Investigation of N. pachyderma from the North Atlantic

The shells of the planktonic foraminifer Neogloboquadrina pachyderma have become a classical tool for reconstructing glacial-interglacial climate conditions in the North Atlantic Ocean. Palaeoceanographers utilize its left- and right-coiling variants, which exhibit a distinctive reciprocal temperature and water mass related shift in faunal abundance both at present and in late Quaternary sediments. Recently discovered cryptic genetic diversity in planktonic foraminifers now poses significant questions for these studies. Here we report genetic evidence demonstrating that the apparent 'single species' shell-based records of right-coiling N. pachyderma used in palaeoceanographic reconstructions contain an alternation in species as environmental factors change. This is reflected in a species-dependent incremental shift in right-coiling N. pachyderma shell calcite d18O between the Last Glacial Maximum and full Holocene conditions. Guided by the percentage dextral coiling ratio, our findings enhance the use of d18O records of right-coiling N. pachyderma for future study. They also highlight the need to genetically investigate other important morphospecies to refine their accuracy and reliability as palaeoceanographic proxies.

Physical oceanography from the northwestern Weddell Sea

We analyzed hydrographic data from the northwestern Weddell Sea continental shelf of the three austral winters 1989, 1997, and 2006 and two summers following the last winter cruise. During summer a thermal front exists at ~64° S separating cold southern waters from warm northern waters that have similar characteristics as the deep waters of the central basin of the Bransfield Strait. In winter, the whole continental shelf exhibits southern characteristics with high Neon (Ne) concentrations, indicating a significant input of glacial melt water. The comparison of the winter data from the shallow shelf off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, spanning a period of 17 yr, shows a salinity decrease of 0.09 for the whole water column, which has a residence time of <1 yr. We interpret this freshening as being caused by a combination of reduced salt input due to a southward sea ice retreat and higher precipitation during the late 20th century on the western Weddell Sea continental shelf. However, less salinification might also result from a delicate interplay between enhanced salt input due to sea ice formation in coastal areas formerly occupied by Larsen A and B ice shelves and increased Larsen C ice loss.

Location and ages of terrestrial peatlands located on continental shelves and in coastal sediments

This synthesis dataset contains records of freshwater peat and lake sediments from continental shelves and coastal areas. Information included is site location (when available), thickness and description of terrestrial sediments as well as underlying and overlying sediments, dates (when available), and references.

Organic geochemistry from different DSDP Holes in the subtropical South Atlantic Ocean

Organic matter has been characterized in samples of Pleistocene, Pliocene, and Miocene sediments from seven Deep Sea Drilling Project sites in the subtropical South Atlantic Ocean. Organic carbon concentrations average 0.3% for most samples, and n-alkanoic acid, n-alkanol, and alkane biomarkers indicate extensive microbial reworking of organic matter in these organic-carbon-lean sediments. Samples from the easternmost parts of the South Atlantic contain an average of 4.1% organic carbon and reflect the high productivity associated with the Benguela Current. Lipid biomarkers show less microbial reworking in these sediments. Eolian transport of land-derived hydrocarbons is evident at most of these oceanic locations.

Pollen counts of sediment core MFM6

In recent years enormous success has been achieved in varve counting of the Eifel maar lakes, but a detailed correlation with the biostratigraphy has been missing. In this paper, we present new palynological results of the Lateglacial sequences from Holzmaar Lake and Meerfelder Maar Lake based on annually laminated sediments. In particular, the Meerfelder Maar has great potential, because, in contrast to the Holzmaar, the sequence between the Ulmener Maar Tephra (11 000 varve years BP) and the Laacher See Tephra (12 880 varve years BP) including the Younger Dryas is undisturbed and complete. Therefore, we currently use the Meerfelder Maar chronology (Brauer et al., 1999b) as an independent varve calendar for the biostratigraphy of the Lateglacial. The palynological signals of both maar lakes are in good agreement and can easily be correlated with one another and with type sections/type regions in northwestern Germany and Jutland. The sequences of the Eifel maar lakes have the quality of hypostratotypes with regional biozones based on an absolute time scale.

These things are alive: relationships between material culture, communities, and archaeological legislation

This paper deals with the relationship between different sets of archaeological legislation, material culture and communities. First it presents a historical sketch of the heritage legislation in the West and its contemporary uses. Secondly, it shows how alternative archaeological agencies, such as community archaeology, deal with these problems. The discussion is especially relevant in Brazil, where contract archaeology is presently overwhelming, and the issue is raised in the last part of the paper.

