This is the first study demonstrating that direct stimulation of the human anterior epicardial FP slows sinus CL. This parasympathetic effect is eliminated with FP dissection. Preservation of the human anterior epicardial FP during CABG decreases incidence of postoperative AF.

Aims: A mouse model of vancomycin‐resistant enterococcus (VRE) stool colonization was used to study the effect of Bacillus coagulans, a biotherapeutic agent, on the density of colonization. Methods and Results: VRE‐colonized mice received orally administered B. coagulans (107 cfu) or saline daily for four days. For one VRE strain, the density of VRE at one and four days after treatment was 1·4 log10cfu g−1 lower in experimental vs. control mice (P=0·03), and 35% of experimental vs. 0% of control mice had no detectable VRE four days after treatment (P=0·03). For two additional strains, there was no statistically significant reduction of VRE density in the B. coagulans groups. Conclusions: B. coagulans therapy reduced the density of colonization for one of three VRE strains tested. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study suggests a potential role for biotherapeutic agents as a means to reduce the density of VRE intestinal colonization.

Objective. To compare the infectious complication rates from cesarean delivery of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women and HIV-negative women. Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed on data derived from HIV-infected women and HIV-negative women, who underwent cesarean delivery at two teaching hospitals. Main outcome measures were infectious postoperative morbidity. Descriptive, comparison analysis, and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed. Results. One hundred and nineteen HIV-infected women and 264 HIV-negative women delivered by cesarean section and were compared. The HIV-negative women were more likely than the HIV-infected women to deliver by emergent cesarean section (78.0% versus 51.3%, resp., P < .05), to labor prior to delivery (69.4% versus 48.3%, resp., P < .01), and to have ruptured membranes prior to delivery (63.5% versus 34.8%, resp., P < .05). In bivariate analysis, HIV-infected and HIV-negative women had similar rates of post-operative infectious complications (16.8% versus 19.7%, resp., P > .05). In a multivariate stepwise logistic analysis, emergent cesarean delivery and chorioamnionitis but not HIV infection were associated with increased rate of post-operative endometritis (odds ratio (OR) 4.10, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.41–11.91, P < .01, and OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.13–8.03, P < .05, resp.). Conclusion. In our facilities, emergent cesarean delivery and chorioamnionitis but not HIV infection were identified as risk factors for post-operative endometritis.