Evaluating the benefits of nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maisey, M.

1996-01-01

This paper reviews the role of nuclear cardiology in the context of health care evaluation and resource utilisation. Nuclear cardiology procedures are used to detect disease, to define the extent of disease, to predict the outcome of therapy and to monitor the response to treatment. The evaluation of effectiveness will depend on the role for which the tests are being used. The evaluation of diagnostic tests most commonly follows the five level Fineberg classification. I) Technical capacity; II) diagnostic accuracy; III) diagnostic impact; IV) therapeutic impact; V) patient outcome. Tests may succeed or fail at each of these hierarchical levels. In addition to the clinical impact which is evaluated, the appropriate use of health care resources has to be considered , i.e. the cost effectiveness of the investigation. For this the costs of diagnosis and treatment in the resources used, together with the direct cost on the patient and patient carers needs to be considered. In addition to these direct costs to the community and to the patient and the carers the secondary downstream costs and opportunity costs have to be taken into account. The common methods for assessing the costs and benefits include cost minimization, cost effectiveness, cost utility, and cost benefit studies. The advantage and appropriate use of these methods are reviewed. There are seven clinical methods for evaluating diagnostics tests in nuclear cardiology which are: I) Case reports; II) consensus studies; III) databases; IV) management impact studies; V)modeling techniques; VI) management impact studies; VII) randomized control trial. Each of these has a role with advantages and disadvantages which are reviewed. It is no long sufficient to investigate the usefulness of a diagnostic test used in nuclear cardiology in isolation but it as to be within the context of the health care system and the resource used

Impact of Nuclear Laboratory Personnel Credentials & Continuing Education on Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory Quality Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Malhotra, Saurabh; Sobieraj, Diana M; Mann, April; Parker, Matthew W

2017-12-22

Background/Objectives: The specific credentials and continuing education (CME/CE) of nuclear cardiology laboratory medical and technical staff are important factors in the delivery of quality imaging services that have not been systematically evaluated. Methods: Nuclear cardiology accreditation application data from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) was used to characterize facilities performing myocardial perfusion imaging by setting, size, previous accreditation and credentials of the medical and technical staff. Credentials and CME/CE were compared against initial accreditation decisions (grant or delay) using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Complete data were available for 1913 nuclear cardiology laboratories from 2011-2014. Laboratories with initial positive accreditation decisions had a greater prevalence of Certification Board in Nuclear Cardiology (CBNC) certified medical directors and specialty credentialed technical directors. Certification and credentials of the medical and technical directors, respectively, staff CME/CE compliance, and assistance of a consultant with the application were positively associated with accreditation decisions. Conclusion: Nuclear cardiology laboratories directed by CBNC-certified physicians and NCT- or PET-credentialed technologists were less likely to receive delay decisions for MPI. CME/CE compliance of both the medical and technical directors was associated with accreditation decision. Medical and technical directors' years of experience were not associated with accreditation decision. Copyright © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy: the evidence. A consensus conference organised by the British Cardiac Society, the British Nuclear Cardiology Society and the British Nuclear Medicine Society, endorsed by the Royal College of Physicians of London and the Royal College of Radiologists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Underwood, S.R.; Anagnostopoulos, C.; Cerqueira, M.; Ell, P.J.; Flint, E.J.; Harbinson, M.; Kelion, A.D.; Al-Mohammad, A.; Prvulovich, E.M.; Shaw, L.J.; Tweddel, A.C.

2004-01-01

This review summarises the evidence for the role of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. It is the product of a consensus conference organised by the British Cardiac Society, the British Nuclear Cardiology Society and the British Nuclear Medicine Society and is endorsed by the Royal College of Physicians of London and the Royal College of Radiologists. It was used to inform the UK National Institute of Clinical Excellence in their appraisal of MPS in patients with chest pain and myocardial infarction. MPS is a well-established, non-invasive imaging technique with a large body of evidence to support its effectiveness in the diagnosis and management of angina and myocardial infarction. It is more accurate than the exercise ECG in detecting myocardial ischaemia and it is the single most powerful technique for predicting future coronary events. The high diagnostic accuracy of MPS allows reliable risk stratification and guides the selection of patients for further interventions, such as revascularisation. This in turn allows more appropriate utilisation of resources, with the potential for both improved clinical outcomes and greater cost-effectiveness. Evidence from modelling and observational studies supports the enhanced cost-effectiveness associated with MPS use. In patients presenting with stable or acute chest pain, strategies of investigation involving MPS are more cost-effective than those not using the technique. MPS also has particular advantages over alternative techniques in the management of a number of patient subgroups, including women, the elderly and those with diabetes, and its use will have a favourable impact on cost-effectiveness in these groups. MPS is already an integral part of many clinical guidelines for the investigation and management of angina and myocardial infarction. However, the technique is underutilised in the UK, as judged by the inappropriately long waiting times and by

Quantitative Nuclear Cardiology: How objective?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crawley, J.C.W.; Raval, U.; Soman, P.; Lahiri, A.

1997-01-01

The object of this study was to establish the accuracy required from the operator in indicating the centre and axis the left ventricle, and in placing regions of interest (ROIs), whilst using the MYO TOMO and MYO QUANT software to analyze tomographic data from nuclear cardiology

Nuclear cardiology: Part 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, H.J.; Zaret, B.L.

1981-01-01

A review of recent developments and future directions in nuclear cardiology is presented. Myocardial perfusion imaging is discussed with special emphasis on thallium-201 methods. Infarct-avid imaging is also discussed with emphasis on technetium-99m labelled in diagnosis, and emission computed tomography is briefly reviewed. In addition, new biologically based radiotracers such as indium-111-labeled blood cells, gallium-67 citrate, and new positron- and gamma-emittng radiotracers are reviewed

Gender Differences in Radiation Dose from Nuclear Cardiology Studies Across the World: Findings from the International Atomic Energy Agency Nuclear Cardiology Protocols Study (INCAPS) Registry

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Lynn; Dorbala, Sharmila; Paez, Diana; Shaw, Leslee J.; Zukotynski, Katherine A.; Pascual, Thomas N. B.; Karthikeyan, Ganesan; Vitola, João V.; Better, Nathan; Bokhari, Nadia; Rehani, Madan M.; Kashyap, Ravi; Dondi, Maurizio; Mercuri, Mathew; Einstein, Andrew J.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate gender-based differences in nuclear cardiology practice, globally, with particular focus on laboratory volume, radiation dose, protocols, and best practices. BACKGROUND It is unclear if gender-based differences exist in radiation exposure for nuclear cardiology procedures. METHODS In a large multicenter observational cross-sectional study encompassing 7911 patients in 65 countries, radiation effective dose was estimated for each examination. Patient-level best practices relating to radiation exposure were compared between genders. Analysis of covariance was utilized to determine any difference in radiation exposure according to gender, region, and the interaction between gender and region. Linear, logistic, and hierarchical regression models were developed to evaluate gender-based differences in radiation exposure and laboratory adherence to best practices. We also included the United Nations’ gender inequality and human development indices as covariates in multivariable models. RESULTS The proportion of MPI studies performed in women varied between countries, however there was no significant correlation with gender inequality index. Globally, mean effective dose for nuclear cardiology procedures was only slightly lower in women (9.6±4.5 mSv) than in men (10.3±4.5 mSv men, pnuclear cardiology procedures, only small differences were observed between genders worldwide. Regional variations noted in MPI use and radiation dose offer potential opportunities to address gender-related differences in delivery of nuclear cardiology care. PMID:27056156

Nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vos, P.H.

1982-01-01

This thesis deals with two topics in nuclear cardiology. In the first, left ventricular wall motion assessment using Fourier transform of local left ventricular time-activity curves in gated blood pool studies is evaluated. In the second, the interpretation of myocardial perfusion scintigrams is assessed which are obtained with thallium-201 or with another radiopharmaceutical with different physical, but identical biological properties. In all these investigations data acquisition and analysis by computer played an essential role. In chapter 1 the desirable properties of a nuclear medicine computer system are given and the computer system used for this work is described. Wall motion analysis of the left ventricle using Fourier transform of local time-activity curves in the left ventricular region in gated blood pool studies is described in chapter 2. In chapter 3 detection of non-perfused lesions in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with thallium-201 is described. Detection of partly perfused lesions and the influence of scatter and photon energy on myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is described in chapter 4. (Auth.)

Nuclear cardiology practice and associated radiation doses in Europe: results of the IAEA Nuclear Cardiology Protocols Study (INCAPS) for the 27 European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindner, Oliver; Pascual, Thomas N B; Mercuri, Mathew; Acampa, Wanda; Burchert, Wolfgang; Flotats, Albert; Kaufmann, Philipp A; Kitsiou, Anastasia; Knuuti, Juhani; Underwood, S Richard; Vitola, João V; Mahmarian, John J; Karthikeyan, Ganesan; Better, Nathan; Rehani, Madan M; Kashyap, Ravi; Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Einstein, Andrew J

2016-04-01

Nuclear cardiology is widely used to diagnose coronary artery disease and to guide patient management, but data on current practices, radiation dose-related best practices, and radiation doses are scarce. To address these issues, the IAEA conducted a worldwide study of nuclear cardiology practice. We present the European subanalysis. In March 2013, the IAEA invited laboratories across the world to document all SPECT and PET studies performed in one week. The data included age, gender, weight, radiopharmaceuticals, injected activities, camera type, positioning, hardware and software. Radiation effective dose was calculated for each patient. A quality score was defined for each laboratory as the number followed of eight predefined best practices with a bearing on radiation exposure (range of quality score 0 - 8). The participating European countries were assigned to regions (North, East, South, and West). Comparisons were performed between the four European regions and between Europe and the rest-of-the-world (RoW). Data on 2,381 European patients undergoing nuclear cardiology procedures in 102 laboratories in 27 countries were collected. A cardiac SPECT study was performed in 97.9 % of the patients, and a PET study in 2.1 %. The average effective dose of SPECT was 8.0 ± 3.4 mSv (RoW 11.4 ± 4.3 mSv; P cardiology is lower and the average quality score is higher than in the RoW. There is regional variation in effective dose in relation to the best practice quality score. A possible reason for the differences between Europe and the RoW could be the safety culture fostered by actions under the Euratom directives and the implementation of diagnostic reference levels. Stress-only imaging and weight-adjusted activity might be targets for optimization of European nuclear cardiology practice.

Nuclear Cardiology. Guidance and Recommendations for Implementation in Developing Countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Nuclear cardiology represents one of the most widely used non-invasive techniques for the assessment of coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular conditions. It has been proven as a cost effective tool for the management of cardiac patients and usually has a decisive role in diagnosis, prognosis and risk stratification, as well as in evaluation of therapy. Clinical scenarios in which nuclear cardiology can be helpful are continuously expanding, with the identification of special subgroups of patients as potential beneficiaries of these methods and the emergence of technological developments in instrumentation and software that tend to enhance the cost-benefit ratio and the reliability of results. Many developing countries have introduced nuclear cardiology, with increasing use of this technique in view of the epidemic of cardiovascular disease that is taking place in most low to middle income countries. Longer life expectancies, changes in lifestyle, diabetes, overweight and obesity are thought to be some of the factors underlying the rapidly growing incidence of this life threatening condition. Today, cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in adults in most, if not all, countries of the world, although specific diseases show different relative weights according to local socioeconomic conditions. Thus, proper utilization of available resources such as nuclear cardiology and other imaging methods is essential to effectively combat these diseases. The practice of nuclear cardiology, however, is not homogeneous worldwide, owing to differences in technological capabilities, availability of consumables, education and training of human resources, and access to evidence based medicine, among other factors. Evidence based medicine is the judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available

Nuclear medicine in cardiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torizuka, K.; Ishii, Y.; Yonekura, Y.; Yamamoto, K.; Tamaki, N. (Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine)

1981-02-01

Nuclear medicine in cardiology was reviewed. Electrocardiogram is obtained from the ..gamma..-ray measurement of a tracer by a single detector, which enables a bedsidemonitoring. Resolution and sensitivity are high and nuclear stethoscope with a computer is applicable for a background treatment. Myocardium is imaged by /sup 201/Tl scintigraphy. Relative difference of the perfusion indicates the ischemia which gaives roughly the size and portion of myocardial infarction. For transient ischemia stress myocardial perfusion imaging (SMPI) is also used. sup(99m)Tc pyrophosphate provides a clear image for myocardial infarction. Angiocardiogram is obtained repeatedly, by a single administration, using an equilibrium method. An attempt of three-dimensional display by 7 pin hole collimator and positron CT are also discussed.

Nuclear cardiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuaron, A

1993-12-31

Today, nuclear medicine techniques are routinely used in cardiological practice. They include procedures for the atraumatic investigation of different physiological processes in the various structures included in the central circulation: pericardium, myocardium, myocardial adrenergic innervation, cardiac chambers and valves, coronary microcirculation, and great vessels. Beside these in-Vivo procedures, they also comprise of in-Vitro methods for the detection and measurement in blood of various biological molecules of significance in the management of cardiac diseases. A common feature in this collection of in-Vivo and in-Vitro techniques is their ability to provide helpful clinical information for the diagnosis, prognosis and management of cardiac diseases. Their simplicity and safety for the patient allow their repeated use in the follow up of the progress of disease and in the assessment of the efficacy of the therapeutic measures 15 figs, 14 tabs

Nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuaron, A.

1992-01-01

Today, nuclear medicine techniques are routinely used in cardiological practice. They include procedures for the atraumatic investigation of different physiological processes in the various structures included in the central circulation: pericardium, myocardium, myocardial adrenergic innervation, cardiac chambers and valves, coronary microcirculation, and great vessels. Beside these in-Vivo procedures, they also comprise of in-Vitro methods for the detection and measurement in blood of various biological molecules of significance in the management of cardiac diseases. A common feature in this collection of in-Vivo and in-Vitro techniques is their ability to provide helpful clinical information for the diagnosis, prognosis and management of cardiac diseases. Their simplicity and safety for the patient allow their repeated use in the follow up of the progress of disease and in the assessment of the efficacy of the therapeutic measures

Nuclear power in British politics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pocock, R.F.

1987-01-01

The paper concerns the subject of nuclear power in British politics in 1986. The policies of the major political parties towards nuclear power are briefly outlined, along with public attitudes to nuclear energy, Chernobyl, and the rise of the anti-nuclear campaigners. (UK)

Nuclear cardiology in Senegal: a luxury or a need?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mbodj, M.; Seck Gassama, S.; Ndong, B.; Ndoye, O.; Toure Sow, H.; Senghor, S.R.; Diop, S.N.; Solanki, K.K.

2006-01-01

Aim: to sensitize at the same time experts and public authorities on the interest of the establishment of nuclear cardiology in Senegal. Material and method: the radioimmunoassay of micro-albuminuria, early marker of cardiovascular morbid-mortality was carried out in the nuclear medicine department of Dakar on a population of 100 diabetic patients (74 of type 1 and 26 of type 2) presenting one or more traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Out of these patients, 39% had abnormal rest ECG, asymptomatic in half of the cases. Results: prevalence of micro-albuminuria is high (24%). There is no significant difference in distribution between type I and type 2. Micro-albuminuria > 30 mg/24 h exists in 16,3% of patients with lipid abnormalities (ratio: total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol > 5), 30% of obese, 75% of hypertensive patients and 43,6% of patients with abnormal rest ECG, who would benefit from myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI): about 17% of patients involved in this study. No or weak correlation is found between micro-albuminuria and traditional risk factors. Conclusion: From these results and available epidemiological data in 2005, the estimate of the requirements in nuclear cardiology for the Senegalese diabetic population, indicates that 3740 patients should have benefited that year from it. Considering that this figure underestimates the real needs, taking into account the needs brought back to a population of 10 million inhabitants and the expect expansion of the diabetic disease, it appears justified to include the nuclear cardiology in the national programmes of prevention of the public health in Senegal. (author)

Nuclear cardiology practice and associated radiation doses in Europe: results of the IAEA Nuclear Cardiology Protocols Study (INCAPS) for the 27 European countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindner, Oliver; Burchert, Wolfgang; Pascual, Thomas N.B.; Kashyap, Ravi; Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Mercuri, Mathew; Acampa, Wanda; Flotats, Albert; Kaufmann, Philipp A.; Kitsiou, Anastasia; Knuuti, Juhani; Underwood, S.R.; Vitola, Joao V.; Mahmarian, John J.; Karthikeyan, Ganesan; Better, Nathan; Rehani, Madan M.; Einstein, Andrew J.

2016-01-01

Nuclear cardiology is widely used to diagnose coronary artery disease and to guide patient management, but data on current practices, radiation dose-related best practices, and radiation doses are scarce. To address these issues, the IAEA conducted a worldwide study of nuclear cardiology practice. We present the European subanalysis. In March 2013, the IAEA invited laboratories across the world to document all SPECT and PET studies performed in one week. The data included age, gender, weight, radiopharmaceuticals, injected activities, camera type, positioning, hardware and software. Radiation effective dose was calculated for each patient. A quality score was defined for each laboratory as the number followed of eight predefined best practices with a bearing on radiation exposure (range of quality score 0 - 8). The participating European countries were assigned to regions (North, East, South, and West). Comparisons were performed between the four European regions and between Europe and the rest-of-the-world (RoW). Data on 2,381 European patients undergoing nuclear cardiology procedures in 102 laboratories in 27 countries were collected. A cardiac SPECT study was performed in 97.9 % of the patients, and a PET study in 2.1 %. The average effective dose of SPECT was 8.0 ± 3.4 mSv (RoW 11.4 ± 4.3 mSv; P < 0.001) and of PET was 2.6 ± 1.5 mSv (RoW 3.8 ± 2.5 mSv; P < 0.001). The mean effective doses of SPECT and PET differed between European regions (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). The mean quality score was 6.2 ± 1.2, which was higher than the RoW score (5.0 ± 1.1; P < 0.001). Adherence to best practices did not differ significantly among the European regions (range 6 to 6.4; P = 0.73). Of the best practices, stress-only imaging and weight-adjusted dosing were the least commonly used. In Europe, the mean effective dose from nuclear cardiology is lower and the average quality score is higher than in the RoW. There is regional variation in effective dose in

Nuclear cardiology practice and associated radiation doses in Europe: results of the IAEA Nuclear Cardiology Protocols Study (INCAPS) for the 27 European countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindner, Oliver; Burchert, Wolfgang [University Hospital of the Ruhr University, Institute of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine-Westphalia Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen (Germany); Pascual, Thomas N.B.; Kashyap, Ravi; Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana [International Atomic Energy Agency, Section of Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging, Division of Human Health, Vienna (Austria); Mercuri, Mathew [Columbia University Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, New York, NY (United States); Acampa, Wanda [National Council of Research, Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Naples (Italy); Flotats, Albert [Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Nuclear Medicine Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona (Spain); Kaufmann, Philipp A. [University Hospital Zurich, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Cardiac Imaging, Zurich (Switzerland); Kitsiou, Anastasia [Sismanoglio Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Athens (Greece); Knuuti, Juhani [University of Turku, and Turku University Hospital, Turku PET Centre, Turku (Finland); Underwood, S.R. [Imperial College London, National Heart and Lung Institute, London (United Kingdom); Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Department of Nuclear Medicine, London (United Kingdom); Vitola, Joao V. [Quanta Diagnostico and Terapia, Curitiba (Brazil); Mahmarian, John J. [Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Department of Cardiology, Houston, TX (United States); Karthikeyan, Ganesan [All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, New Delhi (India); Better, Nathan [Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Melbourne (Australia); Rehani, Madan M. [International Atomic Energy Agency, Radiation Protection of Patients Unit, Vienna (Austria); Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Department of Radiology, Boston, MA (United States); Einstein, Andrew J. [Columbia University Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, New York, NY (United States); Columbia University Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Collaboration: for the INCAPS Investigators Group

2016-04-15

Nuclear cardiology is widely used to diagnose coronary artery disease and to guide patient management, but data on current practices, radiation dose-related best practices, and radiation doses are scarce. To address these issues, the IAEA conducted a worldwide study of nuclear cardiology practice. We present the European subanalysis. In March 2013, the IAEA invited laboratories across the world to document all SPECT and PET studies performed in one week. The data included age, gender, weight, radiopharmaceuticals, injected activities, camera type, positioning, hardware and software. Radiation effective dose was calculated for each patient. A quality score was defined for each laboratory as the number followed of eight predefined best practices with a bearing on radiation exposure (range of quality score 0 - 8). The participating European countries were assigned to regions (North, East, South, and West). Comparisons were performed between the four European regions and between Europe and the rest-of-the-world (RoW). Data on 2,381 European patients undergoing nuclear cardiology procedures in 102 laboratories in 27 countries were collected. A cardiac SPECT study was performed in 97.9 % of the patients, and a PET study in 2.1 %. The average effective dose of SPECT was 8.0 ± 3.4 mSv (RoW 11.4 ± 4.3 mSv; P < 0.001) and of PET was 2.6 ± 1.5 mSv (RoW 3.8 ± 2.5 mSv; P < 0.001). The mean effective doses of SPECT and PET differed between European regions (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). The mean quality score was 6.2 ± 1.2, which was higher than the RoW score (5.0 ± 1.1; P < 0.001). Adherence to best practices did not differ significantly among the European regions (range 6 to 6.4; P = 0.73). Of the best practices, stress-only imaging and weight-adjusted dosing were the least commonly used. In Europe, the mean effective dose from nuclear cardiology is lower and the average quality score is higher than in the RoW. There is regional variation in effective dose in

Nuclear cardiology procedures to diagnose ischemia in coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kropp, J.

1999-01-01

Nuclear cardiology is equipped with a broad spectrum of diagnostic capabilities which allow the evaluation of ventricular performance, perfusion and metabolism of the heart. The principle of nuclear medicine procedures consists in the administration of free radioisotopes or radiopharmaceuticals to detect their spatial distribution within the body by detecting their y-rays from outside by gamma cameras. Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is the most important procedure in nuclear cardiology and is performed on a routine basis with 201 Thallium-Chloride ( 201 Tl) since 1975. With the Single-Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) technique it is possible to diagnose ischemia of the left ventricle on the basis of coronary artery disease with a sensitivity of 90-95% and a specificity of about 55%. Recently 99m Tc-tracers were developed for this purpose, which have many advantages due to their better physical properties, their easy handling and availability. The diagnostic accuracy is the same compared to ( 201 Tl). Free fatty acids labeled with 123 Iodine like 123 IPPA are alternative tracers to diagnose ischemia by the metabolic alteration and are pathognomonic tracers to diagnose the heart involvement in myopathies or metabolic defects related to fatty acid degradation which are the main fuel of the normal myocytes. Finally we should not forget the radionuclide ventriculography (RNVG) which is one of the oldest nuclear cardiology procedures providing us with very objective, reliable results of ventricular performance. (orig.)

Clinical use of nuclear cardiology in the assessment of heart failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Lei; Shi Hongcheng

2011-01-01

Nuclear cardiology is the most commonly performed non-invasive cardiac imaging test in patients with heart failure, and it plays an important role in their assessment and management. Quantitative gated single positron emission computed tomography is used to assess quantitatively cardiac volume, left ventricular ejection fraction, stroke volume, and cardiac diastolic function. Resting and stress myocardial perfusion imaging can not only identify nonischemic heart failure and ischemic heart failure, but also demonstrate myocardial viability. Diastolic heart failure also termed as heart failure with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction is readily identified by nuclear cardiology techniques and can accurately be estimated by peak filling rate and time to peak filling rate. With newer techniques such as three-dimensional, quantitative gated single positron emission computed tomography can assess movement of the left ventricle, and wall thickening evaluation aids its assessment. Myocardial perfusion imaging is also commonly used to identify candidates for implantable cardiac defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapies. Neurotransmitter imaging using 123 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine offers prognostic information in patients with heart failure. Metabolism and function in the heart are closely related, and energy substrate metabolism is a potential target of medical therapies to improve cardiac function in patients with heart failure. Cardiac metabolic imaging using 123 I-15-(p-iodophenyl) 3-R, S-methylpentadecacoic acid is a commonly used tracer in clinical studies to diagnose metabolic heart failure. Nuclear cardiology tests, including neurotransmitter imaging and metabolic imaging, are now easily preformed with new tracers to improve heart failure diagnosis. Nuclear cardiology techniques contribute significantly to identifying patients with heart failure and to guiding their management decisions. (authors)

Highlights of the 12th International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitsiou, Anastasia; Dorbala, Sharmila; Scholte, Arthur J H A

2015-09-01

The 12th International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT was held from 3 to 5 May 2015 in Madrid, Spain. In this article, the three Congress Program Committee Chairs summarize selected highlights of the presented abstracts. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com. This article is being published concurrently in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology (10.1007/s12350-015-0260-y) and European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging (10.1093/ehjci/jev179). The articles are identical except for minor stylistic and spelling differences in keeping with each journal’s style. Either citation can be used when citing this article.

Nuclear Cardiology: Are We Using the Right Protocols and Tracers the Right Way?

Science.gov (United States)

Dondi, Maurizio; Pascual, Thomas; Paez, Diana; Einstein, Andrew J

2017-12-01

The field of nuclear cardiology has changed considerably over recent years, with greater attention paid to safety and radiation protection issues. The wider usage of technetium-99m (Tc-99m)-labeled radiopharmaceuticals for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging using gamma cameras has contributed to better quality studies and lower radiation exposure to patients. Increased availability of tracers and scanners for positron emission tomography (PET) will help further improve the quality of studies and quantify myocardial blood flow and myocardial flow reserve, thus enhancing the contribution of non-invasive imaging to the management of coronary artery disease. The introduction of new instrumentation such as solid state cameras and new software will help reduce further radiation exposure to patients undergoing nuclear cardiology studies. Results from recent studies, focused on assessing the relationship between best practices and radiation risk, provide useful insights on simple measures to improve the safety of nuclear cardiology studies without compromising the quality of results.

Clinical and economic outcomes assessment in nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, L.J.; Miller, D.D.; Berman, D.S.; Hachamovitch, R.

2000-01-01

The future of nuclear medicine procedures, as understood within our current economic climate, depends upon its ability to provide relevant clinical information at similar or lower comparative costs. With an ever-increasing emphasis on cost containment, outcome assessment forms the basis of preserving the quality of patient care. Today, outcomes assessment encompasses a wide array of subjects including clinical, economic, and humanistic (i.e., quality of life) outcomes. For nuclear cardiology, evidence-based medicine would require a threshold level of evidence in order to justify the added cost of any test in a patient's work-up. This evidence would include large multicenter, observational series as well as randomized trial data in sufficiently large and diverse patient populations. The new movement in evidence-based medicine is also being applied to the introduction of new technologies, in particular when comparative modalities exist. In the past 5 years, it has seen a dramatic shift in the quality of outcomes data published in nuclear cardiology. This includes the use of statistically rigorous risk-adjusted techniques as well as large populations (i.e., >500 patients) representing multiple diverse medical care settings. This has been the direct result of the development of multiple outcomes databases that have now amassed thousands of patients worth of data. One of the benefits of examining outcomes in large patient datasets is the ability to assess individual endpoints (e.g., cardiac death) as compared with smaller datasets that often assess combined endpoints (e.g., death, myocardial infarction, or unstable angina). New technologies for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease have contributed to the rising costs of care. In the United States and in Europe, costs of care have risen dramatically, consuming an ever-increasing amount of available resources. The overuse of diagnostic angiography often leads to unnecessary revascularization that does not lead to

Clinical applications of nuclear cardiology studies in the reforms epoch of health systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mut, Fernando; Beretta, Mario

2003-01-01

The appropriate evaluation of the ischemic heart disease due to it seriousness and high prevalence, limited by the expenses that arise from the illness, constitutes a challenge in our times for the daily practice. At the present time, nuclear cardiology competes with several non invasive techniques in the evaluation of the perfusion and the myocardial viability, being this requested in function of the real necessity of each patient. The applications that nuclear cardiology offers for the study of the myocardial perfusion are multiple. Clinical situations are reviewed in this article, such as the coronary illness, states previous to the non cardiac surgery, states after cardiac catheterization, coronary angioplasty, revascularization surgery, and evaluation of patient under long term medical treatment. The study of the myocardial perfusion allows that the coronary illness can be classified according to a low, intermediate or high probability, providing a wide prognosis information in relation to the extension and severity of the ischemia. In this study there are also remarked practical limits as for the selection of patients in order to achieve that the studies of nuclear cardiology offer an appropriate evaluation of the well-known or suspected coronary illness. (The author)

Current status of nuclear cardiology practice in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Science.gov (United States)

Paez, Diana; Peix, Amalia; Orellana, Pilar; Vitola, Joao; Mut, Fernando; Gutiérrez, Claudia; Plaza, Crosby; Becic, Tarik; Dondi, Maurizio; Estrada, Enrique

2017-02-01

The burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the world is ever growing. They represent the first cause of death worldwide and in Latin America. Nuclear cardiology has a well-established role in the management of patient with CVDs and is being increasingly integrated into the healthcare systems in the region. However, there remains variability as to the infrastructure available across the countries, in terms of existing technology, radiopharmaceuticals, and human resources. The approximate number of gamma (γ) cameras in the region is 1348, with an average of 2.25 per million population; Argentina and Brazil having the largest number. Nearly 80% of the existing cameras are single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), of which 8% are hybrid SPECT-CT systems. Positron emission tomography technology is steadily increasing, and currently, there is an average of 0.25 scanners per million inhabitants, indicating that there is a potential to expand the capacities in order to cover the needs. Four countries have nuclear reactors for research purposes, which allow the production of technetium-99 m (Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Peru), while four (Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico) assemble 99 Mo- 99m Tc generators. As for the nuclear cardiology studies, about 80% of studies performed are gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging; less than 10% are multi-gated acquisition (mainly for evaluation of cardiac toxicity in cancer patients), and the other 10% correspond to other types of studies, such as viability detection, and adrenergic innervation studies with 123 I-MIBG. Physical stress is preferred, when possible, based on the clinical condition of the patient. Regarding human resources, there is an average of 1.1 physicians and 1.3 technologists per γ camera, with 0.1 medical physicists and 0.1 radiopharmacists per center in the region. The future of nuclear cardiology in Latin America and the Caribbean is encouraging, with great potential and possibilities for growth

Leukaemia near british nuclear installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hubert, D.

1991-01-01

An excess of childhood leukaemia has been seen near some British nuclear installations, especially near the Sellafield reprocessing plant. The same result was found in a more general study including a large number of nuclear sites. Similar studies made in USA, Canada and France have been negative. Moreover, epidemiological studies made in England have discovered other childhood leukaemia clusters in areas far from nuclear facilities, and especially near potential sites of nuclear installations. Several explanations are suggested but no definite conclusion is yet possible. Doses from radioactive releases seem to be too low to account for the additional deaths from leukaemia by environmental contamination. A virus activation, which might be associated with population influx into rural isolated areas, has been considered. The hypothesis of genetic mutation induced by ionising radiation in the fathers of children with leukaemia has been made because a higher risk of leukaemia was observed for children of fathers employed at Sellafield. No firm conclusion is possible considering the small number of observed cases and the lack of excess leukaemias in the offspring of Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors. The possibility of internal contamination, chemicals or even radon is discussed as other causes. Studies in progress might allow to find an answer to the problem of leukaemia in the vicinity of British nuclear installations [fr

Present and future of nuclear cardiology. Where we come from and where we are going

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Candell-Riera, J.

2014-01-01

The present of nuclear cardiology techniques with gated-SPECT, positron emission tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance, cardiac mIBG scintigraphy and anatomical and functional images of three-dimensional SPECT-CT fusion may be the future for some centers, a future more or less distant for others. The prediction of the ways that will be followed by the different radioisotope scans in the field of cardiology is to some extent uncertain and depends on the development of other noninvasive techniques and on the possibility of reducing the dose of irradiation, decreasing the undesirable effects of ischemia-inducing drugs, but also on the evolution of macroeconomics in different countries, and of course on the level of experience and excellence in nuclear cardiology laboratories and the confidence generated on clinical cardiologists. (author) [es

Nuclear medicine in cardiology: a position paper for an open debate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ell, P.J.; Bourguignon, M.H.; Pauwels, E.K.J.; Martin-Comin, J.; Roo, M. de; Dige-Petersen, H.

1995-01-01

The European Union of Medical Specialities (EUMS) is in the process of collecting data on the practice of nuclear medicine in cardiology in Europe in the different European national territories. A report on this practice is expected to become available shortly. (orig.)

Pharmacological stress agents in nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buscombe, J.R.

2004-01-01

Treadmill test combined with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) is a commonly used technique in the assessment of coronary artery disease. However there are a group of patients who may not be able to undergo treadmill tests. Patients with underlying conditions like neuromuscular disease, musculoskeletal disorder, heart failure and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on renal dialysis would find it difficult to perform exercise on a treadmill or bicycle ergometer. These conditions prevent them from performing adequate exercise. Such patients would benefit from pharmacological stress procedures combined with MPS. Nuclear medicine departments use various pharmacological agents while performing stress tests on cardiac patients. The most commonly used pharmacological agents for cardiac stress are coronary vasodilators and catecholamines. In addition to these agents, adjuvant use of nitrates and atropine is also a common practice in nuclear cardiology. This review addresses various physiological and pharmacological properties of the commonly used pharmacological stress agents in MPS and critically analyses their advantages and disadvantages, as well as their safety and efficacy. (author)

Update protocols for evaluating nuclear cardiology and management of coronary heart disease. Chilean Society of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massardo, Teresa; Jaimovich, Rodrigo; Canessa, Jose; Castro, Gabriel; Soto, Juan Ramon

2010-01-01

Protocols are reviewed nuclear cardiology present, with emphasis on imaging studies Single photon ( S PECT ) myocardial perfusion mainly in assessment of coronary heart disease (EC). The indications and protocols used are detailed as well as the literature review relevant both to clinical use as a quality control and interpretation of studies

Nuclear cardiology for developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feinendegen, L.E.

1986-01-01

The role of nuclear medicine in developing countries must be oriented to the local needs for clinical practice, the health care of large populations and the demands for research with sometimes extremely limited resources. To help define the locally differing needs, it is stressed that nuclear medicine provides the unique opportunity to observe the body at the molecular level of organization and thus makes the body biochemically transparent. Depending on the particular diagnostic demands, complex imaging with gamma scintigraphy or emission tomography may be the only method to choose in some instances, but for others it may be an unnecessary luxury. Nuclear cardiology, with the purpose of non-invasively assessing cardiac function, myocardial perfusion and myocardial metabolism, is a particular challenge in both respects for developing countries. Given such requirements, single-probe devices with multipurpose application are less expensive than gamma cameras and promise advanced diagnostic uses. In one examination, left ventricular function, global cardio-pulmonary circulation and the general circulatory adaptation to exercise can be investigated by non-gated simultaneous blood pool measurements over four lung regions, the heart and the liver. In addition, such devices have the advantages of compactness, robustness and electronic stability. Despite enormous difficulties regarding funding, infrastructure, equipment and maintenance, developing countries should be encouraged to participate in the evolution of nuclear medicine by responding and adapting to defined needs and perhaps by maintaining at least one national centre of excellence with capacities for research and training. Funds are best secured by providing an indispensable service in co-operation with the various clinical disciplines. (author)

Reporting nuclear cardiology: a joint position paper by the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI).

Science.gov (United States)

Trägårdh, Elin; Hesse, Birger; Knuuti, Juhani; Flotats, Albert; Kaufmann, Philipp A; Kitsiou, Anastasia; Hacker, Marcus; Verberne, Hein J; Edenbrandt, Lars; Delgado, Victoria; Donal, Erwan; Edvardsen, Thor; Galderisi, Maurizio; Habib, Gilbert; Lancellotti, Patrizio; Nieman, Koen; Rosenhek, Raphael; Agostini, Denis; Gimelli, Alessia; Lindner, Oliver; Slart, Riemert; Ubleis, Christopher

2015-03-01

The report of an imaging procedure is a critical component of an examination, being the final and often the only communication from the interpreting physician to the referring or treating physician. Very limited evidence and few recommendations or guidelines on reporting imaging studies are available; therefore, an European position statement on how to report nuclear cardiology might be useful. The current paper combines the limited existing evidence with expert consensus, previously published recommendations as well as current clinical practices. For all the applications discussed in this paper (myocardial perfusion, viability, innervation, and function as acquired by single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography or hybrid imaging), headings cover laboratory and patient demographics, clinical indication, tracer administration and image acquisition, findings, and conclusion of the report. The statement also discusses recommended terminology in nuclear cardiology, image display, and preliminary reports. It is hoped that this statement may lead to more attention to create well-written and standardized nuclear cardiology reports and eventually lead to improved clinical outcome. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nuclear power, climate change and energy security: Exploring British public attitudes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corner, Adam; Venables, Dan [School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT (United Kingdom); Spence, Alexa [School of Psychology/Horizon Digital Economy Research, University of Nottingham (United Kingdom); Poortinga, Wouter [Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University (United Kingdom); School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT (United Kingdom); Demski, Christina [School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT (United Kingdom); Pidgeon, Nick, E-mail: pidgeonn@cardiff.ac.uk [School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT (United Kingdom)

2011-09-15

Public attitudes towards nuclear power in the UK have historically been deeply divided, but as concern about climate change and energy security has exerted an increasing influence on British energy policy, nuclear power has been reframed as a low-carbon technology. Previous research has suggested that a significant proportion of people may 'reluctantly accept' nuclear power as a means of addressing the greater threat of climate change. Drawing on the results of a national British survey (n=1822), the current study found that attitudes towards nuclear remain divided, with only a minority expressing unconditional acceptance. In general, people who expressed greater concern about climate change and energy security and possessed higher environmental values were less likely to favour nuclear power. However, when nuclear power was given an explicit 'reluctant acceptance' framing - allowing people to express their dislike for nuclear power alongside their conditional support - concerns about climate change and energy security became positive predictors of support for nuclear power. These findings suggest that concern about climate change and energy security will only increase acceptance of nuclear power under limited circumstances-specifically once other (preferred) options have been exhausted. - Highlights: > We report data from 2005 to 2010 of British attitudes towards nuclear power and climate change. > Changes in attitudes over the time period were relatively modest. > British population remained relatively divided on nuclear power in 2010. > Concern about climate change was negatively related to evaluations of nuclear power. > Different framings of the issue alter the balance of support for nuclear power.

Nuclear power, climate change and energy security: Exploring British public attitudes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corner, Adam; Venables, Dan; Spence, Alexa; Poortinga, Wouter; Demski, Christina; Pidgeon, Nick

2011-01-01

Public attitudes towards nuclear power in the UK have historically been deeply divided, but as concern about climate change and energy security has exerted an increasing influence on British energy policy, nuclear power has been reframed as a low-carbon technology. Previous research has suggested that a significant proportion of people may 'reluctantly accept' nuclear power as a means of addressing the greater threat of climate change. Drawing on the results of a national British survey (n=1822), the current study found that attitudes towards nuclear remain divided, with only a minority expressing unconditional acceptance. In general, people who expressed greater concern about climate change and energy security and possessed higher environmental values were less likely to favour nuclear power. However, when nuclear power was given an explicit 'reluctant acceptance' framing - allowing people to express their dislike for nuclear power alongside their conditional support - concerns about climate change and energy security became positive predictors of support for nuclear power. These findings suggest that concern about climate change and energy security will only increase acceptance of nuclear power under limited circumstances-specifically once other (preferred) options have been exhausted. - Highlights: → We report data from 2005 to 2010 of British attitudes towards nuclear power and climate change. → Changes in attitudes over the time period were relatively modest. → British population remained relatively divided on nuclear power in 2010. → Concern about climate change was negatively related to evaluations of nuclear power. → Different framings of the issue alter the balance of support for nuclear power.

Diagnostic procedures in cardiology: A clinician's guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, J.V.; Lewis, R.P.

1985-01-01

This book contains 31 papers. Some of the titles are: Cardiovascular radiology; Nuclear cardiology; echocardiography; The use and conduct of exercise tests; Lipid studies in cardiology; and The practice of cardiology in an era of high technology

British Energy - nuclear power in the private sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawley, R.

1997-01-01

The first four months of the operation of British Energy as a privatised nuclear utility are briefly reviewed. Operational and financial performance have been good as exemplified by the figures for power output and financial return. Freedom from government control means that the options open to the company are much wider but the need to meet the expectations of shareholders is a major consideration. Added to this, the competitive nature of the electricity industry means that the cost reduction is important, though this cannot be at the expense of safety. Shareholder expectations make the funding of new nuclear power stations unrealistic at present. Increasingly, however, markets are opening up in the maintenance of existing plant and the decommissioning of older plant. The British Energy Group also has considerable expertise in the design, operation and management of power stations and of acting in a competitive energy market that could be exported. British Energy's International Division is in place to develop this potential. (UK)

Low dose in nuclear cardiology: state of the art in the era of new cadmium-zinc-telluride cameras.

Science.gov (United States)

Acampa, Wanda; Buechel, Ronny R; Gimelli, Alessia

2016-06-01

The use of myocardial perfusion imaging has seen a tremendous growth during the last decade and has become the most commonly used non-invasive imaging tool for risk stratification in patients with suspected and known coronary artery disease. Adherence to radiation safety best practices varied significantly between laboratories but the possibility to use the new cameras in nuclear cardiology can reduce dramatically the radiation dose without losing accuracy. Moreover, the physical characteristics of ultrafast technology could be able to open new doors for the evaluation of old parameters, changing the impact of nuclear cardiology in the diagnostic strategies. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Recent advances in nuclear cardiology Hot-spot and cold-spot myocardial scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willerson, J.T.; Lewis, S.E.; Buja, L.M.; Bonte, F.J.; Parkey, R.W.

1981-01-01

Nuclear cardiology is a comparatively new field of cardiovascular medicine in which technologic advances have provided relatively noninvasive means of evaluating cardiovascular abnormalities. The purpose of this two-part review is to emphasize some important recent advances and to place in perspective the advantages and disadvantages of those new techniques that are particularly useful clinically

[Nuclear cardiology with new radiopharmaceuticals].

Science.gov (United States)

Bunko, H

1994-08-01

In the field of nuclear cardiology, 99mTc labeled myocardial perfusion agents such as MIBI, Tetrofosmin and Teboroxime, 111In-antimyosin for imaging of myocardial necrosis, 123I-betamethyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) for imaging of myocardial fatty acid metabolism and 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) for imaging of myocardial adrenergic function are introduced recently in Japan. Improved image quality and simultaneous evaluation of myocardial perfusion, function and wall motion can be obtained with use of 99mTc labeled myocardial perfusion agents. 111In-antimyosin enables specific imaging of myocardial necrosis which leads to the use for wide variety of heart diseases. Discrepancy of the myocardial perfusion and metabolism in case of stunned myocardium or cardiomyopathy can be evaluated by 123I-BMIPP in conjunction with perfusion agent. Recently wide variety of diseases which may have cardiac adrenergic abnormality are targeted for 123I-MIBG imaging. These new radiopharmaceuticals are expected to be powerful tool for evaluation of the pathophysiology including severity and prognosis and evaluation of the etiology of the various heart diseases.

SFC/SFBMN guidelines update for nuclear cardiology procedures: stress testing in adults and children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manrique, A.; Marie, P.Y.; Maunoury, Ch.; Acar, Ph.; Agostini, D.

2002-01-01

The guidelines update for nuclear cardiology procedures are studied in this article. We find the minimum technique conditions for the stress testing practice, the recommendations for the different ischemia activation tests, the choice of the stress test. (N.C.)

Molecular imaging: a new approach to nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobrucki, L.W.; Sinusas, A.J.

2005-01-01

Nuclear cardiology has historically played an important role in detection of cardiovascular disease as well as risk statification. With the growth of molecular biology have come new therapeutic interventions and the requirement for new diagnostic imaging approaches. Noninvasive targeted radiotracer based as well as transporter gene imaging strategies are evolving to meet these new needs, but require the development of an interdisciplinary approach which focuses on molecular processes, as well as the pathogenesis and progression of disease. This progress has been made possible with the availability of transgenic animal models along with many technological advances. Future adaptations of the developing experimental procedures and instrumentations will allow for the smooth translation and application to clinical practice. This review is intended as a brief overview on the subject molecular imaging. Basic concepts and historical perspective of molecular imaging will be reviewed first, followed by description of current technology, and concluding with current applications in cardiology. The emphasis will be on the use of both single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers, although other imaging modalities will be also briefly discussed. The specific approaches presented here will include receptor-based and reporter gene imaging of natural and therapeutical angiogenesis

British Nuclear Fuels - a dirty business

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunyard, P.

1983-01-01

The radioactive discharges from British Nuclear Fuels Sellafield, Cumbria, reprocessing plant to the sea are discussed. Statements that have been made by various individuals and groups about the contamination of the sea, the coast and places inland, and the biological effects of plutonium and americium, are discussed in detail. Particular stress is placed on statements about increased incidence of cancers. (U.K.)

Ninth Argentine congress on biology and nuclear medicine; fourth Southernmost sessions of ALASBIMN (Latin-American Association of Biology and Nuclear Medicine); first Spanish-Argentine congress on nuclear medicine; first Argentine sessions on nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This work deals with all the papers presented at the 9. Argentine congress on biology and nuclear medicine; IV Southernmost sessions of ALASBIMN; I Spanish-Argentine congress on nuclear medicine and I Sessions Argentine sessions on nuclear cardiology held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from October 14 - 18, 1991

British Nuclear Fuels plc's effluent plant services building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, L.

1990-01-01

The new Effluent Plant Services building (EPSB) on the Sellafield Nine Acre Site was built by Costain Engineering Limited for British Nuclear Fuels Limited. The EPSB is dedicated to a new generation of nuclear waste treatment plants, aimed at reducing discharges into the Irish Sea and other environmental impacts by removing actinides from liquid effluents and decontaminating waste solvents. This article describes the design, construction and operation of the plant. (UK)

Nuclear cardiology: Its role in cost effective care

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

would not otherwise have been achieved if the early disease remained undetected. This publication presents a comprehensive overview of CVDs as a public health problem in developing countries, the relative role of nuclear cardiology methods within a scenario of unprecedented technology advances, and the evidence behind appropriateness recommendations. The potential expanding role of non-invasive functional imaging through the transition from diagnosis of obstructive CAD to defining the global burden of CVDs is also discussed, as well as the need for thorough training, education, and quality in nuclear cardiology practice. This report will be of interest for all medical practitioners involved in the management of CAD, including internists, cardiologists, and nuclear medicine physicians, as well as hospital administrators and health care stakeholders.

Radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, H.

1985-01-01

During the last years, since short physical mean life radionuclides have started to be used, radionuclide scanning has been experienced with remarkable culmination. There are detector devices, which jointly with computation equipments, allow to obtain multiple images per second as properly rapid gammagraphic series, in order to obtain whole hemodynamic data or to generate functional images no representing an anatomical structure but reporting about cardiac dynamics at regional level. In these techniques, employed in Nuclear Cardiology, the following radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals are used: radiolabeled albumin 99m Tc red blood cells, 113m In-transferrin, very short physical mean life radionuclides, such as 195m Au, 178 Ta, 191 Ir. In addition, 113 Xe for coronary flow measurements; radiolabeled microspheres and macroparticles for angiogammagraphy; 129 Cs, 43 K, 81 Rb, 82 Rb and 201 Ti, the most largerly used, for myocardial gammagraphy. It is pointed out that fatty acids are the newest, basically if are radioiodate, and some 99m Tc labeled long chain hydrocarbons. It is expressed that 99m Tc-Sn-pyrophosphate has been used for myocardial infarction. Working on the development of new radiopharmaceuticals, basically fatty acids and 99m Tc chelating agents, for the improvement of these techniques is carried out. (author)

British Nuclear Fuels (Warrington)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoyle, D.; Cryer, B.; Bellotti, D.

1992-01-01

This adjournment debate is about British Nuclear Fuels plc and the 750 redundancies due to take place by the mid-1990s at BNFL, Risley. The debate was instigated by the Member of Parliament for Warrington, the constituency in which BNFL, Risley is situated. Other members pointed out that other industries, such as the textile industry are also suffering job losses due to the recession. However the MP for Warrington argued that the recent restructuring of BNFL restricted the financial flexibility of BNFL so that the benefits of contracts won for THORP at Sellafield could not help BNFL, Risley. The debate became more generally about training, apprentices and employment opportunities. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy explained the position as he saw it and said BNFL may be able to offer more help to its apprentices. Long- term employment prospects at BNFL are dependent on the future of the nuclear industry in general. The debate lasted about half an hour and is reported verbatim. (U.K)

Statutory Instrument No. 122, The Nuclear Installations (British Solomon Islands Protectorate) Order 1972

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1972-01-01

This Order extends to the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, with the exceptions, adaptations and modificatons specified in the Schedule to the Order, certain provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, as amended. It is the 1965 Act which implements the provisions of the Paris Convention and the Brussels Supplementary Convention in the United Kingdom. The provisions so extended impose a duty on the nuclear operator to secure that no nuclear occurrence taking place within the territorial limits of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate causes nuclear injury or damage, and relate to the right to compensation for breach of that duty, the bringing and satisfaction of claims and other matters. (NEA) [fr

Static and dynamic scintigraphy in radioisotope cardiology diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waligorski, M.; Zolna, J.; Strzelecki, A.; Pasyk, S.

1981-01-01

A review of the applications of scintigraphy in cardiac diagnosis is given. The principle of operation of the gamma-camera and of the scintigraphic system, the handling of data and the so-called gated scintigraphy are discussed. Characteristics of some radioisotopes applied in nuclear cardiology are given. The most frequent clinical states are discussed in which isotope diagnostics may be useful. Attention is drawn to the advantages of nuclear cardiology methods over conventional diagnostics. (author)

Present trends in the detection of myocardial viability using nuclear cardiology tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peix Gonzalez, Amalia; Garcia Barreto, David

1999-01-01

The myocardial viability diagnosis is important for those who will undergo myocardial revascularization whether by surgery or coronary angioplasty. Our purpose is to present some of the present trends in the detection of myocardial viability using nuclear cardiology tests. Emphasis is made on the estimation of radiopharmaceutical uptake and the use of vasodilators in perfusion scintigraphy mainly with technetium-labeled compounds. Also, the current possibilities for a myocardial metabolism study using single-photon emission-computed tomography as well as some clinical implications of myocardial viability are set forth

Impact of age on the selection of nuclear cardiology stress protocols: The INCAPS (IAEA nuclear cardiology protocols) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Mallah, Mouaz H; Pascual, Thomas N B; Mercuri, Mathew; Vitola, João V; Karthikeyan, Ganesan; Better, Nathan; Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Einstein, Andrew J

2018-05-15

There is growing concern about radiation exposure from nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), particularly among younger patients who are more prone to develop untoward effects of ionizing radiation, and hence US and European professional society guidelines recommend age as a consideration in weighing radiation risk from MPI. We aimed to determine how patient radiation doses from MPI vary across age groups in a large contemporary international cohort. Data were collected as part of a global cross-sectional study of centers performing MPI coordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Sites provided information on each MPI study completed during a single week in March-April 2013. We compared across age groups laboratory adherence to pre-specified radiation-related best practices, radiation effective dose (ED; a whole-body measure reflecting the amount of radiation to each organ and its relative sensitivity to radiation's deleterious effects), and the proportion of patients with ED ≤ 9 mSv, a target level specified in guidelines. Among 7911 patients undergoing MPI in 308 laboratories in 65 countries, mean ED was 10.0 ± 4.5 mSv with slightly higher exposure among younger age groups (trend p value < 0.001). There was no difference in the proportion of patients with ED ≤ 9 mSv across age groups, or in adherence to best practices based on the median age of patients in a laboratory. In contemporary nuclear cardiology practice, the age of the patient appears not to impact protocol selection and radiation dose, contrary to professional society guidelines. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Department of Energy: monitoring and control of British Nuclear Fuels plc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) was set up in 1971 to take over the nuclear fuel production and reprocessing activities of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority with the Department of Energy (as majority shareholder) being responsible for the monitoring and control of BNFL's activities. BNFL's activities include the production of nuclear fuel, uranium enrichment, and the transportation and reprocessing of spent fuel. Its major capital investment includes the construction of the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) due for completion in 1992. This study examined the effectiveness of the Department's arrangements for monitoring and control and for safeguarding the Government's investment in the company, the arrangements for examining BNFL's capital investment programme and the extent to which the Department's main aims have been achieved. The examination was restricted to the financial performance. The National Audit Office found evidence to suggest that BNFL's financial performance has not kept pace with the general performance level of British Industry. Future success and performance will depend on the success of the THORP plant. (U.K.)

Session 1984-1985. Radioactive waste. Minutes of evidence, Monday 13 May 1985. British Nuclear Fuels plc

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1985-01-01

The Environment Select Committee of the House of Commons received a memorandum from British Nuclear Fuels plc on the treatment and preparation for disposal of radioactive wastes, under the headings: introduction; waste categories; waste management policy; waste arisings; waste treatment plans; appendix I - British Nuclear Fuels plc; appendix II - the nuclear fuel cycle for Magnox, AGR and LWR reactors; appendix III - control of liquid radioactive discharges from Sellafield and their environmental impact. Representatives of BNF plc were examined on the subject of the memorandum and the minutes of evidence are recorded.

Session 1984-85. Radioactive waste. Minutes of evidence, Monday 13 May 1985. British Nuclear Fuels plc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The Environment Select Committee of the House of Commons received a memorandum from British Nuclear Fuels plc on the treatment and preparation for disposal of radioactive wastes, under the headings: introduction; waste categories; waste management policy; waste arisings; waste treatment plans; appendix I - British Nuclear Fuels plc; appendix II - the nuclear fuel cycle for Magnox, AGR and LWR reactors; appendix III - control of liquid radioactive discharges from Sellafield and their environmental impact. Representatives of BNF plc were examined on the subject of the memorandum and the minutes of evidence are recorded. (U.K.)

