475 research outputs found
Influence of total sugar intake on metabolic blood markers at 8 years of age in the Childhood Obesity Project
PURPOSE We aimed to characterize the association of dietary sugar intake with blood lipids and glucose-related markers in childhood. METHODS Data from the multicentric European Childhood Obesity Project Trial were used. Three-day weighed dietary records were obtained at 8~years of age along with serum concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), glucose, and insulin. Total sugar intake comprised all mono- and disaccharides; different sugar sources were defined. Linear regression models were applied to investigate the cross-sectional association of total sugar intake with blood lipids and glucose-related markers with adjustment for total energy intake using the residual method. RESULTS Data were available for 325 children. Children consumed on average 332~kcal (SD 110) and 21% (SD 6) of energy from total sugar. In an energy-adjusted model, an increase of 100~kcal from total sugar per day was significantly associated with a z score HDL-C decrease (-~0.14; 95% CI -~0.01, -~0.27; p value = 0.031). Concerning different food groups of total sugar intake, 100~kcal total sugar from sweetened beverages was negatively associated with z score HDL-C (-~1.67; 95% CI -~0.42, -~2.91; p value = 0.009), while total sugar from milk products was positively related to z score HDL-C (1.38, 95% CI 0.03, 2.72; p value = 0.045). None of the other blood lipids or glucose-related markers showed a significant relationship with total sugar intake. CONCLUSION Increasing dietary total sugar intake in children, especially from sweetened beverages, was associated with unfavorable effects on HDL-C, which might increase the long-term risk for dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00338689; Registered: June 19, 2006. URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00338689?term=NCT00338689&rank=1
Resolving the complex structure of the dust torus in the active nucleus of the Circinus galaxy
To test the dust torus model for active galactic nuclei directly, we study
the extent and morphology of the nuclear dust distribution in the Circinus
galaxy using high resolution interferometric observations in the mid-infrared
with the MIDI instrument at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. We find
that the dust distribution in the nucleus of Circinus can be explained by two
components, a dense and warm disk-like component of 0.4 pc size and a slightly
cooler, geometrically thick torus component with a size of 2.0 pc. The disk
component is oriented perpendicular to the ionisation cone and outflow and
seems to show the silicate feature at 10 micron in emission. It coincides with
a nuclear maser disk in orientation and size. From the energy needed to heat
the dust, we infer a luminosity of the accretion disk corresponding to 20% of
the Eddington luminosity of the nuclear black hole. We find that the
interferometric data are inconsistent with a simple, smooth and axisymmetric
dust emission. The irregular behaviour of the visibilities and the shallow
decrease of the dust temperature with radius provide strong evidence for a
clumpy or filamentary dust structure. We see no evidence for dust reprocessing,
as the silicate absorption profile is consistent with that of standard galactic
dust. We argue that the collimation of the ionising radiation must originate in
the geometrically thick torus component. Our findings confirm the presence of a
geometrically thick, torus-like dust distribution in the nucleus of Circinus,
as required in unified schemes of Seyfert galaxies. Several aspects of our data
require that this torus is irregular, or "clumpy".Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication by A&
Molecular complexity determines the number of olfactory notes and the pleasantness of smells
One major unresolved problem in olfaction research is to relate the percept to the molecular structure of stimuli. The present study examined this issue and showed for the first time a quantitative structure-odor relationship in which the more structurally complex a monomolecular odorant, the more numerous the olfactory notes it evokes. Low-complexity odorants were also rated as more aversive, reflecting the fact that low molecular complexity may serve as a warning cue for the olfactory system. Taken together, these findings suggest that molecular complexity provides a framework to explain the subjective experience of smells
Damage Detection Using Blind Source Separation Techniques
Blind source separation (BSS) techniques are applied in many domains since they allow separating a set of signals from their observed mixture without the knowledge (or with very little knowledge) of the source signals or the mixing process. Two particular BSS techniques called Second-Order Blind Identification (SOBI) and Blind Modal Identification (BMID) are considered in this paper for the purpose of structural damage detection or fault diagnosis in mechanical systems. As shown on experimental examples, the BMID method reveals significant advantages. In addition, it is demonstrated that damage detection results may be improved significantly with the help of the block Hankel matrix. The main advantage in this case is that damage detection still remains possible when the number of available sensors is small or even reduced to one.
Damage detection is achieved by comparing the subspaces between the reference (healthy) state and a current state through the concept of subspace angle. The efficiency of the methods is illustrated using experimental data
Parsec-scale dust distributions in Seyfert galaxies - Results of the MIDI AGN snapshot survey
The emission of warm dust dominates the mid-infrared spectra of active
galactic nuclei (AGN). Only interferometric observations provide the necessary
angular resolution to resolve the nuclear dust and to study its distribution
and properties. The investigation of dust in AGN cores is hence one of the main
science goals for the MID-infrared Interferometric instrument MIDI at the VLTI.
