Individual FEV1 Trajectories Can Be Identified from a COPD Cohort.

Objective: We aim to make use of clinical spirometry data in order to identify individual COPD-patients with divergent trajectories of lung function over time.

Study Design And Setting: Hospital-based COPD cohort (N = 607) was followed on average 4.6 years.

East-west differences and migration in Finland: Association with cardiometabolic risk markers and IMT. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Background: Coronary heart disease mortality has been internationally high in eastern Finland. The excessive mortality risk in Eastern compared with western Finns is explained by differences in cardiometabolic risk profile. Current risk profile differences and association with migration have not been reported.

CHRNA5/CHRNA3 Locus Associates with Increased Mortality among Smokers.

Polymorphisms in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNA5/CHRNA3 locus) have been associated with several smoking related traits such as nicotine dependence, cigarette consumption, smoking cessation, lung cancer, and COPD. The aim of this candidate gene study was to study the locus among the Finnish COPD patients and long-term smokers with regard to COPD risk, smoking behavior, cancer, and all-cause mortality. Genotyping of rs1051730, the locus tagging SNP was done in two longitudinal cohorts: Finnish COPD patients (N = 575, 74% men) and long-term smokers, all men (N = 1911).

Continuous and Dichotomous Metabolic Syndrome Definitions in Youth Predict Adult Type 2 Diabetes and Carotid Artery Intima Media Thickness: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Objectives: To examine the utility of continuous metabolic syndrome (cMetS) scores vs a dichotomous metabolic syndrome (MetS) definition in youth to predict adult type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT).

Study Design: Participants (n = 1453) from the population-based, prospective, observational Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study who were examined in youth (when aged 9-18 years) and re-examined 15-25 years later. Four cMetS scores were constructed according to procedures most often used in the literature that comprised the youth risk factor inputs of body mass index, blood pressure, glucose, insulin, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Finger skin temperatures in 8- to 11-year-old children: determinants including physical characteristics and seasonal variation. The Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) Study.

Purpose: The fingertip skin temperature (FST) reflects skin blood flow, and FST measurement has been suggested for the investigation of vascular responses. As a limitation, the multifactorial nature and the seasonal variation in measured values have been earlier described in adults but not in children. In the present study, we identify the modifiers of FST in a population sample of Finnish children.

Growth and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Prepubertal Children Born Large or Small for Gestational Age.

Background: Both large and small birth sizes are associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic problems later in life. We studied whether such associations can be observed at prepubertal age.

Methods: A cohort of 49 large (LGA), 56 appropriate (AGA), and 23 small for gestational age (SGA)-born children (age range 5-8 years) were studied.

Potent and selective N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)thiourea-based GPR55 agonists.

To date, many known G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) ligands are those identified among the cannabinoids. In order to further study the function of GPR55, new potent and selective ligands are needed. In this study, we utilized the screening results from PubChem bioassay AID 1961 which reports the results of Image-based HTS for Selective Agonists of GPR55.

Repeated Blood Pressure Measurements in Childhood in Prediction of Hypertension in Adulthood.

Hypertension may be predicted from childhood risk factors. Repeated observations of abnormal blood pressure in childhood may enhance prediction of hypertension and subclinical atherosclerosis in adulthood compared with a single observation. Participants (1927, 54% women) from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study had systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements performed when aged 3 to 24 years.

Cognitive performance in young adulthood and midlife: Relations with age, sex, and education-The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Objective: Age, education, and sex associate with cognitive performance. We investigated associations between age, sex, education, and cognitive performance in young or middle-aged adults and evaluated data reduction methods to optimally capture cognitive performance in our population-based data.

Method: This study is part of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

A patient as a self-manager of their personal data on health and disease with new technology--challenges for nursing education.

Background: Digital technologies have transformed nearly every aspect of our lives. However, for many of us, they have not yet improved the way we receive or participate in our health services and disease care. Hostetter et al.

Time-Dependent Inhibition of CYP2C19 by Isoquinoline Alkaloids: In Vitro and In Silico Analysis.

The cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) enzyme plays an important role in the metabolism of many commonly used drugs. Relatively little is known about CYP2C19 inhibitors, including compounds of natural origin, which could inhibit CYP2C19, potentially causing clinically relevant metabolism-based drug interactions. We evaluated a series (N = 49) of structurally related plant isoquinoline alkaloids for their abilities to interact with CYP2C19 enzyme using in vitro and in silico methods.

Interrelationships between indices of longitudinal movement of the common carotid artery wall and the conventional measures of subclinical arteriosclerosis.

Our objective was to study the interrelationships between longitudinal movement of the wall of the common carotid artery and the conventional measures of arteriosclerosis in a large and well-characterized study population. Successful longitudinal movement analyses were performed on 292 subjects. The peak-to-peak and retrograde amplitudes of the longitudinal movement were directly correlated with carotid artery distensibility (r = 0·21, P<0·001 and r = 0·23, P<0·001, respectively) and inversely correlated with pulse wave velocity (r = -0·14, P<0·05 and r = -0·17, P<0·01, respectively).

Effect of fingolimod on cardiac autonomic regulation in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Fingolimod modulates sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors that are also found in cardiovascular tissue.

Objective: To investigate the effects of fingolimod on cardiac autonomic regulation prospectively.

Methods: Twenty-seven relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients underwent 24-hour electrocardiogram recording before, at the first day of fingolimod treatment (1d) and after three months of continuous dosing (3mo).

Comparative molecular field analysis and molecular dynamics studies of α/β hydrolase domain containing 6 (ABHD6) inhibitors.

