Adherence to diabetes risk reduction diet and the risk of head and neck cancer: a prospective study of 101,755 American adults

BackgroundAdherence to the diabetes risk reduction diet (DRRD) may potentially reduce the risk of developing head and neck cancer (HNC) as the diet includes fruits and limits red and processed meats, known risk factors for HNC. However, there is currently no epidemiological research to investigate this potential association.MethodsThe present study utilized data on demographics, lifestyles, medications, and diets of participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial to explore the potential association between adherence to DRRD and the risk of HNC. We used a DRRD score to evaluate adherence to the dietary pattern and employed Cox regression analysis to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for HNC risk. Several subgroup analyses were carried out to identify potential effect modifiers, and multiple sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the stability of the correlation. The nine components of the DRRD was assessed separately for its association with the risk of HNC.ResultsDuring a mean follow up of 8.84 years, 279 cases of HNC were observed. DDRD score was found to be inversely associated with the risk of HNC (HR Q4 vs. Q1: 0.582; 95% CI: 0.396, 0.856; p = 0.005 for trend) in a linear dose–response manner (p = 0.211 for non-linearity). Subgroup analysis indicated this inverse correlation was more pronounced among participants who had never smoked (HRQ4 vs. Q1: 0.193; 95% CI: 0.073, 0.511; p < 0.001 for trend) compared to current or former smokers (p = 0.044 for interaction). The primary association of DDRD and HNC risk remained robust after several sensitivity analyses. Regarding the individual components of DRRD, an inverse association was also observed between the risk of HNC and increased intake of cereal fiber and whole fruit (all p < 0.05 for trend).ConclusionOur findings provide evidence that following the DRRD pattern may reduce the risk of NHC, especially for non-smokers

Non-invasive evaluation of ventricular refractoriness and its dispersion during ventricular fibrillation in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator

BACKGROUND: Local ventricular refractoriness and its dispersion during ventricular fibrillation (VF) have not been well evaluated, due to methodological difficulties. METHODS: In this study, a non-invasive method was used in evaluation of local ventricular refractoriness and its dispersion during induced VF in 11 patients with VF and/or polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) who have implanted an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Bipolar electrograms were simultaneously recorded from the lower oesophagus behind the posterior left ventricle (LV) via an oesophageal electrode and from the right ventricular (RV) apex via telemetry from the implanted ICD. VF intervals were used as an estimate of the ventricular effective refractory period (VERP). In 6 patients, VERP was also measured during sinus rhythm at the RV apex and outflow tract (RVOT) using conventional extra stimulus technique. RESULTS: Electrograms recorded from the RV apex and the lower esophagus behind the posterior LV manifested distinct differences of the local ventricular activities. The estimated VERPs during induced VF in the RV apex were significantly shorter than that measured during sinus rhythm using extra stimulus technique. The maximal dispersion of the estimated VERPs during induced VF between the RV apex and posterior LV was that of 10 percentile VF interval (40 ± 27 ms), that is markedly greater than the previously reported dispersion of ventricular repolarization without malignant ventricular arrhythmias (30–36 ms). CONCLUSIONS: This study verified the feasibility of recording local ventricular activities via oesophageal electrode and via telemetry from an implanted ICD and the usefulness of VF intervals obtained using this non-invasive technique in evaluation of the dispersion of refractoriness in patients with ICD implantation

Electroanatomic mapping of transseptal conduction during coronary sinus pacing in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Objective - To delineate the electrophysiological properties of transseptal conduction from the left to the right atrium in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ( AF). Design and results - Right atrial mapping using the electroanatomic mapping technique was performed at 111 +/- 16 sites in 16 patients with paroxysmal AF during pacing from distal coronary sinus ( CS). A single transseptal breakthrough near the CS ostium was observed in all patients. The activation time from the pacing site to the earliest septal activation site was 47 +/- 13 ms. The total septal activation time ( 68 +/- 16 ms) was markedly longer but the total right atrial activation time ( 118 +/- 17 ms) was similar to that in patients without AF in a previous observation. Conclusion - During distal CS pacing, a preferential site of transseptal conduction near the CS ostium was demonstrated in patients with paroxysmal AF. This has clinical implications when surgical dissection or catheter ablation is considered to eliminate interatrial connection in patients with AF

Activation of NF-κB in basolateral amygdala is required for memory reconsolidation in auditory fear conditioning.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by acute and chronic changes in the stress response, manifested as conditioned fear memory. Previously formed memories that are susceptible to disruption immediately after retrieval undergo a protein synthesis-dependent process to become persistent, termed reconsolidation, a process that is regulated by many distinct molecular mechanisms that control gene expression. Increasing evidence supports the participation of the transcription factor NF-κB in the different phases of memory. Here, we demonstrate that inhibition of NF-κB in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), but not central nucleus of the amygdala, after memory reactivation impairs the retention of amygdala-dependent auditory fear conditioning (AFC). We used two independent pharmacological strategies to disrupt the reconsolidation of AFC. Bilateral intra-BLA infusion of sulfasalazine, an inhibitor of IκB kinase that activates NF-κB, and bilateral intra-BLA infusion of SN50, a direct inhibitor of the NF-κB DNA-binding complex, immediately after retrieval disrupted the reconsolidation of AFC. We also found that systemic pretreatment with sodium butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor that enhances histone acetylation, in the amygdala rescued the disruption of reconsolidation induced by NF-κB inhibition in the BLA. These findings indicate that NF-κB activity in the BLA is required for memory reconsolidation in AFC, suggesting that NF-κB might be a potential pharmacotherapy target for posttraumatic stress disorder

