Green Edge Ice Camp Campaigns: Understanding the Processes Controlling the Under-Ice Arctic Phytoplankton Spring Bloom

The Green Edge initiative was developed to investigate the processes controlling the primary productivity and fate of organic matter produced during the Arctic phytoplankton spring bloom (PSB) and to determine its role in the ecosystem. Two field campaigns were conducted in 2015 and 2016 at an ice camp located on landfast sea ice southeast of Qikiqtarjuaq Island in Baffin Bay (67.4797∘ N, 63.7895∘ W). During both expeditions, a large suite of physical, chemical and biological variables was measured beneath a consolidated sea-ice cover from the surface to the bottom (at 360 m depth) to better understand the factors driving the PSB. Key variables, such as conservative temperature, absolute salinity, radiance, irradiance, nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll a concentration, bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance and taxonomy, and carbon stocks and fluxes were routinely measured at the ice camp. Meteorological and snow-relevant variables were also monitored. Here, we present the results of a joint effort to tidy and standardize the collected datasets, which will facilitate their reuse in other Arctic studies. The dataset is available at https://doi.org/10.17882/59892 (Massicotte et al., 2019a)

Green Edge ice camp campaigns : understanding the processes controlling the under-ice Arctic phytoplankton spring bloom

The Green Edge initiative was developed to investigate the processes controlling the primary productivity and fate of organic matter produced during the Arctic phytoplankton spring bloom (PSB) and to determine its role in the ecosystem. Two field campaigns were conducted in 2015 and 2016 at an ice camp located on landfast sea ice southeast of Qikiqtarjuaq Island in Baffin Bay (67.4797∘ N, 63.7895∘ W). During both expeditions, a large suite of physical, chemical and biological variables was measured beneath a consolidated sea-ice cover from the surface to the bottom (at 360 m depth) to better understand the factors driving the PSB. Key variables, such as conservative temperature, absolute salinity, radiance, irradiance, nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll a concentration, bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance and taxonomy, and carbon stocks and fluxes were routinely measured at the ice camp. Meteorological and snow-relevant variables were also monitored. Here, we present the results of a joint effort to tidy and standardize the collected datasets, which will facilitate their reuse in other Arctic studies

Proportion of Open Access Papers Published in Peer-Reviewed Journals at the European and World Levels—1996–2013

This study report assesses the free availability of scholarly publications during the 1996 to 2013 period. It is the largest scale measurement of open access availability performed to date: a sample of one-quarter of a million records was used to study the historical evolution of open access (OA) between 1996 and 2013 and a larger, one million records sample was used to perform an in-depth assessment of the proportion and scientific impact of OA between 2008 and 2013 in different types of OA, for different scientific fields of knowledge, and for 44 countries, the EU28, ERA, and the world. Compared to previous studies done on the availability of OA, the present study presents the following characteristics: (1) it used the Scopus database, which currently covers a broader range of journals from various countries and scientific disciplines than other comprehensive databases; (2) it uses a simple definition of OA—freely available online to all (no money had to be paid, no registration to a service or website had to be made); (3) it used huge samples to maximise statistical precision; (4) it made careful and extensive efforts to harvest papers wherever they could be downloaded for free, without restriction, rather than restricting the approach to a search engine (in order to obtain a high \u27recall\u27 rate, that is, the capacity to retrieve a large part of the relevant records, while, in addition, carefully minimising the number of false records collected (that is, the approach maximised retrieval precision); and (5) it carefully characterised the strengths and weaknesses of the measurement instrument in order to apply a correction that would provide a truer measure based on an Adjusted OA score. This study also provided a series of rational definitions of access, open access, and ideal open access. The definitions provided examine aspects such as restrictions, payment, delay, transiency, and legitimacy. Because of the limited means (time and budget) available for this project, it was necessary to use operational definitions of OA which do not provide all the details one may wish to obtain. Though it was easy to obtain a clear and easily operational definition of Gold OA by stating that it referred to papers published in Gold OA journals listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals, defining and measuring Green OA was more challenging. The operational definition restricted Green OA to researchers\u27 self-archived papers in institutional and some thematic repositories listed in OpenDOAR and ROAR. This left a sizeable residual number of papers that could still be downloaded for free; these were classified as Other OA. This comprises, for example, Gold OA papers from subscription-based journals, which are made available through article processing charges (APC). Other OA also include papers available in large repositories such as PubMed Central and aggregator sites such as CiteSeerX. There are also Robin Hood OA or Rogue OA papers, that is, papers that infringe on copyrights by making them accessible to the public despite licenses that restrict them to being behind pay walls

Transient myocardial tissue and function changes during a marathon in less fit marathon runners

