Decrease In Tc Research Articles

Investigation of the Omentin-1 V109D gene polymorphism as a risk factor for the incidence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

This study was conducted to assess the omentin-1 (OME-1) V109D gene SNP in women with PCOS and healthy control and to investigate the possible relationship between this adipokine and metabolic profile. This study includes 50 women in the range of age (19-43 Y) who have been diagnosed with PCOC as a patient group and 40 healthy women in age (17-45 Y) as a control group. Five ml of peripheral blood were drawn from both groups to perform the biochemical and genetic study. Metabolic profiles were assessed by spectrophotometric methods, and PCR-RFLP investigated V109D of OME-1 SNP. The results suggest a statistical decrease in FBG, BMI, TG, TC, and LDL(p-value<0.05) in the control group compared to the PCOS group and a statistical increase in HDL levels in control compared to the PCOS group. Genotyping analysis shows statistically significant differences between DD and VV genotypes in PCOS and control groups (OR=4.66 (CI 95%,1.6-8.3), (OR=2.4 (CI95%,0.7-6.9) respectively. These results suggest statistically significant differences in three genotypes (DD, DV, and VV) of the PCOS group depending on age and BMI (p-value <0.05). DD and VV genotypes of OME-1 V109D SNP have more risk factors for PCOS incidence and changes in metabolic profile in Iraqi women. Keywords: Polycystic ovary syndrome, Omentin-1, risk factor, polymorphism genetic

Dynamic Relationship Between Heart Rate And Core Temperature During Exercise-heat Stress And Iced Sheet Cooling

Athletes, military personnel, and others who perform physical work in the heat are at risk for exertional heat illness due to the combined presence of high ambient temperature and elevated metabolic heat production. Cooling with iced sheets is an immediate treatment used by the military and others to rapidly decrease body temperature in a field setting. Physiologically, increases in core temperature (Tc) and heart rate (HR) contribute to the cardiovascular strain associated with exercising in the heat. This increased HR is linked to the combination of metabolic (exercise) and thermal (environmental) requirements for systemic blood flow (i.e. cardiac output). Mechanisms include both autonomic neural and local influences of temperature on the heart. PURPOSE: To quantify the dynamic response of HR to changes in Tc during exercise in the heat and subsequent iced sheet cooling. We hypothesized that for a given Tc, HR would be higher during increases in Tc compared to during decreases in Tc. METHODS: Nine healthy (n = 8 males) volunteers (age 25 ± 6 y, ht 176.9 ± 9.7 cm, wt 86.6 ± 15.9 kg, body surface area 2.03 ± 0.2 m2) participated in a exercise-heat stress protocol consisting of up to 180 minutes of treadmill walking (3.5 mi·hr-1, 5% grade, in 40 °C, 30% RH). Volunteers then lay supine and underwent iced-sheet cooling (ISC) (bed sheets placed in 5-gallon ice buckets with 2/3 ice, 1/3 cool water; rotated out with pre-soaked sheets every 3 min) until Tc decreased to ≤38.0 °C. Individual changes in HR during both exercise and cooling were compared at Tc = 38.2 and 38.6 °C using 2-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: HR was significantly higher for a given Tc when Tc was increasing during exercise compared to when it was decreasing during cooling. For example, during exercise, HR was 150 ± 13 bpm at Tc = 38.2 °C and 157 ± 9 bpm at Tc = 38.6 °C, while during cooling, HR was 96 ± 10 bpm at Tc = 38.2 °C and 104 ± 14 bpm at Tc = 38.6 °C (both p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These data confirm the efficacy of iced-sheet cooling for decreasing cardiovascular strain associated with heat-related events. The fact that cooling resulted in lower HR for a given Tc suggests that exercise associated autonomic reflexes predominated over direct effects of temperature on sinus node control of HR. Supported by USAMRDC; author views not official US Army or DoD policy.

