Creation and Validation of an Algorithm for Predicting the Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation Following Pulmonary Vein Isolation by Utilizing Real-World Data and Ensemble Modeling Techniques.

Introduction Catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) represents a mainstay in the treatment of this increasingly prevalent arrhythmia. Prospective clinical trials investigating the efficacy of CA may poorly represent real-world patient populations. However, many real-world clinical datasets possess missing data, which may impede their applicability in research.

Esophageal Rupture Presenting with ST Segment Elevation and Junctional Rhythm Mimicking Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Esophageal rupture is a rare but potentially fatal cause of chest pain. The presentation is variable and can mimic other conditions such as aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism, and myocardial infarction (MI). A 71-year-old male with a history of coronary artery disease presented to the ED with complaints of acute chest pain and respiratory distress.

Improving compliance with Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) reporting standards: A serial comparison of 523 labs over seven years.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate reporting compliance of laboratories applying for serial accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) and compare compliance based on laboratory characteristics.

Methods: All laboratories applying for IAC accreditation for the first time in 2008 and then twice more (2011-2014) were evaluated for compliance with 18 reporting elements. The elements were ranked into three severity groups (high/moderate/low).

Improved compliance with reporting standards: A retrospective analysis of Intersocietal Accreditation Commission Nuclear Cardiology Laboratories.

Background: In 2011, Tilkemeier et al reported significant nuclear cardiology laboratory noncompliance with reporting standards. The aim of this study was to identify and examine noncompliant reporting elements with the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission Nuclear/PET (IAC) Reporting Standards and to compare compliance between 2008 and 2014.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of compliance with 18 reporting elements utilizing accreditation findings from all laboratories applying for accreditation in 2008 and 2014.

Cardiac Structure and Function in Elite Para-cyclists with Spinal Cord Injury.

Purpose: We sought to explore the association between the spinal cord injury (SCI) level on the cardiac structure and the function observed in elite para-cyclists.

Methods: Cross-sectional echocardiographic data from 44 elite SCI hand cyclists (39.8 ± 9 yr, 68% male/32% female) stratified by the level of SCI (cervical, N = 9; T1-T5, N = 10; below T5, N = 25) and 19 non-SCI blind/visually impaired (BVI) tandem cyclists (32.

Competency in chaos: lifesaving performance of care providers utilizing a competency-based, multi-actor emergency preparedness training curriculum.

Objective: Providing comprehensive emergency preparedness training (EPT) to care providers is important to the future success of disaster operations in the US. Few EPT programs possess both competency-driven goals and metrics to measure performance during a multi-patient simulated disaster.

Methods: A 1-day (8-hour) EPT course for care providers was developed to enhance provider knowledge, skill, and comfort necessary to save lives during a simulated disaster.

Can coronary artery anomalies be detected on CT calcium scoring studies?

Purpose: To determine whether coronary artery anomalies can be detected on noncontrast computed tomography (CT) coronary artery calcium scoring (CCS) studies.

Materials And Methods: A total of 126 patients (mean age 62 years; 35 women) underwent noncontrast CCS and contrast enhanced coronary CT angiography (cCTA). Thirty-three patients were diagnosed with a coronary anomaly on cCTA, whereas coronary anomalies were excluded in 93.

High-fidelity multiactor emergency preparedness training for patient care providers.

Background: Providing comprehensive emergency preparedness training (EPT) for patient care providers is important to the future success of emergency preparedness operations in the United States. Disasters are rare, complex events involving many patients and environmental factors that are difficult to reproduce in a training environment. Few EPT programs possess both competency-driven goals and metrics to measure life-saving performance during a multiactor simulated disaster.

Segregation of two spectrin isoforms: polarized membrane-binding sites direct polarized membrane skeleton assembly.

Spectrin isoforms are often segregated within specialized plasma membrane subdomains where they are thought to contribute to the development of cell surface polarity. It was previously shown that ankyrin and beta spectrin are recruited to sites of cell-cell contact in Drosophila S2 cells expressing the homophilic adhesion molecule neuroglian. Here, we show that neuroglian has no apparent effect on a second spectrin isoform (alpha beta H), which is constitutively associated with the plasma membrane in S2 cells.

Measuring standards of care for early breast cancer in an insured population.

Purpose: To demonstrate the use of a combined data base to evaluate the care for local/regional invasive breast cancer in a large insured population of women aged less than 64 years.

Patients And Methods: We linked the procedural and hospital claims from Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Virginia with clinical stage data from the Virginia Cancer Registry (VCR) from 1989 to 1991. A total of 918 women were assessed with a median age of 50 years; 68% had tumors less than 2 cm, 30% had positive axillary nodes, and 68% were assessed as having local summary stage.