The assessment of cardiac autonomic functions in adolescents with a family history of premature atherosclerosis

OBJECTIVES: Subclinical atherosclerosis has been recently detected in adolescents with a family history of premature atherosclerosis. However, no studies in the literature have assessed the cardiac autonomic functions of these adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiac autonomic functions of adolescents with a family history of premature atherosclerosis compared with those of age- and gender-matched adolescents without a family history of atherosclerosis. METHOD: We evaluated the cardiac autonomic functions of 36 adolescents with a family history of premature atherosclerosis (Group 1) and compared them with those of 31 age- and gender-matched adolescents whose parents did not have premature atherosclerosis (Group 2). Twenty-four-hour time domain (standard deviation of all normal sinus RR intervals [SDNN], standard deviation of the mean of normal RR intervals in each 5-minute segment [SDANN], root-mean-square differences in successive RR intervals) and frequency domain (very low frequency, low frequency, high frequency, low frequency/high frequency) parameters of heart rate variability were used for the evaluation of cardiac autonomic functions. RESULTS: There were no differences in the time and frequency domain parameters of heart rate variability between the two groups. Heart rate was negatively correlated with SDNN (r = -0.278, p = 0.035), while age was significantly correlated with root-mean-square differences in successive RR intervals, high frequency, low frequency and low frequency/high frequency (r = -0.264, -0.370, 0.265 and 0.374, respectively;

Impact of the recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction after TAVI on mortality in patients with aortic stenosis

Objective: To assess the effects of transvalvular aortic valve implantation (TAVI) on the outcomes of the patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS), and predict the effect of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and cardiac structural recovery on mortality after the TAVI in patients with different stage of LV function

Loosening Behavior of Ripped Nuts Based on the Fastener Tightening Strategy and Plate Hardness

Within the scope of this study, loosening behavior under vibration was investigated depending on the plate hardness, clamp length and tightening strategy of M8x1.25 10.9 quality nuts with rip form under flange. Two different plate hardness were used and two different types of tightening strategy, i.e. application of torque to either from bolt head or nut, were carried out by using bolts with 29 mm and 40 mm clamp length. During tightening, the effects created by rips on the plate were examined. A parametric study was also carried out to understand loosening behavior of fasteners depending on the plate hardness. Based on the experimental study, it was shown that plate hardness, clamp length and tightening strategy played a key role on the loosening behavior of fasteners. To decrease the loosening rate of the assembly on softer plate, nut with rip form should be tightened from the bolt element. However, for harder plates the selection of tightening strategy was less significant compared to that of softer plate. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the European Structural Integrity Society (ESIS) ExC

Comparison of DDD versus VVIR pacing modes in elderly patients with atrioventricular block

Objectives: Dual-chamber pacing is believed to have an advantage over single-chamber ventricular pacing. The aim of this study was to determine whether elderly patients who have implanted pacemakers for complete atrioventricular block gain significant benefits from dual-chamber (DOD) pacemakers compared with single chamber ventricular (VVIR) pacemakers

A new analytical model to estimate maximum internal socket depth of non-reduced strength bolts

In this study, an analytical model for calculation of the maximum socket depth of bolts having shaft diameter smaller than socket diameter was introduced. A representative bolt was chosen and maximum socket depth satisfying the minimum ultimate tensile strength was calculated by the developed analytical model. The analytical findings were also compared with numerical simulations for validation. Numerical studies were carried out by using Simufact.forming finite element software. The maximum socket depth estimated by using the developed analytical model was in good agreement with the numerical results. The obtained critical socket depth through the analytical model was 1.4% safer compared to numerical simulation results. Therefore, it was concluded that the developed analytical model could be used to estimate the critical socket depths of bolts having shaft diameter smaller than socket diameter. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the European Structural Integrity Society (ESIS) ExC

Quality of life of patients with atrial septal defect following percutaneous closure

Introduction: Quality of life has become an important outcome measure in addition to mortality and morbidity in patients with congenital heart disease. Atrial septal defect is a common congenital heart disease, and transcatheter atrial septal defect closure has become an accepted treatment modality. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life of patients with atrial septal defect who underwent percutaneous closure. Materials and methods: We examined the quality of life of 69 patients with atrial septal defect and 69 healthy controls matched according to age, sex, educational level, and economic, marital, and employment status. Quality of life was investigated using the Turkish version of Short Form-36. Results: The mean age of the patients was 39.7 +/- 14.2 and 26% were male. The quality of life assessment was performed at a mean follow-up time of 18.0 +/- 13.8 months after the intervention. The mean scores of the domains of the Short Form-36, namely, physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, mental health, vitality, pain, and general health, were similar in patients with atrial septal defect who underwent percutaneous closure and the control group. Conclusion: Adult patients who underwent percutaneous atrial septal defect closure perceive their quality of life to be as good as their healthy counterparts

The validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the University of Toronto Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale.

Background/aim: There are various instruments to assess quality of life (QoL) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to determine the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the University of Toronto Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale (AFSS)

Procedural and one-year clinical outcomes of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds for the treatment of chronic total occlusions: a single-centre experience

Introduction: The bioresorbable vascular scaffold system (BVS) is the latest fully absorbable vascular therapy system that is used to treat coronary artery disease. The BVS has been used in different coronary lesion subsets, such as acute thrombotic lesions, bifurcation lesions, ostial lesions and lesions originating from bypass grafts. However, data about the use of BVS in chronic total occlusions (CTO) are limited. We report our BVS experience for the treatment of CTOs in terms of procedural features and one-year clinical follow-up results