The space science data service: A study of its efficiencies and costs

Factors affecting the overall advantages and disadvantages of a centralized facility for both the data base and processing capability for NASA's Office of Space Science programs are examined in an effort to determine the best approach to data management in the light of the increasing number of data bits collected annually. Selected issues considered relate to software and storage savings, security precautions, and the phase-in plan. Information on the current mode of processing and on the potential impact of changes resulting from a conversion to a space science data base service was obtained from five user groups and is presented as an aid in determining the dollar benefits and advantages of a centralized system

Enabling precision medicine in neonatology, an integrated repository for preterm birth research.

Preterm birth, or the delivery of an infant prior to 37 weeks of gestation, is a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. In the last decade, the advent and continued development of molecular profiling technologies has enabled researchers to generate vast amount of 'omics' data, which together with integrative computational approaches, can help refine the current knowledge about disease mechanisms, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Here we describe the March of Dimes' Database for Preterm Birth Research (http://www.immport.org/resources/mod), a unique resource that contains a variety of 'omics' datasets related to preterm birth. The database is open publicly, and as of January 2018, links 13 molecular studies with data across tens of thousands of patients from 6 measurement modalities. The data in the repository are highly diverse and include genomic, transcriptomic, immunological, and microbiome data. Relevant datasets are augmented with additional molecular characterizations of almost 25,000 biological samples from public databases. We believe our data-sharing efforts will lead to enhanced research collaborations and coordination accelerating the overall pace of discovery in preterm birth research

The effect of oral glutamine supplementation on gut permeability and heat shock protein regulation in runners with a history of gastrointestinal distress

Gastrointestinal (GI) permeability increases during high intensity exercise leading to endotoxin leakage, and a pro-inflammatory immune response. The purpose of this study are to assess whether oral glutamine supplementation (1) reduces exercise induced permeability through up-regulation of the heat shock response resulting in occludin stabilization, and (2) depresses the exercise induced inflammatory response. Methods. Eight human subjects (n=8) participated in baseline (PRE) testing, a glutamine (GLN), and placebo (PLA) supplementation trial in a double blind design. After PRE measurements, subjects ingested .9g/kg fat free mass of glutamine per day or a sugar free lemon placebo drink for seven days with a one-month washout period between trials. A 60-min treadmill run at 70% of maximal oxygen consumption was performed at 30°C in an environmental chamber at the end of each supplementation period. Intestinal permeability was assessed at rest and during each trial through urine concentrations of lactulose and rhamnose. Plasma glutamine, plasma endotoxin, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell levels of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (IκB-α) were measured pre-exercise, post-exercise, 2hr post-exercise, and 4hr post-exercise. Cultured caco-2 human intestinal epithelial cells supplemented with three concentrations of GLN (0, 4, and 6mmol/L) were exposed to heat stress (41\xbaC) to simulate exercise and control (37\xbaC) conditions. HSP70, heat shock factor 1 (HSF-1), and occludin were measured from each culture. Results: Core temperature was not different between exercise trials (39.40 ± .39 vs. 39.54 ± .22 for PLA vs. GLN, respectively, p\u3e0.05). Resting plasma glutamine levels were significantly higher in the GLN trial versus PLA (1.893 ± 0.245mmol.L vs. 0.8285 ± 0.078 mmol.L, p\u3c0.05). Permeability as the ratio of lactulose to rhamnose was significantly higher in the PLA trial when compared to PRE (.0604 ± .0470 vs. .0218 ±.0084, respectively, p\u3c0.05). Permeability was not statistically different between GLN trial and PRE (.0272 ± .0074 vs. .0218 ± .0084, respectively, p\u3e0.05). PBMC expression of IκB-α and HSP70 were higher at the 4hr post-exercise time point in the GLN trial when compared to the 4hr mark in the PLA (.9839 ± .1587 vs. 1.520 ±.2294 and 2.083 ± .6712 vs. 2.895 ± .8444, p\u3c0.05 for IKB-α and HSP70, respectively). Plasma endotoxin was higher compared to pre-exercise at the 2hr post-exercise in the PLA trial (2.883 ± 0.4310 pg.ml vs. 4.550 ± 0.3350 pg.ml, p\u3c0.05 respectively) and significantly higher when compared to the 2hr post-exercise mark in GLN trial (4.550 ± 0.3350 pg/ml vs. 2.883 ± .4314 pg/ml, p\u3c0.05). Results of cell culture: HSP70 expression in Caco-2 cells was higher in the 6mmol 41\xbaC trial when compared to the 0mmol 41\xbaC trial (1.973 ± 0.163 vs. 1.133 ± 0.064, p\u3c0.05, respectively). HSF-1 was higher in the 4mmol 41 \xbaC and the 6mmol 41\xbaC trials when compared to the 0mmol 41\xbaC (1.649 ± 0.185, 1.785 ± 0.185 vs. 0.6681 ± 0.145, p\u3c0.05). Occludin levels were statistically lower in the 0mmol 41\xbaC when compared to 0mmol 37\xbaC representing de-stabilization of the TJ protein in response to heat stress (0.7434 ± 0.015 ± 1.0000 ± 0.000, p\u3c0.05, respectively). Occludin levels during both 4mmol 41\xbaC and 6mmol 41\xbaC trials were statistically higher when compared to 0mmol 41\xbaC (1.236 ± 0.143 and 1.849 ± 0.143 vs. 0.7434 ± 0.015, p=0.032, p\u3c0.001, respectively) Conclusion: Seven days of oral glutamine supplementation prevents exercise induced intestinal permeability and endotoxin leakage possibly through HSF-1 and HSP70 activation leading to occludin stabilization at the tight junction. In addition, glutamine suppressed the inflammatory response to high intensity exercise through activation of HSP70, reduced IKB-α degradation and possible NFκ-B inhibition

