Besançon Astronomical Observatory

Abstract Background/Introduction Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a strong prognostic factor in infective endocarditis (IE), but data are lacking regarding its current management and outcome in Europe. Purpose To evaluate the current management and survival of patients with left-sided IE complicated by CHF. Methods We used data of the ESC-EORP EURO-ENDO registry, which is a prospective multicentre observational study conducted between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2018 in 156 centres in 40 countries. The primary endpoints were 30-day and one-year mortality. Results Among the 3116 patients enrolled in this prospective registry, 2449 (mean age: 60 years, 69% male) with left-sided (native or prosthetic) IE were included in this study. Patients with CHF (n=698, 28.5%) were older, with more comorbidity and more severe valvular damage (mitro-aortic involvement, vegetations >10mm and severe regurgitation/new prosthesis dehiscence) than those without CHF (all p≤0.019). Patients with CHF experienced higher 30-day and one-year mortality than those without (20.5% vs. 9.0% and 36.1% vs. 19.3%, respectively) and CHF remained strongly associated with 30-day (OR [95% CI]: 2.37 [1.73–3.24]; p<0.001) and one-year mortality (HR [95% CI]: 1.69 [1.40–2.05]; p<0.001) after adjustment for established outcome predictors, including early surgery, or after propensity matching for age, sex, and comorbidity (n=618 [88.5%] for each group, both p<0.001). Early surgery, performed on 49% of these patients with IE complicated by CHF, remained associated with a substantial reduction in 30-day mortality following multivariable analysis, after adjustment for age, sex, Charlson index, cerebrovascular accident, staphylococcus aureus IE, Streptococcal IE, uncontrolled infection, vegetation size >10mm, severe valvular regurgitation and/or new prosthetic dehiscence, perivalvular complication, and prosthetic IE (OR [95% CI]: 0.22 [0.12–0.38]; p<0.001) and in one-year mortality (HR [95% CI]: 0.29 [0.20–0.41]; p<0.001). Conclusion CHF is common in left-sided IE and is associated with older age, greater comorbidity, more advanced lesions, and markedly higher 30-day and one-year mortality. Early surgery is strongly associated with lower mortality but is performed on only approximately half of patients with CHF, mainly because of a surgical risk considered prohibitive. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Abbott Vascular Int. (2011–2014) Amgen Cardiovascular (2009–2018),

Context. The Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey is an ambitious project designed to obtain astrophysical parameters and elemental abundances for 100 000 stars, including large representative samples of the stellar populations in the Galaxy, and a well-defined sample of 60 (plus 20 archive) open clusters. We provide internally consistent results calibrated on benchmark stars and star clusters, extending across a very wide range of abundances and ages. This provides a legacy data set of intrinsic value, and equally a large wide-ranging dataset that is of value for the homogenisation of other and future stellar surveys and Gaia's astrophysical parameters. Aims. This article provides an overview of the survey methodology, the scientific aims, and the implementation, including a description of the data processing for the GIRAFFE spectra. A companion paper introduces the survey results. Methods. Gaia-ESO aspires to quantify both random and systematic contributions to measurement uncertainties. Thus, all available spectroscopic analysis techniques are utilised, each spectrum being analysed by up to several different analysis pipelines, with considerable effort being made to homogenise and calibrate the resulting parameters. We describe here the sequence of activities up to delivery of processed data products to the ESO Science Archive Facility for open use. Results. The Gaia-ESO Survey obtained 202 000 spectra of 115 000 stars using 340 allocated VLT nights between December 2011 and January 2018 from GIRAFFE and UVES. Conclusions. The full consistently reduced final data set of spectra was released through the ESO Science Archive Facility in late 2020, with the full astrophysical parameters sets following in 2022. A companion article reviews the survey implementation, scientific highlights, the open cluster survey, and data products.

Simple SummaryThe jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbii is one of the most widespread freshwater invasive species. The aim of this study is to analyze polyp and medusa responses to different temperatures using experimental studies on polyp colony growth and medusae to develop a model capable of predicting the Thermal Habitat Suitability (THS) for the polyp and medusa stages. Temperature had a significant effect on the total number of polyps and colonies over time and on the structure of polyp colonies. Polyp and colony numbers were greater at high temperature while colonies were composed of more polyps per colony at 19 °C compared to 29 °C. The thermal tolerance of the medusa stage showed that temperature will favor the expansion of the species in the future to higher latitudes.The freshwater jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbii is among the most widespread invasive species, observed across a wide temperature range. The aim of this study is to analyze the polyp and medusa stages response to different temperatures by using (i) an experimental study on the polyp colony growth at 19 and 29 °C, and (ii) prediction of the Thermal Habitat Suitability (THS) based on the thermal tolerance of the medusa stage. The total number of polyps and colonies was greater at high temperature. At 19 °C, colonies with 1 to 5 polyps were present, with colonies of 1 to 3 polyps numerically dominating. At 29 °C, colonies were 80% composed of 1- to 2-polyps. Based on the published medusa pulsation rhythm data, a Thermal Performance Curve (TPC) regression was performed and used to monthly predict the THS for current and future (2050 and 2100) scenarios. The southern hemisphere offered optimal conditions (THS > 0.6) year-round. In the northern hemisphere, the optimum period was predicted to be between June and September. The future THS were considerably larger than at present with an increase in optimal THS at higher latitudes (up to 60° N). The combination of experimental and modeling approaches allows to identify the optimal thermal conditions of the polyp and medusa stages and to predict their invasive capacities.

<p>Sandwich panels are structures employed in many different applications. Here, sandwich panels with the core made of Arundo donax rings and the skins made of flax fibre reinforced epoxy composites are proposed. The influence of the surface roughness of the rings on the mechanical properties is investigated. Pull-off tests between the ring and the skin were carried out to understand how sandpaper polishing can affect the adhesion between the skin and the core. The sandwich panel is characterized by three points bending tests. The results show a significant influence of the polishing treatment on the ring lateral surfaces.</p>

In the last decade, the Kepler and CoRoT space-photometry missions have demonstrated the potential of asteroseismology as a novel, versatile and powerful tool to perform exquisite tests of stellar physics, and to enable precise and accurate characterisations of stellar properties, with impact on both exoplanetary and Galactic astrophysics. Based on our improved understanding of the strengths and limitations of such a tool, we argue for a new small/medium space mission dedicated to gathering high-precision, high-cadence, long photometric series in dense stellar fields. Such a mission will lead to breakthroughs in stellar astrophysics, especially in the metal poor regime, will elucidate the evolution and formation of open and globular clusters, and aid our understanding of the assembly history and chemodynamics of the Milky Way’s bulge and a few nearby dwarf galaxies.

Riassunto L’articolo propone la discussione intrecciata da Karl Witte con Alessandro D’Ancona (1868–1877) in merito alla Vita nuova, di cui entrambi i dialoganti curarono un’edizione: il primo nel 1876, il secondo nel 1873. Ne emerge la funzione sostanziale di maestro del dantismo europeo ricoperta dal Witte nei confronti di chi, come il D’Ancona, si andava ormai affermando in Italia come capofila e animatore indiscusso della ›Scuola storica‹, che fu responsabile, nel suo insieme, di un rinnovamento profondo nei metodi di ricerca e negli indirizzi universitari degli studi nella seconda metà dell’Ottocento, in un rapporto fecondo di scambi e di assiduo confronto con l’ambiente accademico tedesco.