| 1. |
- Aamodt, K., et al.
(författare)
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The ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Instrumentation. - 1748-0221. ; 3:S08002
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is a general-purpose, heavy-ion detector at the CERN LHC which focuses on QCD, the strong-interaction sector of the Standard Model. It is designed to address the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark-gluon plasma at extreme values of energy density and temperature in nucleus-nucleus collisions. Besides running with Pb ions, the physics programme includes collisions with lighter ions, lower energy running and dedicated proton-nucleus runs. ALICE will also take data with proton beams at the top LHC energy to collect reference data for the heavy-ion programme and to address several QCD topics for which ALICE is complementary to the other LHC detectors. The ALICE detector has been built by a collaboration including currently over 1000 physicists and engineers from 105 Institutes in 30 countries, Its overall dimensions are 16 x 16 x 26 m(3) with a total weight of approximately 10 000 t. The experiment consists of 18 different detector systems each with its own specific technology choice and design constraints, driven both by the physics requirements and the experimental conditions expected at LHC. The most stringent design constraint is to cope with the extreme particle multiplicity anticipated in central Pb-Pb collisions. The different subsystems were optimized to provide high-momentum resolution as well as excellent Particle Identification (PID) over a broad range in momentum, up to the highest multiplicities predicted for LHC. This will allow for comprehensive studies of hadrons, electrons, muons, and photons produced in the collision of heavy nuclei. Most detector systems are scheduled to be installed and ready for data taking by mid-2008 when the LHC is scheduled to start operation, with the exception of parts of the Photon Spectrometer (PHOS), Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) and Electro Magnetic Calorimeter (EMCal). These detectors will be completed for the high-luminosity ion run expected in 2010. This paper describes in detail the detector components as installed for the first data taking in the summer of 2008.
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| 3. |
- Smits, L. P., et al.
(författare)
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Effect of Vegan Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on Carnitine- and Choline-Derived Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Production and Vascular Inflammation in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Heart Association. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 2047-9980. ; 7:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundIntestinal microbiota have been found to be linked to cardiovascular disease via conversion of the dietary compounds choline and carnitine to the atherogenic metabolite TMAO (trimethylamine-N-oxide). Specifically, a vegan diet was associated with decreased plasma TMAO levels and nearly absent TMAO production on carnitine challenge. Methods and ResultsWe performed a double-blind randomized controlled pilot study in which 20 male metabolic syndrome patients were randomized to single lean vegan-donor or autologous fecal microbiota transplantation. At baseline and 2weeks thereafter, we determined the ability to produce TMAO from d(6)-choline and d(3)-carnitine (eg, labeled and unlabeled TMAO in plasma and 24-hour urine after oral ingestion of 250mg of both isotope-labeled precursor nutrients), and fecal samples were collected for analysis of microbiota composition. F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans of the abdominal aorta, as well as exvivo peripheral blood mononuclear cell cytokine production assays, were performed. At baseline, fecal microbiota composition differed significantly between vegans and metabolic syndrome patients. With vegan-donor fecal microbiota transplantation, intestinal microbiota composition in metabolic syndrome patients, as monitored by global fecal microbial community structure, changed toward a vegan profile in some of the patients; however, no functional effects from vegan-donor fecal microbiota transplantation were seen on TMAO production, abdominal aortic F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake, or exvivo cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. ConclusionsSingle lean vegan-donor fecal microbiota transplantation in metabolic syndrome patients resulted in detectable changes in intestinal microbiota composition but failed to elicit changes in TMAO production capacity or parameters related to vascular inflammation.
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| 4. |
- Verhaar, B. J. H., et al.
(författare)
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Associations between gutmicrobiota, faecal short-chain fatty acids, and blood pressure across ethnic groups: the HELIUS study
- 2020
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645. ; 41:44, s. 4259-4267
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims Preliminary evidence from animal and human studies shows that gut microbiota composition and levels of microbiota-derived metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), are associated with blood pressure (BP). We hypothesized that faecal microbiota composition and derived metabolites may be differently associated with BP across ethnic groups Methods and results We included 4672 subjects (mean age 49.8 +/- 11.7 years, 52% women) from six different ethnic groups participating in the HEalthy Life In an Urban Setting (HELIUS) study. The gut microbiota was profiled using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Associations between microbiota composition and office BP were assessed using machine learning prediction models. In the subgroups with the largest associations, faecal SCFA levels were compared in 200 subjects with lower or higher systolic BP. Faecal microbiota composition explained 4.4% of the total systolic BP variance. Best predictors for systolic BP included Roseburia spp., Clostridium spp., Romboutsia spp., and Ruminococcaceae spp. Explained variance of the microbiota composition was highest in Dutch subjects (4.8%), but very low in South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Moroccan and Turkish descent groups (explained variance <0.8%). Faecal SCFA levels, including acetate (P < 0.05) and propionate (P < 0.01), were lower in young Dutch participants with low systolic BP Conclusions Faecal microbiota composition is associated with BP, but with strongly divergent associations between ethnic groups. Intriguingly, while Dutch participants with lower BP had higher abundances of several SCFA-producing microbes, they had lower faecal SCFA levels. Intervention studies with SCFAs could provide more insight in the effects of these metabolites on BP.
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| 5. |
- De Groot, P., et al.
