Convergent procedure for long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Background: Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is associated with a significant reduction in morbimortality. The convergent procedure is a valid ablation option for the treatment of long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation.

Aim: To describe the outcomes of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation who underwent the convergent procedure.

Encapsulating Nickel-Iron Alloy Nanoparticles in a Polysilazane-Derived Microporous Si-C-O-N-Based Support to Stimulate Superior OER Activity.

The in situ confinement of nickel (Ni)-iron (Fe) nanoparticles (NPs) in a polymer-derived microporous silicon carboxynitride (Si-C-O-N)-based support is investigated to stimulate superior oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity in an alkaline media. Firstly, we consider a commercial polysilazane (PSZ) and Ni and Fe chlorides to be mixed in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and deliver after overnight solvent reflux a series of Ni-Fe : organosilicon coordination polymers. The latter are then heat-treated at 500 °C in flowing argon to form the title compounds.

Adaptive Unsupervised Learning-Based 3D Spatiotemporal Filter for Event-Driven Cameras.

In the evolving landscape of robotics and visual navigation, event cameras have gained important traction, notably for their exceptional dynamic range, efficient power consumption, and low latency. Despite these advantages, conventional processing methods oversimplify the data into 2 dimensions, neglecting critical temporal information. To overcome this limitation, we propose a novel method that treats events as 3D time-discrete signals.

Low temperature immobilization of nanoscale fcc and hcp polymorphic nickel particles in polymer-derived Si-C-O-N(H) to promote electrocatalytic water oxidation in alkaline media.

We synthesized nickel (Ni) nanoparticles (NPs) in a high specific surface area (SSA) p-block element-containing inorganic compound prepared the polymer-derived ceramics (PDC) route to dispatch the obtained nanocomposite towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The formation of Ni NPs in an amorphous silicon carboxynitride (Si-C-O-N(H)) matrix is allowed by the reactive blending of a polysilazane, NiCl and DMF followed by the subsequent thermolysis of the Ni : organosilicon polymer coordination complex at a temperature as low as 500 °C in flowing argon. The final nanocomposite displays a BET SSA as high as 311 m g while the structure of the NPs corresponds to face-centred cubic (fcc) Ni along with interstitial-atom free (IAF) hexagonal close-packed (hcp) Ni as revealed by XRD.

Single-catheter simplified stepwise approach to persistent atrial fibrillation ablation: A feasibility study.

Background: The strategy for atrial fibrillation ablation in persistent atrial fibrillation remains controversial. A single-catheter approach was recently validated for pulmonary vein isolation.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of this approach to performing persistent atrial fibrillation ablation, including pulmonary vein isolation and atrial lines, if needed.

Current and new imaging techniques in risk stratification of asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is one of the most common valvular diseases in clinical practice. The prevalence of calcified AS with moderate or severe stenosis exceeds 2% after 75 years. The optimal timing of intervention for asymptomatic severe AS is uncertain and controversial.

Risk stratification for sudden cardiac death in patients with heart failure : Emerging role of imaging parameters.

Background: Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is a common condition that has a poor prognosis. Accurate selection of patients with ischemic heart disease and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, who are at risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), remains a challenge. In these cases, current indications for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) rely almost entirely on left ventricular ejection fraction.

Inherited primary arrhythmia disorders: cardiac channelopathies and sports activity.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in an apparently healthy individual is a tragedy. It is important to identify the cause of death and to prevent SCD in potentially at-risk family members. Inherited primary arrhythmia disorders are associated with exercise-related SCD.

Microscopic polyangiitis associated with primary biliary cirrhosis, Sjogren's syndrome and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

The association between microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has seldom been reported. We describe here a patient who presented with sensorimotor neuropathy along with hypothyroidism, renal failure and liver dysfunction. Detection of antinuclear antibodies at a titer of 1/800, anti-SSA, anti-SSB, anti-GP210, anti-microsomial and p-ANCA anti-myeloperoxydase antibodies along with renal, salivary and liver biopsy led to a diagnosis of MPA associated with PBC, Sjogren's syndrome and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Low-voltage DEP microsystem for submicron particle manipulation in artificial cerebrospinal fluid.

