Revealing the potential of potato varieties with colored pulp in the conditions of the Murmansk region

A collection of 15 potato varieties ‘Seyanets Stepana’, ‘Stepan’, ‘Yekzotika’, ‘Fioletik’, ‘Kubinka’, ‘Vasilok’, ‘Lekar’’, ‘Severnoye Siyaniye’, ‘Ametist’, ‘Gurman’, ‘Perlamutrovyy’, ‘Ves siniy’, ‘Ves krasnyy’, ‘Klyukvenno-krasnyy’, ‘Malina’ was studied in the Arctic North. All the studied accessions demonstrated antioxidant properties and suitability for dietetic and therapeutic nutrition. The study was conducted in accordance with the VIR Guidelines. During a three-year study, the studied varieties displayed purple (blue) and red tuber pulp coloration of varying degrees of intensity. Even the varieties with white flesh ‘Kubinka’ (к-25276), ‘Vasilok’ (к-25199) had a slightly colored pulp along the vascular ring. The trait of colored tuber pulp variability is determined at the gene level. Probably, the long Polar day and low air temperatures contributed to the intense biosynthesis of anthocyanins. When studying economically valuable traits in the conditions of the Murmansk region, almost all varieties behaved as late ripening and unsuitable for cultivation for early production. The standard variety ‘Khibinskiy ranniy’ produced an average of 520 g/bush with 76% marketability in the trial dig. By the final harvesting, the standard yields an average of 800 g/bush with 87% marketability. The highest values of early yield accumulation (79-80% of the standard) in the Arctic North were displayed by the varieties ‘Fioletik’ (k-24754) and ‘Severnoye Siyaniye’ (k-25344). High yields at the final harvest were characteristic of the varieties ‘Fioletik’ (k-24754), ‘Gurman’ (vr.k.-p 523), and ‘Perlamutrovyy’ (vr.k.-p 526). In terms of the starch content, the varieties ‘Kubinka’ (19,3%), ‘Yekzotika’ (15,2%), ‘Gurman’ (16,7%) ‘Fioletik’ (14,2%), ‘Lekar’’ (13,2%), ‘Perlamutrovyy’ (14,2%) were distinguished. The high starch content is likely due to meteorological conditions and the genetic characteristics of the varieties. All varieties show signs of late ripening. For cultivation in the Arctic North, the varieties ‘Fioletik’ (к-24754), ‘Severnoye Siyaniye’ (k-25344); ‘Gurman’ (vr.k.-p 523), ‘Perlamutrovyy’ (vr.k.-p 526), and ‘Klyukvenno-krasnyy’ (vr.k.-p 522) can be recommended.

Aortic arch and frozen elephant trunk repair of a right-sided aortic arch with pseudoaneurysm

A 53 year old male with a history of vascular ring repair secondary to a right sided aortic arch with retroesophageal subclavian artery and ligamentum arteriosum to the descending thoracic aorta presented to our institution with a large aortic pseudoaneurysm of the distal aortic arch. Computed tomography demonstrated a right sided aortic arch with a 5.8 cm pseudoaneurysm arising from the distal arch in the area of his previously divided ligamentum. The patient underwent a successful two-stage repair including a left carotid to subclavian bypass followed by total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk. He recovered well postoperatively and computed tomography showed complete repair of the pseudoaneurysm with patent bypass graft.

Double aortic arch: an elusive diagnosis in a child with CHD

An 18-month-old male with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect presented with stridor after neonatal systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt surgery, that persisted on follow-up. CT angiography revealed a vascular ring with balanced double aortic arch.

Anomalies of the aortic arch in dogs: evaluation with the use of multidetector computed tomography angiography and proposal of an extended classification scheme

