Chemistry and health of olive oil phenolics

The Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower incidence of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. The apparent health benefits have been partially attributed to the dietary consumption of virgin olive oil by Mediterranean populations. Most recent interest has focused on the biologically active phenolic compounds naturally present in virgin olive oils. Studies (human, animal, in vivo and in vitro) have shown that olive oil phenolics have positive effects on certain physiological parameters, such as plasma lipoproteins, oxidative damage, inflammatory markers, platelet and cellular function, and antimicrobial activity. Presumably, regular dietary consumption of virgin olive oil containing phenolic compounds manifests in health benefits associated with a Mediterranean diet. This paper summarizes current knowledge on the physiological effects of olive oil phenolics. Moreover, a number of factors have the ability to affect phenolic concentrations in virgin olive oil, so it is of great importance to understand these factors in order to preserve the essential health promoting benefits of olive oil phenolic compounds.<br /

Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes in Type II Supernova Diamonds

We construct a model for the origin of the abundant nanometer diamonds found in meteorites. We interpret them as interstellar particles that were grown during the expansions of supernova interiors. The physical setting and the chemical-vapor-deposition process that we describe present clear reasons both for the small sizes (nm) of the diamonds and for their mean isotopic composition being not greatly different from solar. To delineate the isotopic requirements for collections of diamonds (which are too small for analysis individually) we present measurements of carbon and nitrogen isotopes obtained by stepped combustion of diamond collections. Our model for the growth of supernova diamonds is motivated by a series of postulates, unremarkable as single postulates, that together produce a successful calculation. The computed growth occurs in the continuously mixing envelopes of expanding Type II supernova remnants. It provides a good characterization of these facts: (1) the C isotopic composition is not far from solar; (2) both carbon and nitrogen become isotopically lighter as the diamonds are combusted; (3) the C/N ratio changes during combustion; (4) the diamonds are individually tiny; (5) collections of diamonds are carriers of Xe-HL. We show that the isotopic gradient during combustion may be interpreted in this model as either an isotopic gradient within each diamond or as a correlation between isotopic composition and size of individual diamonds contained in the bulk collections

Perceptions of Business Skill Development by Graduates of the University of Michigan Dental School

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153743/1/jddj002203372011754tb05074x.pd

Primordial formation of major silicates in a protoplanetary disc with homogeneous 26Al/27Al

Understanding the spatial variability of initial 26Al/27Al in the solar system, i.e., (26Al/27Al)0, is of prime importance to meteorite chronology, planetary heat production, and protoplanetary disc mixing dynamics. The (26Al/27Al)0 of calcium-aluminum–rich inclusions (CAIs) in primitive meteorites (~5 × 10−5) is frequently assumed to reflect the (26Al/27Al)0 of the entire protoplanetary disc, and predicts its initial 26Mg/24Mg to be ~35 parts per million (ppm) less radiogenic than modern Earth (i.e., Δ′26Mg0 = −35 ppm). Others argue for spatially heterogeneous (26Al/27Al)0, where the source reservoirs of most primitive meteorite components have lower (26Al/27Al)0 at ~2.7 × 10−5 and Δ′26Mg0 of −16 ppm. We measured the magnesium isotope compositions of primitive meteoritic olivine, which originated outside of the CAI-forming reservoir(s), and report five grains whose Δ′26Mg0 are within uncertainty of −35 ppm. Our data thus affirm a model of a largely homogeneous protoplanetary disc with (26Al/27Al)0 of ~5 × 10−5, supporting the accuracy of the 26Al→26Mg chronometer

Aluminum-26 in calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions and chondrules from unequilibrated ordinary chondrites

In order to investigate the distribution of ^(26)A1 in chondrites, we measured aluminum-magnesium systematics in four calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) and eleven aluminum-rich chondrules from unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOCs). All four CAIs were found to contain radiogenic ^(26)Mg (^(26)Mg^*) from the decay of ^(26)A1. The inferred initial ^(26)Al/^(27)Al ratios for these objects ((^(26)Al/^(27)Al)_0 ≅ 5 × 10^(−5)) are indistinguishable from the (^(26)Al/^(27)Al)_0 ratios found in most CAIs from carbonaceous chondrites. These observations, together with the similarities in mineralogy and oxygen isotopic compositions of the two sets of CAIs, imply that CAIs in UOCs and carbonaceous chondrites formed by similar processes from similar (or the same) isotopic reservoirs, or perhaps in a single location in the solar system. We also found ^(26)Mg^* in two of eleven aluminum-rich chondrules. The (^(26)Al/^(27)Al)_0 ratio inferred for both of these chondrules is ∼1 × 10^(−5), clearly distinct from most CAIs but consistent with the values found in chondrules from type 3.0–3.1 UOCs and for aluminum-rich chondrules from lightly metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites (∼0.5 × 10^(−5) to ∼2 × 10^(−5)). The consistency of the (^(26)Al/^(27)Al)_0 ratios for CAIs and chondrules in primitive chondrites, independent of meteorite class, implies broad-scale nebular homogeneity with respect to ^(26)Al and indicates that the differences in initial ratios can be interpreted in terms of formation time. A timeline based on ^(26)Al indicates that chondrules began to form 1 to 2 Ma after most CAIs formed, that accretion of meteorite parent bodies was essentially complete by 4 Ma after CAIs, and that metamorphism was essentially over in type 4 chondrite parent bodies by 5 to 6 Ma after CAIs formed. Type 6 chondrites apparently did not cool until more than 7 Ma after CAIs formed. This timeline is consistent with ^(26)Al as a principal heat source for melting and metamorphism