Nuclear cardiological investigations in patients classified as physically disabled following myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mester, Janos; Zolnay, Imre; Csernay, Laszlo

1988-01-01

110 patients classified as physically disabled as a consequence of myocardial infarction were reinvestigated by means of nuclear cardiological methods. Resting 201 Tl perfusion scintigraphy showed a normal distribution of radioactivity, while radionuclide ventriculography revealed a normal left ventricular ejection fraction and a normokinetic left ventricle in 20 patients. The investigation of a further 19 patients demonstrated only minimal pathological changes. The results in 34 patients revealed severe myocardial damage, and in a further 19 cases the development of left ventricular aneurysm. The results clearly show the value of 201 Tl scintigraphy and radionuclide ventriculography in assessments of the degree of physical disability after myocardial infarction. (author) 15 refs.; 3 tabs

Computers in cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

The present abstract book contains the abstracts of 90 lectures and 29 posters presented at the conference. They are dealing with the following themes: Echocardiography, databases, ECG interpretation, wall motion, arrhythmia processing systems, electrophysiological models, ECG-mapping, intensive care and hemodynamic monitoring, digital subtraction angiography, clinical electrophysiology, mechanical properties of the cardiovascular system, coronary artery measurements, arrythmia analysis, arrhytmia monitoring techniques, ECG waveform recognition and nuclear cardiology. (MG)

Filter's importance in nuclear cardiology imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jesus, Maria C. de; Lima, Ana L.S.; Santos, Joyra A. dos; Megueriam, Berdj A.

2008-01-01

Full text: Nuclear Medicine is a medical speciality which employs tomography procedures for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. One of the most commonly used apparatus is the Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). To perform exams, a very small amount of a radiopharmaceutical must be given to the patient. Then, a gamma camera is placed in convenient positions to perform the photon counting, which is used to reconstruct a full 3 dimensional distribution of the radionuclide inside the body or organ. This reconstruction provides a 3-dimensional image in spatial coordinates, of the body or organ under study, allowing the physician to give the diagnostic. Image reconstruction is usually worked in the frequency domain, due to a great simplification introduced by the Fourier decomposition of image spectra. After the reconstruction, an inverse Fourier transform must be applied to trace back the image into spatial coordinates. To optimize this reconstruction procedure, digital filters are used to remove undesirable components of frequency, which can 'shadow' relevant physical signatures of diseases. Unfortunately, the efficiency of the applied filter is strongly dependent on its own mathematical parameters. In this work we demonstrate how filters interfere on image quality in cardiology examinations with SPECT, concerning perfusion and myocardial viability and the importance of the medical physicist in the choice of the right filters avoiding some serious problems that could occur in the inadequate processing of an image damaging the medical diagnosis. (author)

Occupational dose measurement in interventional cardiology, dosimetry comparison study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, A.M.A.

2008-05-01

The number of cardiology interventional procedures has significantly increased recently. This is due to the reliability of the diagnostic equipment to diagnose many heart disease. In the procedures the x-ray used results in increasing radiation doses to the staff. The cardiologists and other staff members in interventional cardiology are usually working close to the area under examination and receive the dose primarily from scattered radiation from the patient. Therefore workers in interventional cardiology are expected to receive high doses. This study overviews the status of occupational exposure at the three cardiology centers at three different hospitals in Khartoum compared with that received by workers at other medical practices (radiotherapy, nuclear medicine and diagnostic radiology) in the Institute of Nuclear and Technology (INMO) at El Gezira. The TLD Harshaw 6600 reader was used in the assessment of effective dose for Hp (10). Two TLDs were used by each worker at the three cardiology centres, one worn under a protective apron and the other worn outside and above the apron as specified by the ICRP. Each worker at the other sections was facilitated with one dosimeter to be worn on the chest. The annual doses received by 14 cardiologists, 13 nurses and 9 technologists at the three cardiology centres were in the range: (0.84-4.77), (0.15-2.08), (0.32-1.10) mSv respectively. In the INMO the annual doses received by 7 doctors, 5 nurses and 14 technologists were in the range: (0.12-0.51), (0.11-0.65), (0.03-1.39) mSv respectively. The results showed that the annual doses received by the workers do not exceed 20 mSv. The study also indicated that doses received by workers in interventional cardiology, in particular the cardiologists are high compared to that received at the other medical sections.(Author)

British nuclear power: protest and legitimation 1945 - 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welsh, I.

1988-02-01

This thesis traces the development of British civil nuclear power policy between 1945 and 1982. Throughout particular attention is paid to the methods of legitimation which have been used to justify this policy in the public arena. By tracing this legitimation process, and public responses to it, the modern anti nuclear movement and crisis of public acceptability are placed within an historical context. It is argued that public concern and disquiet have always required the active legitimation of nuclear policy from the inception of the technology. The initial base of this legitimation was largely symbolic and associated nuclear power with the future of civilisation and a second of Elizabethan splendour for Britain. Symbolic legitimacy was underpinned by the twin pillars of expert hegemony and political authority. As these became increasingly prominent due to internal disputes within the industry secrecy was applied as a means of preserving legitimacy. Having tried conventional avenues of opposition the anti nuclear movement then embarked upon a campaign of direct action. The links between this campaign and the pervasive sense of public unease which had always existed are explored. It is argued here that the anti nuclear movement produces and sustains a cogent critique of nuclear power. Campaigning around this critique wins the movement increasing legitimacy as its arguments are increasingly accepted. (author)

British Nuclear Fuels PLC: report and accounts 1989-90

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

Members of the Energy Select Committee put questions to representatives of British Nuclear Fuels PLC (BNFL) about the annual report and accounts 1989-90. Questions concerned the late publication of the accounts, BNFLs role in the downfall of the nuclear privatisation, government assistance to the nuclear industry, the price BNFL charges for fuel reprocessing and the process of laser isotope separation of uranium. The committee also asked about the rate of return in BNFL's assets as a percentage, Sellafield's potential as a site for a deep repository for radioactive wastes and the 6000 boreholes that MREX will drill at Sellafield. The commercial case for reprocessing is made. Feasibility studies for possible new reactions at Sellafield and Chapel Cross have been carried out. On the whole the Energy Committee were satisfied with the replies from BNFL. (UK)

Radiation doses to the staff of a nuclear cardiology department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsapaki, V.; Koutelou, M.; Theodorakos, A.; Kouzoumi, A.; Kitziri, S.; Tsiblouli, S.; Vardalaki, E.; Kyrozi, E.; Kouttou, S.

2002-01-01

The last years, new radiopharmaceuticals are used in a Nuclear Medicine (NM) Department. Nowadays, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) is a method of routine imaging, a fact that has required increased levels of radioactivity in certain patient examinations. The staff that is more likely to receive the greatest radiation dose in a NM Department is the technologist who deals with performance of patient examination and injection of radioactive material and the nurse who is caring for the patients visiting the Department some of which being totally helpless. The fact that each NM Dept possesses equipment with certain specifications, deals with various kind of patients, has specific design and radiation protection measures which can differ from other NM Depts and uses various examination protocols, makes essential the need to investigate the radiation doses received by each member of the staff, so as to continuously monitor doses and take protective measures if required, control less experienced staff and ensure that radiation dose levels are kept as low as possible at all times. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate radiation dose to the nuclear cardiology department staff by thermoluminescent dosemeters (TLDs) placed on the the skin at thyroid and abdominal region as well as evaluating protection measures taken currently in the Dept

Cardiac CT and cardiac MRI - competitive or complementary for nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moshage, W.

2004-01-01

In summary, cardiac computed tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) are two different technologies with distinct imaging properties that gain increasing importance in clinical cardiology. Even though images may look similar, the areas of application of CT and MR are quite different. Clinical applications of cardiac CT focus on on-invasive imaging of the coronary arteries. In this respect, the higher spatial resolution of cardiac CT constitutes a significant advantage as compared to MR and clinical results are superior. Clinical applications of cardiac MR, next to morphologic imaging of the heart, are most frequently found in the context of intra-and pericardial masses, complex congenital anomalies, and the assessment of left ventricular function (dobutamine) and perfusion (adenosine) under stress. The evaluation of the size and localization of myocardial necrosis, scars, and fibrosis gains increasing importance, for example in the workup of myocardial infarction, but also myocarditis and cardiomyopathies. In this respect, magnetic resonance imaging partly constitutes an alternative to nuclear medicine methods. Due to the lack of ionizing radiation and a relatively high spatial resolution, an increase of MR diagnostic procedures at the expense of nuclear medicine can be expected. (orig.)

Current worldwide nuclear cardiology practices and radiation exposure: results from the 65 country IAEA Nuclear Cardiology Protocols Cross-Sectional Study (INCAPS)

Science.gov (United States)

Einstein, Andrew J.; Pascual, Thomas N. B.; Mercuri, Mathew; Karthikeyan, Ganesan; Vitola, João V.; Mahmarian, John J.; Better, Nathan; Bouyoucef, Salah E.; Hee-Seung Bom, Henry; Lele, Vikram; Magboo, V. Peter C.; Alexánderson, Erick; Allam, Adel H.; Al-Mallah, Mouaz H.; Flotats, Albert; Jerome, Scott; Kaufmann, Philipp A.; Luxenburg, Osnat; Shaw, Leslee J.; Underwood, S. Richard; Rehani, Madan M.; Kashyap, Ravi; Paez, Diana; Dondi, Maurizio

2015-01-01

Aims To characterize patient radiation doses from nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and the use of radiation-optimizing ‘best practices’ worldwide, and to evaluate the relationship between laboratory use of best practices and patient radiation dose. Methods and results We conducted an observational cross-sectional study of protocols used for all 7911 MPI studies performed in 308 nuclear cardiology laboratories in 65 countries for a single week in March–April 2013. Eight ‘best practices’ relating to radiation exposure were identified a priori by an expert committee, and a radiation-related quality index (QI) devised indicating the number of best practices used by a laboratory. Patient radiation effective dose (ED) ranged between 0.8 and 35.6 mSv (median 10.0 mSv). Average laboratory ED ranged from 2.2 to 24.4 mSv (median 10.4 mSv); only 91 (30%) laboratories achieved the median ED ≤ 9 mSv recommended by guidelines. Laboratory QIs ranged from 2 to 8 (median 5). Both ED and QI differed significantly between laboratories, countries, and world regions. The lowest median ED (8.0 mSv), in Europe, coincided with high best-practice adherence (mean laboratory QI 6.2). The highest doses (median 12.1 mSv) and low QI (4.9) occurred in Latin America. In hierarchical regression modelling, patients undergoing MPI at laboratories following more ‘best practices’ had lower EDs. Conclusion Marked worldwide variation exists in radiation safety practices pertaining to MPI, with targeted EDs currently achieved in a minority of laboratories. The significant relationship between best-practice implementation and lower doses indicates numerous opportunities to reduce radiation exposure from MPI globally. PMID:25898845

Hybrid cardiac imaging: SPECT/CT and PET/CT. A joint position statement by the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), the European Society of Cardiac Radiology (ESCR) and the European Council of Nuclear Cardiology (ECNC)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flotats, Albert; Gutberlet, Matthias; Knuuti, Juhani

2011-01-01

. The European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), the European Society of Cardiac Radiology (ESCR) and the European Council of Nuclear Cardiology (ECNC) in this paper want to present a position statement of the institutions on the current roles of SPECT/CT and PET/CT hybrid cardiac imaging in patients...

Fuel cycle and waste management: A perspective from British nuclear fuels plc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holmes, R.G.G.; Fairhall, G.A.; Robbins, R.A.

1996-01-01

The phrase fuel cycle and waste management implies two separate and distinct activities. British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) has adopted a holistic approach to the fuel cycle that integrates the traditional fuel cycle activities of conversion to uranium hexafluoride, fuel fabrication, power generation, and reprocessing with waste arisings, its subsequent treatment, and disposal

The present role of nuclear cardiology in clinical practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, A.N.; Beller, G.A.

2005-01-01

Many advances have been made in the field of nuclear cardiology in the past decade for enhancing the diagnostic and prognostic value of stress myocardial variability using SPECT technology. Gated SPECT for determining regional and global function have provided incremental diagnostic and prognostic information in the evaluation of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. Left ventricular ejection fraction and regional myocardial wall thickening can now be simultaneously evaluated with regional perfusion particularly with the use of the 99m Tc-labeled perfusion agents such as sestamibi and tetrofosmin. Many studies have shown that the extent and severity of stress-induced perfusion defects have incremental prognostic value over exercise electrocardiographic stress test variables alone. Patients with normal perfusions scans have 201 Tl or with one of the 99m Tc-labeled imaging agents, or PET imaging with 18 F-deoxyglucose can accurately distinguish viable from irreversibility injured myocardium providing useful information for identifying which patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy benefit most from coronary revascularization with a subsequent improvement in left ventricular function and enhanced survival. Finally, serial stress perfusion imaging can be employed to monitor the efficacy of medical therapy that improves endothelial function and myocardial blood flow reserve

Elemental Germans Klaus Fuchs, Rudolf Peierls and the making of British nuclear culture 1939-59

CERN Document Server

Laucht, Christoph

2012-01-01

Christoph Laucht offers the first investigation into the roles played by two German-born emigre atomic scientists, Klaus Fuchs and Rudolf Peierls, in the development of British nuclear culture, especially the practice of nuclear science and the political implications of the atomic scientists' work, from the start of the Second World War until 1959.

The Paediatric Cardiology Hall of Fame – Donald Nixon Ross.

Science.gov (United States)

Somerville, Jane

2015-10-01

Donald Nixon Ross, FRCS (4 October 1922 to 7 July 2014) was a South African-born British cardiothoracic surgeon, who developed the pulmonary autograft, known as the Ross procedure, for the treatment of aortic valve disease, and also performed the first heart transplant in the United Kingdom in 1968. This paper, written by Jane Somerville, Professor of Cardiology [Retired], Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom, provides the personal recollections about Donald Ross from Jane Somerville, and thus provides a unique snapshot of cardiac surgical history.

Nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fish, M.B.

2002-01-01

Recent advances in nuclear medicine instrumentation and software, including myocardial perfusion imaging, offer increased accuracy in the detection, diagnosis and prognosis of coronary artery disease. (orig.)

Privatization and culture change: British Nuclear Fuels case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salama, A.

1997-01-01

This paper describes and explains the process of organizational change experienced by British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) during the late 1980s. BNFL went through a major transformation in management values and practices to survive in the new business environment characterized by government deregulation and fiercer global market competition. The paper describes both the historical and the prevailing management behaviour as well as the strategy utilized by BNFL's top management in their change process. The key factor in the process of change seems to lie in top management commitment and a fully integrated set of actions involving different sub-systems of the organization. (author)

British Nuclear Fuels plc: report and accounts 1987-88

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

The Energy Committee has considered the report and accounts of BNFL (British Nuclear Fuels PLC) for the year 1987-88. The report looks at BNFL as a government owned PLC - its activities and financial performance. Various questions are raised about the underlying financial position justifying the optimism portrayed in the report and accounts. The impact of cost-plus contracts on UK customers is examined. The economics of THORP (Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant) are also examined especially as the escalation in the cost of constructing THORP means that a substantial loss will be made in the reprocessing of waste for which contracts were signed in the late 1960s or early 1970s. The main conclusions of the report are summarized. One of these is that the UK must be cautious about becoming a repository of foreign nuclear waste. Other specific recommendations are made - some about the decommissioning of BNFL plant. (UK)

Preparation for commissioning of nuclear plant with reference to British Nuclear Fuels Plc fuel handling plant project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bamber, D.R.

1987-01-01

The new Fuel Handling Plant at British Nuclear Fuels Sellafield is part of a Pound 550M complex which provides facilities for the receipt, storage and mechanical preparation of both Magnox and A.G.R. fuel. The plant is very large and complex with considerable use of computer based process control systems, providing for physical and nuclear safety. The preparation of such plant for active commissioning necessitates a great many physical checks and technical evaluations in support of its safety case. This paper describes arrangements for plant commissioning checks, against the regulatory framework and explains the physical preparations necessary for their timely accomplishment. (author)

Preparation for commissioning of nuclear plant with reference to British Nuclear Fuels Plc fuel handling plant project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bamber, D.

1987-01-01

The new Fuel Handing Plant at British Nuclear Fuels Sellafield is part of a Pound 550M complex which provides facilities for the receipt, storage and mechanical preparation of both magnox and A.G.R. fuel. The plant is very large and complex with considerable use of computer based process control systems, providing for physical and nuclear safety. The preparation of such plant for ''active'' commissioning necessitates a great many physical checks and technical evaluations in support of its safety case. This paper describes arrangements for plant commissioning checks, against the regulatory framework and explains the physical preparations necessary for their timely accomplishment. (author)

Acute coronary syndrome patients admitted to a cardiology vs non-cardiology service: variations in treatment & outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Deirdre E; Southern, Danielle A; Norris, Colleen M; O'Neill, Blair J; Curran, Helen J; Graham, Michelle M

2017-05-16

Specialized cardiology services have contributed to reduced mortality in acute coronary syndromes (ACS).  We sought to evaluate the outcomes of ACS patients admitted to non-cardiology services in Southern Alberta. Retrospective chart review performed on all troponin-positive patients in the Calgary Health Region identified those diagnosed with ACS by their attending team. Patients admitted to non-cardiology and cardiology services were compared, using linked data from the Alberta Provincial Project for Outcomes Assessment in Coronary Heart Disease (APPROACH) registry and the Strategic Clinical Network for Cardiovascular Health and Stroke. From January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2008, 2105 ACS patients were identified, with 1636 (77.7%) admitted to cardiology and 469 (22.3%) to non-cardiology services. Patients admitted to non-cardiology services were older, had more comorbidities, and rarely received cardiology consultation (5.1%). Cardiac catheterization was underutilized (5.1% vs 86.4% in cardiology patients (p cardiology vs. cardiology services (49.1% vs. 11.0% respectively at 4-years, p cardiology services. These patients had worse outcomes, despite adjustment for baseline risk factor differences. Although many patients were appropriately admitted to non-cardiology services, the low use of investigations and secondary prevention medications may contribute to poorer patient outcome. Further research is required to identify process of care strategies to improve outcomes and lessen the burden of illness for patients and the health care system.

Evaluation of hemodynamics by nuclear cardiology in a miniswine model of congenital heart disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latson, L.A.; Erickson, C.; Kitzer, K.; Stratbucker, R.

1986-01-01

Nuclear cardiology methods for measuring ventricular function and pulmonary vs systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs) are attractive for long term experimental studies because they are invasive minimally and can be repeated frequently. We adapted the technique for use in a miniswine model of congestive heart failure secondary to a left to right shunt. Minor modifications in camera positioning were needed to obtain adequate studies in miniswine. A straight lateral position was best for first pass studies if Qp/Qs was to be measured and a 40 degree left anterior oblique view was best for gated equilibrium studies. Direct anastamosis of the ascending aorta and main pulmonary artery is superior to using a prosthetic conduit from descending aorta to pulmonary artery for creation of a long term stable left to right shunt

Planning developments in British Nuclear Fuels Ltd

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roper, D A [British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Risley

1978-10-01

The state of the corporate planning art in British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. was described by N.R.Geary (Long Range Planning, September (1973)) just 2 years after Company formation. This article discusses more recent planning developments over the period to date during which the Company adopted a Divisionalized structure (from October 1974) and has been required to submit an annual Company plan to the Department of Energy (from November 1975). Background information on the origin and nature of the BNFL and its business, and the particular features of the Company which reflect into the nature and method of its planning were given in the 1973 article and only a brief introductory updating of the Company position is included here. Subsequently the features and problems of BNFL's operating and development planning system are described. Finally, messages arising from BNFL's planning experience to date which may be of general application and therefore of value to other practitioners of planning are listed.

De-regulated electric power markets and operating nuclear power plants: the case of British energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hewlett, James G.

2005-01-01

One issue addressed in almost all electric power restructuring/de-regulation plans in both the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) was the recovery of operating nuclear power plant's spent fuel disposal costs and the expenditures to decommission the units when they are retired. Prior to restructuring, in theory at least, in both countries, electricity consumers were paying for the back end costs from operating nuclear power plants. Moreover, in virtually all cases in the US, states included special provisions to insure that consumers would continue to do so after power markets were de-regulated. When power markets in the UK were initially restructured/de-regulated and nuclear power privatized, the shareholders of British Energy (BE) were initially responsible for these costs. However, after electricity prices fell and BE collapsed, the British government shifted many of the costs to future taxpayers, as much as a century forward. If this was not done, the book value of BE's equity would have been about -3.5 billion pounds. That is, BE's liabilities would have been about -3.5 billion pounds greater than their assets. It is difficult to see how BE could remain viable under such circumstances

Application of a visualization method of image data base in nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damien, J.; Bruyant, Ph.; Moreno, L.; Gabain, M.; Sayegh, Y.; Bontemps, L.; Itti, R.

1997-01-01

Medical imaging is undoubtedly one of the medical branches which benefited at most by the offsprings of computer science development. We present here a visualization software of image data base, making use of the last innovations in the field of multimedia application. The objective of such a software is to provide a reference tool for a given medical specialty offering at the same time, a high quality iconography, a rigorous content of the comments and the matching of graphical interfaces. Applied to nuclear cardiology and implanted on CD ROM, it contains a given number of clinical cases (around 150) which sweep quasi-exhaustively the subject. Each case centered around scintigraphic examination (myocardial tomographs, ventriculographs, SPECT, etc) makes available 'static' pictures (series of cross sections, planispheric images, ECG), animated cartoons (synchronized series, 3D visualization, etc) and also the clinical history of the patient and the records of complementary examinations (coronary-graphic, for instance). Being independent of the image data base which it visualizes, our software is easily applicable to other nuclear medicine specialties (neurology, renal exploration) and also to other modalities. It is multilingual already (French and English) and soon will be supplemented by a code dedicated to knowledge assessment intended to be an efficient tool in education and continuous formation. A Macintosh version will be soon obtainable and a demonstration diskette is free available on request

Review of experience with plutonium exposure assessment methodologies at the nuclear fuel reprocessing site of British Nuclear Fuels plc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strong, R.

1988-01-01

British Nuclear Fuels plc and its predecessors have provided a complete range of nuclear fuel services to utilities in the UK and elsewhere for more than 30 years. Over 30,000 ton of Magnox and Oxide fuel have been reprocessed at Sellafield. During this time substantial experience has accumulated of methodologies for the assessment of exposure to actinides, mainly isotopes of plutonium. For most of the period monitoring of personnel included assessment of systemic uptake deduced from plutonium-in-urine results. The purpose of the paper is to present some conclusions of contemporary work in this area

Career Preferences and Perceptions of Cardiology Among US Internal Medicine Trainees: Factors Influencing Cardiology Career Choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Pamela S; Rzeszut, Anne K; Bairey Merz, C Noel; Duvernoy, Claire S; Lewis, Sandra J; Walsh, Mary Norine; Gillam, Linda

2018-05-30

Few data exist on internal medicine trainees' selection of cardiology training, although this is important for meeting future cardiology workforce needs. To discover trainees' professional development preferences and perceptions of cardiology, and their relationship to trainees' career choice. We surveyed trainees to discover their professional development preferences and perceptions of cardiology and the influence of those perceptions and preferences on the trainees' career choices. Participants rated 38 professional development needs and 19 perceptions of cardiology. Data collection took place from February 2009, through January 2010. Data analysis was conducted from May 2017 to December 2017. Multivariable models were used to determine the association of demographics and survey responses with prospective career choice. A total of 4850 trainees were contacted, and 1123 trainees (of whom 625 [55.7%] were men) in 198 residency programs completed surveys (23.1% response; mean [SD] age, 29.4 [3.5] years). Principal component analysis of survey responses resulted in 8-factor and 6-factor models. Professional development preferences in descending order of significance were stable hours, family friendliness, female friendliness, the availability of positive role models, financial benefits, professional challenges, patient focus, and the opportunity to have a stimulating career. The top perceptions of cardiology in descending order of significance were adverse job conditions, interference with family life, and a lack of diversity. Women and future noncardiologists valued work-life balance more highly and had more negative perceptions of cardiology than men or future cardiologists, who emphasized the professional advantages available in cardiology. Professional development factors and cardiology perceptions were strongly associated with a decision to pursue or avoid a career in cardiology in both men and women. Alignment of cardiology culture with trainees' preferences

Artificial Intelligence in Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Kipp W; Torres Soto, Jessica; Glicksberg, Benjamin S; Shameer, Khader; Miotto, Riccardo; Ali, Mohsin; Ashley, Euan; Dudley, Joel T

2018-06-12

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are poised to influence nearly every aspect of the human condition, and cardiology is not an exception to this trend. This paper provides a guide for clinicians on relevant aspects of artificial intelligence and machine learning, reviews selected applications of these methods in cardiology to date, and identifies how cardiovascular medicine could incorporate artificial intelligence in the future. In particular, the paper first reviews predictive modeling concepts relevant to cardiology such as feature selection and frequent pitfalls such as improper dichotomization. Second, it discusses common algorithms used in supervised learning and reviews selected applications in cardiology and related disciplines. Third, it describes the advent of deep learning and related methods collectively called unsupervised learning, provides contextual examples both in general medicine and in cardiovascular medicine, and then explains how these methods could be applied to enable precision cardiology and improve patient outcomes. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

British power generation/delivery handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bagley, R.

1986-01-01

Describes the British electricity-supply system and covers: the CEGB, nuclear power - AGR design, boiler plant development coal-fired boilers and oil-fired boilers, steam turbine/generators, boiler-feed pumps, pumped storage, gas turbine plants, transmission system including the link to France, the Sizewell-BPWR, future AGR development, future coal-fired stations, fluidized bed combustion, coal gasification, and wind energy developments. Also included is a list of British equipment suppliers to the electricity supply industry, and a buyer's guide to British equipment and services.

History of pediatric cardiology in India

OpenAIRE

Anita Saxena

2015-01-01

In India, the discipline of cardiology started in the late 1950s and at that time pediatric cardiology was practiced as a part of cardiology specialty. This article traces the history of pediatric cardiology in India. Dr. S. Padmawati and Dr. Kamala Vytilingam underwent training in pediatric cardiology at international centers in the early 1950s and early 1960s. Dr. N. Gopinath successfully closed a ventricular septal defect using a pump oxygenator at Christian Medical College, Vellore. Open ...

Cardiovascular nuclear medicine and MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiber, J.H.C.; Wall, E.E. van der

1992-01-01

This book is based on a meeting of the Working Group on Nuclear Cardiology, which held March 22-23,1991 under the auspices of the European Society of Cardiology and the Interuniversity Cardiology Institute of the Netherlands, and on the Second International Symposium on Computer Applications in Nuclear Medicine and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging, which was held March 20-22,1991 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It covers almost every aspect of quantitative cardio-vascular nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging. The main topics are: single photon emission computed tomography (technical aspects); new development in cardiovascular nuclear medicine; advances in cardiovascular imaging; cardiovascular clinical applications; and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. (A.S.). refs.; figs.; tabs

Review of cardiovascular imaging in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology in 2017. Part 2 of 2: Myocardial perfusion imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Hage, Fadi G; AlJaroudi, Wael A

2018-04-16

In 2017, the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology published many high-quality articles. In this review, we will summarize a selection of these articles to provide a concise review of the main advancements that have recently occurred in the field. In the first article of this 2-part series, we focused on publications dealing with positron emission tomography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance. This review will place emphasis on myocardial perfusion imaging using single-photon emission computed tomography summarizing advances in the field including prognosis, safety and tolerability, the impact of imaging on management, and the use of novel imaging protocols.

Update for 2014 on clinical cardiology, geriatric cardiology, and heart failure and transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Barón-Esquivias, Gonzalo; Manito, Nicolás; López Díaz, Javier; Martín Santana, Antonio; García Pinilla, José Manuel; Gómez Doblas, Juan José; Gómez Bueno, Manuel; Barrios Alonso, Vivencio; Lambert, José Luis

2015-04-01

In the present article, we review publications from the previous year in the following 3 areas: clinical cardiology, geriatric cardiology, and heart failure and transplantation. Among the new developments in clinical cardiology are several contributions from Spanish groups on tricuspid and aortic regurgitation, developments in atrial fibrillation, syncope, and the clinical characteristics of heart disease, as well as various studies on familial heart disease and chronic ischemic heart disease. In geriatric cardiology, the most relevant studies published in 2014 involve heart failure, degenerative aortic stenosis, and data on atrial fibrillation in the geriatric population. In heart failure and transplantation, the most noteworthy developments concern the importance of multidisciplinary units and patients with preserved systolic function. Other notable publications were those related to iron deficiency, new drugs, and new devices and biomarkers. Finally, we review studies on acute heart failure and transplantation, such as inotropic drugs and ventricular assist devices. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Nuclear cardiac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slutsky, R.; Ashburn, W.L.

1982-01-01

The relationship between nuclear medicine and cardiology has continued to produce a surfeit of interesting, illuminating, and important reports involving the analysis of cardiac function, perfusion, and metabolism. To simplify the presentation, this review is broken down into three major subheadings: analysis of myocardial perfusion; imaging of the recent myocardial infarction; and the evaluation of myocardial function. There appears to be an increasingly important relationship between cardiology, particularly cardiac physiology, and nuclear imaging techniques

British Nuclear Test Veterans' Association. Radiation exposure and subsequent health history of veterans and their children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urquhart, J.

1993-01-01

The present study of veterans' health carried out in association with Tyne Tees Television presents new and disturbing evidence of significant health effects in both veterans and their children, based on the health records of 1,454 members of the British Nuclear Test Veterans' Association, of whom 1,147 were fathers. (orig./MG)

Department of Energy: monitoring and control of British Nuclear Fuels plc. Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-01-01

British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) was set up in 1971 to take over the nuclear fuel production and reprocessing activities of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority with the Department of Energy (as majority shareholder) being responsible for the monitoring and control of BNFL's activities. BNFL's activities include the production of nuclear fuel, uranium enrichment, and the transportation and reprocessing of spent fuel. Its major capital investment includes the construction of the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) due for completion in 1992. This study examined the effectiveness of the Department's arrangements for monitoring and control and for safeguarding the Government's investment in the company, the arrangements for examining BNFL's capital investment programme and the extent to which the Department's main aims have been achieved. The examination was restricted to the financial performance. The National Audit Office found evidence to suggest that BNFL's financial performance has not kept pace with the general performance level of British Industry. Future success and performance will depend on the success of the THORP plant. (U.K.).

NORMAN HOLTER AND HIS METHOD OF REMOTE CARDIOLOGIC MONITORING. CASE HISTORY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Rassadina

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This publication is devoted to the personality and creative designs of uncommon American scientist, the engineer and the inventor – Norman Jefferis «Jeff» Holter. Norman Jefferis Holter introduced the terminology of «nuclear medicine» for the name of the new at that time area which associated with employment of the achievements of the nuclear physics in the medical goals. Also he is the author of ambulatory cardiological monitoring.

Report of the expert committee on the review of data on atmospheric fallout arising from British nuclear tests in Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The terms of reference of the committee were to review the published scientific literature and other relevant scientific data on the short and long-term effects of fallout arising from British nuclear tests in Australia; to comment on the adequacy of the data available and the collection methodology; to assess the fallout levels arising from each of the tests, the immediate and subsequent hazards from the fallout to the Australian population and individual Australians, including Australian personnel involved and aborigines in South Australia, and the adequacy of the criteria for safe firing of each of the tests. A comparison is made of radiation protection standards adopted during the nuclear test period with current standards. The recommendations include the setting up of a public inquiry to determine how the conduct and consequences of the British nuclear tests affected the health and well-being of Australians

History of pediatric cardiology in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Saxena

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In India, the discipline of cardiology started in the late 1950s and at that time pediatric cardiology was practiced as a part of cardiology specialty. This article traces the history of pediatric cardiology in India. Dr. S. Padmawati and Dr. Kamala Vytilingam underwent training in pediatric cardiology at international centers in the early 1950s and early 1960s. Dr. N. Gopinath successfully closed a ventricular septal defect using a pump oxygenator at Christian Medical College, Vellore. Open heart surgery program kicked off in the 1960s with the tireless efforts of many other surgeons. Dr. Rajendra Tandon, trained for 2 years at Boston Children Hospital under Dr. Alexander Nadas, joined the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi in 1963. This and many other stories are described.

The best of nuclear cardiology and MRI in 2003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daou, D.

2005-01-01

As in previous years, the year 2003 was notable for clinical studies confirming the position occupied by Nuclear Cardiology and MRI in patient management. This was confirmed in the different areas tackled this year. In myocardial ischaemia, 2 points attracted our attention. Firstly, there is the good prognostic value of a normal myocardial perfusion (stress) CT with tetrofosmin (Myoview), which makes the good prognostic value of a normal SPECT independent of the type of tracer used ( 201 Tl, 99m Tc - MIBI, 99m Tc - Tetrofosmine). Secondly, an elegant study performed in 10627 patients, once more confirming the significance of using stress SPECT in the therapeutic strategy (medical treatment versus revascularization). Furthermore, in the area of myocardial infarction (MI), 3 points attracted our attention : the use of Annexin A5 - 99m Tc was advantageous for visualizing apoptosis in the territory at risk, the limits of studying regional myocardial function versus contrast MRI in the diagnosis of MI, and the good sensitivity of contrast MRI in the detection of sub-endocardial MI. In the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, one study reported the sensitivity and specificity of emergency MRI (84 versus 85%). In the area of myocardial viability, one study reported the inferiority of electromechanical mapping compared to SPECT and positron emission tomography. In the area of post-infarct cardiac failure, studies have confirmed the place of LVEF in the evaluation of prognosis, and combining this with BNP and possibly the study of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene. Similarly another study reported the superiority of MIBG-1231 compared to cardiac frequency variability in the evaluation of prognosis. (author)

Proceedings of 2nd Korea-China Congress of Nuclear Medicine and the Korean Society Nuclear Medicine Spring Meeting 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

This proceedings contains articles of 2nd Korea-China Congress of Nuclear Medicine and 2000 spring meeting of the Korean Society Nuclear Medicine. It was held on May 17-19, 2000 in Seoul, Korean. This proceedings is comprised of 6 sessions. The subject titles of session are as follows: general nuclear medicine, neurology, oncology, radiopharmacy and biology, nuclear cardiology, nuclear cardiology: physics and instrumentation and so on. (Yi, J. H.)

Radioisotope evaluation in cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massardo V, Teresa; Gonzalez E, Patricio; Canessa G, Jose

2002-01-01

The current applications of nuclear cardiology techniques are reviewed. Coronary artery disease is the most important and prevalent cardiovascular problem in most developed countries and also in Chile. Different approaches can be employed for its diagnosis and prognosis, as well as for risk stratification and preoperative evaluation. Myocardial infarction assessment and ischemia recognition with radionuclide perfusion images are also reviewed, including new protocols applying functional parameters addition. Viability detection after myocardial infarction or in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy are discussed. Stress protocols with the use of exercise or pharmacological action for ischemia production, the diagnostic value of perfusion SPECT and the use of Thallium-201, Tc-99m-Sestamibi and metabolic images with Fluorine18-Fluordeoxyglucose are also mentioned (au)

How to Practice Sports Cardiology: A Cardiology Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawless, Christine E

2015-07-01

The rigorous cardiovascular (CV) demands of sport, combined with training-related cardiac adaptations, render the athlete a truly unique CV patient and sports cardiology a truly unique discipline. Cardiologists are advised to adopt a systematic approach to the CV evaluation of athletes, taking into consideration the individual sports culture, sports-specific CV demands, CV adaptations and their appearance on cardiac testing, any existing or potential interaction of the heart with the internal and external sports environment, short- and long-term CV risks, and potential effect of performance-enhancing agents and antidoping regulations. This article outlines the systematic approach, provides a detailed example, and outlines contemporary sports cardiology core competencies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The origins of the Czech Society of Cardiology and of Czech cardiology].

Science.gov (United States)

Widimský, J

2013-06-01

The paper presents the origins of the Czech Society of Cardiology on the one hand, and the origins of Czech cardiology on the other. The Czech Society of Cardiology is the third oldest in the world (after the American and German Societies). It was founded in 1929 by Prof. Libenský. As early as in 1933, the Society organised the first international congress of cardiologists in Prague, which was attended by 200 doctors, out of which 50 were from abroad. The most participants came from France and Poland. Other participants came from England, Argentina, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Romania, Spain and Switzerland. The worldwide importance of this congress is apparent from the fact that both the World Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Cardiology (EKS) were founded after World War II in the years 1950 and 1952, i.e. almost 20 years after the first international congress of cardiology in Prague. In 1964, the Fourth Congress of European Society of Cardiology was held in Prague with the participation of 1,500 specialists from 31 countries and chaired by Prof. Pavel Lukl, the later president of EKS (1964- 1968). The paper also presents the work of our specialists in WHO and the history of the international journal Cor et Vasa issued by the Avicenum publishing house in Prague in English and Russian in the years 1958- 1992. An important role in the development of our cardiology was played by certain departments and clinics. In 1951, the Institute for Cardiovascular Research (ÚCHOK) was founded in PrahaKrč, thanks to the initiative of MU Dr. František Kriegl, the Deputy Minister of Health. Its first director was Klement Weber, who published, as early as in 1929, a monograph on arrhythmias -  50 years earlier than arrhythmias started to be at the centre of attention of cardiologists. Klement Weber was one of the doctors of President T. G. Masaryk during his serious disease towards the end of his life. Jan Brod was the deputy of Klement Weber in the

British energy policy and the market for coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

Evidence given by representative of Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear to the Trade and Industry Committee is presented verbatim with appendices of facts and figures. Scottish Nuclear presented a Company profile, a commentary on Scottish Nuclear's generation costs together with an outline of the initiatives currently being implemented to reduce these costs including the long-term dry storage of intact spent fuel and an outline of Scottish Nuclear's view of the need for a UK energy policy with a strong nuclear component within a diverse energy strategy. Nuclear Electric's evidence examined the need for nuclear power as a complement to coal to ensure a long term strategic balance of fuel, examined ways of strengthening the market for British coal, suggested a way of stabilising the market for British coal and emphasised the need to keep nuclear power options open until the 1994 Government review of Nuclear Power has been undertaken. Both sets of evidence were backed by details of generation costs, load factors, etc., which are all included. (UK)

Big Data for cardiology: novel discovery?

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer-Schönberger, Viktor

2016-03-21

Big Data promises to change cardiology through a massive increase in the data gathered and analysed; but its impact goes beyond improving incrementally existing methods. The potential of comprehensive data sets for scientific discovery is examined, and its impact on the scientific method generally and cardiology in particular is posited, together with likely consequences for research and practice. Big Data in cardiology changes how new insights are being discovered. For it to flourish, significant modifications in the methods, structures, and institutions of the profession are necessary. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cardiology Mannequin

Science.gov (United States)

1979-01-01

Education of medical students in cardiology requires access to patients having a variety of different forms of heart disease. But bringing together student, instructor and patient is a difficult and expensive process that does not benefit the patient. An alternate approach is substitution of a lifelike mannequin capable of simulating many conditions of heart disease. The mannequin pictured below, together with a related information display, is an advanced medical training system whose development benefited from NASA visual display technology and consultative input from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The mannequin system represents more than 10 years of development effort by Dr. Michael S. Gordon, professor of cardiology at the University of Miami (Florida) School of Medicine.

Geriatric Cardiology: An Emerging Discipline.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodson, John A; Matlock, Daniel D; Forman, Daniel E

2016-09-01

Given changing demographics, patients with cardiovascular (CV) disease in developed countries are now older and more complex than even a decade ago. This trend is expected to continue into the foreseeable future; accordingly, cardiologists are encountering patients with a greater number of comorbid illnesses as well as "geriatric conditions," such as cognitive impairment and frailty, which complicate management and influence outcomes. Simultaneously, technological advances have widened the therapeutic options available for patients, including those with the most advanced CV disease. In the setting of these changes, geriatric cardiology has recently emerged as a discipline that aims to adapt principles from geriatric medicine to everyday cardiology practice. Accordingly, the tasks of a "geriatric cardiologist" may include both traditional evidence-based CV management plus comprehensive geriatric assessment, medication reduction, team-based coordination of care, and explicit incorporation of patient goals into management. Given that the field is still in its relative infancy, the training pathways and structure of clinical programs in geriatric cardiology are still being delineated. In this review, we highlight the rationale behind geriatric cardiology as a discipline, several current approaches by geriatric cardiology programs, and future directions for the field. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review of cardiovascular imaging in the journal of nuclear cardiology in 2015. Part 1 of 2: Plaque imaging, positron emission tomography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance.

Science.gov (United States)

AlJaroudi, Wael A; Hage, Fadi G

2016-02-01

In 2015, many original articles pertaining to cardiovascular imaging with impressive quality were published in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology. In a set of 2 articles, we provide an overview of these contributions to facilitate for the interested reader a quick review of the advancements that occurred in the field over this year. In this first article, we focus on arterial plaque imaging, cardiac positron emission tomography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leon Cabana, Alba

1994-01-01

One of the diagnostic technique periodically used in Nuclear Medicine is the angiographic studi e, employee for detect cardiovascular diseases. The radiopharmaceutical more used in the angiographic ones is 99mTc. Between thetopics described in the present work it find: myocardial infarction, radiopharmaceuticals classification for cardiac studies, labelled proceedings, cardiovascular diseases

Impact of the new American and British guidelines on the management and treatment of dyslipidemia in a Spanish working population.

Science.gov (United States)

Brotons, Carlos; Calvo-Bonacho, Eva; Moral, Irene; García-Margallo, María Teresa; Cortés-Arcas, María Victoria; Puig, Mireia; Vázquez-Pirillo, Gastón; Ruilope, Luis Miguel

2014-11-01

The guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and the British National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on the management and treatment of dyslipidemia recommend significant changes, such as the abolition of therapeutic targets and the use of new risk tables. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the use of these new guidelines compared with the application of European guidelines. Observational study conducted among Spanish workers. We included all workers registered with the Sociedad de Prevención de Ibermutuamur in 2011 whose cardiovascular risk could be evaluated. Cardiovascular risk was calculated for each worker using the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation cardiovascular risk tables for low-risk countries, as well as the tables recommended by the American and British guidelines. A total of 258,676 workers were included (68.2% men; mean age, 39.3 years). High risk was found in 3.74% of the population according to the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation tables and in 6.85% and 20.83% according to the British and American tables, respectively. Treatment would be needed in 20 558 workers according to the American guidelines and in 13,222 according to the British guidelines, but in only 2612 according to the European guidelines. By following the American guidelines, the cost of statins would increase by a factor of 8. The new recommendations would result in identifying more high-risk patients and in treating a larger fraction of the population with lipid-lowering drugs than with the European recommendations, which would result in increased costs. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

What the clinical cardiologist requires from cardiovascular nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahl, J. vom

2004-01-01

Nuclear cardiology in Germany is right now at an important step for its future development. It is necessary to increase the publicity to the clinical community with regard to the well known and appreciated strengths of nuclear cardiology. Diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD), assessment of prognosis in patients with CAD with or without a history of myocardial infarction, imaging of myocardial viability as well as economic aspects of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies have been validated in numerous studies involving thousands of patients. Clinical ''marketing'' of these important aspects has to be significantly improved in the near future. The ''service'' to the clinical partners, such as general practitioners, internists or cardiologists, needs further improvement as well as interdisciplinary communication to avoid that nuclear cardiology will be replaced by other techniques such as MRI oder MSCT and to assure that nuclear cardiology will play an important role within the clinical work-up of patients with CAD as it has in countries like the US. (orig.)

Transradial access: lessons learned from cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Snelling, Brian M; Sur, Samir; Shah, Sumedh Subodh; Marlow, Megan M; Cohen, Mauricio G; Peterson, Eric C

2018-05-01

Innovations in interventional cardiology historically predate those in neuro-intervention. As such, studying trends in interventional cardiology can be useful in exploring avenues to optimise neuro-interventional techniques. One such cardiology innovation has been the steady conversion of arterial puncture sites from transfemoral access (TFA) to transradial access (TRA), a paradigm shift supported by safety benefits for patients. While neuro-intervention has unique anatomical challenges, the access itself is identical. As such, examining the extensive cardiology literature on the radial approach has the potential to offer valuable lessons for the neuro-interventionalist audience who may be unfamiliar with this body of work. Therefore, we present here a report, particularly for neuro-interventionalists, regarding the best practices for TRA by reviewing the relevant cardiology literature. We focused our review on the data most relevant to our audience, namely that surrounding the access itself. By reviewing the cardiology literature on metrics such as safety profiles, cost and patient satisfaction differences between TFA and TRA, as well as examining the technical nuances of the procedure and post-procedural care, we hope to give physicians treating complex cerebrovascular disease a broader data-driven understanding of TRA. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The power of British Energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawley, R.

1997-01-01

When the power industry in Britain was privatized, British Energy plc (BE), whose head office is in Edingburgh, Scotland, was founded in July 1996. It is the only power utility in the world exclusively operating nuclear power stations. Operative business has remained the responsibility of the two regional supply companies, Nuclear Electric (NE) and Scottish Nuclear (SN) which, in addition to the modern PWR nuclear generating unit of Sizewell B, have included in the new holding company their advanced gas-cooled and gas-moderated reactor (AGR) units. The older gas-graphite reactor (GGR) plants were combined in the new Magnox Electric plc, Berkeley; at some later date, this company is to be merged with another nuclear power plant operator, British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL). Sizewell B, which was commissioned in 1995, is the last nuclear generating unit to be started up in the United Kingdom, for the time being. In times of low raw material prices and the need for a quick return on invested capital, BE is reluctant to run the risk associated with tying up capital for a long time. Instead, the company has backfitted its plants so that the production of electricity from nuclear power in Britain in 1996 of 92,476 GWh was increased by almost 10% over the 1995 level of 84,174 GWh. In addition to modernization and rationalization at home, BE together with Sizewell B vendor Westinghouse is engaged worldwide in the development and commercialization of future advanced reactors. This ensures that the know-how accumulated will be preserved and will be available for new nuclear power plants to be built in Britain in the next century. (orig.)

Pediatric Cardiology Boot Camp: Description and Evaluation of a Novel Intensive Training Program for Pediatric Cardiology Trainees.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceresnak, Scott R; Axelrod, David M; Motonaga, Kara S; Johnson, Emily R; Krawczeski, Catherine D

2016-06-01

The transition from residency to subspecialty fellowship in a procedurally driven field such as pediatric cardiology is challenging for trainees. We describe and assess the educational value of a pediatric cardiology "boot camp" educational tool designed to help prepare trainees for cardiology fellowship. A two-day intensive training program was provided for pediatric cardiology fellows in July 2015 at a large fellowship training program. Hands-on experiences and simulations were provided in: anatomy, auscultation, echocardiography, catheterization, cardiovascular intensive care (CVICU), electrophysiology (EP), heart failure, and cardiac surgery. Knowledge-based exams as well as surveys were completed by each participant pre-training and post-training. Pre- and post-exam results were compared via paired t tests, and survey results were compared via Wilcoxon rank sum. A total of eight participants were included. After boot camp, there was a significant improvement between pre- and post-exam scores (PRE 54 ± 9 % vs. POST 85 ± 8 %; p ≤ 0.001). On pre-training survey, the most common concerns about starting fellowship included: CVICU emergencies, technical aspects of the catheterization/EP labs, using temporary and permanent pacemakers/implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs), and ECG interpretation. Comparing pre- and post-surveys, there was a statistically significant improvement in the participants comfort level in 33 of 36 (92 %) areas of assessment. All participants (8/8, 100 %) strongly agreed that the boot camp was a valuable learning experience and helped to alleviate anxieties about the start of fellowship. A pediatric cardiology boot camp experience at the start of cardiology fellowship can provide a strong foundation and serve as an educational springboard for pediatric cardiology fellows.

Mobile apps in cardiology: review.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Pérez, Borja; de la Torre-Díez, Isabel; López-Coronado, Miguel; Herreros-González, Jesús

2013-07-24

Cardiovascular diseases are the deadliest diseases worldwide, with 17.3 million deaths in 2008 alone. Among them, heart-related deaths are of the utmost relevance; a fact easily proven by the 7.25 million deaths caused by ischemic heart disease alone in that year. The latest advances in smartphones and mHealth have been used in the creation of thousands of medical apps related to cardiology, which can help to reduce these mortality rates. The aim of this paper is to study the literature on mobile systems and applications currently available, as well as the existing apps related to cardiology from the leading app stores and to then classify the results to see what is available and what is missing, focusing particularly on commercial apps. Two reviews have been developed. One is a literature review of mobile systems and applications, retrieved from several databases and systems such as Scopus, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and Web of Knowledge. The other is a review of mobile apps in the leading app stores, Google play for Android and Apple's App Store for iOS. Search queries up to May 2013 located 406 papers and 710 apps related to cardiology and heart disease. The most researched section in the literature associated with cardiology is related to mobile heart (and vital signs) monitoring systems and the methods involved in the classification of heart signs in order to detect abnormal functions. Other systems with a significant number of papers are mobile cardiac rehabilitation systems, blood pressure measurement, and systems for the detection of heart failure. The majority of apps for cardiology are heart monitors and medical calculators. Other categories with a high number of apps are those for ECG education and interpretation, cardiology news and journals, blood pressure tracking, heart rate monitoring using an external device, and CPR instruction. There are very few guides on cardiac rehabilitation and apps for the management of the cardiac condition, and there were no

British Energy privatisation - 18 months on

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McRoberts, Doug

1998-01-01

The TV advertisement which launched the privatisation of British Energy in the summer of 1996 - but just how successful has that privatisation been? And who has benefited - shareholders? The nuclear industry? Our own workforce? Last year, as reported to PIME 97 that the privatisation itself had been successfully completed - following the restructuring of the UK nuclear generation industry, and the creation of British Energy, a new name in the UK - and world energy scene. In simple terms, that privatisation has certainly succeeded - our share price since privatisation has more than doubled, from 2 pounds to well over 4 ponds. Over the last year, it has consistently outperformed the UK electricity sector - particularly over the last winter; it has also out-performed the FR Share Index over the same period, and in December British Energy became one of the UK top 100 listed companies, included in the FTSE 100 having started life at around number 130. This in turn has meant that a number of high quality institutions have taken a second look at British Energy and begun to invest in us as part of a portfolio of FTSE 100 companies. Our success as a private sector company could only be built on the solid foundation of successes as a nuclear utility. Over the five years from 1992 to 1997, our output went up by 64 as Sizewell B came on line and the AGRs achieved their design load factors at last. Safety remains our top priority, and while our profitability increased, so did our safety ratings - accident frequency rates came down by 60%, and collective radiation exposure to our workforce came down 58%. As a result of all this achievement, coupled with reduction in our total workforce, our productivity went up by over 100% - surely proof that nuclear can succeed in a competitive, deregulated electricity market. For future, it has been even more important to sustain that initial success to grow and develop British Energy as a company. The results are there for all to see. In the

Pediatric cardiology. Clinical and practical experiences with heart diseases of children, juveniles and young adults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haas, Nikolaus A.

2011-01-01

The book on pediatric cardiology covers the following chapters: (I) Fundamentals and diagnostics: pediatric cardiologic anamnesis, electrocardiograms, thorax X-radiography, MRT and CT of the heart, nuclear medical diagnostics, exercise tests, heart catheter examination, electrophysiological tests. (II) Leading symptoms: Cyanosis, cardiac murmur, thorax pain, palpitation, syncopes. (III) Disease pictures: congenital heart defects, acquired heart defects, cardiomyopathies, heart rhythm disturbances, heart insufficiency, arterial hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, other heart involving syndromes. (IV) Therapy: Catheter interventional therapy, post-surgical pediatric cardiac therapy, surgery involving the life-support machine, mechanical cardiovascular support systems, initial treatment of newborns with critical heart defects, heart transplantation, vaccination of children with heart diseases, medicinal therapy.

Technical progress in nuclear medical heart diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Standke, R.; Hoer, G.

1989-01-01

The rapid development in nuclear cardiology worldwide can hardly be surveyed from the point of view of one center. In connection with the general nuclear cardiologic development this study describes a multiparameter analysis of regional left ventricular function during exercise, and the method of sectoranalysis for quantification of myocardial SPECT. Finally a one-step procedure to quantify left ventricular function and myocardial perfusion is presented. (orig.) [de

British scientists and the Manhattan Project: the Los Alamos years

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szasz, F.M.

1992-01-01

This is a study of the British scientific mission to Los Alamos, New Mexico, from 1943 to 1947, and the impact it had on the early history of the atomic age. In the years following the Manhattan Project and the production of the world's first atomic explosion in 1945, the British contribution to the Project was played down or completely ignored leaving the impression that all the atomic scientists had been American. However, the two dozen or so British scientists contributed crucially to the development of the atomic bomb. First, the initial research and reports of British scientists convinced American scientists that an atomic weapons could be constructed before the likely end of hostilities. Secondly their contribution insured the bomb was available in the shortest possible time. Also, because these scientists became involved in post-war politics and in post-war development of nuclear power, they also helped forge the nuclear boundaries of the mid-twentieth century. (UK)

British scientists and the Manhattan Project: the Los Alamos years

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szasz, F.M. (New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (United States))

1992-01-01

This is a study of the British scientific mission to Los Alamos, New Mexico, from 1943 to 1947, and the impact it had on the early history of the atomic age. In the years following the Manhattan Project and the production of the world's first atomic explosion in 1945, the British contribution to the Project was played down or completely ignored leaving the impression that all the atomic scientists had been American. However, the two dozen or so British scientists contributed crucially to the development of the atomic bomb. First, the initial research and reports of British scientists convinced American scientists that an atomic weapons could be constructed before the likely end of hostilities. Secondly their contribution insured the bomb was available in the shortest possible time. Also, because these scientists became involved in post-war politics and in post-war development of nuclear power, they also helped forge the nuclear boundaries of the mid-twentieth century. (UK).

Annual congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine. EANM'14. Abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2014-10-15

The proceedings of the annual congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine EANM'14 contain abstracts on the following issues: nuclear cardiology practices, PET in lymphoma, advances in nuclear cardiology, dosimetry for intra-arterial treatment in the liver, pediatric nuclear medicine, therapeutic nuclear medicine, SPECT/CT, prostate cancer, extended competencies for nuclear medicine technologists, neurosciences - neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, radionuclide therapy and dosimetry - preclinical studies, physics and instrumentation, clinical molecular imaging, conventional and specialized nuclear medicine.

Artificial intelligence in cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonderman, Diana

2017-12-01

Decision-making is complex in modern medicine and should ideally be based on available data, structured knowledge and proper interpretation in the context of an individual patient. Automated algorithms, also termed artificial intelligence that are able to extract meaningful patterns from data collections and build decisions upon identified patterns may be useful assistants in clinical decision-making processes. In this article, artificial intelligence-based studies in clinical cardiology are reviewed. The text also touches on the ethical issues and speculates on the future roles of automated algorithms versus clinicians in cardiology and medicine in general.

Cardiology

OpenAIRE

Fahey, Tom; Schroeder, Knut

2004-01-01

This article describes recent developments in cardiology and cardiovascular disease that are likely to be relevant to primary healthcare professionals and their patients. The following subject areas are covered: Primary prevention: recent developments in pharmacological interventions, drug interactions, and drugs that are likely to cause harm; cardiovascular risk estimation and shared decision making with patients; and new developments in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.Second...

