BACKGROUND: Intentional weight loss in obese older adults is a risk factor for muscle loss and sarcopenia.OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine the effect of a high whey protein-, leucine-, and vitamin D-enriched supplement on muscle mass preservation during intentional weight loss in obese older adults.DESIGN: We included 80 obese older adults in a double-blind randomized controlled trial. During a 13-wk weight loss program, all subjects followed a hypocaloric diet (-600 kcal/d) and performed resistance training 3×/wk. Subjects were randomly allocated to a high whey protein-, leucine-, and vitamin D-enriched supplement including a mix of other macro- and micronutrients (150 kcal, 21 g protein; 10×/wk, intervention group) or an isocaloric control. The primary outcome was change in appendicular muscle mass. The secondary outcomes were body composition, handgrip strength, and physical performance. Data were analyzed by using ANCOVA and mixed linear models with sex and baseline value as covariates.RESULTS: At baseline, mean ± SD age was 63 ± 5.6 y, and body mass index (in kg/m(2)) was 33 ± 4.4. During the trial, protein intake was 1.11 ± 0.28 g · kg body weight(-1) · d(-1) in the intervention group compared with 0.85 ± 0.24 g · kg body weight(-1) · d(-1) in the control group (P < 0.001). Both intervention and control groups decreased in body weight (-3.4 ± 3.6 kg and -2.8 ± 2.8 kg; both P < 0.001) and fat mass (-3.2 ± 3.1 kg and -2.5 ± 2.4 kg; both P < 0.001), with no differences between groups. The 13-wk change in appendicular muscle mass, however, was different in the intervention and control groups [+0.4 ± 1.2 kg and -0.5 ± 2.1 kg, respectively; β = 0.95 kg (95% CI: 0.09, 1.81); P = 0.03]. Muscle strength and function improved over time without significant differences between groups.CONCLUSION: A high whey protein-, leucine-, and vitamin D-enriched supplement compared with isocaloric control preserves appendicular muscle mass in obese older adults during a hypocaloric diet and resistance exercise program and might therefore reduce the risk of sarcopenia. This trial was registered at the Dutch Trial Register (http://www.trialregister.nl) as NTR2751.
DBELA is a Displacement-Based Earthquake Loss Assessment methodology for urban areas which relates the displacement capacity of the building stock to the displacement demand from earthquake scenarios. The building stock is modeled as a random population of building classes with varying geometrical and material properties. The period of vibration of each building in the random population is calculated using a simplified equation based on the height of the building and building type, whilst the displacement capacity at different limit states is predicted using simple equations which are a function of the randomly simulated geometrical and material properties. The displacement capacity of each building is then compared to the displacement demand obtained, from an over-damped displacement spectrum, using its period of vibration; the proportion of buildings which exceed each damage state can thus be estimated. DBELA has been calibrated to the Turkish building stock following the collection of a large database of structural characteristics of buildings from the northern Marmara region. The probabilistic distributions for each of the structural characteristics (e.g. story height, steel properties etc.) have been defined using the aforementioned database. The methodology has then been applied to predict preliminary damage distributions and social losses for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality for a Mw 7.5 scenario earthquake.
