Proteins have been demonstrated to reduce food intake in animals and humans via peripheral and central mechanisms. Supplementation of a dietetic regimen with single or mixed amino acids might ...represent an approach to improve the effectiveness of any body weight reduction program in obese subjects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of an amino acid mix (L-arginine + L-leucine + L-glutamine + L-tryptophan) on the secretion of some gastrointestinal peptides (i.e., ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide type 1, GLP-1), glucometabolic homeostasis (i.e., glucose, insulin, and glucagon), and appetite (hunger/satiety scored by visual analogue scale, VAS) in obese adolescents (n = 14; 10 females and 4 males; age: 16.6 ± 1.0 years; body mass index (BMI): 36.4 ± 4.6 kg/m²; fat-free mass (FFM): 54.9 ± 4.7%; fat mass (FM): 45.1 ± 4.4%) administered with a fixed-dose (lunch) or ad libitum (dinner) meal. Isocaloric maltodextrins were used as control treatment. During the lunch test, a significant increase in circulating levels of GLP-1, but not of ghrelin, was observed in the amino acid-treated group, which was congruent with significant changes in appetite, i.e., increase in satiety and decrease in hunger. A significant hyperglycemia was found in the maltodextrin-treated group during the prelunch period, without any significant changes in insulin and glucagon between the two groups. During the dinner test, there were no significant differences in appetite (hunger/satiety) and intake of calories. In conclusion, L-arginine, L-leucine, L-glutamine, and L-tryptophan, when administered to obese adolescents with a fixed-dose meal, are capable of evoking an anorexigenic response, which is, at least in part, mediated by an increase in GLP-1 released in circulation by L cells, which are capable of chemosensing specific amino acids present in the intestinal lumen. Further additional studies are requested to understand whether higher doses are necessary to inhibit ad libitum feeding.
Summary
Objective
The effect of eating rate on the release of anorexigenic gut peptides in Prader‐Willi syndrome (PWS), a neurogenetic disorder clinically characterized by hyperphagia and excessive ...obesity, has not been investigated so far.
Design and Patients
Postprandial PYY and GLP‐1 levels to fast (5 min) and slow (30 min) ice cream consumption were measured in PWS adult patients and age‐matched patients with simple obesity and normal‐weighted subjects. Visual analog scales (VASs) were used to evaluate the subjective feelings of hunger and satiety.
Results
Fast ice cream consumption stimulated GLP‐1 release in normal subjects, a greater increase being observed with slow feeding. Fast or slow feeding did not change circulating levels of GLP‐1 in obese patients, while, unexpectedly, fast feeding (but not slow feeding) stimulated GLP‐1 release in PWS patients. Plasma PYY concentrations increased in all groups, irrespective of the eating rate. Slow feeding was more effective in stimulating PYY release in normal subjects, while fast feeding was more effective in PWS patients. Slow feeding evoked a lower hunger and higher satiety compared with fast feeding in normal subjects, this finding being not evident in obese patients. Unexpectedly, fast feeding evoked a lower hunger and higher satiety in PWS patients in comparison with slow feeding.
Conclusions
Fast feeding leads to higher concentrations of anorexigenic gut peptides and favours satiety in PWS adult patients, this pattern being not evident in age‐matched patients with simple obesity, thus suggesting the existence of a different pathophysiological substrate in these two clinical conditions.
The Virgo status Amico, P; Alshourbagy, M; Aoudia, S ...
Classical and Quantum Gravity,
10/2006, Letnik:
23, Številka:
19
Journal Article, Conference Proceeding
Recenzirano
We report on the status of the Virgo detector, under commissioning. We will focus on the last year's activity. The two commissioning runs performed during 2005 allowed us to reach a sensitivity of
h
...∼ 6 × 10
−22
. The data obtained during the runs were used to test a few data analysis algorithms, namely coalescing binaries and burst searches. The main improvements made on the detector during this year will be described, as well as the plans and activities foreseen in the coming years.
Hedonic hunger refers to consumption of food just for pleasure and not to maintain energy homeostasis. Recently, consumption of food for pleasure was reported to be associated with increased ...circulating levels of both the orexigenic peptide ghrelin and the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) in normal-weight subjects. To date, the effects of hedonic hunger, and in particular of chocolate craving, on these mediators in obese subjects are still unknown.