Effect of the interface transparency and ferromagnetic thickness on the critical temperature of NbN/Gd/NbN hybrid structure

We have investigated the variation of the critical temperature (Tc) in the NbN/Gd/NbN system in the dirty limit under the cumulative effect of ferromagnetic thickness (df) and the SF interface transparency by solving the linearized Usadel equations analytically in the Matsubara Greens function technique and the following trends in the Tc(df) curves were observed. (a) Non-monotonic decrease of Tc with the ferromagnetic thickness df for higher interface transparency. (b) Reentrant behavior of Tc for smaller values of the interface transparency. (c) Monotonous behavior of Tc for extremely low interface transparency. It was also found that the transition into the π−phase in NBN/Gd/NbN system with small interface transparency is unrelated to the oscillations of the superconducting critical temperature in the F-layer. The critical temperature has a non-monotonous dependency when it switches between 0−π phases.

Effect of S-doping on the magnetic and electrical properties of FeSe superconductor

Here we report on the magnetic and magneto-transport behavior of Fe-based superconductor with nominal compositions FeSe1−xSx (x=0.1 and 0.2). The impact of external hydrostatic pressure (P) and chemical pressure on the superconducting state of the FeSe system has been investigated in this work. Superconducting transition temperature (Tc) is found to be shifted towards higher temperatures with 10% S doping at the Se site of the FeSe alloy. On further increase in the doping concentration (for x=0.2), the superconducting Tc decreases. We have also observed a significant effect of external P on the superconducting properties of these S-doped alloys. Different superconducting parameters calculated from our experimental data confirm the type-II superconducting nature of the studied compounds. The signature of flux flow resistance is observed in the isothermal resistivity data as a function of the external magnetic field.

Impact of Ramadan Fasting on Metabolic Syndrome Criteria: Among Treated Hypertensive and Diabetic Females of Halabja

Background and aim&#x0D; The effect of Ramadan fasting (RF) among Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) patients is still argumentative. However, the majority of evidences demonstrated a beneficial effect on nearly most of metabolic criteria reduce the risk of MetS. Hypoglycemia is a significant consequence of diabetes that has been linked to an elevated the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertensions. However, conflicted results have been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of RF on Metabolic criteria among treated hypertensive and diabetic patients. &#x0D; Method&#x0D; This prospective observational study was carried out in a group of 73 female patients with MetS aged (20-45) years were evaluated week before and after Ramadan month having hypertension and diabetics of more than 2 years. All attending to Halabja Hospital and were treated with one daily medication based on doctor prescription. The sample random technic was used to calculate sample size and the computed sample size. The eligibility criteria for female patients having diabetic and hypertension were based on the International Diabetic Federation (IDF) definition criteria. A fasting blood sample was obtained, blood pressure was measured and BMI was calculated, fasting blood sugar, lipid profile were analyzed on all blood sample. &#x0D; Result &#x0D; There was a significant weight reduction and WC decreased. This result has been reflected on BMI as well ( p ? 0.0001). The systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed significant changes during the month of fasting. Overall, Ramadan fasting was found to decrease fasting glucose level. With regards to changes in lipid profile, fasting Ramadan was found to significant decrease in TC, and TG level. There was no significant change in serum LDL-C after Ramadan compared to baseline, however, we found a decrease in serum HDL-C levels but this change were not paralleled by any significant changes.&#x0D; Conclusions&#x0D; This study shows a significant improvement in cardiovascular risk factors such as lipids profile, systolic blood pressure, weight, BMI and waist circumference in subjects with a previous history of hypertensions and hyperglycemia. &#x0D;

Depicting the roles of CuO secondary phase and heat treatment in driving the magnetic and magnetocaloric features of Pr2∕3Sr1∕3MnO3 manganite