In this paper, we present a new low voltage biochip for micro and nanoparticle separation. The proposed system is designed to detect the concentration of particles after being separated through reconfigurable DEP-based electrode architecture. The described system in this work is focusing on the particle frequency dependent separation.

Electrode robustness in artificial cerebrospinal fluid for dielectrophoresis-based LoC.

In this paper, we present hybrid microelectronics / microfluidic Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platform intended for implantable medical microsystems for neurotransmitter detection. In vitro experiments were achieved using artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) from Tocris Bioscience where microspheres were immersed to test the behaviour of the designed LoC. One of main features of the proposed LoC platform is its thin thickness, including micro-channels and silicon CMOS chip.

Hybrid modeling method for a DEP based particle manipulation.

In this paper, a new modeling approach for Dielectrophoresis (DEP) based particle manipulation is presented. The proposed method fulfills missing links in finite element modeling between the multiphysic simulation and the biological behavior. This technique is amongst the first steps to develop a more complex platform covering several types of manipulations such as magnetophoresis and optics.

Contribution of Hla-B51 in the susceptibility and specific clinical features of Behcet's disease in Tunisian patients.

Background: Many researchers have tried to investigate the association of HLA-B51 with the severity and the clinical features of BD with conflicting results.

Methods: We aimed at investigating the association of HLA-B51 with demographical and clinical manifestations as well as the severity of BD, by studying 178 native Tunisian BD patients, fulfilling the International Study group criteria for the BD classification recruited from the Department of Internal Medicine, Rabta Hospital in Tunis and compared with 125 native Tunisian healthy age and sex matching volunteers.

Results: According to our findings, the frequency of HLAB 51 was significantly higher in BD patients than in controls (p<0.

Dielectrophoresis-based integrated Lab-on-Chip for nano and micro-particles manipulation and capacitive detection.

We present in this paper a new Lab-on-Chip (LoC) architecture for dielectrophoresis-based cell manipulation, detection, and capacitive measurement. The proposed LoC is built around a CMOS full-custom chip and a microfluidic structure. The CMOS chip is used to deliver all parameters required to control the dielectrophoresis (DEP) features such as frequency, phase, and amplitude of signals spread on in-channel electrodes of the LoC.

CMOS/microfluidic Lab-on-chip for cells-based diagnostic tools.

We describe in this paper cells sensing and manipulation methods, as well as platforms based on Lab-on-chip devices. Among other contributions, new circuit and microfluidic techniques, and packaging methods are proposed for efficient cells manipulation and detection. The proposed devices include high-sensitivity sensing circuits (200 mV/fF), low-pressure liquid injection interfaces (< 0.

[Chorea revealing a polycytemia vera].

Neurological manifestations in polycytemia vera are common. However, chorea is an exceptionally revealing feature of this disease. We report a 78-year-old man who presented with headache and an abnormal movement disorder corresponding to chorea.

Chondrosarcoma of sinonasal cavity: a case report and brief literature review.

Background: Chondrosarcomas are slow-growing malignant tumors that usually arise from cartilaginous structures. It may occur in the head and neck region with a predilection for the maxillofacial skeleton, where it has been reported to occur particularly in the mandible and maxilla. Chondrosarcoma of the sinonasal tract is very rare.

[Barraquer-Simons syndrome in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus].

Barraquer-Simons syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by a partial lipodystrophy. It is often associated with positive C3 nephritic factor and various glomerular nephropathy. Its association with some autoimmune diseases has also been reported.

[Electrical storm secondary to hypokaliemia in a patient with implantable cardioverter defibrillator].

Electrical storm in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICDs) is a rhythmic emergency which can be immediately lethal. It occurs especially in patients with an advanced cardiomyopathy. Such arrhythmias predictor factors and triggers are rarely found.

Budd-Chiari syndrome associated with Behçet's disease.

Objectives: Budd-Chiari syndrome is a rare and serious complication of Behçet's disease, and is the result of occlusion of the major hepatic veins, the adjacent inferior vena cava, or both. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, clinical and laboratory findings, and treatment and clinical course of Budd-Chiari syndrome associated with Behçet's disease.

Methods: We analyzed retrospectively the charts of 220 patients fulfilling the international diagnostic criteria of Behçet's disease.