Adiposity-Related Predictors of Vascular Aging From a Life Course Perspective-Findings From the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

The main objective of this study was to study predictors of vascular health with focus on adiposity-related factors. Glucose metabolism, blood lipids, inflammatory markers and body composition were assessed 15 years before assessment of vascular health which was assessed with pulse wave velocity (PWV) in 660 subjects born 1934-44. In a univariate analysis in women the strongest association with PWV was seen for age, systolic blood pressure, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, inflammatory markers and body fat percentage measured in late midlife and PWV measured 15 years later.

Roles of vimentin in health and disease.

More than 27 yr ago, the vimentin knockout ( ) mouse was reported to develop and reproduce without an obvious phenotype, implying that this major cytoskeletal protein was nonessential. Subsequently, comprehensive and careful analyses have revealed numerous phenotypes in mice and their organs, tissues, and cells, frequently reflecting altered responses in the recovery of tissues following various insults or injuries. These findings have been supported by cell-based experiments demonstrating that vimentin intermediate filaments (IFs) play a critical role in regulating cell mechanics and are required to coordinate mechanosensing, transduction, signaling pathways, motility, and inflammatory responses.

Non-melancholic depressive symptoms are associated with above average fat mass index in the Helsinki birth cohort study.

There is an existing link between two of the most common diseases, obesity and depression. These are both of great public health concern, but little is known about the relationships between the subtypes of these conditions. We hypothesized that non-melancholic depressive symptoms have a stronger relationship with both body composition (lean mass and fat mass) and dysfunctional glucose metabolism than melancholic depression.

Integrative multi-omics database (iMOMdb) of Asian pregnant women.

Asians are underrepresented across many omics databases, thereby limiting the potential of precision medicine in nearly 60% of the global population. As such, there is a pressing need for multi-omics derived quantitative trait loci (QTLs) to fill the knowledge gap of complex traits in populations of Asian ancestry. Here, we provide the first blood-based multi-omics analysis of Asian pregnant women, constituting high-resolution genotyping (N = 1079), DNA methylation (N = 915) and transcriptome profiling (N = 238).

Bipartite network models to design combination therapies in acute myeloid leukaemia.

Combination therapy is preferred over single-targeted monotherapies for cancer treatment due to its efficiency and safety. However, identifying effective drug combinations costs time and resources. We propose a method for identifying potential drug combinations by bipartite network modelling of patient-related drug response data, specifically the Beat AML dataset.

Associations Between Maternal Distress During Early Life Periods and Offspring Respiratory Infections and Allergic Outcomes.

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that maternal distress is a risk factor for development of respiratory infections and allergic diseases in the offspring. We aim to evaluate the link between maternal distress during critical periods in early life, namely the preconception, pregnancy and postnatal periods, and development of respiratory infections and allergic diseases in the offspring from the Singapore PREconception Study of long Term maternal and child Outcomes (S-PRESTO) cohort.

Methods: Maternal perceived distress was evaluated using validated questionnaires including Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) administered during three time periods: preconception (three months apart at four timepoints), pregnancy (during each trimester) and postnatal (3 and 6 months post-delivery).

Associations Between Eczema and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Children.

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest a link between eczema and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but underlying mechanisms have not been examined.

Objective: We aim to investigate the association between eczema and subsequent ADHD symptoms in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes cohort and explore the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines and gut microbiome.

Methods: The modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and Computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV were administered to assess reported eczema within the first 18 months and presence of ADHD symptoms at 54 months, respectively.

Vimentin Suppresses Inflammation and Tumorigenesis in the Mouse Intestine.

Vimentin has been implicated in wound healing, inflammation, and cancer, but its functional contribution to intestinal diseases is poorly understood. To study how vimentin is involved during tissue injury and repair of simple epithelium, we induced colonic epithelial cell damage in the vimentin null (Vim) mouse model. Vim mice challenged with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) had worse colitis manifestations than wild-type (WT) mice.

Individual goal-based plan based on nursing theory for adults with type 2 diabetes and self-care deficits: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: The prevalence and costs of type 2 diabetes are increasing worldwide. A cornerstone in the treatment and care of diabetes is supporting each patient in self-management. In Sweden, most patients with type 2 diabetes are cared for in the primary care setting, which is heavily burdened.

The socioeconomic landscape of the exposome during pregnancy.

Background: While socioeconomic position (SEP) is consistently related to pregnancy and birth outcome disparities, relevant biological mechanisms are manifold, thus necessitating more comprehensive characterization of SEP-exposome associations during pregnancy.

Objectives: We implemented an exposomic approach to systematically characterize the socioeconomic landscape of prenatal exposures in a setting where social segregation was less distinct in a hypotheses-generating manner.

Methods: We described the correlation structure of 134 prenatal exogenous and endogenous sources (e.

TGFβ selects for pro-stemness over pro-invasive phenotypes during cancer cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which correlates with stemness and invasiveness. Mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) is induced by TGFβ withdrawal and correlates with metastatic colonization. Whether TGFβ promotes stemness and invasiveness simultaneously via EMT remains unclear.

A motile doublet form of Salmonella Typhimurium diversifies target search behavior at the epithelial surface.

