Adipocytokine plasma concentrations reflect influence of inflammation but not body mass index (BMI) on clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients:A prospective observational study from the Netherlands

Obesity is recognized as a risk factor for adverse outcome in COVID-19, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unknown. Adipose tissue functions as an endocrine organ by secreting multiple pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors, known as adipocytokines, which could be involved in COVID-19 severity. We explored the role of adipocytokines in COVID-19 and its association with BMI, clinical outcome, and inflammation. This is an observational study in 195 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Serial plasma concentrations of the adipocytokines leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and various inflammatory cytokines were assessed. Adipocytokines were compared between patients with normal weight (BMI: 18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (BMI: 25.0–29.9 kg/m2), and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), between patients admitted to the ICU and to non-ICU clinical wards, and between survivors and non-survivors. Patients with overweight and obesity displayed higher leptin concentrations and lower adiponectin concentrations throughout hospital admission (p < .001), whereas resistin concentrations were not different from patients with normal weight (p = .12). Resistin concentrations correlated with inflammatory markers and were persistently higher in ICU patients and non-survivors compared to non-ICU patients and survivors, respectively (both p < .001), whereas no such relationships were found for the other adipocytokines. In conclusion, leptin and adiponectin are associated with BMI, but not with clinical outcomes and inflammation in COVID-19 patients. In contrast, resistin is not associated with BMI, but high concentrations are associated with worse clinical outcomes and more pronounced inflammation. Therefore, it is unlikely that BMI-related adipocytokines or differences in the inflammatory response underlie obesity as a risk factor for severe COVID-19

Efficacy of combined oral contraceptives for depressive symptoms and overall symptomatology in premenstrual syndrome:pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomized trials

OBJECTIVE: Combined oral contraceptives are often considered a treatment option for women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) also seeking contraception, but evidence for this treatment is scarce. We aimed to determine 1) the level of evidence for the efficacy of combined oral contraceptives in managing premenstrual depressive symptoms and overall premenstrual symptomatology, and 2) the comparative efficacy of combined oral contraceptives (PROSPERO registration number CRD42020205510). DATA SOURCES: We searched Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Emcare, and EMBASE from inception to June 3rd, 2021. STUDY ELIGIBILITY: All randomized clinical trials that evaluated efficacy of combined oral contraceptives in women with PMS or PMDD were considered eligible for inclusion in the present meta-analysis. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: A random effect Bayesian pairwise and network meta-analysis was conducted with change in premenstrual depressive symptoms and overall premenstrual symptomatology between baseline and 3 cycles as outcome. Certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. RESULTS: Of 3664 records, nine eligible trials were included that studied 1205 women with PMS or PMDD (mean age per study range: 24.6-36.5 years). The pairwise meta-analysis revealed that combined oral contraceptives were more efficacious than placebo in treating overall premenstrual symptomatology (standardized mean difference SMD [95%CrI], 0.41 [0.17, 0.67]), but not premenstrual depressive symptoms specifically (SMD [95%CrI], 0.22 [-0.06, 0.47]). However, none of the combined oral contraceptives were more effective than each other in reducing premenstrual depressive symptoms and overall premenstrual symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS: Combined oral contraceptives may improve overall premenstrual symptomatology in women with PMS or PMDD, but not premenstrual depressive symptoms. There is no evidence for one combined oral contraceptive being more efficacious than any other

Non-singlet Baryons in Less Supersymmetric Backgrounds

We analyze the holographic description of non-singlet baryons in various backgrounds with reduced supersymmetries and/or confinement. We show that they exist in all AdS_5xY_5 backgrounds with Y_5 an Einstein manifold bearing five form flux, for a number of quarks 5N/8< k< N, independently on the supersymmetries preserved. This result still holds for gamma_i deformations. In the confining Maldacena-Nunez background non-singlet baryons also exist, although in this case the interval for the number of quarks is reduced as compared to the conformal case. We generalize these configurations to include a non-vanishing magnetic flux such that a complementary microscopical description can be given in terms of lower dimensional branes expanding into fuzzy baryons. This description is a first step towards exploring the finite 't Hooft coupling region.Comment: 36 Pages, 1 figure, Latex, v2: few minor changes, JHEP versio

