Larger Weight Reduction Research Articles

Weight Reduction and Target Serum Urate Level: A Longitudinal Study of Annual Medical Examination.

To evaluate associations of weight reduction with serum urate (SU) changes and achieving an SU <6 mg/dl in the real-world setting, outside of specific weight reduction interventions. We analyzed systematically collected data of annual medical examination participants from October 2012 to October 2022. Exposure was weight change (increase or decrease) between two consecutive visits, categorized as minimal (≤0.9 kg, reference), small (1.0-4.9 kg), moderate (5.0-9.9 kg), and large (≥10 kg). Outcomes included SU changes between two consecutive visits and achieving SU <6 mg/dL in hyperuricemic participants (SU ≥7 mg/dL at the prior visit). We identified 58,630 eligible participants (median age 46 years, female 51.3%, overweight 19.4%, median SU 5.3 mg/dL, history of gout and/or hyperuricemia 5.6%) with 336,814 visits over a median of 5.3 years. After adjusting for relevant covariates, linear general estimating equations estimated mean SU changes (95%CI) based on observed weight reductions (vs. minimal changes): small -0.10 (-0.10, -0.09) mg/dL, moderate -0.34 (-0.36, -0.32) mg/dL, and large -0.64 (-0.70, -0.58) mg/dL. In hyperuricemic participants, adjusted relative risks (95%CI) for achieving SU level <6 mg/dL by modified Poisson regression were 1.25 (1.15, 1.37) in small, 2.82 (2.43, 3.27) in moderate, and 5.27 (4.15, 6.70) in large weight reductions, with corresponding NNT of 61.1 for small weight reductions, 8.5 for moderate, and 3.6 for large. Small weight reductions were associated with only small SU changes. Some hyperuricemic participants can achieve the target SU level with moderate to large weight reductions.

Exploring variations in the weight, size and shape of liquid hydrogen tanks for zero-emission fuel-cell vessels

We report an exploration of liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank technology, determining if improving LH2 tank weight, multiplicity or shape enables more hydrogen to be stored on hydrogen vessels. The improvements investigated are well beyond the current LH2 technology state-of-the-art. The platform for this study is a monohull H2 Baseline research vessel powered 100% by hydrogen.Regarding weight reductions, we found that the research vessel does not benefit significantly from large weight reductions of the LH2 tanks. A 50% reduction in mass of the inner pressure vessel led to a 3.1% reduction in the total research vessel weight. Reducing the LH2 tank weight to the asymptotic limit of zero results in a 7.1% reduction in the overall research vessel weight. This maritime application, while benefitting from a reduction in LH2 tank weight, is not a strong driver for LH2 tank weight improvements.The two large LH2 tanks of the H2 Baseline Vessel can be replaced with a multitude of smaller LH2 tanks. In two Multiplicity design variants, the total amount of stored LH2 was ∼5–9% less than that of the H2 Baseline Vessel, which does not motivate conducting the needed R&D that would drive the technology to smaller high-performing LH2 tanks.We did find a significant benefit to improving the shape of LH2 tanks, towards prismatic tanks that would better match the vessel hullform. Considering a “Shape Variant” that included space-consuming features such as tank connection spaces, manifolding and ventilation, we found a 26% improvement in stored LH2 compared to the H2 Baseline Vessel. The large improvement in storage capacity could warrant further LH2 tank R&D that can enable high performing prismatic LH2 tanks, such as pressure vessel steel developments allowing for higher strength/ductility at 20 K, improved insulation systems, methods for efficiently building prismatic tanks with insulation systems fit for 20 K service and flare-less techniques for managing heat leak (venting).The results are reviewed considering the current regulatory restrictions as well as prevailing limitations in LH2 tank manufacturing.