Knowledge discovery in cardiology: A systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadi, I; Idri, A; Fernandez-Aleman, J L

2017-01-01

Data mining (DM) provides the methodology and technology needed to transform huge amounts of data into useful information for decision making. It is a powerful process employed to extract knowledge and discover new patterns embedded in large data sets. Data mining has been increasingly used in medicine, particularly in cardiology. In fact, DM applications can greatly benefit all those involved in cardiology, such as patients, cardiologists and nurses. The purpose of this paper is to review papers concerning the application of DM techniques in cardiology so as to summarize and analyze evidence regarding: (1) the DM techniques most frequently used in cardiology; (2) the performance of DM models in cardiology; (3) comparisons of the performance of different DM models in cardiology. We performed a systematic literature review of empirical studies on the application of DM techniques in cardiology published in the period between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2015. A total of 149 articles published between 2000 and 2015 were selected, studied and analyzed according to the following criteria: DM techniques and performance of the approaches developed. The results obtained showed that a significant number of the studies selected used classification and prediction techniques when developing DM models. Neural networks, decision trees and support vector machines were identified as being the techniques most frequently employed when developing DM models in cardiology. Moreover, neural networks and support vector machines achieved the highest accuracy rates and were proved to be more efficient than other techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Sandys White Paper of 1957 and the move to the British new look. An analysis of nuclear weapons, conventional forces and strategic planning 1955-57

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navias, Martin Stephen

1989-01-01

This study seeks to analyse the significance of the 1957 Defence White Paper in the context of British strategic planning during the mid-1950s. Claims that the White Paper represented a culmination of trends already prevalent in British defence planning are assessed while continuities and discontinuities in strategic policies are identified. This is done by highlighting the main features of the document and then tracing their development in the 1955-57 period. A major theme throughout is the relationship between the growing declaratory emphasis on nuclear deterrence and the determination of the shape and size of conventional forces and capabilities. It is contended that the defence decision making process that was in place prior to January 1957 was incapable of generating a British New Look - that is a consistent set of declaratory and action policies which reflected a cutback in conventional forces accompanied by a greater reliance on the threat of nuclear retaliation. Prior to Duncan Sandys becoming Minister of Defence, the inability of that ministry to readily impose itself on the service departments meant that the latter's attachment to preparations for global war and the national service programme could not be overruled. It is also unclear whether during the 1955-56 period the basis for a truly independent deterrent was being established. An analysis of the negotiations surrounding the 1957 White Paper indicates that Sandys was able to overrule traditional service preferences. The result was a policy which rejected the imposition of a conventional strategy on a nuclear one in favour of a British New Look. Consequently, conventional forces were reduced, greater relative importance was placed on the nuclear deterrent, but once more the requirements of a unilateral independent deterrent did not receive priority. (author)

The British Nuclear Fuels Limited (Payment and Loan Limit) Order 1976 No.1298

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

Sections 11(4) and 12(1) of the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1971 authorise the Secretary of State for Energy (with the consent of the Treasury) to subscribe for shares in British Nuclear Fuels Limited and (with the approval of the Treasury) to make loans to the Company. Section 13 of the Act imposes an overall limit on the total amounts which may be paid or lent to that Company by the Secretary of State or by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, or both collectively, of Pound 50 million, which may be increased to such greater sum not exceeding Pound 75 million as may be specified by the Secretary of State by order. This Order increases the limit to Pound 75 million. (G.B.) [fr

Evaluation of cardiology consultations sought from the anaesthesia clinic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minai, F.N.; Kamal, R.S.

2004-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the criteria for cardiology referrals and to assess the perioperative relevance of the cardiology advice given in patients evaluated for non-cardiac surgery. Materials and Methods: A review of case files of 70 patients, scheduled for non-cardiac surgery, who were referred for cardiology consultations from the Anaesthesia Clinic at AKUH during the study period. The clinical criteria for seeking cardiology advice, the cardiology advice given, its influence on patient management, as well as number of adverse cardiac events in the perioperative period were documented. Results: A history of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and ECG abnormalities were the major criteria for seeking opinion on cardiac status. Cardiology advice frequently resulted in the ordering of extensive cardiac investigations. Among the patients identified for further tests by the cardiologists, 75% had no evidence of ischemic heart disease or myocardial dysfunction; none of them were monitored invasively intraoperatively or had adverse cardiac events in the perioperative period requiring intensive care or prolonged hospital stay. Conclusion: No definite criteria or pattern for referrals was identified. Most of the referrals did not fall within the AHA guidelines. Cardiology advice given had very little influence on the perioperative management. (author)

Zoning and workstation analysis in interventional cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Degrange, J.P.

2009-01-01

As interventional cardiology can induce high doses not only for patients but also for the personnel, the delimitation of regulated areas (or zoning) and workstation analysis (dosimetry) are very important in terms of radioprotection. This paper briefly recalls methods and tools for the different steps to perform zoning and workstation analysis. It outlines the peculiarities of interventional cardiology, presents methods and tools adapted to interventional cardiology, and then discusses the same issues but for workstation analysis. It also outlines specific problems which can be met, and their possible adapted solutions

Development of Quality Metrics in Ambulatory Pediatric Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chowdhury, Devyani; Gurvitz, Michelle; Marelli, Ariane; Anderson, Jeffrey; Baker-Smith, Carissa; Diab, Karim A; Edwards, Thomas C; Hougen, Tom; Jedeikin, Roy; Johnson, Jonathan N; Karpawich, Peter; Lai, Wyman; Lu, Jimmy C; Mitchell, Stephanie; Newburger, Jane W; Penny, Daniel J; Portman, Michael A; Satou, Gary; Teitel, David; Villafane, Juan; Williams, Roberta; Jenkins, Kathy

2017-02-07

The American College of Cardiology Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology (ACPC) Section had attempted to create quality metrics (QM) for ambulatory pediatric practice, but limited evidence made the process difficult. The ACPC sought to develop QMs for ambulatory pediatric cardiology practice. Five areas of interest were identified, and QMs were developed in a 2-step review process. In the first step, an expert panel, using the modified RAND-UCLA methodology, rated each QM for feasibility and validity. The second step sought input from ACPC Section members; final approval was by a vote of the ACPC Council. Work groups proposed a total of 44 QMs. Thirty-one metrics passed the RAND process and, after the open comment period, the ACPC council approved 18 metrics. The project resulted in successful development of QMs in ambulatory pediatric cardiology for a range of ambulatory domains. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does Britain need nuclear weapons?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, C.R.; Pease, R.S.; Peierls, R.E.; Rotblat, J.

1995-01-01

This report from the British Pugwash Group follows up a detailed international study of the desirability and feasibility of a world free from nuclear weapons with an analysis of issues particular to British nuclear weapons and the associated defense policies. United Kingdom nuclear weapons are reviewed historically, as are the nuclear weapons policies of other countries. A critique of present government policy is presented, with alternative uses for nuclear weapons in the post-Cold war world. The document concludes with a summary of the text and suggests how a British government could move towards global nuclear disarmament. (UK)

The Representation of Iran’s Nuclear Program in British Newspaper Editorials: A Critical Discourse Analytic Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmood Reza Atai

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In this study, Van Dijk’s (1998 model of CDA was utilized in order to examine the representation of Iran’s nuclear program in editorials published by British news casting companies. The analysis of the editorials was carried out at two levels of headlines and full text stories with regard to the linguistic features of lexical choices, nominalization, passivization, overcompleteness, and voice. The results support biased representation in media discourse, in this case Iran’s nuclear program. Likewise, the findings approve Bloor and Bloor (2007 ideological circles of Self (i.e., the West and Other (i.e., Iran or US and THEM in the media. The findings may be utilized to increase Critical Language Awareness (CLA among EFL teachers / students and can promise implications for ESP materials development and EAP courses for the students of journalism.

Opportunities for improvement on current nuclear cardiology practices and radiation exposure in Latin America: Findings from the 65-country IAEA Nuclear Cardiology Protocols cross-sectional Study (INCAPS).

Science.gov (United States)

Vitola, João V; Mut, Fernando; Alexánderson, Erick; Pascual, Thomas N B; Mercuri, Mathew; Karthikeyan, Ganesan; Better, Nathan; Rehani, Madan M; Kashyap, Ravi; Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Einstein, Andrew J

2017-06-01

Comparison of Latin American (LA) nuclear cardiology (NC) practice with that in the rest of the world (RoW) will identify areas for improvement and lead to educational activities to reduce radiation exposure from NC. INCAPS collected data on all SPECT and PET procedures performed during a single week in March-April 2013 in 36 laboratories in 10 LA countries (n = 1139), and 272 laboratories in 55 countries in RoW (n = 6772). Eight "best practices" were identified a priori and a radiation-related Quality Index (QI) was devised indicating the number used. Mean radiation effective dose (ED) in LA was higher than in RoW (11.8 vs 9.1 mSv, p < 0.001). Within a populous country like Brazil, a wide variation in laboratory mean ED was found, ranging from 8.4 to 17.8 mSv. Only 11% of LA laboratories achieved median ED <9 mSv, compared to 32% in RoW (p < 0.001). QIs ranged from 2 in a laboratory in Mexico to 7 in a laboratory in Cuba. Three major opportunities to reduce ED for LA patients were identified: (1) more laboratories could implement stress-only imaging, (2) camera-based methods of ED reduction, including prone imaging, could be more frequently used, and (3) injected activity of 99m Tc could be adjusted reflecting patient weight/habitus. On average, radiation dose from NC is higher in LA compared to RoW, with median laboratory ED <9 mSv achieved only one third as frequently as in RoW. Opportunities to reduce radiation exposure in LA have been identified and guideline-based recommendations made to optimize protocols and adhere to the "as low as reasonably achievable" (ALARA) principle.

The report of the Royal Commission into British nuclear tests in Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1985-01-01

The conclusions and recommendations of the Royal commission into British nuclear tests conducted in Australia between 1952 and 1963 are presented. The recommendations include that action should be commenced immediately to effect a clean-up of Maralinga and Emu so that they are fit for unrestricted habitation by the traditional Aboriginal owners as soon as practicable; all costs of any future clean-ups at Maralinga, Emu and the Monte Bello Islands should be borne by the United Kingdom Government; a Maralinga Commission should be established to determine the clean-up criteria, oversee the clean-up and co-ordinate all future Range management; the Australian government should make compensation to those persons and descendants of those persons who have a traditional interest in sites at the former Maralinga Prohibited Area for loss of use and enjoyment of their lands since the beginning, and as a result of the atomic tests program

Present and future of clinical cardiovascular PET imaging in Europe - a position statement by the European Council of Nuclear Cardiology (ECNC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Guludec, D.; Lautamaeki, R.; Bengel, F.M.; Knuuti, J.; Bax, J.J.

2008-01-01

This position statement was prepared by the European Council of Nuclear Cardiology and summarises the current and future potential of PET as a clinical cardiovascular diagnostic imaging tool. The first section describes how methodological developments have positively influenced the transition of PET from a research tool towards a clinical diagnostic test. In the second section, evidence in support of its superior diagnostic accuracy, its value to guide decision making and to predict outcome and its cost effectiveness is summarised. The third section finally outlines new PET-based approaches and concepts, which will likely influence clinical cardiovascular medicine in the future. The notion that integration of cardiac PET into healthcare systems and disease management algorithms will advance quality of care is increasingly supported by the literature highlighted in this statement. (orig.)

Nuclear cardiac imaging: Principles and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iskandrian, A.S.

1987-01-01

This book is divided into 11 chapters. The first three provide a short description of the instrumentation, radiopharmaceuticals, and imaging techniques used in nuclear cardiology. Chapter 4 discusses exercise testing. Chapter 5 gives the theory, technical aspects, and interpretations of thallium-201 myocardial imaging and radionuclide ventriculography. The remaining chapters discuss the use of these techniques in patients with coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, valvular heart disease, and other forms of cardiac disease. The author intended to emphasize the implications of nuclear cardiology procedures on patient care management and to provide a comprehensive bibliography.

Nuclear cardiac imaging: Principles and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iskandrian, A.S.

1987-01-01

This book is divided into 11 chapters. The first three provide a short description of the instrumentation, radiopharmaceuticals, and imaging techniques used in nuclear cardiology. Chapter 4 discusses exercise testing. Chapter 5 gives the theory, technical aspects, and interpretations of thallium-201 myocardial imaging and radionuclide ventriculography. The remaining chapters discuss the use of these techniques in patients with coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, valvular heart disease, and other forms of cardiac disease. The author intended to emphasize the implications of nuclear cardiology procedures on patient care management and to provide a comprehensive bibliography

The impossible dream? How Nuclear Electric, Ltd. pulled itself out of the ashes of government ownership and became highly competitive in a privatized and deregulating British power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maycock, P.

1998-01-01

The day was dark for Nuclear Electric plc. when the British government decided it would privatize and deregulate the electric utility industry. For years, Nuclear Electric and other UK-based fossil power producers had been operating in a regulated market where the state set and guaranteed the price of electricity. All that was changing in Britain as the government introduced competition and as customers looked forward to purchasing power from the lowest bidder. Essentially the situation in England was much the same as it is now in the US: there was major momentum toward deregulation. The reality of competition in Britain came as good news to many power producers--in particular those who kept the lights on cost effectively. Others, However, weren't so optimistic, especially nuclear plants that traditionally bear higher safety and maintenance costs than their fossil counterparts. Taking its cues from the City (Britain's Wall Street), the British government simply considered nuclear generators to be unreliable, high cost, unprofitable organizations incapable of surviving in a privatized environment. It therefore left its nuclear power plants off the docket when selling (privatizing) its generating capacity. This paper describes how Nuclear Electric Ltd. became competitive in a deregulated environment

Career choices for cardiology: cohort studies of UK medical graduates

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Cardiology is one of the most popular of the hospital medical specialties in the UK. It is also a highly competitive specialty in respect of the availability of higher specialty training posts. Our aims are to describe doctors’ early intentions about seeking careers in cardiology, to report on when decisions about seeking a career in cardiology are made, to compare differences between men and women doctors in the choice of cardiology, and to compare early career choices with later specialty destinations. Methods Questionnaire surveys were sent to all UK medical graduates in selected qualification years from 1974–2009, at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 years after graduation. Results One year after graduation, the percentage of doctors specifying cardiology as their first choice of long-term career rose from the mid-1990s from 2.4% (1993 cohort) to 4.2% (2005 cohort) but then fell back to 2.7% (2009 cohort). Men were more likely to give cardiology as their first choice than women (eg 4.1% of men and 1.9% of women in the 2009 cohort). The percentage of doctors who gave cardiology as their first choice of career declined between years one and five after qualification: the fall was more marked for women. 34% of respondents who specified cardiology as their sole first choice of career one year post-graduation were later working in cardiology. 24% of doctors practising as cardiologists several years after qualification had given cardiology as their sole first choice in year one. The doctors’ ‘domestic circumstances’ were a relatively unimportant influence on specialty choice for aspiring cardiologists, while ‘enthusiasm/commitment’, ‘financial prospects’, ‘experiences of the job so far’ and ‘a particular teacher/department’ were important. Conclusions Cardiology grew as a first preference one year after graduation to 2005 but is now falling. It consistently attracts a higher percentage of men than women doctors. The correspondence between early

Nuclear power: a British view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, G.

1985-01-01

The subject is covered in sections, entitled: importance of nuclear power; the problems; fuel availability (uranium purchasing policy; uranium market; longer-term demand; enrichment market; fast reactor); non-proliferation and nuclear export policy; public acceptability. (U.K.)

The 2017 Seventh World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery: week in review - ambulatory pediatric cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chowdhury, Devyani

2017-12-01

The Seventh World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology was held in Barcelona in July, 2017. The central philosophy of the congress was "bridging together" all major specialties in the field. This article summarises the highlights of the meeting as it relates to ambulatory paediatric cardiology. There is a now a more unified approach to children with CHD, including assessment of neuro-developmental outcomes. The new World Heart Foundation criteria for the diagnosis of rheumatic fever remain controversial.

The selection and performance of the natural zeolite clinoptilolite in British Nuclear Fuels' site ion exchange effluent plant, SIXEP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baxter, S.G.; Berghauser, D.C.

1986-01-01

SIXEP has been conducted by British Nuclear Fuels plc at its Sellafield reprocessing site as part of its committment to reduce radioactive discharges to the Irish Sea. An extensive development program identified the natural ion exchange mineral clinoptilolite, from a particular deposit in California now owned by Tenneco Specialty Minerals, as the most suitable for use in SIXEP to extract caesium and strontium from spent nuclear fuel storage pond water. Close cooperation with the supplier in a Quality Assurance scheme ensured the supply of a fully-characterised, high grade ion exchanger. Since SIXEP commenced treating pond water on 28 May 1985, the plant has performed well, exceeding the design expectation in terms of discharge reduction and availability

Training residents/fellows in paediatric cardiology: the Emory experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Robert M

2016-12-01

Pediatric cardiology fellowship is a very busy time, with new responsibilities, new knowledge, new technology and fast pace. Above and beyond the science and art of pediatric cardiology, we emphasize that our cardiology fellows are in the middle of the "people business", with additional roles and responsibilities as they serve their patients and communities. This manuscript provides insight into these opportunities for our pediatric cardiac professionals.

The practice of paediatric cardiology in Nigeria: A Review | Chinawa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: The practice of Paediatric cardiology in Nigeria is at its early phase and it is being choked in an environment overwhelmed with economic, ethnic and political issues. Paediatric cardiology covers a broad area of medicine. This includes diagnosis, medical treatment, interventional cardiology, prenatal diagnosis ...

Management of suspected acute coronary syndrome patients admitted to cardiology or non-cardiology services at Auckland City Hospital: implications for future national data collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tom Kai Ming; Chow, Kok-Lam; Lin, Aaron; Chataline, Alexei; White, Harvey; Dawes, Matthew; Gamble, Greg; Ellis, Chris

2018-03-09

To review the number, characteristics and clinical management of suspected ACS patients admitted to cardiology and non-cardiology services at Auckland City Hospital, to assess differences between these services and to assess the number who would potentially be enrolled in the All New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Quality Improvement Programme (ANZACS-QI) database. Auckland City Hospital patient data was extracted from the Australia and New Zealand ACS 'SNAPSHOT' audit, performed over 14 days in May 2012. There were 121 suspected ACS admissions to Auckland City hospital during the audit period, with 45 (37%) patients directly managed by the cardiology service, and 76 (63%) patients cared for by non-cardiology services. Based on the subsequent discharge diagnosis, the cardiology service had more patients with definite ACS than the non-cardiology services; 27/45 (60%) compared to 16/76 (21%), difference (95%CI) 39% (22-56), P<0.0001). Cardiology ACS patients were more likely to undergo echocardiography; 15/27 (56%) compared to 2/16 (13%), difference 42% (18-68), P=0.0089), coronary angiography; 21/27 (78%) compared to 3/16 (19%), difference (95%CI) 59% (34-84), P=0.0003), coronary revascularisation; 18/27 (67%) compared to 3/16 (19%), difference (95%CI) 48% (22-74), P=0.004, and be discharged on two antiplatelet agents; 18/26 (69%) compared to 3/15 (20%), difference (95%CI) 49% (22-76), P=0.0036, or an ACEI/ARB; 20/26 (77%) compared to 5/15 (33%), difference (95%CI) 44% (15-72), P=0.0088. In patients with a discharge diagnosis of definite ACS, those managed by non-cardiology services were less likely to receive guideline-recommended investigations, and management, in this relatively small cohort study. About one-third of all ACS patients are managed by non-cardiology services and would not be recorded by the ANZACS-QI database.

Clinical cardiology consultation at non-cardiology departments: stepchild of patient care?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schellings, D.A.; Symersky, T.; Ottervanger, J.P.; Ramdat Misier, A.R.; Boer, M.J. de

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: Although patient care in cardiology departments may be of high quality, patients with cardiac disease in other departments tend to receive less attention from cardiologists. Driven by the shorter duration of admission nowadays and the fact that consultations are often performed in

Radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear cardiology; Radiofarmacos para cardiologica nuclear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leon Cabana, Alba [Universidad de la Republica, Facultad de Quimica (Uruguay)

1994-12-31

One of the diagnostic technique periodically used in Nuclear Medicine is the angiographic studi e, employee for detect cardiovascular diseases. The radiopharmaceutical more used in the angiographic ones is 99mTc. Between thetopics described in the present work it find: myocardial infarction, radiopharmaceuticals classification for cardiac studies, labelled proceedings, cardiovascular diseases.

Measures of Knowledge and Attitude Toward Preventive Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Allred, Charlene A.; And Others

1985-01-01

The development and validation of an inventory of preventive cardiology at the University of Virginia is described. The inventory contains two instruments designed to measure medical students' preinstructional and postinstructional knowledge of and attitude toward preventive cardiology. (Author/MLW)

Radiation safety among cardiology fellows.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Candice; Vasaiwala, Samip; Haque, Faizul; Pratap, Kiran; Vidovich, Mladen I

2010-07-01

Cardiology fellows can be exposed to high radiation levels during procedures. Proper radiation training and implementation of safety procedures is of critical importance in lowering physician health risks associated with radiation exposure. Participants were cardiology fellows in the United States (n = 2,545) who were contacted by e-mail to complete an anonymous survey regarding the knowledge and practice of radiation protection during catheterization laboratory procedures. An on-line survey engine, SurveyMonkey, was used to distribute and collect the results of the 10-question survey. The response rate was 10.5%. Of the 267 respondents, 82% had undergone formal radiation safety training. Only 58% of the fellows were aware of their hospital's pregnancy radiation policy and 60% knew how to contact the hospital's radiation safety officer. Although 52% of the fellows always wore a dosimeter, 81% did not know their level of radiation exposure in the previous year and only 74% of fellows knew the safe levels of radiation exposure. The fellows who had received formal training were more likely to be aware of their pregnancy policy, to know the contact information of their radiation safety officer, to be aware of the safe levels of radiation exposure, to use dosimeters and RadPad consistently, and to know their own level of radiation exposure in the previous year. In conclusion, cardiology fellows have not been adequately educated about radiation safety. A concerted effort directed at physician safety in the workplace from the regulatory committees overseeing cardiology fellowships should be encouraged. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Practical application of natriuretic peptides in paediatric cardiology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smith, Julie; Goetze, Jens Peter; B. Andersen, Claus

2010-01-01

It is still uncertain if cardiac natriuretic peptides are useful biomarkers in paediatric cardiology. In this review we identify four clinical scenarios in paediatric cardiology, where clinical decision-making can be difficult, and where we feel the paediatric cardiologists need additional...

A Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Boot Camp improves trainee confidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Allan, Catherine K; Tannous, Paul; DeWitt, Elizabeth; Farias, Michael; Mansfield, Laura; Ronai, Christina; Schidlow, David; Sanders, Stephen P; Lock, James E; Newburger, Jane W; Brown, David W

2016-12-01

Introduction New paediatric cardiology trainees are required to rapidly assimilate knowledge and gain clinical skills to which they have limited or no exposure during residency. The Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Boot Camp (PCBC) at Boston Children's Hospital was designed to provide incoming fellows with an intensive exposure to congenital cardiac pathology and a broad overview of major areas of paediatric cardiology practice. The PCBC curriculum was designed by core faculty in cardiac pathology, echocardiography, electrophysiology, interventional cardiology, exercise physiology, and cardiac intensive care. Individual faculty contributed learning objectives, which were refined by fellowship directors and used to build a programme of didactics, hands-on/simulation-based activities, and self-guided learning opportunities. A total of 16 incoming fellows participated in the 4-week boot camp, with no concurrent clinical responsibilities, over 2 years. On the basis of pre- and post-PCBC surveys, 80% of trainees strongly agreed that they felt more prepared for clinical responsibilities, and a similar percentage felt that PCBC should be offered to future incoming fellows. Fellows showed significant increase in their confidence in all specific knowledge and skills related to the learning objectives. Fellows rated hands-on learning experiences and simulation-based exercises most highly. We describe a novel 4-week-long boot camp designed to expose incoming paediatric cardiology fellows to the broad spectrum of knowledge and skills required for the practice of paediatric cardiology. The experience increased trainee confidence and sense of preparedness to begin fellowship-related responsibilities. Given that highly interactive activities were rated most highly, boot camps in paediatric cardiology should strongly emphasise these elements.

ACCF/ASNC appropriateness criteria for single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT MPI): a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation Quality Strategic Directions Committee Appropriateness Criteria Working Group and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology endorsed by the American Heart Association.

Science.gov (United States)

Brindis, Ralph G; Douglas, Pamela S; Hendel, Robert C; Peterson, Eric D; Wolk, Michael J; Allen, Joseph M; Patel, Manesh R; Raskin, Ira E; Hendel, Robert C; Bateman, Timothy M; Cerqueira, Manuel D; Gibbons, Raymond J; Gillam, Linda D; Gillespie, John A; Hendel, Robert C; Iskandrian, Ami E; Jerome, Scott D; Krumholz, Harlan M; Messer, Joseph V; Spertus, John A; Stowers, Stephen A

2005-10-18

Under the auspices of the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), an appropriateness review was conducted for radionuclide cardiovascular imaging (RNI), specifically gated single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT MPI). The review assessed the risks and benefits of the imaging test for several indications or clinical scenarios and scored them based on a scale of 1 to 9, where the upper range (7 to 9) implies that the test is generally acceptable and is a reasonable approach, and the lower range (1 to 3) implies that the test is generally not acceptable and is not a reasonable approach. The mid range (4 to 6) implies that the test may be generally acceptable and may be a reasonable approach for the indication. The indications for this review were primarily drawn from existing clinical practice guidelines and modified based on discussion by the ACCF Appropriateness Criteria Working Group and the Technical Panel members who rated the indications. The method for this review was based on the RAND/UCLA approach for evaluating appropriateness, which blends scientific evidence and practice experience. A modified Delphi technique was used to obtain first- and second-round ratings of 52 clinical indications. The ratings were done by a Technical Panel with diverse membership, including nuclear cardiologists, referring physicians (including an echocardiographer), health services researchers, and a payer (chief medical officer). These results are expected to have a significant impact on physician decision making and performance, reimbursement policy, and future research directions. Periodic assessment and updating of criteria will be undertaken as needed.

International medical graduates and the cardiology workforce.

Science.gov (United States)

Kostis, John B; Ahmad, Busharat

2004-09-15

Recent publications have expressed the view that there is a shortage of cardiologists and it is growing worse. Both an increasing demand and a diminishing supply of cardiologists have been projected. An increase in the number of international medical graduates (IMGs) who enter cardiology practice has been proposed as a remedy for a projected shortage. The IMGs have to overcome challenges including clinical practice, language proficiency, and cultural differences before they are incorporated into the fabric of U.S. cardiology. With hard work, perseverance, excellence,compassionate care and support and mentoring, many have contributed to scientific and clinical cardiology in the U.S. Whether in the absence of a present crisis the projected shortage of cardiologists necessitates change in U.S. immigration policy is an open question.

Statement of nuclear incidents at nuclear installations. Third quarter 2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

A statement of nuclear incidents at nuclear installations in Britain during the third quarter of 2001 is published today by the Health and Safety Executive (copy attached). It covers the period 1 July to 30 September 2001. The statement is published under arrangements that came into effect from the first quarter of 1993, derived from the Health and Safety Commission's powers under section 11 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974. Normally each incident mentioned in HSE's Quarterly Incident Statements will already have been made public by the licensee or site operator either through a press statement or by inclusion in the newsletter for the site concerned. The locations of the installations mentioned in the statement are as follows: Heysham 1 (British Energy Generation plc), Sellafield (British Nuclear Fuels plc), Chapelcross (British Nuclear Fuels plc)

[Cardiology update in 2015].

Science.gov (United States)

Pascale, Patrizio; Regamey, Julien; Iglesias, Juan F; Gabus, Vincent; Clair, Mathieu; Yerly, Patrick; Hullin, Roger; Müller, Olivier; Eeckhout, Éric; Vogt, Pierre

2016-01-13

The present review provides a selected choice of clinical trials and therapeutic advances in the field of cardiology in 2015. A new treatment option in heart failure will become available this year in Switzerland. In interventional cardiology, new trials have been published on the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy, the new stents with bioresorbable scaffold and the long-term results of TAVR in patients who are not surgical candidates or at high surgical risk. RegardingAF the BRIDGE trial provides new evidences to guide the management of patients during warfarin interruption for surgery. Recent publications are changing the paradigm of AF treatment by showing a major impact of the management of cardiometabolic risk factors. Finally, refined criteria for ECG interpretation in athletes have been recently proposed to reduce the burden of false-positive screening.

Review of paediatric cardiology services in district general hospitals in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Hannah; Singh, Yogen

2016-03-01

Following the Safe and Sustainable review of Paediatric Services in 2012/2013, National Health Service England recommended that local paediatric cardiology services should be provided by specially trained paediatricians with expertise in cardiology in all non-specialist hospitals. To understand the variation in local paediatric cardiology services provided across district general hospitals in the United Kingdom. An internet-based questionnaire was sent out via the Paediatrician with Expertise in Cardiology Special Interest Group and the Neonatologists with Interest in Cardiology and Haemodynamics contact databases and the National Health Service directory. Non-responders were followed-up via telephone. The response rate was 80% (141 of 177 hospitals), and paediatricians with expertise in cardiology were available in 68% of those. Local cardiology clinics led by paediatricians with expertise in cardiology were provided in 96 hospitals (68%), whereas specialist outreach clinics were held in 123 centres (87%). A total of 11 hospitals provided neither specialist outreach clinics nor any local cardiology clinics led by paediatricians with expertise in cardiology. Paediatric echocardiography services were provided in 83% of the hospitals, 12-lead electrocardiogram in 96%, Holter electrocardiogram in 91%, and exercise testing in only 47% of the responding hospitals. Telemedicine facilities were established in only 52% of the centres, where sharing echocardiogram images via picture archiving and communication system was used most commonly. There has been a substantial increase in the availability of paediatricians with expertise in cardiology since 2008. Most of the hospitals are well-supported by specialist cardiology centres via outreach clinics; however, there remains significant variation in the local paediatric cardiology services provided across district general hospitals in the United Kingdom.

British patent 580,504 and Ilford nuclear emulsions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waller, C.

1988-01-01

By a new technique disclosed in British Patent 580,504, gelatin with silver halide is precipitated from emulsion by adding a surface active agent. This technique was used from 1945 to produce emulsions with about eight times the normal ratio of silver halide to gelatin. The technique also facilitated the combined use of production and laboratory resources for their reliable manufacture on a fairly large scale. (author)

Mind the Gap: Representation of Medical Education in Cardiology-Related Articles and Journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Allred, Clint; Berlacher, Kathryn; Aggarwal, Saurabh; Auseon, Alex J

2016-07-01

Cardiology fellowship programs are at the interface of medical education and the care of patients suffering from the leading cause of mortality in the United States, yet there is an apparent lack of research guiding the effective education of fellows. We sought to quantify the number of publications in cardiology journals that pertained to the education of cardiology trainees and the number of cardiologists participating in education research. For the period between January and December 2012, we cataloged cardiology-specific and general medical/medical education journals and sorted them by impact factor. Tables of content were reviewed for articles with an educational focus, a cardiology focus, or both. We recorded the authors' areas of medical training, and keywords from each cardiology journal's mission statement were reviewed for emphasis on education. Twenty-six cardiology journals, containing 6645 articles, were reviewed. Only 4 articles had education themes. Ten general medical and 15 medical education journals contained 6810 articles. Of these, only 7 focused on medical education in cardiology, and none focused on cardiology fellowship training. Among the 4887 authors of publications in medical education journals, 25 were cardiologists (less than 1%), and among the 1036 total words in the mission statements of all cardiology journals, the term "education" appeared once. Published educational research is lacking in cardiology training, and few cardiologists appear to be active members of the education scholarship community. Cardiology organizations and academic journals should support efforts to identify target areas of study and publish scholarship in educational innovation.

Advances in Clinical Cardiology 2016: A Summary of the Key Clinical Trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Alastair; McQuillan, Conor; Menown, Ian B A

2017-07-01

The findings of many new cardiology clinical trials over the last year have been published or presented at major international meetings. This paper aims to describe and place in context a summary of the key clinical trials in cardiology presented between January and December 2016. The authors reviewed clinical trials presented at major cardiology conferences during 2016 including the American College of Cardiology (ACC), European Association for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EuroPCR), European Society of Cardiology (ESC), European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), and the American Heart Association (AHA). Selection criteria were trials with a broad relevance to the cardiology community and those with potential to change current practice. A total of 57 key cardiology clinical trials were identified for inclusion. Here we describe and place in clinical context the key findings of new data relating to interventional and structural cardiology including delayed stenting following primary angioplasty, contrast-induced nephropathy, management of jailed wires, optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), stenting vs bypass for left main disease, new generation stents (BioFreedom, Orsiro, Absorb), transcatheter aortic valve implantation (Edwards Sapien XT, transcatheter embolic protection), and closure devices (Watchman, Amplatzer). New preventative cardiology data include trials of bariatric surgery, empagliflozin, liraglutide, semaglutide, PCSK9 inhibitors (evolocumab and alirocumab), and inclisiran. Antiplatelet therapy trials include platelet function monitoring and ticagrelor vs clopidogrel for peripheral vascular disease. New data are also presented in fields of heart failure (sacubitril/valsartan, aliskiren, spironolactone), atrial fibrillation (rivaroxaban in patients undergoing coronary intervention, edoxaban in DC cardioversion), cardiac devices (implantable cardioverter

VIIth international symposium on nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

The conference proceedings contain abstracts of 100 presented papers, mainly dealing with radioimmunoassays, radiopharmaceuticals, scintiscanning, computer tomography, radionuclide lymphography, ventriculography, angiography, nuclear cardiology, liquid scintillator techniques, radioisotope generators, radiospirometry and various uses of labelled compounds and tracer techniques in nuclear medicine. (M.D.)

Electrocardiographic interpretation skills of cardiology residents: are they competent?

Science.gov (United States)

Sibbald, Matthew; Davies, Edward G; Dorian, Paul; Yu, Eric H C

2014-12-01

Achieving competency at electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation among cardiology subspecialty residents has traditionally focused on interpreting a target number of ECGs during training. However, there is little evidence to support this approach. Further, there are no data documenting the competency of ECG interpretation skills among cardiology residents, who become de facto the gold standard in their practice communities. We tested 29 Cardiology residents from all 3 years in a large training program using a set of 20 ECGs collected from a community cardiology practice over a 1-month period. Residents interpreted half of the ECGs using a standard analytic framework, and half using their own approach. Residents were scored on the number of correct and incorrect diagnoses listed. Overall diagnostic accuracy was 58%. Of 6 potentially life-threatening diagnoses, residents missed 36% (123 of 348) including hyperkalemia (81%), long QT (52%), complete heart block (35%), and ventricular tachycardia (19%). Residents provided additional inappropriate diagnoses on 238 ECGs (41%). Diagnostic accuracy was similar between ECGs interpreted using an analytic framework vs ECGs interpreted without an analytic framework (59% vs 58%; F(1,1333) = 0.26; P = 0.61). Cardiology resident proficiency at ECG interpretation is suboptimal. Despite the use of an analytic framework, there remain significant deficiencies in ECG interpretation among Cardiology residents. A more systematic method of addressing these important learning gaps is urgently needed. Copyright © 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

History of Cardiology in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mrinal Kanti Das

2015-03-01

Full Text Available History as a science revolves around memories, travellers' tales, fables and chroniclers' stories, gossip and trans-telephonic conversations. Medicine itself as per the puritan's definition is a non-exact science because of the probability-predictability-sensitivity-specificity factors. Howsoever, the chronicles of Cardiology in India is quite interesting and intriguing. Heart and circulation was known to humankind from pre-Vedic era. Various therapeutics measures including the role of Yoga and transcendental meditation in curing cardiovascular diseases were known in India. Only recently there has been resurgence of the same globally. There have been very few innovations in Cardiology in India. The cause of this paucity possibly lie in the limited resources. This has a vicious effect on the research mentality of the population who are busy in meeting their daily requirements. This socio-scientific aspect needs a thorough study and is beyond the scope of the present documentation. Present is the future of past and so one must not forget the history which is essentially past that give the present generation the necessary fulcrum to stand in good stead. The present article essentially aims to pay tribute to all the workers and pioneers in the field of Cardiology in India, who in spite of limited resources ventured in an unchartered arena.

Nuclear energy - a professional assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The report falls under the headings: the role of the Watt Committee in nuclear energy; supply and demand, and economics of nuclear power; technical means (types of reactor; fuel cycle; nuclear energy for applications other than large-scale electricity generation); availability of resources (nuclear fuel; British industrial capacity; manpower requirements for a British nuclear power programme); environment (environmental issues; disposal of radioactive wastes); balance of risk and advantage in the peaceful use of nuclear energy (proliferation; safety and risk; benefits; public acceptability, awareness, education); summary and general comments. (U.K.)

Nuclear energy - a professional assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1984-01-01

The report falls under the headings: the role of the Watt Committee in nuclear energy; supply and demand, and economics of nuclear power; technical means (types of reactor; fuel cycle; nuclear energy for applications other than large-scale electricity generation); availability of resources (nuclear fuel; British industrial capacity; manpower requirements for a British nuclear power programme); environment (environmental issues; disposal of radioactive wastes); balance of risk and advantage in the peaceful use of nuclear energy (proliferation; safety and risk; benefits; public acceptability, awareness, education); summary and general comments.

A history of cardiology in Jamaica.

Science.gov (United States)

Denbow, C E

2004-06-01

The history of cardiology in Jamaica is conveniently considered in decades beginning in the 1950s. The decade of the 1950s was characterized by early descriptions of the pattern of cardiac disease in adults and children in Jamaica, the establishment of a cardiac clinic at the University Hospital of the West Indies and early cardiac surgical landmarks. Extensive preparatory experimental work in the canine laboratory with respect to cardiopulmonary bypass in the early to mid-1960s culminated in the successful completion of the first open heart surgical procedure in April, 1968. Cardiac catheterization was also increasingly developed in the decade of the 1960s. A highlight of the decade of the 1970s was the establishment of the Heart Foundation of Jamaica which began contributing greatly to preventive cardiology in Jamaica by providing a variety of programmes of prevention. In the decade of the 1980s, non-invasive cardiac diagnostic facilities in Jamaica were considerably enhanced by the introduction and development of echocardiography, treadmill exercise testing and ambulatory electrocardiography. In addition, the very important National Rheumatic Fever prevention programme was established. The cardiac catheterization laboratory was re-opened in the 1990s, thus allowing the performance of coronary arteriography in Jamaica for the first time, and interventional cardiology procedures soon followed. The Jamaica Foundation for Cardiac disease was also established in this decade. The vision for the new millennium of "A heart healthy Jamaica in the 21st century" is achievable, but will require appropriate emphasis on expanded preventive and curative cardiology programmes.

Childhood leukaemia near British nuclear installations: Methodological issues and recent results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bithell, J. F.; Keegan, T. J.; Kroll, M. E.; Murphy, M. F. G.; Vincent, T. J.

2008-01-01

In 2008, the German Childhood Cancer Registry published the results of the Kinderkrebs in der Umgebung von Kernkraftwerken (KiKK) study of childhood cancer and leukaemia around German nuclear power stations. The positive findings appeared to conflict with the results of a recent British analysis carried out by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE), published in 2005. The present paper first describes the COMARE study, which was based on data from the National Registry of Children's Tumours (NRCT); in particular, the methodology used in this study is described. Although the results of the COMARE study were negative for childhood leukaemia, this apparent discrepancy could be accounted for by a number of differences in approach, especially those relating to the distances from the power stations and the ages of the children studied. The present study was designed to match the KiKK study as far as possible. The incidence observed (18 cases within 5 km against 14.58 expected, p = 0.21) was not significantly raised. The risk estimate for proximity in the regression fitted was actually negative, though the confidence intervals involved are so wide that the difference from that reported in the KiKK study is only marginally statistically significant (p = 0.063). (authors)

[Current situation of the organisation, resources and activity in paediatric cardiology in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez Ferrer, Francisco; Castro García, Francisco José; Pérez-Lescure Picarzo, Javier; Roses Noguer, Ferrán; Centeno Malfaz, Fernándo; Grima Murcia, María Dolores; Brotons, Dimpna Albert

2018-04-26

The results are presented on the «current situation of the organisation, resources and activity in paediatric cardiology in Spain». It was promoted by the Spanish Society of Paediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart disease. An analysis was carried out on the results obtained from a specifically designed questionnaire, prepared by the Spanish Society of Paediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart disease, that was sent to all hospitals around the country that offer the speciality of paediatric cardiology. A total of 86 questionnaires were obtained, including 14 hospitals that perform cardiac surgery on children. A total of 190 paediatric cardiology consultants, 40 cardiac surgeons, and 27 middle grade doctors performing their paediatric residency (MIR program) were identified. All hospitals had adequate equipment to perform an optimal initial evaluation of any child with a possible cardiac abnormality, but only tertiary centres could perform complex diagnostic procedures, interventional cardiology, and cardiac surgery. In almost all units around the country, paediatric cardiology consultants were responsible for outpatient clinics and hospital admissions, whereas foetal cardiology units were still mainly managed by obstetricians. The number of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was similar to those reported in the first survey, except for a slight decrease in the total number of closed cardiac surgery procedures, and a proportional increase in the number of therapeutic catheterisations. Paediatric Cardiology in Spain is performed by paediatric cardiology consultants that were trained initially as general paediatricians, and then completed a paediatric cardiology training period. Almost all units have adequate means for diagnosis and treatment. Efforts should be directed to create a national registry that would not only allow a prospective quantification of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, but also focus on their clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2018

History of Cardiology in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Mrinal Kanti; Kumar, Soumitra; Deb, Pradip Kumar; Mishra, Sundeep

2015-01-01

History as a science revolves around memories, travellers' tales, fables and chroniclers' stories, gossip and trans-telephonic conversations. Medicine itself as per the puritan's definition is a non-exact science because of the probability-predictability-sensitivity-specificity factors. Howsoever, the chronicles of Cardiology in India is quite interesting and intriguing. Heart and circulation was known to humankind from pre-Vedic era. Various therapeutics measures including the role of Yoga and transcendental meditation in curing cardiovascular diseases were known in India. Only recently there has been resurgence of the same globally. There have been very few innovations in Cardiology in India. The cause of this paucity possibly lie in the limited resources. This has a vicious effect on the research mentality of the population who are busy in meeting their daily requirements. This socio-scientific aspect needs a thorough study and is beyond the scope of the present documentation. Present is the future of past and so one must not forget the history which is essentially past that give the present generation the necessary fulcrum to stand in good stead. The present article essentially aims to pay tribute to all the workers and pioneers in the field of Cardiology in India, who in spite of limited resources ventured in an unchartered arena. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Data Sharing and Cardiology: Platforms and Possibilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Dey, Pranammya; Ross, Joseph S; Ritchie, Jessica D; Desai, Nihar R; Bhavnani, Sanjeev P; Krumholz, Harlan M

2017-12-19

Sharing deidentified patient-level research data presents immense opportunities to all stakeholders involved in cardiology research and practice. Sharing data encourages the use of existing data for knowledge generation to improve practice, while also allowing for validation of disseminated research. In this review, we discuss key initiatives and platforms that have helped to accelerate progress toward greater sharing of data. These efforts are being prompted by government, universities, philanthropic sponsors of research, major industry players, and collaborations among some of these entities. As data sharing becomes a more common expectation, policy changes will be required to encourage and assist data generators with the process of sharing the data they create. Patients also will need access to their own data and to be empowered to share those data with researchers. Although medicine still lags behind other fields in achieving data sharing's full potential, cardiology research has the potential to lead the way. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Myocardium scintiscanning with thallium-201 in case of idiopathic juvenile arteriosclerosis (description of a case and information on further applications of nuclear-medical diagnostic techniques in pediatric cardiology)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoer, G.; Maul, F.D.; Munz, D.L.; Vettermann, H.

1985-01-01

In the field of pediatrics and the related literature, the analysis of myocardial perfusion and ventricular function using myocardium scintiscanning and radionuclide ventriculography is a subject discussed rather rarely, in contrast to the medical examination of adult patients where this is a well-established method. The authors have so far not found any information on the use of scintiscanning methods for the diagnosis of idiopathic juvenile arteriosclerosis and hence take the opportunity to describe a case of recent application of this method. In addition, findings and results are discussed that speak in favour of the use of further nuclear-medical techniques in pediatric cardiology. (orig./MG) [de

Nuclear industry (Finance) Act 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The purpose of the Act is to enable British Nuclear Fuels Limited to make borrowings backed by Government guarantees in order to finance its ten year investment programme. More specifically, the Act raises the financial limit applicable to British Nuclear Fuels Limited from pound 500 million to pound 1,000 million. (NEA) [fr

The National Cardiac Societies of the European Society of Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Atar, Dan

2015-06-01

The National Cardiac Societies are one of the Constituent Bodies of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). They are the backbone of the ESC and together form the "Cardiology of Europe" in 56 European and Mediterranean countries.

Radionuclide methods in pediatric cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reich, O.; Ruth, C.; Samanek, M.

1990-01-01

The use of radionuclide methods in pediatric cardiology is discussed for non-invasive evaluation of myocardial function and perfusion, regional lung perfusion and ventilation, and for measuring central and peripheral hemodynamics. (H.W.). 16 refs

Basic science of nuclear medicine the bare bone essentials

CERN Document Server

Lee, Kai H

2015-01-01

Through concise, straightforward explanations and supporting graphics that bring abstract concepts to life, the new Basic Science of Nuclear Medicine—the Bare Bone Essentials is an ideal tool for nuclear medicine technologist students and nuclear cardiology fellows looking for an introduction to the fundamentals of the physics and technologies of modern day nuclear medicine.

Hearts and the nuclear age

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wynchank, S.

1982-01-01

There are two types of nuclear cardiological investigations, one is an evaluation of myocardial perfusion and the properties of myocardial cell membranes. Thallium ion is used. The other approach is to trace a radioactive marker into the bloodstream and to observe its motion through that part of the system usually the cardiac chambers of great vessels. A third method, using labbeled molecules which participate in myocardial metabolism is now in its infancy. Nuclear medicine in cardiological application can be most relevant and there are very few problems associated with such techniques, and the costs compare very favourably with radiotherapy costs. The function and metabolism of the heart studies will enter a new era as new techniques (e.g. tomography) and new radiopharmaceuticals (e.g. marked fatty acids) become more available

Nuclear power and deregulation in the United Kingdom. Chapter 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, S.

2001-01-01

This article (Chapter Three) reviews the development of the British nuclear industry and the country's experience with privatised and liberalized electricity markets - an experience that is much earlier than Canada's. The U.K. industry is of special interest because a British firm, British Energy, has leased the Bruce A and B nuclear stations until 2018. This article tries to explain how the economic transformation of nuclear power has been achieved, and why nuclear power and a competitive electricity market are so hard to reconcile. The article gives a brief history of nuclear power in Britain up to 1987; a summary of the main events relating to nuclear power; a discussion of why nuclear power could not be privatised in 1990, but could be in 1996; examines the improvements in cost and competitiveness since 1990; a discussion of the issues surrounding the discharge of nuclear liabilities; the future for British Energy, Britain's leading nuclear company, and nuclear power in Britain; and finally, changes to other nuclear companies in Britain

Position paper: proposal for a core curriculum for a European Sports Cardiology qualification.

Science.gov (United States)

Heidbuchel, Hein; Papadakis, Michael; Panhuyzen-Goedkoop, Nicole; Carré, François; Dugmore, Dorian; Mellwig, Klaus-Peter; Rasmusen, Hanne Kruuse; Solberg, Erik E; Borjesson, Mats; Corrado, Domenico; Pelliccia, Antonio; Sharma, Sanjay

2013-10-01

Sports cardiology is a new and rapidly evolving subspecialty. It aims to elucidate the cardiovascular effects of regular exercise and delineate its benefits and risks, so that safe guidance can be provided to all individuals engaging in sports and/or physical activity in order to attain the maximum potential benefit at the lowest possible risk. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) advocates systematic preparticipation cardiovascular screening in an effort to identify competitive athletes at risk of exercise-related cardiovascular events and sudden cardiac death. However, the implementation of preparticipation screening is hindered because of lack of structured training and as a result lack of sufficient expertise in the field of sports cardiology. In 2008 the European Society of Cardiology published a core curriculum for the general cardiologist, in which sports cardiology was incorporated within the topic 'Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology'. However, the exponential rise in knowledge and the growing demand for expertise in the field of sports cardiology dictates the need to systematically structure the knowledge base of sports cardiology into a detailed curriculum. We envisage that the curriculum would facilitate more uniform training and guideline implementation throughout Europe, and safeguard that evaluation and guidance of competitive athletes or individuals who wish to engage in leisure-time sports activities is performed by physicians with expertise in the field. The current manuscript provides a comprehensive curriculum for sports cardiology, which may serve as a framework upon which universities and national and international health authorities will develop the training, evaluation and accreditation in sports cardiology.

Diverse perspectives and training paths in cardiology: An analysis of authorship in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Danek, Barbara A; Karatasakis, Aris; Karacsonyi, Judit; Rangan, Bavana V; Abdullah, Shuaib; Sorajja, Paul; Banerjee, Subhash; Brilakis, Emmanouil S

2018-03-15

The role of women and foreign medical graduates (FMGs) in cardiology research published in the United States has received limited study. We examined the characteristics of the first and last authors of all original contributions and review articles published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology from October 1, 2015, to October 1, 2016. A total of 345 articles were identified, with 687 first and last authors originating from ≥50 different countries. Overall, 17% of authors were women (20% of the first and 14% of the last authors). Overall, 86% of authors held a medical degree (MD) or equivalent, and 25% of those also held another advanced degree (PhD, MPH, and/or MBA). The proportion of authors with an advanced degree in addition to an MD/equivalent was higher among foreign graduates and international contributors as compared with American graduates (31% vs. 30% vs. 17%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Of US-based authors with an MD/equivalent, 67% were American medical graduates (AMGs) and 33% were FMGs. Women authors represented 11% of FMGs, 16% of AMGs, and 12% of international physicians as contributors (p = 0.23). Foreign graduates and international researchers contribute substantially to cardiology research in the US, but women authors remain under-represented. Copyright © 2018 Hellenic Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accurate diagnosis of CHD by Paediatricians with Expertise in Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Hannah C; Massey, Hannah; Yates, Robert W M; Kelsall, A Wilfred

2017-08-01

Introduction Paediatricians with Expertise in Cardiology assess children with a full history, examination, and often perform an echocardiogram. A minority are then referred to an outreach clinic run jointly with a visiting paediatric cardiologist. The accuracy of the echocardiography diagnosis made by the Paediatrician with Expertise in Cardiology is unknown. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective review of clinic letters for children seen in the outreach clinic for the first time between March, 2004 and March, 2011. Children with CHD diagnosed antenatally or elsewhere were excluded. We recorded the echocardiography diagnosis made by the paediatric cardiologist and previously by the Paediatrician with Expertise in Cardiology. The Paediatrician with Expertise in Cardiology referred 317/3145 (10%) children seen in the local cardiac clinics to the outreach clinic over this period, and among them 296 were eligible for inclusion. Their median age was 1.5 years (range 1 month-15.1 years). For 244 (82%) children, there was complete diagnostic agreement between the Paediatrician with Expertise in Cardiology and the paediatric cardiologist. For 29 (10%) children, the main diagnosis was identical with additional findings made by the paediatric cardiologist. The abnormality had resolved in 17 (6%) cases by the time of clinic attendance. In six (2%) patients, the paediatric cardiologist made a different diagnosis. In total, 138 (47%) patients underwent a surgical or catheter intervention. Discussion Paediatricians with Expertise in Cardiology can make accurate diagnoses of CHD in children referred to their clinics. This can allow effective triage of children attending the outreach clinic, making best use of limited specialist resources.

The usefulness of the nuclear cardiology in the cellular implant in patients with severe myocardial damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omelas A, M.; Arguero S, R.; Garrido G, M.H.; Rodriguez C, A.; Careaga, G.; Castano G, R.; Nambo, M.J.; Pascual P, J.; Ortega R, A.; Gaxiola A, A.; Magana S, J.A.; Estrada A, H.; Equipo de Tecnicos en Medicina Nuclear

2005-01-01

The recent therapeutic advances as the cellular implant as well as those different protocols of image acquisition in the field of the Nuclear Cardiology its have allowed that the patient with severe myocardial damage and without some possibility of revascularization is benefited with these advances. Doubtless the Tl-201 par excellence has an important paper for standardize the more appropriate therapeutic behavior for the heart attack patient; reason by this investigation protocol was developed. The objective of the study was to identify the heart attack regions without viable tissue with SPECT in patient with important myocardial damage without some possibility of traditional revascularization; for the 'Stem cell' cellular implantation therapy. The methodology it was carried out by a study of myocardial perfusion in 10 patients with important myocardial damage previous cellular implants, with PICANUC/ SPECT methodology and using a software (Emory Tool Box) for the image processing validated by the University of Emory Atlanta GA; and using as tracer the Tl - 201 to identify the heart attack regions without presence of viable tissue with an analysis model of 17 segments standardized for the left ventricle; qualifying this way the myocardial perfusion in: 0 (normal), 1 (light), 2 (moderate), 3 (severe), 4 (absent) and x (bad technique). The conclusions were that the SPECT study with PICANUC methodology with Tl-201 is safe and effective for the precise localization for the cellular implantation via direct intra myocardial. (Author)

Behavioral cardiology: current advances and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rozanski, Alan

2014-07-08

Growing epidemiological evidence identifies key domains relevant to behavioral cardiology, including health behaviors, emotions, mental mindsets, stress management, social connectedness, and a sense of purpose. Each of these domains exists along a continuum, ranging from positive factors that promote health, to negative factors, which are pathophysiological. To date, there has been relatively little translation of this growing knowledge base into cardiology practice. Four initiatives are proposed to meet this challenge: 1) promulgating greater awareness of the potency of psychosocial risks factors; 2) overcoming a current "artificial divide" between conventional and psychosocial risk factors; 3) developing novel cost-effective interventions using Internet and mobile health applications, group-based counseling, and development of tiered-care behavioral management; and 4) in recognition that "one size does not fit all" with respect to behavioral interventions, developing specialists who can counsel patients in multidisciplinary fashion and use evidence-based approaches for promoting patient motivation and execution of health goals. Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses for Cardiology Fellows.