The endocannabinoid system remains an attractive molecular target for pharmacological intervention due to its roles in the central nervous system in learning, thinking, emotional function, regulation of food intake or pain sensation, as well as in the peripheral nervous system, where it modulates the action of cardiovascular, immune, metabolic or reproductive function. α/β hydrolase domain containing 6 (ABHD6)--an enzyme forming part of the endocannabinoid system--is a newly discovered post-genomic protein acting as a 2-AG (2-arachidonoylglycerol) serine hydrolase. We have recently reported a series of 1,2,5-thiadiazole carbamates as potent and selective ABHD6 inhibitors.

Revisiting 1,3,4-Oxadiazol-2-ones: Utilization in the Development of ABHD6 Inhibitors.

This article describes our systematic approach to exploring the utility of the 1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-one scaffold in the development of ABHD6 inhibitors. Compound 3-(3-aminobenzyl)-5-methoxy-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-one (JZP-169, 52) was identified as a potent inhibitor of hABHD6, with an IC₅₀ value of 216 nM. This compound at 10 μM concentration did not inhibit any other endocannabinoid hydrolases, such as FAAH, MAGL and ABHD12, or bind to the cannabinoid receptors (CB₁ and CB₂).

Subtle increases in heart size persist into adulthood in growth restricted babies: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Background And Objectives: Impaired fetal growth is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adulthood. We sought to determine whether adults born with intrauterine growth restriction have primary maladaptive changes in cardiac structure.

Methods: Study participants were adults (34-49 years) who attended the 31-year follow-up of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (longitudinal cohort).

Increased Body Mass Index in Parent-Child Dyads Predicts the Offspring Risk of Meeting Bariatric Surgery Criteria.

Context: Obesity in children is a major public health concern.

Objective: This study examined the value of using parent-child dyads' adiposity status for predicting the individual's later eligibility for bariatric surgery (EBS).

Design, Setting, And Participants: The cohort consisted of 2647 individuals from the longitudinal Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Physical activity in COPD patients decreases short-acting bronchodilator use and the number of exacerbations.

Background: Physically inactive patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit higher rates of exacerbations and symptoms of dyspnoea than active patients. Whether the use of COPD medication explains these differences is not known.

Aim: This study evaluated differences in the use of COPD medication and the number of exacerbations due to physical activity.

Infection-Related Hospitalization in Childhood and Adult Metabolic Outcomes.

Background And Objectives: Identifying childhood determinants of adult cardiometabolic disease would facilitate early-life interventions. There are few longitudinal data on the contribution of childhood infections. Therefore, we investigated whether hospitalization with childhood infection is associated with adult anthropometric and metabolic outcomes in a large, well-phenotyped longitudinal cohort.

Accurate genetic diagnosis of Finnish pulmonary arterial hypertension patients using oligonucleotide-selective sequencing.

The genetic basis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) among Finnish PAH patients is poorly understood. We adopted a novel-targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach called Oligonucleotide-Selective Sequencing (OS-Seq) and developed a custom data analysis and interpretation pipeline to identify pathogenic base substitutions, insertions, and deletions in seven genes associated with PAH (BMPR2, BMPR1B, ACVRL1, ENG, SMAD9, CAV1, and KCNK3) from Finnish PAH patients. This study represents the first clinical study with OS-Seq technology on patients suffering from a rare genetic disorder.

Reference Values for Echocardiography in Middle-Aged Population: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Background: Population and sex-specific reference limits produced with modern ultrasound equipment are needed for accurate clinical echocardiography diagnostics. We report a comprehensive set of reference limits of cardiac function and dimensions in a group of young and middle-aged Finnish men and women produced by the recommendations of European Society of Echocardiography and American Society of Cardiology.

Methods And Results: Cardiac structure and function was studied in a standardized comprehensive echocardiographic examination in 1,079 healthy volunteers without cardiovascular diseases or major known risk factors participating in the population-based Young Finns study (444 men and 635 women, age range 34 and 49 years).

Associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and adiposity with arterial stiffness in children.

Associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and body fat percentage (BF%) with arterial stiffness and dilation capacity were investigated in 160 prepubertal children (83 girls) 6-8 years of age. We assessed CRF (watts/lean mass) by maximal cycle ergometer exercise test, total PA, structured exercise, unstructured PA, commuting to and from school, recess PA and total and screen-based sedentary behavior by questionnaire, BF% using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and arterial stiffness and dilation capacity using pulse contour analysis. Data were adjusted for sex and age.

Mild obstructive sleep apnea does not modulate baroreflex sensitivity in adult patients.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic and progressive disease. OSA is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, the risk being more frequently encountered with severe degrees of OSA. Increased sympathetic activation and impaired cardiac autonomic control as reflected by depressed baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (BRS) are possible mechanisms involved in the cardiovascular complications of OSA.

Effect of birth weight on life-course blood pressure levels among children born premature: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Objectives: Both fetal growth restriction and prematurity have been associated with elevated blood pressure (BP). However, their combined effects on adult BP are unclear.

Methods: Our analyses were based on 1756 participants in the population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study who had information on birth weight and gestational age, together with longitudinal data on cardiovascular risk markers from age 3-18 years in 1980 to age 34-49 years in 2011.

Opportunities and Challenges in the Design and Analysis of Biomass Supply Chains.

The biomass supply chain is one of the most critical elements of large-scale bioenergy production and in many cases a key barrier for procuring initial funding for new developments on specific energy crops. Most productions rely on complex transforming chains linked to feed and food markets. The term 'supply chain' covers various aspects from cultivation and harvesting of the biomass, to treatment, transportation, and storage.