939 research outputs found

    Mid-adolescent ethnic variations in overweight prevalence in the UK Millennium Cohort Study

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    BACKGROUND: There are stark ethnic inequalities in the prevalence of UK childhood obesity. However, data on adolescent overweight in different ethnic groups are limited. This study assessed ethnic inequalities in overweight prevalence during mid-adolescence using body mass index (BMI) and explored the contribution of socioeconomic and behavioural factors. METHODS: We analyzed data from 10 500 adolescents aged between 13 and 15 years who participated in sweep six of the Millennium Cohort Study. Ethnic inequalities in overweight and mean BMI were assessed using multiple regression models. Results were stratified by sex and adjusted for socioeconomic and behavioural factors. RESULTS: Black Caribbean males had significantly higher BMI than White males after full adjustment [excess BMI 2.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70-5.19] and were over three times more likely to be overweight [odds ratio (OR): 3.32, 95% CI 1.95-5.66]. Black Africans females had significantly higher BMI compared with White females (excess BMI 1.86, 95% CI 0.89-2.83; OR for overweight 2.74, 95% CI 1.64-4.56), while Indian females had significantly lower BMI compared with White females (reduced BMI -0.73, 95% CI -1.37 to -0.09). Socioeconomic and behavioural factors often considered to be associated with overweight were more prevalent in some ethnic minority groups (lower socioeconomic position, lack of breakfast consumption, low fruit and vegetable intake, high sugar-sweetened beverage and fast-food consumption, and infrequent physical activity), but adjustment for these factors did not fully explain ethnic differences in overweight/BMI. CONCLUSION: Ethnic inequalities in overweight prevalence are evident in mid-adolescence and vary according to sex. Differences in overweight/BMI between ethnic groups were not fully accounted for by socioeconomic or behavioural factors

    The electromagnetic dipole operator effect on B -> Xs gamma at O(alpha_s^2)

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    The flavor-changing electromagnetic dipole operator O_7 gives the dominant contribution to the B -> Xs gamma decay rate. We calculate two-loop QCD corrections to its matrix element together with the corresponding bremsstrahlung contributions. The optical theorem is applied, and the relevant imaginary parts of three-loop diagrams are computed following the lines of our recent t -> Xb W calculation. The complete result allows us to test the validity of the naive non-abelianization (NNA) approximation that has been previously applied to estimate the NNLO QCD correction to Gamma(B -> Xs gamma)/Gamma(B -> Xu e nu). When both decay widths are normalized to m^5_{b,R} in the same renormalization scheme R, the calculated O(alpha_s^2) correction is sizeable (~ 6%), and the NNA estimate is about 1/3 too large. On the other hand, when the ratio of the decay widths is written as S*(m_b(m_b)/m_{b,pole})^2, the calculated O(alpha_s^2) correction to S is at the level of 1% for both the complete and the NNA results.Comment: Corrected pi^2 terms in the description of intermediate steps in Section II. Final results unchange

    Automatic Integral Reduction for Higher Order Perturbative Calculations

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    We present a program for the reduction of large systems of integrals to master integrals. The algorithm was first proposed by Laporta; in this paper, we implement it in MAPLE. We also develop two new features which keep the size of intermediate expressions relatively small throughout the calculation. The program requires modest input information from the user and can be used for generic calculations in perturbation theory.Comment: 23 page

    Discovery of extended radio emission in the young cluster Wd1

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    We present 10 micron, ISO-SWS and Australia Telescope Compact Array observations of the region in the cluster Wd1 in Ara centred on the B[e] star Ara C. An ISO-SWS spectrum reveals emission from highly ionised species in the vicinity of the star, suggesting a secondary source of excitation in the region. We find strong radio emission at both 3.5cm and 6.3cm, with a total spatial extent of over 20 arcsec. The emission is found to be concentrated in two discrete structures, separated by 14''. The westerly source is resolved, with a spectral index indicative of thermal emission. The easterly source is clearly extended and nonthermal (synchrotron) in nature. Positionally, the B[e] star is found to coincide with the more compact radio source, while the southerly lobe of the extended source is coincident with Ara A, an M2 I star. Observation of the region at 10micron reveals strong emission with an almost identical spatial distribution to the radio emission. Ara C is found to have an extreme radio luminosity in comparison to prior radio observations of hot stars such as O and B supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars, given the estimated distance to the cluster. An origin in a detatched shell of material around the central star is therefore suggested; however given the spatial extent of the emission, such a shell must be relatively young (10^3 yrs). The extended non thermal emission associated with the M star Ara A is unexpected; to the best of our knowledge this is a unique phenomenon. SAX (2-10keV) observations show no evidence of X-ray emission, which might be expected if a compact companion were present.Comment: 5 pages including encapsulated figures, figure 3 separate. Accepted for MNRAS pink page

    HIF-1α-independent hypoxia-induced rapid PTK6 stabilization is associated with increased motility and invasion

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    This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.PTK6/Brk is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed in cancer. Here we demonstrate that cytosolic PTK6 is rapidly and robustly induced in response to hypoxic conditions in a HIF-1-independent manner. Furthermore, a proportion of hypoxic PTK6 subsequently re-localized to the cell membrane. We observed that the rapid stabilization of PTK6 is associated with a decrease in PTK6 ubiquitylation and we have identified c-Cbl as a putative PTK6 E3 ligase in normoxia. The consequences of hypoxia-induced PTK6 stabilization and subcellular re-localization to the plasma membrane include increased cell motility and invasion, suggesting PTK6 targeting as a therapeutic approach to reduce hypoxia-regulated metastatic potential. This could have particular significance for breast cancer patients with triple negative disease.A Breast Cancer Campaign pilot grant awarded to E.M.H. supported this study. I.M.P. is supported by University of Hull HEFCE funding, and Royal Society and Breast Cancer Campaign pilot grants. S.A.E. is supported by ICR HEFCE funding and Cancer Research UK program grant C309/A11566. A.H. is supported by Brunel University HEFCE funding. E.M.H. is supported by a Cancer Research UK grant
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