Tailoring the Gut Microbiome Through Diet to Target Short Chain Fatty Acids and Trimethylamine N-Oxide for Heart Failure Prevention

The number of people diagnosed with heart failure is on the rise—it’s becoming an epidemic. There are treatment options available for heart failure, but unfortunately there is not a cure. However, most cases of heart failure can be prevented. One mechanism that provides promise for preventing heart failure is the implementation of a heart healthy diet. However, not in the context that most are familiar with. In this case, a heart healthy diet is in reference to the ability of diet to tailor the gut microbiome in order to target specific metabolites that are associated with heart failure. Diet plays a huge role in the compositional makeup of the gut microbiome and affects the metabolites produced by the gut microbiome. Heart failure is associated with a decrease in short chain fatty acids and an increase in trimethylamine N-oxide. The gut microbiome of someone with heart failure is in a state of dysbiosis. Diet can be used to manipulate the gut microbiome back to a state of symbiosis and help counter the imbalances found in patients with heart failure. A diet high in plant-based foods can increase the bacteria responsible for producing short chain fatty acids. A diet low in animal products can decrease the bacteria involved in the production of trimethylamine N-oxide. Following a diet that combines the two can potentially alter the gut microbiome and induce favorable changes to prevent the development or progression of heart failure

Evaluating On-Farm Biodiversity: A Comparison of Assessment Methods

Strategies to stop the loss of biodiversity in agriculture areas will be more successful if farmers have the means to understand changes in biodiversity on their farms and to assess the effectiveness of biodiversity promoting measures. There are several methods to assess on-farm biodiversity but it may be difficult to select the most appropriate method for a farmer’s individual circumstances. This study aims to evaluate the usability and usefulness of four biodiversity assessment methods that are available to farmers in Switzerland. All four methods were applied to five case study farms, which were ranked according to the results. None of the methods were able to provide an exact statement on the current biodiversity status of the farms, but each method could provide an indication, or approximation, of one or more aspects of biodiversity. However, the results also showed that it is possible to generate different statements on the state of biodiversity on the same farms by using different biodiversity assessment methods. All methods showed strengths and weaknesses so, when choosing a method, the purpose of the biodiversity assessment should be kept in the foreground and the limitations of the chosen methods should be considered when interpreting the outcomes

Elemental Abundances in NGC 3516

We present RGS data from an XMM-Newton observation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3516, taken while the continuum source was in an extreme low state. The spectrum shows numerous emission lines including the H-like lines of C, N and O and the He-like lines of N, O and Ne. These data show that the N lines are far stronger than would be expected from gas of solar abundances. Based on our photoionization models, we find that N is overabundant compared to C, O and Ne by at least a factor of 2.5. We suggest this is the result of secondary production of N in intermediate mass stars, and indicative of the history of star formation in NGC 3516.Comment: 19 pages, 3 color figures. ApJ in pres

Ensiling of Tannin-Containing Sorghum Grain

Sorghum is known as important feed-stuff in tropical regions where rainfall is insufficient for the cultivation of maize. Furthermore, those sorghum cultivars rich in tannins are naturally protected to a certain extent against bird damage, insect pests and moulds. Nevertheless, tannins impair the feed quality. Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate whether ensiling could be a suitable preservation method for sorghum grain originally rich in tannins and if it is possible to reduce tannin content during fermentation

Antarctic meteorite newsletter. Volume 4: Number 1, February 1981: Antarctic meteorite descriptions, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

This issue of the Newsletter is essentially a catalog of all antarctic meteorites in the collections of the Johnson Space Center Curation Facility and the Smithsonian except for 288 pebbles now being classed. It includes listings of all previously distributed data sheets plus a number of new ones for 1979. Indexes of samples include meteorite name/number, classification, and weathering category. Separate indexes list type 3 and 4 chondrites, all irons, all achondrites, and all carbonaceous chondrites

