63 research outputs found
Serum HER-2 concentration is associated with insulin resistance and decreases after weight loss.
HER2/neu is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family
easily detectable in the serum of cancer patients. We aimed to evaluate
circulating HER-2 concentrations in association with insulin resistance in
healthy and obese subjects. METHODS: Insulin sensitivity (minimal model) and
serum HER-2 concentrations were evaluated in a cross sectional study in men
(cohort 1, n = 167) and longitudinally after weight loss in obese subjects
(cohort 2, n = 30). RESULTS: Serum HER-2 concentrations were positively
associated with BMI and waist circumference (both r = 0.18, p = 0.02), post-load
glucose (r = 0.28, p = 0.001) and fasting triglycerides (r = 0.26, p = 0.001);
and negatively associated with insulin sensitivity (r = -0.29, p = 0.002, n =
109). Subjects with type 2 diabetes showed significantly increased soluble serum
HER-2 concentrations. In different multivariate regression models, fasting
triglycerides emerged as the factor that independently contributed to 10-11% of
serum HER-2 variance.Serum HER-2 concentrations correlated significantly with
fasting triglycerides and insulin sensitivity index in subjects from cohort 2.
Weight loss led to a significant decrease of serum HER-2 concentrations. The
change in serum HER-2 concentrations were significantly associated with the
change in percent body fat and fasting triglycerides in young (below the median
age of the cohort) subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Serum HER-2 concentrations might be
implicated in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and associated
comorbidities
Densification of WC-Fe-Ni-Co-Cr cemented carbides processed by HIP after sintering: effect of WC powder particle size
Shrinkage, liquid formation and mass losses of WC-19 vol% FeNiCoCr alloys during sintering have been inves-
tigated in compositions either with coarse or submicron WC powders. Mass losses detected by thermogravimetry
are compatible with carbothermal reduction of the different oxides present in the powder mixtures. Hardness and
fracture toughness of materials based on submicron WC powders are within tolerances of those reported for WC-
Co materials with similar microstructures. However, fracture strength is approx. 25% lower
Digital image correlation after focused ion beam micro-slit drilling: A new technique for measuring residual stresses in hardmetal components at local scale
A new method has been developed for measuring residual stresses at the surface of hardmetal components with
higher spatial resolution than standard X-ray diffraction methods. It is based on measuring the surface displacements produced when stresses are partially released by machining a thin slit perpendicularly to the tested
surface. Slit machining is carried out by focused ion beam (FIB). Measurement of the displacement fields around
the FIB slit are performed by applying an advanced digital image correlation algorithm based on Fourier analysis
with sub-pixel resolution. This method compares SEM images of the same area of the hardmetal surface before
and after slitting. The method has been successfully applied to as-ground and femto-laser textured surfaces
showing good correlation with the standard sin2
ψ XRD technique. It is concluded that texturing induced by laser
pulses in the femtoseconds regime is not perfectly adiabatic, since residual stresses are reduced by 15
Circulating omentin concentration increases after weight loss
Omentin-1 is a novel adipokine expressed in visceral adipose tissue
and negatively associated with insulin resistance and obesity. We aimed to study
the effects of weight loss-induced improved insulin sensitivity on circulating
omentin concentrations. METHODS: Circulating omentin-1 (ELISA) concentration in
association with metabolic variables was measured in 35 obese subjects (18 men,
17 women) before and after hypocaloric weight loss. RESULTS: Baseline circulating
omentin-1 concentrations correlated negatively with BMI (r = -0.58, p < 0.001),
body weight (r = -0.35, p = 0.045), fat mass (r = -0.67, p < 0.001), circulating
leptin (r = -0.7, p < 0.001) and fasting insulin (r = -0.37, p = 0.03).
