Radar interferometry techniques for the study of ground subsidence phenomena: a review of practical issues through cases in Spain

Subsidence related to multiple natural and human-induced processes affects an increasing number of areas worldwide. Although this phenomenon may involve surface deformation with 3D displacement components, negative vertical movement, either progressive or episodic, tends to dominate. Over the last decades, differential SAR interferometry (DInSAR) has become a very useful remote sensing tool for accurately measuring the spatial and temporal evolution of surface displacements over broad areas. This work discusses the main advantages and limitations of addressing active subsidence phenomena by means of DInSAR techniques from an end-user point of view. Special attention is paid to the spatial and temporal resolution, the precision of the measurements, and the usefulness of the data. The presented analysis is focused on DInSAR results exploitation of various ground subsidence phenomena (groundwater withdrawal, soil compaction, mining subsidence, evaporite dissolution subsidence, and volcanic deformation) with different displacement patterns in a selection of subsidence areas in Spain. Finally, a cost comparative study is performed for the different techniques applied.The different research areas included in this paper has been supported by the projects: CGL2005-05500-C02, CGL2008-06426-C01-01/BTE, AYA2 010-17448, IPT-2011-1234-310000, TEC-2008-06764, ACOMP/2010/082, AGL2009-08931/AGR, 2012GA-LC-036, 2003-03-4.3-I-014, CGL2006-05415, BEST-2011/225, CGL2010-16775, TEC2011-28201, 2012GA-LC-021 and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship to PJG

Use of intracardiac echocardiography as a guide during interventricular septum puncture in a patient undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy

Sin financiación4.391 JCR (2015) Q1, 25/124 Cardiac and cardiovascular systemsUE

La baraja del carbón

Material didáctico, en forma de juego de cartas, para enseñar a niños de primaria los diferentes tipos de carbones, materiales de carbono y sus aplicaciones.INCAR-CSIC ; CPR de GijónPeer reviewe

Preventing ventricular dysfuction in pacemaker patients without advanced heart failure: results from a multicentre international randomized trial (PREVENT-HF)

Aims Previous experimental and clinical studies have consistently suggested that right ventricular (RV) apical pacing has important adverse effects. Ventricular pacing (VP), however, is required, and cannot be reduced in many patients with atrioventricular (AV) block. The PREVENT-HF study was an international randomized trial that explored differences in left ventricular (LV) remodelling during RV apical vs. biventricular (BIV) pacing in patients with AV block. Methods and Results Patients with an expected VP prevalence ≥80% were assigned to RV apical or BIV pacing. The primary endpoint was the change in LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) >12 months. Secondary endpoints were LV end-systolic volume (ESV), LV ejection fraction (EF), mitral regurgitation (MR), and a combination of heart failure (HF) events and cardiovascular hospitalizations. Overall, 108 patients were randomized (RV: 58; BIV: 50). Intention to treat and on-treatment analyses revealed no significant differences in any of the outcomes. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) difference for treatment according to randomization (in mL): LVEDV −3.92 (−18.71 to 10.85), P= 0.6; LVESV −1.38 (−12.07 to 9.31), P= 0.80; LVEF 2.47 (−3.00 to 7.94), P= 0.37. Analysis of covariance difference for the on-treatment analysis: LVEDV −4.90 (−20.02 to 10.22, PP= 0.52; LVESV −6.45 (−17.28 to 4.38), P= 0.24, LVEF 2.18 (−3.37 to 7.73), P= 0.44. Furthermore, secondary endpoints did not differ significantly. Conclusion This study did not demonstrate significant LV volume differences >12 months between RV apical and BIV pacing for AV block. Thus, BIV pacing cannot be recommended as a routine treatment for AV block in these patients. However, the results encourage and inform the design of subsequent larger trials with higher power for detecting small volume changes. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00170326.Peer Reviewe

Preventing ventricular dysfunction in pacemaker patients without advanced heart failure: rationale and design of the PREVENT-HF study

Aims Previous experimental and clinical studies have consistently suggested that right ventricular (RV) apical pacing has important adverse effects. Ventricular pacing (VP), however, is required, and cannot be reduced in many patients with atrioventricular (AV) block. The PREVENT-HF study was an international randomized trial that explored differences in left ventricular (LV) remodelling during RV apical vs. biventricular (BIV) pacing in patients with AV block. Methods and Results Patients with an expected VP prevalence ≥80% were assigned to RV apical or BIV pacing. The primary endpoint was the change in LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) >12 months. Secondary endpoints were LV end-systolic volume (ESV), LV ejection fraction (EF), mitral regurgitation (MR), and a combination of heart failure (HF) events and cardiovascular hospitalizations. Overall, 108 patients were randomized (RV: 58; BIV: 50). Intention to treat and on-treatment analyses revealed no significant differences in any of the outcomes. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) difference for treatment according to randomization (in mL): LVEDV −3.92 (−18.71 to 10.85), P= 0.6; LVESV −1.38 (−12.07 to 9.31), P= 0.80; LVEF 2.47 (−3.00 to 7.94), P= 0.37. Analysis of covariance difference for the on-treatment analysis: LVEDV −4.90 (−20.02 to 10.22, PP= 0.52; LVESV −6.45 (−17.28 to 4.38), P= 0.24, LVEF 2.18 (−3.37 to 7.73), P= 0.44. Furthermore, secondary endpoints did not differ significantly. Conclusion This study did not demonstrate significant LV volume differences >12 months between RV apical and BIV pacing for AV block. Thus, BIV pacing cannot be recommended as a routine treatment for AV block in these patients. However, the results encourage and inform the design of subsequent larger trials with higher power for detecting small volume changes. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00170326.Peer Reviewe

Sex-Specific Ventricular Arrhythmias and Mortality in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Recipients

OBJECTIVES The study goal was to examine whether there are sex-related differences in the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and mortality in CRT-defibrillator (CRT-D) recipients. BACKGROUND Few studies have evaluated sex-related benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Moreover, data on sex-related differences in the occurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in this population are limited. METHODS A multicenter retrospective study was conducted in 460 patients (355 male subjects and 105 female sub- jects) from the UMBRELLA (Incidence of Arrhythmia in Spanish Population With a Medtronic Implantable Cardiac Defi- brillator Implant) national registry. Patients were followed up through remote monitoring after the first implantation of a CRT-D during a median follow-up of 2.2 1.0 years. Sex differences were analyzed in terms of ventricular arrhythmia– treated incidence and death during the follow-up period, with a particular focus on primary prevention patients. RESULTS Baseline New York Heart Association functional class was worse in women compared with that in men (67.0% of women in New York Heart Association functional class III vs. 49.7% of men; p ¼ 0.003), whereas women had less ischemic cardiac disease (20.8% vs. 41.7%; p < 0.001). Female sex was an independent predictor of ventricular ar- rhythmias (hazard ratio: 0.40; 95% confidence interval: 0.19 to 0.86; p ¼ 0.020), as well as left ventricular ejection fraction and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Mortality in women was one-half that of men, although events were scarce and without significant differences (2.9% vs. 5.6%; p ¼ 0.25). CONCLUSIONS Women with left bundle branch block and implanted CRT have a lower rate of ventricular tachyarrhythmias than men. All-cause mortality in patients is, at least, similar between female and male subjects.Medicin