1,343 research outputs found
Changes in quantity and sources of dietary fiber from adopting healthy low-fat vs. Healthy low-carb weight loss diets: Secondary analysis of dietfits weight loss diet study
The daily intake of dietary fiber is well below the recommended levels in the US. The effect of adopting a low-fat vs. a low-carbohydrate weight loss diet on fiber intake is of interest but not well-documented, especially when both approaches promote high-quality food choices. The objective of this paper is to compare the quantity and sources of dietary fiber between a healthy low-fat (HLF) vs. healthy low-carbohydrate (HLC) diet group when consumed over 12 months in a weight loss diet study. In this secondary analysis of the Diet Intervention Examining The Factors Interacting with Treatment Success (DIETFITS) study, the amount and sources of dietary fiber were examined in generally healthy adults, 18–50 years of age, Body Mass Index (BMI) 28–40 kg/m2, randomized to HLF or HLC for 12 months, who had available 24-h recalls at 0 (n = 609), 3 (n = 549), 6 (n = 491), and 12 (n = 449) months. The dietary intake was estimated by the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R). The sources of fiber were determined for the major food groups. Significantly more total dietary fiber was consumed by HLF at every post-randomization time point, and, at 12 m, was 23.04 ± 9.43 g vs. 18.61 ± 8.12 g for HLF vs. HLC, respectively, p \u3c 0.0001. In both diet groups at 12 months, the highest amount of dietary fiber came from non-starchy vegetables (4.13 ± 3.05 g and 5.13 ± 3.59 g). The other primary sources of fiber at 12 months for the HLF group were from whole grains (3.90 ± 3.13 g) and fruits (3.40 ± 2.87 g), and, for the HLC group, were from plant protein and fat sources, such as nuts and seeds, their butters, and avocados (2.64 ± 2.64 g). In the DIETFITS study, the difference in the total fiber intake for the HLF vs. HLC groups was more modest than expected. The HLC group consumed reasonably high amounts of fiber from high-protein and high fat plant-based sources
Medicinal Plants of Northern Thailand for the Treatment of Cognitive Impairment in the Elderly
Dementia is a progressive neurological disease affecting memory and behavior. The diagnosis of dementia is increasing exponentially worldwide and with it the potential risk for a severe social and economic burden of caring for an increasing debilitated elderly population. Cognitive impairment, and especially memory loss, can be the first indication of dementia. This study documents the treatment of cognitive impairment in the elderly by Thai traditional healers in northern Thailand usingmedicinal plants. Interviews were conducted from 2008-2012 to investigate the etiology of dementia in Thai Traditional Medicine and identify plants used to treat memory loss in the pharmacopeia of northern Thailand. Multi-plant herbal formulas from ancient manuscripts of the Lanna Kingdom were obtained from Thai traditional healers. These formulas were analyzed through ethnobotanical inquiry for plant species with potential bioactivity against memory loss in the elderly. Crude extracts of eleven selected plant species were screened through four in vitro bioassays to measure their general antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity. Of these eleven species, five plants exhibited high levels of acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity: Cinnamomum bejolghota (Buch-Ham.) Sweet, Dracaena loureiroi Gagnep., Diospyros decandra Lour., Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton., and Eurycoma longifolia Jack. One plant, Cinnamomum bejolghota demonstrated high activity in all four in vitro bioassays. Three different doses of an ethanol extract of Cinnamomum bejolghota were evaluated for their memory enhancing ability on in vivo rat behavioral models and enzymatic marker tests on their brain tissue. Results from the Morris Water Maze navigation task showed that the two highest dosages of the extract produced significant memory improvement after two weeks of treatment. Enzymatic marker analyses in three portions of the rats’ brains associated with memory formation, the hippocampus, striatum and cortex, showed significant acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity thereby increasing acetylcholine levels in these parts of the brain. This study identified a plant with memory enhancing activity that, with further study, could help to alleviate the suffering of those afflicted with age-related memory decline. Ethnopharmacological studies support the viability of traditional medicine to treat diseases that are relevant in modern society
Clinical implications of vitamin B<sub>12</sub> as redox-active cofactor
Vitamin B12 is a redox-active compound containing a cobalt atom that cycles between oxidation states. Superoxide scavenging induces its oxidation, disabling activation of the enzymes methionine synthase and methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, disrupting gene expression and energy production. High-dosed vitamin B12 may be clinically used to reduce oxidative stress and preserve cofactor functions
The Scintillating Tail of Comet C/2020 F3 (Neowise)
Context. The occultation of a radio source by the plasma tail of a comet can
be used to probe structure and dynamics in the tail. Such occultations are
rare, and the occurrence of scintillation, due to small-scale density
variations in the tail, remains somewhat controversial. Aims. A detailed
observation taken with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) of a serendipitous
occultation of the compact radio source 3C196 by the plasma tail of comet
C/2020 F3 (Neowise) is presented. 3C196 tracked almost perpendicularly behind
the tail, providing a unique profile cut only a short distance downstream from
the cometary nucleus itself. Methods. Interplanetary scintillation (IPS) is
observed as the rapid variation of the intensity received of a compact radio
source due to density variations in the solar wind. IPS in the signal received
from 3C196 was observed for five hours, covering the full transit behind the
plasma tail of comet C/2020 F3 (Neowise) on 16 July 2020, and allowing an
assessment of the solar wind in which the comet and its tail are embedded.
