Fasting levels of high-sensitivity growth hormone predict cardiovascular morbidity and mortality: the Malmö Diet and Cancer study.

Background: Both pathological excess and deficiency of growth hormone (GH) are associated with cardiovascular mortality.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to test whether fasting levels of growth hormone measured with a high-sensitivity assay (hs-GH) predict cardiovascular morbidity and mortality at the population level.

Methods: We studied 4,323 participants (age 46 to 68 years; mean age 58 years; 59% women) of the Swedish, population-based Malmö Diet and Cancer study examined in 1991 to 1994.

Elevated plasma levels of neuropeptide proenkephalin a predict mortality and functional outcome in ischemic stroke.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate neuropeptides in patients presenting with symptoms of acute cerebrovascular disease.

Background: The precursor neuropeptides proenkephalin A (PENK-A) and protachykinin (PTA) are markers of blood-brain barrier integrity and have been recently discussed in vascular dementia and neuroinflammatory disorders.

Methods: In a prospective observational study, we measured plasma PENK-A and PTA concentrations in 189 consecutive patients who were admitted with symptoms of acute stroke.

High-sensitivity chemiluminescence immunoassays for detection of growth hormone doping in sports.

Background: Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) is abused in sports, but adequate routine doping tests are lacking. Analysis of serum hGH isoform composition has been shown to be effective in detecting rhGH doping. We developed and validated selective immunoassays for isoform analysis with potential utility for screening and confirmation in doping tests.

Detection of stable N-terminal protachykinin A immunoreactivity in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid.

Substance P (SP) is a neuropeptide that is released from sensory nerves and several types of immune cells. It is involved in the transmission of pain and has a number of pro-inflammatory effects. Like other neuropeptides, SP is derived from a large precursor peptide, protachykinin A (PTA).

Secondary transporters for nickel and cobalt ions: theme and variations.

Nickel/cobalt transporters (NiCoTs), a family of secondary metal transporters in prokaryotes and fungi, are characterized by an eight-transmembrane-domain (TMD) architecture and mediate high-affinity uptake of cobalt and/or nickel ions into the cells. One of the strongly conserved regions within the NiCoTs is the signature sequence RHA(V/F)DADHI within TMD II. This stretch of amino acid residues plays an important role in the affinity, velocity and specificity of metal transport.