tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Effect of rapid weight loss on performance in combat sport male athletes: does adaptation to chronic weight cycling play a role?
Authors: Sandro H Mendes, Aline C Tritto, João Paulo L F Guilherme, Marina Y Solis, Douglas E Vieira, Emerson Franchini, Antonio H Lancha, Guilherme G Artioli
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2013)

Background Studies failing to show a negative effect of rapid weight loss (RWL) on performance have been conducted in athletes who have been cycling weight for years. It has been suggested that chronic weight cycling could lead combat athletes to become resistant to the stresses associated with weight loss. To investigate the effects of RWL up to 5% of body mass on high-intensity intermittent performance in weight cyclers (WC) and non-weight cyclers (non-WC). Methods Eighteen male combat athletes (WC: n=10; non-WC: n=8) reduced up to 5% of their body mass in 5 days. Body composition, high-intensity performance and plasma lactate were assessed preweight loss and postweight loss. Athletes had 4 h to re-feed and rehydrate following the weigh-in. Food intake was recorded during the weight loss and the recovery periods. Results Athletes significantly decreased body mass, lean body mass (most likely due to fluid loss) and fat mass following weight loss. No significant changes in performance were found from preweight loss to postweight loss in both groups. Plasma lactate was significantly elevated after exercise in both groups, but no differences were found between groups and in response to RWL. For all these variables no differences were observed between groups. Athletes from both groups ingested high amounts of energy and carbohydrates during the recovery period after the weigh-in. Conclusions Chronic weight cycling does not protect athletes from the negative impact of RWL on performance. The time to recover after weigh-in and the patterns of food and fluid ingestion during this period is likely to play the major role in restoring performance to baseline levels.
The role of signal detection and amplification in the induction of emotion by music
Authors: William Forde Thompson, Max Coltheart
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2008)

Abstract We propose that the six mechanisms identified by Juslin &amp; Västfjäll (J&amp;V) fall into two categories: signal detection and amplification . Signal detection mechanisms are unmediated and induce emotion by directly detecting emotive signals in music. Amplifiers act in conjunction with signal detection mechanisms. We also draw attention to theoretical and empirical challenges associated with the proposed mechanisms.
Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Medications for Type 2 Diabetes: An Update Including New Drugs and 2-Drug Combinations
Authors: Wendy L. Bennett, Nisa M. Maruthur, Sonal Singh, Jodi B. Segal, Lisa M. Wilson, Ranee Chatterjee, Spyridon S. Marinopoulos, Milo A. Puhan, Padmini Ranasinghe, Lauren Block, Wanda K. Nicholson, Susan Hutfless, Eric B. Bass, Shari Bolen
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2011)

Background: Given the increase in medications for type 2 diabetes mellitus, clinicians and patients need information about their effectiveness and safety to make informed choices. Purpose: To summarize the benefits and harms of metformin, second-generation sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, meglitinides, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, as monotherapy and in combination, to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception through April 2010 for English-language observational studies and trials. The MEDLINE search was updated to December 2010 for long-term clinical outcomes. Study Selection: Two reviewers independently screened reports and identified 140 trials and 26 observational studies of head-to-head comparisons of monotherapy or combination therapy that reported intermediate or long-term clinical outcomes or harms. Data Extraction: Two reviewers following standardized protocols serially extracted data, assessed applicability, and independently evaluated study quality. Data Synthesis: Evidence on long-term clinical outcomes (all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, and neuropathy) was of low strength or insufficient. Most medications decreased the hemoglobin A1c level by about 1 percentage point and most 2-drug combinations produced similar reductions. Metformin was more efficacious than the DPP-4 inhibitors, and compared with thiazolidinediones or sulfonylureas, the mean differences in body weight were about −2.5 kg. Metformin decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared with pioglitazone, sulfonylureas, and DPP-4 inhibitors. Sulfonylureas had a 4-fold higher risk for mild or moderate hypoglycemia than metformin alone and, in combination with metformin, had more than a 5-fold increased risk compared with metformin plus thiazolidinediones. Thiazolidinediones increased risk for congestive heart failure compared with sulfonylureas and increased risk for bone fractures compared with metformin. Diarrhea occurred more often with metformin than with thiazolidinediones. Limitations: Only English-language publications were reviewed. Some studies may have selectively reported outcomes. Many studies were small, were of short duration, and had limited ability to assess clinically important harms and benefits. Conclusion: Evidence supports metformin as a first-line agent to treat type 2 diabetes. Most 2-drug combinations similarly reduce hemoglobin A1c levels, but some increased risk for hypoglycemia and other adverse events. Primary Funding Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Diarrhea in streptozocin-treated rats. Loss of adrenergic regulation of intestinal fluid and electrolyte transport.
Authors: E B Chang, R M Bergenstal, M Field
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1985)

