123 research outputs found
Might infection explain the higher risk of coronary heart disease in South Asians? Systematic review comparing prevalence rates with white populations in developed countries
OBJECTIVES: South Asians in developed countries such as the UK are at comparatively high risk of coronary heart disease for reasons which are not fully understood. One unexplored hypothesis is more infections in this ethnic group. This study assessed whether the prevalence of infections among South Asians differs from that among White populations of European origin in developed countries. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: Medline, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases were searched. In addition, reference lists and citations were reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies reported prevalence rates and mean antibody levels of infection with 17 different pathogens or non-specific markers of infection. Among bacterial infections, higher rates of Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection were found in South Asians. No consistent differences were found for periodontal pathogens, Helicobacter pylori, Staphylococcus aureus, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycobacterium avium. For viral pathogens, higher rates of hepatitis A, hepatitis B and cytomegalovirus; and lower rates of herpes simplex, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus and varicella zoster virus were found among South Asians. No difference was seen in the prevalence of hepatitis G virus in South Asians. Levels of non-specific markers of infection (total immunoglobulin G, endotoxin) were higher in South Asians. CONCLUSIONS: The number of studies was small. Differences in the prevalence of specific infections were found, but the current evidence is insufficient to support or reject the hypothesis under examination. Further studies are warranted
Ethnic differences in Glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus living in Scotland
Background and Aims:
Previous studies have investigated the association between ethnicity and processes of care and intermediate outcomes of diabetes, but there are limited population-based studies available. The aim of this study was to use population-based data to investigate the relationships between ethnicity and glycaemic control in men and women with diabetes mellitus living in Scotland.<p></p>
Methods:
We used a 2008 extract from the population-based national electronic diabetes database of Scotland. The association between ethnicity with mean glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus was examined in a retrospective cohort study, including adjustment for a number of variables including age, sex, socioeconomic status, body mass index (BMI), prescribed treatment and duration of diabetes.<p></p>
Results:
Complete data for analyses were available for 56,333 White Scottish adults, 2,535 Pakistanis, 857 Indians, 427 Chinese and 223 African-Caribbeans. All other ethnic groups had significantly (p<0.05) greater proportions of people with suboptimal glycaemic control (HbA1c >58 mmol/mol, 7.5%) compared to the White Scottish group, despite generally younger mean age and lower BMI. Fully adjusted odds ratios for suboptimal glycaemic control were significantly higher among Pakistanis and Indians (1.85, 95% CI: 1.68–2.04, and 1.62,95% CI: 1.38–1.89) respectively.<p></p>
Conclusions:
Pakistanis and Indians with type 2 diabetes mellitus were more likely to have suboptimal glycaemic control than the white Scottish population. Further research on health services and self-management are needed to understand the association between ethnicity and glycaemic control to address ethnic disparities in glycaemic control.<p></p>
Domain walls in three dimensional gauged supergravity
We explicitly construct two Chern-Simons gauged supergravities in three
dimensions with N=4 and N=8 supersymmetries and non-semisimple gauge groups.
The N=4 theory has scalar manifold with the gauge
group . The theory describes
(1,0) six dimensional supergravity reduced on an SU(2) group manifold. The
equivalent Yang-Mills type gauged supergravity has SO(3) gauge group coupled to
three massive vector fields. The N=8 theory is described by
scalar manifold, and the gauge group is given by
. The theory is a truncation of the gauged N=16 theory with scalar manifold and
can be obtained by an S^7 compactification of type I theory in ten dimensions.
