Risk of “silent stroke” in patients older than 60 years: risk assessment and clinical perspectives

With the increasing size of the elderly population and evolving imaging technology, silent brain infarction (SBI) has garnered attention from both the public and the physicians. Over 20% of the elderly exhibit SBI, and the prevalence of SBI increases steadily with age, ie, 30%–40% in those older than 70 years. Well-known cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension has been identified as a risk factor of SBI (odds ratio [OR] = 3.47) Besides this, blood pressure (BP) reactivity to mental stress, morning BP surges, and orthostatic BP changes have been demonstrated to contribute to the presence of SBI. Further, a metabolic syndrome not only as a whole syndrome (OR =2.18) but also as individual components could have an influence on SBI. Increased C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, coronary artery disease, body mass index, and alcohol consumption have also been associated with SBI. The ORs and possible mechanisms have been discussed in this article. Overt stroke, dementia, depression, and aspiration pneumonia were all associated with SBI. (overt stroke: hazard ratio [HR] =1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2–2.8; dementia: HR =2.26, 95% CI: 1.09–4.70). We also looked into their close relationship with SBI in this review

ESD Current Spread Measurement Using Mesh Structure

If a PCB is struck by an ESD the injected current spreads throughout the PCB and returns via attached cables. During the current spread a variety of effects occur: The current spreads on the main ground and power planes, couples into traces and IC lead-frames and bond wires. Further, the PCB and the attached cables can form resonators causing ringing at their natural resonance frequencies. Understanding the current spread onto a PCB, best, also onto the traces is of great importance for gaining insight into ESD related problems on products. A test setup has been created that allows capturing and quantifying the spreading current. It is a mesh like structure above a ground plane. The current in each trace of the mesh can be measured via the magnetic field allowing to analyze the magnitude of the current for complete mesh or slotted mesh structures. Additionally, Current-probe was designed though the process of measuring the current waveform

Early and mid-term results of coronary endarterectomy: Influence of cardiopulmonary bypass and surgical techniques

Background: Coronary endarterectomy (CE) may be a good option for complete revascularization of diffuse coronary artery diseases, but it has not been widely used because the outcomes have not been definitively identified. This study aims to evaluate the mid-term clinical results of CE and compare the outcomes according to the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and the surgical technique used. Methods: Between 2004 and 2014, 69 cases of CE were performed in 64 patients. We divided the pa­tients into two groups: 1) on-pump coronary artery bypass with coronary endarterectomy (ONCAB-CE) versus off-pump coronary artery bypass with coronary endarterectomy (OPCAB-CE), and 2) “open” versus “closed” surgical techniques. Operative mortality and major morbidity, were investigated includ­ing perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI), and overall survival. Results: Operative mortality was 4.7% (3/64), and no PMI was observed in the study. No statistical differences in operative mortality rate between the ONCAB-CE and OPCAB-CE groups were found (3.1% vs. 6.2%, p = 1.0) or between open versus closed techniques (6.7% vs. 2.9%, p = 0.6). The incidence of major morbidity including cerebrovascular accident, atrial fibrillation, acute renal failure, mediastinitis, respiratory complications, and bleeding was comparable between all groups. There were seven late mortalities, and no differences were found in overall survival rate between all groups. Conclusions: Coronary endarterectomy appears to be a safe option for patients with diffuse coronary artery disease, regardless of whether CPB or a specified selection of surgical techniques are used

ESD Field Coupling Study in Relation with PCB GND and Metal Chassis

This work demonstrates a simple experimental setup to measure ESD-induced voltage to traces on a printed circuit board when ESD current is injected directly onto the outside of a metal case and presents how the induced voltage can be affected by the physical structure of the PCB ground and the metal case. The correlation between ESD-induced voltage and the method of connecting the PCB and chassis grounds shall be discussed, as well as how the PCB ground fill affects ESD. These experimental results may provide guidance for a better design for ESD immunity

Method and and apparatus for processing a signal

A method of processing a signal is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving (a) downmix signal being generated from plural-channel signal and (b) spatial information indicating attribute of the plural-channel signal in order to upmix the downmix signal and including phase shift flag indicating whether phase of a frame of at least one channel of the plural-channel signal is shifted; obtaining inter-channel phase difference (IPD) coding flag indicating whether IPD value is used to the spatial information from a header of the spatial information; obtaining IPD mode flag indicating whether the IPD value is used to frame of the spatial information from the frame based on the IPD coding flag; obtaining the IPD value of parameter band in the frame, based on the IPD mode flag; upmixing plural-channel signal by applying the IPD value to the downmix signal; and shifting the phase of the frame of the at least one channel of the plural-channel signal based on the phase shift flag

Leukoaraiosis is associated with pneumonia after acute ischemic stroke

Diagnostic criteria for stroke associated pneumonia based on the CDC criteria. (DOCX 25 kb

An Active and Soft Hydrogel Actuator to Stimulate Live Cell Clusters by Self-folding

The hydrogels are widely used in various applications, and their successful uses depend on controlling the mechanical properties. In this study, we present an advanced strategy to develop hydrogel actuator designed to stimulate live cell clusters by self-folding. The hydrogel actuator consisting of two layers with different expansion ratios were fabricated to have various curvatures in self-folding. The expansion ratio of the hydrogel tuned with the molecular weight and concentration of gel-forming polymers, and temperature-sensitive molecules in a controlled manner. As a result, the hydrogel actuator could stimulate live cell clusters by compression and tension repeatedly, in response to temperature. The cell clusters were compressed in the 0.7-fold decreases of the radius of curvature with 1.0 mm in room temperature, as compared to that of 1.4 mm in 37 degrees C. Interestingly, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) in MCF-7 tumor cells exposed by mechanical stimulation was expressed more than in those without stimulation. Overall, this new strategy to prepare the active and soft hydrogel actuator would be actively used in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and micro-scale actuators