Background:
Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) has become the standard treatment for acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the major causes. However, the impact of AF on the treatment has not yet been clearly discussed. This study is to evaluate the influence of AF on the outcomes of EVT in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Methods:
Data from our Stroke Registry Database from April 2015 to July 2018 were reviewed. Technical efficacy, functional, and safety outcomes were reported and compared between patients with and without AF. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to identify the predictors of the good functional outcome.
Results:
We reviewed 83 eligible patients receiving EVT. Patients (51.8%) were eventually found to have AF. The substantial reperfusion rate (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2b-3) was 72.1% and 55.0% in patients with and without AF, respectively, inclusive of a learning curve (p = 0.12). The good functional outcome (90-day modified Rankin scale: 0 to 2) rate was 55.8% and 17.5% in patients with and without AF, respectively (p < 0.01). A multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age <70 years, the substantial reperfusion, and the presence of AF were three significant predictors for a good functional outcome.
Conclusion:
Our study showed that patients with AF responded significantly better to EVT than those without AF did. Intracranial atherosclerotic diseases in patients without AF which were especially refractory to EVT may contribute to the difference of the functional outcomes between the two groups.
In this paper, we describe a one-week summer computing workshop for teachers to improve computer science education in K-12. Our workshop focuses on using Scratch and Alice, two programs used to make simple games and animations, to introduce computing concepts to teachers in computer, technology, math, and science at all K-12 levels to expose students to computing at an early age and to reach more students. During the workshop the teachers developed curriculum materials for the subjects they will teach in the following semesters with the help of our workshop tutors. We present our workshop strategies, lessons learned, and assessment results in this paper.
Anthropogenic structures, such as wall surfaces, may change the acoustic environment for signals transmitted by animals, creating novel environments that animals must either adapt to or abandon. Animals can potentially use those structures to manipulate sound characteristics. In many anuran species, successful reproduction depends on long-range propagation and perception of advertisement calls. Callers may select natural perches or human-made objects to assist call propagation. Male Mientien tree frogs Kurixalus idiootocus frequently perch and call in roadside concrete drainages -miniature urban canyons. We used a combination of field and indoor experiments to test two hypotheses: (1) transmission of calls emitted inside drains is enhanced; (2) males selected perches inside drains that facilitated call transmission. A field survey indicated that male Mientien tree frogs preferred calling inside rather than outside drains. A playback showed that calls emitted from inside drains were enhanced in both amplitude and note duration. In an indoor experiment using a replica of a concrete drain, males preferred one particular type of call perch. However, we found no difference in sound properties between random locations inside the drain model and the perch location preferred by calling males.Storm drains enhance calls of a tree frog W.-H. Tan et al.
Game design is becoming increasingly popular among K-12 teachers and students. In this paper, we present our experience, findings, and lessons learned from conducting a one-week Stencyl Game Design Summer Computing Workshop for K-12 teachers. Our workshop focused on introducing fundamental computing concepts to K-12 teachers using Stencyl, a drag-and-drop game development environment. During the workshop, the teachers developed curriculum games for the subjects they will teach in the following semesters with the help of our workshop tutors. Our assessment results show that the average score of Stencyl knowledge in the pre-workshop survey was 1.26 out of 5, which was increased to 3.76 in the post-workshop survey and the average score of computing knowledge was improved by 61%.
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