Domain wall solutions of both gauged supergravities are analytically found and
can be uplifted to higher dimensions. These provide domain wall vacua in the
three dimensional gauged supergravity framework which might be useful for the
study of Domain Wall/QFT correspondence.Comment: 19 pages, no figures, typoes and a mistake in a sign corrected,
clarifications on the notations adde
Should physical activity recommendations be ethnicity-specific? Evidence from a cross-sectional study of south Asian and European men
Background
Expert bodies and health organisations recommend that adults undertake at least 150 min.week−1 of moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA). However, the underpinning data largely emanate from studies of populations of European descent. It is unclear whether this level of activity is appropriate for other ethnic groups, particularly South Asians, who have increased cardio-metabolic disease risk compared to Europeans. The aim of this study was to explore the level of MPA required in South Asians to confer a similar cardio-metabolic risk profile to that observed in Europeans undertaking the currently recommended MPA level of 150 min.week−1.<p></p>
Methods
Seventy-five South Asian and 83 European men, aged 40–70, without cardiovascular disease or diabetes had fasted blood taken, blood pressure measured, physical activity assessed objectively (using accelerometry), and anthropometric measures made. Factor analysis was used to summarise measured risk biomarkers into underlying latent ‘factors’ for glycaemia, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, blood pressure, and overall cardio-metabolic risk. Age-adjusted regression models were used to determine the equivalent level of MPA (in bouts of ≥10 minutes) in South Asians needed to elicit the same value in each factor as Europeans undertaking 150 min.week−1 MPA.<p></p>
Findings
For all factors, except blood pressure, equivalent MPA values in South Asians were significantly higher than 150 min.week−1; the equivalent MPA value for the overall cardio-metabolic risk factor was 266 (95% CI 185-347) min.week−1.<p></p>
Conclusions
South Asian men may need to undertake greater levels of MPA than Europeans to exhibit a similar cardio-metabolic risk profile, suggesting that a conceptual case can be made for ethnicity-specific physical activity guidance. Further study is needed to extend these findings to women and to replicate them prospectively in a larger cohort.<p></p>
Charting the landscape of N=4 flux compactifications
We analyse the vacuum structure of isotropic Z_2 x Z_2 flux
compactifications, allowing for a single set of sources. Combining algebraic
geometry with supergravity techniques, we are able to classify all vacua for
both type IIA and IIB backgrounds with arbitrary gauge and geometric fluxes.
Surprisingly, geometric IIA compactifications lead to a unique theory with four
different vacua. In this case we also perform the general analysis allowing for
sources compatible with minimal supersymmetry. Moreover, some relevant examples
of type IIB non-geometric compactifications are studied. The computation of the
full N=4 mass spectrum reveals the presence of a number of non-supersymmetric
and nevertheless stable AdS_4 vacua. In addition we find a novel dS_4 solution
based on a non-semisimple gauging.Comment: Minor corrections and references added. Version published in JHE
Lower cardiorespiratory fitness contributes to increased insulin resistance and fasting glycaemia in middle-aged South Asian compared with European men living in the UK
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: This study aimed to determine the extent to which increased insulin resistance and fasting glycaemia in South Asian men, compared with white European men, living in the UK, was due to lower cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake [[Formula: see text]]) and physical activity. METHODS: One hundred South Asian and 100 age- and BMI-matched European men without diagnosed diabetes, aged 40–70 years, had fasted blood taken for measurement of glucose concentration, HOMA-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA(IR)), plus other risk factors, and underwent assessment of physical activity (using accelerometry), [Formula: see text], body size and composition, and demographic and other lifestyle factors. For 13 South Asian and one European man, HbA(1c) levels were >6.5% (>48 mmol/mol), indicating potential undiagnosed diabetes; these men were excluded from the analyses. Linear regression models were used to determine the extent to which body size and composition, fitness and physical activity variables explained differences in HOMA(IR) and fasting glucose between South Asian and European men. RESULTS: HOMA(IR) and fasting glucose were 67% (p < 0.001) and 3% (p < 0.018) higher, respectively, in South Asians than Europeans. Lower [Formula: see text], lower physical activity and greater total adiposity in South Asians individually explained 68% (95% CI 45%, 91%), 29% (11%, 46%) and 52% (30%, 80%), respectively, and together explained 83% (50%, 119%) (all p < 0.001) of the ethnic difference in HOMA(IR). Lower [Formula: see text] and greater total adiposity, respectively, explained 61% (9%, 111%) and 39% (9%, 76%) (combined effect 63% [8%, 115%]; all p < 0.05) of the ethnic difference in fasting glucose. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Lower cardiorespiratory fitness is a key factor associated with the excess insulin resistance and fasting glycaemia in middle-aged South Asian, compared with European, men living in the UK. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00125-013-2969-y) contains peer-reviewed but unedited supplementary material, which is available to authorised users
