Paying attention to natural scenes in area V1.

Natural scene responses in the primary visual cortex are modulated simultaneously by attention and by contextual signals about scene statistics stored across the connectivity of the visual processing hierarchy. We hypothesized that attentional and contextual signals interact in V1 in a manner that primarily benefits the representation of natural stimuli, rich in high-order statistical structure. Recording from two macaques engaged in a spatial attention task, we found that attention enhanced the decodability of stimulus identity from population responses evoked by natural scenes, but not by synthetic stimuli lacking higher-order statistical regularities.

CT perfusion in peripheral arterial disease-hemodynamic differences before and after revascularisation.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was the assessment of volumetric CT perfusion (CTP) of the lower leg musculature in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) before and after interventional revascularisation.

Methods: Twenty-nine consecutive patients with symptomatic PAD of the lower extremities requiring interventional revascularisation were assessed prospectively. All patients underwent a CTP scan of the lower leg, and hemodynamic and angiographic assessment, before and after intervention.

Clinical Outcomes of Incidental Venous Thromboembolism in Cancer and Noncancer Patients: The SWIss Venous ThromboEmbolism Registry (SWIVTER).

Objective:  In patients with cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE), the risk of recurrence is similar after incidental and symptomatic events. It is unknown whether the same applies to incidental VTE not associated with cancer.

Methods And Results:  We compared baseline characteristics, anticoagulation therapy, all-cause mortality, and VTE recurrence rates at 90 days between patients with incidental ( = 131; 52% without cancer) and symptomatic ( = 1,931) VTE included in the SWIss Venous ThromboEmbolism Registry (SWIVTER).

The IN.PACT DEEP Clinical Drug-Coated Balloon Trial: 5-Year Outcomes.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate the 5-year follow-up data of the IN.PACT DEEP (Randomized IN.PACT Amphirion Drug-Coated Balloon [DCB] vs.

Elevated HbA1c is not associated with recurrent venous thromboembolism in the elderly, but with all-cause mortality- the SWEETCO 65+ study.

The association of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and death in the elderly is unknown. In the SWEETCO 65+ study we analyzed prospectively a Swiss Cohort of Elderly Patients with Venous Thromboembolism (SWITCO 65+). 888 patients were enrolled for the SWEETCO 65+ analysis.

Venous Thromboembolism and Renal Impairment: Insights from the SWIss Venous ThromboEmbolism Registry (SWIVTER).

Renal impairment (RI) has increased substantially over the last decades. In the absence of data from confirmatory research, real-life data on anticoagulation treatment and clinical outcomes of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with RI are needed. In the SWIss Venous ThromboEmbolism Registry (SWIVTER), 2,062 consecutive patients with objectively confirmed VTE were enrolled.

CT-perfusion in peripheral arterial disease - Correlation with angiographic and hemodynamic parameters.

Objective: The purpose of this study was the assessment of volumetric CT-perfusion (CTP) of the lower leg musculature in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of the lower extremities, comparing it with established angiographic and hemodynamic parameters.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-five consecutive patients with symptomatic PAD of the lower extremities requiring interventional revascularization were assessed prospectively. All patients underwent a CTP scan of the lower leg, and hemodynamic and angiographic assessment.

Risk stratification of elderly patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: Combining high-sensitivity cardiac Troponin T (hs-cTnT), NT-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) may improve risk stratification of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) beyond the PESI risk score.

Methods: In the prospective multicentre SWITCO65+ study, we analysed 214 patients ≥ 65 years with a new submassive PE. Biomarkers and clinical information for the PESI risk score were ascertained within 1 day after diagnosis.

Stimulus complexity shapes response correlations in primary visual cortex.

Spike count correlations (SCCs) are ubiquitous in sensory cortices, are characterized by rich structure, and arise from structured internal dynamics. However, most theories of visual perception treat contributions of neurons to the representation of stimuli independently and focus on mean responses. Here, we argue that, in a functional model of visual perception, featuring probabilistic inference over a hierarchy of features, inferences about high-level features modulate inferences about low-level features ultimately introducing structured internal dynamics and patterns in SCCs.

A high Gas6 level in plasma predicts venous thromboembolism recurrence, major bleeding and mortality in the elderly: a prospective multicenter cohort study.

Essentials Predictive ability of pro-hemostatic Gas6 for recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) is unknown. We measured Gas6 levels in 864 patients with VTE over 3 years. High Gas6 (> 157%) at diagnosis is associated with VTE recurrence, major bleeding and mortality.

Rivaroxaban or vitamin-K antagonists following early endovascular thrombus removal and stent placement for acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis.

Background: The optimal anticoagulant following catheter-based therapy of acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (IFDVT) is unknown.

