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Treatment inertia is a recognised barrier to blood pressure control, and simpler, more effective treatment strategies are needed. We hypothesised that a hypertension management strategy starting with a single pill containing ultra-low-dose quadruple combination therapy would be more effective than a strategy of starting with monotherapy.QUARTET was a multicentre, double-blind, parallel-group, randomised, phase 3 trial among Australian adults (≥18 years) with hypertension, who were untreated or receiving monotherapy. Participants were randomly assigned to either treatment, that started with the quadpill (containing irbesartan at 37·5 mg, amlodipine at 1·25 mg, indapamide at 0·625 mg, and bisoprolol at 2·5 mg) or an indistinguishable monotherapy control (irbesartan 150 mg). If blood pressure was not at target, additional medications could be added in both groups, starting with amlodipine at 5 mg. Participants were randomly assigned using an online central randomisation service. There was a 1:1 allocation, stratified by site. Allocation was masked to all participants and study team members (including investigators and those assessing outcomes) except the manufacturer of the investigational product and one unmasked statistician. The primary outcome was difference in unattended office systolic blood pressure at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included blood pressure control (standard office blood pressure140/90 mm Hg), safety, and tolerability. A subgroup continued randomly assigned allocation to 12 months to assess long-term effects. Analyses were per intention to treat. This trial was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12616001144404, and is now complete.From June 8, 2017, to Aug 31, 2020, 591 participants were recruited, with 743 assessed for eligibility, 152 ineligible or declined, 300 participants randomly assigned to intervention of initial quadpill treatment, and 291 to control of initial standard dose monotherapy treatment. The mean age of the 591 participants was 59 years (SD 12); 356 (60%) were male and 235 (40%) were female; 483 (82%) were White, 70 (12%) were Asian, and 38 (6%) reported as other ethnicity; and baseline mean unattended office blood pressure was 141 mm Hg (SD 13)/85 mm Hg (SD 10). By 12 weeks, 44 (15%) of 300 participants had additional blood pressure medications in the intervention group compared with 115 (40%) of 291 participants in the control group. Systolic blood pressure was lower by 6·9 mm Hg (95% CI 4·9-8·9; p0·0001) and blood pressure control rates were higher in the intervention group (76%) versus control group (58%; relative risk [RR] 1·30, 95% CI 1·15-1·47; p0·0001). There was no difference in adverse event-related treatment withdrawals at 12 weeks (intervention 4·0% vs control 2·4%; p=0·27). Among the 417 patients who continued, uptitration occurred more frequently among control participants than intervention participants (p0·0001). However, at 52 weeks mean unattended systolic blood pressure remained lower by 7·7 mm Hg (95% CI 5·2-10·3) and blood pressure control rates higher in the intervention group (81%) versus control group (62%; RR 1·32, 95% CI 1·16-1·50). In all randomly assigned participants up to 12 weeks, there were seven (3%) serious adverse events in the intervention group and three (1%) serious adverse events in the control group.A strategy with early treatment of a fixed-dose quadruple quarter-dose combination achieved and maintained greater blood pressure lowering compared with the common strategy of starting monotherapy. This trial demonstrated the efficacy, tolerability, and simplicity of a quadpill-based strategy.National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia.

A large fraction of bugs discovered in the design flow of embedded control software (ECS) arises from the control software’s interaction with the plant it controls. Traditional formal analysis approaches using interleaved controller-plant reach-set analysis grossly overapproximate the reachable states and does not scale. In this letter, we examine a verification approach that considers a control system with the (possibly nonlinear) plant dynamics and mode switches specified along with the actual control software implementation. Given this input, we generate a bounded-time safety verification problem encoded as satisfiability modulo theories (SMTs) constraints. We leverage $\delta $ -decidability over Reals to achieve scalability while verifying the control software.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic made us reframe a lot of the strategies followed in medical practice and ophthalmological services and procedures were also not spared, including corneal transplantation or keratoplasty, the most routine procedure performed worldwide. The prevalence of viral presence in the ocular tissue necessitates a focus on the handling of donor ocular tissue and the functioning of eye banks, ensuring it doesn't risk the patient and the doctor's safety. Restrictions in the movement of people during the pandemic limited the number of donations, causing a shortage of tissues, with a large number of people already waitlisted for tissue needs. The lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic directs us to look for long-term corneal storage techniques taking into consideration the tissue viability time and the possibility of post-pandemic shortages. Although there is not a significant number of reports, the cases of corneal graft rejection post-vaccination against COVID-19 are highlighted and thus should form a part of the lookout while evaluating the possible cause of rejection of grafts. This article summarises the overall impact of the pandemic on corneal transplantation and the possible future of storage techniques, which need to evolve and be adapted.

