Abstract Enduring misconceptions about the physical effects of fiber in the gut have led to misunderstandings about the health benefits attributable to insoluble and soluble fiber. This review will ...focus on isolated functional fibers (eg, fiber supplements) whose effects on clinical outcomes have been readily assessed in well-controlled clinical studies. This review will also focus on three health benefits (cholesterol lowering, improved glycemic control, and normalizing stool form constipation and diarrhea) for which reproducible evidence of clinical efficacy has been published. In the small bowel, clinically meaningful health benefits (eg, cholesterol lowering and improved glycemic control) are highly correlated with the viscosity of soluble fibers: high viscosity fibers (eg, gel-forming fibers such as b-glucan, psyllium, and raw guar gum) exhibit a significant effect on cholesterol lowering and improved glycemic control, whereas nonviscous soluble fibers (eg, inulin, fructooligosaccharides, and wheat dextrin) and insoluble fibers (eg, wheat bran) do not provide these viscosity-dependent health benefits. In the large bowel, there are only two mechanisms that drive a laxative effect: large/coarse insoluble fiber particles (eg, wheat bran) mechanically irritate the gut mucosa stimulating water and mucous secretion, and the high water-holding capacity of gel-forming soluble fiber (eg, psyllium) resists dehydration. Both mechanisms require that the fiber resist fermentation and remain relatively intact throughout the large bowel (ie, the fiber must be present in stool), and both mechanisms lead to increased stool water content, resulting in bulky/soft/easy-to-pass stools. Soluble fermentable fibers (eg, inulin, fructooligosaccharide, and wheat dextrin) do not provide a laxative effect, and some fibers can be constipating (eg, wheat dextrin and fine/smooth insoluble wheat bran particles). When making recommendations for a fiber supplement, it is essential to recognize which fibers possess the physical characteristics required to provide a beneficial health effect, and which fiber supplements are supported by reproducible, rigorous evidence of one or more clinically meaningful health benefits.
Abstract
The benefit of integrating batches of genomic data to increase statistical power is often hindered by batch effects, or unwanted variation in data caused by differences in technical factors ...across batches. It is therefore critical to effectively address batch effects in genomic data to overcome these challenges. Many existing methods for batch effects adjustment assume the data follow a continuous, bell-shaped Gaussian distribution. However in RNA-seq studies the data are typically skewed, over-dispersed counts, so this assumption is not appropriate and may lead to erroneous results. Negative binomial regression models have been used previously to better capture the properties of counts. We developed a batch correction method, ComBat-seq, using a negative binomial regression model that retains the integer nature of count data in RNA-seq studies, making the batch adjusted data compatible with common differential expression software packages that require integer counts. We show in realistic simulations that the ComBat-seq adjusted data results in better statistical power and control of false positives in differential expression compared to data adjusted by the other available methods. We further demonstrated in a real data example that ComBat-seq successfully removes batch effects and recovers the biological signal in the data.
Heterogeneity and latent variables are now widely recognized as major sources of bias and variability in high-throughput experiments. The most well-known source of latent variation in genomic ...experiments are batch effects-when samples are processed on different days, in different groups or by different people. However, there are also a large number of other variables that may have a major impact on high-throughput measurements. Here we describe the sva package for identifying, estimating and removing unwanted sources of variation in high-throughput experiments. The sva package supports surrogate variable estimation with the sva function, direct adjustment for known batch effects with the ComBat function and adjustment for batch and latent variables in prediction problems with the fsva function.
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a 37-amino acid peptide found primarily in the C and Aδ sensory fibers arising from the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia, as well as the central nervous ...system. Calcitonin gene-related peptide was found to play important roles in cardiovascular, digestive, and sensory functions. Although the vasodilatory properties of CGRP are well documented, its somatosensory function regarding modulation of neuronal sensitization and of enhanced pain has received considerable attention recently. Growing evidence indicates that CGRP plays a key role in the development of peripheral sensitization and the associated enhanced pain. Calcitonin gene-related peptide is implicated in the development of neurogenic inflammation and it is upregulated in conditions of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. It is most likely that CGRP facilitates nociceptive transmission and contributes to the development and maintenance of a sensitized, hyperresponsive state not only of the primary afferent sensory neurons but also of the second-order pain transmission neurons within the central nervous system, thus contributing to central sensitization as well. The maintenance of a sensitized neuronal condition is believed to be an important factor underlying migraine. Recent successful clinical studies have shown that blocking the function of CGRP can alleviate migraine. However, the mechanisms through which CGRP may contribute to migraine are still not fully understood. We reviewed the role of CGRP in primary afferents, the dorsal root ganglion, and in the trigeminal system as well as its role in peripheral and central sensitization and its potential contribution to pain processing and to migraine.
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to critically appraised data from comparable studies leading to quantitative assessment of any independent association between use of oral smokeless ...tobacco in any form, of betel quid without tobacco and of areca nut with incidence of oral cancer in South Asia and the Pacific.
