RANKING OF THE CITY TERRITORY BASED ON THE RESULTS OF CALCULATED MONITORING OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR POLLUTION FROM STATIONARY SOURCES

The article focuses on a method for ranking the city territory according to the level of atmospheric pollu-tion. Calculations of dispersion of emissions from stationary sources are performed, maximum one-time and average annual concentrations of harmful substances for the city of Nizhnekamsk, which is a large center of the petrochemical and oil refining industries, are determined. Analysis of peak short-term expo-sures is carried out on the basis of maximum concentrations expressed in terms of hygiene standards, reference concentrations for acute inhalation exposure and odor thresholds of substances. Long-term impact analysis is based on the Integrated Air Pollution Index. Based on the results of the calculation of these parameters, the zoning of the city'territory is carried out.

Measuring the Urban Forms of Shanghai’s City Center and Its New Districts: A Neighborhood-Level Comparative Analysis

Rapid urban expansion has radically transformed the city centers and the new districts of Chinese cities. Both areas have undergone unique redevelopment and development over the past decades, generating unique urban forms worthy of study. To date, few studies have investigated development patterns and land use intensities at the neighborhood level. The present study aims to fill the gap and compare the densities of different types of developments and the spatial compositions of different commercial uses at the neighborhood level. We captured the attributes of their built environment that support instrumental activities of daily living of 710 neighborhoods centered on the public elementary schools of the entire Shanghai municipality using application programming interfaces provided in Baidu Map services. The 200 m neighborhood provided the best fit to capture the variations of the built environment. Overall, city center neighborhoods had significantly higher residential densities and housed more daily routine destinations than their counterparts in the new districts. Unexpectedly, however, the total length of streets was considerably smaller in city-center neighborhoods, likely reflecting the prominence of the wide multilane vehicular roads surrounding large center city redevelopment projects. The findings point to convergence between the city center’s urban forms and that of the new districts.

Aztec and Tlaxcalan Economic Interaction: Blockade or Interregional Exchange?

This study investigates the impact of the Aztec Triple Alliance on trade and economic activity in the region of Puebla-Tlaxcala during the Late Postclassic period (AD 1200–1519). Ethnohistorical sources describe the Aztec Triple Alliance as constantly at war with settlements in the Tlaxcala region. To weaken their Tlaxcalteca rivals, the Aztecs imposed a trade blockade to reduce the flow of resources into Puebla-Tlaxcala. This article uses archaeological evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of this blockade. It compares the types of obsidian used to manufacture lithic tools from Aztec-controlled sources with those used within Puebla-Tlaxcala. Information from the large center of Tepeticpac and the small obsidian workshop site of Cinco Santos II, both in the Tlaxcala domain, are compared to other sites in Central Mexico prior to and during the height of Aztec influence. The results show little difference in regional trade patterns: obsidian from Sierra de las Navajas and Otumba was used in proportions in the Tlaxcala region in the Late Postclassic similar to those used during earlier periods. If an embargo was attempted, it was largely unsuccessful in isolating Tlaxcala from broader regional distribution networks.

Type 2A and 2M von Willebrand Disease: Differences in Phenotypic Parameters According to the Affected Domain by Disease-Causing Variants and Assessment of Pathophysiological Mechanisms

Type 2A and 2M von Willebrand disease (VWD) broadly show similar phenotypic parameters, but involve different pathophysiological mechanisms. This report presents the clinical and laboratory profiles of type 2A and type 2M patients genotypically diagnosed at one large center. Higher bleeding score values and a higher incidence of major bleeding episodes were observed in type 2A compared with type 2M, potentially reflective of the absence of large and intermediate von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimers in 2A. In type 2A, most of disease-causing variants (DCVs) appeared to be responsible for increased VWF clearance and DCV clustered in the VWF-A1 domain resulted in more severe clinical profiles. In type 2M, DCV in the VWF-A1 domain showed different laboratory patterns, related to either reduced synthesis or shortened VWF survival, and DCV in the VWF-A2 domain showed patterns related mainly to shortened survival. VWF-type 1 collagen binding/Ag (C1B/Ag) showed different patterns according to DCV location: in type 2A VWD, C1B/Ag was much lower when DCVs were located in the VWF-A2 domain. In type 2M with DCV in the VWF-A1domain, C1B/Ag was normal, but with DCV in the VWF-A2 domain, C1B/Ag was low. The higher frequency of major bleeding in VWD 2M patients with DCV in the VWF-A2 domain than that with DCV in the VWF-A1 domain could be a summative effect of abnormal C1B/Ag, on top of the reduced VWF-GPIb binding. In silico modeling suggests that DCV impairing the VWF-A2 domain somehow modulates collagen binding to the VWF-A3 domain. Concomitant normal FVIII:C/Ag and VWFpp/Ag, mainly in type 2M VWD, suggest that other nonidentified pathophysiological mechanisms, neither related to synthesis/retention nor survival of VWF, would be responsible for the presenting phenotype.