Atmospheric cold plasma as a novel approach to remediating microplastics pollution in water

Microplastics (MPs) have become an environmental and health threat to aquatic species and humans because they are small and can easily reach water bodies for municipal and agricultural uses. MPs have been traced in food commodities and products derived from animals and even found in bottles of drinking water. Current treatment techniques for permanently destroying MPs require high energy inputs and thus are generally cost-inefficient. Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is a low-cost energy-efficient technology to produce highly reactive species that can induce physicochemical changes in plastic polymers. This study, for the first time, used ACP as a novel method for MPs treatment. Polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were used to prepare model MPs. The effects of plasma working gas (oxygen, nitrogen, or their mixture) and post-ACP treatment storage (24 h) on MPs were studied. ACP treatments for 30 min successfully degraded both MPs, by 1.4–11.3% in weight. PP MPs had larger weight reduction than LDPE and the ACP of mixture gas was most effective. PP MPs also showed increased carbonyl index after treatments, to up to 6.89, indicating hydrolytic degradation. For LDPE MPs, oxygen ACP caused more oxidation, but storage did not have an enhancing effect. The results of physicochemical analyses indicated that MPs degradation by ACP was possibly mainly through oxidative and hydrolytic reactions, but further characterizations are needed. This study proves that ACP is a promising strategy to remediate MPs pollution, and thus has great potential for addressing the severe challenges of MPs that the food and agriculture sectors are currently facing.

Factors predicting glucose and weight response to injectable semaglutide (Ozempic): real-world data from the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists’ audit programme

Background: Previous randomised controlled trials have observed individual differences in response to Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP1RA) according to baseline characteristics such as glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and weight. The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) launched a nationwide UK audit in January 2019 to assess the clinical utility, efficacy and safety of injectable semaglutide in routine practice. The aim of this analysis was to investigate associations between baseline characteristics and HbA1c and weight reductions with semaglutide in real-world use. Methods: Data were extracted from the secure online tool and individuals who had baseline and follow-up data available within a defined 6 (3-9) month window were included. Variables were assessed as both continuous variables and categorical variables in a multivariate regression model. Missing data were multiply imputed. Results: In total, 620 individuals were included. Baseline characteristics: (mean±SD) age was 58.7±10.7 years, HbA1c 81.6±18.5 mmol/mol (9.5±1.7%), weight 108.2±24.2 kg and body mass index (BMI) 37.6±7.6 kg/m2. Median diabetes duration was 11.2 years (IQR 6.6-16) and 50.5% (313/620) of subjects were male. The median follow-up time was 0.5 years. HbA1c reduced by 14.9 mmol/mol (95% CI 13.5, 16.1) [-1.4% (95% CI - 1.2, -1.5)]; p&lt;0.001; and weight reduced by 4.2kg (95% CI 3.6, 4.8; p&lt;0.001). Higher HbA1c, younger age and GLP1RA naïvety were associated with larger HbA1c reduction. Higher baseline weight/BMI and GP1RA naïvety were associated with larger weight reduction. Conclusion: In this real-world study, baseline HbA1c and weightwere important predictors of HbA1c and weight reduction outcomes following initiation of semaglutide in routine clinical practice. Our data mirror existing randomised controlled trial data, but further evidence is being collected over a longer follow-up period.

Relationship of weight loss to quality of life and symptom distress among postsurgical survivors of oesophageal cancer who received chemotherapy

PurposeWeight loss is highly prevalent in oesophageal cancer survivors, who often experience disease-related or treatment-related symptoms and quality of life (QoL) impairment. This study aimed to explore the relationships among weight loss, symptom distress, and QoL postoperatively in patients with oesophageal cancer undergoing chemotherapy and to identify the factors influencing the QoL. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective observational study with 101 patients and collected data on weight loss (percentage of total body mass loss), QoL (EORTC-QLQ-C30 and EORTC-QLQ-OES-18), and symptom distress (MDASI-GI-C). The associations among weight loss, QoL, and symptom distress were assessed using Pearson's correlation. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify independent factors influencing patients' QoL scores. ResultsThe distribution of weight loss of each stage in survivors of oesophageal cancer was 1.00% (SD: 2.48%), 4.69% (SD: 4.73%), 1.66% (SD: 5.37%), 2.83% (SD: 4.89%) respectively. The mean QoL score was 66.24 (SD 18.65). The participants’ mean symptom severity and symptom interference scores were 3.30 (SD 1.74) and 2.76 (SD 1.90), respectively. Weight loss and symptom distress were negatively related to patients' QoL (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). Weight loss between 6 months before diagnosis and the time of diagnosis (p < 0.05) and symptom interference (p < 0.01) were independent predictors for the QoL. ConclusionsThis study suggests that oesophageal cancer survivors with larger weight reduction between 6 months before diagnosis and the time of diagnosis and more symptom distress have a worse QoL. Clinicians should focus more on patients' weight and symptom management to improve their QoL.

