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nfcorpus-qrel-MED-5131 | Generate text that best answers this question: Is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) preferable to D2 (ergocalciferol)? | Vitamin B12 sources and bioavailability.
The usual dietary sources of vitamin B(12) are animal foods, meat, milk, egg, fish, and shellfish. As the intrinsic factor-mediated intestinal absorption system is estimated to be saturated at about 1.5-2.0 microg per meal under physiologic conditions, vitamin B(12) bioavailability significantly decreases with increasing intake of vitamin B(12) per meal. The bioavailability of vitamin B(12) in healthy humans from fish meat, sheep meat, and chicken meat averaged 42%, 56%-89%, and 61%-66%, respectively. Vitamin B(12) in eggs seems to be poorly absorbed (< 9%) relative to other animal food products. In the Dietary Reference Intakes in the United States and Japan, it is assumed that 50% of dietary vitamin B(12) is absorbed by healthy adults with normal gastro-intestinal function. Some plant foods, dried green and purple lavers (nori) contain substantial amounts of vitamin B(12), although other edible algae contained none or only traces of vitamin B(12). Most of the edible blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) used for human supplements predominantly contain pseudovitamin B(12), which is inactive in humans. The edible cyanobacteria are not suitable for use as vitamin B(12) sources, especially in vegans. Fortified breakfast cereals are a particularly valuable source of vitamin B(12) for vegans and elderly people. Production of some vitamin B(12)-enriched vegetables is also being devised. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-5132 | Generate text that best answers this question: Is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) preferable to D2 (ergocalciferol)? | Role of vitamin B12 in depressive disorder--a case report.
Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia may have psychiatric manifestations preceding the hematological symptoms. Although a variety of symptoms are described, there are only sparse data on the role of vitamin B12 in depression. We report a case of vitamin B12 deficiency presenting with recurrent episodes of depression. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-5133 | Generate text that best answers this question: Is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) preferable to D2 (ergocalciferol)? | [Floppy baby with macrocytic anemia and vegan mother].
We report the case of a 7 month-old girl that presented with acute anemia, generalized muscular hypotonia and failure to thrive. Laboratory evaluation revealed cobalamin deficiency, due to a vegan diet of the mother. The clinical triad of an acquired floppy baby syndrome with megaloblastic anemia and failure to thrive is pathognomic for infantile cobalamin deficiency. Neurological abnormalities are often irreversible and may be associated with delayed myelinization in the MRI. A normal cobalamin level in maternal serum and absence of anemia do not exclude subclinical deficiency. If cobalamin deficiency is suspected, e.g. in pregnant women on vegan diet, urinary methylmalonic acid excretion and plasma homocysteine levels should be determined and cobalamin substitution should be started at an early stage to avoid potentially irreversible damage of the fetus. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-5134 | Generate text that best answers this question: Is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) preferable to D2 (ergocalciferol)? | Complementary feeding: a commentary by the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition.
This position paper on complementary feeding summarizes evidence for health effects of complementary foods. It focuses on healthy infants in Europe. After reviewing current knowledge and practices, we have formulated these conclusions: Exclusive or full breast-feeding for about 6 months is a desirable goal. Complementary feeding (ie, solid foods and liquids other than breast milk or infant formula and follow-on formula) should not be introduced before 17 weeks and not later than 26 weeks. There is no convincing scientific evidence that avoidance or delayed introduction of potentially allergenic foods, such as fish and eggs, reduces allergies, either in infants considered at increased risk for the development of allergy or in those not considered to be at increased risk. During the complementary feeding period, >90% of the iron requirements of a breast-fed infant must be met by complementary foods, which should provide sufficient bioavailable iron. Cow's milk is a poor source of iron and should not be used as the main drink before 12 months, although small volumes may be added to complementary foods. It is prudent to avoid both early (<4 months) and late (>or=7 months) introduction of gluten, and to introduce gluten gradually while the infant is still breast-fed, inasmuch as this may reduce the risk of celiac disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and wheat allergy. Infants and young children receiving a vegetarian diet should receive a sufficient amount ( approximately 500 mL) of breast milk or formula and dairy products. Infants and young children should not be fed a vegan diet. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-5135 | Generate text that best answers this question: Is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) preferable to D2 (ergocalciferol)? | West syndrome in an infant with vitamin B12 deficiency in the absence of macrocytic anaemia.
Vitamin B(12) deficiency in infants often produces haematological and neurological deficits, including macrocytic anaemia, neurodevelopmental delay or regression, irritability, weakness, hypotonia, ataxia, apathy, tremor, and seizures. The diagnosis of vitamin B(12) deficiency can be difficult when the typical macrocytic anaemia is absent. We report the case of a 10-month-old female diagnosed with West syndrome associated with vitamin B(12) deficiency but without macrocytic anaemia caused by nutritional inadequacy in the mother. The patient's motor skills and cognitive development were normal until she was 9 months old, when she began to exhibit a series of sudden flexions of the head, trunk, arms, and legs. She was exclusively breast-fed and had received no vitamin supplementation. Results of electroencephalography (EEG) indicated modified hypsarrhythmia and the patient was diagnosed as having West syndrome. Synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone was administered and although her spasms had resolved, the patient remained apathic and could not sit without assistance. EEG results indicated generalized slow activity. After she was diagnosed as having vitamin B(12) deficiency, parenteral treatment with vitamin B(12) was initiated. Her symptoms resolved and EEG was completely normal. When she was 20 months old she exhibited an age-appropriate developmental and neurological profile. To our knowledge, this is the first report of West syndrome as a presenting symptom of vitamin B(12) deficiency. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-4222 | Generate text that best answers this question: accidents | Growth Hormone Receptor Deficiency is Associated With a Major Reduction in Pro-aging Signaling, Cancer and Diabetes in Humans
Life span extending mutations in growth signaling pathways protect against age-dependent DNA damage in yeast and decrease insulin resistance and cancer in mice. To test their effect in humans, we monitored for 22 years Ecuadorian subjects with mutations in the growth hormone receptor gene leading to severe growth hormone receptor (GHR) and IGF-I deficiencies and combined this information with surveys to identify the cause and age of death for subjects who died before this period. The individuals with GHR deficiency (GHRD) exhibited only one non-lethal malignancy and no cases of diabetes, in contrast to 17% cancer and 5% diabetes prevalence in the controls. A possible explanation for the very low incidence of cancer may be revealed by in vitro studies: serum from GHRD subjects reduced DNA breaks but increased apoptosis in human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) treated with hydrogen peroxide. We also observed reduced insulin concentrations (1.4 μU/ml vs. 4.4μU/ml in unaffected relatives) and a very low homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index (0.34 vs. 0.96 in unaffected relatives) in GHRD individuals, indicating increased insulin sensitivity, which could explain the absence of diabetes in these subjects. Incubation of HMECs with GHRD serum also resulted in reduced expression of RAS, PKA and TOR, and up-regulation of SOD2, changes that promote cellular protection and life span extension in model organisms. These results provide evidence for a role of evolutionarily conserved pathways in promoting aging and diseases in humans and identify a candidate drug target for healthy life span extension. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1796 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Association of Adenovirus 36 Infection with Obesity and Metabolic Markers in Humans: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Background Several studies have shown that Adenovirus 36 (Ad36) influences the risk of obesity in humans. Clarifying the relationship between Ad36 infection and obesity could lead to more effective approaches for the management of obesity. The objective of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis to confirm the influence of Ad36 infection on obesity and metabolic markers. Methodology/Principal Findings We searched MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library for pertinent articles (including their references) published between 1951 and April 22, 2012. Only English language reports of original observational studies were included in this meta-analysis. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using the random effects model. Of 237 potentially relevant studies, 10 cross-sectional studies (n = 2,870) conformed to the selection criteria. Pooled analysis showed that the WMD for BMI of Ad36 infection compared with non-infection was 3.19 (95% CI 1.44–4.93; P<0.001). Sensitivity analysis restricted to studies of adults yielded a similar result of 3.18 (95% CI 0.78–5.57; P = 0.009). The increased risk of obesity associated with Ad36 infection was also significant (OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.01–3.56; P = 0.047). No significant differences were found in relation to total cholesterol (P = 0.83), triglycerides (P = 0.64), HDL (P = 0.69), blood glucose (P = 0.08), waist circumstance (P = 0.09), and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.25). Conclusion/Significance Ad36 infection was associated with the risk of obesity and weight gain, but was not associated with abnormal metabolic markers including waist circumstance. It suggests that Ad36 infection is more associated with accumulation of subcutaneous fat than that of visceral fat. The relationship between Ad36 and obesity should be assessed by further studies, including well-designed prospective studies, to gain a better understanding of whether Ad36 plays a role in the etiology of human obesity. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1797 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Comparative genome analysis with the human genome reveals chicken genes associated with fatness and body weight.
The selection of meat-type chickens (broilers) for rapid growth has been accompanied by excessive fat deposition. In this study, we analysed 53 candidate genes that are associated with obesity and obesity-related traits in humans, for which we found chicken orthologues by BLAST searches. We have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with significant differences in allele frequencies between broilers and layers in each of the following six candidate genes: adrenergic, beta-2-, receptor, surface (ADRB2); melanocortin 5 receptor (MC5R); leptin receptor (LEPR), McKusick-Kaufman syndrome (MKKS), milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 protein (MFGE8) and adenylate kinase 1 (AK1). To examine associations with fatness and/or body weight, we used birds of extreme phenotypes in F(2) and backcross populations with varying levels of abdominal fat weight per cent (%AFW) and body weight. We then assessed the level of gene expression by real-time PCR. In two genes, ADRB2 and MFGE8, we found significant association with %AFW. The ADRB2 gene was found to have a significantly higher expression in the liver of lean chickens compared with those of the fat individuals. We believe that this approach can be applied for the identification of other quantitative genes. © 2011 The Authors, Animal Genetics © 2011 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1798 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Adenovirus 36 infection and obesity.
The most important factors leading to fat accumulation in children are genetic inheritance, endocrine alterations, and behavioural/environmental causes. In addition, experimental animal studies have shown that infections due to various pathogens can lead to overweight and obesity conditions, and studies of humans have found that the incidence of seroconversion against some of these may be significantly more frequent in obese adults and children than in normal subjects. However, the results of these studies are not conclusive and, in some cases, have raised more questions than answers. We reviewed the literature concerning the role of adenovirus 36 (AD-36), the most widely studied infectious agent in animals and humans, because of its potential association with childhood obesity. The available evidence suggests that more studies are needed to evaluate whether or not the association between the presence of AD-36 antibodies and obesity is simply unrelated, and to verify whether there are subjects that have greater tendency to become obese because more easily susceptible to AD-36 infection or with a predisposition to suffer from persistent viral infection more easily leading to the development of obesity. If it is demonstrated that AD-36 does play a role in obesity, it will be important to investigate possible vaccines against the infection itself or antiviral drugs capable of inhibiting disease progression. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1799 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Adipogenic Human Adenovirus Ad-36 Induces Commitment, Differentiation, and Lipid Accumulation in Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
Human adenovirus Ad-36 is causatively and correlatively linked with animal and human obesity, respectively. Ad-36 enhances differentiation of rodent preadipocytes, but its effect on adipogenesis in humans is unknown. To indirectly assess the role of Ad-36-induced adipogenesis in human obesity, the effect of the virus on commitment, differentiation, and lipid accumulation was investigated in vitro in primary human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (hASC). Ad-36 infected hASC in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Even in the presence of osteogenic media, Ad-36-infected hASC showed significantly greater lipid accumulation, suggestive of their commitment to the adipocyte lineage. Even in the absence of adipogenic inducers, Ad-36 significantly increased hASC differentiation, as indicated by a time-dependent expression of genes within the adipogenic cascade—CCAAT/Enhancer binding protein-β, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, and fatty acid-binding protein—and consequentially increased lipid accumulation in a time- and viral dose-dependent manner. Induction of hASC to the adipocyte state by Ad-36 was further supported by increased expression of lipoprotein lipase and the accumulation of its extracellular fraction. hASC from subjects harboring Ad-36 DNA in their adipose tissue due to natural infection had significantly greater ability to differentiate compared with Ad-36 DNA-negative counterparts, which offers a proof of concept. Thus, Ad-36 has the potential to induce adipogenesis in hASC, which may contribute to adiposity induced by the virus. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1800 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Adenovirus-36 Is Associated with Obesity in Children and Adults in Sweden as Determined by Rapid ELISA
Background Experimental and natural human adenovirus-36 (Adv36) infection of multiple animal species results in obesity through increasing adipogenesis and lipid accumulation in adipocytes. Presence of Adv36 antibodies detected by serum neutralization assay has previously been associated with obesity in children and adults living in the USA, South Korea and Italy, whereas no association with adult obesity was detected in Belgium/the Netherlands nor among USA military personnel. Adv36 infection has also been shown to reduce blood lipid levels, increase glucose uptake by adipose tissue and skeletal muscle biopsies, and to associate with improved glycemic control in non-diabetic individuals. Principal Findings Using a novel ELISA, 1946 clinically well-characterized individuals including 424 children and 1522 non-diabetic adults, and 89 anonymous blood donors, residing in central Sweden representing the population in Stockholm area, were studied for the presence of antibodies against Adv36 in serum. The prevalence of Adv36 positivity in lean individuals increased from ∼7% in 1992–1998 to 15–20% in 2002–2009, which paralleled the increase in obesity prevalence. We found that Adv36-positive serology was associated with pediatric obesity and with severe obesity in females compared to lean and overweight/mildly obese individuals, with a 1.5 to 2-fold Adv36 positivity increase in cases. Moreover, Adv36 positivity was less common among females and males on antilipid pharmacological treatment or with high blood triglyceride level. Insulin sensitivity, measured as lower HOMA-IR, showed a higher point estimate in Adv36-positive obese females and males, although it was not statistically significant (p = 0.08). Conclusion Using a novel ELISA we show that Adv36 infection is associated with pediatric obesity, severe obesity in adult females and lower risk of high blood lipid levels in non-diabetic Swedish individuals. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1801 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Modern organic and broiler chickens sold for human consumption provide more energy from fat than protein.
OBJECTIVE: In 1976, the Royal College of Physicians and the British Cardiac Society recommended eating less fatty red meat and more poultry instead because it was lean. However, the situation has changed since that time, with a striking increase in fat content of the standard broiler chicken. The aim of the present study was to report a snapshot of data on fat in chickens now sold to the public. DESIGN: Samples were obtained randomly between 2004 and 2008 from UK supermarkets, farm shops and a football club. The amount of chicken fat was estimated by emulsification and chloroform/methanol extraction. SETTING: Food sold in supermarkets and farms in England. SUBJECTS: Chicken samples. RESULTS: The fat energy exceeded that of protein. There has been a loss of n-3 fatty acids. The n-6:n-3 ratio was found to be as high as 9:1, as opposed to the recommendation of about 2:1. Moreover, the TAG level in the meat and whole bird mostly exceeded the proportion of phospholipids, which should be the higher for muscle function. The n-3 fatty acid docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22 : 5n-3) was in excess of DHA (22 : 6n-3). Previous analyses had, as usual for birds, more DHA than DPA. CONCLUSIONS: Traditional poultry and eggs were one of the few land-based sources of long-chain n-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, which is synthesized from its parent precursor in the green food chain. In view of the obesity epidemic, chickens that provide several times the fat energy compared with protein seem illogical. This type of chicken husbandry needs to be reviewed with regard to its implications for animal welfare and human nutrition. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1802 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Longitudinal changes in BMI in older adults are associated with meat consumption differentially, by type of meat consumed.