Diarrhea was noted in rats with streptozocin-induced chronic diabetes. We have investigated the possibility that this diarrhea is a consequence of altered neuronal control of water and electrolyte absorption in the intestinal epithelium. In particular, we examined noradrenergic control because alpha-2-adrenergic agonists are known to stimulate intestinal fluid absorption. When compared with nondiabetic littermates, chronically diabetic rats exhibited significant impairment of fluid absorption by the ileum and colon, but not the jejunum. This impairment of intestinal fluid absorption was not found in either insulin-treated or untreated acutely diabetic (7 d) animals. Mucosal histology appeared normal in all of the above groups. Mucosal norepinephrine stores in the jejunum and ileum of chronically diabetic rats were estimated in vitro by the short-circuit current (Isc) response to tyramine, an agent that effectively releases stored norepinephrine. Pargyline was added to inhibit enzymatic destruction of the added tyramine. In chronically diabetic rats, the Isc response to tyramine was significantly decreased in ileum, but not in jejunum. However, when these responses were expressed as a fraction of the maximal Isc tissue response to exogenously added epinephrine, significant decreases were noted in both ileum and jejunum. In tissues from acutely diabetic rats, Isc responses to tyramine and epinephrine were no different from controls. When sympathetic denervation was produced in nondiabetic rats by treatment with 6-OH-dopamine, the pattern of impaired fluid absorption that developed was the same as that observed in chronically diabetic rats. We conclude that impaired intestinal mucosal absorption of fluid and electrolytes slowly develops in rats made diabetic with streptozocin and that this absorptive impairment is due to a loss of normally present noradrenergic innervation of enterocytes.
Hypertension Is a Major Contributor to 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid–Mediated Kidney Injury in Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Mahesha H. Gangadhariah, James M. Luther, Victor Garcia, Paisit Paueksakon, Ming-Zhi Zhang, Simon W. Hayward, Harold D. Love, John R. Falck, Vijaya L. Manthati, John D. Imig, Michal L. Schwartzman, Roy Zent, Jorge H. Capdevila, Ambra Pozzi
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2014)

In the kidney, 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) is a primary cytochrome P450 4 (Cyp4)-derived eicosanoid that enhances vasoconstriction of renal vessels and induces hypertension, renal tubular cell hypertrophy, and podocyte apoptosis. Hypertension and podocyte injury contribute to diabetic nephropathy and are strong predictors of disease progression. In this study, we defined the mechanisms whereby 20-HETE affects the progression of diabetic nephropathy. We used Cyp4a14KO male mice that exhibit androgen-sensitive hypertension due to increased Cyp4a12-mediated 20-HETE production. We show that, upon induction of diabetes type 1 via streptozotocin injection, Cyp4a14KO male mice developed worse renal disease than streptozotocin-treated wild-type mice, characterized by increased albuminuria, mesangial expansion, glomerular matrix deposition, and thickness of the glomerular basement membranes. Castration blunted androgen-mediated Cyp4a12 synthesis and 20-HETE production, normalized BP, and ameliorated renal damage in diabetic Cyp4a14KO mice. Notably, treatment with a 20-HETE antagonist or agents that normalized BP without affecting Cyp4a12 expression and 20-HETE biosynthesis also ameliorated diabetes-mediated renal damage and albuminuria in Cyp4a14KO male mice. Taken together, these results suggest that hypertension is the major contributor to 20-HETE-driven diabetes-mediated kidney injury.
Associations of muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness with total and central body fat in adolescents: The HELENA Study
Authors: D Moliner-Urdiales, J R Ruiz, G Vicente-Rodriguez, F B Ortega, J P Rey-Lopez, V España-Romero, J A Casajús, D Molnar, K Widhalm, J Dallongeville, M González-Gross, M J Castillo, M Sjöström, L A Moreno
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2009)

Objective To examine the association of healthrelated physical fitness with total and central body fat in adolescents. Participants/Methods The present cross-sectional study comprises 363 Spanish adolescents (186 female participants) aged 12.5–17.5 years. We assessed fitness by the 20-m shuttle run test (cardiorespiratory fitness); the handgrip strength, the standing broad jump and the Abalakov tests (muscular strength); and the 4×10-m shuttle run test (speed–agility). Total body fat was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), BodPod and sum of six skinfolds, and central body fat was measured by DXA at three regions (R1, R2 and R3) and waist circumference. Results The Abalakov, the standing broad jump, the 4×10-m shuttle run and the 20-m shuttle run tests were negatively associated with all markers of total and central body fat in men and women after controlling for age, pubertal status and objectively assessed physical activity (p&lt;0.01). Handgrip strength test was positively associated with waist circumference (p&lt;0.01). Conclusions Lower body muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness are negatively and consistently associated with total and central body fat in adolescents, whereas levels of upper body muscular strength were superior in adolescents with higher levels of central body fat.
Gene Therapy in Heart Failure
Authors: Leif Erik Vinge, Philip W. Raake, Walter J. Koch
Journal: Circulation Research (2008)

