| 1. |
- Willeit, P., et al.
(författare)
-
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Progression as Surrogate Marker for Cardiovascular Risk: Meta-Analysis of 119 Clinical Trials Involving 100 667 Patients
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Circulation. - 1524-4539. ; 142:7, s. 621-642
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: To quantify the association between effects of interventions on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) progression and their effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. METHODS: We systematically collated data from randomized, controlled trials. cIMT was assessed as the mean value at the common-carotid-artery; if unavailable, the maximum value at the common-carotid-artery or other cIMT measures were used. The primary outcome was a combined CVD end point defined as myocardial infarction, stroke, revascularization procedures, or fatal CVD. We estimated intervention effects on cIMT progression and incident CVD for each trial, before relating the 2 using a Bayesian meta-regression approach. RESULTS: We analyzed data of 119 randomized, controlled trials involving 100 667 patients (mean age 62 years, 42% female). Over an average follow-up of 3.7 years, 12 038 patients developed the combined CVD end point. Across all interventions, each 10 μm/y reduction of cIMT progression resulted in a relative risk for CVD of 0.91 (95% Credible Interval, 0.87-0.94), with an additional relative risk for CVD of 0.92 (0.87-0.97) being achieved independent of cIMT progression. Taken together, we estimated that interventions reducing cIMT progression by 10, 20, 30, or 40 μm/y would yield relative risks of 0.84 (0.75-0.93), 0.76 (0.67-0.85), 0.69 (0.59-0.79), or 0.63 (0.52-0.74), respectively. Results were similar when grouping trials by type of intervention, time of conduct, time to ultrasound follow-up, availability of individual-participant data, primary versus secondary prevention trials, type of cIMT measurement, and proportion of female patients. CONCLUSIONS: The extent of intervention effects on cIMT progression predicted the degree of CVD risk reduction. This provides a missing link supporting the usefulness of cIMT progression as a surrogate marker for CVD risk in clinical trials.
|
|
| 2. |
- Tschiderer, L., et al.
(författare)
-
The Prospective Studies of Atherosclerosis (Proof-ATHERO) Consortium: Design and Rationale
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Gerontology. - : S. Karger AG. - 0304-324X .- 1423-0003. ; 66:5, s. 447-459
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Atherosclerosis - the pathophysiological mechanism shared by most cardiovascular diseases - can be directly or indirectly assessed by a variety of clinical tests including measurement of carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque, ankle-brachial index, pulse wave velocity, and coronary artery calcium. The Prospective Studies of Atherosclerosis (Proof-ATHERO) consortium (https://clinicalepi.i-med.ac.at/research/proof-athero/) collates de-identified individual-participant data of studies with information on atherosclerosis measures, risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and incidence of cardiovascular diseases. It currently comprises 74 studies that involve 106,846 participants from 25 countries and over 40 cities. In summary, 21 studies recruited participants from the general population (n = 67,784), 16 from high-risk populations (n = 22,677), and 37 as part of clinical trials (n = 16,385). Baseline years of contributing studies range from April 1980 to July 2014; the latest follow-up was until June 2019. Mean age at baseline was 59 years (standard deviation: 10) and 50% were female. Over a total of 830,619 person-years of follow-up, 17,270 incident cardiovascular events (including coronary heart disease and stroke) and 13,270 deaths were recorded, corresponding to cumulative incidences of 2.1% and 1.6% per annum, respectively. The consortium is coordinated by the Clinical Epidemiology Team at the Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria. Contributing studies undergo a detailed data cleaning and harmonisation procedure before being incorporated in the Proof-ATHERO central database. Statistical analyses are being conducted according to pre-defined analysis plans and use established methods for individual-participant data meta-analysis. Capitalising on its large sample size, the multi-institutional collaborative Proof-ATHERO consortium aims to better characterise, understand, and predict the development of atherosclerosis and its clinical consequences. (c) 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
- Bergh, Jan-Erik, et al.