Antarctic meteorite descriptions 1976-1977-1978-1979

All previously distributed meteorite data sheets, plus a number of new ones for 1979 chondrites are included. A comprehensive sample index listing meteorite name/number, classification, and weathering category is also included. Separate indexes listing all petrologic type 3 and type 4 chondrites, all irons, all achondrites, and all carbonaceous chondrites in the collection is provided

One dimensional chain of quantum molecule motors as a mathematical physics model for muscle fibre

A quantum chain model of many molecule motors is proposed as a mathematical physics theory on the microscopic modeling of classical force-velocity relation and tension transients of muscle fibre. We proposed quantum many-particle Hamiltonian to predict the force-velocity relation for the slow release of muscle fibre which has no empirical relation yet, it is much more complicate than hyperbolic relation. Using the same Hamiltonian, we predicted the mathematical force-velocity relation when the muscle is stimulated by alternative electric current. The discrepancy between input electric frequency and the muscle oscillation frequency has a physical understanding by Doppler effect in this quantum chain model. Further more, we apply quantum physics phenomena to explore the tension time course of cardiac muscle and insect flight muscle. Most of the experimental tension transients curves found their correspondence in the theoretical output of quantum two-level and three-level model. Mathematically modeling electric stimulus as photons exciting a quantum three-level particle reproduced most tension transient curves of water bug Lethocerus Maximus.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, Arguments are adde

The AGN Outflow in the HDFS Target QSO J2233-606 from a High-Resolution VLT/UVES Spectrum

We present a detailed analysis of the intrinsic UV absorption in the central HDFS target QSO J2233-606, based on a high-resolution, high S/N (~25 -- 50) spectrum obtained with VLT/UVES. This spectrum samples the cluster of intrinsic absorption systems outflowing from the AGN at radial velocities v ~ -5000 -- -3800 km/s in the key far-UV diagnostic lines - the lithium-like CNO doublets and H I Lyman series. We fit the absorption troughs using a global model of all detected lines to solve for the independent velocity-dependent covering factors of the continuum and emission-line sources and ionic column densities. This reveals increasing covering factors in components with greater outflow velocity. Narrow substructure is revealed in the optical depth profiles, suggesting the relatively broad absorption is comprised of a series of multiple components. We perform velocity-dependent photoionization modeling, which allows a full solution to the C, N, and O abundances, as well as the velocity resolved ionization parameter and total column density. The absorbers are found to have supersolar abundances, with [C/H] and [O/H] ~0.5 -- 0.9, and [N/H] ~ 1.1 -- 1.3, consistent with enhanced nitrogen production expected from secondary nucleosynthesis processes. Independent fits to each kinematic component give consistent results for the abundances. The lowest-ionization material in each of the strong absorbers is modeled with similar ionization parameters. Components of higher-ionization (indicated by stronger O VI relative to C IV and N V) are present at velocities just redward of each low-ionization absorber. We explore the implications of these results for the kinematic-geometric-ionization structure of the outflow.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, emulateapj, accepted for publication in Ap

A new method for microscale cyclic crack growth characterization from notched microcantilevers and application to single crystalline tungsten and a metallic glass

The lifetime of most metals is limited by cyclic loads, ending in fatigue failure. The progressive growth of cracks ends up in catastrophic failure. An advanced method is presented for the determination of cyclic crack growth on the microscale using a nanoindenter, which allows the characterization of > 10,000 loading cycles. It uses focused ion beam fabricated notched microcantilevers. The method has been validated by cyclic bending metallic glass and tungsten microcantilevers. The experiments reveal a stable crack growth during the lifetime of both samples. The metallic glass shows less plasticity due to the absence of dislocations, but shows shearing caused by the deformation. The crack growth rates determined in the tests follow Paris' power law relationship. The results are reliable, reproducible and comparable with macroscopic setups. Due to the flexibility of the method, it is suitable for the characterization of specific microstructural features, like single phases, grain boundaries or different grain orientations