tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Effect of diet on asthma and allergic sensitisation in the International Study on Allergies and Asthma in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Two
Authors: G. Nagel, G. Weinmayr, A. Kleiner, L. Garcia-Marcos, D. P. Strachan
Journal: Thorax (2010)

<h3>Background</h3> The increasing prevalence of asthma and allergy might be related to diet, particularly in Western countries. A study was undertaken to assess the association between dietary factors, asthma and allergy in a large international study including objective measurements of atopy. <h3>Methods</h3> Between 1995 and 2005, cross-sectional studies were performed in 29 centres in 20 countries. Parental questionnaires were used to collect information on allergic diseases and exposure factors and data from 50 004 randomly selected schoolchildren (8–12 years, 29 579 with skin prick testing) were analysed. Random effect models for meta-analysis were applied to calculate combined ORs. <h3>Results</h3> Fruit intake was associated with a low prevalence of current wheeze in affluent (OR<sub>adj</sub> 0.86, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.02) and non-affluent countries (OR<sub>adj</sub> 0.71, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.88). Consumption of fish in affluent countries (OR<sub>adj</sub> 0.85, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.97) and of cooked green vegetables in non-affluent countries (OR<sub>adj</sub> 0.78, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.95) was associated with a lower prevalence of current wheeze. Overall, more frequent consumption of fruit, vegetables and fish was associated with a lower lifetime prevalence of asthma, whereas high burger consumption was associated with higher lifetime asthma prevalence. None of the food items was associated with allergic sensitisation. Except for fruit juice and fruit consumption, no associations were found with atopic wheeze. Food selection according to the 'Mediterranean diet' was associated with a lower prevalence of current wheeze and asthma ever (p<sub>trend</sub>=0.03). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Diet is associated with wheeze and asthma but not with allergic sensitisation in children. These results provide further evidence that adherence to the 'Mediterranean diet' may provide some protection against wheeze and asthma in childhood.
Selective Filtration of Tumor-Cell Suspensions<xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2">2</xref>
Authors: Pradier R, Holyoke Ed, Sako K
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1964)

Three types of screens were compared in the development of a method for fractionating, by size, ascites tumor cells in a suspension. A specially silver-plated copper grid with a fine matrix was the most effective. The 10 μ OS Millipore filter was useful with the Ehrlich hyperdiploid (ELD) tumor but not with the methylcholanthrene-induced tumor (MCIM) and Sarcoma 37 (S-37). A 10 μ metal screen with coarser matrix could be used only with suction, which deformed the cells and caused loss of viability. With a silver-plated copper screen, pore size 12.8 μ, it was possible to obtain large populations of S-37, MCIM, and ELD cells in which more than 40 percent of the cells above the mean in size had shifted in distribution and the larger sizes had been eliminated.
Lung Cancer Risk in Relation to Dietary Acrylamide Intake
Authors: J. G. F. Hogervorst, L. J. Schouten, E. J. M. Konings, R. A. Goldbohm, P. A. van den Brandt
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2009)