(författare)
-
Insect DNA Exposed to Two Insecticides
- 2007
-
Ingår i: International Conference Directions in Preventive Conservation Sibiu. - Sibiu, Rumänien.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Analyses of DNA is now a standard method in exploring taxonomical relationships between taxa or when studying intraspecific genetic variation. For these purposes museum specimen are often used. During their “museum history”, biological collections often have been treated with various insecticides to avoid museum pest attacks. There is a risk that some insecticides have more or less destroyed the specimen DNA, and thus it is important to know to what extent this happens to be able to estimate if old collection are useful for DNA screening and also to avoid future mistakes. Kigawa et al. (2003) showed that methyl bromide, methyl bromide/ethylene oxide (mixed), ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and methyl iodide all caused degradation of DNA in samples of mushroom and chicken muscle. We have tested possible negative effects on insect DNA from exposure of paradichlorobenzene and diclorvos. Species used were Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera), Musca domestica (Diptera), Dermestes hemeroidalis (Coleoptera), Periplaneta americana (Blattodea). The specimens were cut into two parts before completely dried in silica gel in closed containers for about 2 weeks. Three serials were set up in sealed, small glass containers for each species: (1) paradichlorobenzene (0.5g ±0.02g, representing saturated concentration); (2) diclorvos (0.5g ±0.02g, representing saturated concentration); and (3) no chemicals (blank). Each serial was sampled after 1 and 4 weeks. Immediately after sampling, the insect tissues were exposed to clean air for 8 hours in order to eliminate chemicals from the tissue before subsequent treatment. Together with the blank samples, the exposed tissues were stored in deep freezers before extracted for DNA after the last tissue sampling. After extraction, a 658 bp (base pair) COI gene fragment of the DNA was amplified using the forward and reverse primers HCO2198 (TAA ACT TCA GGG TGA CCA AAA AAT CA) and HCOout (CCA GGT AAA ATT AAA ATA TAA ACT TC), respectively. Electrophoresis of the PCR products was run for about 2h and presence or absence of the amplified COI gene fragment showed as band or absence of band in UV light. The gel was photographed for documentation of the results. For S. gregaria we did not obtain any clear results, probably because the primer did not work for the COI gene of this species. For the other three species no effect could be seen from the exposure of paradichlorobenzene, while dichlorvos destroyed the COI gene fragment after 28 days. For M. domestica a band was present after one week exposure. Our conclusion is that dichlorvos has a deteriorating effect on DNA. A more extensive experimental series on M. domestica has been started at the Swedish Museum of Natural History. Reference: Kigawa, R., Nochide, H., Kimura, H. and Miura, S., Effects of various fumigants, thermal methods and carbon dioxide treatment on DNA extraction and amplification: A case study on freeze-dried mushroom and free-dried muscle specimens. Collection Forum 2003, 18 (1-2): 74-89.
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
- Kivipelto, Miia, et al.
(författare)
-
World-Wide FINGERS Network : A global approach to risk reduction and prevention of dementia
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Alzheimer's & Dementia. - : Wiley. - 1552-5260 .- 1552-5279. ; 16:7, s. 1078-1094
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reducing the risk of dementia can halt the worldwide increase of affected people. The multifactorial and heterogeneous nature of late-onset dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), indicates a potential impact of multidomain lifestyle interventions on risk reduction. The positive results of the landmark multidomain Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) support such an approach. The World-Wide FINGERS (WW-FINGERS), launched in 2017 and including over 25 countries, is the first global network of multidomain lifestyle intervention trials for dementia risk reduction and prevention. WW-FINGERS aims to adapt, test, and optimize the FINGER model to reduce risk across the spectrum of cognitive decline-from at-risk asymptomatic states to early symptomatic stages-in different geographical, cultural, and economic settings. WW-FINGERS aims to harmonize and adapt multidomain interventions across various countries and settings, to facilitate data sharing and analysis across studies, and to promote international joint initiatives to identify globally implementable and effective preventive strategies.
|
|
| 7. |
- Sodeland, M., et al.
(författare)
-
Stabilizing selection on Atlantic cod supergenes through a millennium of extensive exploitation
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 119:8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Life on Earth has been characterized by recurring cycles of ecological stasis and disruption, relating biological eras to geological and climatic transitions through the history of our planet. Due to the increasing degree of ecological abruption caused by human influences many advocate that we now have entered the geological era of the Anthropocene, or “the age of man.” Considering the ongoing mass extinction and ecosystem reshuffling observed worldwide, a better understanding of the drivers of ecological stasis will be a requisite for identifying routes of intervention and mitigation. Ecosystem stability may rely on one or a few keystone species, and the loss of such species could potentially have detrimental effects. The Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) has historically been highly abundant and is considered a keystone species in ecosystems of the northern Atlantic Ocean. Collapses of cod stocks have been observed on both sides of the Atlantic and reported to have detrimental effects that include vast ecosystem reshuffling. By whole-genome resequencing we demonstrate that stabilizing selection maintains three extensive “supergenes” in Atlantic cod, linking these genes to species persistence and ecological stasis. Genomic inference of historic effective population sizes shows continued declines for cod in the North Sea-Skagerrak-Kattegat system through the past millennia, consistent with an early onset of the marine Anthropocene through industrialization and commercialization of fisheries throughout the medieval period. © 2022 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
|
|
| 8. |
- Banitalebi, H., et al.
