A New Precision Measurement of the 3He(4He,gamma)7Be Cross section

The 3He(4He,gamma)7Be reaction plays an important role in determining the high energy solar neutrino flux and in understanding the abundances of primordial 7Li. The present paper reports a new precision measurement of the cross sections of this direct capture reaction, determined by measuring the ensuing 7Be activity in the region of Ec.m.=400 keV to 950 keV. Various recent theoretical fits to our data result in a consistent extrapolated value of S34(0)=0.53(2)(1).Comment: 10 pages 3 figure

Neonatology/Paediatrics – Guidelines on Parenteral Nutrition, Chapter 13

There are special challenges in implementing parenteral nutrition (PN) in paediatric patients, which arises from the wide range of patients, ranging from extremely premature infants up to teenagers weighing up to and over 100 kg, and their varying substrate requirements. Age and maturity-related changes of the metabolism and fluid and nutrient requirements must be taken into consideration along with the clinical situation during which PN is applied. The indication, the procedure as well as the intake of fluid and substrates are very different to that known in PN-practice in adult patients, e.g. the fluid, nutrient and energy needs of premature infants and newborns per kg body weight are markedly higher than of older paediatric and adult patients. Premature infants <35 weeks of pregnancy and most sick term infants usually require full or partial PN. In neonates the actual amount of PN administered must be calculated (not estimated). Enteral nutrition should be gradually introduced and should replace PN as quickly as possible in order to minimise any side-effects from exposure to PN. Inadequate substrate intake in early infancy can cause long-term detrimental effects in terms of metabolic programming of the risk of illness in later life. If energy and nutrient demands in children and adolescents cannot be met through enteral nutrition, partial or total PN should be considered within 7 days or less depending on the nutritional state and clinical conditions

Gene conversion in human rearranged immunoglobulin genes

Over the past 20 years, many DNA sequences have been published suggesting that all or part of the V&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt; segment of a rearranged immunoglobulin gene may be replaced in vivo. Two different mechanisms appear to be operating. One of these is very similar to primary V(D)J recombination, involving the RAG proteins acting upon recombination signal sequences, and this has recently been proven to occur. Other sequences, many of which show partial V&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt; replacements with no addition of untemplated nucleotides at the V&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt;–V&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt; joint, have been proposed to occur by an unusual RAG-mediated recombination with the formation of hybrid (coding-to-signal) joints. These appear to occur in cells already undergoing somatic hypermutation in which, some authors are convinced, RAG genes are silenced. We recently proposed that the latter type of V&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt; replacement might occur by homologous recombination initiated by the activity of AID (activation-induced cytidine deaminase), which is essential for somatic hypermutation and gene conversion. The latter has been observed in other species, but not in human Ig genes, so far. In this paper, we present a new analysis of sequences published as examples of the second type of rearrangement. This not only shows that AID recognition motifs occur in recombination regions but also that some sequences show replacement of central sections by a sequence from another gene, similar to gene conversion in the immunoglobulin genes of other species. These observations support the proposal that this type of rearrangement is likely to be AID-mediated rather than RAG-mediated and is consistent with gene conversion

Nuclear Reaction Network for Primordial Nucleosynthesis: a detailed analysis of rates, uncertainties and light nuclei yields

We analyze in details the standard Primordial Nucleosynthesis scenario. In particular we discuss the key theoretical issues which are involved in a detailed prediction of light nuclide abundances, as the weak reaction rates, neutrino decoupling and nuclear rate modeling. We also perform a new analysis of available data on the main nuclear processes entering the nucleosynthesis reaction network, with particular stress on their uncertainties as well as on their role in determining the corresponding uncertainties on light nuclide theoretical estimates. The current status of theoretical versus experimental results for 2H, 3He, 4He and 7Li is then discussed using the determination of the baryon density as obtained from Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies.Comment: LaTeX, 83 pages, 30 .pdf figures. Some typos in the units of R-functions in appendix D and relative plots fixe

Tectono-stratigraphic response of the Sandino Forearc Basin (N-Costa Rica and W-Nicaragua) to episodes of rough crust and oblique subduction