In this work, we report a detailed experimental study regarding the impact of copper oxide (CuO) secondary phase and heat treatments on the structural, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties of the near-room temperature Pr2∕3Sr1∕3MnO3 (PSMO) magnetic refrigerant. Our investigations are carried out by using structural and microstructural analyses, alongside magnetization measurements. The analysis of X-ray diffraction data of PSMO(95 %)-CuO(5 %) (PSMO-CuO) samples shows the coexistence of both CuO and PSMO phases. Further, the microstructural analysis of PSMO-CuO reveals that the addition of CuO significantly enhances the grains size. On the other hand, the added secondary phase markedly reduces the Curie temperature (Tc) from 293 K for PSMO to about 273 K for PSMO-CuO composite while increasing the magnetocaloric effect. This decrease in Tc is associated with a significant change from 162° to about 156° in the Mn-OII-Mn bond angle respectively. Moreover, performed investigations regarding the role of heat treatments unveil that the observed changes in the structural and magnetic features are mainly driven by the secondary phase that modify grains size and double-exchange interactions in the PSMO compound. Interestingly, our findings demonstrate that the Curie temperature of the PSMO and accordingly its magnetocaloric effect can be tailored by adding small amounts of CuO without need to substitution on cation sites. In the light of obtained results, a multilayered refrigerant composed of PSMO and PSMO-CuO is proposed to cover the magnetic cooling temperature range close to room-temperature. The resulting entropy change remains practically constant between 273 K and 293 K. Such a behavior is highly appreciated from a practical point of view, particularly in cases where the cooling process is carried out by using the AMR and Ericsson cycles.

Effect of Silver Doping on the Superconducting and Structural Properties of YBCO Films Grown by PLD on Different Templates.

We report the local structural and superconducting properties of undoped and Ag-doped YBa2Cu3O6+x (YBCO) films with a thickness of up to 1 µm prepared by pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO3 (STO) single crystals and on ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) and rolling-assisted biaxially textured substrate (RABiTS)-based metal templates. X-ray diffraction demonstrates the high crystalline quality of the films on both single crystalline substrates and metal-based templates, respectively. Although there was only a slight decrease in Tc of up to 1.5 K for the Ag-doped YBCO films on all substrates, we found significant changes in their transport characteristics. The effect of the silver doping mainly depended on the concentration of silver, the type of substrate, and the temperature and magnetic field. In general, the greatest improvement in Jc over a wide range of magnetic fields and temperatures was observed for the 5%Ag-doped YBCO films on STO substrates, showing a significant increase compared to undoped films. Furthermore, a slight Jc improvement was observed for the 2%Ag-doped YBCO films on the RABiTS templates at temperatures below 65 K, whereas Jc decreased for the Ag-doped films on IBAD-MgO-based templates compared to undoped YBCO films. Using detailed electron microscopy studies, small changes in the local microstructure of the Ag-doped YBCO films were revealed; however, no clear correlation was found with the transport properties of the films.

In Vitro Role of Pumpkin Parts as Pharma-Foods: Antihyperglycemic and Antihyperlipidemic Activities of Pumpkin Peel, Flesh, and Seed Powders, in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Pumpkin is a well-known vegetable, among the members of Cucurbitaceae family, due to its importance as pharma food. Keeping in view the antidiabetic and plasma lipids lowering potential of pumpkin, the present study was conducted to investigate that, which part of pumpkin (peel, flesh, and seeds), possess more bioactive compounds, exhibiting antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic potential. Albino rats with 190-210 g body weight were divided into 11 groups. Five rats were included in each group; group A was negative control, group B was positive control, and groups C to K were diabetic rats fed with pumpkin peel, flesh, and seed powders. Diabetes was induced in rats with the help of alloxan monohydrate. During 28 days of experimental period, blood glucose level of different rat's groups was checked with the help of glucometer, at every 7 days interval and at the end of 28 days study, plasma lipids were checked with the help of commercial kits. A significant decrease in blood glucose level (128.33 ± 1.67 mg/dl), TC (88.43 ± 0.66 mg/dl), TG (69.79 ± 0.49 mg/dl), and LDL-C (21.45 ± 0.08 mg/dl) was recorded in rat groups fed with 15 g pumpkin seed powder, at the end of study. After pumpkin seeds, second significant antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effect was recorded in rat's groups fed with 15 g pumpkin peel powder. Pumpkin flesh powder effect in lowering blood glucose level and plasma lipids was less significant as compared to seeds and peel powder. As the dose of the pumpkin powders was increased from 5 to 10 and then 15 g, the blood glucose-lowering and plasma lipid-lowering effect became more significant. Similarly, as the experimental duration was expanded from first week to 28 days, this antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effect became more significant. These results were sufficient to conclude that pumpkin has high potential to be used in human diet to cope with noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.

