Summary
Background
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are almost three times more likely to be obese than those without PCOS. However, we have no specific interventions to induce weight loss ...so far and rely on drugs used to treat other symptoms of the syndrome or obesity in the general population.
Objective
The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of metformin, inositol, liraglutide and orlistat to induce weight loss in women with PCOS and overweight/obesity.
Methods
A search was conducted using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed and CENTRAL databases. Individually randomized, parallel group trials that evaluated the effects of these pharmacological treatments among adults or adolescents with PCOS and overweight/obesity, compared with a placebo or metformin group, were considered eligible. Registration number: PROSPERO CRD 42017076625.
Results
Twenty‐three trials reporting on 941 women were included in the network meta‐analysis. The amount of weight lost differed significantly among the drugs (in descending order): liraglutide, orlistat and metformin. Liraglutide alone, liraglutide/metformin and metformin alone significantly reduced waist circumference, but no change was found with orlistat. Data for waist‐to‐hip ratio were only available for metformin, which had no significant effect.
Conclusion
Liraglutide appears superior to the other drugs in reducing weight and waist circumference.
As a major component of the cell wall, lignin has been suggested to play an important role in the plant defence response to various pathogens. However, how lignin is involved in plant pathogen ...interaction is still unclear. Here, a series of transgenic tobacco lines were cultivated with a range of differences in lignin content and composition. Evaluation of pathogen resistance in these plants indicated that lower total lignin content aggravated the severity of tobacco black shank and bacterial wilt diseases, while increased sinapyl lignin (S) alleviated the disease symptoms. The regression analysis indicated both lignin content and S lignin were positively correlated with disease resistance. These two factors had additive effects, exhibiting stronger correlation with disease resistance when they were combined. Neither guaiacyl lignin (G) nor S/G ratio showed close correlation with disease resistance. The expression of pathogenesis‐related protein genes PR2 and PR3 was induced after pathogen inoculation. However, the up‐regulation of PR2 and PR3 was not associated with a disease resistance‐induced increase in lignin content. These data collectively suggest that both total lignin content and S lignin are main factors that contribute to the basic defence response in tobacco.
Aim
Endothelial cell injury assumes a fundamental part in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and endothelial cell autophagy has protective effects on the development of atherosclerosis, although ...the underlying molecular regulation mechanism is indistinct. This study aimed to investigate whether microRNA‐214‐3p (miR‐214‐3p) is involved in the endothelial cell autophagy regulation of atherosclerosis.
Methods
We utilized ApoE−/− mice provided with a high‐fat diet (HFD) as atherosclerosis model. We analysed the level of miR‐214‐3p and the levels of autophagy‐related protein 5 (ATG5) and autophagy‐related protein 12 (ATG12) in the purified CD31+ endothelial cells from mouse aorta. Bioinformatics analysis and a dual‐luciferase reporter assay were performed to confirm the binding target of miR‐214‐3p. In vitro study, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were transfected with miR‐214‐3p mimics/inhibitor and stimulated with 100 μg/mL oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL) for 12 hours to initiate a stress‐repairing autophagic process.
Results
In mouse models, we identified an inverse correlation between miR‐214‐3p, ATG5 and ATG12. We observed that in young HUVECs, ox‐LDL‐initiated autophagy was repressed by miR‐214‐3p overexpression, as evaluated by autophagic protein analysis, microtubule‐associated protein 1 light chain 3B‐II (LC3B‐II) immunofluorescence assay and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Also, miR‐214‐3p promoted ox‐LDL accumulation in HUVECs and THP‐1 monocyte adhesion. Conversely, in old HUVECs, suppression of miR‐214‐3p preserved the ability to initiate a protective autophagy reaction to the ox‐LDL stimulation.