Surfactant phosphatidylcholine half-life and pool size measurements in premature baboons developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Because minimal information is available about surfactant metabolism in bronchopulmonary dysplasia, we measured half-lives and pool sizes of surfactant phosphatidylcholine in very preterm baboons recovering from respiratory distress syndrome and developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia, using stable isotopes, radioactive isotopes, and direct pool size measurements. Eight ventilated premature baboons received (2)H-DPPC (dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine) on d 5 of life, and radioactive (14)C-DPPC with a treatment dose of surfactant on d 8. After 14 d, lung pool sizes of saturated phosphatidylcholine were measured. Half-life of (2)H-DPPC (d 5) in tracheal aspirates was 28 +/- 4 h (mean +/- SEM). Half-life of radioactive DPPC (d 8) was 35 +/- 4 h. Saturated phosphatidylcholine pool size measured with stable isotopes on d 5 was 129 +/- 14 micro mol/kg, and 123 +/- 11 micro mol/kg on d 14 at autopsy. Half-lives were comparable to those obtained at d 0 and d 6 in our previous baboon studies. We conclude that surfactant metabolism does not change during the early development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, more specifically, the metabolism of exogenous surfactant on d 8 is similar to that on the day of birth. Surfactant pool size is low at birth, increases after surfactant therapy, and is kept constant during the first 2 wk of life by endogenous surfactant synthesis. Measurements with stable isotopes are comparable to measurements with radioactive tracers and measurements at autopsy

Black holes and black strings of N=2, d=5 supergravity in the H-FGK formalism

We study general classes and properties of extremal and non-extremal static black-hole solutions of N=2, d=5 supergravity coupled to vector multiplets using the recently proposed H-FGK formalism, which we also extend to static black strings. We explain how to determine the integration constants and physical parameters of the black-hole and black-string solutions. We derive some model-independent statements, including the transformation of non-extremal flow equations to the form of those for the extremal flow. We apply our methods to the construction of example solutions (among others a new extremal string solution of heterotic string theory on K_3 \times S^1). In the cases where we have calculated it explicitly, the product of areas of the inner and outer horizon of a non-extremal solution coincides with the square of the moduli-independent area of the horizon of the extremal solution with the same charges.Comment: 33 pages. Revised version: references added. No other change

Reported food intake and distribution of body fat: a repeated cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Body mass, as well as distribution of body fat, are predictors of both diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In Northern Sweden, despite a marked increase in average body mass, prevalence of diabetes was stagnant and myocardial infarctions decreased. A more favourable distribution of body fat is a possible contributing factor. This study investigates the relative importance of individual food items for time trends in waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC) on a population level. METHODS: Independent cross-sectional surveys conducted in 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1999 in the two northernmost counties of Sweden with a common population of 250000. Randomly selected age stratified samples, altogether 2982 men and 3087 women aged 25–64 years. Questionnaires were completed and anthropometric measurements taken. For each food item, associations between frequency of consumption and waist and hip circumferences were estimated. Partial regression coefficients for every level of reported intake were multiplied with differences in proportion of the population reporting the corresponding levels of intake in 1986 and 1999. The sum of these product terms for every food item was the respective estimated impact on mean circumference. RESULTS: Time trends in reported food consumption associated with the more favourable gynoid distribution of adipose tissue were increased use of vegetable oil, pasta and 1.5% fat milk. Trends associated with abdominal obesity were increased consumption of beer in men and higher intake of hamburgers and French fried potatoes in women. CONCLUSION: Food trends as markers of time trends in body fat distribution have been identified. The method is a complement to conventional approaches to establish associations between food intake and disease risk on a population level

