A spatially explicit and quantitative vulnerability assessment of ecosystem service change in Europe

Environmental change alters ecosystem functioning and may put the provision of services to human at risk. This paper presents a spatially explicit and quantitative assessment of the corresponding vulnerability for Europe, using a new framework designed to answer multidisciplinary policy relevant questions about the vulnerability of the human-environment system to global change. Scenarios were constructed for a range of possible changes in socio-economic trends, land uses and climate. These scenarios were used as inputs in a range of ecosystem models in order to assess the response of ecosystem function as well as the changes in the services they provide. The framework was used to relate the impacts of changing ecosystem service provision for four sectors in relation to each other, and to combine them with a simple, but generic index for societal adaptive capacity. By allowing analysis of different sectors, regions and development pathways, the vulnerability assessment provides a basis for discussion between stakeholders and policymakers about sustainable management of Europe¿s natural resource

Association between Lifelong Physical Activity and Disease Characteristics in HCM

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Nonorientable spacetime tunneling

Misner space is generalized to have the nonorientable topology of a Klein bottle, and it is shown that in a classical spacetime with multiply connected space slices having such a topology, closed timelike curves are formed. Different regions on the Klein bottle surface can be distinguished which are separated by apparent horizons fixed at particular values of the two angular variables that eneter the metric. Around the throat of this tunnel (which we denote a Klein bottlehole), the position of these horizons dictates an ordinary and exotic matter distribution such that, in addition to the known diverging lensing action of wormholes, a converging lensing action is also present at the mouths. Associated with this matter distribution, the accelerating version of this Klein bottlehole shows four distinct chronology horizons, each with its own nonchronal region. A calculation of the quantum vacuum fluctuations performed by using the regularized two-point Hadamard function shows that each chronology horizon nests a set of polarized hypersurfaces where the renormalized momentum-energy tensor diverges. This quantum instability can be prevented if we take the accelerating Klein bottlehole to be a generalization of a modified Misner space in which the period of the closed spatial direction is time-dependent. In this case, the nonchronal regions and closed timelike curves cannot exceed a minimum size of the order the Planck scale.Comment: 11 pages, RevTex, Accepted in Phys. Rev.

Increased end-expiratory pressures improve lung function in near-term newborn rabbits with elevated airway liquid volume at birth

Approximately 53% of near-term newborns admitted to intensive care experience respiratory distress. These newborns are commonly delivered by cesarean section and have elevated airway liquid volumes at birth, which can cause respiratory morbidity. We investigated the effect of providing respiratory support with a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 8 cmH(2)O on lung function in newborn rabbit kittens with elevated airway liquid volumes at birth. Near-term rabbits (30 days; term = 32 days) with airway liquid volumes that corresponded to vaginal delivery (similar to 7 mL/kg, control, n = 11) or cesarean section (similar to 37 mL/kg; elevated liquid (EL), n = 11] were mechanically ventilated (tidal volume= 8 mL/kg). The PEEP was changed after lung aeration from 0 to 8 to 0 cmH(2)O (control, n = 6; EL, n = 6), and in a separate group of kittens, PEEP was changed after lung aeration from 8 to 0 to 8 cmH(2)O (control, n = 5; EL, n = 5). Lung function (ventilator parameters, compliance, lung gas volumes, and distribution of gas within the lung) was evaluated using plethysmography and synchrotron-based phase-contrast X-ray imaging. EL kittens initially receiving 0 cmH(2)O PEEP had reduced functional residual capacities and lung compliance, requiring higher inflation pressures to aerate the lung compared with control kittens. Commencing ventilation with 8 cmH(2)O PEEP mitigated the adverse effects of EL, increasing lung compliance, functional residual capacity, and the uniformity and distribution of lung aeration, but did not normalize aeration of the distal airways. Respiratory support with PEEP supports lung function in near-term newborn rabbits with elevated airway liquid volumes at birth who are at a greater risk of suffering respiratory distress.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Term babies born by cesarean section have elevated airway liquid volumes, which predisposes them to respiratory distress. Treatments targeting molecular mechanisms to clear lung liquid are ineffective for term newborn respiratory distress. We showed that respiratory support with an end-expiratory pressure supports lung function in near-term rabbits with elevated airway liquid volumes at birth. This study provides further physiological understanding of lung function in newborns with elevated airway liquid volumes at risk of respiratory distress.Developmen