Hypotheses regarding the role of meat consumption in body weight modulation are contradictory. Prospective studies on an association between meat consumption and BMI change are limited. We assessed the association between meat consumption and change in BMI over time in 3902 men and women aged 55-69 y from the Netherlands Cohort Study. Dietary intake was estimated at baseline using a FFQ. BMI was ascertained through baseline self-reported height (1986) and weight (1986, 1992, and 2000). Analyses were based on sex-specific categories of daily total fresh meat, red meat, beef, pork, minced meat, chicken, processed meat, and fish consumption at baseline. Linear mixed effect modeling adjusted for confounders was used to assess longitudinal associations. Significant cross-sectional differences in BMI between quintiles of total meat intake were observed (P-trend < 0.01; both sexes). No association between total fresh meat consumption and prospective BMI change was observed in men (BMI change highest vs. lowest quintile after 14 y: -0.06 kg/m²; P = 0.75) and women (BMI change: 0.26 kg/m²; P = 0.20). Men with the highest intake of beef experienced a significantly lower increase in BMI after 6 and 14 y than those with the lowest intake (BMI change after 14 y 0.60 kg/m²). After 14 y, a significantly higher increase in BMI was associated with higher intakes of pork in women (BMI change highest vs. lowest quintile: 0.47 kg/m²) and chicken in both sexes (BMI change highest vs. lowest category in both men and women: 0.36 kg/m²). The results remained similar when stratifying on median baseline BMI, and age-stratified analyses yielded mixed results. Differential BMI change effects were observed for several subtypes of meat. However, total meat consumption, or factors directly related to total meat intake, was not strongly associated with weight change during the 14-y prospective follow-up in this elderly population. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1803 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | A framework for identification of infections that contribute to human obesity.
WHO has declared obesity to be a global epidemic. Obesity management strategies mainly target behavioural components of the disorder, but are only marginally effective. A comprehensive understanding of the causative factors of obesity might provide more effective management approaches. Several microbes are causatively and correlatively linked with obesity in animals and human beings. If infections contribute to human obesity, then entirely different prevention and treatment strategies and public health policies could be needed to address this subtype of the disorder. Ethical reasons preclude experimental infection of human beings with candidate microbes to unequivocally determine their contribution to obesity. As an alternative, the available information about the adipogenic human adenovirus Ad36 has been used to create a template that can be used to examine comprehensively the contributions of specific candidate microbes to human obesity. Clinicians should be aware of infectobesity (obesity of infectious origin), and its potential importance in effective obesity management. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1804 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Human adenovirus-36 and childhood obesity.
There is increasing evidence that obesity in humans is associated with infection with human adenovirus-36 (Adv36). Infection of experimental animals with Adv36 demonstrates that this virus causes obesity. Human studies have shown a prevalence of Adv36 infection of 30% or greater in obese adult humans, but a correlation with obesity has not always been demonstrated. In contrast, three published studies and one presented study with a total of 559 children all show that there is an increase in prevalence of Adv36 infection in obese children (28%) compared to non-obese children (10%). The explanation for the apparently more robust correlation of Adv36 infection with obesity in children vs. adults is not clear. The data in animals and people suggests that Adv36 has contributed to the worldwide increase in childhood obesity. More research is needed to identify prevalences and consequences of Adv36 infection in people of all age groups and geographic locations. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-4767 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Association of adenovirus infection with human obesity.
We previously reported that chickens infected with the avian adenovirus SMAM-1 developed a unique syndrome characterized by excessive intra-abdominal fat deposition accompanied by paradoxically low serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. There have been no previous reports of avian adenoviruses infecting humans. We screened the serum of 52 humans with obesity in Bombay, India, for antibodies against SMAM-1 virus using the agar gel precipitation test (AGPT) method. Bodyweights and serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were compared in SMAM-1-positive (P-AGPT) and SMAM-1-negative (N-AGPT) groups. Ten subjects were positive for antibodies to SMAM-1, and 42 subjects did not have antibodies. The P-AGPT group had a significantly higher bodyweight (p < 0.02) and body mass index (p < 0.001) (95.1 +/- 2.1 kg and 35.3 +/- 1.5 kg/m2, respectively) compared with the N-AGPT group (80.1 +/- 0.6 kg and 30.7 +/- 0.6 kg/m2, respectively). Also, the P-AGPT group had significantly lower serum cholesterol (p < 0.02) and triglyceride (p < 0.001) values (4.65 mmol/L and 1.45 mmol/L, respectively) compared with the N-AGPT group (5.51 mmol/L and 2.44 mmol/L, respectively). Two subjects positive for SMAM-1 antibodies had antibodies against each others' serum, suggesting the presence of antigens in one or both. When these two serum samples were inoculated into chicken embryos, macroscopic lesions compatible with SMAM-1 infection developed. The inoculation of serum from N-AGPT subjects did not produce such lesions. The presence of increased obesity, antibodies to SMAM-1, reduced levels of blood lipids, and viremia that produces a typical infection in chicken embryos suggests that SMAM-1, or a serologically similar human virus, may be involved in the cause of obesity in some humans. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1806 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Long-Term Changes in Adiposity and Glycemic Control Are Associated With Past Adenovirus Infection
OBJECTIVE Ad36, a human adenovirus, increases adiposity but improves glycemic control in animal models. Similarly, natural Ad36 infection is cross-sectionally associated with greater adiposity and better glycemic control in humans. This study compared longitudinal observations in indices of adiposity (BMI and body fat percentage) and glycemic control (fasting glucose and insulin) in Ad36-infected versus uninfected adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Baseline sera from Hispanic men and women (n = 1,400) were screened post hoc for the presence of Ad36-specific antibodies. Indices of adiposity and glycemic control at baseline and at ∼10 years past the baseline were compared between seropositive and seronegative subjects, with adjustment for age and sex. In addition to age and sex, indices of glycemic control were adjusted for baseline BMI and were analyzed only for nondiabetic subjects. RESULTS Seropositive subjects (14.5%) had greater adiposity at baseline, compared with seronegative subjects. Longitudinally, seropositive subjects showed greater adiposity indices but lower fasting insulin levels. Subgroup analyses revealed that Ad36-seropositivity was associated with better baseline glycemic control and lower fasting insulin levels over time in the normal-weight group (BMI ≤25 kg/m2) and longitudinally, with greater adiposity in the overweight (BMI 25–30 kg/m2) and obese (BMI >30 kg/m2) men. Statistically, the differences between seropositive and seronegative individuals were modest in light of the multiple tests performed. CONCLUSIONS This study strengthens the plausibility that in humans, Ad36 increases adiposity and attenuates deterioration of glycemic control. Panoptically, the study raises the possibility that certain infections may modulate obesity or diabetes risk. A comprehensive understanding of these under-recognized factors is needed to effectively combat such metabolic disorders. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1807 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Intake of total, animal and plant protein and subsequent changes in weight or waist circumference in European men and women: the Diogenes project.
BACKGROUND: As protein is considered to increase thermogenesis and satiety more than other macronutrients, it may have beneficial effects on prevention of weight gain and weight maintenance. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the association between the amount and type of dietary protein, and subsequent changes in weight and waist circumference (WC). METHODS: 89,432 men and women from five countries participating in European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) were followed for a mean of 6.5 years. Associations between the intake of protein or subgroups of protein (from animal and plant sources) and changes in weight (g per year) or WC (cm per year) were investigated using gender and centre-specific multiple regression analyses. Adjustments were made for other baseline dietary factors, baseline anthropometrics, demographic and lifestyle factors and follow-up time. We used random effect meta-analyses to obtain pooled estimates across centres. RESULTS: Higher intake of total protein, and protein from animal sources was associated with subsequent weight gain for both genders, strongest among women, and the association was mainly attributable to protein from red and processed meat and poultry rather than from fish and dairy sources. There was no overall association between intake of plant protein and subsequent changes in weight. No clear overall associations between intakes of total protein or any of the subgroups and changes in WC were present. The associations showed some heterogeneity between centres, but pooling of estimates was still considered justified. CONCLUSION: A high intake of protein was not found associated with lower weight or waist gain in this observational study. In contrast, protein from food items of animal origin, especially meat and poultry, seemed to be positively associated with long-term weight gain. There were no clear associations for waist changes. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1808 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Human adenovirus-36 antibody status is associated with obesity in children.
BACKGROUND: Human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36) is thought to induce obesity by a direct effect of the viral E4orf1 gene on lipogenic enzymes in host adipocytes. Ad-36 prevalence is 30% in obese adults, but prevalence has not been reported in childhood obesity. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of Ad-36 infection in obese Korean children (age 14.8 +/- 1.9; range 8.3-6.3 years); correlation of infection with BMI z-score and other obesity measures. METHODS: Blood was drawn at the annual school physical exam or clinic visit; Ad-36 status was determined by serum neutralization assay; and routine serum chemistry values. RESULTS: A total of 30% of subjects were positive (N = 25) for Ad-36; 70% were negative (N = 59). Significantly higher BMI z-scores (1.92 vs. 1.65, p < 0.01) and waist circumferences (96.3 vs. 90.7 cm, p = 0.05) were found in infected versus uninfected children. Cardiovascular risk factors were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Ad-36 infection is common in obese Korean children and correlates highly with obesity. Ad-36 may have played a role in the obesity and Type 2 diabetes epidemic in children. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-4769 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Effect of adenovirus infection on adiposity in chicken.
Excessive fat accumulation has been observed in the field in chickens infected with adenovirus. In the present study this has been verified under experimental conditions. Chickens inoculated with adenovirus showed lesser weight gain but excessive adiposity compared to normal control chickens. These changes could not be explained by variation in food consumption. Chickens acquiring adenovirus naturally from the inoculated group showed similar adiposity. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels of inoculated and naturally infected chickens were significantly lower compared to those of the control group. Such an association between adenovirus infection and adiposity has been shown, probably, for the first time, which might help in further understanding of the complex problem of obesity. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1810 | Generate text that best answers this question: adenovirus 36 | Transmissibility of adenovirus-induced adiposity in a chicken model.
BACKGROUND: We previously reported that human adenovirus Ad-36 induces adiposity and paradoxically lower levels of serum cholesterol (CHOL) and triglycerides (TG) in animals. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the transmissibility of Ad-36 and Ad-36 induced adiposity using a chicken model. DESIGN: Experiment 1--four chickens were housed (two per cage) and one from each cage was inoculated with Ad-36. Duration of presence of Ad-36 DNA in the blood of all chickens was monitored. Experiment 2--two groups of chickens were intranasally inoculated with Ad-36 (infected donors, I-D) or media (control donors, C-D). Blood drawn 36 h later from I-D and C-D groups was inoculated into wing veins of recipient chickens (infected receivers, I-R, and control receivers, C-R, respectively). On sacrifice, 5 weeks post-inoculation, blood was drawn, body weight noted and visceral fat was separated and weighed. RESULTS: Experiment 1--Ad-36 DNA appeared in the blood of the inoculated chickens and that of uninoculated chickens (cage mates) within 12 h of inoculation and the viral DNA persisted up to 25 days in the blood. Experiment 2--compared with C-D, visceral and total body fat were significantly greater and CHOL significantly lower for the I-D and I-R. TG were significantly lower for the I-D. Ad-36 was isolated from 12 out of 16 blood samples of the I-D that were used for inoculating I-R chickens. Ad-36 DNA was present in the blood and the adipose tissue of the I-D and I-R but not in the skeletal muscles of animals selected randomly for testing. CONCLUSION: As seen in experiment 1, Ad-36 infection can be transmitted horizontally from an infected chicken to another chicken sharing the cage. Additionally, experiment 2 demonstrated blood-borne transmission of Ad-36-induced adiposity in chickens. Transmissibility of Ad-36-induced adiposity in chicken model raises serious concerns about such a possibility in humans that needs further investigation. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2896 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Antioxidant intake and primary open-angle glaucoma: a prospective study.
The relation between dietary antioxidant intake and primary open-angle glaucoma risk was examined in participants aged over 40 years in the Nurses' Health Study (n = 76,200) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (n = 40,284). They were followed biennially from 1980 and 1986, respectively, to 1996, during periods when they received an eye examination. Dietary intakes were measured repeatedly from 1980 in the Nurses' Health Study and from 1986 in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study using validated food frequency questionnaires. The authors analyzed 474 self-reported glaucoma cases confirmed by medical chart review to have primary open-angle glaucoma with visual field loss. The authors used Cox proportional hazards models for cohort-specific multivariate analyses, and results were pooled using random effects models. The pooled multivariate rate ratios for primary open-angle glaucoma comparing the highest versus lowest quintile of cumulative updated intake were 1.17 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87, 1.58) for alpha-carotene, 1.10 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.48) for beta-carotene, 0.95 (95% CI: 0.70, 1.29) for beta-cryptoxanthin, 0.82 (95% CI: 0.60, 1.12) for lycopene, 0.92 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.24) for lutein/zeaxanthin, 1.05 (95% CI: 0.59, 1.89) for vitamin C, 0.97 (95% CI: 0.62, 1.52) for vitamin E, and 1.11 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.51) for vitamin A. In conclusion, the authors did not observe any strong associations between antioxidant consumption and the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2899 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Iris color and macular pigment optical density.
