End-stage heart failure in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries:a multicentre study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: For patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA), factors associated with progression to end-stage congestive heart failure (CHF) remain largely unclear. METHODS: This multicentre, retrospective cohort study included adults with ccTGA seen at a congenital heart disease centre. Clinical data from initial and most recent visits were obtained. The composite primary outcome was mechanical circulatory support, heart transplantation, or death. RESULTS: From 558 patients (48% female, age at first visit 36 ± 14.2 years, median follow-up 8.7 years), the event rate of the primary outcome was 15.4 per 1000 person-years (11 mechanical circulatory support implantations, 12 transplantations, and 52 deaths). Patients experiencing the primary outcome were older and more likely to have a history of atrial arrhythmia. The primary outcome was highest in those with both moderate/severe right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation (n = 110, 31 events) and uncommon in those with mild/less RV dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation (n = 181, 13 events, P &lt; .001). Outcomes were not different based on anatomic complexity and history of tricuspid valve surgery or of subpulmonic obstruction. New CHF admission or ventricular arrhythmia was associated with the primary outcome. Individuals who underwent childhood surgery had more adverse outcomes than age- and sex-matched controls. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified older age, prior CHF admission, and severe RV dysfunction as independent predictors for the primary outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ccTGA have variable deterioration to end-stage heart failure or death over time, commonly between their fifth and sixth decades. Predictors include arrhythmic and CHF events and severe RV dysfunction but not anatomy or need for tricuspid valve surgery.</p

Analysis of the nature of spiritual pain in terminal patients and the resignification process through the relaxation, mental images and spirituality (RIME) intervention Análisis de la naturaleza del dolor espiritual presentado por pacientes terminales y el proceso de elaboración de un nuevo significado a través de la intervención de relajamiento, imágenes mentales y espiritualidad (RIME) Análise da natureza da dor espiritual apresentada por pacientes terminais e o processo de sua re-significação através da intervenção relaxamento, imagens mentais e espiritualidade (RIME)

OBJECTIVE: To understand Spiritual Pain and the new meaning it takes on using the RIME intervention. Subjects and methods: Eleven terminally ill patients (n=11), treated at public hospitals, received care from six professionals trained for RIME application. The methods used were both qualitative, through phenomenology, and quantitative, based on the descriptive method, using the Wilcoxon Test. RESULTS: In the qualitative approach, six categories and eleven subcategories were found. The prevailing categories were: fear of dying by denying the severity of the clinical condition (n=5); fear of dying by realizing the severity of the clinical condition (n=5); fear of postmortem due to disintegration or feeling of non-existence, of being affectively forgotten (n=5). In the quantitative analysis, a statistically significant difference (p<0.0001) was noted. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that RIME promoted quality of life in the dying process, as well as more serenity and dignity in the face of death.<br>OBJETIVO: Estudiar la naturaleza del Dolor Espiritual y el proceso de elaboración de un nuevo significado durante la aplicación de la Intervención RIME. Sujetos y métodos: Once pacientes terminales (n=11), tratados en hospitales públicos, por seis profesionales entrenados para aplicar la RIME. Los métodos utilizados fueron el cualitativo con base en la fenomenología y el cuantitativo, a través del descriptivo, utilizándose la Prueba Wilcoxon. RESULTADOS: En el abordaje cualitativo fueron encontradas seis categorías y once subcategorías. Las categorías que prevalecieron fueron: miedo de la muerte por negación de la gravedad del cuadro clínico (n=5); miedo de la muerte por percepción de la gravedad del cuadro clínico (n=5); miedo de la post-muerte por el sentimiento de desintegración, de dejar de existir, de ser afectivamente olvidado (n=5). En el análisis cuantitativo se observó una diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p<0,0001). CONCLUSIÓN: Los resultados sugirieron que la RIME promovió la calidad de vida en el proceso de morir, así como propició más serenidad y dignidad delante de la muerte.<br>OBJETIVO: Estudar a natureza da Dor Espiritual e sua re-significação durante a aplicação da Intervenção RIME. Sujeitos e métodos: Onze pacientes terminais (n=11), tratados em hospitais públicos, por seis profissionais treinados para aplicar a RIME. Os métodos utilizados foram o qualitativo com base na fenomenologia e o quantitativo, através do descritivo, utilizando-se o Teste Wilcoxon. RESULTADOS: Na abordagem qualitativa foram encontradas seis categorias e onze subcategorias. As categorias prevalentes foram: medo da morte por negação da gravidade do quadro clínico (n=5); medo da morte por percepção da gravidade do quadro clínico (n=5); medo do pós-morte pelo sentimento de desintegração, de inexistir, de ser afetivamente esquecido (n=5). Na análise quantitativa observou-se diferença estatisticamente significativa (p<0,0001). CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados sugeriram que a RIME promoveu qualidade de vida no processo de morrer, assim como mais serenidade e dignidade perante a morte

The electromagnetic calorimeter of the KLOE experiment at DA Phi NE

The main aim of the KLOE experiment at DA Phi NE, the Frascati phi-factory, is to study CP violation in the K-0-(K-0) over bar system. Requirements on electromagnetic shower detection, in the 20-280 MeV/c range, are very stringent. A hermetic, lead-scintillating fiber sampling calorimeter, characterized by a fiber:lead:glue volume ratio of approximately 48:42:10, has been chosen. Energy resolution of sigma(E)/E similar to 4.7%/root E(GeV) and time resolution of sigma(T) similar to 58 ps/root E(GeV) are the most significant characteristics of this detector

Calypso: a full-scale MDT prototype for the ATLAS muon spectrometer

We present a full-scale MDT prototype for the Atlas muon spectrometer. The chamber consists of two multilayers made of three layers of 96 drift tubes each. The main feature of this chamber is the very accurate mechanical construction (20 mu m accuracy on single wire positioning) together with a very good individual tube spatial resolution. In this paper we present results both on the mechanical accuracy of the chamber, and on the performances obtained on the H8 test beam at CERN. In particular, we present an autocalibration method that allows to obtain the space-to-time relation of the tubes with a systematic error less than 20 mu m, the space resolution and the efficiency of the chamber. (C) Published by 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved