Does CUD measure interhemispheric transfer time? The allocation of attention influences the Poffenberger effect.

A simple reaction time (SRT) difference between responses to visual stimuli presented ipsilaterally and contralaterally to the responding hand, known as the Poffenberger effect or the crossed-uncrossed difference (CUD), has been commonly interpreted as a measure of interhemispheric transfer time (IHTT). However, the validity of this interpretation and the measure's reliability have been debated. The present study aimed at obtaining reliable evidence of the influence of spatial attention on the CUD, which would provide an argument against the classical interpretation of CUD.

Climate change as a driver of food insecurity in the 2007 Lesotho-South Africa drought.

Climate-induced food production shocks, like droughts, can cause food shortages and price spikes, leading to food insecurity. In 2007, a synchronous crop failure in Lesotho and South Africa-Lesotho's sole trading partner-led to a period of severe food insecurity in Lesotho. Here, we use extreme event attribution to assess the role of climate change in exacerbating this drought, going on to evaluate sensitivity of synchronous crop failures to climate change and its implications for food security in Lesotho.

On the role of anthropogenic climate change in the emerging food crisis in southern Africa in the 2019-2020 growing season.

Anthropogenic climate change likely influences the beginning of 2020 growing season's water deficit in parts of southern Africa, with severe consequences to food security.

Is laterality adaptive? Pitfalls in disentangling the laterality-performance relationship.

Unlike non-human animal studies that have progressively demonstrated the advantages of being asymmetrical at an individual, group and population level, human studies show a quite inconsistent picture. Specifically, it is hardly clear if and how the strength of lateralization that an individual is equipped with relates to their cognitive performance. While some of these inconsistencies can be attributed to procedural and conceptual differences, the issue is aggravated by the fact that the intrinsic mathematical interdependence of the measures of laterality and performance produces spurious correlations that can be mistaken for evidence of an adaptive advantage of asymmetry.

Anesthesia for Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve Implantation: A Case Series.

Background: Twenty percent of patients born with congenital heart disease present with right ventricular outflow tract abnormalities. These patients require multiple surgical procedures in their lifetime. Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR) has become a viable alternative to conventional pulmonary valve and right ventricular outflow tract surgery in pediatric and adult populations.

Is saccade preparation required for inhibition of return (IOR)?

The effect of slower responses to validly than invalidly cued targets is known as inhibition of return (IOR). Opposing accounts of IOR have been proposed: one postulates a singular phenomenon explained by oculomotor mechanisms alone, while the other, more diverse account postulates both perceptual-cognitive and motor factors. In our research we considered the relation between motor programming and IOR.

Input, behaviour and distribution of multiple elements in abiotic matrices along a transect within the Okavango Delta, northern Botswana.

Wetlands fed by rivers can be a sink for elements depending on elemental concentrations, wetland hydrology, geochemistry, vegetation and climate. In the case of the Okavango Delta, northern Botswana, the outflow discharge is a small fraction (2-5%) of the inflow. This has strong potential consequences for the Delta, as it strongly affects element cycling and storage within the Delta.

Hemispheric asymmetry in the efficiency of attentional networks.

Despite the fact that hemispheric asymmetry of attention has been widely studied, a clear picture of this complex phenomenon is still lacking. The aim of the present study was to provide an efficient and reliable measurement of potential hemispheric asymmetries of three attentional networks, i.e.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation using transfemoral/transsubclavian or transapical approach: 30-day follow-up of the initial 30 patients.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a new method for the treatment of aortic stenosis (AS).

Aim: To evaluate early results of TAVI using transfemoral/transsubclavian approach (TFA/TSA) or transapical approach (TAA) in patients with severe AS and high risk for surgical aortic valve replacement.

Methods: Between January 2009 and May 2010, 30 high-risk patients underwent TAVI.

Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation preceded by routine prestenting with a bare metal stent.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) with routine prestenting with a bare metal stent (BMS).

Background: PPVI is a relatively new method of treating patients with repaired congenital heart disease (CHD). Results of PPVI performed with routine prestenting have never been reported.

[POL-PAVTI--Polish report on transcatheter pulmonary artery valve implantation of Melody-Medtronic prosthesis in the first 14 patients in Poland].

Aim: To assess the early results of the pulmonary artery valve transcatheter implantation (PAVTI) in pts included into POL-PAVTI registry. Detailed medical and economic analyses were performed.

Methods: Pulmonary artery valve implantation was performed in 14 pts (9 men), aged 16-31 (mean 24.

[Non-surgical, transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation - first experience].

Transcatheter valve replacement has recently been introduced into clinical practice. We present our first experience with non-surgical, transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation in four patients (age 27-31 years, three females) with repaired congenital heart disease who required reintervention to the right ventricular outflow tract due to dysfunction of valve homograft. The Medtronic Melody Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve was successfully implanted in all four patients without complications, releasing the outflow obstruction, and normal function of the biological valve.

[Acute aortic dissection type A with concomitant myocardial infarction].

The authors describe a patient with acute aortic dissection type A complicated by left main coronary artery occlusion and acute myocardial infarction. The patient underwent urgent surgery, however, died 4 hours after operation.

[Coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient after percutaneous left main angioplasty with DES stent implantation].

We present surgical treatment of acute coronary syndrome due to the left main stenosis in a patient in whom 6 months earlier percutaneous left main angioplasty with DES-stent implantation was performed. We discuss indications for percutaneous angioplasty and for coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with left main stenosis.

Risk of thromboembolic complications in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation undergoing cardioverter-defibrillator implantation.

Background: Cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) carries the risk of thromboembolic complications and, therefore, anticoagulation therapy is routinely administered before and after this procedure. In patients with permanent AF who undergo implantation of cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), anticoagulants are usually withdrawn during the perioperative period. However, in some patients sinus rhythm may be restored during defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing which potentially may increase the risk of thromboembolic complications.