Validation of the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire in 1st generation Black African-Caribbean and South Asian UK migrants: A sub-study to the Ethnic-Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening (E-ECHOES) study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We determined the diagnostic accuracy of the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire (ECQ) in 1<sup>st </sup>generation Black African-Caribbean UK migrants as previous diagnostic questionnaires have been found to be less accurate in this population. We also determined the diagnostic accuracy of translated versions of the ECQ in 1<sup>st </sup>generation South Asian UK migrants, as this has not been investigated before.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects were recruited from the Ethnic-Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening (E-ECHOES) study, a community based screening survey for heart failure in minority ethnic groups. Translated versions of the ECQ were prepared following a recognised protocol. All participants attending screening between October 2007 and February 2009 were asked to complete the ECQ in the language of their choice (English, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi or Gujarati). Subjects answering positively to experiencing leg pain or discomfort on walking were asked to return to have Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABPI) measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>154 out of 2831 subjects participating in E-ECHOES (5.4%) were eligible to participate in this sub-study, for which 74.3% returned for ABPI assessment. Non-responders were younger than participants (59[9] vs. 65[11] years; p = 0.015). Punjabi, English and Bengali questionnaires identified participants with Intermittent Claudication, so these questionnaires were assessed. The sensitivities (SN), specificities (SP), positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values were calculated. English: SN: 50%; SP: 68%; PPV: 43%; NPV: 74%. Punjabi: SN: 50%; SP: 87%; PPV: 43%; NPV: 90%. Bengali: SN: 33%; SP: 50%; PPV: 13%; NPV: 73%. There were significant differences in diagnostic accuracy between the 3 versions (Punjabi: 83.8%; Bengali: 45%; English: 62.2%; p < 0.0001). No significant differences were found in sensitivity and specificity between illiterate and literate participants in any of the questionnaires and there was no significant different difference between those under and over 60 years of age.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that the ECQ is not as sensitive or specific a diagnostic tool in 1<sup>st </sup>generation Black African-Caribbean and South Asian UK migrants than in the Edinburgh Artery Study, reflecting the findings of other diagnostic questionnaires in these minority ethnic groups. However this study is limited by sample size so conclusions should be interpreted with caution.</p
Exceptional Flux Compactifications
We consider type II (non-)geometric flux backgrounds in the absence of brane
sources, and construct their explicit embedding into maximal gauged D=4
supergravity. This enables one to investigate the critical points, mass spectra
and gauge groups of such backgrounds. We focus on a class of type IIA geometric
vacua and find a novel, non-supersymmetric and stable AdS vacuum in maximal
supergravity with a non-semisimple gauge group. Our construction relies on a
non-trivial mapping between SL(2) x SO(6,6) fluxes, SU(8) mass spectra and
gaugings of E7(7) subgroups.Comment: 51 pages, 2 figures and 4 tables. v3: change of SO(6,6) spinorial
conventions, published versio
Belief formation in a signaling game without common prior: an experiment
Using belief elicitation, the paper investigates the process of belief formation and evolution in a signaling game in which a common prior is not induced. Both prior and posterior beliefs of Receivers about Senders' types are elicited, as well as beliefs of Senders about Receivers' strategies. In the experiment, subjects often start with diffuse uniform beliefs and update them in view of observations. However, the speed of updating is influenced by the strength of initial beliefs. An interesting result is that beliefs about the prior distribution of types are updated slower than posterior beliefs, which incorporate Senders' strategies. In the medium run, for some specifications of game parameters, this leads to outcomes being significantly different from the outcomes of the game in which a common prior is induced. It is also shown that elicitation of beliefs does not considerably change the pattern of play in this game
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