PMID: 

Sci Rep. 2019 Sep 16 ;9(1):13372. Epub 2019 Sep 16. PMID: 31527805

Abstract Title: 

Effect of Cucumis sativus on Dysfunctional 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Abstract: 

Obesity is caused by lipid accumulation in adipose tissues inducing adipocyte dysfunction, characterized by insulin resistance, increased lipolysis, oxidative stress, and inflammation, leading to increased levels of adipokines. Herein the capacity of the subfractions (SFs) SF1, SF2, and SF3 from the Cucumis sativus aqueous fraction and their combinations (M) to control adipocyte dysfunction in vitro, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was studied. Adipocytes, previously treated with dexamethasone or IL-1 to induce dysfunction, were incubated with different concentrations of the subfractions for 24 h. 2-deoxyglucose consumption and glycerol release were evaluated, and a surface model was constructed to determine the most effective SF concentrations to improve both parameters. Effective SF combinations were assessed in their capacity to control metabolic, pro-oxidative, and pro-inflammatoryconditions. SF1, SF2 (40 μg/ml each) and SF3 (20 μg/ml) improved 2-deoxyglucose consumption by 87%, 57%, and 87%, respectively. SF1 and SF2 (5 μg/ml each) and SF3 (40 μg/mL) increased glycerol secretion by 10.6%, 18.9%, and 11.8%, respectively. Among five combinations tested, only M4 (SF1 40 μg/ml:SF2 60 μg/ml:SF3 30 μg/ml) and M5 (SF1 40 μg/ml:SF2 60 μg/mL:SF3 10 μg/ml) controlled effectively the metabolic, pro-oxidative, and proinflammatory conditions studied. Glycine, asparagine, and arginine were the main components in these SFs.

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PMID: 

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018 Jun 25 ;18(1):194. Epub 2018 Jun 25. PMID: 29941006

Abstract Title: 

Water/ethanol extract of Cucumis sativus L. fruit attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in endothelial cells.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted the key role of endothelium in the onset of many chronic and acute vascular and cardiovascular diseases. In the last decade, traditional compounds utilized in"folk medicine"were considered with increasing interest to discover new bioactive molecules potentially effective in a wide range of diseases including cardiovascular ones. Since ancient times different parts of the Cucumis sativus L. plant were utilized in Ayurvedic medicine, among these, fruits were traditionally used to alleviate skin problem such as sunburn irritation and inflammation. The main purpose of the present research was, in a well-defined in vitro model of endothelial cells, to investigate whether a water/ethanol extract of Cucumis sativus L. (CSE) fruit can attenuate the damaging effect of pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharide (LPS).METHODS: Cell viability, gene expression of endothelial cell markers, cytokines secretion and in vitro angiogenesis assay were performed on porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells exposed to increasing doses (0.02; 02; 2 mg/ml) of CSE in the presence of pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharide (LPS 10 μg/ml).RESULTS: CSE reduced LPS-induced cytotoxicity and decreased the cellular detachment, restoring the expression of tight junction ZO-1. The increase of TLR4 expression induced by LPS was counterbalanced by the presence of CSE, while the protective gene Hemeoxygenase (HO)-1 was increased. Cucumis sativus L. inhibited the early robust secretion of inflammatory IL-8 and GM-CSFs, furthermore inhibition of inflammatory IL-6 and IL-1α occurred late at 7 and 24 h respectively. On the contrary, the secretion of anti-inflammatory IL-10, together with IL-18 and IFN-γ was increased. Moreover, the in vitro angiogenesis induced by inflammatory LPS was prevented by the presence of Cucunis sativus L. extract, at any doses tested.CONCLUSIONS: Our results have clearly demonstrated that Cucumis sativus L. extract has attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in endothelial cells.

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[NOTE: They changed the titled to “Senator: Bill seeking to end religious exemptions for vaccines won’t be heard” within hours after our inquiry. This is still not true. SB 64 is still referred to the Health Committe. See article for details.]

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PMID: 

J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2017 Mar ;57(3):299-304. Epub 2015 Dec 18. PMID: 26684436

Abstract Title: 

Bicycling for transportation improves heart rate variability in young adults.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Physical activity has been considered an effective method to treat and prevent cardiovascular and metabolic disease. An important mechanism benefited by exercise training is the cardiovascular autonomic control, often impaired in cardiometabolic disease. Cycling used as a daily means of transport can be considered an interesting alternative to regular physical exercise practice. Therefore, this study intent to compare metabolic, hemodynamic and cardiovascular autonomic profiles of young adult men who were used to cycle for transportation (CT) with those considered insufficiently actives (IA).METHODS: Body composition, blood pressure, glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides were evaluated at rest. Heart rate variability was analyzed in time and frequency domains.RESULTS: No differences were observed for body composition, blood pressure, glycemia nor lipids between groups. CT group presented resting bradycardia. Heart rate variability was increased in cyclists, as well as the parameters of parasympathetic modulation. Sympathetic modulation was reduced in CT group when compared to IA group. Additionally, positive correlations were observed between resting heart rate and RMSSD and heart rate variability, while heart rate variability was correlated with sympathovagal balance.CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that bicycling regularly used as a means of transport is able to improve cardiovascular autonomic modulation, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

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PMID: 

Am J Health Promot. 2018 03 ;32(3):631-637. Epub 2017 Jun 1. PMID: 28569115

Abstract Title: 

Associations Between Bicycling for Transportation and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Minneapolis-Saint Paul Area Commuters: A Cross-Sectional Study in Working-Age Adults.