Methods: From the Swiss Venous Stent registry, an ongoing prospective cohort study, we performed a subgroup analysis of patients with acute IFDVT who underwent catheter-based early thrombus removal followed by nitinol stent placement. Duplex ultrasound and Villalta scores were used to determine patency rates and incidence of the post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) in patients treated with either rivaroxaban (n = 73) or a vitamin K-antagonist (VKA; n = 38) for a minimum duration of 3 months.

Prospective evaluation of the capillaroscopic skin ulcer risk index in systemic sclerosis patients in clinical practice: a longitudinal, multicentre study.

Background: Nailfold capillaroscopy (NC) is an important tool for the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). The capillaroscopic skin ulcer risk index (CSURI) was suggested to identify patients at risk of developing digital ulcers (DUs). This study aims to assess the reliability of the CSURI across assessors, the CSURI change during follow-up and the value of the CSURI in predicting new DUs.

Predictors and Outcomes of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism in Elderly Patients.

Background: Little is known about predictors and outcomes of recurrent venous thromboembolism in elderly patients.

Methods: We prospectively followed up 991 patients aged ≥65 years with acute venous thromboembolism in a multicenter Swiss cohort study. The primary outcome was symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism.

Derivation and validation of a novel bleeding risk score for elderly patients with venous thromboembolism on extended anticoagulation.

Existing clinical scores do not perform well in predicting bleeding in elderly patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). We sought to derive an easy-to-use clinical score to help physicians identify elderly patients with VTE who are at high-risk of bleeding during extended anticoagulation (>3 months). Our derivation sample included 743 patients aged ≥65 years with VTE who were enrolled in a prospective multicenter cohort study.

Long-term outcomes of elderly patients with CYP2C9 and VKORC1 variants treated with vitamin K antagonists.

Unlabelled: Essentials The long-term effects of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 variants on clinical outcomes remains unclear. We followed 774 patients ≥65 years with venous thromboembolism for a median duration of 30 months. Patients with CYP2C9 variants are at increased risk of death and non-major bleeding.

Population activity statistics dissect subthreshold and spiking variability in V1.

Response variability, as measured by fluctuating responses upon repeated performance of trials, is a major component of neural responses, and its characterization is key to interpret high dimensional population recordings. Response variability and covariability display predictable changes upon changes in stimulus and cognitive or behavioral state, providing an opportunity to test the predictive power of models of neural variability. Still, there is little agreement on which model to use as a building block for population-level analyses, and models of variability are often treated as a subject of choice.

Predictors and Causes of Long-Term Mortality in Elderly Patients with Acute Venous Thromboembolism: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Long-term predictors and causes of death are understudied in elderly patients with acute venous thromboembolism.

Methods: We prospectively followed up 991 patients aged ≥65 years with acute venous thromboembolism in a multicenter Swiss cohort study. The primary outcome was overall mortality.

Echocardiography does not predict mortality in hemodynamically stable elderly patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: The evidence on the prognostic value of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in elderly, hemodynamically stable patients with Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is limited.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of common echocardiographic signs of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and their prognostic impact in hemodynamically stable patients aged ≥65years with acute PE in a prospective multicenter cohort.

Methods: TTE was performed by cardiologists.

Rivaroxaban for the treatment of venous thromboembolism. The SWIss Venous ThromboEmbolism Registry (SWIVTER).

We investigated three-month clinical outcomes in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) treated with rivaroxaban or conventional anticoagulation in routine clinical practice. Between November 2012 and February 2015, 2,062 consecutive patients with VTE from 11 acute care hospitals in Switzerland were enrolled in the SWIss Venous ThromboEmbolism Registry (SWIVTER). Overall, 417 (20 %) patients were treated with rivaroxaban.

Clinical Outcomes of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with and without Cancer: The SWIss Venous ThromboEmbolism Registry (SWIVTER).

Background The association between cancer and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in producing adverse clinical outcomes requires further investigation. Methods In the Swiss Venous ThromboEmbolism Registry (SWIVTER), we compared adverse clinical outcomes between 493 patients with cancer-associated VTE and 1,569 VTE patients without cancer, and identified independent predictors of 90-day mortality. Results Among cancer patients, 351 (71%) had active disease at the time of VTE diagnosis and 232 (47%) had metastatic disease.

Anticoagulation Management Practices and Outcomes in Elderly Patients with Acute Venous Thromboembolism: A Clinical Research Study.

Whether anticoagulation management practices are associated with improved outcomes in elderly patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) is uncertain. Thus, we aimed to examine whether practices recommended by the American College of Chest Physicians guidelines are associated with outcomes in elderly patients with VTE. We studied 991 patients aged ≥65 years with acute VTE in a Swiss prospective multicenter cohort study and assessed the adherence to four management practices: parenteral anticoagulation ≥5 days, INR ≥2.

Association between thyroid dysfunction and venous thromboembolism in the elderly: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and subclinical thyroid dysfunction (SCTD) are both common in elderly patients. SCTD has been related to a hypercoagulable state and an increased thromboembolic risk. However, prospective data on the relationship between SCTD and VTE are lacking.