Magnetic Alignment and Mechanical Analysis of Superconducting Bending Section for Proton Therapy

The last bending section of a proton therapy beam line may be mounted on a rotating gantry to target the cancerous cells of patients from all possible angles. To gain such capability, it is sensible to use superconducting magnets because of their high energy density providing a large reduction in weight. In the following work, a configuration of combined function magnets for rotating gantries is presented. It includes two conventional electromagnets and three superconducting magnets using Nb <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> Sn conduction-cooled at around 4.2 K. For such assembly, an alignment procedure is proposed to ensure that a large beam momentum acceptance can be achieved. Besides this proposal, additional 3D mechanical Finite Element analyses were conducted to check that the structural support of the most critical superconducting magnets made of Nb <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> Sn wires and their coil thermal shields could handle their weight as well as the momentum due to the rotation.

Biaxial buckling analysis of an innovative active sandwich plate

Fragility and the presence of a poisonous substance (lead) are the two major issues with traditional piezoceramics and structures that include them. This work suggests an active structure that is lightweight, flexible, and eco-friendly such that a polymeric foam plate is sandwiched between two piezoelectrically activated nanocomposite layers. A combination of a polymer and piezoelectric nanowires (NWs) of zinc oxide (ZnO) is used in the nanocomposite layers. For the proposed active structure, two types of void distributions and functionally graded (FG) distributions of the NWs have been assumed in each corresponding layer. The buckling characterization of the proposed eco-friendly active sandwich plate (EFASP) under biaxial mechanical loads has been conducted using an extended meshless solution based on a third-order theory. An in-depth parametric study on the EFASPs’ biaxial buckling resistance revealed that increasing NW content considerably enhances buckling resistance, with this enhancement strongly reliant on the distribution profile of the NWs. Moreover, it was observed that embedding voids in the substrate layer can lead to a large structural weight reduction while only marginally lowering the buckling performance of suggested EFASPs.

Preliminary Study on the Biodegradability of Chitosan Films Emulsified with Palm Oils (Aracaceae) from the Brazilian Cerrado

Non-toxic products with distinguishable characteristics are desirable for use in the packaging sector. Biopolymers fit this criterion and can serve as vehicles for the addition of various compounds, such as enzymes, dyes, antioxidant agents, or monounsaturated fatty acids, to provide useful qualities to a product, such as biodegradability. A biopolymer obtained from fishing industry waste residues can be combined with fatty acids to form films and emulsions with different characteristics to be used in different drug production, packaging, and product protection. This study aimed to use a natural biopolymer, chitosan, in combination with oils from the Mauritia flexuosa L.f., (“buriti”) and Acrocomia aculeata (“macaúba”) species of palm trees to develop films that exhibit excellent biodegradability in soil. The degradation of chitosan films (CF), emulsified chitosan films with buriti oil (CFB), and emulsified chitosan films with macaúba oil (CFM) in soil was investigated, where the CFB samples showed the best protection against moisture and the largest weight reduction over 30, 60, and 90 day testing periods. Further studies are needed to test the practical application of these films, but the results of the CFB sample indicate that these chitosan films imbued with natural oils from the Mauritia flexuosa L.f. and Acrocomia aculeata species have great potential for use in the packaging sector.