Acrylamide is a probable human carcinogen that is present in several heat-treated foods. In epidemiological studies, positive associations between dietary acrylamide intake and the risks of endometrial, ovarian, estrogen receptor-positive breast, and renal cell cancers have been observed. The association between dietary acrylamide intake and lung cancer risk is not known.We conducted a case-cohort study among 58 279 men and 62 573 women (aged 55-69 years) in the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer. Intakes of acrylamide-containing foods and risk factors for cancer were assessed with a self-administered questionnaire at baseline in 1986 and combined with acrylamide levels in relevant Dutch foods to assess total dietary acrylamide intake. The number of person-years at risk was estimated by using a random sample of participants from the total cohort that was chosen at baseline (n = 5000). Incident lung cancer cases in the total cohort were detected by computerized record linkages to the Netherlands Cancer Registry and the Netherlands Pathology Registry. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of lung cancer associated with acrylamide intakes were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models that controlled for smoking (status, quantity, and duration) and other lung cancer risk factors. All statistical tests were two-sided.After 13.3 years of follow-up (September 17, 1986 up to January 1, 2000) there were 2649 cases of primary, histologically verified lung cancer (International Classification of Diseases for Oncology-3 code: C34) when cases with prevalent cancer at baseline (other than skin cancer) were excluded. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio of lung cancer for a 10-microg/d increment of acrylamide intake was 1.03 (95% CI = 0.96 to 1.11) for men and 0.82 (95% CI = 0.69 to 0.96) for women. The hazard ratio of lung cancer for the highest (median intake [microg/d]: men = 37.6 and women = 36.8) vs the lowest (median intake [microg/d]: men = 10.8 and women = 9.5) quintile of acrylamide intake was 1.03 (95% CI = 0.77 to 1.39, P(trend) = .85) for men and 0.45 (95% CI = 0.27 to 0.76, P(trend) = .01) for women. The inverse association in women was strongest for adenocarcinoma (hazard ratio for highest vs lowest tertile of intake = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.21 to 0.78; P(trend) = .01).Acrylamide intake was not associated with lung cancer risk in men but was inversely associated in women, most strongly for adenocarcinoma. This finding suggests that acrylamide is involved in human carcinogenesis through pathways other than genotoxicity.
A direct excitatory action of catecholamines on rat aortic baroreceptors in vitro.
Authors: W F Goldman, W R Saum
Journal: Circulation Research (1984)

A persistent question with regard to the effects of catecholamines on baroreceptor activity has been whether the adrenergic action is indirectly mediated through an alteration in vessel wall tone or whether it is a direct action on the excitability of baroreceptor nerve endings. The effects of norepinephrine on the pressure-impulse frequency relationship of rat single aortic baroreceptor fibers were studied in vitro. Perfusion of the aortic arch with norepinephrine produced an excitatory response which consisted of: a drug-evoked stimulation of previously quiescent fibers at 0 mm Hg, and a sensitization of the response to pressure. The norepinephrine-induced facilitation was blocked by prazosin but not by yohimbine. Phenylephrine mimicked the effects of norepinephrine, whereas clonidine had no excitatory effects on baroreceptor activity. Baroreceptor activity was unaffected by beta-adrenergic agonists or antagonists. Norepinephrine had no effect on the pressure-volume relationship of the aortic arch, but produced a contraction of helical aortic strips. However, there was no correlation between the concentration-response relationship of norepinephrine on aortic smooth muscle and its excitatory action on baroreceptors. 5-Hydroxytryptamine and angiotensin II produced a contraction of helical strips, but had no effect on baroreceptor activity. Sodium nitrate reduced the norepinephrine-induced contractile response by 75%, but did not antagonize the baroreceptor facilitation. It is proposed that the excitatory action of norepinephrine is independent of smooth muscle activity, and is mediated by activation of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors located on the aortic baroreceptor nerve endings.
Effects of estrogen on low density lipoprotein metabolism in males. Short-term and long-term studies during hormonal treatment of prostatic carcinoma.
Authors: M Eriksson, L Berglund, M Rudling, P Henriksson, B Angelin
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1989)

To characterize the effects of estrogen treatment on the metabolism of LDL we studied six males with metastatic prostatic carcinoma before and during the initiation of therapy; a repeated study was performed in five participants after 3-6 mo of treatment. The fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of autologous 125I-LDL was calculated both from elimination curves of plasma radioactivity and from urine/plasma (U/P) radioactivity ratios. Within 1-2 d of onset of estrogen therapy a more rapid decay of plasma radioactivity occurred, and FCR measured from U/P ratios increased by 20%. Concomitantly, LDL cholesterol levels decreased by 16%. After 3-6 mo of treatment FCR determined by both techniques was almost doubled, and LDL cholesterol was reduced by 34%. This occurred despite a 29% increase in the calculated synthesis rate of LDL. Tissue culture studies demonstrated that the receptor affinity of LDL isolated from patients on long-term estrogen therapy was reduced. We conclude that a profound increase in LDL catabolism is induced through administration of pharmacological doses of estrogen in males, and hypothesize that this is the consequence of an increased expression of hepatic LDL receptors. This enhanced catabolism of LDL leaves LDL particles in plasma with lower affinity for the LDL receptor.
Linking Great Apes Genome Evolution across Time Scales Using Polymorphism-Aware Phylogenetic Models
Authors: Nicola De Maio, Christian Schlötterer, Carolin Kosiol
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (2013)

