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Objective: In December 2019, a novel pneumonia associated with the 2019 coronavirus emerged unexpectedly. However, limited data exist on the effects of COVID-19 on ACTH and cortisol levels. To address this gap in knowledge, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies on the relationship between COVID-19 patients and their ACTH and cortisol levels. Methods: We conducted a thorough search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases up until May 2023. We assessed the relevance of each study we found, specifically looking for studies that reported on ACTH and cortisol levels in COVID-19 patients. We calculated weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to investigate the relationship between ACTH and cortisol levels in COVID-19 patients. We evaluated the quality of each study using the Newcastle Ottawa scale (NOS), and we assessed publication bias using Begg's rank correlation test, Egger's test, and funnel plot. We conducted our meta-analysis using the Stata 12.0 (Stata Corporation, TX). Results: Our search yielded nine studies that met our inclusion criteria, which included a total of 440 COVID-19 patients and 474 controls, with data up to May 2023. Seven of these studies reported on ACTH levels, and six studies reported on cortisol levels. Our findings revealed that COVID-19 patients had significantly higher levels of cortisol compared to controls (WMD 3.46 (95% CI 2.29 to 4.62)). However, there was no significant difference in ACTH levels between COVID-19 patients and controls (WMD 1.58 (95% CI -5.79 to 8.94)). Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicates a potential relationship between elevated cortisol levels and COVID-19 infection. However, more well-designed, adequately powered, randomized controlled trial will be needed to assess the use of cortisol in patients with COVID-19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daytime napping, a habit widely adopted globally, has an unclear association with obesity. In this study, we executed a meta-analysis to explore the relationship between daytime napping and obesity. We conducted a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases for pertinent articles published up to April 2023. Random-effects models were utilized to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and we assessed the heterogeneity of the included studies using the I2 statistic. To explore potential sources of heterogeneity, subgroup analyses were performed. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS), and funnel plots were employed to detect any publication bias. Sensitivity analyses were conducted by sequentially omitting each study. We conducted a meta-analysis of twelve studies that included one each from the UK and Spain, five from the USA, and five from China, totalling 170,134 participants, to probe the association between napping and obesity. The pooled analysis suggested a higher risk of obesity in individuals who nap (OR: 1.22 [1.10–1.35], p < 0.001, I2 = 87%) compared to non-nappers. The meta-analysis results revealed variations in the summary ORs for studies conducted in China, Spain, the USA, and the UK. The ORs for China, Spain, the USA, and the UK were 1.05 (95% CI 0.90–1.23), 9.36 (95% CI 4.74–18.45), 1.27 (95% CI 1.10–1.47), and 1.39 (95% CI 1.32–1.47), respectively. A subgroup analysis based on age within the American population disclosed that napping in both adults and children heightened obesity incidence. A subgroup analysis based on nap duration found a significant rise in obesity occurrence when nap duration exceeded one hour, but no clear relationship emerged when nap duration was less than 1 h. In a subgroup analysis based on the definition of obesity, napping did not demonstrate a significant relationship with obesity when diagnostic criteria set obesity at a BMI of 25 or above. However, when the criteria were set at a BMI of 28 or 30 or more, napping significantly increased obesity risk. Our meta-analysis indicates a positive association between daytime napping and the risk of obesity. However, given the limited number of included studies, potential confounding factors might not have been fully addressed. Future well-designed prospective studies are required to further investigate this relationship. Large-scale studies are necessary to confirm our findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms that drive these associations and causation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and maternal micronutrient status is inconsistent and has not received sufficient attention. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of prepregnancy BMI on micronutrient levels in pregnant women. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched for articles that contained information on micronutrient levels and prepregnancy BMI. A random-effects model was used to determine the association between prepregnancy BMI and maternal micronutrient status. Sixty-one eligible articles were eventually included, with 83,554 participants. Vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D, iron and ferritin were the main micronutrients evaluated in our meta-analysis. Prepregnancy obesity and overweight may lead to an increased risk of micronutrient deficiency, including vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D deficiency, while prepregnancy obesity or overweight may have no significant association with ferritin deficiency. Additionally, the results of the dose–response analyses demonstrated a possible significant inverse correlation between prepregnancy BMI and levels of micronutrient, except for iron and ferritin. Compared with women with normal weight, women who were overweight or obese prepregnancy have lower micronutrient concentrations and are more likely to exhibit micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy, which is harmful to both mothers and neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between hepatokine levels during the first or early second trimester of pregnancy and the subsequent risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have been studied extensively. However, conclusions remain debateable whether hepatokines are potential markers of GDM. We conducted a meta-analysis of published articles to understand the association between circulating levels of selected hepatokines (including FGF21, fetuin-A, afamin, adropin, ficolin-3, selenoprotein P, ANGPTL4 and AGF) and the risk of GDM. