Patient selection for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in South Africa

Patient selection is likely to be the most important determinant of a successful long term outcome of the TAVI procedure. It requires careful assessment of the indications for aortic valve replacement, clinical status of the patient, associated co-morbidities and, importantly, the cognitive function and motivation of the patient. This assessment must be made by a multi-disciplinary team consisting of at least a cardiologist, cardiac surgeon, anaesthetist and general physician. Careful imaging of the relevant anatomywith ultrasound and CT scanning is critical. Experience improves patient selection and ultimate outcome. Funding remains a challenge and many patients worthy of the procedure are denied because of costs

Assessment of Scale-Loss to Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar L.) Smolts from Passage Through an Archimedean Screw Turbine

The potential for external damage to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) smolts from passage through an Archimedean screw turbine was tested with controlled field trials at two turbine speeds. Change in external condition of smolts was measured by grading photographs of individual fish for scale-loss before and after the tests. Results were compared between turbine-passed and control smolts. There were no significant differences in proportions of fish with new scale-loss between treatment and control smolts. New scale-loss of between 4 and 30% was seen in 7.46% of turbine-passed smolts, exceeding the prevalence in control smolts by 2.46%. Of these, 1.49% had minor scale-loss of 5-9%. Minor scale-loss was more prevalent for both groups at the faster turbine speed, although differences between treatment and control groups were more apparent at the slower speed

The development and deployment of formal methods in the UK

UK researchers have made major contributions to the technical ideas underpinning formal approaches to the specification and development of computer systems. Perhaps as a consequence of this, some of the significant attempts to deploy theoretical ideas into practical environments have taken place in the UK. The authors of this paper have been involved in formal methods for many years and both have tracked a significant proportion of the whole story. This paper both lists key ideas and indicates where attempts were made to use the ideas in practice. Not all of these deployment stories have been a complete success and an attempt is made to tease out lessons that influence the probability of long-term impact.Comment: This work has been submitted to the IEEE for possible publication. Copyright may be transferred without notice, after which this version may no longer be accessibl

Psychological and behavioral correlates of early adolescents’ physical literacy

Purpose: Physical literacy is understood to be important for adolescents' behavioral and psychological wellness. Yet, to date, limited empirical data exist to support such reasoning. Addressing this gap, the present study examined relationships between physical literacy and early adolescents' physical education engagement, leisure-time exercise behavior, and psychological well-being. Methods: The physical literacy level of 187 early adolescents (Mage = 12.84, SD = 0.55, girls = 99) was measured using the Canadian Assessment for Physical Literacy. One week later, data pertaining to standardized measures of engagement in physical education, leisure-time exercise behavior, and psychological well-being were collected. Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that physical literacy was positively correlated with physical education engagement, leisure-time exercise, positive affect, and vitality, whereas it was negatively correlated with negative affect. Conclusion: The findings from this work substantiate the contention that physical literacy has manifold benefits for early adolescents' behavioral and psychological wellness

Hey ChatGPT, give me a title for a paper about degree apathy and student use of AI for assignment writing

ChatGPT could allow students to plagiarize the content of their coursework with little risk of detection. Little is known about undergraduate willingness to use AI tools. In this study, psychology undergraduates (N = 160) from the United Kingdom, indicated their willingness to use, and history of using, ChatGPT to write university assignments. Almost a third (32%) indicated that they would use such tools; 15% indicated that they had used them already. Neither personality (conscientiousness, agreeableness, Machiavellianism, narcissism), academic performance, nor study skills self-efficacy could predict future use of AI tools. A novel Degree Apathy Scale was the only significant predictor. Willingness to use AI tools was greater when the risk of getting caught was low, and punishment was light, particularly for those high in degree apathy. Findings suggest that degree apathy is a key risk factor in academic misconduct. Wider research and pedagogical applications of degree apathy are discussed

The percutaneous coronary intervention prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (ACTIVATION) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background Current guidelines recommend treatment of significant coronary artery disease by concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement. However there is no consensus as to how best to treat coronary disease in high-risk patients requiring transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Methods/Design The percutaneous coronary intervention prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (ACTIVATION) trial is a randomized, controlled open-label trial of 310 patients randomized to treatment of significant coronary artery disease by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI - test arm) or no PCI (control arm). Significant coronary disease is defined as ≥1 lesion of ≥70% severity in a major epicardial vessel or 50% in a vein graft or protected left main stem lesion. The trial tests the hypothesis that the strategy of performing pre-TAVI PCI is non-inferior to not treating such coronary stenoses with PCI prior to TAVI, with a composite primary outcome of 12-month mortality and rehospitalization. Secondary outcomes include efficacy end-points such as 30-day mortality, safety endpoints including bleeding, burden of symptoms, and quality of life (assessed using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire). In conclusion, we hope that using a definition of coronary artery disease severity closer to that used in everyday practice by interventional cardiologists - rather than the 50% severity used in surgical guidelines - will provide robust evidence to direct guidelines regarding TAVI therapy and improve its safety and efficacy profile of this developing technique. Trial registration ISRCTN75836930, http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN75836930 (registered 19 November 2011)

CORNWALL (Reino Unido) (Inglaterra). Mapas generales (1784). 1:128000

Dedicatoria : "To Robert Hoblyn of Nanswhyden In the County of Cornwall Esq. Member of Parliament for the City of Bristol ; This map is most humbly Inscrib'd By His most Humbly, and Obediant Servant, Thos Martyn"Escala gráfica de 10 millas [= 12,6 cm]. Coordenadas referidas al meridiano de Londres (O 6°21'--O 4°38'/N 50°32'--N 49°44'). Recuadro geográfico de 1' en 1'. Orientado con lis en rosa de dieciséis vientosRelieve de perfil. Indica los fondosDiferencia mediante colores, el contorno de los distintos "hundreds" en que se divide el condadoTabla de signos convencionales para indicar las categorias de las parroquias, mansiones aristocráticas, ciudades y caminos de primer y segundo ordenTítulo, dedicatoria, escala gráfica y tabla de signos convencionales, enmarcados en cartelas barrocas. Decorado con figuras de navíosInserta : "The Islands of Scilly..." "An Inscription on a Stone, called Mean Screefis, about four Miles from Penzance, in the Parish of Madern" ; "An Inscription on a Stone (now turn'd into a Foorbridge) in the Parish of Gulval, near Penzance" ; "An Inscription on a stone, in a Village called Mawgan-cross, in the Parish of Mawgan, in Meneage"Forma parte de la Colección Mendoz

CORNWALL (Reino Unido) (Inglaterra). Mapas generales (1784). 1:173000

Dedicatoria : "To Jonathan Rashleigh of Menabilly Esq. Member of Parliament for the Borough of Fowey, In the County of Cornwall, This Map is most humbly Inscrib'd, By His most humble and Obedient Servant, Thos. Martyn"Escala gráfica de 10 millas [= 9,3 cm]. Coordenadas referidas al meridiano de Londres (O 6°05'--O 4°26'/N 50°31'--N 49°44'). Recuadro geográfico de 1' en 1'. Orientado con lis en rosa de dieciséis vientosOrografía de perfilIndica bajos y bancos de arenaTabla de signos convencionales para localizar parroquias, maasiones nobiliarias, caminos, etc.Destaca los límites entre los diversos "hundreds"Título, dedicatoria y tabla de signos convencionales, enmarcados en sendas cartelas barrocas, decoradas con motivos vegetalesForma parte de la Colección MendozaInserta : "The Islands of Scilly...