Effects of alirocumab on types of myocardial infarction: insights from the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial

Aims  The third Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (MI) Task Force classified MIs into five types: Type 1, spontaneous; Type 2, related to oxygen supply/demand imbalance; Type 3, fatal without ascertainment of cardiac biomarkers; Type 4, related to percutaneous coronary intervention; and Type 5, related to coronary artery bypass surgery. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction with statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors reduces risk of MI, but less is known about effects on types of MI. ODYSSEY OUTCOMES compared the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab with placebo in 18 924 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and elevated LDL-C (≥1.8 mmol/L) despite intensive statin therapy. In a pre-specified analysis, we assessed the effects of alirocumab on types of MI. Methods and results  Median follow-up was 2.8 years. Myocardial infarction types were prospectively adjudicated and classified. Of 1860 total MIs, 1223 (65.8%) were adjudicated as Type 1, 386 (20.8%) as Type 2, and 244 (13.1%) as Type 4. Few events were Type 3 (n = 2) or Type 5 (n = 5). Alirocumab reduced first MIs [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77–0.95; P = 0.003], with reductions in both Type 1 (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99; P = 0.032) and Type 2 (0.77, 0.61–0.97; P = 0.025), but not Type 4 MI. Conclusion  After ACS, alirocumab added to intensive statin therapy favourably impacted on Type 1 and 2 MIs. The data indicate for the first time that a lipid-lowering therapy can attenuate the risk of Type 2 MI. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction below levels achievable with statins is an effective preventive strategy for both MI types.For complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz299</p

Long-range and short-range dihadron angular correlations in central PbPb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV

This is the pre-print version of the Published Article, which can be accessed from the link below.First measurements of dihadron correlations for charged particles are presented for central PbPb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 2.76TeV over a broad range in relative pseudorapidity ( ) and the full range of relative azimuthal angle ( ). The data were collected with the CMS detector, at the LHC. A broadening of the away-side ( ) azimuthal correlation is observed at all , as compared to the measurements in pp collisions. Furthermore, long-range dihadron correlations in are observed for particles with similar values. This phenomenon, also known as the \ridge", persists up to at least j j = 4. For particles with transverse momenta (pT) of 2-4 GeV/c, the ridge is found to be most prominent when these particles are correlated with particles of pT = 2-6 GeV/c, and to be much reduced when paired with particles of pT = 10-12 GeV/c

Tree diversity and above-ground biomass in the South America Cerrado biome and their conservation implications

Less than half of the original two million square kilometers of the Cerrado vegetation remains standing, and there are still many uncertainties as to how to conserve and prioritize remaining areas effectively. A key limitation is the continuing lack of geographically-extensive evaluation of ecosystem-level properties across the biome. Here we sought to address this gap by comparing the woody vegetation of the typical cerrado of the Cerrado–Amazonia Transition with that of the core area of the Cerrado in terms of both tree diversity and vegetation biomass. We used 21 one-hectare plots in the transition and 18 in the core to compare key structural parameters (tree height, basal area, and above-ground biomass), and diversity metrics between the regions. We also evaluated the effects of temperature and precipitation on biomass, as well as explored the species diversity versus biomass relationship. We found, for the first time, both that the typical cerrado at the transition holds substantially more biomass than at the core, and that higher temperature and greater precipitation can explain this difference. By contrast, plot-level alpha diversity was almost identical in the two regions. Finally, contrary to some theoretical expectations, we found no positive relationship between species diversity and biomass for the Cerrado woody vegetation. This has implications for the development of effective conservation measures, given that areas with high biomass and importance for the compensation of greenhouse gas emissions are often not those with the greatest diversity

Imersão em água fria para o manejo da hipertermia severa Cold water immersion to the control of exertional heat illness

