1. Patent foramen ovale-associated stroke and COVID-19 vaccinationMaja Rojko, Nataša Černič Šuligoj, Marjeta Zorc, Marko Noč, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: Background: COVID-19 infection has been associated with paradoxical thromboembolism through a patent foramen ovale (PFO) and ischaemic stroke. Such events have not been reported after COVID-19 vaccination. The aim of the present study was to investigate PFO-associated stroke during the mass COVID-19 vaccination in Slovenia. Methods: This prospective study, conducted between 26 December 2020 and 31 March 2022, enrolled consecutive patients (≥18 years) with PFO-associated stroke referred for a percutaneous closure to a single interventional facility in Slovenia. Results: A total of 953,546 people aged between 18 and 70 years received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency. Of the 28 patients presenting with PFO-associated stroke, 12 patients (42.9%) were vaccinated prior to the event, of whom nine were women and three were men, aged between 21 and 70 years. Stroke occurred within 35 days after vaccination in six patients (50%). Clinical presentation included motor dysphasia, paresis, vertigo, ataxia, paraesthesia, headache, diplopia and hemianopia. At hospital discharge, 11 patients (91.6%) had at least one residual ischaemic lesion. Conclusion: A temporal coincidence of COVID-19 vaccination and PFOassociated stroke has been described. A potential cause–effect relationship may only be hypothesised.
Keywords: PFO-associated stroke, COVID-19 vaccination, patent foramen ovale, stroke
Published in DiRROS: 02.06.2026; Views: 139; Downloads: 74
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2. Long-term echocardiographic features after percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovaleMaja Rojko, Nataša Černič Šuligoj, Bojana Žvan, Marjeta Zorc, Saibal Kar, Marko Noč, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Background: There is a lack of studies systematically addressing long-term echocardiographic features after patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. Thus, the present study investigated long-term echocardiographic features after percutaneous closure of PFO. Methods: This was a single-centre observational study based on the institutional registry of consecutive patients undergoing PFO closure. Clinical and echocardiographic features during the follow-up were investigated. Results: Between 2006 and 2023, 355 consecutive patients underwent PFO closure following transitory ischaemic attack (TIA) or cerebrovascular insult (CVI). Echocardiography immediately after the procedure and at 6 months was performed in 306 (86%) patients, who had repeat examinations at either between 1 and 5 years (median 1.32 years), between 5 and 10 years (median 7.10 years) or after 10 years (median 11.64 years). The percentage of patients with complete closure (no bubbles during the Valsalva manoeuvre) increased from 64% after the procedure to 80% at 6 months (p<0.05), and ranged between 77% and 81% thereafter (NS). Functional closure (≤10 bubbles) was observed in 93% of patients after the procedure and remained between 94% and 97% thereafter (NS). Except for decreased immediate complete closure (60% versus 83%; p<0.001), there was no difference between the Amplatzer PFO occluder and alternative devices. Among the 15 patients with greater than moderate residual shunt, reasons for the shunt were determined in 73% of patients and included leakage at the level of device, fenestration/atrial septal defect and pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. There was no late device embolisation, thrombus formation or pericardial effusion. Clinical follow-up revealed recurrent TIA and CVI rates of 0.11 and 0.06 per 100 patient-years, respectively. Conclusion: We demonstrated high (>90%) and persistent functional PFO closure beyond 10 years, independent of closure device. There was no late device embolisation, thrombus formation or pericardial effusion. Favourable echocardiographic features were associated with very low rates of recurrent TIA or CVI.
Keywords: patent foramen ovale closure, residual shunt, echocardiography
Published in DiRROS: 01.06.2026; Views: 105; Downloads: 68
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3. Following Quantum Innovation Flows : the feedback loop between strategic timing and patent activity (2014–2023)Tamara Besednjak Valič, Karin Dobravc Škof, 2025, published scientific conference contribution abstract Abstract: Quantum technologies are central to the global innovation race. While national strategies are designed to secure technological sovereignty, the relationship between strategic timing and actual innovation output is complex. However, the fundamental question remains: does policy actively drive the innovation cycle or merely follow it? This study addresses this relationship by focusing on the temporal alignment between the release of national quantum strategies and the resulting patent application volume across countries (2014–2023). Utilizing PATSTAT data, with a focus on the patent application date, we establish that the global application peak occurred in 2022. This finding reveals a significant temporal paradox: while early movers like the US (National Strategic Overview for Quantum Information Systems and Related Documents, 2018) and the Netherlands (National Agenda for Quantum Technology, 2019) acted proactively, the majority of nations (including Germany, France, and Japan) released their strategies in 2023—after the innovation peak had already been reached. We further analyse the China situation (leading patent volume without a publicly available strategy) and the Netherlands paradox (early strategy despite low domestic patent count). The study's primary quantitative measure is the lag time between a strategy's publication date and the subsequent peak in a nation's domestic quantum patent applications. By analysing this temporal gap, the research provides empirical evidence to validate the effectiveness of strategic foresight versus reactive policymaking
Keywords: quantum technologies, national strategies, innovation flows, patent activity
Published in DiRROS: 03.02.2026; Views: 402; Downloads: 282
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