Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beneficial metabolic effects of regular meal frequency on dietary thermogenesis, insulin sensitivity, and fasting lipid profiles in healthy obese women.

BACKGROUND Although a regular meal pattern is recommended for obese people, its effects on energy metabolism have not been examined. OBJECTIVE We investigated whether a regular meal frequency affects energy intake (EI), energy expenditure, or circulating insulin, glucose, and lipid concentrations in healthy obese women. DESIGN Ten women [x +/- SD body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 37.1 +/- 4.8] participated in a randomized crossover trial. In phase 1 (14 d), the subjects consumed their normal diet on 6 occasions/d (regular meal pattern) or followed a variable meal frequency (3-9 meals/d, irregular meal pattern). In phase 2 (14 d), the subjects followed the alternative pattern. At the start and end of each phase, a test meal was fed, and blood glucose, lipid, and insulin concentrations were determined before and for 3 h after (glucose and insulin only) the test meal. Subjects recorded their food intake on 3 d during each phase. The thermogenic response to the test meal was ascertained by indirect calorimetry. RESULTS Regular eating was associated with lower EI (P < 0.01), greater postprandial thermogenesis (P < 0.01), and lower fasting total (4.16 compared with 4.30 mmol/L; P < 0.01) and LDL (2.46 compared with 2.60 mmol/L; P < 0.02) cholesterol. Fasting glucose and insulin values were not affected by meal pattern, but peak insulin concentrations and area under the curve of insulin responses to the test meal were lower after the regular than after the irregular meal pattern (P < 0.01 and 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSION Regular eating has beneficial effects on fasting lipid and postprandial insulin profiles and thermogenesis.
Reproducibility and power of ad libitum energy intake assessed by repeated single meals.

BACKGROUND The reproducibility of the measurement of ad libitum energy intake (EI) is not well known. Furthermore, it is not known whether standardized conditions before the test day influence this measure. OBJECTIVE The objective was to examine the reproducibility and power of the measurement of ad libitum EI with and without prior diet standardization. DESIGN Fifty-five healthy, normal-weight men were tested in 2 groups, one with (D, n = 32) and one without (ND, n = 23) prior diet standardization, on 2 different identical occasions. They were given a standardized energy-fixed breakfast and then an ad libitum lunch 4.5 h later. Reproducibility was assessed by the coefficient of repeatability. RESULTS No effect of prior diet standardization was seen on the reproducibility of ad libitum EI (P = 0.56), but diet standardization increased ad libitum EI significantly (P < 0.001). The correlation between ad libitum EI on the 2 test days was r = 0.861 (R(2) = 0.742, P < 0.0001) and r = 0.654 (R(2) = 0.428, P < 0.001) in the D and ND groups, respectively. The coefficient of repeatability and CV were 1478 kJ and 8.9% compared with 1831 kJ and 14.5% in the D and ND groups, respectively. A paired design with a study power of 0.8 requires 17 and 26 subjects, with and without prior diet standardization, respectively, to detect a difference of 500 kJ in EI. CONCLUSIONS The ad libitum test meal used to measure spontaneous EI is reproducible, and the reproducibility does not seem to be influenced by prior standardization. However, prior diet standardization exerts a significant effect on ad libitum EI.
PKC regulation of cardiac CFTR Cl- channel function in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

The role of protein kinase C (PKC) in regulating the protein kinase A (PKA)-activated Cl- current conducted by the cardiac isoform of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (cCFTR) was studied in guinea pig ventricular myocytes using the whole cell patch-clamp technique. Although stimulation of endogenous PKC with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) alone did not activate this Cl- current, even when intracellular dialysis was limited with the perforated patch-clamp technique, activation of PKC did elicit a significant response in the presence of PKA-dependent activation of the current by the β-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol. PDBu increased the magnitude of the Cl- conductance activated by a supramaximally stimulating concentration of isoproterenol by 21 ± 3.3% ( n = 9) when added after isoproterenol and by 36 ± 16% ( n= 14) when introduced before isoproterenol. 4α-Phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, a phorbol ester that does not activate PKC, did not mimic these effects. Preexposure to chelerythrine or bisindolylmaleimide, two highly selective inhibitors of PKC, significantly reduced the magnitude of the isoproterenol-activated Cl- current by 79 ± 7.7% ( n = 11) and 52 ± 10% ( n = 8), respectively. Our results suggest that although acute activation of endogenous PKC alone does not significantly regulate cCFTR Cl- channel activity in native myocytes, it does potentiate PKA-dependent responses, perhaps most dramatically demonstrated by basal PKC activity, which may play a pivotal role in modulating the function of these channels.
Musical rhythms in heart period dynamics: a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approach to cardiac rhythms.

