Lack of effects of pioglitazone on cardiac function in patients with type 2 diabetes and evidence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction: a tissue doppler imaging study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Thiazolidinediones, used for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), are associated with an increased incidence of heart failure. We sought to investigate the effects of pioglitazone on novel echocardiographic indices of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in DM2 patients with LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighty-eight asymptomatic DM2 patients on metformin and/or sulfonylureas, aged 64.5 ± 7.7 years, without known cardiovascular disease, with normal LV systolic function and evidence of LVDD were randomly assigned to pioglitazone 30 mg/day (n = 42) or an increase in dose of other oral agents (n = 39) for 6 months. All patients underwent transthoracic conventional and Tissue Doppler Imaging echocardiography at baseline and follow-up. The primary end-point was change in early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus (E').</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Improvement of glycaemic control was similar in the 2 groups. A significant difference (p < 0.05) between the 2 groups was found in the treatment-induced changes in fasting insulin, the insulin resistance index HOMA, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure (all in favor of pioglitazone) and in body weight (increase with pioglitazone). No significant changes were observed in any echocardiographic parameter in either group and did not differ between groups (p = NS for all). E' increased non-significantly and to a similar extent in both groups (p = NS).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In asymptomatic DM2 patients with LVDD, the addition of pioglitazone to oral conventional treatment for 6 months does not induce any adverse or favorable changes in LV diastolic or systolic function despite improvements in glycaemic control, insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and blood pressure.</p

Search for gravitational-lensing signatures in the full third observing run of the LIGO-Virgo network

Gravitational lensing by massive objects along the line of sight to the source causes distortions of gravitational wave-signals; such distortions may reveal information about fundamental physics, cosmology and astrophysics. In this work, we have extended the search for lensing signatures to all binary black hole events from the third observing run of the LIGO--Virgo network. We search for repeated signals from strong lensing by 1) performing targeted searches for subthreshold signals, 2) calculating the degree of overlap amongst the intrinsic parameters and sky location of pairs of signals, 3) comparing the similarities of the spectrograms amongst pairs of signals, and 4) performing dual-signal Bayesian analysis that takes into account selection effects and astrophysical knowledge. We also search for distortions to the gravitational waveform caused by 1) frequency-independent phase shifts in strongly lensed images, and 2) frequency-dependent modulation of the amplitude and phase due to point masses. None of these searches yields significant evidence for lensing. Finally, we use the non-detection of gravitational-wave lensing to constrain the lensing rate based on the latest merger-rate estimates and the fraction of dark matter composed of compact objects

Search for eccentric black hole coalescences during the third observing run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass M&gt;70 M⊙) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities 0&lt;e≤0.3 at 0.33 Gpc−3 yr−1 at 90\% confidence level

Black holes, gravitational waves and fundamental physics: a roadmap

The grand challenges of contemporary fundamental physics—dark matter, dark energy, vacuum energy, inflation and early universe cosmology, singularities and the hierarchy problem—all involve gravity as a key component. And of all gravitational phenomena, black holes stand out in their elegant simplicity, while harbouring some of the most remarkable predictions of General Relativity: event horizons, singularities and ergoregions. The hitherto invisible landscape of the gravitational Universe is being unveiled before our eyes: the historical direct detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration marks the dawn of a new era of scientific exploration. Gravitational-wave astronomy will allow us to test models of black hole formation, growth and evolution, as well as models of gravitational-wave generation and propagation. It will provide evidence for event horizons and ergoregions, test the theory of General Relativity itself, and may reveal the existence of new fundamental fields. The synthesis of these results has the potential to radically reshape our understanding of the cosmos and of the laws of Nature. The purpose of this work is to present a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the state of the art in the relevant fields of research, summarize important open problems, and lay out a roadmap for future progress. This write-up is an initiative taken within the framework of the European Action on 'Black holes, Gravitational waves and Fundamental Physics'

FT-MIR Analysis of Water-Soluble Extracts during the Ripening of Sheep Milk Cheese with Different Phospholipid Content

The purpose of this work was to study the suitability of the water-soluble extracts (WSE) of semi-hard sheep milk cheese for analysis by diffuse reflectance Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy (FT-MIR) and the development of classification models using discriminant analysis and based on cheese age or phospholipid content. WSE was extracted from three types of sheep milk cheeses (full-fat, reduced-fat and reduced-fat fortified with lyophilized sweet sheep buttermilk) at various stages of ripening from six to 168 days and lyophilized. The first model used 1854–1381 and 1192–760 cm−1 regions of the first-derivative spectra and successfully differentiated samples of different age, based on changes in the water-soluble products of ripening biochemical events. The second model used the phospholipid absorbance spectral regions (3012–2851, 1854–1611 and 1192–909 cm−1) to successfully discriminate cheeses of markedly different phospholipid content. Cheese WSE was found suitable for FT-MIR analysis. According to the results, a fast and simple method to monitor cheese ripening based on water-soluble substances has been developed. Additionally, the results indicated that a considerable amount of phospholipids migrates to the cheese WSE and that FT-MIR can be a useful tool for their assessment

