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We examined the longitudinal changes of VEGF levels after percutaneous coronary intervention for predicting major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. VEGF was measured in 94 CAD patients' serum before revascularization, 1-month and 1-year after. Independently of clinical presentation, patients had lower VEGF concentration than a cohort of healthy subjects (median, IQ: 15.9, 9.0–264 pg/mL versus 419, 212–758 pg/mL; P < 0.001) at baseline. VEGF increased to 1-month (median, IQ: 276, 167–498 pg/mL; P < 0.001) and remained steady to 1-year (median, IQ: 320, 173–497 pg/mL; P < 0.001) approaching control levels. Drug eluting stent apposition and previous medication intake produced a less steep VEGF evolution after intervention (P < 0.05). Baseline VEGF concentration <40.8 pg/mL conveyed increased risk for MACE in a 5-year follow-up. Results reflect a positive role of VEGF in recovery and support its importance in CAD prognosis.

Abbreviations: AMI ¼ acute myocardial infarction; APC ¼ allophycocyanin; Asp ¼ aspartate; cTNT ¼ cardiac troponin; CAD ¼ coronary artery disease; CRP ¼ C-reactive protein; CK ¼ creatine kinase; eNOS ¼ endothelial nitric oxide synthase; ELISA ¼ enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; FITC ¼ fluorescein isothiocyanate; FAU ¼ fluorescence arbitrary units; Glu ¼ glutamic acid; LME ¼ linear mixed effects model; MPs ¼ microparticles; NO ¼ nitric oxide; NT-proBNP ¼ N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide; PCI ¼ percutaneous coronary intervention; PBS ¼ phosphate-buffered saline; PE ¼ Phycoerythrin; CD62P ¼ P-selectin; sCD40L ¼ soluble CD40 ligand; SA ¼ stable angina pectoris; VEGF ¼ vascular endothelial growth factor INTRODUCTION CD40L is a signaling molecule, 1-3 implicated in thrombosis and inflammatory response to vascular injury. [4][5][6] The relationship of CD40L with coronary artery disease (CAD) has been established, 2,7-9 as also its implication in endothelial dysfunction. [10][11][12][13][14] However, whether the soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) could also influence endothelial dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) injury remains unclear.In vitro studies have shown that sCD40L inhibits angiogenesis and also growth factor-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell migration, which is achieved by generation of free radicals and inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production. 10 The authors hypothesized that the sCD40L could inhibit reendothelialization of an injured vessel, thereby affecting the restenosis. 10Research efforts have been directed toward the finding of biomarkers to assess endothelial function and its correlation with AMI. Genetic indicators, such as the polymorphisms of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) gene, 15,16 may provide insight into endothelial cells function.Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a wellknown promoter of angiogenesis and an endogenous regulator of endothelial integrity. [17][18][19] The prognostic information provided by VEGF independently of other markers likely points toward an important role for angiogenesis in regulating myocardial repair and reperfusion after AMI. 17,20 Current opinion suggests a differential role of CD40L (both soluble and membrane-bound forms, which includes microparticles in circulation) 21 at different stages of CAD, contrasting with the traditional view of an unvarying function of the CD40L-CD40-sCD40L system interactions in the disease. 6 In that perspective, no clear indication of the interplay of CD40L with endothelial and vascular function markers and their importance in the pathophysiology of the AMI has been obtained so far in human clinical studies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of sCD40L with markers of platelet activation, endothelial and vascular function during an early recovery period after AMI. To achieve this goal, the time changes over 1 month of sCD40L levels were assessed in AMI patients and correlated with the CD40L expressed on platelets and microparticles, CD62P expression on platele...