The genomes of related species contain valuable information on the history of the considered taxa. Great apes in particular exhibit variation of evolutionary patterns along their genomes. However, the great ape data also bring new challenges, such as the presence of incomplete lineage sorting and ancestral shared polymorphisms. Previous methods for genome-scale analysis are restricted to very few individuals or cannot disentangle the contribution of mutation rates and fixation biases. This represents a limitation both for the understanding of these forces as well as for the detection of regions affected by selection. Here, we present a new model designed to estimate mutation rates and fixation biases from genetic variation within and between species. We relax the assumption of instantaneous substitutions, modeling substitutions as mutational events followed by a gradual fixation. Hence, we straightforwardly account for shared ancestral polymorphisms and incomplete lineage sorting. We analyze genome-wide synonymous site alignments of human, chimpanzee, and two orangutan species. From each taxon, we include data from several individuals. We estimate mutation rates and GC-biased gene conversion intensity. We find that both mutation rates and biased gene conversion vary with GC content. We also find lineage-specific differences, with weaker fixation biases in orangutan species, suggesting a reduced historical effective population size. Finally, our results are consistent with directional selection acting on coding sequences in relation to exonic splicing enhancers.
Intravenous Sildenafil Lowers Pulmonary Vascular Resistance in a Model of Neonatal Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Lara S. Shekerdemian, Hanne B. Ravn, Daniel J. Penny
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2002)

Persistent pulmonary hypertension secondary to meconium aspiration syndrome is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal population. We investigated the use of the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor sildenafil, in its intravenous form, as a pulmonary vasodilator in a model of meconium aspiration syndrome. Pulmonary hypertension was induced in 18 piglets, by endotracheal instillation of human meconium, 6 piglets subsequently received an infusion of intravenous sildenafil for 2 hours, 6 received inhaled nitric oxide for 2 hours, and 6 control animals received no additional intervention. Meconium aspiration increased pulmonary vascular resistance by 70%, and increased oxygenation index by over 100%. Pulmonary vascular resistance remained elevated for the remainder of the study period in control animals. Inhaled nitric oxide reduced the pulmonary vascular resistance by 40% after 2 hours of treatment; intravenous sildenafil completely reversed the increase in pulmonary vascular resistance within 1 hour of commencing the infusion. Neither agent had an effect on systemic hemodynamics. Sildenafil also increased cardiac output by 30%, but while doing so did not adversely influence oxygenation. Intravenous sildenafil is a selective and highly effective pulmonary vasodilator, which is at least as effective as inhaled nitric oxide, in this model of neonatal persistent pulmonary hypertension.
The effect of potassium loading on sodium excretion and plasma renin activity in Addisonian man.
Authors: P D Miller, C Waterhouse, R Owens, E Cohen
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1975)

Potassium has been shown to suppress plasma renin activity (PRA). This study was designed to study the role of increased aldosterone production in the mediation of such a response. Five patients with adrenal insufficiency were placed on a diet of 60 meq potassium and 100-150 meq of sodium while receiving a constant amount of cortisone acetate and Florinef. Upright PRA was determined each day for 2-3 days in the control period and then for 3-4 days after potassium intake had been increased to 200-300 meq/day. Potassium loading induced a natriuresis. Hence, patients were either sodium replaced (six studies in four patients) or allowed to become sodium depleted (three patients). Potassium loading without replacement was associated with a decrease in weight, negative sodium balance, hyperkalemia, and a positive potassium balance. PRA rose during the experimental period. Potassium loading with sodium replacement was associated with little change in weight or sodium balance. Hyperkalemia and positive potassium balance were present to the same degree as found in the studies without sodium replacement. When all PRA values are considered (both morning and evening values) there was no significant change with potassium loading (+ 1.31 ng/ml per h; range + 6.9 to -2.0). We conclude that hyperkalemia or a positive potassium balance did not suppress PRA in Addisonian man in these studies when sodium balance was maintained, nor did it prevent a rise in PRA when sodium balance was negative.
Epidemiology of Alcoholism and Prospects for Treatment
Authors: Edgar P. Nace
Journal: Annual Review of Medicine (1984)

