| 1. |
- Alenaini, Wareed, et al.
(författare)
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Ethnic Differences in Body Fat Deposition and Liver Fat Content in Two UK‐Based Cohorts
- 2020
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Ingår i: Obesity. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1930-7381 .- 1930-739X. ; 28:11, s. 2142-2152
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectiveDifferences in the content and distribution of body fat and ectopic lipids may be responsible for ethnic variations in metabolic disease susceptibility. The aim of this study was to examine the ethnic distribution of body fat in two separate UK‐based populations.MethodsAnthropometry and body composition were assessed in two separate UK cohorts: the Hammersmith cohort and the UK Biobank, both comprising individuals of South Asian descent (SA), individuals of Afro‐Caribbean descent (AC), and individuals of European descent (EUR). Regional adipose tissue stores and liver fat were measured by magnetic resonance techniques.ResultsThe Hammersmith cohort (n = 747) had a mean (SD) age of 41.1 (14.5) years (EUR: 374 men, 240 women; SA: 68 men, 22 women; AC: 14 men, 29 women), and the UK Biobank (n = 9,533) had a mean (SD) age of 55.5 (7.5) years (EUR: 4,483 men, 4,873 women; SA: 80 men, 43 women, AC: 31 men, 25 women). Following adjustment for age and BMI, no significant differences in visceral adipose tissue or liver fat were observed between SA and EUR individuals in the either cohort.ConclusionsOur data, consistent across two independent UK‐based cohorts, present a limited number of ethnic differences in the distribution of body fat depots associated with metabolic disease. These results suggest that the ethnic variation in susceptibility to features of the metabolic syndrome may not arise from differences in body fat.
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| 2. |
- Alinejad, M., et al.
(författare)
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Lignin-based polyurethanes : Opportunities for bio-based foams, elastomers, coatings and adhesives
- 2019
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Ingår i: Polymers. - : MDPI. - 2073-4360. ; 11:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polyurethane chemistry can yield diverse sets of polymeric materials exhibiting a widerange of properties for various applications and market segments. Utilizing lignin as a polyol presentsan opportunity to incorporate a currently underutilized renewable aromatic polymer into theseproducts. In this work, we will review the current state of technology for utilizing lignin as a polyolreplacement in different polyurethane products. This will include a discussion of lignin structure,diversity, and modification during chemical pulping and cellulosic biofuels processes, approachesfor lignin extraction, recovery, fractionation, and modification/functionalization. We will discussthe potential of incorporation of lignins into polyurethane products that include rigid and flexiblefoams, adhesives, coatings, and elastomers. Finally, we will discuss challenges in incorporating ligninin polyurethane formulations, potential solutions and approaches that have been taken to resolvethose issues.
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| 3. |
- Parisinos, Constantinos A., et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide and Mendelian randomisation studies of liver MRI yield insights into the pathogenesis of steatohepatitis
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Hepatology. - : Elsevier. - 0168-8278 .- 1600-0641. ; 73:2, s. 241-251
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundA non-invasive method to grade the severity of steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based corrected T1 (cT1). We aimed to identify genetic variants influencing liver cT1 and use genetics to understand mechanisms underlying liver fibroinflammatory disease and its link with other metabolic traits and diseases.MethodsFirst, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 14,440 Europeans in UK Biobank with liver cT1 measures. Second, we explored the effects of the cT1 variants on liver blood tests, and a range of metabolic traits and diseases. Third, we used Mendelian randomisation to test the causal effects of 24 predominantly metabolic traits on liver cT1 measures.ResultsWe identified six independent genetic variants associated with liver cT1 that reached GWAS significance threshold (p<5x10-8). Four of the variants (rs75935921 in SLC30A10, rs13107325 in SLC39A8, rs58542926 in TM6SF2, rs738409 in PNPLA3) were also associated with elevated transaminases and had variable effects on liver fat and other metabolic traits. Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver and BMI were causally associated with elevated cT1 whilst favourable adiposity (instrumented by variants associated with higher adiposity but lower risk of cardiometabolic disease and lower liver fat) was found to be protective.ConclusionThe association between two metal ion transporters and cT1 indicates an important new mechanism in steatohepatitis. Future studies are needed to determine whether interventions targeting the identified transporters might prevent liver disease in at risk individuals.
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| 4. |
- Schwamb, Megan E., et al.
(författare)
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A Software Roadmap for Solar System Science with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
- 2019
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Ingår i: Research Notes of the AAS. - : Institute of Physics (IOP). - 2515-5172. ; 3:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The 8.4 m Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will provide an unprecedented view of the Solar System (Ivezić et al. 2008; LSST Science Collaboration et al. 2009). LSST will detect millions of asteroids and tens of thousands of distant Solar System bodies, within approximately 16 and 24.5 mag (in r-band). Over a ten year period, most of these minor planets will receive hundreds of observations divided between 6 filters (ugrizy). What specifically LSST project will deliver for Solar System detections will soon be updated in the LSST Data Products Definition Document (DPDD; Jurić et al. 2013). A preliminary version of the new LSST Solar System data products schema is available at http://ls.st/ssd and http://ls.st/oug.The LSST Solar System Science Collaboration (SSSC; http://www.lsstsssc.org) produced a science roadmap (Schwamb et al. 2018) which outlines the collaboration's highest ranked research priorities utilizing LSST. To achieve these science goals, the SSSC has identified crucial software products and tools that will be required but will not be provided by the LSST project. These will have to be developed by the SSSC and the broader planetary community. To spur this effort, we present below this list of LSST community software development tasks.
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| 5. |
- Tengdin, Phoebe, et al.
(författare)
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Direct light–induced spin transfer between different elements in a spintronic Heusler material via femtosecond laser excitation
- 2020
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Ingår i: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science. - 2375-2548. ; 6:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heusler compounds are exciting materials for future spintronics applications because they display a wide range of tunable electronic and magnetic interactions. Here, we use a femtosecond laser to directly transfer spin polarization from one element to another in a half-metallic Heusler material, Co2MnGe. This spin transfer initiates as soon as light is incident on the material, demonstrating spatial transfer of angular momentum between neighboring atomic sites on time scales < 10 fs. Using ultrafast high harmonic pulses to simultaneously and independently probe the magnetic state of two elements during laser excitation, we find that the magnetization of Co is enhanced, while that of Mn rapidly quenches. Density functional theory calculations show that the optical excitation directly transfers spin from one magnetic sublattice to another through preferred spin-polarized excitation pathways. This direct manipulation of spins via light provides a path toward spintronic devices that can operate on few-femtosecond or faster time scales.
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