Thrombus aspiration in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: results of a national registry of interventional cardiology

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the impact of thrombus aspiration (TA) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI) in 'real-world' settings. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study, using data from the National Registry of Interventional Cardiology (RNCI 2006-2012, Portugal) with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with P-PCI. The primary outcome, in-hospital mortality, was analysed through adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: We assessed data for 9458 STEMI patients that undergone P-PCI (35% treated with TA). The risk of in-hospital mortality with TA (aOR 0.93, 95%CI:0.54-1.60) was not significantly decreased. After matching patients through the propensity score, TA reduced significantly the risk of in-hospital mortality (OR 0.58, 95%CI:0.35-0.98; 3500 patients). CONCLUSIONS: The whole cohort data does not support the routine use of TA in P-PCI, but the results of the propensity-score matched cohort suggests that the use of selective TA may improve the short-term risks of STEMI..info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influence of Galactic Cosmic Rays on atmospheric composition and dynamics

This study investigates the influence of the Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) on the atmospheric composition, temperature and dynamics by means of the 3-D Chemistry Climate Model (CCM) SOCOL v2.0. Ionization rates were parameterized according to CRAC:CRII (Cosmic Ray induced Cascade: Application for Cosmic Ray Induced Ionization), a detailed state-of-the-art model describing the effects of GCRs in the entire altitude range of the CCM from 0–80 km. We find statistically significant effects of GCRs on tropospheric and stratospheric NOx, HOx, ozone, temperature and zonal wind, whereas NOx, HOx and ozone are annually averaged and the temperature and the zonal wind are monthly averaged. In the Southern Hemisphere, the model suggests the GCR-induced NOx increase to exceed 10 % in the tropopause region (peaking with 20 % at the pole), whereas HOx is showing a decrease of about 3 % caused by enhanced conversion into HNO3. As a consequence, ozone is increasing by up to 3 % in the relatively unpolluted southern troposphere, where its production is sensitive to additional NOx from GCRs. Conversely, in the northern polar lower stratosphere, GCRs are found to decrease O3 by up to 3 %, caused by the additional heterogeneous chlorine activation via ClONO2 + HCl following GCR-induced production of ClONO2. There is an apparent GCR-induced acceleration of the zonal wind of up to 5 m s−1 in the Northern Hemisphere below 40 km in February, and a deceleration at higher altitudes with peak values of 3 m s−1 around 70 km altitude. The model also indentifies GCR-induced changes in the surface air, with warming in the eastern part of Europe and in Russia (up to 2.25 K for March values) and cooling in Siberia and Greenland (by almost 2 K). We show that these surface temperature changes develop even when the GCR-induced ionization is taken into account only above 18 km, suggesting that the stratospherically driven strengthening of the polar night jet extends all the way down to the Earth's surface.ISSN:1680-7375ISSN:1680-736

Influence of a Carrington-like event on the atmospheric chemistry, temperature and dynamics

We have modeled the atmospheric impact of a major solar energetic particle event similar in intensity to what is thought of the Carrington Event of 1–2 September 1859. Ionization rates for the August 1972 solar proton event, which had an energy spectrum comparable to the Carrington Event, were scaled up in proportion to the fluence estimated for both events. We have assumed such an event to take place in the year 2020 in order to investigate the impact on the modern, near future atmosphere. Effects on atmospheric chemistry, temperature and dynamics were investigated using the 3-D Chemistry Climate Model SOCOL v2.0. We find significant responses of NOx, HOx, ozone, temperature and zonal wind. Ozone and NOx have in common an unusually strong and long-lived response to this solar proton event. The model suggests a 3-fold increase of NOx generated in the upper stratosphere lasting until the end of November, and an up to 10-fold increase in upper mesospheric HOx. Due to the NOx and HOx enhancements, ozone reduces by up to 60–80% in the mesosphere during the days after the event, and by up to 20–40% in the middle stratosphere lasting for several months after the event. Total ozone is reduced by up to 20 DU in the Northern Hemisphere and up to 10 DU in the Southern Hemisphere. Free tropospheric and surface air temperatures show a significant cooling of more than 3 K and zonal winds change significantly by 3–5 m s−1 in the UTLS region. In conclusion, a solar proton event, if it took place in the near future with an intensity similar to that ascribed to of the Carrington Event of 1859, must be expected to have a major impact on atmospheric composition throughout the middle atmosphere, resulting in significant and persistent decrease in total ozone.ISSN:1680-7375ISSN:1680-736