The separation of butanes and butenes using MOF-74 (with two reticular MOFs with different pore sizes, Ni-IRMOF-74-I and Ni-IRMOF-74-II) was evaluated computationally using density functional theory. We identified that C

Objectives The authors sought to prospectively determine the safety and efficacy of next-day discharge using the Vancouver 3M (Multidisciplinary, Multimodality, but Minimalist) Clinical Pathway. Background Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an alternative to surgery in high- and intermediate-risk patients; however, hospital stays average at least 6 days in most trials. The Vancouver 3M Clinical Pathway is focused on next-day discharge, made possible by the use of objective screening criteria as well as streamlined peri- and post-procedural management guidelines. Methods Patients were enrolled from 6 low-volume ( 200 TAVR/year) centers in Canada and the United States. The primary outcomes were a composite of all-cause death or stroke by 30 days and the proportion of patients successfully discharged home the day following TAVR. Results Of 1,400 screened patients, 411 were enrolled at 13 centers and received a SAPIEN XT (58.2%) or SAPIEN 3 (41.8%) valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California). In centers enrolling exclusively in the study, 55% of screened patients were enrolled. The median age was 84 years (interquartile range: 78 to 87 years) with a median STS score of 4.9% (interquartile range: 3.3% to 6.8%). Next-day discharge home was achieved in 80.1% of patients, and within 48 h in 89.5%. The composite of all-cause mortality or stroke by 30 days occurred in 2.9% (95% confidence interval: 1.7% to 5.1%), with neither component of the primary outcome affected by hospital TAVR volume (p = 0.51). Secondary outcomes at 30 days included major vascular complication 2.4% (n = 10), readmission 9.2% (n = 36), cardiac readmission 5.7% (n = 22), new permanent pacemaker 5.7% (n = 23), and >mild paravalvular regurgitation 3.8% (n = 15). Conclusions Adherence to the Vancouver 3M Clinical Pathway at low-, medium-, and high-volume TAVR centers allows next-day discharge home with excellent safety and efficacy outcomes.

Objective Chest pain is a large health care burden in Australia and around the world. Its management requires specialist assessment and diagnostic tests, which can be costly and often lead to unnecessary hospital admissions. There is a growing unmet clinical need to improve the efficiency and management of chest pain. This study aims to show the cost-benefit of rapid access chest pain clinics (RACC) as an alternative to hospital admission. Design Retrospective cost-benefit analysis for 12 months. Setting RACCs in three Sydney tertiary referral hospitals. Main outcome measures Cost per patient. Results Hospitals A, B and C implemented RACCs but each operating with slightly different staffing, referral patterns, and diagnostic services. All RACCs had similar costs per patient of AUD$455.25, AUD$427.12 and AUD$474.45, hospitals A, B and C respectively, and similar cost benefits per patient of AUD$1168.75, AUD$1196.88 and AUD$1,149.55, respectively. At least 28%, 26% and 29% of these RACC patients for hospitals A, B, and C, respectively, would have otherwise had to have been admitted to hospital for the model to be cost-beneficial. Conclusion This study shows that a RACC model of care is cost-beneficial in the state of NSW as an alternative strategy to inpatient care for managing chest pain. Scaling up to a national level could represent an even larger benefit for the Australian health system.

There is a critical need for blood pressure–lowering strategies that have greater efficacy and minimal side effects. Low-dose combinations hold promise in this regard, but there are few data on very-low-dose therapy. We, therefore, conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with at least one quarter-dose and one placebo and standard-dose monotherapy arm. A search was conducted of Medline, Embase, Cochrane Registry, Food and Drug Administration, and European Medicinal Agency websites. Data on blood pressure and adverse events were pooled using a fixed-effect model, and bias was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias. The review included 42 trials involving 20 284 participants. Thirty-six comparisons evaluated quarter-dose with placebo and indicated a blood pressure reduction of −4.7/−2.4 mm Hg ( P P P P P