Science.gov (United States)

Fares, Munes; Alahdab, Fares; Alsaied, Tarek

2016-07-01

Participating in a scholarly activity is one of the training requirements for cardiology fellows. However, it can be very challenging to complete a research project during such a busy period of clinical training. To help the cardiology fellows in choosing and starting off a research project, a light has been shed on the process of conducting a systematic review, and the importance of this research activity, as well as its limitations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patient Dose Considerations in Interventional Cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciraj-Bjelac, O.; Rafajlovic, S.; Arandjic, D.; Kosutic, D.

2011-01-01

Interventional cardiology procedures are classified as high-dose procedures, owing to increased risk for radiation skin injuries and stochastic effects, such as cancer. European MED Directive 97/43 requires special consideration and dose evaluation for this kind of procedures . Dose received by a patient, in general, depends on the radiological equipment, examination protocol, the way it is implemented, the patient's body weight and nature of disease. Long-term fluoroscopy of certain parts of the body, a significant body mass, high-value dose intensity, continuous rather than pulsed fluoroscopy, small focus-skin distance and repeated procedure on the same patient, are among the factors that can lead to radiation skin injuries. A particular challenge is the fact that the radiation damage of the skin is difficult to detect and connect to the previously conducted cardiologic procedures. The fact that such injuries do not have immediate manifestation is very often reason that many of them remain undetected. The purpose of this work is to assess the level of radiation dose to patients in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and to investigate possibility for setting of a practical trigger value if dose quantities exceed certain levels in terms of dose descriptors available at display of interventional cardiology unit. Two dedicated interventional cardiology units in a large teaching cardiac centre (Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia) were included in the survey. Both rooms (D and F) were equipped with X-ray units of the identical model: Siemens Axiom Artis (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) with the flat panel detector and integrated ionization chamber to measure air kerma-area product (P K A) and air kerma in international reference point (K I RP). Patient doses were assessed in terms of P K A, K I RP and maximum-skin dose (MSD). P K A and K I RP were assessed using a built-in, in situ calibrated dosimeters, while MSD was estimated using radiochromic films

Nuclear cardiology and heart failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giubbini, Raffaele; Bertagna, Francesco; Milan, Elisa; Mut, Fernando; Dondi, Maurizio; Metra, Marco; Rodella, Carlo

2009-01-01

The prevalence of heart failure in the adult population is increasing. It varies between 1% and 2%, although it mainly affects elderly people (6-10% of people over the age of 65 years will develop heart failure). The syndrome of heart failure arises as a consequence of an abnormality in cardiac structure, function, rhythm, or conduction. Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of heart failure and it accounts for this disorder in 60-70% of all patients affected. Nuclear techniques provide unique information on left ventricular function and perfusion by gated-single photon emission tomography (SPECT). Myocardial viability can be assessed by both SPECT and PET imaging. Finally, autonomic dysfunction has been shown to increase the risk of death in patients with heart disease and this may be applicable to all patients with cardiac disease regardless of aetiology. MIBG scanning has a very promising prognostic value in patients with heart failure. (orig.)

Nuclear cardiology and heart failure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giubbini, Raffaele; Bertagna, Francesco [University of Brescia, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Brescia (Italy); Milan, Elisa [Ospedale Di Castelfranco Veneto, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Castelfranco Veneto (Italy); Mut, Fernando; Dondi, Maurizio [International Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Medicine Section, Division of Human Health, Vienna (Austria); Metra, Marco [University of Brescia, Department of Cardiology, Brescia (Italy); Rodella, Carlo [Health Physics Department, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia (Italy)

2009-12-15

The prevalence of heart failure in the adult population is increasing. It varies between 1% and 2%, although it mainly affects elderly people (6-10% of people over the age of 65 years will develop heart failure). The syndrome of heart failure arises as a consequence of an abnormality in cardiac structure, function, rhythm, or conduction. Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of heart failure and it accounts for this disorder in 60-70% of all patients affected. Nuclear techniques provide unique information on left ventricular function and perfusion by gated-single photon emission tomography (SPECT). Myocardial viability can be assessed by both SPECT and PET imaging. Finally, autonomic dysfunction has been shown to increase the risk of death in patients with heart disease and this may be applicable to all patients with cardiac disease regardless of aetiology. MIBG scanning has a very promising prognostic value in patients with heart failure. (orig.)

Proceedings of the Korean Society Nuclear Medicine Autumn Meeting 2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This proceedings contains articles of 2001 autumn meeting of the Korean Society Nuclear Medicine. It was held on November 16-17, 2001 in Seoul, Korea. This proceedings is comprised of 6 sessions. The subject titles of session are as follows: Cancer, Physics of nuclear medicine, Neurology, Radiopharmacy and biology, Nuclear cardiology, General nuclear medicine. (Yi, J. H.)

Fourth congress of the South African Society of Nuclear Medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This seminar contains 68 papers. Sixty three papers were indexed. Five papers were considered out of scope for INIS. The implementation of nuclear medicine in the following fields were discussed: neurology, cardiology, monoclonal antibodies, endocrinology, nuclear medicine physics, and radiopharmacy

[Cardiology update in 2016].

Science.gov (United States)

Gabus, Vincent; Tran, Van Nam; Regamey, Julien; Pascale, Patrizio; Monney, Pierre; Hullin, Roger; Vogt, Pierre

2017-01-11

In 2016 the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published new guidelines. These documents update the knowledge in various fields such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure, cardiovascular prevention and dyslipidemia. Of course it is impossible to summarize these guidelines in detail. Nevertheless, we decided to highlight the major modifications, and to emphasize some key points that are especially useful for the primary care physician.

Assessing Competence in Pediatric Cardiology

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Apul E.; And Others

1976-01-01

In response to the need to assure physician competence, a rating scale was developed at the University of Minnesota Medical School for use in evaluating clinical competence in pediatric cardiology. It was tested on first- and second-year specialists. Development and testing procedures are described. (JT)

Physician Requirements-1990. For Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Tracy, Octavious; Birchette-Pierce, Cheryl

Professional requirements for physicians specializing in cardiology were estimated to assist policymakers in developing guidelines for graduate medical education. The determination of physician requirements was based on an adjusted needs rather than a demand or utilization model. For each illness, manpower requirements were modified by the…

Hippocrates, cardiology, Confucius and the Yellow Emperor.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, T O

2001-12-01

Although Hippocrates (460-c.375 BC) has been traditionally recognized as the Father of Medicine, the fact that he was seminal in the development of cardiology is much less well known. Evidence is presented to support the notion that Hippocrates could also be considered the Father of Cardiology. Hippocrates also had many of the teachings and practices in common with Confucius (c.551-c.479 BC) and the Yellow Emperor of China (2695-2589 BC). Whereas Confucius was not a physician, the Yellow Emperor was an ancient Chinese physician whose Huang Di Neijing, the Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine, is the oldest known treatise of medicine in existence.

What to Expect From the Evolving Field of Geriatric Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Susan P; Orr, Nicole M; Dodson, John A; Rich, Michael W; Wenger, Nanette K; Blum, Kay; Harold, John Gordon; Tinetti, Mary E; Maurer, Mathew S; Forman, Daniel E

2015-09-15

The population of older adults is expanding rapidly, and aging predisposes to cardiovascular disease. The principle of patient-centered care must respond to the preponderance of cardiac disease that now occurs in combination with the complexities of old age. Geriatric cardiology melds cardiovascular perspectives with multimorbidity, polypharmacy, frailty, cognitive decline, and other clinical, social, financial, and psychological dimensions of aging. Although some assume that a cardiologist may instinctively cultivate some of these skills over the course of a career, we assert that the volume and complexity of older cardiovascular patients in contemporary practice warrants a more direct approach to achieve suitable training and a more reliable process of care. We present a rationale and vision for geriatric cardiology as a melding of primary cardiovascular and geriatrics skills, thereby infusing cardiology practice with expanded proficiencies in diagnosis, risks, care coordination, communications, end-of-life, and other competences required to best manage older cardiovascular patients. Copyright © 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Equipment standards for interventional cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowling, A.; Gallagher, A.; Walsh, C.; Malone, J.

2005-01-01

Interventional radiology has seen rapid growth in cardiology and represents an alternative to hazardous surgery. Recently there has been a substantial growth in the number of procedures being performed and interventional cardiology (IC) procedures are the most common interventional procedures in Europe. Advances in imaging technology have facilitated the development of increasingly complex radiological IC equipment. Currently, the technology is developing at a rate ahead of supporting research, equipment standards and a regulatory framework. International standards play a key role in the design, manufacture and performance of radiological IC equipment. A survey of 12 IC systems (15 imaging chains) was conducted in Irish hospitals. The aim of the study was to assess the imbalance between rapidly advancing technology and existing standards and to propose recommendations for new IC equipment standards. The results demonstrate the need for definitive equipment requirements and standardisation in the design, manufacture, acceptance and maintenance of IC equipment. (authors)

Linux thin-client conversion in a large cardiology practice: initial experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Echt, Martin P; Rosen, Jordan

2004-01-01

Capital Cardiology Associates (CCA) is a single-specialty cardiology practice with offices in New York and Massachusetts. In 2003, CCA converted its IT system from a Microsoft-based network to a Linux network employing Linux thin-client technology with overall positive outcomes.

Applications of CdTe to nuclear medicine. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Entine, G.

1985-01-01

Uses of cadmium telluride (CdTe) nuclear detectors in medicine are briefly described. They include surgical probes and a system for measuring cerebral blood flow in the intensive care unit. Other uses include nuclear dentistry, x-ray exposure control, cardiology, diabetes, and the testing of new pharmaceuticals

The nuclear power decisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.

1980-01-01

Nuclear power has now become highly controversial and there is violent disagreement about how far this technology can and should contribute to the Western energy economy. More so than any other energy resource, nuclear power has the capacity to provide much of our energy needs but the risk is now seen to be very large indeed. This book discusses the major British decisions in the civil nuclear field, and the way they were made, between 1953 and 1978. That is, it spans the period between the decision to construct Calder Hall - claimed as the world's first nuclear power station - and the Windscale Inquiry - claimed as the world's most thorough study of a nuclear project. For the period up to 1974 this involves a study of the internal processes of British central government - what the author terms 'private' politics to distinguish them from the very 'public' or open politics which have characterised the period since 1974. The private issues include the technical selection of nuclear reactors, the economic arguments about nuclear power and the political clashes between institutions and individuals. The public issues concern nuclear safety and the environment and the rights and opportunities for individuals and groups to protest about nuclear development. The book demonstrates that British civil nuclear power decision making has had many shortcomings and concludes that it was hampered by outdated political and administrative attitudes and machinery and that some of the central issues in the nuclear debate were misunderstood by the decision makers themselves. (author)

Cardiac transplantation: 15 years experience Cardiology Institute of Child

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceruti, B; Chiesa, P.; Tambasco, J.; Anzibar, R.; Gutierrez, C.; Barboza, S.; Manfredi, A.; Leone, R.

2012-01-01

The cardiac transplant is the treatment of choice for the cardiac insufficiency when there is not another therapeutic alternative that prolongs the life expectancy. On December 1996 The Cardiology Institute of child begin the program of Cardiac Insufficiency and Transplants of the Institute of Pediatric Cardiology, achieving the first cardiac transplant in a 14-year-old child in Uruguay. Three years later they put in practice the program of cardiac transplant in adults

The action of NGOs in the field of disarmament (between ambitions and limitations) and the British example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marret, Jean-Luc

2002-01-01

The author first tries to characterize the various NGOs committed in the struggle for disarmament (countries of origin, size, organisation, ties with a political party or a trade union, typology). Then, by addressing different aspects of disarmament (anti-personnel mines, extraordinary sessions of the UN General Assembly dedicated to disarmament, Freeze campaign, or the National Missile Defense), the author identifies and discusses the various strengths and failures of NGOs in their ability to influence the States diplomatic activity or in their legitimacy to intervene. In a second part, the author more particularly addresses the British example. He proposes a sociological analysis of British NGOs (occurrence of the words 'peace' and 'nuclear' in their names, religious or professional dimension), and briefly presents some of them (Acronym Institute, British American Security Information Council, International Security Information Service - UK, Vertic, Programme for Promoting the nuclear non-proliferation or PPNN, Pugwash, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Labour Action for Peace). He comments the evolution of the Labour Party into the New Labour created by Tony Blair

Proceedings of the Korean Society Nuclear Medicine Autumn Meeting 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

This proceedings contains articles of 1998 Autumn meeting of the Korean Society Nuclear Medicine. It was held on November 13-14, 1998 in Seoul, Korea. This proceedings is comprised of 5 sessions. The subject titles of session are as follows: general nuclear medicine, neurology, radiopharmacy and biology, nuclear cardiology, physics and instrumentation. (Yi, J. H.)

Proceedings of the Korean Society Nuclear Medicine Autumn Meeting 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

This proceedings contains articles of 1997 autumn meeting of the Korean Society Nuclear Medicine. It was held on November 21, 1997 in Kwangju, Korea. This proceedings is comprised of 5 sessions. The subject titles of session are as follows: general nuclear medicine, neurology, radiopharmacy and biology, nuclear cardiology, physics and instrumentation. (Yi, J. H.)

Longer-term impact of cardiology e-consults.

Science.gov (United States)

Wasfy, Jason H; Rao, Sandhya K; Kalwani, Neil; Chittle, Melissa D; Richardson, Calvin A; Gallen, Kathleen M; Isselbacher, Eric M; Kimball, Alexandra B; Ferris, Timothy G

2016-03-01

Cardiac e-consults may be an effective way to deliver value-oriented outpatient cardiology care in an accountable care organization. Initial results of cardiac e-consults have demonstrated high satisfaction among both patients and referring providers, no known adverse events, and low rates of diagnostic testing. Nevertheless, differences between e-consults and traditional consults, effects of e-consults on traditional consult volume, and whether patients seek traditional consults after e-consults are unknown. We established a cardiac e-consult program on January 13, 2014. We then conducted detailed medical record reviews of all patients with e-consults to detect any adverse clinical events and detect subsequent traditional visits to cardiologists. We also performed 2 comparisons. First, we compared age, gender, and referral reason for e-consults vs traditional consults. Second, we compared changes in volume of referrals to cardiology vs other medical specialties that did not have e-consults. From January 13 to December 31, 2014, 1,642 traditional referrals and 165 e-consults were requested. The proportion of e-consults of all evaluations requested over that period was 9.1%. Gender balance was similar among traditional consults and e-consults (44.8% male for e-consults vs 45.0% for traditional consults, P = .981). E-consult patients were younger than traditional consult patients (55.3 vs 60.4 years, P cardiology visit during the follow-up period. E-consults are an effective and safe mechanism to enhance value in outpatient cardiology care, with low rates of bounceback to traditional consults. E-consults can account for nearly one-tenth of total outpatient consultation volume at 1 year within an accountable care organization and are associated with a reduction in traditional referrals to cardiologists. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nuclear Cardiology in Acute Coronary Syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paeng, Jin Chul; Lee, Dong Soo [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2009-06-15

Nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging is very effective in the evaluation of patients with suspicious acute coronary syndrome (ACS), for adequate diagnosis and treatment. There have been many clinical evidences to support the efficacy and cost-effectiveness. In addition, many authoritative guidelines support the utility of myocardial perfusion imaging in ACS with an appropriate diagnostic protocol. However, with the development of other cardiac imaging modalities, the choice of modality for the diagnosis of suspicious ACS now depends on the availability of each modality in each institute. Newly developed imaging technologies, especially including molecular imaging, are expected to have great potential not only for diagnosis but also for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of ACS.

Nuclear Cardiology in Acute Coronary Syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paeng, Jin Chul; Lee, Dong Soo

2009-01-01

Nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging is very effective in the evaluation of patients with suspicious acute coronary syndrome (ACS), for adequate diagnosis and treatment. There have been many clinical evidences to support the efficacy and cost-effectiveness. In addition, many authoritative guidelines support the utility of myocardial perfusion imaging in ACS with an appropriate diagnostic protocol. However, with the development of other cardiac imaging modalities, the choice of modality for the diagnosis of suspicious ACS now depends on the availability of each modality in each institute. Newly developed imaging technologies, especially including molecular imaging, are expected to have great potential not only for diagnosis but also for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of ACS

Use of smartphone technology in cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Hoang H; Silva, Jennifer N A

2016-05-01

Smartphone-based technologies along with broadband connectivity are changing the way modern cardiology is practiced. The ever broadening connectivity and increasing capabilities of smartphone-based technologies can better monitor, diagnose, and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Researchers can leverage the ubiquitous use of smartphone-based technologies and their constant stream of biometric data to establish large community-based clinical research studies. Patient engagement is enhanced with constant and on-demand access to physicians, daily self-monitoring, and expanding social networks. On the other hand, the exponential growth of smartphone-based technologies invariably disrupts the traditional healthcare model and leaves a vacuum in the infrastructure, medico-legal apparatus, and reimbursement systems that need to be addressed. In this review, we present a comprehensive discussion of the various applications utilizing smartphone-based technologies in cardiology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A review on the Avicenna's contribution to the field of cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarshenas, Mohammad M; Zargaran, Arman

2015-03-01

The cardiology and field of cardiovascular approaches are often mentioned as of the earliest concerns throughout the history of mankind civilization. During the golden ages of Islamic era, 9th to 12th centuries A.D., medical knowledge from various fields including cardiology was flourished by prominent Persian physicians and scholars. Among those outstanding physicians and scientists of the Islamic golden era, Avicenna is known as a famous and pioneer character. To outline the cardiovascular knowledge and contribution of Avicenna, current review compiled all his evidence-based concepts of cardiovascular findings from current medical literatures as well as those mentioned in his important medical encyclopedia, the Canon of Medicine. In this review, Avicenna's findings on cardiovascular anatomy such as his description of Willis circle, capillary circulation and arterial and ventricular contractions in the cardiovascular system have been mentioned. Also, his books and manuscripts on cardiology as well as findings and theories on cardiovascular and allied diseases were discussed. These findings are included in his descriptions on cardiac tamponade, stroke, palpitation, atherosclerosis, hypertension, association of the cardiovascular complications with erection and ejaculation, interaction between the heart and emotions as well as some of his mentioned drugs for cardiological disorders and the early concepts of drug targeting. These results can show Avicenna's great contribution to improve the sciences of cardiology in early medieval era. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1987-01-01

The paper on nuclear decommissioning was presented by Dr H. Lawton to a meeting of the British Nuclear Energy Society and Institution of Nuclear Engineers, 1986. The decommissioning work currently being undertaken on the Windscale advanced gas cooled reactor (WAGR) is briefly described, along with projects in other countries, development work associated with the WAGR operation and costs. (U.K.)

Patient doses in interventional cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrera, F.; Ojeda, C.; Ruiz-Cruces, R.; Francisco Diaz, J.; Sanchez, A.; Tort, I.

2001-01-01

Cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of death in Spain. The most usual procedures in interventional cardiology are coronariography and PTCA. The first is a diagnostic technique, and the second one is interventional. Our goal has been to study procedures made during the first six months in the Interventional Cardiology Unit of the Juan Ramon Jimenez Hospital (Huelva-Spain), taking into account radiation protection issues. We have studied 178 patients; 145 of them underwent coronariography, and 33 of the patients had PTCA too. Every case was analyzed taking into account technical and dosimetric parameters. We show parameters values gathered: Diagnostic techniques (valvular and non-valvular patients), and interventional techniques (coronariography and PTCA in different or in the same intervention). Higher doses were obtained with valvular patients, although the number of frames was similar. Attending to therapeutic procedures, the highest values were gotten with the 'double' interventions. Interventional procedures exceed in 60% doses gotten in diagnostic studies: this is because of the number of series and number of frames per series. Similar values obtained by other authors have been gotten. (author)

Creating a website that will really work for your organisation: The British Energy experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, Anne

1998-01-01

Full text: There is no doubt that the Internet is going to be the communications power tool of the future. Judging by the number of top line companies who have quality websites and the number of website addresses that appear in press and television advertisements, few organisations who mean business can afford to ignore this exciting, fast moving medium. The Internet - millions of computers which can 'talk to each other' via telephone lines - has been described as revolutionary in communication terms as the wheel was to transport. As we enter a new millennium, the Internet is becoming more than just a huge information resource, it is increasingly being developed to carry out business transactions - already we can shop for groceries, find a mortgage and send bouquets on line. British Energy's award-winning website was launched in the European Parliament in April, just two months after a London-based design company had accepted a tight audience-led specification that included clarity of design, promotion of the British Energy brand and, most importantly, ease of navigation. British Energy had identified its key objectives. Number one was the promotion of British Energy the brand in relation to its better-known subsidiary companies, Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear. As the Internet is a truly global medium, accessible 24-hours a day, it was recognised that it could be particularly important in reaching potential partners and customers. British Energy certainly made clear its global aspirations from the outset and therefore it was important that visitors to the site understood what the company was and from whence it came. The audience-led strategy is delivering quality information to the people British Energy are most keen to communicate with. The sharetracking feature, news desk and narrated video tour of Sizewell B, the Pressurised Water Reactor, are amongst the most popular aspects. In December, British Energy won the 'Best Annual Report' on the Internet award

Site matters: winning the hearts and minds of patients in a cardiology clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Annunziato, Rachel A; Rubinstein, David; Sheikh, Saqib; Maurer, Martin; Cotter, Gad; McKay, Mary M; Milo-Cotter, Olga; Gorman, Jack M; Shemesh, Eyal

2008-01-01

In medical care settings, mental health symptoms of depression and distress are associated with poor medical outcomes, yet they are often underrecognized. Authors sought to examine the effect of having immediate mental-health screening in the cardiology clinic. The Patient Health Questionnaire and the Impact of Event Scale were used to screen for depression and distress in 316 patients at an urban cardiology clinic. Because of poor follow-up rates, a psychiatrist was placed on the premises of the cardiology clinic to facilitate referrals. Placing a psychiatrist within the cardiology clinic significantly improved the rate of successful referrals. Because 45 patients (14%) endorsed suicidal thoughts, authors conclude that mental health screening programs should include an immediate evaluation by a clinician.

Pediatric cardiology. Clinical and practical experiences with heart diseases of children, juveniles and young adults; Kinderkardiologie. Klinik und Praxis der Herzerkrankungen bei Kindern, Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haas, Nikolaus A. [Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Bad Oeynhausen (Germany). Klinik fuer angeborene Herzfehler; Kleideiter, Ulrich [Klinik fuer Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Coesfeld (Germany)

2011-07-01

The book on pediatric cardiology covers the following chapters: (I) Fundamentals and diagnostics: pediatric cardiologic anamnesis, electrocardiograms, thorax X-radiography, MRT and CT of the heart, nuclear medical diagnostics, exercise tests, heart catheter examination, electrophysiological tests. (II) Leading symptoms: Cyanosis, cardiac murmur, thorax pain, palpitation, syncopes. (III) Disease pictures: congenital heart defects, acquired heart defects, cardiomyopathies, heart rhythm disturbances, heart insufficiency, arterial hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, other heart involving syndromes. (IV) Therapy: Catheter interventional therapy, post-surgical pediatric cardiac therapy, surgery involving the life-support machine, mechanical cardiovascular support systems, initial treatment of newborns with critical heart defects, heart transplantation, vaccination of children with heart diseases, medicinal therapy.

Safety and licensing: the British perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anthony, R D

1986-02-01

The legal framework of British regulatory practice is described, with emphasis on its flexibility and the fact that responsibility rests with the licensee, leaving the NII to monitor his implementation of that duty. The UK regulatory philosophy, the mixture of selective and random sampling used and the organization of the regulatory bodies as it interacts with that of the nuclear industry are outlined. This is followed by a resume of the current nuclear safety issues and of the NII's attitude to them, including the continued operation of the aging Magnox reactors, the extended transition of the AGR from the prototype to the 'tried and tested' stage of its existence, the problems of licensing nuclear chemical plant, the CEGB's proposed introduction of the PWR into this country, the availability of increasingly sophisticated means of assessing safety, and the steadily rising public interest in nuclear power issues. The Lecture ends by noting the problems of risk perception and cost/benefit analysis, emphasizing that in striking the right balance the regulatory body must be open, prepared to justify its reasoning, and productive of conclusions which are acceptable to the public.

Dose to patients and professionals in cardiology interventional: Progress of multicenter group Doccaci

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, R. M.; Vano, E.; Fernandez, J. M.; Goicolea Ruigomez, J.; Pifarre, X.; Escaned, J.; Rovira, J. J.; Garcia del Blanco, B.; Carrera, F.; Diaz, J. F.; Ordiales, J. M.; Nogales, J. M.; Hernandez, J.; Bosa, F.; Rosales, F.; Saez, J. R.; Soler, M. M.; Romero, M. A.

2013-01-01

The multidisciplinary group and multicenter DOCCACI (dosimetry and quality assurance in interventional cardiology), sponsored by the section of haemodynamics of the Spanish society of Cardiology, is intended to propose reference levels to doses received by patients in interventional cardiology procedures such as recommended by the International Commission on radiological protection It also investigates the doses received by professionals, in particular dose in Crystallyne whose recommended limit dose has been reduced recently from 150 to 20 mSv/year. (Author)

Nuclear Legislation in OECD and NEA Countries. Regulatory and Institutional Framework for Nuclear Activities - United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This country profile provide comprehensive information on the regulatory and Institutional Framework governing nuclear activities as well as a detailed review of a full range of nuclear law topics, including: mining regime; radioactive substances; nuclear installations; trade in nuclear materials and equipment; radiation protection; radioactive waste management; non-proliferation and physical protection; transport; and nuclear third party liability. The profile is complemented by reproductions of the primary legislation regulating nuclear activities in the country. Content: I. General Regulatory Regime: 1. Introduction; 2. Mining Regime; 3. Radioactive Substances; 4. Nuclear Installations (Licensing and inspection, including nuclear safety; Protection of the environment against radiation effects; Emergency response); 5. Trade in Nuclear Materials and Equipment; 6. Radiation Protection; 7. Radioactive Waste Management; 8. Non-Proliferation and Physical Protection; 9. Transport; 10. Nuclear Third Party Liability; II. Institutional Framework: 1. Regulatory and Supervisory Authorities (Department of Trade and Industry - DTI; Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Health; Secretary of State for Transport; Secretary of State for Education); 2. Advisory Bodies (Medical Research Council - MRC; Nuclear Safety Advisory Committee; Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee); 3. Public and Semi-Public Agencies (United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority - UKAEA; Health and Safety Commission and Executive - HSC/HSE; National Radiological Protection Board - NRPB; Environment Agencies; British Nuclear Fuels plc. - BNFL; Amersham International plc.; The National Nuclear Corporation Ltd. - NNC; United Kingdom Nirex Ltd.; Magnox Electric plc.; British Energy Generation Ltd.; Scottish Electricity Generator Companies; British Energy Generation Ltd.; Regional Electricity Companies in England and Wales)

Growing our business - the opportunities for nuclear in North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollins, P.

2000-01-01

There is currently a growing belief from many quarters that nuclear power is undergoing something of a renaissance. British Energy is at the heart of nuclear power generation in the UK and is now looking to expand its business into the US, the largest electricity market in the world. Following a brief outline of where British Energy is at today, this paper goes on to discuss the company's future plans, not only in the UK but more particularly in the US, where sweeping deregulation has opened up possibilities for a company like British Energy to export its nuclear skills. (author)

Europe's nuclear superpowers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seignious, G.M. II; Yates, J.P.

1984-01-01

Both Great Britain and France are on the verge of nuclear buildups ambitious enough to turn either one into the world's third nuclear superpower. The authors note that the expansion of British and French arsenals will add greatly to the West's nuclear firepower, but on balance these forces will actually weaken Western security. The reason is that they will be deployed largely in potentially vulnerable and destabilizing modes. In addition, they will threaten the unity of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the viability of the alliance's nuclear doctrine. Perhaps most important, these forces will almost certainly spark a counterbuild-up by the Soviets and fatally complicate the task of arms control. The authors feel, therefore, that the time to include British and French forces in nuclear arms talks is now - before the planned increase in their nuclear might takes place. London and Paris have authorized programs that can give them unprecedented influence with the superpowers and should use this opportunity to slow the arms race, not supercharge it

[The GIPSY-RECPAM model: a versatile approach for integrated evaluation in cardiologic care].

Science.gov (United States)

Carinci, F

2009-01-01

Tree-structured methodology applied for the GISSI-PSICOLOGIA project, although performed in the framework of earliest GISSI studies, represents a powerful tool to analyze different aspects of cardiologic care. The GISSI-PSICOLOGIA project has delivered a novel methodology based on the joint application of psychometric tools and sophisticated statistical techniques. Its prospective use could allow building effective epidemiological models relevant to the prognosis of the cardiologic patient. The various features of the RECPAM method allow a versatile use in the framework of modern e-health projects. The study used the Cognitive Behavioral Assessment H Form (CBA-H) psychometrics scales. The potential for its future application in the framework of Italian cardiology is relevant and particularly indicated to assist planning of systems for integrated care and routine evaluation of the cardiologic patient.

The Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology Section: increasing the opportunities for the congenital heart disease community within the American College of Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Gerard R; Mitchell, Stephanie; Beekman, Robert H; Feinstein, Jeffrey A; Jenkins, Kathy J; Landzberg, Michael; Webb, Gary

2012-01-03

The Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology (AC/PC) Section was established to develop a clear voice within the American College of Cardiology and address the myriad issues facing the congenital heart disease profession. The Section is governed by the AC/PC Council, which includes pediatric cardiologists, adult congenital cardiologists, a cardiac care associate, and a fellow-in-training member. The Council is responsible for bidirectional communication between the College's Board of Trustees and the AC/PC Section members. Since its founding in 2004, Section objectives have been defined by the College's mission: to advocate for quality cardiovascular care through education, research promotion, and the development and application of standards and guidelines and to influence health care policy. The pillars of the College-advocacy, quality, education, and member engagement-serve as the defining template for the Section's strategy. The Section has developed work groups in advocacy, clinical practice, education and training, quality, and publications. A separate leadership group has been developed for adult congenital heart disease. Work groups are open to all Section members. Recognition of the importance of lifelong care in congenital heart disease led Section leaders to incorporate pediatric cardiology and adult congenital heart disease content into each of the work groups. There are more than 1,200 Section members, with nearly 400 members actively contributing to Section activities. This article outlines Section efforts to date and highlights significant successes to date. Copyright © 2012 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiation monitoring in interventional cardiology: a requirement

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera, T.; Uruchurtu, E. S.

2017-01-01

The increasing of procedures using fluoroscopy in interventional cardiology procedures may increase medical and patients to levels of radiation that manifest in unintended outcomes. Such outcomes may include skin injury and cancer. The cardiologists and other staff members in interventional cardiology are usually working close to the area under examination and they receive the dose primarily from scattered radiation from the patient. Mexico does not have a formal policy for monitoring and recording the radiation dose delivered in hemodynamic establishments. Deterministic risk management can be improved by monitoring the radiation delivered from X-ray devices. The objective of this paper is to provide cardiologist, techniques, nurses, and all medical staff an information on DR levels, about X-ray risks and a simple a reliable method to control cumulative dose.

Australia's nuclear graveyard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milliken, R.

1987-01-01

Britain and Australia have become locked in a battle of wills and wits over a nuclear legacy that is now more than 30 years old. At stake is the issue of who will pay to clean up a stretch of the central Australian outback where at least 23 kilograms of plutonium are buried in nuclear graveyards or scattered in fine particles on the ground. The plutonium was left there after a series of British nuclear weapons tests in the 1950s and 1960s. The cost of cleaning it up today, and rendering the ground safe the the Aborigines who claim it as their tribal homeland, has been estimated at up to $158 million. Australia's minister for resources, Senator Gareth Evans, went to London in October 1986 to try to involve the British in the cleanup. But Britain is still taking the stand that it had discharged any obligations on this score long ago. This question is at the heart of controversy that began mounting in the late 1970s over the British nuclear tests. It was then that Aborigines and test veterans from Britain and Australia started alleging that they had been exposed to unduly high doses of radiation. Clearly, the nuclear tests, which began as a political exercise between Britain and Australia more than 30 years ago, seem destined to remain the source of much legal, diplomatic, and financial fallout between the two countries for a long time to come

Threedimensional imaging of organ structures by nuclear magnetic resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waters, W.; Smolorz, J.; Wellner, U.

1985-01-01

A simple method for threedimensional imaging of organ structures is presented. The method is based on a special acquisition mode in a nuclear resonance tomograph, exciting layers of 20 cm thickness at different angulations. The display is done by cinematography (which is usually used in nuclear cardiology) projecting the structures in a rotating movement. (orig.) [de

Status of Early-Career Academic Cardiology: A Global Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Carl W; Madhur, Meena S; Rzeszut, Anne K; Abdalla, Marwah; Abudayyeh, Islam; Alexanderson, Erick; Buber, Jonathan; Feldman, Dmitriy N; Gopinathannair, Rakesh; Hira, Ravi S; Kates, Andrew M; Kessler, Thorsten; Leung, Steve; Raj, Satish R; Spatz, Erica S; Turner, Melanie B; Valente, Anne Marie; West, Kristin; Sivaram, Chittur A; Hill, Joseph A; Mann, Douglas L; Freeman, Andrew M

2017-10-31

Early-career academic cardiologists, who many believe are an important component of the future of cardiovascular care, face myriad challenges. The Early Career Section Academic Working Group of the American College of Cardiology, with senior leadership support, assessed the progress of this cohort from 2013 to 2016 with a global perspective. Data consisted of accessing National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute public information, data from the American Heart Association and international organizations, and a membership-wide survey. Although the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute increased funding of career development grants, only a small number of early-career American College of Cardiology members have benefited as funding of the entire cohort has decreased. Personal motivation, institutional support, and collaborators continued to be positive influential factors. Surprisingly, mentoring ceased to correlate positively with obtaining external grants. The totality of findings suggests that the status of early-career academic cardiologists remains challenging; therefore, the authors recommend a set of attainable solutions. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Nuclear Department, Royal Naval School of Marine Engineering - Provision of nuclear education and training to the naval nuclear propulsion programme and beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trethewey, K.R.; Beeley, P.A.; Lockwood, R.S.; Harrop, I.

2004-01-01

The Nuclear Department at HMS SULTAN provides education, training and research support to the Royal Navy Nuclear Propulsion Programme, as well as a growing number of civilian programmes within the wider British nuclear industry. As an aspiring centre of excellence in nuclear engineering, the Department will play an important role as a repository of nuclear knowledge for the foreseeable future. (author)

Conference Proceedings: Photography and Britishness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean Willcock

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The video-recordings presented here were made at the conference Photography and Britishness, held at the Yale Center for British Art on November 4 – 5, 2016. The conference was the result of a collaboration between the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, London, and the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino—three research institutions that have a converging interest in British art. The conference sought to investigate the various ways in which notions of “Britishness” have been communicated, inflected, and contested through the photographic image. It was not a conference about the history of photography in Britain, or about British photography. Rather, it sought to consider the nature of the relationship between photography and Britishness: the notion that photography can capture images of Britishness, at the same time that our sense of what Britishness constitutes is produced by the photographic image. A key question for the conference was whether Britishness can have a photographic referent—or whether it is itself an effect of representation. Speakers at the conference approached these questions from a wide range of perspectives and focusing on a diverse number of photographic materials—from family albums and studio portraits to advertisements, reportage, and aerial photography—which demonstrated the complexities and instabilities not only of the term Britishness, but also of the medium of photography. The conference was opened with an introduction by John Tagg. The videos included here are presented in the order they were delivered.

Radiation-Induced Noncancer Risks in Interventional Cardiology: Optimisation of Procedures and Staff and Patient Dose Reduction

Science.gov (United States)

Khairuddin Md Yusof, Ahmad

2013-01-01

Concerns about ionizing radiation during interventional cardiology have been increased in recent years as a result of rapid growth in interventional procedure volumes and the high radiation doses associated with some procedures. Noncancer radiation risks to cardiologists and medical staff in terms of radiation-induced cataracts and skin injuries for patients appear clear potential consequences of interventional cardiology procedures, while radiation-induced potential risk of developing cardiovascular effects remains less clear. This paper provides an overview of the evidence-based reviews of concerns about noncancer risks of radiation exposure in interventional cardiology. Strategies commonly undertaken to reduce radiation doses to both medical staff and patients during interventional cardiology procedures are discussed; optimisation of interventional cardiology procedures is highlighted. PMID:24027768

British Sign Name Customs

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Linda; Sutton-Spence, Rachel

2010-01-01

Research presented here describes the sign names and the customs of name allocation within the British Deaf community. While some aspects of British Sign Language sign names and British Deaf naming customs differ from those in most Western societies, there are many similarities. There are also similarities with other societies outside the more…

Myocardial scintigraphy. Clinical use and consequence in a non-invasive cardiological department

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dümcke, Christine Elisabeth; Graff, J; Rasmussen, SPL

2006-01-01

to analyse the clinical use of MPI in a university hospital without invasive cardiological laboratory. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the period 01.01.2002 to 31.12.2003, 259 patients (141 women, 118 men) were referred to MPI from our department of cardiology. RESULTS: Normal MPI was seen in 111 patients (43...

Stress influence on autonomous regulation of hearth, functions and radionucleodic methods in cardiological diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacko, A.; Komarek, K.

2007-01-01

The study deals with to stress related problem and its psychological response in human body, such as influence of stress in the autonomous regulation of heart activity. The study has used the Stroop's test in order to determine the stress level. After that the spectral analysis of the heart rate variability was carried out in order to specify the impact of the stress on the regulation of the influence of the autonomous nervous system in the relation to the heart activity. Obtained results were compared with selected indicators of used psychodiagnostic methods (Stroop's test). Cardio vascular diseases represent a serious problem which is trying to be resolved by health care professionals nevertheless it should also be a concern of each individual as well as the whole society. This disease continually affects younger age categories. From the medical point of view the ambition of early diagnosis with consequent therapy should influence this adverse trend. Diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases by the nuclear medicine method has a substantial place. These particular examinations represent about 40 % of performed examinations in units of nuclear medicine. This very fact has glanced off in conception of nuclear medicine by establishment of a new subdivision of 'nuclear cardiology'. (authors)

Women in interventional cardiology: The French experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Vautrin, E; Marlière, S; Bellemain-Appaix, A; Gilard, M; Manzo-Silberman, S

2016-12-01

Exploring the discrepancy in sex-ratio among interventional cardiologists by analysing the population of the female interventionalist. Despite an increase number of women who graduate from medical school in France during the last generation today, women represent only 24% of all cardiologists and 3% are interventional cardiologists. To face this international gender-based issue of interventional cardiology, committees were established in US (WIN) and recently within the EAPCI: the Women EAPCI chaired by Drs Mehilli and Mauri. In France, the Intervention'Elles committee emerged in order to participate in this concern. As a first initiative, the Intervention'Elles group launched an e-survey to obtain information on the population of French female interventional cardiologists, focused on demography, work patterns, maternity and radiation exposure. Mean age is 40 years old (±7,4), 68% are working in large volume center, 28% have also structural interventional activity. Only 40% have left arm coverage. Despite 80% of French female interventional cardiologists wear personal dosimeters only 45% of them have a dosimetry feedback. Interestingly, even if 54% of women have children (mean: 1.9±1) 28% of them report that childbearing had interfered with their career plan. This questionnaire identifies for the first time the women population in interventional cardiology in France and highlights some of the issues encountered in more detail. This first descriptive step would help to develop strategies for attaining gender equality in interventional cardiology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in nuclear medicine. Proceeding of the First World Congress of Nuclear Medicine, September 30--October 5, 1974, Tokyo, and Kyoto Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1974-01-01

Papers were presented on the use of radioisotopes in the fields of gastroenterology, hematology, oncology, cardiology, pulmonary disease, vascular disease, neurology, endocrinology, and other aspects of nuclear medicine. Separate abstracts were prepared for 49 papers.

Screening for mental disorders in cardiology outpatients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birket-Smith, M.; Rasmussen, A.

2008-01-01

The objective of the study was to compare the frequency of mental disorders in cardiology outpatients to the number of patients with psychological problems identified by cardiologists. In a cardiology outpatient service, 103 consecutive patients were asked to participate in the study. Of these 86...... were included and screened for mental disorder with the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) psychosis screening, the Clock Drawing Test, and the WHO-5 Well-being Index. The cardiologists were asked to rate the severity of somatic...... and mental problems in each patient on visual analogue scales (VAS-som and VAS-men). The current treatments, including psychiatric and psychological treatments, were noted, and the survival was followed for 3 years. Of the 86 patients included, 34 (40%) had a diagnosis of mental disorder. Eleven (12.8%) had...

VIIIth international symposium on nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The conference proceedings contain 92 abstracts of submitted papers dealing with various applications of radioisotopes in diagnosis and therapy. The papers were devoted to scintiscanning, radioimmunoassay, tomography, the applications of nuclear magnetic resonance and electron microscopy in different branches - oncology, cardiology, neurology, histology, gynecology, internal medicine, etc. (M.D.)

Indications, applications and future prospects of diagnostic examinations in clinical cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugishita, Yasuro; Koseki, Susumu; Matsuda, Mitsuo

1982-01-01

Nowadays there are various kinds of diagnostic examinations in the field of clinical cardiology. In this field, information concerning structure, dimension (hypertrophy and dilatation) and cardiac function is essentially imporant. For the diagnosis of valvular and congenital heart diseases and of cardiomyopathy, ultrasonic examinations are more useful; for ischemic heart disease, nuclear medicine is superior. Angiocardiography provides us much information but it is invasive. A combination of an exercise-test with the examinations mentioned above is useful for the detection of left ventricular and coronary reserves. The determinants of left ventricular reserve, being related to the prognosis of the patients, can be analyzed by exercise echocardiography. Exercise echocardiography can reveal instantaneous changes in myocardial ischemia during exercise. Regional and global left ventricular performances revealed by exercise radionuclide angiocardiography can lead us to a new interpretation of an exercise ECG. (author)

Radiation-induced eye lens changes and risk for cataract in interventional cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciraj-Bjelac, O; Rehani, M; Minamoto, A; Sim, K H; Liew, H B; Vano, E

2012-01-01

Recent studies have reported a significant increase in eye lens opacities among staff in the cardiac catheterization laboratory but indicated further studies are needed to confirm the findings. To evaluate the prevalence of opacities in eyes of cardiologists, radiographers and nurses working in interventional cardiology. The eyes of 52 staff in interventional cardiology facilities and 34 age- and sex-matched unexposed controls were screened in a cardiology conference held in Kuala Lumpur by dilated slit-lamp examination, and posterior lens changes were graded. Individual cumulative lens X-ray exposures were calculated from responses to a questionnaire in terms of workload and working practice. The prevalence of posterior lens opacities among interventional cardiologists was 53%, while in nurses and radiographers it was 45%. Corresponding relative risks were 2.6 (95% CI: 1.2-5.4) and 2.2 (95% CI: 0.98-4.9), for interventional cardiologists and support staff, respectively. This study confirms a statistically significant increase in radiation-associated posterior lens changes in the eyes of interventional cardiology staff. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

What to Expect from the Evolving Field of Geriatric Cardiology

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Susan P.; Orr, Nicole M.; Dodson, John A.; Rich, Michael W.; Wenger, Nanette K.; Blum, Kay; Harold, John Gordon; Tinetti, Mary; Maurer, Mathew S.; Forman, Daniel E.

2016-01-01

The population of older adults is expanding rapidly and aging predisposes to cardiovascular disease. The principle of patient-centered care must respond to the preponderance of cardiac disease that now occurs in combination with complexities of old age. Geriatric cardiology melds cardiovascular perspectives with multimorbidity, polypharmacy, frailty, cognitive decline, and other clinical, social, financial, and psychological dimensions of aging. While some assume a cardiologist may instinctively cultivate some of these skills over the course of a career, we assert that the volume and complexity of older cardiovascular patients in contemporary practice warrants a more direct approach to achieve suitable training and a more reliable process of care. We present a rationale and vision for geriatric cardiology as a melding of primary cardiovascular and geriatrics skills, and thereby infusing cardiology practice with expanded proficiencies in diagnosis, risks, care coordination, communications, end-of-life, and other competences required to best manage older cardiovascular patients. PMID:26361161

A survey for the evaluation of the training period of cardiology specialists in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Yıldız, Bekir Serhat; Alkan, Mustafa Beyazıt; Güngör, Hasan; Gül, Ilker; Bilgin, Murat; Akın, Mustafa; Nalbantgil, Sanem; Zoghi, Mehdi

2011-12-01

To evaluate postgraduate training period, social life and problems of cardiology residents in Turkey by using a questionnaire form and to compare with the core curriculum of European Society of Cardiology for general cardiology. Overall, 529 residents of cardiology ages in range of 24-35 years (mean age: 26.5±2.0 years, 81.4% male) participated as volunteers in this cross-sectional survey study. An 86-item questionnaire form was used to evaluate the education process, capacity of knowledge and skill and social effectiveness level of participants. The questionnaire were composed both closed- and open-ended questions. The questionnaire form was filled in with the face-to-face communication method. The data of survey were compared with the core curriculum of European Society of Cardiology for general cardiology training period. Chi-square or Fischer exact test was used for statistical analysis. The participants were working in various university hospitals (70.3%) and training-research (state) hospitals in 31 different provinces in Turkey (40.8% in Marmara region). They visited 40±10 outpatients and 10±5 hospitalized pts daily in the clinics. The 3-5 residents worked at the clinic on night shifts and mostly (89%) 8 or more night shifts per month were held in their first training years. During first three-years of training 76% of residents have performed echocardiography, 40.8%-transesophageal echocardiography and 10% - intraoperative echocardiography. The 84.3% of them evaluated exercise tests, 76.4%-Holter electrocardiography and 53.3%-tilt-table tests. The rate of residents working in coronary angiography laboratories was 54.3%. The 53.7% of residents performed coronary angiography and 64%-only in the 4th year of their training. The number of coronary angiography performance was under expected when compared with European Society of Cardiology curriculum. The 18.5% of residents were participated as assistant researcher in an international multi-center study and

Report on the second Congress of the Russian nuclear medicine society and on International conference Current problems of nuclear medicine and radiopharmaceuticals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lishmanov, Yu.B.; Chernov, V.I.

2001-01-01

Information on the work of Second Congress of Russian Nuclear Medicine Society and International Conference - Current problems of nuclear medicine and radiopharmaceuticals, - held in Obninsk in October, 2000, is adduced. Reports presented in the conference are dedicated to various aspects of application of radionuclide methods to cardiology, angiology, oncology, surgery, hematology, endocrinology, pediatrics and neurology. Problems in the development of radiopharmaceutical, training and skill advancement of experts, dosimetry and radiation safety in nuclear medicine were discussed. Congress considered the organizational problems in Russian nuclear medicine [ru

The Clinical Impact of Cardiology Consultation Prior to Major Vascular Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Frank M; Park, Yeo June; Grey, Scott F; Boniakowski, Anna E; Mansour, M Ashraf; Jain, Krishna M; Nypaver, Timothy; Grossman, Michael; Gurm, Hitinder; Henke, Peter K

2018-01-01

To understand statewide variation in preoperative cardiology consultation prior to major vascular surgery and to determine whether consultation was associated with differences in perioperative myocardial infarction (poMI). Medical consultation prior to major vascular surgery is obtained to reduce perioperative risk. Despite perceived benefit of preoperative consultation, evidence is lacking specifically for major vascular surgery on the effect of preoperative cardiac consultation. Patient and clinical data were obtained from a statewide vascular surgery registry between January 2012 and December 2014. Patients were risk stratified by revised cardiac risk index category and compared poMI between patients who did or did not receive a preoperative cardiology consultation. We then used logistic regression analysis to compare the rate of poMI across hospitals grouped into quartiles by rate of preoperative cardiology consultation. Our study population comprised 5191 patients undergoing open peripheral arterial bypass (n = 3037), open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (n = 332), or endovascular aneurysm repair (n = 1822) at 29 hospitals. At the patient level, after risk-stratification by revised cardiac risk index category, there was no association between cardiac consultation and poMI. At the hospital level, preoperative cardiac consultation varied substantially between hospitals (6.9%-87.5%, P 66%) had a reduction in poMI (OR, 0.52; confidence interval: 0.28-0.98; P cardiology consultation for vascular surgery varies greatly between institutions, and does not appear to impact poMI at the patient level. However, reduction of poMI was noted at the hospitals with the highest rate of preoperative cardiology consultation as well as a variety of medical services, suggesting that other hospital culture effects play a role.

History of Cardiology in India

OpenAIRE

Das, Mrinal Kanti; Kumar, Soumitra; Deb, Pradip Kumar; Mishra, Sundeep

2015-01-01

History as a science revolves around memories, travellers' tales, fables and chroniclers' stories, gossip and trans-telephonic conversations. Medicine itself as per the puritan's definition is a non-exact science because of the probability-predictability-sensitivity-specificity factors. Howsoever, the chronicles of Cardiology in India is quite interesting and intriguing. Heart and circulation was known to humankind from pre-Vedic era. Various therapeutics measures including the role of Yoga a...

Radioactivity in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles, 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, G.J.

1984-01-01

The subject is covered in sections, entitled: introduction: discharges of [liquid, solid] radioactive waste; methods of analysis and of presentation and interpretation of results; British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) Sellafield, Cumbria (the fish and shellfish consumption pathway; external exposure; porphyra/ laverbread pathway; other surveys); Springfields, Lancashire; Capenhurst, Cheshire; Chapelcross, Dumfriesshire); United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorset; Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establish-ment, Caithness); nuclear power stations operated by the electricity boards (Berkeley, Gloucestershire and Oldbury, Avon; Bradwell, Essex; Dungeness, Kent; Hartlepool, Cleveland; Heysham, Lancashire; Hinkley Point, Somerset; Hunterston, Ayrshire; Sizewell, Suffolk; Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd; Wylfa, Gwynedd; naval establishments; Amersham International plc; Channel Islands monitoring; summary and conclusions. (U.K.)

Analysis of the frequency of interventional cardiology in various European countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faulkner, K.; Werduch, A.

2008-01-01

The contribution of interventional cardiology procedures to the population dose in Europe is poorly known. The estimation of the population dose from these procedures requires knowledge of both the typical dose received by patients and an estimate of the number of procedures undertaken annually. Data on the number of cardiology procedures in various European countries are available on the internet for a number of countries. However, this data set is incomplete or out of date. This paper describes the statistical analysis undertaken to estimate the number of interventional cardiology procedures in a number of European countries for 2007. Estimates of the number of procedures are given. On average, the number of cardiac catheterizations per million population is 5346, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty is 1599 and 1214 stent procedures. In addition, there are an estimated 973 pacemaker insertions per million population. (authors)

Enabling Precision Cardiology Through Multiscale Biology and Systems Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kipp W. Johnson, BS

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Summary: The traditional paradigm of cardiovascular disease research derives insight from large-scale, broadly inclusive clinical studies of well-characterized pathologies. These insights are then put into practice according to standardized clinical guidelines. However, stagnation in the development of new cardiovascular therapies and variability in therapeutic response implies that this paradigm is insufficient for reducing the cardiovascular disease burden. In this state-of-the-art review, we examine 3 interconnected ideas we put forth as key concepts for enabling a transition to precision cardiology: 1 precision characterization of cardiovascular disease with machine learning methods; 2 the application of network models of disease to embrace disease complexity; and 3 using insights from the previous 2 ideas to enable pharmacology and polypharmacology systems for more precise drug-to-patient matching and patient-disease stratification. We conclude by exploring the challenges of applying a precision approach to cardiology, which arise from a deficit of the required resources and infrastructure, and emerging evidence for the clinical effectiveness of this nascent approach. Key Words: cardiology, clinical informatics, multi-omics, precision medicine, translational bioinformatics

Nuclear power and the non-proliferation issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-12-01

This leaflet, issued by the British Nuclear Forum on behalf of the industry, seeks first to place the problem of reconciling the need for nuclear power with its possible weapon uses in a historical perspective. Secondly, it describes the technical and political measures which are now taken, and others which could be introduced in order to ensure that nuclear power, which offers the cheapest and safest large-scale energy source for the future, can be made available without contributing to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Headings are: introduction; the early years; the IAEA; uranium enrichment; plutonium; secrecy has failed; the Non-Proliferation Treaty; the London Suppliers Group; the situation today; the British position; conclusions. (U.K.)

Artificial intelligence in cardiology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srishti Sharma

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Artificial intelligence (AI provides machines with the ability to learn and respond the way humans do and is also referred to as machine learning. The step to building an AI system is to provide the data to learn from so that it can map relations between inputs and outputs and set up parameters such as “weights”/decision boundaries to predict responses for inputs in the future. Then, the model is tested on a second data set. This article outlines the promise this analytic approach has in medicine and cardiology.

Embedding patient simulation in a pediatric cardiology rotation: a unique opportunity for improving resident education.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan, Shaun; Follansbee, Christopher; Nwankwo, Ugonna; Hofkosh, Dena; Sherman, Frederick S; Hamilton, Melinda F

2015-01-01

High-fidelity patient simulation (HFPS) has been used in medical education to bridge gaps in medical knowledge and clinical skills. Few studies have analyzed the impact of HFPS in subspecialty rotations for pediatric residents. We hypothesized that pediatric residents exposed to HFPS with a structured content curriculum would perform better on a case quiz than residents without exposure to HFPS. Prospective randomized controlled Tertiary-care free standing children's hospital During a cardiology rotation, senior pediatric residents completed an online pediatric cardiology curriculum and a cardiology quiz. After randomization into two groups, the study group participated in a fully debriefed HFPS session. The control group had no HFPS. Both groups completed a case quiz. Confidence surveys pre- and postsimulation were completed. From October 2010 through March 2013, 55 residents who rotated through the pediatric cardiology rotation were used in the final analysis (30 control, 25 in the study group). There was no significant difference between groups on the initial cardiology quiz. The study group scored higher on the case quiz compared with the control group (P = .024). Based on pre- and postsimulation questionnaires, residents' confidence in approaching a pediatric cardiology patient improved from an average Likert score of 5.1 to 7.5 (on scale of 0-10) (P cardiology rotation was feasible and well received. Our study suggests that simulation promotes increased confidence and may modestly improve clinical reasoning compared to traditional educational techniques. Targeted simulation sessions may readily be incorporated into pediatric subspecialty rotations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Coal and nuclear electricity fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahnama, F.

