159 research outputs found
Nutrition in the age-related disablement process
No full textThe transition from independence to disability in older adults is characterized by detectable changes in body composition and physical function. Epidemiologic studies have shown that weight loss, reduced caloric intake and the reduced intake of specific nutrients are associated with such changes. The mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear, and different hypotheses have been suggested, including the reduction of the antioxidant effects of some nutrients. Changes in muscle mass and quality might play a central role in the pathway linking malnutrition, its biological and molecular consequences, and function. A different approach aims at assessing diets by dietary patterns, which capture intercorrdations of nutrients within a diet, rather than by selective foods or nutrients: epidemiologic evidence suggests that some types of diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, might prevent negative functional outcomes in older adults. However, despite a theoretical and empirical basis, intervention studies using nutritional supplementation have shown inconclusive results in preventing functional impairment and disability. The present work is the result of a review and consensus effort of a European task force on nutrition in the elderly, promoted by the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) European Region. After the critical review of different aspects related to the role of nutrition in the transition from independence to disability, we propose future lines for research, including the determination of levels of inadequacy and target doses of supplements, the study of interactions (between nutrients within a diet and with other lifestyle aspects), and the association with functional outcomes
Nutrition in the age-related disablement process
No full textThe transition from independence to disability in older adults is characterized by detectable changes in body composition and physical function. Epidemiologic studies have shown that weight loss, reduced caloric intake and the reduced intake of specific nutrients are associated with such changes. The mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear, and different hypotheses have been suggested, including the reduction of the antioxidant effects of some nutrients. Changes in muscle mass and quality might play a central role in the pathway linking malnutrition, its biological and molecular consequences, and function. A different approach aims at assessing diets by dietary patterns, which capture intercorrelations of nutrients within a diet, rather than by selective foods or nutrients: epidemiologic evidence suggests that some types of diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, might prevent negative functional outcomes in older adults. However, despite a theoretical and empirical basis, intervention studies using nutritional supplementation have shown inconclusive results in preventing functional impairment and disability. The present work is the result of a review and consensus effort of a European task force on nutrition in the elderly, promoted by the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) European Region. After the critical review of different aspects related to the role of nutrition in the transition from independence to disability, we propose future lines for research, including the determination of levels of inadequacy and target doses of supplements, the study of interactions (between nutrients within a diet and with other lifestyle aspects), and the association with functional outcomes
Nutrition in the age-related disablement process.
No full textThe transition from independence to disability in older adults is characterized by detectable changes in body composition and physical function. Epidemiologic studies have shown that weight loss, reduced caloric intake and the reduced intake of specific nutrients are associated with such changes. The mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear, and different hypotheses have been suggested, including the reduction of the antioxidant effects of some nutrients. Changes in muscle mass and quality might play a central role in the pathway linking malnutrition, its biological and molecular consequences, and function. A different approach aims at assessing diets by dietary patterns, which capture intercorrelations of nutrients within a diet, rather than by selective foods or nutrients: epidemiologic evidence suggests that some types of diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, might prevent negative functional outcomes in older adults. However, despite a theoretical and empirical basis, intervention studies using nutritional supplementation have shown inconclusive results in preventing functional impairment and disability. The present work is the result of a review and consensus effort of a European task force on nutrition in the elderly, promoted by the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) European Region. After the critical review of different aspects related to the role of nutrition in the transition from independence to disability, we propose future lines for research, including the determination of levels of inadequacy and target doses of supplements, the study of interactions (between nutrients within a diet and with other lifestyle aspects), and the association with functional outcomes
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Proceedings of the Rank Forum on Vitamin D
No full textThe Rank Forum on Vitamin D was held on 2nd and 3rd July 2009 at the University of Surrey, Guildford, UK. The workshop consisted of a series of scene-setting presentations to address the current issues and challenges concerning vitamin D and health, and included an open discussion focusing on the identification of the concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) (a marker of vitamin D status) that may be regarded as optimal, and the implications this process may have in the setting of future dietary reference values for vitamin D in the UK. The Forum was in agreement with the fact that it is desirable for all of the population to have a serum 25(OH)D concentration above 25 nmol/l, but it discussed some uncertainty about the strength of evidence for the need to aim for substantially higher concentrations (25(OH)D concentrations . 75 nmol/l). Any discussion of ‘optimal’ concentration of serum 25(OH)D needs to define ‘optimal’ with care since it is important to consider the normal distribution of requirements and the vitamin D needs for a wide range of outcomes. Current UK reference values concentrate on the requirements of particular subgroups of the population; this differs from the approaches used in other European countries where a wider range of age groups tend to be covered. With the re-emergence of rickets and the public health burden of low vitamin D status being already apparent, there is a need for urgent action from policy makers and risk managers. The Forum highlighted
concerns regarding the failure of implementation of existing strategies in the UK for achieving current vitamin D recommendations
Nature and death in the poetry of al-Malā'ika, al-Shābbī and Shukrī, and certain English Romantic poets : a comparative study
No full textThe first part of this thesis, divided into two
chapters, deals with the early background of European
Romanticism; the reasons behind its appearance and
problems of definition. There follows a discussion on
the question of the originality of Arabic Romanticism,
with ,a brief review of the roots and main literary groups
of this movement in Arabic poetry.