Background Congenital anomalies of the aortic arch are important as they may be associated with vascular ring anomalies. The most common vascular ring anomaly in dogs is a persistent right aortic arch. However, published data of the distribution of the different types of vascular ring anomalies and other aortic arch anomalies are lacking. The objective of this retrospective descriptive study was to evaluate both the prevalence and the different types of aortic arch anomalies that can be detected using thoracic computed tomography (CT) examination. Archived thoracic CT examinations acquired between 2008 and 2020 at a single institution were retrospectively evaluated by 2 evaluators for the prevalence and type of aortic arch anomaly. Breed, age, and presenting complaint were obtained from the medical record system. Results A total of 213 CT studies were evaluated; 21 dogs (21/213, 9.9%) showed a right aortic arch and a left ligamentum arteriosum with compression of the esophagus. The following incidental additional findings were detected: aberrant left subclavian artery (17/21, 76.2%), branching from the persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) (1/21, 4.8%), left-sided brachiocephalic trunk (3/21, 14.3%), bicarotid trunk (17/21, 81.0%), double aortic arch (1/21, 4.8%). One hundred ninety two dogs (192/213, 90.1%) showed a left aortic arch without esophageal compression. The following additional abnormalities were obtained in those dogs with left aortic arch: aberrant right subclavian artery (3/192, 1.6%) without clinical signs of esophageal compression, aberrant vessel branching from the aorta into the left caudal lung lobe (2/192, 1.0%), focal dilatation of the left or right subclavian artery (2/192, 1.0%), bicarotid trunk (1/192, 0.5%). Conclusion Similar to previous studies an aberrant left subclavian artery is the most common additional finding in dogs with persistent right aortic arch. Newly, a left-sided brachiocephalic trunk was identified in 14.3% of the dogs with a persistent right aortic arch; no additional compression was caused by the left sided brachiocephalic trunk. Similarly, aberrant right subclavian artery can be an incidental CT finding without causing compression of the esophagus.

Aortic arch uncrossing using a tracheal resection procedure

One category of vascular rings is the right aortic arch associated with the diverticulum of Kommerell from which the left subclavian artery usually originates. In some cases, the right aortic arch crosses behind the trachea and the esophagus from right to left. The trachea and esophagus are compressed by the right aortic arch, the left ligamentum, and the posterior crossing aorta, which causes the typical symptoms of noisy breathing, dyspnea on exertion, dysphagia, and frequent upper respiratory tract infections. Division of the atretic arch segment between the diverticulum of Kommerell and the left common carotid artery may relieve the symptoms temporarily but does not relieve the compression produced by this vascular abnormality. Indeed, at the age of 10 months, this patient underwent anterior arch division and posterior aortopexy via a posterolateral thoracotomy in order to relieve the compression caused by the vascular ring. Several months after the initial operation, the patient had recurrent respiratory symptoms as a result of residual vascular compression from the circumflex arch. A CT scan and airway endoscopy confirmed tracheal compression; in addition, the tracheoscopy showed tracheomalacic changes in the compressed segment of the trachea. To relieve the symptoms and the compression, we decided to resect the tracheomalacic segment of the trachea and translocate the aortic arch anterior to the trachea and esophagus.

Mid-term results of vascular ring surgery

Background: Vascular rings cause respiratory symptoms in children. Treatment consists of surgical division; however, data regarding mid-term results are scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical results of vascular ring surgery. Methods: Retrospective chart review of consecutive patients who underwent vascular ring surgery. Mid-term follow-up consisted of clinic visits and telephone questionnaire over a 1-year period sampling at five points in time. Results: Follow-up of 85 patients who underwent vascular rings surgery revealed significant symptomatic improvement within 6 months. In total, 50% were symptomatic to some degree at their last documented clinic visit complaining of stridor (36.8%), cough (34.2%), wheezing (10.5%), dyspnoea on exertion (10.5%), or recurrent respiratory infections (23.7%). By telephone questionnaires, 83% described a significant improvement in respiratory symptoms, 63.4% had some residual symptoms, 36.6% stridor, 38.8% chronic cough, 32.4% bronchodilator use,18.3% had at least one episode of pneumonia per year, 31% of children had dyspnoea or respiratory limitation, and 12.7% while doing physical activities. We found no association between the age at surgery or anatomic variant to the presence of symptoms at mid-term follow-up. Conclusions: Surgical division of vascular rings results in significant clinical improvement within 1 year; nevertheless, some patients remain symptomatic to some degree. We found no association between the age at surgery or anatomic variant to the presence of symptoms at mid-term follow-up. Further evaluation is warranted to assess the nature of residual symptoms and explore whether anatomical causes can be identified leading to surgical modifications.