Cloud radiative forcing intercomparison between fully coupled CMIP5 models and CERES satellite data

In this paper, radiative fluxes for 10 years from 11 models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and from CERES satellite observations have been analyzed and compared. Under present-day conditions, the majority of the investigated CMIP5 models show a tendency towards a too-negative global mean net cloud radiative forcing (NetCRF) as compared to CERES. A separate inspection of the long-wave and shortwave contribution (LWCRF and SWCRF) as well as cloud cover points to different shortcomings in different models. Models with a similar NetCRF still differ in their SWCRF and LWCRF and/or cloud cover. Zonal means mostly show excessive SWCRF (too much cooling) in the tropics between 20° S and 20° N and in the midlatitudes between 40 to 60° S. Most of the models show a too-small/too-weak LWCRF (too little warming) in the subtropics (20 to 40° S and N). Difference maps between CERES and the models identify the tropical Pacific Ocean as an area of major discrepancies in both SWCRF and LWCRF. The summer hemisphere is found to pose a bigger challenge for the SWCRF than the winter hemisphere. The results suggest error compensation to occur between LWCRF and SWCRF, but also when taking zonal and/or annual means. Uncertainties in the cloud radiative forcing are thus still present in current models used in CMIP5.ISSN:0992-7689ISSN:0939-4176ISSN:1432-057

Relación Existente entre la Temperatura del Aceite del Motor, Régimen de Giro y Aceleraciones Efectivas RMS, al Utilizar Gasolina y una Mezcla entre Gasolina-Etanol

   En este estudio experimental se ha determinado la relación existente entre la temperatura del aceite lubricante del motor, el régimen de giro y las aceleraciones mecánicas efectivas RMS (Root Mean Square), al utilizar gasolina tipo extra y una mezcla entre gasolina al 95% y etanol al 5% (conocida comercialmente como ecopaís E5); en un vehículo Flex Fuel con motor ciclo Otto, sometiéndolo a una prueba estática y dinámica. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la temperatura del lubricante tiende a estabilizarse en un mayor tiempo cuando se realiza la prueba con carga al motor, en contraste con el ensayo sin carga. Por otro lado, dicha magnitud incrementa conforme aumenta el régimen de giro para los dos casos; siendo esta menor, de manera general, al utilizar la mezcla combustible a base de gasolina y etanol. Para el caso de las aceleraciones mecánicas, se cumple una tendencia similar, puesto que son menores, habitualmente, al utilizar ecopaís E5

Impact of PhACs on Soil Microorganisms

International audienceThe use of reclaimed water in crop irrigation helps to mitigate water shortage. The fertilization of arable soils with sewage sludge, biosolids, or livestock manure reduces extensive application of synthetic fertilizers. However, both practices lead to the introduction of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) in arable soil, known to host a wide range of living organisms, including microorganisms which are supporting numerous ecosystem services. In soils, the fate of PhACs is governed by different abiotic and biotic processes. Among them, soil sorption and microbial transformation are the most important ones and determine the fate, occurrence, and dispersion of PhACs into the different compartments of the environment. The presence of PhACs in soils can compromise the abundance, diversity, and activity of the soil microbial community which is one of the key players in a range of soil ecosystem services. This chapter reviews the current knowledge of the effects of PhACs, commonly found in wastewater effluents and derived organic fertilizers, on the soil microbial community