(författare)
-
A novel MRI index for paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration: reliability and relation to pain and disability in lumbar spinal stenosis: results from a multicentre study
- 2022
-
Ingår i: European Radiology Experimental. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2509-9280. ; 6:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles may play a role in pain and disability in lumbar spinal stenosis. We assessed the reliability and association with clinical symptoms of a method for assessing fatty infiltration, a simplified muscle fat index (MFI). Methods: Preoperative axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 243 patients aged 66.6 +/- 8.5 years (mean +/- standard deviation), 119 females (49%), with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis were assessed. Fatty infiltration was assessed using both the MFI and the Goutallier classification system (GCS). The MFI was calculated as the signal intensity of the psoas muscle divided by that of the multifidus and erector spinae. Observer reliability was assessed in 102 consecutive patients for three independent investigators by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and 95% limits of agreement (LoA) for continuous variables and Gwet's agreement coefficient (AC1) for categorical variables. Associations with patient-reported pain and disability were assessed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Results: Interobserver reliability was good for the MFI (ICC 0.79) and fair for the GCS (AC1 0.33). Intraobserver reliability was good or excellent for the MFI (ICC range 0.86-0.91) and moderate to almost perfect for the GCS (AC1 range 0.55-0.92). Mean interobserver differences of MFI measurements ranged from -0.09 to -0.04 (LoA -0.32 to 0.18). Adjusted for potential confounders, none of the disability or pain parameters was significantly associated with MFI or GCS. Conclusion: The proposed MFI demonstrated high observer reliability but was not associated with preoperative pain or disability.
|
|
| 9. |
- Banitalebi, H., et al.
(författare)
-
Reliability of preoperative MRI findings in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis
- 2022
-
Ingår i: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2474. ; 23:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an important tool in preoperative evaluation of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Reported reliability of various MRI findings in LSS varies from fair to excellent. There are inconsistencies in the evaluated parameters and the methodology of the studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the preoperative MRI findings in patients with LSS between musculoskeletal radiologists and orthopaedic spine surgeons, using established evaluation methods and imaging data from a prospective trial. Methods: Consecutive lumbar MRI examinations of candidates for surgical treatment of LSS from the Norwegian Spinal Stenosis and Degenerative Spondylolisthesis (NORDSTEN) study were independently evaluated by two musculoskeletal radiologists and two orthopaedic spine surgeons. The observers had a range of experience between six and 13 years and rated five categorical parameters (foraminal and central canal stenosis, facet joint osteoarthritis, redundant nerve roots and intraspinal synovial cysts) and one continuous parameter (dural sac cross-sectional area). All parameters were re-rated after 6 weeks by all the observers. Inter- and intraobserver agreement was assessed by Gwet's agreement coefficient (AC1) for categorical parameters and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for the dural sac cross-sectional area. Results: MRI examinations of 102 patients (mean age 66 +/- 8 years, 53 men) were evaluated. The overall interobserver agreement was substantial or almost perfect for all categorical parameters (AC1 range 0.67 to 0.98), except for facet joint osteoarthritis, where the agreement was moderate (AC1 0.39). For the dural sac cross-sectional area, the overall interobserver agreement was good or excellent (ICC range 0.86 to 0.96). The intraobserver agreement was substantial or almost perfect/excellent for all parameters (AC1 range 0.63 to 1.0 and ICC range 0.93 to 1.0). Conclusions: There is high inter- and intraobserver agreement between radiologists and spine surgeons for preoperative MRI findings of LSS. However, the interobserver agreement is not optimal for evaluation of facet joint osteoarthritis.
|
|
| 10. |
- Dunk, Michelle M., et al.
(författare)
-
Plasma oxysterols are associated with serum lipids and dementia risk in older women
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Alzheimer's & Dementia. - 1552-5260 .- 1552-5279.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) carriers’ tendency toward hypercholesterolemia may contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk through oxysterols, which traverse the blood-brain barrier.METHODS: Relationships between baseline plasma oxysterols, APOE status, serum lipids, and cognitive impairment risk were examined in 328 postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. Women were followed for 25 years or until incident dementia or cognitive impairment.RESULTS: Levels of 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol (24-OHC), 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC), and 24-OHC/27-OHC ratio did not differ by APOE status (p’s > 0.05). Higher 24-OHC and 27-OHC were associated with higher total, low density lipoprotein (LDL), non-high density lipoprotein (HDL), remnant, LDL/HDL, and total/HDL cholesterol and triglycerides (p’s < 0.05). Higher 24-OHC/27-OHC was associated with greater dementia risk (hazard ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval:1.02-2.22), which interaction analyses revealed as significant for APOE3 and APOE4+, but not APOE2+ carriers.DISCUSSION: Less favorable lipid profiles were associated with higher oxysterol levels. A higher ratio of 24-OHC/27-OHC may contribute to dementia risk in APOE3 and APOE4+ carriers.
|
|
