Three-dimensional electronic microfliers inspired by wind-dispersed seeds.

Large, distributed collections of miniaturized, wireless electronic devices1,2 may form the basis of future systems for environmental monitoring3, population surveillance4, disease management5 and other applications that demand coverage over expansive spatial scales. Aerial schemes to distribute the components for such networks are required, and-inspired by wind-dispersed seeds6-we examined passive structures designed for controlled, unpowered flight across natural environments or city settings. Techniques in mechanically guided assembly of three-dimensional (3D) mesostructures7-9 provide access to miniature, 3D fliers optimized for such purposes, in processes that align with the most sophisticated production techniques for electronic, optoelectronic, microfluidic and microelectromechanical technologies. Here we demonstrate a range of 3D macro-, meso- and microscale fliers produced in this manner, including those that incorporate active electronic and colorimetric payloads. Analytical, computational and experimental studies of the aerodynamics of high-performance structures of this type establish a set of fundamental considerations in bio-inspired design, with a focus on 3D fliers that exhibit controlled rotational kinematics and low terminal velocities. An approach that represents these complex 3D structures as discrete numbers of blades captures the essential physics in simple, analytical scaling forms, validated by computational and experimental results. Battery-free, wireless devices and colorimetric sensors for environmental measurements provide simple examples of a wide spectrum of applications of these unusual concepts.

Intravascular Imaging-Guided or Angiography-Guided Complex PCI.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding clinical outcomes after intravascular imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for complex coronary-artery lesions, as compared with outcomes after angiography-guided PCI, are limited. METHODS: In this prospective, multicenter, open-label trial in South Korea, we randomly assigned patients with complex coronary-artery lesions in a 2:1 ratio to undergo either intravascular imaging-guided PCI or angiography-guided PCI. In the intravascular imaging group, the choice between intravascular ultrasonography and optical coherence tomography was at the operators' discretion. The primary end point was a composite of death from cardiac causes, target-vessel-related myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target-vessel revascularization. Safety was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 1639 patients underwent randomization, with 1092 assigned to undergo intravascular imaging-guided PCI and 547 assigned to undergo angiography-guided PCI. At a median follow-up of 2.1 years (interquartile range, 1.4 to 3.0), a primary end-point event had occurred in 76 patients (cumulative incidence, 7.7%) in the intravascular imaging group and in 60 patients (cumulative incidence, 12.3%) in the angiography group (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.45 to 0.89; P = 0.008). Death from cardiac causes occurred in 16 patients (cumulative incidence, 1.7%) in the intravascular imaging group and in 17 patients (cumulative incidence, 3.8%) in the angiography group; target-vessel-related myocardial infarction occurred in 38 (cumulative incidence, 3.7%) and 30 (cumulative incidence, 5.6%), respectively; and clinically driven target-vessel revascularization in 32 (cumulative incidence, 3.4%) and 25 (cumulative incidence, 5.5%), respectively. There were no apparent between-group differences in the incidence of procedure-related safety events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with complex coronary-artery lesions, intravascular imaging-guided PCI led to a lower risk of a composite of death from cardiac causes, target-vessel-related myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target-vessel revascularization than angiography-guided PCI. (Supported by Abbott Vascular and Boston Scientific; RENOVATE-COMPLEX-PCI ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03381872).

Differential Prognostic Impact of IABP-SHOCK II Scores According to Treatment Strategy in Cardiogenic Shock Complicating Acute Coronary Syndrome: From the RESCUE Registry.

