A chemical survey of exoplanets with ARIEL

Thousands of exoplanets have now been discovered with a huge range of masses, sizes and orbits: from rocky Earth-like planets to large gas giants grazing the surface of their host star. However, the essential nature of these exoplanets remains largely mysterious: there is no known, discernible pattern linking the presence, size, or orbital parameters of a planet to the nature of its parent star. We have little idea whether the chemistry of a planet is linked to its formation environment, or whether the type of host star drives the physics and chemistry of the planet’s birth, and evolution. ARIEL was conceived to observe a large number (~1000) of transiting planets for statistical understanding, including gas giants, Neptunes, super-Earths and Earth-size planets around a range of host star types using transit spectroscopy in the 1.25–7.8 μm spectral range and multiple narrow-band photometry in the optical. ARIEL will focus on warm and hot planets to take advantage of their well-mixed atmospheres which should show minimal condensation and sequestration of high-Z materials compared to their colder Solar System siblings. Said warm and hot atmospheres are expected to be more representative of the planetary bulk composition. Observations of these warm/hot exoplanets, and in particular of their elemental composition (especially C, O, N, S, Si), will allow the understanding of the early stages of planetary and atmospheric formation during the nebular phase and the following few million years. ARIEL will thus provide a representative picture of the chemical nature of the exoplanets and relate this directly to the type and chemical environment of the host star. ARIEL is designed as a dedicated survey mission for combined-light spectroscopy, capable of observing a large and well-defined planet sample within its 4-year mission lifetime. Transit, eclipse and phase-curve spectroscopy methods, whereby the signal from the star and planet are differentiated using knowledge of the planetary ephemerides, allow us to measure atmospheric signals from the planet at levels of 10–100 part per million (ppm) relative to the star and, given the bright nature of targets, also allows more sophisticated techniques, such as eclipse mapping, to give a deeper insight into the nature of the atmosphere. These types of observations require a stable payload and satellite platform with broad, instantaneous wavelength coverage to detect many molecular species, probe the thermal structure, identify clouds and monitor the stellar activity. The wavelength range proposed covers all the expected major atmospheric gases from e.g. H2O, CO2, CH4 NH3, HCN, H2S through to the more exotic metallic compounds, such as TiO, VO, and condensed species. Simulations of ARIEL performance in conducting exoplanet surveys have been performed – using conservative estimates of mission performance and a full model of all significant noise sources in the measurement – using a list of potential ARIEL targets that incorporates the latest available exoplanet statistics. The conclusion at the end of the Phase A study, is that ARIEL – in line with the stated mission objectives – will be able to observe about 1000 exoplanets depending on the details of the adopted survey strategy, thus confirming the feasibility of the main science objectives.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

Etude de la fonction ventriculaire droite (apport de l'imagerie de déformation myocardique et impact d'une stimulation ventriculaire droite)

MONTPELLIER-BU Médecine UPM (341722108) / SudocMONTPELLIER-BU Médecine (341722104) / SudocSudocFranceF

Recanalized Coronary Thrombus Role of OCT in Identifying a Slow-Evolving and Underestimated Coronary Lesion

Pathological studies have revealed spontaneous recanalized coronary thrombi as a frequent evolution of coronary occlusions; however, they are poorly recognized on coronary angiography, and the optimal therapeutic strategy for clinical evolution is unknown. We report the role of optical coherence tomography in identifying a recanalized coronary thrombus causing myocardial ischemia after 11 years of follow-up. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.

Chronic Small Cortical Cerebellar Infarctions on MRI are Associated with Patent Foramen Ovale in Young Cryptogenic Stroke

International audienceBackground: In acute infarction patients, small cortical cerebellar infarctions (SCCI) on MRI (assessed on diffusion-weighted imaging, with SCCI often chronic and asymptomatic) are associated with acute cardioembolic infarction. In young cryptogenic stroke patients, patent foramen ovale (PFO) is thought to be a potential source of cardioembolic infarction. We hypothesize that SCCI on MRI would be associated with PFO in young cryptogenic stroke patients. Methods: A total of 321 consecutive young (≤50 years) stroke patients admitted between January 2015 and July 2019 were screened. Of these patients, 287 patients had diagnostic work-up including early-phase MRI, intra- and extracranial vessel imaging, contrast transoesophageal or contrast transthoracic echocardiography, and ≥24 h ECG-monitoring. We retrospectively analyzed MRI scans of the 112 patients with cryptogenic stroke, including 63 with and 49 without PFO. Between both groups, we compared baseline characteristics (including cardiovascular risk factors and history of stroke), MRI characteristics of acute symptomatic infarction (cortical/subcortical localization, arterial territory, lesion number, and lesion size in case of subcortical infarction), atrial septum aneurysm (ASA) presence, and acute and chronic SCCI and non-SCCI lesions assessed on diffusion-weighted imaging. Results: Groups with and without PFO were comparable in regard to performed vessel imaging and echocardiography modalities, baseline characteristics, and acute infarction characteristics, except for more frequent current smoking (67 vs. 44%, p = 0.022) and multiterritorial infarction (14 vs. 0%, p = 0.0024) and less frequent ASA (10 vs. 48%, p 6 in 76% of patients with PFO. SCCI was more frequent in patients with than without PFO (33 vs. 10%, p = 0.0061; OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.5–12.7), with chronic and asymptomatic SCCI in the vast majority of cases. No difference was observed for non-SCCI lesions. Conclusions: Chronic SCCI are strongly associated with PFO in young cryptogenic stroke patients. Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT04043559