The purpose of this study was to expand classic heart period analysis methods by techniques from ethnomusicology that explicitly take complex musical rhythm principles into consideration. The methods used are based on the theory of African music, the theory of symbolic dynamics, and combinatorial theory. Heart period tachograms from 192 24-h electrocardiograms of 96 healthy subjects were transformed into binary symbol sequences that were interpretable as elementary rhythmic (percussive) patterns, the time lines in African music. Using a hierarchical rhythm pattern scheme closely related to the Derler Rhythm Classification (from jazz theory), we calculated the predominance and stability of pattern classes. The results show that during sleep certain classes, specific to individuals, occurred in a cyclically recurrent manner and many times more often than expected. Simultaneously, other classes disappeared more or less completely. Moreover, the most frequent classes obviously originate from phase-locking processes in autonomic regulation (e.g., between respiratory and cardiac cycles). In conclusion, the new interdisciplinary method presented here demonstrates that heart period patterns, in particular those occurring during night sleep, can be interpreted as musical rhythms. This method may be of great potential use in music therapy research.
Epidemiological profile of thoracolumbar fracture (TLF) over a period of 10 years in Tianjin, China

Context/Objective: The objective of the research was to illustrate the epidemiology profile of thoracolumbar fracture (TLF) in Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, China, from 2006–2015. Design: Hospital-based retrospective study. Setting: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. Methods: Medical records of inpatient patients with TLF from 1 January 2006 to December 2015 were collected. Detailed information on epidemiological characters were analyzed based on the medical records suffering from TLF from T11-L2 level, including incidence, age and sex, marital, occupation, etiology and fracture type, types of injuries. Results: Totally 132 cases were identified. The incidence rate was 2.4 patient per million population at 2015. Male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1, with a mean age of 49.1 ± 17.7 years. The cases number in 46–60 group, totally 35 and accounting for 26.5%, was the largest. There is a significant differences of cases number between 2011–2015 group and 2006–2010 group. Retiree, taken up 48.5%, was the largest group among TLF patients. The most common injury level was T12 (34) accounting for 25.7%. Falls (57, 43.2%) (low falls and high falls) were the leading causes, followed by motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) (23, 17.4%). Compression is the only type of osteoporosis and took up 55.3%. Conclusions: The incidence ratio is increased annually in TMUGH. Male was more vulnerable than female based on different social character. The average age was older in 2011–2015, retiree accounted for the main proportion and compression took up the largest percentage, the mean age increased and osteoporosis takes more in recent years.
Relationships among maternal diet, serotonin metabolism at weaning, and protein selection of progeny.

Brain serotonin (5HT) metabolism in rats at weaning was examined in relation to their maternal dietary protein (PC) and tryptophan (TRP) concentration and to their protein feeding behavior. Pup brain TRP, 5HT, and 5-hydroxyindoleaceticacid (5HIAA) concentration was unaffected by maternal diet PC (10, 20, or 40%) but was increased by TRP additions (0.66 or 1.86%) to 40% casein diets. Turnover of brain 5HT, measured at weaning after probenecid injection, was inversely related to maternal diet PC (r = .54, P less than 0.05) but was not affected by TRP supplementation. Pups allowed to select from 10 and 60% casein diets selected during the first 3 days post-weaning, dietary PC which reflected the PC (r = 0.65, P less than 0.01), but not RRP content of their maternal diet, and also reflected brain 5HT turnover (r = .50, P less than 0.05), but not concentration, of their littermates. Thus, the relationship dietary PC to protein selection by the offspring is associated with maternal diet-maternal diet-induced changes in their brain 5HT turnover, at least as measured after probenecid administration.
5-Hydroxytryptamine-1 receptor activation inhibits endocrine pancreatic secretion in humans.

