Differentiation of Atherosclerotic Carotid Plaque Components With Dual-Energy Computed Tomography.

Objectives: Carotid plaque vulnerability is a strong predictor of recurrent ipsilateral stroke, but differentiation of plaque components using conventional computed tomography (CT) is suboptimal. The aim of our study was to evaluate the ability of dual-energy CT (DECT) to characterize atherosclerotic carotid plaque components based on the effective atomic number and effective electron density using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and, where possible, histology as the reference standard.

Materials And Methods: Patients with recent cerebral ischemia and a ≥2-mm carotid plaque underwent computed tomography angiography and MRI.

Fractional Flow Reserve Directed Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Optimization Using High-Definition Intravascular Ultrasound in Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Versus Chronic Coronary Syndrome.

Background: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided optimization of suboptimal fractional flow reserve (FFR) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) results in a significant increase in both post-PCI FFR and minimal lumen and stent areas (MLA and MSA, respectively). However, the impact of clinical presentation with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) versus chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) on the efficacy of PCI optimization remains unknown.

Methods: This was a prespecified subgroup analysis of the FFR REACT trial comparing IVUS-guided PCI optimization versus no further treatment in 291 patients with a post-PCI FFR < 0.

Beyond the Chest Wall: Examining the Relationship between Morphological Features and Psychosocial Distress in Pectus Excavatum Patients.

Introduction:  Pectus excavatum patients frequently experience psychosocial distress, yet the relationship with morphological features of the deformity remains unexplored. We hypothesize that certain morphological features analyzed by 3D optical surface imaging contribute more prominently to the distress experienced by pectus excavatum patients as they impact the visible severity of the deformity.

Materials And Methods:  Consecutive pectus excavatum patients who received three-dimensional optical surface imaging between August 2019 and November 2022 were included.

Propagation properties of a non-linear mapping based on squaring in odd characteristic.

Many modern cryptographic primitives for hashing and (authenticated) encryption make use of constructions that are instantiated with an iterated cryptographic permutation that operates on a fixed-width state consisting of an array of bits. Often, such permutations are the repeated application of a relatively simple round function consisting of a linear layer and a non-linear layer. These constructions do not require that the underlying function is a permutation and they can plausibly be based on a non-invertible transformation.

Edoxaban Monotherapy and Incidence of Transcatheter Heart Valve Leaflet Thrombosis - The Rotterdam Edoxaban (REDOX) Study.

Background: Trials comparing non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant (NOAC) versus antiplatelet-based strategies have shown a reduction of subclinical leaflet thrombosis at the cost of increased mortality and major-bleedings. NOACs were often combined with antiplatelet therapy.

Aims: The Rotterdam Edoxaban (REDOX) study aimed to evaluate the impact of edoxaban monotherapy on the incidence of hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening (HALT) and reduced leaflet motion (RLM) and to evaluate safety in terms of mortality, thromboembolic events and major bleeding.