Associations of Adiponectin with Adiposity, Insulin Sensitivity, and Diet in Young, Healthy, Mexican Americans and Non-Latino White Adults.

Low circulating adiponectin levels may contribute to higher diabetes risk among Mexican Americans (MA) compared to non-Latino whites (NLW). Our objective was to determine if among young healthy adult MAs have lower adiponectin than NLWs, independent of differences in adiposity. In addition, we explored associations between adiponectin and diet. This was an observational, cross-sectional study of healthy MA and NLW adults living in Colorado (U.S.A.). We measured plasma total adiponectin, adiposity (BMI, and visceral adipose tissue), insulin sensitivity (IVGTT), and self-reported dietary intake in 43 MA and NLW adults. Mean adiponectin levels were 40% lower among MA than NLW (5.8 ± 3.3 vs. 10.7 ± 4.2 µg/mL, p = 0.0003), and this difference persisted after controlling for age, sex, BMI, and visceral adiposity. Lower adiponectin in MA was associated with lower insulin sensitivity (R² = 0.42, p < 0.01). Lower adiponectin was also associated with higher dietary glycemic index, lower intake of vegetables, higher intake of trans fat, and higher intake of grains. Our findings confirm that ethnic differences in adiponectin reflect differences in insulin sensitivity, but suggest that these are not due to differences in adiposity. Observed associations between adiponectin and diet support the need for future studies exploring the regulation of adiponectin by diet and other environmental factors

Regional geological seismic interpretation of Triassic infill in the southwestern Barents Sea

The Barents Sea has been subject to increasing focus through the years due to the discoveries of e.g. Havis, Skrugard and Nordvarg, which show some of the potential of the area. Despite 30 years of exploration large parts of the Barents Sea are still considered as relatively new frontiers, and the geological history is still open to new or more thorough theories. In 2011 MultiClient Geophysical (MCG) shot a 2D seismic survey in the southwestern Barents Sea with the aim of creating a solid frame for tying future surveys. This study uses the data acquired by MCG to map the Triassic infill in the southwestern Barents Sea. The Triassic period has been described as a relatively calm period of regional subsidence, and this study aims on explaining the factors responsible for the Triassic infill.Through interpretation of the seismic lines and well tying, the Triassic deposits are divided in three; Sassendalen Group of Early to Mid Triassic age, Snadd For- mation of Mid to Late Triassic age and Fruholmen Formation of Late Triassic age. The basinal development of the area is described through construction and interpretation of seismic profiles and time-thickness maps.In Early Triassic time the southwestern Barents Sea received large amounts of sediments from the Ural Mountains in the east. Uplift of a NNE-SSW trending ridge from the Gardarbanken to western Loppa High in Permian?Early Triassic time divided the region in two subsiding areas. While the western basinal area was quite sheltered by the ridge, the eastern area received large amounts of sediments. In the upper part of Sassendalen Group seismic clinoforms show westward progra- dation onto the ridge. Snadd Formation represents a shift in Mid Triassic time. The ridge was inverted, and the area turned into a large, subsiding basin with the Loppa High area as depocentre. And in addition to the Baltic provenance area, general eastward thinning suggests a provenance area west of the southwestern Barents Sea. In the Nordkapp and Maud Basins as well as locally on the Bjarme- land Platform salt tectonics played an important role in altering accommodation space throughout the Triassic period. Fruholmen Formation is a very thin unit, but it is very similar to Snadd Formation. The uplift of the ridge that divided the region in Early to Mid Triassic times is related to Late Permian extension fromthe North Atlantic rifting system, and the inversion of the ridge resulted from a Triassic renewal of the rifting

Prediction of Stock Market Volatility Utilizing Sentiment from News and Social Media Texts : A study on the practical implementation of sentiment analysis and deep learning models for predicting day-ahead volatility

This thesis studies the impact of sentiment on the prediction of volatility for 100 of the largest stocks in the S&P500 index. The purpose is to find out if sentiment can improve the forecast of day-ahead volatility wherein volatility is measured as the realized volatility of intraday returns. The textual data has been gathered from three different sources: Eikon, Twitter, and Reddit. The data consists of respectively 397 564 headlines from Eikon, 35 811 098 tweets, and 4 109 008 comments from Reddit. These numbers represent the uncleaned data before filtration. The data has been collected for the period between 01.08.2021 and 31.08.2022. Sentiment is calculated by the FinBERT model, an NLP model created by further pre-training of the BERT model on financial text. To predict volatility with the sentiment from FinBERT, three different deep learning models have been applied: A feed forward neural network, a recurrent neural network, and a long short-term memory model. They are used to solve both regression and classification problems. The inference analysis shows significant effects from the computed sentiment variables, and it implies that there exists a correlation between the number of text items and volatility. This is in line with previous literature on sentiment and volatility. The results from the deep learning models show that sentiment has an impact on the prediction of volatility. Both in terms of lower MSE and MAE for the regression problem and higher accuracy for the classification problem. Moreover, this thesis looks at potential weaknesses that could influence the validity of the results. Potential weaknesses include how sentiment is represented, noise in the data, and the Absftarcatc tthat the FinBERT model is not trained on financial oriented text from social media.nhhma

