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RDW is a new and easily available risk marker for adverse cardiovascular outcomes and we agree that this may encourage a wider use in clinical practice. As pointed out by Balta et al [2], the underlying causal links are unclear. The causal links could hypothetically involve some of the factors mentioned by Balta et al [2], but also properties of the red cells per se. This article is protected by c
Background Limited information is available regarding genetic contributions to valvular calcification, which is an important precursor of clinical valve disease. Methods We determined genomewide associations with the presence of aortic-valve calcification (among 6942 participants) and mitral annular calcification (among 3795 participants), as detected by computed tomographic (CT) scanning; the stu
Hyperglycaemia has multiple effects on the red blood cell (RBC), including glycation of haemoglobin, reduced deformability and reduced lifespan. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a measure of the heterogeneity of erythrocyte volumes. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between RDW and glucose, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM).
Low grade inflammation in obesity is associated with accumulation of the macrophagederived cytokine osteopontin in adipose tissue and induction of local as well as systemic insulin resistance. Since GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) is a strong stimulator of adipogenesis and may play a role in the development of obesity, we explored whether GIP directly would stimulate osteopontin
With the present demand on fast and inexpensive aerosol source apportionment methods, the Aethalometer model was evaluated for a full seasonal cycle (June 2014–June 2015) at a rural atmospheric measurement station in southern Sweden by using radiocarbon and levoglucosan measurements. By utilizing differences in absorption of UV and IR, the Aethalometer model apportions carbon mass into wood burnin
Bmi1 was originally identified as a gene that contributes to the development of mouse lymphoma by inhibiting MYC-induced apoptosis through repression of Ink4a and Arf. It codes for the Polycomb group protein BMI-1 and acts primarily as a transcriptional repressor via chromatin modifications. Although it binds to a large number of genomic regions, the direct BMI-1 target genes described so far do n
Background: Lipoprotein(a) concentrations in plasma are associated with cardiovascular risk in the general population. Whether lipoprotein(a) concentrations or LPA genetic variants predict long-term mortality in patients with established coronary heart disease remains less clear. Methods: We obtained data from 3313 patients with established coronary heart disease in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardi
Direct conversion of human fibroblasts into mature and functional neurons, termed induced neurons (iNs), was achieved for the first time 6 years ago. This technology offers a promising shortcut for obtaining patient- and disease-specific neurons for disease modeling, drug screening, and other biomedical applications. However, fibroblasts from adult donors do not reprogram as easily as fetal donors
Objective: Transitions in the spectrum of valvular heart diseases (VHDs) in developed countries over the 20th century have been reported from clinical case series, but large, contemporary population-based studies are lacking.Methods: We used nationwide registers to identify all patients with a first diagnosis of VHD at Swedish hospitals between 2003 and 2010. Age-stratified and sex-stratified inci
It is unclear whether genetic markers interact with risk factors to influence atrial fibrillation (AF) risk. We performed genome-wide interaction analyses between genetic variants and age, sex, hypertension, and body mass index in the AFGen Consortium. Study-specific results were combined using meta-analysis (88,383 individuals of European descent, including 7,292 with AF). Variants with nominal i
Purpose: Enterolactone (ENL) is formed in the human gut after consumption of lignans, has estrogenic properties, and has been associated with risk of prostate cancer. We examined the association between plasma ENL levels and prostate cancer in a nested case–control study within the population-based Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. We also examined the association between plasma ENL and dietary and li
Neurotensin (NT) is a 13-amino acid peptide localized in the neuroendocrine cells of the small intestine, which promotes fat absorption and fatty acids translocation in response to lipid ingestion. NT-knock-out mice fed with a high-fat diet are protected from obesity, fatty liver, and the development of insulin-resistance. In humans, higher plasma levels of pro-NT, which is the stable circulating
The mechanisms responsible for macrovascular complications in diabetes remain to be fully understood. Recent studies have identified impaired vascular repair as a possible cause of plaque vulnerability in diabetes. This notion is supported by observations of a reduced content of fibrous proteins and smooth muscle cell mitogens in carotid endarterectomy from diabetic patients along with findings of
Many people are living with the consequences of a stroke for a great partof their lives, but knowledge is lacking on how rehabilitation and social services should bedesigned in a long-term perspective. There is a particular need for knowledge on how tosupport long-term participation in social and leisure activities.
Many neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the presence of intracellular protein aggregates, resulting in alterations in autophagy. However, the consequences of impaired autophagy for neuronal function remain poorly understood. In this study, we used cell culture and mouse models of huntingtin protein aggregation as well as post-mortem material from patients with Huntington's disease to
AIM: To investigate secular trends and regional disparities in hospitalizations due to systemic connective tissue diseases (SCTD) in Sweden from 1998 to 2016.METHOD: We identified all hospital admissions with a principal diagnosis of SCTD (ICD-10 codes: M30-M36) from the Swedish National Patient Register. Joinpoint regression was used to assess secular trends in age-standardized hospitalization ra
Objective: The aim was to compare the vitamin D levels in patients with Graves disease (GD) with the general population and to correlate the vitamin D levels with laboratory and clinical parameters in GD. Moreover, we examined the genetic variation in genes involved in the vitamin D metabolism and their association with GD.Methods: The levels of vitamin D were compared in 292 patients with newly d
Background and Purpose-Statin therapy is associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke supporting a causal role of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. However, more evidence is needed to answer the question whether LDL cholesterol plays a causal role in ischemic stroke subtypes. In addition, it is unknown whether high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides have a causal relatio
Objectives: We explored associations between specific meniscal pathologies and other concurrent structural knee pathologies with presence of self-reported mechanical symptoms in patients undergoing meniscal surgery. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: We included patients undergoing surgery for a meniscal tear from Knee Arthroscopy Cohort Southern Denmark (KACS). Pre-surgery, patients complete
The derivation of astrocytes from human pluripotent stem cells is currently slow and inefficient. We demonstrate that overexpression of the transcription factors SOX9 and NFIB in human pluripotent stem cells rapidly and efficiently yields homogeneous populations of induced astrocytes. In our study these cells exhibited molecular and functional properties resembling those of adult human astrocytes