The present study was designed to assess the relationship between iris color and macular pigment optical density. Both melanin and carotenoids (responsible for iris color and macular pigment composition, respectively) appear to protect the retina through similar mechanisms and higher concentrations may reduce the incidence of retinal degenerations. To evaluate this relationship, 95 subjects were examined and the following variables were measured: iris color; macular pigment optical density (MP); plasma concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin and beta-carotene; dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin and beta-carotene; and total fat intake. Iris color was determined by self assessment and classified as blue or gray (group I), green or hazel (group II) or brown or black (group III). MP density was measured psychophysically by measuring foveal and parafoveal sensitivities to lights of 460 and 550 nm, using the method of heterochromatic flicker photometry. Plasma carotenoid concentrations were measured using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Dietary intake was determined by a detailed food-frequency questionnaire. Despite similarities in diet and in blood concentrations of carotenoids, significant differences in macular pigment density (P < 0.02) were found for different colored irises (group I, n = 38, MP = 0.25; group II, n = 26, MP = 0.32; group III, n = 31, MP = 0.38). The covariation of iris color and MP indicates that past epidemiologic studies have not adequately determined the independent effects of either factor. The relationship of MP and iris color may be the result of one or two factors: the evolution of a shared tendency to accumulate melanin and carotenoids due to similar environmental pressures (e.g. light and oxygen); and/or MP might be depleted due to the tendency for eyes with light irises to transmit more light than eyes with dark irises, thus causing increased oxidative stress. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2900 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | The Association of Consumption of Fruits/Vegetables with Decreased Risk of Glaucoma among Older African American Women in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures
Purpose To explore the association between consumption of fruits and vegetables and the presence of glaucoma in older African American women. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods Disc photographs and suprathreshold visual fields were obtained from the 662 African American participants in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Masked, trained readers graded all discs, and two glaucoma specialists reviewed photos and visual fields. The Block Food Frequency Questionnaire assessed food consumption. Relationships between selected fruit/vegetable/nutrient consumption and glaucoma were evaluated using logistic regression models after adjusting for potential confounders. Results After excluding women missing Food Frequency Questionnaire and disc data, 584 African American women (88.2% of total African American cohort) were included. Glaucoma was diagnosed in at least one eye in 77 subjects (13%). Women who ate 3 or more servings/day of fruits/fruit juices were 79% (odds ratio [OR]=0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08–0.60) less likely to have glaucoma than women who ate less than one serving/day. Women who consumed more than 2 servings/week of fresh oranges (OR=0.18; 95%CI: 0.06–0.51) and peaches (OR=0.30; 95%CI: 0.13–0.67) had a decreased odds of glaucoma compared to those consuming less than one serving/week. For vegetables, >1 serving/week compared to ≤1 serving/month of collard-greens/kale decreased the odds of glaucoma by 57% (OR=0.43; 95%CI: 0.21–0.85). There was a protective trend against glaucoma in those consuming more fruit/fruit juices (p=0.023), fresh oranges (p=0.002), fresh peaches (p=0.002), and collard greens/kale (p=0.014). Higher consumption of carrots (p=0.061) and spinach (p=0.094) also showed some associations. Individual nutrient intake from food sources found protective trends with higher intakes of vitamin A (p=0.011), vitamin C (p=0.018), and α-carotene (p=0.021), and close to statistically significant trends with β-carotene (p=0.052), folate (p=0.056), and lutein/zeaxanthin (p=0.077). Conclusion Higher intake of certain fruits and vegetables high in Vitamins A and C and carotenoids may be associated with a decreased likelihood of glaucoma in older African American women. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether the intake of specific nutrients changes the risk of glaucoma. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2901 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | The Association between Glaucoma Prevalence and Supplementation with the Oxidants Calcium and Iron
Purpose. To investigate the relationship between supplementary consumption of the oxidants calcium and iron and the prevalence of glaucoma. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 3833 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 2007 and 2008, ≥40 years of age, who reported a presence or absence of glaucoma. Participants were interviewed regarding the use of dietary supplements and antacids during the preceding 30-day period. Data pertaining to the supplementary intake of calcium and iron was aggregated and divided into quintiles. Information regarding the presence or absence of glaucoma and demographics, comorbidities, and health-related behavior was obtained via interview. Results. Participants who consumed ≥800 mg/d of supplementary calcium or ≥18 mg/d of supplementary iron had significantly higher odds of having been diagnosed with glaucoma than did those who had not consumed supplementary calcium or iron, after adjustment for potential confounders (odds ratio [OR] 2.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25–4.76 for calcium; OR 3.80, 95% CI 1.79–8.06 for iron). Concurrent consumption of both calcium and iron above these levels was associated with still greater odds of having been diagnosed with glaucoma (OR 7.24, 95% CI 2.42–21.62). A clear dose–response relationship between quintiles of supplementary calcium or iron intake and glaucoma prevalence was not found. Conclusions. These results suggest that there may be a threshold intake of iron and calcium above which there is an increased risk of development of glaucoma. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed, to assess whether oxidant intake is a risk factor for development and progression of glaucoma. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1103 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Dietary Acrylamide Intake and the Risk of Lymphatic Malignancies: The Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer
Background Acrylamide, a probable human carcinogen, is present in many everyday foods. Since the finding of its presence in foods in 2002, epidemiological studies have found some suggestive associations between dietary acrylamide exposure and the risk of various cancers. The aim of this prospective study is to investigate for the first time the association between dietary acrylamide intake and the risk of several histological subtypes of lymphatic malignancies. Methods The Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer includes 120,852 men and women followed-up since September 1986. 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 = 5,000). Acrylamide intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire combined with acrylamide data for Dutch foods. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for acrylamide intake as a continuous variable as well as in categories (quintiles and tertiles), for men and women separately and for never-smokers, using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Results After 16.3 years of follow-up, 1,233 microscopically confirmed cases of lymphatic malignancies were available for multivariable-adjusted analysis. For multiple myeloma and follicular lymphoma, HRs for men were 1.14 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.27) and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.61) per 10 µg acrylamide/day increment, respectively. For never-smoking men, the HR for multiple myeloma was 1.98 (95% CI: 1.38, 2.85). No associations were observed for women. Conclusion We found indications that acrylamide may increase the risk of multiple myeloma and follicular lymphoma in men. This is the first epidemiological study to investigate the association between dietary acrylamide intake and the risk of lymphatic malignancies, and more research into these observed associations is warranted. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1104 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Multiple myeloma : recent progress in diagnosis and treatment.
Multiple myeloma (MM) has been the most intractable hematological disease for many years. Recently, basic and clinical research has advanced remarkably and a new therapeutic strategy has been established. The introduction of high-dose melphalan with autologous stem-cell transplantation and the availability of molecular-targeted novel agents such as immunomodulatory drugs and proteasome inhibitors have dramatically changed the treatment strategies for MM. Achievement of a high response rate resulted in the extension of overall survival, but further research and the development of more multimodality therapeutic approaches is warranted to cure this disease. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1105 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | A CASE OF MULTIPLE MYELOMA PRESENTING AS A BULLOUS DERMATOSIS
Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma cell proliferative disorder that produces a monoclonal immunoglobulin protein. The skin involvement and the development of bullous disease are rarely seen features in multiple myeloma. We present a 55-year-old man with a longstanding, large, tense bullous eruption and hypertrophic scars over his body accompanied recently with weight loss and fatique. He had no response to the previous treatments, which included oral glucocorticoids and dapsone. Histologic examination of the lesions revealed subepidermal bullae, while no immunoflourescence staining was observed. In a further detailed labarotory examination, multiple myeloma was detected. After the treatment of multiple myeloma with chemotherapy, the lesions regressed. Patients with longstanding, recurrent, unusual bullous eruption should be investigated for the development of multiple myeloma. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1106 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Cancer in British vegetarians: updated analyses of 4998 incident cancers in a cohort of 32,491 meat eaters, 8612 fish eaters, 18,298 vegetarians, and 2246 vegans
Background: Vegetarian diets might affect the risk of cancer. Objective: The objective was to describe cancer incidence in vegetarians and nonvegetarians in a large sample in the United Kingdom. Design: This was a pooled analysis of 2 prospective studies including 61,647 British men and women comprising 32,491 meat eaters, 8612 fish eaters, and 20,544 vegetarians (including 2246 vegans). Cancer incidence was followed through nationwide cancer registries. Cancer risk by vegetarian status was estimated by using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Results: After an average follow-up of 14.9 y, there were 4998 incident cancers: 3275 in meat eaters (10.1%), 520 in fish eaters (6.0%), and 1203 in vegetarians (5.9%). There was significant heterogeneity between dietary groups in risks of the following cancers: stomach cancer [RRs (95% CIs) compared with meat eaters: 0.62 (0.27, 1.43) in fish eaters and 0.37 (0.19, 0.69) in vegetarians; P-heterogeneity = 0.006], colorectal cancer [RRs (95% CIs): 0.66 (0.48, 0.92) in fish eaters and 1.03 (0.84, 1.26) in vegetarians; P-heterogeneity = 0.033], cancers of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissue [RRs (95% CIs): 0.96 (0.70, 1.32) in fish eaters and 0.64 (0.49, 0.84) in vegetarians; P-heterogeneity = 0.005], multiple myeloma [RRs (95% CIs): 0.77 (0.34, 1.76) in fish eaters and 0.23 (0.09, 0.59) in vegetarians; P-heterogeneity = 0.010], and all sites combined [RRs (95% CIs): 0.88 (0.80, 0.97) in fish eaters and 0.88 (0.82, 0.95) in vegetarians; P-heterogeneity = 0.0007]. Conclusion: In this British population, the risk of some cancers is lower in fish eaters and vegetarians than in meat eaters. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1107 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | From myeloma precursor disease to multiple myeloma: new diagnostic concepts and opportunities for early intervention.
Since monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) was first described more than 30 years ago, the definition of the entity has evolved. Today, 3 distinct clinical MGUS subtypes have been defined: non-immunoglobulin M (IgM; IgG or IgA) MGUS, IgM MGUS, and light chain MGUS. Each clinical MGUS subtype is characterized by unique intermediate stages and progression events. Although we now have strong evidence that multiple myeloma is consistently preceded by a precursor state at the molecular level, there is urgent need to better understand mechanisms that regulate transformation from precursor to full-blown multiple myeloma. In the future, if such knowledge was available, it would allow clinicians to define high-risk and low-risk precursor patients for a more tailored clinical management. Also, it would provide insights on the individual patient's disease biology, which, in turn, can be used for targeted and more individualized treatment strategies. On the basis of current clinical guidelines, patients diagnosed with MGUS and smoldering myeloma should not be treated outside of clinical trials. In the near future, it seems reasonable to believe that high-risk precursor patients will likely become candidates for early treatment strategies. In this review, we discuss novel insights from recent studies and propose future directions of relevance for clinical management and research studies. ©2011 AACR. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1108 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Consumption of artificial sweetener– and sugar-containing soda and risk of lymphoma and leukemia in men and women
Background: Despite safety reports of the artificial sweetener aspartame, health-related concerns remain. Objective: We prospectively evaluated whether the consumption of aspartame- and sugar-containing soda is associated with risk of hematopoetic cancers. Design: We repeatedly assessed diet in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS). Over 22 y, we identified 1324 non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs), 285 multiple myelomas, and 339 leukemias. We calculated incidence RRs and 95% CIs by using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: When the 2 cohorts were combined, there was no significant association between soda intake and risks of NHL and multiple myeloma. However, in men, ≥1 daily serving of diet soda increased risks of NHL (RR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.72) and multiple myeloma (RR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.20, 3.40) in comparison with men who did not consume diet soda. We observed no increased risks of NHL and multiple myeloma in women. We also observed an unexpected elevated risk of NHL (RR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.10, 2.51) with a higher consumption of regular, sugar-sweetened soda in men but not in women. In contrast, when sexes were analyzed separately with limited power, neither regular nor diet soda increased risk of leukemia but were associated with increased leukemia risk when data for men and women were combined (RR for consumption of ≥1 serving of diet soda/d when the 2 cohorts were pooled: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.02). Conclusion: Although our findings preserve the possibility of a detrimental effect of a constituent of diet soda, such as aspartame, on select cancers, the inconsistent sex effects and occurrence of an apparent cancer risk in individuals who consume regular soda do not permit the ruling out of chance as an explanation. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1109 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Risk factors for multiple myeloma: a hospital-based case-control study in Northwest China.
BACKGROUND: The distinctive racial/ethnic and geographic distribution of multiple myeloma (MM) suggests that both family history and environmental factors may contribute to its development. METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study consisting of 220 confirmed MM cases and 220 individually matched patient controls, by sex, age and hospital was carried out at 5 major hospitals in Northwest China. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on demographics, family history, and the frequency of food items consumed. RESULTS: Based on multivariate analysis, a significant association between the risk of MM and family history of cancers in first degree relatives was observed (OR=4.03, 95% CI: 2.50-6.52). Fried food, cured/smoked food, black tea, and fish were not significantly associated with the risk of MM. Intake of shallot and garlic (OR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.43-0.85), soy food (OR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.36-0.75) and green tea (OR=0.38, 95% CI: 0.27-0.53) was significantly associated with a reduced risk of MM. In contrast, intake of brined vegetables and pickle was significantly associated with an increased risk (OR=2.03, 95% CI: 1.41-2.93). A more than multiplicative interaction on the decreased risk of MM was found between shallot/garlic and soy food. CONCLUSION: Our study in Northwest China found an increased risk of MM with a family history of cancer, a diet characterized by low consumption of garlic, green tea and soy foods, and high consumption of pickled vegetables. The effect of green tea in reducing the risk of MM is an interesting new finding which should be further confirmed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1110 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | The potential role of curcumin in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undefined significance--its effect on paraproteinemia and the urinary N-te...
PURPOSE: To determine the effect of curcumin on plasma cells and osteoclasts in patients with MGUS. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Twenty-six patients with MGUS were recruited into the study and administered 4 grams/day oral curcumin. Blood and urine samples were collected at specified visits after initiating therapy. Full blood count, B2 microglobulin, serum paraprotein, and immunoglobulin electrophoresis (IEPG and EPG) were determined for all patients at each visit. Serum calcium, 25 hydroxyvitamin D3, and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase were determined at baseline only. Urine, as a morning second-void sample, was collected at each visit for urinary N-telopeptide of type I collagen. RESULTS: Our results show that oral curcumin is able to decrease paraprotein load in a select group (i.e., those having a paraprotein level of >20 g/L) of patients with MGUS. Fifty percent (5 of 10) of these patients had a 12% to 30% reduction in their paraprotein levels, while on curcumin therapy. In addition, 27% of patients on curcumin had a >25% decrease in urinary N-telopeptide of type I collagen. CONCLUSION: Due to the possible progression of MGUS to multiple myeloma, the potential role of curcumin as a therapeutic intervention for MGUS patients warrants further investigation. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1111 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Clinical Trials and Observations: Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) consistently precedes multiple myeloma: a prospective study
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a premalignant plasma-cell proliferative disorder associated with a life-long risk of progression to multiple myeloma (MM). It is not known whether MM is always preceded by a premalignant asymptomatic MGUS stage. Among 77 469 healthy adults enrolled in the nationwide population-based prospective Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, we identified 71 subjects who developed MM during the course of the study in whom serially collected (up to 6) prediagnostic serum samples obtained 2 to 9.8 years prior to MM diagnosis were available. Using assays for monoclonal (M)–proteins (electrophoresis/immunofixation) and kappa-lambda free light chains (FLCs), we determined longitudinally the prevalence of MGUS and characterized patterns of monoclonal immunoglobulin abnormalities prior to MM diagnosis. MGUS was present in 100.0% (87.2%-100.0%), 98.3% (90.8%-100.0%), 97.9% (88.9%-100.0%), 94.6% (81.8%-99.3%), 100.0% (86.3%-100.0%), 93.3% (68.1%-99.8%), and 82.4% (56.6%-96.2%) at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8+ years prior to MM diagnosis, respectively. In approximately half the study population, the M-protein concentration and involved FLC-ratio levels showed a yearly increase prior to MM diagnosis. In the present study, an asymptomatic MGUS stage consistently preceded MM. Novel molecular markers are needed to better predict progression to MM in patients with MGUS. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1112 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) down-regulates the constitutive activation of nuclear factor-kappa B and IkappaBalpha kinase in human multiple myeloma...
Because of the central role of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in cell survival and proliferation in human multiple myeloma (MM), we explored the possibility of using it as a target for MM treatment by using curcumin (diferuloylmethane), an agent known to have very little or no toxicity in humans. We found that NF-kappaB was constitutively active in all human MM cell lines examined and that curcumin, a chemopreventive agent, down-regulated NF-kappaB in all cell lines as indicated by electrophoretic mobility gel shift assay and prevented the nuclear retention of p65 as shown by immunocytochemistry. All MM cell lines showed consitutively active IkappaB kinase (IKK) and IkappaBalpha phosphorylation. Curcumin suppressed the constitutive IkappaBalpha phosphorylation through the inhibition of IKK activity. Curcumin also down-regulated the expression of NF-kappaB-regulated gene products, including IkappaBalpha, Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), cyclin D1, and interleukin-6. This led to the suppression of proliferation and arrest of cells at the G(1)/S phase of the cell cycle. Suppression of NF-kappaB complex by IKKgamma/NF-kappaB essential modulator-binding domain peptide also suppressed the proliferation of MM cells. Curcumin also activated caspase-7 and caspase-9 and induced polyadenosine-5'-diphosphate-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Curcumin-induced down-regulation of NF-kappaB, a factor that has been implicated in chemoresistance, also induced chemosensitivity to vincristine and melphalan. Overall, our results indicate that curcumin down-regulates NF-kappaB in human MM cells, leading to the suppression of proliferation and induction of apoptosis, thus providing the molecular basis for the treatment of MM patients with this pharmacologically safe agent. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1113 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, smoldering multiple myeloma, and curcumin: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled cross-...
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) represent useful models for studying multiple myeloma precursor disease, and for developing early intervention strategies. Administering a 4g dose of curcumin, we performed a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study, followed by an open-label extension study using an 8g dose to assess the effect of curcumin on FLC response and bone turnover in patients with MGUS and SMM. 36 patients (19 MGUS and 17 SMM) were randomised into two groups: one received 4g curcumin and the other 4g placebo, crossing over at 3 months. At completion of the 4g arm, all patients were given the option of entering an open-label, 8g dose extension study. Blood and urine samples were collected at specified intervals for specific marker analyses. Group values are expressed as mean ± 1 SD. Data from different time intervals within groups were compared using Student's paired t-test. 25 patients completed the 4g cross-over study and 18 the 8g extension study. Curcumin therapy decreased the free light-chain ratio (rFLC), reduced the difference between clonal and nonclonal light-chain (dFLC) and involved free light-chain (iFLC). uDPYD, a marker of bone resorption, decreased in the curcumin arm and increased on the placebo arm. Serum creatinine levels tended to diminish on curcumin therapy. These findings suggest that curcumin might have the potential to slow the disease process in patients with MGUS and SMM. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1114 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Occupational exposure to meat and risk of lymphoma: a multicenter case-control study from Europe.