STM/STS study of the local density of states in Cu doped Fe(Se,Te) superconductors

The scanning tunnel microscopy/scanning tunnel spectroscopy (STM/STS) measurements of the local quasiparticle density of states (LDOS) in Cu x -Fe1.01-x Se0.4Te0.6 (x = 0.01-0.03) superconductors were carried out. Critical temperatures Tc decrease with increasing Cu-impurity doping level x. STM images show clear regular square arrangements of spots with the lattice spacing ~ 0.38 nm as well as the randomly distributed large spots, which are most possibly due to excess Fe atoms. While the STM image resembles that of non-doped Fe(Se,Te), the LDOS map shows various extra spot structures with bright (with higher magnitudes of dI/dV) and dark (with lower magnitudes of dI/dV) regions. With increasing x, the number of such spots grows proportionally, indicating that these spots most probably correspond to the dopant Cu atoms.

Aqueous Root Extract of Strophanthus hispidus Demonstrates Antidiabetic Effect in Fructose-Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Background and Purpose: This investigation evaluated the antidiabetic activity of the aqueous leaf extract of Strophanthus hispidus (SHP) in fructose/low-dose streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats due to the folkloric use of the root in traditional medicine for the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.&#x0D; Methods: Fructose/low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were allotted into five groups of eight rats each and administered S. hispidus root extract at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg; glibenclamide 5 mg/kg; and normal saline 10 mL/kg respectively. A sixth group that consisted of non-diabetic rats were given distilled water (10 mL/kg). Treatment was by the oral route for 28 consecutive days. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) level was checked at intervals of 7 days. Blood samples were collected on day 28 an hour after the administration of the last dose, for the assay of serum levels of enzymes, lipids, insulin, haemoglobin (Hb), and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c).&#x0D; Results: The aqueous root extract of SHP demonstrated a significant (P&lt;0.05) reduction in FBG compared with diabetic non-treated control. The doses of 50, 100, 200 mg/kg of aqueous SHP and 5 mg /kg of glibenclamide elicited 82.07%, 88.83%, 88.03% and 78.01% reduction in FBG level respectively at day 28. The extract treated rats displayed significant (P&lt;0.05) decrease in urea, ALT, AST, ALP, LDL, TC, TG and HbA1c levels and significant (P&lt;0.05) increase in HDL and Hb levels. Significant (P&lt;0.05) dose-independent upsurge in serum insulin level was equally observed.&#x0D; Conclusion: The aqueous root extract of SHP has blood glucose lowering potential and improves some of the imbalances that occur in diabetes.

Epidemiological and hematological investigation of dengue virus infection.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral illness that infects humans. For the past few decades, it has been declared a global public health problem. The current study, conducted at the district headquarter hospital (DHQ) Bannu between June to September 2018, was based on the seroprevalence of antibodies against dengue virus serotypes and their hematological parameters among the patients. A total of 1738 individuals suspected of having dengue were diagnosed through NS1, IgG, and IgM antibodies and RT-PCR techniques. Of all the samples, 716 (41.19%) were found to be positive for dengue. A higher infection rate was found in males (65.92%) compared with females (34.07%). The most affected age group was 16-40 years, whereas the most affected tehsil was Bannu, where the DENV-3 serotype was prevalent. The rare serotype (DENV-4) was found in 1% of cases. Symptoms including fever (100%), myalgia (100%), headache (61.31%), vomiting (34.63%), and rashes were common among the dengue patients. However, the mild cases showed fewer clinical signs compared with the severely infected cases. The study also revealed a significant association (P < 0.05) between hematological parameters and dengue infection, showing a significant decrease in TC, eosinophils, neutrophils, and platelets and a significant increase in monocytes and lymphocytes. Based on the current report, it is concluded that patients with the above symptoms and hematological changes may have an increased probability of dengue and should be kept under observation to separate dengue-positive patients and to enhance the treatment process.