Results. The results reveal a sudden and strong enhancement in scintillation
which is unequivocally attributable to the plasma tail. The strongest
scintillation is associated with the tail boundaries, weaker scintillation is
seen within the tail, and previously-unreported periodic variations in
scintillation are noted, possibly associated with individual filaments of
plasma. Furthermore, contributions from the solar wind and comet tail are
separated to measure a sharp decrease in the velocity of material within the
tail, suggesting a steep velocity shear resulting in strong turbulence along
the tail boundaryComment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 8 pages, 9
figure
Remnant radio-loud AGN in the Herschel-ATLAS field
Only a small fraction of observed active galactic nuclei (AGN) display large-scale radio emission associated with jets, yet these radio-loud AGN have become increasingly important in models of galaxy evolution. In determining the dynamics and energetics of the radio sources over cosmic time, a key question concerns what happens when their jets switch off. The resulting ‘remnant' radio-loud AGN have been surprisingly evasive in past radio surveys, and therefore statistical information on the population of radio-loud AGN in their dying phase is limited. In this paper, with the recent developments of Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) and the Very Large Array, we are able to provide a systematically selected sample of remnant radio-loud AGN in the Herschel-ATLAS field. Using a simple core-detection method, we constrain the upper limit on the fraction of remnants in our radio-loud AGN sample to 9 per cent, implying that the extended lobe emission fades rapidly once the core/jets turn off. We also find that our remnant sample has a wide range of spectral indices (−1.5 ⩽ α1400150 ⩽ −0.5), confirming that the lobes of some remnants may possess flat spectra at low frequencies just as active sources do. We suggest that, even with the unprecedented sensitivity of LOFAR, our sample may still only contain the youngest of the remnant population
First LOFAR results on galaxy clusters
Deep radio observations of galaxy clusters have revealed the existence of
diffuse radio sources related to the presence of relativistic electrons and
weak magnetic fields in the intracluster volume. The role played by this
non-thermal intracluster component on the thermodynamical evolution of galaxy
clusters is debated, with important implications for cosmological and
astrophysical studies of the largest gravitationally bound structures of the
Universe. The low surface brightness and steep spectra of diffuse cluster radio
sources make them more easily detectable at low-frequencies. LOFAR is the first
instrument able to detect diffuse radio emission in hundreds of massive galaxy
clusters up to their formation epoch. We present the first observations of
clusters imaged by LOFAR and the huge perspectives opened by this instrument
for non-thermal cluster studies.Comment: Proceedings of the 2012 week of the French Society of Astronomy and
Astrophysics (SF2A) held in Nice, June 5th-8t
Murchison Widefield Array and XMM-Newton observations of the Galactic supernova remnant G5.9+3.1
In this paper we discuss the radio continuum and X-ray properties of the
so-far poorly studied Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) G5.9+3.1. We present the
radio spectral energy distribution (SED) of the Galactic SNR G5.9+3.1 obtained
with the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). Combining these new observations with
the surveys at other radio continuum frequencies, we discuss the integrated
radio continuum spectrum of this particular remnant. We have also analyzed an
archival XMM-Newton observation, which represents the first detection of X-ray
emission from this remnant. The SNR SED is very well explained by a simple
power-law relation. The synchrotron radio spectral index of G5.9+3.1, is
estimated to be 0.420.03 and the integrated flux density at 1GHz to be
around 2.7Jy. Furthermore, we propose that the identified point radio source,
located centrally inside the SNR shell, is most probably a compact remnant of
the supernova explosion. The shell-like X-ray morphology of G5.9+3.1 as
revealed by XMM-Newton broadly matches the spatial distribution of the radio
emission, where the radio-bright eastern and western rims are also readily
detected in the X-ray while the radio-weak northern and southern rims are weak
or absent in the X-ray. Extracted MOS1+MOS2+PN spectra from the whole SNR as
well as the north, east, and west rims of the SNR are fit successfully with an
optically thin thermal plasma model in collisional ionization equilibrium with
a column density N_H~0.80x cm and fitted temperatures spanning
the range kT~0.14-0.23keV for all of the regions. The derived electron number
densities n_e for the whole SNR and the rims are also roughly comparable
(ranging from ~ cm to ~ cm, where f
is the volume filling factor). We also estimate the swept-up mass of the X-ray
emitting plasma associated with G5.9+3.1 to be ~.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Modelling and peeling extended sources with shapelets: a Fornax A case study
To make a power spectrum (PS) detection of the 21 cm signal from the Epoch of
Reionisation (EoR), one must avoid/subtract bright foreground sources. Sources
such as Fornax A present a modelling challenge due to spatial structures
spanning from arc seconds up to a degree. We compare modelling with multi-scale
(MS) CLEAN components to 'shapelets', an alternative set of basis functions. We
introduce a new image-based shapelet modelling package, SHAMFI. We also
introduce a new CUDA simulation code (WODEN) to generate point source,
Gaussian, and shapelet components into visibilities. We test performance by
modelling a simulation of Fornax A, peeling the model from simulated
visibilities, and producing a residual PS. We find the shapelet method
consistently subtracts large-angular-scale emission well, even when the
angular-resolution of the data is changed. We find that when increasing the
angular-resolution of the data, the MS CLEAN model worsens at large
angular-scales. When testing on real MWA data, the expected improvement is not
seen in real data because of the other dominating systematics still present.
