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| 2. |
- Sala, O E, et al.
(author)
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Biodiversity - Global biodiversity scenarios for the year 2100
- 2000
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1095-9203 .- 0036-8075. ; 287:5459, s. 1770-1774
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Scenarios of changes in biodiversity for the year 2100 can now be developed based on scenarios of changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide, climate, vegetation, and Land use and the known sensitivity of biodiversity to these changes. This study identified a ranking of the importance of drivers of change, a ranking of the biomes with respect to expected changes, and the major sources of uncertainties. For terrestrial ecosystems, land-use change probably wilt have the largest effect, followed by climate change, nitrogen deposition, biotic exchange, and elevated carbon dioxide concentration. For freshwater ecosystems, biotic exchange is much more important. Mediterranean climate and grassland ecosystems likely will experience the greatest proportional change in biodiversity because of the substantial influence of all drivers of biodiversity change. Northern temperate ecosystems are estimated to experience the least biodiversity change because major land-use change has already occurred. Plausible changes in biodiversity in other biomes depend on interactions among the causes of biodiversity change. These interactions represent one of the largest uncertainties in projections of future biodiversity change.
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| 3. |
- Svanberg, Sune, et al.
(author)
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Applications of terawatt lasers
- 1994
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In: LASER SPECTROSCOPY - XITH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. - : AIP. - 1551-7616 .- 0094-243X. - 1563962624 ; :290, s. 264-269
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)
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| 4. |
- Ballantyne, C., et al.
(author)
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Collaborative meta-analysis of individual participant data from observational studies of Lp-PLA(2) and cardiovascular diseases
- 2007
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In: European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation. - 1741-8275. ; 14:1, s. 41344-41344
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background A large number of observational epidemiological studies have reported generally positive associations' between circulating mass and activity levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Few studies have been large enough to provide reliable estimates in different circumstances, such as in different subgroups (e.g., by age group, sex, or smoking status) or at different Lp-PLA2 levels. Moreover, most published studies have related disease risk only to baseline values of Lp-PLA(2) markers (which can lead to substantial underestimation of any risk relationships because of within-person variability over time) and have used different approaches to adjustment for possible confounding factors. Objectives By combination of data from individual participants from all relevant observational studies in a systematic,meta-analysis, with correction for regression dilution (using available data on serial measurements of Lp-PLA(2)), the Lp-PLA(2) Studies Collaboration will aim to characterize more precisely than has previously been possible the strength and shape of the age and sex-specific associations of plasma Lp-PLA(2) with coronary heart disease (and, where data are sufficient with other vascular diseases, such as ischaemic stroke). It will also help to determine to what extent such associations are independent of possible confounding factors and to explore potential sources of heterogeneity among studies, such as those related to assay methods and study design. It is anticipated that the present collaboration will serve as a framework to investigate related questions on Lp-PLA(2) and cardiovascular outcomes. Methods A central database is being established containing data on circulating Lp-PLA(2) values, sex and other potential confounding factors, age at baseline Lp-PLA(2) Measurement, age at event or at last follow-up, major vascular morbidity and cause-specific mortality. Information about any repeat measurements of Lp-PLA2 and potential confounding factors has been sought to allow adjustment for possible confounding and correction for regression dilution. The analyses will involve age-specific regression models. Synthesis of the available observational studies of Lp-PLA(2) will yield information on a total of about 15 000 cardiovascular disease endpoints.
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| 5. |
- Ballantyne, C., et al.
