Previous studies have suggested that vegetarianism can result in a reduction of vitamin B12 circulating levels. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a 3-month dietary intervention with a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet (VD) on the levels of circulating vitamin B12 in a group of omnivores. We analysed fifty-four omnivorous subjects who followed a VD as a first dietary intervention within the CARDIVEG (Cardiovascular Prevention with Vegetarian Diet) study, a dietary intervention study. VD resulted in a significant reduction (P<0·001) of 51·2 % of vitamin B12 intake and in a significant reduction (P=0·005) of 6·2 % of the circulating levels of vitamin B12 (–24·5 pg/ml). Changes in vitamin B12 intake were significantly correlated with changes in circulating levels of vitamin B12 (R 0·61, P<0·001). Subgroup analyses showed that reduction in circulating vitamin B12 levels was more evident in participants who were younger, overweight, non-smokers and had hypercholesterolaemia. A logistic regression analysis showed that a reduction in vitamin B12 intake greater than the first quartile of the delta changes obtained in the study population (–28·5 %) conferred a significantly higher risk of experiencing a decrease in circulating vitamin B12 levels (OR 10·1; 95 % CI 1·3, 76·1). In conclusion, a 3-month VD period determined a significant reduction in circulating levels of vitamin B12, being significantly correlated with the reduction in vitamin B12 intake. Although a well-planned VD can provide adequate nutrition across all life stages, special care must be taken to ensure adequate vitamin B12 intake and to help prevent deficiency.

A series of clinopyroxenes along the CaMgSi2O6–CaCoSi2O6 join was synthesized by quenching from melts at 1500°C and subsequent annealing at 1250°C (at 0.0001 GPa). This protocol proved to be the most effective to obtain homogenous, impurity-free and stoichiometric pyroxenes. Electron microprobe analyses in energy dispersive mode were conducted and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data were collected on Ca (CoxMg1-x)Si2O6 pyroxenes with x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6. Effects of cation substitution at the M1 site are described. The experimental findings of this study allow us to extend the comparative analysis of the structural features of pyroxenes with divalent cations at the M1 and M2 sites.

We have recently developed a set of equations of state based on the nuclear energy density functional theory providing a unified description of the different regions constituting the interior of neutron stars and magnetars. The nuclear functionals, which were constructed from generalized Skyrme effective nucleon-nucleon interactions, yield not only an excellent fit to essentially all experimental atomic mass data but were also constrained to reproduce the neutron-matter equation of state as obtained from realistic many-body calculations.

We study the impact of a hadron-quark phase transition on the maximum neutron-star mass. The hadronic part of the equation of state relies on the most up-to-date Skyrme nuclear energy density functionals, fitted to essentially all experimental nuclear mass data and constrained to reproduce the properties of infinite nuclear matter as obtained from microscopic calculations using realistic forces. We show that the softening of the dense matter equation of state due to the phase transition is not necessarily incompatible with the existence of massive neutron stars like PSR J1614–2230.

The recent site testing pointed out the potential of Dome C for Next Generation Optical Interferometer. KEOPS (Kilo parsec Explorer Optical Planet Search) is proposed in a context which also considere the post VLTI perspectives. This interferometer will be composed of 36 telescopes with a maximal baseline of 1 km. This instrument will open new horizons: stellar imaging, circumstellar environment studies, extra solar planet detection, Earth like planet search. The possibility of observations in double field mode takes advantage of the large isopistonic angle to give acces to faint object (see Elhalkouj 2006). It allows active galactic nuclei and cosmological observations. The achievement of that project implies different steps. The first one could be MYKERINOS, proposed by LUAN. This prototype interferometer, composed to 3 telescopes of 40 cm, demonstrate technological feasibility, complete the specific site characterisation and contribute to validate the scientific program objectives.

IRAN is a method of beam-combination in the hypertelescope imaging technique recently introduced by Labeyrie in optical interferometry. We propose to observe the interferometric image in the pupil plane, performing multi-axial pupil plane interferometry. Imaging is performed in a combined pupil-plane where the point-source intensity distribution (PSID) tends towards a pseudo Airy disc for a sufficiently large number of telescopes. The image is concentrated into the limited support of the output pupil of the individual telescopes, in which the object-image convolution relation is conserved. Specific deconvolution algorithms have been developped for IRAN hypertelescope imagery, based upon Lucy-like iterative techniques. We show that the classical (image plane) and IRAN (pupil plane) hypertelescope imaging techniques are equivalent if one uses optical fibers for beam transportation. An application to the VLT/VIDA concept is presented.

Recent progress in modeling type Ia supernovae by means of 3-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations as well as several of the still open questions are addressed. Our models are based on the assumption that thermonuclear burning inside a Chandrasekhar-mass C+O white dwarf is similar to turbulent chemical combustion and that, thus, thermonuclear supernovae can be modeled by means of numerical methods which have been developed and tested for laboratory and technical flames. It is shown that the new models have considerable predictive power and allow to study observable properties of type Ia supernovae, such as their light curves and spectra, without adjustable non-physical parameters, and they make firm predictions for the nucleosynthesis yields from the explosions. This raises a quest for better data, covering the spectroscopical and photometric evolution in all wave bands from very early epochs all the way into the nebular phase. First such results obtained by the European Supernova Collaboration (ESC) for a sample of nearby SNe Ia and their implications for constraining the models and systematic differences between them are also discussed.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often suffer from weight loss. The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the energy balance of depleted ambulatory COPD patients, in relation to their habitual level of physical activity and consumption of oral nutritional supplements. Clinically stable and weight-stable patients (n 20; BMI 19·8± SD 2·0 kg/m2) were studied 1 and 3 months after rehabilitation or recovery in the clinic and were at random assigned to a control or intervention group with regard to nutritional supplementation. Energy intake was measured with a 7 d food record. Energy expenditure was estimated from a simultaneous 7 d assessment of physical activity with a tri-axial accelerometer for movement registration in combination with measured BMR. Body mass was measured at several time points. The body mass remained stable in both groups after 1 or 3 months and mean energy balances were comparable for both groups. The mean body-mass change between month 1 and 3 was negatively related to the mean physical activity level (r −0·49; P=0·03). Weight change over the 3 months was negatively associated with the physical activity level. These results suggest that knowledge about the individual physical activity level is necessary for the estimation of the energy need of the COPD patient.

We present a case of accidental epidural administration of potassium chloride, which was diagnosed by clinical signs. The genesis of symptoms and signs following such administration is discussed and compared with other published reports.