Large energy acceptance gantry for proton therapy utilizing superconducting technology

When using superconducting (SC) magnets in a gantry for proton therapy, the gantry will benefit from some reduction in size and a large reduction in weight. In this contribution we show an important additional advantage of SC magnets in proton therapy treatments. We present the design of a gantry with a SC bending section and achromatic beam optics with a very large beam momentum acceptance of 15% (corresponding to about 30% in the energy domain). Due to the related very large energy acceptance, approximately 70% of the treatments can be performed without changing the magnetic field for synchronization with energy modulation. In our design this is combined with a 2D lateral scanning system and a fast degrader mounted in the gantry, so that this gantry will be able to perform pencil beam scanning with very rapid energy variations at the patient, allowing a significant reduction of the irradiation time.We describe the iterative process we have applied to design the magnets and the beam transport, for which we have used different codes. COSY Infinity and OPAL have been used to design the beam transport optics and to track the particles in the magnetic fields, which are produced by the magnets designed in Opera. With beam optics calculations we have derived an optimal achromatic beam transport with the large momentum acceptance of the proton pencil beam and we show the agreement with particle tracking calculations in the 3D magnetic field map.A new cyclotron based facility with this gantry will have a significantly smaller footprint, since one can refrain from the standard degrader and energy selection system behind the cyclotron. In the treatments, this gantry will enable a very fast proton beam delivery sequence, which may be of advantage for treatments in moving tissue.

Liraglutide-Induced Weight Loss May be Affected by Autonomic Regulation in Type 1 Diabetes.

The role of the autonomic nervous system in the efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) in patients with type 1 diabetes is unknown. We assessed the association between autonomic function and weight loss induced by the GLP-1 RA liraglutide.Methods: Lira-1 was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the efficacy and safety of 1.8 mg liraglutide once-daily for 24 weeks in overweight patients with type 1 diabetes. Autonomic function was assessed by heart rate response to deep breathing (E/I ratio), to standing (30/15 ratio), to the Valsalva maneuver and resting heart rate variability (HRV) indices. Associations between baseline the cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) diagnosis (> 1 pathological non-resting test) and levels of test outcomes on liraglutide-induced weight loss was assessed by linear regression models.Results: Ninety-nine patients with mean age 48 (SD 12) years, HbA1c 70 (IQR 66;75) mmol/mol and BMI of 30 (SD 3) kg/m2 were assigned to liraglutide (N = 50) or placebo (N = 49). The CAN diagnosis was not associated with weight loss. A 50% higher baseline level of the 30/15 ratio was associated with a larger weight reduction by liraglutide of −2.65 kg during the trial (95% CI: −4.60; −0.69; P = 0.009). Similar significant associations were found for several HRV indices.Conclusions: The overall CAN diagnosis was not associated with liraglutide-induced weight loss in overweight patients with type 1 diabetes. Assessed separately, better outcomes for several CAN measures were associated with higher weight loss, indicating that autonomic involvement in liraglutide-induced weight loss may exist.

The effects of infrared treatment on physicochemical characteristics of vegetable soybean

Vegetable soybean (Edamame) blanching with hot water/steam is an energy- and water- intensive process that may also result in compromised product quality. The effectiveness of infrared (IR) heating to dry and simultaneously blanch Edamame was investigated at heating intensities of 11.06, 8.43 and 6.99 kW/m2. Temperature, weight, texture, and green intensity of heated samples for various durations were determined. In general, product weight decreased during IR heating. The largest weight reduction (9.5 %) was achieved after 100 s of heating at the highest IR heating intensity. Hardness was reduced alongside treatment duration, reaching the lowest values (11172.9–10847 N) at 100 or 120 s despite heating intensity. The highest green intensity was recorded (0.33) for treatments at 100 or 120 s. The new process combined drying and blanching into one step which potentially improves processing efficiency and product quality.