1982-06-01

Comparative economic analysis is used to contrast the economic advantages of nuclear and coal-fired electric generating stations for Canadian regions. A simplified cash flow method is used with present value techniques to yield a single levelized total unit energy cost over the lifetime of a generating station. Sensitivity analysis illustrates the effects of significant changes in some of the cost data. The analysis indicates that in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia nuclear energy is less costly than coal for electric power generation. In the base case scenario the nuclear advantage is 24 percent in Quebec, 29 percent in Ontario, 34 percent in Manitoba, and 16 percent in British Columbia. Total unit energy cost is sensitive to variations in both capital and fuel costs for both nuclear and coal-fuelled power stations, but are not very sensitive to operating and maintenance costs

Major achievements in cardiology in the past century : influence on Dutch cardiovascular medicine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Wall, E. E.; de Boer, M-J; Doevendans, P. A.; Wilde, A. A.; Zijlstra, F.

At the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology, it is interesting to look back on the major scientific achievements in cardiovascular medicine of the last century, and to pail attention to the impact of these achievements on Dutch Cardiology. It might be a nice

The RECALCAR Project. Healthcare in the Cardiology Units of the Spanish National Health System, 2011 to 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Íñiguez Romo, Andrés; Bertomeu Martínez, Vicente; Rodríguez Padial, Luis; Anguita Sánchez, Manuel; Ruiz Mateas, Francisco; Hidalgo Urbano, Rafael; Bernal Sobrino, José Luis; Fernández Pérez, Cristina; Macaya de Miguel, Carlos; Elola Somoza, Francisco Javier

2017-07-01

The RECALCAR project (Spanish acronym for Resources and Quality in Cardiology Units) uses 2 data sources: a survey of cardiology units and an analysis of the Minimum Basic Data set of all hospital discharges of the Spanish National Health System. From 2011 to 2014, there was marked stability in all indicators of the availability, utilization, and productivity of cardiology units. There was significant variability between units and between the health services of the autonomous communities. There was poor implementation of process management (only 14% of the units) and scarce development of health care networks (17%). Structured cardiology units tended to have better results, in terms of both quality and efficiency. No significant differences were found between the different types of unit in the mean length of stay (5.5±1.1 days) or the ratio between successive and first consultations (2:1). The mean discharge rate was 5/1000 inhabitants/y and the mean rate of initial consultations was 16±4/1000 inhabitants/y. No duty or on-call cardiologist was available in 30% of cardiology units with 24 or more beds; of these, no critical care beds were available in 45%. Our findings support the recommendation to regionalize cardiology care and to promote the development of cardiology unit networks. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

e-Teaching in pediatric cardiology: A paradigm shift.

Science.gov (United States)

Maheshwari, Sunita; Zheleva, Bistra; Rajasekhar, Veeralakshmi; Batra, Bipin

2015-01-01

Training of postgraduate students has traditionally been done in person in a hospital setting with hands-on training with each faculty member imparting knowledge to 2 to 4 students per year. Supplementing their practical education with online instruction could make a significant difference in standardizing pediatric cardiology education in India. To present the rationale, methods and survey results of a live e-Teaching methodology implemented for Pediatric cardiology trainees in association with the National Board of Examinations, India. Between March 2010 and March 2014, 310 e-classes were conducted in the Pediatric cardiac sciences by 24 e-teachers. Content of the e-Learning program was based on a 2-year pediatric cardiology curriculum and included twice-weekly live online video training sessions, a library of recorded sessions and online test quizzes for the students. A total of 231 students accessed the program at various times over the 4-year period. In our study, requests for access to the e-lectures increased from 10/year the first year to 100/year by the fourth year with feedback surveys conveying a high satisfaction level from the students and a high need for this knowledge. The advantages of virtual live e-Learning included the fact that one teacher can teach multiple students in multiple geographic locations at the same time, obviating the issue of quality teacher shortage and the same content can be disseminated to all students undergoing specialist training so there is a national consensus on diagnostic and management approach among all trainees. Additionally, the e-classes can be recorded and replayed so they can be viewed repeatedly by the same group or new trainees. This is the first sustained use of e-Teaching in a medical super-specialty in India. We believe that e-Teaching is an innovative solution that can be applied, not just to Pediatric Cardiology as we have done, but to all branches of specialist and super-specialist medical training in

Palliative Care Training in Cardiology Fellowship: A National Survey of the Fellows.

Science.gov (United States)

Dabbouseh, Noura M; Kaushal, Shivtej; Peltier, Wendy; Johnston, Fabian M

2018-02-01

To address perspectives of cardiology fellows on the current state of palliative education and palliative and hospice resource utilization within their fellowship experiences. We conducted an online national survey of cardiology fellows during the 2015 to 2016 academic year. Survey questions aimed to assess perceived importance of palliative care education, level of palliative care education during fellowship, and the structure of palliative care support at respondent institutions. Responses were collected anonymously. A total of 519 programs, including subspecialty programs, were contacted. We received 365 responses, a number that represents roughly 14% of all cardiology fellows nationwide during the 2015 to 2016 academic year. Fellows reported discordance in the quality of education between general cardiology and palliative care principles as it relates to care of the patient approaching the end of life. Fellows infrequently received explicit training nor were observed or mentored in delivering end-of-life discussions. Respondents reported an underutilization of palliative care and hospice resources during fellowship training and also a perception that attending faculty were not routinely addressing goals of care. Our survey results highlight a need for enhanced palliative care and end-of-life training experiences for cardiology fellows and also suggest underutilization of hospice and palliative care resources for patients with advanced cardiac diseases. These findings create a platform for future work that might: (1) confirm this training deficit, (2) lead to exploration of educational models that could reconcile this deficit, and (3) potentially help improve palliative care support for patients and families facing advanced heart disease.

Nuclear Belief Systems and Individual Policy-Makers: Duncan Sandys, Unmanned Weaponry, and the Impossibility of Defence

OpenAIRE

Betts, Lewis

2014-01-01

This thesis attempts to explore the influence that Duncan Sandys' experiences of the Second World War had on his policy preferences, and policy-making, in relation to British defence policy during his years in government. This is a significant period in British nuclear policy which began with thermonuclear weaponry being placed ostentatiously at the centre of British defence planning in the 1957 Defence White Paper, and ended with the British acquiring the latest American nuclear weapon techn...

The British Nuclear Industry Forum's public affairs campaign

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, Keith

2000-01-01

Full text: In March 1999, BNIF launched a public affairs Campaign with the objective of influencing the views of opinion formers - particularly in the political field - about the case for nuclear energy as a long-term, sustainable component of the UK's energy mix. The Campaign was launched to BNIF's 70 member companies under the slogan, Profiting through Partnership - By Changing the Climate of Opinion. That slogan was chosen to emphasise a key feature of the Campaign approach, which is the importance of an industry speaking collectively with one voice, but with each individual company actively playing its part by spreading the industry's messages to their own local and regional audiences - Members of Parliament, local politicians, local media - to build a groundswell of support for the eventual renewal of nuclear energy in the UK. Our aim was to place the prospect of a new nuclear power station firmly on the political agenda during the lifetime of the next Parliament - that is, in the period 2002-2007. The Campaign was launched at a time when a few encouraging signs were emerging of a growing recognition in Government, Parliament, and in academic and scientific circles that nuclear energy has an important role to play in meeting the energy and environmental challenges of the 21st century. The challenge, in particular, of climate change and the UK Government's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions undertaken at Kyoto and in its election manifesto, gave the industry a strong, positive issue on which to campaign. However, we fully recognised that to make a convincing case for nuclear energy we would also have to address the issues of concern and doubt in the minds of the public and politicians - economic competitiveness, waste management, transport and decommissioning. During the year, BNIF produced a range of Campaign materials, made submissions to several Government and other inquiries and consultations, organised events, meetings and discussions, all with

Recent applications of nuclear medicine in diagnostics: II part

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giorgio Treglia

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Positron-emission tomography (PET and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT are effective diagnostic imaging tools in several clinical settings. The aim of this article (the second of a 2-part series is to examine some of the more recent applications of nuclear medicine imaging techniques, particularly in the fields of neurology, cardiology, and infection/inflammation. Discussion: A review of the literature reveals that in the field of neurology nuclear medicine techniques are most widely used to investigate cognitive deficits and dementia (particularly those associated with Alzheimer disease, epilepsy, and movement disorders. In cardiology, SPECT and PET also play important roles in the work-up of patients with coronary artery disease, providing accurate information on the state of the myocardium (perfusion, metabolism, and innervation. White blood cell scintigraphy and FDG-PET are widely used to investigate many infectious/inflammatory processes. In each of these areas, the review discusses the use of recently developed radiopharmaceuticals, the growth of tomographic nuclear medicine techniques, and the ways in which these advances are improving molecular imaging of biologic processes at the cellular level.

British Dance: Black Routes

OpenAIRE

Adair, C.; Burt, Ramsay, 1953-

2016-01-01

British Dance: Black Routes re-examines the distinctive contributions made to British dance by dancers who are Black. Covering the period 1946 to the present, it presents a radical re-reading of dancers and their companies, placing their achievements within a broader historical, cultural and artistic context. The result of a two year research project, British Dance and the African Diaspora, led by editors Christy Adair and Ramsay Burt, the collection looks at artists working with contempor...

The value of independent specialty designation for interventional cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Blankenship, James C; Powell, Wayne A; Gray, Dawn R; Duffy, Peter L

2017-01-01

Interventional cardiology has finally completed, after 26 years of advocacy, a professional hat trick: independent board certification, membership as a unique specialty in the American Medical Association House of Delegates (AMA HOD), and recognition by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) as a separate medical specialty. This article points out how these distinctions for interventional cardiology and its professional society, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), have led to clear and definite benefits for interventional cardiologists and their patients. We focus on the least understood of these three-recognition by CMS and its implications for reimbursement and quality assessment for interventional cardiologists. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

British nuclear non-proliferation policy and the trident purchase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keohane, D.

1984-01-01

Since the mid-1950s, the UK has had a policy of making significant and sustained efforts to minimise the spread of nuclear arms. Unlike the global focus of its non-proliferation policy, the decision on Trident in centred upon national and perhaps regional requirements. At a time when non-nuclear countries are charging nuclear-weapon states with a grave failure to meet their obligations under Article VI of the NPT, Britain is making plans that would further increase the gap between the nuclear 'haves' and have-nots' and that indicate it expects to require nuclear arms in the next century. It would of course be unrealistic to expect a government to fully harmonise its manifold policies and unreasonable to suggest it should give absolute priority to one of its policy concerns, such as non-proliferation. But Britain is emphasising the high value it places upon the independent possession of strategic nuclear arms through its decision to purchase Trident, thus implicitly contradicting the logic underlying its non-proliferation policy. Compared to other factors, the influence of the Trident decision upon the non-proliferation regime appears very marginal, yet it is unlikely to strengthen that regime

Official Program and Abstracts of the 15. Meeting of the Latin-American Association of Biology and Nuclear Medicine Societies (ALASBIMN 97); Iberoamerican Congress of Nuclear Medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

This issue contains 117 abstracts of lectures and poster sessions of the 15th Meeting of the Latin-American Association of Biology and Nuclear Medicine Societies (ALASBIMN 97) and Iberoamerican Congress of Nuclear Medicine, held in Lima, Peru, from 26 to 30 October 1997. The key subjects addressed are nuclear medicine and diagnostic techniques on brain, liver, lungs, heart, osteo-articular, cardiology, oncology, endocrinology, radiopharmaceuticals, medical physics, SPECT and their applications in diagnostic medicine. (APC)

An Evaluation of a Clerkship In Cardiology

Science.gov (United States)

Edson, John N.; and others

1969-01-01

Evaluation of the clinical clerkship in Cardiology for general practitioners proves there is an urgent need for continuing post graduate medical education for general practitioners. Clerkship was offered jointly by the Long Island College Hospital and the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York. (IR)

25 years of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pocock, R.F.

1984-01-01

The paper lists some of the notable events of the British nuclear power industry during the past 25 years. The list includes achievements in nuclear power station technology, administrative reorganisation and public concern about the industry's impact on the environment. (U.K.)

The Nuclear Review: the Institution of Nuclear Engineers' response to the Review of Nuclear Power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

The United Kingdom Government's Nuclear Review currently underway, addresses whether and in what form nuclear power should continue to be part of the country's power generation capability. This article sets out the response of the Institution of Nuclear Engineers to the Nuclear Review. This pro-nuclear group emphasises the benefits to be gained from diversity of generation in the energy supply industry. The environmentally benign nature of nuclear power is emphasised, in terms of gaseous emissions. The industry's excellent safety record also argues in favour of nuclear power. Finally, as power demand increases globally, a health U.K. nuclear industry could generate British wealth through power exports and via the construction industry. The Institution's view on radioactive waste management is also set out. (UK)

Nuclear medicine: the Philippine Heart Center experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cancino, E.L.

1994-01-01

The following is a report of a three (3) months on-the-job training in Nuclear Medicine at the Nuclear Medicine Department of the Philippine Heart Center. The hospital has current generation nuclear medicine instruments with data processor and is capable of a full range of in vivo and in vitro procedures. Gamma camera is the principal instrument for imaging in nuclear medicine used in the Philippine Heart Center. Thyroid scanning procedure is being performed with these instruments. Also the cardiovascular procedures, the pulmonary, skeletal, renal and hepatobiliary procedures were being performed with the use of gamma camera. Special emphasis is on nuclear cardiology since the PHC attends primarily to cardiovascular patients. (auth.)

Nobel Prizes: Contributions to Cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesquita, Evandro Tinoco; Marchese, Luana de Decco; Dias, Danielle Warol; Barbeito, Andressa Brasil; Gomes, Jonathan Costa; Muradas, Maria Clara Soares; Lanzieri, Pedro Gemal; Gismondi, Ronaldo Altenburg

2015-01-01

The Nobel Prize was created by Alfred Nobel. The first prize was awarded in 1901 and Emil Adolf von Behring was the first laureate in medicine due to his research in diphtheria serum. Regarding cardiology, Nobel Prize’s history permits a global comprehension of progress in pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapeutics of various cardiac diseases in last 120 years. The objective of this study was to review the major scientific discoveries contemplated by Nobel Prizes that contributed to cardiology. In addition, we also hypothesized why Carlos Chagas, one of our most important scientists, did not win the prize in two occasions. We carried out a non-systematic review of Nobel Prize winners, selecting the main studies relevant to heart diseaseamong the laureates. In the period between 1901 and 2013, 204 researches and 104 prizes were awarded in Nobel Prize, of which 16 (15%) studies were important for cardiovascular area. There were 33 (16%) laureates, and two (6%) were women. Fourteen (42%) were American, 15 (45%) Europeans and four (13%) were from other countries. There was only one winner born in Brazil, Peter Medawar, whose career was all in England. Reviewing the history of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine area made possible to identify which researchers and studies had contributed to advances in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Most winners were North Americans and Europeans, and male

Nobel Prizes: Contributions to Cardiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mesquita, Evandro Tinoco; Marchese, Luana de Decco; Dias, Danielle Warol; Barbeito, Andressa Brasil; Gomes, Jonathan Costa; Muradas, Maria Clara Soares; Lanzieri, Pedro Gemal; Gismondi, Ronaldo Altenburg, E-mail: ronaldo@floralia.com.br [Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ (Brazil)

2015-08-15

The Nobel Prize was created by Alfred Nobel. The first prize was awarded in 1901 and Emil Adolf von Behring was the first laureate in medicine due to his research in diphtheria serum. Regarding cardiology, Nobel Prize’s history permits a global comprehension of progress in pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapeutics of various cardiac diseases in last 120 years. The objective of this study was to review the major scientific discoveries contemplated by Nobel Prizes that contributed to cardiology. In addition, we also hypothesized why Carlos Chagas, one of our most important scientists, did not win the prize in two occasions. We carried out a non-systematic review of Nobel Prize winners, selecting the main studies relevant to heart diseaseamong the laureates. In the period between 1901 and 2013, 204 researches and 104 prizes were awarded in Nobel Prize, of which 16 (15%) studies were important for cardiovascular area. There were 33 (16%) laureates, and two (6%) were women. Fourteen (42%) were American, 15 (45%) Europeans and four (13%) were from other countries. There was only one winner born in Brazil, Peter Medawar, whose career was all in England. Reviewing the history of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine area made possible to identify which researchers and studies had contributed to advances in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Most winners were North Americans and Europeans, and male.

[Quality assurance in interventional cardiology].

Science.gov (United States)

Gülker, H

2009-10-01

Quality assurance in clinical studies aiming at approval of pharmaceutical products is submitted to strict rules, controls and auditing regulations. Comparative instruments to ensure quality in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are not available in interventional cardiology, likewise in other fields of cardiovascular medicine. Quality assurance simply consists of "quality registers" with basic data not externally controlled. Based on the experiences of clinical studies and their long history of standardization it is assumed that these data may be severely flawed thus being inappropriate to set standards for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The precondition for quality assurance are quality data. In invasive coronary angiography and intervention medical indications, the decision making process interventional versus surgical revascularization, technical performance and after - care are essential aspects affecting quality of diagnostics and therapy. Quality data are externally controlled data. To collect quality data an appropriate infrastructure is a necessary precondition which is not existent. For an appropriate infrastructure investments have to be done both to build up as well as to sustain the necessary preconditions. As long as there are no infrastructure and no investments there will be no "quality data". There exist simply registers of data which are not proved to be a basis for significant assurance and enhancement in quality in interventional coronary cardiology. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.

Statement of nuclear incidents at nuclear installations: first quarter 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

As a requirement of the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act, the United Kingdom Health and Safety Inspectorate is required to publish reports of nuclear incidents at nuclear installations. This report covers the period 1st January to 31st March 1994. Two incidents are reported for Dungeness A Power Station, one at the Amersham International building on site at Harwell Laboratory, one at AEA Technology's Windscale Plant and one at British Nuclear Fuels Limited's Sellafield site. (UK)

Evaluation of Cardiology Training and Manpower Requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Forrest H., Ed.; Mendenhall, Robert C., Ed.

Begun in June, 1971 and completed in October 1973, the study had the following specific goals: to define the cardiologist's role; to determine cardiology training program objectives; to determine manpower needs for cardiologists; and to determine the educational needs of cardiologists. The major information was sought from all active cardiologists…

Specialty Payment Model Opportunities and Assessment: Gastroenterology and Cardiology Model Design Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulcahy, Andrew W; Chan, Chris; Hirshman, Samuel; Huckfeldt, Peter J; Kofner, Aaron; Liu, Jodi L; Lovejoy, Susan L; Popescu, Ioana; Timbie, Justin W; Hussey, Peter S

2015-07-15

Gastroenterology and cardiology services are common and costly among Medicare beneficiaries. Episode-based payment, which aims to create incentives for high-quality, low-cost care, has been identified as a promising alternative payment model. This article describes research related to the design of episode-based payment models for ambulatory gastroenterology and cardiology services for possible testing by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The authors analyzed Medicare claims data to describe the frequency and characteristics of gastroenterology and cardiology index procedures, the practices that delivered index procedures, and the patients that received index procedures. The results of these analyses can help inform CMS decisions about the definition of episodes in an episode-based payment model; payment adjustments for service setting, multiple procedures, or other factors; and eligibility for the payment model.

Comparison of EuroMISE Minimal Data Model for Cardiology and HL7 V3 DAM: Cardiology Rel. 2

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Seidl, Libor; Hanzlíček, Petr

2011-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 1 (2011), s. 33-36 ISSN 1801-5603 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 1M06014 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : data model * EuroMISE MDMC * HL7 V3 DAM cardiology * comparison Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science http://www.ejbi.eu/images/2011-1/Seidl_en.pdf

Public attitudes to nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Margerison, T.A.

1988-01-01

The British public is very poorly informed about nuclear power. 55 % express concern about it, but few can explain why. Some of the reasons given are extraordinary: 37 % of the public think nuclear power causes acid rain which pollutes lakes and kills trees; 47 % think coal is a safer fuel for making electricity than nuclear; a quarter think natural radiation is less harmful than that from nuclear stations. And a very large number of people have greatly exaggerated views of the amount of radiation released from power stations and the harm that it is doing people. Also, a quarter of everyone asked thought that nuclear power stations make bombs as well as electricity. Most of these concerns come from the media, and in particular from television which has broadcast many programmes which are strongly anti-nuclear, often inaccurate, and usually sensational. Fortunately, the effect of these stories is less damaging than one might think. At present about 42 % of the adult British population are not in favour of nuclear power, so there is still a majority who are not against. About 44 % are positively in favour, and the remainder are not sure or have no view

2013 update on congenital heart disease, clinical cardiology, heart failure, and heart transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Subirana, M Teresa; Barón-Esquivias, Gonzalo; Manito, Nicolás; Oliver, José M; Ripoll, Tomás; Lambert, Jose Luis; Zunzunegui, José L; Bover, Ramon; García-Pinilla, José Manuel

2014-03-01

This article presents the most relevant developments in 2013 in 3 key areas of cardiology: congenital heart disease, clinical cardiology, and heart failure and transplant. Within the area of congenital heart disease, we reviewed contributions related to sudden death in adult congenital heart disease, the importance of specific echocardiographic parameters in assessing the systemic right ventricle, problems in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot and indication for pulmonary valve replacement, and confirmation of the role of specific factors in the selection of candidates for Fontan surgery. The most recent publications in clinical cardiology include a study by a European working group on correct diagnostic work-up in cardiomyopathies, studies on the cost-effectiveness of percutaneous aortic valve implantation, a consensus document on the management of type B aortic dissection, and guidelines on aortic valve and ascending aortic disease. The most noteworthy developments in heart failure and transplantation include new American guidelines on heart failure, therapeutic advances in acute heart failure (serelaxin), the management of comorbidities such as iron deficiency, risk assessment using new biomarkers, and advances in ventricular assist devices. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Using a statewide survey methodology to prioritize pediatric cardiology core content.

Science.gov (United States)

Neal, Ashley E; Lehto, Elizabeth; Miller, Karen Hughes; Ziegler, Craig; Davis, Erin

2018-01-01

Although pediatrician-reported relevance of Canadian cardiology-specific objectives has been studied, similar data are not available for the 2016 American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) cardiology-specific objectives. This study asked Kentucky trainees, pediatricians, and pediatric cardiologists to identify "most important" content within these objectives. This cross-sectional study used an original, online survey instrument based on the 2016 ABP cardiology-specific objectives. We collected quantitative data (numerical indications of importance) and qualitative data (open-ended replies regarding missing content and difficulty in teaching and learning). Respondents indicated the top two choices of most important items within eight content areas. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and chi-square analysis were calculated. Content within categories was organized using naturally occurring "clusters" and "gaps" in scores. Common themes among open-ended qualitative responses were identified using Pandit's version of Glaser and Strauss Grounded theory (constant comparison). Of the 136 respondents, 23 (17%) were residents, 15 (11%) fellows, 85 (62%) pediatricians, and 13 (10%) pediatric cardiologists. Of attendings, 80% reported faculty/gratis faculty status. Naturally occurring clusters in respondent-designated importance resulted in ≤3 "most selected" objectives per content area. Objectives in "most selected" content pertained to initial diagnosis (recognition of abnormality/disease) (n = 16), possible emergent/urgent intervention required (n = 14), building a differential (n = 8), and planning a workup (n = 4). Conversely, themes for "least selected" content included comanagement with subspecialist (n = 15), knowledge useful in patient-family communication (n = 9), knowledge that can be referenced (as needed) (n = 7), and longitudinal/follow-up concerns (n = 5). This study demonstrated the utility of an online survey

NMR clinical imaging and spectroscopy: Its impact on nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This is a collection of four papers describing aspects of past and future use of nuclear magnetic resonance as a clinical diagnostic tool. The four papers are entitled (1) What Does NMR Offer that Nuclear Medicine Does Not? by Jerry W. Froelich, (2) Oncological Imaging: Now, Future and Impact Jerry W. Froelich, (3) Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/Spectroscopic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine: Past, Present and Future by H. Cecil Charles, and (4) MR Cardiology: Now, Future and Impact by Robert J. Herfkens

Clinical - cardiologic data of 170 dogs - general aspects of diagnosis and therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohn, F.K.

1994-01-01

The paper presents an actual continuous cardiologic follow up study on 170 unselected dogs. Each proband underwent a complete cardiologic examination (history, auscultation, ECG, radiologic examination, in some cases also echocardiography). Data were grouped by age, sex, breed, congenital and acquired cardiac diseases, and by therapy. 81 (47.65 percent) of the 170 dogs were suffering from an acquired, 25 (14.70 percent) from a congenital cardiac disease. 64 dogs (37.65 percent) showedno clinical signs of heart disease

Advanced Imaging of Intracranial Atherosclerosis: Lessons from Interventional Cardiology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davor Pavlin-Premrl

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Intracranial atherosclerosis is a major cause of ischemic stroke. Patients with a high degree of stenosis have a significant rate of stroke despite medical therapy. Two randomized trials of stenting have failed to show benefit. Improving periprocedural complication rates and patient selection may improve stenting outcomes. Fractional flow reserve (FFR, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS, and optical coherence tomography (OCT are intravascular imaging techniques employed to improve patient selection and stent placement in interventional cardiology. FFR has been shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes when used in patient selection for intervention. Studies of FFR in intracranial atherosclerosis show that the measure may predict which plaques lead to stroke. IVUS is used in cardiology to quantify stenosis and assist with stent placement. Comparisons with histology show that it can reliably characterize plaques. Several case reports of IVUS in intracranial arteries show the technique to be feasible and indicate it may improve stent placement. Plaque characteristics on IVUS may help identify vulnerable plaques. In interventional cardiology, OCT provides excellent visualization of vessel geometry and is useful periprocedurally. Images reliably identify thin-capped fibroatheromas and other plaque features. Case reports indicate that OCT is safe for use in intracranial arteries. OCT can be used to identify perforator vessels and so may be useful in avoiding perforator strokes, a common complication of stenting. Plaque characteristics on OCT may be useful in patient selection.

The use of MR in cardiological diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Hans-Joergen

2004-01-01

Image diagnostics is playing an important role in cardiology, and magnetic resonance tomography (MR) is one of many methods used in examinations of the heart. Based on studies of the literature and his own experience the author surveys the potential of MR in today's and tomorrow's diagnostics of heart diseases. Among the image diagnostic methods MR is the one that can give the most extensive information about the heart's anatomy and function. In a non-invasive way and without the use of ionizing radiation, MR can represent the anatomy in selectable planes, visualize and quantify the heart's pumping function and functioning of the cardiac valves, and give detailed information about the regional contractility, blood flow and viability of myocard. MR is capable of giving important and to some extent unique contributions to heart diseases, both congenital and contracted heart disease. Because of failing availability and competence MR is still little used in cardiological diagnostics, but the method undoubtedly has the potential to play a very important role in the future

Green light from the government to boost nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2008-01-01

The British government backs the project of building about 10 new nuclear power plants. The main reason is that renewable energies appear to be insufficiently advanced, in technical terms, to rely solely on them for the production of electricity. The British government has warned that the operators will have to pay entirely the dismantlement costs of these new nuclear plants and a fair part of the cost of the management of radioactive wastes they generate. (A.C.)

Characteristics of Highly Cited Articles in Interventional Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Muhammad Shahzeb; Usman, Muhammad Shariq; Fatima, Kaneez; Hashmani, Nauman; Siddiqi, Tariq Jamal; Riaz, Haris; Khan, Abdur Rahman; Khosa, Faisal

2017-12-01

Citation classics have been published in many fields of medicine; however, none have focused on interventional cardiology. The goal of this study was to identify the top 100 articles in the field of interventional cardiology and highlight their important trends and characteristics. The Scopus database was used by 2 independent reviewers to extract the top 100 articles using a variety of keywords. We found articles published between 1953 and 2012. Majority (n = 78) of the top 100 articles were published between 1996 and 2010, and the United States was affiliated with the highest number of articles in our list (n = 68). Over half (n = 54) the articles were funded. Private funding was correlated with higher citations (p = 0.036). A third (n = 33) of the papers had authors with conflicts of interest; however, conflict of interest had no effect on citations (p = 0.837). Majority (n = 57) of the articles studied coronary angioplasty and stenting; followed by coronary angiography (n = 14). Women were underrepresented, with only 11 female first authors in the top 100 papers, and only 1 female in the list of top authors who had 5 or more publications. In conclusion, the following features define the typical highly cited article in interventional cardiology-a clinical trial conducted in the United States, which studies angioplasty, and has been published relatively recently in a high-impact journal by a male first author. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The state of the art of nuclear medicine in 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamat, S.R.

1982-01-01

The second congress of World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology proved that nuclear medicine is returning to physiology. Around 1951, when motorized detector was introduced and when GM tube was replaced by scintillation crystal detector, physiologic nuclear medicine moved to anatomic nuclear medicine. Since 1970, when research on cardiology developed, nuclear medicine has been returning to physiology. Since 1963 Kuhl has been doing research on quantitative tomography which develops to emission computerized tomography emphasizing the physiological aspects of medicine. The recent contribution of nuclear medicine to medical science is the concept that human body is a unity of dynamic structure consisting of millions of cubes moving physio-chemically. (RUW)

Nuclear power - the moral question

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Searby, P.

1978-01-01

Nuclear power has raised moral and ethical as well as technological issues and the British Council of churches, recognising this, has participated in the UK nuclear power debate. In this short article, Mr Philip Searby, Secretary of the UKAEA, considers some of the views adopted by the Council. (author)

The role of computerized diagnostic proposals in the interpretation of the 12-lead electrocardiogram by cardiology and non-cardiology fellows.

Science.gov (United States)

Novotny, Tomas; Bond, Raymond; Andrsova, Irena; Koc, Lumir; Sisakova, Martina; Finlay, Dewar; Guldenring, Daniel; Spinar, Jindrich; Malik, Marek

2017-05-01

Most contemporary 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) devices offer computerized diagnostic proposals. The reliability of these automated diagnoses is limited. It has been suggested that incorrect computer advice can influence physician decision-making. This study analyzed the role of diagnostic proposals in the decision process by a group of fellows of cardiology and other internal medicine subspecialties. A set of 100 clinical 12-lead ECG tracings was selected covering both normal cases and common abnormalities. A team of 15 junior Cardiology Fellows and 15 Non-Cardiology Fellows interpreted the ECGs in 3 phases: without any diagnostic proposal, with a single diagnostic proposal (half of them intentionally incorrect), and with four diagnostic proposals (only one of them being correct) for each ECG. Self-rated confidence of each interpretation was collected. Availability of diagnostic proposals significantly increased the diagnostic accuracy (p<0.001). Nevertheless, in case of a single proposal (either correct or incorrect) the increase of accuracy was present in interpretations with correct diagnostic proposals, while the accuracy was substantially reduced with incorrect proposals. Confidence levels poorly correlated with interpretation scores (rho≈2, p<0.001). Logistic regression showed that an interpreter is most likely to be correct when the ECG offers a correct diagnostic proposal (OR=10.87) or multiple proposals (OR=4.43). Diagnostic proposals affect the diagnostic accuracy of ECG interpretations. The accuracy is significantly influenced especially when a single diagnostic proposal (either correct or incorrect) is provided. The study suggests that the presentation of multiple computerized diagnoses is likely to improve the diagnostic accuracy of interpreters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-Esteem: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of British-Chinese, White British and Hong Kong Chinese Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Yiu Man

2000-01-01

Evaluates the self-esteem scores of 1303 children, including Chinese children from Britain and Hong Kong and white British children, using the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Finds that British Chinese have significantly higher self-esteem than the Hong Kong children, but there is little difference among white British children. (CMK)

Telemedicine: Its Importance in Cardiology Practice. Experience in Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edgardo Escobar, MD, FACC, FAHA

2017-05-01

Full Text Available There is a growing need worldwide to take medical care to distant locations far from the main urban centers, particularly to rural areas. Furthermore, there is the ethical imperative to provide equal access to medical care to all patients, regardless of their place of residence, so as to satisfy an increasingly demanding population. A widespread problem, from which cardiology is not excepted, is the insufficient number of specialists and their uneven distribution. The upsurge in information and communications technology has made available a large collection of tools, mainly computers, smartphones, e-mail, and the Internet, to name just a few, to meet the needs of communication between individuals and organizations. This article defines telemedicine and describes its application in the practice of cardiology and its impact in Chile.

The establishment of local diagnostic reference levels for paediatric interventional cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McFadden, S.; Hughes, C.; D'Helft, C.I.; McGee, A.; Rainford, L.; Brennan, P.C.; McCrum-Gardner, E.; Winder, R.J.

2013-01-01

Background: There is a paucity of information worldwide on radiation exposure in paediatric interventional cardiology. At present Nationally established Diagnostic Reference Levels exist for adult interventional cardiology procedures in the UK but little data is available for paediatrics. In addition, interventional cardiology has been identified as one the highest contributors to medical exposure to ionising radiation and children are more radiosensitive than adults. Objective: This study sought to determine current radiation dose levels in paediatric interventional cardiology (IC) with a view to establishing local diagnostic reference levels (LDRL). Methods: Radiation dose and examination details were recorded for 354 paediatric patients examined by IC in a specialised paediatric centre in Europe. Radiation doses were recorded using a Dose Area Product meter along with examination details. Procedures were categorised as either diagnostic (A) or therapeutic (B). Data was further sub-divided into five age ranges; (1) newborn <1 year (2) 1 <5 years (3) 5 <10 years (4) 10 <15 years (5) 15 years and over. Proposed LDRL were calculated from the mean dose area product readings. Results: The mean patient age was 2.6 years (range 0.0 days–16 years) and weight was 14.9 kg (range 2.4–112 kg). LDRL for the five age groupings were calculated as 190, 421, 582, 1289 and 1776 cGycm² respectively. Conclusion: Local dose reference levels have been proposed for paediatric IC and can be used as a benchmark for other hospitals to compare against their own radiation doses

Speculative Considerations about Some Cardiology Enigmas.

Science.gov (United States)

Evora, Paulo Roberto Barbosa; Schmidt, Andre; Arcêncio, Livia; Marin-Neto, José Antonio

2017-01-01

Enigmas often lead to hypotheses and speculations. For this reason, especially for the sake of the reader's motivation, we opted for the plain discussion of some cardiology enigmas. The present text was aimed to discuss speculatively some cardiology enigmas. Text was freely designed in the context of coronary artery and heart valve diseases. The results were presented as the combination enigma/hypothesis. 1) The absence of arteriosclerosis in intramyocardial coronary arteries/ endothelium-myocardial interaction (crosstalk); 2) The unique and always confirmed superior evolution of the internal thoracic artery as coronary graft/ higher NO basal release 3) The prophylactic left internal thoracic artery graft in mildlystenosed coronary lesions/need of more accurate functional imaging techniques; 4) The high incidence of perioperative atrial fibrillation in patients with coronary artery disease/atrial ischemia associated to left circumflex coronary lesions; 5) The handling of disease-free saphenous vein grafts at the time of reoperation/biological serendipity with graft vein segments; 6) The possible aortic stenosis protection against coronary artery disease/ endothelium-myocardium interaction (crosstalk) improving NO release. The discussed topics associated with their respective speculative hypothesis remain as enigmas, but would become motivations for investigations. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Cardiological aspects of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchewka, Jakub; Gawlik, Iwona; Dębski, Grzegorz; Popiołek, Lech; Marchewka, Wojciech; Hydzik, Piotr

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess cardiological manifestations of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Background/introduction: Carbon monoxide intoxication is one of the most important toxicological causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early clinical manifestation of CO poisoning is cardiotoxicity. We enrolled 75 patients (34 males and 41 females, mean age 37.6 ± 17.7 y/o) hospitalized due to CO poisoning. Laboratory tests including troponin I, blood pressure measurements, HR and electrocardiograms (ECG) were collected. Pach's scale scoring and grading system was used to establish severity of poisoning. Grade of poisoning is positively correlated with troponin I levels and systolic blood pressure. Moreover, troponin levels are significantly correlated with exposition time, lactates and are higher in tachycardiac, hypertensive and positive ECG subpopulations. COHb levels are indicative of exposure but do not correlate with grade of poisoning. The main cause of CO poisoning were bathroom heaters - 83%, only 11% of examined intoxicated population were equipped with CO detectors. Complex cardiological screening covering troponin levels, ECG, blood pressure and heart rate measurements as well as complete blood count with particular attention to platelet parameters should be performed in each case where CO intoxication is suspected. More emphasis on education on CO poisoning is needed.

Providing Cardiology Care in Rural Areas Through Visiting Consultant Clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruca, Thomas S; Pyo, Tae-Hyung; Nelson, Gregory C

2016-06-30

Workforce experts predict a future shortage of cardiologists that is expected to impact rural areas more severely than urban areas. However, there is little research on how rural patients are currently served through clinical outreach. This study examines the impact of cardiology outreach in Iowa, a state with a large rural population, on participating cardiologists and on patient access. Outreach clinics are tracked annually in the Office of Statewide Clinical Education Programs Visiting Medical Consultant Database (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine). Data from 2014 were analyzed. In 2014, an estimated 5460 visiting consultant clinic days were provided in 96 predominantly rural cities by 167 cardiologists from Iowa and adjoining states. Forty-five percent of Iowa cardiologists participated in rural outreach. Visiting cardiologists from Iowa and adjoining states drive an estimated 45 000 miles per month. Because of monthly outreach clinics, the average driving time to the nearest cardiologist falls from 42.2±20.0 to 14.7±11.0 minutes for rural Iowans. Cardiology outreach improves geographic access to office-based cardiology care for more than 1 million Iowans out of a total population of 3 million. Direct travel costs and opportunity costs associated with physician travel are estimated to be more than $2.1 million per year. Cardiologists in Iowa and adjoining states have expanded access to office-based cardiology care from 18 to 89 of the 99 counties in Iowa. In these 71 counties without a full-time cardiologist, visiting consultant clinics can accommodate more than 50% of office visits in the patients' home county. © 2016 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Development of quality metrics for ambulatory pediatric cardiology: Infection prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Jonathan N; Barrett, Cindy S; Franklin, Wayne H; Graham, Eric M; Halnon, Nancy J; Hattendorf, Brandy A; Krawczeski, Catherine D; McGovern, James J; O'Connor, Matthew J; Schultz, Amy H; Vinocur, Jeffrey M; Chowdhury, Devyani; Anderson, Jeffrey B

2017-12-01

In 2012, the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology Council established a program to develop quality metrics to guide ambulatory practices for pediatric cardiology. The council chose five areas on which to focus their efforts; chest pain, Kawasaki Disease, tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries after arterial switch, and infection prevention. Here, we sought to describe the process, evaluation, and results of the Infection Prevention Committee's metric design process. The infection prevention metrics team consisted of 12 members from 11 institutions in North America. The group agreed to work on specific infection prevention topics including antibiotic prophylaxis for endocarditis, rheumatic fever, and asplenia/hyposplenism; influenza vaccination and respiratory syncytial virus prophylaxis (palivizumab); preoperative methods to reduce intraoperative infections; vaccinations after cardiopulmonary bypass; hand hygiene; and testing to identify splenic function in patients with heterotaxy. An extensive literature review was performed. When available, previously published guidelines were used fully in determining metrics. The committee chose eight metrics to submit to the ACC Quality Metric Expert Panel for review. Ultimately, metrics regarding hand hygiene and influenza vaccination recommendation for patients did not pass the RAND analysis. Both endocarditis prophylaxis metrics and the RSV/palivizumab metric passed the RAND analysis but fell out during the open comment period. Three metrics passed all analyses, including those for antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with heterotaxy/asplenia, for influenza vaccination compliance in healthcare personnel, and for adherence to recommended regimens of secondary prevention of rheumatic fever. The lack of convincing data to guide quality improvement initiatives in pediatric cardiology is widespread, particularly in infection prevention. Despite this, three metrics were

Psychosocial risk factors and personality disorders in outpatient cardiology setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Suárez-Bagnasco

2015-01-01

Psychological risk factors and personality disorders comorbidities are more frequent than psychological risk factors only or personality disorders only in outpatient cardiology setting without cardiovascular diseases.

POSITIONS OF CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKER LERCANIDIPINE ACCORDING TO EVIDENCE BASED CARDIOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu. V. Lukina

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Data of evidence based cardiology including results of international clinical trials on efficacy and safety of the modern calcium channel blocker (CCB, lercanidipine, are presented. Results of these trials show the firm position of lercanidipine in the modern cardiology and confirm that treatment with lercanidipine leads to significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP with no effect on heart rate (HR. Peripheral edema (the common side effect of CCBs occurs rarer with lercanidipine treatment than this with any other CCB treatment. Lercanidipine can be recommended to patients with concomitant diseases due to its additional features.

Radioactivity in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles, 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, G.J.

1981-01-01

A report is presented on the results of an environmental monitoring programme carried out during 1979 by the Directorate's Aquatic Environment Protection Division at the Fisheries Radiobiological Laboratory (FRL). The programme was set up to verify the satisfactory control of liquid radioactive waste discharges from nuclear establishments to the aquatic environment and to ensure that the resulting public radiation exposure is within nationally-accepted limits. The monitoring results mainly concerned British Nuclear Fuels at Sellafield, Springfields, Capenhurst and Chapelcross; the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Winfrith and Dounreay; the nuclear power stations operated by the electricity boards at Berkeley, Bradwell, Dungeness, Hartlepool, Heysham, Hinkley Point, Hunterston, Sizewell, Trawsfyndd and Wylfa. Monitoring results are also presented for UK Naval establishments, Amersham International Limited and the Channel Islands. A summary of estimated public radiation exposures in 1979 resulting from liquid radioactive discharges to the aquatic environment from nuclear establishments monitored by FRL showed that all exposures were well within the ICRP dose equivalent limit. (U.K.)

Training fellows in paediatric cardiology: the Harvard experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, David W; Allan, Catherine K; Newburger, Jane W

2016-12-01

The Fellowship Program of the Department of Cardiology at Boston Children's Hospital seeks to train academically oriented leaders in clinical care and laboratory and clinical investigation of cardiovascular disease in the young. The core clinical fellowship involves 3 years in training, comprising 24 months of clinical rotations and 12 months of elective and research experience. Trainees have access to a vast array of research opportunities - clinical, basic, and translational. Clinical fellows interested in basic science may reverse the usual sequence and start their training in the laboratory, deferring clinical training for 1 or more years. An increasing number of clinical trainees apply to spend a fourth year as a senior fellow in one of the subspecialty areas of paediatric cardiology. From the founding of the Department to the present, we have maintained a fundamental and unwavering commitment to training and education in clinical care and research in basic science and clinical investigation, as well as to the training of outstanding young clinicians and investigators.

The independent nuclear state. The United States, Britain and the military atom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, J.

1983-01-01

A chronological account and overview are presented of the 40-year history of British military research, development and production work in atomic energy. The United Kingdom's efforts in this field have always had close links with equivalent activities in the United States, and have often been conducted on a mutually co-operative basis. This book contains descriptions of the technical evolution of British nuclear weapon designs and production models, estimates of annual output figures for fissile material and weapon types, and indications of the nature of the weapon-testing programme. Decision-points are charted. The impact of the agreements with the United States, both upon weapon development and production programmes and upon stockpiling, is analysed, as well as their effects upon the nuclear submarine programme. The impact of later events upon Anglo-American relations is identified, together with the recent British attempts to move to a closer political association with Europe. The study concludes by evaluating the essential nature of four decades of United Kingdom military nuclear development, and identifying the practical limits imposed by past policies upon any attempt by a British government to implement a policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament. (author)

Cardiology in the young : where we have been. Where we are. Where we are going.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Jeffrey P

2014-12-01

Cardiology in the Young is devoted to cardiovascular issues affecting the young, and older patients with congenital heart disease, or with other cardiac diseases acquired during childhood. The journal serves the interests of all professionals concerned with these topics. By design, the journal is international and multidisciplinary in its approach, and members of the editorial board take an active role in its mission, helping to make it an indispensable reference for paediatric and congenital cardiac care. All aspects of paediatric and congenital cardiac care are covered within the journal. The content includes original articles, brief reports, editorials, reviews, and papers devoted to continuing professional development. High-quality colour figures are published on a regular basis, and without charge to the authors. Regular supplements are published containing the abstracts of the annual meetings of the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology, along with other occasional supplements. These supplements are supplied free to subscribers. The vision of Cardiology in the Young is to use print and electronic media to improve paediatric and congenital cardiac care. The mission of Cardiology in the Young is to be a premier global journal for paediatric and congenital cardiac care - an essential journal that spans the domains of patient care, research, education, and advocacy, and also spans geographical, temporal, and subspeciality boundaries. Cardiology in the Young was officially launched in December, 1990. The late Lucio Parenzan was Editor-in-Chief from 1990 through Volume 4, Number 1, January 1994. Professor Robert Anderson and Giancarlo Crupi then shared the Editor-in-Chief position until the end of 1995. Then, from 1995 through 2007, Professor Robert Anderson served as the sole Editor-in-Chief of Cardiology in the Young . Edward Baker, MD, FRCP, FRCPCH, served as Editor-in-Chief of Cardiology in the Young from 2007 to 2013. In January, 2014

British passports

CERN Multimedia

IT Department

2008-01-01

Please note that from 01/01/2009, the passport section of the British Consulate will move from Geneva to Paris. This change is part of a global initiative to rationalize passport services and reduce administrative costs while ensuring that the quality of the service remains high. The aim is to issue new passports within 10 working days of receiving applications (excluding transit time). From 1st January 2009 passport applications should be sent by courier or registered post directly to: British Consulate General BP111-08 75363 Paris CEDEX 08 France For further information please refer to: http://ukinswitzerland.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/passport-move/

The 2017 Seventh World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery: "The Olympics of our Profession".

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Mitchell I; Jacobs, Jeffrey P; Cicek, Sertac

2017-12-01

The 1st World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology was held in London, United Kingdom, in 1980, organised by Dr Jane Somerville and Prof. Fergus Macartney. The idea was that of Jane Somerville, who worked with enormous energy and enthusiasm to bring together paediatric cardiologists and surgeons from around the world. The 2nd World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology took place in New York in 1985, organised by Bill Rashkind, Mary Ellen Engle, and Eugene Doyle. The 3rd World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology was held in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1989, organised by Chompol Vongraprateep. Although cardiac surgeons were heavily involved in these early meetings, a separate World Congress of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery was held in Bergamo, Italy, in 1988, organised by Lucio Parenzan. Thereafter, it was recognised that surgeons and cardiologists working on the same problems and driven by a desire to help children would really rather meet together. A momentous decision was taken to initiate a Joint World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery. A steering committee was established with membership comprising the main organisers of the four separate previous Congresses and additional members were recruited in an effort to achieve numerical equality of cardiologists and surgeons and a broad geographical representation. The historic 1st "World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery" took place in Paris in June, 1993, organised by Jean Kachaner. The next was to be held in Japan, but the catastrophic Kobe earthquake in 1995 forced relocation to Hawaii in 1997. Then followed Toronto, Canada, 2001, organised by Bill Williams and Lee Benson; Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2005, organised by Horatio Capelli and Guillermo Kreutzer; Cairns, Australia, 2009, organised by Jim Wilkinson; Cape Town, South Africa, 2013, organised by Christopher Hugo-Hamman; and Barcelona, Spain, 2017, organised by Sertac Cicek. With stops in Europe (1993), Asia-Pacific (1997), North America

The need for nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-12-01

This leaflet examines our energy future and concludes that nuclear power is an essential part of it. The leaflet also discusses relative costs, but it does not deal with social and environmental implications of nuclear power in any detail, since these are covered by other British Nuclear Forum publications. Headings are: present consumption; how will this change in future; primary energy resources (fossil fuels; renewable resources; nuclear); energy savings; availability of fossil fuels; availability of renewable energy resources; the contribution of thermal nuclear power; electricity; costs for nuclear power. (U.K.)

[Analysis of the safety culture in a Cardiology Unit managed by processes].

Science.gov (United States)

Raso-Raso, Rafael; Uris-Selles, Joaquín; Nolasco-Bonmatí, Andreu; Grau-Jornet, Guillermo; Revert-Gandia, Rosa; Jiménez-Carreño, Rebeca; Sánchez-Soriano, Ruth M; Chamorro-Fernández, Carlos I; Marco-Francés, Elvira; Albero-Martínez, José V

2017-04-04

Safety culture is one of the requirements for preventing the occurrence of adverse effects. However, this has not been studied in the field of cardiology. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety culture in a cardiology unit that has implemented and certified an integrated quality and risk management system for patient safety. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 2 consecutive years, with all staff completing the Spanish version of the questionnaire, "Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture" of the "Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality", with 42 items grouped into 12 dimensions. The percentage of positive responses in each dimension in 2014 and 2015 were compared, as well as national data and United States data, following the established rules. The overall assessment out of a possible 5, was 4.5 in 2014 and 4.7 in 2015. Seven dimensions were identified as strengths. The worst rated were: staffing, management support and teamwork between units. The comparison showed superiority in all dimensions compared to national data, and in 8 of them compared to American data. The safety culture in a Cardiology Unit with an integrated quality and risk management patient safety system is high, and higher than nationally in all its dimensions and in most of them compared to the United States. Copyright © 2017 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

The future of the British deterrent force; L'avenir de la force de dissuasion britannique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyer, Y. [Fondation pour la Recherche Strategique (FRS), 75 - Paris (France)

2006-07-15

Of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom has the smallest deterrent force, with fewer than 200 warheads and a single delivery system. Successive British governments policies for nuclear interdependence with the United States over the past 50 years have led to a growing technological dissymmetry with the Americans. This politico-strategic choice now considerably restricts Britain options for remaining a member of the club of nuclear powers into the future. (author)

Heavy water at Trail, British Columbia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arsenault, J.E.

2006-01-01

Today Canada stands on the threshold of a nuclear renaissance, based on the CANDU reactor family, which depends on heavy water as a moderator and for cooling. Canada has a long history with heavy water, with commercial interests beginning in 1934, a mere two years after its discovery. At one time Canada was the world's largest producer of heavy water. The Second World War stimulated interest in this rather rare substance, such that the worlds largest supply (185 kg) ended up in Canada in 1942 to support nuclear research work at the Montreal Laboratories of the National Research Council. A year later commercial production began at Trail, British Columbia, to support work that later became known as the P-9 project, associated with the Manhattan Project. The Trail plant produced heavy water from 1943 until 1956, when it was shut down. During the war years the project was so secret that Lesslie Thomson, Special Liaison Officer reporting on nuclear matters to C.D. Howe, Minister of Munitions and Supply, was discouraged from visiting Trail operations. Thomson never did visit the Trail facility during the war. In 2005 the remaining large, tall concrete exchange tower was demolished at a cost of about $2.4 million, about the same as it cost to construct the facility about 60 years ago. Thus no physical evidence remains of this historic facility and another important artifact from Canada's nuclear history has disappeared forever. It is planned to place a plaque at the site at some point in the future. (author)

Heavy water at Trail, British Columbia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arsenault, J.E. [Ontario (Canada)

2006-09-15

Today Canada stands on the threshold of a nuclear renaissance, based on the CANDU reactor family, which depends on heavy water as a moderator and for cooling. Canada has a long history with heavy water, with commercial interests beginning in 1934, a mere two years after its discovery. At one time Canada was the world's largest producer of heavy water. The Second World War stimulated interest in this rather rare substance, such that the worlds largest supply (185 kg) ended up in Canada in 1942 to support nuclear research work at the Montreal Laboratories of the National Research Council. A year later commercial production began at Trail, British Columbia, to support work that later became known as the P-9 project, associated with the Manhattan Project. The Trail plant produced heavy water from 1943 until 1956, when it was shut down. During the war years the project was so secret that Lesslie Thomson, Special Liaison Officer reporting on nuclear matters to C.D. Howe, Minister of Munitions and Supply, was discouraged from visiting Trail operations. Thomson never did visit the Trail facility during the war. In 2005 the remaining large, tall concrete exchange tower was demolished at a cost of about $2.4 million, about the same as it cost to construct the facility about 60 years ago. Thus no physical evidence remains of this historic facility and another important artifact from Canada's nuclear history has disappeared forever. It is planned to place a plaque at the site at some point in the future. (author)

Evaluation of occupational radiation exposure in cardiology interventional procedures in some Khartoum hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, Doaa Mohammed Ali

2015-12-01

The number of cardiology interventional procedures has significantly increased recently. This is due to the reliability of the diagnostic equipment to diagnose many heart diseases. In the procedures the x-ray used results in increasing radiation doses to the staff. The cardiologists and other staff member in interventional cardiology are usually working close to the area under examination and receive the dose primarily as well as from scattered radiation from the patients. In this study three electronic personal dosimeters (EPDs) were used to measured personal equivalent dose Hp (10) for assessment staff doses were monitoring during interventional cardiology procedure, totally in (100) procedures were performed in two clinical. The procedures was collect in two main hospitals in Khartoum State, the staff workers include cardiologists, technologists and nurses. The EPDs were used by each worker at the two cardiology centers, was one worn under a protective apron attach to chest. The annual doses received by 6 cardiologists, 6 nurses and 2 technologists at the sudan heart center were tn the range: (27.25-33.5) μSv, (3.25-3.66) μSv, (3.25-3.66) μSv, (3.23 and 3.70) μSv respectively. In the royal care hospital the annual doses received by 2 doctors, 4 nurses and 2 technologists were in the range ( 38.375 and 39.375) μSv (12.06-14.125) μSv, (8.5 and 9.25) μSv respectively, estimated for four weeks. The highest doses were received by the cardiologist followed by nurses and the x-ray technicians. The results showed that the annual doses received by the workers do not exceed 20 mSv. Recommendation on how to reduce staff doses in interventional cardiology are presented.(Author)

War of the British Worlds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mercau, Ezequiel

2016-01-01

The 1982 Falklands War was shrouded in symbolism, bringing to the fore divergent conceptions of Britishness, kinship, and belonging. This article casts light on the persistent purchase of the idea of Greater Britain long after the end of empire, addressing a case that would normally be deemed...... outside its spatial and temporal boundaries. By highlighting the inherent contradictions of this transnational bond, the South Atlantic conflict had a profound effect on an underexposed British community with a lingering attachment to a “British world”: the Anglo-Argentines. As they found themselves...... wedged between two irreconcilable identities, divisions threatened to derail this already enfeebled grouping. Yet leaders of the community, presuming a common Britishness with the Falkland Islanders and Britons in the United Kingdom, sought to intervene in the conflict by reaching out to both...

The World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery: "The Olympics of our profession".