Circulating omentin-1 concentration increased significantly after weight loss
(from 44.9 +/- 9.02 to 53.41 +/- 8.8 ng/ml, p < 0.001). This increase in
circulating omentin after weight loss was associated with improved insulin
sensitivity (negatively associated with HOMA value and fasting insulin, r =
-0.42, p = 0.02 and r = -0.45, p = 0.01, respectively) and decreased BMI (r =
-0.54, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: As previously described with adiponectin,
circulating omentin-1 concentrations increase after weight loss-induced
improvement of insulin sensitivity
Study of caveolin-1 gene expression in whole adipose tissue and its subfractions and during differentiation of human adipocytes
Caveolins are 21-24 kDa integral membrane proteins that serve as
scaffolds to recruit numerous signaling molecules. Specific subclasses of
caveolae carry out specific functions in cell metabolism. In particular,
triglycerides are synthesized at the site of fatty acid entry in one of these
caveolae classes. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: We studied the expression of caveolin-1
(CAV-1) gene in association with metabolic variables in 90 visceral and 55
subcutaneous adipose tissue samples from subjects with a wide range of fat mass,
in the stromovascular fraction (SVC) and isolated adipocytes, and during
differentiation of human adipocytes. RESULTS: CAV-1 gene expression was
significantly decreased in visceral adipose tissue (v-CAV-1) of obese subjects.
v-CAV-1 was positively associated with several lipogenic genes such as acetyl-coA
carboxylase (ACACA, r = 0.34, p = 0.004) and spot-14 (r = 0.33, p = 0.004). In
non-obese subjects v-CAV-1 also correlated with fatty acid synthase (FAS, r =
0.60, p < 0.0001). Subcutaneous (sc) adipose tissue (sc-CAV-1) gene expression
was not associated with these lipogenic factors when obese and non-obese subjects
were studied together. In obese subjects, however, sc-CAV-1 was associated with
fatty acid synthase (FAS, r = 0.36, p = 0.02), sterol regulatory element binding
protein-1c (SREBP-1c (r = 0.58, p < 0.0001), ACACA (r = 0.33, p = 0.03), spot-14
(r = 0.36, p = 0.02), PPAR-gamma co-activator-1 (PGC-1, r = 0.88, n = 19). In
these obese subjects, sc-CAV-1 was also associated with fasting triglycerides (r
= -0.50, p < 0.0001).CAV-1 expression in mature adipocytes was significantly
higher than in stromal vascular cells. CAV-1 gene expression in adipocytes from
subcutaneous adipose tissue (but not in adipocytes from visceral adipose tissue)
was significatively associated with fasting triglycerides. CAV-1 gene expression
did not change significantly during differentiation of human preadipocytes from
lean or obese subjects despite significant increase of FAS gene expression.
CONCLUSION: Decreased CAV-1 gene expression was simultaneously linked to
increased triglycerides and decreased lipogenic gene expression among obese
subjects, paralleling the observations of hypertriglyceridemia in CAV-1 knockout
mice. However, the regulation of CAV-1 gene expression seems independent of the
adipogenic program
Digital image correlation after focused ion beam micro-slit drilling: A new technique for measuring residual stresses in hardmetal components at local scale
A new method has been developed for measuring residual stresses at the surface of hardmetal components with higher spatial resolution than standard X-ray diffraction methods. It is based on measuring the surface dis-placements produced when stresses are partially released by machining a thin slit perpendicularly to the tested surface. Slit machining is carried out by focused ion beam (FIB). Measurement of the displacement fields around the FIB slit are performed by applying an advanced digital image correlation algorithm based on Fourier analysis with sub-pixel resolution. This method compares SEM images of the same area of the hardmetal surface before and after slitting. The method has been successfully applied to as-ground and femto-laser textured surfaces showing good correlation with the standard sin2 psi XRD technique. It is concluded that texturing induced by laser pulses in the femtoseconds regime is not perfectly adiabatic, since residual stresses are reduced by 15%
Iron and obesity status-associated insulin resistance influence circulating fibroblast-growth factor-23 concentrations
Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is known to be produced by the bone and linked to metabolic risk. We aimed to
explore circulating FGF-23 in association with fatness and insulin sensitivity, atherosclerosis and bone mineral density
(BMD). Circulating intact FGF-23 (iFGF-23) and C-terminal (CtFGF-23) concentrations (ELISA) were measured in 133 middle
aged men from the general population in association with insulin sensitivity (Cohort 1); and in association with fat mass and
bone mineral density (DEXA) and atherosclerosis (intima media thickness, IMT) in 78 subjects (52 women) with a wide range
of adiposity (Cohort 2). Circulating iFGF-23 was also measured before and after weight loss. In all subjects as a whole, serum
intact and C-terminal concentrations were linearly and positively associated with BMI. In cohort 1, both serum iFGF-23 and
CtFGF-23 concentrations increased with insulin resistance. Serum creatinine contributed to iFGF-23 variance, while serum
ferritin and insulin sensitivity (but not BMI, age or serum creatinine) contributed to 17% of CtFGF-23 variance. In cohort 2,
CtFGF-23 levels were higher in women vs. men, and increased with BMI, fat mass, fasting and post-load serum glucose,
insulin, HOMA-IR and PTH, being negatively associated with circulating vitamin D and ferritin levels. The associations of
CtFGF-23 with bone density in the radius, lumbar spine and carotid IMT were no longer significant after controlling for BMI.
