J. D.

Background Progressive Resistance Training (PRT) and adequate dietary protein are crucial for preventing and managing sarcopenia and frailty in older adults. To date, the optimal intensity of PRT and the added value of dietary protein for enhancing muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in frail older adults remain unclear. This randomised controlled trial aims to determine the efficacy of various PRT intensities and adequate dietary protein intake in improving muscle mass, strength and physical performance in frail, community-dwelling older adults. Methods This study is a two-step randomised clinical trial involving 300 frail older adults. Participants will engage in a 12-week PRT twice weekly. Initially, participants will be randomised to specific training intensities, ranging from 20 to 80% of their one-repetition maximum (1-RM). Subsequently, participants will be further randomised into two groups: an intervention group receiving a dietary intervention targeting a daily protein intake of 1.2–1.5 g/kg/day (PRT-Pro), and a control group with no dietary intervention (PRT-only). The dietary protein intervention will include counselling sessions and the provision of protein-rich foods. Discussion This study aims to elucidate the effect of various PRT intensities and the supplementary effects of adequate dietary protein intake on muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in frail older adults. The results will provide critical insights for scientists and healthcare professionals, facilitating the development of more effective strategies to combat sarcopenia and frailty in this population. Trial registration The trial is registered at the ICTRP (OMON trial ID NL8785).

AGU Publications

The study of meson pairs produced with quantum correlations gives direct access to parameters that are challenging to measure in other systems. In this Letter, the existence of quantum correlations due to charge-conjugation symmetry $C$ are demonstrated in $D\overline{D}$ pairs produced through the processes ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}D\overline{D}$, ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{D}^{*}\overline{D}$, and ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{D}^{*}{\overline{D}}^{*}$, where the lack of charge superscripts refers to an admixture of neutral-charm-meson particle and antiparticle states, using $7.13\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{fb}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ collision data collected by the BESIII experiment between center-of-mass energies of 4.13--4.23 GeV. Processes with either $C$-even or $C$-odd constraints are identified and separated. A procedure is presented that harnesses the entangled production process to enable measurements of ${D}^{0}$-meson hadronic parameters. This Letter provides the first confirmation of quantum correlations in ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}XD\overline{D}$ processes and the first observation of a $C$-even constrained $D\overline{D}$ system. The procedure is applied to measure ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{K\ensuremath{\pi}}^{D}$, the strong phase between the ${D}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ and ${\overline{D}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ decay amplitudes, which results in the determination of ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{K\ensuremath{\pi}}^{D}=({192.8}_{\ensuremath{-}12.4\ensuremath{-}2.4}^{+11.0+1.9})\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$. The potential for measurements of other hadronic decay parameters and charm mixing with these and future datasets is also discussed.

Exotic quasiparticle states have been proposed in mixed-valent compounds exhibiting valence transitions. However, clear spectroscopic evidence identifying these states has remained elusive. Using synchrotron-based hard x-ray and extreme ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, we have probed the Tm $3d$ and $4f$ emissions in ${\mathrm{TmSe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Te}}_{x}$, where a Te concentration-dependent semimetal--insulator transition occurs alongside the valence transition. Our photoemission results, which are characteristic of the bulk, track this combined transition across the critical concentration (${x}_{c}=0.29$). Notably, our results reveal a noninteger valence for the insulating phase and a novel quasiparticle excitation in the semimetallic phase: a Holstein polaron that extends beyond the standard periodic Anderson model.

A hypercaloric diet is associated with oxidative stress and the dysfunction of ATP-Binding Cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a key element in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) biogenesis and reverse cholesterol transport. Nicotinamide (NAM) presents antioxidant properties, which may contribute to maintaining lipid metabolism. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of NAM on HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) level, oxidative stress markers, and the gene expression and protein levels of ABCA1 in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a hypercaloric diet. Forty male rats were divided into five groups: one group received a standard diet, and the remaining groups received a single high-fat, high-fructose diet (HFDF). Three of the HFDF groups received NAM treatment (5, 10, and 15 mM) in drinking water for 16 weeks (5 h/day). While HDL-C and oxidative stress were measured in serum samples, oxidative stress markers, and the gene expression and protein levels of ABCA1 were quantified in liver samples. The HDL-C level altered by the HFDF was improved by treatment with NAM. Furthermore, NAM reduces systemic lipid peroxidation levels and enhances the hepatic antioxidant response affected by the HFDF. In addition, NAM modulates the hepatic ABCA1 gene expression and protein level, altered by the HFDF. Our results suggest that NAM may modify the serum HDL-C level by an improvement of antioxidant response, and a possible modulation of the hepatic ABCA1 gene and protein expression. Further metabolic and molecular studies are needed to support the potential therapeutic role of NAM to prevent or treat lipid alterations promoted by a hypercaloric diet.

Doridoidean nudibranch mollusks integrate into their integumentary system, thus, into their body-wall tissue, large quantities of Ca-carbonate spicules. We report the chemical and structural characterization of the body-wall spicules of the sea slug Baptodoris cinnabarina (Discodorididae, Doridida). The aim of the study was an in-depth characterization of the spicule mineral and of the soft tissue within the spicules. We achieved the latter by using a combination of imaging (TEM, SEM, micro-CT), diffraction (XRD, EBSD, SAED) and spectroscopical (ssNMR, EDS) techniques. We demonstrate that the spicule mineral consists of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), complemented with amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP). The amorphous minerals are very stable and do not crystallize, even not at prolonged electron beam irradiation. We distinguish structural and chemical differences between the rim and the core portions of the spicules. The spicule rim consists of an array of concentric organic laminae and is reinforced with ACC and ACP granules. At the spicule rim the organic laminae are closely positioned, while at the spicule core the laminae are widely spaced. The spicule rim is strongly enriched in phosphorous and has increased magnesium contents, while the spicule core is highly enriched in magnesium and has low phosphorous contents. We observe in the spicules a rather graded distribution of ACP, ACC, organic substance, phosphate and magnesium. We propose that magnesium, organic substance and the phosphorous of the ACP stabilize spicule ACC, both within the living organism as well as when the spicules are extracted from the soft tissue and are kept separate.

Subtle orbital shifts prompted deep imaging of near-Earth object 1998 SH2, which uncovered a weak tail and confirmed cometary activity. The result indicates that more near-Earth objects currently classified as asteroids may also exhibit hidden low-level activity.