344 research outputs found

    Morphometry and debris-flow susceptibility map in mountain drainage basins of the Vallo di Diano, southern Italy

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    In watershed mountain basins, affected in the last decades by strong rainfall events, the role of debris-flow and debris flood processes was investigated. Morphometric parameters have proven to be useful first-approximation indicators in discriminating those processes, especially in large areas of investigation. Computation of morphometric parameters in 19 watershed mountain basins of the western side valley of the Vallo di Diano intermontane basin (southern Italy) was carried out. This procedure was integrated by a semi-automatic elaboration of the potential susceptibility to debris flows, using Flow-R modelling. This software, providing an empirical model of the preliminary susceptibility assessment at a regional scale, was applied in many countries of the world. The implementation of Flow-R modelling requires a GIS application and some thematic base maps extracted using DEMs analysis. A 5-meter-resolution DEM has been used in order to produce the susceptibility maps of the whole study area, and the results are compared and discussed with the real debris flow/flood events that occurred in 1993, 2005, 2010, and 2017 in the studied area. The results have provided a good reliability of Flow-R modelling within small catchment mountain basins

    The Association of Red Meat Intake with Inflammation and Circulating Intermediate Biomarkers of Type 2 Diabetes Is Mediated by Central Adiposity

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    \ua9 The Author(s) 2019. We explored the role of lipid accumulation products and visceral adiposity on the association between red meat consumption and markers of insulin resistance (IR) and inflammation in US adults. Data on red meat consumption, and health outcome measurements were extracted from the 2005-2010 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Overall 16,621 participants were included in the analysis (mean age = 47.1 years, 48.3% men). Analysis of co-variance and "conceptus causal mediation" models were applied, while accounting for survey design. In adjusted models, a lower red meat consumption was significantly associated with a cardio-protective profile of IR and inflammation. Body mass index (BMI) had significant mediation effects on the associations between red meat consumption and C-reactive protein (CRP), Apolipoprotein-B, fasting glucose (FBG), insulin, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) IR and β-cell function, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), triglyceride to high density lipoprotein (TG:HDL) ratio and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index (all p < 0.05). Both waist circumference and anthropometrically predicted visceral adipose tissue (apVAT) mediated the association between red meat consumption with CRP, FBG, HbA1c, TG: HDL ratio and TyG index (all p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that adiposity, particularly the accumulation of abdominal fat, accounts for a significant proportion of the associations between red meat consumption IR and inflammation

    High-energy Auger line shapes of Pd and Rh: experiment and theory

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    FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFINEP - FINANCIADORA DE ESTUDOS E PROJETOSWe compare nonrelativistic atomic multiplet calculations of the L1,2,3M4,5M4,5 spectra of Rh and Pd in the jj intermediate-coupling scheme with high-resolution experimental spectra excited with a Ti anode, indicating general, good agreement even for these open valence shell metals: the simplicity of the calculations indicates their suitability for experimental analyses. Comparison with relativistic calculations, including configuration interaction, for Rh indicates that the nonrelativistic spectra appear to agree better with the experimental data than do the relativistic ones. The influence of relativistic and correlation effects on the intensities does not seem to be important. The major influence on the forms of the spectra is that of the relative positions of the multiplet components. Satellites of all three spectra would seem to be produced by shake-up, rather than Coster-Kronig processes. The positions and forms of these satellites are consistent with a model in which spectator vacancies in the 4d band exist in both the initial and final states of the Auger transitionWe compare nonrelativistic atomic multiplet calculations of the L1,2,3M4,5M4,5 spectra of Rh and Pd in the ii intermediate-coupling scheme with high-resolution experimental spectra excited with a Ti anode, indicating general, good agreement even for these open valence shell metals: the simplicity of the calculations indicates their suitability for experimental analyses. Comparison with relativistic calculations, including configuration interaction, for Rh indicates that the nonrelativistic spectra appear to agree better with the experimental data than do the relativistic ones. The influence of relativistic and correlation effects on the intensities does not seem to be important. The major influence on the forms of the spectra is that of the relative positions of the multiplet components. Satellites of all three spectra would seem to be produced by shake-up, rather than Coster-Kronig processes. The positions and forms of these satellites are consistent with a model in which spectator vacancies in the 4d band exist in both the initial and final states of the Auger transition. [S0163-1829(98)02548-X].58241610316109FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFINEP - FINANCIADORA DE ESTUDOS E PROJETOSFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFINEP - FINANCIADORA DE ESTUDOS E PROJETOSSem informaçãoSem informaçãoSem informaçã

    A new ultra-high-vacuum variable temperature and high-magnetic-field X-ray magnetic circular dichroism facility at LNLS

