Consumption of traditional foods is decreasing amid a lifestyle transition in Greenland as incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) increases. In homozygous carriers of a TBC1D4 variant, conferring postprandial insulin resistance, the risk of T2D is markedly higher. We investigated the effects of traditional marine diets on glucose homoeostasis and cardio-metabolic health in Greenlandic Inuit carriers and non-carriers of the variant in a randomised crossover study consisting of two 4-week dietary interventions: Traditional (marine-based, low-carbohydrate) and Western (high in imported meats and carbohydrates). Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT, 2-h), 14-d continuous glucose and cardio-metabolic markers were assessed to investigate the effect of diet and genotype. Compared with the Western diet, the Traditional diet reduced mean and maximum daily blood glucose by 0·17 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·05, 0·29; P = 0·006) and 0·26 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·06, 0·46; P = 0·010), respectively, with dose-dependency. Furthermore, it gave rise to a weight loss of 0·5 kg (95 % CI; 0·09, 0·90; P = 0·016) relative to the Western diet and 4 % (95 % CI 1, 9; P = 0·018) lower LDL:HDL-cholesterol, which after adjustment for weight loss appeared to be driven by HDL elevation (0·09 mmol/l (0·03, 0·15), P = 0·006). A diet–gene interaction was indicated on insulin sensitivity in the OGTT (p = 0·093), which reflected a non-significant increase of 1·4 (–0·6, 3·5) mmol/l in carrier 2-h glucose. A Traditional diet marginally improved daily glycaemic control and plasma lipid profile compared with a Westernised diet in Greenlandic Inuit. Possible adverse effects on glucose tolerance in carriers of the TBC1D4 variant warrant further studies.

Research in biologically-inspired design (BID) practice often focus on team composition or ideation based on an already discovered fascinating biological solution principle. However, how are the outcome of the early design phases affecting BID projects' quality?

In this study, historical data from 91 reports from student teams documenting their BID efforts from a 3-week course constitute the data source. Thus, the relationship between design problem types, function types, functions descriptions and BID projects' quality is addressed.

The study show that especially design problem types and function descriptions affect the BID projects' quality. For instance, BID projects dealing with open-ended problems yield better results than redesign problems with existing solutions operating in a very domain-limited solution space. Next, BID projects obtain the best results when using functions as drivers for analogy searching rather than properties. Finally, BID projects with certain function types seem to have more complicated conceptualization phases.

DHA from diet or endogenous synthesis has been proposed to affect infant development, however, results are inconclusive. In this study, we aim to verify previously observed fatty acid desaturase gene cluster (FADS) SNP-specific associations with erythrocyte DHA status in 9-month-old children and sex-specific association with developmental outcomes. The study was performed in 166 children (55 % boys) of obese mothers. Erythrocyte fatty acid composition was analysed in blood-samples obtained at 9 months of age, and developmental outcomes assessed by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire at 3 years. Erythrocyte DHA level ranged from 4·4 to 9·9 % of fatty acids, but did not show any association with FADS SNP or other potential determinants. Regression analysis showed associations between erythrocyte DHA and scores for personal–social skills (β 1·8 (95 % CI 0·3, 3·3), P=0·019) and problem solving (β 3·4 (95 % CI 1·2, 5·6), P=0·003). A tendency was observed for an association in opposite direction between minor alleles (G-variant) of rs1535 and rs174575 and personal–social skills (P=0·062 and 0·068, respectively), which became significant when the SNP were combined based on their previously observed effect on erythrocyte DHA at 9 months of age (β 2·6 (95 % CI 0·01, 5·1), P=0·011). Sex–SNP interaction was indicated for rs174575 genotype on fine motor scores (P=0·016), due to higher scores among minor allele carrying girls (P=0·043), whereas no effect was seen among boys. In conclusion, DHA-increasing FADS SNP and erythrocyte DHA status were consistently associated with improved personal–social skills in this small cohort of children of obese mothers irrespective of sex, but the sample was too small to verify potential sex-specific effects.

