The adsorption of the silane coupling agents N-(2-amino-ethyl)-3-aminopropyl- trimethoxysilane (Z-6020), N-(2-(vinylbenzyl-amino)-ethyl)-3-amino-propyl-trimethoxysilane (Z-6032) and 3-glycidoxy-propyl-trimethoxysilane (Z-6040) onto the surface of kaolinite has been studied using the solvents water and ethanol. The adsorbed silanes were analysed using diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (DRIFT) spectroscopy and FT-Raman spectroscopy. When the silane coupling agents are dissolved in water, silanol groups are formed. Raman spectra of aqueous solutions of the silanes show that condensation of the silanols into oligomers occurred. The peak at 1000 cm-1 assigned to Si–O–Si vibrations indicates that polymerization has occurred. A similar behaviour is observed when the silanes are dissolved in ethanol. The DRIFT spectra show that the silane coupling agents adsorb onto the surface of kaolinite. It is proposed that the oligomers are bonded to the kaolinite surface only by hydrogen bondings with no covalent bonds formed.

In 2010, a marked increase in listeriosis incidence was observed in Finland. Listeria monocytogenes PFGE profile 96 was responsible for one-fifth of the reported cases and a cluster of PFGE profile 62 was also detected. Investigations revealed two fishery production plants with persistent Listeria contamination. It appears likely that the plants were at least partly responsible for the increase of listeriosis. Epidemiological investigation revealed that 57% (31/54) of cases with underlying immunosuppressive condition or medication reported eating gravad or cold-smoked fish. Two public notices were issued by THL and Evira informing which groups were most at risk from the effects of listeriosis and should therefore be cautious in consuming certain products. Systematic sampling of foods and adequate epidemiological investigation methods are required to identify the sources of Listeria infections. Continuous control measures at fishery production plants producing risk products are essential.

Fish consumption is the major dietary source of EPA and DHA, which according to rodent experiments may reduce body fat mass and prevent obesity. Only a few human studies have investigated the association between fish consumption and body-weight gain. We investigated the association between fish consumption and subsequent change in body weight. Women and men (n 344 757) participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition were followed for a median of 5·0 years. Linear and logistic regression were used to investigate the associations between fish consumption and subsequent change in body weight. Among women, the annual weight change was 5·70 (95 % CI 4·35, 7·06), 2·23 (95 % CI 0·16, 4·31) and 11·12 (95 % CI 8·17, 14·08) g/10 g higher total, lean and fatty fish consumption per d, respectively. The OR of becoming overweight in 5 years among women who were normal weight at enrolment was 1·02 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·02), 1·01 (95 % CI 1·00, 1·02) and 1·02 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·04) g/10 g higher total, lean and fatty consumption per d, respectively. Among men, fish consumption was not statistically significantly associated with weight change. Adjustment for potential over- or underestimation of fish consumption did not systematically change the observed associations, but the 95 % CI became wider. The results in subgroups from analyses stratified by age or BMI at enrolment were not systematically different. In conclusion, the present study suggests that fish consumption has no appreciable association with body-weight gain.

A hybrid code has been used for three-dimensional simulations of the stellar wind interaction with the ionosphere of an Earth-sized close-in extrasolar planet. The hybrid code treats electrons as a massless, charge-neutralizing, adiabatic fluid while ions are treated as macroparticles. To study the effects of an expanding ionosphere, a consequence of an expanding atmosphere as for e.g. exoplanet HD 209458 b, we have compared the simulation results for an ordinary stationary ionosphere with the results for an expanding ionosphere. In both cases we can identify bow shock, magnetopause and ion-composition boundary. The expanding ionosphere pushes the bow shock and magnetopause upstream and increases the size of the entire interaction region, creating a large wake behind the planet dominated only by the expanding ionosphere.