Background: Early risk stratification is necessary for optimal determination of the treatment strategy in cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Therefore, we evaluated the prognostic impact of an intra-aortic balloon pump on the cardiogenic shock (IABP-SHOCK) II score according to the treatment strategies in ACS complicated by CS using the RESCUE (REtrospective and prospective observational Study to investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy of left ventricular assist device for Korean patients with cardiogenic shock) registry. Methods: The RESCUE registry contains multicenter observational retrospective and prospective cohorts that include 1247 patients with CS from 12 centers in Korea. A total of 865 patients with ACS complicated by CS were selected and stratified into low-, intermediate- and high-risk categories according to their IABP-SHOCK II scores and then according to treatment: non-mechanical support, IABP, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenators (ECMOs). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality during follow-up. Results: The observed mortality rates for the low-, intermediate-, and high-IABP-SHOCK II score risk categories were 28.8%, 52.4%, and 69.8%, respectively (p < 0.01). Patients in the non-mechanical support and IABP groups showed an increasingly elevated risk of all-cause mortality as their risk scores increased from low to high. In the ECMO group, the risk of all-cause mortality did not differ between the intermediate- and high-risk categories (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.81-1.81, p = 0.33). The IABP-SHOCK II scores for the non-mechanical support and IABP groups showed a better predictive performance (area under curve [AUC] = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.65-0.76) for mortality compared with the EMCO group (AUC = 0.61, 95% CI 0.54-0.67; p-value for comparison = 0.02). Conclusions: Risk stratification using the IABP-SHOCK II score is useful for predicting mortality in ACS complicated by CS when patients are treated with non-mechanical support or IABP. However, its prognostic value may be unsatisfactory in severe cases where patients require ECMOs.

An AI Safety Monitoring System for Electric Scooters Based on the Number of Riders and Road Types.

Electric scooters are quickly becoming a popular form of mobility in many cities around the world, which has led to a surge in safety incidents. Moreover, electric scooters are not equipped with safety devices for riders, which can lead to serious accidents. In this study, a footrest, data-collection module, and accelerometer module for electric scooters were developed to prevent various accidents caused by the rapid increase in the use of electric scooters. In the experiment, the boarding data of the electric-scooter riders were collected from the footrest and data-collection module. Moreover, the driving data of the electric scooters for different road types were collected with the accelerometer module. We then trained two artificial intelligence (AI) models based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for different types of data. When we considered the learning accuracy and mean square error (MSE), which are performance indicators of the ability of the trained AI models to discriminate data, for each AI model, the learning accuracy converged to 100% and the MSE converged to 0. Further, this study is expected to help reduce the accident rate of electric scooters by resolving the causes of frequent accidents involving electric scooters around the world.

Development of an Inertial Sensor Module for Categorizing Anomalous Kicks in Taekwondo and Monitoring the Level of Impact.

In this study, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor module and software algorithm were developed to identify anomalous kicks that should not be given scores in Taekwondo competitions. The IMU sensor module was manufactured with dimensions of 3 cm × 3 cm × 1.5 cm and consists of a high-g sensor for high acceleration measurement, a 9-DOF sensor, and a Wi-Fi module for wireless communication. In the experiment, anomalous kicks and normal kicks were collected by the IMU sensor module, and an AI model was trained. The anomalous kick determination accuracy of the trained AI model was found to be 97.5%. In addition, in order to check whether the strength of a blow can be distinguished using the IMU sensor module, an impact test was performed with a pendulum under the same test conditions as the impact sensor installed in the impact test setup, and the correlation coefficient was 0.99. This study is expected to contribute to improving scoring reliability by suggesting the possibility of discriminating anomalous kicks, which were difficult to judge in Taekwondo competitions, through the analysis of Taekwondo kicks using inertial data and impulses.

Differential Prognostic Implications of Vasoactive Inotropic Score for Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock According to Use of Mechanical Circulatory Support.

