Tulane University

About: Tulane University is a education organization based out in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Blood pressure. The organization has 24478 authors who have published 47205 publications receiving 1944993 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Louisiana.

Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Diets Versus Low-Fat Diets on Metabolic Risk Factors: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

Abstract: The effects of low-carbohydrate diets (≤45% of energy from carbohydrates) versus low-fat diets (≤30% of energy from fat) on metabolic risk factors were compared in a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Twenty-three trials from multiple countries with a total of 2,788 participants met the predetermined eligibility criteria (from January 1, 1966 to June 20, 2011) and were included in the analyses Data abstraction was conducted in duplicate by independent investigators Both low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets lowered weight and improved metabolic risk factors Compared with participants on low-fat diets, persons on low-carbohydrate diets experienced a slightly but statistically significantly lower reduction in total cholesterol (27 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval: 08, 46), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (37 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval: 10, 64), but a greater increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (33 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval: 19, 47) and a greater decrease in triglycerides (−140 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval: −194, −87) Reductions in body weight, waist circumference and other metabolic risk factors were not significantly different between the 2 diets These findings suggest that low-carbohydrate diets are at least as effective as low-fat diets at reducing weight and improving metabolic risk factors Low-carbohydrate diets could be recommended to obese persons with abnormal metabolic risk factors for the purpose of weight loss Studies demonstrating long-term effects of low-carbohydrate diets on cardiovascular events were warranted

Clinical presentation of patients with Ebola virus disease in Conakry, Guinea.

Abstract: BackgroundIn March 2014, the World Health Organization was notified of an outbreak of Zaire ebolavirus in a remote area of Guinea. The outbreak then spread to the capital, Conakry, and to neighboring countries and has subsequently become the largest epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) to date. MethodsFrom March 25 to April 26, 2014, we performed a study of all patients with laboratory-confirmed EVD in Conakry. Mortality was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included patient characteristics, complications, treatments, and comparisons between survivors and nonsurvivors. ResultsOf 80 patients who presented with symptoms, 37 had laboratory-confirmed EVD. Among confirmed cases, the median age was 38 years (interquartile range, 28 to 46), 24 patients (65%) were men, and 14 (38%) were health care workers; among the health care workers, nosocomial transmission was implicated in 12 patients (32%). Patients with confirmed EVD presented to the hospital a median of 5 days (interquartile range, 3 to 7) after t...

MicroSAGE Analysis of 2,353 Expressed Genes in a Single Cell‐Derived Colony of Undifferentiated Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reveals mRNAs of Multiple Cell Lineages

Abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from the bone marrow of adult organisms are capable of differentiating into adipocytes, chondrocytes, myoblasts, osteoblasts, and hematopoiesis-supporting stroma. We recently demonstrated that MSCs also adopt glial cell fates when transplanted into the developing central nervous system and hence can produce tissue elements derived from a separate embryonic layer. Despite these remarkable properties, it has been difficult to establish specific criteria to characterize MSCs. Using a modified protocol for micro-serial analysis of gene expression, we cataloged 2,353 unique genes expressed by a single cell-derived colony of undifferentiated human MSCs. This analysis revealed that the MSC colony simultaneously expressed transcripts characteristic of various mesenchymal cell lineages including chondrocytes, myoblasts, osteoblasts, and hematopoiesis-supporting stroma. Therefore, the profile of expressed transcripts reflects the developmental potential of the cells. Additionally, the MSC colony expressed mRNAs characteristic of endothelial, epithelial and neuronal cell lineages, a combination that provides a unique molecular signature for the cells. Other expressed transcripts included various products involved in wound repair as well as several neurotrophic factors. A total of 268 novel transcripts were also identified, one of which is the most abundantly expressed mRNA in MSCs. This study represents the first extensive gene expression analysis of MSCs and as such reveals new insight into the biology, ontogeny, and in vivo function of the cells.