Circulating levels of irisin and Meteorin-like protein in PCOS and its correlation with metabolic parameters.

INTRODUCTION: Research on obesity, which results from excessive food consumption and sedentary lifestyle, has focused on increasing energy expenditure. Recently, muscle tissue is being investigated as an endocrine active organ, secreting molecules called myokines. Multiple studies have been performed to assess myokine levels in various disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and metabolic syndrome. Irisin and Meteorin-like protein (Metrnl) are particles which, among others, are suggested to play an important role in adipose tissue browning and improving insulin sensitivity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 31 women with PCOS and 18 healthy individuals. PCOS was diagnosed based on revised 2003 Rotterdam criteria. Multiple anthropometrical, hormonal, and biochemical parameters were assessed, including oral glucose tolerance test and body composition with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum levels of irisin and Metrnl were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: There were no differences between the PCOS and control groups according to age, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), fasting glucose, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), or body mass composition. Assessment of Metrnl and irisin concentrations revealed no significant differences between PCOS and healthy women. The irisin level was negatively correlated with BMI, body fat mass, fasting glucose, and insulin concentrations. No relationship between Metrnl level and metabolic parameters was found. CONCLUSIONS: Although irisin seems to be a promising biomarker, inconsistent research limits its value in clinical use in the assessment or treatment of obesity. Metrnl level was not affected in the study population, but it might be connected to the severity of metabolic disturbances.

High efficiency 3D video coding using new tools based on view synthesis.

We propose a new coding technology for 3D video represented by multiple views and the respective depth maps. The proposed technology is demonstrated as an extension of the recently developed high efficiency video coding (HEVC). One base views are compressed into a standard bitstream (like in HEVC). The remaining views and the depth maps are compressed using new coding tools that mostly rely on view synthesis. In the decoder, those views and the depth maps are derived via synthesis in the 3D space from the decoded baseview and from data corresponding to small disoccluded regions. The shapes and locations of those disoccluded regions can be derived by the decoder without any side information transmitted. To achieve high compression efficiency, we propose several new tools such as depth-based motion prediction, joint high frequency layer coding, consistent depth representation, and nonlinear depth representation. The experiments show high compression efficiency of the proposed technology. The bitrate needed for transmission of two side views with depth maps is mostly less than 50% than that of the bitrate for a single-view video.

Binaural perception of the modulation depth of AM signals.

The purpose of this study was to determine the binaurally perceived modulation depth (m) of the low rate amplitude modulated (AM) signals, under conditions of their dichotic presentation, i.e., when the AM signals presented to the left and the right ear had different modulation depths. The modulation depth was determined as a point of subjective equality between the sensations of the modulation depth of AM signals presented to the left and right ear, using a one-up, one-down adaptive procedure. Measurements were made for the carrier frequencies (f(c)) of 250, 1000, and 4000Hz, and the modulation frequency (f(m)) of 4Hz. Experimental data showed that, for sufficiently small interaural difference in modulation depth (Deltam), the perceived modulation approximated the mean of the modulation depths presented to the left and the right ear. However, for moderate and large Deltam, the binaurally perceived modulation was lower than the mean of m(l) and m(r) and the steepness of the function m=f(Deltam) gradually decreased with an increase of Deltam. Results of the calculation of the binaurally perceived modulation depth, obtained on the assumption of binaural loudness summation, were found to be consistent within the limit of standard deviation, with the experimental data for relatively wide range of Deltam.