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Abstract Aims Heart failure (HF) carries a poor prognosis, and the impact of concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR) is not well understood. This analysis aimed to estimate the incremental effect of MR in patients newly diagnosed with HF. Methods and results Data from the IBM® MarketScan® Research Databases were analysed. Included patients had at least one inpatient or two outpatient HF claims. A 6 month post‐period after HF index was used to capture MR diagnosis and severity. HF patients were separated into three cohorts: without MR (no MR), not clinically significant MR (nsMR), and significant MR (sMR). Time‐to‐event analyses were modelled to estimate the clinical burden of disease. The primary outcome was a composite endpoint of death or cardiovascular (CV)‐related admission. Secondary outcomes were death and CV hospitalization alone. All models controlled for baseline demographics and co‐morbidities. Patients with sMR were at significantly higher risk of either death or CV admission compared with patients with no MR [hazard ratio (HR) 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15–1.39]. When evaluating death alone, patients with sMR had significantly higher risk of death (HR 1.24; 95% CI 1.08–1.43) compared with patients with no MR. When evaluating CV admission alone, patients with MR were at higher risk of hospital admission vs. patients with no MR, and the magnitude was dependent upon the MR severity: sMR (HR 1.55; 95% CI 1.38–1.74) and nsMR (HR 1.23; 95% CI 1.08–1.40). Conclusions Evidence of MR in retrospective claims significantly increases the clinical burden of incident HF patients. Time to death and CV hospitalizations are increased when MR is clinically significant.

Margarita Kurochkina,1 Elena Konshina,1 Aleksandr Oseev,2 Soeren Hirsch3 1Centre of Information Optical Technologies, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia; 2Institute of Micro and Sensor Systems, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; 3Department of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Brandenburg, Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany Background: The luminescence amplification of semiconductor quantum dots (QD) in the presence of self-assembled gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) is one of way for creating biosensors with highly efficient transduction. Aims: The objective of this study was to fabricate the hybrid structures based on semiconductor CdSe/ZnS QDs and Au NP arrays and to use them as biosensors of protein. Methods: In this paper, the hybrid structures based on CdSe/ZnS QDs and Au NP arrays were fabricated using spin coating processes. Au NP arrays deposited on a glass wafer were investigated by optical microscopy and absorption spectroscopy depending on numbers of spin coating layers and their baking temperature. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as the target protein analyte in a phosphate buffer. A confocal laser scanning microscope was used to study the luminescent properties of Au NP/QD hybrid structures and to test BSA. Results: The dimensions of Au NP aggregates increased and the space between them decreased with increasing processing temperature. At the same time, a blue shift of the plasmon resonance peak in the absorption spectra of Au NP arrays was observed. The deposition of CdSe/ZnS QDs with a core diameter of 5 nm on the surface of the Au NP arrays caused an increase in absorption and a red shift of the plasmon peak in the spectra. The exciton–plasmon enhancement of the QDs’ photoluminescence intensity has been obtained at room temperature for hybrid structures with Au NPs array pretreated at temperatures of 100°C and 150°C. It has been found that an increase in the weight content of BSA increases the photoluminescence intensity of such hybrid structures. Conclusion: The ability of the qualitative and quantitative determination of protein content in solution using the Au NP/QD structures as an optical biosensor has been shown experimentally. Keywords: quantum dots, hybrid structures, photoluminescence, exciton–plasmon interaction, optical biosensor, proteins

El artefacto de centelleo en Doppler color es un fenómeno de origen no bien precisado, que se genera detrás de algunas estructuras ecogénicas y que se manifiesta por una alternancia de colores, sin existir movimiento. Este signo es de utilidad en algunas condiciones clínicas, especialmente en la urolitiasis, aumentando la sensibilidad diagnóstica, por lo que debe ser parte del conocimiento de todo radiólogo.The scintillation or twinkling artifact is a not fully understood phenomenon that appears in Color Doppler Ultrasound (U.S.) examinations as a rapid alternation of color immediately behind a stationary echogenic object, giving it a false appearance of movement. This sign is useful in some clinical conditions, especially in urolithiasis, since it increases diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity; therefore, every radiologist should be fully acquainted with this radiologic sign.

El signo de la cáscara de manzana corresponde a una imagen visualizada en el estudio con contraste oral del tubo digestivo alto en pacientes que presentan vólvulo del intestino medio. Su reconocimiento es fundamental para hacer el diagnostico de manera oportuna, sin retrasar el tratamiento, ya que se considera una emergencia quirúrgica.The apple-peel sign represents an image visualized on oral contrast-enhanced examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract in patients with midgut volvulus. Its recognition is vital for a timely diagnosis to prevent treatment delay, since this condition represents a true surgical emergency.