1,324 research outputs found

    Relationship between fatty liver and glucose metabolism: A cross-sectional study in 571 obese children

    Get PDF
    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Early onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with obesity, insulin resistance and impaired beta-cell function. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may be an independent risk factor for T2DM. We investigated the relationship between NAFLD and glucose metabolism in a large sample of obese children. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 571 obese children (57% males and 43% females) aged 8-18 years were consecutively studied at a tertiary care centre specialised in paediatric obesity. Liver ultrasonography was used to diagnose NAFLD after exclusion of hepatitis B and C and alcohol consumption. Oral-glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) was performed; insulin sensitivity was evaluated by using the insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and beta-cell function by using the ratio between the incremental areas under the curve (AUC) of insulin and glucose (incAUCins/incAUCglu). A total of 41% of the obese children had NAFLD. Impaired glucose tolerance or T2DM was present in 25% of the children with NAFLD versus 8% of those without it (p<0.001). Children with NAFLD had higher body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, 120-min OGTT glucose, incAUCins/incAUCglu and lower ISI as compared with children without NAFLD (p</=0.002). At bootstrapped multivariable median regression analysis controlling for gender, age, pubertal status and BMI, NAFLD was an independent predictor of 120-min OGTT glucose and ISI, but not of incAUCins/incAUCglu. Similar findings were obtained using continuous liver steatosis as the predictor, instead of dichotomous NAFLD. CONCLUSION: NAFLD was present in 41% of our obese children and was associated with higher insulin resistance, but not with impaired beta-cell function

    Development of interconnected silicon micro-evaporators for the on-detector electronics cooling of the future ITS detector in the ALICE experiment at LHC

    Get PDF
    This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu.The design of the future High Energy Physics (HEP) particle detectors for the upgrade of the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) experiments at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) is pushing technological frontiers to the limit trying to reach unprecedented accuracy in particles identification and particle production dynamics in ultra-relativistic hadron collisions. The thermal management of the on-detector electronics and the development of low mass integrated cooling systems have become a crucial task in the design of silicon tracking detectors for HEP applications. In this paper, we present a novel concept of low mass interconnected silicon microchannel devices for the future Inner Tracking System of the ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) detector at LHC. This innovative design achieves the requirements of the detector while minimizing the total material budget

    Quantitative analysis of shadow X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism Photo-Emission Electron Microscopy

    Full text link
    Shadow X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism Photo-Emission Electron Microscopy (XMCD-PEEM) is a recent technique, in which the photon intensity in the shadow of an object lying on a surface, may be used to gather information about the three-dimensional magnetization texture inside the object. Our purpose here is to lay the basis of a quantitative analysis of this technique. We first discuss the principle and implementation of a method to simulate the contrast expected from an arbitrary micromagnetic state. Text book examples and successful comparison with experiments are then given. Instrumental settings are finally discussed, having an impact on the contrast and spatial resolution : photon energy, microscope extraction voltage and plane of focus, microscope background level, electric-field related distortion of three-dimensional objects, Fresnel diffraction or photon scattering

    Extensive degeneracy, Coulomb phase and magnetic monopoles in an artificial realization of the square ice model

    Full text link
    Artificial spin ice systems have been introduced as a possible mean to investigate frustration effects in a well-controlled manner by fabricating lithographically-patterned two-dimensional arrangements of interacting magnetic nanostructures. This approach offers the opportunity to visualize unconventional states of matter, directly in real space, and triggered a wealth of studies at the frontier between nanomagnetism, statistical thermodynamics and condensed matter physics. Despite the strong efforts made these last ten years to provide an artificial realization of the celebrated square ice model, no simple geometry based on arrays of nanomagnets succeeded to capture the macroscopically degenerate ground state manifold of the corresponding model. Instead, in all works reported so far, square lattices of nanomagnets are characterized by a magnetically ordered ground state consisting of local flux-closure configurations with alternating chirality. Here, we show experimentally and theoretically, that all the characteristics of the square ice model can be observed if the artificial square lattice is properly designed. The spin configurations we image after demagnetizing our arrays reveal unambiguous signatures of an algebraic spin liquid state characterized by the presence of pinch points in the associated magnetic structure factor. Local excitations, i.e. classical analogues of magnetic monopoles, are found to be free to evolve in a massively degenerated, divergence-free vacuum. We thus provide the first lab-on-chip platform allowing the investigation of collective phenomena, including Coulomb phases and ice-like physics.Comment: 26 pages, 10 figure

    Gossip, Happenings, Collections

    Get PDF
    Rowan County, Kentucky Gossip, Happenings, and Collections by Col. Leroy C. Hinton made in 1995. The collection has information starting from 1892 through 1945.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/rcpl_histories/1062/thumbnail.jp

    Striking the Balance: US Army Force Posture in Europe, 2028—A Study Sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of the Army

    Get PDF
    Within the context of Europe, the US Army must develop a force posture that best navigates the tensions between deterring or defeating armed conflict at an acceptable cost, successfully competing below armed conflict, and maintaining global responsiveness and institutional flexibility through the global operating model and dynamic force employment. While Russia’s economy, and consequently military capability will likely shrink over the next 10 years, which can make them more dangerous as the Kremlin continues to try to punch above its weight. The ideal force posture needs to accomplish a range of on-going and contingency missions and also be adaptive enough to remain viable despite any number of potential swings in resources, military balance, or the domestic politics of allies. This study recommends five possible strategic approaches and specifies what conditions and priorities optimize each. The principal investigators recommend investing in a multidomain alliance. This strategic approach enables the joint force and multinational partners to get the most of their capabilities and makes the best use of the Army’s top modernization priorities, such as long-range fires in a way that alters the strategic balance of a theater to avert a potentially catastrophic, albeit low probability, scenario of armed conflict. More importantly, this strategic approach is far more stable in a crisis, as it does not place policymakers in having to rush this critical, escalatory capability into theater at a moment of high tension. Moreover, invest in a multidomain alliance has the flexibility to allow a later build-up of heavy forces if conditions still warrant.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/1906/thumbnail.jp

    Two-photon Lithography for 3D Magnetic Nanostructure Fabrication

    Get PDF
    Ferromagnetic materials have been utilised as recording media within data storage devices for many decades. Confinement of the material to a two dimensional plane is a significant bottleneck in achieving ultra-high recording densities and this has led to the proposition of three dimensional (3D) racetrack memories that utilise domain wall propagation along nanowires. However, the fabrication of 3D magnetic nanostructures of complex geometry is highly challenging and not easily achievable with standard lithography techniques. Here, by using a combination of two-photon lithography and electrochemical deposition, we show a new approach to construct 3D magnetic nanostructures of complex geometry. The magnetic properties are found to be intimately related to the 3D geometry of the structure and magnetic imaging experiments provide evidence of domain wall pinning at a 3D nanostructured junction

    Reconciling the Characteristics vs. Factors Models for Explaining Stock Returns

    Get PDF
    Daniel and Titman (DT) (1997) disclaim the Fama-French three factor model in favor of a firm characteristics based model to explain stock returns. Davis, Fama, and French (2000) find this characteristics-based model outperforms their model only for the 20.5 year time period from July 1973-December 1993, but the three factor model is robust for the 68-year period from 1929- 1997. We find the DT period represents a unique macroeconomic environment in that significant interaction effects exist between the default (and term) risk premia innovations and returns. Incorporating these effects into a traditional three-factor model help explain the 1973-1993 “characteristics model puzzle,” providing insight into market returns for portfolio managers during economic environments comparable to the DT period
    corecore