The cultural heritage of India lies in the intangible knowledge embodied in the people and community who are its key stakeholders. For any cultural heritage to sustain and grow, it is imperative to have a multifaceted approach ensuring the value and transfer of this knowledge. The traditional Indian societies are embedded with a craft culture of its own depicting the contextual understanding of the people who lived in them. Such cultural heritage in India has continued with an unbroken lineage and it is constantly evolving. Though many efforts are being done to preserve the tangible resources of the craft culture, the intangible knowledge needs closer attention. This paper discusses the holistic approach towards tapping the intangible knowledge using experiential tourism as a tool. It examines the craft experiential tourism models developed by Design Innovation and Craft Resource Centre (DICRC), CEPT University, India, and suggests how such models can be the forerunners to promote craft and cultural tourism in India. It discusses at length multiple activities like mapping craftspeople, developing connections, conducting contextual programmes (craft-design innovation and community participation), knowledge dissemination (through craft awareness programmes and exhibitions), developing infrastructure: with a core vision of sustaining the intangible knowledge for future generations. Through this paper, the intent is to emphasize the importance of intangible knowledge and how the craft culture of a place can enhance culturally sustainable tourism. Taking case studies of various projects conducted, it concludes with the possibilities of the impact of such models and its implementation at various scales.

Mobile phone text message interventions are used to support behaviour change including physical activity, but we have less insight into how these interventions work and what factors predict response.To study the effect of TEXT ME (Tobacco EXercise and dieT Messages) text message intervention on physical activity domains, consistency of effects across sub-groups and its additive value in patients that received traditional cardiac rehabilitation programme.This is a secondary analysis of the TEXT ME, a randomized clinical trial of lifestyle-focused text message intervention compared with usual care in patients with coronary heart disease. A quarter of the messages were designed specifically to encourage physical activity. Sedentary time and physical activity were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire.At baseline, 85% of the 710 participants reported low physical activity levels. At six months, compared with controls, the intervention arm reported higher recreational physical activity (471 vs. 307 metabolic equivalent-min/week, p = 0.001) and travel physical activity (230 vs. 128 MET-min/week, p = 0.002), similar work-related physical activity and lower sedentary times (494 vs. 587 min, p 0.001). Male gender, high baseline physical activity, cardiac rehabilitation participation and text message intervention predicted physically active status at six months. Subjects that received both cardiac rehabilitation and text messaging intervention were more likely to achieve target physical activity levels compared with cardiac rehabilitation alone (odds ratio 7.07 vs. 1.80, p 0.001).The TEXT ME intervention improved recreational and travel physical activity, reduced sedentary times but had no effects on work-related physical activity. It had incremental benefits at achieving target physical activity levels even in patients participating in the traditional cardiac rehabilitation programme.

The authors sought to prospectively determine the safety and efficacy of next-day discharge using the Vancouver 3M (Multidisciplinary, Multimodality, but Minimalist) Clinical Pathway.Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an alternative to surgery in high- and intermediate-risk patients; however, hospital stays average at least 6 days in most trials. The Vancouver 3M Clinical Pathway is focused on next-day discharge, made possible by the use of objective screening criteria as well as streamlined peri- and post-procedural management guidelines.Patients were enrolled from 6 low-volume (100 TAVR/year), 4 medium-volume, and 3 high-volume (200 TAVR/year) centers in Canada and the United States. The primary outcomes were a composite of all-cause death or stroke by 30 days and the proportion of patients successfully discharged home the day following TAVR.Of 1,400 screened patients, 411 were enrolled at 13 centers and received a SAPIEN XT (58.2%) or SAPIEN 3 (41.8%) valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California). In centers enrolling exclusively in the study, 55% of screened patients were enrolled. The median age was 84 years (interquartile range: 78 to 87 years) with a median STS score of 4.9% (interquartile range: 3.3% to 6.8%). Next-day discharge home was achieved in 80.1% of patients, and within 48 h in 89.5%. The composite of all-cause mortality or stroke by 30 days occurred in 2.9% (95% confidence interval: 1.7% to 5.1%), with neither component of the primary outcome affected by hospital TAVR volume (p = 0.51). Secondary outcomes at 30 days included major vascular complication 2.4% (n = 10), readmission 9.2% (n = 36), cardiac readmission 5.7% (n = 22), new permanent pacemaker 5.7% (n = 23), andmild paravalvular regurgitation 3.8% (n = 15).Adherence to the Vancouver 3M Clinical Pathway at low-, medium-, and high-volume TAVR centers allows next-day discharge home with excellent safety and efficacy outcomes.