Prevalence and ablation of different anatomic locations of atrial tachicardias in the electrophysiology lab of a single large center

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Focal atrial tachycardias (ATs) can arise from several different anatomic regions both in the right atrium (RA) and left atrium (LA). The prevalence of focal atrial tachycardia is not well known. A European study of young males applying for pilot licenses demonstrated that 0.34% had asymptomatic atrial tachycardia and 0.46% had symptomatic atrial tachycardia1. It is well-recognized that these foci do not occur randomly throughout the atria but tend to cluster at characteristic anatomic locations. However, the distribution of these sites in the total amount of ATs is not well recognized. Purpose The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of different anatomic locations of ATs in the electrophysiology lab of a single large center (300 ablations per year) and to verify the site of ablation. Methods We collected 150 consecutive patients submitted to catheter ablation of ATs between January 2010 to December 2020. Anatomic localization of the atrial focus was performed during tachicardia by analysis of endocardial activation sequence. Results The distribution of the different anatomic locations is rappresented in the figure. In 134 patients (89%) ATs were localized in the RA. In the RA, these foci mainly occured along the crista terminalis (32%), the perinodal region (22,6%), the anterior right sided septum, near the foramen ovale (9,3%), the posterior right-sided septum (8%), the ostium of the coronary sinus (5,3%), the tricuspid annulus (5,3%), the superior vena cava (4,6%), the infero-lateral wall (2,5%), the right atrial appendage (0,6%) and the cavotricuspid histhmus (0,6%). In the LA (11%), foci occur predominantly at the pulmonary vein ostia (5,2%) and less commonly at the mitral annulus (2,5%), the left sided septum (0,6%), the appendage ridge (0,6%), the roof (0,6%) and the anterior wall (0,6%). For each location of AT, the ablation was performed at the earliest activation site, but about the perinodal ATs, the ablation was performed at the non coronary sinus of Valsalva of the aortic root, regardless the earliest activation site, for avoiding to create damages to the atrio-ventricular (AV) conduction system. Conclusions ATs mainly arise from the RA. Crista terminalis is the most common site but the perinodal region is the second more frequent site. The ablation of ATs from the perinodal region is challenging for the risk of damages to the AV conduction system. The relatively low prevalence of ATs arising from the pulmonary veins could be explained for the likely degeneration of these ATs in atrial fibrillation. Abstract Figure.

Serological Tests in the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies

Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for a timely update of health policies and allocation of resources. Particularly, serological testing may allow individuals with low-risk of being contagious of SARS-CoV-2 to return to daily activities. Both private and academic initiatives have sought to develop serological assays to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Herein, we compared five different assays in active healthcare personnel exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in a large center in Madrid, Spain, in a retrospective study. Median time lapse between polymerase chain-reaction (PCR) and serological testing was 11 days (7–21). All tests assessed IgM/IgG titers except for Euroimmun (IgA/IgG) and The Binding-Site (IgA/IgM/IgG). The highest concordance rate was observed between Dia.Pro and Euroimmun (75.76%), while it was lowest between The Binding-Site and Euroimmun (44.55%). The Binding-Site assay showed the highest concordance (85.52%) with PCR results. Considering PCR results as reference, Dia.Pro was the most sensitive test, although The Binding-Site assay exhibited the highest area under the curve (AUC; 0.85). OrientGene and MAGLUMI tests were performed in a smaller cohort with confirmed infection and thus were not adequate to estimate sensitivity and specificity. The Binding-Site assay presented the best joint sensitivity and specificity among all the tests analyzed in our cohort. Likewise, this serological assay presents a greater repertoire of antibodies and antigen-regions tested, which is why each individual’s humoral immunity is more accurately reflected. The better the immunity test, the most adequate the health strategy to take in terms of organization of consultations, surgery, and treatments in vulnerable patients. The three antibody classes (IgG/IgM/IgA) were determined jointly, which translates to an economic impact on healthcare. While their role in the protection status remains elusive, serological tests add a valuable tool in the early management of SARS-CoV-2 after known exposition.