The distribution of cadmium in soil and cacao beans in Peru.

Peru is the eighth largest producer of cacao beans globally, but high cadmium contents are constraining access to international markets which have set upper thresholds for permitted concentrations in chocolate and derivatives. Preliminary data have suggested that high cadmium concentrations in cacao beans are restricted to specific regions in the country, but to date no reliable maps exist of expected cadmium concentrations in soils and cacao beans. Drawing on >2000 representative samples of cacao beans and soils we developed multiple national and regional random forest models to develop predictive maps of cadmium in soil and cacao beans across the area suitable for cacao cultivation.

[Juxtaposition of the atria].

Left juxtaposition of atrial appendages is an anomaly of their origin and position which is associated with a high incidence of complex congenital heart defects. We studied six cases of juxtaposed right atrial appendages. They emerged from the anterior wall adjacent to the atrial septum and were situated to the left of the origin of the great arteries.

[Electrocardiographic findings in pulmonary arterial hypertension in children].

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) induces high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, mainly in the primary or essential type. Invasive studies are needed to confirm the diagnosis; among the non- invasive approach, the electrocardiogram has been used to suspect such entity with poor results due to inadequate diagnostic criteria. Twelve children with pulmonary hypertension of the essential type (PPH) and ten children with PH due to interventricular septal defect (VSD) were studied haemodynamically and electrocardiographically and compared to electrocardiographic data of 53 normal children.

[Tetralogy of Fallot associated with supravalvular mitral membrane].

Two children with tetralogy of Fallot and supravalvular mitral membrane are reported. In both, the diagnosis was established before surgery. In the first case, clinical data suggested the associated mitral lesion and a two-dimensional echocardiogram demonstrated a supravalvular membrane.

[Double outlet right ventricle with discordant atrioventricular connection. Clinical study].

The clinical and anatomic findings were reviewed in 17 patients with double-outlet right ventricle and atrioventricular discordance. Ten cases had atrial situs solitus, seven with right-sided heart three with left-sided heart. Seven cases had atrial situs inversus, five with left-sided heart and two with right-sided heart.

[Ebstein's anomaly in infants].

Ebstein's disease is a congenital malformation of the tricuspid valve that causes various hemodynamic alterations depending on the anatomic changes in the valve, presence or absence of atrial septal defect and reduction in the ventricular function. We present 19 patients with Ebstein's malformation of the tricuspid valve younger than 2 years of age. The long-term follow-up was from 1 week to 16 years with a mean of 40 months.

[Malposition of the great arteries. Is this term a valid one?].

We present four cases of a congenital heart malformation classically known as malposition of the great arteries. This term means there are concordant ventriculo-arterial connections with abnormal spatial relations of the aortic and the pulmonary arteries, in which the former is anterior relative to the latter, and either to the right or to the left, according to the position of the corresponding ventricle. This anomaly can be found in any type of atrial situs, notwithstanding the type or mode of atrioventricular connection, as in the cases we studied.

[Double inlet left ventricle].

Twenty-five cases of double-inlet left ventricle, 23 in atrial situs solitus and 2 with dextroisomerism are described. Twenty had both atrioventricular valves and in 3 a common atrioventricular valve connected to the left ventricle. In rest, the left atrioventricular valve was straddling over the left-sided right ventricle in about 15%.

Congenital absence of pulmonary valve leaflets.

Congenital absence of pulmonary valve leaflets is an uncommon condition usually associated with ventricular septal defect and an obstructive pulmonary valve ring. Twenty-one patients with these malformations are described. Twenty had an associated ventricular septal defect with ventriculoarterial concordance, and one also had transposition of the great arteries, ventricular septal defect, and obstructive pulmonary valve ring.

[Fibrous fixed subaortic stenosis].

Fifty eight patients with isolated with discrete subaortic stenosis or in association with just another heart defect, were studied between 1961 and 1980. The age range was between 2 and 42 years. The evaluation of each case was done according to clinical manifestations, systolic overloading of the left ventricle and the amount of the systolic gradient.