Major procedural complications related to left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) are relatively infrequent but may be associated with major morbidity and mortality. LAAO operators should be knowledgeable about these potential complications. Prompt recognition and treatment are necessary to avoid rapid deterioration and dire consequences. With stringent guidelines on operator training, competency requirements, and procedural-technical refinements, LAAO can be performed safely with low complication rates. This article focuses on commonly used devices, as well as prevention, treatment, and management of complications of LAOO.

Retransmission protocols such as HDLC and TCP are designed to ensure reliable communication over noisy channels (i.e., channels that can corrupt messages). Thakkar et al. 15] have recently presented an algorithmic verification technique for deterministic streaming string transducer (DSST) models of such protocols. The verification problem is posed as equivalence checking between the specification and protocol DSSTs. In this paper, we argue that more general models need to be obtained using non-deterministic streaming string transducers (NSSTs). However, equivalence checking is undecidable for NSSTs. We present two classes where the models belong to a sub-class of NSSTs for which it is decidable. We propose non-deterministic transducer models of retransmission protocols.We give the verification methodology for these protocol models.We establish decidability for two expressive cases of models.The verification is decidable even if the message lengths are unbounded.Our technique models key aspects of HDLC and TCP protocols over noisy channels.

The catalytic conversion of CO2 into industrially relevant chemicals is one strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Along these lines, electrochemical CO2 conversion technologies are attractive because they can operate with high reaction rates at ambient conditions. However, electrochemical systems require electricity, and CO2 conversion processes must integrate with carbon-free, renewable-energy sources to be viable on larger scales. We utilize Au25 nanoclusters as renewably powered CO2 conversion electrocatalysts with CO2 → CO reaction rates between 400 and 800 L of CO2 per gram of catalytic metal per hour and product selectivities between 80 and 95%. These performance metrics correspond to conversion rates approaching 0.8-1.6 kg of CO2 per gram of catalytic metal per hour. We also present data showing CO2 conversion rates and product selectivity strongly depend on catalyst loading. Optimized systems demonstrate stable operation and reaction turnover numbers (TONs) approaching 6 × 10(6) molCO2 molcatalyst(-1) during a multiday (36 h total hours) CO2 electrolysis experiment containing multiple start/stop cycles. TONs between 1 × 10(6) and 4 × 10(6) molCO2 molcatalyst(-1) were obtained when our system was powered by consumer-grade renewable-energy sources. Daytime photovoltaic-powered CO2 conversion was demonstrated for 12 h and we mimicked low-light or nighttime operation for 24 h with a solar-rechargeable battery. This proof-of-principle study provides some of the initial performance data necessary for assessing the scalability and technical viability of electrochemical CO2 conversion technologies. Specifically, we show the following: (1) all electrochemical CO2 conversion systems will produce a net increase in CO2 emissions if they do not integrate with renewable-energy sources, (2) catalyst loading vs activity trends can be used to tune process rates and product distributions, and (3) state-of-the-art renewable-energy technologies are sufficient to power larger-scale, tonne per day CO2 conversion systems.

Background— Inducible ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a strong predictor of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia following ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) predisposes patients to inducible VT after ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. However, the role of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in predisposing to inducible VT has not been described previously. Methods and Results— Consecutive patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention underwent predischarge radionuclide gated heart pool scan to assess ventricular EF. The study cohort included patients with reduced left ventricular EF (left ventricular EF ≤40%) who underwent electrophysiology study (n=220) in an attempt to induce VT. We defined RV dysfunction as RVEF ≤35%. The end point was sustained monomorphic VT (cycle length ≥200 ms). This was considered a positive study. No inducible arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, or flutter (cycle length P Conclusions— RV dysfunction (RVEF ≤35%) predisposed to inducible VT at electrophysiology study in patients with impaired left ventricular EF (≤40%) after acute ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Administration of intravenous sedation (IVS) has become an integral component of procedural cardiac electrophysiology. IVS is employed in diagnostic and ablation procedures for transcutaneous treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, electrical cardioversion of arrhythmias, and the insertion of implantable electronic devices including pacemakers, defibrillators, and loop recorders. Sedation is frequently performed by nursing staff under the supervision of the proceduralist and in the absence of specialist anesthesiologists. The sedation requirements vary depending on the nature of the procedure. A wide range of sedation techniques have been reported with sedation from the near fully conscious to levels approaching that of general anesthesia. This review examines the methods employed and outcomes associated with reported sedation techniques. There is a large experience with the combination of benzodiazepines and narcotics. These drugs have a broad therapeutic range and the advantage of readily available reversal agents. More recently, the use of propofol without serious adverse events has been reported. The results provide a guide regarding the expected outcomes of these approaches. The complication rate and need for emergency assistance is low in reported series where sedation is administered by nonspecialist anesthesiology staff.