OBJECTIVES: To identify whether the prognostic implications of Vasoactive Inotropic Score according to use of mechanical circulatory support differ in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. DESIGN: A multicenter retrospective and prospective observational cohort study. SETTING/PATIENT: The REtrospective and prospective observational Study to investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy registry includes 1,247 patients with cardiogenic shock from 12 centers in Korea. A total of 836 patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock were finally selected, and the study population was stratified by quartiles of Vasoactive Inotropic Score (< 10, 10-30, 30-90, and > 90) for the present study. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality and secondary endpoint was follow-up mortality. Among the study population, 326 patients (39.0%) received medical treatment alone, 218 (26.1%) received intra-aortic balloon pump, and 292 (34.9%) received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. In-hospital mortality occurred in 305 patients (36.5%) and was significantly higher in patients with higher Vasoactive Inotropic Score (15.6%, 20.8%, 40.2%, and 67.3%, for < 10, 10-30, 30-90, and > 90; p < 0.001). Vasoactive Inotropic Score showed better ability to predict in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction patients with cardiogenic shock who received medical treatment alone (area under the curve: 0.797; 95% CI, 0.728-0.865) than in those who received intra-aortic balloon pump (area under the curve, 0.704; 95% CI, 0.625-0.783) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (area under the curve, 0.644; 95% CI, 0.580-0.709). The best cutoff value of Vasoactive Inotropic Score for the prediction of in-hospital mortality also differed according to the use of mechanical circulatory support (16.5, 40.1, and 84.0 for medical treatment alone, intra-aortic balloon pump, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, respectively). There was a significant interaction between Vasoactive Inotropic Score as a continuous value and the use of mechanical circulatory support including intra-aortic balloon pump (interaction-p = 0.006) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (interaction-p < 0.001) for all-cause mortality during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: High Vasoactive Inotropic Score was associated with significantly higher in-hospital and follow-up mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. The predictive value of Vasoactive Inotropic Score for mortality was significantly higher in acute myocardial infarction patients with cardiogenic shock treated by medical treatment alone than in those treated by mechanical circulatory support such as intra-aortic balloon pump or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Impact of stent designs of second-generation drug-eluting stents on long-term outcomes in coronary bifurcation lesions.

OBJECTIVES: We compared the long-term clinical outcomes of four different types of second-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) in coronary bifurcation lesions. BACKGROUND: Clinical outcomes of different designs of second-generation DESs are not well known in bifurcation lesions. METHODS: Patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with second-generation DESs for coronary bifurcation lesion were enrolled from 21 centers in South Korea. A total of 2,526 patients was evaluated and divided into four treatment groups according to DES type: bioabsorbable polymer biolimus-eluting stent (BP-BES group, n = 514), platinum chromium everolimus-eluting stent (PtCr-EES group, n = 473), cobalt nickel zotarolimus-eluting stent (CoNi-ZES group, n = 736), or cobalt chromium everolimus-eluting stent (CoCr-EES group, n = 803). Primary outcome was target lesion failure (TLF, defined as a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was performed to reduce selection bias and potential confounding factors. RESULTS: For 5 years of follow-up, the rates of TLF among the four DES groups were not significantly different (6.2% for BP-BES group, 8.2% for PtCr-EES group, 6.5% for CoNi-ZES group, and 8.6% for CoCr-EES group, p = .434). The results were consistent after IPTW adjustment (6.8, 8.4, 6.0, and 7.5%, respectively, p = .554). In subgroup analysis, the similarity of long-term outcomes among the four different types of second-generation DES was consistent across subgroups regardless of side branch treatment (p for interaction = .691). CONCLUSION: There seems to be no significant difference in long-term clinical outcomes among patients who received different types of second-generation DES for coronary bifurcation lesion.

Improved RRT-Connect Algorithm Based on Triangular Inequality for Robot Path Planning.

This paper proposed a triangular inequality-based rewiring method for the rapidly exploring random tree (RRT)-Connect robot path-planning algorithm that guarantees the planning time compared to the RRT algorithm, to bring it closer to the optimum. To check the proposed algorithm's performance, this paper compared the RRT and RRT-Connect algorithms in various environments through simulation. From these experimental results, the proposed algorithm shows both quicker planning time and shorter path length than the RRT algorithm and shorter path length than the RRT-Connect algorithm with a similar number of samples and planning time.