Atomic clock microwave cavity

An additively manufactured microwave resonator cavity for applications in double-resonance vapour-cell atomic clocks is presented by researchers of Université de Neuchâtel, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, and SWISSto12, Switzerland. The problem of measuring time accurately has a long and illustrious history. The need for an accurate measure of time has only ever increased as technology and society have progressed, and has now reached the point where only atomic clocks have the precision necessary to allow our modern world to function. Global positioning systems are one of the most notable instances of this, as without atomic clocks installed on the satellites responsible it would be impossible to determine position to within a meter tolerance. The critical electrode structure of the microwave cavity realized in one single monolithic piece. Dr. Matthieu Pellaton measuring the RF performance of the AM microwave cavity “A smartphone is a good example to show how significant atomic clocks are in our daily life, even if they are not directly visible. Charging the phone, connecting it to the network, doing banking transactions, locating its position in unknown cities. All these operations require at one point the timing of an atomic clock,” explains Dr. Pellaton, part of a team who developed an additively manufactured microwave resonator cavity for applications in double-resonance vapour-cell atomic clocks, presented in this Issue of Electronics Letters. With all the demand for atomic clocks, it is imperative for researchers to come up with components that are better, cheaper, and easier to manufacture. With this in mind, the researchers turned to additive manufacturing, which had already been successfully used to help create other microwave devices such as waveguides and antennas, to 3D-print a microwave cavity resonator. This leads to a large reduction in weight, the need for assembly, and lead times, ideal for applications such as those in satellite construction. Of course, there are some disadvantages to this method too. “For this application, the most critical one is a potentially high sensitivity of the resonant mode to temperature fluctuations, or to the ageing of the resonator, which could potentially degrade the stability performances of the clock in the medium to long term,” Dr. Pellaton explains. “Preliminary aging tests performed on the implemented AM technology are quite encouraging, but the actual clock's long-term performance has not yet been fully tested.” Another potential issue with the component that the researchers had to face was the stringent requirements for the materials used to make the component. To try to reduce the sensitivity to temperature required a material with a thermal expansion coefficient which was as low as possible, in addition to being both rigid and non-magnetic. The researchers successfully used polymer as a baseline material to circumvent these problems. The research presented in Electronics Letters is a proof of concept, demonstrating the feasibility of this type of manufacturing by achieving competitive state-of-the-art short-term abilities. The researchers now intend to investigate the mid- and long-term stability performances. If these results are good, there are limitless opportunities for making components stronger, lighter, and easier to make. “AM practically sets the human imagination and laws of nature as the only limits for the design of 3D electromagnetic devices, getting rid of many practical manufacturing limitations,” Dr Pellaton says. “In the short term, it could benefit the existing vapour-cell atomic clock industry, provided some deeper analysis. In the longer term, other types of atomic clocks might also benefit from this technology.” The long-term goal is to get this technology used more widely by industrial manufacturers, convincing them with detailed characterization work. “As soon as industrials enter the game, we will be able to envisage more affordable compact clocks, and why not, to see this technology employed in the next generation of Galileo satellites,” Dr. Pellaton states. “The grail would be a miniature, robust, reliable, affordable atomic clock, enabled by among others AM technology that exhibits the same stability performances as current primary frequency standards.”

Association of bariatric surgery with risk of acute care use for hypertension-related disease in obese adults: population-based self-controlled case series study

BackgroundHypertension carries a large societal burden. Obesity is known as a risk factor for hypertension. However, little is known as to whether weight loss interventions reduce the risk of hypertension-related adverse events, such as acute care use (emergency department [ED] visit and/or unplanned hospitalization). We used bariatric surgery as an instrument for investigating the effect of large weight reduction on the risk of acute care use for hypertension-related disease in obese adults with hypertension.MethodsWe performed a self-controlled case series study of obese patients with hypertension who underwent bariatric surgery using population-based ED and inpatient databases that recorded every bariatric surgery, ED visit, and hospitalization in three states (California, Florida, and Nebraska) from 2005 to 2011. The primary outcome was acute care use for hypertension-related disease. We used conditional logistic regression to compare each patient's risk of the outcome event during sequential 12-month periods, using pre-surgery months 13–24 as the reference period.ResultsWe identified 980 obese patients with hypertension who underwent bariatric surgery. The median age was 48 years (interquartile range, 40–56 years), 74% were female, and 55% were non-Hispanic white. During the reference period, 17.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.4–20.2%) had a primary outcome event. The risk remained unchanged in the subsequent 12-month pre-surgery period (18.2% [95% CI, 15.7–20.6%]; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.02 [95% CI, 0.83–1.27]; P = 0.83). In the first 12-month period after bariatric surgery, the risk significantly decreased (10.5% [8.6–12.4%]; aOR 0.58 [95% CI, 0.45–0.74]; P < 0.0001). Similarly, the risk remained significantly reduced in the 13–24 months after bariatric surgery (12.9% [95% CI, 10.8–15.0%]; aOR 0.71 [95% CI, 0.57–0.90]; P = 0.005). By contrast, there was no significant reduction in the risk among obese patients who underwent non-bariatric surgery (i.e., cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, spinal fusion, or mastectomy).ConclusionsIn this population-based study of obese adults with hypertension, we found that the risk of acute care use for hypertension-related disease decreased by 40% after bariatric surgery. The data provide the best evidence on the effectiveness of substantial weight loss on hypertension-related morbidities, underscoring the importance of discussing options for weight reduction when treating obese patients with hypertension.

