Embryo mortality in a captive-bred, Critically Endangered amphibian.

The Critically Endangered southern corroboree frog Pseudophryne corroboree is dependent upon captive assurance colonies for its continued survival. Although the captive breeding programme for this species has largely been successful, embryonic mortality remains high (40-90% per year). This study aimed to investigate the causes of mortality in P. corroboree embryos in the captive collection at Melbourne Zoo. During the 2021 breeding season, we investigated 108 abnormal embryos to determine the impact of infections and anatomical deformities on survival and used culture and molecular methods to identify microbes. Overall, 100% of abnormal embryos had fungal infections, and of these, 41.6% also had anatomical deformities. The mortality rate in abnormal embryos was 89.8%; however, we detected no difference in survival in any of the 3 observed fungal growth patterns or between deformed and non-deformed embryos. Sanger sequencing of the ITS region identified fungal isolates belonging to the genus Ilyonectria, the first record in a vertebrate host, and another as a Plectosphaerella sp., which is the first record of infection in an embryo. Dominant bacteria identified were of the genera Herbaspirillum and Flavobacterium; however, their role in the mortality is unknown. Fungal infection and deformities have a significant impact on embryo survival in captive-bred P. corroboree. In a species which relies on captive breeding, identifying and reducing the impacts of embryonic mortality can inform conservation efforts and improve reintroduction outcomes.

Zero balance ultrafiltration for the correction of acute acidosis after a period of prolonged deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

A 36-year-old woman with normal renal function underwent a total arch replacement requiring 110 minutes of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Prior to rewarming, a pH of 7.063 with a base deficit of 10.8 was obtained. Zero-balance ultrafiltration (Z-BUF) was initiated during rewarming 7 minutes after resumption of cardiopulmonary bypass. After one hour (10L) of Z-BUF, all electrolyte and acid-base disturbances were fully corrected. Our case illustrates that Z-BUF offers a valuable option for the correction of severe electrolyte and acid-base disturbances in adults undergoing cardiac surgery. Its use should be considered in addition to the more standard pharmacologic approaches to such derangements as it offers rapid and predictable electrolyte and acid-base correction and potential anti-inflammatory benefits.

Strategies for endovascular mitral valve repair.

Technological advances have recently enabled mitral valve repair to be performed using endovascular techniques and thus open the possibility of nonsurgical treatment of mitral valve disease. While balloon valvotomy has been applied to mitral stenosis for over 20 years, a number of devices aimed at correcting mitral regurgitation are currently in preclinical and clinical development. While some of these, such as edge-to-edge repair, are catheter adaptations of established surgical techniques, others represent true departures from the current surgical paradigms of correcting mitral regurgitation. This review will summarize the current status of percutaneous transcatheter techniques for mitral valve repair. Included are balloon mitral valvotomy, indirect annuloplasty, direct annuloplasty, ventricular shape change, and edge-to-edge repair. These techniques certainly represent a new interdisciplinary paradigm between cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology and may be the next frontier in minimally-invasive cardiac surgery.

Expectations and realities of student nurses' experiences of negative behaviour and bullying in clinical placement and the influences of socialization processes.

This paper explores nursing students' experiences and perceptions of negative behaviour and bullying in clinical placement measured against expectations at the start of their education. It explores their understanding and how they make sense of their circumstances and their experiences of negative behaviour, emphasizing socialization processes and factors which may prevent or reproduce negative behaviour and bullying. To this end, a focus group study was conducted, and this revealed that many students felt exploited, ignored or were made to feel unwelcome, although few reported personal experience of bullying. These frequent but less severe negative experiences appear to play a key role in institutionalizing an unwelcoming culture within which bullying could easily be triggered or take hold. Students' coping mechanisms may also contribute to reproducing such negative behaviour. The paper concludes that while the vulnerable position of student nurses might offer some protection against outright bullying, it is unable to shield them from unfriendly and negative behaviour, with implications for their learning and professional socialization. If student nurses respond to their experiences by suppressing their feelings and developing a hard front, such responses may themselves contribute to a reproduction of such behaviour with implications for personal wellbeing and retention rates.

Cardiac gene delivery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac gene therapy offers the possibility of enhancing myocardial performance in the compromised heart. However, current gene delivery techniques have limited myocardial transgene expression and pose the risk of extracardiac expression. Isolation of the coronary circulation during cardiac surgery may allow for more efficient and cardiac-selective gene delivery in a clinically relevant model. Methods and Results-- Neonatal piglets (3 kg) underwent a median sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass, followed by aortic cross-clamping with 30 minutes of cardioplegic arrest. Adenoviral vectors containing transgenes for either beta-galactosidase (adeno-beta-gal, n=11) or the human beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (adeno-beta(2)-AR, n=15) were administered through the cardioplegia cannula immediately after arrest and were allowed to dwell in the coronary circulation during the cross-clamp period. After 1 week, the animals were killed, and their heart, lungs, and liver were excised and examined for gene expression. Analysis of beta-galactosidase staining revealed transmural myocardial gene expression among animals receiving adeno-beta-gal. No marker gene expression was detected in liver or lung tissue. beta-AR density in the left ventricle after adeno-beta(2)-AR delivery was 396+/-85% of levels in control animals (P<0.01). Animals receiving adeno-beta(2)-AR and control animals demonstrated similar beta-AR density in both the liver (114+/-8% versus 100+/-9%, P=NS) and lung (114+/-7% versus 100+/-9%, P=NS). There was no evidence of cardiac inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: By using cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest, intracoronary delivery of adenoviral vectors resulted in efficient myocardial uptake and expression. Undetectable transgene expression in liver or lung tissue suggests cardiac-selective expression.

Visual display units and pregnancy outcome: a prospective study.

This paper presents the results of a prospective study of the impact of work with visual display units (VDUs) and associated ergonomic and stress variables on pregnancy outcome and infertility. An apparent relationship between VDU use and pregnancy outcome in retrospective data probably reflected the operation of recall bias. Prospective data did not reveal any evidence for an adverse effect of VDUs on pregnancy in this sample, or any mechanism by which such an effect could occur. There was no evidence for any effect of VDU use on infertility. Implications for working women and future research are also presented.

Prosthetic plate mandibular reconstruction.

The head and neck surgeon may choose one of several available methods to reconstruct the mandible following tumor ablation. This article discusses the use of metallic mandibular prostheses, the indications for alloplastic mandibular reconstruction, techniques of plate application (AO and THRP), and associated complications.

The use of computed tomography in the management of facial trauma by British oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

A survey of 184 British oral and maxillofacial surgeons on their use of computed tomography (CT) in the management of craniofacial trauma showed that the majority of the 116 surgeons who replied used this form of imaging for frontal, nasoethmoidal, and orbital fractures. Only 6% of respondents reported no advantage in CT imaging over plain radiography. The access to CT scanners and the value of the reports in the management of patients was rated as satisfactory by 75% of respondents, and a similar percentage reported that CT service was becoming increasingly available to their units.

Computed tomography in the diagnosis of maxillofacial trauma.

A study of 34 patients who were investigated for maxillofacial trauma using high resolution computed tomography (CT) scanning is presented. The areas where this increasingly available technique offers more accurate information than conventional plain radiographs are discussed.

Ewing's sarcoma of the temporal bone. A case report.

An 11-year-old girl with a primary Ewing's sarcoma in the squamous temporal bone is described, and differential diagnosis and management are discussed. The membranous bones of the skull are rare sites for a primary Ewing's sarcoma; the squamous temporal bone has not been previously described as a primary site.