5,097 research outputs found
Acculturation is associated with left ventricular mass in a multiethnic sample: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
BackgroundAcculturation involves stress-related processes and health behavioral changes, which may have an effect on left ventricular (LV) mass, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We examined the relationship between acculturation and LV mass in a multiethnic cohort of White, African-American, Hispanic and Chinese subjects.MethodsCardiac magnetic resonance assessment was available for 5004 men and women, free of clinical CVD at baseline. Left ventricular mass index was evaluated as LV mass indexed by body surface area. Acculturation was characterized based on language spoken at home, place of birth and length of stay in the United States (U.S.), and a summary acculturation score ranging from 0 = least acculturated to 5 = most acculturated. Mean LV mass index adjusted for traditional CVD risk factors was compared across acculturation levels.ResultsUnadjusted mean LV mass index was 78.0 ± 16.3 g/m(2). In adjusted analyses, speaking exclusively English at home compared to non-English language was associated with higher LV mass index (81.3 ± 0.4 g/m(2) vs 79.9 ± 0.5 g/m(2), p = 0.02). Among foreign-born participants, having lived in the U.S. for ≥ 20 years compared to < 10 years was associated with greater LV mass index (81.6 ± 0.7 g/m(2) vs 79.5 ± 1.1 g/m(2), p = 0.02). Compared to those with the lowest acculturation score, those with the highest score had greater LV mass index (78.9 ± 1.1 g/m(2) vs 81.1 ± 0.4 g/m(2), p = 0.002). There was heterogeneity in which measure of acculturation was associated with LV mass index across ethnic groups.ConclusionsGreater acculturation is associated with increased LV mass index in this multiethnic cohort. Acculturation may involve stress-related processes as well as behavioral changes with a negative effect on cardiovascular health
Discovery of faint double-peak Halpha emission in the halo of low redshift galaxies
Aiming at the detection of cosmological gas being accreted onto galaxies of
the local Universe, we examined the Halpha emission in the halo of 164 galaxies
in the field of view of the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer Wide survey
(\musew ) with observable Halpha (redshift < 0.42). An exhaustive screening of
the corresponding Halpha images led us to select 118 reliable Halpha emitting
gas clouds. The signals are faint, with a surface brightness of 10**(-17.3 pm
0.3) erg/s/cm2/arcsec2. Through statistical tests and other arguments, we ruled
out that they are created by instrumental artifacts, telluric line residuals,
or high redshift interlopers. Around 38% of the time, the Halpha line profile
shows a double peak with the drop in intensity at the rest-frame of the central
galaxy, and with a typical peak-to-peak separation of the order of pm 200 km/s.
Most line emission clumps are spatially unresolved. The mass of emitting gas is
estimated to be between one and 10**(-3) times the stellar mass of the central
galaxy. The signals are not isotropically distributed; their azimuth tends to
be aligned with the major axis of the corresponding galaxy. The distances to
the central galaxies are not random either. The counts drop at a distance > 50
galaxy radii, which roughly corresponds to the virial radius of the central
galaxy. We explore several physical scenarios to explain this Halpha emission,
among which accretion disks around rogue intermediate mass black holes fit the
observations best.Comment: pay attention to the last sentence of the abstract! Accepted for
publication in Ap
Failure to Preserve β-Cell Function With Mycophenolate Mofetil and Daclizumab Combined Therapy in Patients With New- Onset Type 1 Diabetes
OBJECTIVE This trial tested whether mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) alone or with daclizumab (DZB) could arrest the loss of insulin-producing β-cells in subjects with new-onset type 1 diabetes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked trial was initiated by Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet at 13 sites in North America and Europe. Subjects diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and with sufficient C-peptide within 3 months of diagnosis were randomized to either MMF alone, MMF plus DZB, or placebo, and then followed for 2 years. The primary outcome was the geometric mean area under the curve (AUC) C-peptide from the 2-h mixed meal tolerance test.
RESULTS One hundred and twenty-six subjects were randomized and treated during the trial. The geometric mean C-peptide AUC at 2 years was unaffected by MMF alone or MMF plus DZB versus placebo. Adverse events were more frequent in the active therapy groups relative to the control group, but not significantly.