Part two examines the influence of English poetry
and thought on three Arab Romantic poets: Nāzik Sādiq
al-Malā'ika, Abū al-Qāsim al-Shābbī and
Abd aI-Rahmān Shukrī.
This is discussed parallel with the channels of
this influence.
The main focus of this research is however, to show
the ways in which al-Malā'ika, al-Shābbī and Shukrī perceived and reflected nature and death in their poetry.
Their attitudes towards certain phenomena in nature
such as the countryside, night, the sea, childhood and
moral and social lessons of nature are compared with
certain attitudes of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats and
Shelley.
Themes such as life and death, fear of death,
fatalism, immortality and death as a welcome experience
are also the concern of this thesis, with a comparison of
these themes in the poetry of the Arab and English
Romantic poets.
However, owing to the popularity of Keats and
Shelley with the three Arab Romantic poets, this thesis
concentrates on their poetry.
This research has selected only certain phenomena
and themes from nature--and death because of the dominance
of these subjects in the poetry of al-Malā'ika, al-Shābbī and Shukrī. The translations of Arabic poetry in this thesis are
intended to convey the general sense of the source texts,
rather than to give a precise rendering of these texts
into English
Auto-organização e contingência da biologia evolutiva: um estudo sobre os desafios de Stuart Kauffman e Stephen Jay Gould ao darwinismo
No full textDissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas. Programa de Pós-graduação em Filosofia.O objetivo deste estudo é contrastar a tese da auto-organização de Stuart Kauffman e a tese da contingência de Stephen Jay Gould com a visão darwiniana da evolução. Inicialmente, caracterizamos o darwinismo como o que Kim Sterelny e Paul Griffiths chamaram de "visão aceita da evolução", acrescida dos três princípios gouldianos que detalham o papel da seleção natural na teoria darwiniana. A tese da auto-organização pode ser caracterizada como nomológica, na medida em que procura mostrar como as leis da auto-organização são responsáveis por grande parte da ordem biológica. A tese da contingência, por outro lado, enfatiza o papel do acaso e da imprevisibilidade na evolução, podendo assim ser vista como a defesa de uma abordagem idiográfica para a biologia
The Effect of Iron on Cognitive Development and Function in Infants, Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review
No full textA systematic review was conducted to summarize the evidence currently available from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the effect of iron intake of infants, children and adolescents on measures of cognitive development and function. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE and Embase were searched up to and including February 2010. Studies were also identified by checking the bibliographies of the articles retrieved. All RCTs with an adequate control group in which iron supply was provided by natural food sources, fortified foods, formula or supplements to infants, children or adolescents until the age of 18 years were considered for inclusion. No language restrictions were applied. Fourteen studies met the selection criteria. Twelve out of these 14 studies had a high or moderate risk of bias. A large degree of heterogeneity of study populations, iron dosages and outcome measures precluded performing a quantitative meta-analysis. Overall, the studies suggest a modest positive effect of iron supplementation on cognition and psychomotor outcomes in anemic infants and children after supplementation periods of at least 2 months of duration. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base
CSF Findings in Relation to Clinical Characteristics, Subtype, and Disease Course in Patients With Guillain-Barré Syndrome