Studies (case control and/or cohort) were identified by searching Pub Med, CINAHL and Cochrane databases through June 2013 using the keywords oral cancer: chewing tobacco; smokeless tobacco; betel quid; betel quid without tobacco; areca nut; Asia, the Pacific and the reference lists of retrieved articles. A random effects model was used to compute adjusted summary OR(RE) for the main effect of these habits along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. To quantify the impact of between-study heterogeneity on adjusted main-effect summary OR(RE), Higgins' H and I2 statistics along with their 95% uncertainty intervals were used. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to evaluate publication bias.
Meta-analysis of fifteen case-control studies (4,553 cases; 8,632 controls) and four cohort studies (15,342) which met our inclusion criteria showed that chewing tobacco is significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of squamous-cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (adjusted main-effect summary for case- control studies OR(RE) = 7.46; 95% CI = 5.86-9.50, P<0.001), (adjusted main-effect summary for cohort studies RR = 5.48; 95% CI = 2.56-11.71, P<0.001). Furthermore, meta-analysis of fifteen case control studies (4,648 cases; 7,847 controls) has shown betel quid without tobacco to have an independent positive association with oral cancer, with OR = 2.82 (95% CI = 2.35-3.40, P<0.001). This is presumably due to the carcinogenicity of areca nut. There was no significant publication bias.
There is convincing evidence that smokeless (aka chewing) tobacco, often used as a component of betel quid, and betel quid without tobacco, are both strong and independent risk factors for oral cancer in these populations. However, studies with better separation of the types of tobacco and the ways in which it is used, and studies with sufficient power to quantify dose-response relationships are still needed.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The Current State of Peritoneal Dialysis Mehrotra, Rajnish; Devuyst, Olivier; Davies, Simon J ...
Journal of the American Society of Nephrology,
11/2016, Letnik:
27, Številka:
11
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Technical innovations in peritoneal dialysis (PD), now used widely for the long-term treatment of ESRD, have significantly reduced therapy-related complications, allowing patients to be maintained on ...PD for longer periods. Indeed, the survival rate for patients treated with PD is now equivalent to that with in-center hemodialysis. In parallel, changes in public policy have spurred an unprecedented expansion in the use of PD in many parts of the world. Meanwhile, our improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in solute and water transport across the peritoneum and of the pathobiology of structural and functional changes in the peritoneum with long-term PD has provided new targets for improving efficiency and for intervention. As with hemodialysis, almost half of all deaths on PD occur because of cardiovascular events, and there is great interest in identifying modality-specific factors contributing to these events. Notably, tremendous progress has been made in developing interventions that substantially reduce the risk of PD-related peritonitis. Yet the gains have been unequal among individual centers, primarily because of unequal clinical application of knowledge gained from research. The work to date has further highlighted the areas in need of innovation as we continue to strive to improve the health and outcomes of patients treated with PD.
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a vapor phase technique capable of producing thin films of a variety of materials. Based on sequential, self-limiting reactions, ALD offers exceptional conformality ...on high-aspect ratio structures, thickness control at the Angstrom level, and tunable film composition. With these advantages, ALD has emerged as a powerful tool for many industrial and research applications. In this review, we provide a brief introduction to ALD and highlight select applications, including Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell devices, high-k transistors, and solid oxide fuel cells. These examples are chosen to illustrate the variety of technologies that are impacted by ALD, the range of materials that ALD can deposit – from metal oxides such as Zn1−xSnxOy, ZrO2, Y2O3, to noble metals such as Pt – and the way in which the unique features of ALD can enable new levels of performance and deeper fundamental understanding to be achieved.
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) continue to remain a significant public health burden worldwide, causing significant mortality and morbidity despite significant clinical advances enabling their early ...diagnosis and treatment.
We used data from the GLOBOCAN 2012, Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, World Health Organization Mortality Database and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results programmes to describe the current epidemiology of HNCs.
Estimated age-standardised incidence/mortality rates for cancers of the lip and oral cavity among males and females (7.0/2.3 and 2.6/0.6 per 100,000 per annum) in more developed regions are higher compared to those in less developed regions (5.0/2.8 and 2.5/1.4 per 100,000 per annum). Similarly, the estimated rates for cancers of the tonsils and pharynx among males (7.5/2.5 per 100,000 per annum) and females (2.7/0.5 per 100,000 per annum) are reported to be the highest in Western Europe, whereas these rates for cancer of the larynx among males (7.9/4.0 per 100,000 per annum) and females (0.9/0.5 per 100,000 per annum) are reported to be the highest in the Caribbean. Cancer of the nasopharynx represents a significant HNC burden in the Asia-Pacific region and Northern Africa.
The current and future estimated burden of HNCs is shifting to less developed regions which may be ill equipped to deal with this increasing burden. This needs urgent attention of policy makers through effective cancer control policy implementation with population-based interventions.
Animals use current, past, and projected future states of the organism and the world in a finely tuned system to control ingestion. They must not only deal effectively with current nutrient ...deficiencies, but also manage energy resources to meet future needs, all within the constraints of the mechanisms of metabolism. Many recent approaches to understanding the control of ingestive behavior distinguish between homeostatic mechanisms concerned with energy balance, and hedonic and incentive processes based on palatability and reward characteristics of food. In this review, I consider how learning about environmental cues influences homeostatic and hedonic brain signals, which may lead to increases in the affective taste properties of food and desire to over consume. Understanding these mechanisms may be critical for elucidating the etiology of the obesity epidemic.
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