Background: In cardiovascular disease, prevention strategies targeting standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs; hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, and smoking) are crucial; however, myocardial infarction in the absence of SMuRFs is not infrequent. The outcomes of individuals without SMuRFs are not well known. Methods: We retrospectively analysed adult patients with firs

An important manifestation of severe COVID-19 is the ARDS-like lung injury that is associated with vascular endothelialitis, thrombosis, and angiogenesis. The intravascular innate immune system (IIIS), including the complement, contact, coagulation, and fibrinolysis systems, which is crucial for recognizing and eliminating microorganisms and debris in the body, is likely to be involved in the path

Coxsackievirus A24 variant (CVA24v), the main causative agent of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC), can be isolated from both the eyes and lower alimentary tract. However, the molecular features of CVA24v in feces is not well-documented. In this study, we compared the VP1 and 3C sequences of CVA24v strains isolated from feces during AHC epidemics in Cuba in 1997, 2003, and 2008–2009 with thos

Recent advances in proteomic technologies have made high throughput profiling of low abundance proteins in large epidemiological cohorts increasingly feasible. We investigated whether aptamer-based proteomic profiling could identify biomarkers associated with future development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) beyond known risk factors. We identified dozens of markers with highly significant associations

The cardiac hormone atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a central regulator of blood volume and a therapeutic target in hypertension and heart failure. Enhanced ANP activity in such conditions through inhibition of the degradative enzyme neprilysin has shown clinical efficacy but is complicated by consequences of simultaneous accumulation of a heterogeneous array of other hormones. Targets for spe

The amplification of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) through incretin signaling is critical for maintaining physiological glucose levels. Incretins, like glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1), are a target of type 2 diabetes drugs aiming to enhance insulin secretion. Here we show that the protein phosphatase 1 inhibitor protein 1A (PPP1R1A), is expressed in β-cells and that its expression is

Purpose: The article takes its point of departure in the current labor market debate on immigration policy and attempts to explore the way private labor market mediators involved in the integration of immigrants contribute to reproducing cultural stereotypes reminiscent of colonial ideas. Design/methodology/approach: Findings are based on respondent-driven interviews with nine labor market mediato

A transition to a more sustainable energy system is called for, and to realise such a transition governments around the world have introduced various research programmes and policy instruments. In this paper, we elaborate on how the transition of the energy system could be reinforced through evaluation of research programmes and policy instruments, focusing on energy efficiency in buildings. We ar

Pancreatic β-cells located within the islets of Langerhans play a central role in metabolic control. The main function of these cells is to produce and secrete insulin in response to a rise in circulating levels of glucose and other nutrients. The release of insufficient insulin to cover the organism needs results in chronic hyperglycemia and diabetes development. β-cells insure a highly specializ

Central to the development of diabetic macro- and microvascular disease is endothelial dysfunction, which appears well before any clinical sign but, importantly, is potentially reversible. We previously demonstrated that hyperglycemia activates nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) in conduit and medium-sized resistance arteries and that NFAT blockade abolishes diabetes-driven aggravation of

Background: Working on the labour ward entails being responsible for severe events during which a mother or baby may be injured or may die. Such events might affect decision-making, team-working, capacity for empathy, and patient safety. Aim: To explore midwives’ and obstetricians’ experiences, reactions and interpretations of being part of a severe event on the labour ward. Design. A qualitative

Renovation of water and central heating pipelines is a very costly and time-consuming process, so a way to prioritize the limited resources between different parts of the systems is very important. The risk for corrosion damage can be assessed from the resistivity of the ground, due to the processes facilitating the metal oxidation also affecting the resistivity, but galvanic resistivity mapping i

Background and purpose — Studies describing time-related change in reasons for knee replacement revision have been limited to single regions or institutions, commonly analyze only 1st revisions, and may not reflect true caseloads or findings from other areas. We used revision procedure data from 3 arthroplasty registries to determine trends and differences in knee replacement revision diagnoses. P

The establishment of introduced species in new environments is today widely acknowledged as a potential threat to biodiversity, and many plants that are known to be invasive have obviously spread from gardens. Thus, in the context of biosecurity, we need to consider how contemporary gardeners think about which plants and animals are welcome in their gardens. In this chapter we look at vegetation i

Objective: Higher gluten intake, frequent gastrointestinal infections and adenovirus, enterovirus, rotavirus and reovirus have been proposed as environmental triggers for coeliac disease. However, it is not known whether an interaction exists between the ingested gluten amount and viral exposures in the development of coeliac disease. This study investigated whether distinct viral exposures alone