No full textBackground and ObjectivesTo investigate CSF findings in relation to clinical and electrodiagnostic subtypes, severity, and outcome of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) based on 1,500 patients in the International GBS Outcome Study.MethodsAlbuminocytologic dissociation (ACD) was defined as an increased protein level (>0.45 g/L) in the absence of elevated white cell count (<50 cells/L). We excluded 124 (8%) patients because of other diagnoses, protocol violation, or insufficient data. The CSF was examined in 1,231 patients (89%).ResultsIn 846 (70%) patients, CSF examination showed ACD, which increased with time from weakness onset: ≤4 days 57%, >4 days 84%. High CSF protein levels were associated with a demyelinating subtype, proximal or global muscle weakness, and a reduced likelihood of being able to run at week 2 (odds ratio [OR] 0.42, 95% CI 0.25-0.70; p = 0.001) and week 4 (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.27-0.72; p = 0.001). Patients with the Miller Fisher syndrome, distal predominant weakness, and normal or equivocal nerve conduction studies were more likely to have lower CSF protein levels. CSF cell count was <5 cells/L in 1,005 patients (83%), 5-49 cells/L in 200 patients (16%), and ≥50 cells/L in 13 patients (1%).DiscussionACD is a common finding in GBS, but normal protein levels do not exclude this diagnosis. High CSF protein level is associated with an early severe disease course and a demyelinating subtype. Elevated CSF cell count, rarely ≥50 cells/L, is compatible with GBS after a thorough exclusion of alternative diagnoses.Classification of EvidenceThis study provides Class IV evidence that CSF ACD (defined by the Brighton Collaboration) is common in patients with GBS
Optimization of star research algorithm for esmo star tracker
No full textThis paper explains in detail the design and the development of a software research star algorithm, embedded on a star tracker, by the ISAE/SUPAERO team. This research algorithm is inspired by musical techniques. This work will be carried out as part of the ESMO (European Student Moon Orbiter) project by different teams of students and professors from ISAE/SUPAERO (Institut Supe ́rieur de l’Ae ́ronautique et de l’Espace). Till today, the system engineering studies have been completed and the work that will be presented will concern the algorithmic and the embedded software development. The physical architecture of the sensor relies on APS 750 developed by the CIMI laboratory of ISAE/SUPAERO. First, a star research algorithm based on the image acquired in lost-in-space mode (one of the star tracker opera- tional modes) will be presented; it is inspired by techniques of musical recognition with the help of the correlation of digital signature (hash) with those stored in databases. The musical recognition principle is based on finger- printing, i.e. the extraction of points of interest in the studied signal. In the musical context, the signal spectrogram is used to identify these points. Applying this technique in image processing domain requires an equivalent tool to spectrogram. Those points of interest create a hash and are used to efficiently search within the database pre- viously sorted in order to be compared. The main goals of this research algorithm are to minimise the number of steps in the computations in order to deliver information at a higher frequency and to increase the computation robustness against the different possible disturbances
Rapport van de Waddenzeecommissie: Advies inzake de principiële mogelijkheden en de voor- en nadelen van inpoldering in de Waddenzee
No full textReeds eeuwenlang verdedigt Nederland zich tegen de zee. De ligging beneden de zeespiegel van grote delen van het land maakt dit noodzakelijk. Behalve veiligheid is ook het vergroten van de hoeveelheid landbouwgebied een belangrijke doelstelling geweest bij het tot stand brengen van dijken, sluizen en inpolderingen. Het is begrijpelijk dat voor het verkrijgen van een grotere veiligheid en meer land ook plannen zijn gemaakt voor het indijken van de Waddenzee. Behalve plannen, die een indijking van vrijwel de gehele Waddenzee beoogden, ter grootte van 2400 km2, zijn er ook plannen die slechts gericht waren op drooglegging van gedeelten van de Waddenzee. Na de aanneming van de Deltawet in 1958 nam de belangstelling voor inpolderingen in de Waddenzee toe. Ook in andere opzichten nam de belangstelling voor de Waddenzee sterk toe, onder andere in verband met de winning van delfstoffen (olie en aardgas), het recreatieve