579 research outputs found
Прибыльность предприятия и стратегия ее обеспечения
Целью статьи является системное развитие теоретических, научно-методических и практических положений обеспечения прибыльности предприятия с помощью специально разработанных стратегий, которые направлены на повышение конкурентоспособности и эффективности развития предприятия, обоснование путей улучшения управления прибыльностью предприятий на основе различных исследований
Optimized electrocardiographic criteria for the detection of left ventricular hypertrophy in obesity patients
Background: Despite a generally high specificity, electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for the detection of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) lack sensitivity, particularly in obesity patients. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of the most commonly used ECG criteria (Cornell voltage and Sokolow-Lyon index), the recently introduced Peguero-Lo Presti criteria and the correction of these criteria by body mass index (BMI) to detect LVH in obesity patients and to propose adjusted ECG criteria with optimal accuracy. Methods: The accuracy of the ECG criteria for the detection of LVH was retrospectively tested in a cohort of obesity patients referred for a transthoracic echocardiogram based on clinical grounds (test cohort, n = 167). Adjusted ECG criteria with optimal sensitivity for the detection of LVH were developed. Subsequently, the value of these criteria was prospectively tested in an obese population without known cardiovascular disease (validation cohort, n = 100). Results: Established ECG criteria had a poor sensitivity in obesity patients in both the test cohort and the validation cohort. The adjusted criteria showed improved sensitivity, with optimal values for males using the Cornell voltage corrected for BMI, (RaVL+SV3)*BMI ≥700 mm*kg/m2; sensitivity 47% test cohort, 40% validation cohort; for females, the Sokolow-Lyon index corrected for BMI, (SV1 + RV5/RV6)*BMI ≥885 mm*kg/m2; sensitivity 26% test cohort, 23% validation cohort. Conclusions: Established ECG criteria for the detection of LVH lack sufficient sensitivity in obesity patients. We propose new criteria for the detection of LVH in obesit
Molecular and Serological Intraocular Fluid Analysis of Coxiella burnetii-seropositive Patients with Concurrent Idiopathic Uveitis
Purpose: Previous studies have suggested a link between Q fever and uveitis. We determined whether Coxiella burnetii causes intraocular infection in C. burnetii-seropositive patients with idiopathic uveitis. Methods: From a retrospective observational case series, paired aqueous humor and serum samples from 10 C. burnetii-seropositive patients with idiopathic uveitis were examined for intraocular antibody production by using the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Although intraocular IgG against C. burnetii was detected, no intraocular antibody production was observed (low Goldmann Wittmer coefficients). All PCR results were negative. Conclusions: Uveitis due to an intraocular infection with C. burnetii is unlikely
The role of experience in echocardiographic identification of location and extent of mitral valve prolapse with 2D and 3D echocardiography
Contradiction exists on the incremental value of two-dimensional (2D) and 3D transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) over 2D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for the detection of mitral valve (MV) prolapse in readers with different echocardiographic experience. Twenty patients and five healthy persons were retrospectively identified who had undergone 2D-TTE, 2D-TOE and 3D-TOE. Fifteen (75 %) patients had surgical evidence of prolapse of the posterior MV leaflet and five patients (25 %) had a dilated MV annulus without prolapse. Three reader groups with different echocardiographic expertise (novice, trainees, cardiologists) scored thus in total 675 posterior scallops. Overall there was an improvement in agreement and Kappa values from novice to trainees to cardiologists. Diagnostic accuracies of 2D-TOE were higher than those of 2D-TTE mainly in novice readers. The incremental value of 3D-TOE over 2D-TOE was mainly seen in specificities. Time to diagnosis was dramatically reduced from 2D to 3D-TEE in all reader groups (all P < 0.001). 3D-TOE also improved the agreement (+12 to +16 %) and Kappa values (+0.14 to +0.21) in all reader groups for the exact description of P2 prolapse. Differences between readers with variable experience in determining the precise localization and extent of the prolapsing posterior MV scallops exist in particular in 2D-TTE analysis. 3D-TOE analysis was extremely fast compared to the 2D analysis methods and showed the best diagnostic accuracy (mainly driven by specificity) with identification of P1 and P3 prolapse still improving from novice to trainees to cardiologists and provided optimal description of P2 prolapse extent
Subclinical cardiac dysfunction in obesity patients is linked to autonomic dysfunction: findings from the CARDIOBESE study
Aims: Obesity doubles the lifetime risk of developing heart failure. Current knowledge on the role of obesity in causing cardiac dysfunction is insufficient for optimal risk stratification. The aim of this study was first to estimate the prevalence of subclinical cardiac dysfunction in obesity patients and second to investigate the underlying pathophysiology. Methods and results: The CARDIOBESE study is a cross-sectional multicentre study of 100 obesity patients [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 35 kg/m2] without known cardiovascular disease and 50 age-matched and gender-matched non-obese controls (BMI ≤ 30 kg/m2). Echocardiography was performed, blood samples were collected, and a Holter monitor was affixed. Fifty-nine obesity patients [48 (42–50) years, 70% female] showed subclinical cardiac dysfunction: 57 patients had decreased global longitudinal strain (GLS), and two patients with normal GLS had either diastolic dysfunction or increased brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Only one non-obese control had diastolic dysfunction, and none had another sign of cardiac dysfunction. Multivariable logistic analysis identified male gender and standard deviation of all NN intervals (SDNN) index, which is a measure of autonomic dysfunction, as independent significant risk factors for subclinical cardiac dysfunction in obesity patients. Conclusions: There was a high prevalence (61%) of subclinical cardiac dysfunction in obesity patients without known cardiovascular disease, which appeared to be best identified by GLS. Subclinical cardiac dysfunction in obesity was linked to autonomic dysfunction and male gender, and not to the presence of traditional cardiac risk factors, increased C-reactive protein, increased BNP, increased high-sensitivity troponin I, or increased left ventricular mass
