Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Higher circulating irisin levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome:a meta-analysis

Abstract Insulin resistance (IR) has been reported to be highly associated with the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Although irisin, a newly identified myokine that may be closely associated with IR, has been implicated in the development of PCOS, the results are still ambiguous. We performed this meta-analysis to compare the circulating irisin levels between PCOS and healthy women and assess the association of irisin with IR. Published works were retrieved from PubMed and Embase databases using combinations of ‘irisin’ and (‘polycystic ovary syndrome’ or ‘PCOS’). Eight studies involving 1918 PCOS patients and 528 controls were included in the meta-analysis. Publication bias was observed using a funnel plot and Egger's regression asymmetry test. The pooled data indicated that the levels of irisin were at least 45.78 ng/ml [95% confidence interval (CI)] (12.45, 79.12, p = .007) higher in patients with PCOS than that in the healthy controls. Additionally, we did not observe a significant correlation between circulating irisin levels and IR in study populations, although the results may not be reliable for small sample sizes. The current meta-analysis suggested that irisin might contribute to the development of PCOS independent of IR.
Connectomic correlates of response to treatment in first-episode psychosis

Connectomic approaches using diffusion tensor imaging have contributed to our understanding of brain changes in psychosis, and could provide further insights into the neural mechanisms underlying response to antipsychotic treatment. We here studied the brain network organization in patients at their first episode of psychosis, evaluating whether connectome-based descriptions of brain networks predict response to treatment, and whether they change after treatment. Seventy-six patients with a first episode of psychosis and 74 healthy controls were included. Thirty-three patients were classified as responders after 12 weeks of antipsychotic treatment. Baseline brain structural networks were built using whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging tractography, and analysed using graph analysis and network-based statistics to explore baseline characteristics of patients who subsequently responded to treatment. A subgroup of 43 patients was rescanned at the 12-week follow-up, to study connectomic changes over time in relation to treatment response. At baseline, those subjects who subsequently responded to treatment, compared to those that did not, showed higher global efficiency in their structural connectomes, a network configuration that theoretically facilitates the flow of information. We did not find specific connectomic changes related to treatment response after 12 weeks of treatment. Our data suggest that patients who have an efficiently-wired connectome at first onset of psychosis show a better subsequent response to antipsychotics. However, response is not accompanied by specific structural changes over time detectable with this method.
Variability in commercial ginseng products: an analysis of 25 preparations.

BACKGROUND Because dietary supplements are not subject to the same regulations that pharmaceuticals are, there is concern among medical professionals that these products may lack purity or potency. OBJECTIVE To determine the variability in a range of ginseng herbal products available in the United States, we identified and measured the concentration of marker compounds by using HPLC and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. DESIGN Twenty-five commercial ginseng preparations from the genera Panax or Eleutherococcus were obtained from a local health food store and analyzed for 7 ginsenosides (marker compounds for Panax species, which include Asian and American ginseng) and 2 eleutherosides (marker compounds for Eleutherococcus senticosus, also known as Siberian ginseng). RESULTS All plant products were correctly identified by botanical plant species (ie, Panax species or E. senticosus); however, concentrations of marker compounds differed significantly from labeled amounts. There was also significant product-to-product variability: concentrations of ginsenosides varied by 15- and 36-fold in capsules and liquids, respectively, and concentrations of eleutherosides varied by 43- and 200-fold in capsules and liquids, respectively. Although a systematic search for adulterants was not conducted, review of the HPLC and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry data suggest that no substances other than ginsenosides or eleutherosides were extracted from the plant material. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that US ginseng products are correctly labeled as to plant genus; however, variability in concentrations of marker compounds suggests that standardization may be necessary for quality assurance and that characterization of herbal products should be considered in the design and evaluation of studies on herbal products.
N and O isotope (δ15 Nα , δ15 Nβ , δ18 O, δ17 O) analyses of dissolved NO3- and NO2- by the Cd-azide reduction method and N2 O laser spectrometry.