With increasing knowledge of basic molecular mechanisms governing the development of heart failure (HF), the possibility of specifically targeting key pathological players is evolving. Technology allowing for efficient in vivo transduction of myocardial tissue with long-term expression of a transgene enables translation of basic mechanistic knowledge into potential gene therapy approaches. Gene therapy in HF is in its infancy clinically with the predominant amount of experience being from animal models. Nevertheless, this challenging and promising field is gaining momentum as recent preclinical studies in larger animals have been carried out and, importantly, there are 2 newly initiated phase I clinical trials for HF gene therapy. To put it simply, 2 parameters are needed for achieving success with HF gene therapy: (1) clearly identified detrimental/beneficial molecular targets; and (2) the means to manipulate these targets at a molecular level in a sufficient number of cardiac cells. However, several obstacles do exist on our way to efficient and safe gene transfer to human myocardium. Some of these obstacles are discussed in this review; however, it primarily focuses on the molecular target systems that have been subjected to intense investigation over the last decade in an attempt to make gene therapy for human HF a reality.
Pretreatment FDG-PET Metrics in Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: ACRIN 6668/RTOG 0235
Authors: N. Ohri, F. Duan, M. Machtay, J. J. Gorelick, B. S. Snyder, A. Alavi, B. A. Siegel, D. W. Johnson, J. D. Bradley, A. DeNittis, M. Werner-Wasik
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2015)

ACRIN 6668/RTOG 0235 evaluated the prognostic value of positron emission tomography with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) uptake before and after definitive, concurrent, platinum-based chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this secondary analysis, we evaluate volumetric pretreatment PET measures as predictors of clinical outcomes. Patients with stage III NSCLC underwent FDG-PET prior to treatment. A commercially available gradient-based segmentation tool was used to contour all visible hypermetabolic lesions on each scan. For each patient, the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total glycolytic activity (TGA) for all contoured lesions were recorded. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate clinical variables and PET metrics as predictors of overall survival (OS) and locoregional control (LRC). Time-dependent covariables were added to the models when necessary to address nonproportional hazards. All statistical tests were two-sided. Complete data were available for 214 patients in the OS analysis and 189 subjects in the LRC analysis. In multivariable analysis incorporating clinical and imaging data available prior to treatment, MTV was an independent predictor of OS (HR = 1.04 per 10cm 3 increase, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.06, P < .001). High MTV was also associated with increased risk of locoregional failure at baseline (HR = 1.16 per 10cm 3 increase, 95% CI = 1.08 to 1.23, P < .001) and at six months (HR = 1.05 per 10cm 3 increase, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.07, P < .001) but not at 12 months or later time points. Pretreatment MTV is a predictor of clinical outcomes for NSCLC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. Quantitative PET measures may serve as stratification factors in clinical trials for this patient population and may help guide novel trial designs.
Gene Network Visualization and Quantitative Synteny Analysis of more than 300 Marine T4-Like Phage Scaffolds from the GOS Metagenome
Authors: A. M. Comeau, C. Arbiol, H. M. Krisch
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (2010)

Bacteriophages (phages) are the most abundant biological entities in the biosphere and are the dominant "organisms" in marine environments, exerting an enormous influence on marine microbial populations. Metagenomic projects, such as the Global Ocean Sampling expedition (GOS), have demonstrated the predominance of tailed phages (Caudovirales), particularly T4 superfamily cyanophages (Cyano-T4s), in the marine milieu. Whereas previous metagenomic analyses were limited to gene content information, here we present a comparative analysis of over 300 phage scaffolds assembled from the viral fraction of the GOS data. This assembly permits the examination of synteny (organization) of the genes on the scaffolds and their comparison with the genome sequences from cultured Cyano-T4s. We employ comparative genomics and a novel usage of network visualization software to show that the scaffold phylogenies are similar to those of the traditional marker genes they contain. Importantly, these uncultured metagenomic scaffolds quite closely match the organization of the "core genome" of the known Cyano-T4s. This indicates that the current view of genome architecture in the Cyano-T4s is not seriously biased by being based on a small number of cultured phages, and we can be confident that they accurately reflect the diverse population of such viruses in marine surface waters.
Comparing Type 2 Diabetes, Prediabetes, and Their Associated Risk Factors in Asian Indians in India and in the U.S.: The CARRS and MASALA Studies
Authors: Unjali P. Gujral, K.M. Venkat Narayan, R. Ghua Pradeepa, Mohan Deepa, Mohammed K. Ali, Ranjit M. Anjana, Namratha R. Kandula, Viswanathan Mohan, Alka M. Kanaya
Journal: Diabetes Care (2015)

