A water level relationship between consecutive gauge stations along Solim\~oes/Amazonas main channel: a wavelet approach

Gauge stations are distributed along the Solim\~oes/Amazonas main channel to monitor water level changes over time. Those measurements help quantify both the water movement and its variability from one gauge station to the next downstream. The objective of this study is to detect changes in the water level relationship between consecutive gauge stations along the Solim\~oes/Amazonas main channel, since 1980. To carry out the analyses, data spanning from 1980 to 2010 from three consecutive gauges (Tefe, Manaus and Obidos) were used to compute standardized daily anomalies. In particular for infra-annual periods it was possible to detect changes for the water level variability along the Solim\~oes/Amazonas main channel, by applying the Morlet Wavelet Transformation (WT) and Wavelet Cross Coherence (WCC) methods. It was possible to quantify the waves amplitude for the WT infra-annual scaled-period and were quite similar to the three gauge stations denoting that the water level variability are related to the same hydrological forcing functions. Changes in the WCC was detected for the Manaus-Obidos river stretch and this characteristic might be associated with land cover changes in the floodplains. The next steps of this research, will be to test this hypotheses by integrating land cover changes into the floodplain with hydrological modelling simulations throughout the time-series

The effects of solar incidence angle over digital processing of LANDSAT data

A technique to extract the topography modulation component from digital data is described. The enhancement process is based on the fact that the pixel contains two types of information: (1) reflectance variation due to the target; (2) reflectance variation due to the topography. In order to enhance the signal variation due to topography, the technique recommends the extraction from original LANDSAT data of the component resulting from target reflectance. Considering that the role of topographic modulation over the pixel information will vary with solar incidence angle, the results of this technique of digital processing will differ from one season to another, mainly in highly dissected topography. In this context, the effects of solar incidence angle over the topographic modulation technique were evaluated. Two sets of MSS/LANDSAT data, with solar elevation angles varying from 22 to 41 deg were selected to implement the digital processing at the Image-100 System. A secondary watershed (Rio Bocaina) draining into Rio Paraiba do Sul (Sao Paulo State) was selected as a test site. The results showed that the technique used was more appropriate to MSS data acquired under higher Sun elevation angles. Topographic modulation components applied to low Sun elevation angles lessens rather than enhances topography

Topographic studies through texture image analysis of LANDSAT data

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Use of LANDSAT data to monitor pasture project in Amazonia

The author has identified the following significant results. No differences were found between acreage evaluation by visual and automatic interpretation of LANDSAT images. It was necessary to interpret both channels 5 and 7 to exactly outline the deforested areas. Channel 7 was necessary for the identification of deforested areas in the presence of recently grown natural vegetation, and channel 5 was necessary to identify the deforested areas in the cerrado regions. Automatic interpretation permitted the discrimination between areas with predominant grass coverage and recently grown natural vegetation

Preclinical atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome increase cardio- and cerebrovascular events rate: a 20-year follow up

BACKGROUND: Intima-media thickness (IMT) is a validated marker of preclinical atherosclerosis and a predictor of cardiovascular events. PATIENTS: We studied a population of 529 asymptomatic patients (age 62\u2009\ub1\u200912.8 years), divided into two groups of subjects with and without Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). METHODS: All patients, at baseline, have had a carotid ultrasound evaluation and classified in two subgroups: the first one without atherosclerotic lesions and the second one with preclinical atherosclerosis (increased IMT or asymptomatic carotid plaque). Cardiovascular endpoints were investigated in a 20-years follow-up. RESULTS: There were 242 cardiovascular events: 144 among patients with MetS and 98 among in healthy controls (57.4% vs. 35.2%; P\u2009<\u20090.0001). 63 events occurred in patients with normal carotid arteries, while 179 events occurred in patients with preclinical atherosclerosis (31.8% vs. 54.1%; P\u2009<\u20090.0001). Of the 144 total events occurred in patients with MetS, 36 happened in the subgroup with normal carotid arteries and 108 in the subgroup with preclinical atherosclerosis (45% vs. 63.15%; P\u2009=\u20090.009). 98 events occurred in patients without MetS, of which 27 in the subgroup with normal carotid arteries and 71 in the subgroup with preclinical atherosclerosis (22.88% vs. 44.37%; P\u2009=\u20090.0003). In addition, considering the 63 total events occurred in patients without atherosclerotic lesions, 36 events were recorded in the subgroup with MetS and 27 events in the subgroup without MetS (45% vs. 22.88%; P\u2009=\u20090.0019). Finally, in 179 total events recorded in patients with preclinical carotid atherosclerosis, 108 happened in the subgroup with MetS and 71 happened in the subgroup without MetS (63.15% vs. 44.37%; P\u2009=\u20090.0009). The Kaplan-Meier function showed an improved survival in patients without atherosclerotic lesions compared with patients with carotid ultrasound alterations (P\u2009=\u20090.01, HR: 0.7366, CI: 0.5479 to 0.9904). CONCLUSIONS: Preclinical atherosclerosis leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular events, especially if it is associated with MetS

