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To detect trunk obesity, which was claimed to be a major cause of insulin resistance, in nonobese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. A total of 60 normal weight, with BMI less than 25 kg/m2, patients with PCOS were included in the study. DEXA scan was used to assess the body composition of all patients. Metabolic and hormone measurements and cardiovascular risk were determined. All data were collected and compared with 60 healthy controls. Normal-weight patients with PCOS had a higher ratio of total and trunk fat than non-PCOS controls. Moreover, they have higher insulin resistance and β-cell function values. No differences were observed in other cardiovascular or metabolic risk factors. Nonobese women with PCOS had a more significant total and trunk fat compared with non-PCOS women. DEXA scan is a fast and easy method to analyze body composition.

Objective The purpose of this study was to assess dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine as a good alternative to other adjuvants like fentanyl in epidural anesthesia. Patients and methods Ninety patients between the age of 40 and 60 years with American Statistical Association status I–III planned for elective lower abdomen surgery were enrolled in a double-blind comparative study. Patients were randomized to one of three group: group A (n = 30) patients received bupivacaine, group B (n = 30) patients received bupivacaine and fentanyl, and group D (n = 30) patients received bupivacaine and dexmedetomidine. Result Regarding demographic data, no statistically significant difference was observed among the three groups. There was a statistically highly significant difference in onset of sensory block, time to achieve peak sensory level, two-segment regression time, and duration of sensory block among the three groups. In motor block, there was a statistically highly significant difference in onset of motor block and duration of motor block. Conclusion The use of dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine was a good alternative to other adjuvants like fentanyl in epidural anesthesia, and dexmedetomidine had an edge over fentanyl as an adjuvant when used with bupivacaine in epidural anesthesia.

Background In the last few years, metabolic syndrome (MS) has gained much attention. The definition of the MS was established in 2005. Some studies have shown that there is an association between MS and inflammation, proven by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), but in limited population-based studies. This study tried to show the association between MS and us-CRP in the general population. Patients and methods A total of 200 persons were included in this cross-sectional study. The guidelines from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association were used in the diagnosis of MS. Any three of the following traits in the same individual meet the criteria for the MS: (a) abdominal obesity: a waist circumference of 102 cm or more in men and 88 cm or more in women, (b) serum triglycerides of 150 mg/dl or above, (c) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 40 mg/dl or lower in men and 50 mg/dl or lower in women. (d) Blood pressure of 130/85 or more, (e) fasting blood glucose of 100 mg/or more. Commercial kits were used to determine the level of CRP. Results Individuals with MS had a higher mean us-CRP value in global measures (P < 0.001) and were stratified by sex (P < 0.001) than individuals without the syndrome. This marker showed a significant difference with different criteria for MS, such as the circumference of waist (P < 0.001), triglycerides levels (P < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), and the highest levels of us-CRP were found in individuals with more MS criteria. Conclusion Us-CRP was highly associated with the presence of MS and MS criteria. Us-CRP is a good marker for showing the development of MS and may be used as a reference in routine care.

Introduction Impaired systolic cardiac function in patients with ischemic cardiac disease is well known. Diastolic cardiac dysfunction is also found in these patients, so we aimed to show whether percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) could improve diastolic function. Patients and methods Twenty patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (with cardiac ejection fraction

Nanocrystalline Fe-X-N thin films (with doping X=0, 3.1 at.% Al, 1.6 at.% Zr), were deposited using reactive ion beam sputtering. Magnetization study reveals that the deposited films exhibit a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Thermal stability of the films was investigated systematically and it was observed that the structural and the magnetic stability gets significantly enhanced with Al doping, whereas Zr doping has only a marginal effect. Fe self-diffusion, obtained using polarized neutron reflectivity, shows a suppression with both additives. A correlation between the thermal stability and the diffusion process gives a direct evidence that the enhancement in the thermal stability is primarily diffusion controlled. A combined picture of diffusion, structural, and magnetic stability has been drawn to understand the obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), we have developed a custom gas-filling station, a glassblowing workshop, and a spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) system for producing high-quality 3He-based neutron spin filter (NSF) cells. The gas-filling station is capable of routinely filling 3He cells made from GE180 glass of various dimensions, to be used as neutron polarizers and analyzers on beamlines at the CSNS. Performance tests on cells fabricated at our gas-filling station are conducted via neutron transmission and nuclear-magnetic-resonance measurements, revealing nominal filling pressures, and a saturated 3He polarization in the region of 80%, with a lifetime of approximately 240 hours. These results demonstrate our ability to produce competitive NSF cells to meet the ever-increasing research needs of the polarized neutron research community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]