Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Therapeutic hypothermia after out of hospital cardiac arrest improve 1-year survival rate for selective patients.

BACKGROUND:Therapeutic Hypothermia (TH) is a standard of care after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Previous reports failed to prove a significant benefit for survival or neurological outcomes. We examined whether the proper selection of patients would enhance treatment efficacy. METHOD:We conducted a retrospective cohort study. Data was collected from January 2000 and August 2018. Patients were enrolled after OHCA and classified into two groups, patients treated with TH and patients who were not treated with TH. RESULTS:A total of 92 patients were included in the study. 57 (63%) patients were in the TH Group and 34 (37%) in the Non-TH group. There was no statistical difference in favorable neurological outcomes between the groups. Patients presenting with ventricular fibrillation had a higher 1-year survival rate from TH, while patients with asystole were found to benefit only if they were younger than 65 years (p < .007, p < .02, respectively). CONCLUSION:Therapeutic Hypothermia patients failed to demonstrate a significant benefit in terms of improved neurological outcomes. Patients treated with TH following ventricular fibrillation experienced the most benefit in terms of 1-year survival, while patients who had suffered from asystole experienced a modest benefit only if they were younger than 65 years of age. Guidelines should address age and primary arrhythmia for proper treatment selection

Postoperative New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation following Noncardiac Operations: Prevalence, Complication, and Long-Term MACE

Background. Postoperative new-onset atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common complication following cardiothoracic surgery, but little is known regarding its occurrence and outcome following noncardiothoracic surgery. This study was intended to examine the incidence of POAF in noncardiothoracic surgeries performed under general anesthesia and its effects on the length of hospitalization stay, short-term and long-term morbidity, and mortality. Methodology. We conducted a retrospective observational descriptive study. The study population consists of patients hospitalized in surgical wards from January 2014 to December 2017. Surgery was defined as noncardiac or thoracic procedure conducted under general anesthesia. Results. A total of 24,125 general anesthesia operations were performed at 7 surgical wards. About two-fifth of the operations (40%) were operated electively, and the rest underwent emergency surgery. The mean age was 63.78 ± 11.50, and more than half (56.9%) of the participants were female. The prevalence of POAF was 2.69 per 1000 adult patients (95% CI: 2.11–3.43) and vary significantly among wards. The highest prevalence was observed after hip fixation and laparotomy surgeries (54.9 and 26.7 per 1000 patients, respectively). The median length of hospitalization was significantly higher in POAF patients (21.0 vs. 4.8 days, p<0.001). Patients who developed POAF had significantly higher mortality rates, both inhospital (200 vs. 7.56 deaths per 1000, p=0.001) and 1 year (261.5 vs. 33.3 per 1000, p=0.001, respectively). There was no significant association between outcome and treatment modalities such as rate or rhythm control and anticoagulant use. Conclusion. New-onset AF following noncardiac surgery is rare, yet poses significant clinical implications, both immediate and long-term. POAF is associated with a longer length of hospitalization and a significantly higher mortality rate, both in short- and long-term

Sinus Node Dysfunction due to Occlusion of the Sinus Node Artery during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background. Sinus node artery occlusion (SNO) is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We analyze both the short- and long-term consequences of SNO. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 1379 consecutive PCI’s involving RCA and Cx arteries performed in our heart institute from 2016 to 2019. Median follow-up was 44 ± 5 months. Results. Among the 4844 PCIs performed during the study period, 284 involved the RCA and the circumflex’s proximal segment. Periprocedural SNO was estimated by angiography observed in 15 patients (5.3%), all originated from RCA. The majority of SNO occurred during urgent and primary PCIs following acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Sinus node dysfunction (SND) appeared in 12 (80%) of patients. Four (26.6%) patients had sinus bradycardia, which resolved spontaneously, and 8 (53.3%) patients had sinus arrest with an escaped nodal rhythm, which mostly responded to medical treatment during the first 24 hours. There was no association between PCI technique and outcome. Three patients (20%) required urgent temporary ventricular pacing. One patient had permanent pacemaker implantation. Pacemaker interrogation during follow-up revealed a recovery of the sinus node function after one month. Conclusion. SNO is rare and seen mostly during angioplasty to the proximal segment of the RCA during ACS. The risk of developing sinus node dysfunction following SNO is high. SND usually appears during the first 24 h of PCI. The majority of SND patients responded to medical treatment, and only in rare cases were permanent pacemakers required

Screening of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Using Portable Transthoracic Echocardiography among Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) share common risk factors. Objectives. To assess the abdominal aortic diameter (AAD) among patients with ACS using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Methods. Patients with ACS admitted to our intensive cardiac care unit from December 2013 to June 2014 were screened prospectively for AAA via AAD measurement in the subcostal TTE view. AAA was defined as an aneurysm with a transverse diameter of ≥30 mm. Results. Sixty seven patients were included. The male-to-female sex ratio was 7 : 1. The vast majority of patients were admitted due to STEMI (73%), and the rest were equally divided as NSTEMI and unstable angina. The mean patient age was 58.4 ± 10.4 years. AAD measurements were feasible in 57 patients (85%); among them, AAA was diagnosed in six patients (10.5%). The average additional time required to measure the abdominal aorta was 4 ± 1 min. All patients with AAA were men and had a higher prevalence of smoking (83.3% vs. 60.6%, p<0.003) and a lower incidence of diabetes mellitus than those without aneurysm. The prevalence of AAA tended to be related to age (12.5% in those older than 60 years and 18.7% in those older than 65 years). Conclusions. The overall prevalence of AAA is significantly high among patients with ACS and increases with age. AAA screening as a part of routine cardiac TTE can be easily, rapidly, and feasibly performed and yield accurate findings. AAD measurement in the subcostal view should be implemented as a part of routine TTE in patients with ACS