gebruik (varen, vissen en wadlopen), de ontwikkeling van haven- en industrievestiging (Eemshaven, Den Helder), de natuurstudie en het natuurbehoud. Voor de beschouwingen over de voor- en nadelen van inpolderingen is als uitgangspunt genomen de Waddenzee, zoals deze nu is, met inbegrip van veranderingen, die waarschijnlijk of mogelijk zijn, indien geen bedijkingen worden uitgevoerd. Bij deze beschrijving is de nadruk gelegd op die aspecten, die voor de beoordeling van indijkingsplannen en voor het beheer van de Waddenzee de meeste betekenis hebben. Zeer uitvoerig zijn derhalve de dierenwereld, de openluchtrecreatie en het toerisme en de winning van delfstoffen behandeld. De Waddenzeecommissie acht het noch mogelijk, noch nodig over elk denkbaar plan een oordeel uit te spreken. Volgens haar kan worden volstaan met een beoordeling -op grond van een kosten/batenanalyse- van een beperkt aantal plannen, die zodanig zijn gekozen, dat daaruit algemeen geldende conclusies voor het te voeren beleid zijn af te leiden. Uit beschouwingen over plaats en vorm van denkbare indijkingen volgt, dat de grootste kans, dat een kosten/batenanalyse een positief resultaat zal vertonen, bestaat bij de plannen voor het Balgzand-Breehorngebied en de plannen voor het Amelander Wad, dit laatste eventueel uitgebreid met een gedeelte van het Terschellinger Wad. Deze plannen zijn daarom voor nadere bestudering verkozen. Om een duidelijker beeld van het geheel van de mogelijkheden te verkrijgen, oordeelde de commissie het gewenst, ook één integraal indijkingsplan aan een nadere beschouwing te onderwerpen, zij het, dat dit op globalere wijze is geschied dan bij de vermelde partiële plannen. Tenslotte is aandacht besteed aan enkele recent naar voren gebrachte plannen tot kleine inpolderingen langs de Friese kust tussen Zwarte Haan en Holwerd; nadere bestudering daarvan wordt echter niet aanbevolen. Bij de toepassing van de methode van de kosten/baten-analyse op het integraal indijkingsplan en de plannen voor het Amelander en Terschellinger Wad is de conclusie, dat deze projecten maatschappelijk gezien alle duidelijk onrendabel zijn. Voor indijkingen op het Balgzand-Breehorngebied blijken de onzekerheden groter te zijn dan de bij de uitgevoerde kosten/baten-analyse gevonden verschillen tussen de kosten en baten. Geconcludeerd wordt dan ook dat -wellicht met uitzondering van Balgzand-Breehorngebied- het wijs zou zijn de Waddenzee in zijn huidige staat te handhaven. De meerderheid van de commissie is van oordeel dat een indijking van het Balgzand-Breehorngebied te veel, wellicht interessante, mogelijkheden biedt om de plannen voor dit gebied op dezelfde wijze te verwerpen als de andere plannen. Daarom wenst zij een nadere bestudering op korte termijn van de indijkingsplannen voor dit gebied. Het programma voor deze bestudering wordt gedetailleerd aangegeven; een termijn van twee jaren wordt hiervoor nodig en voldoende geacht. Inzake de plannen tussen Zwarte Haan en Holwerd meent de commissie dat de voorgestelde indijking van een deel van de Waddenzee bij Ferwerderadeel moet worden afgeraden. Een advies over de verhoging van de bestaande kades van de buitenpolders aldaar tot een dijk op deltahoogte, in plaats van de verhoging van de bestaande zeedijk, acht de commissie niet op haar weg te liggen. Tenslotte stelt de commissie (7.3.3.) dat haar negatieve adviezen over bijna alle indijkingsplannen mede berusten op de overweging dat de Waddenzee in zijn tegenwoordige toestand een waardevol natuurgebied is, en dus hun grondslag zouden missen, indien de Waddenzee door andere oorzaken zijn waarde als natuurlijk milieu zou verliezen. Aanvaarden van het advies van de commissie sluit derhalve in, dat het behoud van de Waddenzee als aan hoge eisen voldoend natuurgebied een onderwerp van zorg voor de Regering -en ook voor het Nederlandse volk- moet zijn. De commissie meent dat zij in haar taak tekort zou schieten, als zij niet op een aantal aspecten van die zorg wees, waarop zij bij haar studies en discussies is gestoten. Genoemd worden achtereenvolgens beheer en bestuur, milieu, landschap, rust en stilte, recreatie, veiligheid en onderzoekingen
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