RATIONALE The nitrogen and oxygen (δ15 N, δ18 O, δ17 O) isotopic compositions of NO3- and NO2- are important tracers of nutrient dynamics in soil, rain, groundwater and oceans. The Cd-azide method was used to convert NO3- or NO2- to N2 O for N and triple-O isotopic analyses by N2 O laser spectrometry. A protocol for laser-based headspace isotope analyses was compared with isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Lasers provide the ability to directly measure 17 O anomalies which can help discern atmospheric N sources. METHODS δ15 N, δ18 O and δ17 O values were measured on N/O stable isotopic reference materials (IAEA, USGS) by conversion to N2 O using the Cd-azide method and headspace N2 O laser spectrometry. A 15 N tracer test assessed the position-specific routing of N to the α or β positions in the N2 O molecule. A data processing algorithm was used to correct for isotopic dependencies on N2 O concentration, cavity pressure and water content. RESULTS NO3- /NO2- nitrogen is routed to the 15 Nα position of N2 O in the azide reaction; hence the δ15 Nα value should be used for N2 O laser spectrometry results. With corrections for cavity pressure, N2 O concentration and water content, the δ15 NαAIR , δ18 OVSMOW and δ17 OVSMOW values (‰) of international reference materials were +4.8 ± 0.1, +25.9 ± 0.3, +12.7 ± 0.2 (IAEA NO3 ), -1.7 ± 0.1, -26.8 ± 0.8, -14.4 ± 1.1 (USGS34) and +2.6 ± 0.1, +57.6 ± 1.2, +51.2 ± 2.0 (USGS35), in agreement with their values and with the isotope ratio mass spectrometry results. The 17 O excess for USGS35 was +21.2 ± 9‰, in good agreement with previous results. CONCLUSIONS The Cd-azide method yielded excellent results for routine determination of δ15 N, δ18 O and δ17 O values (and the 17 O excess) of nitrate or nitrite by laser spectrometry. Disadvantages are the toxicity of Cd-azide chemicals and the lack of automated sampling devices for N2 O laser spectrometers. The 15 N-enriched tracer test revealed potential for position-specific experimentation of aqueous nutrient dynamics at high 15 N enrichments by laser spectrometry, but exposed the need for memory corrections and improved spectral deconvolution of 17 O.
Pegylated human recombinant leptin (PEG-OB) causes additional weight loss in severely energy-restricted, overweight men.

BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests that falling leptin concentrations observed during fasting act as a peripheral signal of starvation, which serves to conserve energy in the face of limited reserves. An extension of this hypothesis is that exogenous leptin should affect energy regulation during severe energy restriction. OBJECTIVE To explore this hypothesis, we assessed whether elevated leptin concentrations achieved with the use of long-acting pegylated human recombinant leptin [polyethylene glycol-OB protein (PEG-OB)] affected weight loss and changes in body composition, energy expenditure, appetite, and metabolic variables during semistarvation in healthy overweight men. DESIGN A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was executed in overweight men with a mean (+/- SEM) age of 34.8 +/- 1.3 y and body mass index (in kg/m2) of 28.8 +/- 0.5. All subjects received weekly treatment with 80 mg PEG-OB (n = 12) or matching placebo (n = 10) for 46 d while their energy intake was reduced to 2.1 MJ/d by means of a very-low-energy diet. Body composition (hydrodensitometry and deuterium dilution), energy expenditure (ventilated hood), and appetite (visual analogue scales) were evaluated at the start and the end of the study. Metabolic variables were measured throughout the study period. RESULTS Compared with placebo treatment, treatment with PEG-OB led to significant (P < 0.03) additional weight loss (14.6 +/- 0.8 compared with 11.8 +/- 0.9 kg) and a reduction in appetite (P < 0.05) after 46 d, but the 2 treatment groups did not differ significantly in changes in body composition, energy expenditure, and metabolic variables. CONCLUSION Our observations support the hypothesis that the decrease in leptin concentrations during starvation increases appetite in humans.
Gluteus Minimus and Gluteus Medius Muscle Activity During Common Rehabilitation Exercises in Healthy Postmenopausal Women

STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study, cross‐sectional. BACKGROUND: The gluteus medius (GMed) and gluteus minimus (GMin) provide dynamic stability of the hip joint and pelvis. These muscles are susceptible to atrophy and injury in individuals during menopause, aging, and disease. Numerous studies have reported on the ability of exercises to elicit high levels of GMed activity; however, few studies have differentiated between the portions of the GMed, and none have examined the GMin. OBJECTIVES: To quantify and rank the level of muscle activity of the 2 segments of the GMin (anterior and posterior fibers) and 3 segments of the GMed (anterior, middle, and posterior fibers) during 4 isometric and 3 dynamic exercises in a group of healthy, postmenopausal women. METHODS: Intramuscular electrodes were inserted into each segment of the GMed and GMin in 10 healthy, postmenopausal women. Participants completed 7 gluteal rehabilitation exercises, and average normalized muscle activity was used to rank the exercises from highest to lowest. RESULTS: The isometric standing hip hitch with contralateral hip swing was the highest‐ranked exercise for all muscle segments except the anterior GMin, where it was ranked second. The highest‐ranked dynamic exercise for all muscle segments was the dip test. CONCLUSION: The hip hitch and its variations maximally activate the GMed and GMin muscle segments, and may be useful in hip muscle rehabilitation in postmenopausal women.
Amyloid Precursor Protein Haploinsufficiency Preferentially Mediates Brain Iron Accumulation in Mice Transgenic for The Huntington's Disease Mutation.

BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the huntingtin gene that results in expression of mutant huntingtin protein. Iron accumulates in HD brain neurons. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) promotes neuronal iron export. However, the role of APP in brain iron accumulation in HD is unclear. OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of APP insufficiency on HD in YAC128 mice. METHODS We crossed APP hemizygous mice (APP+/-) with YAC128 mice that are transgenic (Tg) for human mutant huntingtin (hmHTT) to generate APP+/+ hmHTT-/-, APP+/- hmHTT-/-, APP+/+ hmHTT+/- and APP+/- hmHTT+/- progeny. Mice were evaluated for behavioral, biochemical and neuropathology HD outcomes at 2-12 months of age. RESULTS APP heterozygosity decreased cortical APP 25% and 60% in non-Tg and Tg mice, respectively. Cerebral and striatal iron levels were increased by APP knockdown in Tg mice only. Nest-building behavior was decreased in Tg mice; APP knockdown decreased nest building in non-Tg but not Tg mice. Rota-rod endurance was decreased in Tg mice. APP+/- hHTT+/- mice demonstrated additional decreases in rota-rod endurance from 4-10 months of age. Tg mice had smaller striatal volumes and fewer striatal neurons but were not affected by APP knockdown. CONCLUSIONS APP heterozygosity results in greater decreases of cortical APP in Tg versus non-Tg mice. Mutant huntingtin transgenic mice develop brain iron accumulation as a result of greater suppression of APP levels. Elevated brain iron in Tg mice was associated with a decline in motor endurance consistent with a disease promoting effect of iron in the YAC128 model of human HD.
Unsaturated fatty acids selectively induce an inflammatory environment in human endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND Activation of the vascular endothelium by dietary fatty acids may be among the most critical early events in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the specific effects of fatty acids on inflammatory responses in endothelial cells are not fully understood. OBJECTIVE The present study focused on the induction of inflammatory genes in human endothelial cells exposed to individual dietary fatty acids. Because of the significance of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activator protein 1 (AP-1) in the regulation of inflammatory gene expression, we also determined the effects of fatty acids on NF-kappaB and AP-1 transcriptional activation. DESIGN Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were exposed to dietary mono- and polyunsaturated 18-carbon fatty acids. Transcriptional activation of NF-kappaB and AP-1 was determined in human umbilical vein endothelial cells transfected with reporter constructs regulated by these transcription factors. Induction of the inflammatory genes was studied by use of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS Of the fatty acids studied, linoleic acid stimulated NF-kappaB and AP-1 transcriptional activation the most. In addition, treatment with this fatty acid markedly enhanced messenger RNA levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1. Treatment with linolenic acid stimulated only a moderate induction of the genes encoding for these inflammatory mediators, and exposure to oleic acid either had no effect or resulted in decreased inflammatory gene messenger RNA. In addition, exposure to both linoleic and linolenic acids strongly stimulated induction of the phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase gene. CONCLUSION Specific unsaturated dietary fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, can selectively stimulate the development of a proinflammatory environment within the vascular endothelium.
A 22-y prospective study of fish intake in relation to prostate cancer incidence and mortality.