Towards critical physics in 2+1d with U(2N )-invariant fermions

Interacting theories of N relativistic fermion flavors in reducible spinor rep- resentations in 2+1 spacetime dimensions are formulated on a lattice using domain wall fermions (DWF), for which a U(2N) global symmetry is recovered in the limit that the wall separation Ls is made large. The Gross-Neveu (GN) model is studied in the large-N limit and an exponential acceleration of convergence to the large-Ls limit is demonstrated if the usual parity-invariant mass mψ ̄ψ is replaced by the U(2N)-equivalent im3ψ ̄γ3ψ. The GN model and two lattice variants of the Thirring model are simulated for N = 2 using a hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm, and studies made of the symmetry-breaking bilinear con- densate and its associated susceptibility, the axial Ward identity, and the mass spectrum of both fermion and meson excitations. Comparisons are made with existing results ob- tained using staggered fermions. For the GN model a symmetry-breaking phase transition is observed, the Ward identity is recovered, and the spectrum found to be consistent with large-N expectations. There appears to be no obstruction to the study of critical UV fixed-point physics using DWF. For the Thirring model the Ward identity is not recovered, the spectroscopy measurements are inconclusive, and no symmetry breaking is observed all the way up to the effective strong coupling limit. This is consistent with a critical Thirring flavor number Nc < 2, contradicting earlier staggered fermion results

Cause-specific inequalities in mortality in Scotland: two decades of change. A population-based study

&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Background:&lt;/b&gt; Socioeconomic inequalities in mortality have increased in recent years in many countries. We examined age-, sex-, and cause-specific mortality rates for social groups in and regions of Scotland to understand the patterning of inequalities and the causes contributing to these inequalities.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Methods:&lt;/b&gt; We used death records for 1980–82, 1991–92 and 2000–02 together with mid-year population estimates for 1981, 1991 and 2001 covering the whole of Scotland to calculate directly standardised mortality rates. Deaths and populations were coded to small areas (postcode sectors and data zones), and deprivation was assessed using area based measures (Carstairs scores and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation). We measured inequalities using rate ratios and the Slope Index of Inequality (SII).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Substantial overall decreases in mortality rates disguised increases for men aged 15–44 and little change for women at the same ages. The pattern at these ages was mostly attributable to increases in suicides and deaths related to the use of alcohol and drugs. Under 65 a 49% fall in the mortality of men in the least deprived areas contrasted with a fall of just 2% in the most deprived. There were substantial increases in the social gradients for most causes of death. Excess male mortality in the Clydeside region was largely confined to more deprived areas, whilst for women in the region mortality was in line with the Scottish experience. Relative inequalities for men and women were greatest between the ages of 30 and 49.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; General reductions in mortality in the major causes of death (ischaemic heart disease, malignant neoplasms) are encouraging; however, such reductions were socially patterned. Relative inequalities in mortality have increased and are greatest among younger adults where deaths related to unfavourable lifestyles call for direct social policies to address poverty.&lt;/p&gt

Long-term exposure to ultrafine particles and natural and cause-specific mortality

BACKGROUND: Health implications of long-term exposure to ubiquitously present ultrafine particles (UFP) are uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between long-term UFP exposure and natural and cause-specific mortality (including cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory disease, and lung cancer) in the Netherlands. METHODS: A Dutch national cohort of 10.8 million adults aged ≥ 30 years was followed from 2013 until 2019. Annual average UFP concentrations were estimated at the home address at baseline, using land-use regression models based on a nationwide mobile monitoring campaign performed at the midpoint of the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazard models were applied, adjusting for individual and area-level socio-economic status covariates. Two-pollutant models with the major regulated pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) and fine particles (PM 2 . 5 and PM 10), and the health relevant combustion aerosol pollutant (elemental carbon (EC)) were assessed based on dispersion modelling. RESULTS: A total of 945,615 natural deaths occurred during 71,008,209 person-years of follow-up. The correlation of UFP concentration with other pollutants ranged from moderate (0.59 (PM 2 . 5)) to high (0.81 (NO 2)). We found a significant association between annual average UFP exposure and natural mortality [HR 1.012 (95 % CI 1.010-1.015), per interquartile range (IQR) (2723 particles/cm 3) increment]. Associations were stronger for respiratory disease mortality [HR 1.022 (1.013-1.032)] and lung cancer mortality [HR 1.038 (1.028-1.048)] and weaker for CVD mortality [HR 1.005 (1.000-1.011)]. The associations of UFP with natural and lung cancer mortality attenuated but remained significant in all two-pollutant models, whereas the associations with CVD and respiratory mortality attenuated to the null. CONCLUSION: Long-term UFP exposure was associated with natural and lung cancer mortality among adults independently from other regulated air pollutants