A incapacidade de dissipar o calor gerado pela atividade muscular prejudica o desempenho e aumenta a predisposição a lesões do organismo. A hipertermia severa induzida pelo esforço físico (HTE) prejudica a saúde e está associada à morbidade e mortalidade de indivíduos em diferentes atividades ocupacionais e atléticas. Estudos sobre a eficiência de métodos de resfriamento corporal têm recomendado a imersão em água fria para o tratamento da HTE. Sua utilização nos minutos iniciais pós-hipertemia parece a melhor recomendação por reduzir o tempo no qual a temperatura central permanece elevada. A manutenção de infraestrutura necessária para a realização desse procedimento deve ser considerada em atividades físicas e condições ambientais nas quais os indivíduos estão mais suscetíveis ao acometimento da HTE. As taxas de resfriamento observadas através da imersão em água a diferentes temperaturas podem servir de referência para o controle da duração do procedimento. Esta revisão analisa a recomendação da imersão em água fria como procedimento de resfriamento corporal para o manejo da HTE.<br>The incapacity of dissipating heat generated by muscular activity hampers performance and increases predisposition to physical injuries. Exertional heat illness (HTE) harms health and is associated with morbidity and mortality of individuals in different occupational and athletic activities. Studies on the efficiency of body cooling methods have recommended cold-water immersion for the treatment of HTE. Its use in the initial minutes of post-hyperthermia seems to be the best recommendation to reduce the time central temperature remains high. Maintenance of the infrastructure needed to perform this procedure should be considered in physical activities and environmental conditions in which the individuals are more prone to HTE. The cooling rates observed through water immersion in different water temperatures may serve as reference to the control of HTE procedure duration. This review analyses the recommendation of cold-water immersion as a body cooling procedure for management of HTE

Search for heavy long-lived charged particles in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV

The result of a search for heavy long-lived charged particles produced in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV at the LHC is described. The data sample has been collected using the CMS detector and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb -1. The inner tracking detectors are used to define a sample of events containing tracks with high momentum and high ionization energy loss. A second sample of events, which have high-momentum tracks satisfying muon identification requirements in addition to meeting high-ionization and long time-of-flight requirements, is analyzed independently. In both cases, the results are consistent with the expected background estimated from data. The results are used to establish cross section limits as a function of mass within the context of models with long-lived gluinos, scalar top quarks and scalar taus. Cross section limits on hyper-meson particles, containing new elementary long-lived hyper-quarks predicted by a vector-like confinement model, are also presented. Lower limits at 95% confidence level on the mass of gluinos (scalar top quarks) are found to be 1098 (737) GeV/c 2. A limit of 928 (626) GeV/c 2 is set for a gluino (scalar top quark) that hadronizes into a neutral bound state before reaching the muon detectors. The lower mass limit for a pair produced scalar tau is found to be 223 GeV/c 2. Mass limits for a hyper-kaon are placed at 484, 602, and 747 GeV/c 2 for hyper-ρ masses of 800, 1200, and 1600 GeV/c 2, respectively. © 2012 CERN

Searches for long-lived charged particles in pp collisions at root s=7 and 8 TeV

Results of searches for heavy stable charged particles produced in pp collisions at {Mathematical expression} = 7 and 8 TeV are presented corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb and 18.8 fb, respectively. Data collected with the CMS detector are used to study the momentum, energy deposition, and time-of-flight of signal candidates. Leptons with an electric charge between e/3 and 8 e, as well as bound states that can undergo charge exchange with the detector material, are studied. Analysis results are presented for various combinations of signatures in the inner tracker only, inner tracker and muon detector, and muon detector only. Detector signatures utilized are long time-of-flight to the outer muon system and anomalously high (or low) energy deposition in the inner tracker. The data are consistent with the expected background, and upper limits are set on the production cross section of long-lived gluinos, scalar top quarks, and scalar τ leptons, as well as pair produced long-lived leptons. Corresponding lower mass limits, ranging up to 1322 GeV/c for gluinos, are the most stringent to date. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2013 Cern for the benefit of the CMS collaboration

Search for microscopic black holes in pp collisions at root s=8 TeV

A search for microscopic black holes and string balls is presented, based on a data sample of pp collisions at √s=8 TeV recorded by the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 12 fb-1. No excess of events with energetic multiparticle final states, typical of black hole production or of similar new physics processes, is observed. Given the agreement of the observations with the expected standard model background, which is dominated by QCD multijet production, 95% confidence level limits are set on the production of semiclassical or quantum black holes, or of string balls, corresponding to the exclusions of masses below 4.3 to 6.2 TeV, depending on model assumptions. In addition, model-independent limits are set on new physics processes resulting in energetic multiparticle final states. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the CMS collaboration