Prevalence and Consequences of Positional Plagiocephaly and Brachycephaly.

The incidence of positional plagiocephaly and brachycephaly in infants has increased. Treatment options include physiotherapy and helmet therapy.No information exists on the prevalence, cosmetic, and psychological consequences of plagiocephaly and brachycephaly later in life. This study was performed to assess the prevalence and cosmetic relevance of plagiocephaly and brachycephaly, as well as its influence on quality of life in adolescence.The authors performed plagiocephalomety to assess cranial shape and used a questionnaire that included question about educational level, medical history, cosmetic appearance, and cranial shape. To evaluate quality of life, the authors used the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire.All data were analyzed using SPSS version 19.0 2010. The authors included 87 adolescents. The prevalence of plagiocephaly, defined as an oblique diameter difference index (ODDI) higher than 106%, was 10.3%; the prevalence of brachycephaly, defined as a cranial proportional index (CPI) higher than 95%, was 0%.There was no significant correlation between the level of the ODDI or CPI and the cosmetic assessment of cranial shape (P = 0.128/0.541). There was no significant correlation with the level of the ODDI (P = 0.428).There was no significant correlation between the level of the ODDI or CPI and the average T-value for quality of life using the KIDSCREEN quality-of-life questionnaire (P = 0.461/0.713). The prevalence of positional deformities in our population of adolescents, born after the "back to sleep" campaign, is low. There was no significant correlation between the presence of a cranial deformity and the cosmetic judgement and quality of life

Early Detection of Fluid Retention in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure: A Review of a Novel Multisensory Algorithm, HeartLogicTM

Heart failure (HF) hospitalisations due to decompensation are associated with shorter life expectancy and lower quality of life. These hospitalisations pose a significant burden on the patients, doctors and healthcare resources. Early detection of an upcoming episode of decompensation may facilitate timely optimisation of the ambulatory medical treatment and thereby prevent heart-failure-related hospitalisations. The HeartLogicTM algorithm combines data from five sensors of cardiac implantable electronic devices into a cumulative index value. It has been developed for early detection of fluid retention in heart failure patients. This review aims to provide an overview of the current literature and experience with the HeartLogicTM algorithm, illustrate how the index can be implemented in daily clinical practice and discuss ongoing studies and potential future developments of interest

The Potential of the HeartLogic^TM Algorithm in Patients with a Left Ventricular Assist Device, an Initial Report

Background: Survival and quality-of-life of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients improved significantly because of growing experience and technological advances. However, LVAD-related complication rates, including recurrent episodes of congestion, remain high. Early detection of fluid retention to provide a time-window for medical intervention is the pillar in preventing hospitalizations. The multisensory HeartLogicTM algorithm accurately detected impending congestion in ambulant heart failure patients. The aim of the current study is to investigate the feasibility of HeartLogicTM-driven care in LVAD patients. Methods: Consecutive LVAD destination therapy patients were followed-up according the structured HeartLogicTM-based heart failure carepath. An alert triggered a device check-up, and the heart failure team contacted the patient to evaluate for signs and symptoms of impending congestion. An alert was adjudicated as true positive or unexplained. An episode of congestion not preceded by an alert was deemed as a false negative. Results: Data from 7 patients were included: the median age was 67 years [IQR 61–71], 71% were male and 71% had a non-ischemic aetiology. Total follow-up entailed 12 patient-years. All patients experienced at least one alert. In total, 33 alerts were observed. Majority of alerts (70%, n = 23) were driven by congestion and one alerts (15%) were clinically meaningful but not primarily fluid-retention-related (e.g., altered hemodynamic triggered by a pump thrombosis). Of all the alerts, five (15%) were classified as an unexplained alert, and during follow-up, four false negative episodes were documented. Conclusions: HeartLogicTM-driven care with continuous monitoring to detect impending fluid retention in LVAD patients was feasible and deserves further prospective validation

Observation of burst activity from SGR1935+2154 associated to first galactic FRB with H.E.S.S.

Fast radio bursts (FRB) are enigmatic powerful single radio pulses with durations of several milliseconds and high brightness temperatures suggesting coherent emission mechanism. For the time being a number of extragalactic FRBs have been detected in the high-frequency radio band including repeating ones. The most plausible explanation for these phenomena is magnetar hyperflares. The first observational evidence of this scenario was obtained in April 2020 when an FRB was detected from the direction of the Galactic magnetar and soft gamma repeater SGR1935+2154. The FRB was preceded with a number of soft gamma-ray bursts observed by Swift-BAT satellite, which triggered the follow-up program of the H.E.S.S. imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). H.E.S.S. has observed SGR1935+2154 over a 2 hour window few hours prior to the FRB detection by STARE2 and CHIME. The observations overlapped with other X-ray bursts from the magnetar detected by INTEGRAL and Swift-BAT, thus providing first observations of a magnetar in a flaring state in the very-high energy domain. We present the analysis of these observations, discuss the obtained results and prospects of the H.E.S.S. follow-up program for soft gamma repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars

Deep observations of Kepler's SNR with H.E.S.S.