Several studies have suggested an increased risk of lymphoma among workers exposed to meat, without conclusive evidence. We conducted a multicenter case-control study during 1998-2004 in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain, including 2,007 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 339 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma and 2,462 controls. We collected detailed information on occupational history and assessed exposure to meat in general and several types of meat via expert assessment of the questionnaires. The odds ratio (OR) of non-Hodgkin lymphoma for ever occupational exposure to meat was 1.18 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95-1.46), that for exposure to beef meat was 1.22 (95% CI 0.90-1.67), and that for exposure to chicken meat was 1.19 (95% CI 0.91-1.55). The ORs were higher among workers with longer duration of exposure. An increased risk among workers exposed to beef meat was mainly apparent for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (OR 1.49, 95%CI 0.96-2.33), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.78-2.34) and multiple myeloma (OR 1.40, 95%CI 0.67-2.94). The latter 2 types were also associated with exposure to chicken meat (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.01-2.37, and OR 2.05, 95%CI 1.14-3.69). Follicular lymphoma and T-cell lymphoma, as well as Hodgkin lymphoma did not show any increase in risk. Occupational exposure to meat does not appear to represent an important risk factor of lymphoma, although an increased risk of specific types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cannot be excluded. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-1115 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Disparities in the prevalence, pathogenesis and progression of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and multiple myeloma between blacks and whites
There is marked racial disparity in the incidence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and multiple myeloma, with a two to threefold increased risk in blacks compared with whites. The increased risk has been seen both in Africans and African Americans. Similarly, an increased risk of monoclonal gammopathies in blacks compared with whites has been noted after adjusting for socioeconomic and other risk factors, suggesting a genetic predisposition. The higher risk of multiple myeloma in blacks is likely a result of the higher prevalence of the premalignant MGUS stage; there are no data to suggest that blacks have a higher progression rate of MGUS to myeloma. Studies are emerging that suggest the baseline cytogenetic characteristics, and progression may differ by race. In contrast, to the increased risk noted in blacks, studies suggest that the risk may be lower in certain racial and ethnic groups, notably persons from Japan and Mexico. We review the literature on racial disparity in the prevalence, pathogenesis and progression of MGUS and multiple myeloma between blacks and whites. We also discuss future directions for research that could inform management of these conditions and positively influence patient outcomes. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2211 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Epidemiology of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in China, 1990-2010: a systematic review and analysis.
BACKGROUND: China is increasingly facing the challenge of control of the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. We assessed the epidemiology of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in China between 1990, and 2010, to improve estimates of the burden of disease, analyse time trends, and inform health policy decisions relevant to China's rapidly ageing population. METHODS: In our systematic review we searched for reports of Alzheimer's disease or dementia in China, published in Chinese and English between 1990 and 2010. We searched China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and PubMed databases. Two investigators independently assessed case definitions of Alzheimer's disease and dementia: we excluded studies that did not use internationally accepted case definitions. We also excluded reviews and viewpoints, studies with no numerical estimates, and studies not done in mainland China. We used Poisson regression and UN demographic data to estimate the prevalence (in nine age groups), incidence, and standardised mortality ratio of dementia and its subtypes in China in 1990, 2000, and 2010. FINDINGS: Our search returned 12,642 reports, of which 89 met the inclusion criteria (75 assessed prevalence, 13 incidence, and nine mortality). In total, the included studies had 340,247 participants, in which 6357 cases of Alzheimer's disease were recorded. 254,367 people were assessed for other forms of dementia, of whom 3543 had vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, or Lewy body dementia. In 1990 the prevalence of all forms of dementia was 1·8% (95% CI 0·0-44·4) at 65-69 years, and 42·1% (0·0-88·9) at age 95-99 years. In 2010 prevalence was 2·6% (0·0-28·2) at age 65-69 years and 60·5% (39·7-81·3) at age 95-99 years. The number of people with dementia in China was 3·68 million (95% CI 2·22-5·14) in 1990, 5·62 million (4·42-6·82) in 2000, and 9·19 million (5·92-12·48) in 2010. In the same period, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease was 1·93 million (1·15-2·71) in 1990, 3·71 million (2·84-4·58) people in 2000, and 5·69 million (3·85-7·53) in 2010. The incidence of dementia was 9·87 cases per 1000 person-years, that of Alzheimer's disease was 6·25 cases per 1000 person-years, that of vascular dementia was 2·42 cases per 1000 person-years, and that of other rare forms of dementia was 0·46 cases per 1000 person-years. We retrieved mortality data for 1032 people with dementia and 20,157 healthy controls, who were followed up for 3-7 years. The median standardised mortality ratio was 1·94:1 (IQR 1·74-2·45). INTERPRETATION: Our analysis suggests that previous estimates of dementia burden, based on smaller datasets, might have underestimated the burden of dementia in China. The burden of dementia seems to be increasing faster than is generally assumed by the international health community. Rapid and effective government responses are needed to tackle dementia in low-income and middle-income countries. FUNDING: Nossal Institute of Global Health (University of Melbourne, Australia), the National 12th Five-Year Major Projects of China, National Health and Medical Research Council Australia-China Exchange Fellowship, Importation and Development of High-Calibre Talents Project of Beijing Municipal Institutions, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2212 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Dietary links to Alzheimer's disease: 1999 update.
With the republication of Grant (18), the first paper providing epidemiologic evidence linking diet to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), it is an appropriate time to review the findings and hypotheses therein in light of the subsequent literature. The main findings, that dietary fat and energy in old age are high risk factors, while fish and cereals are risk-reduction factors, have been supported in various recent epidemiologic studies. Diet contributes to the development of AD through modulating oxidative stress and inflammation, which is also linked to oxidative stress, but may also arise from series 2 prostaglandins. Thus, as one ages, dietary modifications and additional supplements designed to reduce free radical production and inflammation provide a significant measure of reduction in risk for the development of AD. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2213 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Incidence of dementia and Alzheimer disease in 2 communities: Yoruba residing in Ibadan, Nigeria, and African Americans residing in Indianapolis, I...
CONTEXT: Alzheimer disease (AD) represents a major and increasing public health problem. If populations were identified with significantly lower or higher incidence rates of AD, the search for risk factors in the genesis of AD could be greatly enhanced. OBJECTIVE: To compare incidence rates of dementia and AD in 2 diverse, elderly community-dwelling populations. DESIGN: The Indianapolis-Ibadan Dementia Project, a longitudinal, prospective population-based study consisting of a baseline survey (1992-1993) and 2 subsequent follow-up waves after 2 years (1994-1995) and 5 years (1997-1998). Each wave followed a 2-stage design, with an in-home screening interview followed by a full diagnostic workup of a subsample of participants based on screening performance. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2459 community-dwelling Yoruba residents of Ibadan, Nigeria, without dementia, and 2147 community-dwelling African American residents of Indianapolis, Ind, without dementia (all aged 65 years or older). The cohorts were followed up for a mean of 5.1 years and 4.7 years, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incident cases of dementia and AD in each of the 2 populations. RESULTS: The age-standardized annual incidence rates were significantly lower among Yoruba than among African Americans for dementia (Yoruba, 1.35% [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13%-1.56%]; African Americans, 3.24% [95% CI, 2.11%-4.38%]) and for AD (Yoruba, 1.15% [95% CI, 0.96%-1.35%]; African Americans, 2.52% [95% CI, 1.40%-3.64%]). CONCLUSION: This is the first report of incidence rate differences for dementia and AD in studies of 2 populations from nonindustrialized and industrialized countries using identical methods and the same group of investigators in both sites. Further explorations of these population differences may identify potentially modifiable environmental or genetic factors to account for site differences in dementia and AD. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2214 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Global prevalence of dementia: a Delphi consensus study
Summary Background 100 years after the first description, Alzheimer's disease is one of the most disabling and burdensome health conditions worldwide. We used the Delphi consensus method to determine dementia prevalence for each world region. Methods 12 international experts were provided with a systematic review of published studies on dementia and were asked to provide prevalence estimates for every WHO world region, for men and women combined, in 5-year age bands from 60 to 84 years, and for those aged 85 years and older. UN population estimates and projections were used to estimate numbers of people with dementia in 2001, 2020, and 2040. We estimated incidence rates from prevalence, remission, and mortality. Findings Evidence from well-planned, representative epidemiological surveys is scarce in many regions. We estimate that 24·3 million people have dementia today, with 4·6 million new cases of dementia every year (one new case every 7 seconds). The number of people affected will double every 20 years to 81·1 million by 2040. Most people with dementia live in developing countries (60% in 2001, rising to 71% by 2040). Rates of increase are not uniform; numbers in developed countries are forecast to increase by 100% between 2001 and 2040, but by more than 300% in India, China, and their south Asian and western Pacific neighbours. Interpretation We believe that the detailed estimates in this paper constitute the best currently available basis for policymaking, planning, and allocation of health and welfare resources. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2215 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | The incidence of dementia and intake of animal products: preliminary findings from the Adventist Health Study.
We investigated the relationship between animal product consumption and evidence of dementia in two cohort substudies. The first enrolled 272 California residents matched for age, sex, and zip code (1 vegan, 1 lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and 2 'heavy' meat eaters in each of 68 quartets). This design ensured a wide range of dietary exposure. The second included 2,984 unmatched subjects who resided within the Loma Linda, California area. All subjects were enrolled in the Adventist Health Study. The matched subjects who ate meat (including poultry and fish) were more than twice as likely to become demented as their vegetarian counterparts (relative risk 2.18, p = 0.065) and the discrepancy was further widened (relative risk 2.99, p = 0.048) when past meat consumption was taken into account. There was no significant difference in the incidence of dementia in the vegetarian versus meat-eating unmatched subjects. There was no obvious explanation for the difference between the two substudies, although the power of the unmatched sub-study to detect an effect of 'heavy' meat consumption was unexpectedly limited. There was a trend towards delayed onset of dementia in vegetarians in both substudies. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2216 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Trends in diet and Alzheimer's disease during the nutrition transition in Japan and developing countries.
BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) rates in Japan and developing countries have risen rapidly in recent years. Researchers have associated factors such as the Western diet, obesity, alcohol consumption, and smoking with risk of AD. OBJECTIVE: This paper evaluates whether the dietary transition might explain the rising trend of AD prevalence in Japan and in developing countries, evaluating other factors when possible. METHODS: This study used two approaches to see whether dietary or other changes could explain AD trends in Japan and developing countries. One approach involved comparing trends of AD in Japan with changes in national dietary supply factors, alcohol consumption, and lung cancer mortality rates from zero to 25 years before the prevalence data. The second compared AD prevalence values for eight developing countries with dietary supply factors from zero to 25 years before the prevalence data. RESULTS: For Japan, alcohol consumption, animal product, meat and rice supply, and lung cancer rates correlated highly with AD prevalence data, with the strongest correlation for a lag of 15-25 years. In the eight-country study, total energy and animal fat correlated highly with AD prevalence data, with a lag of 15-20 years. Mechanisms to explain the findings include increased obesity for the eight countries, and increases in cholesterol, saturated fat, and iron from increases in animal products and meat supply for Japan. CONCLUSION: Evidently AD rates will continue rising in non-Western countries for some time unless we address major risk factors involving diet, obesity, and smoking. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2217 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in rural India: the Indo-US study.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of AD and other dementias in a rural elderly Hindi-speaking population in Ballabgarh in northern India. DESIGN: The authors performed a community survey of a cohort of 5,126 individuals aged 55 years and older, 73.3% of whom were illiterate. Hindi cognitive and functional screening instruments, developed for and validated in this population, were used to screen the cohort. A total of 536 subjects (10.5%) who met operational criteria for cognitive and functional impairment and a random sample of 270 unimpaired control subjects (5.3%) underwent standardized clinical assessment for dementia using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-fourth edition diagnostic criteria, the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria for probable and possible AD. RESULTS: We found an overall prevalence rate of 0.84% (95% CI, 0.61 to 1.13) for all dementias with a CDR score of at least 0.5 in the population aged 55 years and older, and an overall prevalence rate of 1.36% (95% CI, 0.96 to 1.88) in the population aged 65 years and older. The overall prevalence rate for AD was 0.62% (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.88) in the population aged 55+ and 1.07% (95% CI, 0.72 to 1.53) in the population aged 65+. Greater age was associated significantly with higher prevalence of both AD and all dementias, but neither gender nor literacy was associated with prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: In this population, the prevalence of AD and other dementias was low, increased with age, and was not associated with gender or literacy. Possible explanations include low overall life expectancy, short survival with the disease, and low age-specific incidence potentially due to differences in the underlying distribution of risk and protective factors compared with populations with higher prevalence. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2218 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Prevalence of dementia in older Japanese-American men in Hawaii: The Honolulu-Asia Aging Study.
OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of dementia and its subtypes in Japanese-American men and compare these findings with rates reported for populations in Japan and elsewhere. DESIGN AND SETTING: The Honolulu Heart Program is a prospective population-based study of cardiovascular disease established in 1965. Prevalence estimates were computed from cases identified at the 1991 to 1993 examination. Cognitive performance was assessed using standardized methods, instruments, and diagnostic criteria. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were 3734 Japanese-American men (80% of surviving cohort) aged 71 through 93 years, living in the community or in institutions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age-specific, age-standardized, and cohort prevalence estimates were computed for dementia (all cause) defined by 2 sets of diagnostic criteria and 4 levels of severity. Prevalence levels for Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia were also estimated. RESULTS: Dementia prevalence by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised ranged from 2.1% in men aged 71 through 74 years to 33.4% in men aged 85 through 93 years. Age-standardized prevalence was 7.6%. Prevalence estimates for the cohort were 9.3% for dementia (all cause), 5.4% for Alzheimer disease (primary or contributing), and 4.2% for vascular dementia (primary or contributing). More than 1 possible cause was found in 26% of cases. The Alzheimer disease/vascular dementia ratio was 1.5 for cases attributed primarily to Alzheimer disease or vascular dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of Alzheimer disease in older Japanese-American men in Hawaii appears to be higher than in Japan but similar to European-ancestry populations. Prevalence of vascular dementia appears to be slightly lower than in Japan, but higher than in European-ancestry populations. Further cross-national research with emphasis on standardized diagnostic methods is needed. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-4384 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Glaucoma risk and the consumption of fruits and vegetables among older women in the study of osteoporotic fractures.
PURPOSE: To explore the association between the consumption of fruits and vegetables and the presence of glaucoma. DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort study. METHODS: In a sample of 1,155 women located in multiple centers in the United States, glaucoma specialists diagnosed glaucoma in at least one eye by assessing optic nerve head photographs and 76-point suprathreshold screening visual fields. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was assessed using the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. The relationship between selected fruit and vegetable consumption and glaucoma was investigated using adjusted logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among 1,155 women, 95 (8.2%) were diagnosed with glaucoma. In adjusted analysis, the odds of glaucoma risk were decreased by 69% (odds ratio [OR], 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11 to 0.91) in women who consumed at least one serving per month of green collards and kale compared with those who consumed fewer than one serving per month, by 64% (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.77) in women who consumed more than two servings per week of carrots compared with those who consumed fewer than one serving per week, and by 47% (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.97) in women who consumed at least one serving per week of canned or dried peaches compared with those who consumed fewer than one serving per month. CONCLUSIONS: A higher intake of certain fruits and vegetables may be associated with a decreased risk of glaucoma. More studies are needed to investigate this relationship. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2898 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Macular pigment and risk for age-related macular degeneration in subjects from a Northern European population.
