Focal pulsed field ablation in complex atrial tachycardia: First clinical experience and 1-year outcome.

Background: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has become increasingly important in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. In addition to single-shot devices mainly used for pulmonary vein isolation, focal PFA may provide a treatment option that increases the versatility of the technique.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide data on feasibility, safety, and long-term outcome of focal PFA for ablation of complex atrial tachycardia (AT).

Renal function and periprocedural complications in patients undergoing left atrial catheter ablation: A comparison between uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants and phenprocoumon administration.

Background: Data regarding uninterrupted oral anticoagulation in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) during catheter ablation for left atrial arrhythmias is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of periprocedural uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) compared with uninterrupted phenprocoumon in patients with CKD undergoing left atrial catheter ablation.

Methods And Results: We conducted a retrospective single-center study of patients who underwent left atrial catheter ablation between 2016 and 2019 with underlying chronic kidney disease (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) between 15 and 45 ml/min).

First clinical data on artificial intelligence-guided catheter ablation in long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Despite advanced ablation strategies and major technological improvements, treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) remains challenging and the underlying pathophysiology is not fully understood. This study analyzed the multiple procedure outcome and safety of catheter ablation of spatiotemporal dispersions (DISPERS) detected by artificial intelligence (AI)-guided software in patients with long-standing persistent AF.

Methods And Results: The Volta VX1 software was used for 50 consecutive patients undergoing catheter ablation for persistent AF.

Pandemic portfolio choice.

COVID-19 has taught us that a pandemic can significantly increase biometric risk and at the same time trigger crashes of the stock market. Taking these potential co-movements of financial and non-financial risks into account, we study the portfolio problem of an agent who is aware that a future pandemic can affect her health and personal finances. The corresponding stochastic dynamic optimization problem is complex: It is characterized by a system of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations which are coupled with optimality conditions that are only given implicitly.

Neonatal Circumcision Trends from a Pediatric Urology Perspective: Results from a Survey of Members of the Societies for Pediatric Urology.

Introduction: Neonatal circumcision remains controversial, with rates varying over the years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledge the health benefits of neonatal circumcision and support access to the procedure for families who choose it. Although more commonly performed by nonurological providers, pediatric urologists are often involved with pre-procedural or post-procedural concerns.

Unto the third generation: evidence for strong familial aggregation of physicians, psychologists, and psychotherapists among first-year medical and psychology students in a nationwide Austrian cohort census.

Background: Medical students present higher numbers of physician relatives than expectable from the total population prevalence of physicians. Evidence for such a familial aggregation effect of physicians has emerged in investigations from the Anglo-American, Scandinavian, and German-speaking areas. In particular, past data from Austria suggest a familial aggregation of the medical, as well as of the psychological and psychotherapeutic, professions among medical and psychology undergraduates alike.

Paradise lost or paradise regained? Changes in admission system affect academic performance and drop-out rates of medical students.

Background: The Austrian State medical universities had to change their admission system in 2005. Until this year admission to medical studies was unrestricted. Innsbruck Medical University chose the Eignungstest für das Medizinstudium in der Schweiz (EMS) aptitude test for admission testing.

Patterns of retinal nerve fiber layer loss in multiple sclerosis patients with or without optic neuritis and glaucoma patients.

Objective: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has gained increasing attention in multiple sclerosis (MS) research and has been suggested as outcome measure for neuroprotective therapies. However, to date it is not clear whether patterns of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) loss are different in MS compared to other diseases such as glaucoma and data on RNFLT loss in MS patients with or without optic neuritis (ON/NON) have remained inconsistent or even contradictory.

Methods: In this large cross-sectional study we analyzed the patterns of axonal loss of retinal ganglion cells in MS eyes (n=262) with and without history of ON (MS/ON: 73 eyes; MS/NON: 189 eyes) and patients eyes with glaucomatous optic disc atrophy (GA: n=22; 39 eyes) in comparison to healthy control eyes (HC: n=406 eyes).

Clinical and genetic features in a family with CADASIL and high lipoprotein (a) values.

We present a family with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) and elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels. In addition to neurological examinations, ultrasound of extra- and intracranial arteries, laboratory tests, and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a whole genome screening with mutation analyses was performed. Rather untypical for CADASIL, stenoses of large intracranial arteries were detected in the index patient.

Indirect foot-and-mouth disease vaccine potency testing based on a serological alternative.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine potency testing has historically been performed by experimentally infecting vaccinated cattle. A few alternative approaches to the in vivo challenge test based on the correlation between serum titres of primo-vaccinated cattle and protection against infection have been proposed, but none have been accepted by the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph.Eur.

European Pharmacopoeia foot-and-mouth disease vaccine potency testing in cattle: between test variability and its consequences.