AUTOMATED KEYWORD EXTRACTION FROM BIO-MEDICAL LITERATURE WITH CONCENTRATION ON ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

The explosive growth of bio-medical literature makes it increasingly difficult and time consuming to keep up with newly discovered and published information. The extraction of knowledge from papers is critical in enabling computational analysis of biological data. In the last decade, tremendous effort has been put into development of automated and semi-automated tools for knowledge discovery and extraction from text, as an alternative to monotonous and time-consuming manual processing. This thesis research was focused on determining whether minor human supervision can improve the process of automated bio-medical text annotation. One of the main outcomes of this study is a tool that requires minimal effort and time from scientists to reach high precision in semi-automated annotation. The task we targeted is the extraction of keywords related to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The tool is based on a machine learning algorithm that is retrained several times to achieve the best accuracy

Heat and Hypoxic Acclimation Increase Monocyte Heat Shock Protein 72 but Do Not Attenuate Inflammation following Hypoxic Exercise

Acclimation to heat or hypoxic stress activates the heat shock response and accumulation of cytoprotective heat shock proteins (HSPs). By inhibiting the NF-κB pathway HSP72 can preserve epithelial function and reduce systemic inflammation. The aim of this study was to determine the time course of mHSP72 accumulation during acclimation, and to assess intestinal barrier damage and systemic inflammation following hypoxic exercise. Three groups completed 10 × 60-min acclimation sessions (50% normoxic VO2peak) in control (n = 7; 18°C, 35% RH), hypoxic (n = 7; FiO2 = 0.14, 18°C, 35% RH), or hot (n = 7; 40°C, 25% RH) conditions. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) were determined at rest and following a cycling normoxic stress test (NST; ~2 weeks before acclimation), pre-acclimation hypoxic stress test (HST1; FiO2 = 0.14, both at 50% normoxic VO2peak; ~1 week before acclimation) and post-acclimation HST (48 h; HST2). Monocyte HSP72 (mHSP72) was determined before and after exercise on day 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10 of acclimation. Accumulation of basal mHSP72 was evident from day 5 (p < 0.05) of heat acclimation and increased further on day 6 (p < 0.01), and day 10 (p < 0.01). In contrast, basal mHSP72 was elevated on the final day of hypoxic acclimation (p < 0.05). Following the NST, plasma TNF-α (–0.11 ± 0.27 ng.mL−1), IL-6 (+0.62 ± 0.67 ng.mL−1) IL-10 (+1.09 ± 9.06 ng.mL−1) and I-FABP (+37.6 ± 112.8 pg.mL−1) exhibited minimal change. After HST1, IL-6 (+3.87 ± 2.56 ng.mL−1), IL-10 (+26.15 ± 26.06 ng.mL−1) and I-FABP (+183.7 ± 182.1 pg.mL−1) were elevated (p < 0.01), whereas TNF-α was unaltered (+0.08 ± 1.27; p > 0.05). A similar trend was observed after HST2, with IL-6 (+3.09 ± 1.30 ng.mL−1), IL-10 (+23.22 ± 21.67 ng.mL−1) and I-FABP (+145.9 ±123.2 pg.mL−1) increased from rest. Heat acclimation induces mHSP72 accumulation earlier and at a greater magnitude compared to matched work hypoxic acclimation, however neither acclimation regime attenuated the systemic cytokine response or intestinal damage following acute exercise in hypoxia