As the first step, the feasibility of AGN observations was verified and the
most promising sources for detailed studies were identified. This was carried
out in a "snapshot survey" with MIDI using Guaranteed Time Observations. In the
survey, observations were attempted for 13 of the brightest AGN in the
mid-infrared which are visible from Paranal. The results of the three
brightest, best studied sources have been published in separate papers. Here we
present the interferometric observations for the remaining 10, fainter AGN. For
8 of these, interferometric measurements could be carried out. Size estimates
or limits on the spatial extent of the AGN-heated dust were derived from the
interferometric data of 7 AGN. These indicate that the dust distributions are
compact, with sizes on the order of a few parsec. The derived sizes roughly
scale with the square root of the luminosity in the mid-infrared, s ~ sqrt(L),
with no clear distinction between type 1 and type 2 objects. This is in
agreement with a model of nearly optically thick dust structures heated to T ~
300 K. For three sources, the 10 micron feature due to silicates is tentatively
detected either in emission or in absorption. Based on the results for all AGN
studied with MIDI so far, we conclude that in the mid-infrared the differences
between individual galactic nuclei are greater than the generic differences
between type 1 and type 2 objects.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, updated to version published in A&A 502, 67-8
Cultural effects on neurodevelopmental testing in children from six European countries: An analysis of NUTRIMENTHE Global Database
Cultural background is an important variable influencing neuropsychological performance. Multinational projects usually involve gathering data from participants from different countries and/or different cultures. Little is known about the influence of culture on neuropsychological testing results in children and especially in European children. The objectives of this study were to compare neuropsychological performance of children from six European countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland and Spain) using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and to apply a statistical procedure to reduce the influence of country/cultural differences in neuropsychological performance. As expected, the results demonstrated differences in neuropsychological performance among children of the six countries involved. Cultural differences remained after adjusting for other confounders related to neuropsychological execution, such as sex, type of delivery, maternal age, gestational age and maternal educational level. Differences between countries disappeared and influence of culture was considerably reduced when standardised scores by country and sex were used. These results highlight the need for developing specific procedures to compare neuropsychological performance among children from different cultures to be used in multicentre studies
Cardiosphere-derived cells suppress allogeneic lymphocytes by production of PGE2 acting via the EP4 receptor
derived cells (CDCs) are a cardiac progenitor cell population, which have been shown to possess cardiac regenerative properties and can improve heart function in a variety of cardiac diseases. Studies in large animal models have predominantly focussed on using autologous cells for safety, however allogeneic cell banks would allow for a practical, cost-effective and efficient use in a clinical setting. The aim of this work was to determine the immunomodulatory status of these cells using CDCs and lymphocytes from 5 dogs. CDCs expressed MHC I but not MHC II molecules and in mixed lymphocyte reactions demonstrated a lack of lymphocyte proliferation in response to MHC-mismatched CDCs. Furthermore, MHC-mismatched CDCs suppressed lymphocyte proliferation and activation in response to Concanavalin A. Transwell experiments demonstrated that this was predominantly due
to direct cell-cell contact in addition to soluble mediators whereby CDCs produced high levels of PGE2
under inflammatory conditions. This led to down-regulation of CD25 expression on lymphocytes via the
EP4 receptor. Blocking prostaglandin synthesis restored both, proliferation and activation (measured via CD25 expression) of stimulated lymphocytes. We demonstrated for the first time in a large animal model that CDCs inhibit proliferation in allo-reactive lymphocytes and have potent immunosuppressive activity mediated via PGE2
Modulation of transforming growth factor beta signalling pathway genes by transforming growth factor beta in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes: involvement of Sp1 in both early and late response cells to transforming growth factor beta
International audienc
Semantic Knowledge Influences Prewired Hedonic Responses to Odors
Background Odor hedonic perception relies on decoding the physicochemical properties of odorant molecules and can be influenced in humans by semantic knowledge. The effect of semantic knowledge on such prewired hedonic processing over the life span has remained unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings The present study measured hedonic response to odors in different age groups (children, teenagers, young adults, and seniors) and found that children and seniors, two age groups characterized by either low level of (children) or weak access to (seniors) odor semantic knowledge, processed odor hedonics more on the basis of their physicochemical properties. In contrast, in teenagers and young adults, who show better levels of semantic odor representation, the role of physicochemical properties was less marked. Conclusions/Significance These findings demonstrate for the first time that the biological determinants that make an odor pleasant or unpleasant are more powerful at either end of the life span
Using standardized patient encounters to teach longitudinal continuity of care in a family medicine clerkship
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