Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome, Endothelial Function and Markers of Endothelialization. Changes after CPAP

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This study tries to assess the endothelial function in vivo using flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and several biomarkers of endothelium formation/restoration and damage in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome at baseline and after three months with CPAP therapy. DESIGN: Observational study, before and after CPAP therapy. SETTING AND PATIENTS: We studied 30 patients with apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) >15/h that were compared with themselves after three months of CPAP therapy. FMD was assessed non-invasively in vivo using the Laser-Doppler flowmetry. Circulating cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) and microparticles (MPs) were measured as markers of endothelial damage and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was determined as a marker of endothelial restoration process. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: After three month with CPAP, FMD significantly increased (1072.26 ± 483.21 vs. 1604.38 ± 915.69 PU, p< 0.005) cf-DNA and MPs significantly decreased (187.93 ± 115.81 vs. 121.28 ± 78.98 pg/ml, p<0.01, and 69.60 ± 62.60 vs. 39.82 ± 22.14 U/μL, p<0.05, respectively) and VEGF levels increased (585.02 ± 246.06 vs. 641.11 ± 212.69 pg/ml, p<0.05). These changes were higher in patients with more severe disease. There was a relationship between markers of damage (r = -0.53, p<0.005) but not between markers of damage and restoration, thus suggesting that both types of markers should be measured together. CONCLUSIONS: CPAP therapy improves FMD. This improvement may be related to an increase of endothelial restoration process and a decrease of endothelial damage

Contribución a la peligrosidad sísmica de las fallas activas de la zona intraplaca de Iberia: la Falla Alentejo-Plasencia

We present the earthquake potential characterisation of the Alentejo-Plasencia Fault (APF) in the intraplate area of the Iberian Peninsula. The APF displays clear deformation of geomorphic surfaces and sediments of Neogene and younger age and, thus, we consider it to be active within the current tectonic regime. APF fault slip rate values range from 0.01 to 0.1 mm/yr with a preferred value of 0.05 mm/yr. Mw associated to fault rupture ranges from 6.6 to 8.7 using different segmentation models (segments ranging from 20 to 500 km) and various fault scaling relationships. Recurrence intervals derived from slip rate and Mw range from 10 ka to 4 Ma, with preferred values between 20 and 30 ka. Other faults in the interior of Iberia present similar values. Hazard curves produced using all fault sources from the intraplate Iberia show that active faults of the intraplate Iberia do not contribute significantly to seismic hazard at short return periods typical of the building codes (~ 500 year return periods). However, they can be important contributors to hazard at critical facilities (high hazard dams, nuclear power plants, emergency response buildings) where return periods of interest may be 10,000 years or more. Our fault source characterisation is very preliminary (with large uncertainties) and further detailed studies of active faults across the whole plate boundary are required to confirm the values for the intraplate faults presented here.En este trabajo se presenta la caracterización del potencial sísmico de la falla Alentejo-Plasencia (APF) situada en la región intraplaca de la Península Ibérica. La APF muestra una clara deformación de superficies geomorfológicas y sedimentos de edad neógena y más reciente, de modo que la consideramos una falla activa dentro del régimen tectónico vigente. Los valores de velocidad de movimiento de la APF van de 0.01 a 0.1 mm/yr con un valor preferido de 0.05 mm/yr. El valor de magnitud Mw asociada a la falla oscila entre 6.6 y 8.7 utilizando diferentes modelos de segmentación (con longitudes de segmento que van de 20 a 500 km) y varias relaciones de escala. Los intervalos de recurrencia derivados de la velocidad de movimiento y de la Mw oscilan de 10 Ka a 4 Ma, estando los valores preferidos entre los 20 Ka y los 30 Ka. Otras fallas en el interior de Iberia presentan valores similares. Las curvas de peligrosidad generadas utilizando todas las fallas-fuente de la zona intraplaca de Iberia muestran que las fallas activas de esta zona no contribuyen de forma significativa a la peligrosidad sísmica para los cortos periodos de retorno generalmente considerados en los códigos de construcción (para períodos de retorno de ~ 500 años). Sin embargo, dichas fallas pueden contribuir de modo importante a la peligrosidad sísmica para instalaciones críticas (presas de elevado riesgo, centrales nucleares, edificios de servicios de emergencia) donde los periodos de retorno de interés pueden ser de 10.000 años o más. Nuestra caracterización de la falla como fuente sismogénica es muy preliminar (presenta importantes incertidumbres) y se requieren estudios detallados adicionales de las fallas activas a lo largo de todo el límite de placa para confirmar los valores de las fallas intraplaca presentados aquí

Saturation of coupling of collective levels in optical model calculations of even-even actinides

Saturation of the coupling-scheme is studied in dispersive optical model calculations of nucleon induced reactions on 238U target. Recently derived potential that is based on a soft-rotator-model (SRM) description of the collective levels of the target nucleus with volume conservation is used. It is show that calculated direct excitation cross sections of all considered non-GS bands levels are larger than the 4+ GS band level excitation, and can't be ignored in coupled-channel calculations. SRM couplings of 21 levels constitute a saturated coupling scheme that allows a precise calculation of the compound-nucleus (CN) formation cross sections up to several MeV

On the synergy of nuclear data for fusion and model assumptions

A deuteron breakup (BU) parametrization is involved within the BU analysis of recently measured reaction-in-flight (RIF) neutron time-of-flight spectrum, while open questions underlined previously on related fast-neutron induced reaction on Zr isotopes are also addressed in a consistent way, at once with the use of a recent optical potential for α-particles to understand the large discrepancy between the measured and calculated cross sections of the 94Zr(n,α)91Sr reaction. Thus the synergy between the above-mentioned three distinct subjects may finally lead to smaller uncertainties of the nuclear data for fusion while the RIF neutron spectra may also be used to support nuclear model assumptions

Measurement of the (90,91,92,93,94,96)Zr(n,gamma) and (139)La(n,gamma) cross sections at n_TOF

Open AccessNeutron capture cross sections of Zr and La isotopes have important implications in the field of nuclear astrophysics as well as in the nuclear technology. In particular the Zr isotopes play a key role for the determination of the neutron density in the He burning zone of the Red Giant star, while the (139)La is important to monitor the s-process abundances from Ba up to Ph. Zr is also largely used as structural materials of traditional and advanced nuclear reactors. The nuclear resonance parameters and the cross section of (90,91,92,93,94,96)Zr and (139)La have been measured at the n_TOF facility at CERN. Based on these data the capture resonance strength and the Maxwellian-averaged cross section were calculated

Measurement of the neutron capture cross section of the s-only isotope 204Pb from 1 eV to 440 keV

The neutron capture cross section of 204Pb has been measured at the CERN n_TOF installation with high resolution in the energy range from 1 eV to 440 keV. An R-matrix analysis of the resolved resonance region, between 1 eV and 100 keV, was carried out using the SAMMY code. In the interval between 100 keV and 440 keV we report the average capture cross section. The background in the entire neutron energy range could be reliably determined from the measurement of a 208Pb sample. Other systematic effects in this measurement could be investigated and precisely corrected by means of detailed Monte Carlo simulations. We obtain a Maxwellian average capture cross section for 204Pb at kT=30 keV of 79(3) mb, in agreement with previous experiments. However our cross section at kT=5 keV is about 35% larger than the values reported so far. The implications of the new cross section for the s-process abundance contributions in the Pb/Bi region are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, article submitted to Phys. Rev.