Comparative analysis of a portable smartphone­based electrocardiograph (D­Heart®) versus standard 6­leads electrocardiograph in the canine patient.

D-Heart® is a portable, smartphone-based device, which streams tracing via Bluetooth, enabling multiple leads electrocardiograms (ECGs) acquisition, currently used in human cardiology (Maurizi et al. 2017).The aim was to determine the accuracy of D­Heart® compared with the gold standard non­portable 6­lead electrocardiograph in the evaluation of cardiac rhythm in dogs.Standard 6­lead and D­Heart® ECGs were acquired in conscious dogs. Concordance between methods was assessed by weighted k Cohen index, with its relative significance, taking as end point variable standard 6­lead ECG group. Bland ­ Altman method (95% confidence level) was applied for P, PR, QRS, T and QT. Since differences didn’t follow a normal distribution, a non­parametric approach was used to determine limits of agreement. P was significant when < 0.05 (Maurizi et al. 2017). Amplitude of waves was not considered because currently the software doesn’t allow voltage variation.115 dogs of different weights and breeds admitted to the Cardiology Service of DIMEVET were enrolled. Mean age was 7,5±4 years. Most were intact males (45%, n=51). The most represented breed was mongrel (27%, n=32).Weighted Cohen's kappa test demonstrated excellent concordance in the evaluation of the heart rhythm (0.989, p<0.001), for ST segment morphology (0.991, p<0,001) and for T wave morphology (0.838, p=0.040). There was a 100% concordance in P morphology determination. P, PR, QRS, T and QT intervals comparison with Bland­Altman showed an extremely good concordance for D­Heart® measurements (95% limit of agreement ±0.9 ms for P, ±10 ms for PR, ±35 ms for QRS, ±5 ms for T wave). Less concordance resulted for QT (±80 ms).In Conclusion, D­Heart® proved effective accurate recording of ECG comparable to standard 6­lead electrocardiographs, opening new perspectives to improve diagnostic tools in veterinary cardiology. Future perspective will be the development of a telecardiology network and to improve arrhythmia’s diagnosis in small animal practice (Bruining et al., 2014; Haberman et al., 2015).

The skeletal effect of post-natal treatment with N-acetylcysteine in a diastrophic dysplasia mouse model

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Quality of residential facilities in Italy: satisfaction and quality of life of residents with schizophrenia spectrum~disorders

Background Recovery and human rights promotion for people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSDs) is fundamental to provide good care in Residential Facilities (RFs). However, there is a concern about rehabilitation ethos in RFs. This study aimed to investigate the care quality of Italian RFs, the quality of life (QoL) and care experience of residents with SSD. Methods Fourty-eight RFs were assessed using a quality assessment tool (QuIRC-SA) and 161 residents with SSD were enrolled. Seventeen RFs provided high intensity rehabilitation (SRP1), 15 medium intensity (SRP2), and 16 medium-low level support (SRP3). Staff-rated tools measured psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial functioning; user-rated tools assessed QoL and satisfaction with services. RFs comparisons were made using ANOVA and Chi-squared. Results Over two-thirds patients (41.5 y.o., SD 9.7) were male. Seventy-six were recruited from SRP1 services, 48 from SRP2, and 27 from SRP3. The lowest QuIRC-SA scoring was Recovery Based Practice (45.8%), and the highest was promotion of Human Rights (58.4%). SRP2 had the lowest QuIRC-SA ratings and SRP3 the highest. Residents had similar psychopathology (p = 0.140) and functioning (p = 0.537). SRP3 residents were more employed (18.9%) than SRP1 (7.9%) or SRP2 (2.2%) ones, and had less severe negative symptoms (p = 0.016) and better QoL (p = 0.020) than SRP2 residents. There were no differences in the RF therapeutic milieu and their satisfaction with care. Conclusions Residents of the lowest supported RFs in Italy had less severe negative symptoms, better QoL and more employment than others. The lowest ratings for Recovery Based Practice across all RFs suggest more work is needed to improve recovery

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Experimental Investigation of Thermal Passive-Reactive Sensors Using 4D-Printing and Shape-Memory Biopolymers

