Iron fluxes to Talos Dome, Antarctica, over the past 200 kyr

Atmospheric fluxes of iron (Fe) over the past 200 kyr are reported for the coastal Antarctic Talos Dome ice core, based on acid leachable Fe concentrations. Fluxes of Fe to Talos Dome were consistently greater than those at Dome C, with the greatest difference observed during interglacial climates. We observe different Fe flux trends at Dome C and Talos Dome during the deglaciation and early Holocene, attributed to a combination of deglacial activation of dust sources local to Talos Dome and the reorganisation of atmospheric transport pathways with the retreat of the Ross Sea ice shelf. This supports similar findings based on dust particle sizes and fluxes and Rare Earth Element fluxes. We show that Ca and Fe should not be used as quantitative proxies for mineral dust, as they all demonstrate different deglacial trends at Talos Dome and Dome C. Considering that a 20 ppmv decrease in atmospheric CO2 at the coldest part of the last glacial maximum occurs contemporaneously with the period of greatest Fe and dust flux to Antarctica, we confirm that the maximum contribution of aeolian dust deposition to Southern Ocean sequestration of atmospheric CO2 is approximately 20 ppmv.�

Fixed low-dose ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis for intermediate- and high-risk pulmonary embolism

AIMS No standardized local thrombolysis regimen exists for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE). We retrospectively investigated efficacy and safety of fixed low-dose ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis (USAT) for intermediate- and high-risk PE. METHODS AND RESULTS Fifty-two patients (65 ± 14 years) of whom 14 had high-risk PE (troponin positive in all) and 38 intermediate-risk PE (troponin positive in 91%) were treated with intravenous unfractionated heparin and USAT using 10 mg of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator per device over the course of 15 h. Bilateral USAT was performed in 83% of patients. During 3-month follow-up, two [3.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5-13%] patients died (one from cardiogenic shock and one from recurrent PE). Major non-fatal bleeding occurred in two (3.8%; 95% CI, 0.5-13%) patients: one intrathoracic bleeding after cardiopulmonary resuscitation requiring transfusion, one intrapulmonary bleeding requiring lobectomy. Mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 37 ± 9 mmHg at baseline to 25 ± 8 mmHg at 15 h (P < 0.001) and cardiac index increased from 2.0 ± 0.7 to 2.7 ± 0.9 L/min/m(2) (P < 0.001). Echocardiographic right-to-left ventricular end-diastolic dimension ratio decreased from 1.42 ± 0.21 at baseline to 1.06 ± 0.23 at 24 h (n = 21; P < 0.001). The greatest haemodynamic benefit from USAT was found in patients with high-risk PE and in those with symptom duration < 14 days. CONCLUSION A standardized catheter intervention approach using fixed low-dose USAT for the treatment of intermediate- and high-risk PE was associated with rapid improvement in haemodynamic parameters and low rates of bleeding complications and mortality.

The HARPS search for southern extra-solar planets

The meter-per-second precision achieved by today’s velocimeters enables us to search for 1−10 M⊕ planets in the habitable zone of cool stars. This paper reports on the detection of three planets orbiting GJ 163 (HIP 19394), a M3 dwarf monitored by our ESO/HARPS search for planets. We made use of the HARPS spectrograph to collect 150 radial velocities of GJ 163 over a period of eight years. We searched the radial-velocity time series for coherent signals and found five distinct periodic variabilities. We investigated the stellar activity and called into question the planetary interpretation for two signals. Before more data can be acquired we concluded that at least three planets are orbiting GJ 163. They have orbital periods of Pb = 8.632 ± 0.002, Pc = 25.63 ± 0.03, and Pd = 604 ± 8 days and minimum masses msini = 10.6 ± 0.6, 6.8 ± 0.9, and 29 ± 3 M⊕, respectively. We hold our interpretations for the two additional signals with periods P(e) = 19.4 and P(f) = 108 days. The inner pair presents an orbital period ratio of 2.97, but a dynamical analysis of the system shows that it lays outside the 3:1 mean motion resonance. The planet GJ 163c, in particular, is a super-Earth with an equilibrium temperature of Teq = (302 ± 10)(1 − A)1/4 K and may lie in the so-called habitable zone for albedo values (A = 0.34 − 0.89) moderately higher than that of Earth (A⊕ = 0.2−0.3).

