SPECTROMETRY OF HIGH-ENERGY PHOTONS ON HIGH MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY LOMNICKÝ STÍT DURING THUNDERSTORMS.

Lomnický stít, Slovakia, 2634 m above sea level, is known to be a place of extreme electric fields measured during thunderstorms and is thus a suitable place for thunderstorm-related ionising radiation research. We present one of the strongest Thunderstorm ground enhancements (TGE) ever detected, which occurred on 12 September 2021. The TGE was detected with the SEVAN detector and also with the new Georadis RT-56 large volume gamma spectrometer. In the paper, we present spectra of the TGE measured with the spectrometer as well as SEVAN coincidence data supplemented by the data from electric field mill.

Patient characteristics, treatment strategy, outcomes, and hospital costs of acute coronary syndrome: 3 years of data from a large high-volume centre in Central Europe.

Managing patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in an ageing population with comorbidities is clinically and economically challenging. Well-conducted unselected registries are essential for providing information on real-day clinical practice. The aim was to create a long term, very detail-controlled registry of unselected patients admitted with ACS to a high-volume centre in Central Europe. Consecutive patients admitted with confirmed ACS were entered into the prospective registry from 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2021. Data on 214 parameters, including clinical characteristics, angiographic findings, laboratory and therapeutic findings, financial costs, and in-hospital mortality, were obtained for all patients. Analyses were performed on the complete dataset of 1804 patients. Of these patients, 694 (38.5%) were admitted for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 1110 (61.5%) were admitted for non-ST-elevation (NSTE)-ACS [779 with NSTE myocardial infarction (NSTE-MI) and 331 with unstable angina (UA)]. Almost all patients (99%) underwent coronary angiography. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed in 93.4% of STEMI patients and 74.5% of NSTE-ACS patients. Patients with NSTE-MI had the longest total hospital stay (8.1 ± 9.1 days) and highest financial costs (8579.5 ± 7173.2 euros). In-hospital mortality was 1.2% in UA, 6.2% in NSTE-MI, and 10.9% in STEMI patients. Age older than 75 years, pre-hospital cardiac arrest and/or mechanical ventilation, subacute STEMI, and ejection fraction below 40% were the most powerful predictors of in-hospital mortality as assessed by multivariate analyses. The in-hospital mortality of unselected NSTE-MI and STEMI patients in daily practice is not low despite very good implementation of guideline-recommended therapy with a high rate of revascularization. The highest financial costs are associated with NSTE-MI.

Predictors allowing early discharge after interventional treatment of acute coronary syndrome patients.

Many scoring systems for predicting the outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have been proposed. In some populations, a significant reduction in length of hospital stay may be achieved without compromising patient prognoses. However, the use of such scoring systems in clinical practice is limited. The aim of this study was to propose a universal list of predictors that can identify low-risk ACS patients who may be eligible for an earlier hospital discharge without increased short-term risk for major adverse cardiac events. A cohort of 1420 patients diagnosed with ACS were enrolled into a single-centre registry between October 2018 and December 2020. Clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic, and angiographic measurements were taken for each patient and entered into the study database. Using retrospective univariant analyses of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (n = 932), we compared each predictor to 30-day mortality rate using the Czech national registry of dead people. Eleven predictors correlate significantly with 30-day survival: age <80 years, ejection fraction >50%, no cardiopulmonary resuscitation, no mechanical ventilation needed, Killip class I at admission, haemoglobin levels >110 g/L while hospitalized, successful PCI procedure(s), no residual stenosis over 90%, Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 3 flow after PCI, no left main stem disease, and no triple-vessel coronary artery disease. In all, presence of all predictors applies to 328 patients (35.2% of the cohort), who maintained a 100% survival rate at 30 days. A combination of clinical, echocardiographic, and angiographic findings provides valuable information for predicting the outcomes of patients with all types of ACS. We created a simple, useful tool for selecting low-risk patients eligible for early discharge.

