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.

Prognostic value of cardiac risk factors and coronary artery calcium screening for all-cause mortality.

Abstract: PURPOSE: To develop risk-adjusted multivariable models that included risk factors and coronary calcium scores determined with electron-beam computed tomography (CT) in asymptomatic patients for the prediction of all-cause mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We followed up a cohort of 10,377 asymptomatic individuals undergoing cardiac risk factor evaluation and coronary calcium screening with electron-beam CT. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were developed to predict all-cause mortality. Risk-adjusted models incorporated traditional risk factors for coronary disease and coronary calcium scores. RESULTS: Cardiac risk factors such as family history of coronary disease (69%), hypercholesterolemia (62%), hypertension (44%), smoking (40%), and diabetes (9%) were prevalent. The frequency of coronary calcium scores was 57%, 20%, 14%, 6%, and 3% for scores of 10 or less, 11–100, 101–400, 401–1,000, and greater than 1,000, respectively. During a mean follow-up of 5.0 years ± 0.0086 (standard error of th...

Gut microbiome and serum metabolome alterations in obesity and after weight-loss intervention

Abstract: Emerging evidence has linked the gut microbiome to human obesity. We performed a metagenome-wide association study and serum metabolomics profiling in a cohort of lean and obese, young, Chinese individuals. We identified obesity-associated gut microbial species linked to changes in circulating metabolites. The abundance of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a glutamate-fermenting commensal, was markedly decreased in obese individuals and was inversely correlated with serum glutamate concentration. Consistently, gavage with B. thetaiotaomicron reduced plasma glutamate concentration and alleviated diet-induced body-weight gain and adiposity in mice. Furthermore, weight-loss intervention by bariatric surgery partially reversed obesity-associated microbial and metabolic alterations in obese individuals, including the decreased abundance of B. thetaiotaomicron and the elevated serum glutamate concentration. Our findings identify previously unknown links between intestinal microbiota alterations, circulating amino acids and obesity, suggesting that it may be possible to intervene in obesity by targeting the gut microbiota.

Fc receptor but not complement binding is important in antibody protection against HIV

Abstract: Many effective vaccines act by inducing neutralizing antibodies, and this approach is a top priority in work on HIV vaccines. But a new study suggests that anti-HIV antibodies are most effective when they act in two ways: through neutralization — killing the virus outright and blocking its entry into T cells — and by killing infected cells. The use of engineered versions of a neutralizing human antibody that protects against HIV in a monkey model shows that protection is dependent not only the antibody's neutralizing activity, but also on its interaction with Fc receptors on effector cells, which may act to reduce virus yield from infected cells. This work suggests that the best results might be achieved with vaccines that recruit both neutralizing antibodies and cell-mediated immunity via agents such as macrophages and cytokinins, rather than antibodies. Passively administered neutralizing antibodies have been shown to protect macaques against challenge by the HIV/SIV chimeric SHIV. The antiviral effects of the monoclonal antibody b12 are crucially dependent on antibody effector mechanisms. Most successful vaccines elicit neutralizing antibodies and this property is a high priority when developing an HIV vaccine1,2. Indeed, passively administered neutralizing antibodies have been shown to protect against HIV challenge in some of the best available animal models. For example, antibodies given intravenously can protect macaques against intravenous or mucosal SHIV (an HIV/SIV chimaera) challenge and topically applied antibodies can protect macaques against vaginal SHIV challenge3,4. However, the mechanism(s) by which neutralizing antibodies afford protection against HIV is not understood and, in particular, the role of antibody Fc-mediated effector functions is unclear. Here we report that there is a dramatic decrease in the ability of a broadly neutralizing antibody to protect macaques against SHIV challenge when Fc receptor and complement-binding activities are engineered out of the antibody. No loss of antibody protective activity is associated with the elimination of complement binding alone. Our in vivo results are consistent with in vitro assays indicating that interaction of Fc-receptor-bearing effector cells with antibody-complexed infected cells is important in reducing virus yield from infected cells. Overall, the data suggest the potential importance of activity against both infected cells and free virus for effective protection against HIV.

Perceived fairness of employee drug testing as a predictor of employee attitudes and job performance.

Abstract: Although management of drug testing programs is becoming a critical organizational issue, no systematic conceptual framework has been applied to the study of employee reactions to drug testing. In this study an organizational justice framework was used to explain and predict the relationships among two types of justice (procedural justice and outcome fairness) employee attitudes (job satisfaction, commitment, and management trust), and behavior (turnover intentions and performance). Survey data from 195 employees in a pathology laboratory indicated that justice predicts employee attitudes and performance. Specifically, procedural justice, but not outcome fairness, predicted all 5 criterion variables. These results demonstrate the importance of procedural justice perceptions for predicting employee reactions to drug testing programs.