RC column strengthening by lateral pre-tensioning of FRP

This paper presents a unique strengthening technique for existing concrete columns that use expansive materials to apply lateral pre-tensioning. The technique increases the capacity and ductility of a column as well as achieving better utilisation of the confining FRP (Fibre Reinforced Polymer) material. The confinement material properties and the confined cylinder performance are investigated experimentally. From the results, it is shown that it is possible to control the degree of applied pre-tension by controlling the amount of expansive material used. In addition, it is confirmed that jacketing columns by pre-tensioned FRP materials can increase the load bearing capacity up to 35% compared with no pre-tensioning and up to more than four times compared with unconfined concrete. The paper presents details of experimental work undertaken for the development of the confinement pressure with different confining materials (Carbon-CFRP, Glass-GFRP and Steel) and makes comparisons with predictive models

Electron transfer in photoexcited pyrrole dimers

Following on from previous experimental and theoretical work [Neville et al., Nat. Commun. 7, 11357 (2016)], we report the results of a combined electronic structure theory and quantum dynamics study of the excited state dynamics of the pyrrole dimer following excitation to its first two excited states. Employing an exciton-based analysis of the Ã(π3s/σ*) and ˜ B (π3s/3p/σ*) states, we identify an excited-state electron transfer pathway involving the coupling of the Ã(π3s/σ*) and ˜ B (π3s/3p/σ*) states and driven by N–H dissociation in the ˜ B (π3s/3p/σ*) state. This electron transfer mechanism is found to be mediated by vibronic coupling of the ˜ B state, which has a mixed π3s/3p Rydberg character at the Franck-Condon point, to a high-lying charge transfer state of the πσ* character by the N–H stretch coordinate. Motivated by these results, quantum dynamics simulations of the excited-state dynamics of the pyrrole dimer are performed using the multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree method and a newly developed model Hamiltonian. It is predicted that the newly identified electron transfer pathway will be open following excitation to both the Ã(π3s/σ*) and ˜ B (π3s/3p/σ*) states and may be the dominant relaxation pathway in the latter case

Prevalence of dyslipidaemia and associated risk factors in a rural population in south-western Uganda : a community based survey

BACKGROUND: The burden of dyslipidaemia is rising in many low income countries. However, there are few data on the prevalence of, or risk factors for, dyslipidaemia in Africa. METHODS: In 2011, we used the WHO Stepwise approach to collect cardiovascular risk data within a general population cohort in rural south-western Uganda. Dyslipidaemia was defined by high total cholesterol (TC) ≥ 5.2 mmol/L or low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) 6% (men aOR=3.00, 95%CI=1.37-6.59; women aOR=2.74, 95%CI=1.77-4.27). The odds of high TC was also higher among married men, and women with higher education or high BMI. CONCLUSION: Low HDL-C prevalence in this relatively young rural population is high whereas high TC prevalence is low. The consequences of dyslipidaemia in African populations remain unclear and prospective follow-up is required

Component analysis of nutritionally rich chloroplasts: recovery from conventional and unconventional green plant species

A study of the literature indicates that chloroplasts synthesise a range of molecules, many of which have nutritional value for humans, but as yet no one has established the nutritional credentials of chloroplasts recovered from plant cells. Chloroplast-rich-fractions (CRFs) were prepared from green plant species and the macro- and micronutrient composition compared with the whole leaf materials (WLMs). The results indicated that, on a dry weight basis, CRF material from a range of green biomass was enriched in lipids and proteins, and in a range of micronutrients compared with the WLM. Vitamins E, pro-vitamin A, and lutein were all greater in CRF preparations. Of the minerals, iron was most notably concentrated in CRF. Spinach CRFs possessed the highest α-tocopherol (62 mg 100 g-1 , dry weight (DW)), β-carotene (336 mg 100 g- 1 DW) and lutein (341 mg 100 g-1 DW) contents, whilst grass CRFs had the highest concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (69.5 mg g-1). The higher concentrations of α-tocopherol, β-carotene, lutein, ALA and trace minerals (Fe and Mn) in CRFs suggest their potential use as concentrated ingredients in food formulations deficient in these nutrients

Neonatal thyrotropin concentration and iodine nutrition status of mothers: A systematic review and meta-analysis1