Effect of P2Y12 Inhibitor Monotherapy vs Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Cardiovascular Events in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The SMART-CHOICE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Data on P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after short-duration dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention are limited. Objective: To determine whether P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after 3 months of DAPT is noninferior to 12 months of DAPT in patients undergoing PCI. Design, Setting, and Participants: The SMART-CHOICE trial was an open-label, noninferiority, randomized study that was conducted in 33 hospitals in Korea and included 2993 patients undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stents. Enrollment began March 18, 2014, and follow-up was completed July 19, 2018. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to receive aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor for 3 months and thereafter P2Y12 inhibitor alone (n = 1495) or DAPT for 12 months (n = 1498). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) at 12 months after the index procedure. Secondary end points included the components of the primary end point and bleeding defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2 to 5. The noninferiority margin was 1.8%. Results: Among 2993 patients who were randomized (mean age, 64 years; 795 women [26.6%]), 2912 (97.3%) completed the trial. Adherence to the study protocol was 79.3% of the P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy group and 95.2% of the DAPT group. At 12 months, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events occurred in 42 patients in the P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy group and in 36 patients in the DAPT group (2.9% vs 2.5%; difference, 0.4% [1-sided 95% CI, -∞% to 1.3%]; P = .007 for noninferiority). There were no significant differences in all-cause death (21 [1.4%] vs 18 [1.2%]; hazard ratio [HR], 1.18; 95% CI, 0.63-2.21; P = .61), myocardial infarction (11 [0.8%] vs 17 [1.2%]; HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.31-1.40; P = .28), or stroke (11 [0.8%] vs 5 [0.3%]; HR, 2.23; 95% CI, 0.78-6.43; P = .14) between the 2 groups. The rate of bleeding was significantly lower in the P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy group than in the DAPT group (2.0% vs 3.4%; HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36-0.92; P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after 3 months of DAPT compared with prolonged DAPT resulted in noninferior rates of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Because of limitations in the study population and adherence, further research is needed in other populations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02079194.

Long-term Survival Benefit of Statin in Patients with Coronary Chronic Total Occlusion without Revascularization.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available on the efficacy of statin therapy in stable ischemic heart disease with chronic total occlusion (CTO) without revascularization. We investigated whether statin therapy could be beneficial in stable patients with CTO without revascularization. METHODS: From March 2003 to February 2012, 2,024 patients with at least one CTO were enrolled in a retrospective, single-center registry; 664 of these patients were managed conservatively without an initial revascularization strategy. Among them, we excluded CTO cases involving acute coronary syndrome, in-hospital death or incomplete data and classified 551 patients into statin (n = 369) and non-statin (n = 182) groups according to use of statin at discharge. Propensity score matching analysis was also performed in 148 pairs. The primary outcome was cardiac death. RESULTS: The median overall follow-up duration was 45.7 months (interquartile range: 19.9-70.5 months). Cardiac death occurred in 22 patients (6.0%) in the statin group vs. 24 patients (13.2%) in the non-statin group (P < 0.001). In propensity score matching analysis, statin therapy was associated with a low risk of cardiac death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18-0.85; P = 0.022) and major adverse cardiac events (adjusted HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.43-0.98; P = 0.043). On multivariate analysis, independent predictors for cardiac death were age > 70 years, renal insufficiency, prior myocardial infarction, left ventricular ejection fraction < 40%, proximal-to-mid CTO location, and no use of statin in CTO patients. CONCLUSION: Statin therapy at discharge may be associated with a reduction in long-term cardiac mortality in stable CTO patients without revascularization.