Comparison between zofenopril and ramipril in combination with acetylsalicylic acid in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction: results of a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, multicenter, European study (SMILE-4)

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are largely employed for treating patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD), but their efficacy may be negatively affected by concomitant administration of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), with some difference among the different compounds. HYPOTHESIS: The interaction between ASA and the two ACEIs zofenopril and ramipril may result in a different impact on survival of cardiac patients, due to differences in the pharmacological properties of the two ACEIs. METHODS: This phase IIIb, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, multicenter, European study compared the safety and efficacy of zofenopril (60 mg/day) and ramipril (10 mg/day) plus ASA (100 mg/day), in 771 patients with LVD (clinical signs of heart failure or a left ventricular ejection fraction <45%) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The primary study end point was 1-year combined occurrence of death or hospitalization for cardiovascular causes. RESULTS: In the intention-to-treat population, the primary outcome was significantly reduced by zofenopril (n = 365) vs ramipril (n = 351) (odds ratio [OR]: 0.70, and 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51-0.96; P = 0.028) as a result of a decrease in cardiovascular hospitalization (OR: 0.64,95% CI: 0.46-0.88; P = 0.006). Mortality rate was not significantly different between the 2 treatments (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 0.70-3.27; P = 0.293). Blood pressure values did not significantly change during the 1-year follow-up. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels were progressively reduced during the study, with no statistically significant between-treatment differences. Proportion of patients with deterioration of renal function during the study was similar between the 2 groups. Drug safety profile was comparable between treatments. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with LVD following AMI, the efficacy of zofenopril associated with ASA was superior to that of ramipril plus ASA, indicating some important clinical implications for the future use of ACEIs in patients with LVD or overt heart failure

Reversible Control of DNA Binding with Cucurbit[8]uril-Induced Supramolecular 4,4′-Bipyridinium–Peptide Dimers

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade da Coruña/CISUGThe Supporting Information is available free of charge at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00063[Abstract] Many cellular processes in living organisms are regulated by complex regulatory networks, built from noncovalent interactions between relatively few proteins that perform their functions by switching between homo- and heterooligomeric assemblies or mono- and bivalent states. Herein, we demonstrate that the conjugation of a 4,4′-bipyridinium scaffold to the basic region of the GCN₄ bZip transcription factor can be exploited to control the dimerization of the conjugate by formation of a supramolecular complex with cucurbit[8]uril. Importantly, this supramolecular complex is able to specifically recognize its target dsDNA, and this binding can be reversibly switched by the application of external stimuli.We are thankful for the funding received from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 851179), the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) (CTQ2016-75629-P), the Agencia Estatal de Investigación and FEDER (CTQ2017-89166-R and PID2019-105272GB-I00) and the Consellería de Educación, Universidade e Formación Profesional, Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2018/39). P.N thanks the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades for her PhD fellowship (FPU17/04357). E.P. thanks the UDC-Inditex InTalent Programme for her research contract and funding and the Xunta de Galicia for the Oportunius ProgrammeXunta de Galicia; ED431C 2018/39https://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00063/suppl_file/bc1c00063_si_001.pd

Chemotherapy cardiotoxicity: cardioprotective drugs and early identification of cardiac dysfunction.

Background: Chemotherapy cardiotoxicity is an emerging problem and it is very important to prevent cardiac dysfunction caused by anticancer drugs. The aim of this study was to assess the alterations of the cardiac function induced by chemotherapy in a follow-up of 2 years and to evaluate the cardioprotective role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in the prevention of cardiac dysfunction. Methods: A prospective study was carried out using patients with breast cancer (85 women; median age 57W12years) and other inclusion and exclusion criteria. On the basis of treatment, patients were divided into six groups: fluorouracil-epirubicincyclophosphamide, FEC (group A); FEC and trastuzumab (B); trastuzumab (C); FEC and taxotere (D); FEC, paclitaxel and trastuzumab (E); and chemotherapy and cardioprotective drugs (F). Cardiological evaluation including electrocardiogram and conventional echocardiogram with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) was carried out at T0 (before starting chemotherapy), T1 (after 6months from the start of chemotherapy) and T2 (2 years after the end of chemotherapy). Results: Significant changes in the TDI parameters of systolic and diastolic function were observed at T1 and T2 in all patients. A significant reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was observed only at T2. In the patients treated with ACEI (F), these changes were less significant than in other groups and they do not have significant changes in the indices of diastolic function. Conclusion: TDI is more sensitive than conventional echocardiogram in the early diagnosis of cardiac dysfunction and ACEIs seem to have an important role in the prevention of cardiotoxicity

Application of remote sensing to hydrological problems and floods

The main applications of remote sensors to hydrology are identified as well as the principal spectral bands and their advantages and disadvantages. Some examples of LANDSAT data applications to flooding-risk evaluation are cited. Because hydrology studies the amount of moisture and water involved in each phase of hydrological cycle, remote sensing must be emphasized as a technique for hydrological data acquisition