The gut microbiota has been implicated in obesity and its progression towards metabolic disease. Dietary interventions that target the gut microbiota have been suggested to improve metabolic health. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of interventions with Lactobacillus paracasei F19 or flaxseed mucilage on the gut microbiota and metabolic risk markers in obesity. A total of fifty-eight obese postmenopausal women were randomised to a single-blinded, parallel-group intervention of 6-week duration, with a daily intake of either L. paracasei F19 (9·4 × 1010 colony-forming units), flaxseed mucilage (10 g) or placebo. Quantitative metagenomic analysis of faecal DNA was performed to identify the changes in the gut microbiota. Diet-induced changes in metabolic markers were explored using adjusted linear regression models. The intake of flaxseed mucilage over 6 weeks led to a reduction in serum C-peptide and insulin release during an oral glucose tolerance test (P< 0·05) and improved insulin sensitivity measured by Matsuda index (P< 0·05). Comparison of gut microbiota composition at baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention with flaxseed mucilage showed alterations in abundance of thirty-three metagenomic species (P< 0·01), including decreased relative abundance of eight Faecalibacterium species. These changes in the microbiota could not explain the effect of flaxseed mucilage on insulin sensitivity. The intake of L. paracasei F19 did not modulate metabolic markers compared with placebo. In conclusion, flaxseed mucilage improves insulin sensitivity and alters the gut microbiota; however, the improvement in insulin sensitivity was not mediated by the observed changes in relative abundance of bacterial species.

LiBH4 and MgH2 both have high gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage densities. Unfortunately, their commercial application is prevented by high thermal stability and unfavorable thermodynamic properties. Combining the two hydrides leads to a new decomposition pathway with suitable enthalpy of reaction. However, the kinetics for hydrogen release remains an obstacle but can be improved by nanoconfinement in nano porous carbon materials. Here we report on nanoconfinement of 2LiBH4-MgH2 in Ni functionalized carbon aerogels. 11B MAS NMR reveals that the nanoconfined hydrides react reversibly with hydrogen whereas simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry and mass spectroscopy clearly show that nanoconfinement facilitates lower hydrogen release temperatures than ball milling. Furthermore, Ni functionalization of the nanoporous aerogel leads to even lower hydrogen release temperatures from nanoconfined 2LiBH4-MgH2.

A method of workspace modelling for spherical parallel manipulators (SPMs) of symmetrical architecture is developed by virtue of Euler parameters in the paper. The adoption of Euler parameters in the expression of spatial rotations of SPMs helps not only to eliminate the possible singularity in the rotation matrix, but also to formulate all equations in polynomials, which are more easily manipulated. Moreover, a homogeneous workspace can be obtained with Euler parameters for the SPMs, which facilitates the evaluation of dexterity. In this work, the problem of workspace modelling and analysis is formulated in terms of Euler parameters. An equation dealing with boundary surfaces is derived and branches of boundary surface are identified. Evaluation of dexterity is explored to quantitatively describe the capability of a manipulator to attain orientations. The singularity identification is also addressed. Examples are included to demonstrate the application of the proposed method.

Peat deposits in Greenland and Denmark were investigated to show that high-resolution dating of these archives of atmospheric deposition can be provided for the last 50 years by radiocarbon dating using the atmospheric bomb pulse. 14C was determined in macrofossils from sequential one cm slices using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Values were calibrated with a general-purpose curve derived from annually averaged atmospheric 14CO2 values in the northernmost northern hemisphere (NNH, 30°–90°N). We present a thorough review of 14C bomb-pulse data from the NNH including our own measurements made in tree rings and seeds from Arizona as well as other previously published data. We show that our general-purpose calibration curve is valid for the whole NNH producing accurate dates within 1–2 years. In consequence, 14C AMS can precisely date individual points in recent peat deposits within the range of the bomb-pulse (from the mid-1950s on). Comparing the 14C AMS results with the customary dating method for recent peat profiles by 210Pb, we show that the use of 137Cs to validate and correct 210Pb dates proves to be more problematic than previously supposed.

As a unique example of our technique, we show how this chronometer can be applied to identify temporal changes in Hg concentrations from Danish and Greenland peat cores.

The present rat balance study investigated Ca availability from the whole indigenous small fish species, mola (Amblypharyngodon mola) from Bangladesh and from skimmed milk. Four groups of six young male rats each were fed ad libitum with diets containing either small fish or milk, at 100 or 160 g crude protein/kg diet dry matter. The study was conducted for 28 d and faeces and urine samples were collected in two balance periods: days 8–14 and 22–28. The Ca and N contents of the diets, faeces and urine were analysed. Ca intake, fractional Ca absorption and Ca retention in relation to N retention were measured. Digestibility and protein utilization of the experimental diets, weight gain of the rats, femur bone weight and mineral composition as well as bone alkaline phosphatase activity were also determined. It was concluded from the values of these variables that Ca from small fish with bones was available and appeared to be a useful Ca source in rats, though perhaps not as available as Ca from milk. This study suggests that small fish with bones may be an important source of Ca in human diets. Promotion of the production and consumption of small fish in population groups with low intakes of milk and milk products should therefore be encouraged.