Effect of large weight reductions on measured and estimated kidney function

BackgroundWhen patients experience large weight loss, muscle mass may be affected followed by changes in plasma creatinine (pCr). The MDRD and CKD-EPI equations for estimated GFR (eGFR) include pCr. We hypothesised that a large weight loss reduces muscle mass and pCr causing increase in eGFR (creatinine-based equations), whereas measured GFR (mGFR) and cystatin C-based eGFR would be unaffected if adjusted for body surface area.MethodsProspective, intervention study including 19 patients. All attended a baseline visit before gastric bypass surgery followed by a visit six months post-surgery. mGFR was assessed during four hours plasma 51Cr-EDTA clearance. GFR was estimated by four equations (MDRD, CKD-EPI-pCr, CKD-EPI-cysC and CKD-EPI-pCr-cysC).DXA-scans were performed at baseline and six months post-surgery to measure changes in lean limb mass, as a surrogate for muscle mass.ResultsPatients were (mean ± SD) 40.0 ± 9.3 years, 14 (74%) were female and 5 (26%) had type 2 diabetes, baseline weight was 128 ± 19 kg, body mass index 41 ± 6 kg/m2 and absolute mGFR 122 ± 24 ml/min. Six months post-surgery weight loss was 27 (95% CI: 23; 30) kg, mGFR decreased by 9 (−17; −2) from 122 ± 24 to 113 ± 21 ml/min (p = 0.024), but corrected for current body surface area (BSA) mGFR was unchanged by 2 (−5; 9) ml/min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.52). CKD-EPI-pCr increased by 12 (6; 17) and MDRD by 13 (8; 18) (p < 0.001 for both), while CKD-EPI-cysC was unchanged by 2 (−8; 4) ml/min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.51). Lean limb mass was reduced by 3.5 (−4.4;−2.6; p < 0.001) kg and change in lean limb mass correlated with change in plasma creatinine (R2 = 0.28, p = 0.032).ConclusionsMajor weight reductions are associated with a reduction in absolute mGFR, which may reflect resolution of glomerular hyperfiltration, while mGFR adjusted for body surface area was unchanged. Estimates of GFR based on creatinine overestimate renal function likely due to changes in muscle mass, whereas cystatin C based estimates are unaffected.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02138565. Date of registration: March 24, 2014.