Science.gov (United States)

Hugo-Hamman, Christopher; Jacobs, Jeffery Phillip

2012-12-01

The first World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology was held in London, United Kingdom, in 1980, organised by Dr. Jane Somerville and Prof. Fergus Macartney. The idea was that of Jane Somerville, who worked with enormous energy and enthusiasm to bring together paediatric cardiologists and surgeons from around the world. The 2nd World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology took place in New York in 1985, organised by Bill Rashkind, Mary Ellen Engle, and Eugene Doyle. The 3rd World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology was held in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1989, organised by Chompol Vongraprateep. Although cardiac surgeons were heavily involved in these early meetings, a separate World Congress of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery was held in Bergamo, Italy, in 1988, organised by Lucio Parenzan. Thereafter, it was recognised that surgeons and cardiologists working on the same problems and driven by a desire to help children should really rather meet together. A momentous decision was taken to initiate a Joint World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery. A steering committee was established with membership comprising the main organisers of the four separate previous Congresses, and additional members were recruited in an effort to achieve numerical equality of cardiologists and surgeons and a broad geographical representation. The historic 1st "World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery" took place in Paris in June, 1993, organised by Jean Kachaner. The next was to be held in Japan, but the catastrophic Kobe earthquake in 1995 forced relocation to Hawaii in 1997. Then followed Toronto, Canada (2001, organised by Bill Williams and Lee Benson), Buenos Aires, Argentina (2005, organised by Horatio Capelli and Guillermo Kreutzer), and most recently Cairns, Australia (2009, organised by Jim Wilkinson). Having visited Europe (1993), Asia-Pacific (1997), North America (2001), South America (2005), and Australia (2009), and reflecting the "African Renaissance", the

Energy white paper 2007: the British strategy to take up the energy challenge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

Following the energy policy review published in 2006 by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), the Energy White Paper 2007, published on May 23, 2007, gathers all measures preconized in this domain. This document recalls, first, the objectives and priorities of the British government at the international, national, regional and local scales, as already clearly explained in previous DTI publications. This white book announces also some new measures and the launching of new public hearings about other measures in view. All in all, 18 hearings are announced which deal with various topics, from the new nuclear power plants to the reform of renewables obligations, the organization of big energy projects or the dismantling of offshore energy facilities. This document recalls the objective of the government and describes the British international policy in the domain of energy. It presents the measures for the fight against climatic change (energy conservation, development of clean energies, decentralized energy production), for warranting the security of supplies (diversification of offer, improvement of networks, planning of energy projects) and, in particular, the proposals of the government concerning the transportation sector and the fight against energy paucity. It stresses also on the importance of R and D and on the British authority in energy technologies. Finally, it gathers the reactions of the most representative actors of the British energy sector. (J.S.)

Recent advances in pediatric interventional cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seong-Ho

2017-08-01

During the last 10 years, there have been major technological achievements in pediatric interventional cardiology. In addition, there have been several advances in cardiac imaging, especially in 3-dimensional imaging of echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and cineangiography. Therefore, more types of congenital heart diseases can be treated in the cardiac catheter laboratory today than ever before. Furthermore, lesions previously considered resistant to interventional therapies can now be managed with high success rates. The hybrid approach has enabled the overcoming of limitations inherent to percutaneous access, expanding the application of endovascular therapies as adjunct to surgical interventions to improve patient outcomes and minimize invasiveness. Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation has become a successful alternative therapy. However, most of the current recommendations about pediatric cardiac interventions (including class I recommendations) refer to off-label use of devices, because it is difficult to study the safety and efficacy of catheterization and transcatheter therapy in pediatric cardiac patients. This difficulty arises from the challenge of identifying a control population and the relatively small number of pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. Nevertheless, the pediatric interventional cardiology community has continued to develop less invasive solutions for congenital heart defects to minimize the need for open heart surgery and optimize overall outcomes. In this review, various interventional procedures in patients with congenital heart disease are explored.

Real/Life: New British Art and the Reception of Contemporary British Art in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kajiya Kenji

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This essay explores the ways in which the exhibition Real/Life: New British Art was conceived and received in Japan, where contemporary British art has been shown since the 1960s. Taking place at five museums in the country between 1998 and 1999, the exhibition aimed to showhow British artists in the 1990s struggled with realities, internal and external, but its response was not as satisfactory as was expected. The essay examines the exhibition as a turning point for the transformation of exhibition culture in Japan from nationally themed exhibitions to showcases of contemporary art in the global context.

Nuclear medicine - the state of the art of nuclear medicine in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, H.A.E.; Schoot, J.B. van der

1991-01-01

The present proceedings of the European Nuclear Medicine Congress 1990 contain the opening addresses and the oral presentations of the meeting. The topics were as follows: Methods and basics (52 papers), cardiology (12 papers), neurology (13 papers), pulmonology (2 papers), gastroenterology (9 papers), nephrology (7 papers), osteology (8 papers), endocrinology (7 papers), pediatrics (5 papers), and oncology (12 papers). An author index and a subject index is found as a supplement to these proceedings. (MG) With 182 figs., 92 tabs

Decision Making in Paediatric Cardiology. Are We Prone to Heuristics, Biases and Traps?

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Aedin; Duignan, Sophie; Kenny, Damien; McMahon, Colin J

2018-01-01

Hidden traps in decision making have been long recognised in the behavioural economics community. Yet we spend very limited, if any time, analysing our decision-making processes in medicine and paediatric cardiology. Systems 1 and 2 thought processes differentiate between rapid emotional thoughts and slow deliberate rational thoughts. For fairly clear cut medical decisions, in-depth analysis may not be needed, but in our field of paediatric cardiology it is not uncommon for challenging cases and occasionally 'simple' cases to generate significant debate and uncertainty as to the best decision. Although morbidity and mortality meetings frequently highlight poor outcomes for our patients, they often neglect to analyse the process of thought which underlined those decisions taken. This article attempts to review commonly acknowledged traps in decision making in the behavioural economics world to ascertain whether these heuristics translate to decision making in the paediatric cardiology environment. We also discuss potential individual and collective solutions to pitfalls in decision making.

A framework for clinical reasoning in adult cardiology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

de la Calzada CS

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Carlos S de la Calzada Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, SpainAbstract: It is well known that an expert clinician formulates a diagnostic hypothesis with little clinical data. In comparison, students have difficulties in doing so. The mental mechanism of diagnostic reasoning is almost unconscious and therefore difficult to teach. The purpose of this essay (devoted to 2nd-year medical students is to present an integrating framework to teach clinical reasoning in cardiology. By analyzing cardiology with a synthetic mind, it becomes apparent that although there are many diseases, the heart, as an organ, reacts to illness with only six basic responses. The clinical manifestations of heart diseases are the direct consequence of these cardiac responses. Considering the six cardiac responses framework, diagnostic reasoning is done in three overlapping steps. With the presented framework, the process of reasoning becomes more visual and needs less clinical data, resembling that of the expert clinician.Keywords: clinical deduction, diagnostic reasoning, education, teaching methods

Dialogue between the nuclear industry and environmentalists is the key

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padley, P.J.

1987-01-01

'Nuclear energy - the good news for British Industry' was the title of a meeting organised by the Confederation of British Industry in July 1987. This article summarizes the contributions of each of the speakers. Between them they produced figures on the importance of the nuclear industry in various countries including the USA, France and the United Kingdom. The risks were mentioned, also the public fears following the accident at Chernobyl. The UK policy on the disposal of nuclear waste is summarized. The disposal is not technically difficult, only politically so because of adverse public opinion. These points also emerged; the nuclear industry must liaise with environmentalists and the UK manufacturing industry needs low cost energy which the nuclear industry could supply. However, the long-term development of nuclear power is only possible if there are no more reactor accidents leading to injury by radioactivity. (U.K.)

The effects of preoperative cardiology consultation prior to elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair on patient morbidity.

Science.gov (United States)

Boniakowski, Anna E; Davis, Frank M; Phillips, Amanda R; Robinson, Adina B; Coleman, Dawn M; Henke, Peter K

2017-08-01

Objectives The relationship between preoperative medical consultations and postoperative complications has not been extensively studied. Thus, we investigated the impact of preoperative consultation on postoperative morbidity following elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Methods A retrospective review was conducted on 469 patients (mean age 72 years, 20% female) who underwent elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair from June 2007 to July 2014. Data elements included detailed medical history, preoperative cardiology consultation, and postoperative complications. Primary outcomes included 30-day morbidity, consult-specific morbidity, and mortality. A bivariate probit regression model accounting for the endogeneity of binary preoperative medical consult and patient variability was estimated with a maximum likelihood function. Results Eighty patients had preoperative medical consults (85% cardiology); thus, our analysis focuses on the effect of cardiac-related preoperative consults. Hyperlipidemia, increased aneurysm size, and increased revised cardiac risk index increased likelihood of referral to cardiology preoperatively. Surgery type (endovascular versus open repair) was not significant in development of postoperative complications when controlling for revised cardiac risk index ( p = 0.295). After controlling for patient comorbidities, there was no difference in postoperative cardiac-related complications between patients who did and did not undergo cardiology consultation preoperatively ( p = 0.386). Conclusions When controlling for patient disease severity using revised cardiac risk index risk stratification, preoperative cardiology consultation is not associated with postoperative cardiac morbidity.

Introduction of nuclear medicine research in Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inubushi, Masayuki [Kawasaki Medical School, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Kurashiki, Okayama (Japan); Higashi, Tatsuya [National Institutes of Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Chiba (Japan); Kuji, Ichiei [Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hidaka-shi, Saitama (Japan); Sakamoto, Setsu [Dokkyo University School of Medicine, PET Center, Mibu, Tochigi (Japan); Tashiro, Manabu [Tohoku University, Division of Cyclotron Nuclear Medicine, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center, Sendai, Miyagi (Japan); Momose, Mitsuru [Tokyo Women' s Medical University, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Tokyo (Japan)

2016-12-15

There were many interesting presentations of unique studies at the Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine, although there were fewer attendees from Europe than expected. These presentations included research on diseases that are more frequent in Japan and Asia than in Europe, synthesis of original radiopharmaceuticals, and development of imaging devices and methods with novel ideas especially by Japanese manufacturers. In this review, we introduce recent nuclear medicine research conducted in Japan in the five categories of Oncology, Neurology, Cardiology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Technology. It is our hope that this article will encourage the participation of researchers from all over the world, in particular from Europe, in scientific meetings on nuclear medicine held in Japan. (orig.)

Paediatric cardiology programs in countries with limited resources: how to bridge the gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Sulafa, K M Ali

2010-07-01

Establishing paediatric cardiology service in a country with limited resources like Sudan is a challenging task. A paediatric cardiac team was formed then the services in different disciplines were gradually established. Echocardiography (echo) clinics were founded in tertiary and peripheral hospitals. Cardiac catheterization (cath) was established at the Sudan Heart Centre (SHC) in 2004 and over 400 procedures had been performed including interventional catheterization like pulmonary valve dilatation, patent ductus arteriosus and atrial septal defect device closure. Congenital heart surgery started in 2001, currently 200 cases are done each year including closed procedures as well as open heart procedures for patients weighing more than 8 kg. Cardiology-cardiac surgery as well as adult congenital heart disease meetings were held and contributed positively to the services. The cardiology-cardiac surgery scientific club meeting was founded as a forum for academic discussions. A fellowship program was established in 2004 and included seven candidates trained in paediatric cardiology and intensive care. Two training courses had been established: congenital heart disease echo and paediatric electrocardiogram interpretation. Links with regional and international cardiac centres had important roles in consolidating our program. Significant obstacles face our service due to the small number of trained personnel, high cost of procedures, the lack of regular supplies and lack of cardiac intensive care facilities for young infants. Bridging the huge gap needs extensive official as well as non-governmental efforts, training more staff, supporting families and collaboration with regional and international centres.

CARDIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE UDMURT REPUBLIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. R. Gaisin

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To assess the efficacy of specialized management of pregnant women with cardiovascular diseases (CVD in the Udmurt Republic (UR of Russia.Material and methods. In prospective and retrospective study we investigated pregnancy outcomes in all 17948 women in management system created for pregnant patients with CVD in the UR from 2000 to 2007. The system comprises specialized outpatient and inpatient departments and an obstetric hospital within the regional cardiological centre. Pregnant women had different CVD including hypertension, congenital and rheumatic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, noncoronary myocardial disease, disorders and autoimmune diseases of connective tissue, etc.Results. Perinatal mortality decreased by 41,1% from 11,2‰ in 2000 to 6,6‰ in 2007. During 8 years, no one woman died.Conclusion. The management system for pregnant women with CVD within the regional cardiological clinic makes it possible to reduce of maternal and perinatal mortality rates significantly. 

Simulation-based planning of surgical interventions in pediatric cardiology

Science.gov (United States)

Marsden, Alison

2012-11-01

Hemodynamics plays an essential role in the progression and treatment of cardiovascular disease. This is particularly true in pediatric cardiology, due to the wide variation in anatomy observed in congenital heart disease patients. While medical imaging provides increasingly detailed anatomical information, clinicians currently have limited knowledge of important fluid mechanical parameters. Treatment decisions are therefore often made using anatomical information alone, despite the known links between fluid mechanics and disease progression. Patient-specific simulations now offer the means to provide this missing information, and, more importantly, to perform in-silico testing of new surgical designs at no risk to the patient. In this talk, we will outline the current state of the art in methods for cardiovascular blood flow simulation and virtual surgery. We will then present new methodology for coupling optimization with simulation and uncertainty quantification to customize treatments for individual patients. Finally, we will present examples in pediatric cardiology that illustrate the potential impact of these tools in the clinical setting.

Plutonium fuel and nuclear power - reflections after 21 years. [United Kingdom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grainger, L [Branon PLC (UK)

1983-02-01

A review of the last 20 years of nuclear power development is presented in celebration of the 21st birthday of the British Nuclear Energy Society's journal. It examines the changes since the author's 1962 paper, 'Plutonium fuel and nuclear power'.

The nuclear fuel cycle: (2) fuel element manufacture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doran, J.

1976-01-01

Large-scale production of nuclear fuel in the United Kingdom is carried out at Springfields Works of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., a company formed from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority in 1971. The paper describes in some detail the Springfields Works processes for the conversion of uranium ore concentrate to uranium tetrafluoride, then conversion of the tetrafluoride to either uranium metal for cladding in Magnox to form fuel for the British Mk I gas-cooled reactors, or to uranium hexafluoride for enrichment of the fissile 235 U isotope content at the Capenhurst Works of BNFL. Details are given of the reconversion at Springfields Works of this enriched uranium hexafluoride to uranium dioxide, which is pelleted and then clad in either stainless steel or zircaloy containers to form the fuel assemblies for the British Mk II AGR or advanced gas-cooled reactors or for the water reactor fuels. (author)

Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology Specialist Heart Failure Curriculum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McDonagh, Theresa A; Gardner, Roy S; Lainscak, Mitja

2014-01-01

Training Curricula. In addition, European Society of Cardiology (ESC) subspecialty curricula exist for Interventional Cardiology and Heart Rhythm Management. The purpose of this heart failure curriculum is to provide a framework which can be used as a blueprint for training across Europe. This blueprint...... mirrors other ESC curricula. Each section has three components: the knowledge required, the skills which are necessary, and the professionalism (attitudes and behaviours) which should be attained. The programme is designed to last 2 years. The first year is devoted to the specialist heart failure module...

Comparison of Rate of Utilization of Medicare Services in Private Versus Academic Cardiology Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hovanesyan, Arsen; Rubio, Eduardo; Novak, Eric; Budoff, Matthew; Rich, Michael W

2017-11-15

Cardiovascular services are the third largest source of Medicare spending. We examined the rate of cardiovascular service utilization in the community of Glendale, CA, compared with the nearest academic medical center, the University of Southern California. Publicly available utilization data released by Medicare for the years 2012 and 2013 were used to identify all inpatient and outpatient cardiology services provided in each practice setting. The analysis included 19 private and 17 academic cardiologists. In unadjusted analysis, academic physicians performed half as many services per Medicare beneficiary per year as those in private practice: 2.3 versus 4.8, p cardiology practice settings in southern California, medical service utilization per Medicare beneficiary was nearly 2-fold higher in private practice than in the academic setting, suggesting that there may be opportunity for substantially reducing costs of cardiology care in the community setting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Paediatric cardiology fellowship training: effect of work-hour regulations on scholarly activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ronai, Christina; Lang, Peter

2017-01-01

In 2003, work-hour regulations were implemented by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Much has been published regarding resident rest and quality of life as well as patient safety. There has been no examination on the effect of work-hour restrictions on academic productivity of fellows in training. Paediatric subspecialty fellows have a scholarly requirement mandated by the American Board of Pediatrics. We have examined the impact of work-hour restrictions on the scholarly productivity of paediatric cardiology fellows during their fellowship. We conducted a literature search for all paediatric cardiology fellows between 1998 and 2007 at a single academic institution as first or senior authors on papers published during their 3-year fellowship and 3 years after completion of their categorical fellowship (n=63, 30 fellows before 2003 and 33 fellows after 2003). The numbers of first- or senior-author fellow publications before and after 2003 were compared. We also collected data on final paediatric cardiology subspecialty career choice. There was no difference in the number of fellow first-author publications before and after 2003. Before work-hour restrictions, the mean number of publications per fellow was 2.1 (±2.2), and after work-hour restrictions it was 2.0 (±1.8), (p=0.89). By subspecialty career choice, fellows who select electrophysiology, preventative cardiology, and heart failure always published within the 6-year time period. Since the implementation of work-hour regulations, total number of fellow first-authored publications has not changed. The role of subspecialty choice may play a role in academic productivity of fellows in training.

Development of quality metrics for ambulatory pediatric cardiology: Chest pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jimmy C; Bansal, Manish; Behera, Sarina K; Boris, Jeffrey R; Cardis, Brian; Hokanson, John S; Kakavand, Bahram; Jedeikin, Roy

2017-12-01

As part of the American College of Cardiology Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology Section effort to develop quality metrics (QMs) for ambulatory pediatric practice, the chest pain subcommittee aimed to develop QMs for evaluation of chest pain. A group of 8 pediatric cardiologists formulated candidate QMs in the areas of history, physical examination, and testing. Consensus candidate QMs were submitted to an expert panel for scoring by the RAND-UCLA modified Delphi process. Recommended QMs were then available for open comments from all members. These QMs are intended for use in patients 5-18 years old, referred for initial evaluation of chest pain in an ambulatory pediatric cardiology clinic, with no known history of pediatric or congenital heart disease. A total of 10 candidate QMs were submitted; 2 were rejected by the expert panel, and 5 were removed after the open comment period. The 3 approved QMs included: (1) documentation of family history of cardiomyopathy, early coronary artery disease or sudden death, (2) performance of electrocardiogram in all patients, and (3) performance of an echocardiogram to evaluate coronary arteries in patients with exertional chest pain. Despite practice variation and limited prospective data, 3 QMs were approved, with measurable data points which may be extracted from the medical record. However, further prospective studies are necessary to define practice guidelines and to develop appropriate use criteria in this population. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The nuclear energy in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-02-01

With challenges like the climatic change, the hydrocarbons prices increase and the energy supply security, the nuclear park is becoming a decisive and an urgent question in the United Kingdom. The author proposes an historical aspect of the nuclear energy in UK, the actors of the today nuclear industry and the technologies used in 2006, the radioactive wastes management, the programs of the future and the british opinion on the nuclear. (A.L.B.)

Profile and scientific production of CNPq researchers in cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Eduardo Araujo de; Ribeiro, Antonio Luiz Pinho; Quirino, Isabel Gomes; Oliveira, Maria Christina Lopes; Martelli, Daniella Reis; Lima, Leonardo Santos; Colosimo, Enrico Antonio; Lopes, Thais Junqueira; Silva, Ana Cristina Simões; Martelli, Hercílio

2011-09-01

Systematic assessments of the scientific production can optimize resource allocation and increase research productivity in Brazil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the profile and scientific production of researchers in the field of Cardiology who have fellowship in Medicine provided by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico. The curriculum Lattes of 33 researchers with active fellowships from 2006 to 2008 were included in the analysis. The variables of interest were: gender, affiliation, tutoring of undergraduate, masters and PhD students, and scientific production and its impact. : There was predominance of males (72.7%) and of fellowship level 2 (56.4%). Three states of the Federation were responsible for 94% of the researchers: SP (28; 71.8%), RS (4; 10.3%), e RJ (3; 9.1%). Four institutions are responsible for about 82% of researchers: USP (13; 39.4%), UNESP (5; 15.2%), UFRGS (4; 12.1%) e UNIFESP (3; 9.1%). During all academic careers, the researchers published 2.958 journal articles, with a mean of 89 articles per researcher. Of total, 55% and 75% were indexed at Web of Science and Scopus databases, respectively. The researchers received a total of 19648 citations at the database Web of Science, with a median of 330 citations per researcher (IQ = 198-706). The average number of citations per article was 13.5 citations (SD = 11.6). Our study has shown that researchers in the field of cardiology have a relevant scientific production. The knowledge of the profile of researchers in the field of Cardiology will probably enable effective strategies to qualitatively improve the scientific output of Brazilian researchers.

Sports and exercise cardiology in the United States: cardiovascular specialists as members of the athlete healthcare team.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawless, Christine E; Olshansky, Brian; Washington, Reginald L; Baggish, Aaron L; Daniels, Curt J; Lawrence, Silvana M; Sullivan, Renee M; Kovacs, Richard J; Bove, Alfred A

2014-04-22

In recent years, athletic participation has more than doubled in all major demographic groups, while simultaneously, children and adults with established heart disease desire participation in sports and exercise. Despite conferring favorable long-term effects on well-being and survival, exercise can be associated with risk of adverse events in the short term. Complex individual cardiovascular (CV) demands and adaptations imposed by exercise present distinct challenges to the cardiologist asked to evaluate athletes. Here, we describe the evolution of sports and exercise cardiology as a unique discipline within the continuum of CV specialties, provide the rationale for tailoring of CV care to athletes and exercising individuals, define the role of the CV specialist within the athlete care team, and lay the foundation for the development of Sports and Exercise Cardiology in the United States. In 2011, the American College of Cardiology launched the Section of Sports and Exercise Cardiology. Membership has grown from 150 to over 4,000 members in just 2 short years, indicating marked interest from the CV community to advance the integration of sports and exercise cardiology into mainstream CV care. Although the current athlete CV care model has distinct limitations, here, we have outlined a new paradigm of care for the American athlete and exercising individual. By practicing and promoting this new paradigm, we believe we will enhance the CV care of athletes of all ages, and serve the greater athletic community and our nation as a whole, by allowing safest participation in sports and physical activity for all individuals who seek this lifestyle. Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Study of Pet Owner Adherence in Behaviour, Cardiology, Urology, and Oncology Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zita Talamonti

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Successful veterinary treatment of animals requires owner adherence with a prescribed treatment plan. The aim of our study was to evaluate and compare the level of adherence of the owners of patients presented for behavioural, cardiological, urological, and oncological problems. At the end of the first examination, each owner completed a questionnaire. Then, the owners were called four times to fill out another questionnaire over the phone. With regard to the first questionnaire, statistically significant data concern behavioral medicine and cardiology. In the first area the owner’s worry decreases during the follow-up and the number of owners who would give away the animal increases. In cardiology, owners who think that the pathology harms their animal’s quality of life decreased significantly over time. With regard to the 9 additional follow-up questions, in behavioural medicine and urology the owner’s discomfort resulting from the animal’s pathology significantly decreases over time. Assessment of adherence appears to be an optimal instrument in identifying the positive factors and the difficulties encountered by owners during the application of a treatment protocol.

Preliminary Study of Pet Owner Adherence in Behaviour, Cardiology, Urology, and Oncology Fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Talamonti, Zita; Cassis, Chiara; Brambilla, Paola G; Scarpa, Paola; Stefanello, Damiano; Cannas, Simona; Minero, Michela; Palestrini, Clara

2015-01-01

Successful veterinary treatment of animals requires owner adherence with a prescribed treatment plan. The aim of our study was to evaluate and compare the level of adherence of the owners of patients presented for behavioural, cardiological, urological, and oncological problems. At the end of the first examination, each owner completed a questionnaire. Then, the owners were called four times to fill out another questionnaire over the phone. With regard to the first questionnaire, statistically significant data concern behavioral medicine and cardiology. In the first area the owner's worry decreases during the follow-up and the number of owners who would give away the animal increases. In cardiology, owners who think that the pathology harms their animal's quality of life decreased significantly over time. With regard to the 9 additional follow-up questions, in behavioural medicine and urology the owner's discomfort resulting from the animal's pathology significantly decreases over time. Assessment of adherence appears to be an optimal instrument in identifying the positive factors and the difficulties encountered by owners during the application of a treatment protocol.

ACC/AATS/AHA/ASE/ASNC/HRS/SCAI/SCCT/SCMR/STS 2017 Appropriate Use Criteria for Multimodality Imaging in Valvular Heart Disease : A Report of the American College of Cardiology Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Doherty, John U; Kort, Smadar; Mehran, Roxana; Schoenhagen, Paul; Soman, Prem

2017-12-01

This document is 1 of 2 companion appropriate use criteria (AUC) documents developed by the American College of Cardiology, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. This document addresses the evaluation and use of multimodality imaging in the diagnosis and management of valvular heart disease, whereas the second, companion document addresses this topic with regard to structural heart disease. Although there is clinical overlap, the documents addressing valvular and structural heart disease are published separately, albeit with a common structure. The goal of the companion AUC documents is to provide a comprehensive resource for multimodality imaging in the context of valvular and structural heart disease, encompassing multiple imaging modalities.Using standardized methodology, the clinical scenarios (indications) were developed by a diverse writing group to represent patient presentations encountered in everyday practice and included common applications and anticipated uses. Where appropriate, the scenarios were developed on the basis of the most current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines.A separate, independent rating panel scored the 92 clinical scenarios in this document on a scale of 1 to 9. Scores of 7 to 9 indicate that a modality is considered appropriate for the clinical scenario presented. Midrange scores of 4 to 6 indicate that a modality may be appropriate for the clinical scenario, and scores of 1 to 3 indicate that a modality is considered rarely appropriate for the clinical scenario.The primary objective of the AUC is to provide a framework for the assessment of these scenarios by practices that will

Behind the UK nuclear flip-flop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1990-01-01

Because it failed to attract commercial investors on acceptable terms, the British government has exempted the nation's nuclear powerplants from privatization, lopping off about 8,000 MW from National Power - the larger of the two successors to the broken-up Central Electricity Generating Board - and whipping up an antiprivatization political storm in the process. A new state company - to be called the Nuclear Electric Co - will be set up to control nuclear powerplants

How Canadians feel about nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1989-01-01

A survey conducted by Decima Research in April 1989 showed that 50% of Canadians were somewhat or strongly in favour of nuclear energy, the percentage varying from 37% in British Columbia to 65% in Ontario. A majority (56%) questioned the nuclear industry's ability to handle its waste safely, but 45% believed that it was working hard to solve the problem. It was evident that an advertising campaign by the Canadian Nuclear Association had an effect

British Teachers' Transnational Work within and beyond the British Empire after the Second World War

Science.gov (United States)

Whitehead, Kay

2017-01-01

Focusing on British graduates from Gipsy Hill Training College (GHTC) in London, this article illustrates transnational history's concerns with the reciprocal flows of people and ideas within and beyond the British Empire. GHTC's progressive curriculum and culture positioned women teachers as agents of change, and the article highlights the lives…

Mathematical methods in medicine: neuroscience, cardiology and pathology

Science.gov (United States)

Amigó, José M.

2017-01-01

The application of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering to medicine is gaining momentum as the mutual benefits of this collaboration become increasingly obvious. This theme issue is intended to highlight the trend in the case of mathematics. Specifically, the scope of this theme issue is to give a general view of the current research in the application of mathematical methods to medicine, as well as to show how mathematics can help in such important aspects as understanding, prediction, treatment and data processing. To this end, three representative specialties have been selected: neuroscience, cardiology and pathology. Concerning the topics, the 12 research papers and one review included in this issue cover biofluids, cardiac and virus dynamics, computational neuroscience, functional magnetic resonance imaging data processing, neural networks, optimization of treatment strategies, time-series analysis and tumour growth. In conclusion, this theme issue contains a collection of fine contributions at the intersection of mathematics and medicine, not as an exercise in applied mathematics but as a multidisciplinary research effort that interests both communities and our society in general. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Mathematical methods in medicine: neuroscience, cardiology and pathology’. PMID:28507240

Mathematical methods in medicine: neuroscience, cardiology and pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Amigó, José M; Small, Michael

2017-06-28

The application of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering to medicine is gaining momentum as the mutual benefits of this collaboration become increasingly obvious. This theme issue is intended to highlight the trend in the case of mathematics. Specifically, the scope of this theme issue is to give a general view of the current research in the application of mathematical methods to medicine, as well as to show how mathematics can help in such important aspects as understanding, prediction, treatment and data processing. To this end, three representative specialties have been selected: neuroscience, cardiology and pathology. Concerning the topics, the 12 research papers and one review included in this issue cover biofluids, cardiac and virus dynamics, computational neuroscience, functional magnetic resonance imaging data processing, neural networks, optimization of treatment strategies, time-series analysis and tumour growth. In conclusion, this theme issue contains a collection of fine contributions at the intersection of mathematics and medicine, not as an exercise in applied mathematics but as a multidisciplinary research effort that interests both communities and our society in general.This article is part of the themed issue 'Mathematical methods in medicine: neuroscience, cardiology and pathology'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Investigation of radiation skin dose in interventional cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webster, C.M.; Horrocks, J.; Hayes, D.

2001-01-01

Background - The study investigated the radiation skin doses for interventional patients in cardiology; two procedures which have the highest radiation dose are Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation (RFCA) and Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA). Methods and Results - 56 patients were randomly selected and investigated; 23 patients in the RFCA group and 33 in the PTCA group. Skin and effective dose were calculated from Dose Area Product (DAP). Thermoluminescent Dosimetry was the second method of dose measurement used. Patients were followed-up for a three month period to check for possible skin reactions resulting from the radiation dose during the procedure. Radiation skin doses in 14 patients were calculated to be more than 1 Gy, including three patients who received more than 2 Gy, the threshold dose for deterministic effects of radiation. 7 patients (12.5%) reported skin reactions as a result of the radiation received to their backs during the procedure. Mean DAP and estimated effective doses were 105 Gycm 2 and 22.5 mSv for RFCA, and 32 Gycm 2 and 6.2 mSv for PTCA procedures respectively. Conclusion - Complex procedures in Interventional Cardiology can exceed the threshold level for deterministic effects in the skin. (author)

British coal-down to the line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

The long-running saga of British Coal's decline is in its final stages with virtually no change from last October when the British government announced plants to close 31 of the 50 remaining mines. That announcement produced a political outcry but having privatized the electricity industry in 1990 the government had effectively left itself up the creek without a paddle. It had no powers to force the generators to buy more coal. The status of the British coal industry is discussed

Where are we now on nuclear power?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oppenheimer, A.

1991-01-01

Discussion at the March 1991 Conference of the institute of Energy 'Where are we now on Nuclear Power' is summarized. Speakers from the Institution of Nuclear Engineers, Nuclear Electric, the European Commission Energy Directorate, British Nuclear Fuels, Scottish Nuclear and others looked at the economic aspects and the safety and pollution record of nuclear power in the United Kingdom. Technically, nuclear power is doing well although political problems remain. There was a problem of retaining skilled people in the absence of an assured construction programme. However there was a mood of cautious optimism over the future of nuclear power in the UK. (UK)

The status of pediatric cardiology at a tertiary center in Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

Arabi, Mariam; Majdalani, Marianne; El Hajj, Maria Atoui; Nemer, Georges; Sawaya, Fadi; Obeid, Mounir; Bitar, Fadi F

2011-01-01

Cardiac disease, both congenital and acquired, contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality in children. This article describes the status of pediatric cardiology at the Children's Heart Center in the American University of Beirut Medical Center. It addresses the available clinical services as well as the research and educational activities that are present at a tertiary center in Lebanon, a developing country with a population of 4 million. Lebanon has witnessed major developments in the field of pediatric cardiology over the past few years. About 650 babies are born with heart disease every year, with more than 425 needing treatment. Nearly all types of interventional catheterization procedures are currently being performed. About 300 open and closed pediatric cardiac surgeries are performed per year in Lebanon. In 2008, the in-hospital surgical mortality rate at our center was 2.6%, reflecting the good level of care in the treatment of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) in Lebanon. Basic research in the field of pediatric cardiology is emerging at our center. Our team has been studying the effect of chronic hypoxemia on the neonatal myocardium in an animal model of chronic hypoxia, as well as the study of molecular basis of CHD. Appropriate identification of cardiac disease, its epidemiology, and outcome is of utmost importance in guiding adequate care. Centralization of facilities is important to improve results and level of care.

Comparison of Two Educational Strategies in Teaching Preventive Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Stroup-Benham, Christine A.; And Others

This study assessed the impact of two educational strategies: text only versus text plus small group discussion, among two groups of third-year internal medicine clerkship students in a preventive cardiology course. The course was a required, 12-week Internal Medical clerkship at the University of Texas Medical Branch. The first group reviewed…

Basics of radiobiology and nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostadinova, I.; Hadjidekova, V.; Georgieva, R.

2002-01-01

The authors successively reveal the topics of the biological impact of radiation (radiobiology) and the diagnostic and the therapeutic application of radiopharmaceuticals (nuclear medicine). Data on the influence of radiation on subcellular, cellular, tissue and organ level are given, on early and late radiation changes, as well. Indication for the application of the different radionuclide methods in the diagnosis of the diseases in the endocrinology, nephrology, cardiology, gastroenterology, haematology of lungs, bones, tumors are pointed out and the main trends of the growing therapeutical use of nuclear medicine are presented. The aim is to teach students the nuclear medicine methods in the complex investigation of the patients, his preliminary preparation and the biological impact of radiation and its risk. Self assessment test for students are proposed and a literature for further reading

Discharge Processes and 30-Day Readmission Rates of Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure on General Medicine and Cardiology Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Salata, Brian M; Sterling, Madeline R; Beecy, Ashley N; Ullal, Ajayram V; Jones, Erica C; Horn, Evelyn M; Goyal, Parag

2018-05-01

Given high rates of heart failure (HF) hospitalizations and widespread adoption of the hospitalist model, patients with HF are often cared for on General Medicine (GM) services. Differences in discharge processes and 30-day readmission rates between patients on GM and those on Cardiology during the contemporary hospitalist era are unknown. The present study compared discharge processes and 30-day readmission rates of patients with HF admitted on GM services and those on Cardiology services. We retrospectively studied 926 patients discharged home after HF hospitalization. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause readmission after discharge from index hospitalization. Although 60% of patients with HF were admitted to Cardiology services, 40% were admitted to GM services. Prevalence of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular co-morbidities were similar between patients admitted to GM services and Cardiology services. Discharge summaries for patients on GM services were less likely to have reassessments of ejection fraction, new study results, weights, discharge vital signs, discharge physical examinations, and scheduled follow-up cardiologist appointments. In a multivariable regression analysis, patients on GM services were more likely to experience 30-day readmissions compared with those on Cardiology services (odds ratio 1.43 95% confidence interval [1.05 to 1.96], p = 0.02). In conclusion, outcomes are better among those admitted to Cardiology services, signaling the need for studies and interventions focusing on noncardiology hospital providers that care for patients with HF. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Information System on Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research (ISEMIR): Interventional Cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-02-01

In the last three decades, the use of image guided interventional procedures in cardiology has increased significantly, bringing great benefit to millions of patients around the world. As technology improves, the medical capabilities of these procedures continue to expand, adding further to the armamentarium for diagnosis and treatment of patients with cardiac problems. All of these procedures require health professionals (including interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, nurses and medical radiation technologists) to be present in the room and alongside the patient when radiation is being used, which may result in occupational exposure. While it has been long known that there is significant potential for health professionals in attendance during interventional cardiology to receive non-trivial occupational exposures, reported details have been typically limited to a few specific interventional cardiology facilities and situations. A more global perspective has been lacking, as is the availability of a systematic means for improving occupational radiation protection in interventional cardiology facilities throughout the world. In 2006, the IAEA published the Fundamental Safety Principles (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SF-1), which sets out the fundamental safety objective and principles of protection and safety. In 2011, the IAEA published Radiation Protection and Safety of Sources: International Basic Safety Standards (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3 (Interim Edition)), which sets out the requirements for meeting the fundamental safety objective and applying the principles specified in the Fundamental Safety Principles. The establishment of safety requirements and provision of guidance on occupational radiation protection is a major component of the support for radiation protection and safety provided by the IAEA to Member States. This publication was developed under the IAEA's statutory responsibility to facilitate worldwide application

Burnout, Perceived Stress, and Depression among Cardiology Residents in Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Waldman, Silvina V.; Diez, Juan Cruz Lopez; Arazi, Hernan Cohen; Linetzky, Bruno; Guinjoan, Salvador; Grancelli, Hugo

2009-01-01

Objective: Because medical residency is a stressful time for training physicians, placing residents at increased risk for psychological distress, the authors studied the prevalence of burnout, perceived stress, and depression in cardiology residents in Argentina and examined the association between sociodemographic characteristics and these…

Acquisition and processing of multiple functional investigations in cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baruthio, J.; Constantinesco, A.; Chavas, M.; Meyer, P.; Dumitresco, B.; Chambron, J.; Nikitine, S.; Voegtlin, R.

1978-01-01

This work is based on a acquisition and pretreating Service of data and signals resulting from several types of functional explorations in cardiology. This Service, through a specialised phone-line, is connected to the Medical Centre of Informatic where the different treatments and on occasion the recording of data are carried out. This functions according to the Real Time Executive System and the clinical results are send back to the investigation unit. The main types of cardiologic analysis as studied by the system are envisaged: measure in real time of the cardiac output and analysis of the radiocardiogram, measure and display of the thoracic potentials, spectral analysis of the vectorcardiogram, quantitative cineangiocardiography and analysis of intracardiac pressures. This system is particularly interesting in that it may treat several processes which could ask for a great capacity of storing and an important calculus power, see for instance the study of thoracic potentials. This type of analysis could not be envisaged financially with isolated calculators. The set of results obtained enables us to investigate thoroughly and precisely the cardiac performance [fr

How not to reduce plutonium stocks. The danger of MOX-fuelled nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

Plutonium is a radioactive by-product of nuclear reactor operation and one of the most toxic substances known. The world would be a safer place if the governments of countries with stocks of it, including Britain, would adopt effective policies for reducing and managing them. Two recent authoritative reports recommend that the British government take urgent action to reduce its 'civil' plutonium stock - currently one quarter of the world's total and set to rise to about two-thirds by the year 2010. The March 1999 House of Lords report, Management of Nuclear Waste, concludes that British government policy on plutonium 'should be the maintenance of the minimum strategic stock, and the declaration of the remainder as waste'. A report from the Royal Society, Britain's main learned society, meanwhile states that: 'In addition to disposing of some of the plutonium already in the stockpile, steps should be taken to reduce the amount added to it each year, primarily by reducing the amount of reprocessing carried out'. The government's reply to the House of Lords is expected to be followed by a public consultation before changes in legislation are proposed. But, at the same time, the government is considering an application from British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL), the government-owned company which separates plutonium from spent nuclear fuel rods, for a licence to operate a new plant at Sellafield in Cumbria to produce mixed-oxide (MOX) nuclear fuel from its plutonium stockpile. The nuclear industry justifies the Sellafield MOX plant as one way of reducing plutonium stocks. But critics point out that this is not a rational way to manage plutonium. This briefing aims to contribute to an informed debate during the current flurry of British government nuclear policymaking by explaining why. (author)

Nuclear privatization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeffs, E.

1995-01-01

The United Kingdom government announced in May 1995 plans to privatize the country's two nuclear generating companies, Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear. Under the plan, the two companies will become operating divisions of a unified holding company, to be called British Electric, with headquarters in Scotland. Britain's nuclear plants were left out of the initial privatization in 1989 because the government believed the financial community would be unwilling to accept the open-ended liability of decommissioning the original nine stations based on the Magnox gas-cooled reactor. Six years later, the government has found a way around this by retaining these power stations in state ownership, leaving the new nuclear company with the eight Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) stations and the recently completed Sizewell B PWR stations. The operating Magnox stations are to be transferred to BNFL, which operates two Magnox stations of their own at Calder Hall and Chapelcross

Drowning of British children abroad.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornall, P; Howie, S; Mughal, A; Sumner, V; Dunstan, F; Kemp, A; Sibert, J

2005-09-01

To quantify the risks of British children drowning abroad. The numbers of British children drowning abroad were estimated for 1996-2003 using the RoSPA/RLSS press cutting database. We compared these figures with the numbers of British children going abroad from the International Passenger Survey from the Office of National Statistics. Sixty-eight children (45 boys-23 Girls) drowned in the eight-year period: 48 (71%) in swimming pools (mostly in hotels). Allowing for exposure, the rate was higher in North America [5.2 (CI 2.9-9.4)/million tourists] than the European Union [1.9 (CI 1.4-2.5)/million tourists] p = 0.002. On average eight British children drown each year abroad. This is therefore a rare but tragic event. Most of these episodes happen in swimming pools and this needs to be compared to the one child that dies each year in municipal swimming pools in the United Kingdom where there is adequate lifeguarding. It may be that parents have a false sense of security for their children in pools abroad. We believe that there needs to be action from the European Union on this important event.

The usefulness of the nuclear cardiology in the cellular implant in patients with severe myocardial damage; La utilidad de la cardiologia nuclear en el implante celular en pacientes con dano miocardico severo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omelas A, M.; Arguero S, R.; Garrido G, M.H.; Rodriguez C, A.; Careaga, G.; Castano G, R.; Nambo, M.J.; Pascual P, J.; Ortega R, A.; Gaxiola A, A.; Magana S, J.A.; Estrada A, H.; Equipo de Tecnicos en Medicina Nuclear [Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI IMSS Hospital de Cardiologia-Servicio de Medicina Nuclear Mexico DF (Mexico)

2005-07-01

The recent therapeutic advances as the cellular implant as well as those different protocols of image acquisition in the field of the Nuclear Cardiology its have allowed that the patient with severe myocardial damage and without some possibility of revascularization is benefited with these advances. Doubtless the Tl-201 par excellence has an important paper for standardize the more appropriate therapeutic behavior for the heart attack patient; reason by this investigation protocol was developed. The objective of the study was to identify the heart attack regions without viable tissue with SPECT in patient with important myocardial damage without some possibility of traditional revascularization; for the 'Stem cell' cellular implantation therapy. The methodology it was carried out by a study of myocardial perfusion in 10 patients with important myocardial damage previous cellular implants, with PICANUC/ SPECT methodology and using a software (Emory Tool Box) for the image processing validated by the University of Emory Atlanta GA; and using as tracer the Tl - 201 to identify the heart attack regions without presence of viable tissue with an analysis model of 17 segments standardized for the left ventricle; qualifying this way the myocardial perfusion in: 0 (normal), 1 (light), 2 (moderate), 3 (severe), 4 (absent) and x (bad technique). The conclusions were that the SPECT study with PICANUC methodology with Tl-201 is safe and effective for the precise localization for the cellular implantation via direct intra myocardial. (Author)

Clinical value of thallium 201 in a cardiology service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picard, J.-C.

1979-01-01

At present the most widely used element in isotopic cardiology is undoubtedly 201 Tl. In the few years since its appearance many publication testify to its growing use in the external detection of coronary thrombosis, the discovery of ischemia exertion, the non-traumatic observation of patients after an aortocoronary bridging operation, the diagnosis of coronary deficiency associated with another heart disease (aorta narrowing, mitral prolapsus, obstructive cardiomyopathy) and in combination with two other radioisotopic methods. The present work is intended as a modest contribution, still very recent, to the critical study of this new technique in all its present aspects. Part one presents the various characteristics responsible for the advantages and limits of 201 Tl, then describes the techniques and apparatus used. The production, dosimetry, toxicity and biological behaviour of 201 Tl are also discussed. A hundred and twenty-five examinations were performed in the Nuclear Medicine Service of the Limoges UHC between May 1977 and October 1978. The results are analysed in part two. This is followed by a discussion which attempts, in the light of our experience, to situate the place occupied by 201 Tl in the range of complementary examinations useful in declared or assumed coronary cases. We then propose an examination procedure and precise indications we believe to be justified, accounting for economic problems before considering the future prospects of myocardium scintigraphy [fr

Optimization of Patient Doses in Interventional Radiology and Cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikodemova, D.; Boehm, K.

2011-01-01

Interventional radiology and cardiology belongs to the imaging modalities connected with significantly higher radiation exposure of patients and medical staff, compared to the exposure during other diagnostic procedures. The objective of this presentation is to promote typical technical parameters and parameters related to the radiation policy, used during the most frequent endovascular and cardiology procedures, as well as the monitoring of the exposure of patients. The presented study reports the results of collecting the data of monitoring doses received by 318 patients undergoing interventional examinations in 3 various departments of the Slovak National Institute of Cardiology and Vascular Diseases. There were 9 different endovascular and cardiology procedures reviewed. The reported patient's radiation exposures were established by using the KAP values, directly shown on the display of the X-ray equipment. From the measured KAP values the entrance surface doses were calculated. Equivalent doses have been measured on hands, legs and other parts of medical staff body, by using electronic dosimeters or thermoluminescent dosimeters. The presented results have covered a wide range of the measured fluoroscopy time values, different number of acquisitions used in various interventional procedures, various cumulated KAP values and also a wide range of the cumulated entrance surface doses. The occupational doses of the operators, followed during dose measurements on their left hands, covered the range from 0.1 μSv to 1513 μSv for one examination performed. The important contribution of the presented results to the radiation protection policy in the Slovak Republic is the mapping of the current situation of the radiation exposure of patients undergoing the chosen interventional examinations and the professional radiation exposure level of interventional operators, providing the most significant interventional procedures in the Slovak interventional hospitals. The

Radionuclide investigations in clinical cardiology - 10 years of cooperation in Frankfurt/FRG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klepzig, H. Jr.; Kaltenbach, M.

1989-01-01

Radionuclide investigations today are an important tool in cardiology. They close the diagnostic gap in cases where non-invasive procedures of cardiological diagnosis such as ecg, exercise-ecg, echocardiography and chest-x-ray remains unrevealing. Further, they are helpful when an exact quantitation of the disease or a precise follow-up is required. Radionuclide techniques are very useful to detect myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary heart disease and to judge myocardial function in patients with aortic or mitral regurgitation. Follow-up investigations after therapy (aortocoronary bypass, PTCA, valve replacement) permit conclusions regarding the benefit of these measures. Results of radionuclide investigations should consider the Bayes' theorem in order to keep false-negative and false-positive reports as low as possible. (orig.) [de

Nuclear medicine. Clinical value of the medicine methods. Nuklearmedizin. Klinische Bedeutung nuklearmedizinischer Diagnostik und Therapie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, H A.E. [Evangelisches Krankenhaus Bethesda Gemeinnuetzige G.m.b.H., Duisburg (Germany, F.R.). Nuklearmedizinische Klinik und Poliklinik; Ortiz Berrocal, J [Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain). Dept. of Nuclear Medicine; eds.

1979-01-01

This proceedings volume of the 16th International Annual Meeting of the Gesellschaft fuer Nuklearmedizin, which took place in Madrid on October 24-27, 1978, contains 183 compacts on the following subjects: Metrology and data processing, cyclotron products and radiopharmaceuticals, nuclear medicine as compared with computerized tomography and sonography, radioimmunoassay, haematology, thyreology, osteology, pulmonology, cardiology, angiology, nephrology, gastroenterology and hepatology, oncology, nuclear therapy methods and some free lectures and thus give a good picture of the state of the art in nuclear medicine at the time.

ACC/AATS/AHA/ASE/ASNC/HRS/SCAI/SCCT/SCMR/STS 2017 Appropriate Use Criteria for Multimodality Imaging in Valvular Heart Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Doherty, John U; Kort, Smadar; Mehran, Roxana; Schoenhagen, Paul; Soman, Prem; Dehmer, Greg J; Doherty, John U; Schoenhagen, Paul; Amin, Zahid; Bashore, Thomas M; Boyle, Andrew; Calnon, Dennis A; Carabello, Blase; Cerqueira, Manuel D; Conte, John; Desai, Milind; Edmundowicz, Daniel; Ferrari, Victor A; Ghoshhajra, Brian; Mehrotra, Praveen; Nazarian, Saman; Reece, T Brett; Tamarappoo, Balaji; Tzou, Wendy S; Wong, John B; Doherty, John U; Dehmer, Gregory J; Bailey, Steven R; Bhave, Nicole M; Brown, Alan S; Daugherty, Stacie L; Dean, Larry S; Desai, Milind Y; Duvernoy, Claire S; Gillam, Linda D; Hendel, Robert C; Kramer, Christopher M; Lindsay, Bruce D; Manning, Warren J; Mehrotra, Praveen; Patel, Manesh R; Sachdeva, Ritu; Wann, L Samuel; Winchester, David E; Wolk, Michael J; Allen, Joseph M

2018-04-01

This document is 1 of 2 companion appropriate use criteria (AUC) documents developed by the American College of Cardiology, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. This document addresses the evaluation and use of multimodality imaging in the diagnosis and management of valvular heart disease, whereas the second, companion document addresses this topic with regard to structural heart disease. Although there is clinical overlap, the documents addressing valvular and structural heart disease are published separately, albeit with a common structure. The goal of the companion AUC documents is to provide a comprehensive resource for multimodality imaging in the context of valvular and structural heart disease, encompassing multiple imaging modalities. Using standardized methodology, the clinical scenarios (indications) were developed by a diverse writing group to represent patient presentations encountered in everyday practice and included common applications and anticipated uses. Where appropriate, the scenarios were developed on the basis of the most current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. A separate, independent rating panel scored the 92 clinical scenarios in this document on a scale of 1 to 9. Scores of 7 to 9 indicate that a modality is considered appropriate for the clinical scenario presented. Midrange scores of 4 to 6 indicate that a modality may be appropriate for the clinical scenario, and scores of 1 to 3 indicate that a modality is considered rarely appropriate for the clinical scenario. The primary objective of the AUC is to provide a framework for the assessment of these scenarios by practices that will

Utility of hand-held echocardiography in outpatient pediatric cardiology management.

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Alan; Sable, Craig; Prasad, Aparna; Spurney, Christopher; Harahsheh, Ashraf; Clauss, Sarah; Colyer, Jessica; Gierdalski, Marcin; Johnson, Ashley; Pearson, Gail D; Rosenthal, Joanna

2014-12-01

Adult patient series have shown hand-held echocardiography (echo) units (HHE) to be accurate for rapid diagnosis and triage. This is the first study to evaluate the ability of HHE to inform decision making in outpatient pediatric cardiology. New pediatric cardiology patients in outpatient clinics staffed by six pediatric cardiologists (experience 1-17 years) were prospectively enrolled if an echocardiogram (echo) was ordered during their initial visit. After history and physical examination and before a standard echo, the cardiologists performed a bedside HHE examination (GE Vscan 1.7-3.8 MHz), documented findings, and made a clinical decision. Diagnoses and decisions based on HHE were compared with final management after the standard echo. The study enrolled 101 subjects (ages 9 days to 19 years). The cardiologists considered HHE imaging adequate for decision making for 80 of the 101 subjects. For 77 of the 80 subjects with acceptable HHE imaging (68/68 normal and 9/12 abnormal standard echoes), the HHE-based primary diagnoses and decisions agreed with the final management. The sensitivity of HHE was 75 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 43-94 %) and the positive predictive value 100 % (95 % CI 66-100 %) for pediatric heart disease. The agreement between standard echocardiography and HHE imaging was substantial (κ = 0.82). Excluding one of the least experienced cardiologists, HHE provided the basis for correct cardiac diagnoses and management for all the subjects with acceptable HHE imaging (58/58 normal and 9/9 abnormal echoes). In outpatient pediatric cardiology, HHE has potential as a tool to complement physical examination. Further investigation is needed to evaluate how value improves with clinical experience.

Environment and nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

Aimed at the general public this leaflet, one of a series prepared by AEA Technology, on behalf of the British Nuclear Industry Forum, seeks to put the case for generating electricity to meet United Kingdom and world demand using nuclear power. It examines the environmental problems linked to the use of fossil-fuels in power stations and other uses, such as the Greenhouse Effect. Problems associated with excess carbon dioxide emissions are also discussed, such as acid rain, the effects of deforestation and lead in petrol. The role of renewable energy sources is mentioned briefly. The leaflet also seeks to reassure on issues such as nuclear waste managements and the likelihood and effects of nuclear accidents. (UK)

British Celtic influence on English phonology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Laker, Stephen

2010-01-01

The dissertation assesses the influence of British Celtic on the phonological development of English during and shortly after the Anglo-Saxon settlement period, ca. AD 450–700. By reconstructing and then comparing the phonological systems of both British Celtic and English at the time of contact, an

Radioisotopes for nuclear medicine: the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, S.W.

1998-01-01

Full text: Nuclear medicine occupies an important niche in the spectrum of medical capability. Since its initial application on a routine basis over 30 years ago its importance has continued to grow. For example, it is expected that over 430,000 Australians will have a nuclear medicine procedure in 1998. Current procedures using nuclear medicine are mainly concerned with diagnosis of oncology, cardiology and neurology. The main radioisotope used in nuclear medicine is Tc 99m, which is produced by a 'so called' Mo-Tc 99m generator. Other isotopes which currently find routine use are Ga-67, Th-201 and I-131. The selective uptakes by particular organs or structures is facilitated by the use of 'cold kits' which after the chemistry of the radioisotope many of the recent advances have been concerned with increasing the selectivity for a particular organ structure. Several of these new agents show increased selectivity using antibody a peptide recognition units

The nuclear case book

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephenson, M.; Hearn, R.

1983-01-01

The subject is covered in sections, entitled: the truth about nukes; disarmament, arms control and arms limitation; directory of nuclear weapons; tables of principal nuclear weapons; points of view 1 (Anglican); proliferation of nuclear technology; the just war; preventing proliferation; the numbers business; war scenario 1 (the Gulf); points of view 2 (Roman Catholic); deterrence; European Nuclear Balance; war scenario 2 (Germany); arguing about war and peace; points of view 3 (Jewish); is there a Soviet military threat; the view from Omsk; points of view 4 (Pugwash); the British deterrent; points of view 5 (generals for peace and disarmament); 'broken arrows'; costs of nuclear weapons; war scenario 3 (Pakistan); nuclear weapons - what is the moral response; non-use of nuclear weapons; points of view 6 (women and families for defence); dear Mr. Heseltine; why acquire nuclear weapons; the effects of nuclear weapons; war scenario 4 (Central America and the Middle East); civil defence; alternatives to nuclear defence; points of view 7 (Quaker). (U.K.)

