Background: Oral anticoagulation (OAC) with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) or direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) is an effective strategy that is used for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, OAC is underused particularly in elderly patients, who are often physically disabled or cognitively impaired. We aimed at evaluating the effect of cognitive status and disability on OAC adherence 1 year after stroke or TIA. Methods: In this prospective, single-center, observational study patients with ischemic stroke or TIA were consecutively included between 3/2011 and 9/2012. The detailed medical history, basic demographic variables, cardiovascular risk factors, stroke severity according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), medication including OAC were all recorded. Cognitive performance was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score at baseline. The functional status was assessed by recording activities and instrumental activities of daily living, respectively (ADL, IADL). After 12 months, patients had a follow-up visit to reassess the cognitive and functional status (MoCA, ADL and IADL) and to document the current use of OAC. Results: In total, 12 months after the ischemic stroke or TIA AF had been diagnosed in 160/586 (27.3%). Of these, 151 patients (94.4%) were treated with OAC. OAC was performed using VKA in 79/151 (52.3%) and DOACs in 72/151 (47.7%). Cognitive impairment at 12 months follow-up was not associated with the absence of OAC treatment. However, regression analysis revealed that patients with AF with physical (ADL) and functional disability (IADL) were less likely to be treated with OAC (p = 0.08 and p = 0.04, respectively) 12 months after a stroke. None of these two factors, however, was independently associated with nonadherence to OAC 12 months after stroke. Although cognitive performance was similar in patients receiving VKA and direct anticoagulants (DOAC), adherence to VKA tended to be lower (82.6 vs. 94.6%, p = 0.12). Conclusions: In stroke and TIA patients with AF, the multifactorial medical and functional constellation rather than cognitive impairment specifically can be an obstacle for long-term OAC.

Μalakoplakia is a rare inflammatory condition of the urogenital tract. The most frequently affected organ is urinary bladder. This condition has features of a granulomatous inflammation, the pathogenesis of which is not well understood. In this study, we presented a case of urinary bladder malakoplakia associated with advanced obstructive uropathy and renal failure.

Model-based quantitative EEG analysis (state space analysis) provides a novel, complementary marker for prognosis in postanoxic encephalopathy.

To allow users to perform real walking in a virtual environment larger than the physical space, redirected walking (RDW) techniques could be employed. Users do not notice this manipulation and immersion remains intact when RDW is applied within certain thresholds. Although many studies on RDW detection thresholds exists, in none of these studies, users were performing an additional task during the threshold identification process. These existing thresholds could be only conservative estimates and the potential of RDW may not be fully utilized. In this paper, we present an experiment to investigate the effect of cognitive load on curvature RDW thresholds. The cognitive load was imposed using a dual task of serial seven subtraction. Results showed that gender and cognitive load have significant effects on curvature RDW thresholds. More specifically, men are on average more sensitive to RDW than women, and being engaged in a dual task increases users' RDW thresholds. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Virtual reality; Empirical studies in HCI ; • Applied computing → Psychology.