Formation of the hard-magnetic epsilon iron oxide phase from akaganéite nanoparticles.

Elongated akaganéite (-FeOOH) nanoparticles were prepared by a forced hydrolysis route using FeCl6HO employing various urea concentrations.-FeOOH nanoparticles stabilized within the SiOmatrix were annealed at different temperatures, ranging from 500 °C to 1300 °C. It was observed that-FeOOH underwent a temperature-induced conversion to-FeOand subsequently to-FeO.

Household secondary attack rate in SARS-CoV-2 infection during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in South India.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major public health problem since its inception disrupting public life and crippling health systems. The mutated variant of the causative virus, Delta, has been notorious in causing rapid upsurge in cases compared to the Alpha variant. The current study tries to find out the household secondary attack rate (HSAR) of COVID-19 and factors associated with it during the second wave of cases in Kerala.

Thiamine supplementation in hospitalized patients with altered mental status: does it help?

Objective: To describe thiamine-prescribing patterns and to study the association of thiamine supplementation with clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with altered mental status (AMS).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all adult hospitalized patients with AMS with index admission in calendar year 2017. We studied the association of a) supplemental thiamine and b) timing of thiamine relative to glucose, with hospital outcomes - length of stay (LOS), 90-day readmission rates, and mortality rates - using linear, logistic, and extended Cox models, respectively.

Electrocorticography Analysis in Patients With Dual Neurostimulators Supports Desynchronization as a Mechanism of Action for Acute Vagal Nerve Stimulator Stimulation.

Purpose: Both vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) and responsive neurostimulation (RNS System) are treatment options for medically refractory focal epilepsy. The mechanism of action of both devices remains poorly understood. Limited prior evidence suggests that acute VNS stimulation may reduce epileptiform activity and cause EEG desynchronization on electrocorticography (ECoG).

Assessment of mitral valve function in children and young adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using three-dimensional echocardiography.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess papillary muscle (PM) and mitral valve (MV) structure and function in children and young adults with mild and moderate hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) and to correlate them with HCM related adverse outcomes.

Methods: Transthoracic research 3DE was performed in HCM patients and controls matched for age and gender. Anterolateral and posteromedial PM mass, apical displacement of anterolateral PM, and left ventricular (LV) mass were measured and indexed to body surface area.

Association of left ventricular size with regional right ventricular mechanics in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

Background: In Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), RV dysfunction is associated with poor outcomes. However, the effect of varying LV size on regional RV mechanics and outcome has not been studied.

Methods: Twenty newborns (0-7 days) with HLHS had pre-stage 1 and pre-stage 2 echocardiograms prospectively protocoled for strain analysis of the apical 4-chamber view.

Association of Pediatric Medical Emergency Teams With Hospital Mortality.

Background: Implementation of medical emergency teams has been identified as a potential strategy to reduce hospital deaths, because these teams respond to patients with acute physiological decline in an effort to prevent in-hospital cardiac arrest. However, prior studies of the association between medical emergency teams and hospital mortality have been limited and typically have not accounted for preimplementation mortality trends.

Methods: Within the Pediatric Health Information System for freestanding pediatric hospitals, annual risk-adjusted mortality rates were calculated for sites between 2000 and 2015.

Abnormal right atrial performance in repaired tetralogy of Fallot: A CMR feature tracking analysis.

Background: We hypothesized that right atrial (RA) performance is abnormal in repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).

Methods: TOF patients were prospectively enrolled for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), echocardiography and exercise stress following a standardized 14-center protocol. Peak RA longitudinal strain (RALS) and right ventricular longitudinal strain (RVLS) were measured using CMR feature tracking (FT) and correlated to RA and RV end diastolic volumes (EDVi) and ejection fraction (EF).