BACKGROUND Fish and seafood n-3 fatty acids may prevent or delay the progression of prostate cancer, but epidemiologic studies do not uniformly support this hypothesis. OBJECTIVE We examined the relation of fish and seafood n-3 fatty acid intakes with prostate cancer incidence and mortality. DESIGN We conducted a prospective cohort study among 20,167 men participating in the Physician's Health Study who were free of cancer in 1983. RESULTS During 382 144 person-years of follow-up, 2161 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 230 died of prostate cancer. Fish intake was unrelated to prostate cancer incidence. Survival analysis among the men diagnosed with prostate cancer revealed that those consuming fish >or=5 times/wk had a 48% lower risk of prostate cancer death than did men consuming fish less than once weekly [relative risk (RR) = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.91; P for trend = 0.05]. A similar association was found between seafood n-3 fatty acid intake and prostate cancer mortality (RR(Q5 versus Q1) = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.99; P for trend = 0.02). These associations became stronger when the analyses were restricted to clinically detected cases. CONCLUSION These results suggest that fish intake is unrelated to prostate cancer incidence but may improve prostate cancer survival.
Calcium, vitamin D, milk consumption, and hip fractures: a prospective study among postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND Short trials of calcium supplementation show that it reduces loss of bone density in postmenopausal women; longer observational studies do not generally find a lower risk of hip fracture with higher-calcium diets. Fewer studies have focused on vitamin D in preventing postmenopausal osteoporosis or fractures. OBJECTIVE We assessed relations between postmenopausal hip fracture risk and calcium, vitamin D, and milk consumption. DESIGN In an 18-y prospective analysis in 72 337 postmenopausal women, dietary intake and nutritional supplement use were assessed at baseline in 1980 and updated several times during follow-up. We identified 603 incident hip fractures resulting from low or moderate trauma. Relative risks (RRs) from proportional hazards models were controlled for other dietary and nondietary factors. RESULTS Women consuming > or = 12.5 microg vitamin D/d from food plus supplements had a 37% lower risk of hip fracture (RR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.94) than did women consuming < 3.5 microg/d. Total calcium intake was not associated with hip fracture risk (RR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.68, 1.34 for > or = 1200 compared with < 600 mg/d). Milk consumption was also not associated with a lower risk of hip fracture (P for trend = 0.21). CONCLUSIONS An adequate vitamin D intake is associated with a lower risk of osteoporotic hip fractures in postmenopausal women. Neither milk nor a high-calcium diet appears to reduce risk. Because women commonly consume less than the recommended intake of vitamin D, supplement use or dark fish consumption may be prudent.
Studies on the effects of polydextrose intake on physiologic functions in Chinese people.