A modified echocardiographic classification of mitral valve regurgitation mechanism: The role of three-dimensional echocardiography
In this report, we provide an overview of a new, updated echocardiographic classification of mitral regurgitation mechanisms to provide a more comprehensive and detailed assessment of mitral valve disorders. This is relevant to modern mitral valve repair techniques, with special attention to the added value of 3D-echocardiography
Clonal hematopoiesis in patients with stem cell mobilization failure:a nested case-control study
Inadequate mobilization of peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) is a limiting factor to proceeding with autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT). To assess the impact of clonal hematopoiesis (CH) on mobilization failure of PBPC for auto-HCT, we investigated the characteristics of poor mobilizers (with a total PBPC collection <2 × 106 CD34+ cells per kg) in a consecutive single-center cohort of 776 patients. Targeted error-corrected next-generation sequencing of 28 genes was performed in a nested case-control cohort of 90 poor mobilizers and 89 matched controls. CH was detected in 48 out of 179 patients (27%), with most patients carrying a single mutation. The presence of CH (detected at variant allele frequency [VAF] ≥ 1%) did not associate with poor mobilization potential (31% vs 22% in controls, odds ratio, 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.76-3.23; P = .238). PPM1D mutations were detected more often in poor mobilizers (P = .005). In addition, TP53 mutations in this cohort were detected exclusively in patients with poor mobilization potential (P = .06). The incidence of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN) was higher among patients with mobilization failure (P = .014). Although poor mobilizers experienced worse overall survival (P = .019), this was not affected by the presence of CH. We conclude that CH at low VAF (1%-10%) is common at the time of stem cell mobilization. TP53 mutations and PPM1D mutations are associated with poor mobilization potential and their role in subsequent development of t-MN in these individuals should be established.</p
Evolution of mitral regurgitation in patients with heart failure referred to a tertiary heart failure clinic
Aims: Significant mitral regurgitation (MR) is an important predictor for all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalizations independent of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The aims of this study were to investigate (i) in how many patients referred to a tertiary outpatient HF clinic HF therapy could be optimized, (ii) the effect of optimized treatment on MR severity, and (iii) whether a reduction in MR resulted in improvement of symptoms. Methods and results: Forty-seven referred patients with therapy-resistant symptomatic chronic HF with an LVEF <40% and at least moderate MR were analysed on admission and after optimization of HF treatment after 6–18 months. The patients were classified as a volume responder when LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) decreased ≥15%, as LVEF responder when LVEF increased by ≥5% points, as clinical responder when New York Heart Association (NYHA) class improved at least one category, and as MR responder when MR severity improved at least one category to maximally moderate. After 14 ± 4 months of treatment optimization, optimal doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blocker were seen in 18 (38%) patients compared with three (6%) at baseline (P < 0.001), and optimal doses of beta-blockers were seen in 14 (30%) patients compared with four (9%) at baseline (P < 0.001). In total, 68% of the patients were clinical responders, 57% MR responders, 34% volumetric responders, and 49% LVEF responders. NYHA class improved from 2.9 ± 0.6 to 2.0 ± 0.9 (P < 0.001), MR class from 5.2 ± 0.8 to 3.6 ± 1.5 (P < 0.001), LVEF from 24% ± 9% to 31% ± 12% (P < 0.01), and LVESV non-significantly improved. The positive predictive value of MR response to NYHA response was 88%; the negative predictive value was 53%, agreement 69%, and kappa 0.39. The positive predictive value of LVEF response to NYHA response was 76%; the negative predictive value was 44%, agreement 60%, and kappa 0.21. The positive predictive value of LVESV volume response to NYHA response was 75%; the negative predictive value was 39%, agreement 51%, and kappa 0.12. Conclusions: Although this study was limited by a small number of patients, initiation and up-titration of recommended HF therapy in patients referred to our tertiary HF outpatient clinic resulted in significant MR reduction in over half of the patients, emphasizing the importance of optimal medical treatment in these very sick cardiac patients with otherwise grave prognosis. MR reduction was best correlated to NYHA improvement
Granular Solid Hydrodynamics
Granular elasticity, an elasticity theory useful for calculating static
stress distribution in granular media, is generalized to the dynamic case by
including the plastic contribution of the strain. A complete hydrodynamic
theory is derived based on the hypothesis that granular medium turns
transiently elastic when deformed. This theory includes both the true and the
granular temperatures, and employs a free energy expression that encapsulates a
full jamming phase diagram, in the space spanned by pressure, shear stress,
density and granular temperature. For the special case of stationary granular
temperatures, the derived hydrodynamic theory reduces to {\em hypoplasticity},
a state-of-the-art engineering model.Comment: 42 pages 3 fi
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