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Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) represents an attractive therapeutic target in hypertension and heart failure. The biologically active form of ANP is produced by the cardiac serine protease corin, and modulation of its activity might therefore represent a novel approach for ANP augmentation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are pervasive regulators of gene expression, but their potential role in regulating cor
The emergence of nodding syndrome (NS) in Northern Uganda has generated controversial views with respect to patterns, natural history, and aetiology of the disease which is yet unknown. This study explored spatial patterns of NS using spatial-temporal methods to establish its clustering patterns across both space and time. Village and year of NS onset for individual patients between the years 1990
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in industrialized countries. One underlying cause is atherosclerosis, which is a systemic disease characterized by plaques of retained lipids, inflammatory cells, apoptotic cells, calcium and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the arterial wall. The biologic composition of an atherosclerotic plaque determines whether the plaque is
BACKGROUND: Assessing the relationship between lung cancer and metabolic conditions is challenging because of the confounding effect of tobacco. Mendelian randomization (MR), or the use of genetic instrumental variables to assess causality, may help to identify the metabolic drivers of lung cancer.METHODS AND FINDINGS: We identified genetic instruments for potential metabolic risk factors and eval
Nowadays organisms encounter not only natural challenges from predators but also significant anthropogenic stressors, such as insecticides, which can profoundly disrupt their normal growth and behavior. However, the knowledge on their potential interactions remains largely unknown, particularly regarding how insecticides may affect predator-prey interactions and prey responses across multiple gene
In a world where insect pollinator declines are a reality, understanding their effects on the reproduction and persistence of wild plant species is vital to contribute to decisions for appropriate conservation strategies. This is especially true in areas which host a high species diversity, like European semi-natural grasslands. In fragmented habitats in particular, pollinator availability can be
Objective: This study aimed to compare cumulative [fresh and frozen embryo transfers from one ovarian stimulation (OS) cycle] pregnancy and live birth rates in women for whom the choice between recombinant FSH (rFSH) and urinary FSH (uFSH) for OS was linked to FSH receptor (FSHR) N680S genotype and compared these to non-genotyped controls.Methods: To define the optimal combination of FSH type and
With calls for increased greenery in cities to safeguard biodiversity and its associated benefits to humans, urban vegetation must be managed carefully and efficiently. It is time to change paths from current spurious attempts to manufacture resilience and instead usher in evidence-based urban greening to secure ecosystems for the future.
AIMS: Diet is a determinant of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) with coronary disease as predominant cause of pre-mature death. To analyse how diet was associated with coronary atherosclerosis, including plaque features.METHODS AND RESULTS: The cross-sectional population-based study using data from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary BioImage Study (SCAPIS) included 24 079 adults aged 50-64 years, recruited
Despite the importance of mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) in long-term soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) persistence, and the significant contribution of fungal necromass to this pool, the factors controlling the formation of fungal-derived MAOM remain unclear. This study investigated how fungal necromass chemistry, specifically melanin, interacts with soil mineral properties and microbial
Environmental heterogeneity in forest understories creates microhabitat niches that differ both spatially and temporally in light intensity and temperature. Do animal communities segregate in relation to these niche dimensions, and can this be explained by functional traits? Answering these questions is particularly important for insect pollinators, as they play a critical role in maintaining flow
Recent epidemiological studies have suggested a positive association between ultra-processed food consumption and breast cancer risk, although some studies also reported no association. Furthermore, the evidence regarding the associations between intake of food with lower degrees of processing and breast cancer risk is limited. Thus, we investigated the associations between dietary intake by degre
This study aims to investigate and disentangle the impact of land use and climate variability on the Baltic Sea coastal zone from a millennial perspective. To assess the environmental status of the coastal zone we make use of siliceous microfossils (mainly diatoms), stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes, organic carbon accumulation rates, and lithological changes analyzed in a sediment core collecte
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been broadened over recent decades in response to evolving challenges faced by the EU and its farmers. It now claims to support not only food security and farmers’ incomes, but also transitioning to a green economy, conservation of biodiversity and climate action. We have evaluated to what extent four main types of CAP payment instruments form a cohesi
Coastal protection has evolved from focusing on hard solutions such as breakwaters and groynes to include soft or nature-based solutions (NbS). NbS have been pro- posed as cost-effective means to offer long-term coastal protection and at the same time strengthen coastal resilience and biodiversity. However, projects utilizing NbS for coastal protection have often focused on a single solution and t
BackgroundCarotid artery disease is highly prevalent and a main cause of ischemic stroke and vascular dementia. There is a paucity of information on predictors of serious vascular events. Besides percentage diameter stenosis, international guidelines also recommend the evaluation of qualitative characteristics of carotid artery disease as a guide to treatment, but with no agreement on which qualit
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Excess adiposity is differentially associated with increased risk of cardiometabolic disease in men and women, according to observational studies. Causal inference studies largely assume a linear relationship between BMI and cardiometabolic outcomes, which may not be the case. In this study, we investigated the shapes of the causal relationships between BMI and cardiometabolic dis
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that results in the destruction of insulin producing pancreatic β-cells. One of the genes associated with T1D is TYK2, which encodes a Janus kinase with critical roles in type-Ι interferon (IFN-Ι) mediated intracellular signalling. To study the role of TYK2 in β-cell development and response to IFNα, we generated TYK2 knockout human iPSCs and directed
Voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channel dysfunction leads to impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells and contributes to the development of type-2 diabetes (T2D). The role of the low-voltage gated T-type CaV channels in β-cells remains obscure. Here we have measured the global expression of T-type CaV3.2 channels in human islets and found that gene expression of CACNA1H, encodi
Introduced social insects can be highly invasive outside of their native range. Around the world, the introduction and establishment of the eusocial bumblebee Bombus terrestris (L. 1758) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) has negatively impacted native pollinators and ecosystems. Understanding how morphological variation is linked to environmental variation across invasive ranges can indicate how rapidly speci
