Wavelet structure of surface fields of atmospheric total protein concentration in the vicinity of Novosibirsk

Analysis of the results of wavelet and harmonic analysis of the experimental data on the mass concentration of atmospheric aerosol and the total protein concentration in the surface air near Novosibirsk in 2001-2002 has been made. The wavelet analysis of the data has shown that the surface air concentration variations are mainly determined by characteristic synoptic processes with periods of 4, 7, 10, and 15 days. The results of the harmonic analysis have shown that the synoptic variations generally range from 40 to 70% of the total variance of the concentration variations, and they reach 90% in spring

Relativistic quantum model of confinement and the current quark masses

We consider a relativistic quantum model of confined massive spinning quarks and antiquarks which describes leading Regge trajectories of mesons. The quarks are described by the Dirac equations and the gluon contribution is approximated by the Nambu-Goto straight-line string. The string tension and the current quark masses are the main parameters of the model. Additional parameters are phenomenological constants which approximate nonstring short-range contributions. Comparison of the measured meson masses with the model predictions allows one to determine the current quark masses (in MeV) to be $m_s = 227 \pm 5,~ m_c = 1440 \pm 10,~ m_b = 4715 \pm 20$. The chiral $SU_3$ model[23] makes it possible to estimate from here the $u$- and $d$-quark masses to be $m_u = 6.2 \pm 0.2$~ Mev and $m_d = 11.1 \pm 0.4$ Mev.Comment: 15 pages, LATEX, 2 tables. (submitted to Phys.Rev.D

Role of inflammation markers in the prediction of weight gain and development of obesity in adults – a prospective study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS There is a growing body of literature confirming the association between inflammation and obesity. Recent research suggests that inflammation may play a role in weight gain. The aim of the study was to analyse whether serum inflammatory markers predict weight gain or development of obesity in a prospective study design. METHODS AND RESULTS The baseline study (DILGOM 2007) consists of a population-based sample of 5024 Finnish men and women aged 25-75 years, of whom 3735 participated in the follow-up study in 2014. Baseline data collection included a questionnaire on health behaviour, physical examinations and blood samples including serum high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-alpha) and high molecular weight adiponectin (HMW adiponectin). Indicators of obesity were weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and body fat percentage (% body fat). At baseline hs-CRP, IL-1Ra, IL-6, TNF-alpha and HMW adiponectin associated strongly (pPeer reviewe

Wavelet structure of surface fields of atmospheric total protein concentration in the vicinity of Novosibirsk

Analysis of the results of wavelet and harmonic analysis of the experimental data on the mass concentration of atmospheric aerosol and the total protein concentration in the surface air near Novosibirsk in 2001-2002 has been made. The wavelet analysis of the data has shown that the surface air concentration variations are mainly determined by characteristic synoptic processes with periods of 4, 7, 10, and 15 days. The results of the harmonic analysis have shown that the synoptic variations generally range from 40 to 70% of the total variance of the concentration variations, and they reach 90% in springs

Nordic monitoring of diet, physical activity and overweight:First collection of data in all Nordic Countries 2011

The report describes the results of the first collection of data in the joint Nordic monitoring study of diet, physical activity and overweight. The study provides baseline data for frequency of intake in selected foods, physical activity level and prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Nordic countries. Telephone interviews were performed in the Nordic countries with the same validated questionnaire using simple indicator questions. The interviews were carried out in the autumn of 2011 including 9153 adults and 2479 children. The results show that all countries are far from the goals in the Nordic Plan of Action and there are areas to be improved in all countries. The study gives a good status for dietary intake indicators, indicators for physical activity, sedentary time and overweight which makes it possible follow changes in these parameters over time in the Nordic countries

Substantial fat mass loss reduces low-grade inflammation and induces positive alteration in cardiometabolic factors in normal-weight individuals

( )The accumulation of fat, especially in visceral sites, is a significant risk factor for several chronic diseases with altered cardiometabolic homeostasis. We studied how intensive long-term weight loss and subsequent weight regain affect physiological changes, by longitudinally interrogating the lipid metabolism and white blood cell transcriptomic markers in healthy, normal-weight individuals. The current study examined 42 healthy, young (age: 27.5 +/- 4.0 years), normal-weight (body mass index, BMI: 23.4 +/- 1.7 kg/m(2)) female athletes, of which 25 belong to the weight loss and regain group (diet group), and 17 to the control group. Participants were evaluated, and fasting blood samples were drawn at three time points: at baseline (PRE); at the end of the weight loss period (MID: 21.1 +/- 3.1 weeks after PRE); and at the end of the weight regain period (POST: 18.4 +/- 2.9 weeks after MID). Following the weight loss period, the diet group experienced a similar to 73% reduction (similar to 0.69 kg) in visceral fat mass (false discovery rate, FDR <2.0 x 10(-16)), accompanied by anti-atherogenic effects on transcriptomic markers, decreased low-grade inflammation (e.g., as alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (FDR = 3.08 x 10(-13)) and hs-CRP (FDR = 2.44 x 10(-3))), and an increase in functionally important anti-atherogenic high-density lipoprotein -associated metabolites (FDR <0.05). This occurred even though these values were already at favorable levels in these participants, who follow a fitness-lifestyle compared to age- and BMI-matched females from the general population (n = 58). Following the weight regain period, most of the observed beneficial changes in visceral fat mass, and meta bolomic and transcriptomic profiles dissipated. Overall, the beneficial anti-atherogenic effects of weight loss can be observed even in previously healthy, normal-weight individuals.Peer reviewe

Adiposity Markers as Predictors of 11-Year Decline in Maximal Walking Speed in Late Midlife

Background: Obesity is linked to poorer physical functioning in older adults, but impact of excess adiposity on loss of functional capacity in late midlife is unclear. This study examined associations between adiposity markers and 11-year change in maximal walking speed, a sensitive indicator of physical functioning, among adults aged 55 to 69 years. Method: Maximal walking speed over 6.1 m was assessed in 2000 and 2011 among Finnish men (n = 409) and women (n = 498) from the prospective Health 2000 Survey. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were assessed in 2000. Generalized estimating equation models estimated changes in maximal walking speed by BMI and waist circumference, stratified by sex. Results: BMI greater than 30 kg/m(2) was associated with accelerated decline in maximal walking speed particularly in women. Associations with waist circumference were nonsignificant. Conclusion: Late midlife obesity may speed up the decline in functional capacity as measured by maximal walking speed, especially in women

Testing nonperturbative techniques in the scalar sector of the standard model

We discuss the current picture of the standard model's scalar sector at strong coupling. We compare the pattern observed in the scalar sector in perturbation theory up to two-loop with the nonperturbative solution obtained by a next-to-leading order 1/N expansion. In particular, we analyze two resonant Higgs scattering processes, ff -> H -> f'f' and ff -> H -> ZZ, WW. We describe the ingredients of the nonperturbative calculation, such as the tachyonic regularization, the higher order 1/N intermediate renormalization, and the numerical methods for evaluating the graphs. We discuss briefly the perspectives and usefulness of extending these nonperturbative methods to other theories