CONCLUSIONS Neither MMF alone nor MMF in combination with DZB had an effect on the loss of C-peptide in subjects with new-onset type 1 diabetes. Higher doses or more targeted immunotherapies may be needed to affect the autoimmune process
The Right to Code and Share Arms
Glycerol is, to date, the most widely used cryoprotectant to freeze stallion spermatozoa at concentrations between 2% and 5%. Cryoprotectant toxicity has been claimed to be the single most limiting factor for the success of cryopreservation. In order to evaluate the toxic effects of the concentrations of glycerol used in practice, stallion spermatozoa were incubated in Biggers Whitten and Whittingham (BWW) media supplemented with 0%, 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, 3.5%, and 5% glycerol. In two additional experiments, a hyposmotic (75 mOsm/kg) and a hyperosmotic (900 mOsm/kg) control media were included. Sperm parameters evaluated included cell volume, membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation, caspase 3, 7, and 8 activation, mitochondrial membrane potential, and integrity of the cytoskeleton. Glycerol exerted toxicity at concentrations 3.5% and the maximal toxicity was observed at 5%. The actin cytoskeleton was especially sensitive to glycerol presence, inducing rapid F actin depolymerization at concentrations over 1.5%. The sperm membrane and the mitochondria were other structures affected. The toxicity of glycerol is apparently related to osmotic and nonosmotic effects. In view of our results the concentration of glycerol in the freezing media for stallion spermatozoa should not surpass 2.5%.Funding Agencies|Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion-FEDER Madrid, Spain|AGL 2010 20758 (GAN)|Inia|RZ2008-00018-00-00|Junta de Extremadura FEDER GR|10010
Nuclear WRAP53 promotes neuronal survival and functional recovery after stroke
Failure of neurons to efficiently repair DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) contributes to cerebral damage after stroke. However, the molecular machinery that regulates DNA repair in this neurological disorder is unknown. Here, we found that DSBs in oxygen/glucose-deprived (OGD) neurons spatiotemporally correlated with the up-regulation of WRAP53 (WD40-encoding p53-antisense RNA), which translocated to the nucleus to activate the DSB repair response. Mechanistically, OGD triggered a burst in reactive oxygen species that induced both DSBs and translocation of WRAP53 to the nucleus to promote DNA repair, a pathway that was confirmed in an in vivo mouse model of stroke. Noticeably, nuclear translocation of WRAP53 occurred faster in OGD neurons expressing the Wrap53 human nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2287499 (c.202C>G). Patients carrying this SNP showed less infarct volume and better functional outcome after stroke. These results indicate that WRAP53 fosters DNA repair and neuronal survival to promote functional recovery after stroke
Composite Fermion Wavefunctions Derived by Conformal Field Theory
The Jain theory of hierarchical Hall states is reconsidered in the light of
recent analyses that have found exact relations between projected Jain
wavefunctions and conformal field theory correlators. We show that the
underlying conformal theory is precisely given by the W-infinity minimal models
introduced earlier. This theory involves a reduction of the multicomponent
Abelian theory that is similar to the projection to the lowest Landau level in
the Jain approach. The projection yields quasihole excitations obeying
non-Abelian fractional statistics. The analysis closely parallels the bosonic
conformal theory description of the Pfaffian and Read-Rezayi states.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
Impact of the dosimetry approach on the resulting 90Y radioembolization planned absorbed doses based on 99mTc-MAA SPEC T-CT: is there agreement between dosimetry methods?
Background: Prior radioembolization, a simulation using 99mTc-macroaggregated
albumin as 90Y-microspheres surrogate is performed. Gamma scintigraphy images
(planar, SPECT, or SPECT-CT) are acquired to evaluate intrahepatic 90Y-microspheres
distribution and detect possible extrahepatic and lung shunting. These images may
be used for pre-treatment dosimetry evaluation to calculate the 90Y activity that
would get an optimal tumor response while sparing healthy tissues.
Several dosimetry methods are available, but there is still no consensus on the best
methodology to calculate absorbed doses. The goal of this study was to
retrospectively evaluate the impact of using different dosimetry approaches on the
resulting 90Y-radioembolization pre-treatment absorbed dose evaluation based on 99mTc-MAA images.
Methods: Absorbed doses within volumes of interest resulting from partition model
(PM) and 3D voxel dosimetry methods (3D-VDM) (dose-point kernel convolution and
local deposition method) were evaluated. Additionally, a new “Multi-tumor Partition
Model” (MTPM) was developed. The differences among dosimetry approaches were
evaluated in terms of mean absorbed dose and dose volume histograms within the
volumes of interest.
Results: Differences in mean absorbed dose among dosimetry methods are higher
in tumor volumes than in non-tumoral ones. The differences between MTPM and
both 3D-VDM were substantially lower than those observed between PM and any
3D-VDM. A poor correlation and concordance were found between PM and the
other studied dosimetry approaches.
DVH obtained from either 3D-VDM are pretty similar in both healthy liver and
individual tumors. Although no relevant global differences, in terms of absorbed
dose in Gy, between both 3D-VDM were found, important voxel-by-voxel differences
have been observed. Conclusions: Significant differences among the studied dosimetry approaches for 90Y-radioembolization treatments exist. Differences do not yield a substantial impact
in treatment planning for healthy tissue but they do for tumoral liver.