Nurse-led sedation for transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation seems safe for a selected patient population.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a high-volume procedure with increasing demands on hospital resources. Local anaesthesia with sedation supervised by an anaesthesiology team is the current standard of care. We aimed to describe our experience with a simplified, nurse-led sedation (NLS) protocol. This study enrolled 128 consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral TAVI with self-expandable Evolut R prosthesis between November 2019 and April 2021. Operators selected 50% of patients for NLS based on the clinical expectation of lower risk of procedural difficulties. Nurse-led sedation protocol demanded only mild to moderate levels of sedation. The clinical outcomes were determined from the local TAVI registry and the national mortality database. Baseline patient characteristics were similar in the NLS (n = 64) and anaesthesiologist-led sedation (ALS) (n = 64) groups except higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (48.4% vs. 31.3%, P = 0.035) and peripheral vascular disease (20.3% vs. 7.8%, P = 0.036) in the ALS group. There was a trend for the larger prostheses used in the ALS group (P = 0.058). The procedural results did not differ, and coronary care team backup was rarely needed in the NLS group (6% of patients). The in-hospital outcomes were identical from both clinical and echocardiography perspectives, and 30-day mortality was low in both groups (1.5%). For the NLS group, preparation in the catheterization laboratory was quicker by 6.4 min (P = 0.01), and intensive care unit stay was shorter (2.03 vs. 3.48 days, P = 0.001). In conclusion, the NLS for the selected transfemoral TAVI population seems safe.

Direct transfer of acute stroke patients to angiography suites equipped with flat-detector computed tomography: literature review and initial single-centre experience.

Background: Time is brain! This paradigm is forcing the development of strategies with potential to shorten the time from symptom onset to recanalization. One of these strategies is to transport select patients with acute ischaemic stroke directly to an angio-suite equipped with flat-detector computed tomography (FD-CT) to exclude intracranial haemorrhage, followed directly by invasive angiography and mechanical thrombectomy if large-vessel occlusion (LVO) is confirmed. Aim: To present existing published data about the direct transfer (DT) of stroke patients to angio-suites and to describe our initial experience with this stroke pathway. Methods: We performed a systematic PubMed search of trials that described DT of stroke patients to angio-suites and summarized the results of these trials. In January 2020, we implemented a new algorithm for acute ischaemic stroke care in our stroke centre. Select patients suitable for DT (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score ≥10, time from symptom onset to door <4.5 h) were referred by neurologists directly to an angio-suite equipped with FD-CT. Patients treated using this algorithm were analysed and compared with patients treated using the standard protocol including CT and CT angiography in our centre. Results: We identified seven trials comparing the DT protocol with the standard protocol in stroke patients. Among the 628 patients treated using the DT protocol, 104 (16.5%) did not have LVO and did not undergo endovascular treatment (EVT). All the trials demonstrated a significant reduction in door-to-groin time with DT, compared with the standard protocol. This reduction ranged from 22 min (DT protocol: 33 min; standard protocol: 55 min) to 59 min (DT protocol: 22 min; standard protocol: 81 min). In three of five trials comparing the 90-day modified Rankin scale scores between the DT and standard imaging groups, this reduction in ischaemic time translated into better clinical outcomes, whereas the two other trials reported no such difference in scores. Between January 2020 and October 2021, 116 patients underwent EVT for acute ischaemic stroke in our centre. Among these patients, 65 (56%) met the criteria for DT (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >10, symptom onset-to-door time <4.5 h), but only 7 (10.8%) were transported directly to the angio-suite. The reasons that many patients who met the criteria were not transported directly to the angio-suite were lack of personnel trained in FD-CT acquisition outside of working hours, ongoing procedures in the angio-suite, contraindication to the DT protocol due to atypical clinical presentation, and neurologist's decision for obtain complete neurological imaging. All seven patients who were transported directly to the angio-suite had LVOs. The median time from door-to-groin-puncture was significantly lower with the DT protocol compared with the standard protocol {29 min [interquartile range (IQR): 25-31 min] vs. 71 min [IQR: 55-94 min]; P < 0.001}. None of the patients had symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage in the DT protocol group, compared with 7 (6.4%) patients in the standard protocol group. Direct transfer of acute ischaemic stroke patients to the angio-suite equipped with FD-CT seems to reduce the time from patient arrival in the hospital to groin puncture. This reduction in the ischaemic time translates into better clinical outcomes. However, more data are needed to confirm these results.