The behaviors of infectious bacteria are commonly studied in bulk. This is effective to define the general properties of a given isolate, but insufficient to resolve subpopulations and unique single-microbe behaviors within the bacterial pool. We here employ microscopy to study single-bacterium characteristics among Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S.

Productivity in relation to organization of a surgical department: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Responsible and efficient resource utilization are important factors in healthcare. The aim of this study was to investigate how total case time differs between two differently organized surgical departments.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of a cohort of patients undergoing elective surgery for breast cancer or malignant melanoma in a university hospital setting in Sweden.

Cost of healthcare utilization associated with incident cardiovascular and renal disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes: A multinational, observational study across 12 countries.

Aim: To examine how the development of cardiovascular and renal disease (CVRD) translates to hospital healthcare costs in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) initially free from CVRD.

Methods: Data were obtained from the digital healthcare systems of 12 nations using a prespecified protocol. A fixed country-specific index date of 1 January was chosen to secure sufficient cohort disease history and maximal follow-up, varying between each nation from 2006 to 2017.

Print-and-stick unibody microfluidics coupled surface plasmon resonance (SPR) chip for smartphone imaging SPR (Smart-iSRP).

The design of a smartphone imaging surface plasmon resonance (Smart-iSPR) system integrated with an affordable 3D-printed microfluidic SPR chip fabricated via a facile manufacturing approach could pave the way towards the development of miniaturized and integrated smartphone iSPR biosensors for emerging point-of-use applications. Conventional smartphone-based SPR systems using soft photolithography for the fabrication of microfluidics SPR chips are costly, labour-intensive and required a specially-equipped light-controlled environment, that is inadequate and mismatched with the consumer-based smartphone detection platform. Herein, we report the design, fabrication and testing of an innovative print-and-stick unibody microfluidics coupled SPR chip for smartphone iSPR.

Family-focused contextual factors associated with lifestyle patterns in young children from two mother-offspring cohorts: GUSTO and EDEN.

Background: Integrated patterns of energy balance-related behaviours of preschool children in Asia are sparse, with few comparative analyses.

Purpose: Using cohorts in Singapore (GUSTO) and France (EDEN), we characterized lifestyle patterns of children and investigated their associations with family-focused contextual factors.

Methods: Ten behavioural variables related to child's diet, walking, outdoor play and screen time were ascertained by parental questionnaires at age 5-6 years.

patient experiences of using an Activity Board after abdominal cancer surgery.

Purpose: Most patients treated in a hospital setting are fully or partially immobilised. The Activity Board (Träningstavlan Phystec) is a useful tool to enhance mobilisation after major abdominal cancer surgery. Knowledge of patient experiences of the mobilisation tool is crucial in implementing the Activity Board in health care.

Pairwise association of key lifestyle factors and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective pooled multicohort study.

Background: Several lifestyle factors are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Although lifestyle factors co-occur, in most previous studies these factors have been studied focusing upon a single risk factor or assuming independent effects between risk factors.

Aim: To examine the pairwise effects and interactions of smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and body mass index (BMI) with risk of subsequent colorectal cancer (CRC).

Excess glucocorticoid exposure contributes to adipose tissue fibrosis which involves macrophage interaction with adipose precursor cells.

Chronic exposure to elevated glucocorticoid levels, as seen in patients with Cushing's syndrome, can induce adipose tissue fibrosis. Macrophages play a pivotal role in adipose tissue remodelling. We used the synthetic glucocorticoid analogue dexamethasone to address glucocorticoid effects on adipose tissue fibrosis, in particular involving macrophage to preadipocyte communication.

Effect of childhood developmental coordination disorder on adulthood physical activity; Arvo Ylppö longitudinal study.

Individuals at risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have low levels of physical activity in childhood due to impaired motor competence; however, physical activity levels in adulthood have not been established. This study sought to determine the impact of DCD risk on physical activity levels in adults using accelerometry measurement. Participants (n = 656) from the Arvo Ylppö Longitudinal Study cohort had their motor competence assessed at the age of five years, and their physical activity quantified via device assessment at the age of 25 years.

Association of plasma kynurenine pathway metabolite concentrations with metabolic health risk in prepubertal Asian children.

Background: The tryptophan-kynurenine (KYN) pathway is linked to obesity-related systemic inflammation and metabolic health. The pathway generates multiple metabolites, with little available data on their relationships to early markers of increased metabolic disease risk in children. The aim of this study was to examine the association of multiple KYN pathway metabolites with metabolic risk markers in prepubertal Asian children.

The Kynurenine Pathway Metabolites in Cord Blood Positively Correlate With Early Childhood Adiposity.

Context: The kynurenine pathway generates metabolites integral to energy metabolism, neurotransmission, and immune function. Circulating kynurenine metabolites positively correlate with adiposity in children and adults, yet it is not known whether this relationship is present already at birth.

Objective: In this prospective longitudinal study, we investigate the relationship between cord blood kynurenine metabolites and measures of adiposity from birth to 4.

Work incapacity among family caregivers: a record linkage study.

Background: Family caregiving-related physical and mental health problems may lead to work incapacity in employed caregivers. The aim of this study was to quantify sickness absences and disability pensions (SADP) among high-intensity family caregivers available to the labour market compared with a control population.

Methods: The study sample included all individuals in Finland, who had received caregiver's allowance and were available to the labour market in 2012 (n=16 982) and their controls (n=35 371).