Access to left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) in Canada is limited due to funding restrictions. This work aimed to assess Canadian clinical practice on patient selection, post-procedural antithrombotic therapy, and safety and/or efficacy with WATCHMAN implantation. All Canadian centers implanting

The present study aims to unveil the characteristics of fully developed laminar, incompressible, pressure driven non-Newtonian liquid flow in rough circular microchannels. In the present analysis Gaussian isotropic roughness distribution in circular microchannel is considered. The effect of varying surface wall roughness and flow behavior index has been studied numerically for both the pseudo plastic and dilatant fluids. It is found out that while increasing the relative roughness for a particular flow behavior index, the frictional resistance to flow in the microchannel increases and the effect is more pronounced in the case of pseudo plastic fluids. In the case of a pseudo plastic liquid flow for a constant relative surface wall roughness, on decreasing the value of flow behavior index below 1, the frictional resistance to the flow in the channel increases. While in the case of dilatant fluids with increasing the value of flow behavior index from 1 and above for a constant relative surface wall roughness the frictional resistance to the flow in the channel decreases.

BACKGROUND: Globally, most patients with hypertension are treated with monotherapy, and control rates are poor because monotherapy only reduces blood pressure by around 9/5 mm Hg on average. There is a pressing need for blood pressure-control strategies with improved efficacy and tolerability. We aimed to assess whether ultra-low-dose combination therapy could meet these needs. METHODS: We did a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial of a quadpill-a single capsule containing four blood pressure-lowering drugs each at quarter-dose (irbesartan 37·5 mg, amlodipine 1·25 mg, hydrochlorothiazide 6·25 mg, and atenolol 12·5 mg). Participants with untreated hypertension were enrolled from four centres in the community of western Sydney, NSW, Australia, mainly by general practitioners. Participants were randomly allocated by computer to either the quadpill or matching placebo for 4 weeks; this treatment was followed by a 2-week washout, then the other study treatment was administered for 4 weeks. Study staff and participants were unaware of treatment allocations, and masking was achieved by use of identical opaque capsules. The primary outcome was placebo-corrected 24-h systolic ambulatory blood pressure reduction after 4 weeks and analysis was by intention to treat. We also did a systematic review of trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of quarter-standard-dose blood pressure-lowering therapy against placebo. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number ACTRN12614001057673. The trial ended after 1 year and this report presents the final analysis. FINDINGS: Between November, 2014, and December, 2015, 55 patients were screened for our randomised trial, of whom 21 underwent randomisation. Mean age of participants was 58 years (SD 11) and mean baseline office and 24-h systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were 154 (14)/90 (11) mm Hg and 140 (9)/87 (8) mm Hg, respectively. One individual declined participation after randomisation and two patients dropped out for administrative reasons. The placebo-corrected reduction in systolic 24-h blood pressure with the quadpill was 19 mm Hg (95% CI 14-23), and office blood pressure was reduced by 22/13 mm Hg (p

Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in India. Text message based prevention programs have demonstrated reduction in cardiovascular risk factors among patients with CHD in selected populations. Customisation is important as behaviour change is influenced by culture and linguistic context. Objectives To customise a mobile phone text message program supporting behaviour and treatment adherence in CHD for delivery in North India. Methods We used an iterative process with mixed methods involving three phases: (1) Initial translation, (2) Review and incorporation of feedback including review by cardiologists in India to assess alignment with local guidelines and by consumers on perceived utility and clarity and (3) Pilot testing of message management software. Results Messages were translated in three ways: symmetrical translation, asymmetrical translation and substitution. Feedback from cardiologists and 25 patients was incorporated to develop the final bank. Patients reported Hinglish messages were easy to understand (93%) and useful (78%). The software located in Australia successfully delivered messages to participants based in Delhi-surrounds (India). Conclusions Our process for customisation of a text message program considered cultural, linguistic and the medical context of potential participants. This is important in optimising intervention fidelity across populations enabling examination of the generalisability of text message programs across populations. We also demonstrated the customised program was acceptable to patients in India and that a centralised cross-country delivery model was feasible. This process could be used as a guide for other groups seeking to customise their programs. Trial registration number TEXTMEDS Australia (Parent study)—ACTRN 12613000793718.

Introduction Many studies have now demonstrated the efficacy of text messaging in positively changing behaviours. We aimed to identify features and factors that explain the effectiveness of a successful text messaging program in terms of user engagement, perceived usefulness, behavior change and program delivery preferences. Methods Mixed methods qualitative design combining four data sources; (i) analytic data extracted directly from the software system, (ii) participant survey, (iii) focus groups to identify barriers and enablers to implementation and mechanisms of effect and (iv) recruitment screening logs and text message responses to examine engagement. This evaluation was conducted within the TEXT ME trial-a parallel design, single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 710 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Qualitative data were interpreted using inductive thematic analysis. Results 307/352 (87% response rate) of recruited patients with CHD completed the program evaluation survey at six months and 25 participated in a focus group. Factors increasing engagement included (i) ability to save and share messages, (ii) having the support of providers and family, (iii) a feeling of support through participation in the program, (iv) the program being initiated close to the time of a cardiovascular event, (v) personalization of the messages, (vi) opportunity for initial face-to-face contact with a provider and (vii) that program and content was perceived to be from a credible source. Clear themes relating to program delivery were that diet and physical activity messages were most valued, four messages per week was ideal and most participants felt program duration should be provided for at least for six months or longer. Conclusions This study provides context and insight into the factors influencing consumer engagement with a text message program aimed at improving health-related behavior. The study suggests program components that may enhance potential success but will require integration at the development stage to optimize up-scaling. Trial registration Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000161921.

The ‘Tobacco, Exercise and Diet Messages’ (TEXT ME) study was a 6-month, single-centre randomised clinical trial (RCT) that found a text message support program improved levels of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The current analyses examined whether receipt of text messages influenced participants’ engagement with conventional healthcare resources. The TEXT ME study database (N=710) was linked with routinely collected health department databases. Number of doctor consultations, investigations and cardiac medication prescriptions in the two study groups were compared. The most frequently accessed health service was consultations with a General Practitioner (mean 7.1, s.d. 5.4). The numbers of medical consultations, biochemical tests or cardiac-specific investigations were similar between the study groups. There was at least one prescription registered for statin, ACEI/ARBs and β-blockers in 79, 66 and 50% of patients respectively, with similar refill rates in both the study groups. The study identified TEXT ME text messaging program did not increase use of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) captured healthcare services. The observed benefits of TEXT ME reflect direct effects of intervention independent of conventional healthcare resource engagement.

Importance Cardiovascular disease prevention, including lifestyle modification, is important but underutilized. Mobile health strategies could address this gap but lack evidence of therapeutic benefit. Objective To examine the effect of a lifestyle-focused semipersonalized support program delivered by mobile phone text message on cardiovascular risk factors. Design and Setting The Tobacco, Exercise and Diet Messages (TEXT ME) trial was a parallel-group, single-blind, randomized clinical trial that recruited 710 patients (mean age, 58 [SD, 9.2] years; 82% men; 53% current smokers) with proven coronary heart disease (prior myocardial infarction or proven angiographically) between September 2011 and November 2013 from a large tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia. Interventions Patients in the intervention group (n = 352) received 4 text messages per week for 6 months in addition to usual care. Text messages provided advice, motivational reminders, and support to change lifestyle behaviors. Patients in the control group (n=358) received usual care. Messages for each participant were selected from a bank of messages according to baseline characteristics (eg, smoking) and delivered via an automated computerized message management system. The program was not interactive. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level at 6 months. Secondary end points included systolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and smoking status. Results At 6 months, levels of LDL-C were significantly lower in intervention participants (mean difference, −5 mg/dL [95% CI, −9 to 0]; P = .04). There were concurrent reductions in systolic blood pressure (−7.6 mm Hg [95% CI, −9.8 to −5.4]; P P P P Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with coronary heart disease, the use of a lifestyle-focused text messaging service compared with usual care resulted in a modest improvement in LDL-C level and greater improvement in other cardiovascular disease risk factors. The duration of these effects and hence whether they result in improved clinical outcomes remain to be determined. Trial Registration anzctr.org.au Identifier:ACTRN12611000161921