Association of periprocedural myocardial infarction with long-term survival in patients treated with coronary revascularization therapy of chronic total occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI) on long-term survival after coronary revascularization in patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO). BACKGROUND: Little is known about the clinical impact of PMI on long-term cardiac mortality after CTO revascularization in patients with stable angina. METHODS: We analyzed data from 927 patients with CTO and stable angina who were treated with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, n = 367) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI, n = 560). PMI was defined as a peak CK-MB ≥ 3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) after PCI or a CK-MB ≥ 5 times the ULN after CABG. The primary outcome was cardiac death in patients with PMI (PMI group, n = 118 [12.7%]) or without PMI (no-PMI group, n = 809 [87.3%]) after revascularization. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 42 months, PMI occurred in 118 patients (12.7% of the overall study population). Fifty-nine patients treated with PCI (10.5% of PCI subgroup) and 59 patients treated with CABG (16.1% of CABG subgroup) suffered from PMI. In multivariate analysis, the PMI group and the no-PMI group had a similar incidence of cardiac death (hazard ratio [HR] 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20 to 1.62; P = 0.29). CONCLUSIONS: PMI may not be associated with increased cardiac mortality after coronary revascularization in patients with stable CTO. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Clinical and Echocardiographic Characteristics of Acute Cardiac Dysfunction Associated With Acute Brain Hemorrhage　- Difference From Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac dysfunction (CD) associated with brain hemorrhage is similar to that with takotsubo cardiomyopathy but still not well understood. We aimed to investigate the clinical and echocardiographic findings of acute CD (ACD) related to brain hemorrhage. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 2013 and 2014, consecutive patients diagnosed with spontaneous and traumatic brain hemorrhage were prospectively enrolled. Electrocardiography, cardiac enzymes, and echocardiography were performed. Left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction on echocardiography was defined as ACD related to brain hemorrhage when all the following conditions were satisfied: abnormal ECG and cardiac troponin level, LV wall motion abnormality or decreased LV systolic function on echocardiography, and no previous history of cardiac disease. Otherwise, LV dysfunction was considered to be other CD unrelated to brain hemorrhage. In a total of 208 patients, 15 (7.2%) showed ACD. Of them, 8 patients were men and 8 showed apex-sparing LV hypokinesia and 9 died in hospital. Other cardiac abnormalities observed in the study patients were NT-proBNP elevation (n=123), QT interval prolongation (n=95), LV hypertrophy (n=89), and troponin I elevation (n=47). There were 36 in-hospital deaths (17.3%). Glasgow coma score and ACD were independently associated with in-hospital death. CONCLUSIONS: ACD was observed in patients with various brain hemorrhages. Unlike takotsubo cardiomyopathy, high proportions of male sex, apex-sparing LV dysfunction, and in-hospital death were observed for ACD associated with brain hemorrhage. (Circ J 2016; 80: 2026-2032).

Optimal Medical Therapy vs. Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Patients With Coronary Chronic Total Occlusion - A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available on the long-term clinical outcomes of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) patients who receive optimal medical therapy (OMT) compared with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: Between March 2003 and February 2012, 2,024 patients with CTO were enrolled in a single-center registry. Among this patient group, we excluded CTO patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and classified patients into the OMT group (n=664) or PCI group (n=883) according to initial treatment strategy. Propensity-score matching was also performed. The primary outcome was cardiac death. The median follow-up duration was 45.8 (interquartile range: 22.8-71.1) months. In the PCI group, 699 patients (79.2%) underwent successful revascularization. In the propensity-score matched population (533 pairs), there was no significant difference in the rate of cardiac death between the OMT and PCI groups (hazard ratio, 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-2.72, P=0.11). In the subgroup analysis, there were no significant interactions between the PCI strategy and cardiac death among several subgroups except that regarding collateral flow grades 0-2 vs. those with grade 3 (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: As an initial treatment strategy, PCI did not reduce cardiac death compared with OMT for the treatment of CTO in the drug-eluting stent era.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of True and Non-True Bifurcation Lesions According to Medina Classification- Results From the COBIS (COronary BIfurcation Stent) II Registry.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the clinical outcomes of patients with different types of coronary bifurcation lesions. We sought to compare long-term clinical outcomes of patients with true or non-true bifurcation lesions who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared major adverse cardiac events (MACE: cardiac death, myocardial infarction [MI], or target lesion revascularization) between 1,502 patients with true bifurcation lesions (51.8%) and 1,395 with non-true bifurcation lesions (48.2%). True bifurcation lesions were defined as Medina classification (1.1.1), (1.0.1), or (0.1.1) lesions. During a median follow-up of 36 months, MACE occurred in 296 (10.2%) patients. Patients with true bifurcation lesions had a significantly higher risk of MACE than those with non-true bifurcation lesions (HR 1.39; 95% CI 1.08-1.80; P=0.01). Among true bifurcation lesions, Medina (1.1.1) and (0.1.1) were associated with a higher risk of cardiac death or MI than Medina (1.0.1) (HR 4.15; 95% CI 1.01-17.1; P=0.05). During the procedure, side branch occlusion occurred more frequently in Medina (1.1.1) and (1.0.1) than Medina (0.1.1) lesions (11.5% vs. 7.4%, P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with true bifurcation lesions had worse clinical outcomes than those with non-true bifurcation lesions. Procedural and long-term clinical outcomes differed according to the type of bifurcation lesion. These findings should be considered in future bifurcation studies.