Through further simulation we find the expected differences to be lower than
obtainable through current processing pipelines. We conclude shapelets are
worthwhile for subtracting extended galaxies, and may prove essential for an
EoR detection in the future, once other systematics have been addressed.Comment: 17 pages, 11 Figures, accepted for publication in Publications of the
Astronomical Society of Australia (18/05/2020). "For the SHAMFI code, see:
https://github.com/JLBLine/SHAMFI" . "For the SHAMFI documentation, see:
https://shamfi.readthedocs.io/" . "For the WODEN code and documentation see:
https://github.com/JLBLine/WODEN
Calibration and Stokes Imaging with Full Embedded Element Primary Beam Model for the Murchison Widefield Array
15 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in PASA. © Astronomical Society of Australia 2017The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), located in Western Australia, is one of the low-frequency precursors of the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. In addition to pursuing its own ambitious science program, it is also a testbed for wide range of future SKA activities ranging from hardware, software to data analysis. The key science programs for the MWA and SKA require very high dynamic ranges, which challenges calibration and imaging systems. Correct calibration of the instrument and accurate measurements of source flux densities and polarisations require precise characterisation of the telescope's primary beam. Recent results from the MWA GaLactic Extragalactic All-sky MWA (GLEAM) survey show that the previously implemented Average Embedded Element (AEE) model still leaves residual polarisations errors of up to 10-20 % in Stokes Q. We present a new simulation-based Full Embedded Element (FEE) model which is the most rigorous realisation yet of the MWA's primary beam model. It enables efficient calculation of the MWA beam response in arbitrary directions without necessity of spatial interpolation. In the new model, every dipole in the MWA tile (4 x 4 bow-tie dipoles) is simulated separately, taking into account all mutual coupling, ground screen and soil effects, and therefore accounts for the different properties of the individual dipoles within a tile. We have applied the FEE beam model to GLEAM observations at 200 - 231 MHz and used false Stokes parameter leakage as a metric to compare the models. We have determined that the FEE model reduced the magnitude and declination-dependent behaviour of false polarisation in Stokes Q and V while retaining low levels of false polarisation in Stokes U.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio
The Spectral Energy Distribution of Powerful Starburst Galaxies I: Modelling the Radio Continuum
We have acquired radio continuum data between 70\,MHz and 48\,GHz for a
sample of 19 southern starburst galaxies at moderate redshifts () with the aim of separating synchrotron and free-free emission
components. Using a Bayesian framework we find the radio continuum is rarely
characterised well by a single power law, instead often exhibiting low
frequency turnovers below 500\,MHz, steepening at mid-to-high frequencies, and
a flattening at high frequencies where free-free emission begins to dominate
over the synchrotron emission. These higher order curvature components may be
attributed to free-free absorption across multiple regions of star formation
with varying optical depths. The decomposed synchrotron and free-free emission
components in our sample of galaxies form strong correlations with the
total-infrared bolometric luminosities. Finally, we find that without
accounting for free-free absorption with turnovers between 90 to 500\,MHz the
radio-continuum at low frequency (\,MHz) could be overestimated by
upwards of a factor of twelve if a simple power law extrapolation is used from
higher frequencies. The mean synchrotron spectral index of our sample is
constrained to be , which is steeper then the canonical value of
for normal galaxies. We suggest this may be caused by an intrinsically
steeper cosmic ray distribution
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