Relationship between body weight and the increment in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor after oral glucose challenge in men with obesity and metabolic syndrome: A prospective study.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a role in energy homeostasis. However, the postprandial BDNF change has not been well investigated. We hypothesized that the BDNF increment after oral glucose challenge is associated with body weight.To address this possibility, man adults with obesity in conjunction with metabolic syndrome were compared with normal weight controls at baseline in the initial cross-sectional protocol. The obese subjects then underwent a 12-week program for body-weight reduction in the prospective protocol. The area under the curve (AUC) of serum BDNF was recorded during a 75 g oral glucose tolerant test and the BDNF AUC index was defined as [(AUC of BDNF) − (fasting BDNF∗2 hours)]/(fasting BDNF∗2 hours).A total of 25 controls and 36 obese subjects completed the study assessments. In the cross-sectional protocol, the BDNF AUC index was significantly higher in the obese subjects than in the controls (9.0 ± 16.5% vs. − 8.0 ± 22.5%, P = 0.001). After weight reduction (from 97.0 ± 12.5 kg to 88.6 ± 12.9 kg, P < 0.001), the percentage change of body weight was significantly associated with the BDNF AUC index after the study (95% CI between 0.21 and 1.82, P = 0.015). Using 6% weight reduction as a cut-off value, a larger weight reduction was able to reliably predict a negative BDNF AUC index.In conclusion, a high BDNF AUC index was observed for obese men in this study, whereas the index value significantly decreased after body-weight reduction. These findings suggest that postprandial BDNF increment may be associated with obesity.

Effects of shading after pollination on kernel filling and physicochemical quality traits of waxy maize

Understanding the effects of shading after pollination on kernel filling and physicochemical properties of waxy maize could improve kernel quality. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of shading (30% and 50% light deprivation, taken plants without shading as control) on kernel weight, size, and physicochemical properties during kernel development in 2013 and 2014 using two waxy maize varieties (Suyunuo 5 and Yunuo 7). Results indicated that shading reduced kernel filling rate and decreased kernel size and weight, and the influence was large under severe light deprivation conditions. The large reduction in kernel weight and volume of Suyunuo 5 in response to shading indicated that it was more sensitive to shading than Yunuo 7. Starch content was reduced and protein content was increased by shading, especially under severe shading after 22days after pollination (DAP). The iodine binding capacity of Yunuo 7 was not affected by shading at fresh and maturity stages but was gradually decreased by shading at the newly formed stage, while the values for Suyunuo 5 were decreased at 7 and 40 DAP only by moderate shading and were similar among three treatments at 22 DAP. Severe shading decreased crystallinity at all kernel development stages, whereas moderate shading decreased crystallinity at fresh stage and increased it at mature stage for Suyunuo 5. Crystallinity in Yunuo 7 was increased by shading at 7 DAP and decreased by shading at 40 DAP, whereas the value at 22 DAP was increased by moderate shading and reduced by severe shading, respectively. The average gelatinization temperatures at different stages were decreased by shading and showed no difference between two shading levels. The retrogradation percentage at 7 DAP for both varieties was increased by shading. The value at 22 DAP was increased by moderate shading for Suyunuo 5 and decreased by severe shading for Yunuo 7, respectively. The retrogradation percentage at 40 DAP was decreased by shading treatments for Suyunuo 5 and reduced only by moderate shading for Yunuo 7. Peak viscosity was decreased by shading at fresh stage for Yunuo 7 and at maturity for Suyunuo 5. In conclusion, shading after pollination inhibited kernel filling of waxy maize and reduced paste viscosity quality, but kernel retrograde quality, crystallinity and starch iodine binding capacity in response to shading were dependent on stage and variety.

Varietal Susceptibility of Improved Cowpea Vigna unguiculata (L.) (Walp.) Cultivars to Field and Storage Pests

&lt;p&gt;Cowpea, &lt;em&gt;Vigna unguiculata&lt;/em&gt; is widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics as food for man and livestock. The crop is highly prone to pests and diseases which limit its production. Resistant cowpea varieties have become increasingly important in the management of both field and storage pests. Three improved cowpea varieties and one local variety were screened for their susceptibility to field and storage pests. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four treatments and three replications. The different pests infesting the plants were identified and counted. Aphids and thrips were scored on a scale of 0-5, depending on the levels of infestations. Natural enemies’ numbers, leaf damage, pod damage and yield were assessed. &lt;em&gt;Callosobruchus maculatus&lt;/em&gt; infestations during storage and weight reduction were determined over a six week period. Aphids and &lt;em&gt;M. sjostedti&lt;/em&gt; score, &lt;em&gt;M. virtrata&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Empoasca&lt;/em&gt; sp. numbers did not differ significantly; however, significantly more pod sucking bubs attacked the local variety than the improved varieties. Natural enemies’ numbers on the various cultivars did not differ significantly. Yield was however significantly better in the improved varieties. The local variety suffered the largest weight reduction (20.91%) during storage while Nhyira suffered the least weight reduction of 4.23%. The use of improved varieties and application of pests’ control measures will increase cowpea production in Ghana.&lt;/p&gt;