Impact of bifurcation stent technique on clinical outcomes in patients with a Medina 0,0,1 coronary bifurcation lesion: results from the COBIS (COronary BIfurcation Stenting) II registry.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term clinical outcomes of patients treated with 1- versus 2-stent techniques for Medina 0,0,1 type bifurcation lesions. BACKGROUND: Little is known about clinical outcomes and optimal treatment strategies for Medina 0,0,1 type bifurcation lesions METHODS: A total of 2,897 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention using a drug-eluting stent for a coronary bifurcation lesion with a side branch (SB) ≥2.3 mm were enrolled from 18 centers in South Korea. We compared target lesion failure (TLF), defined as the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization (TLR) according to 1- or 2-stent techniques in the patients with a de novo Medina 0,0,1 type bifurcation lesion (n = 113, 3.9%) RESULTS: Fifty patients were treated with the 1-stent technique, and 63 patients with the 2-stent technique. During a median follow-up duration of 36.6 months, patients in the 1-stent technique group tended to have a higher incidence of TLR (3.2 versus 12.0%, P = 0.07) and TLF (4.8 versus 12.0%, P = 0.16) than those in the 2-stent technique group. Multivariate analysis revealed that the 1-stent technique was associated with a higher risk of TLR (hazard ratio [HR] 7.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-42.5; P = 0.03) and TLF (HR 4.65; 95% CI 1.01-21.6; P = 0.05) than the 2-stent technique CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a Medina 0,0,1 type bifurcation lesion, the 2-stent technique seems to be associated with a better clinical outcome compared with the 1-stent technique. These findings need to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials.

Localization of solar panel cleaning robot combining vision processing and extended Kalman filter.

In this study, we introduce a method for estimating the position of a self-driving solar panel-cleaning mobile robot. This estimation relies on line counts, typically 16 cm in panel width, obtained through image processing on the panel floor, along with wheel encoder information and inertial sensor data. To achieve accurate line counts, we introduce two adjusted threshold values and allow offsets in these values based on the robot's speed. Additionally, inertial measurement unit (IMU) signals assist in determining whether a line is horizontal or vertical, depending on the robot's movement direction on the panel, utilizing the robot's heading angle and detected line angle. When the robot is positioned between lines on the panel, more precise location estimation is necessary beyond simple line counts. To tackle this challenge, we integrate the extended Kalman filter with IMU data and encoder information, significantly enhancing position estimation. This integration achieves an RMSE accuracy value of up to 0.089 m, notably at a relatively high speed of 100 mm/s. This margin of error is almost half that of the vision-based line-counting method.

Seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.

