This study aimed to assess the quality of life (QOL) experienced by adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to determine which factors negatively affect adjustment and which factors increase resilience. The participants in the study were 74 patients with CHD (41 males and 33 females) ranging in age from 12 to 26 years (mean age, 18.76 ± 3.86 years). Demographic information and a complete clinical history were obtained. The participants were interviewed regarding topics such as social support, family educational style, selfimage, and physical limitations. They responded to questions in a standardized psychiatric interview (SADS-L) and completed a self-report questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) for assessment of QOL. Compared with the Portuguese population as a whole, the study patients had better QOL, especially with regard to the environmental dimension (t = 3.754; P = 0.000) and social relationships (t = 2.333; P = 0.022). Patients who had undergone surgery experienced poorer QOL in the physical dimension (t = -1.989; P = 0.050), in social relationships (t = -2.012; P = 0.048) and overall (Mann-Whitney U = 563.000; P = 0.037). Social support played a positive role in the QOL of the patients, both in the physical dimension (t = 3.287; P = 0.002) and in social relationships (t = 3.669; P = 0.000). A higher school achievement also was associated with higher levels of QOL overall (Mann-Whitney U = 457.000; P = 0.046) as well as in the physical (t = 2.045; P = 0.045) and environmental (t = 2.413; P = 0.018) dimensions. Physical limitations had a detrimental impact on general QOL (Mann-Whitney U = 947.500; P = 0.001) and on the physical (t = -2.910; p = 0.005) and psychological (t = -2,046; P = 0.044) dimensions. Patients with CHD tended to perceive QOL as better when their social networks were supportive.

We report the application of two poly [Ni(salen) was used to fabricate a solid state electrochromic device using lateral configuration with two figures of merit: a simple shape (typology 1) and a butterfly shape (typology 2); typology 1 showed the best performance with optical contrast ∆T = 88.7 % (at λ = 750 nm), colouration efficiency η = 130.4 cm 2 C -1 and charge loss of 37.0 % upon 3000 redox cycles.]

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry are employed to characterize poly(styrenesulfonate)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) multilayers assembled onto cysteamine-modified gold surfaces. The influence of the supporting electrolyte and temperature on the impedance response is studied because of both its practical interest and the need to test further the capillary membrane model recently developed by Barreira et al. [J. Phys. Chem. B 2004, 108, 17973]. The results obtained are interpreted quite satisfactorily in terms of this model, thus providing additional support to its usefulness for the description of ionic transport through polyelectrolyte multilayers. It is observed that the nature of the supporting electrolyte affects the film resistance and the electrode coverage. The temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient is shown to follow the Arrhenius law, and the activation energy is estimated as 61 kJ/mol. Experiments with a large number of layers are also included to show that the impedance response of the multilayer then resembles that of a homogeneous membrane.

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Objectives: To assess the perception of the quality of life of adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease and to examine the variables that have a negative impact on it and that add a resilience effect. Methods: A total of 22 male and 18 female patients, aged 12-26 years, of whom 27 were admitted to surgery and 13 were not, participated in this study. All patients had complete medical records and were interviewed once; demographic and clinical data were collected, and patients filled a questionnaire on quality of life, the WHOQOL-BREF, and underwent an interview on social support, educational style, self-image, functional limitations, and emotional adjustment. Results/Conclusions: Our patients showed a better perception of quality of life than did the general population, on the basis of psychological, social relationship and environment scales. Older patients hold a better perception of quality of life on the psychological scale. Cyanosis did not show any significant impact over perception of quality of life decay; however, the number of surgical procedures and the persistence of moderate-to-severe residual injuries had considerable detrimental effect. Social support had an impact on increasing resilience, promoting adjustment to illness. Several factors may play a role in adjustment to congenital heart disease, either improving the perception of quality of life or worsening it. We may conclude that some buffer variables on congenital heart disease may play roles in increasing the perception of quality of life of patients during their lifetime, social support probably explaining why the perception of quality of life is better than in the normal population. The number of surgeries and the moderate-to-severe residual injuries, however, reverted that effect.

ObjectivesOur purpose was to study psychosocial adjustment and psychiatric morbidity of adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease (CHD).DesignAll assessment measures were obtained on a single occasion. Clinical data was obtained through the patient's clinical records.SettingA teaching and tertiary care facility in Porto, Portugal.ParticipantsWe evaluated 110 CHD patients (62 male) aged from 12 to 26 years (mean=18.00±3.617), 58 cyanotic. All assessment measures were obtained on a single occasion in a tertiary hospital. Demographic information and clinical history were collected.Primary and secondary outcome measuresQuestionnaires regarded topics such as social support, family educational style, self-image and physical limitations, a standardised psychiatric interview Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia—Lifetime version (SADS-L), and a self-report questionnaire on psychosocial adjustment, youth self-report or adult self-report. One of the relatives completed an observational version of the same questionnaire (child behaviour checklist (CBCL) or ABCL (adult behaviour checklist)).ResultsWe found a 21.8% lifetime prevalence of psychopathology, 31.3%, in females, 14.5% in males, showing a somewhat increased proneness in CHD patients. Females also showed worse psychosocial adjustment, with more somatic complaints (u=260 000; p=0.011), anxiety/depression (u=984 000; p=0.002), aggressive behaviour (u=920 500; p=0.001), attention problems (u=1123 500; p=0.027), thought problems (u=1069 500; p=0.010), internalisation (u=869 000; p=0.0) and externalisation (u=1163 000; p=0.05). Patients with severe CHD (u=939 000; p=0.03) and surgical repair (u=719 000; p=0.037) showed worse psychosocial adjustment. Those with poor social support showed more withdrawal (u=557 500; p=0.0) and social problems (u=748 500; p=0.023), and patients with unsatisfactory school performance revealed more anxiety/depression (u=916 000; p=0.02) and attention problems (u=861 500; p=0.007).ConclusionsCHD males with good social support and good academic performance have a better psychosocial adjustment.

Automated synthesis of [ 18 F]ciprofloxacin in a TRACERlab TM FX FDG (GE Healthcare) synthesis module was developed. Dependence of radiochemical yield on reactor type was observed. 3-mL V-shaped borosilicate glass reactor gave higher radiochemical yield as compared with standard 15-mL glassy carbon reactor. V-shaped borosilicate glass reactor might also give higher radiochemical yield for other [ 18 F]radiotracers than [ 18 F]ciprofloxacin. a b s t r a c tWe transferred the previously published manual synthesis of [ 18 F]ciprofloxacin (decay-corrected RCY: 5.5 71.0%) to an automated synthesis module (TRACERlab TM FX FDG , GE Healthcare) and observed a strong decrease in RCY (0.4 70.4%). When replacing the standard 15-mL glassy carbon reactor of the synthesis module with a 3-mL V-shaped borosilicate glass reactor a considerable improvement in RCY was observed. [ 18 F]Ciprofloxacin was obtained in a RCY of 2.7 71.4% (n ¼23) with a specific activity at EOS of 1.47 0.5 GBq/mmol in a synthesis time of 160 min.

Results provide echocardiographic reference values for young adult male New Zealand white rabbits anesthetized with ketamine and medetomidine. Values obtained from unanesthetized rabbits, rabbits sedated with other agents, or rabbits of different size may differ from those reported here.