Negative Archaeology. The Archaeological Borders of the Present

Nowadays, archaeology is trying to redefine its relation with objects. This change is taking place at the same time as the West is breaking once and for all with the generation who did the rural exodus in the mid of the twentieth century. The present paper proposes a revision of the conditions that allow us to both define this rupture and at the same time determine our affinity with materiality. This is done through a reconsideration of the relation between the past and the present and the dynamics marking this difference. We are situated in a moment when the experience of time is shifting and thus so is the integrity of archaeological objects. Under the name of Negative Archaeology, the border between past and present is explored. This border determines the creation of the past in a present which intends to homogenise changes. Archaeology is a unique discipline which could prevent this process, or at least bear witness to the dynamics to which objects seem to be subjected. Obscolescence is introduced as a concept in an attempt to name the aforementioned problem.

Natriuretic peptide-based screening and collaborative care for heart failure:the STOP-HF randomized trial

IMPORTANCE: Prevention strategies for heart failure are needed.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of a screening program using brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and collaborative care in an at-risk population in reducing newly diagnosed heart failure and prevalence of significant left ventricular (LV) systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The St Vincent's Screening to Prevent Heart Failure Study, a parallel-group randomized trial involving 1374 participants with cardiovascular risk factors (mean age, 64.8 [SD, 10.2] years) recruited from 39 primary care practices in Ireland between January 2005 and December 2009 and followed up until December 2011 (mean follow-up, 4.2 [SD, 1.2] years).

INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned to receive usual primary care (control condition; n=677) or screening with BNP testing (n=697). Intervention-group participants with BNP levels of 50 pg/mL or higher underwent echocardiography and collaborative care between their primary care physician and specialist cardiovascular service.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary end point was prevalence of asymptomatic LV dysfunction with or without newly diagnosed heart failure. Secondary end points included emergency hospitalization for arrhythmia, transient ischemic attack, stroke, myocardial infarction, peripheral or pulmonary thrombosis/embolus, or heart failure.

RESULTS: A total of 263 patients (41.6%) in the intervention group had at least 1 BNP reading of 50 pg/mL or higher. The intervention group underwent more cardiovascular investigations (control, 496 per 1000 patient-years vs intervention, 850 per 1000 patient-years; incidence rate ratio, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.61-1.83; P<.001) and received more renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system-based therapy at follow-up (control, 49.6%; intervention, 56.5%; P=.01). The primary end point of LV dysfunction with or without heart failure was met in 59 (8.7%) of 677 in the control group and 37 (5.3%) of 697 in the intervention group (odds ratio [OR], 0.55; 95% CI, 0.37-0.82; P = .003). Asymptomatic LV dysfunction was found in 45 (6.6%) of 677 control-group patients and 30 (4.3%) of 697 intervention-group patients (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.37-0.88; P = .01). Heart failure occurred in 14 (2.1%) of 677 control-group patients and 7 (1.0%) of 697 intervention-group patients (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.20-1.20; P = .12). The incidence rates of emergency hospitalization for major cardiovascular events were 40.4 per 1000 patient-years in the control group vs 22.3 per 1000 patient-years in the intervention group (incidence rate ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.45-0.81; P = .002).

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Among patients at risk of heart failure, BNP-based screening and collaborative care reduced the combined rates of LV systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, and heart failure.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00921960.

White Adipose Tissue Re-growth after Partial Lipectomy in High Fat Diet Induced Obese Wistar Rats

The effects of partial removal of epididymal (EPI) and retroperitoneal (RET) adipose tissues (partial lipectomy) on the triacylglycerol deposition of high fat diet induced obese rats were analyzed, aiming to challenge the hypothesized body fat regulatory system. Male 28-day-old wistar rats received a diet enriched with peanuts, milk chocolate and sweet biscuits during the experimental period. At the 90th day of life, rats were submitted to either lipectomy (L) or sham surgery. After 7 or 30 days, RET, EPI, liver, brown adipose tissue (BAT), blood and carcass were obtained and analyzed. Seven days following surgery, liver lipogenesis rate and EPI relative weight were increased in L. After 30 days, L, RET and EPI presented increased lipogenesis, lipolysis and percentage of small area adipocytes. L rats also presented increased liver malic enzyme activity, BAT lipogenesis, and triacylglycerol and corticosterone serum levels. The partial removal of visceral fat pads affected the metabolism of high fat diet obese rats, which leads to excised tissue re-growth and possibly compensatory growth of non-excised depots at a later time.