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases for studies published before January 2021 that examined the association between hepatokines and GDM (Prospero Registration# CRD42020191408). The quality was assessed by the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Pooled standard mean differences (SMDs) and weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare the levels of hepatokines in different groups using fixed effects or random effects models. Meta-regression analysis and publication bias were conducted in accordance with standard methods. The trim-fill adjustment method was used to further assess the possible effect of publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was performed by omitting each study one at a time. The meta-analysis included 31 observational studies relating hepatokine levels to GDM in 4729 participants (1908 GDM, 2821 non-GDM). Serum FGF21 levels in patients with GDM were higher than those in healthy pregnant women during the second trimester and after delivery (SMD 0.89, [95% CI] 0.01–1.78 for the second trimester; SMD 1.42, [95% CI] 0.86–1.98 for after delivery). The serum levels of afamin in patients with GDM were significantly higher than those in healthy pregnant women during the first trimester and before pregnancy (SMD 0.51, [95% CI] 0.15–0.86 for first trimester; SMD 0.97, [95% CI] 0.45–1.50 for before pregnancy). Serum adropin levels in patients with GDM were higher than those in healthy pregnant women during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy (SMD 4.26, [95% CI] 3.30–5.23 for the first trimester; SMD 4.02, [95% CI] 3.09–4.94 for the third trimester). The serum levels of ficolin-3 in GDM patients were higher than those in healthy pregnant women during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy (WMD 1.43, [95% CI] 0.91–1.96 for the second trimester; SMD 1.28, [95% CI] 0.72–1.84 for the third trimester). The serum AGF level of patients with GDM was higher than that of healthy pregnant women in the control group in the third trimester (WMD 61 [95% CI] 37.04–81.96). The serum levels of selenoprotein P in patients with GDM were higher than those in healthy pregnant women in the control group during the first trimester (WMD 7.09 [95% CI] 4.6–9.57). Measurement of circulating hepatokines in the first or second trimester of pregnancy may improve the identification of women at risk of developing GDM later. Prospective evaluation of the combination of hepatokines and maternal characteristics for early identification of those who do and do not require OGTT is warranted. Additional well-designed prospective studies with longitudinal assessment of hepatokines during pregnancy are needed to understand the trajectories and dynamic associations of hepatokines with GDM risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to global research to predict those who are at greatest risk of developing severe disease and mortality. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the associations between obesity and the severity of and mortality due to COVID-19.Methods: We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases for studies evaluating the associations of obesity with COVID-19. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random- or fixed-effects models. Meta-regression analyses were conducted to estimate regression coefficients.Results: Forty-six studies involving 625,153 patients were included. Compared with nonobese patients, obese patients had a significantly increased risk of infection. (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.53-4.87; I2 = 96.8%), hospitalization (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.55-1.92; I2 = 47.4%), clinically severe disease (OR 3.81, 95% CI 1.97-7.35; I2 = 57.4%), mechanical ventilation (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.42-1.94; I2 = 41.3%), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.55-3.27; I2 = 71.5%), and mortality (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.29-2.01; I2 = 83.1%).Conclusion: Patients with obesity may have a greater risk of infection, hospitalization, clinically severe disease, mechanical ventilation, ICU admission, and mortality due to COVID-19. Therefore, it is important to increase awareness of these associations with obesity in COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have not been well established. We conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on glycemic control, inflammation and oxidative stress for women with GDM. Methods: A systematic search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library up to July, 2020. Various results were pooled by using Review manager 5.3 and Stata 12.0. Mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed by I-squared (I2) tests. Results: Six hundred ninety-eight patients from 12 trials were included in our meta-analysis. Magnesium, zinc, selenium, calcium, vitamin D and E (alone or in combination) were found to significantly improve glycemic control in women with GDM compared to those receiving placebos: fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (MD = - 9.02; 95% CI: - 12.09, - 5.96; P < 0.00001), serum insulin (MD = - 4.33; 95% CI: - 5.35, - 3.32; P < 0.00001), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (MD = - 1.34; 95% CI: - 1.60, - 1.07; P < 0.00001), and homeostasis model of assessment for β cell function (HOMA-B) (MD = - 15.58; 95% CI: - 23.70, - 7.46; P = 0.0002). Vitamin and mineral supplementation was found to attenuated inflammation and oxidative stress through decreasing high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (MD = - 1.29; 95% CI: - 1.82, - 0.76; P < 0.00001), malondialdehyde (MDA) (MD = - 0.71; 95% CI: - 0.97, - 0.45; P < 0.00001), and increasing total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (MD = 45.55; 95% CI: 22.02, 69.08; P = 0.0001). Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows that vitamin and mineral supplementation significantly improved glycemic control, attenuated inflammation and oxidative stress in women with GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: DPP-4 inhibitors are predicted to exert a protective effect on the progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We conducted this meta-analysis to investigate this hypothesis. Methods: Four databases, namely, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library, were used to identify studies on DPP-4 and COVID-19. The outcome indicators were the mortality of COVID-19. Funnel plots, Begg's tests and Egger's tests were used to assess publication bias. Results: Four articles were included with a total of 1933 patients with COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes. The use of DPP-4 inhibitors was negatively associated with the risk of mortality (odds ratio (OR) = 0.58 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34–0.99). Conclusions: DPP-4 inhibitors may improve the mortality of patients with COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes. As few relevant studies are available, more large-scale studies need to be performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the association between maternal folate status and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have yielded inconsistent results. This meta‐analysis was performed to determine whether there may exist some association between maternal folate status and GDM. Unrestricted searches of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase were conducted. All relevant studies on the association between maternal folat status and GDM risk were screened. The standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% CIs was used to determine the association between maternal folate and GDM. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random‐effects models to assess the impact of maternal folate status on GDM risk. 12 studies were included. The overall data revealed that compared with the non‐GDM group, women with GDM had higher level of folate (SMD 0.41, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.21, I2 = 17.2%) in second or third trimester. We also found that maternal high folate status may be associated with increased risk of GDM (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.70 to 2.74, I2 = 0.0%). Compared with non‐GDM group, women with GDM are prone to higher folate level. Moreover, high maternal folate status may predict a higher risk of GDM. As the number of included studies was limited, further large population studies are needed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether the lipid profile in diabetic patients is associated with diabetic neuropathy (DN) development remains ambiguous, as does the predictive value of serum lipid levels in the risk of DN. Here, we performed the first meta-analysis designed to investigate the relationship between DN and the serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). Candidate studies were comprehensively identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases up to May 2020. Observational methodological meta-analysis was conducted to assess the relationships of TG, TC, HDL, and LDL levels with DN. Changes in blood lipids were used to estimate the effect size. The results were pooled using a random-effects or fixed-effects model. Potential sources of heterogeneity were explored by subgroup analysis. Various outcomes were included, and statistical analyses were performed using STATA (Version 12.0). Mean differences (MDs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) was applied to assess the methodological quality. I2 statistics were calculated to evaluate statistical heterogeneity. Funnel plots were utilized to test for publication bias. A sensitivity analysis was performed by omitting each study one by one. Thirty-nine clinical trials containing 32,668 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that DN patients showed higher TG and lower HDL levels (MD = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.20–0.48 for TG; MD = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.08–-0.02, I2 = 81.3% for HDL) than controls. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) neuropathy had elevated TG levels in their serum (MD = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.16–0.35,I2 = 64.4% for T1DM). However, only patients with T1DM neuropathy had reduced serum HDL levels, and there was no significant difference in serum HDL levels between patients with T2DM neuropathy and controls (MD = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.10–-0.03, I2 = 12.4% for T1DM; MD = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.07–0.03, I2 = 80.2% for T2DM). TC and LDL levels were not significantly different between DN patients and controls (MD = -0.03, 95% CI: -0.14–0.09, I2 = 82.9% for TC; MD = -0.00, 95% CI: -0.08–0.08, I2 = 78.9% for LDL). In addition, compared with mild or painless DN patients, those with moderate or severe pain DN pain had significantly reduced serum TC and LDL levels (MD = -0.31, 95% CI: -0.49–-0.13, I2 = 0% for TC; MD = -0.19, 95% CI: -0.32–-0.08, I2 = 0% for LDL). TG levels and HDL levels did not vary considerably between patients with mild or painless DN and those with moderate or severe DN pain patients (MD = 0.12, 95% CI: -0.28–0.51, I2 = 83.2% for TG; MD = -0.07, 95% CI:-0.14–0.01, I2 = 58.8% for HDL). Furthermore, people with higher TG and LDL levels had higher risk of DN (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.20–1.54, I2 = 86.1% for TG and OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02–1.19, I2 = 17.8% for LDL). Conversely, high serum HDL levels reduced the risk of DN (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.75–0.96, I2 = 72.6%), while TC levels made no significant difference with the risk of DN (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00–1.04, I2 = 84.7%). This meta-analysis indicated that serum lipid profile changes are among the biological characteristics of DN. Lipid levels should be explored as routine laboratory markers for predicting the risk of DN, as they will help clinicians choose appropriate therapies, and thus optimize the use of available resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital two-dimensional spatial sampling devices have been widely used in various imaging systems, particularly in computational imaging systems. However, the undersampling of digital sampling devices is a problem that limits the resolution of the acquired images. Here, we propose synthetic sampling imaging to solve the undersampling problem. By moving the specimen from the focal plane but within the depth of field of the objective, the proposed approach allows sampling the specimen from the detection and illumination sides simultaneously. Then, it can synthesize the illumination and detection sampling to improve the sampling rate of the imaging system. An example of microscopy validated the feasibility of the proposed synthetic sampling imaging. The synthetic sampling scheme, in which the illumination and detection sides share the sampling task, provides a way of resolving the undersampling problem in digital imaging systems, especially in nonvisible light imaging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear polyglycidol (LPG) has emerged as a polyethylene glycol (PEG) alternative in novel surfactant development due to its unique advantages, such as high bioavailability and multiple functionalization sites. In this study, a series of LPG based acylhydrazones, including copolymers CLPG1–3 with different length (n = 7–11) of alkyl chains and a curcumin (CUR) drug conjugate CLPG4 were synthesized for the first time. CLPG1 - 4 exhibited a decreasing trend in their surface-active properties as the molecular hydrophobicity increased. Among them, CLPG1 revealed the most powerful foaming ability, emulsion stability than the other analogs and tested commercial references, attributing to its optimal hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance. On the other hand, the drug conjugate CLPG4 revealed significantly enhanced selective tumor cell inhibition and cellular uptake than free CUR in the in vitro experiments. The established structure-property profile in this study provides a useful reference for their practical applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical fields. [Display omitted] • Novel LPG acylhydrazones (CLPG 1 - 3) and CUR-LPG conjugate (CLPG 4) were synthesized. • Structure-activity profile was established for CLPG1 - 3 as potent surfactants. • Enhanced drug loading and stability were observed for CLPG4 compared to physically encapsulated complexes. • CLPG4 revealed improved permeability and selective cancer cell inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metformin, a biguanide derivate, is known as the first-line antidiabetic agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treatment. It reduces insulin resistance and decreases blood glucose concentration by inhibiting gluconeogenesis and suppressing hepatic glucose production with improved peripheral tissue insulin sensitivity. As an insulin sensitizer, metformin takes pleiotropic actions and exerts protective effects on multiple organs mainly in insulin-targeted tissues such as liver, muscle, and adipose tissues. Recent studies discover that metformin also plays essential roles in heart and pancreatic β cells — two important organs in metabolic regulation. Metformin not only protects T2DM patients from cardiovascular diseases and heart failure, but also restores insulin secretion activities and protects pancreatic β cells from lipotoxicity or glucotoxicity. Although accumulated evidence shed light on the metformin action, the precise mechanism of metformin is still under investigation. Further laboratory investigations and clinical trials are needed to pinpoint a map of metformin action. Based on recent findings, this review characterizes the beneficial role of metformin in cardiovascular diseases and pancreatic β cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dichroic circular polarizers (DCP) represent an important group of optical filters that transfer only that part of the incident light with the desired polarization state and absorb the remainder. However, DCPs are usually bulky and exhibit significant optical loss. Moreover, the integration of these kinds of DCP devices can be difficult and costly as different compositions of chemicals are needed to achieve the desired polarization status. Circular polarizers based on metasurfaces require only thin films in the order of hundreds of nanometers but are limited by their sensitivity to angle of incidence. Furthermore, few existing solutions offer broadband operation in the visible range. By using computational simulations, this paper proposes and analyses a plasmonic DCP structure operating in the visible, from 400 nm to 700 nm which overcomes these drawbacks. The resulting circular dichroism transmission (CDT) is more than 0.9, and the maximum transmission efficiency is greater than 78% at visible wavelengths. These CDT characteristics are largely independent of angle of incidence up to angles of 80 degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]