2016 ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with EACTS.

Peer reviewe

Self–stabilizing Capsule Endoscope for Early Detection and Biopsy of Colonic Polyps

Capsule endoscopy is a noninvasive method for examining the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and has been very successful in small intestine studies. Recent attempts have been made to utilize this procedure in effective colon screening. However, in the wider colonic lumen the small capsule tumbles, resulting in missed regions and the transmission of images with little clinical utility. In addition, the capsule does not have the capability to insufflate the lumen to provide a more complete visualization of collapsed colonic segments. These limitations in the current application of capsule endoscopy outline the need for a novel method that allows for effective capsule–based imaging of the colon. A self–stabilizing capsule endoscope (SCE) is a unique method that eliminates capsule tumbling in the colon, hence allowing systematic visualization. In this research, a prototype of an SCE enclosed in a colon targeting shell was proposed and tested. The SCE design consists of an inner capsule endoscope (CE) that has an expandable component attached to its trailing end. Upon arrival at the colon, the outer shell dissolves, activating the inner capsule and the expandable component which then grows to stabilize the implement. The SCE travels through the colon by peristalsis, capturing intraluminal images and transmitting them in real time to an external receiver, and is then excreted from the body. As a safety measure, the expandable component can be remotely separated from the capsule. Feasibility of the SCE has been demonstrated in laboratory and acute canine experiments. The self–stabilization technology vastly improves the image quality over commercial, non–stabilized CEs in the colon. In addition, SCE delivers a significant improvement in detection rates of simulated colonic lesions when compared to standard CEs. The SCE is an important contribution to the development of a reliable colon CE. Additionally, a novel biopsy module for the CE was proposed and tested. This module collects samples of tissue and luminal juices anywhere along the GI tract. It is a remotely operated device capable of taking a sample from any point around the 360˚ circumference of the capsule. The functionality and feasibility of the biopsy module for CE was verified in a silicon stomach model

Transcutaneous Intraluminal Impedance Measurement for Minimally Invasive Monitoring of Gastric Motility: Validation in Acute Canine Models

Transcutaneous intraluminal impedance measurement (TIIM) is a new method to cutaneously measure gastric contractions by assessing the attenuation dynamics of a small oscillating voltage emitted by a battery-powered ingestible capsule retained in the stomach. In the present study, we investigated whether TIIM can reliably assess gastric motility in acute canine models. Methods. Eight mongrel dogs were randomly divided into 2 groups: half received an active TIIM pill and half received an identically sized sham capsule. After 24-hour fasting and transoral administration of the pill (active or sham), two force transducers (FT) were sutured onto the antral serosa at laparotomy. After closure, three standard cutaneous electrodes were placed on the abdomen, registering the transluminally emitted voltage. Thirty-minute baseline recordings were followed by pharmacological induction of gastric contractions using neostigmine IV and another 30-minute recording. Normalized one-minute baseline and post-neostigmine gastric motility indices (GMIs) were calculated and Pearson correlation coefficients (PCCs) between cutaneous and FT GMIs were obtained. Statistically significant GMI PCCs were seen in both baseline and post-neostigmine states. There were no significant GMI PCCs in the sham capsule test. Further chronic animal studies of this novel long-term gastric motility measurement technique are needed before testing it on humans.Peer Reviewe

Guía ESC 2016 sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la fibrilación auricular, desarrollada en colaboración con la EACTS

Silver print from a silver gelatin negative, 23.5 x 16.5 cm.téléchargeabl

ESC 2016 guide on the diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation, developed in collaboration with the EACTS

[No abstract available

The Impact of Digitalization on Creative Economy : How Digital Technologies Enable to Increase Creativity Value

It was over two decades ago when the Department of Culture, Media and Sport of British government disclosed the concept of creative industries. Since then, several countries have adopted directly or indirectly its idea in their political and economic measures as a way of preserving the local culture and supporting of the wave of technological innovation that the world has witnessed in the following years. As the concept gained traction globally, it also expanded its breadth and the issues that have risen since its emergence around a precise coherence on its definition, which has become even more challenging to answer nowadays. The analysis of the literature on the subject reveals that many were the efforts for a more evident understanding between “the art” and culture in contrast to creativity consumed as a commodity. Although the opinions are still diverse in this context, the discussion has provided greater clarity to the studies in the field of media, communication, and cultural studies. A topic even in need of a broader debate is the effects that the technological digitization itself and its tools made available to broaden the concept of the creative industries. This thesis provides research on impacts of digitalization for the creative and cultural industries through the interviewee with freelancers and SME from creative segments. Interviews were conducted with 65 creative workers distributed in 28 countries around the globe. They were asked about the value chain processes of their work, how creativity and digitization can be evidenced as a resource for such processes, and the advantages and disadvantages of their creative, physical and online community interactions. The purpose of this thesis is to bring the perspective of these workers and are often not included in government and institutional research due to the difficulties in measuring their data. The results reflect the day-to-day situation of such professionals who frequently use digital tools and environment for their professional activities and are more susceptible to the issues of digitalization. A brief analysis of the participants' perspectives on copyright laws is also included within the scope of this article. The interviewees speak openly about their own lack of knowledge regarding these laws, the difficulty of accessing and understanding legislative texts, and suggestions for improvements to the regulations in their areas of work. This thesis presents results that broaden the academic discussions for the CCI and provide empirical material that can be used in practical measures to solve problems faced by creative workers due to the impacts of the digitization