Kepler’s supernova remnant (SNR) which is produced by the most recent naked-eye supernova in our Galaxy is one of the best studied SNRs, but its gamma-ray detection has eluded us so far. Observations with modern imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT) have enlarged the knowledge about nearby SNRs with ages younger than 500 years by establishing Cassiopeia A and Tycho’s SNRs as very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray sources and setting a lower limit on the distance to Kepler’s SNR. This SNR is significantly more distant than the other two and expected to be one of the faintest gamma-ray sources within reach of the IACT arrays of this generation. We report strong evidence for a VHE signal from Kepler’s SNR based on deep observations of the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) with an exposure of 152 hours, including 122 hours accumulated in 2017-2020. We further discuss implications of this result for cosmic-ray acceleration in young SNRs

Observation of burst activity from SGR1935+2154 associated to first galactic FRB with H.E.S.S.

Fast radio bursts (FRB) are enigmatic powerful single radio pulses with durations of several milliseconds and high brightness temperatures suggesting coherent emission mechanism. For the time being a number of extragalactic FRBs have been detected in the high-frequency radio band including repeating ones. The most plausible explanation for these phenomena is magnetar hyperflares. The first observational evidence of this scenario was obtained in April 2020 when an FRB was detected from the direction of the Galactic magnetar and soft gamma repeater SGR1935+2154. The FRB was preceded with a number of soft gamma-ray bursts observed by Swift-BAT satellite, which triggered the follow-up program of the H.E.S.S. imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). H.E.S.S. has observed SGR1935+2154 over a 2 hour window few hours prior to the FRB detection by STARE2 and CHIME. The observations overlapped with other X-ray bursts from the magnetar detected by INTEGRAL and Swift-BAT, thus providing first observations of a magnetar in a flaring state in the very-high energy domain. We present the analysis of these observations, discuss the obtained results and prospects of the H.E.S.S. follow-up program for soft gamma repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars

The young massive stellar cluster Westerlund 1 in gamma rays as seen with H.E.S.S.

Massive stellar clusters have recently been hypothesised as candidates for the acceleration of hadronic cosmic rays up to PeV energies. Previously, the H.E.S.S. Collaboration has reported about very extended $\gamma$-ray emission around Westerlund 1, a massive young stellar cluster in the Milky Way. In this contribution we present an updated analysis that employs a new analysis technique and is based on a much larger data set, allowing us to constrain better the morphology and the energy spectrum of the emission. The analysis technique used is a three-dimensional likelihood analysis, which is especially well suited for largely extended sources. The origin of the $\gamma$-ray emission will be discussed in light of multi-wavelength observations

Astronomy outreach in Namibia: H.E.S.S. and beyond

ICRC 2021 conference proceedings, 9 pages, 1 figure, 1 tableInternational audienceAstronomy plays a major role in the scientific landscape of Namibia. Because of its excellent sky conditions, Namibia is home to ground-based observatories like the High Energy Spectroscopic System (H.E.S.S.), in operation since 2002. Located near the Gamsberg mountain, H.E.S.S. performs groundbreaking science by detecting very-high-energy gamma rays from astronomical objects. The fascinating stories behind many of them are featured regularly in the ``Source of the Month'', a blog-like format intended for the general public with more than 170 features to date. In addition to other online communication via social media, H.E.S.S. outreach activities have been covered locally, e.g. through `open days' and guided tours on the H.E.S.S. site itself. An overview of the H.E.S.S. outreach activities are presented in this contribution, along with discussions relating to the current landscape of astronomy outreach and education in Namibia. There has also been significant activity in the country in recent months, whereby astronomy is being used to further sustainable development via human capacity-building. Finally, as we take into account the future prospects of radio astronomy in the country, momentum for a wider range of astrophysics research is clearly building -- this presents a great opportunity for the astronomy community to come together to capitalise on this movement and support astronomy outreach, with the overarching aim to advance sustainable development in Namibia

Revisiting the PeVatron candidate MGRO J1908+06 with an updated H.E.S.S. analysis

Detecting and studying galactic gamma-ray sources emitting very-high energy photons sheds light on the acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays presumably created in these sources. Currently, there are few sources emitting photons with energies exceeding 100 TeV. In this work we revisit the unidentified source MGRO J1908+06, initially detected by Milagro, using an updated H.E.S.S. dataset and analysis pipeline. The vicinity of the source contains a supernova remnant and pulsars as well as molecular clouds. This makes the identification of the primary source(s) of galactic cosmic rays as well as the nature of the gamma-ray emission challenging, especially in light of the recent HAWC and LHAASO detection of the high energy tail of its spectrum. Exploiting the better angular resolution as compared to particle detectors, we investigate the morphology of the source as well as its spectral properties

Revisiting the PeVatron candidate MGRO J1908+06 with an updated H.E.S.S. analysis

Detecting and studying galactic gamma-ray sources emitting very-high energy photons sheds light on the acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays presumably created in these sources. Currently, there are few sources emitting photons with energies exceeding 100 TeV. In this work we revisit the unidentified source MGRO J1908+06, initially detected by Milagro, using an updated H.E.S.S. dataset and analysis pipeline. The vicinity of the source contains a supernova remnant and pulsars as well as molecular clouds. This makes the identification of the primary source(s) of galactic cosmic rays as well as the nature of the gamma-ray emission challenging, especially in light of the recent HAWC and LHAASO detection of the high energy tail of its spectrum. Exploiting the better angular resolution as compared to particle detectors, we investigate the morphology of the source as well as its spectral properties