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes and the associated risk factors in two Asian Indian populations living in different environments. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed cross-sectional analyses, using representative samples of 2,305 Asian Indians aged 40–84 years living in Chennai, India, from the Centre for cArdiometabolic Risk Reduction in South-Asia study (CARRS) (2010–2011), and 757 Asian Indians aged 40–84 years living in the greater San Francisco and Chicago areas from the U.S. Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study (2010–2013). Diabetes was defined as self-reported use of glucose-lowering medication, fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, or 2-h glucose ≥200 mg/dL. Prediabetes was defined as fasting glucose 100–125 mg/dL and/or 2-h glucose 140–199 mg/dL. RESULTS Age-adjusted diabetes prevalence was higher in India (38% [95% CI 36–40]) than in the U.S. (24% [95% CI 21–27]). Age-adjusted prediabetes prevalence was lower in India (24% [95% CI 22–26]) than in the U.S. (33% [95% CI 30–36]). After adjustment for age, sex, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure, living in the U.S. was associated with an increased odds for prediabetes (odds ratio 1.2 [95% CI 0.9–1.5]) and a decreased odds for diabetes (odds ratio 0.5 [95% CI 0.4–0.6]). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate possible changes in the relationship between migration and diabetes risk and highlight the growing burden of disease in urban India. Additionally, these results call for longitudinal studies to better identify the gene-environment-lifestyle exposures that underlie the elevated risk for type 2 diabetes development in Asian Indians.
The Elusive Link Between LQT3 and Brugada Syndrome
Authors: Silvia G. Priori, Carlo Napolitano, Peter J. Schwartz, Raffaella Bloise, Lia Crotti, Elena Ronchetti
Journal: Circulation (2000)

Background —Defects of the SCN5A gene encoding the cardiac sodium channel are associated with both the LQT3 subtype of long-QT syndrome and Brugada syndrome (BS). The typical manifestations of long-QT syndrome (QT interval prolongation) and BS (ST segment elevation in leads V1 through V3) may coexist in the same patients, which raises questions about the actual differences between LQT3 and BS. Intravenous flecainide is the standard provocative test used to unmask BS in individuals with concealed forms of the disease, and oral flecainide has been proposed as a treatment option for LQT3 patients because it may shorten their QT interval. Methods and Results —We tested the possibility that in some LQT3 patients, flecainide might not only shorten the QT interval, but also produce an elevation of the ST segment. A total of 13 patients from 7 LQT3 families received intravenous flecainide using the protocol used for BS. As expected, QT, QTc, JT, and JTc interval shortening was observed in 12 of the 13 patients, and concomitant ST segment elevation in leads V1 through V3 (≥2 mm) was observed in 6 of the 13. Conclusions —The data demonstrate that flecainide may induce ST segment elevation in LQT3 patients, raising concerns about the safety of flecainide therapy and demonstrating the existence of an intriguing overlap between LQT3 and BS.
Improved effects of aerosol-type fluticasone propionate/formoterol combination on residual asthmatic inflammation in distal airways of patients with moderate asthma
Authors: Hiroyuki Ohbayashi
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Aims:  To investigate whether aerosol-type fluticasone propionate/formoterol combination (FFC) controls residual eosinophilic inflammation in the distal airways of well-controlled asthmatic patients more effectively than salmeterol/fluticasone propionate combination (SFC).   Methods:  Subjects comprised 32 outpatients (61.9±17.0 years) with well-controlled moderate asthma who had used SFC for more than 4 weeks. Evidence of eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) in 10% hypertonic saline-induced sputum was assessed, together with pulmonary function tests, respiratory resistance, exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and an Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-5).   Results:  ECP levels in late-phase sputum (117.6±144.7 mg/L at study entry) were significantly decreased 65.7±89.5 (p=0.019) at 4 weeks in the FFC group, but not in the SFC group. FeNo levels (44.8±23.5 ppb at study entry) were also significantly decreased to 37.8±23.5 (p=0.025) at 4 weeks in the FFC group. None of the indexes of pulmonary function tests or respiratory resistance changed significantly in either group during the study period. ACQ-5 scores showed no significant change; however, they tended to improve in the FFC group.   Conclusion:  This study suggests that FFC may offer better control of residual eosinophilic inflammation in distal airways than SFC therapy.