PURPOSE: Age and advanced disease in the fellow eye are the two most important risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In this study, the authors investigated the relationship between these variables and the optical density of macular pigment (MP) in a group of subjects from a northern European population. METHODS: The optical density of MP was measured psychophysically in 46 subjects ranging in age from 21 to 81 years with healthy maculae and in 9 healthy eyes known to be at high-risk of AMD because of advanced disease in the fellow eye. Each eye in the latter group was matched with a control eye on the basis of variables believed to be associated with the optical density of MP (iris color, gender, smoking habits, age, and lens density). RESULTS: There was an age-related decline in the optical density of macular pigment among volunteers with no ocular disease (right eye: r(2) = 0.29, P = 0.0006; left eye: r(2) = 0.29, P < 0.0001). Healthy eyes predisposed to AMD had significantly less MP than healthy eyes at no such risk (Wilcoxon's signed rank test: P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: The two most important risk factors for AMD are associated with a relative absence of MP. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that supplemental lutein and zeaxanthin may delay, avert, or modify the course of this disease. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3874 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Flaxseed Supplementation (not Dietary Fat Restriction) Reduces Prostate Cancer Proliferation Rates in Men Presurgery
Background Prostate cancer affects one-out-of-six men during their lifetime. Dietary factors are postulated to influence the development and progression of prostate cancer. Low-fat diets and flaxseed supplementation may offer potentially protective strategies. Methods We undertook a multi-site, randomized controlled trial to test the effects of low-fat and/or flaxseed-supplemented diets on the biology of the prostate and other biomarkers. Prostate cancer patients (n=161) scheduled at least 21 days before prostatectomy were randomly assigned to one of the following arms: 1) control (usual diet); 2) flaxseed-supplemented diet (30 g/day); 2) low-fat diet (<20% total energy); or 4) flaxseed-supplemented, low-fat diet. Blood was drawn at baseline and prior to surgery and analyzed for prostate specific antigen (PSA), sex hormone binding globulin, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor-1 and binding protein-3, c-reactive protein, and total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Tumors were assessed for proliferation (Ki-67, the primary endpoint) and apoptosis. Results Men were on protocol an average of 30 days. Proliferation rates were significantly lower (P < 0.002) among men assigned to the flaxseed arms. Median Ki-67 positive cells/total nuclei ratios (x100) were 1.66 (flaxseed-supplemented diet) and 1.50 (flaxseed-supplemented, low-fat diet) vs. 3.23 (control) and 2.56 (low-fat diet). No differences were observed between arms with regard to side effects, apoptosis, and most serological endpoints; however, men on low-fat diets experienced significant decreases in serum cholesterol (P=0.048). Conclusions Findings suggest that flaxseed is safe, and associated with biologic alterations that may be protective for prostate cancer. Data also further support low-fat diets to manage serum cholesterol. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3875 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Effect of mammalian lignans on the growth of prostate cancer cell lines.
BACKGROUND: Mammalian lignans, enterolactone (EL) and enterodiol (ED), have been shown to inhibit breast and colon carcinoma. To date, there have been no reports of the effect of lignans on prostatic carcinoma. We investigated the effects of ED and EL on three human prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3, DU-145 and LNCaP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cells were treated with either 0.1% (v/v) DMSO (vehicle) or 10-100 microM of EL, ED or genistein (positive control) for 72 hours. Cell viability was measured by the propidium iodide nuclei staining fluorometric assay with each assay performed in triplicate. RESULTS: At 10-100 microM, EL significantly inhibited the growth of all cell lines, whereas ED only inhibited PC-3 and LNCaP cells. While EL was a more potent growth inhibitor than ED, both were less potent than genistein. The dose for 50% growth inhibition of LNCaP cells (IC50) by EL was 57 microM, whereas IC50 was 100 microM for ED, (the observed IC50 for genistein was 25 microM). CONCLUSION: ED and EL suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells, and may do so via hormonally-dependent and independent mechanisms. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3876 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Lignans and isoflavonoids in plasma and prostatic fluid in men: samples from Portugal, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.
BACKGROUND: Chinese men have lower incidences of prostate cancer compared to men from Europe and North America. Asians consume large quantities of soya, a rich source of isoflavanoids phyto-oestrogens and have high plasma and urinary levels of these compounds. The mammalian lignans, enterolactone and enterodiol, are another group of weak plant oestrogens and are derived from seeds, cereals and grains. Vegetarians have high plasma and urinary concentrations of lignans. METHODS: The concentrations lignans and isoflavonic phyto-oestrogens were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in plasma and prostatic fluid from Portuguese, Chinese and British men consuming their traditional diets. RESULTS: In prostatic fluid the mean concentrations of enterolactone were 31, 162 and 20.3 ng/ml for Hong Kong, Portugal and Britain respectively. Very high levels of enterolactone (> 600 ng/ml) were observed in the prostatic fluid of some of the men from Portugal. High concentrations of equol (3270 ng/ml) and daidzein (532 ng/ml) were found in a sample of prostatic fluid from Hong Kong. Higher mean levels of daidzein were observed in prostatic fluid from Hong Kong at 70 ng/ml, compared to 4.6 and 11.3 ng/ml in samples from Portugal and Britain respectively. Mean levels of daidzein were higher in the plasma samples from Hong Kong (31.3 ng/ml) compared to those from Portugal (1.3 ng/ml) and Britain (8.2 ng/ml). In general, the mean plasma concentrations of enterolactone from the three centres were similar, at 6.2, 3.9 and 3.9 ng/ml in samples from Hong Kong Portugal and Britain respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Higher concentrations of the isoflavanoid phyto-oestrogens, daidzein and equol, were found in the plasma and prostatic fluid of men from Hong Kong compared to those from Britain and Portugal. However, the levels of the lignan, enterolactone, were very much higher in prostatic fluid of Portuguese men. Isoflavanoids and lignans have many interesting properties and may, in part, be responsible for lower incidences of prostate cancer in men from Asia and also some Mediterranean countries. The isoflavanoids from soya, which are present in high concentrations in the prostatic fluid of Asian men, may be protective against prostate disease. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3877 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Pilot study to explore effects of low-fat, flaxseed-supplemented diet on proliferation of benign prostatic epithelium and prostate-specific antigen.
OBJECTIVES: Dietary factors may influence the prostate and have an impact on prostatic growth and disease. A small number of studies have suggested that flaxseed-supplemented, fat-restricted diets may thwart prostate cancer growth in both animals and humans. Unknown, however, is the potential effect of such a diet on benign prostatic epithelium. METHODS: We undertook a pilot study to explore whether a flaxseed-supplemented, fat-restricted diet affects the proliferation rates in benign epithelium. We also explored the effects on circulating levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), total testosterone, and cholesterol. Fifteen men who were scheduled to undergo repeat prostate biopsy were instructed to follow a low-fat (less than 20% kcal), flaxseed-supplemented (30 g/day) diet and were provided with a supply of flaxseed to last throughout the 6-month intervention period. The PSA, total testosterone, and cholesterol levels were determined at baseline and at 6 months of follow-up. Reports from the original and repeat biopsies were compared, and proliferation (MIB-1) rates were quantified in the benign prostatic epithelium. RESULTS: Statistically significant decreases in PSA (8.47 +/- 3.82 to 5.72 +/- 3.16 ng/mL; P = 0.0002) and cholesterol (241.1 +/- 30.8 to 213.3 +/- 51.2 mg/dL; P = 0.012) were observed. No statistically significant change was seen in total testosterone (434.5 +/- 143.6 to 428.3 +/- 92.5 ng/dL). Although 6-month repeat biopsies were not performed in 2 cases because of PSA normalization, of the 13 men who underwent repeat biopsy, the proliferation rates in the benign epithelium decreased significantly from 0.022 +/- 0.027 at baseline to 0.007 +/- 0.014 at 6 months of follow-up (P = 0.0168). CONCLUSIONS: These pilot data suggest that a flaxseed-supplemented, fat-restricted diet may affect the biology of the prostate and associated biomarkers. A randomized controlled trial is needed to determine whether flaxseed supplementation, a low-fat diet, or a combination of the two regimens may be of use in controlling overall prostatic growth. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3878 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Effect of Low-fat Diets on Plasma Levels of NFκB-regulated Inflammatory Cytokines and Angiogenic Factors in Men with Prostate Cancer
Diet, nutritional status, and certain dietary supplements are postulated to influence the development and progression of prostate cancer. Angiogenesis and inflammation are central to tumor growth and progression, but the effect of diet on these processes remains uncertain. We explored changes in 50 plasma cytokines and angiogenic factors (CAFs) in 145 men with prostate cancer enrolled in a pre-operative, randomized controlled phase-II trial with four arms: control (usual diet); low-fat (LF) diet; flaxseed-supplemented (FS) diet; and flaxseed-supplemented, low-fat diet. The mean duration of dietary intervention was 30–31 days. Among the individual arms, the largest number of significant changes (baseline vs pre-operative follow-up) was observed in the LF arm, with 19 CAFs decreasing and one increasing (p<.05). Compared to the control arm, 6 CAFs—including pro-angiogenic factors (stromal-cell derived-1α and myeloid factors (granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor — all decreased in the LF arm compared to controls; 3 and 4 CAFs changed in the FS and FS+LF arms, respectively. Weight loss occurred in the LF arms and significantly correlated with VEGF decreases (P <0.001). The CAFs that changed in the LF arm are all known to be regulated by nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and a pathway analysis identified NF-κB as the most likely regulatory network associated with these changes in the LF arm, but not in the FS-containing arms. These results suggest that a low-fat diet without flaxseed may reduce levels of specific inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors and suggests that the NF-κB pathway may be a mediator of these changes. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-4233 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Pilot study of dietary fat restriction and flaxseed supplementation in men with prostate cancer before surgery: exploring the effects on hormonal l...
OBJECTIVES: Dietary fat and fiber affect hormonal levels and may influence cancer progression. Flaxseed is a rich source of lignan and omega-3 fatty acids and may thwart prostate cancer. The potential effects of flaxseed may be enhanced with concomitant fat restriction. We undertook a pilot study to explore whether a flaxseed-supplemented, fat-restricted diet could affect the biomarkers of prostatic neoplasia. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with prostate cancer who were awaiting prostatectomy were instructed on a low-fat (20% of kilocalories or less), flaxseed-supplemented (30 g/day) diet. The baseline and follow-up levels of prostate-specific antigen, testosterone, free androgen index, and total serum cholesterol were determined. The tumors of diet-treated patients were compared with those of historic cases (matched by age, race, prostate-specific antigen level at diagnosis, and biopsy Gleason sum) with respect to apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase [TdT]-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling [TUNEL]) and proliferation (MIB-1). RESULTS: The average duration on the diet was 34 days (range 21 to 77), during which time significant decreases were observed in total serum cholesterol (201 +/- 39 mg/dL to 174 +/- 42 mg/dL), total testosterone (422 +/- 122 ng/dL to 360 +/- 128 ng/dL), and free androgen index (36.3% +/- 18.9% to 29.3% +/- 16.8%) (all P <0.05). The baseline and follow-up levels of prostate-specific antigen were 8.1 +/- 5.2 ng/mL and 8.5 +/- 7.7 ng/mL, respectively, for the entire sample (P = 0.58); however, among men with Gleason sums of 6 or less (n = 19), the PSA values were 7.1 +/- 3.9 ng/mL and 6.4 +/- 4.1 ng/mL (P = 0.10). The mean proliferation index was 7.4 +/- 7.8 for the historic controls versus 5.0 +/- 4.9 for the diet-treated patients (P = 0.05). The distribution of the apoptotic indexes differed significantly (P = 0.01) between groups, with most historic controls exhibiting TUNEL categorical scores of 0; diet-treated patients largely exhibited scores of 1. Both the proliferation rate and apoptosis were significantly associated with the number of days on the diet (P = 0.049 and P = 0.017, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These pilot data suggest that a flaxseed-supplemented, fat-restricted diet may affect prostate cancer biology and associated biomarkers. Further study is needed to determine the benefit of this dietary regimen as either a complementary or preventive therapy. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-4095 | Generate text that best answers this question: African-American | Mortality from Western cancers rose dramatically among African-Americans during the 20th century: are dietary animal products to blame?
Statistics compiled by the National Cancer Institute indicate that, between 1935 and 1974, age-adjusted mortality from most 'Western' cancers (those of the breast, colon, prostate, pancreas, ovary, and kidney) rose dramatically in African-Americans. This phenomenon is paralleled by marked increases in the incidence of these cancers in Asia and Southern Europe during the latter 20th century, in conjunction with increased intakes of dietary animal products. A credible case can be made that diets rich in animal products work in various complementary ways to up-regulate serum levels of insulin, free IGF-I, and free sex hormones: hormones that appear to have important promotional activity for Western cancers. It seems likely that dietary animal product intake by black Americans increased substantially during the 20th century, and that this fact is primarily responsible for their concurrent marked increase in mortality from Western cancers. A whole-food vegan diet rich in fruits and vegetables, especially if coupled with regular exercise and smoking avoidance, could be expected to have a remarkably positive impact on African-American cancer risk, reversing the increases in cancer risk incurred during the 20th century. Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3617 | Generate text that best answers this question: airport scanners | High dietary antioxidant intakes are associated with decreased chromosome translocation frequency in airline pilots
Background: Dietary antioxidants may protect against DNA damage induced by endogenous and exogenous sources, including ionizing radiation (IR), but data from IR-exposed human populations are limited. Objective: The objective was to examine the association between the frequency of chromosome translocations, as a biomarker of cumulative DNA damage, and intakes of vitamins C and E and carotenoids in 82 male airline pilots. Design: Dietary intakes were estimated by using a self-administered semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Translocations were scored by using fluorescence in situ hybridization with whole chromosome paints. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate rate ratios and 95% CIs, adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Significant and inverse associations were observed between translocation frequency and intakes of vitamin C, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and lutein-zeaxanthin from food (P < 0.05). Translocation frequency was not associated with the intake of vitamin E, α-carotene, or lycopene from food; total vitamin C or E from food and supplements; or vitamin C or E or multivitamin supplements. The adjusted rate ratios (95% CI) for ≥median compared with <median servings per week of high–vitamin C fruit and vegetables, citrus fruit, and green leafy vegetables were 0.61 (0.43, 0.86), 0.64 (0.46, 0.89), and 0.59 (0.43, 0.81), respectively. The strongest inverse association was observed for ≥median compared with <median combined intakes of vitamins C and E, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and lutein-zeaxanthin from food: 0.27 (0.14, 0.55). Conclusion: High combined intakes of vitamins C and E, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and lutein-zeaxanthin from food, or a diet high in their food sources, may protect against cumulative DNA damage in IR-exposed persons. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3618 | Generate text that best answers this question: airport scanners | The use of dental radiographs: update and recommendations.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW: The National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements updated its recommendations on radiation protection in dentistry in 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published its Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings in 2003, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated its selection criteria for dental radiographs in 2004. This report summarizes the recommendations presented in these documents and addresses additional topics such as patient selection criteria, film selection for conventional radiographs, collimation, beam filtration, patient protective equipment, film holders, operator protection, film exposure and processing, infection control, quality assurance, image viewing, direct digital radiography and continuing education of dental health care workers who expose radiographs. CONCLUSIONS: This report discusses implementation of proper radiographic practices. In addition to these guidelines, dentists should be aware of, and comply with, applicable federal and state regulations. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dentists should weigh the benefits of dental radiographs against the consequences of increasing a patient's exposure to radiation and implement appropriate radiation control procedures. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3620 | Generate text that best answers this question: airport scanners | Dietary factors and cancer mortality among atomic-bomb survivors.