Conclusion
miR‐214‐3p regulates ox‐LDL‐initiated autophagy in HUVECs by directly targeting the 3′UTR of ATG5 and may have a suitable role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
A planar polarization-reconfigurable metasurfaced antenna (PRMS) designed using metasurface (MS) is proposed. The PRMS antenna consists of a planar MS placed atop of and in direct contact with a ...planar slot antenna, both having a circular shape with a diameter of 78 mm (0.9 λ 0 ), making it compact and low profile. By rotating the MS around the center with respect to the slot antenna, the PRMS antenna can be reconfigured to linear polarization, left-hand and right-hand circular polarizations. An equivalent circuit is used to explain the reconfigurability of the antenna. The PRMS antenna is studied and designed to operate at around 3.5 GHz using computer simulation. For verification of simulation results, the PRMS antenna is fabricated and measured. The antenna performance, in terms of polarization reconfigurability, axial-ratio bandwidth, impedance bandwidth, realized boresight gain and radiation pattern, is presented. Results show that the PRMS antenna in circular polarizations achieves an operating bandwidth of 3.3-3.7 GHz (i.e., fractional bandwidth 11.4%), a boresight gain of above 5 dBi and high-polarization isolation of larger than 15 dB. While the PRMS antenna in linear polarization achieves a gain of above 7.5 dBi with cross-polarization isolation larger than 50 dB.
► The m-CS/PVA HBs were prepared with inter- and intra-hydrogen bonds between chitosan and PVA. ► The adsorption capacity of Congo Red on the m-CS/PVA HBs was 470.1
mg
g
−1. ► The adsorption was ...endothermic in nature. ► The m-CS/PVA HBs could be employed as a low-cost alternative to other adsorbents. ► The m-CS/PVA HBs could be easily removed with an addition of a permanent magnet.
Novel magnetic chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel beads (m-CS/PVA HBs) were prepared by an instantaneous gelation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Results of characterization indicated that m-CS/PVA HBs have been prepared successfully without damaging the crystal structure of Fe
3O
4 and their saturation magnetization were about 21.96
emu
g
−1. The adsorption capacity of Congo Red on the m-CS/PVA HBs was 470.1
mg
g
−1. The adsorption was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir equation. Positive value of enthalpy change
(
Δ
H
∘
)
(13.32
kJ
mol
−1) showed that the adsorption was endothermic and physical in nature. The values of Gibbs free energy change
(
Δ
G
∘
)
were found to be −3.321
kJ
mol
−1 at 298
K for m-CS/PVA HBs, indicating the spontaneity of Congo Red adsorption. Therefore, the m-CS/PVA HBs could be employed as a low-cost alternative to other adsorbents in the removal of dyes from aqueous solution.
Highlights • A systematic review on the emerging role of exosomes in glioma. • Currently known composition of exosomes is outlined. • The potential role of exosomes as diagnostic biomarkers or ...markers of chemotherapeutic resistance is presented. • Exosomal based therapeutic approaches are also discussed.
Carbon nanotube (CNT) polymer composites exhibit strong nonlinear and asymmetric piezoresistivity about zero strain in tensile and compressive strain states. The existing models explain the ...characteristic qualitatively but not quantitatively. This paper attempts to understand the mechanisms of this piezoresistivity by developing a new 3-dimensional percolation CNT network model, where the effect of CNT deformation (wall indentation and tube bending) is considered for the first time. The predicted electrical conductivity and piezoresistivity agree with experiments quantitatively, which reveals that the CNT deformation is a dominant mechanism for the nonlinearity and asymmetry of piezoresistivity of CNT-polymer composites. Parametric studies have been conducted to show the effects of morphology and electrical properties of CNTs, work functions and Poisson's ratio of polymer on the piezoresistivity of CNT-polymer composites for future application in nanosensing composites.
Display omitted
•The mechanisms of piezoresistivity of CNT–polymer composites are studied by tunneling theory and Landauer–Büttiker formula.•The CNT deformation is found as a dominant mechanism for nonlinearity and asymmetry of piezoresistivity of the composites.•Effects of morphology and electrical properties of CNTs, work functions and Poisson's ratio of polymer on piezoresistivity are studied.
We study the manipulation of the spin polarization of photoemitted electrons in Bi2Se3 by spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. General rules are established that enable controlling ...the photoelectron spin-polarization. We demonstrate the ± 100% reversal of a single component of the measured spin-polarization vector upon the rotation of light polarization, as well as full three-dimensional manipulation by varying experimental configuration and photon energy. While a material-specific density-functional theory analysis is needed for the quantitative description, a minimal yet fully generalized two-atomic-layer model qualitatively accounts for the spin response based on the interplay of optical selection rules, photoelectron interference, and topological surface-state complex structure. It follows that photoelectron spin-polarization control is generically achievable in systems with a layer-dependent, entangled spin-orbital texture.
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