Serum levels of copper, zinc and magnesium in pregnant women with Impaired Glucose Tolerance test: A case-control study

Objective: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a type of diabetes that begins during pregnancy. This problem causes many complications for mother and foetus. Mineral levels in diabetic patients change and since the levels of these elements have not received much attention in patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance test (IGT), in this study serum concentration of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and magnesium (Mg) were analysed in singleton pregnant women with IGT compared with euglycemic pregnant women. Methods: The subjects of this case-control study have been selected from pregnant women who referred to Rohzendeh health and therapeutic center in northwest of Iran from December 2013 - April 2014. 46 pregnant women with IGT and 35 euglycemic women were selected. The levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, zinc, copper and magnesium in the blood samples were measured. Results: The findings of this study indicated that the difference of hemoglobin and hematocrit and magnesium levels was not significant between two groups. The difference of copper concentration in healthy pregnant women and women with IGT was statistically significant (P<0.001) which indicated a high level of copper in healthy pregnant women. Interestingly, in pregnant women with IGT plasmatic zinc level was lower than healthy women (P= 0.028). Conclusions: Pregnancy is a condition that can affect the mineral status and to achieve better results, further researches are needed with larger sample size. © Mattioli 1885

Nonlocal study of the vibration and stability response of small-scale axially moving supported beams on viscoelastic-Pasternak foundation in a hygro-thermal environment

This paper aims at studying the vibrational behavior and dynamical stability of small-scale axially moving beams resting on the viscoelastic-Pasternak foundation in a hygro-thermal environment, according to a nonlocal strain gradient Rayleigh beam model. The Galerkin procedure is applied to determine the eigenvalues of the dynamic system of equations together with the stability regions of the system. A comparison study of the proposed method is performed, first, against the available literature. Thus, we examine the effect of the rotary inertia, flexural stiffness, boundary conditions, scale parameters, foundation conditions, and environmental loads, on the vibrational frequencies and stability boundaries of the system. Based on the numerical results, an increased flexural stiffness and strain gradient parameter enhance the vibrational frequencies of the system. It is also demonstrated that the destructive effects of hygro-thermal conditions can be alleviated by a fine-tuning of the foundation characteristics. The outcomes of the present research can represent a useful benchmark for optimization design purposes of moving nanosystems in complex environmental conditions

Spirulina supplementation and anthropometric indices: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials

Obesity and overweight are associated with the burden of chronic diseases. The aim of the present meta-analysis is to determine the efficacy of spirulina in reducing of obesity indices. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases were searched up to November 2019. Randomized controlled trials comparing spirulina supplementation with a placebo or no treatment for anthropometric indices were included. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects model. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were carried out. Publication bias was evaluated using standard methods. Spirulina had ameliorative effects on weight (WMD = �1.85 Kg; 95 CI: �2.44, �1.26; p &lt;.001; I2 = 82.4, p &lt;.001), and waist circumference (WMD = �1.09 cm; 95 CI: �2.16, �0.01; p =.046; I2 = 0.0, p =.757) while no significant effect was shown on body mass index, even after sensitivity analysis (SMD = �0.53 Kg/m2; 95 CI: �1.25, 0.19; p =.149; I2 = 92.9, p &lt;.001); however, spirulina was effective in studies lasted for at least 12 weeks (SMD = �1.25 Kg/m2; 95 CI: �2.21, �0.28; p =.011; I2 = 90.8, p &lt;.001). Spirulina supplementation exerts beneficial effects on weight and waist circumference. The ameliorative effect of spirulina on body mass index was revealed in longer duration of supplementation. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Lt