Background: Low maternal iodine intake disturbs the thyroid function of neonates transiently or permanently. Objective: To our knowledge, we conducted one of the first systematic reviews and meta-analyses aimed at exploring the association of neonatal thyrotropin concentrations and iodine status of mothers during pregnancy and early postpartum periods. Design: Data were collected through literature searches for studies published between 1969 and 2015 with the use of electronic databases. Mean or median maternal urinary iodine and neonatal thyrotropin concentrations, along with other relevant data, were extracted from eligible studies. The quality and risk of bias of each study was assessed. Results: A random-effects model was used for the analysis. Of 110 studies identified, 25 trials were shown to be eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Mean (95 CI) thyrotropin concentrations of neonates born to mothers with iodine deficiency were higher than in neonates born to mothers with iodine sufficiency during pregnancy in both heel blood samples 1.79 mIU/L (95% CI: 1.61, 1.97 mIU/L) compared with 1.75 mIU/L (95% CI: 1.68, 1.82 mIU/L), respectively and cord blood samples 11.91 mIU/L (95% CI: 6.67, 17.14 mIU/L) compared with 6.15 mIU/L (95% CI: 4.30, 8.01 mIU/L), respectively. There were no significant differences in neonatal thyrotropin concentrations of heel samples between mothers with iodine deficiency and those with sufficiency during the early postpartum period; however, the values of thyrotropin in cord samples of neonates born to mothers with iodine deficiency were significantly higher than in neonates born to mothers with iodine sufficiency 11.62 mIU/L (95% CI: 10.47, 12.77 mIU/L) compared with 7.40 mIU/L (95% CI: 6.21, 8.59 mIU/L). Conclusion: Our findings reveal that, compared with heel blood samples, neonatal thyrotropin in samples collected from the cord are more sensitive to the iodine status of mothers; however, further investigations are required in this regard. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition

Advanced glycation end products and risk of general and abdominal obesity in Iranian adults: Tehran lipid and glucose study

Background: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a heterogeneous group of macromolecules that are formed by the nonenzymatic glycation of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. A number of food preparation methods can increase AGEs content. The aim of the present study is to assess the relationship between dietary consumption of AGEs and the risk of obesity and central obesity. Methods: This study was conducted within the framework of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) on 4245 subjects who participated in its fifth phase (2011 to 2014). Dietary data were collected using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Participants' characteristics, anthropometric measures, and blood samples were also obtained by trained staff. Multivariable linear regression and Logistic regression was conducted using SPSS (Version 20; Chicago', IL), and P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Our results show that abdominal obesity was increased with higher intakes of dietary AGEs, an association, which remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders (OR=1.56 and 95 CI, 1.16 to 2.84). The relationship between abdominal obesity and dietary AGEs (dAGEs) intake was found to be independent of energy and macronutrient intake. We also found a relationship between consumption of dAGEs and a few anthropometric measurements, such that a significant positive correlation was observed between BMI, WC, BAI and higher quartiles of dAGEs intake, with the correlation being stronger for BAI (β= 0.24 (0.10-0.39)). Conclusion: Our study emphasizes that higher intake of dAGEs does increase the chance of abdominal obesity, and dAGEs might be a link between modern diets and obesity. © Iran University of Medical Sciences

Long-term effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention on the prevention of type 2 diabetes in a middle-income country

This study aims to assess the effects of a community-based lifestyle intervention program on the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). For this purpose, three communities in Tehran were chosen; one community received a face-to-face educational session embedded in a long-term community-wide lifestyle intervention aimed at supporting lifestyle changes. We followed up 9,204 participants (control: 5,739, intervention: 3,465) triennially from 1999 to 2015 (Waves 1&ndash;5). After a median follow-up of 3.5 years (wave 2), the risk of T2D was 30% lower in the intervention community as compared with two control communities by (Hazard-ratio: 0.70 [95% CI 0.53; 0.91]); however, the difference was not statistically significant in the following waves. After a median follow-up of 11.9 years (wave 5), there was a non-significant 6% reduction in the incidence of T2D in the intervention group as compared to the control group (Hazard-ratio: 0.94 [0.81, 1.08]). Moreover, after 11.9 years of follow-up, the intervention significantly improved the diet quality measured by the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension concordance (DASH) score. Mean difference in DASH score in the intervention group versus control group was 0.2 [95% CI 0.1; 0.3]. In conclusion, the intervention prevented T2D by 30% in the short-term (3.5 years) but not long-term; however, effects on improvement of the diet maintained in the long-term.Registration: This study is registered at IRCT, a WHO primary registry (https://irct.ir). The registration date 39 is 2008-10-29 and the IRCT registration number is IRCT138705301058N1

Trends of obesity and abdominal obesity in Tehranian adults: a cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Considering the increasing trend of obesity reported in current data, this study was conducted to examine trends of obesity and abdominal obesity among Tehranian adults during a median follow-up of 6.6 years.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Height and weight of 4402 adults, aged 20 years and over, participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), were measured in 1999-2001(phase I) and again in 2002-2005(phase II) and 2006-2008 (phase III). Criteria used for obesity and abdominal obesity defined body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 and waist circumference ≥ 94/80 cm for men/women respectively. Subjects were divided into10-year groups and the prevalence of obesity was compared across sex and age groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of obesity was 15.8, 18.6 and 21% in men and 31.5, 37.7 and 38.6% in women in phases I, II and III respectively (p < 0.001). The prevalence of abdominal obesity in men was 36.5, 57.2 and 63.3% and in women was 76.7, 83.8 and 83.6% in the three periods mentioned (p < 0.001). Men aged between 20-29 years had highest increase rates of obesity and abdominal obesity in phase III in comparison with phase I (with a respective rates of 2.2- and 3.3-fold). In both sexes, an increased trend was observed between phases I and II, whereas between phases II and III, this trend was observed in men, but not in women.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study demonstrates alarming rises in the prevalences of both obesity and abdominal obesity in both sexes especially in young men, calling for urgent action to educate people in lifestyle modifications.</p