Might simplification of transcatheter aortic valve implantation reduce the burden on hospital resources?

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) varies considerably in terms of the procedural approach taken and the hospital length of stay (LoS); both directly affect the cost of care. Our coronary and standard cardiology unit aimed to simplify TAVI (and thus shorten the LoS) while maintaining safety. A shorter LoS would also reduce the burden on hospital resources and free up beds for other patients. Data on 214 consecutive patients undergoing TAVI at a single centre between April 2018 and March 2021 were retrospectively collected. A simplified protocol was implemented in January 2020; patients were stratified by whether they underwent TAVI before or after simplification. All procedural phases were simplified. For cost comparison purposes, the LoS was defined as the number of hospitalization days from admission to discharge. The total hospitalization cost was the sum of the direct and indirect (including reallocated overhead) costs. The LoS fell significantly (by 36%) after TAVI simplification. The times in the coronary care unit (CCU) and standard cardiac unit (SCU) also fell significantly (by 33% and 37% respectively). Patients in the simplified TAVI group were discharged, on average, 6 days after admission. The CCU costs decreased by 31% and the SCU costs by 39%. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation simplification did not compromise safety. Indeed, patients who underwent the simplified procedure seemed to develop fewer complications, especially bleeding. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation simplification significantly reduced the LoS and other costs without compromising patient safety.

The Effect of Coatings on Cutting Force in Turning of C45 Steel.

This article focuses on the development of a mathematical model of a cutting force that is applicable for coated and uncoated cutting tool inserts and aims to enable more accurate calculation of the cutting force. Two common PVD coatings, AlTiN and TiAlCrN, were used. Firstly, a mathematical model of the cutting force based on the specific cutting force and cutting area is proposed. This mathematical model considers the cutting speed and coating correction factor as well as the real cutting edge geometry, i.e., it includes both the straight and rounded parts of the cutting edge. For this proposed model, material constants for C45 steel, which was machined with uncoated inserts, were obtained. Before determining an equation for a coating correction factor and implementing it into the model, experimental cutting force data for coated and uncoated inserts were compared using a paired t-test. The result was that the difference between them was statistically significant. Their percentage difference was found to be up to 4%. The correction factor equation that was obtained and implemented into the mathematical model was applied to compare the calculated and experimental data of the coated inserts, also using a paired t-test. The result was that the difference between them was insignificant. Moreover, their percentage difference was found to be up to 0.6%.

Modified Strategies for Invasive Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents several challenges for managing patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Modified treatment algorithms have been proposed for the pandemic. We assessed new algorithms proposed by The European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) and the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA) on patients with ACS admitted to the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 period group (CPG) consisted of patients admitted into a high-volume centre in Prague between 1 February 2020 and 30 May 2020 (n = 181). The reference group (RG) included patients who had been admitted between 1 October 2018 and 31 January 2020 (n = 834). The proportions of patients with different types of ACS admitted before and during the pandemic did not differ significantly: in all ACS patients, KILLIP III-IV class was present in 13.9% in RG and in 9.4% of patients in CPG (p = 0.082). In NSTE-ACS patients, the ejection fraction was lower in the CPG than in the RG (44.7% vs. 50.7%, respectively; p < 0.001). The time from symptom onset to first medical contact did not differ between CPG and RG patients in the respective NSTE-ACS and STEMI groups. The time to early invasive treatment in NSTE-ACS patients and the time to reperfusion in STEMI patients were not significantly different between the RG and the CPG. In-hospital mortality did not differ between the groups in NSTE-ACS patients (odds ratio in the CPG 0.853, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.247 to 2.951; p = 0.960) nor in STEMI patients (odds ratio in CPG 1.248, 95% CI 0.566 to 2.749; p = 0.735). Modified treatment strategies for ACS during the COVID-19 pandemic did not cause treatment delays. Hospital mortality did not differ.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation - what do we know in 2020.