Study of volatile compounds in Greek pistachio (Pistacia vera L. ‘Aegina’ cultivar) oils using Soxhlet and ultrasound assisted extraction

Headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) represents the most used solvent-free methodology for the characterization of the complex and heterogeneous mix of volatile compounds. The present study investigates the differences in volatile profile of pistachio oils ‘Aegina’ cultivar extracted with two different techniques, ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and Soxhlet. Differences were observed both in the pistachio oil yield and the composition of the volatile compounds among these two groups of samples, which were significantly influenced due to the different thermal conditions. In terms of pistachio oil yield, the Soxhlet extraction technique was proven more efficient (52.5–68.2% w/w) than the UAE type (28.2–42.6% w/w). A total of 34 and 30 volatile compounds were identified for UAE and Soxhlet, respectively. The main ones associated with UAE were α-pinene, octane and decane, while the volatiles formed as a consequence of Soxhlet extraction were decane, nonanal and (E)-2-decenal. Terpenes' concentrations were found decreased in Soxhlet's samples, but hydrocarbons and aldehydes were significantly increased in these samples. Numerous studies concluded in common results. However, this article is the first to explore the influence of different extraction types on the volatile profile of the unique flavour and odor pistachio oil ‘Aegina’ cultivar

Study of the Quality Parameters and the Antioxidant Capacity for the FTIR-Chemometric Differentiation of Pistacia Vera Oils

The aim of this work was to characterize the pistachio oil of the Greek variety, &ldquo;Aegina&rdquo;, evaluate its various quality indices, and investigate the potential use of FTIR as a tool to discriminate different oil qualities. For this purpose, the antioxidant capacity, the tocopherol content and the oxidation and degradation of fatty acids, as described by k, &Delta;k, R-values, and free acidity were evaluated using 45 samples from eight different areas of production and two subsequent years of harvesting. The antioxidant capacity was estimated using 2,2&prime;-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid diammonium salt (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazine (DPPH) assays, and the tocopherol content was quantified through HPLC analysis. FTIR spectra were recorded for all samples and multivariate analysis was applied. The results showed significant differences between the oil samples of different harvesting years, which were successfully discriminated by a representative FTIR spectral region based on R-value, total antioxidant capacity, and scavenging capacity, through ABTS. A similar approach could not be confirmed for the other quality parameters, such as the free acidity and the tocopherol content. This research highlighted the possibility of developing a simple, rapid, economic, and environment friendly method for the discrimination of pistachio oils according to their quality profile, through FTIR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis

Greek Honey Authentication: Botanical Approach

Honey is a functional, honeybee product with a useful role in human nutrition and several health benefits. Greece is a Mediterranean region with several types of monofloral honey. Today, Greek honey has acquired an important position in national and international markets. Due to this increased industrialization and globalization, quality control is a necessity. Mislabeling constitutes one of the most notable types of fraudulence, while most consumers are looking for authentic honey. Moreover, producers and suppliers are searching for rapid and analytical methodologies to secure Greek honey in a competitive environment. In this context, we aimed to describe the classical (melissopalynological, physicochemical) and analytical (chromatographic, spectrometric, and spectroscopic) methods for the standardization of the botanical origin of Greek honey

Greek Honey Authentication: Botanical Approach

Honey is a functional, honeybee product with a useful role in human nutrition and several health benefits. Greece is a Mediterranean region with several types of monofloral honey. Today, Greek honey has acquired an important position in national and international markets. Due to this increased industrialization and globalization, quality control is a necessity. Mislabeling constitutes one of the most notable types of fraudulence, while most consumers are looking for authentic honey. Moreover, producers and suppliers are searching for rapid and analytical methodologies to secure Greek honey in a competitive environment. In this context, we aimed to describe the classical (melissopalynological, physicochemical) and analytical (chromatographic, spectrometric, and spectroscopic) methods for the standardization of the botanical origin of Greek honey

Unifloral Autumn Heather Honey from Indigenous Greek Erica manipuliflora Salisb.: SPME/GC-MS Characterization of the Volatile Fraction and Optimization of the Isolation Parameters

For long heather honey has been a special variety due to its unique organoleptic characteristics. This study aimed to characterize and optimize the isolation of the dominant volatile fraction of Greek autumn heather honey using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The described approach pointed out 13 main volatile components more closely related to honey botanical origin, in terms of occurrence and relative abundance. These volatiles include phenolic compounds and norisoprenoids, with benzaldehyde, safranal and p-anisaldehyde present in higher amounts, while ethyl 4-methoxybenzoate is reported for the first time in honey. Then, an experimental design was developed based on five numeric factors and one categorical factor and evaluated the optimum conditions (temperature: 60 °C, equilibration time: 30 min extraction time: 15 min magnetic stirrer velocity: 100 rpm sample volume: 6 mL water: honey ratio: 1:3 (v/w)). Additionally, a validation test set reinforces the above methodology investigation. Honey is very complex and variable with respect to its volatile components given the high diversity of the floral source. As a result, customizing the isolation parameters for each honey is a good approach for streamlining the isolation volatile compounds. This study could provide a good basis for future recognition of monofloral autumn heather honey