The introduction of 4D printing has revolutionized the concept of additive manufacturing; it is a promising technology that can bring immense advantages over classical production and manufacturing techniques, such as achieving programmed time-varying structures and consequently reducing production time and costs. The rise of 4D technology is considered an evolution of 3D printing due to the introduction of the fourth dimension: time. This is possible thanks to intelligent materials that can morph into programmed shapes in response to environmental stimuli, such as temperature, humidity, water, and light. When appropriately combined, these properties open the door to numerous applications in the engineering industry. This paper aims to provide information on the shape-memory effect (SME). To this scope, exploiting an already verified methodology available in the literature, a programmed flexural deformation were analyzed, experimentally changing the geometric parameters constituting the specimens. Experimental data were then processed to derive equations linking curvature to various independent parameters (such as temperature and time) through a quadratic and linear combination of the variables. This study contributes to a better understanding of current 4D-printing concepts through a mathematical characterization of the SME and its dependencies. In the study of the SME, such a complete methodological approach (analytical, experimental, and numerical) is a first step towards the design of more complex, bio-inspired components that could bring, in the coming years, development of passive sensors characterized by a combination of geometric properties that exploit a wider SME operating range to detect any variation of a physical quantity

More than a Sonic Wave: Sound as/and Cultural Communication

Der von Anna Symanczyk, Daniela Wagner und Miriam Wendling in der Schriftenreihe der Isa-Lohmann-Siems-Stiftung herausgegebene multidisziplinäre Sammelband Klang – Kontakte. Kommunikation, Konstruktion und Kultur von Klängen untersucht in 13 inhaltlich, methodisch und historisch sehr unterschiedlich verorteten Beiträgen besonders den vermittelnden Aspekt von Klängen in kulturellen Kommunikationsprozessen. Hierbei steht vornehmlich Transmedialität, d.h. die Transformation und Darstellung von Klängen in Sprache, Text und (Ab-)Bild im Zentrum des Forschungsinteresses. Als mehrheitlich geisteswissenschaftlich geprägt ergänzt dieser Band das im Vergleich zur Musikpsychologie und (Psycho-) Akustik bisher noch verhältnismäßig junge Forschungsfeld der Klang- bzw. Sound Studies und bietet disziplinspezifische Anregungen.Klang – Kontakte. Kommunikation, Konstruktion und Kultur von Klängen (Isa-Lohmann-Siems publication series, Vol. 9) is a multidisciplinary publication edited by Anna Symanczyk, Daniela Wagner, und Miriam Wendling. 13 contributions differing in methodological, historical, and content-related perspectives aim at understanding and exploring mediating aspects of sound in cultural communication processes. Within this context, it is especially transformation into and representation of sounds in language, text, and images that are key subjects of research in this volume. As a humanities-based anthology, this volume supplements the research field of sound studies, which is relatively young compared to the fields of the psychology of music and psycho-acoustics, and offers discipline-specific impulses

Real-World Use and Predictors of Response to Disopyramide in Patients with Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Background: Although disopyramide has been widely used to reduce left ventricular outflow obstruction (LVOTO) and to improve symptoms in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM), its use in real world as well as patient characteristics associated with a positive treatment response are still unclear. Methods: From 1980 to 2021, 1527 patients with HCM were evaluated and 372 (23%) had a LVOTO with active follow-up. The efficacy and safety of disopyramide were assessed systematically during 12 months (2-, 6-, and 12-month visits). Responders were patients with a final NYHA = I and a LVOTO I and a LVOTO 30 mmHg. Results: Two-hundred-fifty-four (66%) patients were in functional class NYHA I/II and 118 (34%) in NYHA III/IV. A total of 118/372 (32%, 55 ± 16 years) underwent disopyramide therapy. Twenty-eight (24%) patients responded to therapy, 39 (33%) were incomplete responders, and 51 (43%) did not respond. Responder were mainly patients in functional NYHA class I/II (24/28, 86%), whereas incomplete responders and non-responders were more often in functional NYHA class III/IV (50/54 (93%)). An independent predictor of response to disopyramide treatment was the presence of NYHA I/II at the initiation of therapy (HR 1.5 (95% CI 1.1–4.5), p = 0.03). No major life-threatening arrhythmic events or syncope occurred, despite 19 (16%) patients showing reduced QTc from baseline, 19 (16%) having no difference, while 80 (69%) patients had prolonged QTc interval. Thirty-one (26%) patients experienced side effects, in particular, 29 of the anticholinergic type. Conclusions: Disopyramide was underused in oHCM but effective in reducing LVOTO gradients and symptoms in slightly symptomatic patients with less severe disease phenotype with a safe pro-arrhythmic profile