Eustachian valve endocarditis.

M mode and cross sectional echocardiography showed a highly mobile globular pedunculated mass(3.0 cm long with a maximum diameter of i.5 cm) attached to the eustachian valve in a heroin addict with staphylococcal endocarditis.     

Progressive spontaneous unilateral enlargement of the breast twenty-two years after prosthetic breast augmentation.

Late spontaneous enlargement of the breast is a rare complication after prosthetic breast augmentation. It has been intermittently described in the literature over the last 24 years but its exact aetiology remains unknown. Several possible aetiologies have been proposed. We present a case of a 46-year-old female who developed spontaneous asymmetrical breast enlargement 22 years post-bilateral breast augmentation without any known precipitating factors. Radiographic imaging revealed a periprosthetic collection occupying 70% of the volume inside the capsule. Initial recommendations for capsulectomy and removal of the breast implant were delayed for a year by the patient who subsequently represented with ongoing enlargement of the affected breast. Pathological findings revealed an intact silicone implant surrounded by laminated blood clot, similar in appearance to a chronic subdural haematoma. The literature is reviewed and the possible pathophysiological mechanisms of this unusual condition discussed.     

Addressing mental health and stress in Medicaid-insured pregnant women using a nurse-community health worker home visiting team

OBJECTIVE: To describe the conceptual framework and program features of a nurse-community health worker (CHW) team home visiting intervention, the trial design to test the program, and the results of a comparative evaluation of prenatal program participation. DESIGN: In the context of a community-based, randomized trial, we compared participation in a nurse-CHW team intervention with the standard community care that included a state Medicaid program (enhanced prenatal services) with nurse home visiting. SAMPLE: Medicaid-eligible pregnant women (n=530), who maintained their pregnancies, had a live birth, retained custody of the child, completed more than an enrollment assessment, did not move out of the county, and were not lost to follow-up. MEASUREMENTS: Provider reports of face-to-face prenatal contacts and demographic and psychosocial risk assessments obtained at study enrollment. RESULTS: Significant differences in the number of women with prenatal program contact and the total amount of contact were found, favoring the nurse-CHW team approach. More women with risk characteristics were reached in the nurse-CHW team group, with the exception of women with alcohol and drug use risks. CONCLUSIONS: A nurse-CHW team approach demonstrated advantage in reaching women who had barriers to participation and delivering more intensive services.     

Induction of procalcitonin in liver transplant patients treated with anti-thymocyte globulin

Introduction  

The aim of this study was to compare the early postoperative kinetics of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx) with different immunosuppressive regimens.     

Formation of Films on Water Droplets Floating on a Polymer Solution Surface

The behavior of water droplets deposited on a polymer solution/air interface has been studied. Encapsulation of water droplets with polymer films was observed for solutions based on chlorinated and aromatic solvents, and amorphous polymers. The possibility of producing thin polymer films (including composite ones) is demonstrated. Analysis of the specific surface energies of the interfaces involved in the process easily explains the observed encapsulation. The kinetics of the process is connected with evaporation of the moving solution layer. A mathematical model of the encapsulation process is proposed. The presented experimental data are important for understanding the water‐assisted self‐assembly with rapidly evaporated polymer solutions.