Dietary factors such as fruit and vegetables are thought to reduce the risk of cancer incidence and mortality. We investigated the effect of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables against the long-term effects of radiation exposure on the risk of cancer. A cohort of 36,228 atomic-bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for whom radiation dose estimates were currently available, had their diet assessed in 1980. They were followed for a period of 20 years for cancer mortality. The joint-effect of fruit and vegetables intake and radiation exposure on risk of cancer death was examined, in additive (sum of effects of diet alone and radiation alone) and multiplicative (product of effects of diet alone and radiation alone) models. In the additive model, a daily intake of fruit and vegetables significantly reduced the risk of cancer deaths by 13%, compared to an intake of once or less per week. Radiation exposure of 1 Sievert (Sv) increased significantly the risk of cancer death by 48-49%. The additive joint-effects showed a lower risk of cancer among those exposed to 1 Sv who had a diet rich in vegetables (49%-13%=36%) or fruit (48%-13%=35%). The multiplicative model gave similar results. The cancer risk reduction by vegetables in exposed persons went from 52% (effect of radiation alone) to 32% (product of effect of vegetables and radiation), and cancer risk reduction by fruit was 52% (radiation alone) to 34% (product of effect of fruit and radiation). There was no significant evidence to reject either the additive or the multiplicative model. A daily intake of fruit and vegetables was beneficial to the persons exposed to radiation in reducing their risks of cancer death. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3621 | Generate text that best answers this question: airport scanners | Dental X-rays and Risk of Meningioma
Context Ionizing radiation is a consistently identified and potentially modifiable risk factor for meningioma, the most frequently reported primary brain tumor in the United States. Objective To examine the association between dental x-rays, the most common artificial source of ionizing radiation, and risk of intra-cranial meningioma. Design and Setting Population-based case-control study design. Participants The study includes 1433 intra-cranial meningioma cases aged 29-79 years diagnosed among residents of the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, the San Francisco Bay Area and eight Houston, Texas counties between May 1, 2006 and April 28, 2011 and 1350 controls that were frequency-matched on age, sex and geography. Main Outcome Measure The association of intra-cranial meningioma diagnosis with self-report of bitewing, full-mouth, and panorex dental x-rays. Results Over a lifetime, cases were more than twice (Odds ratio (OR) = 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-2.9) as likely as controls to report having ever had a bitewing exam. Regardless of the age at which the films were received, persons who reported receiving bitewing films on a yearly or greater frequency had an elevated risk with odds ratios of 1.4 (95%CI: 1.0-1.8), 1.6 (95%CI: 1.2-2.0), 1.9 (95%CI: 1.4-2.6), and 1.5 (95%CI: 1.1-2.0) for ages <10, 10-19, 20-49, and 50+ years, respectively. Increased risk of meningioma was also associated with panorex films taken at a young age or on a yearly or greater frequency with persons reporting receiving such films under the age of 10 years at 4.9 times (95%CI: 1.8-13.2) increased risk of meningioma. No association was appreciated with location of tumor above or below the tentorium. Conclusion Exposure to some dental x-rays performed in the past, when radiation exposure was greater than in the current era, appears to be associated with increased risk of intra-cranial meningioma. As with all sources of artificial ionizing radiation, considered use of this modifiable risk factor may be of benefit to patients. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3615 | Generate text that best answers this question: airport scanners | Evaluation of chromosomal aberrations, micronuclei, and sister chromatid exchanges in hospital workers chronically exposed to ionizing radiation.
Cytogenetic analysis was performed in peripheral blood lymphocytes from hospital workers chronically exposed to ionizing radiation in comparison to matched non-exposed individuals. The accumulated absorbed doses calculated for the radiation workers ranged from 9.5 to 209.4 mSv. The endpoints used were chromosomal aberrations (CA), micronuclei (MN), and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE). The frequencies of CA/100 cells observed for the exposed group were significantly (P=0.018) higher than in the control group: 3.2 and 2.6, respectively. Similarly, the mean numbers of SCE per cell were statistically higher (P=0.025) in the exposed group (6.2) in comparison with the control group (5.8). In the case of micronuclei analysis, no significant (P=0,06) difference between both groups was found, but these data should be cautiously interpreted since an increase in the frequencies of MN was found for radiation workers (3.0 MN/100 cells), compared to the control group (2.6 MN/100 cells) and this increase occur in parallel to CA and SCE frequencies. The difference between the results could be explained by the nature of CA and MN generation. The increased frequencies of CA and SCE in radiation workers indicate the cumulative effect of low-level chronic exposure to ionizing radiation, and the relevance of conducting cytogenetic analysis in parallel to physical dosimetry in the working place. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3622 | Generate text that best answers this question: airport scanners | Dietary and clastogenic factors in children who immigrated to Israel from regions contaminated by the Chernobyl accident.
The authors evaluated the possible association between dietary history and plasma clastogenic factors in children who immigrated to Israel between 1989 and 1993 from regions contaminated by the Chernobyl accident. The authors compared questionnaire data about demographic variables, dietary histories before and after immigration occurred, and health status with clastogenic factor scores for 162 immigrants. Logistic regression analysis revealed a negative association between clastogenic factor scores and frequency of consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit among children < or = 7 yr of age during the postimmigration period. Intake of eggs and fish by boys who were < or = 7 yr of age prior to immigration was associated positively with clastogenic factor scores. Consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits afforded protection to the immune systems of children who were < or = 7 yr of age. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-5155 | Generate text that best answers this question: Alli | Effect of a Daily Supplement of Soy Protein on Body Composition and Insulin Secretion in Postmenopausal Women
Objective: To determine if a supplement of soy protein improves body composition, body fat distribution, and glucose and insulin metabolism in non-diabetic postmenopausal women compared to an isocaloric casein placebo. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 3-month trial Setting: Clinical Research Center Patients: 15 postmenopausal women Interventions: CT scans at L4/L5, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), hyperglycemic clamps Main outcome measures: Total fat, total abdominal fat, visceral fat, subcutaneous abdominal fat, and insulin secretion. Results: Weight by DXA did not change between groups (+1.38 ± 2.02 kg for placebo vs. +0.756 ± 1.32 kg for soy, p=0.48, means ± S.D.). Total and subcutaneous abdominal fat increased more in the placebo compared to the soy group (for differences between groups in total abdominal fat: +38.62 ± 22.84 cm2 for placebo vs. −11.86 ± 31.48 cm2 for soy, p=0.005; subcutaneous abdominal fat: +22.91 ± 28.58 cm2 for placebo vs. −14.73 ± 22.26 cm2 for soy, p=0.013). Insulin secretion, visceral fat, total body fat, and lean mass did not differ between groups. Isoflavone levels increased more in the soy group. Conclusion: A daily supplement of soy protein prevents the increase in subcutaneous and total abdominal fat observed with an isocaloric casein placebo in postmenopausal women. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2527 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Cross-analysis of dietary prescriptions and adherence in 356 hypercholesterolaemic patients.
BACKGROUND: One of the major issues in controlling serum cholesterol through dietetic intervention appears to be the need to improve patient adherence. AIMS: To explore the many questions regarding barriers to, and motivators for, cholesterol-lowering diet adherence. METHODS: We surveyed French general practitioners' dietetic practices for patients with hypercholesterolaemia, and looked at their patients' attitudes towards such an approach. RESULTS: We analysed 234 doctors' personal questionnaires and 356 patient self-survey questionnaires. Patients' reasons for not complying with the prescribed diet included: 'already having satisfactory food habits' (34.7%), 'unwillingness to suffer nutritional deprivation' (33.3%), 'difficulties to conciliate a diet with family life' (27.8%) and 'taking cholesterol-lowering drugs' (22.2%). Despite a generally good understanding by patients of doctors' recommendations, some discrepancies were seen between their respective declarations. While doctors largely thought that patients needed more explanation on why and how a diet can lower cholesterol (and avoid taking drugs), only 39.4% of patients declared needing this kind of information. Other discrepancies were observed concerning barriers to, and motivators for, patient adherence. Moreover, some dietetic rules appeared to be more difficult to comply with than others, e.g. 82.6% patients remembered they should 'eat more fish' but only 51.3% actually did so. Finally, physicians, as well as patients, displayed a lack of confidence in lipid-lowering diet efficiency. CONCLUSION: Improving patient education, especially concerning their perception of risk, as well as increasing the involvement of dieticians, are motivators to explore in order to improve adherence. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2706 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Adverse effects of aromatherapy: a systematic review of case reports and case series.
AIM: This systematic review was aimed at critically evaluating the evidence regarding the adverse effects associated with aromatherapy. METHOD: Five electronic databases were searched to identify all relevant case reports and case series. RESULTS: Forty two primary reports met our inclusion criteria. In total, 71 patients experienced adverse effects of aromatherapy. Adverse effects ranged from mild to severe and included one fatality. The most common adverse effect was dermatitis. Lavender, peppermint, tea tree oil and ylang-ylang were the most common essential oils responsible for adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy has the potential to cause adverse effects some of which are serious. Their frequency remains unknown. Lack of sufficiently convincing evidence regarding the effectiveness of aromatherapy combined with its potential to cause adverse effects questions the usefulness of this modality in any condition. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2708 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Inhalation aromatherapy during radiotherapy: results of a placebo-controlled double-blind randomized trial.
PURPOSE: To determine whether the inhalation of aromatherapy during radiotherapy reduces anxiety. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred thirteen patients undergoing radiotherapy were randomly assigned to receive either carrier oil with fractionated oils, carrier oil only, or pure essential oils of lavender, bergamot, and cedarwood administered by inhalation concurrently with radiation treatment. Patients underwent assessment by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Somatic and Psychological Health Report (SPHERE) at baseline and at treatment completion. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in HADS depression or SPHERE scores between the randomly assigned groups. However, HADS anxiety scores were significantly lower at treatment completion in the carrier oil only group compared with either of the fragrant arms (P =.04). CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy, as administered in this study, is not beneficial. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2707 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Ambient odor of orange in a dental office reduces anxiety and improves mood in female patients.
Essential oils have been used as remedies for a long time in different cultures across the world. However, scientific proof of such application is scarce. We included 72 patients between the ages of 22 and 57 while waiting for dental treatment in our study. The participants were assigned to either a control group (14 men, 23 women) or to an odor group (18 men and 17 women). Ambient odor of orange was diffused in the waiting room through an electrical dispenser in the odor group whereas in the control group no odor was in the air. We assessed by means of self-report demographic and cognitive variables, trait and state anxiety, and current pain, mood, alertness, and calmness. In this study, we report that exposure to ambient odor of orange has a relaxant effect. Specifically, compared to the controls, women who were exposed to orange odor had a lower level of state anxiety, a more positive mood, and a higher level of calmness. Our data support the previous notion of sedative properties of the natural essential oil of orange (Citrus sinensis). |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2711 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Accidental bullous phototoxic reactions to bergamot aromatherapy oil.
Oil of bergamot is an extract from the rind of bergamot orange (Citrus aurantium ssp bergamia) that has a pleasant, refreshing scent; until a few years ago it had been widely used as an ingredient in cosmetics but was restricted or banned in most countries because of certain adverse effects. More recently, oil of bergamot preparations have been gaining renewed popularity in aromatherapy. Oil of bergamot possesses photosensitive and melanogenic properties because of the presence of furocoumarins, primarily bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen [5-MOP]). However, 5-MOP is also potentially phototoxic and photomutagenic. Despite its increasing application, there are only a few recent reports of phototoxic reactions to bergamot aromatherapy oil. We describe two patients with localized and disseminated bullous phototoxic skin reactions developing within 48 to 72 hours after exposure to bergamot aromatherapy oil and subsequent ultraviolet exposure. One patient (case 2) had no history of direct contact with aromatherapy oil but developed bullous skin lesions after exposure to aerosolized (evaporated) aromatherapy oil in a sauna and subsequent UVA radiation in a tanning salon. This report highlights the potential health hazard related to the increasing use of psoralen-containing aromatherapy oils. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2712 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | A systematic review on the anxiolytic effects of aromatherapy in people with anxiety symptoms.
PURPOSE: We reviewed studies from 1990 to 2010 on using aromatherapy for people with anxiety or anxiety symptoms and examined their clinical effects. METHODS: The review was conducted on available electronic databases to extract journal articles that evaluated the anxiolytic effects of aromatherapy for people with anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: The results were based on 16 randomized controlled trials examining the anxiolytic effects of aromatherapy among people with anxiety symptoms. Most of the studies indicated positive effects to quell anxiety. No adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended that aromatherapy could be applied as a complementary therapy for people with anxiety symptoms. Further studies with better quality on methodology should be conducted to identify its clinical effects and the underlying biologic mechanisms. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2713 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Effect of sweet orange aroma on experimental anxiety in humans.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential anxiolytic effect of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) aroma in healthy volunteers submitted to an anxiogenic situation. DESIGN: Forty (40) male volunteers were allocated to five different groups for the inhalation of sweet orange essential oil (test aroma: 2.5, 5, or 10 drops), tea tree essential oil (control aroma: 2.5 drops), or water (nonaromatic control: 2.5 drops). Immediately after inhalation, each volunteer was submitted to a model of anxiety, the video-monitored version of the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT). OUTCOME MEASURES: Psychologic parameters (state-anxiety, subjective tension, tranquilization, and sedation) and physiologic parameters (heart rate and gastrocnemius electromyogram) were evaluated before the inhalation period and before, during, and after the SCWT. RESULTS: Unlike the control groups, the individuals exposed to the test aroma (2.5 and 10 drops) presented a lack of significant alterations (p>0.05) in state-anxiety, subjective tension and tranquillity levels throughout the anxiogenic situation, revealing an anxiolytic activity of sweet orange essential oil. Physiologic alterations along the test were not prevented in any treatment group, as has previously been observed for diazepam. CONCLUSIONS: Although more studies are needed to find out the clinical relevance of aromatherapy for anxiety disorders, the present results indicate an acute anxiolytic activity of sweet orange aroma, giving some scientific support to its use as a tranquilizer by aromatherapists. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2709 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Cardiac tamponade caused by acupuncture: a review of the literature.
This systematic review aims to summarize all reported cases of cardiac tamponade after acupuncture. Five electronic databases and our own files were searched for reports of cardiac tamponade after acupuncture. No restrictions in time or language were imposed. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers according to predefined criteria. We found a total of 26 cases. In 14 patients, the complications were fatal. In most instances, there is little doubt about causality. We conclude that cardiac tamponade is a serious, often fatal complication after acupuncture. As it is theoretically avoidable, acupuncturists should be trained to minimize the risk. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2710 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Aromatherapy facts and fictions: a scientific analysis of olfactory effects on mood, physiology and behavior.
A systematic review of scientific experimentation addressing olfactory effects on mood, physiology and behavior was undertaken. From this review, 18 studies meeting stringent empirical criteria were then analyzed in detail and it was found that credible evidence that odors can affect mood, physiology and behavior exists. To explain these effects, pharmacological and psychological mechanisms were explored and a psychological interpretation of the data was found to be more comprehensive. Methodological problems regarding dependent measures and stimuli, which led to inconsistencies in the data were discussed, as were the mediating variables of culture, experience, sex differences, and personality. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2780 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Total and soluble oxalate content of some Indian spices.
Spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and turmeric are used all over the world as flavouring and colouring ingredients in Indian foods. Previous studies have shown that spices contain variable amounts of total oxalates but there are few reports of soluble oxalate contents. In this study, the total, soluble and insoluble oxalate contents of ten different spices commonly used in Indian cuisine were measured. Total oxalate content ranged from 194 (nutmeg) to 4,014 (green cardamom) mg/100 g DM, while the soluble oxalate contents ranged from 41 (nutmeg) to 3,977 (green cardamom) mg/100 g DM. Overall, the percentage of soluble oxalate content of the spices ranged from 4.7 to 99.1% of the total oxalate content which suggests that some spices present no risk to people liable to kidney stone formation, while other spices can supply significant amounts of soluble oxalates and therefore should be used in moderation. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2810 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Curcumin as "Curecumin": from kitchen to clinic.
