36 research outputs found
Association between weight or Body Mass Index and hand osteoarthritis: a systematic review
No full textObjective:
To investigate the association between weight or Body Mass Index (BMI) and the
development of hand osteoarthritis (OA).
Methods:
Systematic review of observational studies. Medical databases were searched up to April
2008. Articles which presented data on the association between weight and hand OA
were selected. The qualities of these studies were then assessed by two independent
reviewers using a 19 criteria scoring system. Using the mean scores of all studies as cutoff
value, the studies were deemed as high- or low- quality. Study quality and study
designs were combined to determine the level of evidence using best-evidence synthesis
which consisted of five levels of evidence.
Results:
From the 25 studies included, two had cohort, three case-control and 20 cross-sectional
study designs. Fifteen studies were considered as high-quality studies. Of these highquality
studies, one cohort, two case-control and seven cross-sectional studies showed a
positive association between weight or BMI and hand OA. Based on three high-quality
studies with preferred study designs (one cohort and two case-control) with a positive
association, the level of evidence of the association between overweight and developing
hand OA is moderate. The approximate risk ratio of this association is 1.9.
Conclusion:
Weight or BMI is associated with hand OA development. The level of evidence of
published studies is moderate according to best-evidence synthesis. Further high-quality
cohort or case-control studies are needed to elucidate the role of weight in hand OA
Infant Feeding Patterns Are Associated with Cardiovascular Structures and Function in Childhood
No full textParental psychological distress during pregnancy and childhood cardiovascular development. The Generation R Study
No full textParental smoking during pregnancy and cardiovascular structures and function in childhood: The Generation R Study
No full textDrug-Checking with Molecularly Imprinted Polymers:Addressing Xylazine-Contaminated Fentanyl
No full textXylazine adulterated Fentanyl is considered one of the deadliest drug threats ever faced in the United States. However, due to the complexity of the illegal drug supply, xylazine detection in the frame of drug-checking (harm reduction) remains an unsolved challenge, one which has cost numerous lives across North America. In this work, we present two sensor platforms for detecting xylazine in drug-checking applications. Both platforms are based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) using vinyl phosphonic acid as the main monomer. By combining the MIPs with thermometric and colorimetric readouts, we achieved xylazine detection in a wide concentration range, relevant in real-world scenarios. First, the heat-transfer method (HTM) allowed xylazine detection in the low concentration range within 15 min per concentration, with a limit of detection (LoD) of 16.5 ng/mL (75 nM). Second, a dye displacement assay employing methylene blue provided rapid (<5 min), visible detection with an LoD > 76 μg/mL-five times lower than the average concentration reported for street samples. Additionally, the colorimetric sensor exhibited potential for detecting various unwanted xylazine analogues, which could potentially act as fentanyl adulterants in the future. Most importantly, the colorimetric sensor consistently detected xylazine in a highly complex, street-like fentanyl sample containing five common interferents. The synergy of the proposed sensors offers a promising alternative for centralized and on-site xylazine screening in harm reduction settings.</p
Longitudinal growth during fetal life and infancy and cardiovascular outcomes at school-age
No full textThe Missing Link in the Pathophysiology of Vascular Cognitive Impairment: Design of the Heart-Brain Study
No full textBackground: Hemodynamic balance in the heart-brain axis is increasingly recognized as a crucial factor in maintaining functional and structural integrity of the brain and thereby cognitive functioning. Patients with heart failure (HF), carotid occlusive disease (COD), and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) present themselves with complaints attributed to specific parts of the heart-brain axis, but hemodynamic changes often go beyond the part of the axis for which they primarily seek medical advice. The Heart-Brain Study hypothesizes that the hemodynamic status of the heart and the brain is an important but underestimated cause of VCI. We investigate this by studying to what extent hemodynamic changes contribute to VCI and what the mechanisms involved are. Here, we provide an overview of the design and protocol. Methods: The Heart-Brain Study is a multicenter cohort study with a follow-up measurement after 2 years among 645 participants (175 VCI, 175 COD, 175 HF, and 120 controls). Enrollment criteria are the following: 1 of the 3 diseases diagnosed according to current guidelines, age ≥50 years, no magnetic resonance contraindications, ability to undergo cognitive testing, and independence in daily life. A core clinical dataset is collected including sociodemographic factors, cardiovascular risk factors, detailed neurologic, cardiac, and medical history, medication, and a physical examination. In addition, we perform standardized neuropsychological testing, cardiac, vascular and brain MRI, and blood sampling. In subsets of participants we assess Alzheimer biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid, and assess echocardiography and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. Follow-up measurements after 2 years include neuropsychological testing, brain MRI, and blood samples for all participants. We use centralized state-of-the-art storage platforms for clinical and imaging data. Imaging data are processed centrally with automated standardized pipelines. Results and Conclusions: The Heart-Brain Study investigates relationships between (cardio-)vascular factors, the hemodynamic status of the heart and the brain, and cognitive impairment. By studying the complete heart-brain axis in patient groups that represent components of this axis, we have the opportunity to assess a combination of clinical and subclinical manifestations of disorders of the heart, vascular system and brain, with hemodynamic status as a possible binding factor
Computational and Population-Based HLA Permissiveness to HIV Drug Resistance-Associated Mutations
No full textThe presentation of HIV peptides by the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex to CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs) is critical to limit viral pathogenesis. HIV can mutate to evade HLA-restricted CTL responses and resist antiretroviral drugs, raising questions about how it balances these evolutionary pressures. Here, we used a computational approach to assess how drug resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) affect the binding of HIV-1 subtype B or C peptides to the most prevalent HLA alleles in US, European, and South African populations. We predict RAMs that may be favored in certain populations and report the under-representation of Y181C in people expressing HLA-B*57:01. This finding agreed with our computational predictions when Y181C was at the major anchor site P2, suggesting the potential relevance of our approach. Overall, our findings lay out a conceptual framework to study the implications of HLA alleles on the emergence of HIV RAMs at the individual and population levels.</p
White Paper on How to Go Forward with Cell-Based Advanced Therapies in Europe
No full textThe current White paper summarizes the discussions and exchange of experiences during the first European Interdisciplinary Summit on Cell-Based ATMPs held in Vienna, Austria, May 02-03, 2013. The meeting was supported by the Research Networking Programme REMEDIC (regenerative medicine) funded by the European Science Foundation and by the British Medical Research Council. To improve the competitiveness of Europe in the field of cell-based Advanced Medicinal Therapy Products (ATMPs), the following key issues were identified during the meeting: removal of national hurdles in the European Union, harmonization of national and subnational differences in Hospital Exemption rules, improved treatment algorithms for reimbursement, better knowledge on the mode of action, predictive preclinical efficacy and safety testing, need for innovative systems for preclinical testing, appropriate product characterization, manufacturing with cost of goods in mind, and appropriate design of clinical trials.status: Publishe