Heterogeneity in lunar anorthosite meteorites: Implications for the lunar magma ocean model

The lunar magma ocean model is a well-established theory of the early evolution of the Moon. By this model, the Moon was initially largely molten and the anorthositic crust that now covers much of the lunar surface directly crystallized from this enormous magma source. We are undertaking a study of the geochemical characteristics of anorthosites from lunar meteorites to test this model. Rare earth and other element abundances have been measured in situ in relict anorthosite clasts from two feldspathic lunar meteorites: Dhofar 908 and Dhofar 081. The rare earth elements were present in abundances of approximately 0.1 to approximately 10× chondritic (CI) abundance. Every plagioclase exhibited a positive Eu-anomaly, with Eu abundances of up to approximately 20×CI. Calculations of the melt in equilibrium with anorthite show that it apparently crystallized from a magma that was unfractionated with respect to rare earth elements and ranged in abundance from 8 to 80×CI. Comparisons of our data with other lunar meteorites and Apollo samples suggest that there is notable heterogeneity in the trace element abundances of lunar anorthosites, suggesting these samples did not all crystallize from a common magma source. Compositional and isotopic data from other authors also suggest that lunar anorthosites are chemically heterogeneous and have a wide range of ages. These observations may support other models of crust formation on the Moon or suggest that there are complexities in the lunar magma ocean scenario to allow for multiple generations of anorthosite formation

Adiposity and carotid-intima media thickness in children and adolescents: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Adiposity in childhood is associated with later cardiovascular disease (CVD), but it is unclear whether this relationship is independent of other risk factors experienced in later life, such as smoking and hypertension. Carotid-intima media thickness (cIMT) is a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis that may be used to assess CVD risk in young people. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between adiposity and cIMT in children and adolescents. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, Global Health, and CINAHL Plus electronic databases (1980-2014). Population-based observational studies that reported a measure of association between objectively-measured adiposity and cIMT in childhood were included in this review. RESULTS: Twenty-two cross-sectional studies were included (n = 7,366 children and adolescents). Thirteen of nineteen studies conducted in adolescent populations (mean age ≥ 12 years, n = 5,986) reported positive associations between cIMT and adiposity measures (correlation coefficients 0.13 to 0.59). Three studies of pre-adolescent populations (n = 1,380) reported mixed evidence, two studies finding no evidence of a correlation, and one an inverse relationship between skinfolds and cIMT. Included studies did not report an adiposity threshold for subclinical atherosclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Based on studies conducted mostly in Western Europe and the US, adiposity does not appear to be associated with cIMT in pre-adolescents, but may be associated in adolescents. If further studies confirm these findings, a focus on cardiovascular disease prevention efforts in pre-adolescence, before arterial changes have emerged, may be justified

An asteroidal origin for water in the Moon

The Apollo-derived tenet of an anhydrous Moon has been contested following measurement of water in several lunar samples that require water to be present in the lunar interior. However, significant uncertainties exist regarding the flux, sources and timing of water delivery to the Moon. Here we address those fundamental issues by constraining the mass of water accreted to the Moon and modelling the relative proportions of asteroidal and cometary sources for water that are consistent with measured isotopic compositions of lunar samples. We determine that a combination of carbonaceous chondrite-type materials were responsible for the majority of water (and nitrogen) delivered to the Earth–Moon system. Crucially, we conclude that comets containing water enriched in deuterium contributed significantly <20% of the water in the Moon. Therefore, our work places important constraints on the types of objects impacting the Moon ~4.5–4.3 billion years ago and on the origin of water in the inner Solar System

Different obscurin isoforms localize to distinct sites at sarcomeres

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116335/1/feb2s0014579307002669.pd