Determinación de la eficacia de la profilaxis antibiótica en pacientes con heridas limpias y limpias contaminadas, servicio de cirugía general, Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso Cuenca-Ecuador 2007: estudio a realizarse en patologia biliar, apendicular y herniaria

Determinar la prevalencia de infección del sitio de la herida quirúrgica y factores asociados en pacientes que acudieron al Centro Quirúrgico del hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso, de la ciudad de Cuenca, en el 2007-2008.Se realizó un estudio transversal; en un universo de 385 pacientes. Los datos se obtuvieron por entrevista directa y se analizaron con el software Excel y Epi-Info. Resultados. La prevalencia de infección del sitio de la herida quirúrgica fue del 10.6(IC 959.03-12.17). La mayoría fueron de sexo femenino; la edad varió entre los 16 y 87 años. La asociación entre infección del sitio de la herida quirúrgica con cirugía de emergencia proporcionó una p=0.019 (IC 95de la RP 1.10 - 3.99); con cirugía convencional p= 0.778 (IC 95de RP 0.61-1.95); con herida limpia p= 0.238 (IC 95de RP 0.10 - 1.55); con la utilización de cefazolina p= 0.023 (IC 95de la RP 0.09-0.94) y con el tiempo quirúrgico menos de una hora p= 0.000 (IC 95de RP 0.01-0.32). Conclusión, la prevalencia de infección del sitio de la herida quirúrgica fue del 10.6(IC 959.03-12.17). La cirugía de emergencia fue factor de riesgo para infección del sitio de la herida quirúrgica y la cefazolina, utilizado como antibiótico profiláctico, y el tiempo quirúrgico, menos de una hora, fueron factores de protección

Prognosis following acute coronary syndromes according to prior coronary artery bypass grafting: Meta-analysis

PURPOSE: Conduct a meta-analysis to study the prognostic influence of a previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients admitted for an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed using electronic reference databases through January 2013 (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar and references cited in other studies). Studies in which ACS outcomes with a previous history of CABG were compared with ACS outcomes with no history of previous CABG were considered for inclusion. The main endpoints of interest were mortality and non-fatal acute myocardial infarction. Data was aggregated at three follow-up times using random-effects meta-analysis models. RESULTS: Twenty-four studies were included which provided 387,181 patients for analysis. Previous CABG ACS patients were older, more diabetic and had a more frequent history of a previous myocardial infarction. Pooled in-hospital mortality was higher for the previous CABG ACS patients (OR 1.22 [1.04-1.44], p<0.01, I(2) 88%). The pooled adjusted OR showed no significant differences for the two groups (adjusted OR 1.13 [0.93-1.37], p=0.22, I(2) 92%). Previous CABG ACS patient had a higher pooled 30-day mortality (OR 1.28 [1.05-1.55], p=0.02, I(2) 74%); a higher non-adjusted (OR 1.61 [1.38-1.88], p<0.01, I(2) 70%) and adjusted (adjusted OR 1.37 [1.15-1.65], p<0.01, I(2) 0%) long-term mortality. Both the in-hospital and the long-term re-infarction rates were higher for the previous CABG ACS patients. CONCLUSIONS: According to our data, ACS patients with previous CABG history had a higher risk for short- and long-term adverse events.

Factores de Riesgo para la estrangulación de Hernia inguinal en pacientes ingresados en el área de Cirugía del Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso en el período enero de 2003 a diciembre de 2007

Se llevó a cabo un estudio de tipo cuantitativo, descriptivo, retrospectivo, con 216 pacientes. Se analizó en las historias clínicas las características personales que tienen las pacientes como edad, sexo, profesión, constipación, tos crónica, prostatismo, esfuerzo físico, antigüedad de la hernia, características de la hernia. Resultados: de la muestra seleccionada el 81% representa el género masculino. El principal rango de edad es entre 46 a 75 años con el 55,1%. El 55,1% fueron hernias reducibles, el 8,3% fueron hernias estranguladas, las variables que se relacionan son: la profesión de agricultor con 27,8%; la antigüedad con 44,4% para meses; derechas con 77,8%; indirectas 61,1%; en hombres 77,8%; esfuerzo físico en el 50% de los casos, no tuvo relación con la tos crónica, prostatismo y demás variables. Conclusiones: la estrangulación de la hernia se asocia directamente con la profesión, en donde involucre aumento de la presión abdominal, también depende de la duración de la hernia, no relacionándose con los procesos patológicos asociados que incrementen la presión abdominal. Recomendaciones: se recomienda la detección oportuna de una hernia inguinal, mediante un examen físico exhaustivo para evitar que la hernia que al principio es reducible conlleve a una complicación como es la estrangulación y así evitar costos innecesarios