To explore the role of some gastrointestinal orexigenic and anorexigenic peptides and endocannabinoids (and some related congeners) in chocolate consumption, we measured changes in circulating levels of ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), anandamide (AEA), 2-AG, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and oleoylethanolamide (OEA) in 10 satiated severely obese subjects after consumption of chocolate and, on a separate day, of a non-palatable isocaloric food with the same bromatologic composition. Evaluation of hunger and satiety was also performed by visual analogic scale.
The anticipatory phase and the consumption of food for pleasure were associated with increased circulating levels of ghrelin, AEA, 2-AG, and OEA. In contrast, the levels of GLP-1, PYY, and PEA did not differ before and after the exposure/ingestion of either chocolate or non-palatable foods. Hunger and satiety were higher and lower, respectively, in the hedonic session than in the non-palatable one.
When motivation to eat is generated by exposure to, and consumption of, chocolate a peripheral activation of specific endogenous rewarding chemical signals, including ghrelin, AEA, and 2-AG, is observed in obese subjects. Although preliminary, these findings predict the effectiveness of ghrelin and endocannabinoid antagonists in the treatment of obesity.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, FSPLJ, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
ObjectiveEating slowly increases the postprandial responses of some anorexigenic gut hormones in healthy lean subjects. As the rate of food intake is positively associated with obesity, the aim of ...the study was to determine whether eating the same meal at different rates evokes different postprandial anorexigenic responses in obese adolescent and adult subjects.Design and methodsEighteen obese adolescents and adults were enrolled. A test meal was consumed on two different sessions by each subject, meal duration taking either 5 min (fast feeding) or 30 min (slow feeding). Circulating levels of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1), peptide YY (PYY), glucose, insulin, and triglycerides were measured over 210 min. Visual analog scales were used to evaluate the subjective feelings of hunger and satiety.ResultsFast feeding did not stimulate GLP1 release in obese adolescent and adults, whereas slow feeding increased circulating levels of GLP1 only in obese adolescents. Plasma PYY concentrations increased both in obese adolescents and in adults, irrespective of the eating rate, but slow feeding was more effective in stimulating PYY release in obese adolescents than in adults. Simultaneously, slow feeding evoked a higher satiety only in obese adolescents compared with fast feeding but not in obese adults. In obese adolescents, slow feeding decreased hunger (only at 210 min). Irrespective of the eating rate, postprandial responses of insulin and triglycerides were higher in obese adults than in obese adolescents. Conclusion: Slow feeding leads to higher concentrations of anorexigenic gut peptides and favors satiety in obese adolescents, but this physiological control of food intake is lost in obese adults.
The increasing presence of documented and undocumented migrants increases the commitment of the Italian National Health Service to their health needs, following its founding principle of equity. In ...particular, chronic diseases, such as diabetes, represent a crucial area where patients' health is affected by their adherence to care pathways, for which the recent literature has reported alarming low levels. In the case of migrants, obstacles to adherence, such as language or organizational barriers, could be overcome thanks also to charitable organizations providing healthcare services. In this study, we aimed to compare the adherence among documented and undocumented migrants who received healthcare services in Milan, Italy, either from the National Health Service (NHS) or from a charitable organization. We identified a cohort of newly taken into care diabetic patients composed of two groups: (i) documented migrants that attend the NHS; and (ii) undocumented migrants that attend a charity. Information was tracked by merging two datasets: the regional healthcare information system of Lombardy, and a unique dataset that collects data on specialistic visits and pharmaceutical prescriptions for all people visiting one of the most prominent charitable organizations in Italy. The annual diabetologist visit was used as the measure of adherence. The probability of being adherent was compared among the two groups by using a multivariate log-binomial regression model, considering a set of personal characteristics that may impact health behaviors. The cohort comprised 6429 subjects. The percentage of adherence was 52% among the documented migrants, and 74% among the undocumented. Regression results confirmed this pattern: undocumented patients have an increased probability of being adherent by 1.19 times (95% CI: 1.12 to 1.26) compared to documented ones. Our study revealed the potentiality of charitable organizations in guaranteeing continuity of care to undocumented migrants. We argue that this mechanism would benefit from central coordination by the government.
