"Device landing zone" calcification, assessed by MSCT, as a predictive factor for pacemaker implantation after TAVI

After trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), the need for postinterventional pacemaker (PM) implantation can occur in as many as 10-50% of cases, but it is not yet clear, how this need can be predicted. The aim of this study was to assess the possible predictive factors of post TAVI PM implantation based on Computed Tomography (CT) measured aortic valve calcification and its distribution.

The design of artificial nestboxes for the study of secondary hole-nesting birds: a review of methodological inconsistencies and potential biases

The widespread use of artificial nestboxes has led to significant advances in our knowledge of the ecology, behaviour and physiology of cavity nesting birds, especially small passerines Nestboxes have made it easier to perform routine monitoring and experimental manipulation of eggs or nestlings, and also repeatedly to capture, identify and manipulate the parents However, when comparing results across study sites the use of nestboxes may also Introduce a potentially significant confounding variable in the form of differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained However, the use of nestboxes may also introduce an unconsidered and potentially significant confounding variable clue to differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained Here we review to what extent the characteristics of artificial nestboxes (e g size, shape, construction material, colour) are documented in the 'methods' sections of publications involving hole-nesting passerine birds using natural or excavated cavities or artificial nestboxes for reproduction and roosting Despite explicit previous recommendations that authors describe in detail the characteristics of the nestboxes used, we found that the description of nestbox characteristics in most recent publications remains poor and insufficient We therefore list the types of descriptive data that should be included in the methods sections of relevant manuscripts and justify this by discussing how variation in nestbox characteristics can affect or confound conclusions from nestbox studies We also propose several recommendations to improve the reliability and usefulness of research based on long-term studies of any secondary hole-nesting species using artificial nestboxes for breeding or roosting.

Ideal site for ventricular anchoring of artificial chordae in mitral regurgitation

Surgical treatment of mitral leaflet prolapse using artificial neochordae shows excellent outcomes. Upcoming devices attempt the same treatment in a minimally invasive way but target the left ventricular apex as an anchoring point, rather than the tip of the corresponding papillary muscle. In this study, cine cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was used to compare these 2 different anchoring positions and their dynamic relationship with the mitral leaflets.

Evaluating the Impact of the Number of Access Points in Mobile Robots Localization Using Artificial Neural Networks

Localization is information of fundamental importance to carry out various tasks in the mobile robotic area. The exact degree of precision required in the localization depends on the nature of the task. The GPS provides global position estimation but is restricted to outdoor environments and has an inherent imprecision of a few meters. In indoor spaces, other sensors like lasers and cameras are commonly used for position estimation, but these require landmarks (or maps) in the environment and a fair amount of computation to process complex algorithms. These sensors also have a limited field of vision. Currently, Wireless Networks (WN) are widely available in indoor environments and can allow efficient global localization that requires relatively low computing resources. However, the inherent instability in the wireless signal prevents it from being used for very accurate position estimation. The growth in the number of Access Points (AP) increases the overlap signals areas and this could be a useful means of improving the precision of the localization. In this paper we evaluate the impact of the number of Access Points in mobile nodes localization using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). We use three to eight APs as a source signal and show how the ANNs learn and generalize the data. Added to this, we evaluate the robustness of the ANNs and evaluate a heuristic to try to decrease the error in the localization. In order to validate our approach several ANNs topologies have been evaluated in experimental tests that were conducted with a mobile node in an indoor space.

Impact of permanent pacemaker implantation on clinical outcome among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation

This study sought to assess the impact of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation on clinical outcomes among patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Falls and fractures in the elderly with sinus node disease: the impact of pacemaker implantation

Background. Falls and fractures in the elderly are among the leading causes of disability. We investigated whether pacemaker implantation prevents falls in patients with SND in a large cohort of patients. Methods. Patient demographics and medical history were collected prospectively. Fall history was retrospectively reconstituted from available medical records. The 10-year probability for major osteoporotic fractures was calculated retrospectively from available medical records using the Swiss fracture risk assessment tool FRAX-Switzerland. Results. During a mean observation period of 2.3 years after implantation, the rates of fallers and injured fallers with fracture were reduced to 15% and 6%, respectively. This corresponds to a relative reduction in the number of fallers of 75% (P < 0.001) and of injured fallers of 63% (P = 0.014) after pacemaker implantation. Similarly, the number of falls was reduced from 60 (48%) before pacemaker implantation to 22 (18%) thereafter (relative reduction 63%, P = 0.035) and the number of falls with injury from 22 (18%) to 7 (6%), which corresponds to a relative reduction of 67%, P = 0.013. Conclusion. In patients with SND, pacemaker implantation significantly reduces the number of patients experiencing falls, the total number of falls, and the risk for osteoporotic fractures.

Design-based stereology to quantify structural properties of artificial and natural snow using thin sections

The quantification of the structural properties of snow is traditionally based on model-based stereology. Model-based stereology requires assumptions about the shape of the investigated structure. Here, we show how the density, specific surface area, and grain boundary area can be measured using a design-based method, where no assumptions about structural properties are necessary. The stereological results were also compared to X-ray tomography to control the accuracy of the method. The specific surface area calculated with the stereological method was 19.8 ± 12.3% smaller than with X-ray tomography. For the density, the stereological method gave results that were 11.7 ± 12.1% larger than X-ray tomography. The statistical analysis of the estimates confirmed that the stereological method and the sampling used are accurate. This stereological method was successfully tested on artificially produced ice beads but also on several snow types. Combining stereology and polarisation microscopy provides a good estimate of grain boundary areas in ice beads and in natural snow, with some limitatio