Uncomplicated moderate coronary artery dissections after balloon angioplasty: good outcome without stenting

OBJECTIVE: To study the relation between moderate coronary dissections, coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR), and long term outcome. METHODS: 523 patients undergoing balloon angioplasty and sequential intracoronary Doppler measurements were examined as part of the DEBATE II trial (Doppler endpoints balloon angioplasty trial Europe). After successful balloon angioplasty, patients were randomised to stenting or no further treatment. Dissections were graded at the core laboratory by two observers and divided into four categories: none, mild (type A-B), moderate (type C), severe (types D to F). Patients with severe dissections (n = 128) or without available reference vessel CFVR (n = 139) were excluded. The remaining 256 patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (group A, n = 45) or absence (group B, n = 211) of moderate dissection. RESULTS: Following balloon angioplasty, there was no difference in CFVR between the two groups. At 12 months follow up, a higher rate of major adverse cardiac events was observed overall in group A than in group B (10 (22%) v 23 (11%), p = 0.041). However, the risk of major adverse events was similar in the subgroups receiving balloon angioplasty (group A, 6 (19%) v group B, 16 (16%), NS). Among group A patients, the adverse events risk was greater in those randomised to stenting (odds ratios 6.603 v 1.197, p = 0.046), whereas there was no difference in risk if the group was analysed according to whether the CFVR was /= 2.5 after balloon angioplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate dissections left untreated result in no increased risk of major adverse cardiac events. Additional stenting does not improve the long term outcome

Transverse momentum spectra of charged particles in proton-proton collisions at s=900\sqrt{s} = 900 GeV with ALICE at the LHC

The inclusive charged particle transverse momentum distribution is measured in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 900$ GeV at the LHC using the ALICE detector. The measurement is performed in the central pseudorapidity region $(|\eta|<0.8)$ over the transverse momentum range $0.15<p_{\rm T}<10$ GeV/$c$. The correlation between transverse momentum and particle multiplicity is also studied. Results are presented for inelastic (INEL) and non-single-diffractive (NSD) events. The average transverse momentum for $|\eta|<0.8$ is $\left<p_{\rm T}\right>_{\rm INEL}=0.483\pm0.001$ (stat.) $\pm0.007$ (syst.) GeV/$c$ and \left_{\rm NSD}=0.489\pm0.001 (stat.) $\pm0.007$ (syst.) GeV/$c$, respectively. The data exhibit a slightly larger $\left<p_{\rm T}\right>$ than measurements in wider pseudorapidity intervals. The results are compared to simulations with the Monte Carlo event generators PYTHIA and PHOJET.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/390

Riociguat treatment in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Final safety data from the EXPERT registry

Objective: The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase

Addressing a systematic bias in carbon dioxide flux measurements with the EC150 and the IRGASON open-path gas analyzers

Across a global network of eddy covariance flux towers, two relatively new open-path infrared gas analyzers (IRGAs), the IRGASON and the EC150, are increasingly used to measure net carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes (Fc_OP). Differences in net CO2 fluxes derived from open- and closed-path IRGAs in general remain poorly constrained. In particular, the performance of the IRGASON and the EC150 for measuring Fc_OP has not been characterized yet. These IRGAs measure CO2 absorption, which is scaled with air temperature and pressure before converting it to instantaneous CO2 density. This sensor-internal conversion is based on a slow-response thermistor air temperature measurement. Here, we test if the high-frequency temperature attenuation causes selectively systematic Fc_OP errors that scale with kinematic temperature fluxes. First, we examine the relationship between wintertime Fc_OP and kinematic temperature fluxes for eight northern ecosystems. Second, we investigate how residuals between Fc_OP and CO2 fluxes from co-located closed-path IRGAs (FC_CP) are related to kinematic temperature fluxes for three different ecosystem types (i.e., boreal forest, grassland, and irrigated cropland). We find that kinematic temperature fluxes, but not mean ambient air temperatures or CO2 flux regime, consistently determine the absolute magnitude of Fc_OP errors. This selectively systematic bias causes the most pronounced relative Fc_OP errors to occur when “true” CO2 fluxes are low and kinematic temperature fluxes are high (e.g., northern ecosystems during the winter). The smallest relative errors occur during periods with large “true” CO2 fluxes and low kinematic temperature fluxes. To address this bias, we replace the slow-response air temperature in the absorption-to-CO2 density conversion with a fast-response air temperature derived from sonic anemometer measurements. The use of the fast-response air temperature improves the agreement between half-hourly Fc_OP and FC_CP for all open- versus closed-path IRGA comparisons. Additionally, cumulative Fc_OP and Fc_CP sums are more comparable as differences drop from 63 %–13 % to 20 %–8 %. The improved IRGASON and EC150 performance enhances the ability and confidence to synthesize flux measurements across multiple sites including these two relatively new IRGAs

Addressing a systematic bias in carbon dioxide flux measurements with the EC150 and the IRGASON open-path gas analyzers