The selective 5-hydroxytryptamine-1 receptor agonist sumatriptan inhibits exocrine pancreatic function in humans. No data are available on the effect of sumatriptan on fasting and postprandial endocrine pancreatic function in humans. To elucidate the influence of 5-hydroxytryptamine-1 receptor activation by sumatriptan on endocrine pancreatic function and blood glucose homeostasis, we determined plasma levels of somatostatin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, insulin, and C-peptide before and after subcutaneous administration of sumatriptan (6 mg) in seven healthy volunteers, and we measured blood glucose and insulin plasma levels during an oral glucose tolerance test after placebo and after subcutaneous administration of sumatriptan (6 mg) in seven healthy volunteers. Sumatriptan significantly decreased the mean plasma levels of somatostatin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, insulin and C-peptide ( P < 0.001) and also significantly decreased mean and peak plasma levels of insulin after an oral glucose challenge ( P < 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively) without affecting glucose homeostasis. From our study, we speculate that activation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine-1 receptor inhibits endocrine pancreatic secretion.
Control of serum cholesterol homeostasis by cholesterol in the milk of the suckling rat.

This is a test with rats of both sexes of an hypothesis that cho lesterol in the suckling's milk somehow helps establish a permanent mechanism for maintaining low serum cholesterol concentration in the adult animals during high cholesterol ingestion. It was found that the serum cholesterol concentrations of adult males but not females varied inversely with the concentrations of choles terol in their dams' milks, which could be modified by diet. Serum cholesterol was about 150 mg/100 ml in those males suckled on milk containing 40 to 50 mg/100 ml, about 215 mg/100 ml in those suckled on milk containing around 30 mg/ 100 ml, and about 250 mg/100 ml in those suckled on milk containing 23 mg/ 100 ml. In the first test a simple method was devised to teach 12-day-old rats to drink formula milk from a drinking tube. They grew normally. Groups nursed on two semisyntheA¼cformulas, one containing a residue of 5 mg of cholesterol/ 100 ml and the other containing added crystalline cholesterol dissolved in stripped lard to the normal rat milk concentration of 35 mg/100 ml, were compared to a group nursed on bovine milk fortified with cream to 35 mg cholesterol/ 100 ml, and to a mother-nursed group. In the second test the cholesterol concentrations of dams' milks were varied by diet from 21 mg up to about 50 mg/100 ml. In both tests the young were weaned at 30 days of age and then given a semi- synthetic low cholesterol, 10% stripped lard diet for the second 30 days. From 2 to about 8 months of age lard containing 5% dissolved cholesterol was added to the diet at the 10% level (0.5% cholesterol). The serum cholesterol concen trations of the 8-month-old females of both tests varied from about 400 to 700 mg/100 ml with wide variations within the groups. No significant trends were found relating serum cholesterol to their milk cholesterol as sucklings. The serum cholesterol concentrations of the male rats in the first test also did not differ significantly from the cholesterol concentrations of their semisynthetic post- day-12 suckling milks. However, in the second test, in which the rats were nursed naturally on dams whose milk cholesterol was varied by diet, the serum cholesterol concentrations in the males varied inversely with the cholesterol con centrations of their mothers' milks: Milk cholesterol levels were approximately 40 to 50, 30, and 23 mg/100 ml, and the respective serum cholesterol concentra tions 150, 215 and 250 mg/100 ml. J. Nutr. 102: 1009-1016, 1972.
ASPECTS OF THE GROWTH AND NATURAL MORTALITY OF EXPLOITED CORAL REEF FISHES

A newly developed computer-based method for the analysis of length-frequency data (ELEFAN I & II) is applied to data on reef fishes. It is shown that the growth of reef fishes often oscillates seasonally, and that adjusting for this effect considerably increases the accuracy of growth parameter estimates. This is also confirmed by a re-analysis of tagging data from the Caribbean. Potential causes of natural mortality in reef fishes are discussed in the light of a recently established empirical relationship between natural mortality, growth parameters and mean environmental temperature in fishes.
PEEP only partly restores disturbed distribution of regional pulmonary blood flow in lung injury.