High Strength Hot Rolled Steel Sheet for Automobile – A Review

Large weight reduction by application of high strength steels to underbody parts can be expected since relatively thick sheets are now adopted. In several different approaches to improve press formability of high strength hot rolled steels are explained. The basic concept of mechanical property control and the performances of a couple of high strength hot rolled steels. The fatigue strength of the steel sheet with scale increases with the decrease in the roughness of the steel sheet surface. The fatigue strength of the sheared edge deteriorates with the increase in the fractured plane roughness of the sheared edge. In case of the microstructure consisting of pearlite and coarse carbides, these phases increase the fractured plane roughness through the connection of the micro-voids arising around them. Accordingly, the reduction of these phases is significant for improving the fatigue strength. Based on these findings, three types of the 780MPa grade high strength hot rolled steel sheet for truck frame use have been developed. Keywords - Hot rolled steel sheet, microstructures, and mechanical tests. The thickness of hot rolled steel usually greater than 1.83 mm for unexposed surface. Hot rolled steel are used in making chassis and underbody component that are about 25% of the total weight of the car. For some component, crashworthiness is required. Since relatively thick sheets are used for these components, considerable weight reductions are expected. Safety is a major concern for the chassis. High durability and reliability are required as well as good press formability to their complicated shapes. The application of hot rolled high-strength steel sheets to the chassis components, which leads to considerable weight reduction, is expected to expand rapidly in the coming years. It is, therefore, demanded to be developed as hot rolled high-

A larger weight reduction is necessary to elicit an increase in adiponectin and a decrease in leptin levels

We read the article ‘Effects of individual and combined dietary weight loss and exercise interventions in postmenopausal women on adiponectin and leptin levels’ by Abbenhardt et al. 1 with interest. The authors concluded that diet-induced weight loss with or without exercise increased the serum adiponectin concentration and resulted in a reduction in leptin levels 1. The role of adipose tissue for storage of fuel has recently been extended by Ryan and co-workers to include a contribution to whole-body metabolism due to the proteins secreted by this tissue including leptin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and adiponectin 2. Adiponectin levels are decreased in obesity 3, and cross-sectional studies have shown an inverse relationship between adiponectin and body mass index 3. In addition, adiponectin increases insulin sensitivity, perhaps by increasing tissue fat oxidation resulting in reduced circulating fatty acid levels and reduced intramyocellular or liver triglyceride content 4. Adiponectin has been shown to have a range of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-atherosclerotic actions 5. Furthermore, plasma adiponectin levels are blunted in conditions that suggest a high cardiovascular disease risk, such as coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity, as well as by cigarette smoking 6. Leptin production is mainly regulated by insulin-induced changes in adipocyte metabolism 4, and the primary biological role of leptin appears to be adaptation to low energy intake rather than as a brake on overconsumption and obesity 4. It is expected that weight loss (>20% of body weight) will result in increased adiponectin expression and decreased leptin levels within 6–12 months 3. Indeed, diet-induced weight loss (approximately 20 kg in 24 months) in obese subjects resulted in a significant increase in adiponectin levels 3. In the study by Ryan et al., a 6-month behavioural dietary weight loss (6 kg) programme did not significantly change plasma adiponectin levels 2. Thus, we believe that a large weight loss is necessary to elicit an increase in adiponectin and a decrease in leptin levels. Also, behavioural dietary weight loss programmes should be maintained for a minimum of 12 months. The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Response to Dr. Sarlak et al.: letter to the editor ‘A larger weight reduction is necessary to elicit an increase in adiponectin and a decrease in leptin levels’

Response to Dr. Sarlak <i>et al</i>.: letter to the editor ‘A larger weight reduction is necessary to elicit an increase in adiponectin and a decrease in leptin levels’