The magnitude of the variation in glycemia: a new parameter for risk assessment in acute coronary syndrome?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aim was to evaluate the relationship between the magnitude of the variation in the level of glycemia during hospitalization and in-hospital and long-term mortality and postdischarge endpoints in two groups of patients with acute coronary syndrome: those with and those without a previous diagnosis of diabetes. METHODS: The study included 1210 patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome between May 2004 and July 2007. The study population was divided in two subgroups: patients with a previous diagnosis of diabetes (n=386) and nondiabetics (n=824). Each subgroup was further divided into four smaller groups according to the quartile of glycemia variation: diabetics (Q1: or=164 mg/dl) and nondiabetics (Q1: or=60 mg/dl). Patients were followed up for an average of 18 months after the occurrence of the acute coronary syndrome. RESULTS: In diabetic patients, there was no relationship between the magnitude of the glycemia variation and in-hospital or postdischarge endpoints. In nondiabetics, no significant difference was observed in in-hospital mortality or morbidity, but statistically significant clinical differences were found during follow-up. Multivariate regression analysis showed that Q4 versus Q1, age >or=70 years, and previous antiplatelet or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy were independent predictors of postdischarge endpoints in the nondiabetic group. CONCLUSIONS: In nondiabetic acute coronary syndrome patients, the magnitude of the variation in glycemia observed during hospitalization was a strong independent predictor of postdischarge clinical endpoints

Spin configurations in hard-soft coupled bilayer systems: from rigid magnet to exchange spring transitions

We investigate equilibrium properties of an exchange-spring magnetic system constituted of a soft layer (e.g. Fe) of a given thickness on top of a hard magnetic layer (e.g. FePt). The magnetization profile M(z) as a function of the atomic position ranging from the bottom of the hard layer to the top of the soft layer is obtained in two cases with regard to the hard layer: i) in the case of a rigid interface (the FePt layer is a single layer), the profile is obtained analytically as the exact solution of a sine-Gordon equation with Cauchy's boundary conditions. Additional numerical simulations also confirm this result. Asymptotic expressions of M(z) show a linear behavior near the bottom and the top of the soft layer. In addition, a critical value of the number of atomic planes in the soft layer, that is necessary for the onset of spin deviations, is obtained in terms of the anisotropy and exchange coupling between the adjacent plane in the soft layer. ii) in the case of a relaxed interface (the FePt layer is a multilayer), the magnetization profile is obtained numerically for various Fe and FePt films thicknesses and applied field.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, PRB submitted (12-07-2010

Does solar structure vary with solar magnetic activity?

We present evidence that solar structure changes with changes in solar activity. We find that the adiabatic index, Gamma_1, changes near the second helium ionization, i.e., at a depth of about 0.98 R_sun. We believe that this change is a result of the change in the effective equation of state caused by magnetic fields. Inversions should be able to detect the changes in Gamma_1 if mode sets with reliable and precise high-degree modes are available.Comment: To appear in ApJ Letter

Comparisons for Esta-Task3: Cles and Cesam

We present the results of comparing three different implementations of the microscopic diffusion process in the stellar evolution codes CESAM and CLES. For each of these implementations we computed models of 1.0, 1.2 and 1.3 M$_{\odot}$. We analyse the differences in their internal structure at three selected evolutionary stages, as well as the variations of helium abundance and depth of the stellar convective envelope. The origin of these differences and their effects on the seismic properties of the models are also considered.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, Joint HELAS and CoRoT/ESTA Workshop on Solar/Stellar Models and Seismic Analysis Tools, Novembre, Porto 2007 To be published in EAS Publications Serie

Injúria ao milho Bt Cry1Ab causada por populações de Spodoptera frugiperda previamente expostas à toxina.

Resumo

Análise multitemporal da Área de Proteção Ambiental de Belém e Parque Ambiental de Belém.

Mesmo com mecanismos legais que amparam legalmente as unidades de proteção, ainda assim, as restrições que a legislação, vigente desde julho do ano 2000, impõe através do Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação SNUC, é notável a ameaça aos reservatórios de abastecimento de água do Parque Ambiental de Belém, assim como aos recursos florestais da Área de Proteção Ambiental, devido a intensa pressão exercida no entorno e no interior das unidades por meio de habitações clandestinas e atividades ilegais. Contudo, fez-se necessário a utilização de técnicas e produtos do sensoriamento remoto para que fosse possível a identificação, entre os anos de 1984 a 2008, dos efeitos da pressão urbana sobre os recursos ambientais das unidades supracitadas