A reconciled estimate of ice-sheet mass balance.

We combined an ensemble of satellite altimetry, interferometry, and gravimetry data sets using common geographical regions, time intervals, and models of surface mass balance and glacial isostatic adjustment to estimate the mass balance of Earth's polar ice sheets. We find that there is good agreement between different satellite methods--especially in Greenland and West Antarctica--and that combining satellite data sets leads to greater certainty. Between 1992 and 2011, the ice sheets of Greenland, East Antarctica, West Antarctica, and the Antarctic Peninsula changed in mass by -142 ± 49, +14 ± 43, -65 ± 26, and -20 ± 14 gigatonnes year(-1), respectively.

[Should the presence of coiled blood flow in the left heart ventricle and aorta be taken into consideration when constructing artificial heart valves?].

The use of an original device developed by the authors which was introduced in the blood flow in experiments in dogs has confirmed the presence of coiled blood flow in different parts of the aorta. The rate, direction and angle of coiling were calculated. The results obtained suggest that the fact of coiling the blood flow should be taken into account when constructing new models of artificial valves of the heart in order to decrease the energy value of the cardiac output, to prevent injury of the formed elements of blood and thrombogenesis.