Effect of Fed State on Self-selected Intensity and Affective Responses to Exercise Following Public Health Recommendations

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(2): 602-613, 2019. Nutritional status has numerous effects on exercise metabolism and psychological responses. The effect of fed state on changes in affective valence; however, are unknown. Thus, the present study examined how fed state influenced self-selected exercise intensity, affective responses during exercise, and exercise enjoyment when exercise was completed following physical activity guidelines for public health. In a repeated-measures crossover design, 25 recreationally active men and women (age and BMI = 22.0 ± 2.0 yr and 24.3 ± 3.3 kg/m2) performed a single 30 min session of treadmill exercise at a Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) equal to 13 on the Borg 6-20 scale following an overnight fast (FAST) or 30 minutes after a small meal (FED). Affective valence was recorded every 3 minutes during exercise. Heart rate and gas exchange data were measured continuously using a metabolic cart, blood glucose and blood lactate concentration were measured pre/post-exercise, and enjoyment was measured 15 minutes post-exercise. There was no effect of condition on affective valence, enjoyment, or self-selected intensity (all p\u3e0.05). However, pre-exercise blood glucose was higher in FED pre-exercise, but higher post-exercise in FAST (p\u3c0.05). Blood lactate concentration was also higher in FAST (p\u3c0.05). Our results reveal minimal effects of a small, high-carbohydrate pre-exercise meal on in-task and post-task affective responses, exercise enjoyment, and self-selected intensity. These data suggest that an overnight fast does not alter affective valence or reduce enjoyment of continuous exercise

Local Sensing of Absolute Refractive Index During Protein-Binding using Microlasers with Spectral Encoding

Multiplexed, specific, and sensitive detection of antigens is critical for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of disease and the informed development of personalized treatment plans. Here, it is shown that polymer microsphere lasers can be used as photonic sensors to monitor and quantify direct surface binding of biomolecules via changes in the refractive index. The unique spectral signature of each individual laser can be used to find their size and effective refractive index which adds a new encoding dimension when compared to conventional fluorescent beads. Antibody-functionalized microlasers selectively detect protein binding, as demonstrated for Immunoglobulin G and C-reactive protein, and have the ability to resolve different stages of the multilayer surface modification. Moreover, by continuously monitoring single lasers, the possibility of real-time monitoring of binding dynamics between antigens in solution phase and the immobilized antibodies is demonstrated. For multiplexed detection, the microlasers are employed in a flow cytometer configuration, with fast spectral detection and identification of microlasers with and without antigen binding. It is envisioned that by combining microlasers with well-established surface modification chemistries and flow geometries, the multiplexing ability of microbead immunoassays can be strongly increased while also opening avenues for single-cell profiling within heterogeneous cell populations

Toxic Diatom Aldehydes Affect Defence Gene Networks in Sea Urchins.

Marine organisms possess a series of cellular strategies to counteract the negative effects of toxic compounds, including the massive reorganization of gene expression networks. Here we report the modulated dose-dependent response of activated genes by diatom polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. PUAs are secondary metabolites deriving from the oxidation of fatty acids, inducing deleterious effects on the reproduction and development of planktonic and benthic organisms that feed on these unicellular algae and with anti-cancer activity. Our previous results showed that PUAs target several genes, implicated in different functional processes in this sea urchin. Using interactomic Ingenuity Pathway Analysis we now show that the genes targeted by PUAs are correlated with four HUB genes, NF-κB, p53, δ-2-catenin and HIF1A, which have not been previously reported for P. lividus. We propose a working model describing hypothetical pathways potentially involved in toxic aldehyde stress response in sea urchins. This represents the first report on gene networks affected by PUAs, opening new perspectives in understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying the response of benthic organisms to diatom exposure

NASA GMAO S2S Prediction System Hindcast and Near-Real Time Operations Strategy

In this presentation we present an overview of the GMAO Sub-Seasonal and Seasonal Prediction System with a focus on the computing time and resources and actual time it takes to complete a full set of hindcasts. The goal is to come up with some solutions to allow us to run more ensemble members for the next version of the system which will be higher resolution and take many more resources

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century