stenosis is the most common acquired valve disease in adults and the prevalence of this disease is increasing with the aging population. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) became fully established method for treating this disease. The aim of this review is to present the current view of the performance technique, to summarize the data on the outcome of patients from recently published randomized studies and registries and to simply describe patient care after the procedure.

IPSC-Derived Corneal Endothelial-like Cells Act as an Appropriate Model System to Assess the Impact of SLC4A11 Variants on Pre-mRNA Splicing.

Purpose: To report molecular genetic findings in six probands with congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy (CHED) variably associated with hearing loss (also known as Harboyan syndrome). Furthermore, we developed a cellular model to determine if disease-associated variants induce aberrant SLC4A11 pre-mRNA splicing. Methods: Direct sequencing of the entire SLC4A11 coding region was performed in five probands. In one individual, whole genome sequencing was undertaken. The effect of c.2240+5G>A on pre-mRNA splicing was evaluated in a corneal endothelial-like (CE-like) cell model expressing SLC4A11. CE-like cells were derived from autologous induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) via neural crest cells exposed to B27, PDGF-BB, and DKK-2. Total RNA was extracted, and RT-PCR was performed followed by Sanger and a targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) approach to identify and quantify the relative abundance of alternatively spliced transcripts. Results: In total, 11 different mutations in SLC4A11 evaluated as pathogenic were identified; of these, c.1237G>A, c.2003T>C, c.1216+1G>A, and c.2240+5G>A were novel. The c.2240+5G>A variant was demonstrated to result in aberrant pre-mRNA splicing. A targeted NGS approach confirmed that the variant introduces a leaky cryptic splice donor site leading to the production of a transcript containing an insertion of six base pairs with the subsequent introduction of a premature stop codon (p.Thr747*). Furthermore, a subset of transcripts comprising full retention of intron 16 also were observed, leading to the same functionally null allele. Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study highlights the potential of using CE-like cells to investigate the pathogenic consequences of SLC4A11 disease-associated variants.

Single session of pattern scanning laser versus multiple sessions of conventional laser for panretinal photocoagulation in diabetic retinopathy: Efficacy, safety and painfulness.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficiency, safety and painfulness of retinal laser photocoagulation employing a pattern scanning laser system Pascal given in a single-session versus conventional laser multiple-session treatment of the same patient with diabetic retinopathy during 12-month follow-up. METHODS: The cohort included 60 eyes in 30 patients treated at the Ophthalmology Clinic, Faculty Hospital Ostrava, from 2008 to 2013. Panretinal laser coagulation was performed on one eye using the multispot panretinal photocoagulation given in a single-session system Pascal (OptiMedica, Santa Clara, California). On the other eye laser treatment was carried out by the classic conventional multiple-session method. RESULTS: The performance of Pascal panretinal laser coagulation was evaluated as significantly less painful (visual scale of pain was 3.28 ± 1.9) than the performance of conventional photocoagulation (visual scale of pain was 3.93 ± 1.88) with similar efficiency. Distribution of progression of diabetic retinopathy in individual patients was very similar in both groups under comparison, and was strictly paired in 24 of the 30 patients at the end of 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Laser photocoagulation of the retina with the use of short impulse durations and patterns in patients with diabetic retinopathy given in one session possesses similar efficiency to that of conventional retinal photocoagulation in multiple sessions. The single session treatment is also better tolerated by patients and in addition to this, it shortens the performance of the whole therapy, which potentially saves considerable funds of all subjects participating in the process of treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03672656.