The southern Central American active margin is a world-class site where past and present subduction processes have been extensively studied. Tectonic erosion/accretion and oblique/orthogonal subduction are thought to alternate in space and time along the Middle American Trench. These processes may cause various responses in the upper plate, such as uplift/subsidence, deformation, and volcanic arc migration/ shut-off. We present an updated stratigraphic framework of the Late Cretaceous– Cenozoic Sandino Forearc Basin (SFB) which provides evidence of sedimentary response to tectonic events. Since its inception, the basin was predominantly filled with deep-water volcaniclastic deposits. In contrast, shallow-water deposits appeared episodically in the basin record and are considered as tectonic event markers. The SFB stretches for about 300 km and varies in thickness from 5 km (southern part) to about 16 km (northern part). The drastic, along-basin, thickness variation appears to be the result of (1) differential tectonic evolutions and (2) differential rates of sediment supply. (1) The northern SFB did not experience major tectonic events. In contrast, the reduced thickness of the southern SFB (5 km) is the result of at least four uplift phases related to the collision/accretion of bathymetric reliefs on the incoming plate: (i) the accretion of a buoyant oceanic plateau (Nicoya Complex) during the middle Campanian; (ii) the collision of an oceanic plateau (?) during the late Danian–Selandian; (iii) the collision/accretion of seamounts during the late Eocene–early Oligocene; (iv) the collision of seamounts and ridges during the Pliocene–Holocene. (2) The northwestward thickening of the SFB may have been enhanced by high sediment supply in the Fonseca Gulf area which reflects sourcing from wide, high relief drainage basins. In contrast, sedimentary input has possibly been lower along the southern SFB, due to the proximity of the narrow, lowland isthmus of southern Central America. Moreover, two phases of strongly oblique subduction affected the margin, producing strike-slip faulting in the forearc basin: (1) prior to the Farallon Plate breakup, an Oligocene transpressional phase caused deformation and uplift of the basin depocenter, triggering shallowing-upward of the Nicaraguan Isthmus in the central and northern SFB; (2) a Pleistocene–Holocene transtensional phase drives the NW-directed motion of a forearc sliver and reactivation of the graben-bounding faults of the late Neogene Nicaraguan Depression. We discuss arguments in favour of a Pliocene development of the Nicaraguan Depression and propose that the Nicaraguan Isthmus, which is the apparent rift shoulder of the depression, represents a structure inherited from the Oligocene transpressional phase

21-Hydroxylase Genotyping in Australasian Patients with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Mutations in CYP21 (21-hydroxylase) lead to congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). We genotyped 26 probands with CAH by PCR-sequencing the entire CYP21 gene. 25/26 had homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations. The frequencies of mutations were similar to other populations with deletion/hybrid, 12 G splice and 1172N the most common. Five patients with a 1172N allele predicting simple-virilising CAH had a salt-wasting phenotype. Two other probands also had a more severe phenotype than predicted by genotype. Two families had both non-classic and salt-wasting phenotypes arising from combinations of three deleterious alleles. Two novel CYP21 alleles were detected: D106N and a large deletion encompassing CYP21 and adjacent pseudogene. Two rare CYP21 alleles were also found. Three of these four novel/rare alleles were only detected as a result of sequencing the entire CYP21 gene. Entire CYP21 sequencing will increase the number of mutations detected in CAH, and in combination with functional studies should contribute a greater understanding of phenotype-genotype correlations.

German National Consensus Recommendations on Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy by the ‘Healthy Start - Young Family Network’

Diet and physical activity before and during pregnancy affect short- andlong-term health of mother and child. The energy needs at the end ofpregnancy increase only by about 10% compared to nonpregnant women. Anexcessive energy intake is undesirable since maternal overweight andexcessive weight gain can increase the risks for a high birth weight andlater child overweight and diabetes. Maternal weight at the beginning ofpregnancy is especially important for pregnancy outcome and childhealth. Women should strive to achieve normal weight already beforepregnancy. Regular physical activity can contribute to a healthy weightand to the health of pregnant women. The need for certain nutrientsincreases more than energy requirements. Before and during pregnancy,foods with a high content of essential nutrients should bepreferentially selected. Supplements should include folic acid andiodine, iron (in case of suboptimal iron stores), the omega-3 fatty aciddocosahexaenoic acid (in case of infrequent consumption of ocean fish)and vitamin D (in case of decreased sun exposure and decreasedendogenous vitamin D synthesis). Pregnant women should not smoke and notstay in rooms where others smoke or have smoked before (passivesmoking). Alcohol consumption should be avoided, since alcohol can harmunborn children

German National Consensus Recommendations on Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy by the ‘Healthy Start - Young Family Network’

