Differences in consumption of sugar and sweeteners in two neighbor countries: Lithuania and Poland

Background In connection with attempts to reduce consumption of added sugar, consumption of non-nutritive (or low caloric) sweeteners (NNS) is likely to increse in many countries. In addition to variety of NNS, limited evidence on public health effects related to NNS exist. Thus, it remains important to monitor consumption of added sugar and sweeteners in our societies. As Lithuania and Poland are neighbor countries with similar culture and nutritional habits, the objective of this study was to compare consumption of sweeteners among adults in Lithuania and Poland. Methods A representative sample of Lithuanian population of adults aged 18 to 75 years was formed. A total number of 1008 residents from Lithuania participated. Distribution of them by answers about consumption of added sugar and sweeteners was assessed with respect to results of the survey conducted in central part of Poland where a group of 2000 adult respondents was investigated. Results Majority of respondents in both countries declared consumption of added sugar: 79.3% and 87.4% of Lithuanian and Polish respondents, respectively (p-value less than 0.05). Apart from sugar, majority of the respondents in Lithuania declared consumption of honey or fructose (respectively, 78.1% and 43.4%), consumption of other sweeteners such as saccharin, stevia, corn syrup, aspartame and sucralose were less prevalent (respectively, 30.9%, 18.2%, 9.5%, 9.0%, 3.4%). In Poland, 41.8% of respondents declared consumption of products containing stevia. Distribution of Poles by answers to the question which sweetener they used most often was 26.6%, 23.6%, 15.6%, 12.3% for stevia, xylitol, aspartame and fructose, respectively. Honey, acesulfame K, thaumatin and other substances were used by a lower percentage of Polish respondents. Conclusions Despite cultural similarities consumption of added sugar and sweeteners among adults differed significantly in two neighbor counties: Lithuania and Poland. Key messages In comparison to Lithuania, consumption of added sugar, xylitol and natural non-nutritive but intense sweetener stevia was more prevalent in Poland. In comparison to Poland, consumption of added sugar was less prevalent, but non-intense and high in calories sweeteners were more prevalent in Lithuania.

Seiberg duality, quiver gauge theories, and Ihara’s zeta function

We study Ihara’s zeta function for graphs in the context of quivers arising from gauge theories, especially under Seiberg duality transformations. The distribution of poles is studied as we proceed along the duality tree, in light of the weak and strong graph versions of the Riemann Hypothesis. As a by-product, we find a refined version of Ihara’s zeta function to be the generating function for the generic superpotential of the gauge theory.

Translation, Creation and Annihilation of Poles and Zeros with the Biernacki and Ruscheweyh Operators, Acting on Meijer's G-Functions

Meijer's G-functions are studied by the Biernacki and Ruscheweyh operators. These operators are special cases of the Erdélyi-Kober operators (for m=1). The effect of operators on Meijer's G-functions can be shown as the change in the distribution of poles and zeros on the complex plane. These poles and zeros belong to the integrand, a ratio of gamma functions, defining the Meijer's G-function. Displacement in position and increasing or decreasing in number of poles and zeroes are expressed by the transporter, creator, and annihilator operators. With special glance, three basic univalent Meijer's G-functions, Koebe, and convex functions are considered.

Effect of Poles to the Automatic Control System

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