Although turmeric (Curcuma longa; an Indian spice) has been described in Ayurveda, as a treatment for inflammatory diseases and is referred by different names in different cultures, the active principle called curcumin or diferuloylmethane, a yellow pigment present in turmeric (curry powder) has been shown to exhibit numerous activities. Extensive research over the last half century has revealed several important functions of curcumin. It binds to a variety of proteins and inhibits the activity of various kinases. By modulating the activation of various transcription factors, curcumin regulates the expression of inflammatory enzymes, cytokines, adhesion molecules, and cell survival proteins. Curcumin also downregulates cyclin D1, cyclin E and MDM2; and upregulates p21, p27, and p53. Various preclinical cell culture and animal studies suggest that curcumin has potential as an antiproliferative, anti-invasive, and antiangiogenic agent; as a mediator of chemoresistance and radioresistance; as a chemopreventive agent; and as a therapeutic agent in wound healing, diabetes, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and arthritis. Pilot phase I clinical trials have shown curcumin to be safe even when consumed at a daily dose of 12g for 3 months. Other clinical trials suggest a potential therapeutic role for curcumin in diseases such as familial adenomatous polyposis, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, hypercholesteremia, atherosclerosis, pancreatitis, psoriasis, chronic anterior uveitis and arthritis. Thus, curcumin, a spice once relegated to the kitchen shelf, has moved into the clinic and may prove to be "Curecumin". |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2787 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | The effect of curcumin and placebo on human gall-bladder function: an ultrasound study.
BACKGROUND: The extract of medicinal plants containing curcumin is traditionally believed to have a positive contraction effect on the human gall-bladder. AIMS: To compare the effect of 20 mg curcumin or placebo on the gall-bladder volume of healthy volunteers. METHODS: A randomized, double blind and crossover design study was carried out in 12 healthy volunteers (seven males and five females). Ultrasonography examination was carried out serially to measure the gall-bladder volume. The data obtained was analysed by paired Student's t-test. RESULTS: The fasting gall-bladder volumes of 15.74 +/- 4.29 mL on curcumin and 15.98 +/- 4.08 mL on placebo were similar (P > 0.20). The gall-bladder volume was reduced within the period after curcumin administration. The percentage of gall-bladder volume reduction at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 h after 20 mg curcumin administration were 11.8 +/- 6.9, 16.8 +/- 7.4, 22.0 +/- 8.5 and 29. 3 +/- 8.3%, respectively, which was statistically significant compared to placebo. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the present findings, it appears that curcumin induces contraction of the human gall-bladder. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2788 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Clinical utility of curcumin extract.
Turmeric root has been used medicinally in China and India for thousands of years. The active components are thought to be the curcuminoids, primarily curcumin, which is commonly available worldwide as a standardized extract. This article reviews the pharmacology of curcuminoids, their use and efficacy, potential adverse effects, and dosage and standardization. Preclinical studies point to mechanisms of action that are predominantly anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic, while early human clinical trials suggest beneficial effects for dyspepsia, peptic ulcer, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, uveitis, orbital pseudotumor, and pancreatic cancer. Curcumin is well-tolerated; the most common side effects are nausea and diarrhea. Theoretical interactions exist due to purported effects on metabolic enzymes and transport proteins, but clinical reports do not support any meaningful interactions. Nonetheless, caution, especially with chemotherapy agents, is advised. Late-phase clinical trials are still needed to confirm most beneficial effects. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2777 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | The association between gout and nephrolithiasis: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, 1988-1994.
BACKGROUND: Gout, an inflammatory arthritis, reportedly afflicts more than 2 million men and women in the United States. Previous reports have suggested an association between gout and kidney stone disease; however, these studies did not adjust for such important potential confounders as obesity and the presence of hypertension. To our knowledge, no published study has examined the independent association between gout and kidney stone disease. METHODS: We used a national probability sample of the US population to determine the independent association between reported gout and history of kidney stone disease. RESULTS: Among men and women 20 years and older, 5.6% (10 million) reported the previous passage of a kidney stone and 2.7% (5.1 million) reported a diagnosis of gout by a physician. Moreover, 8.6% of individuals who reported the passage of a kidney stone on two or more occasions had a history of gout. Conversely, the prevalence of previous kidney stones in subjects with reported gout was 13.9%. In the age-adjusted model, gout was associated with an increased odds ratio (OR) for previous kidney stones (OR, 1.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37 to 2.83). After further adjustment for sex, race, body mass index, and presence of hypertension, the OR for previous kidney stones in individuals with gout decreased to 1.49 (95% CI, 1.04 to 2.14). CONCLUSION: Showing an independent association between kidney stone disease and gout strongly suggests that they share common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Identification of these mechanisms may lead to improved preventive strategies for both conditions. Copyright 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2816 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Plant-derived health: the effects of turmeric and curcuminoids.
Plants contain numerous polyphenols, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and hereby to increase resistance to disease. Examples of such polyphenols are isothiocyanates in cabbage and broccoli, epigallocatechin in green tee, capsaicin in chili peppers, chalones, rutin and naringenin in apples, resveratrol in red wine and fresh peanuts and curcumin/curcuminoids in turmeric. Most diseases are maintained by a sustained discreet but obvious increased systemic inflammation. Many studies suggest that the effect of treatment can be improved by a combination of restriction in intake of proinflammatory molecules such as advanced glycation end products (AGE), advanced lipoperoxidation end products (ALE), and rich supply of antiinflammatory molecules such as plant polyphenols. To the polyphenols with a bulk of experimental documentation belong the curcuminoid family and especially its main ingredient, curcumin. This review summarizes the present knowledge about these turmericderived ingredients, which have proven to be strong antioxidants and inhibitors of cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2), lipoxygenase (LOX) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) but also AGE. A plethora of clinical effects are reported in various experimental diseases, but clinical studies in humans are few. It is suggested that supply of polyphenols and particularly curcuminoids might be value as complement to pharmaceutical treatment, but also prebiotic treatment, in conditions proven to be rather therapy-resistant such as Crohn's, long-stayed patients in intensive care units, but also in conditions such as cancer, liver cirrhosis, chronic renal disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2790 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | A clinical review of different formulations of Vasa (Adhatoda vasica) on Tamaka Shwasa (asthma)
Vasa (Adhatoda vasica Linn.) is a well known and easily available drug in almost all the seasons. Easy availability of any drug gains popularity among physicians as well as pharmaceuticals and this is the reason why almost every Kalpana of Vasa is found described in the Ayurvedika text. The different dosage forms of Vasa like Kvatha, Avaleha, Sneha, and Sandhana have been used for the treatment of Shwasa Roga. A number of research studies have been performed on different formulations of Vasa and its effect on Shwasa Roga. Therefore, a review study has been carried out on the Vasa extract, Vasa Avaleha (prepared from Svarasa and Kvatha), Vasa Ghrita, Vasarishta, and Vasakasava on Shwasa Roga, to know which formulation is better. It was found in the review that Vasa Ghana, Vasa Ghrita (1), and Vasa Avaleha have shown good results on Tamaka Shwasa. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2792 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Cholesterol oxides in Indian ghee: possible cause of unexplained high risk of atherosclerosis in Indian immigrant populations.
Two populations of immigrants to London and to the West Indies from the Indian subcontinent have higher than expected morbidity and mortality from atherosclerosis but do not show the commonly accepted major risk factors. This study investigated the hypothesis that ghee, a clarified butter product prized in Indian cooking, contains cholesterol oxides and could therefore be an important source of dietary exposure to cholesterol oxides and an explanation for the high atherosclerosis risk. Substantial amounts of cholesterol oxides were found in ghee (12.3% of sterols), but not in fresh butter, by thin-layer and high-performance-liquid chromatography. Dietary exposure to cholesterol oxides from ghee may offer a logical explanation for the high frequency of atherosclerotic complications in these Indian populations. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2793 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Biochemical basis of enhanced drug bioavailability by piperine: evidence that piperine is a potent inhibitor of drug metabolism.
Piperine, a major active component of black and long peppers, has been reported to enhance drug bioavailability. The present studies were aimed at understanding the interaction of piperine with enzymatic drug biotransforming reactions in hepatic tissue in vitro and in vivo. Piperine inhibited arylhydrocarbon hydroxylation, ethylmorphine-N-demethylation, 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylation and 3-hydroxy-benzo(a)pyrene glucuronidation in rat postmitochondrial supernatant in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Piperine inhibition of these reactions in postmitochondrial supernatant from 3-methylcholanthrene- and phenobarbital-treated rats was similar to the controls. Inhibition by piperine of arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats was comparable to that observed with 7,8-benzoflavone. Piperine caused noncompetitive inhibition of hepatic microsomal AHH from the untreated and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats with a Ki of 30 microM which was close to the apparent Km of AHH observed in the controls. Similarly, the kinetics of inhibition of ethylmorphine-N-demethylase from control rat liver microsomes exhibited noncompetitive inhibition with an apparent Km of 0.8 mM and Ki of 35 microM. These studies demonstrated that piperine is a nonspecific inhibitor of drug metabolism which shows little discrimination between different cytochrome P-450 forms. Oral administration of piperine in rats strongly inhibited the hepatic AHH and UDP-glucuronyltransferase activities. The maximal inhibition of AHH observed within 1 hr restored to normal value in 6 hr. Pretreatment with piperine prolonged hexobarbital sleeping time and zoxazolamine paralysis time in mice at half the dose of SKF-525A. These results demonstrate that piperine is a potent inhibitor of drug metabolism. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2794 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Dietary turmeric potentially reduces the risk of cancer.
Turmeric, a plant rhizome that is often dried, ground and used as a cooking spice, has also been used medicinally for several thousand years. Curcumin, the phytochemical that gives turmeric its golden color, is responsible for most of the therapeutic effects of turmeric. In recent years curcumin has been studied for its effects on chronic diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, and cancer. Though many researchers are investigating turmeric/curcumin in cancer therapy, there is little epidemiologic information on the effects of turmeric consumption. With limited availability of pharmacologic interventions in many areas of the world, use of turmeric in the diet may help to alleviate some of the disease burden through prevention. Here we provide a brief overview of turmeric consumption in different parts of the world, cancer rates in those regions, possible biochemical mechanisms by which turmeric acts and practical recommendations based on the information available. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-4390 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers.
The medicinal properties of curcumin obtained from Curcuma longa L. cannot be utilised because of poor bioavailability due to its rapid metabolism in the liver and intestinal wall. In this study, the effect of combining piperine, a known inhibitor of hepatic and intestinal glucuronidation, was evaluated on the bioavailability of curcumin in rats and healthy human volunteers. When curcumin was given alone, in the dose 2 g/kg to rats, moderate serum concentrations were achieved over a period of 4 h. Concomitant administration of piperine 20 mg/kg increased the serum concentration of curcumin for a short period of 1-2 h post drug. Time to maximum was significantly increased (P < 0.02) while elimination half life and clearance significantly decreased (P < 0.02), and the bioavailability was increased by 154%. On the other hand in humans after a dose of 2 g curcumin alone, serum levels were either undetectable or very low. Concomitant administration of piperine 20 mg produced much higher concentrations from 0.25 to 1 h post drug (P < 0.01 at 0.25 and 0.5 h; P < 0.001 at 1 h), the increase in bioavailability was 2000%. The study shows that in the dosages used, piperine enhances the serum concentration, extent of absorption and bioavailability of curcumin in both rats and humans with no adverse effects. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2797 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Osteoarthritis as an inflammatory disease (osteoarthritis is not osteoarthrosis!).
Osteoarthritis (OA) has long been considered a "wear and tear" disease leading to loss of cartilage. OA used to be considered the sole consequence of any process leading to increased pressure on one particular joint or fragility of cartilage matrix. Progress in molecular biology in the 1990s has profoundly modified this paradigm. The discovery that many soluble mediators such as cytokines or prostaglandins can increase the production of matrix metalloproteinases by chondrocytes led to the first steps of an "inflammatory" theory. However, it took a decade before synovitis was accepted as a critical feature of OA, and some studies are now opening the way to consider the condition a driver of the OA process. Recent experimental data have shown that subchondral bone may have a substantial role in the OA process, as a mechanical damper, as well as a source of inflammatory mediators implicated in the OA pain process and in the degradation of the deep layer of cartilage. Thus, initially considered cartilage driven, OA is a much more complex disease with inflammatory mediators released by cartilage, bone and synovium. Low-grade inflammation induced by the metabolic syndrome, innate immunity and inflammaging are some of the more recent arguments in favor of the inflammatory theory of OA and highlighted in this review. Copyright © 2012 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2809 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Therapeutic Roles of Curcumin: Lessons Learned from Clinical Trials
Extensive research over the past half century has shown that curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a component of the golden spice turmeric (Curcuma longa), can modulate multiple cell signaling pathways. Extensive clinical trials over the past quarter century have addressed the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of this nutraceutical against numerous diseases in humans. Some promising effects have been observed in patients with various pro-inflammatory diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, uveitis, ulcerative proctitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel disease, tropical pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, gastric ulcer, idiopathic orbital inflammatory pseudotumor, oral lichen planus, gastric inflammation, vitiligo, psoriasis, acute coronary syndrome, atherosclerosis, diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic microangiopathy, lupus nephritis, renal conditions, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, β-thalassemia, biliary dyskinesia, Dejerine-Sottas disease, cholecystitis, and chronic bacterial prostatitis. Curcumin has also shown protection against hepatic conditions, chronic arsenic exposure, and alcohol intoxication. Dose-escalating studies have indicated the safety of curcumin at doses as high as 12 g/day over 3 months. Curcumin’s pleiotropic activities emanate from its ability to modulate numerous signaling molecules such as pro-inflammatory cytokines, apoptotic proteins, NF–κB, cyclooxygenase-2, 5-LOX, STAT3, C-reactive protein, prostaglandin E2, prostate-specific antigen, adhesion molecules, phosphorylase kinase, transforming growth factor-β, triglyceride, ET-1, creatinine, HO-1, AST, and ALT in human participants. In clinical trials, curcumin has been used either alone or in combination with other agents. Various formulations of curcumin, including nanoparticles, liposomal encapsulation, emulsions, capsules, tablets, and powder, have been examined. In this review, we discuss in detail the various human diseases in which the effect of curcumin has been investigated. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2799 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Synovial tissue inflammation in early and late osteoarthritis
Objective: To compare selected immunohistological features of inflammation in synovial tissue from patients with early and late osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Synovial tissue samples were obtained from 10 patients with knee pain, normal radiographs, and arthroscopic manifestations of OA (early OA), and from 15 patients with OA undergoing knee joint arthroplasty (late OA). Conventional immunohistochemical techniques were used to measure microscopic manifestations of inflammation. The inflammatory cell infiltrate, blood vessel formation, and angiogenic factors, NF-κB activation, expression of tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin 1ß (IL1ß), and the presence of cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 were quantified. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were isolated from early and late OA tissue samples to compare in vitro production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) Results: Synovial tissue from patients with early OA demonstrated significantly greater CD4+ (p = 0.017) and CD68+ (p<0.001) cell infiltration, blood vessel formation (p = 0.01), vascular endothelial growth factor (p = 0.001), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression (p<0.001). Numbers of cells producing TNFα and IL1ß were also significantly greater in early OA (p<0.001). Manifestations of inflammation in early OA were associated with increased expression of the NF-κB1 (p<0.001) and RelA (p = 0.015) subunits, and with increased COX-2 expression (p = 0.04). Cytokine-induced PGE2 production by cultured FLS was similar in both groups. Conclusion: Increased mononuclear cell infiltration and overexpression of mediators of inflammation were seen in early OA, compared with late OA. Isolated FLS were functionally similar in both groups, consistent with microenvironmental differences in the synovial tissue during different phases of OA. These observations may have important therapeutic implications for some patients during the early evolution of OA. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2800 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Curcumin: a new paradigm and therapeutic opportunity for the treatment of osteoarthritis: curcumin for osteoarthritis management
The management of osteoarthritis represents a real challenge. This complex and multi-factorial disease evolves over decades and requires not only the alleviation of symptoms, i.e. pain and joint function but also the preservation of articular structure without side effects. Nutraceuticals are good candidates for the management of OA due to their safety profile and potential efficacy. However, they are not part of the treatment guidelines and published recommendations. Curcumin is the yellow pigment isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa, commonly known as turmeric. Curcumin is a highly pleiotropic molecule with an excellent safety profile. Strong molecular evidence has been published for its potency to target multiple inflammatory diseases. However, naturally occurring curcumin cannot achieve its optimum therapeutic outcomes due to its low solubility and poor bioavailability. Nevertheless, curcumin presents great potential for treating OA and has been categorized as having preclinical evidence of efficacy. This review aimed at gathering most of the available information to document the potential efficacy of curcumin based on the results obtained in in vitro models of cartilage and osteoarthritis and in other diseases. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2801 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Curcumin and obesity.
