263 research outputs found
Association of Food Pharmacy Participation With Type II Diabetes Risk Factors
Food insecurity is defined as a lack of access to enough food for a healthy lifestyle and has been found to lead to higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In recognition of this relationship, many safety-net clinics and food banks have introduced “food pharmacies.” The term “food pharmacy” may be used to describe a treatment model that focuses on provision of disease-specific, medically appropriate food. This observational study examined data from a food pharmacy in the San Francisco Bay Area to determine if program participation improved clinical measures of T2DM status or risk, namely glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and body mass index (BMI). Analysis found a significant inverse correlation between program participation and BMI at 24 months after enrollment. At 24 months, individuals who participated above the median rate had significantly lower BMIs than those below the median rate. Conversely, there was no correlation found between participation and HbA1c, despite significant decreases in mean HbA1c from baseline at 18 months in subgroup analysis. In conclusion, participating in existing San Francisco Bay Area food pharmacies does not appear to improve T2DM clinical markers, aside from BMI. A modification of the food pharmacy treatment model should be considered if public programs want to effectively target T2DM in food insecure individuals
Importance de la réactivité thermique au sein d'analogues de glaces interstellaires pour la formation de molécules complexes
Dust grains in the interstellar medium (ISM) play an important role in dense molecular clouds chemistry in providing a surface (catalyst) upon which atoms and molecules can freeze out, forming icy mantles. Dense molecular clouds are characterized by low temperature (10-50 K) and represent the birth sites of stars. After a gravitational breakdown, a part of the dense molecular cloud collapses toward the formation of star and subsequently a protoplanetary disk from which planets, asteroids and comets will appear. During this evolution, interstellar organic material inside ices undergoes different range of chemical alterations (thermal cycling process, ultraviolet photons, cosmic rays irradiation) hence increasing the molecular complexity before their incorporation inside precometary ices. In laboratory, in order to better understand the evolution of molecules in interstellar ices, we developed a new approach by making "specifics" interstellar ices analogues submitted to one energetic process at time. Consequently we showed the importance of thermal reactivity (neglected effect for long time) for the formation of complexes organics molecules (HMT, trimers, aminoalcools) which are more refractory compounds than water. Our works have many implications in astrophysics since we gave crucial informations on the chemical processes that are happening in solid phase chemistry of the ISM, and on the formation of news molecules which could be incorporated in parent's body of meteorites/comets. We also show some Exobiological implications particularly for the formations of amino acids in the ISM.Dans le milieu interstellaire (MIS) les grains de poussière jouent un rôle très important pour la chimie au sein des nuages moléculaires offrant une surface froide sur laquelle les atomes et molécules de la phase gazeuse vont s'accréter, formant un manteau de glace. Les nuages moléculaires sont caractérisés par des basses températures (10-50 K) et sont le lieu de formation des étoiles. Après effondrement gravitationnel du nuage suite à une trop forte densité en son sein, celui-ci devient le lieu de formation d'une nouvelle étoile. L'enveloppe autour de l'étoile évolue en disque dans lequel pourra se former des planètes, astéroïdes, comètes et autres objets d'un système planétaire. Durant cette formation stellaire, les glaces interstellaires (et les molécules qu'elles contiennent) sont alors soumises à plusieurs processus énergétiques (cycle de réchauffement, irradiations par des photons UV ou des particules chargées) qui vont affecter leurs compositions chimiques et finalement augmenter la complexité moléculaire avant leur incorporation dans les différentes objets du futur système planétaire. En laboratoire, afin de mieux comprendre l'évolution des molécules, composantes des glaces, nous avons développé une nouvelle approche qui consiste à réaliser des analogues "spécifiques" auxquels un seul processus énergétique à la fois est appliqué. Nous avons alors montré l'importance de l'effet thermique longtemps négligé pour la formation de molécules organiques complexes, montrant plusieurs implications astrophysiques et exobiologiques. Nos études permettent une meilleure compréhension des processus chimiques qui ont lieu dans la phase solide du MIS
Investigation of the concentration and isotopic composition of inputs and outputs of Pb in waters at an upland catchment in NE Scotland
Should a water colour parameter be included in lake total phosphorus prediction models used for the Water Framework Directive?
Under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) lakes are classified according to a variety of criteria. This classification facilitates state of the environment assessments and helps identify work needed to achieve the objectives of the WFD, which are broadly to maintain and/or restore water quality and ecological status at a level recognised as good or high. To achieve high or good status, lakes must meet a criterion for total phosphorus (TP) that is linked to a predicted reference condition value that is derived by various models. Lakes which fail to meet good status may require expensive remedial actions to be undertaken, thus accurate identification of the reference condition TP concentration is vital for effective environmental management. However, the models currently employed could be improved for some regions, particularly those with carbon rich soils. By examining 19 reference condition lakes (i.e. lakes essentially non-impacted by humans) in peaty areas of Scotland, we found that a simple parameter linked to water colour and humic substances was a better predictor of TP than the currently employed models (R(2) 0.585 vs R(2) < 0.01). Therefore, for Scotland and elsewhere, in regions with carbon rich soils and lakes with humic waters the TP predictive models could be improved by development and incorporation of a parameter related to water colour and humic components
Identification of Ammonium Salts on Comet 67P/C-G Surface from Infrared VIRTIS/Rosetta Data Based on Laboratory Experiments. Implications and Perspectives
The nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko exhibits a broad spectral
reflectance feature around 3.2 m, which is omnipresent in all spectra of
the surface, and whose attribution has remained elusive since its discovery.
Based on laboratory experiments, we have shown that most of this absorption
feature is due to ammonium (NH4+) salts mixed with the dark surface material.
The depth of the band is compatible with semi-volatile ammonium salts being a
major reservoir of nitrogen in the comet, which could dominate over refractory
organic matter and volatile species. These salts may thus represent the
long-sought reservoir of nitrogen in comets, possibly bringing their
nitrogen-to-carbon ratio in agreement with the solar value. Moreover, the
reflectance spectra of several asteroids are compatible with the presence of
NH4+ salts at their surfaces. The presence of such salts, and other
NH4+-bearing compounds on asteroids, comets, and possibly in proto-stellar
environments, suggests that NH4+ may be a tracer of the incorporation and
transformation of nitrogen in ices, minerals and organics, at different phases
of the formation of the Solar System
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