Search

Patients with psoriasis are at an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, a systematic analysis of its global prevalence has not been performed to date. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess the prevalence of MetS among patients with psoriasis. We searched five databases from inception through September 2021 and used the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) tools to assess observational study quality. Stata SE 15.1 was used to perform the data analysis. Subgroup, meta‐regression and sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate interstudy heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's and Begg's linear tests. The global prevalence of MetS in patients with psoriasis was 32% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26–0.38). The prevalence in adults was 32% (95% CI, 0.29–0.36), while that in children and adolescents was 9% (95% CI, 0.00–0.18). Latin America had the highest prevalence of 47% (95% CI, 0.43–0.51), whereas North America had the lowest prevalence of 26% (95% CI, 0.16–0.37). Patients with psoriasis vulgaris (29%; 95% CI, 0.23–0.35) or severe psoriasis (37%; 95% CI, 0.27–0.46) had a higher prevalence of MetS than those with other psoriasis types. These findings suggest that MetS should be appropriately recognized and managed in patients with psoriasis. More population‐based prospective observational studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the coexistence of MetS in patients with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi-doped xTeO2-(60− x)GeO2-15B2O3-20MgO-5Al2O3 glasses were prepared by the conventional melt-quenching method and their absorption and fluorescence spectra were characterized. Broadband near-infrared ( NIR) emission from Bi centers centered around 1240 nm with a full width at half maximum ( FWHM) of 250 nm was observed, and the position of the emission peak strongly depends on the excitation wavelength. Increasing TeO2 concentration results in the strong coloration of the glass, leading to the reduction and finally, complete quenching of the NIR emission. Based on Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission microscopy observation, the coloration of the glass at high TeO2 concentration can be ascribed to the precipitation of elemental Te nanoparticles of around 3-8 nm, which effectively suppresses the NIR emission by reabsorption. The precipitation of Te nanoparticles in an oxide glass may find novel applications in photonics and relevant fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaporation is one of the most important processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum water cycle. The objectives of the present study were to (1) test the feasibility of different methods for quantifying evapotranspiration (ET) and its components and (2) investigate and quantify ET and its components in a subalpine watershed from April to October, 2009. Our research site was in the Gongga Mountains, located on the southeastern fringe of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The components of ET could be observed using the interception, sap-flow and stable isotope techniques. The summation of these components, referred to as the summed components method, was thought to be the ET. Similar estimates of ET from April to October were obtained using the summed components (736 mm) and Eddy covariance (598 mm) methods. The mean of two ET estimates (667 mm) accounted for 50% of the total water input. ET was composed of 6% soil evaporation, 19% vegetation transpiration and 75% interception evaporation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and corrosion behavior of the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) coatings modified by TiO2 on AZ91 magnesium alloys were investigated by SEM, EDS, XRD, electrochemical analysis and drop test, respectively. The modified MAO coatings were consisted of not only MgAl2O4 and MgO, which usually could be found in MAO coatings on the AZ91 alloys, but also a small quantity of Ti. With increasing the contents of TiO2 nanoparticles from 0 to 4.8 g/L in the electrolyte, the coatings thickness increased from 19 to 24 µm, and the color of the MAO coating changed from light gray to dark. The addition of TiO2 could effectively decrease the number of the pores and improve the density of the coatings. The corrosion potential of the modified coatings positively shifted about 180 mV and the corrosion current density declined and the drop time increased. The mechanism of the corrosion resistances of the modified coatings lay in the fact that TiO2 nanoparticles could increase the thickness and the density of the coatings on the AZ91 magnesium alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of congestive heart failure (CHF) in man and in experimental CHF have demonstrated elevated circulating levels of endothelin (ET). In order to examine whether there are concomitant ET receptor alterations, the vasomotor effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and sarafotoxin 6c (S6c) were examined in endothelium-intact and -denuded isolated mesenteric arteries from rats with CHF. CHF was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Vasomotor responses were studied using small mesenteric arteries (approx. 250 μm in diameter, determined after normalisation). The antagonists IRL2500 and FR139317 were used in order to characterise the ET-1-induced response. In mesenteric arteries with intact endothelium, ET-1-induced contractions were more potent in CHF as compared to sham (pEC50 9.6 ± 0.2 and 9.1 ± 0.1, respectively, P < 0.01). In endothelium-denuded arteries, there was no difference in potency of ET-1 between CHF and sham arteries, or in maximum contraction. In the presence of IRL2500, a selective ETB-receptor antagonist, ET-1 was more potent in endothelium-denuded arteries of CHF rats, while this difference was not seen in sham arteries. S6c had no consistent contractile or dilatory effect in CHF and sham rats. The results indicate that the enhanced contractile effects of ET-1 noted in CHF might be due to an attenuated endothelial function and that inhibition of smooth muscle cell ETB receptors increase the effects of contractile ETA receptors in CHF rats. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine the role of Ca2+-mediated contractile responses in isolated mesenteric resistance arteries from rats with congestive heart failure (CHF).Methods: Heart failure was induced by ligation of the left coronary artery. Rats exposed to the same surgical procedure except ligation served as controls (Sham). The following experiments were conducted: (1) passive increase in radial stretch (the length-tension relationship) in Ca2+-free and in depolarizing high K+-solution; (2) the contractile responses to external application of Ca2+ and high K+-solutions in the presence of nifedipine and phentolamine; and (3) a histological evaluation of CHF and Sham vessels.Results: The length-tension induced response in Ca2+-free buffer solution was significantly lower in arteries from CHF rats, starting at a very low tension (0.9+/-0.2 mN/mm for heart failure and 1.7+/-0.2 mN/mm for Sham). This difference, but at a higher degree of stretch, was also present in K+-activated vessels. The external application of Ca2+ in K+-depolarized vascular segments in the presence of phentolamine (1 microM) induced an enhanced contractile response in arteries from CHF rats compared with Sham (4.8+/-0.3 mN/mm and 3.6+/-0.6 mN/mm, respectively, P=0.059). In the absence of phentolamine the reverse response was found (4.0+/-0.4 mN/mm and 5.7+/-0.3 mN/mm for CHF vs. Sham respectively, P=0.035). Application of increasing concentrations of K+-solution induced a stronger contractile response in Sham compared with CHF arteries (Sham 4.9+/-0.4 and heart failure 4.0+/-0.3, P=0.04). Microscopic examination of vessels yielded no difference in gross morphology, media thickness or wall to lumen ratio between CHF and Sham arteries.Conclusion: The results indicate an attenuation of alpha-adrenoceptors and a difference of Ca2+-mediated vascular contractility in resistance arteries of congestive heart failure rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]