Superconducting and structural properties of the noncentrosymmetric Re6Hf superconductor under high pressure

We report the effect of high pressure on the superconducting, vortex pinning, and structural properties of a polycrystalline non-centrosymmetric superconductor Re6Hf. The superconducting transition temperature, Tc, reveals a modest decrease as pressure P increases with a slope -0.046 K/GPa (-0.065 K/GPa) estimated from resistivity measurements up to 8 GPa (magnetization measurement ~ 1.1 GPa). Structural analysis up to ~18 GPa reveals monotonic decreases of lattice constant without undergoing any structural transition and a high value of bulk modulus B0= 333.63 GPa, indicating the stability of the structure. Furthermore, the upper critical field and lower critical field at absolute temperature (Hc2(0) & Hc1(0)) decreases slightly from the ambient pressure value as pressure increases up to 2.5 GPa. In addition, up to P ~ 2.5 GPa using thermally activated flux flow of vortices revealed a double linearity field dependence of activation energy of vortices, confirming the coexistence of single and collective pinning vortex states. Moreover, analysis of critical current density using the collective pinning theory showed the transformation of {\delta}Tc to {\delta}l pinning as pressure increases, possibly due to migration of grain boundaries. Besides, the band structure calculations using density functional theory show that density of states decreases modestly with pressure, which may be a possible reason for such a small decrease in Tc by pressure.

The valence conversion mechanism for Mo‐doped VO2 films with enhanced thermochromic properties

AbstractReducing the phase transition temperature (Tc) of VO2 films to achieve the application in the field of Smart Home is still a challenge. Thus, in the work, the ultra‐thin VO2 films with different Mo doping amounts were successfully prepared by an economic sol‐gel method and atmosphere annealing, aiming to further investigate the mechanism of the decrease of Tc. The results show that the VO2 films with 3 at % Mo doping possess the Tc of 29.5 °C. Notedly, in the as‐prepared films, the maximum transmittance in the visible region (Tvis) is 46.3 % and the solar direct transmittance (Tsol) is 45.8 %. According to the XPS spectra, it is confirmed that the Mo doping prominently induces the valence change of V ions from +4 to +3, inhibiting the strain in the phase transition process of VO2 films, and leading to the decrease of Tc. Our work will provide a feasible solution for reducing the Tc of the ultra‐thin VO2 films.

High sensitivity of nickel doping upon magnetism in the ″114″ magnetoelectric CaBaCo4O7

Here, we report a systematic investigation in the sensitivity of tiny Ni-doping on magnetic properties of magnetoelectric CaBaCo4O7. Interestingly, just 0.5% Ni-doping results in noticeable change in the magnetic properties of CaBaCo4-xNixO7 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.07). The ferrimagnetic state of CaBaCo4O7 is drastically suppressed above 1% Ni-doping. This result suggests high sensitivity of Ni-doping on magnetic properties of CaBaCo4O7. We have compared our observation with reported non-magnetic and magnetic doping in CaBaCo4O7 and provided a plausible explanation of exceptional sensitivity of Ni-doping. We observed a decrease in ferrimagnetic TC and coercive field HC along with a dramatic suppression of remanent magnetization Mr in CaBaCo4-xNixO7 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.07). Ni-doping results in competing magnetic interaction between ferrimagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases. Unlike, the nonmagnetic doping replacement of Co2+ by magnetic Ni2+ in the ferromagnetic chain in kagome layer induces antiferromagnetic exchange with the adjacent cobalt spins following Goodenough-Kanamori rules. This results in reorientation of spin that modifies the ferrimagnetic ground state resulting in competing magnetic states. Ni substitution leads to disorder and disturbs the exchange interactions which could be responsible for competing magnetic state and broadening of magnetic transition in the doped samples.