BACKGROUND Previous studies showed that polydextrose has physiologic effects similar to those of dietary fiber. OBJECTIVE Ingestion of 4, 8, and 12 g polydextrose/d was studied to determine the physiologic effects in Chinese subjects. DESIGN In a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study, we evaluated the effects of polydextrose ingestion on clinical biochemistry indexes, glycated hemoglobin, glucose tolerance, the glycemic index, bowel function, stool weight and pH, short-chain fatty acid production, fecal microflora, and cecal mucosa cell proliferation. RESULTS Polydextrose had no significant effect on blood biochemistry indexes. Ingestion of 12 g polydextrose plus 50 g glucose resulted in a glycemic index of 89% (compared with a glycemic index of 100% after ingestion of 50 g glucose). Bowel function (frequency and ease of defecation) improved significantly and there were no reports of abdominal distention, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, or hypoglycemia. Fecal weight (wet and dry) increased and fecal pH decreased proportionally to polydextrose intake. Short-chain fatty acid production-notably that of butyrate, isobutyrate, and acetate-increased with polydextrose ingestion. There were substantial changes in fecal anaerobes after polydextrose intake. BACTEROIDES: species (B. fragilis, B. vulgatus, and B. intermedius) decreased, whereas LACTOBACILLUS: and BIFIDOBACTERIUM: species increased. The cecal mucosa whole-crypt labeling index increased, with colonocyte proliferation mainly occurring in base compartments, which provided an indirect confirmation of butyrate production in the colon. CONCLUSION Polydextrose ingestion had significant dietary fiber-like effects with no laxative problems.
Long-term exposure to road traffic noise, ambient air pollution, and cardiovascular risk factors in the HUNT and lifelines cohorts

Aims Blood biochemistry may provide information on associations between road traffic noise, air pollution, and cardiovascular disease risk. We evaluated this in two large European cohorts (HUNT3, Lifelines). Methods and results Road traffic noise exposure was modelled for 2009 using a simplified version of the Common Noise Assessment Methods in Europe (CNOSSOS-EU). Annual ambient air pollution (PM10, NO2) at residence was estimated for 2007 using a Land Use Regression model. The statistical platform DataSHIELD was used to pool data from 144 082 participants aged ≥20 years to enable individual-level analysis. Generalized linear models were fitted to assess cross-sectional associations between pollutants and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), blood lipids and for (Lifelines only) fasting blood glucose, for samples taken during recruitment in 2006-2013. Pooling both cohorts, an inter-quartile range (IQR) higher day-time noise (5.1 dB(A)) was associated with 1.1% [95% confidence interval (95% CI: 0.02-2.2%)] higher hsCRP, 0.7% (95% CI: 0.3-1.1%) higher triglycerides, and 0.5% (95% CI: 0.3-0.7%) higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL); only the association with HDL was robust to adjustment for air pollution. An IQR higher PM10 (2.0 µg/m3) or NO2 (7.4 µg/m3) was associated with higher triglycerides (1.9%, 95% CI: 1.5-2.4% and 2.2%, 95% CI: 1.6-2.7%), independent of adjustment for noise. Additionally for NO2, a significant association with hsCRP (1.9%, 95% CI: 0.5-3.3%) was seen. In Lifelines, an IQR higher noise (4.2 dB(A)) and PM10 (2.4 µg/m3) was associated with 0.2% (95% CI: 0.1-0.3%) and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4-0.7%) higher fasting glucose respectively, with both remaining robust to adjustment for air/noise pollution. Conclusion Long-term exposures to road traffic noise and ambient air pollution were associated with blood biochemistry, providing a possible link between road traffic noise/air pollution and cardio-metabolic disease risk.
Voxblox: Incremental 3D Euclidean Signed Distance Fields for on-board MAV planning

Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) that operate in unstructured, unexplored environments require fast and flexible local planning, which can replan when new parts of the map are explored. Trajectory optimization methods fulfill these needs, but require obstacle distance information, which can be given by Euclidean Signed Distance Fields (ESDFs). We propose a method to incrementally build ESDFs from Truncated Signed Distance Fields (TSDFs), a common implicit surface representation used in computer graphics and vision. TSDFs are fast to build and smooth out sensor noise over many observations, and are designed to produce surface meshes. We show that we can build TSDFs faster than Octomaps, and that it is more accurate to build ESDFs out of TSDFs than occupancy maps. Our complete system, called voxblox, is available as open source and runs in real-time on a single CPU core. We validate our approach on-board an MAV, by using our system with a trajectory optimization local planner, entirely on-board and in real-time.