The effects of lung injury, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and norepinephrine on heterogeneity of regional pulmonary blood flow (rPBF, radioactive microspheres) were investigated. We hypothesized that lung injury increases heterogeneity of rPBF and that PEEP ventilation reduces these effects. Heterogeneity of rPBF is scale dependent and was therefore assessed in detail. Local correlation (ρ), relative dispersion (RD), fractal dimension (D), perfusion gradients, and histograms of rPBF each measures a different aspect of heterogeneity. In eight anesthetized dogs, lung injury was induced with oleic acid and glass bead injection. Afterward, PEEP of 10-20 cmH2O was instituted. Norepinephrine was infused at 20 cmH2O PEEP. Heterogeneity increased upon lung injury (ρ, 0.44 ± 0.09 vs. 0.24 ± 0.09; RD, 0.36 ± 0.06 vs. 0.64 ± 0.12; both P ≤ 0.05), but fractal dimension remained constant. PEEP did not change ρ, RD, or D. Perfusion gradients were reversed after lung injury (right, -27 ± 18 vs. 196 ± 115%; left, -24 ± 18 vs. 282 ± 184%; P ≤ 0.05). PEEP (10 cmH2O) reduced gradients (116 ± 73 and 143 ± 62%, respectively; P ≤ 0.05). Norepinephrine, in part, further reduced gradients (right, 50 ± 58%; P ≤ 0.05; left, 102 ± 94%; P = NS). We conclude that oleic acid- and glass bead-induced lung injury produces abnormal distribution of rPBF. Of these changes, application of PEEP only reverses perfusion gradients.
Changes in myosin heavy chain mRNA and protein isoforms of rat muscle during forced contractile activity.

A quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was established to determine absolute amounts of mRNAs specific to four myosin heavy chain isoforms [MHCIIb, MHCIId(x), MHCIIa, and MHCIβ] in rat extensor digitorum longus muscle during forced contractile activity by chronic (10 h/day) low-frequency stimulation (CLFS). The induced changes in absolute and relative mRNA amounts were similar. MHCIIb mRNA decreased rapidly after 1 day, and MHCIIa mRNA increased after 3 days. MHCIId(x) started to decrease at day 7. After 42 days, the MHCIIb, MHCIId(x), MHCIIa, and MHCIβ mRNAs amounted to 2, 6, 90, and 2% of total MHC mRNAs, respectively. Changes at the protein level were studied in a second experimental series increasing CLFS (24 h/day, up to 100 days). Also under these conditions, MHCIβ reached only a fraction of 12% (2-fold elevation). The changes at the protein level remained restricted to the MHCIIb to MHCIIa transition, which agrees with the notion that the induced changes in MHC isoform expression primarily resulted from altered pretranslational activities. Rat fast-twitch muscle thus exhibits a restricted capacity for fast-to-slow conversion.
Female gender hormones regulate mRNA levels and function of the rat lung epithelial Na channel.

The epithelial Na channel (ENaC) plays a critical role in the active reabsorption of alveolar fluid at the time of birth or during pulmonary edema. Although rat (r) ENaC is regulated by glucocorticoids during fetal development, there are no data regarding the influence of gender hormones on ENaC expression or function. We report higher levels of mRNAs encoding the α-rENaC subunit or the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in the lungs of nonpregnant adult female relative to adult male Wistar rats. Combined, but not separate, administration of progesterone and 17β-estradiol increased mRNA levels encoding α-rENaC, γ-rENaC, and CFTR within 24 h. We also found a dose-dependent increase in rENaC functional activity (as assessed by the amiloride-sensitive short-circuit current across primary monolayer cultures of alveolar epithelial cells mounted in Ussing chambers) after a 5-day incubation of cells in medium containing progesterone and 17β-estradiol. These findings suggest a gender-dependent influence on the lung's ability to recover from pulmonary edema and on the degree of airway fluid hydration in cystic fibrosis.
Hormone-stimulated Ca2+transport in rabbit kidney: multiple sites of inhibition by exogenous ATP.

Exogenous ATP markedly reduced 1-desamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP)-stimulated Ca2+ transport and cAMP accumulation in primary cultures of rabbit connecting tubule and cortical collecting duct cells. Similarly, ATP inhibited the stimulatory effect of 8-bromo-cAMP. At first sight, this is in agreement with the "classic" concept that dDAVP exerts its stimulatory effect via cAMP. However, dDAVP-stimulated Ca2+ transport was markedly reduced by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor chelerythrine, reported previously to inhibit the cAMP-independent pathway responsible for parathyroid hormone-, [Arg8]vasopressin-, PGE2-, and adenosine-stimulated Ca2+ transport. Chelerythrine also inhibited the increase in Ca2+transport evoked by the cAMP-independent A1 receptor agonist N 6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA). Downregulation of phorbol ester-sensitive PKC isoforms by chronic phorbol ester treatment has been shown before to be without effect on hormone-stimulated Ca2+transport, indicating that the chelerythrine-inhibitable pathway consists of a phorbol ester-insensitive PKC isoform. Here, this maneuver did not affect ATP inhibition of dDAVP-stimulated Ca2+ transport and cAMP formation, while abolishing ATP inhibition of CPA-stimulated Ca2+ transport. These findings show that ATP acts via 1) a phorbol ester-sensitive PKC isoform to inhibit hormonal stimulation of Ca2+ transport at the level of the chelerythrine-inhibitable pathway involving a phorbol ester-insensitive PKC isoform and 2) a phorbol ester-insensitive mechanism to inhibit V2 receptor-mediated concomitant activation of this pathway and adenylyl cyclase.
K+/Na+antagonism at cytoplasmic sites of Na+-K+-ATPase: a tissue-specific mechanism of sodium pump regulation.