Targeted exercise therapy to enhance neural activation

Various types of exercise therapies, have been implemented into treatment for those suffering from psychological disorders and traumatic brain injury. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), which houses key cognitive constructs is responsive to exercise, and is commonly measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Evidence suggests that exercise mediates neural adaptation through increased blood flow and neurogenesis, which enhances neural activation leading to improved cognitive performance. However, the intensity of exercise that has the most robust impact on brain blood flow is currently unknown. Purpose. Therefore, the primary aim of the study is to compare PFC activation during cognitive tasks performed after low-intensity, high intensity, and yoga exercises. Methods. Eight subjects (4=M, 4=F), aged 35±5 years completed a control, high intensity, low intensity, and yoga exercise trial followed by administration of a cognitive task (NIH Toolbox Fluid Cognition). Left and right PFC oxygenation were measured during the post-exercise cognitive assessment using fNIRS technology. Results. Oxygenation during the cognitive task was higher in the left PFC region after low intensity exercise compared to all other trials (control, high intensity, yoga). Regression model analysis showed that a 10% increase in %HRmax up to 70% intensity predicts an increase in left PFC oxygenation by 2.11 umol. Conclusion. Acute exercise below 70% aerobic intensity increased brain blood flow during a post-exercise cognitive task. Therefore, it may be beneficial for those who engage in any cognitive related activity to perform a brief bout of low-intensity exercise prior to the task (e.g. academic-based testing or motor training)

Oral Glutamine Supplement Reduces Subjective Fatigue Ratings during Repeated Bouts of Firefighting Simulations

Wildland firefighting requires repetitive (e.g., consecutive work shifts) physical work in dangerous conditions (e.g., heat and pollution). Workers commonly enter these environments in a nonacclimated state, leading to fatigue and heightened injury risk. Strategies to improve tolerance to these stressors are lacking. Purpose: To determine if glutamine ingestion prior to and after consecutive days of firefighting simulations in the heat attenuates subjective ratings of fatigue, and evaluate if results were supported by glutamine-induced upregulation of biological stress responses. Methods: Participants (5 male, 3 female) ingested glutamine (0.15 g/kg/day) or a placebo before and after two consecutive days (separated by 24 h) of firefighter simulations in a heated chamber (35 degrees C, 35% humidity). Perceived fatigue and biological stress were measured pre-, post-, and 4 h postexercise in each trial. Results: Subjective fatigue was reduced pre-exercise on Day 2 in the glutamine group (p \u3c 0.05). Peripheral mononuclear cell expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and serum antioxidants were elevated at 4 h postexercise on Day 1 in the glutamine trial (p \u3c 0.05). Conclusions: Ingestion of glutamine before and after repeated firefighter simulations in the heat resulted in reduced subjective fatigue on Day 2, which may be a result of the upregulation of biological stress systems (antioxidants, HSPs). This response may support recovery and improve work performance

The Combined Effect of Exercise and Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Anxiety: Systematic Review and Meta−Analysis

Behavioral therapy (BT) and exercise are efficacious treatments for depression and anxiety when employed separately. The combination of BT and exercise (BT+Ex) may augment improvements but the combined effect of these therapies is not fully elucidated. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine if BT+Ex yielded a significant reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms compared to BT alone (BT). Randomized controlled studies published prior to September 2019 were searched among several databases (PUBMED, MEDLINE, PsychArticle, and Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials). Studies that measured depression and anxiety symptoms following BT+Ex vs. BT were extracted and analyzed. The effect of these therapies on depression and anxiety were analyzed. Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of exercise intensity (moderate and high), exercise type (aerobic and combined exercise), and baseline levels of depression. The moderating effects of gender, age, and treatment duration were performed. Data were extracted from 18 studies (1686 participants, mean age = 47 years, 65% female). There was a significant effect of BT+Ex on symptoms of depression. The effect of BT+Ex was significant for moderate intensity exercise and elevated baseline levels of depression. Age moderated the effect for depression. There was a significant effect of BT+Ex on depressive symptoms in humans. Exercise intensity and elevated depressive symptoms may play a role in the effect of exercise

