OBJECTIVES Third-generation ventricular assist devices (VADs) are associated with improved outcomes, though in recent clinical trials bridge-to-transplant (BTT) rates are ∼30% at 6 months, so that transplantation can be used as a 'bail out' for serious complications. In the UK, there was a significant reduction in heart transplantation rates over the last decade, so that transplantation from VA...

The prevalence of end-stage heart failure is rising despite presence successful reperfusion strategies for treating acute myocardial infarction and advancements made in pharmacological device therapy optimized management. non-availability a mature cardiac transplantation programme absence left right ventricular assist devices many parts the world has renewed interests potential alternative opti...

Abstract Background Infection is one of the most common complications Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PsA) LVAD infections in particular are challenging due to limited antibiotic options and tendency form biofilm making eradication difficult. In this study we examined implications bacteremia patients with PsA infections. Methods This was a retrospective treated ...

Prosthetic devices are designed to increase the action possibilities of an amputee. Appropriate actions with upperextremity prostheses are only possible when these devices can be controlled dexterously. Importantly, the control signals of the neuromotor system necessary to perform a goal-directed action with a prosthesis differ from those control signals used to perform an action with an intact...

A microfluidic device with analytical chambers for electrochemical measurements has been employed to detect photosynthetic activity at single cell level. The flowing cells (Microcystis viridis) in a main channel are individually guided to the chamber with microelectrodes by an electrophoretic manipulation. The reduction current of oxygen was continuously monitored to determine the photosynthe...

Heart transplantation (HTx) is the treatment of choice for end-stage heart failure but the limited availability of heart's donors still represents a major issue. So long-term mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has been proposed as an alternative treatment option to assist patients scheduled on HTx waiting list bridging them for a variable time period to cardiac transplantation-the so-called b...

UNLABELLED Persons with rheumatoid arthritis use assistive devices to enable them, in spite of impaired hand dexterity and grip strength, to manage Activities of Daily Living (ADL). The aim of the research was to lay the foundation for a list of essential assistive devices through determining which assistive devices for ADL were most often used and requested, investigating whether there was a c...

A qualitative study was conducted in Victoria to explore factors affecting the acceptability and use of assistive devices by older people. Four focus groups and fifteen home-based interviews were conducted with older people (mean age 77 years) who had been issued with 2 or more assistive devices. Analysis of the data indicated that almost all participants were content to be advised by professio...

This paper describes an on-going effort in building user-centric automation and assistive devices from workflows. Advantages of this approach include that workflow-based devices and systems are naturally componentized and easily configurable. Models of a new device, user actions and users defined in terms of activities and workflows are executable. We can use them to simulate the device and its...

BACKGROUND The need of pediatric cardiac assist is growing because of the complexity of the congenital conditions operated on and the increasing number of pediatric transplantations. We evaluated the newly developed pediatric MEDOS HIA-VAD ventricular assist device. METHODS The pneumatic paracorporeal ventricular assist device has three left ventricular sizes (10-, 25-, and 60-mL maximum stro...