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Introduction Aggrecanase cleavage at the (392)Glu-(393)Ala bond in the interglobular domain (IGD) of aggrecan, releasing N-terminal (393)ARGS fragments, is an early key event in arthritis and joint injuries. Here, we use a quantitative immunoassay of aggrecan ARGS neoepitope fragments in human synovial fluid to determine if this cleavage-site specific method better identifies joint pathology than

Aims Experimental studies suggest that the autonomic nervous system modulates atrial refractoriness and conduction velocity in atrial. fibrillation (AF). These modulatory effects are, however, difficult to assess in the clinical setting. This study sought to non-invasively characterize in patients with persistent AF, the influence of autonomic modulation induced by exercise on atrial fibrillatory

Objective: (1) To evaluate constraint-induced movement therapy for chronic stroke patients modified into group practice to limit the demand on therapist resources. (2) To explore whether extended mitt use alone may enhance outcome. Design: A combined case-control and randomized controlled study with pre- and post-treatment measures by blinded observers. Setting: A university hospital rehabilitatio

The association of L-type Ca(2+) channels to the secretory granules and its functional significance to secretion was investigated in mouse pancreatic B cells. Nonstationary fluctuation analysis showed that the B cell is equipped with <500 alpha1(C) L-type Ca(2+) channels, corresponding to a Ca(2+) channel density of 0.9 channels per microm(2). Analysis of the kinetics of exocytosis during voltage-

Background: Environmental and genetic factors predispose an individual to the development of Graves' disease (GD). In an expression study of intraorbital tissue, adipocyte-related immediate early genes (IEGs) and immunomodulatory genes were found to be overexpressed in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). We hypothesized that genetic variations in these genes could be associated with GD and/

Aims: The hypothesis of 'metabolically healthy obesity' implies that, in the absence of metabolic dysfunction, individuals with excess adiposity are not at greater cardiovascular risk We tested this hypothesis in a large pan-European prospective study. Methods and results: We conducted a case-cohort analysis in the 520 000-person European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (

At the southern margin of permafrost in North America, climate change causes widespread permafrost thaw. In boreal lowlands, thawing forested permafrost peat plateaus (‘forest’) lead to expansion of permafrost‐free wetlands (‘wetland’). Expanding wetland area with saturated and warmer organic soils is expected to increase landscape methane (CH4) emissions. Here, we quantify the thaw‐induced increa

Background: Almost 1/3 of heart failure patients fail to respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). A simple clinical score to predict who these patients are at the moment of referral or at time of implant may be of importance for early optimization of their management. Methods: Observational study. A risk score was derived from factors associated to CRT response. The derivation cohort wa

Background: Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125) is currently the best available ovarian cancer screening biomarker. However, CA125 has been limited by low sensitivity and specificity in part due to normal variation between individuals. Personal characteristics that influence CA125 could be used to improve its performance as screening biomarker. Methods: We developed and validated linear and dichotomous (≥3

BackgroundAccumulating evidence suggests that many psychiatric disorders etiologically represent the extreme end of dimensionally distributed features rather than distinct entities. The extent to which this applies to eating disorders (EDs) is unknown.MethodsWe investigated if there is similar etiology in (a) the continuous distribution of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), (b) the extremes

AIMS: Remodelling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key mechanism involved in the development and progression of heart failure (HF) but also functional in associated pulmonary hypertension (PH). Our aim was to identify plasma ECM proteins associated to end-stage HF and secondary PH in relation to haemodynamics, before and after heart transplantation (HT).METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty ECM plasma

AIM: Epidural analgesia reduces the surgical stress response. However, its effect on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the genesis of inflammation following major abdominal surgery remains unclear. Our main objective was to elucidate whether perioperative epidural analgesia prevents the inflammatory response following colorectal cancer surgery.METHODS: Ninety-six patients scheduled for open

Background: Perlecan is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) constituent of the extracellular matrix with roles in cell growth, differentiation, and angiogenesis. The role of the HS side chains in regulating invivo angiogenesis after hind-limb ischemia is unknown. Methods: Heparan sulfate (HS)-deficient perlecan (Hspg2 δ3/δ3 ) mice (n= 35), containing normal perlecan core protein but deficient i

Background: Environmental and genetic factors possibly trigger thyroid autoimmunity. Studies on perinatal risk factors for childhood thyroid autoimmunity are sparse.Objectives: The aim was to investigate if perinatal factors, family history of autoimmune diseases, and HLA-DQ genotypes contribute to thyroid autoimmunity in the Diabetes Prediction in Skåne (DiPiS) study.Methods: Samples from 1,874 t

Background: A dysregulated postprandial metabolic response is a risk factor for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The plasma protein N-glycome is implicated in both lipid metabolism and T2DM risk. Hence, we first investigate the relationship between the N-glycome and postprandial metabolism and then explore the mediatory role of the plasma N-glycome in the relationship b

Introduction We aimed to compare the proportions of patients with newly diagnosed psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remaining on methotrexate (regardless of other disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-changes), and proportions not having started another DMARD (regardless of methotrexate discontinuation), within 2 years of starting methotrexate, as well as methotrexate

Objectives: To assess the outcome of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 by HIV status and risk factors for severe COVID-19 in people living with HIV (PWH), we performed a nationwide cohort study using register data. Methods: All people aged ≥18 years hospitalized with a primary COVID-19 diagnosis (U07.1 or U07.2) in Sweden between February 2020 and October 2021 were included. The primary outcome

Purpose: Added sugar is associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes, but its association with kidney stones is unclear. This study was to determine whether added sugar is associated with kidney stones. Materials and methods: This nationally representative study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) datasets from 2007 to 2018 for analysis. People aged ≥20 years who

Background: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced by the placenta and plays an essential role in the maintenance of pregnancy. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have the potential to interfere with functions related to the production and secretion of hCG; however associations between exposure to EDCs and hCG concentrations in humans remain to be elucidated. Objectives: To investigate

PURPOSE: To study newly diagnosed glaucoma patients given mono- or multi-therapy regarding differences in initial intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction, target IOP levels reached and influence of untreated baseline IOP on IOP reduction.METHODS: Patients newly diagnosed with manifest primary open-angle glaucoma and included in the Glaucoma Intensive Treatment Study (GITS) were randomized to immediat