Comparison of frequency of calcified versus non-calcified coronary lesions by computed tomographic angiography in patients with stable versus unstable angina pectoris.

Item does not contain fulltextComputed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) can noninvasively identify calcified and noncalcified coronary plaques. The aim of this study was to compare the phenotypes of all plaques and of culprit plaques between patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and those with stable angina pectoris (SAP), because plaque characteristics may differ between these patients. In 110 patients with UAP and 189 with SAP from a multicenter study comparing 64-slice CTCA with conventional coronary angiography, the number and phenotypes (noncalcified, mixed, and calcified) of coronary plaques were compared. In a subanalysis in 50 patients with UAP and 64 with SAP, culprit plaque characteristics, including culprit plaque cross-sectional area relative to total vessel cross-sectional area, culprit plaque length, remodeling index, and spotty calcification, were determined. Odds ratios for the presence of UAP, adjusted for clinical variables and the total number of plaques, were calculated for plaque characteristics on CTCA. Although the number of plaques was similar for patients with UAP and those with SAP, plaques in patients with UAP were more frequently noncalcified than in patients with SAP. The odds ratio for UAP was 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1 to 1.5) per noncalcified plaque. In the culprit plaque subanalysis, odds ratios for UAP were 0.99 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.01) per millimeter culprit plaque length, 2.7 (95% CI 1.2 to 6.4) for noncalcified culprit plaque, and 1.06 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.13) per percentage relative culprit plaque cross-sectional area. No significant relation was found between remodeling index or spotty calcification and UAP. In conclusion, noncalcified plaques and large noncalcified culprit plaques are more frequently found in patients with UAP than in those with SAP

Manufacturing ignorance: think tanks, climate change and the animal-based diet

Despite the evidence concerning the substantial greenhouse gases emissions resulting from animal-based food production, climate policies and institutions around the world have barely made an issue of this link until very recently. To better understand this lack of attention, we focus on the discursive role of think tanks as prominent but under researched actors attempting to shape public policy. This contribution examines whether European think tanks have discussed animal-based diets regarding climate change policies and mitigation actions. We conduct a frame analysis study of 110 European think tanks, encoding all their available online output in English related to the link between global heating and animal-based food. We conclude that European think tanks have contributed to a manufacturing of ignorance regarding the impact our dietary choices have on the climate. Ideological reasons related to economic, anthropocentric and patriarchal worldviews explain this role.This work was supported by the Spanish State Research Agency (Agencia Estatal de Investigación, AEI) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under grant CSO2016-78421-R; and by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities under Grant FPU18/04207