Percutaneous Mitral Commissurotomy in Patients with Calcific Mitral Stenosis

Objective: the study evaluated the clinical and echocardiographic data, before and after percutaneous mitral commissurotomy (PMC) in patients with calcific mitral stenosis.nbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbspnbsp Materials and methods: this is a retrospective study of 215 patients divided into two groups: 148 patients with calcific mitral stenosis (Group 1), and 67 patients without mitral calcifications (Group 2). The study period is between January 2011 to July 2015.Results: the group 1 was significantly older than the group 2 (49,7plusmn12,2 (group 1) versus 42,7plusmn12,8(group 2) , plt0,001), and had significantly more men than women (female gender:75% in group 1 vs.88,1% in group 2, plt0,05). Before PMC: group 1 had significantly higher Wilkins (9,3plusmn0,8(group 1) vs. 8,5plusmn0,6 (group 2)nbspnbsp p lt0,001) and smaller mitral valve area (0,91plusmn0,20 (group1)nbsp vs.0,99plusmn0,20 ( group 2), plt0,05). After PMC: the final valve area was significantly smaller in patients with, than, without calcifications (2,10plusmn0,26 vs.2,20plusmn0,22nbsp plt0,05). However , the rate of good immediate results, defined as valve area ge1,5 cmsup2 with no mitral regurgitation gt2/4 ( 97,9%vs.100% , pgt 0,05), and the rate of post PMC mitral regurgitation (MRge3/4) (2% vs.0% , pgt0,05), were no different between the 2 groups.Conclusion: PMC can be used for the treatment of patients with calcific mitral stenosis safety, with good immediate results.nbsp nbs

Restricted feedback control of one-dimensional maps

Dynamical control of biological systems is often restricted by the practical constraint of unidirectional parameter perturbations. We show that such a restriction introduces surprising complexity to the stability of one-dimensional map systems and can actually improve controllability. We present experimental cardiac control results that support these analyses. Finally, we develop new control algorithms that exploit the structure of the restricted-control stability zones to automatically adapt the control feedback parameter and thereby achieve improved robustness to noise and drifting system parameters.Comment: 29 pages, 9 embedded figure

Health-related quality of life associated with trifluridine/tipiracil in heavily pretreated metastatic gastric cancer: results from TAGS

Background In TAGS, an international, double-blind, phase 3 trial, trifluridine/tipiracil significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared with placebo in heavily pretreated metastatic gastric cancer patients. This paper reports pre-specified quality of life (QoL) outcomes for TAGS. Methods Patients were randomized 2:1 to trifluridine/tipiracil (35 mg/m2 twice daily on days 1–5 and 8–12 of each 28-day cycle) plus best supportive care (BSC) or placebo plus BSC. QoL was evaluated at baseline and at each treatment cycle, using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-STO22 questionnaires; results were considered valid for analysis only if ≥ 10% of patients completed the questionnaires. Key QoL outcomes were mean changes from baseline and time to deterioration in QoL. A post hoc analysis assessed the association between QoL and time to deterioration of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score (ECOG PS) to ≥ 2. Results Of 507 randomized patients, 496 had baseline QoL data available. The analysis cut-off was 6 cycles for trifluridine/tipiracil and 3 cycles for placebo. In both treatment groups, there were no clinically significant deteriorations in the mean QLQ-C30 Global Health Status (GHS) score, or in most subscale scores. In a sensitivity analysis including death and disease progression as events, there was a trend towards trifluridine/tipiracil reducing the risk of deterioration of QoL scores compared with placebo. Deterioration in the GHS score was associated with deterioration in ECOG PS. Conclusion QoL was maintained in TAGS, and there was a trend towards trifluridine/tipiracil reducing the risk of QoL deterioration compared with placebo

Drying And Browning Of Date Pulp During Hot Air And Microwave Drying

The present work is a part of our scientific project about the valorisation of the common dates grown in southern Algeria. The principal aim was to study the drying ability of the fruit pulp with the view to produce food powders, which can easily take the place of many synthetics ingredients (white sugar, colorant like caramel) in many food preparations. The specific structure of the date pulp was also described: presence of two edible constitutive tissues (outside pigmented and inside white) that can influence the technological proprieties (as drying) of the whole fruit. The pigmented and white part weights were significantly different ( p ≤ 0.05). Results reveal the preponderance of white part, which can favourably influence the heat processing such as drying since the coloured pulp is already pre-browned compared with the white part. Hot air (60°C) and microwave (MW) (350W) drying kinetics of date ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) pulp pieces from Mech-Degla variety were investigated. Colour change (browning) was also analyzed during these drying processes using absorbance measurement at 420nm of the hydro alcoholic extract from pulp pigmented part. The latter has a heterogeneous initial colour in the same fruit. Three shades can be noticed: yellow, beige and brown related to the optic densities (at 420nm) of 0.92, 1.5 and 1.93 respectively. The minimal moisture contents reached by means of MW and hot air drying are about 8 (during 5 min) and 5 % dry basis (during 165 min) respectively. On the other hand, the MW drying could be considered instantaneous but it involves a few scorched spots on pulp pieces what may be due to the non uniformity of the initial date pulp colour or to the inadequacy of the chosen power. In addition, the applied model strongly fit the experimental data for convective air drying (R 2 = 0.995; MRE = 6.71%) compared to MW drying (R 2 = 0.94; MRE = 18.4%

Some technologic proprieties of common date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits

Mech-Degla, Degla-Beida and Frezza are the common (or dried) varieties studied in this research. On average, their water and sugar contents are of 15 and 80% dry basis (db), respectively. In this paper we report on their technological abilities. The experimental study consist the following: complementary vacuum (200 mbars) air-drying at 60°C, soaking in citrus juices, double fermentation (alcoholic and acetic) and water-alcohol extract preparation. The three previously quoted varieties show an interesting drying ability since they water content has been reduced to 5-7% (db) without apparent browning, which allows the possibility to produce first fruit powder then tablets. In order to formulate biologic vinegar and to optimize the traditional process as has traditionally applied in Algerian Sahara, the dates have been submitted to the spontaneous double fermentation: alcoholic and acetic. Using oxygenation during 4 h after 14 days of anaerobic fermentation, the acetic acid content reaches a value above 7 g/100 mL (in the Mech-Degla case). The swelling power (more than 50% in relation to the initial fruit`s weight) of Mech-Degla dates immerged in citrus juices as well as the brix degree variation in liquid phase (on average 25%) were also analyzed. Results indicate also the possibility to produce the dates in their auto induced syrup. In addition, the water-alcohol extract obtained reveals an antioxidant activity of about 52