Tissue-distinct interactions of the Na+-K+-ATPase with Na+ and K+, independent of isoform-specific properties, were reported previously (A. G. Therien, N. B. Nestor, W. J. Ball, and R. Blostein. J. Biol. Chem. 271: 7104-7112, 1996). In this paper, we describe a detailed analysis of tissue-specific kinetics particularly relevant to regulation of pump activity by intracellular K+, namely K+ inhibition at cytoplasmic Na+ sites. Our results show that the order of susceptibilities of α1 pumps of various rat tissues to K+/Na+antagonism, represented by the ratio of the apparent affinity for Na+ binding at cytoplasmic activation sites in the absence of K+ to the affinity constant for K+ as a competitive inhibitor of Na+ binding at cytoplasmic sites, is red blood cell < axolemma ≈ rat α1-transfected HeLa cells < small intestine < kidney < heart. In addition, we have carried out an extensive analysis of the kinetics of K+ binding and occlusion to the cytoplasmic cation binding site and find that, for most tissues, there is a relationship between the rate of K+ binding/occlusion and the apparent affinity for K+ as a competitive inhibitor of Na+activation, the order for both parameters being heart ≥ kidney > small intestine ≈ rat α1-transfected HeLa cells. The notion that modulations in cytoplasmic K+/Na+antagonism are a potential mode of pump regulation is underscored by evidence of its reversibility. Thus the relatively high K+/Na+antagonism characteristic of kidney pumps was reduced when rat kidney microsomal membranes were fused into the dog red blood cell.
Improved Method for Reliable HMW-GS Identification by RP-HPLC and SDS-PAGE in Common Wheat Cultivars

The accurate identification of alleles for high-molecular weight glutenins (HMW-GS) is critical for wheat breeding programs targeting end-use quality. RP-HPLC methods were optimized for separation of HMW-GS, resulting in enhanced resolution of 1By and 1Dx subunits. Statistically significant differences in retention times (RTs) for subunits corresponding to HMW-GS alleles were determined using 16 standard wheat cultivars with known HMW-GS compositions. Subunits that were not identified unambiguously by RP-HPLC were distinguished by SDS-PAGE or inferred from association with linked subunits. The method was used to verify the allelic compositions of 32 Korean wheat cultivars previously determined using SDS-PAGE and to assess the compositions of six new Korean cultivars. Three cultivars contained subunits that were identified incorrectly in the earlier analysis. The improved RP-HPLC method combined with conventional SDS-PAGE provides for accurate, efficient and reliable identification of HMW-GS and will contribute to efforts to improve wheat end-use quality.
Substance P inhibits pancreatic exocrine secretion via a neural mechanism.

We investigated the effects of the sensory neuropeptide substance P (SP) on amylase and fluid secretion in the isolated vascularly perfused rat pancreas. SP inhibited CCK-induced amylase release and secretin-induced juice flow via the pancreatic duct in a dose-related fashion. Threshold inhibition occurred following addition of 10-10 M SP to the perfusate, and maximal inhibition was seen with 10-8 M SP. The effects of SP were partially blocked by both the neurokinin-1 (NK1) and neurokinin-2 (NK2) receptor antagonists. Atropine and TTX blocked SP-induced effects on both amylase secretion (26 and 63% blockade, respectively) and pancreatic juice flow (21 and 79% blockade, respectively). Excitation of pancreatic sensory nerves using capsaicin (in the absence of SP) inhibited both amylase and pancreatic juice flow via activation of the NK1 receptor. We conclude that SP inhibits exocrine secretion via an indirect neural mechanism.