Fibrosis in Atrial Fibrillation – Role of Reactive Species and MPO

Atrial fibrosis with enhanced turnover and deposition of matrix proteins leads to inhomogeneous atrial electrical conduction and gives rise to electrical reentry circuits resulting in atrial fibrillation. The multifactorial pathogenesis of atrial fibrosis involves resident cardiac cells as well as infiltrating leukocytes, both generating and sequestering matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a key enzyme family involved in fibrosis. A growing body of evidence points toward an important role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the release and activation of pro-MMPs and the stimulation of pro-fibrotic cascades. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), a bactericidal enzyme released from activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) is not only associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases, but has also been shown to be mechanistically linked to atrial fibrosis and fibrillation. MPO catalyzes the generation of reactive species like hypochlorous acid, which affect intracellular signaling cascades in various cells and advance activation of pro-MMPs and deposition of atrial collagen resulting in atrial arrhythmias. Thus, inflammatory mechanisms effectively promote atrial structural remodeling and importantly contribute to the initiation and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation

Assessment of physics soil properties, landform and land use for mapping potential areas for groundwater recharge on the Mogi Guaçu river banks

In Brazil, Mogi Guaçu River is inserted in the one of the most important hydrogeological provinces, populous and economically developed. Although essential to freshwater sustainably manage, analysis of water recharge zones is difficult, complex, time-consuming and expensive, because require further information regarding soils and the relationship with the landscape, rainfall and vegetation. This study aims to develop fuzzy logic models for the groundwater recharge zoning in a sub-basin located in the Mogi Guaçu River banks. The spatial variability of soil attributes was determined through ordinary kriging. For the topography, the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) was considered. The analysis of vegetation cover was represented by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Were generated and tested models with 3 different groups of input variables: 1 – soil indexes; 2 – soil indexes + TWI; 3 – soil indexes + TWI + NDVI. The development of fuzzy logic models with input variables representing the soil, landscape and vegetation was the most effective in the complex recharge mapping, characterizing consistently the saturated hydraulic conductivity obtained from field.No Brasil, o Rio Mogi Guaçu está inserido em uma das províncias hidrogeológicas mais importantes, populosas e economicamente desenvolvidas. Embora essencial para a gestão sustentável da água doce, a análise de zonas de recarga de água é difícil, complexa, demorada e dispendiosa, porque requer informações adicionais sobre solos e a relação com a paisagem, precipitação e vegetação. Este estudo tem como objetivo desenvolver modelos de lógica fuzzy para zoneamento de áreas de recarga de água subterrânea em uma sub-bacia localizada às margens do Rio Mogi Guaçu. A variabilidade espacial dos atributos do solo foi determinada através da krigagem ordinária. Para a topografia foi considerado o Índice de Umidade Topográfica (TWI). A análise da cobertura vegetal foi representada pelo Índice de Vegetação por Diferença Normalizada (NDVI). Foram gerados e testados modelos com 3 diferentes grupos de variáveis de entrada: 1 – índices de solo; 2 – índices de solo + TWI; 3 – índices de solo + TWI + NDVI. O desenvolvimento de modelos via lógica fuzzy com variáveis de entrada representando o solo, a paisagem e a vegetação foi o mais eficaz no complexo mapeamento da recarga, caracterizando de forma consistente a condutividade hidráulica saturada obtida em campo

Physiography and Geomorphology in Sub-Basin of the Mogi Guaçu River Plain, São Paulo State, Brazil

The present paper will analyze the physiography in a sub-basin of Mogi Guaçu river, state of São Paulo, as well as the geomorphology of the study area and surroundings. The geomorphological mapping was conducted according to Ross (1992) using remote sensing data and field observations. The detailing of the hillside favored a more understanding about the surface flow dynamics and thereafter about the sediment deposition and ground water recharge processes. The sub-basin presented wavy mild relief unfavorable to sediments transport but also presented a sandy soil naturally prone to breakdown. The results show the dynamic processes that happens in the landscape, taking soil and sediments from de hills to the flat lands

VARIABILIDADE ESPACIAL DE ATRIBUTOS FÍSICOS DO SOLO EM UMA SUB-BACIA ÀS MARGENS DO RIO MOGI GUAÇU (SP)

A espacialização dos atributos do solo é de grande importância na interpretação geográfica da paisagem especialmente quando o foco desejado são as questões hidrogeológicas acerca da capacidade de infiltração da água no solo, sendo a condutividade hidráulica seu indicador direto. Assim, este trabalho buscou verificar a existência de dependência espacial para as variáveis areia, argila, silte, densidade, micro e macro porosidade, volume total de poros e condutividade hidráulica, bem como analisar sua variabilidade e sua espacialização através da Krigagem Ordinária. O estudo foi conduzido em área de planície aluvial, adjacente ao Rio Mogi Guaçu. Os resultados encontrados confirmaram a relação de dependência espacial de todos os atributos analisados na escala pesquisada e revelaram a anisotropia dos atributos condutividade hidráulica, macroporosidade e volume total de poros. Todos os atributos obtiveram seus melhores ajustes no modelo esférico. A relação direta entre macroprorosidade e condutividade hidráulica também foi verificada nas amostras coletadas, colocando a macroporosidade como um bom indicador da capacidade de infiltração em campo

Physiography and geomorphology in sub-basin of the Mogi Guaçu River Plain, São Paulo State, Brazil

CAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPO presente trabalho irá analisar a fisiografia de uma sub-bacia às margens do rio Mogi Guaçu-SP bem como sua geomorfologia e de seu entorno. Para o mapeamento geomorfológico, aplicou-se a metodologia descrita por Ross (1992) utilizando dados de sensoriame412177190CAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPsem Informação,sem Informação,2013/22729-

Transforming European Water Governance? Participation and River Basin Management under the EU Water Framework Directive in 13 Member States

The European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires EU member states to produce and implement river basin management plans, which are to be designed and updated via participatory processes that inform, consult with, and actively involve all interested stakeholders. The assumption of the European Commission is that stakeholder participation, and institutional adaptation and procedural innovation to facilitate it, are essential to the effectiveness of river basin planning and, ultimately, the environmental impact of the Directive. We analyzed official documents and the WFD literature to compare implementation of the Directive in EU member states in the initial WFD planning phase (2000–2009). Examining the development of participatory approaches to river basin management planning, we consider the extent of transformation in EU water governance over the period. Employing a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach, we map the implementation “trajectories” of 13 member states, and then provide a detailed examination of shifts in river basin planning and participation in four member states (Germany, Sweden, Poland and France) to illustrate the diversity of institutional approaches observed. We identify a general tendency towards increased, yet circumscribed, stakeholder participation in river basin management in the member states examined, alongside clear continuities in terms of their respective pre-WFD institutional and procedural arrangements. Overall, the WFD has driven a highly uneven shift to river basin-level planning among the member states, and instigated a range of efforts to institutionalize stakeholder involvement—often through the establishment of advisory groups to bring organized stakeholders into the planning process

Myeloperoxidase induces monocyte migration and activation after acute myocardial infarction

IntroductionMyocardial infarction (MI) is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many individuals who survive the acute event continue to experience heart failure (HF), with inflammatory and healing processes post-MI playing a pivotal role. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes infiltrate the infarcted area, where PMN release high amounts of the heme enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO). MPO has numerous inflammatory properties and MPO plasma levels are correlated with prognosis and severity of MI. While studies have focused on MPO inhibition and controlling PMN infiltration into the infarcted tissue, less is known on MPO’s role in monocyte function.Methods and resultsHere, we combined human data with mouse and cell studies to examine the role of MPO on monocyte activation and migration. We revealed a correlation between plasma MPO levels and monocyte activation in a patient study. Using a mouse model of MI, we demonstrated that MPO deficiency led to an increase in splenic monocytes and a decrease in cardiac monocytes compared to wildtype mice (WT). In vitro studies further showed that MPO induces monocyte migration, with upregulation of the chemokine receptor CCR2 and upregulation of inflammatory pathways identified as underlying mechanisms.ConclusionTaken together, we identify MPO as a pro-inflammatory mediator of splenic monocyte recruitment and activation post-MI and provide mechanistic insight for novel therapeutic strategies after ischemic injury