The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) Position Statement describes evidence-based standards of training, pre-procedural assessment, procedural conduct and post-procedure care with respect to sedation for cardiovascular procedures. It also describes the environment in which sedation for electrophysiological and other cardiac procedures may be performed. This Statement was developed by a Working Group of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. It was reviewed by the Continuing Education and Recertification Committee and ratified at the CSANZ Board meeting held on Friday 7 March 2014.

Despite overwhelming evidence of the effectiveness of secondary prevention therapies, surveys indicate poor adherence to medical treatments and lifestyle recommendations after an acute coronary syndrome. The term adherence is preferred over compliance, as the former suggests a therapeutic alliance, whereas the latter reflects passive patient obedience. Poor adherence results from a complex interplay of multiple factors at patient, practitioner and system levels. Poor adherence among patients with stable coronary artery disease is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular admissions (10%-40%), coronary interventions (10%-30%) and cardiovascular mortality (50%-80%). Improving adherence is a complex process. A range of interventions that target modifiable factors influencing adherence have been explored, but there are no guidelines to guide the choice, and multidisciplinary efforts may be needed. Future research in the area should focus on comparative efficacy of interventions to enhance adherence.

Background Internal mammary artery (IMA) grafts provide equal or superior graft patency compared to other conduits. The IMA length limits extensive myocardial revascularisation with IMA grafts alone. This study aimed to determine the results of lengthening free IMAs with a short proximal segment of saphenous vein (SV) to enable more extensive myocardial revascularisation. Methods Patients (n=92) who underwent end-to-end composite SV-IMA grafts were followed up through cardiology and death register databases. Results The mean patient age was 57.5 years and median follow up 10.9 years. There was no perioperative mortality and 10-year survival was 89.6%. Thirty-one patients (34%) underwent repeat angiography at a median of 2.8 years postoperatively. The 10-year freedom from angiography showing SV segment occlusion was 89% with a median time to angiography of 2.3 years (nine patients). The number of distal anastomoses was the only independent predictor of SV segment occlusion HR per anastomosis=0.26 (p=0.01). In five sequential grafts to the circumflex and right coronary systems, the IMA portion of the graft remained patent following SV segment occlusion. Conclusions Graft patency is improved by a greater number of coronary artery anastomoses.

Administration of intravenous sedation (IVS) has become an integral component of procedural cardiac electrophysiology. IVS is employed in diagnostic and ablation procedures for transcutaneous treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, electrical cardioversion of arrhythmias, and the insertion of implantable electronic devices including pacemakers, defibrillators, and loop recorders. Sedation is frequently performed by nursing staff under the supervision of the proceduralist and in the absence of specialist anesthesiologists. The sedation requirements vary depending on the nature of the procedure. A wide range of sedation techniques have been reported with sedation from the near fully conscious to levels approaching that of general anesthesia. This review examines the methods employed and outcomes associated with reported sedation techniques. There is a large experience with the combination of benzodiazepines and narcotics. These drugs have a broad therapeutic range and the advantage of readily available reversal agents. More recently, the use of propofol without serious adverse events has been reported. The results provide a guide regarding the expected outcomes of these approaches. The complication rate and need for emergency assistance is low in reported series where sedation is administered by nonspecialist anesthesiology staff.

Unreliable communication channels are a practical reality. They add to the complexity of protocol design and verification. In this paper, we consider noisy channels which can corrupt messages. We present an approach to model and verify protocols which combine error detection and error control to provide reliable communication over noisy channels. We call these protocols retransmission protocols as they achieve reliable communication through repeated retransmissions of messages. These protocols typically use cyclic redundancy checks and sliding window protocols for error detection and control respectively. We propose models of these protocols as regular transducers operating on bit strings. Streaming string transducers provide a natural way of modeling these protocols and formalizing correctness requirements. The verification problem is posed as functional equivalence between the protocol transducer and the specification transducer. Functional equivalence checking is decidable for this class of transducers and this makes the transducer models amenable to algorithmic verification. We present case studies based on TinyOS serial communication and the HDLC retransmission protocol.

