1,092 research outputs found
Noncommutative Geometry Inspired Entropic Inflation
Recently Verlinde proposed that gravity can be described as an emergent
phenomena arising from changes in the information associated with the positions
of material bodies. By using noncommutative geometry as a way to describe the
microscopic, microstructure of quantum spacetime, we derive modified Friedmann
equation in this setup and study the entropic force modifications to the
inflationary dynamics of early universe.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figuers, Accepted for Publication in Phys. Lett.
Fibre intake among the Belgian population by sex-age and sex-education groups and its association with BMI and waist circumference
The objectives of the present study were to assess total dietary fibre intake and the main contributors to fibre intake in the Belgian population by sex-age and sex-education groups and to investigate its relationship with BMI and waist circumference (WC). The participants of the Belgian food consumption survey (2004) were randomly selected. Information about food intake was collected using two repeated, non-consecutive 24 h recall interviews. A total of 3083 individuals (>= 15 years; 1546 men and 1537 women) completed both interviews. The main contributors to total fibre intake (17.8 g/d) were cereals and cereal products (34%; 5.9 g/d), potatoes and other tubers (18.6%; 3.3 g/d), fruits (14.7%; 2.8 g/d) and vegetables (14.4%; 2.6 g/d). Legume fibre intake was extremely low (0.672%; 0.139 g/d). In all sex-age and sex-education groups, total fibre intake was below the recommendations of the Belgian Superior Health Council. Men (21 g/d) consumed significantly more fibre than women (17.3 g/d) (P < 0.001). Lower educated men and higher educated women reported the highest fibre intake. A significant inverse association was found between total fibre intake and WC (beta = -0.118, P < 0.001). Fruit-derived fibre was positively associated with WC (beta = 0.731, P=0.001). In summary, total fibre intake was inversely associated with WC, whereas fruit-derived fibre intake was positively associated with WC in the Belgian population
Effects of Calcium Pyruvate Supplementation During Training On Body Composition, Exercise Capacity, and Metabolic Responses To Exercise
Objective: We evaluated the effects of calcium pyruvate supplementation during training on body composition and metabolic responses to exercise.
Method: Twenty-three untrained females were matched and assigned to ingest in a double blind and randomized manner either 5 g of calcium pyruvate (PYR) or a placebo (PL) twice daily for 30 d while participating in a supervised exercise program. Prior to and following supplementation, subjects had body composition determined via hydrodensiometry; performed a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test; and performed a 45-min walk test at 70% of pre-training VO2 max in which fasting pre- and post exercise blood samples determined.
Results: No significant differences were observed between groups in energy intake or training volume. Univariate repeated measures ANOVA revealed that subjects in the PYR group gained less weight (PL 1.2 ± 0.3, PYR 0.3 ± 0.3 kg, P = 0.04), lost more fat (PL 1.1 ± 0.5; PYR −0.4 ± 0.5 kg, P = 0.03), and tended to lose a greater percentage of body fat (PL 1.0 ± 0.7; PYR −0.65 ± 0.6%, P = 0.07), with no differences observed in fat-free mass (PL 0.1 ± 0.5; PYR 0.7 ± 0.3 kg, P = 0.29). However, these changes were not significant when body composition data were analyzed by MANOVA (P = 0.16). There was some evidence that PYR may negate some of the beneficial effects of exercise on HDL values. No significant differences were observed between groups in maximal exercise responses or metabolic responses to submaximal walking.
Conclusions: Results indicate that PYR supplementation during training does not significantly affect body composition or exercise performance and may negatively affect some blood lipid levels
Probing a ferromagnetic critical regime using nonlinear susceptibility
The second order para-ferromagnetic phase transition in a series of amorphous
alloys (Fe{_5}Co{_{50}}Ni{_{17-x}}Cr{_x}B{_{16}}Si{_{12}}) is investigated
using nonlinear susceptibility. A simple molecular field treatment for the
critical region shows that the third order suceptibility (chi{_3}) diverges on
both sides of the transition temperature, and changes sign at T{_C}. This
critical behaviour is observed experimentally in this series of amorphous
ferromagnets, and the related assymptotic critical exponents are calculated. It
is shown that using the proper scaling equations, all the exponents necessary
for a complete characterization of the phase transition can be determined using
linear and nonlinear susceptiblity measurements alone. Using meticulous
nonlinear susceptibility measurements, it is shown that at times chi{_3} can be
more sensitive than the linear susceptibility (chi{_1}) in unravelling the
magnetism of ferromagnetic spin systems. A new technique for accurately
determining T{_C} is discussed, which makes use of the functional form of
chi{_3} in the critical region.Comment: 11 Figures, Submitted to Physical Review
Increases in Waist Circumference and Weight As Predictors of Type 2 Diabetes in Individuals With Impaired Fasting Glucose: Influence of Baseline BMI: Data from the DESIR study
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate in impaired fasting glucose (IFG) the relative importance of increases in waist circumference and weight on progression to type 2 diabetes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
The 9-year incidence of diabetes was studied in 979 men and women with baseline IFG, from the Data from an Epidemiological Study on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome (DESIR) cohort.
RESULTS
Increases in both waist circumference and weight were significantly associated with diabetes incidence. Standardized odds ratios (95% CI) were 1.79 (1.45–2.21) and 1.86 (1.51–2.30), respectively, after controlling for baseline risk factors. The impact of waist circumference increase was greater for BMI <25 kg/m2 (2.40 [1.63–3.52]) than for BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (1.66 [1.28–2.16]) and persisted after adjusting for concurrent changes in either insulinemia or the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index. Weight change had a similar impact in both BMI groups.
CONCLUSIONS
In individuals with IFG, it is important to monitor and prevent increases in waist circumference, in particular for those with BMI <25 kg/m2
Association between Alcohol Intake and Abdominal Obesity among the Korean Population
OBJECTIVES: Although abdominal obesity has been reported to be highly related with alcohol intake, the results are still inconclusive. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the association between alcohol and abdominal obesity among the Korean population.
METHODS: This study included 8,603 participants (men: 5,195, women: 3,408) aged 30 to 87 who visited the health promotion centers in Seoul for routine health examinations from April, 2006 to June, 2007. Abdominal obesity was defined as WC ≥90 cm for men and ≥85 cm for women in accordance with the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity. For ever drinkers, total alcohol consumption in grams was classified into four groups (group 1, non-drinkers; group 2, 1-10 g of alcohol per day; group 3, 11-20 g of alcohol per day; and group 4, over 20 g of alcohol per day).
RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 45.4 yr old (men) and 45.3 yr (women). The average waist circumference was 85.3 cm in men and 75.3 cm in women. A high alcohol intake was associated with high waist circumference in both genders. In multivariate analysis, the group of men and women drinkers consuming >20 g in a day had a large waist circumference compared with men and women non-drinkers.
CONCLUSION: This study showed that a high alcohol intake was related to high waist circumference. Such association remained independently even after adjustment for smoking, which is strongly related to abdominal obesity.ope
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