The next generation gravitational wave interferometric detectors will likely be underground detectors to extend the GW detection frequency band to frequencies below the Newtonian noise limit. ...Newtonian noise originates from the continuous motion of the Earth’s crust driven by human activity, tidal stresses and seismic motion, and from mass density fluctuations in the atmosphere. It is calculated that on Earth’s surface, on a typical day, it will exceed the expected GW signals at frequencies below 10 Hz. The noise will decrease underground by an unknown amount. It is important to investigate and to quantify this expected reduction and its effect on the sensitivity of future detectors, to plan for further improvement strategies. We report about some of these aspects. Analytical models can be used in the simplest scenarios to get a better qualitative and semi-quantitative understanding. As more complete modeling can be done numerically, we will discuss also some results obtained with a finite-element-based modeling tool. The method is verified by comparing its results with the results of analytic calculations for surface detectors. A key point about noise models is their initial parameters and conditions, which require detailed information about seismic motion in a real scenario. We will describe an effort to characterize the seismic activity at the Homestake mine which is currently in progress. This activity is specifically aimed to provide informations and to explore the site as a possible candidate for an underground observatory. Although the only compelling reason to put the interferometer underground is to reduce the Newtonian noise, we expect that the more stable underground environment will have a more general positive impact on the sensitivity. We will end this report with some considerations about seismic and suspension noise.
Monolithic geometric anti-spring blades Cella, G.; Sannibale, V.; DeSalvo, R. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
03/2005, Letnik:
540, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
In this article we investigate the principle and properties of a vertical passive seismic noise attenuator conceived for ground based gravitational wave interferometers. This mechanical attenuator ...based on a particular geometry of cantilever blades called monolithic geometric anti springs (MGAS) permits the design of mechanical harmonic oscillators with very low resonant frequency (below 10
mHz).
Here we address the theoretical description of the mechanical device, focusing on the most important quantities for the low-frequency regime, on the distribution of internal stresses, and on the thermal stability. In order to obtain physical insight of the attenuator peculiarities, we devise some simplified models, rather than use the brute force of finite element analysis. Those models have been used to optimize the design of a seismic attenuation system prototype for LIGO advanced configurations and for the next generation of the TAMA interferometer.
Drugs Delivery by Charities Bini, S; Clavenna, A; Rigamonti, AE ...
Journal of immigrant and minority health,
12/2017, Letnik:
19, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Describing the health status of a population is difficult, especially in the case of irregular migrants who are now a growing population in western Countries. Data for children of these families are ...almost inexistent. In the absence of databases on this peculiar pediatric population, we analyzed drugs dispensation by a major Charity to have an insight into their health needs. This observational retrospective study was carried out during the entire 2015 and enrolled 628 undocumented children. A cohort of 8438 adult patients belonging to the same ethnic groups was used for comparison. Respiratory drugs were those most commonly prescribed, followed by those for skin and ocular diseases and by those for gastrointestinal disorders. Also in adults respiratory medications were the most dispensed, but almost in equal measure than cardiovascular drugs. To our knowledge this is the first study on the health needs of undocumented children residing in a western Country. The method we used seems to be a useful method for epidemiological analysis. As could be expected, respiratory and skin diseases ranked first, possibly owing to environmental factors.
Mucoactive drugs are commonly used in the treatment of acute respiratory tract diseases, such as lower and acute respiratory infection and chronic bronchitis (CB) or chronic obstructive pulmonary ...disease (COPD) in which an increased mucus secretion is one of main clinical features. Indeed these drugs are designed to promote secretion clearance and to specifically alter the viscoelastic properties of mucus, restoring an effective mucociliary clearance and reducing broncho-obstructive symptoms. In association with mucolytics, these patients frequently also receive antibiotics to reduce the bacterial load, thus decreasing the release of infectious and pro-inflammatory products. Erdosteine is one of the most used mucoactive agents for the treatment of several respiratory diseases where the overlap of bacterial infection is frequent. Although the effectiveness in the reducing mucus in acute and chronic respiratory disease has been demonstrated for others mucolytic, some of them when given in combination with an antibiotic therapy, could reduce the antibiotic efficacy in some situation. Differently, erdosteine potentiates the antibiotic effect when given in combination with antibiotics. We have reviewed the literature available on both clinical and in vitro studies that have investigated this effect of erdosteine on the effect of antibiotics when used as combined therapy.
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