Left main reconstruction as an alternative method to CABG after primary PCI complication

AbstractLeft main coronary artery disease is rare, accounting for 1% of all coronary artery disease and traditionally, is treated by coronary artery bypass grafting. We report our experience and five years follow up, after a coronary osteal surgical plasty in a young man who referred to our center with an anterior myocardial infarction

Οι συνιστώσες της κερδοφορίας των τραπεζών. Εμπειρική έρευνα στην ζώνη του ευρώ.

Ο σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να εξετάσει τη σχέση μεταξύ των χαρακτηριστικών του τραπεζικού τομέα και των μακροοικονομικών μεγεθών με την κερδοφορία του χρηματοπιστωτικού συστήματος. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο, παρέχουμε μία επισκόπηση των συναφών θεωρητικών και εμπειρικών μελετών. Τα αμφιλεγόμενα συμπεράσματα της βιβλιογραφίας προκάλεσαν μια ασαφή κατανόηση των παραγόντων που επιδρούν στην κερδοφορία των τραπεζών και, εν συνεχεία, την αύξηση του ενδιαφέροντος για το θέμα. Παράλληλα, μελετάμε το μακροοικονομικό περιβάλλον της Ευρωζώνης για τα έτη 2007-2018 με στόχο την βέλτιστη ερμηνεία των αποτελεσμάτων της έρευνάς μας. Στο εμπειρικό σκέλος κατασκευάζουμε ένα οικονομετρικό μοντέλο και εκτελούμε μια γραμμική παλινδρόμηση σε δεδομένα 10 χωρών της Ευρωζώνης που περιλαμβάνουν 258 παρατηρήσεις. Όλες οι επεξηγηματικές μεταβλητές που χρησιμοποιούμε στο μοντέλο είναι στατιστικά σημαντικές στην ερμηνεία της τραπεζικής κερδοφορίας. Τα ευρήματα της ανάλυσης μας δείχνουν ότι ο ρυθμός ανάπτυξης του ΑΕΠ και το επίπεδο του πληθωρισμού είναι καθοριστικοί παράγοντες για την αύξηση της κερδοφορίας των τραπεζών, ενώ οι ζημιές από τα μη-εξυπηρετούμενα δάνεια, το ύψος των λειτουργικών εξόδων και η άνοδος των επιτοκίων οδηγούν σε χαμηλότερα επίπεδα κερδοφορίας. Επίσης, σε αντίθεση με πιο ομαλές περιόδους, η σχέση της κερδοφορίας των τραπεζών με τον δείκτη ρευστών διαθεσίμων είναι θετική. Χρηματοπιστωτικά ιδρύματα με υψηλούς δείκτες ρευστών διαθεσίμων επηρεάστηκαν λιγότερο από τα προβλήματα ρευστότητας που προέκυψαν ως απόρροια της κρίσης χρέους. Τέλος, διαπιστώνουμε ότι, χώρες με διευρυμένο χρηματοπιστωτικό τομέα σε σχέση με το ΑΕΠ τους, αντιμετώπισαν μεγαλύτερα προβλήματα εξαιτίας της συσχέτισης των συστημικών κινδύνων με το μέγεθος του ενεργητικού των τραπεζών.The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the bank-specific characteristics and macroeconomic determinants with the profitability in the financial sector. In this context, we provide an overview of relevant theoretical and empirical studies. The controversial results of the bibliography caused a vague understanding about the factors that affect the bank profitability and, consequently, the growing interest in the issue. At the same time, we are studying the macroeconomic environment of the Eurozone for the years 2007-2018 in order to achieve the optimal interpretation of the results. In the empirical analysis we build an econometric model and perform a linear regression on panel data of 10 Eurozone countries containing 258 observations. The dataset has been collected from the International Monetary Fund base. All the explanatory variables we use in the econometric model are statistically significant in explaining profitability. The findings of the regression show that the GDP growth and the inflation rate are important determinants of bank profitability in Europe, while losses from non-performing loans, operating expenses and rising of interest rates lead to lower levels of profitability. We also conclude that, unlike more regular periods, the relationship between banks' profitability and liquidity ratios is positive. Financial institutions with high liquidity ratios were less affected by the liquidity problems which arose as a result of the debt crisis. Finally, the findings on the size of the financial system are significant. We find that countries with an enlarged financial sector in relation to their GDP have faced greater economic losses because of the correlation between the bank’s total assets and systemic risks