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    FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOX-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) is one of the most powerful tools for investigating the magnetic properties of different types of materials that display ferromagnetic behavior. Compared with other magnetic-sensitive techniques, XMCD has the advantage of being element specific and is capable of separating the spin and magnetic moment contributions associated with each element in the sample. In samples involving, for example, buried atoms, clusters on surfaces or at interfaces, ultrathin films, nanoparticles and nanostructures, three experimental conditions must be present to perform state-of-the-art XMCD measurements: high magnetic fields, low temperatures and an ultra-high-vacuum environment. This paper describes a new apparatus that can be easily installed at different X-ray and UV beamlines at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS). The apparatus combines the three characteristics described above and different methods to measure the absorption signal. It also permits in situ sample preparation and transfer to another chamber for measurement by conventional surface science techniques such as low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD). Examples are given of XMCD measurements performed with this set-up on different materials.X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) is one of the most powerful tools for investigating the magnetic properties of different types of materials that display ferromagnetic behavior. Compared with other magnetic-sensitive techniques, XMCD has the advantage of being element specific and is capable of separating the spin and magnetic moment contributions associated with each element in the sample. In samples involving, for example, buried atoms, clusters on surfaces or at interfaces, ultrathin films, nanoparticles and nanostructures, three experimental conditions must be present to perform state-of-the-art XMCD measurements: high magnetic fields, low temperatures and an ultra-high-vacuum environment. This paper describes a new apparatus that can be easily installed at different X-ray and UV beamlines at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS). The apparatus combines the three characteristics described above and different methods to measure the absorption signal. It also permits in situ sample preparation and transfer to another chamber for measurement by conventional surface science techniques such as low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD). Examples are given of XMCD measurements performed with this set-up on different materials.163346351FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP [2007/08244-5]2007/08244-5Sem informaçãoThe authors would like to thank the LNLS staff, particularly the magnets, project and vacuum groups for their help during the construction of the XMCD UHV chamber. P. T. Fonseca and Dr F. Vicentin are acknowledged for their excellent technical support at the SGM and SXS beamlines. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank Dr A. Gobbi and M. M. Soares for their help in the preparation of the multilayer samples. JJSF would like to thank FAPESP for the studentship support. This project was supported financially by FAPESP (grant No. 2007/08244-5), CNPq and LNLS of Brazil

    Fright but not fight‐or‐flight: Violent video games elevated stress markers, but did not impact muscle function, memory recall or food intake, in a randomized trial in healthy young men

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    Objectives: Regular video game playing has been linked with obesity, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Drawing on evolutionary life history theory, we hypothesized that playing violent video games, through activating the stress response, might increase the immediate demand for fuel by muscle and brain tissue, resulting in elevated appetite and food consumption. // Methods: We randomized 71 young adult men to play video games, involving either violent content or nonviolent puzzle-solving, for 1 h. Over this period, we measured stress markers (blood pressure [BP], heart rate, visual-analogue scale [VAS] self-ratings), muscle function (handgrip strength) and cognitive function (memory recall test). Appetite was assessed by VAS, and by food intake using a test-meal after the intervention. Linear mixed-effects models were fitted to assess group effects and group:time effects. // Results: During the intervention, the violent video game group showed elevated systolic BP (∆ = 4.7 mm Hg, 95% CI 1.0, 8.4) and reported feeling more alert but less calm or happy. They showed no difference in grip strength or memory recall. They reported lower feelings of “fullness” but consumed similar food-energy during the test-meal. // Conclusions: Although playing a video game with violent content elevated physiological and perceived stress markers compared with a nonviolent game, this was not associated with markers of altered fuel distribution toward two tissues (muscle and brain) that contribute to the “fight-or-flight” response. Rather than more energy being allocated to the brain overall, energy may have been reallocated within the brain. This may explain why there was no compensatory increase in energy intake in the violent video game group

    Dietary interventions for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in mid life

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    This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: In this review we will set out to evaluate the effects of dietary interventions for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in mid-life and preventing cognitive decline in late life

    Dietary interventions for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in late life

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    This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: In this review we will set out to evaluate the effects of dietary interventions for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in late-life

    Effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on oral health and associated markers of systemic health:a systematic review

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    Poor oral health can impact an individual’s ability to eat and has been associated with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases. While the benefits of nitrate consumption on oral health were first proposed more than 20 years ago, no systematic review has been published examining effects of dietary nitrate on oral health. This systematic review investigated the effects of dietary nitrate on markers of oral health in vivo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Five databases (PubMed, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus) were searched from inception until March 2023. Nine articles reporting data on 284 participants were included. Dietary nitrate was provided via beetroot juice in most studies. The duration of the interventions ranged from one day to six weeks. Dietary nitrate supplementation increased the relative abundance of several individual bacterial genera including Neisseria and Rothia. Dietary nitrate supplementation increased salivary pH and decreased salivary acidification following consumption of a sugar-sweetened beverage. Furthermore, dietary nitrate supplementation resulted in a decrease in the gingival inflammation index. The results of this systematic review suggest that dietary nitrate could represent a potential nutritional strategy to positively modify oral health by impacting the oral microbiome, altering salivary pH, and minimizing gingival inflammation
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