Dominique Vervoort^1,2,3,*, Amy Verstappen³, Sreehari Madhavankutty Nair⁴, Chong Chin Eu⁵, Bistra Zheleva^3,6

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 131-138, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.049814

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

Ghazi A. Alshumrani^*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 197-206, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.049401

Abstract Objective: Coronary artery anatomical variations and anomalies are an important topic due to their potential clinical manifestations. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of coronary artery anatomical variations and anomalies in symptomatic patients with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Methods: This is a retrospective study that included all symptomatic patients who had CCTA in a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia during a period of seven years. Results: The total number of included patients was 507 (60% males) with a mean age of 57.4 years. Approximately 41% had luminal stenoses, averaging 49.7%. The total number of patients with coronary… More >

Camden L. Hebson^1,*, Kyle Bliton², Amr Y. Hammouda¹, Kaitlyn Barr³, W. Hampton Gray⁴, Mohini Gunnett², Waldemar F. Carlo¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 185-195, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.048871

Abstract D-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) is surgically repaired with the arterial switch operation (ASO) with excellent results, however short and long-term morbidities still develop including neurocognitive delay. Clinically significant central sleep apnea is uncommon in non-premature infants, but when present indicates immature autonomic control of respiration likely due to a neurologic disorder. We report the unanticipated finding of central sleep apnea in four-term neonates with d-TGA after uncomplicated ASO, with the short-term complication of delayed hospital discharge and long-term concerns regarding this early marker of brain immaturity and its hindrance to normal development. Within this report, we will review… More >

Yang Wang^#, Xun Yang^#, Mingtang Ye, Yuhang Zhao, Runsen Chen, Min Da, Zhiqi Wang, Xuming Mo, Jirong Qi^*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 219-231, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.048314

Abstract Congenital heart disease (CHD), the most prevalent congenital ailment, has seen advancements in the “dual indicator” screening program. This facilitates the early-stage diagnosis and treatment of children with CHD, subsequently enhancing their survival rates. While cardiac auscultation offers an objective reflection of cardiac abnormalities and function, its evaluation is significantly influenced by personal experience and external factors, rendering it susceptible to misdiagnosis and omission. In recent years, continuous progress in artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled the digital acquisition, storage, and analysis of heart sound signals, paving the way for intelligent CHD auscultation-assisted diagnostic technology. Although there has been a surge… More > Graphic Abstract

Yuan Ren¹, Yingxian Sun¹, Zhiguang Yang², Yanli Chen^1,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 157-176, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.047930

Abstract Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a chronic, progressive, debilitating, and life-threatening complication of pulmonary embolism (PE). Recent technological advances have permitted various treatment options for the treatment of CTEPH, including surgery, angioplasty, and medical treatment, depending on the location and characteristics of lesions. Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the treatment of choice for CTEPH, as it offers excellent long-term outcomes and a high probability of recovery. Moreover, various medical and interventional therapies are currently being developed for patients with inoperable CTEPH. This review mainly summarizes the current treatment approaches of CTEPH, offering more options for specialist physicians to, thus, better… More >

Gustavo Cruz^1,*, Santiago Pedroza², Juan F. Vélez³, Jessica Largo², Juan F. Tejada⁴, Jorge H. Mejía-Mantilla⁵

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 207-218, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.044244

Abstract Background: Failure to rescue has been an effective quality metric in congenital heart surgery. Conversely, morbidity and mortality depend greatly on non-modifiable individual factors and have a weak correlation with better-quality performance. We aim to measure the complications, mortality, and risk factors in pediatric patients undergoing congenital heart surgery in a high-complexity institution located in a middle-income country and compare it with other institutions that have conducted a similar study. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in a high-complexity service provider institution, in Cali, Colombia. All pediatric patients undergoing any congenital heart surgery between 2019 and 2022 were included.… More >

Hüseyin Bilgin^*, Bredli Plaku

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.18, No.3, pp. 197-222, 2024, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2024.048645

Abstract In this study, the influence of confined concrete models on the response of reinforced concrete structures is investigated at member and global system levels. The commonly encountered concrete models such as Modified Kent-Park, Saatçioğlu-Razvi, and Mander are considered. Two moment-resisting frames designed according to the pre-modern code are taken into consideration to reflect the example of an RC moment-resisting frame in the current building stock. The building is in an earthquake-prone zone located on Z3 Soil Type. The inelastic response of the building frame is modelled by considering the plastic hinges formed on each beam and column element for different… More >

Xilong Zheng^*, Qiong Wang, Di Guan

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.18, No.3, pp. 361-376, 2024, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2024.048473

Abstract The deteriorated continuous rigid frame bridge is strengthened by external prestressing. Static loading tests were conducted before and after the bridge rehabilitation to verify the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process. The stiffness of the repaired bridge is improved, and the maximum deflection of the load test is reduced from 37.9 to 27.6 mm. A bridge health monitoring system is installed after the bridge is reinforced. To achieve an easy assessment of the bridge’s safety status by directly using transferred data, a real-time safety warning system is created based on a five-level safety standard. The threshold for each safety level will… More >

Caiping Huang^*, Zihan Huang, Wenfeng You

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.18, No.3, pp. 299-320, 2024, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2024.047850

Abstract This paper presents an easily installed improved perfobond connector (PBL) designed to reduce the shear concentration of PBL. The improvement of PBL lies in changing the straight penetrating rebar to the Z-type penetrating rebar. To study the shear performance of improved PBL, two PBL test specimens which contain straight penetrating rebar and six improved PBL test specimens which contain Z-type penetrating rebars were designed and fabricated, and push-out tests of these eight test specimens were carried out to investigate and compare the shear behavior of PBL. Additionally, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models of the PBL specimens were established and validated… More >

Yang Li, Sibo Jiang^*, Ruixin Lan

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.18, No.3, pp. 255-276, 2024, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2024.047776

Abstract Chloride (Cl) ion erosion effects can seriously impact the safety and service life of marine liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tanks and other polar offshore structures. This study investigates the impact of different low-temperature cycles (20°C, –80°C, and −160°C) and concrete specimen crack widths (0, 0.3, and 0.6 mm) on the Cl ion diffusion performance through rapid erosion tests conducted on pre-cracked concrete. The results show that the minimum temperature and crack width of freeze-thaw cycles enhance the erosive effect of chloride ions. The Cl ion concentration and growth rate increased with the increasing crack width. Based on the experimental… More > Graphic Abstract