Cardiovascular, Cellular, and Neural Adaptations to Hot Yoga versus Normal-Temperature Yoga

Context: Chronic heat exposure promotes cardiovascular and cellular adaptations, improving an organism\u27s ability to tolerate subsequent stressors. Heat exposure may also promote neural adaptations and alter the neural–hormonal stress response. Hot-temperature yoga (HY) combines mind–body exercise with heat exposure. The added heat component in HY may induce cardiovascular and cellular changes, along with neural benefits and modulation of stress hormones. Aims: The purpose of the present study is to compare the cardiovascular, cellular heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), neural, and hormonal adaptations of HY versus normal-temperature yoga (NY). Settings and Design: Twenty-two subjects (males = 11 and females = 11, 26 ± 6 years) completed 4 weeks of NY (n = 11) or HY (n = 11, 41°C, 40% humidity). Yoga sessions were performed 3 times/week following a modified Bikram protocol. Subjects and Methods: Pre- and posttesting included (1) hemodynamic measures during a heat tolerance test and maximal aerobic fitness test; (2) neural and hormonal adaptations using serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), along with a mental stress questionnaire; and (3) cellular adaptations (HSP70) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Statistical Analysis: Within- and between-group Student\u27s t-test analyses were conducted to compare pre- and post-VO2 max, perceived stress, BDNF, HSP70, and ACTH in HY and NY groups. Results: Maximal aerobic fitness increased in the HY group only. No evidence of heat acclimation or change in mental stress was observed. Serum BDNF significantly increased in yoga groups combined. Analysis of HSP70 suggested higher expression of HSP70 in the HY group only. Conclusions: Twelve sessions of HY promoted cardiovascular fitness and cellular thermotolerance adaptations. Serum BDNF increased in response to yoga (NY + HY) and appeared to not be temperature dependent

CAGI, the Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation, establishes progress and prospects for computational genetic variant interpretation methods

Background The Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) aims to advance the state-of-the-art for computational prediction of genetic variant impact, particularly where relevant to disease. The five complete editions of the CAGI community experiment comprised 50 challenges, in which participants made blind predictions of phenotypes from genetic data, and these were evaluated by independent assessors. Results Performance was particularly strong for clinical pathogenic variants, including some difficult-to-diagnose cases, and extends to interpretation of cancer-related variants. Missense variant interpretation methods were able to estimate biochemical effects with increasing accuracy. Assessment of methods for regulatory variants and complex trait disease risk was less definitive and indicates performance potentially suitable for auxiliary use in the clinic. Conclusions Results show that while current methods are imperfect, they have major utility for research and clinical applications. Emerging methods and increasingly large, robust datasets for training and assessment promise further progress ahead.Fil: Jain, Shantanu. No especifíca;Fil: Bakolitsa, Constantina. No especifíca;Fil: Brenner, Steven E.. No especifíca;Fil: Radivojac, Predrag. No especifíca;Fil: Moult, John. No especifíca;Fil: Repo, Susanna. No especifíca;Fil: Hoskins, Roger A.. No especifíca;Fil: Andreoletti, Gaia. No especifíca;Fil: Barsky, Daniel. No especifíca;Fil: Chellapan, Ajithavalli. No especifíca;Fil: Chu, Hoyin. No especifíca;Fil: Dabbiru, Navya. No especifíca;Fil: Kollipara, Naveen K.. No especifíca;Fil: Ly, Melissa. No especifíca;Fil: Neumann, Andrew J.. No especifíca;Fil: Pal, Lipika R.. No especifíca;Fil: Odell, Eric. No especifíca;Fil: Pandey, Gaurav. No especifíca;Fil: Peters Petrulewicz, Robin C.. No especifíca;Fil: Srinivasan, Rajgopal. No especifíca;Fil: Yee, Stephen F.. No especifíca;Fil: Yeleswarapu, Sri Jyothsna. No especifíca;Fil: Zuhl, Maya. No especifíca;Fil: Adebali, Ogun. No especifíca;Fil: Fornasari, Maria Silvina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Patra, Ayoti. No especifíca;Fil: O'Donnell Luria, Anne. No especifíca;Fil: Ng, Pauline C.. No especifíca;Fil: Shon, John. No especifíca;Fil: Veltman, Joris. No especifíca;Fil: Zook, Justin M.. No especifíca