Background: Little is known about the association between seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with CS caused by AMI. Objectives: We investigated the 12-month clinical outcomes in patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) according to season. Methods: A total of 695 patients undergoing PCI for AMI complicated by CS was enrolled from 12 centers in South Korea. The study patients were divided into four groups according to season in which the AMI with CS occurred (spring, n = 178 vs. summer, n = 155 vs. autumn, n = 182 vs. winter, n = 180). We compared major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, re-hospitalization due to heart failure, and any revascularization) between the four groups. Results: The risk of MACE during the 12 months after CS was similar in the four groups: spring, 68 patients, vs. summer, 69, vs. autumn, 73, vs. winter, 68 (p = 0.587). Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed no significant difference in 12-month MACE among groups compared to the spring group after inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment (summer, HR 1.40, 95 % CI 0.98-1.99, p = 0.062; autumn, HR 1.26, 95 % CI 0.89-1.80, p = 0.193; winter, HR 1.18, 95 % CI 0.83-1.67, p = 0.356). The similarity of MACE between the four groups was consistent across a variety of subgroups. Conclusions: After adjusting for baseline differences, seasonal variation seems not to influence the mid-term risk of 12-month MACE in patients treated with PCI for AMI complicated by CS. Condensed abstract: Data are limited regarding the association between seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) caused by AMI. This study divided patients undergoing PCI for AMI complicated by CS into four groups based on the season of occurrence and found no significant differences in 12-month MACE between the groups after adjusting for bias and confounding factors. Multivariate analysis revealed consistent MACE similarity across subgroups. The study suggests that seasonal variation has no impact on the mid-term risk of 12-month MACE in patients with CS caused by AMI, after adjusting for baseline differences. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02985008RESCUE (REtrospective and prospective observational Study to investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy of left ventricular assist device for Korean patients with cardiogenic shock), NCT02985008, Registered December 5, 2016 - retrospectively and prospectively. Irb information: This study was approved by the institutional review board of Samsung Medical Center (Reference number: 2016-03-130).

The Association of CHADS-P2A2RC Risk Score With Clinical Outcomes in Patients Taking P2Y12 Inhibitor Monotherapy After 3 Months of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Concerns remain that early aspirin cessation may be associated with potential harm in subsets at high risk of ischemic events. This study aimed to assess the effects of P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after 3-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) vs. prolonged DAPT (12-month or longer) based on the ischemic risk stratification, the CHADS-P2A2RC, after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: This was a sub-study of the SMART-CHOICE trial. The effect of the randomized antiplatelet strategies was assessed across 3 CHADS-P2A2RC risk score categories. The primary outcome was a major adverse cardiac and cerebral event (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. RESULTS: Up to 3 years, the high CHADS-P2A2RC risk score group had the highest incidence of MACCE (105 [12.1%], adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.927; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.358-6.309; p=0.006) followed by moderate-risk (40 [1.4%], adjusted HR, 1.786; 95% CI, 0.868-3.674; p=0.115) and low-risk (9 [0.5%], reference). In secondary analyses, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy reduced the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding without increasing the risk of MACCE as compared with prolonged DAPT across the 3 CHADS-P2A2RC risk strata without significant interaction term (interaction p for MACCE=0.705 and interaction p for BARC types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding=0.055). CONCLUSIONS: The CHADS-P2A2RC risk score is valuable in discriminating high-ischemic-risk patients. Even in such patients with a high risk of ischemic events, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy was associated with a lower incidence of bleeding without increased risk of ischemic events compared with prolonged DAPT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02079194.

Efficacy and safety of durable versus biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.

The clinical impact of different polymer technologies in newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) remains poorly understood. We investigated the efficacy and safety of durable polymer DESs (DP-DESs) compared with biodegradable polymer DESs (BP-DESs). A total of 620 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with newer-generation DESs for AMI complicated by CS was divided into two groups based on polymer technology: the DP-DES group (n = 374) and the BP-DES group (n = 246). The primary outcome was target vessel failure (TVF) during a 12-month follow-up, defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization. Both the DP-DES and BP-DES groups exhibited low stent thrombosis rates (1.3% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.660). The risk of TVF did not significantly differ between the two groups (34.2% vs. 28.5%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-1.29, p = 0.721). This finding remained consistent after adjustment with inverse probability of treatment weighting (28.1% vs. 25.1%, HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.77-1.27, p = 0.899). In AMI patients complicated by CS, the risk of a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization was not significantly different between those treated with DP-DESs and those treated with BP-DESs.Trial registration: RESCUE registry, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02985008 , NCT02985008.