The unique ecology of an endemic sea snake Hydrophis platurus xanthos

As we, humans, charge through the twenty‐first century with our pioneering technology and global interests, we threaten to destabilize Earth’s natural processes and destroy biodiversity before fully understanding what is being lost. New species are still discovered, even as thousands go extinct, and science is in a race to deliver crucial knowledge that can inspire conservation. This thesis explores ecological aspects of a recently described sea snake Hydrophis platurus xanthos. Given its vibrant canary coloring and unusual behavior, xanthos, as it’s come to be called, is sure to spark curiosity and wonder in readers. Chapter 1 of this thesis provides an introduction that chases the evolutionary trail from the emergence of reptiles in the Carboniferous to the first diving elapids of the Miocene before detailing the physiological and ecological characters of H. platurus and its journey across the vast Pacific Ocean, eventually giving rise to a xanthic (all‐yellow) population in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica. Chapter 2 combines survey sightings with bathymetric data to investigate the geographic partitioning of xanthos from its pelagic relatives. Chapter 3 considers several hydrographic conditions that govern habitat suitability for xanthos and measures its range. Chapter 4 looks at the taxon’s behavioral patterns and activity cycle, revealing yet another remarkable example of divergence. Chapter 5 applies distance‐sampling techniques to compute the first total population abundance estimate for xanthos from which future trends can be assessed. Finally, Chapter 6 explains the comprehensive value of our findings, which confirm the Golfo Dulce yellow sea snake to be a unique evolutionary organism. This work provides evidence to promote protection of Costa Rica’s endemic marine reptile as a biological treasure, and going forward, has set us on course to examine whether xanthos is a separate species

Energy balance, body composition, sedentariness and appetite regulation: pathways to obesity.

Energy balance is not a simple algebraic sum of energy expenditure and energy intake as often depicted in communications. Energy balance is a dynamic process and there exist reciprocal effects between food intake and energy expenditure. An important distinction is that of metabolic and behavioural components of energy expenditure. These components not only contribute to the energy budget directly, but also by influencing the energy intake side of the equation. It has recently been demonstrated that resting metabolic rate (RMR) is a potential driver of energy intake, and evidence is accumulating on the influence of physical activity (behavioural energy expenditure) on mechanisms of satiety and appetite control. These effects are associated with changes in leptin and insulin sensitivity, and in the plasma levels of gastrointestinal (GI) peptides such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), ghrelin and cholecystokinin (CCK). The influence of fat-free mass on energy expenditure and as a driver of energy intake directs attention to molecules emanating from skeletal tissue as potential appetite signals. Sedentariness (physical inactivity) is positively associated with adiposity and is proposed to be a source of overconsumption and appetite dysregulation. The molecular signals underlying these effects are not known but represent a target for research

The value and limitations of local ecological knowledge: longitudinal and retrospective assessment of flagship species in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica

1. Anthropogenic activities and climate change are affecting marine ecosystems worldwide, but systematic biodiversity assessments through periodic biomonitoring can be challenging and costly. Local ecological knowledge (LEK), obtained from experienced residents, can complement other approaches and provide improved understanding of the conservation status of marine areas. Here we explore the value and limitations of LEK to assess the status of several flagship species of tourism interest: cetaceans, sea turtles, whale sharks, and sea snakes in a unique tropical fiord and biodiversity hotspot, Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica. 2. We analysed interviews conducted with fishermen and tour-boat guides in 2010 and 2020 and compared their responses to biomonitoring data obtained through boat-based sighting surveys during in the same two time periods. Our questionnaire asked for estimates of sighting frequencies in both years, and in 2020 it also inquired about perceived changes over the time gap. 3. A key limitation was that many interviewees from 2010 could not be relocated in 2020, though 13 repeat participants served as a panel. Their responses suggest shifts in abundance that vary across taxa. For example, changes in reported sighting frequencies from 2010 to 2020 indicate a possible decline in whales but an increase in sea snakes. Those changes were also reflected in our biomonitoring data, suggesting respondents were fairly accurate in their reports of current abundance. However, when asked about perceived changes over the decade we found their answers were not consistent with changes detected through their reported frequencies nor though biomonitoring. 4. Our results suggest LEK can be a good source of information for current assessment but highlight the potential biases of perceptions of change. Evaluating changes through LEK may best be done by obtaining interview data at multiple points in time and systematically assessing trends, though, notably, there can be challenges with acquiring consistent sample sizes. Interviews should not replace but can complement biomonitoring while also providing further value via community engagement and as an avenue to gain insights into local opinions regarding conservation measures

