Surgical correction of common atrium without noncardiac congenital anomalies.

Aims: Common atrium (CA) is a rare congenital heart defect. We reviewed our experience of surgical treatment of CA and summarize the clinical features of CA and the key techniques for surgical correction.

Methods: Between August 1984 and August 2010, 37 consecutive cases of CA underwent corrective surgery.

Bronchogenic cyst of the interatrial septum.

Bronchogenic cyst is considered as an uncommon congenital anomaly. It can be mostly found in mediastinum or lung. Intracardiac bronchogenic cyst is very rare.

Hypo-osmotic stress enhances the uptake of polyethylenimine/oligonucleotide complexes in A549 cells via Ca(2+) mobilization from intracellular stores.

To determine the mechanism of osmolarity involved in polyethylenimine (PEI)/oligonucleotide (ON) complex transfection in cells, we measured the fluorescence intensities of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled ONs complexed with PEI and the changes in cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](c)) in A549 cells, and we found that uptake of PEI/ON complexes was improved in the cells along with a rise of [Ca(2+)](c) in A549 cells challenged by 50% hypotonic medium. Further experiments showed that the enhanced uptake efficiency and the rise in [Ca(2+)](c) in A549 cells were almost completely abolished from cells loaded with the intracellular calcium chelator 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid-acetoxymethyl ester. 2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate or 8-(N,N-diethylamino) octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate, two potent antagonists of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-mediated Ca(2+) release that blunt [Ca(2+)](c) elevation via Ca(2+) release from endoplasmic reticulum, inhibited the enhanced uptake of PEI/ON complexes induced by Ca(2+)-free hypo-osmotic stress.