Ammonia (NH 3 ) is currently in the spotlight because of its potential in serving as an energy resource devoid of carbon. Combustion of NH 3 , however, presents several drawbacks, such as high ignition temperature, low flame speed, and high NO x emissions. Furthermore, although dual-fuel approaches may provide a solution for some of these problems, scarcity of information on the resulting emissions inhibits a large-scale adoption. Therefore, the present work is focused on studying gaseous pollutants, namely, NO x , CO, and unburned NH 3 , emitted from premixed flames of mixtures of NH 3 and either CH 4 or H 2 as combustion enhancers in a porous media burner. An inert alumina−zirconia porous media-based burner fueled with NH 3 /CH 4 /air and NH 3 /H 2 /air mixtures was employed. Temperatures and concentrations of NO x , CO, and NH 3 were measured as a function of the NH 3 molar fraction in the fuel mixture for both type of mixtures. The experimental data were compared to results from simulations performed with recently developed chemical kinetic mechanisms, updated with the latest nitrogen chemistry submechanisms. The experimental results for NH 3 /CH 4 mixtures showed that the NO x emissions peak at a NH 3 molar fraction in the fuel mixture of around 0.5, while for NH 3 /H 2 mixtures, the NO x emissions present maxima at NH 3 molar fractions in the fuel mixture of 0.5 and 0.8. The CO emission data indicated complete combustion of CH 4 , but the presence of unburnt NH 3 in the flue gas reveals its incomplete oxidation for the studied conditions. The kinetic simulations showed similar NO x emission patterns but significantly overpredicted the experimental data in most cases.

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Resumo -No século XX, as cheias foram o desastre natural mais mortífero em Portugal, seguidas pelos sismos: por cada morte devida aos sismos morreram sete pessoas devido às cheias.O tipo de cheias conhecidas como «cheias progressivas» afectam principalmente as grandes bacias hidrográficas, como a do rio Tejo, provocando a inundação de uma ampla área. Este tipo de cheias é causado por períodos de chuva abundante relacionada com a circulação zonal de oeste que se mantém durante semanas. O sistema de barragens da bacia reduz a frequência das cheias mas não consegue «domar» o rio, contribuindo mesmo, por vezes, para o aumento do pico de escoamento, tal como aconteceu em 1979. Apesar disso, estas cheias não constituem, geralmente, um perigo para a população. As cheias rápidas, pelo contrário, são perigosas e mortíferas, tais como as que ocorreram em 1967, 1983 e 1997. Afectam as pequenas bacias de drenagem e são causadas por chuvadas fortes e concentradas, devido a depressões convectivas (gotas frias extremamente activas ou depressões estacionárias causadas pela interacção entre as circulações polar e tropical), nomeadamente no Sul do País (região de Lisboa, Alentejo e Algarve). A desflorestação, a impermeabilização dos solos, a urbanização caótica, a construção em leitos de cheia, o entulhamento dos pequenos cursos de água, ou a sua canalização, a construção de muros e aterros transversais ao sentido de escoamento das linhas de água, que funcionam como diques, contribuem para a agravamento deste tipo de cheias.São aqui analisadas as cheias nos rios do Sul do País, desde as grandes bacias de drenagem (rio Tejo, 80 100 km 2 ) até às mais pequenas (ribeira de Cobres, 700 km 2 ; ribeira da Garganta, 1 km 2 ).Palavras-chave: regime fluvial, bacias de drenagem, tipos de cheias, barragens. Abstract -THE FLOODS IN THE SOUTH OF PORTUGAL IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF DRAINAGE BASINS -The regime of the Portuguese rivers depends on the space and time variation of rainfall. Portugal has clear regional contrasts in the geographical distribution of rainfall. The NW and the Central Mountain Range (Cordilheira Central) are the regions with more rainfall. The NE and the south are the driest regions. The rainfall regime is very irregular. The monthly rainfall regime is clearly Mediterranean with autumn-winter rains (November-March) and an extremely dry summer.----------------

This research aims to understand how insurance, rainfall, land cover and urban flooding are related and how these variables influenced the material damage in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) during the 2000-2011 period. Correlation coefficients show strong relationships between built-up areas and claims (0.94) and payouts (0.88). Despite no significant relationships being found between rainfall and the amount of material damage per event, three likelihood levels of flooding were determined for hourly rainfall. Unlike the studied period, the number of claims and their spatial distribution during the 2008 extreme rainfall event were strongly dependent on rainfall. Flooding related to the old watercourses assumed greater importance during this extreme event, recovering a more natural/ancient hydrological behaviour. In the LMA, the greatest material damage was the result of high-magnitude/low-probability rainfall events. Lower magnitude events can trigger numerous claims in heavily built-up areas, but they are hardly capable of producing large material damage.