Turmeric has been long recognized for its anti-inflammatory and health-promoting properties. Curcumin is one of the principal anti-inflammatory and healthful components of turmeric comprising 2-8% of most turmeric preparations. Experimental evidence supports the activity of curcumin in promoting weight loss and reducing the incidence of obesity-related diseases. With the discovery that obesity is characterized by chronic low-grade metabolic inflammation, phytochemicals like curcumin which have anti-inflammatory activity are being intensely investigated. Recent scientific research reveals that curcumin directly interacts with white adipose tissue to suppress chronic inflammation. In adipose tissue, curcumin inhibits macrophage infiltration and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation induced by inflammatory agents. Curcumin reduces the expression of the potent proinflammatory adipokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), and it induces the expression of adiponectin, the principal anti-inflammatory agent secreted by adipocytes. Curcumin also has effects to inhibit adipocyte differentiation and to promote antioxidant activities. Through these diverse mechanisms curcumin reduces obesity and curtails the adverse health effects of obesity. Copyright © 2013 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2802 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Efficacy and safety of Curcuma domestica extracts in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of Curcuma domestica extracts in pain reduction and functional improvement in patients with knee osteoarthritis. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The design and setting were a randomized controlled study at a university hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. METHODS: One-hundred and seven (107) patients with primary knee osteoarthritis (OA) with pain score of > or =5 were randomized to receive ibuprofen 800 mg per day or C. domestica extracts 2 g per day for 6 weeks. The main outcomes were improvement in pain on level walking, pain on stairs, and functions of knee assessed by time spent during 100-m walk and going up and down a flight of stairs. The adverse events were also recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-two (52) and 55 patients were randomized to C. domestica extracts and ibuprofen groups, respectively. Baseline characteristics of the patients in both groups were not different. The mean scores of the aforementioned outcomes at weeks 0, 2, 4, and 6 were significantly improved when compared with the baseline values in both groups. There was no difference in those parameters between the patients receiving ibuprofen and C. domestica extracts, except pain on stairs (p = 0.016). No significant difference of adverse events between both groups was found (33.3% versus 44.2%, p = 0.36 in C. domestica extracts and ibuprofen groups, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: C. domestica extracts seem to be similarly efficacious and safe as ibuprofen for the treatment of knee OA. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2803 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Dietary polyphenols and mechanisms of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a condition caused in part by injury, loss of cartilage structure and function, and an imbalance in inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways. It primarily affects the articular cartilage and subchondral bone of synovial joints and results in joint failure, leading to pain upon weight bearing including walking and standing. There is no cure for osteoarthritis, as it is very difficult to restore the cartilage once it is destroyed. The goals of treatment are to relieve pain, maintain or improve joint mobility, increase the strength of the joints and minimize the disabling effects of the disease. Recent studies have shown an association between dietary polyphenols and the prevention of osteoarthritis-related musculoskeletal inflammation. This review discusses the effects of commonly consumed polyphenols, including curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate and green tea extract, resveratrol, nobiletin and citrus fruits, pomegranate, as well as genistein and soy protein, on osteoarthritis with an emphasis on molecular antiosteoarthritic mechanisms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2804 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Epidemiology of OA
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the US, and a leading cause of disability. It is typically defined in epidemiologic studies on the basis of radiographic findings and consideration of symptoms. Its incidence and prevalence are rising, likely related to the aging of the population and increasing obesity. Risk factors for OA include a number of person-level factors, such as age, sex, obesity, and genetics, as well as joint-specific factors that are likely reflective of abnormal loading of the joints. A number of methodologic challenges exist in studying OA that can hamper our ability to identify pertinent relationships. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2805 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Pathobiology of obesity and osteoarthritis: integrating biomechanics and inflammation
Obesity is a significant risk factor for developing osteoarthritis in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing joints. Although the pathogenesis of obesity-associated osteoarthritis is not completely understood, recent studies indicate that pro-inflammatory metabolic factors contribute to an increase in osteoarthritis risk. Adipose tissue, and in particular infrapatellar fat, is a local source of pro-inflammatory mediators that are increased with obesity and have been shown to increase cartilage degradation in cell and tissue culture models. One adipokine in particular, leptin, may be a critical mediator of obesity-associated osteoarthritis via synergistic actions with other inflammatory cytokines. Biomechanical factors may also increase the risk of osteoarthritis by activating cellular inflammation and promoting oxidative stress. However, some types of biomechanical stimulation, such as physiologic cyclic loading, inhibit inflammation and protect against cartilage degradation. A high percentage of obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis are sedentary, suggesting that a lack of physical activity may increase the susceptibility to inflammation. A more comprehensive approach to understanding how obesity alters daily biomechanical exposures within joint tissues may provide new insight into the protective and damaging effects of biomechanical factors on inflammation in osteoarthritis. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2807 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Efficacy and safety of Meriva®, a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, during extended administration in osteoarthritis patients.
In a previous three-month study of Meriva, a proprietary curcumin-phosphatidylcholine phytosome complex, decreased joint pain and improvement in joint function were observed in 50 osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Since OA is a chronic condition requiring prolonged treatment, the long-term efficacy and safety of Meriva were investigated in a longer (eight months) study involving 100 OA patients. The clinical end points (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities [WOMAC] score, Karnofsky Performance Scale Index, and treadmill walking performance) were complemented by the evaluation of a series of inflammatory markers (interleukin [IL]-1beta, IL-6, soluble CD40 ligand [sCD40L], soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM)-1, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]). This represents the most ambitious attempt, to date, to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of curcumin as an anti-inflammatory agent. Significant improvements of both the clinical and biochemical end points were observed for Meriva compared to the control group. This, coupled with an excellent tolerability, suggests that Meriva is worth considering for the long-term complementary management of osteoarthritis. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2813 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Curcumin: getting back to the roots.
The use of turmeric, derived from the root of the plant Curcuma longa, for treatment of different inflammatory diseases has been described in Ayurveda and in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The active component of turmeric responsible for this activity, curcumin, was identified almost two centuries ago. Modern science has revealed that curcumin mediates its effects by modulation of several important molecular targets, including transcription factors (e.g., NF-kappaB, AP-1, Egr-1, beta-catenin, and PPAR-gamma), enzymes (e.g., COX2, 5-LOX, iNOS, and hemeoxygenase-1), cell cycle proteins (e.g., cyclin D1 and p21), cytokines (e.g., TNF, IL-1, IL-6, and chemokines), receptors (e.g., EGFR and HER2), and cell surface adhesion molecules. Because it can modulate the expression of these targets, curcumin is now being used to treat cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Crohn's disease, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, psoriasis, and other pathologies. Interestingly, 6-gingerol, a natural analog of curcumin derived from the root of ginger (Zingiber officinalis), exhibits a biologic activity profile similar to that of curcumin. The efficacy, pharmacologic safety, and cost effectiveness of curcuminoids prompt us to "get back to our roots." |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2822 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | A randomized, pilot study to assess the efficacy and safety of curcumin in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.
Curcumin is known to possess potent antiinflammatory and antiarthritic properties. This pilot clinical study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of curcumin alone, and in combination with diclofenac sodium in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Forty-five patients diagnosed with RA were randomized into three groups with patients receiving curcumin (500 mg) and diclofenac sodium (50 mg) alone or their combination. The primary endpoints were reduction in Disease Activity Score (DAS) 28. The secondary endpoints included American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for reduction in tenderness and swelling of joint scores. Patients in all three treatment groups showed statistically significant changes in their DAS scores. Interestingly, the curcumin group showed the highest percentage of improvement in overall DAS and ACR scores (ACR 20, 50 and 70) and these scores were significantly better than the patients in the diclofenac sodium group. More importantly, curcumin treatment was found to be safe and did not relate with any adverse events. Our study provides the first evidence for the safety and superiority of curcumin treatment in patients with active RA, and highlights the need for future large-scale trials to validate these findings in patients with RA and other arthritic conditions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-2830 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Bioavailability of herbs and spices in humans as determined by ex vivo inflammatory suppression and DNA strand breaks.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to determine the bioavailability of herbs and spices after human consumption by measuring the ability to protect lymphocytes from an oxidative injury and by examining the impact on inflammatory biomarkers in activated THP-1 cells. METHODS: Ten to 12 subjects in each of 13 groups consumed a defined amount of herb or spice for 7 days. Blood was drawn from subjects before consumption and 1 hour after taking the final herb or spice capsules. Subject serum and various extractions of the herbs and spices were analyzed for antioxidant capacity by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) analysis or by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrzyl (DPPH). Subject peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in medium with10% autologous serum were incubated with hydrogen peroxide to induce DNA strand breaks. Subject serum was also used to treat activated THP-1 cells to determine relative quantities of 3 inflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interleukin-1α [IL-1α], and IL-6) mRNAs. RESULTS: Herbs and spices that protected PBMCs against DNA strand breaks were paprika, rosemary, ginger, heat-treated turmeric, sage, and cumin. Paprika also appeared to protect cells from normal apoptotic processes. Of the 3 cytokine mRNAs studied (TNF-α, IL-1α, and IL-6), TNF-α was the most sensitive responder to oxidized LDL-treated macrophages. Clove, ginger, rosemary, and turmeric were able to significantly reduce oxidized LDL-induced expression of TNF-α. Serum from those consuming ginger reduced all three inflammatory biomarkers. Ginger, rosemary, and turmeric showed protective capacity by both oxidative protection and inflammation measures. CONCLUSIONS: DNA strand breaks and inflammatory biomarkers are a good functional measure of a food's bioavailability. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3146 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Poppy seed foods and opiate drug testing--where are we today?
Seeds of the opium poppy plant are legally sold and widely consumed as food. Due to contamination during harvesting, the seeds can contain morphine and other opiate alkaloids. The objective of this study is to review the toxicology of poppy seed foods regarding influence on opiate drug tests. Computer-assisted literature review resulted in 95 identified references. Normal poppy seed consumption is generally regarded as safe. During food processing, the morphine content is considerably reduced (up to 90%). The possibility of false-positive opiate drug tests after poppy food ingestion exists. There are no unambiguous markers available to differentiate poppy food ingestion from heroin or pharmaceutical morphine use. This is also a problem in heroin-assisted maintenance programs. A basic requirement in such substitution programs is the patients' abstinence from any other drugs, including additional illicit heroin. Also a lack of forensic ingestion trials was detected that consider all factors influencing the morphine content in biologic matrices after consumption. Most studies did not control for the losses during food processing, so that the initial morphine dosage was overestimated. The large reduction of the morphine content during past years raises questions about the validity of the "poppy seed defence." However, a threshold of food use that would not lead to positive drug tests with certainty is currently unavailable. Research is needed to prove if the morphine contents in today's foods still pose the possibility of influencing drug tests. Future trials should consider processing-related morphine losses. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3145 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Morphine levels in urine subsequent to poppy seed consumption.
Urine morphine levels after the consumption of poppy seeds were measured in two separate trials. Maximum levels of approximately 18 micrograms/ml were found using RIA, EMIT-ST and GC methodologies. Positive immunoassay results were seen up to 60 h post-ingestion. Several different lots of seeds from various sources were assayed for morphine and found to range from 4-200 mg/kg. Differentiation of poppy seed eaters from opiate users was not possible via the identification of minor alkaloid constituents of poppy seeds. It is, however, possible to analyse opiate urines with respect to 6-O-acetylmorphine. Below the level of approximately 5 micrograms/ml total opiates, GC/MS is the method of choice for this analysis. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3383 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | The effects of physical activity on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: the evidence.
Evidence supports the beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) on cognitive performance and suggests that effects might be particularly large for children. However, limited research has explored PA as a means of managing behavioral symptoms and improving cognitive performance of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The etiology of ADHD and the putative mechanisms for the effects of PA on cognitive performance suggest that PA might be especially important for this population. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to review the literature regarding the potential of PA for ADHD symptom management, particularly in regard to behavioral and cognitive symptoms. METHODS: Literature was reviewed for published and unpublished research specifically examining the effects of PA on cognitive and/or behavioral symptoms of ADHD. Additionally, potential mechanisms were addressed. RESULTS: Albeit limited, current research generally supports the potential for acute and chronic PA to mitigate ADHD symptoms. CONCLUSION: Given the generally supportive extant literature and the challenges that face children with ADHD, future research exploring the potential of PA with this population is advocated. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3384 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Trends of outpatient prescription drug utilization in US children, 2002-2010.
OBJECTIVE: To describe trends in outpatient prescription drug utilization in US children and the changes in major areas of pediatric therapeutic use for the years 2002 through 2010. METHODS: Large prescription databases (the IMS Vector One: National and Total Patient Tracker) were used to examine national drug utilization patterns for the US pediatric population (ages 0-17 years) from 2002 through 2010. RESULTS: In 2010, a total of 263.6 million prescriptions were dispensed to the US pediatric population, 7% lower than in 2002, while prescriptions dispensed to the adult population increased 22% during the same time. Analysis of pediatric drug utilization trends for the top 12 therapeutic areas in 2010 compared with 2002 showed decreases in systemic antibiotics (-14%), allergies (-61%), pain (-14%), depression (-5%), and cough/cold without expectorant (-42%) prescriptions, whereas asthma (14%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (46%), and contraceptive (93%) prescriptions increased. In 2010, amoxicillin was the most frequently dispensed prescription in infants (aged 0-23 months) and children (aged 2-11 years). Methylphenidate was the top prescription dispensed to adolescents (aged 12-17 years). Off-label use was identified, particularly for lansoprazole; ~358,000 prescriptions were dispensed in 2010 for infants <1 year old. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the patterns of pediatric drug utilization were observed from 2002 to 2010. Changes include a decrease in antibiotic use and an increase in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication use during the examined time. This article provides an overview of pediatric outpatient drug utilization, which could set the stage for further in-depth analyses. |
nfcorpus-qrel-MED-3534 | Generate text that best answers this question: alternative medicine | Efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing the symptoms of muscle damage
Background Numerous antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory agents have been identified in tart cherries. Objective To test the efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing the symptoms of exercise induced muscle damage. Methods This was a randomised, placebo controlled, crossover design. Fourteen male college students drank 12 fl oz of a cherry juice blend or a placebo twice a day for eight consecutive days. A bout of eccentric elbow flexion contractions (2 × 20 maximum contractions) was performed on the fourth day of supplementation. Isometric elbow flexion strength, pain, muscle tenderness, and relaxed elbow angle were recorded before and for four days after the eccentric exercise. The protocol was repeated two weeks later with subjects who took the placebo initially, now taking the cherry juice (and vice versa). The opposite arm performed the eccentric exercise for the second bout to avoid the repeated bout protective effect. Results Strength loss and pain were significantly less in the cherry juice trial versus placebo (time by treatment: strength p<0.0001, pain p = 0.017). Relaxed elbow angle (time by treatment p = 0.85) and muscle tenderness (time by treatment p = 0.81) were not different between trials. Conclusions These data show efficacy for this cherry juice in decreasing some of the symptoms of exercise induced muscle damage. Most notably, strength loss averaged over the four days after eccentric exercise was 22% with the placebo but only 4% with the cherry juice. |
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