QT dispersion failed to estimate the global dispersion of ventricular repolarization measured using monophasic action potential mapping technique in swine and patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the QT dispersion measured from 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) can estimate the global dispersion of ventricular repolarization (DVR) measured using a monophasic action potential (MAP) mapping technique. Monophasic action potentials were recorded from 75 +/- 12 left ventricular sites in 10 pigs and from 48 +/- 16 left or right ventricular sites in 15 patients using the CARTO mapping system. The maximum DVRs in both end-of-repolarization and MAP duration among all the mapped sites were calculated and termed as global DVR for each measurement. QT intervals, QT(peak) and QT(end), were measured from the 12-lead ECG, and QT dispersions; namely the differences between the maximum and the minimum of the QTpeak and QT(end) were calculated. We found that QT dispersions were significantly smaller than (P < .05) and poorly correlated with the global DVRs both in pigs and patients. Bland-Altman agreement analysis demonstrated a marked variation of the differences and an obvious lack of agreement between the results obtained using the ECG and the MAP methods. In our patients, the global DVR increased markedly during ventricular tachycardia as compared with that during sinus rhythm (P < .05), whereas there was no significant difference in QT dispersion between these 2 subgroups. In conclusion, QT dispersion on the surface ECG could not estimate the global DVR measured using the MAP mapping technique. These findings are not consistent with some previously reported observations, suggesting the need for reappraisal of the electrophysiological implications of QT dispersion

Electroanatomic mapping of right atrial activation in patients with and without paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Inter-atrial conduction delay in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has been reported. However, the area of this conduction delay has not been well identified. The activation time and conduction velocity over the right atrial endocardium were evaluated during sinus rhythm using the CARTO mapping technique in 6 patients with paroxysmal AF (AF group) and 11 patients without history of AF (control group). No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in the mean activation times and conduction velocities from the earliest activation site to the superior septum. His bundle area and coronary sinus ostium, or in the total activation times of the right atrium. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the local conduction velocity between 2 adjacent sites in the free wall, septum and bottom of the right atrium. This study suggests the previously reported conduction delay in the posteroseptal region in patients with paroxysmal AF might locate within the posterior inter-atrial septum

The effect of SSZ is specific to reexposure to auditory conditioning.

<p>(A) Outline of the experimental procedure. (B) Freezing time in response to the CS after training was comparable across groups that received bilateral intra-BLA infusion of SSZ or vehicle (vehicle, <i>n</i> = 10; SSZ, <i>n</i> = 9). (C) No significant difference in freezing time was observed after bilateral intra-BLA infusion of SSZ or vehicle in the 4 h and 24 h tests between groups (<i>p</i>>0.05). The data are expressed as mean ± SEM. *<i>p</i><0.01, compared with pre-CS.</p

Sodium butyrate (NaB) could rescue memory reconsolidation in the presence of IKK inhibition with SSZ.

<p>(A) Outline of the experimental procedure. (B) Freezing time in response to the CS after training was comparable across groups and was specific to the CS (vehicle + vehicle, <i>n</i> = 10; vehicle + SSZ, <i>n</i> = 9; NaB + vehicle, <i>n</i> = 9; NaB + SSZ, <i>n</i> = 10). *<i>p</i><0.01, compared with pre-CS. (C) No significant difference in freezing behavior was observed between groups in the 4 h test. Freezing behavior in rats that received the NaB + SSZ treatment in the 24 h test was significantly lower compared with rats that received the vehicle + SSZ treatment (<i>F</i> = 4.702, <i>p</i><0.05). The data are expressed as mean ± SEM. ^#<i>p</i><0.01, compared with the group that received the vehicle + SSZ treatment (two-way ANOVA followed by <i>post hoc</i> test).</p

The effect of SN50 is specific to reexposure to auditory conditioning.

<p>(A) Outline of the experimental procedure. (B) Freezing time in response to the CS after training was comparable across groups that received bilateral intra-BLA infusion of SN50 or vehicle (vehicle, <i>n</i> = 9; SN50, <i>n</i> = 9). (C) No significant difference in freezing time was observed after bilateral intra-BLA infusion of SN50 or vehicle in the 4 h and 24 h tests between groups (<i>p</i>>0.05). The data are expressed as mean ± SEM. *<i>p</i><0.01, compared with pre-CS (two-way ANOVA followed by <i>post hoc</i> test).</p