Diet and physical activity before and during pregnancy affect short- andlong-term health of mother and child. The energy needs at the end ofpregnancy increase only by about 10% compared to nonpregnant women. Anexcessive energy intake is undesirable since maternal overweight andexcessive weight gain can increase the risks for a high birth weight andlater child overweight and diabetes. Maternal weight at the beginning ofpregnancy is especially important for pregnancy outcome and childhealth. Women should strive to achieve normal weight already beforepregnancy. Regular physical activity can contribute to a healthy weightand to the health of pregnant women. The need for certain nutrientsincreases more than energy requirements. Before and during pregnancy,foods with a high content of essential nutrients should bepreferentially selected. Supplements should include folic acid andiodine, iron (in case of suboptimal iron stores), the omega-3 fatty aciddocosahexaenoic acid (in case of infrequent consumption of ocean fish)and vitamin D (in case of decreased sun exposure and decreasedendogenous vitamin D synthesis). Pregnant women should not smoke and notstay in rooms where others smoke or have smoked before (passivesmoking). Alcohol consumption should be avoided, since alcohol can harmunborn children

Wild bitter gourd improves metabolic syndrome: A preliminary dietary supplementation trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bitter gourd (<it>Momordica charantia </it>L.) is a common tropical vegetable that has been used in traditional or folk medicine to treat diabetes. Wild bitter gourd (WBG) ameliorated metabolic syndrome (MetS) in animal models. We aimed to preliminarily evaluate the effect of WBG supplementation on MetS in Taiwanese adults.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A preliminary open-label uncontrolled supplementation trial was conducted in eligible fulfilled the diagnosis of MetS from May 2008 to April 2009. A total of 42 eligible (21 men and 21 women) with a mean age of 45.7 ± 11.4 years (23 to 63 years) were supplemented with 4.8 gram lyophilized WBG powder in capsules daily for three months and were checked for MetS at enrollment and follow-up monthly. After supplementation was ceased, the participants were continually checked for MetS monthly over an additional three-month period. MetS incidence rate were analyzed using repeated-measures generalized linear mixed models according to the intention-to-treat principle.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After adjusting for sex and age, the MetS incidence rate (standard error, <it>p </it>value) decreased by 7.1% (3.7%, 0.920), 9.5% (4.3%, 0.451), 19.0% (5.7%, 0.021), 16.7% (5.4%, 0.047), 11.9% (4.7%, 0.229) and 11.9% (4.7%, 0.229) at visit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 compared to that at baseline (visit 1), respectively. The decrease in incidence rate was highest at the end of the three-month supplementation period and it was significantly different from that at baseline (<it>p </it>= 0.021). The difference remained significant at end of the 4th month (one month after the cessation of supplementation) (<it>p </it>= 0.047) but the effect diminished at the 5th and 6th months after baseline. The waist circumference also significantly decreased after the supplementation (<it>p </it>< 0.05). The WBG supplementation was generally well-tolerated.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first report to show that WBG improved MetS in human which provides a firm base for further randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of WBG supplementation.</p

Premature ovarian failure and ovarian autoimmunity

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is defined as a syndrome characterized by menopause before the age of 40 yr. The patients suffer from anovulation and hypoestrogenism. Approximately 1% of women will experience menopause before the age of 40 yr. POF is a heterogeneous disorder with a multicausal pathogenesis involving chromosomal, genetic, enzymatic, infectious, and iatrogenic causes. There remains, however, a group of POF patients without a known etiology, the so-called "idiopathic" form. An autoimmune etiology is hypothesized for the POF cases with a concomitant Addison's disease and/or oophoritis. It is concluded in this review that POF in association with adrenal autoimmunity and/or Addison's disease (2-10% of the idiopathic POF patients) is indeed an autoimmune disease. The following evidence warrants this view: 1) The presence of autoantibodies to steroid-producing cells in these patients; 2) The characterization of shared autoantigens between adrenal and ovarian steroid-producing cells; 3) The histological picture of the ovaries of such cases (lymphoplasmacellular infiltrate around steroid-producing cells); 4) The existence of various autoimmune animal models for this syndrome, which underlines the autoimmune nature of the disease. There is some circumstantial evidence for an autoimmune pathogenesis in idiopathic POF patients in the absence of adrenal autoimmunity or Addison's disease. Arguments in support of this are: 1) The presence of cellular immune abnormalities in this POF patient group reminiscent of endocrine autoimmune diseases such as IDDM, Graves' disease, and Addison's disease; 2) The more than normal association with IDDM and myasthenia gravis. Data on the presence of various ovarian autoantibodies and anti-receptor antibodies in these patients are, however, inconclusive and need further evaluation. A strong argument against an autoimmune pathogenesis of POF in these patients is the nearly absent histological confirmation (the presence of an oophoritis) in these cases (< 3%). However, in animal models using ZP immunization, similar follicular depletion and fibrosis (as in the POF women) can be detected. Accepting the concept that POF is a heterogenous disorder in which some of the idiopathic forms are based on an abnormal self-recognition by th