A rare form of ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum associated with the Hay-Wells syndrome and a c.1709T>C mutation on the TP63 gene.

INTRODUCTION: Ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum associated with Hay-Wells syndrome is a rare congenital disease caused by mutations in TP63 gene on the 3q27 chromosome. Here, we report a case of a new-born suffering from this syndrome in whom we detected a mutation c.1709T>C not previously included in the Ensemble database. CASE DESCRIPTION: A girl delivered in the 34th week of gestation from a physiological pregnancy was born with extensive burn-like skin defects, ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum, palate cleft, onychodystrophy of all limbs and syndactyly of toes. Hay-Wells syndrome was suspected and confirmed by genetic examination. A heterozygous missense change c.1709T>C was found in the TP63 gene. This variant leads to a 570th codon exchange of leucine for proline (p.Leu570Pro) on the protein level. The eyelid separation was performed surgically, burns were treated locally and cosmetic surgeries correcting other defects are planned for the near future. The girl is still monitored by a multidisciplinary team. CONCLUSIONS: The mutation was not previously described in the literature or databases and should be included into these as probably pathogenic. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary to care for a patient with Hay-Wells syndrome, such care however can provide good results.

Evaluation of the WinROP system for identifying retinopathy of prematurity in Czech preterm infants.

AIMS: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a potentially serious condition that can afflict preterm infants. Timely and correct identification of individuals at risk of developing a serious form of ROP is therefore of paramount importance. WinROP is an online system for predicting ROP based on birth weight and weight increments. However, the results vary significantly for various populations. It has not been evaluated in the Czech population. This study evaluates the test characteristics (specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values) of the WinROP system in Czech preterm infants. METHODS: Data on 445 prematurely born infants included in the ROP screening program at the University Hospital Ostrava, Czech Republic, were retrospectively entered into the WinROP system and the outcomes of the WinROP and regular screening were compared. RESULTS: All 24 infants who developed high-risk (Type 1 or Type 2) ROP were correctly identified by the system. The sensitivity and negative predictive values for this group were 100%. However, the specificity and positive predictive values were substantially lower, resulting in a large number of false positives. Extending the analysis to low risk ROP, the system did not provide such reliable results. CONCLUSIONS: The system is a valuable tool for identifying infants who are not likely to develop high-risk ROP and this could help to substantially reduce the number of preterm infants in need of regular ROP screening. It is not suitable for predicting the development of less serious forms of ROP which is however in accordance with the declared aims of the WinROP system.

A new modified technique for the treatment of high-risk prethreshold ROP under the direct visual control of RetCam 3.

PURPOSE: To describe a new modified technique in the treatment of ROP (retinopathy of prematurity) using the RetCam 3 digital imaging system - Camera-Assisted Laser photocoagulation and Cryotherapy of the Retina (CALCR). METHODS: From Nov 2011 to Oct 2013, 113 infants were diagnosed with ROP. The average post-conceptual age (PCA) at the time of diagnosis was the 35(th) week of PCA; the average birth weight was 1,041 g. According to the ETROP study, the avascular part of the retina of infants with high-risk prethreshold ROP was treated with a trans-scleral diode laser or with cryotherapy within 48-72 h after the diagnosis. The intervention was performed under general anaesthesia under the direct visual control of the RetCam 3. RESULTS: The CALCR technique was used in all 23 infants (46 eyes) diagnosed with high-risk prethreshold ROP. The average age of these infants at the time of the intervention was the 38(th) week of PCA. None of the infants had any serious complications during the CALCR procedure. In contrast to the traditional technique, CALCR offers many benefits: the image of the retina is real, magnified and not inverted, it shows details of the retina in a high resolution, photo and video documentation is available. Therefore the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative condition of the retina can be precisely evaluated and compared on a fully standardized basis. CONCLUSIONS: The CALCR procedure represents a new technique providing greater accuracy when targeting the avascular part of the retina, enables better visualisation and more precise treatment, and reduces the risk of unintended damage to healthy retinal tissue.