British-Zionist Military Cooperation in Palestine, 1917-1939

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohsen M. Saleh

2003-12-01

Full Text Available The essence of the British military and security formula in Palestine was the smooth establishment of the Jewish national home with minimum costs of lives and money. However, this British pro-Zionist policy created a continuous security problem, and opened the door to all possibilities of Palestinian revolts and uprisings of both national and religious nature. The British were very active in disarming the Arabs and adopted stringent measures to crush their uprisings and revolts. But, they turned a blind eye to the Jewish arms smuggling and Jewish military organizations, especially, the Hagana, which later became the backbone of the Israeli Army. During Palestinian uprisings of 1920, 1921 and 1929 against the Zionists, most of the Palestinian casualties were inflicted by the British forces despite the fact that the Palestinians avoided attacking the British. The British-Zionist cooperation reached its peak during the Palestinian revolt of 1936-1939, and took different forms, including allowing the Jews to establish a military force of twenty two thousand men under the pretext of protecting the Jewish community.

A study of role expansion: a new GP role in cardiology care

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background The National Health Service is reconfiguring health care services in order to meet the increasing challenge of providing care for people with long-term conditions and to reduce the demand on specialised outpatient hospital services by enhancing primary care. A review of cardiology referrals to specialised care and the literature on referral management inspired the development of a new GP role in Cardiology. This new extended role was developed to enable GPs to diagnose and manage patients with mild to moderate heart failure or atrial fibrillation and to use a range of diagnostics effectively in primary care. This entailed GPs participating in a four-session short course with on-going clinical supervision. The new role was piloted in a small number of GP practices in one county in England for four months. This study explores the impact of piloting the Extended Cardiology role on the GP’s role, patients’ experience, service delivery and quality. Methods A mixed methods approach was employed including semi-structured interviews with GPs, a patient experience survey, a quality review of case notes, and analysis on activity and referral data. Results The participating GPs perceived the extended GP role as a professional development opportunity that had the potential to reduce healthcare utilisation and costs, through a reduction in referrals, whilst meeting the patient’s wishes for the provision of care closer to home. Patient experience of the new GP service was positive. The standard of clinical practice was judged acceptable. There was a fall in referrals during the study period. Conclusion This new role in cardiology was broadly welcomed as a model of care by the participating GPs and by patients, because of the potential to improve the quality of care for patients in primary care and reduce costs. As this was a pilot study further development and continuing evaluation of the model is recommended. PMID:24885826

The role of quality assurance in the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The paper reports on the proceedings of a one day conference on ''the role of quality assurance in the nuclear industry'', presented by the British Nuclear Forum Working Group on Quality Assurance, 1985. The conference reviews the application and effectiveness of the British Standards in the light of experience with the AGR programme, and considers the lessons learned that will benefit future projects. Seven papers are presented at the conference, of which five deal with the AGR experience with respect to quality assurance in design and manufacture. The remaining two papers examine quality assurance in computing software and building on the AGR experience. All seven papers are selected for INIS and indexed separately. (U.K.)

Review on Factors Influencing Physician Guideline Adherence in Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoorn, C J G M; Crijns, H J G M; Dierick-van Daele, A T M; Dekker, L R C

2018-04-09

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in Western countries. Physician adherence to guidelines is often suboptimal, resulting in impaired patient outcome and prognosis. Multiple studies have been conducted to evaluate patterns and the influencing factors of patient adherence, but little is known about factors influencing physician guideline adherence. This review aims to identify factors influencing physician guideline adherence relevant to cardiology and to provide insights and suggestions for future improvement. Physician adherence was measured as adherence to standard local medical practice and applicable guidelines. Female gender and older age had a negative effect on physician guideline adherence. In addition, independent of the type of heart disease, physicians without cardiologic specialization were linked to physician noncompliance. Also, guideline adherence in primary care centers was at a lower level compared to secondary or tertiary care centers. The importance of guideline adherence increases as patients age, and complex diseases and comorbidity arise. Appropriate resources and interventions, taking important factors for nonadherence in account, are necessary to improve guideline adoption and adherence in every level of the chain. This in turn should improve patient outcome.

Subsequent full publication of abstracts presented in the annual meetings of the Spanish Society of Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-Arroyo, Adolfo; Aleixandre-Benavent, Rafael; Vidal-Infer, Antonio; Anguita-Sánchez, Manuel; Chorro-Gascó, Francisco J; Bolaños-Pizarro, Máxima; Castelló-Cogollos, Lourdes; Navarro-Molina, Carolina; Valderrama-Zurián, Juan C

2014-01-01

The Spanish Society of Cardiology holds an annual national meeting with a large number of presentations but the number of full-text publications resulting from these presentations and the journals accepting these manuscripts is unknown. This study aimed to identify the full-text publication rate of accepted abstracts and to analyze the bibliometric features of subsequent publications. We randomly selected a sample of 300 oral presentations at the meetings of the Spanish Society of Cardiology in 2002, 2005 and 2008. Subsequent publications were identified through the Science Citation Index-Expanded, Scopus, Índice Médico Español, and Índice Bibliográfico Español en Ciencias de la Salud. Of 300 abstracts, 115 resulted in 147 full publications, representing a publication rate of 38.33%. The meeting with the highest publication rate (43%) was held in 2005. The subject category with the highest number of publications was Pediatric Cardiology/Congenital Heart Disease (58.8%). Time to full publication was usually 2 years (30.61%). Articles were published in 57 journals. The journals publishing the highest number of articles were Revista Española de Cardiología (n=55; 37.41%) and the European Heart Journal (n=8; 5.44%). The high percentage of articles published in the upper half of journals listed in Journal Citation Reports under the category of cardiac and cardiovascular system (83%) can be taken as an objective quality indicator of the results presented at these meetings. However, more than 60% of the abstracts did not result in full publications, thus depriving the scientific community of potentially interesting results. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Nuclear Medicine week in Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padhy, A.K.

2003-01-01

During the week of 6-12 October 2003 the IAEA organized a Research Coordination Meeting on 'Relationship between lower Respiratory Tract Infection, Gastroesophageal reflux and bronchial Asthma in children' at Hospital San Ignacio in Bogota. Besides there were four workshops in Bogota; workshops on Bone infection and Bone scan in Pediatric ortopaedics at Hospital Militar and Fundacion CardioInfantil, a workshop for Nuclear Medicine Technologists and a workshop on Sentinel Lymph Node mapping and Surgical Gamma Probe Application at Institute of Oncology. A nuclear cardiology workshop was organized in Medellin, and finally crowning them all was the 9th Congress of the Colombian Association of Nuclear Medicine at Cali from 10-12 October, 2003; probably the largest and best Colombian nuclear medicine congress every held in the country. A workshop was also organized in Cali for nuclear medicine technologists in conjunction with the Annual Convention. It was a mix of IAEA's Technical Cooperation and Regular Budget activities along with the activities of Colombian Association of Nuclear Medicine, bringing in absolute synergy to galvanize the entire nuclear medicine community of the country. The week saw nuclear medicine scientists from more than 20 IAEA Member States converging on Colombia to spread the message of nuclear medicine, share knowledge and to foster International understanding and friendship among the nuclear medicine people of the world

African Journals Online: Virgin Islands (British)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

African Journals Online: Virgin Islands (British). Home > African Journals Online: Virgin Islands (British). Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register · Browse By Category · Browse Alphabetically · Browse By Country · List All Titles · Free to read Titles This Journal ...

Radioactivity in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles, 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, G.J.

1987-01-01

The report presents the results of the environmental monitoring programme carried out during 1986 by staff of the Directorate of Fisheries Research, Lowestoft, United Kingdom. The programme was set up to verify the satisfactory control of liquid radioactive waste discharges to the aquatic environment, and to ensure that the resulting public radiation exposure is within nationally-accepted limits. The environmental programme includes monitoring the environmental consequences of discharges of liquid radioactive wastes from four British Nuclear Fuels plc sites - at Sellafield, Springfield, Capenhurst and Chapelcross, and monitoring the environment impact of liquid radioactive discharges from Winfrith and Dounraey. Monitoring is also carried out near nuclear power stations operated by the electricity boards, near Naval establishments, near Amersham International plc, and the marine environment of the Channel Islands States. Results are also presented on the monitoring of the freshwater environment for radioactivity from the Chernobyl reactor accident. (U.K.)

Discharge planning in a cardiology out-patient clinic: a clinical audit.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingram, Shirley; Khan, Barkat

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to audit the active discharge (DC) planning process in a general cardiology clinic, by pre-assessing patients' medical notes and highlighting those suitable for potential DC to the clinic physician. The cardiology clinical nurse specialist (CNS) identified patients' for nine- to 12-month return visits one week prior to attendance. The previous consultation letter was accessed and information was documented by the CNS in the medical record. The key performance indicator (KPI) used was patient DCs for each clinic visit. The process was audited at three separate times to reflect recommended action carried out. The CNS pre-assessment and presence at the clinics significantly increased total DCs during the first period compared to usual care, 11 vs 34 per cent (p audit period, DCs fell (9 per cent) with a reduction in CNS pre-assessed DCs (10 per cent). Recommendations were implemented. The process was continued by clinic administration staff, colour coding all nine- to 12-month returns, resulted in a 19 per cent DC rate in 2012. CNS pre-assessment and highlighting DC suitability increased the number of patient DCs. As the CNS presence at the clinic reduced so did the rate of DC. Specific personnel need to be responsible for monitoring and reminding staff of the process; this does not always have to be medical or nursing. Implementing positive discharging procedures is aimed at improving quality, increasing efficiency and accessibility of services for patients. This audit describes a process to promote DC planning from cardiology outpatients.

Protection against ionizing radiation by leaded glass googles during interventional cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zett-Lobos, Claudio; Vera Munoz, Felipe; Arriola Alvarez, Katerina; Diaz Ramos, Oscar; Gamarra, Jorge; Fernandez Palomo, Cristian; Merello, Lorenzo; Mora D, Alex; Gutierrez, Alejandro; Catalan Reyes, Monica; Ramos Avasola, Sergio

2013-01-01

Background: It is not known whether leaded glass goggles with 0.25 mm Pb equivalency, used in interventional cardiology procedures, attenuate radiation below the levels established by the latest recommendation of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Aim: To assess if the degree of attenuation of the secondary ionizing radiation achieved by the use of 0.25 mm Pb leaded glass goggles, in occupationally exposed workers in interventional cardiology procedures, meets the latest ICRP recommendations. Material and Methods : A prospective investigation was carried out to compare the eye exposure to secondary ionizing radiation received by occupationally exposed personnel in a 9 months period. A set of two thermo luminescent dosimeters was arranged in the front and back of leaded glass goggles in a cohort of seven members of an interventional cardiology service, exposed to 1057 consecutive procedures. Results:The monthly dose equivalent measurement performed in front of the goggles ranged between 1.1 and 6.5 mSv,for paramedics and interventional cardiologists. The radiation measured in the back of the glass varied between 0.66 and 2.75 mSv,respectively.The degree of attenuation of the dose at eye level ranged from 40% to 57.7%,respectively. The projected annual exposure would reach 33 mSv for the interventional cardiologist. Conclusions: With a similar load of work and wearing 0.25 mm Pb equivalent glass goggles, interventional cardiologists will exceed the crystalline equivalent dose limit recommended by the ICRP (20 mSv/year averaged over the past 5 years)

Reporting nuclear cardiology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trägårdh, Elin; Hesse, Birger; Knuuti, Juhani

2015-01-01

The report of an imaging procedure is a critical component of an examination, being the final and often the only communication from the interpreting physician to the referring or treating physician. Very limited evidence and few recommendations or guidelines on reporting imaging studies are avail...

[Cardiology: is the smartphone era?

Science.gov (United States)

Mandoli, Giulia Elena; D'Ascenzi, Flavio; Cameli, Matteo; Mondillo, Sergio

2017-12-01

The worldwide spread of smartphones has radically changed the habits of human life, allowing a 24/7 connection with other people. These changes have involved also Medicine with smartphones being able to simplify the clinical practice of physicians. The development of new external devices that can be connected to smartphones has further increased their use with mobile phones converted in portable electrocardiogram or echocardiogram machines. This extraordinary technological improvement seems to be partly in conflict with the classical tools available for the cardiologist, such as the "old" stethoscope that in 2016 had its 200th anniversary. This article focuses on the smartphone as a new tool available for the physicians, describing the most important potential uses and reporting an analysis of pros and cons of the smart-cardiology.

Great Britain 1994: Starting a new era for nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collier, J.G.

1994-01-01

In the course of the British program of privatization of the state-owned electricity generating industry the nuclear power plants in England and Wales were incorporated into the newly founded (and state-owned) NE in 1989. In addition, the government decided in favor of a moratorium in the construction of more nuclear power plants. Only Sizewell B, Britain's first pressurized water reactor (PWR), was to be completed. At that point in time, three other PWRs were in the planning stage. The government decision included a review of the future of nuclear technology to be held in 1994. At the beginning of 1994, the nuclear future of Britain appears in a much more positive light than had been thought possible in 1989. When founding NE, the British government endowed it with a startup capital and also instituted a tax levied on fossil energy sources, the revenue from which is being made available to NE in compensation for the old liabilities NE had to assume. (orig./UA) [de

Gambian-British and Nigerian-British Children's and Families' Experiences of Migration "Back" to West Africa. Research Briefing No. 13

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts-Holmes, Guy

2013-01-01

This research looks at the factors motivating Gambian-British and Nigerian-British parents to send their children "back" to West Africa and what this means for parents, children and families on both continents.

Teaching (about) Britishness? An Investigation into Trainee Teachers' Understanding of Britishness in Relation to Citizenship and the Discourse of Civic Nationalism

Science.gov (United States)

Jerome, Lee; Clemitshaw, Gary

2012-01-01

This research was prompted by the developing political discourse proposing the teaching of Britishness and British values in the context of the United Kingdom. This discourse will be reviewed in the first part of the article, in the context of previous work which has sought to assess how Britishness and related concepts might be promoted through…

Norwegian supply of goods and services to the British offshore sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heide, M.; Noedland, S.I.

1991-02-01

Representatives from ten Norwegian companies in the offshore supplies industry were interviewed to explore the opportunities and barriers they had experienced in their effort to enter the British offshore sector. The interviews revealed that there are mainly four reasons why British sector is regarded as a favorable market: British sector is a natural homemarket, buyers operate both on the British and the Norwegian sector, the British sector can be a ''door-opener'' to the rest of the English speaking world, and finally the British sector is a market of considerable size. The companies had mainly encountered three types of barriers: British culture/communication problems, heavy competition from British suppliers, and protectionism. The report is concluded by summarizing what we believe are the critical success factors for entering the British sector. Directions for further research are also given

Big and Little Feet Provincial Profiles: British Columbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Dobson

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This communiqué provides a summary of the production- and consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions accounts for British Columbia, as well as their associated trade flows. It is part of a series of communiqués profiling the Canadian provinces and territories.1 In simplest terms, a production-based emissions account measures the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions produced in British Columbia. In contrast, a consumptionbased emissions account measures the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions generated during the production process for final goods and services that are consumed in British Columbia through household purchases, investment by firms and government spending. Trade flows refer to the movement of emissions that are produced in British Columbia but which support consumption in a different province, territory or country (and vice versa. For example, emissions at the Port of Vancouver that are associated with goods that are subsequently exported to Ontario for sale are recorded as a trade flow from British Columbia to Ontario. Moving in the opposite direction, emissions associated with the production of Alberta crude oil that is refined in British Columbia and sold as motor gasoline to a British Columbia consumer are recorded as a trade flow from Alberta to British Columbia. For further details on these results in a national context, the methodology for generating them and their policy implications, please see the companion papers to this communiqué series: (1 Fellows and Dobson (2017; and (2 Dobson and Fellows (2017. Additionally, the consumption emissions and trade flow data for each of the provinces and territories are available at: http://www.policyschool.ca/embodied-emissions-inputs-outputs-datatables-2004-2011/.

Mortality and treatment patterns among patients hospitalized with acute cardiovascular conditions during dates of national cardiology meetings.

Science.gov (United States)

Jena, Anupam B; Prasad, Vinay; Goldman, Dana P; Romley, John

2015-02-01

Thousands of physicians attend scientific meetings annually. Although hospital physician staffing and composition may be affected by meetings, patient outcomes and treatment patterns during meeting dates are unknown. To analyze mortality and treatment differences among patients admitted with acute cardiovascular conditions during dates of national cardiology meetings compared with nonmeeting dates. Retrospective analysis of 30-day mortality among Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, or cardiac arrest from 2002 through 2011 during dates of 2 national cardiology meetings compared with identical nonmeeting days in the 3 weeks before and after conferences (AMI, 8570 hospitalizations during 82 meeting days and 57,471 during 492 nonmeeting days; heart failure, 19,282 during meeting days and 11,4591 during nonmeeting days; cardiac arrest, 1564 during meeting days and 9580 during nonmeeting days). Multivariable analyses were conducted separately for major teaching hospitals and nonteaching hospitals and for low- and high-risk patients. Differences in treatment utilization were assessed. Hospitalization during cardiology meeting dates. Thirty-day mortality, procedure rates, charges, length of stay. Patient characteristics were similar between meeting and nonmeeting dates. In teaching hospitals, adjusted 30-day mortality was lower among high-risk patients with heart failure or cardiac arrest admitted during meeting vs nonmeeting dates (heart failure, 17.5% [95% CI, 13.7%-21.2%] vs 24.8% [95% CI, 22.9%-26.6%]; P cardiology meetings. High-risk patients with heart failure and cardiac arrest hospitalized in teaching hospitals had lower 30-day mortality when admitted during dates of national cardiology meetings. High-risk patients with AMI admitted to teaching hospitals during meetings were less likely to receive PCI, without any mortality effect.

Trends in radiopharmaceutical dispensing in a regional nuclear pharmacy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basmadjian, G.P.; Barker, K.; Johnston, J.; Stinchcomb, R.; Tarman, B.; Ice, R.D.

1983-01-01

In the last five years, the practice of nuclear medicine has undergone changes due to the advent of new imaging technologies and radiopharmaceuticals. These changes have had an impact upon the number and the type of radiopharmaceuticals dispensed in centralized nuclear pharmacies. With the advent of Computerized Axial Tomography Scanners (CAT), sophistication and wider acceptance of the Ultrasound imaging modality, nuclear medicine has had to change directions from utilizing radiopharmaceuticals for static organ imaging to functional type imaging and to resort to the use of new radiopharmaceuticals or to find other uses for the existing radiopharmaceuticals. The following trends in radiopharmaceutical dispensing in a regional nuclear pharmacy are evident: Brain procedures have declined by about 67% while nuclear cardiology studies have increased by over 2000%. Bone scans have increased by 72% while liver, renal and lung studies have shown no significant increase. These changes will continue as the practice of nuclear medicine concentrates more on functional studies and relegates other studies to newer imaging modalities

British Columbia : an alternative design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostergaard, P.

2003-01-01

This PowerPoint presentation outlined the British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines' approach to the electricity market. A brief overview of the electric system in the province was provided, examining capacity (primarily hydro based) and the utility sector with its public ownership. In British Columbia, 80 per cent of the electricity is generated by British Columbia Hydro (BC Hydro). The rates are based on cost of service. British Columbia's market is western North America. A comparison of monthly bills for several large cities, both Canadian and American, was displayed. The market reviews conducted in 1995, 1998, and 2002 were reviewed and the major recommendations discussed. The author identified the opportunities in the province, discussing natural gas and coal for electricity production, resource potential, demand, and private sector capacity. The challenges facing the province are: cost effective development of resources to meet energy demand; aging infrastructure, high reliability requirements and economic growth; evolving electricity market structure in the United States; and, monopoly. The transmission system was reviewed with reference to trade with the Pacific Northwest, flexibility and storage. The energy plan objectives for the future were presented, including low rates and public ownership, secure and reliable supply, more private sector opportunities, and environmental responsibility. The alternative market structure includes regulated market characteristics, access to trade, and customer focus. figs

The great US nuclear gamble

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCaughey, John.

1997-01-01

An unlikely combination of PECO, United States Energy company, and British Energy, with its nuclear plant operation expertise, are combining their interests as the AmerGen Energy Company. AmerGen is seeking to take over ailing US nuclear plants and boost their performance, to the benefit of consumers, and shareholders alike. Considerable financial and public face risks are at stake for the two companies, but despite its public unpopularity, nuclear power generates more than 20% of US electric power, and so the payback is also potentially, correspondingly high. This paper explores this history and likely success of this surprising cooperative venture. (UK)

Radiological protection in interventional cardiology in Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez, A.; Leyton, F.A.; Farias, E.; Silva, A.M.; Vano, E.; Oyarzun, C.; Gamarra, J.; Ortiz, P.

2001-01-01

In September 2000, an expert mission was assigned to Chile, under the regional project named 'International BBS in Medical Practices Radiation Protection and Quality Assurance In Interventional Radiology' (ARCAL XLIX). The objective of the mission was to evaluate the level of radiation protection (RP) and safety in interventional cardiology ( IC ) installations. A team of local cardiologists, medical physicists and technologists was created for this purpose and during one week, several cardiology laboratories were evaluated and some basic quality controls (QC) were carried out. A basic pilot training course in radiation protection was imparted at the Hospital of the University of Chile in Santiago de Chile and some of the key objectives for a future national quality assurance programme were presented during the national congress of IC. In addition, a national survey on radiation protection aspects was circulated and its results evaluated. These activities enabled the local team to become familiar with the methodology of assessment of the level of protection and the organization of a programme, which was illustrated with the examples of similar European programmes. As result of these actions, several proposals were made to both the local authorities and the IAEA. The most important were: a) to initiate a basic QC programme, b) to organize a training in RP for cardiologists in order to formalize their accreditation, c) to improve personal occupational dosimetry, d) to initiate a programme of patient dosimetry, e) to optimize the technical and clinical protocols, f) to create a national registry of incidents with skin injuries. (author)

THE DOPPLER ECHOGRAPHY – FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY TO MODERN CARDIOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana DĂNIŞOR

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The following pages shall demonstrate how the nature of things is made evident through the science of naming, the structure of designation. Through this extensive analysis, I aim at establishing the connection between Greek mythology and modern cardiology by exploring the origin of the word echography and its modern counterpart the Doppler echography.

New trends and possibilities in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, H.A.E.; Csernay, L.

1988-01-01

The abstracts of this book mainly deal with the results of scientific work in diagnostic nuclear medicine, radiobiology, dosimetry, medical physics, radiopharmacology and biochemistry. Clinical and experimental data are presented within the fields of endocrinology, cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, neurology, nephrology, osteology, hematology and oncology (- even including diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of labelled monoclonal antibodies). Basic information about instrumentation (PET, SPECT, NMR), artificial intelligence and qualitiy control is given. Separate abstracts are prepared for 189 papers. (TRV) With 363 figs., 143 tabs

Mental disorders and general well-being in cardiology outpatients--6-year survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birket-Smith, Morten; Hansen, Baiba H; Hanash, Jamal A

2009-01-01

disorder with the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders; Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, Non-Patient Edition, psychosis screening; the Clock Drawing Test; and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. The cardiologists were asked in each patient to rate the severity of somatic disease and mental......OBJECTIVE: Long-term survival in a sample of cardiology outpatients with and without mental disorders and other psychosocial risk factors. METHODS: In a cardiology outpatient setting, 103 consecutive patients were asked to participate in the study. Of these, 86 were included and screened for mental...... problems on visual analogue scales (VAS-somatic and VAS-mental). Cardiac diagnosis, noncardiac comorbidity, history of mental disorder, and the number of daily social contacts were noted. Survival was followed for 6 years. RESULTS: At baseline, 33 (38.4%) patients had mental disorder, 6 dementia, 11 major...

The British Monarchy On Screen

OpenAIRE

Merck, Mandy

2016-01-01

Moving images of the British monarchy, in fact and fiction, are almost as old as the moving image itself, dating back to an 1895 American drama, The Execution of Mary Queen of Scots. British monarchs even appeared in the new ‘animated photography’ from 1896, led by Queen Victoria. Half a century later, the 1953 coronation of Elizabeth II was a milestone in the adoption of television, watched by 20 million Britons and 100 million North Americans. At the century’s end, Princess Diana’s funeral ...

Fact and fiction in the nuclear debate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, J.; British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., London)

1981-01-01

The case for the peaceful uses of atomic energy was presented by Sir John Hill as guest lecturer at the 9th Annual Meeting of the British Nuclear Medicine Society. The economic sense and safety record of electricity production from nuclear power plants are examined and compared to fossil fuelled plants. Public attitudes to nuclear power are also fully discussed, in particular the fear of a very large disaster, the question of nuclear waste and the effect of radiation. In conclusion, compared to other energy industries, nuclear power can provide us with cheaper electricity and is a safe industry both for the workers and the public. (U.K.)

The current status of eye lens dose measurement in interventional cardiology personnel in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Krisanachinda, Anchali; Srimahachota, Suphot; Matsubara, Kosuke

2017-06-01

Workers involved in interventional cardiology procedures receive high eye lens doses if radiation protection tools are not properly utilized. Currently, there is no suitable method for routine measurement of eye dose. In Thailand, the eye lens equivalent doses in terms of Hp(3) of the interventional cardiologists, nurses, and radiographers participating in interventional cardiology procedures have been measured at 12 centers since 2015 in the pilot study. The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeter was used for measurement of the occupational exposure and the eye lens dose of 42 interventional cardiology personnel at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital as one of the pilot centers. For all personnel, it is recommended that a first In Light OSL badge is placed at waist level and under the lead apron for determination of Hp(10); a second badge is placed at the collar for determination of Hp(0.07) and estimation of Hp(3). Nano Dots OSL dosimeter has been used as an eye lens dosimeter for 16 interventional cardiology personnel, both with and without lead-glass eyewear. The mean effective dose at the body, equivalent dose at the collar, and estimated eye lens dose were 0.801, 5.88, and 5.70 mSv per year, respectively. The mean eye lens dose measured by the Nano Dots dosimeter was 8.059 mSv per year on the left eye and 3.552 mSv per year on the right eye. Two of 16 interventional cardiologists received annual eye lens doses on the left side without lead glass that were higher than 20 mSv per year, the new eye lens dose limit as recommended by ICRP with the risk of eye lens opacity and cataract.

Key performance indicators in British military trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Stannard, Adam; Tai, Nigel R; Bowley, Douglas M; Midwinter, Mark; Hodgetts, Tim J

2008-08-01

Key performance indicators (KPI) are tools for assessing process and outcome in systems of health care provision and are an essential component in performance improvement. Although KPI have been used in British military trauma for 10 years, they remain poorly defined and are derived from civilian metrics that do not adjust for the realities of field trauma care. Our aim was to modify current trauma KPI to ensure they more faithfully reflect both the military setting and contemporary evidence in order to both aid accurate calibration of the performance of the British Defence Medical Services and act as a driver for performance improvement. A workshop was convened that was attended by senior, experienced doctors and nurses from all disciplines of trauma care in the British military. "Speciality-specific" KPI were developed by interest groups using evidence-based data where available and collective experience where this was lacking. In a final discussion these were streamlined into 60 KPI covering each phase of trauma management. The introduction of these KPI sets a number of important benchmarks by which British military trauma can be measured. As part of a performance improvement programme, these will allow closer monitoring of our performance and assist efforts to develop, train, and resource British military trauma providers.

Nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kand, Purushottam

2012-01-01

Nuclear medicine is a specialized area of radiology that uses very small amounts of radioactive materials to examine organ function and structure. Nuclear medicine is older than CT, ultrasound and MRI. It was first used in patients over 60-70 years ago. Today it is an established medical specialty and offers procedures that are essential in many medical specialities like nephrology, pediatrics, cardiology, psychiatry, endocrinology and oncology. Nuclear medicine refers to medicine (a pharmaceutical) that is attached to a small quantity of radioactive material (a radioisotope). This combination is called a radiopharmaceutical. There are many radiopharmaceuticals like DTPA, DMSA, HIDA, MIBI and MDP available to study different parts of the body like kidneys, heart and bones etc. Nuclear medicine uses radiation coming from inside a patient's body where as conventional radiology exposes patients to radiation from outside the body. Thus nuclear imaging study is a physiological imaging, whereas diagnostic radiology is anatomical imaging. It combines many different disciplines like chemistry, physics mathematics, computer technology, and medicine. It helps in diagnosis and to treat abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease. The information provides a quick and accurate diagnosis of wide range of conditions and diseases in a person of any age. These tests are painless and most scans expose patients to only minimal and safe amounts of radiation. The amount of radiation received from a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to, or often many times less than, that of a diagnostic X-ray. Nuclear medicine provides an effective means of examining whether some tissues/organs are functioning properly. Therapy using nuclear medicine in an effective, safe and relatively inexpensive way of controlling and in some cases eliminating, conditions such as overactive thyroid, thyroid cancer and arthritis. Nuclear medicine imaging is unique because it provides doctors with

Nuclear medicine in South Africa : current status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vangu, M.D.T.H.W.

2004-01-01

Full text: Nuclear medicine in South Africa has been a full specialty on its own since 1987. It is practiced in almost all teaching hospitals and within the private sector in larger cities. Most of the routine radiopharmaceuticals are domestically manufactured and the main isotope can be obtained from locally produced technetium generators. All the radionuclide imaging devices used in the country are imported. The main vendors are GE, Siemens and Phillips. The majority of radionuclide imaging comprises work from nuclear cardiology and nuclear oncology. Almost all the routine clinical nuclear medicine procedures are performed and some in vitro work is also done, however. Principal therapeutic agents used in the country include radioactive iodine, radioactive iodine MIBG and yttrium. The country still lacks experience in receptors imaging and radioimmunology work and no PET scanner has been purchased yet. The academic institutions are active with participation in national and international congresses and also with publications. Although much remains to be done, the future of nuclear medicine in South Africa does not appear gloomy. (author)

British Television and Official Film, 1946-1951.

Science.gov (United States)

Wildy, Tom

1988-01-01

Discusses the relationships between the British Government's Information Services and both the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the commercial film trade after the BBC's television service resumed independent broadcasts in 1946. Examines proposals for using television as an alternative outlet for commercial and official films. (GEA)

Common usage of cardiologic anatomical terminology: critical analysis and a trilingual discussion proposal.

Science.gov (United States)

Werneck, Alexandre Lins; Batigália, Fernando

2009-01-01

Terminology and Lexicography have been especially addressed to the Allied Health Sciences regarding discussion of case reports or concerning publication of scientific articles. The knowledge of Human Anatomy enables the understanding of medical terms and the refinement of Medical Terminology makes possible a better anatomicomedical communication in a highly technical level. Most of the scientific publications in both Anatomy and Medicine are found only in English and most of dictionaries or search resources available do not have specificity enough to explain anatomicomedical, terminological, or lexicographical occurrences. To design and produce a multilingual terminological dictionary (Latin-English-Portuguese-Spanish) containing a list of English anatomicomedical terms in common usage in cardiology subspecialties addressed to medical students and professionals, to other allied health sciences professionals, and to translators working in this specific field. Terms, semantical and grammatical components were selected to compose an anatomicocardiological corpus. The adequacy to the thematic terminological research requests and the translation reliability level will be settled from the terminology specificity in contrast to the semantics, as well as from a peer survey of the main terms used by national and international experts in specialized journals, Internet sites, and from text-books on Anatomy and Cardiology. The inclusion criteria will be the terms included in the English, Portuguese, and Spanish Terminologia Anatomica - the official terminology of the anatomical sciences; nonofficial technical commonly used terms which lead to terminology or translation misunderstanding often being a source of confusion. A table with a sample of the 508 most used anatomical cardiologic terms in English language peer-reviewed journals of cardiology and (pediatric and adult) thoracic surgery is shown. The working up of a multilingual terminological dictionary reduces the risk of

Basics of radiation physics and instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Royal, H.D.

1985-01-01

Continued technical developments are greatly changing medical diagnosis and medical care. In the field of cardiology, a number of new imaging techniques are currently available. This chapter reviews several topics that are important in the practice of nuclear cardiology. The first section discusses some of the basics of nuclear physics. Familiarity with these fundamentals is essential for an in-depth understanding of nuclear cardiology. The second section presents information on radiotracers and provides dosimetry estimates for commonly performed studies. The third section reviews the instruments used to detect radioactivity. The final section discusses computers and their applications and limitations in nuclear cardiology

Web tools for effective retrieval, visualization, and evaluation of cardiology medical images and records

Science.gov (United States)

Masseroli, Marco; Pinciroli, Francesco

2000-12-01

To provide easy retrieval, integration and evaluation of multimodal cardiology images and data in a web browser environment, distributed application technologies and java programming were used to implement a client-server architecture based on software agents. The server side manages secure connections and queries to heterogeneous remote databases and file systems containing patient personal and clinical data. The client side is a Java applet running in a web browser and providing a friendly medical user interface to perform queries on patient and medical test dat and integrate and visualize properly the various query results. A set of tools based on Java Advanced Imaging API enables to process and analyze the retrieved cardiology images, and quantify their features in different regions of interest. The platform-independence Java technology makes the developed prototype easy to be managed in a centralized form and provided in each site where an intranet or internet connection can be located. Giving the healthcare providers effective tools for querying, visualizing and evaluating comprehensively cardiology medical images and records in all locations where they can need them- i.e. emergency, operating theaters, ward, or even outpatient clinics- the developed prototype represents an important aid in providing more efficient diagnoses and medical treatments.

Ionizing radiation exposure in interventional cardiology: current radiation protection practice of invasive cardiology operators in Lithuania.

Science.gov (United States)

Valuckiene, Zivile; Jurenas, Martynas; Cibulskaite, Inga

2016-09-01

Ionizing radiation management is among the most important safety issues in interventional cardiology. Multiple radiation protection measures allow the minimization of x-ray exposure during interventional procedures. Our purpose was to assess the utilization and effectiveness of radiation protection and optimization techniques among interventional cardiologists in Lithuania. Interventional cardiologists of five cardiac centres were interviewed by anonymized questionnaire, addressing personal use of protective garments, shielding, table/detector positioning, frame rate (FR), resolution, field of view adjustment and collimation. Effective patient doses were compared between operators who work with and without x-ray optimization. Thirty one (68.9%) out of 45 Lithuanian interventional cardiologists participated in the survey. Protective aprons were universally used, but not the thyroid collars; 35.5% (n  =  11) operators use protective eyewear and 12.9% (n  =  4) wear radio-protective caps; 83.9% (n  =  26) use overhanging shields, 58.1% (n  =  18)-portable barriers; 12.9% (n  =  4)-abdominal patient's shielding; 35.5% (n  =  11) work at a high table position; 87.1% (n  =  27) keep an image intensifier/receiver close to the patient; 58.1% (n  =  18) reduce the fluoroscopy FR; 6.5% (n  =  2) reduce the fluoro image detail resolution; 83.9% (n  =  26) use a 'store fluoro' option; 41.9% (N  =  13) reduce magnification for catheter transit; 51.6% (n  =  16) limit image magnification; and 35.5% (n  =  11) use image collimation. Median effective patient doses were significantly lower with x-ray optimization techniques in both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Many of the ionizing radiation exposure reduction tools and techniques are underused by a considerable proportion of interventional cardiology operators. The application of basic radiation protection tools and

Factors determining the UK's back-end nuclear fuel cycle strategy and future nuclear systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunn, M.J.; Ainsworth, Z.E.

2002-01-01

Nuclear generating capacity in the UK is static with no units currently under construction. The AGRs and the UK's only PWR, Sizewell B, are operated by British Energy Generation Ltd (BEGL) and British Energy Generation (UK) Ltd (BEG(UK)L), who are subsidiaries of British Energy plc (BE) which was privatised in July 1996. Ownership of the Magnox stations, which were excluded from this privatisation, has now been transferred to BNFL.Government policy on spent fuel management in the UK is that it is for the owners of the spent fuel to decide on the appropriate spent fuel management options, based on their own commercial judgement, subject to meeting the necessary regulatory requirements. The main factors which have predominantly determined UK utility decisions on spent fuel management, to date, have been based on the technical considerations of the spent fuel characteristics, economic attractiveness of the options and at reactor site spent fuel storage capacities. To date, reprocessing has been the dominant form of spent fuel treatment in the UK. Spent fuel storage facilities consist of a mixture of at-reactor stores and large, centralised ponds associated with the reprocessing activities which take place at the Sellafield site. BEGL and BEG(UK)L have contracts for the lifetime arisings of AGR fuel which allow for all AGR spent fuel to be sent to Sellafield for reprocessing or long-term storage. The prompt reprocessing of all Magnox fuel will continue, and spent PWR fuel will continue to be stored at the reactor site in the short to medium term. It is likely that a combination of factors, which are discussed later in this paper, will continue to affect back-end nuclear fuel cycle strategy and future nuclear systems. (author)

Windscale Report: a nuclear apologia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, W.C.

1978-01-01

Government representatives have pointed repeatedly with pride to Britain's longest nuclear planning inquiry, The Windscale Inquiry, as a model of open examination of a sensitive nuclear proposal. The official Report of the Windscale Inquiry, published in March 1978, bears little relationship to the proceedings of the Inquiry, according to the author. Instead, the Report is a heavy-handed nuclear apologia, he says, so clumsily one-sided as to provoke unease even among many Britons previously unmoved by the issue which gave rise to the inquiry. Windscale, built following WW II to produce plutonium for Britain's nuclear weapons, is now operated by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. In 1973, BNFL began to plan construction of a new full-scale oxide-fuel reprocessing plant. Protests delayed construction until the inquiry was planned and the inquiry team was formulated in March 1977. When the Inquiry ended, the inspector closeted himself to write the Report. The Report recommended that the oxide fuel reprocessing plant be built immediately. BNFL had asserted that the proposed thermal oxide reprocessing plant, THORP, was necessary for the management of spent fuel from British and other nuclear plants; that it was desirable for ''energy conservation,'' by recovering uranium and plutonium for re-use; that radioactive emissions within and outside the plant would pose no hazard; and that the servicing of foreign customers would not increase the risk of proliferation of nuclear weapons, but would rather help to persuade other countries not to reprocess their own fuel. The inspector agreed without qualification and with emphasis. In doing so he made no attempt even to describe the detailed evidence on either side, or to discuss the cases advanced by objectors. The author discusses the principal conclusions of the report and cites its futility

Competency Testing for Pediatric Cardiology Fellows Learning Transthoracic Echocardiography: Implementation, Fellow Experience, and Lessons Learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Jami C; Geva, Tal; Brown, David W

2015-12-01

There is currently great interest in measuring trainee competency at all levels of medical education. In 2007, we implemented a system for assessing cardiology fellows' progress in attaining imaging skills. This paradigm could be adapted for use by other cardiology programs. Evaluation consisted of a two-part exercise performed after years 1 and 2 of pediatric cardiology training. Part 1: a directly observed evaluation of technical skills as fellows imaged a normal subject (year 1) and a patient with complex heart disease (year 2). Part 2: fellows interpreted and wrote reports for two echocardiograms illustrating congenital heart disease. These were graded for accuracy and facility with communicating pertinent data. After 5 years of testing, fellows were surveyed about their experience. In 5 years, 40 fellows were tested at least once. Testing identified four fellows who underperformed on the technical portion and four on the interpretive portion. Surveys were completed by 33 fellows (83 %). Most (67 %) felt that intermittent observation by faculty was inadequate for assessing skills and that procedural volume was a poor surrogate for competency (58 %). Posttest feedback was constructive and valuable for 90, and 70 % felt the process helped them set goals for skill improvement. Overall, fellows felt this testing was fair and should continue. Fellow performance and responses identified programmatic issues that were creating barriers to learning. We describe a practical test to assess competency for cardiology fellows learning echocardiography. This paradigm is feasible, has excellent acceptance among trainees, and identifies trainees who need support. Materials developed could be easily adapted to help track upcoming ACGME-mandated metrics.

Britishness and Community Cohesion in Muslim News Online

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassen ZRIBA

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The issues of British national identity and social cohesion have become pressing concerns within the multicultural fabric of contemporary British society. The increasing number of immigrants and their offspring, along with the maintenance of their cultural roots, seem to represent a serious defiance to social cohesion and the alleged “purity” of Britishness. A number of race related reports were produced by the official authorities to churn out the necessary steps to be followed by the British (immigrants and host community in order to keep social stability and community cohesion. Thus, the politics of community cohesion came to the fore as the neologism of contemporary British political discourse. Such new discourse of governance has been digested and processed differently by different mass media. It has been decoded, for instance, preferably by mainstream news agencies like BBC News Online. However, arguably, it is read appositionally or at best negotiatedly by ethnicity-related news agencies such as Muslim News Online. In this article, attempt has been made to adopt media discourse analysis tools to decipher the ways Muslim News Online decoded and then encoded the hegemonic official discourses of Britishness and community cohesion. A critical and interpretative approach is used to accomplish such study. The corpus of this study is primarily extracted from the website of the Muslim News Online.

Payment Reform to Enhance Collaboration of Primary Care and Cardiology: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Farmer, Steven A; Casale, Paul N; Gillam, Linda D; Rumsfeld, John S; Erickson, Shari; Kirschner, Neil M; de Regnier, Kevin; Williams, Bruce R; Martin, R Shawn; McClellan, Mark B

2018-01-01

The US health care system faces an unsustainable trajectory of high costs and inconsistent outcomes. The fee-for-service payment model has contributed to inefficiency, and new payment methods are a promising approach to improving value. Health reforms are needed to increase patient access, reduce costs, and improve health care quality, and the landmark Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act presents a roadmap for reform. The product of a collaboration between primary care and cardiology clinicians, this review describes a conceptual approach to delivery and payment reforms that aim to better support primary care-cardiology comanagement of chronic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Few existing alternative payment models specifically address long-term management of CVD. Primary care medical homes and accountable care organizations come closest, but both emphasize primary care, and cardiologists have often not been well engaged. A collaborative care framework should articulate distinct roles and responsibilities for primary care and cardiology in CVD comanagement. Finally, a series of payment models aim to better support clinicians in providing accountable, seamless, and patient-centered cardiac care. Clinical leadership is essential during this time of change in the health care system. Patients often struggle to navigate a fragmented and expensive system, whereas clinicians often practice with incomplete information about tests, treatments, and recommendations by their colleagues. The payment models described in this review offer an opportunity to create more satisfying approaches to patient care while improving value. These models have potential to support more effective coordination and to facilitate broader health care system transformation.

There's No Such Thing as British Art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Johns

2015-11-01

Full Text Available “Conversation Piece” is a British Art Studies series that draws together a group of contributors to respond to an idea, provocation or question. The conversation will develop as more respondents enter the debate. Fifteen contributors respond to the provocation "There's No Such Thing as British Art".

A survey of nuclear power in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, J.

1972-01-01

The possibility of using the heat from a nuclear reactor to replace the boiler in a conventional electricity generating station was realised at an equally early date and, at a conference held at Harwell in September 1950, it was decided that the idea was a feasible one, and a design team was established. It is almost 20 years ago that the British Government authorised the construction of a duel-purpose power and plutonium producing reactor at Calder Hall. The reactor, the first of eight of the same design, all of which are still operating, was the world's first regular power producing nuclear reactor and first fed power (about 35 MW) to the national grid on 17th October 1956. The British reactor construction industry has undoubtedly suffered from its fragmentation and the resulting uneven load placed on individual companies by the variations in the reactor ordering programme. The British nuclear fuel industry has similarly been affected by fluctuating demand but, because of the continuing demand for replacement fuel and the steps taken to secure overseas business and develop international collaborative arrangements, to a much lesser extent. Nuclear fuel services, formerly the responsibility of the Atomic Energy Authority's Production Group and now of British Nuclear Fuels Limited, have built up to an annual business of Pounds 55M., on which a trading profit of Pounds 7 1/2 M. was earned in 1971/72, and the wide experience gained over many years and the substantial improvements made in the manufacturing plants give good prospects for the future. As we have learnt from past experience, the forecasting of electricity demand over a period as long as twenty years is always a difficult and uncertain task, especially at a time when the rate of increase in electricity consumption in the U. K. has been unusually low. However, it seems probable that the growth rate in electricity consumption will return in due course to the higher levels achieved in the past. Bearing this in

The West African currency board and economic integration of British ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

WACB) as an economic integration effort in British West Africa. Through a collaborative effort between this public institution and a private company, the Bank of British West Africa, British West African colonies were not only unified but also the way ...

Defining pediatric inpatient cardiology care delivery models: A survey of pediatric cardiology programs in the USA and Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Mott, Antonio R; Neish, Steven R; Challman, Melissa; Feltes, Timothy F

2017-05-01

The treatment of children with cardiac disease is one of the most prevalent and costly pediatric inpatient conditions. The design of inpatient medical services for children admitted to and discharged from noncritical cardiology care units, however, is undefined. North American Pediatric Cardiology Programs were surveyed to define noncritical cardiac care unit models in current practice. An online survey that explored institutional and functional domains for noncritical cardiac care unit was crafted. All questions were multi-choice with comment boxes for further explanation. The survey was distributed by email four times over a 5-month period. Most programs (n = 45, 60%) exist in free-standing children's hospitals. Most programs cohort cardiac patients on noncritical cardiac care units that are restricted to cardiac patients in 39 (54%) programs or restricted to cardiac and other subspecialty patients in 23 (32%) programs. The most common frontline providers are categorical pediatric residents (n = 58, 81%) and nurse practitioners (n = 48, 67%). However, nurse practitioners are autonomous providers in only 21 (29%) programs. Only 33% of programs use a postoperative fast-track protocol. When transitioning care to referring physicians, most programs (n = 53, 72%) use facsimile to deliver pertinent patient information. Twenty-two programs (31%) use email to transition care, and eighteen (25%) programs use verbal communication. Most programs exist in free-standing children's hospitals in which the noncritical cardiac care units are in some form restricted to cardiac patients. While nurse practitioners are used on most noncritical cardiac care units, they rarely function as autonomous providers. The majority of programs in this survey do not incorporate any postoperative fast-track protocols in their practice. Given the current era of focused handoffs within hospital systems, relatively few programs utilize verbal handoffs to the referring pediatric

A case study of technology transfer: Cardiology

Science.gov (United States)

Schafer, G.

1974-01-01

Research advancements in cardiology instrumentation and techniques are summarized. Emphasis is placed upon the following techniques: (1) development of electrodes which show good skin compatibility and wearer comfort; (2) contourography - a real time display system for showing the results of EKGs; (3) detection of arteriosclerosis by digital computer processing of X-ray photos; (4) automated, noninvasive systems for blood pressure measurement; (5) ultrasonoscope - a noninvasive device for use in diagnosis of aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valve disease; and (6) rechargable cardiac pacemakers. The formation of a biomedical applications team which is an interdisciplinary team to bridge the gap between the developers and users of technology is described.

Trends in radiopharmaceutical dispensing in a regional nuclear pharmacy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basmadjian, G.P.; Johnston, J.; Barker, K.; Ice, R.D.

1982-01-01

Dispensing trends for radiopharmaceuticals at a regional nuclear pharmacy over a 51-month period were studied. dispensing records of a regional nuclear pharmacy were analyzed with a forecasting procedure that uses univariate time data to produce time trends and autoregressive models. The overall number of prescriptions increased from 3500 to 5500 per quarter. Radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear cardiology studies increased from less than 0.1% to 17.5% of total prescriptions dispensed, while radiopharmaceuticals used for brain imaging showed a steady decline from 29% to 11% of total prescriptions dispensed. The demand for other radiopharmaceuticals increased in areas such as renal studies, bone studies, lung studies, liver-function studies, and 67 Ga tumor-uptake studies, and declined slightly for static liver studies. Changes in dispensing trends for radiopharmaceuticals will continue as the practice of nuclear medicine concentrates more on functional studies and as newer imaging techniques become used for other purposes

British Values and British Identity: Muddles, Mixtures, and Ways Ahead

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Robin

2015-01-01

In the final eleven months of its five-year term, the Coalition Government placed much emphasis in the education system on what it called fundamental British values (FBV). The phrase had its origins in counter-terrorism strategies that were of dubious validity both conceptually and operationally, and the trigger for its introduction into the…

War, Medicine, and Cultural Diplomacy in the Americas: Frank Wilson and Brazilian cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kropf, Simone P; Howell, Joel D

2017-10-01

American cultural diplomacy played a key role in the institutionalization of Brazilian cardiology. In 1942, Frank Wilson, an internationally recognized pioneer in electrocardiography, made an extended wartime visit to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The visit was sponsored by the United States Department of State as part of Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy and brought Wilson together with a group of physicians who would establish the specialty of cardiology in Brazil. This US cultural and diplomatic initiative strengthened an academic network that was already evolving and would eventually prove to be of benefit to both sides. Latin American physicians began in the 1920s to visit Wilson's laboratory at the University of Michigan, where they established the relationships on which Wilson would build. While affiliation with the "Wilson school" advanced the cause of Brazilian cardiologists who sought to establish themselves as specialists, cooperation with Latin American physicians benefitted Wilson in his pursuit of wider recognition for his innovations in the use of electrocardiography (ECG). Wilson's identity as a scientific ambassador to Latin America helped in legitimating his approach to the clinical application of the ECG. A close examination of Wilson's relationship to Brazilian cardiology demonstrates the role played by science and medicine as a part of wartime cultural diplomacy, as well as the dynamics of the transnational circulation of scientific knowledge and practices. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Test of a Cardiology Patient Simulator with Students in Fourth-Year Electives.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewy, Gordon A.; And Others

1987-01-01

Students at five medical schools participated in an evaluation of a cardiology patient simulator (CPS), a life-size mannequin capable of simulating a wide variety of cardiovascular conditions. The CPS enhances learning both the knowledge and the skills necessary to perform a bedside cardiovascular evaluation. (Author/MLW)

Abstracts of the 34. Days of Nuclear Medicine with Internationa l Participation; 34. Dni nuklearnej mediciny s medzinarodnou ucastou. Abstrakty

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-09-01

The publication has been set up as the abstracts of the conference dealing with nuclear medicine problems. The book consists of the sections: (1) Introduction lectures; (2) Technologists; (3) Cardiology; (4) Oncology; (5) Radiation hygiene and physics; (6) Radiopharmaceuticals; (7) Miscellaneous; (8) Poster section.

Primer on statistical interpretation or methods report card on propensity-score matching in the cardiology literature from 2004 to 2006: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Peter C

2008-09-01

Propensity-score matching is frequently used in the cardiology literature. Recent systematic reviews have found that this method is, in general, poorly implemented in the medical literature. The study objective was to examine the quality of the implementation of propensity-score matching in the general cardiology literature. A total of 44 articles published in the American Heart Journal, the American Journal of Cardiology, Circulation, the European Heart Journal, Heart, the International Journal of Cardiology, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2006, were examined. Twenty of the 44 studies did not provide adequate information on how the propensity-score-matched pairs were formed. Fourteen studies did not report whether matching on the propensity score balanced baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects in the matched sample. Only 4 studies explicitly used statistical methods appropriate for matched studies to compare baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects. Only 11 (25%) of the 44 studies explicitly used statistical methods appropriate for the analysis of matched data when estimating the effect of treatment on the outcomes. Only 2 studies described the matching method used, assessed balance in baseline covariates by appropriate methods, and used appropriate statistical methods to estimate the treatment effect and its significance. Application of propensity-score matching was poor in the cardiology literature. Suggestions for improving the reporting and analysis of studies that use propensity-score matching are provided.

[Glycaemic management in type 1 and 2 diabetes patients undergoing interventional cardiology procedures. Heart and Diabetes Working Group. Sociedad Espan˜ola de Cardiologı´a. Sociedad Espan˜ola de Diabetes].

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-García, Angeles; Moreno Gómez, Raúl; Miranda Guardiola, Faustino; Artola-Menéndez, Sara; Lisbona-Gil, Arturo

2012-03-03

Despite the growing number of therapeutic alternatives available as well as general reviews and treatment guidelines for the treatment of diabetes, physicians are often left without a clear pathway of therapy to follow in specific clinical contexts such as interventional cardiology. The present document proposes a consensus treatment algorithm, based both on a critical appraisal of evidence from recent clinical trials and on value judgements supported by the authors' collective clinical knowledge and experience, in an attempt to guide practitioners when choosing the most appropriate alternatives in the context of glycemic management in type 1 and 2 diabetic patients scheduled to undergo interventional cardiology procedures in a haemodynamic laboratory. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Advances in Pediatric Cardiology Boot Camp: Boot Camp Training Promotes Fellowship Readiness and Enables Retention of Knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceresnak, Scott R; Axelrod, David M; Sacks, Loren D; Motonaga, Kara S; Johnson, Emily R; Krawczeski, Catherine D

2017-03-01

We previously demonstrated that a pediatric cardiology boot camp can improve knowledge acquisition and decrease anxiety for trainees. We sought to determine if boot camp participants entered fellowship with a knowledge advantage over fellows who did not attend and if there was moderate-term retention of that knowledge. A 2-day training program was provided for incoming pediatric cardiology fellows from eight fellowship programs in April 2016. Hands-on, immersive experiences and simulations were provided in all major areas of pediatric cardiology. Knowledge-based examinations were completed by each participant prior to boot camp (PRE), immediately post-training (POST), and prior to the start of fellowship in June 2016 (F/U). A control group of fellows who did not attend boot camp also completed an examination prior to fellowship (CTRL). Comparisons of scores were made for individual participants and between participants and controls. A total of 16 participants and 16 control subjects were included. Baseline exam scores were similar between participants and controls (PRE 47 ± 11% vs. CTRL 52 ± 10%; p = 0.22). Participants' knowledge improved with boot camp training (PRE 47 ± 11% vs. POST 70 ± 8%; p cardiology knowledge after the training program and had excellent moderate-term retention of that knowledge. Participants began fellowship with a larger fund of knowledge than those fellows who did not attend.

British Box Business: A History of OCL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, René Taudal

2018-01-01

Book review of British Box Business: A History of OCL / edited by A. Bott SCARA, Goldaming, 2009, £17 (hb) 288 pages, illustrations, bibliography, index iSBn 139780955922701......Book review of British Box Business: A History of OCL / edited by A. Bott SCARA, Goldaming, 2009, £17 (hb) 288 pages, illustrations, bibliography, index iSBn 139780955922701...

