15 research outputs found
Elevated circulating MMP-9 is linked to increased COPD exacerbation risk in SPIROMICS and COPDGene
BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP-9) is associated with inflammation and lung remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesized that elevated circulating MMP-9 represents a potentially novel biomarker that identifies a subset of individuals with COPD with an inflammatory phenotype who are at increased risk for acute exacerbation (AECOPD). METHODS: We analyzed Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) and Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) cohorts for which baseline and prospective data were available. Elevated MMP-9 was defined based on >95th percentile plasma values from control (non-COPD) sample in SPIROMICS. COPD subjects were classified as having elevated or nonelevated MMP-9. Logistic, Poisson, and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to identify associations with prospective AECOPD in both cohorts. RESULTS: Elevated MMP-9 was present in 95/1,053 (9%) of SPIROMICS and 41/140 (29%) of COPDGene participants with COPD. COPD subjects with elevated MMP-9 had a 13%-16% increased absolute risk for AECOPD and a higher median (interquartile range; IQR) annual AECOPD rate (0.33 [0-0.74] versus 0 [0-0.80] events/year and 0.9 [0.5-2] versus 0.5 [0-1.4] events/year for SPIROMICS and COPDGene, respectively). In adjusted models within each cohort, elevated MMP-9 was associated with increased odds (odds ratio [OR], 1.71; 95%CI, 1.00-2.90; and OR, 3.03; 95%CI, 1.02-9.01), frequency (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.45; 95%CI, 1.23-1.7; and IRR, 1.24; 95%CI, 1.03-1.49), and shorter time-to-first AECOPD (21.7 versus 31.7 months and 14 versus 21 months) in SPIROMICS and COPDGene, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated MMP-9 was independently associated with AECOPD risk in 2 well-characterized COPD cohorts. These findings provide evidence for MMP-9 as a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target in COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01969344 (SPIROMICS) and NCT00608764 (COPDGene). FUNDING: This work was funded by K08 HL123940 to JMW; R01HL124233 to PJC; Merit Review I01 CX000911 to JLC; R01 (R01HL102371, R01HL126596) and VA Merit (I01BX001756) to AG. SPIROMICS (Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes in COPD Study) is funded by contracts from the NHLBI (HHSN268200900013C, HHSN268200900014C,HHSN268200900015C HHSN268200900016C, HHSN268200900017C, HHSN268200900018C, HHSN268200900019C, and HHSN268200900020C) and a grant from the NIH/NHLBI (U01 HL137880), and supplemented by contributions made through the Foundation for the NIH and the COPD Foundation from AstraZeneca/MedImmune; Bayer; Bellerophon Therapeutics; Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Chiesi Farmaceutici; Forest Research Institute Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline; Grifols Therapeutics Inc.; Ikaria Inc.; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Nycomed GmbH; ProterixBio; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Sanofi; Sunovion; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company; and Theravance Biopharma and Mylan. COPDGene is funded by the NHLBI (R01 HL089897 and R01 HL089856) and by the COPD Foundation through contributions made to an Industry Advisory Board composed of AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Pfizer, Siemens, and Sunovion
TRY plant trait database â enhanced coverage and open access
Plant traitsâthe morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plantsâdetermine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of traitâbased plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traitsâalmost complete coverage for âplant growth formâ. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and traitâenvironmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives
ULTRA-RAPID CHILLING: CHILLING RATE EFFECTS ON THE APPEARANCE OF LAMB CARCASSES AND TENDERNESS OF LAMB CHOPS
CaracterĂsticas bioquĂmicas da carne de bubalinos MediterrĂąneo terminados em confinamento e abatidos em diferentes pesos Biochemicals meat traits from Mediterranean buffaloes finished in feedlot and slaughtered at different weights
Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar as caracterĂsticas bioquĂmicas da carne de bubalinos MediterrĂąneo terminados em confinamento e abatidos em diferentes pesos. Foram utilizados 28 bubalinos MediterrĂąneo jovens, com idade de 9 meses, e peso vivo mĂ©dio inicial de 240kg. Os animais foram alimentados com ração total Ă vontade em regime de confinamento atĂ© atingirem pesos de abate de 450, 480, 510 e 540kg de peso vivo (tratamentos). Os valores de pH e temperatura dos mĂșsculos Longissimus dorsi e BĂceps femoris foram coletados a intervalos de duas horas durante 24 horas apĂłs o abate. Determinou-se a cor da carne pelos mĂ©todos subjetivo e objetivo. NĂŁo houve efeito de interação entre tratamento e tempo de coleta. NĂŁo houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos em relação ao pH e Ă temperatura nos dois mĂșsculos estudados (Longissimus dorsi e BĂceps femoris) durante o processo de resfriamento das carcaças. Os valores mĂ©dios de pH inicial e pH final dos mĂșsculos Longissimus dorsi e BĂceps femoris foram de 6,6 e 5,4; e de 6,3 e 5,5, respectivamente. Os valores mĂ©dios de temperatura inicial e final dos mĂșsculos Longissimus dorsi e BĂceps femoris foram 39,7°C e 4,1°C; 40,4°C e 7,0°C, respectivamente. Quanto Ă cor da carne, pelo mĂ©todo subjetivo, nĂŁo houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos estudados, obtendo-se a mĂ©dia geral de 3,41 pontos. Em relação Ă cor da carne pelo mĂ©todo objetivo, nĂŁo houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos estudados. Os valores mĂ©dios encontrados foram : L*= 35,16; a*=12,43 e b*=5,29. A carne bubalina, apesar de se apresentar mais escura que a carne bovina, nĂŁo traz prejuĂzos quanto ao aspecto visual para o consumidor.<br>This work was aimed at evaluating the biochemical meat traits from Mediterranean buffaloes finished in feelot and slaughtered at different weights. Twenty eight Mediterranean young buffaloes, averaging 240kg initial live weight and nine months of age, were used. The animals were full fed with total mixed ration in feedlot until reaching slaughter weights of 450, 480, 510 and 540kg live weight (treatments). The pH values and temperature of the Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris muscles were collected at 2 hours intervals during 24 hours after the slaughter. Meat color was determined through the subjective and objective methods. No interaction effect was observed between treatment and time of ph and temperature collection. No treatment effects was observed in relation to the pH and temperature in the two studied muscles (Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris) during the cooling carcass process. The average values of initial pH and ultimatel pH of Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris muscles were 6.6 and 5.4; 6.3 and 5.5, respectively. The average values of initial and ultimate temperature of Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris muscles, were 39.7°C and 4.1°C; 40.4°C and 7.0°C, respectively. Meat color by the subjective method, did not differ among treatments studied, with general average of 3.41 points. Meat color obtained by the objective method, did not differ among the treatments studied, with average values: L * = 35.16; a*=12.43 and b*=5.29. In spite of presenting darker than bovine meat, buffalo meat doesn't bring damages as for the visual aspect for the consumer
Caracterização das fibras musculares do mĂșsculo Semitendinosus de bezerros mestiços Angus-Nelore recebendo somatotropina bovina recombinante (rbST) atĂ© a desmama Characterization of Semitendinosus muscle fibers in pre-weaning Angus-Nellore crossbred calves receiving recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST)
