Doppler Evaluation of Surgically Repaired Congenital Heart Disease

ABSTRACT. Surgical repair of a wide variety of congenital heart defects has become commonplace. Evaluation of the adequacy of the surgical repair, and the effects of growth and time upon these repairs has traditionally been through clinical evaluation or invasive study; each method has limitations. Doppler echocardiography provides an accurate and fully noninvasive means for initial evaluation at the time of surgery, and for serial follow-up, without the risk or cost of invasive study. Applications and experience with Doppler evaluation of a variety of surgically repaired defects are discussed. For most lesions, Doppler echocardiography is the procedure of choice for post-operative evaluation.     

Emotional expectancy: Brain electrical activity associated with an emotional bias in interpreting life events

University students in either an optimistic or pessimistic mood state read brief stories of daily life events as event-related brain potentials were collected during the final word of each story. For subjects in a pessimistic mood, a bias to expect negative outcomes was seen as an N400/P300 effect over posterior scalp regions. For subjects in an optimistic mood, a differentiation between good and bad outcomes was also observed, but it was specific to medial frontal areas. Analysis of single-trial P300 latencies suggested that semantically incongruent and mood-incongruent outcome words resulted in increased median latency of the late positive complex (LPC) and resulted in increased variability of LPC latency across trials.     

Möbius syndrome in a patient with α 1 antitrypsin deficiency

ABSTRACT. This case report details the coincidence of Möbius syndrome and α antitrypsin deficiency.     

Microbiology: Development of an In-vitro Model to Study the Growth Characteristics of Staphylococcus epidermidis in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

An in-vitro model of peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) has been developed which integrates the parameters of environmental gaseous tension, the changing biochemical profile of the dialysate, and the periodic challenge of fresh fluid. Dwell times of 4 h during the day and 10 h at night were used to reflect the in-vivo situation. Biochemical analysis of dialysate within the model showed that the profiles for creatinine, glucose and protein approximated those found in patients. Staphylococcus epidermidis growing in synthetic dialysis effluent or pooled dialysis fluid were seen to adapt rapidly to the environment after an initial lag phase; a tendency to aggregate together increased over the 50-h period of operation. In conclusion, the results presented here suggest that this in-vitro model creates an environment which is reflective of the in-vivo situation and therefore has potential for the study of peritonitis in CAPD.     

Whooping cough vaccination: a review of the controversy since the 1981 DHSS report

Summary This article reviews the literature on the whooping cough controversy subsequent to the publication of the DHSS report in 1981. The report's reception is outlined and its influence on specific, topical issues such as contraindications, vaccine efficacy, and the calculation of 'risk' statistics is considered. The seriousness of the disease, the age of its victims and its treatment by antibiotics are also discussed with specific reference to recent epidemics. The implications of recent research findings for the continuation of the immunization programme are presented. It is concluded that the controversy continues.