The relationships of markers of cholesterol homeostasis with carotid intima-media thickness

Background: The relationship of cholesterol homeostasis and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is unknown. To address this, we assessed markers of cholesterol homeostasis (serum plant sterols and cholesterol precursor concentrations as surrogate measures of cholesterol absorption and synthesis, respectively) and cIMT in a middle-aged, statin-naive population. Methods: In this prospective study of primary prevention cIMT was measured by ultrasound in 583 hospital employees aged 25—60 years without prevalent cardiovascular disease or lipid-modifying medication. The serum concentrations of plant sterols (as markers of cholesterol absorption) were measured by gas-liquid chromatography. Lathosterol serum concentrations were quantitated to assess hepatic cholesterol synthesis. Results: cIMT correlated positively with serum cholesterol (r = 0.22, P,0.0005) and lathosterol-to-cholesterol (r = 0.18, P,0.001). In contrast, plant sterols, as markers of cholesterol absorption, showed a weak negative correlation to cIMT measurements (r =20.18; P,0.001 for campesterol-to-cholesterol). Stratifying subjects by serum sterol levels, we found that cIMT increased continuously over quintiles of serum cholesterol (P,0.0005) and was positively associated to serum lathosterol-to-cholesterol levels (P=0.007), on the other hand, plant sterol levels showed a weak negative association to cIMT (P,0.001 for campesterol-to-cholesterol). Conclusions: In this population without prevalent cardiovascular diseases or lipid-modifying medication, markers of increased endogenous cholesterol synthesis correlated positively with cIMT, while markers of cholesterol absorption showed a weakly negative correlation. These data suggest that not only total serum cholesterol levels but also differences in cholesterol homeostasis are associated with cIMT

Agrimonia procera exerts antimicrobial effects, modulates the expression of defensins and cytokines in colonocytes and increases the immune response in lipopolysaccharide-challenged piglets

Abstract Background Because antibiotic use in livestock is assumed to contribute to the emerging public health crisis of antibiotic resistance, alternatives are required. Phytogenic additives are extensively studied due to their antibiotic properties. Components of Agrimonia species have been reported as candidate antimicrobials that possess antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. We studied the impact of Agrimonia procera (AP) on the growth of selected strains of gut bacteria, the effect of AP on the mRNA abundance of genes involved in inflammation and bacterial defense in a colon carcinoma cell line, the effect of AP in piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharides, and the effect of AP on the growth performance of healthy piglets. Results The in vitro growth rate of different bacteria strains was negatively affected by AP, especially in Pediococcus pentosaceus and all tested E. coli strains. Stimulation of Caco-2 cells with TNFα resulted in elevated mRNA expression of CXCL1, IL-8 and GPX2. After pretreatment of cells with AP, stimulation of Caco-2 cells with TNFα still resulted in elevated mRNA expression of CXCL1 and IL-8 at all measured points in time. However, mRNA expression in AP-pretreated cells was lower after 6 h and 24 h. In addition, expression of DEFB1 and GPX2 was significantly elevated after TNFα stimulation. In vivo, application of lipopolysaccharides induced significantly increased animal body temperatures. Piglets pretreated with AP prior to lipopolysaccharide application showed a faster and larger increase in body temperature than controls. In addition, piglets pretreated with AP appeared to release more TNFα than controls. In healthy piglets, AP treatment had no impact on growth performance parameters. Fecal dry matter and total plasma antioxidant capacity tended to be higher in piglets treated with AP than in control piglets (P = 0.055 and P = 0.087, respectively). Conclusions AP has antimicrobial effects in vitro and stimulated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in Caco-2 cells. The additive had no effect on growth in healthy piglets but increased the immune response in LPS-treated animals. In addition, AP appeared to have antioxidative effects in vivo. Therefore, AP merits testing as a future alternative to antibiotics in animal husbandry

