The Edwards Intuity Valve System is a bioprosthesis with a balloon-expandable stent frame which enables rapid-deployment (RD). We aimed to analyze our single-center long-term experience with a follow-up until 9 years after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with this bioprosthesis.

Between May 2010 and May 2019, 700 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis or combined aortic valve disease, implanted with a RD valve at our institution, were included in a prospective database. Median follow-up was 19 months and the total accumulated follow-up was 2,140 patient-years. Pre-operative characteristics, operative parameters, survival rates, valve-related adverse events and valve hemodynamics were assessed.

Mean age was 74±8 years, 45% female. Concomitant procedures were performed in 339 (48.4%) patients. In case of isolated AVR (361/700), a minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approach was conducted in 283 patients (78.4%). selleck chemicals Cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB) and cross-clamp times for isolated AVR were 107.7±28.2 and 73.8±21.3 minutes for MIS approaches and 92.8±28.8 and 57.5±20.6 minutes for full sternotomy (P<0.001), respectively. Mean gradients at discharge, 1, 3 and 5 years were 13±5, 11±4, 12±5 and 13±8 mmHg. New early pacemaker implantation was required in 8.9% of patients. Re-intervention or re-operation with valve explantation for structural degeneration, non-structural dysfunction or endocarditis, occurred in 21 cases (3%). Thirty-day mortality was 0.7% (5/700) and overall survival at 1, 3 and 5 years was 98%, 91% and 76%.

We report excellent long-term results in this updated single center experience for RD aortic valves regarding durability, safety and hemodynamic performance.

We report excellent long-term results in this updated single center experience for RD aortic valves regarding durability, safety and hemodynamic performance.Currently, the patterning of innovative three-dimensional (3D) nano-objects is required for the development of future advanced electronic components. Helium ion microscopy in combination with a precursor gas can be used for direct writing of three-dimensional nanostructures with a precise control of their geometry, and a significantly higher aspect ratio than other additive manufacturing technologies. We report here on the deposition of 3D hollow tungsten carbide nanowires with tailored diameters by tuning two key growth parameters, namely current and dose of the ion beam. Our results show the control of geometry in 3D hollow nanowires, with outer and inner diameters ranging from 36 to 142 nm and from 5 to 28 nm, respectively; and lengths from 0.5 to 8.9 µm. Transmission electron microscopy experiments indicate that the nanowires have a microstructure of large grains with a crystalline structure compatible with the face-centered cubic WC1- x phase. In addition, 3D electron tomographic reconstructions show that the hollow center of the nanowires is present along the whole nanowire length. Moreover, these nanowires become superconducting at 6.8 K and show high values of critical magnetic field and critical current density. Consequently, these 3D nano-objects could be implemented as components in the next generation of electronics, such as nano-antennas and sensors, based on 3D superconducting architectures.

Compare depth-resolved biomechanical properties in normal and keratoconic corneas in live human subjects using optical coherence elastography (OCE).

In a prospective series of normal and keratoconus (KC) eyes, a corneal perturbation was applied by a custom swept-source OCE system using a transparent flat lens coupled to force transducers. Cross-correlation was applied to track frame-by-frame OCT speckle displacement. Regional displacements for the anterior and posterior stroma were plotted in force versus displacement (

) graphs. A spatial biomechanical property ratio (

) was defined by dividing the maximum total displacement by the maximum force for the anterior (

) and posterior cornea (

and was compared between normal and KC groups with the Mann-Whitney

test. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) for differentiating normal and KC eyes was calculated for

, k

, and thinnest point of corneal thickness (TPCT).

Thirty-six eyes were analyzed (21 eyes of 12 normal subjects and 15 KC eyes of 12 subjects). The

for the normal group was 1.135 ± 0.07 (mean ± standard deviation) and 1.02 ± 0.08 for the KC group (

< 0.001), indicating a relative deficit in anterior stromal stiffness in KC eyes. AUROC was 0.91 for

/

, 0.95 for k

, and 1 for TPCT.

Significant differences in depth-dependent corneal biomechanical properties were observed between normal and KC subjects.

OCE was applied for the first time to human KC subjects and revealed alterations in the normal anterior-to-posterior stromal stiffness gradient, a novel and clinically accessible disease biomarker.

OCE was applied for the first time to human KC subjects and revealed alterations in the normal anterior-to-posterior stromal stiffness gradient, a novel and clinically accessible disease biomarker.

Healthcare is more effective when people are treated in their own language with respect for their culture. However, information about the availability and nature of health resources is fragmented and studies suggest few assessments, screening tools, or other health resources in many of South Africa’s languages.

This scoping review identified health resources written in the eleven official languages of South Africa for health professionals to use for patient assessment and management.

Databases were searched and information about resources collated and analysed.

Two-hundred-and-fifty two unique resources were found (444 items, if different language versions of the same resource were counted separately). All official languages were represented. The most widely used (excluding English) were Afrikaans (118 resources), IsiXhosa (80) and IsiZulu (55).

Development of more health resources and critical evaluation of their validity and reliability remain important. This study contributes a preliminary database for South African health professionals, ultimately promoting improved service delivery.