Weight loss led to decreased iFGF-23 concentrations. In summary, the associations of circulating FGF-23 concentration with
parameters of glucose metabolism, bone density and atherosclerosis are dependent on iron and obesity status-associated
insulin resistance
Ibero-American Consensus on Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners : Safety, Nutritional Aspects and Benefits in Food and Beverages
International scientific experts in food, nutrition, dietetics, endocrinology, physical activity, paediatrics, nursing, toxicology and public health met in Lisbon on 2\u207b4 July 2017 to develop a Consensus on the use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) as substitutes for sugars and other caloric sweeteners. LNCS are food additives that are broadly used as sugar substitutes to sweeten foods and beverages with the addition of fewer or no calories. They are also used in medicines, health-care products, such as toothpaste, and food supplements. The goal of this Consensus was to provide a useful, evidence-based, point of reference to assist in efforts to reduce free sugars consumption in line with current international public health recommendations. Participating experts in the Lisbon Consensus analysed and evaluated the evidence in relation to the role of LNCS in food safety, their regulation and the nutritional and dietary aspects of their use in foods and beverages. The conclusions of this Consensus were: (1) LNCS are some of the most extensively evaluated dietary constituents, and their safety has been reviewed and confirmed by regulatory bodies globally including the World Health Organisation, the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority; (2) Consumer education, which is based on the most robust scientific evidence and regulatory processes, on the use of products containing LNCS should be strengthened in a comprehensive and objective way; (3) The use of LNCS in weight reduction programmes that involve replacing caloric sweeteners with LNCS in the context of structured diet plans may favour sustainable weight reduction. Furthermore, their use in diabetes management programmes may contribute to a better glycaemic control in patients, albeit with modest results. LNCS also provide dental health benefits when used in place of free sugars; (4) It is proposed that foods and beverages with LNCS could be included in dietary guidelines as alternative options to products sweetened with free sugars; (5) Continued education of health professionals is required, since they are a key source of information on issues related to food and health for both the general population and patients. With this in mind, the publication of position statements and consensus documents in the academic literature are extremely desirable
Alignment of the CMS silicon tracker during commissioning with cosmic rays
This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe CMS silicon tracker, consisting of 1440 silicon pixel and 15 148 silicon strip detector modules, has been aligned using more than three million cosmic ray charged particles, with additional information from optical surveys. The positions of the modules were determined with respect to cosmic ray trajectories to an average precision of 3–4 microns RMS in the barrel and 3–14 microns RMS in the endcap in the most sensitive coordinate. The results have been validated by several studies, including laser beam cross-checks, track fit self-consistency, track residuals in overlapping module regions, and track parameter resolution, and are compared with predictions obtained from simulation. Correlated systematic effects have been investigated. The track parameter resolutions obtained with this alignment are close to the design performance.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ,
and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS
(Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia);
Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG,
and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT,
SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)
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