Plant-Based Meat Analogs and Their Effects on Cardiometabolic Health: An 8-Week Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Plant-Based Meat Analogs With Their Corresponding Animal-Based Foods.

Background: With the growing popularity of plant-based meat analogs (PBMAs), an investigation of their effects on health is warranted in an Asian population.

Objectives: This research investigated the impact of consuming an omnivorous animal-based meat diet (ABMD) compared with a PBMAs diet (PBMD) on cardiometabolic health among adults with elevated risk of diabetes in Singapore.

Methods: In an 8-wk parallel design randomized controlled trial, participants (n = 89) were instructed to substitute habitual protein-rich foods with fixed quantities of either PBMAs (n = 44) or their corresponding animal-based meats (n = 45; 2.

Use of plasma DNA to predict mortality and need for intensive care in patients with abdominal pain.

Background: We investigated the value of plasma deoxyribonucleic acid concentrations in patients presenting with acute abdominal pain to predict need for intensive care or mortality.

Methods: Plasma deoxyribonucleic acid taken from patients with acute abdominal pain was analyzed for the beta-globin gene using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The primary outcome measure was the combined 28-day mortality or admission to the intensive care unit.

Circulating nucleic acids and critical illness.

This article reviews some of the early work that has been performed to investigate the potential roles of circulating nucleic acids as prediction markers in acute illness and injury. Circulating DNA and RNA concentrations are elevated early in patients with trauma, stroke and ACS, and are generally highest in patients with a high risk of death. Circulating nucleic acids may be useful markers for the evaluation and risk-stratification of such patients.

Comparison of plasma beta-globin DNA and S-100 protein concentrations in acute stroke.

Background: This study aimed to compare changes in plasma beta-globin DNA and serum S100 protein to diagnose stroke and for predicting mortality and morbidity.

Methods: Patients with stroke-like symptoms presenting to the emergency department of a Hong Kong hospital were recruited. Plasma DNA was analyzed for the beta-globin gene with fluorescent-based PCR.

Plasma beta-globin DNA as a prognostic marker in chest pain patients.

Background: Acute coronary syndrome may involve cell death and the release of nucleic acids into the circulation. We thus investigated whether plasma DNA concentrations are increased and determined its prognostic significance in patients with ACS.

Methods: Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to quantitatively measure the beta-globin gene from blood samples taken from patients presenting to an emergency department with chest pain of probable cardiac cause.

Plasma DNA as a prognostic marker for stroke patients with negative neuroimaging within the first 24 h of symptom onset.

Modern neuroimaging safely and reliably diagnoses stroke and provides information for outcome prediction. However, some patients with clinical stroke have no detectable abnormality on neuroimaging and other patients are not fit for such investigations. Therefore, we evaluated the potential of plasma DNA and serum S100 protein concentrations to predict post-stroke mortality and morbidity in patients with negative neuroimaging results.

Time course of early and late changes in plasma DNA in trauma patients.

Background: Cell-free DNA concentrations increase in the circulation of patients after trauma and may have prognostic potential, but little is know concerning the temporal changes or clearance of the DNA or its relationships with posttraumatic complications. We investigated temporal changes in plasma DNA concentrations in patients after trauma with use of real-time quantitative PCR.

Methods: Serial plasma samples were taken from two trauma populations.

Quantitative analysis of circulating mitochondrial DNA in plasma.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the existence of circulating mitochondrial DNA in plasma and serum, but the concentrations and physical characteristics of circulating mitochondrial DNA are unknown. The aim of this study was to develop an assay to quantify mitochondrial DNA in the plasma of healthy individuals.

Methods: We adopted a real-time quantitative PCR approach and evaluated the specificity of the assay for detecting mitochondrial DNA with a cell line (rho(0)) devoid of mitochondria.

Prognostic use of circulating plasma nucleic acid concentrations in patients with acute stroke.

Background: At present there is no simple, accurate blood test that may be used to determine the severity of stroke or to predict mortality and morbidity in stroke patients presenting to emergency departments.

Methods: Patients with stroke-like symptoms who presented to an emergency department of a university hospital in Hong Kong were recruited for the study. DNA extracted from patients' plasma was analyzed for the beta-globin gene with a fluorescent-based PCR test.

Effect of stress hormones on the expression of fibrinogen-binding receptors in platelets.

Acute coagulopathy is a common clinical complication after trauma, and contributes to posttraumatic multiple organ failure. The phenomenon may be due to the effect of stress hormones on platelet adhesion molecule expression after trauma. Catecholamine levels correlate with injury severity scores and changes of L-selectin expression on leucocytes, whilst adrenaline (ADR) (epinephrine) alone also activates platelets.

Presence of filterable and nonfilterable mRNA in the plasma of cancer patients and healthy individuals.

Background: As RNA is labile, we investigated whether circulating RNA in human plasma may be present in a particle-associated form.

Methods: Blood was collected from 27 healthy individuals and 16 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The plasma from each individual was processed by two means: filtration through filters with different pore sizes (from 5 microm to 0.