Abstract: 

PURPOSE: This study describes the association between frequency of bicycling for active transportation and modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) metropolitan area.DESIGN: We conducted an online survey from a convenience sample of likely bicycle commuters.SETTING: Participants were e-mailed invitations including a link to the online survey.PARTICIPANTS: Participants (n = 1450, 15.6% response rate) were residents of the 7-county MSP metropolitan area aged 20 to 64 years.MEASURES: Participants reported frequency of commute and destination cycling from April to September and October to March, prevalent cardiometabolic risk factors, and demographic covariates.ANALYSIS: We performed logistic regressions for associations between average weekly transportation bicycling and self-reported prevalent obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high triglycerides. We used Poisson regression for the count of cardiometabolic risk factors. All models were adjusted for age, sex, race, smoking, alcohol consumption, and other physical activity, with random intercepts by zip code.RESULTS: Self-reported bicycling frequency is associated with significantly lower odds of prevalent obesity, hypertension, and high triglycerides. Three bicycling trips per week is associated with 20% fewer (95% confidence interval: 12%-28%) cardiometabolic risk factors.CONCLUSION: Bicycling frequency is inversely associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. These results provide empirical support for the promotion of active transportation as public health policy.

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PMID: 

J Pediatr. 2017 09 ;188:57-63. Epub 2017 Jun 23. PMID: 28651798

Abstract Title: 

Cycling to School and Body Composition, Physical Fitness, and Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between cycling to/from school and body composition, physical fitness, and metabolic syndrome among a sample of Colombian children and adolescents.STUDY DESIGN: During the 2014-2015 school year, we examined a cross-sectional component of the Association for muscular strength with early manifestation of cardiovascular disease risk factors among Colombian children and adolescents (FUPRECOL) study. Participants included 2877 youths (54.5% girls) from Bogota, Colombia. A self-reported questionnaire was used to measure the frequency and mode of commuting to school. Four components of physical fitness were measured: (1) anthropometric (height, weight, body mass index, and waist circumference); (2) musculoskeletal (handgrip and standing long jump test); (3) motor (speed-agility test; 4 × 10-meter shuttle run); and (4) cardiorespiratory (20-m shuttle run test [20mSRT]). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was determined by the definitions provided by the International Diabetes Federation.RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of the sample reported commuting by cycle. Active commuting boys had a likelihood of having an unhealthy 4 × 10 m value (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53-0.98; P = .038) compared with the reference group (passive commuters). Active commuting girls showed a lower likelihood of having unhealthy a 20mSRT value (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.56-0.99; P = .047) and metabolic syndrome (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.35-0.99; P = .048) compared with passive commuters.CONCLUSION: Regular cycling to school may to be associated with better physical fitness and a lower incidence of metabolic syndrome than passive transport, especially in girls.

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PMID: 

Diabet Med. 2018 May 8. Epub 2018 May 8. PMID: 29738609

Abstract Title: 

Potential of electric bicycles to improve the health of people with Type 2 diabetes: a feasibility study.

Abstract: 

AIM: To explore in a feasibility study whether 'e-cycling' was acceptable to, and could potentially improve the health of, people with Type 2 diabetes.METHODS: Twenty people with Type 2 diabetes were recruited and provided with an electric bicycle for 20 weeks. Participants completed a submaximal fitness test at baseline and follow-up to measure predicted maximal aerobic power, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess the acceptability of using an electric bicycle. Participants wore a heart rate monitor and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in the first week of electric bicycle use to measure their heart-rate during e-cycling.RESULTS: Eighteen participants completed the study, cycling a median (interquartile range) of 21.4 (5.5-37.7) km per week. Predicted maximal aerobic power increased by 10.9%. Heart rate during electric bicycle journeys was 74.7% of maximum, compared with 64.3% of maximum when walking. Participants used the electric bicycles for commuting, shopping and recreation, and expressed how the electric bicycle helped them to overcome barriers to active travel/cycling, such as hills. Fourteen participants purchased an electric bicycle on study completion.CONCLUSIONS: There was evidence that e-cycling was acceptable, could increase fitness and elicited a heart rate that may lead to improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors in this population. Electric bicycles have potential as a health-improving intervention in people with Type 2 diabetes.