Short-term trajectories of exercise-induced plasma lipid changes in overweight females, with a focus on HDL cholesterol

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Ministry of Health, Czech Republic Background Increased levels of plasma lipoproteins are among the modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Dietary changes and increased physical activity are the most powerful non-pharmacological interventions for the optimisation of plasma lipid levels. Objectives The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of an intensive short-term lifestyle intervention on plasma lipid trajectories in overweight non-diabetic females. Materials and Methods Two hundred and two healthy overweight (BMI &amp;gt; 27.5 kg/m2) females underwent an intensive short-term (10-week) intervention (at least four units of 1-hour exercise activity weekly at optimal energetic intake) aimed at lowering body weight. Plasma lipid (TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG) levels were examined at baseline and every two weeks over the course of the 10-week intervention. Results There was a significant decrease in BMI (Δ -4.7%, P&amp;lt;0.001) and body weight (Δ -4.9%, P&amp;lt;0.001) after the intervention. Positive changes (decreases) in TC (Δ -8%, P&amp;lt;0.001), TG (Δ -9%, P&amp;lt;0.001) and LDL-C (Δ -11%, P&amp;lt;0.001) were observed immediately after two weeks, but levels did not decrease further. In contrast, HDL-C did not increase as expected: after two weeks of intervention, we observed a significant decrease of about 6% (P&amp;lt;0.001) followed by a slow return to baseline values. But even after ten weeks of intervention, HDL-C values had not reached the values detected at baseline. Conclusion In overweight females, HDL-C decreased after short-term intensive lifestyle intervention. To confirm the protective effect of increased physical activity, plasma lipids need to be examined over a longer time period.

Energy and evapotranspiration partitioning over a humid region orchard: Field measurements and partitioning model comparisons

Understanding energy and water flux cycling and quantifying their components are essential steps to elucidate the hydrological process and sustainable water resources management in agricultural ecosystems. The challenge of partitioning energy and evapotranspiration (ET) components (canopy transpiration Tc and surface evaporation Es) was addressed by the combination of eddy covariance (EC) technique, micro-lysimeters, and sap flow methods in a humid region kiwifruit orchard of Southwest China. The variations of energy and water flux and their controls were assessed, then the measured ET and its component were compared with the simulated values by Priestley-Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory model (PT-JPL), Shuttleworth-Wallace (S-W), and FAO-56 dual crop coefficient models (Dual-FAO). The results showed that latent heat flux (LE) dominated the consumption of net radiation energy (Rn), with the averaged ratio (EF = LE/Rn) above 0.70 during the growing seasons. More radiation energy is released in the form of LE with increased surface moisture and vegetation cover (total leaf area index, LAIt). Tc accounted for 41%–46% ET. The increase of canopy leaf area index (LAIc) strongly affected ET partitioning through the early growing seasons, while atmospheric evaporation demand dominated the Tc/ET and even caused the energy to be redistributed since high atmospheric evaporation demand caused a decrease of Tc while an increase of Es during the active growing seasons (LAIc > 2.5 m2 m−2). All the ET models performed well in estimating ET (R2 = 0.84–0.92) and its components (Tc, R2 = 0.70–0.74; Es, R2 = 0.63–0.69), allowing individual estimation of water interception by the canopy is one of the merits of the PT-JPL model for ET simulation in this humid site, with R2 of 0.92, RMSE of 0.55 mm d−1, while the S-W model performed slightly better in ET component simulations (Tc, R2 = 0.74, RMSE = 0.35 mm d−1; Es, R2 = 0.69, RMSE = 0.38 mm d−1). The results of our study may have much referential significance for eco-hydrological process analysis and water flux estimation in regions with similar environmental conditions.