Across a global network of eddy covariance flux towers, two relatively new open-path infrared gas analyzers (IRGAs), the IRGASON and the EC150, are increasingly used to measure net carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes (Fc_OP). Differences in net CO2 fluxes derived from open- and closed-path IRGAs in general remain poorly constrained. In particular, the performance of the IRGASON and the EC150 for measuring Fc_OP has not been characterized yet. These IRGAs measure CO2 absorption, which is scaled with air temperature and pressure before converting it to instantaneous CO2 density. This sensor-internal conversion is based on a slow-response thermistor air temperature measurement. Here, we test if the high-frequency temperature attenuation causes selectively systematic Fc_OP errors that scale with kinematic temperature fluxes. First, we examine the relationship between wintertime Fc_OP and kinematic temperature fluxes for eight northern ecosystems. Second, we investigate how residuals between Fc_OP and CO2 fluxes from co-located closed-path IRGAs (FC_CP) are related to kinematic temperature fluxes for three different ecosystem types (i.e., boreal forest, grassland, and irrigated cropland). We find that kinematic temperature fluxes, but not mean ambient air temperatures or CO2 flux regime, consistently determine the absolute magnitude of Fc_OP errors. This selectively systematic bias causes the most pronounced relative Fc_OP errors to occur when “true” CO2 fluxes are low and kinematic temperature fluxes are high (e.g., northern ecosystems during the winter). The smallest relative errors occur during periods with large “true” CO2 fluxes and low kinematic temperature fluxes. To address this bias, we replace the slow-response air temperature in the absorption-to-CO2 density conversion with a fast-response air temperature derived from sonic anemometer measurements. The use of the fast-response air temperature improves the agreement between half-hourly Fc_OP and FC_CP for all open- versus closed-path IRGA comparisons. Additionally, cumulative Fc_OP and Fc_CP sums are more comparable as differences drop from 63 %–13 % to 20 %–8 %. The improved IRGASON and EC150 performance enhances the ability and confidence to synthesize flux measurements across multiple sites including these two relatively new IRGAs

The scleritome of Paterimitra: an Early Cambrian stem group brachiopod from South Australia

Early Cambrian tommotiids are problematic fossil metazoans with external organophosphatic sclerites that have been considered to be basal members of the lophophorate stem group. Tommotiids are almost exclusively known from isolated or rarely fused individual sclerites, which made previous reconstructions of the actual organism highly conjectural. However, the recent discovery of the first articulated specimens of the tommotiid Eccentrotheca revealed a tubular sclerite arrangement (scleritome) that limited the possible life habit to sessile filter feeding and thus further supported a lophophorate affinity. Here, we report the first articulated specimens of a second tommotiid taxon, Paterimitra from the Early Cambrian of the Arrowie Basin, South Australia. Articulated specimens of Paterimitra are composed of two bilaterally symmetrical sclerite types and an unresolved number of small, asymmetrical and irregular crescent-shaped sclerites that attached to the anterior margin of the symmetrical sclerites. Together, the sclerites form an open cone in which the symmetrical sclerites are joined together and form a small posterior opening near the base of the scleritome, while the irregular crescent-shaped sclerites defined a broad anterior opening. The coniform scleritome of Paterimitra is interpreted to have attached to hard substrates via a pedicle that emerged through the small posterior opening (sometimes forming a tube) and was probably a sessile filter feeder. The scleritome of Paterimitra can be derived from the tubular scleritome of Eccentrotheca by modification of basal sclerites and reduction in tube height, and probably represents a more derived member of the brachiopod stem group with the paired symmetrical sclerites possibly homologous to brachiopod valves

Compositional volumetry of non-calcified coronary plaques by multislice computed tomography: An ex vivo feasibility study

Aims: Non-invasive quantitative compositional analysis of coronary plaque would be a major advantage to study coronary artery disease. This study explores the application to use the Hounsfield units (HU) distribution of coronary plaques imaged by multislice computed tomography-coronary angiography (MSCT-CA). Methods and results: A dedicated computer-assisted method was developed to measure the HU distribution within a coronary plaque by MSCT-CA. To test the feasibility of the method, an ex vivo left anterior descending (LAD) coronary specimen, excised during autopsy, was imaged both by non-enhanced and enhanced MSCT-CA. Quantitative histology was used as a reference. To test the feasibility of the new volumetric analytic method, the MSCT-CA data were compared with volumetric histopathology. The coronary specimen, with a heterogeneously distributed plaque composition without large areas of calcification, was histologically sampled at five different locations, 5 mm apart, where at each location 15 sections were taken at 100 μm intervals, resulting in 75 individual histology sections. Tri-chrome Masson staining was used for histology quantification of three plaque/tissue components: smooth muscle cells (SMC), collagen and calcium. MSCT plaque composition was defined as "lower-HU" or "higher-HU" plaque and "calcium" based on the HU distribution. Comparison of the MSCT defined tissue components against histology showed a good relationship without significant differences. Conclusions: This ex vivo study shows the feasibility of using the Hounsfield unit distribution to perform compositional coronary plaque volumetry by MSCT-CA. The results are encouraging