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PMID: 

J Phys Act Health. 2012 Jul ;9(5):617-25. PMID: 22733866

Abstract Title: 

Cycling to school is associated with lower BMI and lower odds of being overweight or obese in a large population-based study of Danish adolescents.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have been inconclusive concerning the effect of active transport on BMI. Our objective was to investigate the association between travel mode and BMI in a large community-based sample of Danish adolescents.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey on health and lifestyle was distributed to all pupils from the 7th to 9th grade (12-16 years of age) in the municipality of Odense, Denmark.RESULTS: Cycling to school was associated with 0.38 lower BMI compared to passive travelers (P = .006) after multivariable adjustment. Cycling to school was associated with 0.55 lower odds of being overweight (P

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PMID: 

Int J Pediatr Obes. 2011 Aug ;6(3-4):182-7. Epub 2011 Jun 7. PMID: 21644849

Abstract Title: 

Longitudinal associations between cycling to school and weight status.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to assess the longitudinal association between cycling to school and weight status in two cities where cycling to school is common – Kristiansand (Norway) and Rotterdam (The Netherlands).METHODS: Data from two studies ENDORSE (Rotterdam) and YOUTH IN BALANCE (Kristiansand) were used. Both studies were longitudinal with two years between time (T) 1 and T2 measurements, and with mean age at T1 of 13.2 and 13.4 years, respectively. The sample was categorized into the following groups according to responses about main mode of commuting to school at the two time points: NO cycling, STARTED cycling, STOPPED cycling and CONTINUED cycling. Measured weight and height were obtained at both time points, and weight status (overweight vs. not overweight) was calculated using international classification criteria for BMI. The two datasets were analyzed separately and together.RESULTS: In multilevel logistic regression models of the combined sample, adjusting for weight status at Time 1, those who stopped cycling had greater odds of being overweight at T2 (OR = 3.19; 95% CI = 1.41?7.24) while those continued cycling had lower odds of being overweight (OR = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.21?0.88), separately compared to the other three groups together. The same trend was observed in both study samples.CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that there are longitudinal associations between cycling to school and weight status in two cities where cycling to school is common, implying that interventions aiming at reducing overweight/obesity among adolescents might consider the promotion of sustained cycling behaviour.

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PMID: 

PLoS Med. 2016 07 ;13(7):e1002076. Epub 2016 Jul 12. PMID: 27403867

Abstract Title: 

Associations between Recreational and Commuter Cycling, Changes in Cycling, and Type 2 Diabetes Risk: A Cohort Study of Danish Men and Women.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Cycling is a recreational activity and mode of commuting with substantial potential to improve public health in many countries around the world. The aim of this study was to examine prospective associations between recreational and commuter cycling, changes in cycling habits, and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Danish adults from the Diet, Cancer and Health cohort study.METHODS AND FINDINGS: At baseline from 1993 to 1997, 24,623 men and 27,890 women from Denmark, 50-65 y of age and free of T2D and other chronic diseases, underwent a number of assessments, including completing a lifestyle questionnaire also addressing cycling habits. Approximately 5 y later, at a second examination, participants completed a new, updated lifestyle questionnaire. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of incident T2D registered in the Danish National Diabetes Registry, according to recreational and commuter cycling and changes in cycling habits, with adjustment for a priori known T2D risk factors. During 743,245.4 person-years of follow-up (mean follow-up 14.2 y), 6,779 incident cases of T2D were documented. Multivariable adjusted HRs (95% confidence interval [CI]) were 1, 0.87 (0.82, 0.93), 0.83 (0.77, 0.89), 0.80 (0.74, 0.86) and 0.80 (0.74, 0.87) (p for trend =300 min/wk of total cycling (recreational and commuter cycling), respectively. In analysis of seasonal cycling, multivariable adjusted HRs (95% CI) were 1, 0.88 (0.83, 0.94), and 0.80 (0.76, 0.85) for non-cyclists, seasonal cyclists (those cycling only in summer or winter), and those cycling during both summer and winter, respectively. How changes in total cycling from baseline to the second examination affected risk was also investigated, and multivariable adjusted HRs (95% CI) were 1, 0.88 (0.78, 1.01), 0.80 (0.69, 0.91), and 0.71 (0.65, 0.77) for non-cyclists and for those who ceased, initiated, or continued cycling between baseline and the second examination, respectively. Lastly, in the analysis of commuter cycling, multivariable HRs (95% CI) were 1, 0.72 (0.60, 0.87), 0.83 (0.69, 1.00), and 0.70 (0.57, 0.85) (p for trend =150 min/wk to work, respectively. The main limitation of the current study is the use of self-reported physical activity.CONCLUSIONS: Commuter and recreational cycling was consistently associated with lower risk of T2D in Danish adults. Our results also provide evidence that late-in-life initiation of or continued engagement in cycling lowers risk of T2D.

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