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy Diagnostic Task Force Criteria Impact of New Task Force Criteria

Background-Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) Diagnostic Task Force Criteria (TFC) proposed in 1994 are highly specific but lack sensitivity. A new international task force modified criteria to improve diagnostic yield. A comparison of diagnosis by 1994 TFC versus newly proposed criteria in 3 patient groups was conducted. Methods and Results-In new TFC, scoring by major and minor criteria is maintained. Structural abnormalities are quantified and TFC highly specific for ARVD/C upgraded to major. Furthermore, new criteria are added: terminal activation duration of QRS ≥55 ms, ventricular tachycardia with left bundle-branch block morphology and superior axis, and genetic criteria. Three groups were studied: (1) 105 patients with proven ARVD/C according to 1994 TFC, (2) 89 of their family members, and (3) 39 patients with probable ARVD/C (ie, 3 points by 1994 TFC). All were screened for pathogenic mutations in desmosomal genes. Three ARVD/C patients did not meet the new sharpened criteria on structural abnormalities and thereby did not fulfill new TFC. In 62 of 105 patients with proven ARVD/C, mutations were found: 58 in the gene encoding Plakophilin2 (PKP2), 3 in Desmoglein2, 3 in Desmocollin2, and 1 in Desmoplakin. Three patients had bigenic involvement. Ten additional relatives (11%) fulfilled new TFC: 9 (90%) were female, and all carried PKP2 mutations. No rel

Elastic electron deuteron scattering with consistent meson exchange and relativistic contributions of leading order

The influence of relativistic contributions to elastic electron deuteron scattering is studied systematically at low and intermediate momentum transfers ($Q^2\leq 30$ fm$^{-2}$). In a $(p/M)$-expansion, all leading order relativistic $\pi$-exchange contributions consistent with the Bonn OBEPQ models are included. In addition, static heavy meson exchange currents including boost terms and lowest order $\rho\pi\gamma$-currents are considered. Sizeable effects from the various relativistic two-body contributions, mainly from $\pi$-exchange, have been found in form factors, structure functions and the tensor polarization $T_{20}$. Furthermore, static properties, viz. magnetic dipole and charge quadrupole moments and the mean square charge radius are evaluated.Comment: 15 pages Latex including 5 figures, final version accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.C Details of changes: (i) The notation of the curves in Figs. 1 and 2 have been clarified with respect to left and right panels. (ii) In Figs. 3 and 4 an experimental point for T_20 has been added and a corresponding reference [48] (iii) At the end of the text we have added a paragraph concerning the quality of the Bonn OBEPQ potential

Exercise and myocardial injury in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Objective: Troponin and high signal intensity on T2-weighted (HighT2) cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMRi) are both markers of myocardial injury in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The interplay between exercise and disease development remains uncertain in HCM. We sought to assess the occurrence of postexercise troponin rises and its determinants. Methods: Multicentre project on patients with HCM and mutation carriers without hypertrophy (controls). Participants performed a symptom limited bicycle test with hs-cTnT assessment pre-exercise and 6 hours postexercise. Pre-exercise CMRi was performed in patients with HCM to assess measures of hypertrophy and myocardial injury. Depending on baseline troponin (13 ng/L), a rise was defined as a >50% or >20% increase, respectively. Results: Troponin rises occurred in 18% (23/127) of patients with HCM and 4% (2/53) in mutation carriers (p=0.01). Comparing patients with HCM with and without a postexercise troponin rise, maximum heart rates (157±19 vs 143±23, p=0.004) and maximal wall thickness (20 mm vs 17 mm, p=0.023) were higher in the former, as was the presence of late gadolinium enhancement (85% vs 57%, p=0.02). HighT2 was seen in 65% (13/20) and 19% (15/79), respectively (p<0.001). HighT2 was the only independent predictor of troponin rise (adjusted odds ratio 7.9; 95% CI 2.7 to 23.3; p<0.001). Conclusions: Postexercise troponin rises were seen in about 20% of patients with HCM, almost five times more frequent than in mutation carriers. HighT2 on CMRi may identify a group of particularly vulnerable patients, supporting the concept that HighT2 reflects an active disease state, prone to additional injury after a short episode of high oxygen demand