Resistant starch consumption promotes lipid oxidation

BACKGROUND: Although the effects of resistant starch (RS) on postprandial glycemia and insulinemia have been extensively studied, little is known about the impact of RS on fat metabolism. This study examines the relationship between the RS content of a meal and postprandial/post-absorbative fat oxidation. RESULTS: 12 subjects consumed meals containing 0%, 2.7%, 5.4%, and 10.7% RS (as a percentage of total carbohydrate). Blood samples were taken and analyzed for glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol (TAG) and free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations. Respiratory quotient was measured hourly. The 0%, 5.4%, and 10.7% meals contained 50 μCi [1-(14)C]-triolein with breath samples collected hourly following the meal, and gluteal fat biopsies obtained at 0 and 24 h. RS, regardless of dose, had no effect on fasting or postprandial insulin, glucose, FFA or TAG concentration, nor on meal fat storage. However, data from indirect calorimetry and oxidation of [1-(14)C]-triolein to (14)CO(2 )showed that addition of 5.4% RS to the diet significantly increased fat oxidation. In fact, postprandial oxidation of [1-(14)C]-triolein was 23% greater with the 5.4% RS meal than the 0% meal (p = 0.0062). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that replacement of 5.4% of total dietary carbohydrate with RS significantly increased post-prandial lipid oxidation and therefore could decrease fat accumulation in the long-term

The Respiratory Protection Effectiveness Clinical Trial (ResPECT): a cluster-randomized comparison of respirator and medical mask effectiveness against respiratory infections in healthcare personnel.

BACKGROUND: Although N95 filtering facepiece respirators and medical masks are commonly used for protection against respiratory infections in healthcare settings, more clinical evidence is needed to understand the optimal settings and exposure circumstances for healthcare personnel to use these devices. A lack of clinically germane research has led to equivocal, and occasionally conflicting, healthcare respiratory protection recommendations from public health organizations, professional societies, and experts. METHODS: The Respiratory Protection Effectiveness Clinical Trial (ResPECT) is a prospective comparison of respiratory protective equipment to be conducted at multiple U.S. study sites. Healthcare personnel who work in outpatient settings will be cluster-randomized to wear N95 respirators or medical masks for protection against infections during respiratory virus season. Outcome measures will include laboratory-confirmed viral respiratory infections, acute respiratory illness, and influenza-like illness. Participant exposures to patients, coworkers, and others with symptoms and signs of respiratory infection, both within and beyond the workplace, will be recorded in daily diaries. Adherence to study protocols will be monitored by the study team. DISCUSSION: ResPECT is designed to better understand the extent to which N95s and MMs reduce clinical illness among healthcare personnel. A fully successful study would produce clinically relevant results that help clinician-leaders make reasoned decisions about protection of healthcare personnel against occupationally acquired respiratory infections and prevention of spread within healthcare systems. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT01249625 (11/29/2010)

Pharmacological Management of Obesity: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline

OBJECTIVE: To formulate clinical practice guidelines for the pharmacological management of obesity. PARTICIPANTS: An Endocrine Society-appointed Task Force of experts, a methodologist, and a medical writer. This guideline was co-sponsored by the European Society of Endocrinology and The Obesity Society. EVIDENCE: This evidence-based guideline was developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to describe the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. CONSENSUS PROCESS: One group meeting, several conference calls, and e-mail communications enabled consensus. Committees and members of the Endocrine Society, the European Society of Endocrinology, and The Obesity Society reviewed and commented on preliminary drafts of these guidelines. Two systematic reviews were conducted to summarize some of the supporting evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss is a pathway to health improvement for patients with obesity-associated risk factors and comorbidities. Medications approved for chronic weight management can be useful adjuncts to lifestyle change for patients who have been unsuccessful with diet and exercise alone. Many medications commonly prescribed for diabetes, depression, and other chronic diseases have weight effects, either to promote weight gain or produce weight loss. Knowledgeable prescribing of medications, choosing whenever possible those with favorable weight profiles, can aid in the prevention and management of obesity and thus improve health

Beneficial effects of combinatorial micronutrition on body fat and atherosclerosis in mice

AIMS: More than two billion people worldwide are deficient in key micronutrients. Single micronutrients have been used at high doses to prevent and treat dietary insufficiencies. Yet the impact of combinations of micronutrients in small doses aiming to improve lipid disorders and the corresponding metabolic pathways remains incompletely understood. Thus, we investigated whether a combination of micronutrients would reduce fat accumulation and atherosclerosis in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Lipoprotein receptor-null mice fed with an original combination of micronutrients incorporated into the daily chow showed reduced weight gain, body fat, plasma triglycerides, and increased oxygen consumption. These effects were achieved through enhanced lipid utilization and reduced lipid accumulation in metabolic organs and were mediated, in part, by the nuclear receptor PPARα. Moreover, the micronutrients partially prevented atherogenesis when administered early in life to apolipoprotein E-null mice. When the micronutrient treatment was started before conception, the anti-atherosclerotic effect was stronger in the progeny. This finding correlated with decreased post-prandial triglyceridaemia and vascular inflammation, two major atherogenic factors. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate beneficial effects of a combination of micronutritients on body weight gain, hypertriglyceridaemia, liver steatosis, and atherosclerosis in mice, and thus our findings suggest a novel cost-effective combinatorial micronutrient-based strategy worthy of being tested in humans