Ireland, Scotland, or Wales, as well as to the manufacturer. Then, if a pattern of false reactivity emerges, rapid action can be taken.This incident shook public confidence in HIV testing, which is expected to be virtually 100% sensitive. Vigilance is needed to avoid false negative results.K Osborne and J McMenamin coordinated the data collection and helped in drafting the report. The retesting exercise relied on the excellent cooperation of many epidemiologists and laboratory scientists throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. J Booth, I Chrystie, P Morgan-Capner, E M Ndawula, J Paul, G Underhill, and M Zuckerman kindly provided specimens and results for further analysis. B Davis, D Goldberg, V King, and C Roberts also gave valuable personal time to the exercise. C-P Pau generously supplied reagents for HIV serotyping.Funding
AbstractObjective: To study changes in the epidemiology and management of meningococcal disease in one health district during a period of high local incidence of disease.
Adults with a left-ventricular mass index (LVMI) in grams normalized to height in meters(2.7) (LVMI g/m(2.7)) >51 g/m(2.7) are more prone to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. We delineated the odds for cardiac structural sequelae amongst apparently normal white and African-American (AA) children with varying body mass indices (BMI) and office blood pressures. A total of 2,071 children with normal echocardiograms were categorized into risk groups based on BMI and systolic blood pressures (SBPs). Predictors of cardiac sequelae examined were age, sex, race, and z-scores (z) for BMI, SBP, and diastolic blood pressure. Cardiac sequelae measures included (LVMI g/m(2.7)) >51 g/m(2.7), (LVMI) (g/m(2.7)) z, left atrial size (LA(ht)) (mm) z, and relative wall thickness z. Mean age was 14 ± 2 years with 56 % being male and 13 % being AA. Children were divided into "controls" (n = 1,059) and risk groups based on BMI and SBP. Odds ratio for LVMI (g/m(2.7)) > 51.0 g/m(2.7), varied from 5.3 up to 8.5 in children with increased BMI. Both increased BMI and SBP z were associated with increased LVMI (g/m(2.7)) z; however, BMI z had a stronger association. Increased BMI z and AA race were associated with greater LA(ht) (mm) z. AA controls had a nonsignificantly increased LVMI z and a significantly increased LA(ht) (mm) and RWT z. Being overweight or obese is associated with cardiac sequelae in children to the extent known to be associated with adverse outcomes in adults. Healthy AA children have unique cardiac structural differences.
Fetal hiccups emerge as early as nine weeks post-conception, being the predominant diaphragmatic movement before 26 weeks of gestation. They are considered as a programmed isometric inspiratory muscle exercise of the fetus in preparation for the post-natal respiratory function, or a manifestation of a reflex circuitry underlying the development of suckling and gasping patterns. The present paper provides the first evidence of non-invasive biomagnetic measurements of the diaphragm spasmodic contractions associated with fetal hiccups. The magnetic field patterns generated by fetal hiccups exhibit well-defined morphological features, consisting of an initial high frequency transient waveform followed by a more prolonged low frequency component. This pattern is consistent across recordings obtained from two fetal subjects, and it is confirmed by signals recorded in a neonatal subject. These results demonstrate that fetal biomagnetometry can provide insights into the electrophysiological mechanisms of diaphragm motor function in the fetus. Additionally, we study the correlation between hiccup events and fetal cardiac rhythm and provide evidence that hiccups may modulate the fetal heart rate during the last trimester of pregnancy.
Objective
This study assesses in a baboon model the hemodynamics and HLA immunogenicity of chronically implanted bioengineered (decellularized with collagen conditioning treatments) human and baboon heart valve scaffolds.
Methods
Fourteen baboons underwent pulmonary valve replacement, eight with decellularized and conditioned (bioengineered) pulmonary valves derived from either allogeneic (N=3) or xenogeneic (human) (N=5) hearts; for comparison, six baboons received clinically relevant reference cryopreserved or porcine valved conduits. Panel reactive serum antibodies (HLA Class I&II), complement fixing antibodies (C1q binding), and C-reactive protein titers were measured serially until elective sacrifice at 10 or 26 weeks. Serial transesophageal echocardiograms (TEE) measured valve function and geometry. Differences were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon Rank Sum. P≤ 0.05 significant.
Results
All animals survived and thrived, exhibiting excellent immediate implanted valve function by TEE. Over time, reference valves developed smaller indexed effective orifice areas, EOAI=0.84(1.22) cm2/m2 median (range) while all bioengineered valves remained normal, EOAI=2.45 (1.35) cm2/m2; P=0.005. None of the bioengineered valves developed elevated peak transvalvular gradients, 5.5(6.0) versus 12.5(23.0) mmHg, P=0.003. Cryopreserved valves provoked the most intense antibody responses. Two of five human bioengineered and two of three baboon bioengineered valves did not provoke any Class I antibodies. Bioengineered human (but not baboon) scaffolds provoked Class II antibodies. C1q+ antibodies developed in four recipients.
Conclusions
Valve dysfunction correlated with markers for more intense inflammatory provocation. The tested bioengineering methods reduced antigenicity of both human and baboon valves. Bioengineered replacement valves from both species were hemodynamically equivalent to native valves.
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