Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) Effects on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials.

OBJECTIVE: Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are potential treatments for ameliorating age-related physical dysfunctions caused by sarcopenia, cachexia and chronic illnesses such as cancer. The purpose of this systematic review is to analyse the effect of SARMs on physical performance and body and evaluate their safety profile. METHODS: A systematic review search criteria following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was performed in three databases for studies reporting physical parameter outcomes after SARM intervention. Study variables included title, author, publication date, study year, number of patients, dosage, mean age, mean follow-up time, pre and post-intervention outcomes and rates of complications. RESULTS: Nine studies, including 970 patients with a mean age of 57.1 years (35.3-75.9) and a mean follow-up of 80 days (14-180), were included. Six SARMs were analysed: LGD-4033, PF-06260414, GSK2881078, GTx-024, MK-0773 and OPK-88004. Mean pre-intervention stair climbing power (five studies), one repetition maximum leg press (four studies) and short physical performance battery (SPPB) score (two studies), lean body mass (seven studies) and fat mass (five studies) were 352.24 W (69.79-678.7), 1822.77 N (1176.8-2407.3), 9.15 (7.95-9.9), 49.46 kg (30.94-63.9) and 21.99 kg (13.3-33), respectively. Mean post-intervention values were 315.16 W (89.46-525.73 W), 2191.27 N (1375.87-2462.9 N), 9.79 (8.88-10.4), 50.86 kg (31.02-67.29) and 21.85 kg (12.54-32.16), respectively. CONCLUSION: SARMs have a positive effect on physical performance and body composition and are associated with moderate rates of mild to moderate adverse effects (AEs) and a low rate of severe AEs.

Improved Physical Performance Parameters in Patients Taking Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN): A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is essential in the proper function of many essential cellular processes in the human body. The purpose of this review is to investigate the effect of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a NAD+ precursor, on physical performance and evaluate the safety profile of supplementation. A systematic review search criteria following the guidelines from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was performed in four databases for randomized controlled trials on NMN supplementation. Study variables included title, author, publication date, study year, number of patients, dosage, mean age, mean follow-up time, pre- and post-intervention reported outcomes, and rates of complications. Ten studies, including 437 patients, with a mean age of 58.0 years (35.1 to 81.1 years) and a mean follow-up time of 9.6 weeks (4 to 12 weeks) were included in this study. NMN dosages ranged from 150 to 1200 mg/day. Mean pre-intervention grip strength (two studies) and skeletal mass index (two studies) were 29.9 kilograms (kg) (range: 21.4-40.1 kg) and 7.4 kg/m2 (range: 6.9-7.65 kg/m2), respectively. Mean post-intervention grip strength and skeletal mass index were 30.5 kg (range: 21.7-41.9 kg) and 7.4 kg/m2 (6.8-7.64 kg/m2), respectively. There were no serious adverse effects observed. Moreover, of the reported side effects, they were determined to be independent of NMN supplementation. Therefore, patients taking NMN supplementation demonstrated non-significantly improved physical performance parameters. NMN is well tolerated with no serious adverse effects observed.

Operando time and space-resolved liquid-phase diagnostics reveal the plasma selective synthesis of nanographenes.

Coupling atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasmas to electrochemical reactors enables the generation of highly reactive species at plasma-liquid interfaces. This type of plasma electrochemical reactor (PEC) has been used to synthesize fluorescent nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs), which are usable for multifunctional applications in a facile, simple, and sustainable way. However, the synthesis mechanism remains poorly understood, as well as the location of synthesis. To research these issues, we present an in situ diagnostics study on liquid phase chemistry during the PEC synthesis of NGQDs from chitosan. Monitoring of the photoluminescence and UV-VIS absorption at different depths in the reaction medium during plasma treatment reveals that the NGQD production initiates at the plasma-liquid interface but its completion and/or accumulation occurs at a few millimetres depth below the interface, where the liquid ceases to flow convectively, as determined by particle image velocimetry. Our study provides insights into the plasma synthesis of fluorescent GQDs/NGQDs from carbon precursors that may prove useful for achieving the scalability of PEC processes up to continuous-flow or array reactors.

Effect of plasma polarity on the synthesis of graphene quantum dots by atmospheric-pressure microplasmas.

The aim of this study is to optimize the production of colloidal graphene quantum dots (GQD) in an aqueous solution containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treated by an argon microplasma jet operated in open ambient air. The plasma has been investigated by optical emission spectroscopy and electrical measurements, and the produced GQDs have been studied by Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, UV-visible absorption, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. We mainly focus on the influence of the polarity of the voltage applied to generate the microplasma. Although the deposited power is higher when using a positive polarity, the energy efficiency is also higher thanks to a faster synthesis rate. To understand the underlying mechanisms, we reproduced the experiments with the addition of [Formula: see text] in the aqueous solution. Results show that the GQD synthesis operates in two steps with SDS fragmentation followed by an electrolysis-related process. We demonstrate that the positive polarity performs better due to higher fragmentation rate.

Energy efficiency in nanoscale synthesis using nanosecond plasmas.

We report a nanoscale synthesis technique using nanosecond-duration plasma discharges. Voltage pulses 12.5 kV in amplitude and 40 ns in duration were applied repetitively at 30 kHz across molybdenum electrodes in open ambient air, generating a nanosecond spark discharge that synthesized well-defined MoO3 nanoscale architectures (i.e. flakes, dots, walls, porous networks) upon polyamide and copper substrates. No nitrides were formed. The energy cost was as low as 75 eV per atom incorporated into a nanostructure, suggesting a dramatic reduction compared to other techniques using atmospheric pressure plasmas. These findings show that highly efficient synthesis at atmospheric pressure without catalysts or external substrate heating can be achieved in a simple fashion using nanosecond discharges.

Regional expression of cyclooxygenase isoforms in the rat kidney in complete unilateral ureteral obstruction.

PURPOSE: The cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway is activated in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), contributing to renal hemodynamic alterations in different regions of the kidney. After the release of 24-hour UUO cortical vasoconstriction occurs but medullary hyperemia is seen. We examined the expression of the 2 COX isoforms COX-1 and COX-2 in different regions of the kidney in rats subjected to UUO. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clearance experiments were performed after ureteral obstruction release in rats with 24-hour UUO or sham operated rats. COX-1 and COX-2 expression in the cortex and medulla were examined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: After UUO release the glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow were markedly lower in post-obstructed kidneys than in contralateral kidneys or in kidneys in sham operated rats (p <0.001). Western blot analysis showed that COX-2/beta-actin in the cortex of the obstructed kidney was 0.28 +/- 0.02 densitometry units, significantly lower than 0.67 +/- 0.12 densitometry units in the contralateral unobstructed kidney. In contrast, COX-2/beta-actin in the outer and inner medullae of the obstructed kidney was 7.85 +/- 1.09 and 2.51 +/- 0.14 densitometry units, significantly greater than 3.03 +/- 0.22 and 0.66 +/- 0.14 densitometry units, respectively, in the contralateral unobstructed kidney. The expression of COX-1/beta-actin in the obstructed kidney was similar to that in the contralateral unobstructed kidney in the cortex and medulla. CONCLUSIONS: Renal COX-2 expression is markedly altered in UUO. Decreased cortical expression of COX-2 and markedly increased expression in the medulla may contribute to disparate regional hemodynamic alterations in UUO.