The Current Canon in British Romantics Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Linkin, Harriet Kramer

1991-01-01

Describes and reports on a survey of 164 U.S. universities to ascertain what is taught as the current canon of British Romantic literature. Asserts that the canon may now include Mary Shelley with the former standard six major male Romantic poets, indicating a significant emergence of a feminist perspective on British Romanticism in the classroom.…

Nuclear revival, nuclear safety: challenges for the European Union

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, Claude; Lacoste, Andre-Claude; Stellfox, David; Hajjani, Abdellaziz; Jamet, Philippe; Kaluzny, Yves; Lallier, Michel; Lescoeur, Bruno; Naredo, Fernando; Palm, Martina; Vincent, Cyrille; Faross, Peter; Gillet, Guillaume; Lemaitre, Philippe; Barcelo, Julio; Decobert, Veronique; Doumont, Pierre; Gouze, Jean-Remi; Hohlefelder, Walter; Herczog, Edit; Pouleur, Yvan; Teule, Rianne; Zidi, Latifa; Herzog, Philippe; Ristori, Dominique; Coniam, Jon; Kopp, Gudrun; Lambert de Diesbach, Patrice; Le Roux, Jean-Pierre; Mestrallet, Gerard; Paparizov, Atanas; Rosier, Philippe; Tamburi, Carlo; Lauvergeon, Anne; San Antonio, Santiago; Linkohr, Rolf; Auer, Josef; Bresson, Thierry de; Hohlefelder, Walter; Janouch, Frantisek; MacNaughton, Joan; Onyszkiewicz, Janusz; Reul, Herbert; Dolinsek, Urska; Komarov, Kirill; Boshkov, Aleksander; Bartuska, Vaclav; Gonnot, Francois-Michel; Grimston, Malcolm; Jesien, Leszek; Keussen, Urban; Schmitt von Sydow, Helmut; Sotura, Jean-Pierre; Jouyet, Jean-Pierre

2008-01-01

The nuclear revival is a fact, in Europe and the rest of the world. We are delighted at this. Today, all eyes are on the United Kingdom where the Government intends to do more than merely replace twenty-three aging power plants. The challenge facing them is considerable - Mr. Hutton, Britain's Minister for Trade and Industry, estimates that the work will generate 100,000 jobs. It is to be hoped that the soon-to-end Franco-British summit meeting will have strengthened understanding between the two countries. This would augur well for the French Presidency of the European Union which hopes to launch debate on a common energy policy within the European Council. Since the United Kingdom took the decision to re-launch the construction of nuclear reactors, France is no longer alone; it has a new ally in the nuclear debate. The British decision is also seen as encouraging by all the companies that wish to develop nuclear technology. This development is not only manifest in the United Kingdom; in Germany and a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe, there is an obvious, if latent, desire to enter this sector. This document gathers the Proceedings of two symposiums: - the March 2008 conference on 'The Revival of Nuclear Energy, a challenge for the European Union' - and the November 2008 Conference on 'Nuclear safety: a worldwide Public Good'. Contents: Foreword by Claude Fischer; Introduction by Philippe Herzog. Part A: The revival of nuclear energy, a challenge for Europe: Partnerships, Speakers list, Synthesis for decision-makers by Andre Ferron and Michel Cruciani, 1 Address and 3 sessions, Opening Address by Dominique Ristori, First round table: Conditions to re-launch the nuclear industry in Europe, role of companies, banks and public institutions, Second round table: The need for a European energy mix and the necessity to improve the European common Market Model Last round table: The conditions for a European foreign energy policy, Speech of Anne Lauvergeon

Simulation based planning of surgical interventions in pediatric cardiology

Science.gov (United States)

Marsden, Alison L.

2013-10-01

Hemodynamics plays an essential role in the progression and treatment of cardiovascular disease. However, while medical imaging provides increasingly detailed anatomical information, clinicians often have limited access to hemodynamic data that may be crucial to patient risk assessment and treatment planning. Computational simulations can now provide detailed hemodynamic data to augment clinical knowledge in both adult and pediatric applications. There is a particular need for simulation tools in pediatric cardiology, due to the wide variation in anatomy and physiology in congenital heart disease patients, necessitating individualized treatment plans. Despite great strides in medical imaging, enabling extraction of flow information from magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging, simulations offer predictive capabilities that imaging alone cannot provide. Patient specific simulations can be used for in silico testing of new surgical designs, treatment planning, device testing, and patient risk stratification. Furthermore, simulations can be performed at no direct risk to the patient. In this paper, we outline the current state of the art in methods for cardiovascular blood flow simulation and virtual surgery. We then step through pressing challenges in the field, including multiscale modeling, boundary condition selection, optimization, and uncertainty quantification. Finally, we summarize simulation results of two representative examples from pediatric cardiology: single ventricle physiology, and coronary aneurysms caused by Kawasaki disease. These examples illustrate the potential impact of computational modeling tools in the clinical setting.

Nuclear medicine board review. Questions and answers for self-assessment. 2. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldfarb, C.R.; Ongseng, F.; Zuckier, L.S.; Karam, M.; Cooper, J.A.

2007-01-01

This book provides thorough preparation for certification examinations by the American Board of Radiology (Nuclear Medicine section and Special Competency), the American Board of Nuclear Medicine, and the America Board of Nuclear Cardiology. More than 1,780 questions test the reader's knowledge of the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of radionuclides, single-photon applications, and positron emission tomography (PET). Features: - A convenient question and answer format, in which questions appear on the left and answers on the right, allowing the reader to rapidly quiz and review. - New chapters addressing the emergence of PET/CT. - Measurements provided in both American standard and SI metric units. Ideal for board exam preparation, this concise text is an up-to-date question and answer review for the most important topics in nuclear medicine. (orig.)

Highlights of the 8th Asia Oceania Congress of Nuclear Medicine and Biology, Beijing, China, 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Chengmo

2005-01-01

The 8th Congress of the Asia and Oceania Confederation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology opened at the old cultural city, Beijing on 9th October 2005. The main theme of the 8th Congress was 'Progress with time - to create a brilliant future'. The congress addressed most of the current trends, developments and achievements in the field of nuclear medicine in an extremely friendly and peaceful environment. Besides the main congress, a Pre-congress colloquium in Beijing by the World Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Council (on 9 October), and two post-congress Satellite meetings at Shanghai and Hong Kong on 15 and 17 October respectively were organized in conjunction with the 8th congress. One of the major achievements of the congress was a record number of 58 invited lectures delivered by a galaxy of internationally reputed professionals in nuclear medicine and allied sciences. Four hundred and fifty-six (456) participants, 230 of them from China and 226 from another 33 countries of Asia and from around the rest of the world; 23 exhibitors representing manufacturers and producers of nuclear medicine equipment, radiopharmaceuticals and consumables, participated in the congress. A total of 384 abstracts were received for presentation from 36 countries, 141 for oral and 243 for poster presentation. Majority of the abstracts came from Asia; significant numbers came from Australia, Europe and North America. The distribution of abstracts in terms of the topics is given. The most popular subject was nuclear oncology, followed by general nuclear medicine, nuclear cardiology, radionuclide therapy, nuclear neurology and radiopharmacy. As compared to the presentations at the 7th AOCNMB; it was observed that there has been increases in presentations on topic related to nuclear oncology, radionuclide therapy, basic nuclear medicine, radiopharmacy and instrumentation at the 8th Congress; whereas significant reduction was observed in the number of presentations related to general nuclear

What is to be done with nuclear waste?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seshadri, B.

1992-01-01

Problems of radioactive waste management, particularly the problem of disposal, are illustrated by describing waste management operations of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. at its nuclear complex at Sellafield. The major problem, so far not satisfactorily solved, is disposal of high-level radioactive wastes some portions of which remain radioactive for many millions of years. Studies so far made have established a positive link between radiation and cancer. (M.G.B.)

A study of the relationship between peak skin dose and cumulative air kerma in interventional neuroradiology and cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neil, S; Padgham, C; Martin, C J

2010-01-01

A study of peak skin doses (PSDs) during neuroradiology and cardiology interventional procedures has been carried out using Gafchromic XR-RV2 film. Use of mosaics made from squares held in cling film has allowed doses to the head to be mapped successfully. The displayed cumulative air kerma (CAK) has been calibrated in terms of cumulative entrance surface dose (CESD) and results indicate that this can provide a reliable indicator of the PSD in neuroradiology. Results linking PSD to CESD for interventional cardiology were variable, but CAK is still considered to provide the best option for use as an indicator of potential radiation-induced effects. A CESD exceeding 3 Gy is considered a suitable action level for triggering follow-up of patients in neuroradiology and cardiology for possible skin effects. Application of dose action levels defined in this way would affect 8% of neurological embolisation procedures and 5% of cardiology ablation and multiple stent procedures at the hospitals where the investigations were carried out. A close relationship was observed between CESD and dose-area product (DAP) for particular types of procedure, and DAPs of 200-300 Gy cm 2 could be used as trigger levels where CAK readings were not available. The DAP value would depend on the mean field size and would need to be determined for each application.

Statement on nuclear incidents at nuclear installations -third quarter 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

Four incidents are reported. Carbon dioxide containing a small amount of radioactive material was released at the Chapelcross works of British Nuclear Fuels. However, air monitoring showed the contamination to be small. Surfaces contaminated were cleaned and the reactor was allowed to restart as scheduled. Refurbishment work at the Berkeley Nuclear Power Station sewage plant revealed five radioactive particles. The sludge has been isolated until a disposal method is found. Contamination on a coverall was found at the Sellafield reprocessing plant. Both the operators who may have worn the coverall may have received excess doses. Improvements in the possible source of contamination have been made. A leak of gas from the Hunterston B nuclear power station was found to be from a failed joint on a bolted flange on the bypass circuit heat exchanger. The joint has been repaired. (U.K.)

Implementation of mild therapeutic hypothermia for post-resuscitation care of sudden cardiac arrest survivors in cardiology units in Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Kołtowski, Łukasz; Malesa, Karolina; Tomaniak, Mariusz; Stępińska, Janina; Średniawa, Beata; Karolczyk, Paulina; Puchta, Dominika; Kowalik, Robert; Kremis, Elżbieta; Filipiak, Krzysztof J; Banaszewski, Marek; Opolski, Grzegorz; Bagińska, Marta

2017-11-01

The post-cardiac arrest (CA) period is often associated with secondary damage of the brain that leads to severe neurological deficits. The current practice guidelines recommend the use of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) to prevent neurological deficit and improve survival. The aim of the study was to investigate the implementation of medical guidelines in clinical practice and to evaluate the barriers for implementation of TH in cardiology units in Poland. A telephone survey, fax and online inquiry form were used to assess the implementation of TH in cardiology units in the management of unconscious patients after cardiac arrest (CA). The questions addressed the local practice, TH protocol, reasons for not using TH and outcomes of CA patients. We obtained information from 79 units out of 150 asked (53%). At the time of the survey, 24 units (30.8%) were using TH as part of their post-CA management. Of all CA patients, 45% underwent TH in cardiac intensive care units (CICU), 37.5% in the coronary care unit (CCU) and 12.5% in the intensive care unit (ICU). The major barrier for the implementation of TH declared by the non-cooling centers was lack of sufficient knowledge regarding the technique and protocol, as well as experience (37%); access to dedicated equipment was not perceived as an obstacle. The number of cardiology units that provide TH for comatose CA patients is low. The main limiting factor for wider use of TH is lack of knowledge and experience. There is a clear need for urgent educational activities for cardiology units. The benefits of TH still have not reached their potential in cardiology units.

Optimizing cardiology capacity to reduce emergency department boarding: a systems engineering approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Scott R; Dittus, Robert; Aronsky, Dominik; Weinger, Matthew B; Han, Jin; Boord, Jeffrey; France, Daniel

2008-12-01

Patient safety and emergency department (ED) functionality are compromised when inefficient coordination between hospital departments impedes ED patients' access to inpatient cardiac care. The objective of this study was to determine how bed demand from competing cardiology admission sources affects ED patients' access to inpatient cardiac care. A stochastic discrete event simulation of hospital patient flow predicted ED patient boarding time, defined as the time interval between cardiology admission request to inpatient bed placement, as the primary outcome measure. The simulation was built and tested from 1 year of patient flow data and was used to examine prospective strategies to reduce cardiology patient boarding time. Boarding time for the 1,591 ED patients who were admitted to the cardiac telemetry unit averaged 5.3 hours (median 3.1, interquartile range 1.5-6.9). Demographic and clinical patient characteristics were not significant predictors of boarding time. Measurements of bed demand from competing admission sources significantly predicted boarding time, with catheterization laboratory demand levels being the most influential. Hospital policy required that a telemetry bed be held for each electively scheduled catheterization patient, yet the analysis revealed that 70.4% (95% CI 51.2-92.5) of these patients did not transfer to a telemetry bed and were discharged home each day. Results of simulation-based analyses showed that moving one afternoon scheduled elective catheterization case to before noon resulted in a 20-minute reduction in average boarding time compared to a 9-minute reduction achieved by increasing capacity by one additional telemetry bed. Scheduling and bed management practices based on measured patient transfer patterns can reduce inpatient bed blocking, optimize hospital capacity, and improve ED patient access.

Nuclear medicine in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Shihchen; Liu, Xiujie

1986-01-01

Since China first applied isotopes to medical research in 1956, over 800 hospitals and research institutions with 4000 staff have taken up nuclear technology. So far, over 120 important biologically active materials have been measured by radioimmunoassay in China, and 44 types of RIA kit have been supplied commercially. More than 50,000 cases of hyperthyroidism have been treated satisfactorily with 131 I. Radionuclide imaging of practically all organs and systems of the human body has been performed, and adrenal imaging and nuclear cardiology have become routine clinical practice in several large hospitals. The thyroid iodine uptake test, renogram tracing and cardiac function studies with a cardiac probe are also commonly used in most Chinese hospitals. The active principles of more than 60 medicinal herbs have been labelled with isotopes in order to study the drug metabolism and mechanism of action. Through the use of labelled neurotransmitters or deoxyglucose, RIA, radioreceptor assay and autoradiography, Chinese researchers have made remarkable achievements in the study of the scientific basis of acupuncture analgesia. In 1980 the Chinese Society of Nuclear Medicine was founded, and since 1981 the Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine has been published. Although nuclear medicine in China has already made some progress, when compared with advanced countries, much progress is still to be made. It is hoped that international scientific exchange will be strengthened in the future. (author)

[Structure and career advancement in cardiology in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Modena, M G; Molinari, R; Lalla, M

1999-03-01

Women are less present on the labor market and many studies have demonstrated the existence of gender differences regarding participation rate and career advancement of women. The process through which job-, career- and research-related choices are structured within the realm of Italian cardiology, is described in this study emphasizing the effects of productivity, gender and family commitments. In June 1996, a questionnaire was mailed to all members of the Italian societies of cardiology. It included mainly (pre-coded) set-choice questions concerning individual characteristics, career-related data, and information pertaining to teaching, scientific and research activity. Returned questionnaires numbered 1715 (21.4% of the total mailed), 83% were completed by males and 17% by females. For both hospital and academic careers, advancement in rank was influenced by variables denoting productivity, family and individual characteristics. Promotion to the upper ranks of the hierarchy was highly dependent upon time (once the effects of the covariates were eliminated). This is a situation that is typical of the internal labor market, that is, of an institution in which staff members are ranked on a hierarchical scale according to formal criteria that are "rigid" and institutionalized, partially and totally sheltered from competition. Therefore, once a member has gained access to the first level of the hierarchy, his/her professional career is to a certain extent pre-determined and the seniority ends up taking on importance in promotion decisions to an appreciable extent; in this field, the weight of seniority on promotion ranges between 30 and 50%.

Clinical features and prognosis of patients with acute non-specific chest pain in emergency and cardiology departments after the introduction of high-sensitivity troponins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ilangkovan, Nivethitha; Mickley, Hans; Diederichsen, Axel

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of clinical, cardiac-related endpoints and mortality among patients presenting to an emergency or cardiology department with non-specific chest pain (NSCP), and who receive testing with a high-sensitivity troponin. A second objective was to identify risk...... factors for the above-noted endpoints during 12 months of follow-up. DESIGN: A prospective multicentre study. SETTING: Emergency and cardiology departments in Southern Denmark. SUBJECTS: The study enrolled 1027 patients who were assessed for acute chest pain in an emergency or cardiology department...

Sizewell B cycle 5 core design with Framatome ANP's CASCADE-3D and British Energy's PANTHER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Attale, F.; Koegl, J.; Knight, M.; Bryce, P.

2001-01-01

Sizewell B Cycle 5 is the first cycle, after 4 cycles with BNFL fuel, with a reload consisting of Framatome ANP HTP (high thermal performance) fuel assemblies. The impact of this fuel vendor change on the Nuclear Design area is that, according to British energy's (BE) practice, the Framatome ANP's nuclear design code system CASCADE-3D is used for the majority of the cycle specific safety case calculations. However, other parts of the safety submission (e.g. 3D transient analyses) are made by using the BE code PANTHER. Before using in parallel two different code systems for reload core licensing extensive comparisons of applied methodologies and obtained results were required to ensure an acceptable level of agreement. (orig.)

Abstracts of the 1st croatian international congress of nuclear medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-10-01

Main scientific topics of the Congress were: diagnostic and therapeutical procedures in nuclear medicine, thyroid gland - diagnosis and therapy, instrumentation and imaging in nuclear medicine, radiopharmaceuticals, and radiation protection and radiobiology. The papers (52 oral presentations, 25 posters, 13 invited lectures, 22 technologist papers) were presented and discussed through ten sessions: (1) cardiology, (2) Tumour receptors, (3) Thyroid I, (4) Thyroid II, (5) Nephrology and bone (6) Radiation protection (7) Oncology and brain, (8) Posters I, (9) Physics and chemistry, and (10) Posters II. The authors of the papers were mainly from Croatia, but also from Slovenia, Austria, Germany, UK, France, USA, Bulgaria and some other countries.

Abstracts of the 1st croatian international congress of nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-10-01

Main scientific topics of the Congress were: diagnostic and therapeutical procedures in nuclear medicine, thyroid gland - diagnosis and therapy, instrumentation and imaging in nuclear medicine, radiopharmaceuticals, and radiation protection and radiobiology. The papers (52 oral presentations, 25 posters, 13 invited lectures, 22 technologist papers) were presented and discussed through ten sessions: 1) cardiology, 2) Tumour receptors, 3) Thyroid I, 4) Thyroid II, 5) Nephrology and bone 6) Radiation protection 7) Oncology and brain, 8) Posters I, 9) Physics and chemistry, and 10) Posters II. The authors of the papers were mainly from Croatia, but also from Slovenia, Austria, Germany, UK, France, USA, Bulgaria and some other countries

[Presentation of the Psycho-Cardiological schedule and convergence levels analyses among the psycho-cardiological screening and the psychological assessment].

Science.gov (United States)

Pierobon, Antonia; Callegari, Simona; Giardini, Anna; Ferrari, Marina; Olmetti, Francesca; Corbellini, Daniela; Febo, Oreste; Majani, Giuseppina

2012-06-01

In Cardiovascular Rehabilitation the increasing inpatients complexity suggests the necessity to develop screening methods which allow to identify those patients that require a psychological intervention. A Psycho-Cardiological Schedule (PCS) was developed with the aim of detecting the critical situation indicators or the presence of psychological, social and cognitive problems. The PCS, compiled by a nurse or cardiologist in collaboration with a psychologist, allows to assess the need for a deeper psychological examination, clinical and/or with tests. Aim of the present study is to identify the convergence levels among the observational and anamnestic data of the PCS collected by a nurse and the clinical and/or test data of the psychological deeper assessment. Among the 87 patients recruited in January-February 2010, 28 (aged 53.5 +/- 12.6, M = 20, F = 8) fulfilled the criteria for a deeper psychological examination: age psychological/behavioural problems, neuropsychological disorders, low adherence to prescriptions, inadequate disease knowledge/representation. From data comparisons emerged convergence levels with 100% concordance as to smoke habits and problems in social-family support. High convergence levels also resulted as to emotional and/or behavioural problems (92.8%) and inadequate adherence to prescriptions (89.3%). Lower levels of concordance (82.1%) emerged when considering disease knowledge/representation, issues specifically linked to cognition and subjective illness experience, not directly detectable from behaviour. our data confirm the synergic efficacy of the two evaluations: the Psycho-Cardiological Schedule reliably identifies the problematic macro-categories, mainly if they are characterized by behavioural indicators, which facilitate the detection. The psychological approach appears more suitable for better specifing macro-categories characteristics and for detecting critical aspects not overt but not less important, providing therefore advice

British auditors in Poland in the interwar period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerzy Cieślik

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of historical research on the operation of British accounting firm Whin-ney, Murray & Co in Poland before World War II. Based on our findings this was the only foreign ac-counting firm active in Poland at that time. Following their clients, British accounting firms expanded their operations abroad at the turn of the 19th century. During the 1920s and 1930s the number of audit assignments on the European continent increased rapidly, which necessitated the establishment of branches (offices in major European cities and industrial districts. Whinney, Murray & Co set up an office in Warsaw in 1932 taking into account its convenient location as a base for undertaking audit assignments throughout the Eastern European region. The Warsaw office concentrated initially on inter-national clients active in Poland but was also engaged in audits of Polish power plants and participated as financial advisor in the electrification program of Polish railways with involvement of British investors. Whinney, Murray & Co contributed to the development of Polish-British economic cooperation before World War II. Its representative was one of the founders of the Polish-British Chamber of Commerce established in Warsaw in 1933.

Comparative study between ultrasonography and optical coherence tomography in interventional cardiology

Science.gov (United States)

Fanjul-Vélez, Félix; de la Torre-Hernández, José María; Ortega-Quijano, Noé; Zueco-Gil, José Javier; Arce-Diego, José Luis

2009-07-01

In this work, we present clinical images of IVUS and OCT in the evaluation of pharmacological stent endothelization. These preliminary imaging results are analyzed and compared in order to determine the ability of these technologies to visualize relevant intravascular features of interest in interventional cardiology. The results enable to compare the performance of both techniques and to evaluate their potential for clinical purposes.

Assessment and Utility of Frailty Measures in Critical Illness, Cardiology, and Cardiac Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajabali, Naheed; Rolfson, Darryl; Bagshaw, Sean M

2016-09-01

Frailty is a clearly emerging theme in acute care medicine, with obvious prognostic and health resource implications. "Frailty" is a term used to describe a multidimensional syndrome of loss of homeostatic reserves that gives rise to a vulnerability to adverse outcomes after relatively minor stressor events. This is conceptually simple, yet there has been little consensus on the operational definition. The gold standard method to diagnose frailty remains a comprehensive geriatric assessment; however, a variety of validated physical performance measures, judgement-based tools, and multidimensional scales are being applied in critical care, cardiology, and cardiac surgery settings, including open cardiac surgery and transcatheter aortic value replacement. Frailty is common among patients admitted to the intensive care unit and correlates with an increased risk for adverse events, increased resource use, and less favourable patient-centred outcomes. Analogous findings have been described across selected acute cardiology and cardiac surgical settings, in particular those that commonly intersect with critical care services. The optimal methods for screening and diagnosing frailty across these settings remains an active area of investigation. Routine assessment for frailty conceivably has numerous purported benefits for patients, families, health care providers, and health administrators through better informed decision-making regarding treatments or goals of care, prognosis for survival, expectations for recovery, risk of complications, and expected resource use. In this review, we discuss the measurement of frailty and its utility in patients with critical illness and in cardiology and cardiac surgery settings. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lessons from the attempted privatization of nuclear power in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hewlett, J.G.

1994-01-01

This paper describes some lessons for the US from the restructuring of the Electricity Supply Industry in the United Kingdom. The British found that the policy objective of introducing competition into the generation of electricity was not consistent with the desire to expand their nuclear power industry in the private sector. Recently passed US legislation to introduce competition in the generation of electricity might have the same effect as the restructuring of the British Electricity Supply Industry. The British pressurized water reactors are US designed/constructed and the regulatory system is similar to one that now exists in the US. The British experience suggests that the disincentives resulting from the introduction of competition could weight any benefits from regulatory reform. The British experience also shows the problems that can occur when decommissioning cost estimates begin to escalate rapidly. Comparisons of the decommissioning cost estimates in the two countries suggest that the US estimates are optimistic

Childhood leukaemia and nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, R.J.; Wakeford, R.

1992-01-01

There has been considerable scientific and media interest in the question of whether the risk of childhood leukemia is raised near nuclear facilities, and, if so, the reasons why. Serious consideration of this issue was initiated by a media report of an unusually large number of cases around the Sellafield installation in England, and reports of excess cases in the vicinity of other facilities in Britain have followed. Detailed radiological assessments have demonstrated that radioactive discharges are most unlikely to have been the cause of these reported excess cases, seemingly contradicting the epidemiological evidence. However, epidemiology is an observational (non-experimental) science, and the results of such studies must be interpreted with considerable care. The influence of prior knowledge of data upon the structure of a study has been a particular inferential problem. Furthermore, there are indications that non-radiological factors may be important in communities near nuclear facilities. Recently, a study has shown an association between childhood leukaemia cases near Sellafield and the recorded occupational radiation doses received by fathers before the conception of these children; but this novel finding has received little independent scientific support. At present, the British childhood leukaemia findings have not been replicated in studies based in other countries, and the reasons for the reported case excesses around British nuclear facilities remain unclear

Ambulatory cardiology network in Greece: Clinical and therapeutic implications in the outpatient setting. The TEVE-SSF study.

Science.gov (United States)

Panagiotopoulos, Konstantinos E; Panagiotopoulou, Eleni E; Katsaros, Konstantinos; Noikokirakis, Georgios; Mpouziou, Maria; Stamelou, Angeliki; Toumanidis, Savvas

2016-11-15

Community based registries are particularly valuable tools to Preventive Cardiology as they summarize epidemiological data of ischemic heart disease risk factors, medications and lifestyle characteristics. We enrolled 1191 patients, from an outpatient community based cardiology network, dedicated to cover medically, office based professionals. We recorded demographic and lifestyle characteristics, risk factors for ischemic heart disease, all clinical entities diagnosed and therapies which were prescribed for hypertension and lipid disorders specifically. Our population consisted of 659 males (55%) and 532 females (45%), (mean age 46±14). A sedentary lifestyle was almost universal (92%), followed by smoking (44%) and overweight body composition (38%). Unhealthy lifestyle increased significantly during the third decade of life, while multimorbidity ascended during the fifth. Cardiovascular morbidity was present in 611 patients (51%), while 289 patients (24%) were found negative for cardiovascular disease and positive for a different system diagnosis. Lipid disorders (32%) and hypertension (31%) were the most frequent cardiovascular entities. β-Blockers and statins were the most frequently prescribed medications for hypertension and lipid disorders respectively. Cardiovascular morbidity was frequent in this ambulatory middle aged population, whereas multimorbidity (mainly from gastrointestinal and endocrine system) was a significant coexisting problem, even for a cardiology oriented outpatient population. Unhealthy lifestyle is of major importance because it was present in the majority of our patients early in their life and because it was statistically related to hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Preventive Cardiology must introduce special interventions to deescalate the presence of unhealthy lifestyle in young populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Click - nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The activities of British Nuclear Fuels are listed, explained and illustrated. It offers a complete cycle from uranium enrichment, fuel manufacture and transport, to fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste management. The uranium fission process is explained as are the basic principles of Magnox and Advanced Gas Cooled Reactors. BNFL's head office is at Risley in Cheshire and it has sites at Capenhurst (uranium enrichment plant), Springfields (fuel manufacturing plant) and Sellafield (fuel reprocessing plant). It owns Calder Hall and Chapelcross nuclear power stations. Safety is a major consideration and strict safety regulations are observed at all sites. BNFL also encourages public interest in its activities. This booklet is part of its public information effort. (U.K.)

Nuclear sales pitch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

The controversy which followed the launch of the pathfinder prospectus for the flotation of the nuclear generating company, British Energy, which is the last stage in the privatisation of the United Kingdom's energy sector, is discussed. Critics have highlighted three aspects of the flotation: the company's generous first-year dividend policy which is perceived as bribery to potential shareholders; a ''fat cat'' directorial pay rise of 38%; and the cost to the taxpayer of a much subsidised privatisation. The arguments of the government's advisers and their critics over the determination of the company's value and prospects, and the issue of the division of nuclear liability costs between the company and the taxpayer, are examined. (U.K.)

Preservation and re-use of nuclear knowledge in the UK nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Workman, R.

2004-01-01

This paper addresses the need for the UK nuclear industry to preserve knowledge generated during the 6 decades of its existence for re-use by future generations. It outlines the major government restructuring of the industry and its impact on knowledge preservation. Work within British Nuclear Fuels plc to meet the knowledge preservation requirements of its business is described. The focus is shown to be the alignment of tacit knowledge - gained through interviews with key specialists - with the explicit knowledge contained within the major knowledge base (Corporate Memory). The creation of knowledge packages to hold key knowledge on core technologies and nuclear plants is described. The paper also covers developments in securing the nuclear skill base through University Research Alliances and the Dalton Nuclear Institute. Returning to the major new challenges ahead it is shown how a knowledge portal could be implemented, linking the knowledge repositories present within the organisations that will feature in the restructured UK nuclear industry in 2005. The UK nuclear industry is facing its greatest challenge in terms of its organisation and commercial interests, at a time when the technical challenges presented by the decommissioning of old nuclear plants and the remediation of its nuclear sites are building up. In terms of knowledge preservation there has never been a greater need to ensure that knowledge associated with the key technologies that underpin the nuclear plants, and the plants themselves, is made available for use now and in the future. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority [NDA] - a new government body that will come into being in April 2005 - will own the liabilities (the nuclear plants). Those organisations bidding to operate and decommission plants on the UK nuclear sites will utilise the assets to best effect as Site Licensing Companies [SLC] under contract to the NDA. The key asset is knowledge. Knowledge is present in explicit forms within

Nuclear power. The Windscale controversy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyle, G.

1978-01-01

The aims of this unit are: (1) to provide a basic understanding of nuclear technology and of the associated technical and environmental problems; (2) to provide an understanding of: (a) the historical growth of the nuclear industry; (b) the arguments for the continued development of nuclear power, and the institutions promoting that development; (3) to provide a basic understanding of the mechanisms and institutions which officially regulate the nuclear power programme in the UK; (4) to provide an understanding of the main issues - technical, economic, social and political - involved in the controversy over the proposed expansion of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd's reprocessing facilities at Windscale, and the events leading up to the Public Inquiry on the proposal which began in June 1977; and (5) to examine (a) the reason for the growth in opposition to nuclear power in various countries and the different approaches taken by the opposition groups; (b) the political impact and effectiveness of that opposition. (author)

Sustainable development and nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grimston, M.C.

1994-01-01

The United Kingdom Government's strategy aimed at securing sustainable development has recently been published, and is analysed here by the Energy Issues Adviser, for the British Nuclear Industry Forum. The energy framework aims to ensure secure supplies of energy at competitive prices and to minimise possible adverse environmental impacts of energy use. It is argued here that both of these aims will be promoted by the continued and growing use of nuclear power in the United Kingdom. As the cost of nuclear electricity depends chiefly on the price of uranium, which is likely to stabilize due to increased supplies from nuclear weapons destruction, uranium recycling and mixed oxide fuel reprocessing, it is unlikely that world fuel price inflation will affect these costs. Secondly, nuclear power is not associated with acid rain or the threat of global warming, so its environment protection claims can be substantiated. Indeed, unlike other fuel sources, nuclear power already pays for its waste and decommissioning procedures. (UK)

Image processing techniques for thermal, x-rays and nuclear radiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chadda, V.K.

1998-01-01

The paper describes image acquisition techniques for the non-visible range of electromagnetic spectrum especially thermal, x-rays and nuclear radiations. Thermal imaging systems are valuable tools used for applications ranging from PCB inspection, hot spot studies, fire identification, satellite imaging to defense applications. Penetrating radiations like x-rays and gamma rays are used in NDT, baggage inspection, CAT scan, cardiology, radiography, nuclear medicine etc. Neutron radiography compliments conventional x-rays and gamma radiography. For these applications, image processing and computed tomography are employed for 2-D and 3-D image interpretation respectively. The paper also covers main features of image processing systems for quantitative evaluation of gray level and binary images. (author)

Endocrinological and Cardiological Late Effects Among Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hale Ören

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: Survival rates for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL have significantly improved and late effects of therapy have been important in the follow-up of survivors. The objective of this study is to identify the endocrinological and cardiological late effects of ALL patients treated in our pediatric hematology unit. Materials and Methods: Patients treated for ALL with BFM protocols after at least 5 years of diagnosis and not relapsed were included in the study. Endocrinological late effects (growth failure, obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, thyroid gland disorders, osteopenia/osteoporosis, and pubertal disorders and cardiological late effects were evaluated. The study group was evaluated with anthropometric measurements, body mass index, and laboratory testing of fasting glucose, insulin, serum lipids, thyroid functions, and bone mineral densities. Echocardiography and pulsed wave Doppler imaging were performed for analysis of cardiac functions. Results: Of the 38 ALL survivors, at least 1 adverse event occurred in 23 (60%, with 8 of them (21% having multiple problems. Six (16% of the survivors were obese and 8 (21% of them were overweight. Subjects who were overweight or obese at the time of diagnosis were more likely to be overweight or obese at last follow-up. Obesity was more frequently determined in patients who were younger than 6 years of age at the time of diagnosis. Insulin resistance was observed in 8 (21% subjects. Insulin resistance was more frequently seen in subjects who had family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Hyperlipidemia was detected in 8 (21% patients. Hypothyroidism or premature thelarche were detected in 2 children. Two survivors had osteopenia. Cardiovascular abnormalities occurred in one of the subjects with hypertension and cardiac diastolic dysfunction. Conclusion: We point out the necessity of follow-up of these patients for endocrinological and cardiological late effects, since at least

Chemical aspects of nuclear fuel fabrication processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naylor, A; Ellis, J F; Watson, R H

1986-04-01

Processes used by British Nuclear Fuels plc for the conversion of uranium ore concentrates to uranium metal and uranium hexafluoride, are reviewed. Means of converting the latter compound, after enrichment, to sintered UO/sub 2/ fuel bodies are also described. An overview is given of the associated chemical engineering technology.

The dawn of a new era in onco-cardiology: The Kumamoto Classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Sueta, Daisuke; Tabata, Noriaki; Akasaka, Tomonori; Yamashita, Takayoshi; Ikemoto, Tomokazu; Hokimoto, Seiji

2016-10-01

The term "onco-cardiology" has been used in reference to cardiotoxicity in the treatment of malignant disease. In actual clinical situations, however, cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with malignant disease and the concurrence of atherosclerotic disease with malignant disease are commonly observed, complicating the course of treatment. Patients with malignant disease associated with coronary artery disease often die from the cardiovascular disease, so it is essential to classify these disease states. Additionally, the prevalence of these classifications makes it easy to manage patients with malignant disease and coronary artery disease. We divided the broad field of onco-cardiology into 4 classifications based on clinical scenarios (CSs): CS1 represents the so-called paraneoplastic syndrome. CS2 represents cardiotoxicity during treatment of malignant diseases. CS3 represents the concurrence of atherosclerotic disease with malignant disease, and CS4 represents cardiovascular disease with benign tumors. This classification facilitates the management of patients with malignant disease and coronary artery disease by promoting not only the primary but also the secondary prevention of CVD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Association Standards for delivering heart failure care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McDonagh, Theresa A.; Blue, Lynda; Clark, Andrew L.; Dahlstroem, Ulf; Ekman, Inger; Lainscak, Mitja; McDonald, Kenneth; Ryder, Mary; Stroemberg, Anna; Jaarsma, Tiny

The management of heart failure (HF) is complex. As a consequence, most cardiology society guidelines now state that HF care should be delivered in a multiprofessional manner. The evidence base for this approach now means that the establishment of HF management programmes is a priority. This

Metabolomics, a promising approach to translational research in cardiology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martino Deidda

2015-12-01

In this article, we will provide a description of metabolomics in comparison with other, better known “omics” disciplines such as genomics and proteomics. In addition, we will review the current rationale for the implementation of metabolomics in cardiology, its basic methodology and the available data from human studies in this discipline. The topics covered will delineate the importance of being able to use the metabolomic information to understand the mechanisms of diseases from the perspective of systems biology, and as a non-invasive approach to the diagnosis, grading and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

The prospects for nuclear power in the UK. Conclusions of the Government's nuclear review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-05-01

The conclusions of the United Kingdom government's review of the nuclear industry in Britain were presented to Parliament in May 1995. The provision of public sector support for a new nuclear power station is deemed unwarranted against the background of the current electricity market. In reaching this conclusion the government considered possible environmental and strategic advantages, the question of diversity of fuel sources, and wider economic benefits. It is intended to privatize parts of Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear in 1996 as subsidiaries of a single holding company to take over the UK's AGR and PWR stations together with a significant level of their associated liabilities. A publicly owned company will continue to run the magnox stations and retain their liabilities. British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) will continue to offer nuclear fuel services and to receive government support in developing business in overseas markets. Since their formation in 1990, Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear have improved their financial performance significantly. At privatisation the nuclear component of the fossil fuel levy will cease to be paid to Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear will no longer receive the current premium price paid under the Nuclear Energy Agreement. The current regulatory regime and rigorous safety standards for nuclear power will remain substantially unchanged. (UK)

Improved cardiovascular diagnostic accuracy by pocket size imaging device in non-cardiologic outpatients: the NaUSiCa (Naples Ultrasound Stethoscope in Cardiology study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schiattarella Pier

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Miniaturization has evolved in the creation of a pocket-size imaging device which can be utilized as an ultrasound stethoscope. This study assessed the additional diagnostic power of pocket size device by both experts operators and trainees in comparison with physical examination and its appropriateness of use in comparison with standard echo machine in a non-cardiologic population. Three hundred four consecutive non cardiologic outpatients underwent a sequential assessment including physical examination, pocket size imaging device and standard Doppler-echo exam. Pocket size device was used by both expert operators and trainees (who received specific training before the beginning of the study. All the operators were requested to give only visual, qualitative insights on specific issues. All standard Doppler-echo exams were performed by expert operators. One hundred two pocket size device exams were performed by experts and two hundred two by trainees. The time duration of the pocket size device exam was 304 ± 117 sec. Diagnosis of cardiac abnormalities was made in 38.2% of cases by physical examination and in 69.7% of cases by physical examination + pocket size device (additional diagnostic power = 31.5%, p In conclusion, pocket size device showed a relevant additional diagnostic value in comparison with physical examination. Sensitivity and specificity were good in experts and suboptimal in trainees. Specificity was particularly influenced by the level of experience. Training programs are needed for pocket size device users.

Challenges of intra-institutional transfer of care from paediatric to adult congenital cardiology: the need for retention as well as transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohun, Claudine M; Woods, Patricia; Winter, Christiane; Mitchell, Julie; McLarry, Joel; Weiss, Joseph; Broberg, Craig S

2016-02-01

Transferring patients with CHD from paediatric to adult care has been challenging, especially across institutions. Within a single institution, some issues such as provider interaction, information exchange, or administrative directives should not play a significant role, and should favour successful transfer. We studied patients who were eligible for transfer to the adult congenital heart disease service within our institution in order to identify factors associated with successful transfer to adult care providers versus failure to transfer. Patients above18 years of age with CHD who were seen by paediatric cardiologists before January, 2008 were identified through a patient-care database. Records were reviewed to determine follow-up between 2008 and 2011 and to determine whether the patient was seen in the adult congenital cardiology clinic, paediatric cardiology clinic, or had no follow-up, and statistical comparisons were made between groups. After reviewing 916 records, 229 patients were considered eligible for transition to adult congenital cardiology. Of these, 77 (34%) were transferred successfully to adult congenital cardiology, 47 (21%) continued to be seen by paediatric cardiologists, and 105 (46%) were lost to follow-up. Those who transferred successfully differed with regard to complexity of diagnosis, insurance, and whether a formal referral was made by a paediatric care provider. Only a small fraction of the patients who were lost to follow-up could be contacted. Within a single institution, with shared information systems, administrations, and care providers, successful transfer from paediatric to adult congenital cardiology was still poor. Efforts for successful retention are just as vital as those for transfer.

Cardiology update

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunil K Verma

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the year 2014, there were certain remarkable trials that have changed the practice of cardiology and beyond that these tried to explained some long awaited unanswered questions. Like SIMPLICITY HTN-3 trial clearly explained the uselessness of renal denervation therapy in systemic hypertension. PARADIGM-HF trial provided positive data that may be useful to enrich the basket of medical treatment with a new drug LCZ 696 after a long time. Another important meta-analysis in heart failure questioned the status of beta blockers as standard therapy to improve prognosis in patients with concomitant heart failure and atrial fibrillation . In myocardial infraction , CvLPRIT trial supported the concept of complete revascularization at the time of primary PCI and TASTE trials failed to show expected benefit of thrombus aspiration in acute MI. FFR got more strength from FAME 2 trial. Another important question that was addressed in SECURITY trial was optimal duration of DAPT after second generation DES implantation. One year follow-up results of ABSORB II suggested that bioresorbable scaffolds are currently facing problem of stent thrombosis that might be taken care in near future with improvement in strut technology. Successful use of "Heart in a box" machine provided a major thrust for cardiac transplantation. SEARCH-AF evaluated the efficacy of a novel mobile health technology in the real world to screen for atrial fibrillation (now called as life style disease. A Meta-analysis provided a more comprehensive picture of the new oral anticoagulants as a therapeutic option in atrial fibrillation. Positive results for trans catheter pm-VSD closure in paediatric population were also demonstrated by a randomized controlled trial. Role of corticosteroids in tubercular pericarditis also got the answer in a trial published in 2014.

What is the purpose of launching World Journal of Cardiology?

OpenAIRE

Ma, Lian-Sheng

2009-01-01

The first issue of World Journal of Cardiology (WJC), whose preparatory work was initiated on December 13, 2009, will be published on December 31, 2009. The WJC Editorial Board has now been established and consists of 298 distinguished experts from 40 countries. Our purpose of launching WJC is to publish peer-reviewed, high-quality articles via an open-access online publishing model, thereby acting as a platform for communication between peers and the wider public, and maximizing the benefits...

Cardiology update 2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunil Kumar Verma

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the latter half of 2016, the important trials were ATMOSPHERE, INOVATE-HF, and IMPEDANCE-HF. The inclusion of angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitor (valsartan/sacubitril and sinoatrial node modulator (ivabradine in the guidelines was a significant change. HOPE-3 was a major trial in 2016 expanding the dimension of statin use. ixCELL-DCM trial evaluated stem cells in dilated cardiomyopathy. Mobile-health and medication event monitoring system technology showed increasing use of technology in both prevention and treatment in cardiology. RIDDLE-non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI studied the immediate versus delayed intervention in NSTEMI. In STEMI, DANAMI 3-DEFER trial evaluated the concept of immediate stent implantation or deferred stent implantation 48 h after the index procedure with standard primary percutaneous coronary intervention. EARLY-BAMI tested intravenous metoprolol in acute STEMI with the use of magnetic resonance imaging. The utility of “Chest Pain Choice” tool demonstrated shared decision-making between physician and patients in the context of chest pain. Risk factors profile and demographic and angiographic features of aorto-ostial atherosclerotic coronary artery disease are evaluated extensively. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement results in comparison to surgery and its association with volume, and in-hospital outcomes are also analyzed. The VANISH trial addressed a very critical issue in post-MI ICMP. Factors associated with erosion related to Amplatzer septal occluder in atrial septal defect closure are described in detail.

British firms mark progress off Viet Nam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

British companies are making more inroads in exploring for oil and gas off Viet Nam. British Gas plc won a 25 year production sharing contract for a license off southern Viet Nam in the South China Sea. Meantime, London independent Lasmo plc started seismic surveys on the block adjoining the British Gas block. Separately, Thailand and Viet Nam have reached agreement to jointly explore for and develop oil and gas found in waters claimed by both countries. Plans call for the two countries to draw up joint development plans covering oil and gas resources in the southeastern fringe of the Gulf of Thailand. Bangkok officials say they would have preferred to delineate maritime boundaries with Hanoi, but opted for the joint development accord, noting that Thailand and Malaysia had taken 12 years to resolve a similar dispute

Privatisation of the British coal industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cowles, R.V. (Norton Rose, London (UK))

1991-01-01

The article discusses the possible consequences of the impending privatisation of British Coal. It seems likely that deep mine operations will probably be divided up geographically but opencast mines may be left in single ownership. Freehold ownership of coal is likely to be transferred to the Crown and British Coal's powers to license small mines and opencast sites are likely to be absorbed into a general licensing system under control of the Department of Energy. Possible difficulties of public share issues are discussed - subsidence, environmental problems and also the uncertainty of the future market for British coal are mentioned. As an alternative, a series of contract sales of groups of mine properties could be made. Issues of common concern to future owners of the coal industry may lead to the creation of a new mineowner's trade association. Constraints in the areas of procurement and coal sales are discusssed briefly. Although a gloomy scenario is presented, it is suggested that some mines could become highly profitable. 1 ref.

II. congress of Czechoslovak Society of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Hygiene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The proceedings contain 165 abstracts of papers covering all areas of the application of nuclear medicine, such as osteology, cardiology, immunology, neurology, oncology, etc. The topics include the examination of the skeleton with radioisotopes, various immunology methods, scintiscanning of body organs, tumor monitoring, radiopharmacology aspects, biological radiation effects, cytogenetic changes following irradiation, and studies of radiation effects on DNA repair. Separate volumes are devoted to education of technicians, processing of radioisotope examination data, radiation protection and decontamination. (M.D.)

The nuclear energy in the United Kingdom; L'energie nucleaire au Royaume-Uni

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-02-15

With challenges like the climatic change, the hydrocarbons prices increase and the energy supply security, the nuclear park is becoming a decisive and an urgent question in the United Kingdom. The author proposes an historical aspect of the nuclear energy in UK, the actors of the today nuclear industry and the technologies used in 2006, the radioactive wastes management, the programs of the future and the british opinion on the nuclear. (A.L.B.)

Position paper: proposal for a core curriculum for a European Sports Cardiology qualification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heidbuchel, H.; Papadakis, M.; Panhuyzen-Goedkoop, N.M.; Carre, F.; Dugmore, D.; Mellwig, K.P.; Rasmusen, H.K.; Solberg, E.E.; Borjesson, M.; Corrado, D.; Pelliccia, A.; Sharma, S.

2013-01-01

Sports cardiology is a new and rapidly evolving subspecialty. It aims to elucidate the cardiovascular effects of regular exercise and delineate its benefits and risks, so that safe guidance can be provided to all individuals engaging in sports and/or physical activity in order to attain the maximum

[Cardiologic application of a clinical database with graphic extension and its utilization in inter-hospital teleconsultation].

Science.gov (United States)

Cervesato, E; Nicolosi, G L; Zanuttini, D

1995-10-01

A local area network of personal computers has been operative in our Cardiology Department for seven years, to collect and retrieve on-line character-based data. At present, the network is based on 2 servers and 21 workstations. DBF and DOS files are used by a Clipper 5.2d compiled program to handle demographic data, clinical reports (32,000/year) and diagnostic codes of more than 52,000 patients. In the last two years, we started entring ECG tracings using: RS232 connection, floppy disk transfer, and modem connection with commercially available machines as well as by image scanner. We integrated our clinical database with three dedicated subsystems, written in Assembly and C languages, to manage drawings, digital ECGs and complete reports. Mass storage is provided by a 10 Gbyte magneto-optical disk autochanger physically connected to a dedicated server running an original software manager to optimize routine access to the optical disks. Interhospital network connections were established with two different institutions to allow clinical information sharing, long distance consultation and ECG transfer. The system has been found to be fast, user-friendly and suitable for daily operation of a large cardiological database. Standardized versions of the system are running in seven other cardiology institutions in Italy.

Sister chromatid exchange analysis and chromosoma aberration studies in interventional cardiology laboratory workers. One year follow up study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erol, M.K.; Oztas, S.; Bozkurt, E.; Karakelleoglu, S.

2002-01-01

Invasive cardiology laboratory workers are occupationally exposed to chronic ionizing radiation. It is known that ionizing radiation has a damaging effect on chromosomes. In present study, we investigated the frequency of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations in 11 invasive cardiology laboratory workers and 11 healthy controls. After a vacation period, we took blood samples for chromosome analysis in months 0, 4, 8 and 12 (last two month period was the nonradiation time). The SCE frequencies did not change significantly after exposure to ionizing radiation in any worker. Our study has revealed that non-specific structural chromosome aberrations such as gaps, isogaps, acentric chromosomes, chromatids and chromosome breakage could be in the 4th and 8th months after ionizing radiation exposure in the metaphase plaques. All abnormal chromosomal effects had disappeared by the end of the two month non-exposure period in each worker. In conclusion, the results suggest that SCE frequencies are not significantly affected in invasive cardiology laboratory workers who are exposed occupationally to ionizing radiation, although some degree of reversible chromosomal aberrations did appear. (author)

Prospective Analysis of Decision Making During Joint Cardiology Cardiothoracic Conference in Treatment of 107 Consecutive Children with Congenital Heart Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Duignan, Sophie; Ryan, Aedin; O'Keeffe, Dara; Kenny, Damien; McMahon, Colin J

2018-05-12

The complexity and potential biases involved in decision making have long been recognised and examined in both the aviation and business industries. More recently, the medical community have started to explore this concept and its particular importance in our field. Paediatric cardiology is a rapidly expanding field and for many of the conditions we treat, there is limited evidence available to support our decision-making. Variability exists within decision-making in paediatric cardiology and this may influence outcomes. There are no validated tools available to support and examine consistent decision-making for various treatment strategies in children with congenital heart disease in a multidisciplinary cardiology and cardiothoracic institution. Our primary objective was to analyse the complexity of decision-making for children with cardiac conditions in the context of our joint cardiology and cardiothoracic conference (JCC). Two paediatric cardiologists acted as investigators by observing the weekly joint cardiology-cardiothoracic surgery conference and prospectively evaluating the degree of complexity of decision-making in the management of 107 sequential children with congenital heart disease discussed. Additionally, the group consensus on the same patients was prospectively assessed to compare this to the independent observers. Of 107 consecutive children discussed at our JCC conference 32 (27%) went on to receive surgical intervention, 20 (17%) underwent catheterisation and 65 (56%) received medical treatment. There were 53 (50%) cases rated as simple by one senior observer, while 54 (50%) were rated as complex to some degree. There was high inter-observer agreement with a Krippendorff's alpha of ≥ 0.8 between 2 observers and between 2 observers and the group consensus as a whole for grading of the complexity of decision-making. Different decisions were occasionally made on patients with the same data set. Discussions revisiting the same patient, in

Organization and liability of British regulating authorities involved in nuclear safety and radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harbison, S.

1995-01-01

In Great Britain, nuclear safety juridic basis is made of two law: HSWA (1974) for hygiene and security in working environment, and NIA (1965) specific to nuclear sites. The HSWA law created an HSC (Hygiene and Security Commission) in charge of workers and public security. HSC executive organ is HSE, whose nuclear office is NSD. Nevertheless, the general philosophy remains the one of HSWA, which results in the liability of operators in nuclear matters, as well as for any other industrial matter. (D.L.). 1 fig., 1 map

Commentary from Westminster. Medical effects of nuclear war.

Science.gov (United States)

Deitch, R

1983-03-12

A British Medical Association report on the medical consequences of nuclear war, scheduled for commercial publication in April 1983, could damage the Government's arguments for maintaining a nuclear deterrent. The gist of the BMA's findings is that Britain could not possibly cope with the aftermath of nuclear attack. Although Prime Minister Thatcher has made no comment, both the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Security have criticized the report's negative conclusions. The BMA is expected to take up the issue at its annual meeting, and the Labour party has called for a Parliamentary debate on the report and its implications.

Managing the nuclear legacy in the UK - Progress towards the establishment of the nuclear decommissioning authority

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sellers, Robin M.

2003-01-01

In November 2001, the British Government announced its intention to undertake a radical change in the arrangements for managing public sector civil nuclear liabilities in the UK. The UK Government's proposals for this transformation were published in a White Paper Managing the Nuclear Legacy - A Strategy for Actions published on 4 July 2002. This envisages the establishment of a new organisation, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), responsible to Government and with a remit to ensure that the UK's nuclear legacy is cleaned up safely, securely, cost effectively and in ways which protect the environment. The NDA will be responsible for some twenty UK nuclear sites comprising about 85% of the UK's civil nuclear liabilities. These sites are those currently operated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL), and amongst other things include many facilities from the early years of nuclear power etc in the UK, liabilities associated with the Joint European Torus (JET) fusion research project at UKAEA's Culham site, the Magnox nuclear power stations, and the associated facilities at Sellafield for reprocessing. The challenge is to decommission and demolish these facilities, package the radioactive wastes ready for disposal and remediate the sites, taking into account the uncertainties associated with many of the older facilities and the potential technical novelty of the processes that will have to be deployed to achieve this. To prepare the way for the NDA, a special team has been established within the UK Department of Trade and Industry. This team, known as the Liabilities Management Unit (LMU), includes staff from both private and public sectors, and is supported by a partner contractor (Bechtel Management Company Ltd) who bring high quality, experienced project management skills to the team. LMU's principal tasks are: - Acquiring a detailed knowledge of BNFL and UKAEA liabilities; - Establishing common

Managing the nuclear legacy n the UK: Progress towards the establishment of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sellers, R.M.

2003-01-01

In November 2001, the British Government announced its intention to undertake a radical revision of the arrangements for managing public sector civil nuclear liabilities in the UK. Its proposals for this transformation were published in a White Paper 'Managing the Nuclear Legacy - A Strategy for Action' published on 4 July 2002. This calls for the formation of a new organisation, originally referred to as the Liabilities Management Authority, but since renamed the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), responsible to Government and with a remit to ensure that the UK's nuclear legacy is cleaned up safely, securely, cost effectively and in ways which protect the environment. The NDA will be responsible for some twenty-one UK nuclear sites comprising about 85% of the UK's civil nuclear liabilities. These sites are those currently operated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL), and amongst other things include many facilities from the early years of nuclear power etc in the UK, liabilities associated with the Joint European Torus (JET) fusion research project at UKAEA's Culham site, the Magnox nuclear power stations, and the associated facilities at Sellafield for reprocessing as well as those associated with the UK's fast reactor programme based at Dounreay. The challenge is to decommission and dismantle these facilities, package the radioactive wastes ready for disposal and remedy the sites, taking into account the uncertainties associated with many of the older facilities and the potential technical novelty of the processes that will have to be deployed to achieve this. This paper is concerned with the work of the Liabilities Management Unit (LMU) in preparing the way for the NDA and what it has achieved in its first eighteen months. The following issues are addressed: The Liabilities Management Unit and its remit (which presents the LMU Functional Groups and their responsibilities); Acquiring a detailed

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