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) has huge potential to deliver preventative health services. However, there is paucity of literature on theoretical constructs, technical, practical, and regulatory considerations that enable delivery of such services. Objectives: The objective of this study was to outline the key considerations in the development of a text message-based mHealth program; thus providing broad recommendations and guidance to future researchers designing similar programs. Methods: We describe the key considerations in designing the intervention with respect to functionality, technical infrastructure, data management, software components, regulatory requirements, and operationalization. We also illustrate some of the potential issues and decision points utilizing our experience of developing text message (short message service, SMS) management systems to support 2 large randomized controlled trials: TEXT messages to improve MEDication adherence & Secondary prevention (TEXTMEDS) and Tobacco, EXercise and dieT MEssages (TEXT ME). Results: The steps identified in the development process were: (1) background research and development of the text message bank based on scientific evidence and disease-specific guidelines, (2) pilot testing with target audience and incorporating feedback, (3) software-hardware customization to enable delivery of complex personalized programs using prespecified algorithms, and (4) legal and regulatory considerations. Additional considerations in developing text message management systems include: balancing the use of customized versus preexisting software systems, the level of automation versus need for human inputs, monitoring, ensuring data security, interface flexibility, and the ability for upscaling. Conclusions: A merging of expertise in clinical and behavioral sciences, health and research data management systems, software engineering, and mobile phone regulatory requirements is essential to develop a platform to deliver and manage support programs to hundreds of participants simultaneously as in TEXT ME and TEXTMEDS trials. This research provides broad principles that may assist other researchers in developing mHealth programs. [JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2016;4(4):e127]

Converting waste CO2 into fine chemicals and/or fuels is an exciting prospect for green-house gas mitigation. Electrocatalytic CO2 conversion is a leading candidate for this application because it operates at ambient conditions with extremely high reaction rates, product selectivity and faradaic efficiency. Carbon balance is a major consideration for any CO2 conversion technology because the majority of the United States' electricity is derived from burning fossil fuels. This necessarily shifts most CO2 conversion technologies into the carbon positive regime because CO2 emissions associated with fossil-fuel derived electricity will likely exceed that consumed by the conversion process. This limitation is an important challenge that must addressed before CO2 conversion technologies can be implemented on an industrial scale. Here, we describe a “carbon negative” (more CO2 consumed than produced) electrochemical CO2 conversion system based on atomically-precise Au25 nanocatalysts. The catalytic system operates on inexpensive (ca. $10-20 USD), consumer-grade photovoltaic cells and solar-rechargeable batteries. We show stable CO2 → CO conversion activity with turnover numbers (TON: mol CO2/mol catalyst) surpassing 5x106, rates exceeding 800 L CO2 /gram catalytic metal/hour, and faradaic efficiencies and product selectivities around 90%. These performance metrics correspond to 1-2 kg CO2 converted per gram of catalytic metal every hour. We can also tune product selectivity to favor CO or H2 production by varying the catalyst loading and/or operating voltage. We show stable operation for 12 hours with photovoltaic cells to represent daylight operation, and 24 hours with a solar-rechargeable battery to mimic low-light or night-time hours. This study provides proof-of-principle example that renewable-powered electrocatalysis is a viable strategy for CO2 conversion applications. The results were published in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2015, 7, 15626.

A 58-year-old woman with no significant medical history presented to us with a transient left-sided visual loss. Apart from previous smoking, she had no risk factors for cerebrovascular event. On examination, she had a regular heart rate of 64/min and a blood pressure of 120/90 mmHg. Neurological and cardiorespiratory examinations were unremarkable. Chest radiograph, electrocardiogram, laboratory data, and computed tomography head were unrevealing. A transthoracic …

The kinetics of organic purging in the purge-and-trap gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technique for the concentration of volatile compounds in water using primary fragment ions in modified method 524.2 is revealed to be first order with respect to purging time. This kinetic model is applicable from a concentration of 200 ppb for ketones and nitrogen compounds to the sub-ppb levels for more readily purgeable volatile compounds. The purging ratios of the compounds, as well as their first-order purging rate constants, are obtained