Влияние мелатонина на фактор дислипидемии при метаболическом фенотипе остеоартроза

Introduction Osteoarthritis (OA) has long been considered from the mechanical point of view of etiology and pathogenesis, as a "wear and tear" disease. However, advances in fundamental medicine have changed the way we look at this disease. The role of systemic inflammation was determined in OA progression and risk factor related clinical phenotypes were differentiated as post-traumatic OA, age associated OA, genetic OA and metabolic syndrome associated OA. The development and progression of OA in metabolic disorders envision a concept of systemic regulation of osteocartilaginous and synovial tissues, and several studies showed that dysregulation of circadian rhythms may be involved in the development of dyslipidemia and systemic inflammation associated with obesity. The objective was to explore the effect of melatonin on the dynamics of lipid metabolism and the severity of clinical symptoms in patients with OA and insomnia based on the role of dyslipidemia in the pathogenesis of degenerative diseases. Materials and Methods The study included 36 individuals including 12 healthy volunteers and 24 inpatients of experimental groups with insomnia and Kellgren-Lawrence grades 2 and 3 gonarthrosis. Standard conservative treatment consisted of drug and physical therapy. Medical history, complaints were collected from the patients and physical examination performed to evaluate edema of the joint, alignment of the lower limb, range of motion in the joints and measure waist circumference, body height, body weight; body mass index. The biochemistry blood parameters measured included total cholesterol concentration (TCC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides (TG). VAS and Lequesne scale were used to assess pain and function of the joints. Results Patients with the metabolic OA showed statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05) increase in TCC (6.23 (4.28 to 6.44) mmol/L, p &lt; 0.0002), LDL fractions (4.52 (3.08 to 4.92) mmol/L, p &lt; 0.00004), atherogenic coefficient (CA) (4.33 (3.15–4.8) mmol/L, p &lt; 0.00003) and a decrease in the HDL fraction (1.08 (0.93 to 1.4) mmol/L, p &lt; 0.01) before treatment in comparison with healthy individuals. The TG level remained within the normal range (0.73 [0.62 to 0.78] mmol/L). At a month, a statistically significant (p &lt; 0.006) decrease in TC (4.62 [3.71 to 5.29] mmol/L), a decrease in atherogenic fractions of LP (LDL) (2.65 [1.90 to 3.05] mmol / L) (p &lt; 0.002), an increase in the HDL fraction (1.49 [1.17 to 1.72] mmol/L) (p &lt; 0.004) and a decrease in CA (2.07 [1.81 to 2.34] mmol/L) (p &lt; 0.002) were observed in the experimental group of patients who received melatonin at the dose of 3 mg per day as an adjunctive therapy to the basic treatment. There was no significant dynamics of lipid metabolism in patients receiving standard treatment. The Lequesne's functional index significantly (p &lt; 0.03) decreased in melatonin patients after treatment from 12 [12 to 13] to 10 (8.75 to 10.25) points and showed no significant dynamics measuring 10.5 [10 to 11.75] and 10 [10 to 19.25] points in patients receiving standard treatment. Although positive dynamics in VAS scores was observed in both experimental groups a greater improvement (p &lt; 0.005) was seen in the drug group with VAS score improved from 4.5 [3.75 to 5] to 2.5 [2 to 3.25] mm versus 4.5 [4 to 5] and 3.5 [3 to 4] mm in the no-drug group (p &lt; 0.01). Conclusion Melatonin incorporated into the basic therapy was shown to exert a positive effect on pain assessment, condition of the knee joint evaluated with knee rating scales and subjective instruments, objective examination. The moderate antiatherogenic effect facilitates the therapeutic regimen to be considered in management of metabolic osteoarthritis.

High-Temperature Superconducting Phase in Clathrate Calcium Hydride CaH_{6} up to 215K at a Pressure of 172GPa.