Two-layer Space-oriented Partitioning for Non-point Data

Non-point spatial objects (e.g., polygons, linestrings, etc.) are ubiquitous. We study the problem of indexing non-point objects in memory for range queries and spatial intersection joins. We propose a secondary partitioning technique for space-oriented partitioning indices (e.g., grids), which improves their performance significantly, by avoiding the generation and elimination of duplicate results. Our approach is easy to implement and can be used by any space-partitioning index to significantly reduce the cost of range queries and intersection joins. In addition, the secondary partitions can be processed independently, which makes our method appropriate for distributed and parallel indexing. Experiments on real datasets confirm the advantage of our approach against alternative duplicate elimination techniques and data-oriented state-of-the-art spatial indices. We also show that our partitioning technique, paired with optimized partition-to-partition join algorithms, typically reduces the cost of spatial joins by around 50%.Comment: To appear in the IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineerin

Continuity equation is the echocardiographic method of choice to assess degenerative mitral stenosis

We present a rare case of a patient with severe, symptomatic degenerative calcific mitral stenosis (MS). Calcification of mitral valve annulus (MVA) is a frequent finding in elderly patients. It can be isolated or associated more often with mitral valve insufficiency than MS. In rare cases, it results in severe MS. An accurate measurement of MVA in degenerative calcific MS is problematic because the limiting orifice is near the annulus and not at the leaflet tips as in rheumatic MS. Continuity equation is the best echocardiographic method to assess the MVA in degenerative MS, correlating well with invasive methods. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography is a promising tool and provides an accurate measurement of MVA in calcific MS, with a very good correlation compared to continuity equation. On the other hand, the use of pressure half-time is often inaccurate and should be avoided, while two-dimensional planimetry is difficult and not reliable in degenerative MS. The values of mean gradient and systolic pulmonary artery pressure depend on several factors and should be only supportive signs and should not be considered as surrogate markers of the severity of MS. (Cardiol J 2011; 18, 5: 577–580

Early bare-metal stent thrombosis presenting with cardiogenic shock: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Although stents have improved the safety and efficacy of percutaneous coronary interventions, coronary stent thrombosis remains a serious complication.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 64-year-old Caucasian man from Greece, with symptoms and electrocardiographic findings suggestive of acute inferior myocardial infarction, who complained of chest pain and rapidly developed cardiogenic shock 48 hours after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The most common cause of early bare-metal stent thrombosis is stent malapposition. Intravascular ultrasound is the preferred method to recognize predictors of coronary events that are not detected by angiography.</p

Contemporary role of cardiac magnetic resonance in the management of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is a useful non-invasive radiation-free imaging modality for the management of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). CMR cine imaging provides the “gold standard” assessment of ventricular function, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) provides useful data for the diagnosis and extent of myocardial scar and viability, while stress imaging is an established technique for the detection of myocardial perfusion defects indicating ischemia. Beyond its role in the diagnosis of CAD, CMR allows accurate risk stratification of patients with established CAD. This review aims to summarize the data regarding the role of CMR in the contemporary management of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease

Cardiac Amyloidosis : Mini Review and a Case Report

Amyloidosis is a rare heterogeneous group of systemic disorders, which result due to extra cellular deposition of an insoluble, amorphous, eosinophilic, substance known as amyloid. The disease is often characterized by a restrictive cardiomyopathy with a poor prognosis and survival. The treatment of cardiac amyloidosis depends on the underlying etiology. However, the diagnosis of the type of cardiac amyloidosis is not always straightforward. We present here a case of cardiac amyloidosis and we discuss the different forms