The relative contents of the fatty acids 14: 0, 15: 0 and 17: 0 in serum and adipose tissue may be used as biological markers of dairy fat intake. However, the determinants of these fatty acids are not fully understood. This study investigates the relationship between these fatty acids and the intake of macronutrients and physical activity in a cross-sectional study of 301 healthy men aged 61–64 years. Dietary intake was assessed using a pre-coded 7 d food record, and physical activity during the previous year was recorded in an interview. Under-reporters of energy intake were identified by the Goldberg cut-off. Fatty acid composition was determined in serum phospholipids (PL) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT) from the upper buttock. The relative content of each of 14: 0, 15: 0 and 17: 0 in PL and AT was positively associated with the intake of dairy fat. In addition, all three fatty acids were inversely correlated with alcohol intake, R ranging from −0·28 to −0·53 (P<0·001). The results were not markedly affected when under-reporters (n 88) were excluded from the analyses. In both PL and AT, the relative content of the fatty acids was approximately 5% higher in a group of high physical activity compared with a group of low physical activity, although significant trends were only seen for 14: 0 in PL and 17: 0 in AT. The findings suggest that adjustments should be made for alcohol intake when the fatty acids 14: 0, 15: 0 and 17: 0 are applied as markers for dairy fat intake.

Thin epitaxial TiC and VC films and superlattices have been deposited on MgO(001) by simultaneous sputtering of the metals and evaporation of C60. It was found that epitaxial growth conditions for TiC could be maintained down to a temperature of 100 °C, while the epitaxial growth of VC required 200 °C. Epitaxial VC films were completely relaxed at all growth temperatures, while a change from a relaxed to a strained growth behavior was observed for TiC films. The structural quality of the TiC films was better than for the VC films. A general observation was that a plasma-assisted deposition process yields films with a higher quality and allows epitaxial growth at lower temperatures than for a pure coevaporation process.

In recognition of its special interdisciplinary character, IAU Commission 14 is linked directly to the Executive Committee. The Commission’s role is to inform the astronomical community of new developments in the diverse fields of research which involve atoms and molecules. Conversely it endeavors to sensitize the research community active in those fields to the specific needs of astronomy, especially concerning basic data and modeling tools. More generally, Commission 14 tries to foster long term relations and collaborations between the two communities and, when necessary, to alert funding authorities to the specific needs of ground and space based astronomy for specific atomic and molecular data. This report is one of the main contributions of Commission 14 to the information of the astronomical community. Several meetings concerned, at least in part, with the need and availability of atomic and molecular data for astrophysics were also sponsored or co-sponsored. In the last triennium, Commission 14 cosponsored IAU Symposium 194 “Astrochemistry: From Molecular Cloud to Planetary Systems” held in Sogwipo (Korea) from Aug. 23 to 27, 1999 and organized by Commission 34. A Joint Discussion: JD1 on “Atomic and Molecular Data for Astrophysics, New Developments, Case Studies and Future Needs” has been planned for the XXIVth IAU General Assembly in Manchester (Aug. 7-19, 2000) and cosponsored by Commissions 15, 16, 29, 34, 36, 40 and 44. Several other Joint Discussions to be held at the Manchester General Assembly are co-sponsored by this commission.

IRAS 15194-5115 was discovered by IRAS and identified as a carbon star by Meadows et al. (1987). It is the third brightest carbon star at 12 μm, the brighter ones are IRC+10216 and CIT6. Its infrared properties are similar to those of IRC+10216. Le Bertre and Epchtein (1990) have monitored the star in the near-infrared and derived a period of 578 days. The distance to IRAS 15194-5115 is estimated to about 1 kpc from infrared observations, and also by comparing its bolometric luminosity with that of IRC+10216.

1. Selenium status and blood levels of other nutrients related to lipid peroxidation were studied in patients with advanced alcoholic liver cirrhosis, in male alcoholics who had been abstinent for at least 1 month and in healthy control subjects.

2. Plasma Se was decreased in alcoholic cirrhosis but not among alcoholics in abstinence. Platelet glutathione peroxidase (EC 1. 11. 1.9; GSH-Px) activity was decreased in cirrhotic patients, whereas GSH-Px in blood and plasma was the same as in controls for both groups of patients.

3. Plasma retinol and plasma α-tocopherol were decreased in alcoholic cirrhosis, whereas plasma ascorbic acid was the same in all groups.

4. The decreases in platelet GSH-Px, plasma Se and α-tocopherol indicate a deranged antioxidant defence in patients with advanced alcoholic cirrhosis, but the levels of these and other nutrients were generally not correlated to common clinical chemical indicators of liver disease.