(author)
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Collaborative meta-analysis of individual participant data from observational studies of Lp-PLA2 and cardiovascular diseases
- 2007
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In: European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1741-8267 .- 1741-8275 .- 2047-4873. ; 14:1, s. 3-11
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: A large number of observational epidemiological studies have reported generally positive associations between circulating mass and activity levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Few studies have been large enough to provide reliable estimates in different circumstances, such as in different subgroups (e.g., by age group, sex, or smoking status) or at different Lp-PLA2 levels. Moreover, most published studies have related disease risk only to baseline values of Lp-PLA2 markers (which can lead to substantial underestimation of any risk relationships because of within-person variability over time) and have used different approaches to adjustment for possible confounding factors. OBJECTIVES: By combination of data from individual participants from all relevant observational studies in a systematic 'meta-analysis', with correction for regression dilution (using available data on serial measurements of Lp-PLA2), the Lp-PLA2 Studies Collaboration will aim to characterize more precisely than has previously been possible the strength and shape of the age and sex-specific associations of plasma Lp-PLA2 with coronary heart disease (and, where data are sufficient, with other vascular diseases, such as ischaemic stroke). It will also help to determine to what extent such associations are independent of possible confounding factors and to explore potential sources of heterogeneity among studies, such as those related to assay methods and study design. It is anticipated that the present collaboration will serve as a framework to investigate related questions on Lp-PLA2 and cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: A central database is being established containing data on circulating Lp-PLA2 values, sex and other potential confounding factors, age at baseline Lp-PLA2 measurement, age at event or at last follow-up, major vascular morbidity and cause-specific mortality. Information about any repeat measurements of Lp-PLA2 and potential confounding factors has been sought to allow adjustment for possible confounding and correction for regression dilution. The analyses will involve age-specific regression models. Synthesis of the available observational studies of Lp-PLA2 will yield information on a total of about 15 000 cardiovascular disease endpoints.
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| 6. |
- Franssen, F. M. E., et al.
(author)
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Lung Function Abnormalities in Smokers with Ischemic Heart Disease
- 2016
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In: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. - 1073-449X. ; 194:5, s. 568-576
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rationale: The aim of the ALICE (Airflow Limitation in Cardiac Diseases in Europe) study was to investigate the prevalence of airflow limitation in patients with ischemic heart disease and the effects on quality of life, healthcare use, and future health risk. Objectives: To examine prebronchodilator and post-bronchodilator spirometry in outpatients aged greater than or equal to 40 years with clinically documented ischemic heart disease who were current or former smokers. Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 cardiovascular outpatient clinics in nine European countries. Airflow limitation was defined as post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC less than 0.70. Measurements and Main Results: Among the 3,103 patients with ischemic heart disease who were recruited, lung function was defined for 2,730 patients. Airflow limitation was observed in 30.5% of patients with ischemic heart disease: 11.3% had mild airflow limitation, 15.8% moderate airflow limitation, 3.3% severe airflow limitation, and 0.1% very severe airflow limitation. Most patients with airflow limitation (70.6%) had no previous spirometry testing or diagnosed pulmonary disease. Airflow limitation was associated with greater respiratory symptomatology, impaired health status, and more frequent emergency room visits (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Airflow limitation compatible with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects almost one-third of patients with ischemic heart disease. Although airflow limitation is associated with additional morbidity and societal burden, it is largely undiagnosed and untreated.
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| 10. |
- Cowie, M. R., et al.
(author)
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New medicinal products for chronic heart failure: advances in clinical trial design and efficacy assessment
- 2017
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In: European Journal of Heart Failure. - : Wiley. - 1388-9842. ; 19:6, s. 718-727
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite the availability of a number of different classes of therapeutic agents with proven efficacy in heart failure, the clinical course of heart failure patients is characterized by a reduction in life expectancy, a progressive decline in health-related quality of life and functional status, as well as a high risk of hospitalization. New approaches are needed to address the unmet medical needs of this patient population. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is undertaking a revision of its Guideline on Clinical Investigation of Medicinal Products for the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure. The draft version of the Guideline was released for public consultation in January 2016. The Cardiovascular Round Table of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), in partnership with the Heart Failure Association of the ESC, convened a dedicated two-day workshop to discuss three main topic areas of major interest in the field and addressed in this draft EMA guideline: (i) assessment of efficacy (i.e. endpoint selection and statistical analysis); (ii) clinical trial design (i.e. issues pertaining to patient population, optimal medical therapy, run-in period); and (iii) research approaches for testing novel therapeutic principles (i.e. cell therapy). This paper summarizes the key outputs from the workshop, reviews areas of expert consensus, and identifies gaps that require further research or discussion. Collaboration between regulators, industry, clinical trialists, cardiologists, health technology assessment bodies, payers, and patient organizations is critical to address the ongoing challenge of heart failure and to ensure the development and market access of new therapeutics in a scientifically robust, practical and safe way.