The recent discovery of superconductive rare earth and actinide superhydrides has ushered in a new era of superconductivity research at high pressures. This distinct type of clathrate metal hydrides was first proposed for alkaline-earth-metal hydride CaH_{6} that, however, has long eluded experimental synthesis, impeding an understanding of pertinent physics. Here, we report successful synthesis of CaH_{6} and its measured superconducting critical temperature T_{c} of 215K at 172GPa, which is evidenced by a sharp drop of resistivity to zero and a characteristic decrease of T_{c} under a magnetic field up to 9T. An estimate based on the Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg model gives a giant zero-temperature upper critical magnetic field of 203T. These remarkable benchmark superconducting properties place CaH_{6} among the most outstanding high-T_{c} superhydrides, marking it as the hitherto only clathrate metal hydride outside the family of rare earth and actinide hydrides. This exceptional case raises great prospects of expanding the extraordinary class of high-T_{c} superhydrides to a broader variety of compounds that possess more diverse material features and physics characteristics.

Lipid profile of the ethanol - methanol (1:1) extracts of Anacadium occidentale and Jatropha tanjorensis administration in Wistar rats

Hyperlipidaemia is characterized by an increase in one or more of the plasma lipids. This study evaluated the lipid profile of albino Wistar rats administered ethanol-methanol extracts of Anacadium occidentale and Jatropha tanjorensis leaves. Twenty-five (25) male Wistar rats weighing between 180 - 220 g were divided into five (5) groups of five (5) rats each and treated thus: Group 1 (normal control received normal saline), group 2 and 3 administered low dose (400 mg/kg-1 b.wt.) and high dose (800 mg/kg-1 b.wt.) of Anacadium occidentale extract respectively, group 4 and 5 administered low dose (400 mg/kg-1 b.wt.) and high dose (800 mg/kg-1 b.wt.) of Jatropha tanjorensis extract respectively. At the end of the experiment, the rats were sacrificed to obtain the sera for the evaluation of serum lipid profile. The result revealed a significant (P&lt;0.05) decrease in TC in all the groups except group IV compared with control. There was a significant (P&lt;0.05) increase in TG and VLDL-c levels in all groups compared with control. HDL-c level significantly (P&lt;0.05) increased in group III only compared with control. LDL-c level significantly (P&lt;0.05) decreased in group III and V only compared with control. The LDL-c/HDL-c ratio showed no significant (P0.05) difference between groups II, V and control, however group III significantly (P&lt;0.05) decreased and group IV significantly (P&lt;0.05)increased compared with the rest groups. The study suggests that the plant extracts possess lipid lowering potentials and may be employed in the treatment of metabolic disorders such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

Protective effects of Viscum album L. leaf extract on chlorpyrifos-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats

ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to examine the antioxidant activity of Viscum album L. (VA, European mistletoe) extract (VAE) and to investigate whether VAE could provide protection against chlorpyrifos-induced hepatotoxicity. MethodsMale Wistar albino rats were divided into five groups and treated two times per week during four weeks: I group without treatment served as control; II, IV and V group were treated with chlorpyrifos (CPF, 35 mg/kg b.w) via gavage; III and IV group received a higher dose of VAE (350 mg/kg b.w); and V group received a lower dose of VAE (175 mg/kg b.w) intraperitoneally. The extract was obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction. HPLC-DAD analysis was performed to investigate the chemical composition of the extract, and antioxidant assays to determine its antioxidant activities. Biochemical parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities in liver tissue, and histopathology were also determined. ResultsThe VAE caused significant decrease in glucose, TC, TG, albumins, AST, and ALT compared to CPF-treated rats. The cotreatment with VAE also significantly recovered the antioxidative system parameters (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, GR, and GST) and alleviated some histopathological changes caused by CPF. ConclusionsOur data revealed that the simultaneous VAE administration modulated the negative changes induced by CPF. This study suggests that VAE could be useful in providing protection against hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress due to its antioxidative properties.