Here, we present an overview of the components of the pathway and their functions, how the pathway may be activated in human hosts and recent updates regarding the role of Ras/cAMP/PKA signaling in virulence.”
“BACKGROUND: Beginning in 2000 and accelerating in 2004, the Berlin Heart EXCOR (Berlin Heart Inc Woodlands, TX) became the first pediatric-specific ventricular assist device (VAD) applied throughout North America for children of all sizes. This retrospective study analyzed the initial Berlin Heart EXCOR pediatric experience as a bridge to transplantation.
METHODS: Between June 2000 and May 2007, 97 EXCOR click here VADs were implanted in
North America at 29 different institutions. The analysis is limited to 73 patients (75%) from 17 institutions, for which retrospective data were available.
RESULTS: Median LBH589 molecular weight age and weight at VAD implant were 2.1 years (range, 12 days-17.8 years) and 11 kg (range, 3-87.6 kg), respectively. The primary diagnoses were dilated cardiomyopathy in 42 (58%), congenital heart disease in 19 (26%), myocarditis in 7(10%), and other cardiomyopathies in 5 (7%). Pre-implant clinical condition was
critical cardiogenic shock in 38 (52%), progressive decline in 33 (45%), or other in 2 (3%). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was used as a bridge to EXCOR in 22 patients (30%). Device selection was left VAD (LVAD) in 42 (57%) and biventricular assist devices (BiVAD) in 31(43%). The EXCOR bridged 51 patients (70%) to transplant and 5 (7%) to recovery. Mortality on the EXCOR was 23% (n = 17) overall, including 35% (11 of 31)
in BiVAD vs 14% (6 of 42) in LVAD patients (p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis showed younger age and BiVAD support were significant risk factors for death while on the EXCOR.
CONCLUSIONS: This limited but large preliminary North American experience with the Berlin Heart EXCOR VAD as a bridge to cardiac transplantation for children of see more all ages and sizes points to the feasibility of this approach. The prospective investigational device evaluation trial presently underway will further characterize the safety and efficacy of the EXCOR as a bridge to pediatric cardiac transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant 2011;30:1-8 (C) 2011 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. All rights reserved.”
“For practical applications, it is important to control strain by carefully tuning growth conditions for stress modification. Strain can have a pronounced impact on device behavior and is caused by extrinsic thermal stress and a tunable intrinsic growth stress. The impact of strain on GaN epilayers was investigated by photoluminescence and high resolution x-ray diffraction (XRD). The GaN samples were grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy, on sapphire, 4H-SiC, freestanding GaN and Si (111) substrates. Both free and bound exciton transitions were observed at low temperature, and their energy shift was analyzed with respect to the strain values derived from XRD.