Intraobserver reproducibility of parameters of standard and 2D speckle tracking echocardiography, dynamics of global longitudinal strain I in patients with acute primary anterior STEMI

The aim of this study was to assess the intraobserver reproducibility of parameters of standard and 2 dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography, dynamics of global longitudinal strain in patients with acute primary anterior STEMI. The study included 24 patients, mean age 58.46±10.2. Echocardiography with 2D speckle tracking imaging was performed on the 1st (T1), 7th (T2), 14th days (T3) after STEMI («Vivid E9»). Analysis of echocardiographic images was performed offline at the different periods by the two independent observers (EchoPac) – experienced and inexperienced. In order to assess the agreement between standard and 2D speckle tracking echocardiography, a correlation analysis (Pearson correlation, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient) and Bland-Altman analysis were undertaken. The 23 patients had urgent reperfusion therapy, 6 patients underwent primary PCI, 16 patients – PCI after successful fibrinolysis (68%). GLS and WMSI had the best intraobsever reproducibility. Dynamics of EDV LV, ESV LV, EF LV was without significant differences. Nevertheless, it was found positive dynamic of GLS: – 12.65±3.53 (T1), -13.61±3.81 (T2), –14.27±4.1 (T3), p<0.05. GLS reduced 11.35% (p=0.0048) from T1 to T3. The best intraobserver reproducibility of parameters of 2 D speckle-tracking and standard echocardiography was revealed in GLS and WMSI. The modern management of STEMI patients limits adverse postinfarction remodeling and preserves of global left ventricular contractility detected by the EF LV. However, GLS had the positive dynamics and improved to the 14th day

Soil Water Characteristics of European SoilTrEC Critical Zone Observatories

Most of soil functions depend directly or indirectly on soil water retention and transmission, which explains their importance for many environmental processes within Earth's Critical Zones. Soil hydraulic properties are essential in irrigation and drainage studies for closing water balance equation, for predicting leaching of nutrients, for water supply to plants, and for other agronomical and environmental applications. Soil hydraulic properties reflect the structure of the soil porous system comprising pores of different geometry and sizes. This investigation comprises a detailed analytical study of soil hydraulic properties and climate conditions at 18 methodologically selected sites in Damma Glacier, Slavkov Forest, Marchfeld, and Koiliaris Critical Zone Observatories of SoilTrEC project. The local moisture regimes were assessed on a long-term basis by the Newhall model. The experimental data for soil water content at different potentials were used for assessing water storage capacity, pore size distribution, parameters of fitted retention curve equation, curve slope at the inflection point, and water permeability characteristics of each soil horizon. The differences of soil water retention and transmission characteristics-as fundamental properties describing soil structure-were explained by the different stages of soil profile development, parent materials, organic matter content, and land use histories

Hypertension control during the COVID-19 pandemic: results of the MMM2021 in Russia

Repetitive quarantines and social restrictions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have negatively affected the population health in general, and the control of hypertension (HTN) in particular.Aim. To evaluate the control of HTN in the Russian population during the COVID-19 period based on the results of screening for HTN May Measurement Month 2021 (MMM2021).Material and methods. During May-August 2021, 2491 participants from 11 Russian regions took part in the screening. Participation was voluntary without restrictions on sex. All participants were over 18 years of age. During the screening, blood pressure (BP) was measured three times using automatic and mechanical BP monitors. In addition, a questionnaire was filled out on behavioral risk factors, comorbidities and therapy. HTN was diagnosed with systolic BP ≥140 mmHg and/ or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg and/or taking antihypertensive therapy. The questionnaire included questions about prior COVID-19, vaccinations and their impact on the intake of antihypertensive drugs.Results. The analysis included data from 2461 respondents aged 18 to 92, of which 963 were men (39,1%). The proportion of hypertensive patients was 41,0%, while among them 59,0% took antihypertensives and 30,9% were effectively treated. In comparison with pre-pandemic period according to MMM2018-2019, the higher proportion of HTN patients in the Russian sample was revealed during MMM2021 (41,0% vs 31,3%, p&lt;0,001) with a comparable proportion of patients receiving antihypertensive therapy (60,7% vs 59,0%, p=0,05) and treatment efficacy (28,7% vs 30,9%, p=0,36). Monotherapy was received in 44,7% of cases, while dual and triple combination therapy — in 30,9% and 14,1%, respectively. The majority of respondents (~90%) did not adjust their antihypertensive therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic.Conclusion. According to HTN screening in Russia, there is persistent ineffective control of HTN, which may be due to both the worsening pattern of behavioral risk factors, limited access to healthcare during COVID-19, and the inertia of physicians and low adherence of patients due to the asymptomatic HTN course in the majority