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| 11. |
- Heskel, Mary A., et al.
(author)
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Convergence in the temperature response of leaf respiration across biomes and plant functional types
- 2016
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 113:14, s. 3832-3837
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Plant respiration constitutes a massive carbon flux to the atmosphere, and a major control on the evolution of the global carbon cycle. It therefore has the potential to modulate levels of climate change due to the human burning of fossil fuels. Neither current physiological nor terrestrial biosphere models adequately describe its short-term temperature response, and even minor differences in the shape of the response curve can significantly impact estimates of ecosystem carbon release and/or storage. Given this, it is critical to establish whether there are predictable patterns in the shape of the respiration-temperature response curve, and thus in the intrinsic temperature sensitivity of respiration across the globe. Analyzing measurements in a comprehensive database for 231 species spanning 7 biomes, we demonstrate that temperature-dependent increases in leaf respiration do not follow a commonly used exponential function. Instead, we find a decelerating function as leaves warm, reflecting a declining sensitivity to higher temperatures that is remarkably uniform across all biomes and plant functional types. Such convergence in the temperature sensitivity of leaf respiration suggests that there are universally applicable controls on the temperature response of plant energy metabolism, such that a single new function can predict the temperature dependence of leaf respiration for global vegetation. This simple function enables straightforward description of plant respiration in the land-surface components of coupled earth system models. Our cross-biome analyses shows significant implications for such fluxes in cold climates, generally projecting lower values compared with previous estimates.
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| 14. |
- Jurasz, J., et al.
(author)
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Complementarity of wind and solar power in North Africa : Potential for alleviating energy droughts and impacts of the North Atlantic Oscillation
- 2024
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In: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 1364-0321 .- 1879-0690. ; 191
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With growing gas and oil prices, electricity generation based on these fossil fuels is becoming increasingly expensive. Furthermore, the vision of natural gas as a transition fuel is subject to many constraints and uncertainties of economic, environmental, and geopolitical nature. Consequently, renewable energies such as solar and wind power are expected to reach new records of installed capacity over the upcoming years. Considering the above, North Africa is one of the regions with the largest renewable resource potential globally. While extensively studied in the literature, these resources remain underutilized. Thus, to contribute to their future successful deployment and integration with the power system, this study presents a spatial and temporal analysis of the nature of solar and wind resources over North Africa from the perspective of energy droughts. Both the frequency and maximal duration of energy droughts are addressed. Both aspects of renewables’ variable nature have been evaluated in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) context. The analysis considers the period between 1960 and 2020 based on hourly reanalysis data (i.e., near-surface shortwave irradiation, wind speed, and air temperature) and the Hurrel NAO index. The findings show an in-phase relationship between solar power and winter NAO index, particularly over the coastal regions in western North Africa and opposite patterns in its eastern part. For wind energy, the connection with NAO has a more zonal pattern, with negative correlations in the north and positive correlations in the south. Solar energy droughts dominate northern Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, while wind energy droughts mainly occur in the Atlas Mountains range. On average, solar energy droughts tend not to exceed 2–3 consecutive days, with the longest extending for five days. Wind energy droughts can be as prolonged as 80 days (Atlas Mountains). Hybridizing solar and wind energy reduces the potential for energy droughts significantly. At the same time, the correlation between their occurrence and the NAO index remains low. These findings show the potential for substantial resilience to inter-annual climate variability, which could benefit the future stability of renewables-dominated power systems.
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| 15. |
- Kapica, J., et al.