This chapter reviews current American drinking patterns and the prevalence of problems resulting from alcohol use. The general population is discussed first. Then a look at five subgroups within the population is presented. These groups are older adults, adolescents, women, Blacks, and Hispanics. For the general population as well as each of the five subgroups, the prospects regarding treatment outcome are discussed.
The royal road to healing: a bit of a saga
Authors: L. Getz, A. L. Kirkengen, H. Petursson, J. A. Sigurdsson
Journal: BMJ (2011)

Linn Getz and colleagues describe how a Norwegian king beat Freud to the talking cure by more than 700 years

In the face of another person’s suffering, a listener can offer to be a competent, dedicated, and attentive co-thinker—not pretending to know the solution, but trusting the healing power inherent in an empathetic relationship. 

In an atmosphere saturated with diagnostic labels, antidepressants, and standardised cognitive therapy schemes, we want to highlight the therapeutic potential of dialogue. We present an anecdote written around the year 1220 in the Icelandic saga Morkinskinna.1 2 3 4 There, we meet the Norwegian king Eysteinn, who ruled in Norway 1103–1123, and an Icelandic skald (highly respected court poet), Ivar Ingimundarson. Ivar has become deeply melancholic and the king seeks to find out what troubles him and how to help. Finally, Ivar’s grief is resolved by daily conversations between the two men.



Sigmund who?



#### Morkinskinna—a king’s saga with an unruly touch

Morkinskinna, which means “mouldy parchment,” was originally the name of a book sent from Iceland to Copenhagen’s Royal Library in 1662, where it is still preserved (numbered as 1009 fol⇓). The saga was written in Iceland around the year 1220. It describes the history of the Norwegian kings from 1030 until 1157, when the text ends abruptly, as the last part of the manuscript has been lost. The author is unknown, but Morkinskinna was evidently a central source for the later and far more renowned saga Heimskringla.4 A distinctive feature of Morkinskinna is its numerous inserted anecdotes. Many of these describe the relationship between a Norwegian king and an Icelandic guest or man of court. The literary format of Morkinskinna has long been considered unwieldy and of lesser quality than other more stringent sagas, but literary scholars have recently been captivated by its charm and distinctive human touch.4 …
Intakes of Dietary Fiber, Vegetables, and Fruits and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in Japanese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Shiro Tanaka, Yukio Yoshimura, Chiemi Kamada, Sachiko Tanaka, Chika Horikawa, Ryota Okumura, Hideki Ito, Yasuo Ohashi, Yasuo Akanuma, Nobuhiro Yamada, Hirohito Sone
Journal: Diabetes Care (2013)

Foods rich in fiber, such as vegetables and fruits, prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) among healthy adults, but such data in patients with diabetes are sparse. We investigated this association in a cohort with type 2 diabetes aged 40-70 years whose HbA1c values were ≥ 6.5% in Japan Diabetes Society values.In this cohort study, 1,414 patients were analyzed after exclusion of patients with history of CVDs and nonresponders to a dietary survey. Primary outcomes were times to stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD). Hazard ratios (HRs) of dietary intake were estimated by Cox regression adjusted for systolic blood pressure, lipids, energy intake, and other confounders.Mean daily dietary fiber in quartiles ranged from 8.7 to 21.8 g, and mean energy intake ranged from 1,442.3 to 2,058.9 kcal. Mean daily intake of vegetables and fruits in quartiles ranged from 228.7 to 721.4 g. During the follow-up of a median of 8.1 years, 68 strokes and 96 CHDs were observed. HRs for stroke in the fourth quartile vs. the first quartile were 0.39 (95% CI 0.12-1.29, P = 0.12) for dietary fiber and 0.35 (0.13-0.96, P = 0.04) for vegetables and fruits. There were no significant associations with CHD. The HR per 1-g increase was smaller for soluble dietary fiber (0.48 [95% CI 0.30-0.79], P < 0.01) than for total (0.82 [0.73-0.93], P < 0.01) and insoluble (0.79 [0.68-0.93], P < 0.01) dietary fiber.Increased dietary fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and vegetables and fruits were associated with lower incident stroke but not CHD in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Bilirubin excretion in rats with normal and impaired bilirubin conjugation: effect of phenobarbital
Authors: Stephen H. Robinson, Claudine Yannoni, Susumu Nagasawa
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1971)

