative to homografts for RV/PA reconstruction in the pediatric Ross operation.

Echocardiographic Features of Right Heart Failure in Infancy and Childhood.

In infants and children, right heart failure is most frequently a consequence of increased afterload (pulmonary hypertension). However, it is also observed as a sequela of congenital cardiovascular surgery. The purpose of this report is to present the causes of right heart dysfunction in children and to define the echo-Doppler methods used in the evaluation of right heart failure.