Fault Detection and Safety in Closed-Loop Artificial Pancreas Systems

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pumps and continuous glucose monitors enable individuals with type 1 diabetes to achieve tighter blood glucose control and are critical components in a closed-loop artificial pancreas. Insulin infusion sets can fail and continuous glucose monitor sensor signals can suffer from a variety of anomalies, including signal dropout and pressure-induced sensor attenuations. In addition to hardware-based failures, software and human-induced errors can cause safety-related problems. Techniques for fault detection, safety analyses, and remote monitoring techniques that have been applied in other industries and applications, such as chemical process plants and commercial aircraft, are discussed and placed in the context of a closed-loop artificial pancreas.     

Ectopia cordis: A rare congenital anomaly

Ectopia cordis (EC) is a rare congenital anomaly associated with the heart positioned outside of the thoracic cavity either partially or completely. The ectopic heart can be found along a spectrum of anatomical locations, including the cervical, thoracic and abdominal regions and in most cases, it protrudes outside the chest through a split sternum. Although the first case of EC was identified during the early 1600s only 91 cases have been reported since then in the literature. This review will discuss the history and prevalence of EC, its etiology, morphology, presentation and symptoms, complications, diagnosis, treatment and management and prognosis. Clin. Anat. 27:1193–1199, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Intracardiac Eustachian Valve Cyst in an Adult Detected with Other Cardiac Anomalies: Usefulness of Multidetector CT in Diagnosis

We present an unusual case of an intracardiac Eustachian valve cyst observed concurrently with atresia of the coronary sinus ostium, a persistent left superior vena cava (LSVC) and a bicuspid aortic valve. There have been several echocardiographic reports of Eustachian valve cysts; however, there is no report of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) findings related to a Eustachian valve cyst. Recently, we observed a Eustachian valve cyst diagnosed on MDCT showing a hypodense cyst at the characteristic location of the Eustachian valve (the junction of the right atrium and inferior vena cava). MDCT also demonstrated additional cardiovascular anomalies including atresia of the coronary sinus ostium and a persistent LSVC and bicuspid aortic valve.     

Patterns of parental emotional reactions after a pre- or postnatal diagnosis of a congenital anomaly

Objective: This study aimed to describe parental reactions at disclosure of a diagnosis of congenital anomaly and to investigate both the existence of distinct patterns of intensity of reactions and their association with post-diagnosis psychosymptomatology. Background: When receiving the news of a pre- or postnatal diagnosis of congenital anomaly, parents usually display acute grief reactions. However, questions arise regarding the variability and intensity of those reactions and their clinical significance. Method: Fifty-one women and 42 men whose infants were diagnosed with a congenital anomaly completed, one month after the disclosure, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and retrospectively evaluated their emotional experience at disclosure. Results: Negative emotions, and also hope, were experienced with greater intensity at disclosure. There was variability of emotional reactions, as two distinct patterns were identified: one pattern fits the acute grief reactions pattern, and another of less-intense emotional reactions. No gender differences were found on emotional reactions. Higher-intensity reactions at disclosure were associated with more psychosymptomatology one-month later only for fathers. Conclusion: Findings suggest the need for healthcare professionals to adjust their practice to meet parental needs in the early post-diagnosis stage. Both parents should be given the opportunity to express their emotions as a couple and individually.     

Asemptomatic single coronary artery in patient with severe peripheric artery disease

This report describes a 70-year-old patient with single coronary artery, in whom the right coronary artery originated from the distal left circumflex. This patient did not have any other cardiovascular anomaly. However, this patient suffered from severe and proggressive peripheric arterial disease.     

先天性主动脉瓣畸形的多平面经食管体元模型动态三维超声显像

为了评价多平面经食管体元模型动态三维超声显像对先天性主动脉瓣畸形的诊断价值，我们对本院经食管超声检查的８例先天性主动脉瓣畸形患者进行研究。均为男性，平均年龄４４．６岁（３６～５２岁）。其中二叶式主动脉瓣畸形７例，四叶式主动脉瓣畸形合并主动脉窦瘤破入右房、赘生物形成１例。图像采集用美国ＨＰＳＯＮＯＳ２５００多功能超声诊断仪和５ＭＨｚ多平面经食管探头。三维重建采用德国Ｔｏｍｔｅｃ公司生产的计算机工作站。结果８例患者均获得了成功的三维重建。可模拟手术途径清晰显示畸形主动脉瓣叶和主动脉窦的立体形态、瓣叶个数、瓣际交界、合并赘生物的大小和形态和主动脉瓣的返流情况。特别是对主动脉瓣穿孔的显示比二维显像更客观。     

Surgically revascularized dual LAD

Dual left anterior descending artery (or dual anterior interventricular artery, LAD) is a rare coronary artery anomaly. Dual but normally originated LAD has been usually reported to have no clinical significance. In this case report, we present a case of 75 year old male with anginal symptoms in whom coronary arteriography showed normally originated dual LAD with two branches of almost equal caliber. The course of both branches were supplying the usual territory of LAD and both of the branches had significant proximal stenosis. The patient underwent a coronary artery bypass grafting operation and both branches were grafted. This normally originated dual LAD case may be considered to be interesting, because dual LAD branches were symmetrically involved with the atherosclerotic process in their proximal segments. In addition, this condition was demonstrated intraoperatively and the two branches were revascularized with bypass grafting.