Genetic inferences about the population dynamics of codling moth females at a local scale

Estimation of demographic parameters is important for understanding the functioning of natural populations and the underlying ecological and evolutionary processes that may impact their dynamics. Here, we used sibship assignment methods to estimate the local dynamics of codling moth females in eight orchards in a 90-ha domain near Valence, France. Based on full-sib inference among 1,063 genotyped moths, we estimated i) the effective number of females that had offspring, ii) their fertility and iii) the distribution of their oviposition sites within and among orchards. The average number of females in all the orchards increased between the first (~130) and the second (~235) annual generations. The average fertilities of the females were similar at each generation according to the host plant considered (apple, pear, or walnut), but differed between commercial (~10) and non-treated (~25) apple orchards. Females mainly clustered their eggs on contiguous trees along orchard borders, but they also occasionally dispersed their eggs among different orchards independently of the cultivated host plants or the inter-orchard distances (up to 698 m) during the second annual generation. The mean distance between two oviposition sites was 30 m. Sibship estimates of both the effective number of females and the inter-orchard migration rates (~5%) were in agreement with the observed genetic differentiation among the eight orchards (0.00

PRADOC: a trial on the efficiency of a transition care management plan for hospitalized patients with heart failure in France

International audienceAims: Transition care programmes are designed to improve coordination of care between hospital and home. For heart failure patients, meta-analyses show a high efficacy but with moderate evidence level. Moreover, difficulties for implementation of such programmes limit their extrapolation.Methods and results: We designed a mixed-method study to assess the implementation of the PRADO-IC, a nationwide transition programme that aims to be offered to every patient with heart failure in France. This programme consists essentially in an administrative assistance to schedule follow-up visits and in a nurse follow-up during 2 to 6 months and aims to reduce the annual heart failure readmission rate by 30%. This study assessed three quantitative aims: the cost to avoid a readmission for heart failure within 1 year (primary aim, intended sample size 404 patients), clinical care pathways, and system economic outcomes; and two qualitative aims: perceived problems and benefits of the PRADO-IC. All analyses will be gathered at the end of study for a joint interpretation. Strengths of this study design are the randomized controlled design, the population included in six centres with low motivation bias, the primary efficiency analysis, the secondary efficacy analyses on care pathway and clinical outcomes, and the joint qualitative analysis. Limits are the heterogeneity of centres and of intervention in a control group and parallel development of other new therapeutic interventions in this field.Conclusions: The results of this study may help decision-makers to support an administratively managed transition programme

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: from pathophysiology to practical issues.

International audienceThe prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in heart failure (HF) preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients could reach 50%. Therefore, NAFLD is considered an emerging risk factor. In 20% of NAFLD patients, the condition progresses to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the aggressive form of NAFLD characterized by the development of fibrosis in the liver, leading to cirrhosis. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the relationships between NAFLD and HFpEF and to discuss its impact in clinical setting. Based on international reports published during the past decade, there is growing evidence that NAFLD is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases, including impaired cardiac structure and function, arterial hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, and early carotid atherosclerosis. NAFLD and HFpEF share common risk factors, co-morbidities, and cardiac outcomes, in favour of a pathophysiological continuum. Currently, NAFLD and NASH are principally managed with non-specific therapies targeting insulin resistance like sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors and liraglutide, which can effectively treat hepatic and cardiac issues. Studies including HFpEF patients are ongoing. Several specific NAFLD-oriented therapies are currently being developed either alone or as combinations. NAFLD diagnosis is based on a chronic elevation of liver enzymes in a context of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, with fibrosis scores being available for clinical practice. In conclusion, identifying HF patients at risk of NAFLD is a critically important issue. As soon as NAFLD is confirmed and its severity determined, patients should be proposed a management focused on symptoms and co-morbidities

Impact of global warming on weight in patients with heart failure during the 2019 heatwave in France

International audienc