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Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and its key role in modulating immune responses has been widely recognized as a therapeutic target for inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Even though inhibition of TNF-α is beneficial for the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases, total neutralization of TNF-α largely failed in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. TNF-α exerts distinct functions depending on interaction with its two TNF receptors, whereby TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) is associated with neuroinflammation and apoptosis and TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) with neuroprotection and immune regulation. Here, we investigated the effect of administering the TNFR1-specific antagonist Atrosimab, as strategy to block TNFR1 signaling while maintaining TNFR2 signaling unaltered, in an acute mouse model for neurodegeneration. In this model, a NMDA-induced lesion that mimics various hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases, such as memory loss and cell death, was created in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis and Atrosimab or control protein was administered centrally. We showed that Atrosimab attenuated cognitive impairments and reduced neuroinflammation and neuronal cell death. Our results demonstrate that Atrosimab is effective in ameliorating disease symptoms in an acute neurodegenerative mouse model. Altogether, our study indicates that Atrosimab may be a promising candidate for the development of a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.Keywords: Neuroimmunology ; Neurological disorders ; Pharmaceutics ; Tumour-necrosis factors
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Human kind has a major impact on the state of life on Earth, mainly caused by habitat destruction, fragmentation and pollution related to agricultural land use and industrialization. Biodiversity is dominated by insects (~50%). Insects are vital for ecosystems through ecosystem engineering and controlling properties, such as soil formation and nutrient cycling, pollination, and in food webs as prey or controlling predator or parasite. Reducing insect diversity reduces resilience of ecosystems and increases risks of non-performance in soil fertility, pollination and pest suppression. Insects are under threat. Worldwide 41 % of insect species are in decline, 33% species threatened with extinction, and a co-occurring insect biomass loss of 2.5% per year. In Germany, insect biomass in natural areas surrounded by agriculture was reduced by 76% in 27 years. Nature inclusive agriculture and agri-environmental schemes aim to mitigate these kinds of effects. Protection measures need success indicators. Insects are excellent for biodiversity assessments, even with small landscape adaptations. Measuring insect biodiversity however is not easy. We aim to use new automated recognition techniques by machine learning with neural networks, to produce algorithms for fast and insightful insect diversity indexes. Biodiversity can be measured by indicative species (groups). We use three groups: 1) Carabid beetles (are top predators); 2) Moths (relation with host plants); 3) Flying insects (multiple functions in ecosystems, e.g. parasitism). The project wants to design user-friendly farmer/citizen science biodiversity measurements with machine learning, and use these in comparative research in 3 real life cases as proof of concept: 1) effects of agriculture on insects in hedgerows, 2) effects of different commercial crop production systems on insects, 3) effects of flower richness in crops and grassland on insects, all measured with natural reference situations
De bouw- en vastgoedmarkt is na de crisis noodgedwongen meer vraaggestuurd geworden. Architecten, bouwbedrijven en projectontwikkelaars zijn daarom op zoek naar hoogwaardige oplossingen voor de realisatie van duurzame gebouwen. Toeleverende mkb-bedrijven zien een toenemende behoefte aan biobased materialen met lagere milieuimpact en extra functionaliteit, waaronder smart functions. Maar zij weten niet goed hoe ze dit moeten realiseren. Voor deze bedrijven is de ontwikkeling van duurzame producten met meer toegevoegde waarde niet vrijblijvend. Door de toenemende concurrentie vanuit lage loonlanden rondom bulkproducten en de toenemende regelgeving is een dergelijke ontwikkeling noodzakelijk voor hun voortbestaan. Een groep van bedrijven is via TNO in aanraking gekomen met polypyrrol, een biopolymeer met een aantal voor bouwproducten zeer interessante eigenschappen. Door biobased dragermaterialen met milieuvriendelijke polypyrrol te behandelen ontstaan materialen met meerdere functies. Doelstelling: Toeleverende mkb-bedrijven willen graag exploreren hoe zij met polypyrrol meer functies in duurzame biomaterialen kunnen introduceren en daarmee nieuwe (smart) biobased materials & products kunnen leveren aan architecten, bouwbedrijven en projectontwikkelaars. Architecten en projectontwikkelaars willen deze materialen en producten graag toepassen. Betrokken mkb-bedrijven: toeleverende bedrijven (producenten en handelaren van additieven, grondstoffen en halffabrikaten) en toepassende bedrijven (architecten, adviseurs, bouwbedrijven, projectontwikkelaars). Resultaat van dit project: een overzicht van mogelijkheden voor het toevoegen van (smart) functions aan met polypyrrol behandelde biobased materialen (hout, bamboe en biocomposieten). Relevante functies worden verder verkend op hun potentie voor de bouw, zoals bijvoorbeeld de potentie van het licht elektrisch geleidend vermogen voor vochtsensoring en stralingsabsorptie. Een deel van de functies wordt doorontwikkeld zodat zij gereed zijn voor toepassing in bouwproducten (denk aan UV bescherming, schimmelwering, brandwerendheid). Deze worden getest in proefopstellingen en een pilotgebouw. Mogelijke (technologische) drempels voor de toepassing worden zo veel mogelijk opgelost. Daarnaast worden nieuwe ketens van bedrijven gevormd om de nieuwe materialen en producten te realiseren.
