The Association Between Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index and Primary Idiopathic Complete Atrioventricular Block in an Elderly Population

The most common cause of complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) is age-related fibrotic degeneration and is referred to as primary idiopathic complete atrioventricular block (iCAVB). This study aims to investigate the relationship between iCAVB and arterial stiffness using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). In this study, of 205 CAVB patients, 41 patients with iCAVB implanted with a dual-chamber permanent pacemaker and 40 age- and gender-matched controls were studied. Arterial stiffness was assessed by a VaSera VS-1000 CAVI instrument. The CAVI values of patients with iCAVB were significantly higher compared with the controls (9.63 ± 1.42 vs 8.57 ± 1.12, P < .001). Idiopathic complete atrioventricular block frequency was higher among patients with abnormal CAVI values than those with borderline and normal CAVI ( P = .04). In multivariate analysis, only CAVI was an independent predictor of iCAVB after adjusting for other relevant factors (odds ratio, 2.575; 95% CI [1.390-4.770]; P = .003). The present study demonstrated that CAVI, as a marker of arterial stiffness, was increased among elderly patients with iCAVB. Thus, we provide a possible additional mechanism linking easily measured CAVI with iCAVB.

Atmospheric blocking in an aquaplanet and the impact of orography

Many fundamental questions remain about the roles and effects of stationary forcing on atmospheric blocking. As such, this work utilizes an idealized moist general circulation model (GCM) to investigate atmospheric blocking in terms of dynamics, geographical location, and duration. The model is first configured as an aquaplanet, then orography is added in separate integrations. Block-centered composites of wave activity fluxes and height show that blocks in the aquaplanet undergo a realistic dynamical evolution when compared to reanalysis. Blocks in the aquaplanet are also found to have similar life cycles to blocks in model integrations with orography. These results affirm the usefulness of both zonally symmetric and asymmetric idealized model configurations for studying blocking. Adding orography to the model leads to an increase in blocking. This mirrors what is observed when comparing the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and Southern Hemisphere (SH), where the NH contains more orography and thus more blocking. As the prescribed mountain height increases, so do the magnitude and size of climatological stationary waves, resulting in more blocking overall. Increases in blocking, however, are not spatially uniform. Orography is found to induce regions of enhanced block frequency just upstream of mountains, near high pressure anomalies in the stationary waves, which is poleward of climatological minima in upper-level zonal wind, while block frequency minima and jet maxima occur eastward of the wave trough. This result matches what is observed near the Rocky Mountains. Finally, an analysis of block duration suggests blocks generated near stationary wave maxima last slightly longer than blocks that form far from or without orography. Overall, the results of this work help to explain some of the observed similarities and differences in blocking between the NH and SH and emphasize the importance of general circulation features in setting where blocks most frequently occur.

Identifikasi Jenis dan Tingkat Serangan Hama Pada Pembibitan Tanaman Kelapa Sawit (Elaeis guineensi Jacq) di PT. Sentosa Kalimantan Jaya, Kabupaten Berau Provinsi Kalimantan Timur

Identification of Types and Levels of Pests Attack on Palm Plantation Seedlings (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) at PT. Sentosa Kalimantan Jaya, Berau District East Kalimantan Province. Under the guidance of Iin Arsensi and Purwati. This study aims to determine the types of pests that attack oil palm seedlings, the frequency and intensity of oil palm pest attack on the Main Nursery stage nursery. The research was arranged in Survey method, determining 5 research plots in one block diagonally by marking on each plot with plastic marker of seeds, so obtained 15 research plots contained in 3 block that is block J, I and D. Each research plot consists of 30 Oil palm seedlings so that the number of observed 450 seeds of oil palm. The results showed that the types of pests that attack the oil palm seedlings in Main Nursery are Tungau (Tetranychus piercei), Adoretus compressus Beetle, and Locusta migratoria manilensis (Locusta migratoria manilensis); Block Frequency A pest attack in the category of minor attacks is 51.33%, 24% attack, while the intensity of pest attacks is a mild attack category; Frequency of Block I attack of pests in light attack category is 49,33%, moderate attack 37,33%, heavy attack 2%, while intensity of pest attack moderate attack category; Frequency of Block D attack of pest in light attack category is 41,3%, moderate attack 41,3%, severe attack 7,3%, while intensity of pest attack moderate attack category;