Comparing different boosters of planning interventions on changes in fat consumption in overweight and obese individuals: A randomized controlled trial

Single planning interventions have been found to promote short-term dietary change. Repeated planning interventions may foster long-term effects on behavior change. It remains unknown whether there is a critical number of boosters to establish long-term maintenance of behavioral changes. This study aimed at investigating what social-cognitive variables mediate the effects of the interventions on dietary behavior change. Overall, 373 participants (n = 270 women, 72.4%; age M = 52.42, SD = 12.79) were randomly allocated to one of five groups: a control group, a single planning group, and three groups with 3, 6, or 9 weeks' repeated planning interventions. Follow-ups took place 4, 6, and 12 months after baseline. Change in fat consumption was not promoted by any of the interventions. In terms of social-cognitive variables, intentions, self-efficacy and coping planning displayed a time × group interaction, with the 9 weeks' planning group showing the most beneficial effects. Effect sizes, however, were very small. None of the tested planning interventions successfully promoted change in fat consumption across the 12 month period. This, however, could not be explained by problems with adherence to the intervention protocol. Potential explanations for this unexpected result are discussed.

Comparative therapeutic value of post-remission approaches in patients with acute myeloid leukemia aged 40-60 years.

The preferred type of post-remission therapy (PRT) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission (CR1) is a subject of continued debate, especially in patients at higher risk of nonrelapse mortality (NRM), including patients >40 years of age. We report results of a time-dependent multivariable analysis of allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) (n=337) versus chemotherapy (n=271) or autologous HSCT (autoHSCT) (n=152) in 760 patients aged 40-60 years with AML in CR1. Patients receiving alloHSCT showed improved overall survival (OS) as compared with chemotherapy (respectively, 57±3% vs 40±3% at 5 years, P<0.001). Comparable OS was observed following alloHSCT and autoHSCT in patients with intermediate-risk AML (60±4 vs 54±5%). However, alloHSCT was associated with less relapse (hazard ratio (HR) 0.51, P<0.001) and better relapse-free survival (RFS) (HR 0.74, P=0.029) as compared with autoHSCT in intermediate-risk AMLs. AlloHSCT was applied following myeloablative conditioning (n=157) or reduced intensity conditioning (n=180), resulting in less NRM, but comparable outcome with respect to OS, RFS and relapse. Collectively, these results show that alloHSCT is to be preferred over chemotherapy as PRT in patients with intermediate- and poor-risk AML aged 40-60 years, whereas autoHSCT remains a treatment option to be considered in patients with intermediate-risk AML.Leukemia advance online publication, 23 December 2014; doi:10.1038/leu.2014.332.

High-school students' need for cognition, self-control capacity, and school achievement: testing a mediation hypothesis

In the present article, we examine the hypothesis that high-school students' motivation to engage in cognitive endeavors (i.e., their need for cognition; NFC) is positively related to their dispositional self-control capacity. Furthermore, we test the prediction that the relation between NFC and school achievement is mediated by self-control capacity. A questionnaire study with grade ten high-school students (N = 604) revealed the expected relations between NFC, self-control capacity, and school achievement. Sobel tests showed that self-control capacity mediated the relation between NFC and school grades as well as grade retention.

Dispositional self-control capacity and trait anxiety as relates to coping styles

In the present article, we analyzed the relationship between dispositional self-control capacity, trait anxiety, and coping styles. Since self-control is often crucial for adapting one’s behavior to be positive, we predicted that dispositional differences in the capacity to exert self-control play a role in determining individuals coping styles. To test this assumption, we assessed participants’ (N = 163) dispositional self-control capacity using the Self-Control Scale, and their dispositional coping styles by using the short version of the German Coping Questionnaire SVF78 (German: Stressverarbeitungsfragebogen). A path analysis supported our hypothesis; higher levels of dispositional self-control capacity were positively associated with positive coping style and negatively associated with negative coping style. Basing on attentional control theory, we further assumed that this relationship was mediated by trait anxiety. In a second study based on a sample of N = 98 participants, we additionally applied the trait version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The results of a path analysis revealed that trait anxiety mediated the relationship between dispositional self-control capacity and coping styles. The results suggest that it may be useful to take a closer look at the role of self-control in the anxiety-coping relationship.