Background : Although regular physical activity improves health, strenuous exercise might transiently increase cardiac risk. Training and fitness might provide protection. Methods : We prospectively studied 20 recreational marathon runners without known cardiovascular disease or symptoms: at peak training before, immediately after, and 3 months after a 42.2-km marathon. Changes in global/segmental myocardial function, edema, resting perfusion, and fibrosis were measured. Results : At peak training, runners exercised 8.1 ± 2.3 hours and 62 ± 18 km per week with mean maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) of 53.2 ± 8.3 mL/kg/min. In response to the marathon, global left ventricular and right ventricular ejection fraction decreased in half of the runners; these runners had poorer peak training distance, training time, and fitness level. Change in global left ventricular ejection fraction was associated with VO2max. Overall, 36% of segments developed edema, 53% decreased function, and 59% decreased perfusion. Significant agreement was observed between segment decreasing function, decreasing perfusion, and developing edema. Myocardial changes were reversible at 3 months. Conclusions : Completing a marathon leads to localized myocardial edema, diminished perfusion, and decreased function occurring more extensively in less trained and fit runners. Although reversible, these changes might contribute to the transient increase in cardiac risk reported during sustained vigorous exercise.Introduction : Bien que l’activité physique régulière améliore la santé, l’exercice intense pourrait augmenter de façon passagère le risque de maladies du cœur. L’entraînement et la bonne forme physique pourraient apporter une protection contre ce risque. Méthodes : Nous avons étudié de façon prospective les coureurs récréatifs de marathon n’ayant pas de maladies ou de symptômes cardiovasculaires connus : au sommet de leur entraînement, avant, immédiatement après et 3 mois après un marathon de 42,2 km. Les changements dans le fonctionnement myocardique global et segmentaire, l’œdème, la perfusion au repos et la fibrose ont été mesurés. Résultats : Au sommet de leur entraînement, les coureurs ont accompli 8,1 ± 2,3 heures et 62 ± 18 km par semaine selon une consommation d'oxygène maximal (VO2 max) moyenne de 53,2 ± 8,3ml/kg/min. En réponse au marathon, la fraction d’éjection globale du ventricule gauche et du ventricule droit a diminué chez la moitié des coureurs; ces coureurs ont obtenu au sommet de leur entraînement une distance, une durée et un niveau de forme physique médiocres. La modification de la fraction d’éjection globale du ventricule gauche a été associée à la VO2 max. Dans l’ensemble, 36 % des segments ont développé un œdème, 53 % ont diminué le fonctionnement et 59 % ont diminué la perfusion. Une concordance significative a été observée entre le segment diminuant le fonctionnement, le segment diminuant la perfusion et le segment développant l’œdème. Les modifications du myocarde ont été réversibles à 3 mois. Conclusions : La réalisation d’un marathon mène à un œdème localisé du myocarde, à une perfusion réduite et à un fonctionnement diminué apparaissant davantage chez les coureurs moins entraînés et moins en forme. Bien que ces modifications soient réversibles, ils pourraient contribuer à l’augmentation passagère du risque de problèmes cardiaques signalés durant l’exercice intense soutenu

BDQ : Essays and Interviews on Quebec Comics

'' The comics community in Quebec has long been heralded as unique, blending the clear line aesthetic of Europe with the underground influences of North America. Think Tintin meets R. Crumb. This volume is a companion to the BDANG imprint, to give critical context to the history and breadth of the work. '' - p. [4] of cover

Predicting late myocardial recovery and outcomes in the early hours of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction : traditional measures compared with microvascular obstruction, salvaged myocardium, and necrosis characteristics by cardiovascular magnetic resonance

Objectives : The aim of this study was to determine whether a very early imaging strategy improves the prediction of late systolic dysfunction and poor outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared with traditional predictors. Background : Earlier prediction of poor outcomes after STEMI is desirable, because it will allow tailored therapy at the earliest possible time, when benefits might be greatest. Methods : One hundred and three patients with acute STEMI were studied by contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance within 12 h of primary angioplasty and at 6 months and followed >2 years. The primary end point was left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, whereas poor outcomes were a key secondary end point. Results : Traditional risk factors were only modest predictors of late LV dysfunction. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) volume maintained a stronger association to LV ejection fraction change than infarct transmurality, microvascular obstruction, or myocardial salvage during STEMI (p = 0.02). Multivariable logistic regression identified LGE volume during STEMI as the best predictor of late LV dysfunction (odds ratio: 1.36, p = 0.03). An LGE =23% of LV during STEMI accurately predicted late LV dysfunction (sensitivity 89%, specificity 74%). The LGE volume provided important incremental benefit for predicting late dysfunction (area under the curve = 0.92, p = 0.03 vs. traditional risk factors). Twenty-three patients developed poor outcomes (1 death, 2 myocardial infarctions, 5 malignant arrhythmias, 4 severe LV dysfunction <35%, 11 hospital stays for heart failure) over 2.6 ± 0.9 years; LGE volume remained a strong independent predictor of poor outcomes, whereas LGE =23% carried a hazard ratio of 6.1 for adverse events (p < 0.0001). Conclusions : During the hyperacute phase of STEMI, LGE volume provides the strongest association and incremental predictive value for late systolic dysfunction and discerns poor late outcomes