Objetivando-se estudar o efeito da somatotropina bovina recombinante (rbST) sobre a freqĂŒĂȘncia de distribuição e o diĂąmetro das fibras musculares do mĂșsculo Semitendinosus, 36 bezerros mestiços ÂœAngus-Nelore, com idade inicial de 63 ± 17 dias e pesando 76,8 ± 14,7 kg, criados em pastagem de Brachiaria decumbens e suplementados em creep feeding, foram submetidos a dois tratamentos atĂ© a desmama (217 dias): 18 bezerros receberam 1,4 mg/kg de rbST (BoostinÂź) a cada 14 dias e 18 receberam solução salina (controle). As amostras de mĂșsculo foram coletadas aos 117 (biĂłpsia) e aos 217 dias de idade, quando foram abatidos cinco animais por tratamento. Os animais suplementados apresentaram maior diĂąmetro para as fibras do tipo glicolĂtica de contração rĂĄpida (FG) aos 117 dias e tendĂȘncia de aumento aos 217 dias e nĂŁo diferiram em relação ao grupo controle quanto ao diĂąmetro das fibras oxidativas-glicolĂticas de contração rĂĄpida (FOG) e oxidativas de contração lenta (SO) e Ă frequĂȘncia de FG, FOG e SO aos 117 e 217 dias de idade. Independentemente da aplicação de rbST, houve significativo aumento do diĂąmetro das fibras SO e FOG, tendĂȘncia de aumento de diĂąmetro das fibras FG, maior frequĂȘncia de SO e redução da frequĂȘncia de FG entre 117 e 217 dias de idade. A utilização de somatotropina exĂłgena possibilitou maior hipertrofia das fibras musculares brancas de contração rĂĄpida em bezerros suplementados em creep feeding durante a fase de cria, sem interferir na frequĂȘncia de distribuição dos tipos de fibras no mĂșsculo Semitendinosus.<br>The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of the recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on the percentage distribution and diameter of semitendinosus muscle fibers. Thirty-six Âœ Angus-Nellore crossbred bull calves, 63 ± 17 days old and weighting 76.8 ± 14.7 kg, raised in Brachiaria decumbens pastures and creep fed, were assigned to one of two treatments until weaning (217 days): eighteen calves received 1.4 mg/kg of rbST (BoostinÂź) every 14 days and eighteen control calves received saline solution. Muscle samples were taken at 117 trough biopsy and at 217 days old when five animals from each treatment were slaughtered. The rbST-treated calves had greater fast-twich-glycolytic (FG) fiber diameter than control ones at 117 days and tended to have great diameter at 217 days. No differences in fast-twich- glycolytic-oxidative (FOG) and slow-twich-oxidative (SO) diameter and FG, FOG and SO percentage distribution were observed at 117 and 217 days. Despite the rbST treatment, there was a significant enlarge in SO and FOG fibers diameter, a tendency for increase in FG fibers diameter, an increase in SO and reduction in FG percentage distribution from 117 to 217 days. The somatotropin administration caused a greater hypertrophy of the white fast twitch muscle fibers in creep fed bull calves, but did not affect the percentage distribution of semitendinosus muscle fibers
Pulmonary emphysema subtypes defined by unsupervised machine learning on CT scans
Background: Treatment and preventative advances for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been slow due, in part, to limited subphenotypes. We tested if unsupervised machine learning on CT images would discover CT emphysema subtypes with distinct characteristics, prognoses and genetic associations.
Methods: New CT emphysema subtypes were identified by unsupervised machine learning on only the texture and location of emphysematous regions on CT scans from 2853 participants in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS), a COPD caseâcontrol study, followed by data reduction. Subtypes were compared with symptoms and physiology among 2949 participants in the population-based Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Lung Study and with prognosis among 6658 MESA participants. Associations with genome-wide single-nucleotide-polymorphisms were examined.
Results: The algorithm discovered six reproducible (interlearner intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.91â1.00) CT emphysema subtypes. The most common subtype in SPIROMICS, the combined bronchitis-apical subtype, was associated with chronic bronchitis, accelerated lung function decline, hospitalisations, deaths, incident airflow limitation and a gene variant near DRD1, which is implicated in mucin hypersecretion (p=1.1 Ă10â8). The second, the diffuse subtype was associated with lower weight, respiratory hospitalisations and deaths, and incident airflow limitation. The third was associated with age only. The fourth and fifth visually resembled combined pulmonary fibrosis emphysema and had distinct symptoms, physiology, prognosis and genetic associations. The sixth visually resembled vanishing lung syndrome.
Conclusion: Large-scale unsupervised machine learning on CT scans defined six reproducible, familiar CT emphysema subtypes that suggest paths to specific diagnosis and personalised therapies in COPD and pre-COPD