(författare)
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Donor metabolic characteristics drive effects of faecal microbiota transplantation on recipient insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure and intestinal transit time
- 2020
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Ingår i: Gut. - : BMJ. - 0017-5749 .- 1468-3288. ; 69, s. 502-512
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Bariatric surgery improves glucose metabolism. Recent data suggest that faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) using faeces from postbariatric surgery diet-induced obese mice in germ-free mice improves glucose metabolism and intestinal homeostasis. We here investigated whether allogenic FMT using faeces from post-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass donors (RYGB-D) compared with using faeces from metabolic syndrome donors (METS-D) has short-term effects on glucose metabolism, intestinal transit time and adipose tissue inflammation in treatment-naïve, obese, insulin-resistant male subjects. Design: Subjects with metabolic syndrome (n=22) received allogenic FMT either from RYGB-D or METS-D. Hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity as well as lipolysis were measured at baseline and 2 weeks after FMT by hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic stable isotope (2H2-glucose and 2H5-glycerol) clamp. Secondary outcome parameters were changes in resting energy expenditure, intestinal transit time, faecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and bile acids, and inflammatory markers in subcutaneous adipose tissue related to intestinal microbiota composition. Faecal SCFA, bile acids, glycaemic control and inflammatory parameters were also evaluated at 8 weeks. Results: We observed a significant decrease in insulin sensitivity 2 weeks after allogenic METS-D FMT (median rate of glucose disappearance: from 40.6 to 34.0 μmol/kg/min; p<0.01). Moreover, a trend (p=0.052) towards faster intestinal transit time following RYGB-D FMT was seen. Finally, we observed changes in faecal bile acids (increased lithocholic, deoxycholic and (iso)lithocholic acid after METS-D FMT), inflammatory markers (decreased adipose tissue chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) gene expression and plasma CCL2 after RYGB-D FMT) and changes in several intestinal microbiota taxa. Conclusion: Allogenic FMT using METS-D decreases insulin sensitivity in metabolic syndrome recipients when compared with using post-RYGB-D. Further research is needed to delineate the role of donor characteristics in FMT efficacy in human insulin-resistant subjects. Trial registration number: NTR4327.
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| 6. |
- Koopen, A., et al.
(författare)
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Duodenal Anaerobutyricum soehngenii infusion stimulates GLP-1 production, ameliorates glycaemic control and beneficially shapes the duodenal transcriptome in metabolic syndrome subjects: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Gut. - : BMJ. - 0017-5749 .- 1468-3288. ; 71:8, s. 1577-1587
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective Although gut dysbiosis is increasingly recognised as a pathophysiological component of metabolic syndrome (MetS), the role and mode of action of specific gut microbes in metabolic health remain elusive. Previously, we identified the commensal butyrogenic Anaerobutyricum soehngenii to be associated with improved insulin sensitivity in subjects with MetS. In this proof-of-concept study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effects of A. soehngenii L2-7 on systemic metabolic responses and duodenal transcriptome profiles in individuals with MetS. Design In this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study, 12 male subjects with MetS received duodenal infusions of A. soehngenii/ placebo and underwent duodenal biopsies, mixed meal tests (6 hours postinfusion) and 24-hour continuous glucose monitoring. Results A. soehngenii treatment provoked a markedly increased postprandial excursion of the insulinotropic hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and an elevation of plasma secondary bile acids, which were positively associated with GLP-1 levels. Moreover, A. soehngenii treatment robustly shaped the duodenal expression of 73 genes, with the highest fold induction in the expression of regenerating islet-protein 1B (REG1B)-encoding gene. Strikingly, duodenal REG1B expression positively correlated with GLP-1 levels and negatively correlated with peripheral glucose variability, which was significantly diminished in the 24 hours following A. soehngenii intake. Mechanistically, Reg1B expression is induced upon sensing butyrate or bacterial peptidoglycan. Importantly, A. soehngenii duodenal administration was safe and well tolerated. Conclusions A single dose of A. soehngenii improves peripheral glycaemic control within 24 hours; it specifically stimulates intestinal GLP-1 production and REG1B expression. Further studies are needed to delineate the specific pathways involved in REG1B induction and function in insulin sensitivity.
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| 7. |
- Laure, Erwin, et al.
(författare)
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Topic 6 : Grid, cluster and cloud computing (Introduction)
- 2013
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Ingår i: Lecture Notes in Computer Science. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg. - 9783642400469 ; , s. 241-
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Grid and cloud computing have changed the IT landscape in the way we access and manage IT infrastructures. The use of computing resources has become essential for many applications in various areas. Both technologies provide easyto- use and on-demand access to large-scale infrastructures. The high number of submissions to "Topic 6: Grid, Cluster and Cloud Computing" reflected the importance of the research area. The papers addressed key challenges regarding design, deployment, operation and use of Grid and cloud infrastructures. Moreover, several innovative algorithms and methods for fundamental capabilities and services that are required in a heterogeneous environment, such as adaptability, scalability, reliability and security, and to support applications as diverse as ubiquitous local services, enterprise-scale virtual organizations, and internet-scale distributed supercomputing were proposed. Finally, many experimental evaluations and use-cases delivered an insight into the deployment in real-world scenarios and showed interesting future application domains. Each submission was reviewed by at least four reviewers and, finally, we were able to select nine high-quality papers. The papers were grouped in four sessions that are briefly summarized in following.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Morjan, I., et al.
(författare)
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Carbon nanotubes growth from C2H2 and C2H4/NH3 by catalytic LCVD on supported iron-carbon nanocomposites
- 2007
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Ingår i: Physica E: Low-Dimensional Systems and Nanostructures. - : Elsevier BV. - 1386-9477. ; 37:1-2, s. 26-33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report about the synthesis of carbon nanotubes by catalytic LCVD (C-LCVD), using a CW CO2 laser and alternatively, C2H2/ C2H4/NH3 and C2H2/C2H4-containing gas mixtures. Different core-shell Fe-C nanocomposites (as synthesized and toluene extracted) were used employed as catalysts. The nanotubes grown from Fe-C residue demonstrate the lowest mean diameters. Prevalent curled and coiled morphologies are obtained for the CNTs grown in the presence of ammonia. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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