Evaluation of the impact of warfarin time in therapeutic range on outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation in Turkey: Perspectives from the observational, prospective WATER Registry

Background: Warfarin is highly efficacious in reducing stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, its safety and efficacy in stroke prevention is markedly influenced by its time in therapeutic range (TTR). The quality of anticoagulant therapy varies considerably among countries. Representative data concerning the quality of anticoagulant therapy and its effects on clinical outcomes in Turkey are lacking. Methods: Warfarin in Therapeutic Range (WATER) registry is a prospective, observational study which followed 572 AF patients (mean age 67.3 ± 12 years; females 60%; 71% non-valvular AF) treated with warfarin. Results: At a median of 22-month follow-up, the mean TTR value was 42.3 ± 18% (median: 40%) for the whole population and lower in non-valvular AF su group than valvular AF subgroup (40.3 ± 18 vs. 46.9 ± 19, respectively, p < 0.001). Death, cardiac hospital­ization and minor bleeding rates were higher in the group with TTR value < 40% than the group with > 40% (3.4% vs. 5.9%; 28.6% vs. 35.4%; 36.5% vs. 41.7%, respectively, all of them p < 0.001). A correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between age and TTR value (r = –0.178, p < 0.001). Mean CHA2DS2VASc score was 3.63 ± 1.5 and mean HASBLED score was 2.38 ± 1.01 in the non-valvular AF group. A negative correlation was observed between TTR levels and CHA2DS2VASc score. Conclusions: WATER provides insight into the anticoagulation control status of AF patients in Turkey. The quality of anticoagulation was poor. Strategies should be undertaken by clinicians and patients to improve TTR. New oral anticoagulant agents may be perfect alternatives for non-valvular AF patients

Non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in patient with essential thrombocythemia

A 68-year-old woman presented with acute chest pain and a greatly increased platelet count. Cardiac catheterization revealed subtotal occlusion and a thrombus-like filling defect in the right coronary artery. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous tirofiban. Essential thrombocythemia was diagnosed based on bone marrow findings, clinical presentation and laboratory analysis. The relationship between intracoronary thrombus and essential thrombocythemia is discussed

Non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in patient with essential thrombocythemia

A 68-year-old woman presented with acute chest pain and a greatly increased platelet count. Cardiac catheterization revealed subtotal occlusion and a thrombus-like filling defect in the right coronary artery. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous tirofiban. Essential thrombocythemia was diagnosed based on bone marrow findings, clinical presentation and laboratory analysis. The relationship between intracoronary thrombus and essential thrombocythemia is discussed

Percutaneous septal ablation for left mid-ventricular obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a case report

BACKGROUND: Mid-ventricular obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (MVOHC) is a rare type of cardiomyopathy. The diagnosis is based on the hourglass appearance on the left ventriculogram and the presence of pressure gradient between apical and basal chamber of the ventriculum on the hemodynamic assessment. CASE PRESENTATION: The present case represents successful percutaneous treatment with septal ablation to patient with MVOHC associated with systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve and obstruction at both the mid-ventricular and outflow levels. CONCLUSION: Alcohol septal ablation has been proposed as less invasive alternatives to surgery in patients with MVOHC

The Rare Benign Lesion That Mimics a Malignant Tumor in Breast Parenchyma: Nodular Fasciitis of the Breast

We herein report the clinical and pathological findings of a rare case of nodular fasciitis in the breast parenchyma of a 48-year-old female. Because of potentially malignant findings on ultrasonography and during clinical examination, the patient underwent an excisional biopsy. Histologically, the lesion was composed of spindle to round shaped cells arranged in short bundles in a storiform pattern. Immunohistochemically, the cells were positive for vimentin and SMA and negative for desmin, S100, and CD34. Based on these morphological and immunohistochemical features, a diagnosis of nodular fasciitis was made. We emphasize that nodular fasciitis of the breast may showclinical features and imaging findings similar to those of breast cancer. The histopathologic diagnosis of nodular fasciitis can also be challenging. The purpose of this case report is to highlight the characteristics and the differential diagnosis of this rare neoplasm

Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm Based Decision Feedback Equalizer for Underwater Acoustic Communication

39th International Conference on Telecommunications and Signal Processing (TSP) -- JUN 27-29, 2016 -- Vienna, AUSTRIAWOS: 000390164000031In this paper, we proposed particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm based adaptive decision feedback equalizer (DFE) for underwater acoustic communication (UWAC). in the literature, although ocean ambient noise is generally modeled as pink Gaussian noise, there is also site-specific ocean noise which can be modeled as pink Laplace noise. in this study we consider both noises. Rayleigh distributed, frequency selective fading channels (as UWAC channel) with Laplacian and Gaussian distributed, pink noise are considered. Unlike recursive least squares (RLS) and least mean squares (LMS) algorithms, PSO is independent from channel characteristics and has faster convergence. To the best of our knowledge PSO algorithm has not been used for adaptive DFE over UWAC channel. the communication performances and computational complexities of LMS, RLS and PSO based adaptive DFEs are compared. Although PSO has the highest computational complexity, our simulation results show PSO-DFE outperforms the other algorithms.IEEE Reg 8, IEEE Austria Sect, IEEE Czechoslovakia Sect, IEEE Czechoslovakia Sect SP CAS COM Joint Chapter, IEEE Croatia Sect, Communicat Chapter, Brno Univ Technol, Dept Telecommunicat, Budapest Univ Technol & Econ, Dept Telecommunicat & Media Informat, Karadeniz Tech Univ, Dept Elect & Elect Engn, W Pomeranian Univ Technol, Fac Elect Engn, VSB Tech Univ Ostrava, Dept Telecommunicat, Slovak Univ Technol, Inst Telecommunicat, Univ Ljubljana, Lab Telecommunicat, Czech Tech Univ Prague, Dept Telecommunicat Engn, Univ Osijek, Fac Elect Engn, Tech Univ Sofia, Fac Telecommunicat, Seikei Univ, Grad Sch & Fac Sci & Technol, Informat Networking La