An individual segmentation and evaluation of the tumors is essential. In patients with
multiple tumors, the application of PM is not optimal and the 3D-VDM or the new
MTPM are suggested instead. If a 3D-VDM method is not available, MTPM is the best
option. Furthermore, both 3D-VDM approaches may be indistinctly used
Discovery and analysis of p-mode and g-mode oscillations in the A-type primary of the eccentric binary HD 209295
We have discovered both intermediate-order gravity mode and low-order
pressure mode pulsation in the same star, HD 209295. It is therefore both a
Gamma Doradus and a Delta Scuti star, which makes it the first pulsating star
to be a member of two classes.
The star is a single-lined spectroscopic binary with an orbital period of
3.10575 d and an eccentricity of 0.352. Weak pulsational signals are found in
both the radial velocity and line-profile variations, allowing us to show that
the two highest-amplitude Gamma Doradus pulsation modes are consistent with l=1
and |m|=1.
In our 280 h of BVI multi-site photometry we detected ten frequencies in the
light variations, one in the Delta Scuti regime and nine in the Gamma Doradus
domain. Five of the Gamma Doradus frequencies are exact integer multiples of
the orbital frequency. This observation leads us to suspect they are tidally
excited. Results of theoretical modeling (stability analysis, tidal excitation)
were consistent with the observations.
We could not detect the secondary component of the system in infrared
photometry, suggesting that it may not be a main-sequence star. Archival data
of HD 209295 show a strong ultraviolet excess, the origin of which is not
known. The orbit of the primary is consistent with a secondary mass of M > 1.04
Msun indicative of a neutron star or a white dwarf companion.Comment: 18 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS, shortened
abstrac
Importance of Magnesium Status in COVID-19
A large amount of published research points to the interesting concept (hypothesis) that magnesium (Mg) status may have relevance for the outcome of COVID-19 and that Mg could be protective during the COVID disease course. As an essential element, Mg plays basic biochemical, cellular, and physiological roles required for cardiovascular, immunological, respiratory, and neurological functions. Both low serum and dietary Mg have been associated with the severity of COVID-19 outcomes, including mortality; both are also associated with COVID-19 risk factors such as older age, obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and asthma. In addition, populations with high rates of COVID-19 mortality and hospitalization tend to consume diets high in modern processed foods, which are generally low in Mg. In this review, we review the research to describe and consider the possible impact of Mg and Mg status on COVID-19 showing that (1) serum Mg between 2.19 and 2.26 mg/dL and dietary Mg intakes > 329 mg/day could be protective during the disease course and (2) inhaled Mg may improve oxygenation of hypoxic COVID-19 patients. In spite of such promise, oral Mg for COVID-19 has thus far been studied only in combination with other nutrients. Mg deficiency is involved in the occurrence and aggravation of neuropsychiatric complications of COVID-19, including memory loss, cognition, loss of taste and smell, ataxia, confusion, dizziness, and headache. Potential of zinc and/or Mg as useful for increasing drug therapy effectiveness or reducing adverse effect of anti-COVID-19 drugs is reviewed. Oral Mg trials of patients with COVID-19 are warranted
The XMM-Newton serendipitous survey. VII. The third XMM-Newton serendipitous source catalogue
Thanks to the large collecting area (3 x ~1500 cm at 1.5 keV) and wide
field of view (30' across in full field mode) of the X-ray cameras on board the
European Space Agency X-ray observatory XMM-Newton, each individual pointing
can result in the detection of hundreds of X-ray sources, most of which are
newly discovered. Recently, many improvements in the XMM-Newton data reduction
algorithms have been made. These include enhanced source characterisation and
reduced spurious source detections, refined astrometric precision, greater net
sensitivity and the extraction of spectra and time series for fainter sources,
with better signal-to-noise. Further, almost 50\% more observations are in the
public domain compared to 2XMMi-DR3, allowing the XMM-Newton Survey Science
Centre (XMM-SSC) to produce a much larger and better quality X-ray source
catalogue. The XMM-SSC has developed a pipeline to reduce the XMM-Newton data
automatically and using improved calibration a new catalogue version has been
produced from XMM-Newton data made public by 2013 Dec. 31 (13 years of data).
Manual screening ensures the highest data quality. This catalogue is known as
3XMM. In the latest release, 3XMM-DR5, there are 565962 X-ray detections
comprising 396910 unique X-ray sources. For the 133000 brightest sources,
spectra and lightcurves are provided. For all detections, the positions on the
sky, a measure of the quality of the detection, and an evaluation of the X-ray
variability is provided, along with the fluxes and count rates in 7 X-ray
energy bands, the total 0.2-12 keV band counts, and four hardness ratios. To
identify the detections, a cross correlation with 228 catalogues is also
provided for each X-ray detection. 3XMM-DR5 is the largest X-ray source
catalogue ever produced. Thanks to the large array of data products, it is an
excellent resource in which to find new and extreme objects.Comment: 23 pages, version accepted for publication in A&
- …