Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in bicuspid aortic valves: present and future.

The prevalence of bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is expected to gradually increase over the coming years. However, in the absence of dedicated randomized trials, TAVI outcomes in BAV patients have failed to match those obtained in trileaflet anatomies. This discrepancy is mainly due to varying degrees of valve morphology and calcification, aortic angulation, concomitant aortopathy, and the difficulties of achieving optimal preprocedural anatomic sizing and device selection in the BAV setting.

The development and comparative effectiveness of a patient-centered pathology report for breast cancer care: a randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: Pathology reports contain complex medical terminology that may be confusing or overwhelming for patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer. We evaluated the effectiveness of patient-centered pathology reports (PCPRs), which translate pathology results into patient-friendly language.

Methods: Sixty-six participants newly diagnosed with breast cancer were randomized to receive either a PCPR and standard pathology report (intervention arm) or a standard pathology report alone (control arm).

Screening-level ecological risk assessment (SLERA) in an abandoned As-Cu mining area (N Spain): implications of phyto-availability and soil properties on vegetation.

This study applies a Screening-Level Ecological Risk Assessment (SLERA) to evaluate the potential impact of trace elements on vegetation in an abandoned As-Cu mining area in northern Spain. A total of 27 soil samples were analyzed for pseudo-total (aqua regia) and phyto-available (EDTA 0.05 M) content of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn.