In 2016, meetings of groups of physicians and paediatricians with a special interest in lipid disorders and familial hypercholesterolaemia were held to discuss several domains of management of ...familial hypercholesterolaemia in adults and children in Hong Kong. After reviewing the evidence and guidelines for the diagnosis, screening, and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia, consensus was reached on the following aspects: clinical features, diagnostic criteria, screening in adults, screening in children, management in relation to target plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, detection of atherosclerosis, lifestyle and behaviour modification, and pharmacotherapy.
Interstellar dust and starlight are modeled for the galaxies of the project "Key Insights on Nearby Galaxies: A Far-Infrared Survey with Herschel." The galaxies were observed by the Infrared Array ...Camera and the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer on Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver on Herschel Space Observatory. With data from 3.6 to 500 m, dust models are strongly constrained. Using a physical dust model, for each pixel in each galaxy we estimate (1) dust surface density, (2) dust mass fraction in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), (3) distribution of starlight intensities heating the dust, (4) total infrared (IR) luminosity emitted by the dust, and (5) IR luminosity originating in subregions with high starlight intensity. The dust models successfully reproduce the observed global and resolved spectral energy distributions. With the angular resolution of Herschel, we obtain well-resolved maps (available online) for the dust properties. As in previous studies, we find the PAH fraction to be an increasing function of metallicity, with a threshold oxygen abundance Z/Z 0.1, but we find the data to be fitted best with increasing linearly with above a threshold value of 0.15(O/H) . We obtain total dust masses for each galaxy by summing the dust mass over the individual map pixels; these "resolved" dust masses are consistent with the masses inferred from a model fit to the global photometry. The global dust-to-gas ratios obtained from this study are found to correlate with galaxy metallicities. Systems with Z/Z 0.5 have most of their refractory elements locked up in dust, whereas in systems with Z/Z 0.3 most of these elements tend to remain in the gas phase. Within galaxies, we find that is suppressed in regions with unusually warm dust with . With knowledge of one long-wavelength flux density ratio (e.g., f160/f500), the minimum starlight intensity heating the dust ( ) can be estimated to within ∼50%, despite a variation in of more than two orders of magnitude. For the adopted dust model, dust masses can be estimated to within ∼0.2 dex accuracy using the f160/f500 flux ratio and the integrated dust luminosity, and to ∼0.07 dex accuracy using the 500 m luminosity alone. There are additional systematic errors arising from the choice of dust model, but these are hard to estimate. These calibrated prescriptions for estimating starlight heating intensity and dust mass may be useful for studies of high-redshift galaxies.
With the goal of investigating the degree to which the MIR emission traces the SFR, we analyze Spitzer 8 and 24 mu m data of star-forming regions in a sample of 33 nearby galaxies with available HST ...NICMOS images in the Pa alpha (1.8756 mu m) emission line. The galaxies are drawn from the SINGS sample and cover a range of morphologies and a factor similar to 10 in oxygen abundance. Published data on local low-metallicity starburst galaxies and LIRGs are also included in the analysis. Both the stellar continuum-subtracted 8 mu m emission and the 24 mu m emission correlate with the extinction-corrected Pa alpha line emission, although neither relationship is linear. Simple models of stellar populations and dust extinction and emission are able to reproduce the observed nonlinear trend of the 24 mu m emission versus number of ionizing photons, including the modest deficiency of 24 mu m emission in the low-metallicity regions, which results from a combination of decreasing dust opacity and dust temperature at low luminosities. Conversely, the trend of the 8 mu m emission as a function of the number of ionizing photons is not well reproduced by the same models. The 8 mu m emission is contributed, in larger measure than the 24 mu m emission, by dust heated by nonionizing stellar populations, in addition to the ionizing ones, in agreement with previous findings. Two SFR calibrations, one using the 24 mu m emission and the other using a combination of the 24 mu m and H alpha luminosities (Kennicutt and coworkers), are presented. No calibration is presented for the 8 mu m emission because of its significant dependence on both metallicity and environment. The calibrations presented here should be directly applicable to systems dominated by ongoing star formation.
When challenged with information about the future, healthy participants show an optimistically biased updating pattern, taking desirable information more into account than undesirable information. ...However, it is unknown how patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD), who express pervasive pessimistic beliefs, update their beliefs when receiving information about their future. Here we tested whether an optimistically biased information processing pattern found in healthy individuals is absent in MDD patients.
MDD patients (n = 18; 13 medicated; eight with co-morbid anxiety disorder) and healthy controls (n = 19) estimated their personal probability of experiencing 70 adverse life events. After each estimate participants were presented with the average probability of the event occurring to a person living in the same sociocultural environment. This information could be desirable (i.e. average probability better than expected) or undesirable (i.e. average probability worse than expected). To assess how desirable versus undesirable information influenced beliefs, participants estimated their personal probability of experiencing the 70 events a second time.
Healthy controls showed an optimistic bias in updating, that is they changed their beliefs more toward desirable versus undesirable information. Overall, this optimistic bias was absent in MDD patients. Symptom severity correlated with biased updating: more severely depressed individuals showed a more pessimistic updating pattern. Furthermore, MDD patients estimated the probability of experiencing adverse life events as higher than healthy controls.
Our findings raise the intriguing possibility that optimistically biased updating of expectations about one's personal future is associated with mental health.
Hyperkalaemia is an electrolyte imbalance that impairs muscle function and myocardial excitability, and can potentially lead to fatal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The prevalence of ...hyperkalaemia is estimated to be 6%–7% worldwide and 7%–10% in Asia. Hyperkalaemia frequently affects patients with chronic kidney disease, heart failure, and diabetes mellitus, particularly those receiving treatment with renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors. Both hyperkalaemia and interruption of RAAS inhibitor therapy are associated with increased risks for cardiovascular events, hospitalisations, and death, highlighting a clinical dilemma in high‐risk patients. Conventional potassium‐binding resins are widely used for the treatment of hyperkalaemia; however, caveats such as the unpalatable taste and the risk of gastrointestinal side effects limit their chronic use. Recent evidence suggests that, with a rapid onset of action and improved gastrointestinal tolerability, novel oral potassium binders (e.g., patiromer and sodium zirconium cyclosilicate) are alternative treatment options for both acute and chronic hyperkalaemia. To optimise the care for patients with hyperkalaemia in the Asia–Pacific region, a multidisciplinary expert panel was convened to review published literature, share clinical experiences, and ultimately formulate 25 consensus statements, covering three clinical areas: (i) risk factors of hyperkalaemia and risk stratification in susceptible patients; (ii) prevention of hyperkalaemia for at‐risk individuals; and (iii) correction of hyperkalaemia for at‐risk individuals with cardiorenal disease. These statements were expected to serve as useful guidance in the management of hyperkalaemia for health care providers in the region.
Summary at a glance
To optimise the care for patients with hyperkalaemia in the Asia–Pacific region, a multidisciplinary expert panel was convened to review published literature, share clinical experiences, and ultimately formulate a set of consensus statements.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
We present a sample of low-resolution 5-38 km Spitzer IRS spectra of the inner few square kiloparsecs of 59 nearby galaxies spanning a large range of star formation properties. A robust method for ...decomposing mid-infrared galaxy spectra is described and used to explore the behavior of PAH emission and the prevalence of silicate dust extinction. Evidence for silicate extinction is found in6 of the sample, at strengths that indicate that most normal galaxies undergo A sub(V) 3 mag averaged over then-centers. The contribution of PAH emission to the total infrared power is found to peak near 10% and extend up to 620% and is suppressed at metallicities Z Z /4, as well as in low-luminosity AGN environments. Strong interband PAH feature strength variations (2-5 times) are observed, with the presence of a weak AGN and, to a lesser degree, increasing metallicity shifting power to the longer wavelength bands. A peculiar PAH emission spectrum with markedly diminished 5-8 km features arises among the sample solely in systems with relatively hard radiation fields harboring low-luminosity AGNs. The AGNs may modify the emitting grain distribution and provide the direct excitation source of the unusual PAH emission, which cautions against using absolute PAH strength to estimate star formation rates in systems harboring active nuclei. Alternatively, the low star formation intensity often associated with weak AGNs may affect the spectrum. The effect of variations in the mid-infrared spectrum on broadband infrared surveys is modeled and points to more than a factor of 2 uncertainty in results that assume a fixed PAH emission spectrum, for redshifts z = 0-2.5.