ESS Beam Position and Phase Monitor System

The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a neutron facility under construction in Lund, Sweden, and established as a European collaboration between different member countries. The machine is a 2 GeV proton LINAC with a nominal beam current of 62.5 mA, 2.86 ms of pulselength and a bunch repetition rate of 352 MHz. The Beam Position and Phase Monitors (BPM) at ESS were designed to satisfy the specifications for the different beam modes,which span from 5 μs pulse length and 6.3 mA beam untilthe nominal beam condition. The system is designed for standard beam position measurements for beam trajectory correction and for beam phase measurements for cavity phase tuning, imposing restrictions on the sensor design and electronics architecture. Approximately a hundred BPM's were manufactured and are being installed by partners in collaboration with ESS. The BPM system comprises a MicroTCA.4 electronics based in COTS AMCand RTM modules with custom FPGA firmware implementation and a custom Front-End electronics. In this work, the system architecture, implementation, and test results are presented and discussed

Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of serum cholesterol, lathosterol, campesterol and sitosterol.

<p>A: Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of serum cholesterol concentration (<i>P<0.0005</i>). Values are mean +/− SEM. B: Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of serum lathosterol concentration (<i>P<0.0005</i>). Values are mean +/− SEM. C: Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of serum campesterol concentration. Values are mean +/− SEM. D: Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of serum sitosterol concentration. Values are mean +/− SEM.</p

Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of serum lathosterol-to-cholesterol, campesterol-to-cholesterol and sitosterol-to-cholesterol.

<p>A: Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of lathosterol-to-cholesterol (<i>P = 0.007</i>). Values are mean +/− SEM. B: Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of campesterol-to-cholesterol (<i>P<0.001</i>). Values are mean +/− SEM. C: Intima-media thickness measurements in relation to quintiles of sitosterol-to-cholesterol (<i>P<0.001</i>). Values are mean +/− SEM.</p

Patient Characteristics.

<p>Patient Characteristics.</p

Multivariable regression analysis of cholesterol and markers of cholesterol metabolism in relation to cIMT.

<p>B: standardized regression coefficient; <i>P</i>: level of significance. All values have been log-transformed prior to analysis.</p><p>LDL-c: low density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-c: high density lipoprotein cholesterol; BP: blood pressure; BMI: body mass index; TG: triglycerides.</p

A Major Upgrade of the H.E.S.S. Cherenkov Cameras

The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) located in Namibia. It was built to detect Very High Energy (VHE, >100 GeV) cosmic gamma rays, and consists of four 12 m diameter Cherenkov telescopes (CT1-4), built in 2003, and a larger 28 m telescope (CT5), built in 2012. The larger mirror surface of CT5 permits to lower the energy threshold of the array down to 30 GeV. The cameras of CT1-4 are currently undergoing an extensive upgrade, with the goals of reducing their failure rate, reducing their readout dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. The entire camera electronics has been renewed from ground-up, as well as the power, ventilation and pneumatics systems, and the control and data acquisition software. Technical solutions forseen for the next-generation Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory have been introduced, most notably the readout is based on the NECTAr analog memory chip. The camera control subsystems and the control software framework also pursue an innovative design, increasing the camera performance, robustness and flexibility. The CT1 camera has been upgraded in July 2015 and is currently taking data; CT2-4 will upgraded in Fall 2016. Together they will assure continuous operation of H.E.S.S at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA. This contribution describes the design, the testing and the in-lab and on-site performance of all components of the newly upgraded H.E.S.S. camera

The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras

International audienceThe High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of five imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT) located in Namibia. In order to assure the continuous operation of H.E.S.S. at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA, the older cameras, installed in 2003, are currently undergoing an extensive upgrade. Its goals are reducing the system failure rate, reducing the dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. All camera components have been upgraded, except the mechanical structure and the photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs). Novel technical solutions have been introduced: the upgraded readout electronics is based on the NECTAr analog memory chip; the control of the hardware is carried out by an FPGA coupled to an embedded ARM computer; the control software was re-written from scratch and it is based on modern C++ open source libraries. These hardware and software solutions offer very good performance, robustness and flexibility. The first camera was fielded in July 2015 and has been successfully commissioned; the rest is scheduled to be upgraded in September 2016. The present contribution describes the design, the testing and the performance of the new H.E.S.S. camera and its components