The effect of phenobarbital on bilirubin excretion was studied in rats with different capacities for bilirubin conjugation. Drug treatment induced substantial increases in bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity in the liver of both normal and heterozygous Gunn rats, but not homozygous Gunn rats in which enzyme activity is completely absent. However, enhancement of bilirubin excretion in vivo was observed only in heterozygous Gunn rats. In these animals the maximum capacity to excrete bilirubin into bile (Tmax), like the activity of the conjugating enzyme, was half normal; phenobarbital caused an increase in Tmax to levels characteristic of normal animals, with a twofold rise in the excretion of conjugated pigment. This appeared to be largely unrelated to enhancement of bile flow, and there was no stimulation of alternate pathways of bilirubin excretion.
Influence of the<i>IL17A locus</i>in giant cell arteritis susceptibility
Authors: A Márquez, J Hernández-Rodríguez, M C Cid, R Solans, S Castañeda, M E Fernández-Contreras, M Ramentol, I C Morado, J Narváez, C Gómez-Vaquero, V M Martínez-Taboada, N Ortego-Centeno, B Sopeña, J Monfort, M J García-Villanueva, L Caminal-Montero, E de Miguel, R Blanco, O Palm, O Molberg, J Latus, N Braun, F Moosig, T Witte, L Beretta, A Santaniello, G Pazzola, L Boiardi, C Salvarani, M A González-Gay, J Martín
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2014)

<h3>Objective</h3> Different lines of evidence have highlighted the role of IL-17A in the inflammatory process occurring in giant cell arteritis (GCA). The aim of the present study was to assess whether the <i>IL17A locus</i> influences GCA susceptibility and its clinical subphenotypes. <h3>Methods</h3> We carried out a large meta-analysis including a total of 1266 biopsy-proven GCA patients and 3779 healthy controls from four European populations (Spain, Italy, Germany and Norway). Five <i>IL17A</i> polymorphisms (rs4711998, rs8193036, rs3819024, rs2275913 and rs7747909) were selected by tagging and genotyped using TaqMan assays. Allelic combination and dependency tests were also performed. <h3>Results</h3> In the pooled analysis, two of the five analysed polymorphisms showed evidence of association with GCA (rs2275913: P<sub>MH</sub>=1.85E−03, OR=1.17 (1.06–1.29); rs7747909: P<sub>MH</sub>=8.49E–03, OR=1.15 (1.04–1.27)). A clear trend of association was also found for the rs4711998 variant (P<sub>MH</sub>=0.059, OR=1.11 (1.00–1.23)). An independent effect of rs2275913 and rs4711998 was evident by conditional regression analysis. In addition, the haplotype harbouring the risk alleles better explained the observed association than the polymorphisms independently (likelihood p value &lt;10<sup>−05</sup>). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Polymorphisms within the <i>IL17A locus</i> show a novel association with GCA. This finding supports the relevant role of the Th17 cells in this vasculitis pathophysiology.
Excretion and metabolism of nikethamide in the horse.
Authors: F. T. Delbeke, M. Debackere
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (1976)

It is well known that nikethamide (N,N-diethylnicotinamide, CoramineR) is metabolized very rapidly to nicotinamide. Hence, there is difficulty in proving that nikethamide has been used as a doping substance because nicotinamide is a normal physiological metabolite in the organism as well as a vitamin preparation. However, an intermediate metabolite (N-ethylnicotinamide) was found by us in the urine of horses treated with CoramineR. This was characterized by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and synthesized and identified as being N-ethylnicotinamide. The excretion and metabolism of nikethamide after intramuscular injection in the horse was followed using quantitative gas chromatography of urine extracts over a period of several hours and the results of these experiments are reported. Changes in urinary pH had no significant effect upon either the metabolism or rate of excretion of the drug.