Using 5326 days of atmospheric neutrino data, a search for atmospheric tau neutrino appearance has been performed in the Super-Kamiokande experiment. Super-Kamiokande measures the tau normalization ...to be 1.47±0.32 under the assumption of normal neutrino hierarchy, relative to the expectation of unity with neutrino oscillation. The result excludes the hypothesis of no-tau appearance with a significance level of 4.6σ. The inclusive charged-current tau neutrino cross section averaged by the tau neutrino flux at Super-Kamiokande is measured to be (0.94±0.20)×10−38 cm2. The measurement is consistent with the Standard Model prediction, agreeing to within 1.5σ.
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CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UM
Published meta-analyses indicate significant but inconsistent incident type-2 diabetes(T2D)-dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) risk ratios or risk relations (RR). It is nowover a ...decade ago that a published meta-analysis used a predefined standard to identify validstudies. Considering valid studies only, and using random effects dose-response meta-analysis(DRM) while withdrawing spurious results (
< 0.05), we ascertained whether these relationswould support nutrition guidance, specifically for an RR > 1.20 with a lower 95% confidence limit>1.10 across typical intakes (approximately 10th to 90th percentiles of population intakes). Thecombined T2D-GI RR was 1.27 (1.15-1.40) (
< 0.001,
= 10 studies) per 10 units GI, while that forthe T2D-GL RR was 1.26 (1.15-1.37) (
< 0.001,
= 15) per 80 g/d GL in a 2000 kcal (8400 kJ) diet.The corresponding global DRM using restricted cubic splines were 1.87 (1.56-2.25) (
< 0.001,
=10) and 1.89 (1.66-2.16) (
< 0.001,
= 15) from 47.6 to 76.1 units GI and 73 to 257 g/d GL in a 2000kcal diet, respectively. In conclusion, among adults initially in good health, diets higher in GI or GLwere robustly associated with incident T2D. Together with mechanistic and other data, thissupports that consideration should be given to these dietary risk factors in nutrition advice.Concerning the public health relevance at the global level, our evidence indicates that GI and GLare substantial food markers predicting the development of T2D worldwide, for persons ofEuropean ancestry and of East Asian ancestry.
Review of Particle Physics Tanabashi, M.; Nakamura, K.; Tanaka, J. ...
Physical review. D,
08/2018, Volume:
98, Issue:
3
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
The Review summarizes much of particle physics and cosmology. Using data from previous editions, plus 2,873 new measurements from 758 papers, we list, evaluate, and average measured properties of ...gauge bosons and the recently discovered Higgs boson, leptons, quarks, mesons, and baryons. We summarize searches for hypothetical particles such as supersymmetric particles, heavy bosons, axions, dark photons, etc. Particle properties and search limits are listed in Summary Tables. We give numerous tables, figures, formulae, and reviews of topics such as Higgs Boson Physics, Supersymmetry, Grand Unified Theories, Neutrino Mixing, Dark Energy, Dark Matter, Cosmology, Particle Detectors, Colliders, Probability and Statistics. Among the 118 reviews are many that are new or heavily revised, including a new review on Neutrinos in Cosmology.
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CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UM
While dietary factors are important modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D), the causal role of carbohydrate quality in nutrition remains controversial. Dietary glycemic index (GI) and ...glycemic load (GL) have been examined in relation to the risk of T2D in multiple prospective cohort studies. Previous meta-analyses indicate significant relations but consideration of causality has been minimal. Here, the results of our recent meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies of 4 to 26-y follow-up are interpreted in the context of the nine Bradford-Hill criteria for causality, that is: (1) Strength of Association, (2) Consistency, (3) Specificity, (4) Temporality, (5) Biological Gradient, (6) Plausibility, (7) Experimental evidence, (8) Analogy, and (9) Coherence. These criteria necessitated referral to a body of literature wider than prospective cohort studies alone, especially in criteria 6 to 9. In this analysis, all nine of the Hill's criteria were met for GI and GL indicating that we can be confident of a role for GI and GL as causal factors contributing to incident T2D. In addition, neither dietary fiber nor cereal fiber nor wholegrain were found to be reliable or effective surrogate measures of GI or GL. Finally, our cost-benefit analysis suggests food and nutrition advice favors lower GI or GL and would produce significant potential cost savings in national healthcare budgets. The high confidence in causal associations for incident T2D is sufficient to consider inclusion of GI and GL in food and nutrient-based recommendations.
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