CERES model application to assess nitrogen leaching in wheat ecosystem

International audienc

Role of macrophages in cardiorenal syndrome development in patients with myocardial infarction

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) underlies the development and progression of renal and heart failure. Along with the well-known mechanisms of CRS development based on reninangiotensin system activation, kidney-heart macrophage axis may be one of the key cellular components of CRS. Continuous sympathetic stimulation of collecting duct system cells under ischemia activates the macrophage link of the kidneys, which contributes to cardiac macrophages' polarization and leads to the development of adaptive myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. This review article summarizes current data on interaction of macrophages in the kidney-heart axis, which can be considered as the cellular basis for CRS development in patients with MI. The translation of experimental data on the participation of innate immune system on CRS model in humans will make it possible to find new ways to prevent and suppress acute kidney injury in patients with MI

Physical parameters of Fluvisols on flooded and non-flooded terraces

The heterogeneity of soil physical properties of Fluvisols, lack of large pristine areas, and different moisture regimes on non-flooded and flooded terraces impede the possibility to find a soil profile which can serve as a baseline for estimating the impact of natural or anthropogenic factors on soil evolution. The aim of this study is to compare the pore size distribution of pristine Fluvisols on flooded and non-flooded terraces using the method of the soil water retention curve, mercury intrusion porosimetry, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, and water vapour sorption. The pore size distribution of humic horizons of pristine Fluvisols on the non-flooded terrace differs from pore size distribution of Fluvisols on the flooded terrace. The peaks of textural and structural pores are higher in the humic horizons under more humid conditions. The structural characteristics of subsoil horizons depend on soil texture and evolution stage. The peaks of textural pores at about 1 mm diminish with lowering of the soil organic content. Structureless horizons are characterized by uni-modal pore size distribution. Although the content of structural pores of the subsoil horizons of Fluvisols on the non-flooded terrace is low, these pores are represented by biopores, as the coefficient of filtration is moderately high. The difference between non-flooded and flooded profiles is well expressed by the available water storage, volume and mean radius of pores, obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry and water desorption, which are higher in the surface horizons of frequently flooded Fluvisols

CERES-Wheat model calibration/validation and use for risk assessment of impact of fertilisers in Bulgaria

International audienc

Intraobserver reproducibility of parameters of standard and 2D speckle tracking echocardiography, dynamics of global longitudinal strain I in patients with acute primary anterior STEMI

The aim of this study was to assess the intraobserver reproducibility of parameters of standard and 2 dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography, dynamics of global longitudinal strain in patients with acute primary anterior STEMI. The study included 24 patients, mean age 58.46±10.2. Echocardiography with 2D speckle tracking imaging was performed on the 1st (T1), 7th (T2), 14th days (T3) after STEMI («Vivid E9»). Analysis of echocardiographic images was performed offline at the different periods by the two independent observers (EchoPac) – experienced and inexperienced. In order to assess the agreement between standard and 2D speckle tracking echocardiography, a correlation analysis (Pearson correlation, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient) and Bland-Altman analysis were undertaken. The 23 patients had urgent reperfusion therapy, 6 patients underwent primary PCI, 16 patients – PCI after successful fibrinolysis (68%). GLS and WMSI had the best intraobsever reproducibility. Dynamics of EDV LV, ESV LV, EF LV was without significant differences. Nevertheless, it was found positive dynamic of GLS: – 12.65±3.53 (T1), -13.61±3.81 (T2), –14.27±4.1 (T3), p<0.05. GLS reduced 11.35% (p=0.0048) from T1 to T3. The best intraobserver reproducibility of parameters of 2 D speckle-tracking and standard echocardiography was revealed in GLS and WMSI. The modern management of STEMI patients limits adverse postinfarction remodeling and preserves of global left ventricular contractility detected by the EF LV. However, GLS had the positive dynamics and improved to the 14th day

Calibration and validation of CERES model of wheat ecosystems located in Sofia region

International audienc