(author)
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The potential impact of climate change on European renewable energy droughts
- 2024
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In: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 1364-0321 .- 1879-0690. ; 189
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The daily, seasonal, and interannual variability of solar and wind resources is well-documented, based on evidence from multi-decadal meteorological time series. However, with the growing share of non-dispatchable renewable-based power sources (e.g., wind and solar power), the stable operation of the power system could be undermined by prolonged periods of low availability of these resources. Consequently, this may result in extremely high prices in the energy market or even a power system blackout. This study analyzes the performance of solar, wind, and solar-wind hybrid systems in Europe based on eight regional climate models, considering two possible climate change projections. The resource availability has been evaluated based on the energy drought concept. The total duration of droughts is calculated using daily capacity factors covering the years 1970–2020 (reference period) and 2048–2098 (future period), considering sub-national regions across the whole of Europe. In general, the chosen climate models show a more significant agreement in the occurrence of energy droughts for northern and southern Europe compared to its central part. Assessing the potential for renewable energy droughts is critical to maintaining secure and reliable power system operation in both the present and future climate.
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| 18. |
- Sawle, G V, et al.
(author)
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Transplantation of fetal dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease : PET [18F]6-L-fluorodopa studies in two patients with putaminal implants
- 1992
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In: Annals of Neurology. - : Wiley. - 0364-5134 .- 1531-8249. ; 31:2, s. 73-166
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two patients with Parkinson's disease who underwent implantation of fetal mesencephalic tissue into the putamen were serially studied using positron emission tomography and [18F]6-L-fluorodopa ([18F]dopa). The uptake of [18F]dopa is related to the functional integrity of the presynaptic dopaminergic system. Preoperative studies revealed a marked decrease in putamen [18F]dopa uptake, with lesser involvement of the caudate. Two and 4 months, respectively, after operation, both patients demonstrated functional improvement, as described elsewhere. One patient was scanned 5, 8, and 13 months after the operation and the other was scanned 7 and 12 months after the operation. In both patients, [18F]dopa uptake increased within the operated putamen despite a progressive decrease in tracer uptake in the unoperated striatal structures. We believe that this increased uptake of [18F]dopa at the implantation site represents functional integrity within a surviving neural graft. While there has been little further clinical improvement beyond the fifth postoperative month, the uptake of [18F]dopa at the operation site in both patients has progressively increased. The kinetic data provide evidence of disease progression in the unoperated striatum, which, balanced against increasing graft function, may explain why clinical improvement reached a plateau within months after surgery.
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| 19. |
- Tromp, Jasper, et al.
(author)
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Serum Potassium Levels and Outcome in Acute Heart Failure (Data from the PROTECT and COACH Trials)
- 2017
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In: American Journal of Cardiology. - : EXCERPTA MEDICA INC-ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. - 0002-9149 .- 1879-1913. ; 119:2, s. 290-296
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serum potassium is routinely measured at admission for acute heart failure (AHF), but information on association with clinical variables and prognosis is limited. Potassium measurements at admission were available in 1,867 patients with AHF in the original cohort of 2,033 patients included in the Patients Hospitalized with acute heart failure and Volume Overload to Assess Treatment Effect on Congestion and Renal FuncTion trial. Patients were grouped according to low potassium (amp;lt;3.5 mEq/l), normal potassium (3.5 to 5.0 mEq/l), and high potassium (amp;gt;5.0 mEq/l) levels. Results were verified in a validation cohort of 1,023 patients. Mean age of patients was 71 +/- 11 years, and 66% were men. Low potassium was present in 115 patients (6%), normal potassium in 1,576 (84%), and high potassium in 176 (9%). Potassium levels increased during hospitalization (0.18 +/- 0.69 mEq/l). Patients with high potassium more often used angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists before admission, had impaired baseline renal function and a better diuretic response (p = 0.005), independent of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist usage. During 180-day follow-up, a total of 330 patients (18%) died. Potassium levels at admission showed a univariate linear association with mortality (hazard ratio [log] 2.36, 95% confidence interval 1.07 to 5.23; p = 0.034) but not after multivariate adjustment. Changes of potassium levels during hospitalization or potassium levels at discharge were not associated with outcome after multivariate analysis. Results in the validation cohort were similar to the index cohort. In conclusion, high potassium levels at admission are associated with an impaired renal function but a better diuretic response. Changes in potassium levels are common, and overall levels increase during hospitalization. In conclusion, potassium levels at admission or its change during hospitalization are not associated with mortality after multivariate adjustment. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativeconunons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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