In the event of a foot-and-mouth (FMD) outbreak in a densely populated livestock area within the European Community, emergency vaccination will most likely be employed. The objective of the present study was to support the European FMD control policy by evaluating the between test variability of the European accepted method for assessing the potency, a major determinant in vaccine choice, of an FMD vaccine batch. The test system suffers from low in vivo repeatability and reproducibility (67.

Genetics of the Lp(a)/apo(a) system in an autochthonous Black African population from the Gabon.

Plasma lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a quantitative trait associated with atherothrombotic disease in European and Asian populations. Lp(a) concentrations vary widely within and between populations, with Africans exhibiting on average two- to threefold higher Lp(a) levels and a different distribution compared to Europeans. The apo(a) gene locus on chromosome 6q26-27 (LPA, MIM 152200) has been identified as the major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for Lp(a) concentrations in Europeans and populations of African descent (North American and South African Blacks) but data on autochthonous Black Africans are lacking.

Evaluation of a cognitive-behavioral, group, randomized controlled intervention trial to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies in young women.

Background: Few cognitive-behavioral interventions have focused on preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies (UPs) in young, sexually active women in a single study. Military recruit training provides a well-defined, national, nonclinic sample in which to evaluate such an intervention.

Methods: All female Marine recruits (N=2,288) in training were approached.

A common nonsense mutation in the repetitive Kringle IV-2 domain of human apolipoprotein(a) results in a truncated protein and low plasma Lp(a).

LPA, the gene coding for apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)], is the major determinant of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] plasma levels, which are associated with risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. It is not completely understood how variation in LPA relates to Lp(a) concentrations. One type of variation related to Lp(a) levels is the number of Kringle (K) IV-2 (g.

Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia is an important risk factor for vascular disease in subjects with high-molecular weight apo(a) isoforms.

Background: Homocyst(e)ine is reported to increase the binding of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] to fibrin, which may increase the thrombogenic effects of Lp(a) in vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between homocyst(e)ine and Lp(a) levels and vascular disease risk, and if the relationship depends on the apo(a) isoforms.

Methods: A case-control study was performed in 91 Caucasian male subjects with vascular disease due to athersclerosis, and in 100 healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects.

Maternal apo E genotype is a modifier of the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

Background: Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (MIM 270400) is an autosomal recessive malformation and mental retardation syndrome that ranges in clinical severity from minimal dysmorphism and mild mental retardation to severe congenital anomalies and intrauterine death. Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome is caused by mutations in the Delta7 sterol-reductase gene (DHCR7; EC 1.3.

Association of NQO1 polymorphism with spontaneous breast cancer in two independent populations.

Eight different single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six different genes were investigated for possible association with breast cancer. We used a case-control study design in two Caucasian populations, one from Tyrol, Austria, and the other from Prague, Czech Republic. Two SNPs showed an association with breast cancer: R72P inTP53 and P187S in NQO1.

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome knowledge and risk factors in Ethiopian military personnel.

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS)-related knowledge and behaviors were assessed in face-to-face structured interviews with 314 Ethiopian military personnel. A significant finding of this research was the association between HIV/AIDS knowledge and risky sexual behavior. That is, military personnel who had inaccurate knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention were 3.

Analysis of the apo(a) size polymorphism in Asian Indian populations: association with Lp(a) concentration and coronary heart disease.

Most studies aiming to detect associations of genetic variation with common complex diseases, e.g. coronary heart disease (CHD) have been performed in populations with a western lifestyle but it is unclear whether associations detected in one geographic group exist also in others.

Plasma distribution of apoA-IV in patients with coronary artery disease and healthy controls.

Recent studies showed lower apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) plasma concentrations in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The actual distribution of the antiatherogenic apoA-IV in human plasma, however, is discussed controversially and it was never investigated in CAD patients. We therefore developed a gentle technique to separate the various apoA-IV-containing plasma fractions.

Association of polymorphisms of the apolipoprotein(a) gene with lipoprotein(a) levels and myocardial infarction.

Background: Serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] concentration is largely determined by variability at the apolipoprotein(a) gene locus. Most prominent effects relate to polymorphisms in the promoter (a pentanucleotide [PN] repeat) and coding regions (a kringle IV [K4] repeat), the latter of which also affects Lp(a) particle size. The impact of these polymorphisms on cardiovascular risk is poorly understood.

Gabon black population data on the ten short tandem repeat loci D3S1358, VWA, D16S539, D2S1338, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D19S433, TH01 and FGA.

Allele frequencies for ten short tandem repeat (STR) loci D3S1358, VWA, D16S539, D2S1338, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D19S433, TH01 and FGA were determined in a Black African sample population from Gabon. All loci were highly polymorphic and except for TH01, D21S11 and D16S539, all met Hardy-Weinberg expectations. There was little evidence of association of alleles between the loci in this database.