Ferritin Levels in Women with PCOS.

Objective: To study ferritin levels, and potential factors influencing them, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and to investigate potential associations between ferritin levels and other parameters in these women.

Design: Longitudinal general population -based cohort study, including data from both questionnaires and clinical measurements.

Subjects: The study was conducted with data from the participants of the Women's Health Study, including a total of 1918 Finnish women, around 35 years of age.

Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and the risk of childhood asthma by 10 years of age-Evidence from The Generation XXI birth cohort study.

Background: We aimed to investigate the association between maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and asthma in children by 10 years of age.

Methods: We considered 5585 mother-child pairs enrolled in a population-based birth cohort. Consumption of regular and decaffeinated coffee, black and green tea, and cola beverages before and during pregnancy was obtained through face-to-face interviews within 72 h after giving birth, and total caffeine intake (mg/day) was estimated.

Insights into the behaviour of phosphorylated DNA breaks from molecular dynamic simulations.

Single-stranded breaks (SSBs) are the most frequent DNA lesions threatening genomic integrity-understanding how DNA sensor proteins recognize certain SSB types is crucial for studies of the DNA repair pathways. During repair of damaged DNA the final SSB that is to be ligated contains a 5'-phosphorylated end. The present work employed molecular simulation (MD) of DNA with a phosphorylated break in solution to address multiple questions regarding the dynamics of the break site.

Polygenic score distribution differences across European ancestry populations: implications for breast cancer risk prediction.

Background: The 313-variant polygenic risk score (PRS) provides a promising tool for clinical breast cancer risk prediction. However, evaluation of the PRS across different European populations which could influence risk estimation has not been performed.

Methods: We explored the distribution of PRS across European populations using genotype data from 94,072 females without breast cancer diagnosis, of European-ancestry from 21 countries participating in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) and 223,316 females without breast cancer diagnosis from the UK Biobank.

Genome-wide association study of anterior uveitis.

Background/aims: The purpose of this study is to define genetic factors associated with anterior uveitis through genome-wide association study (GWAS).

Methods: In this GWAS meta-analysis, we combined data from the FinnGen, Estonian Biobank and UK Biobank with a total of 12 205 anterior uveitis cases and 917 145 controls. We performed a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) to investigate associations across phenotypes and traits.

Little strokes fell big oaks: The use of weak magnetic fields and reactive oxygen species to fight cancer.

The increase in early-stage cancers, particularly gastrointestinal, breast and kidney cancers, has been linked to lifestyle changes such as consumption of processed foods and physical inactivity, which contribute to obesity and diabetes - major cancer risk factors. Conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation often lead to severe long-term side effects, including secondary cancers and tissue damage, highlighting the need for new, safer and more effective therapies, especially for young patients. Weak electromagnetic fields (WEMF) offer a promising non-invasive approach to cancer treatment.

Dynamic Bayesian network modeling for longitudinal data on child undernutrition in Ethiopia (2002-2016).

Introduction: Dynamic Bayesian networks improve the modeling of complex systems by incorporating continuous probabilistic relationships between covariates that change over time. This study aimed to analyze the complex causal links contributing to child undernutrition using dynamic Bayesian network modeling, examining both the best- and worst-case scenarios. The Young Cohort of the Ethiopian Young Lives dataset from 2002-2016 was used to analyze the complex relationships among various covariates influencing child undernutrition.

DLBCL cells with ferroptosis morphology can be detected with a deep convolutional neural network.

It has been demonstrated that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is especially sensitive to ferroptosis. Currently, confirming the presence of ferroptosis requires flow cytometry, which is a time consuming and labor-intensive task. Blistering of the cell membrane has been shown to be a ferroptosis-specific morphological change.

In-situ-forming zwitterionic hydrogel does not ameliorate osteoarthritis in vivo, despite protective effects ex vivo.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common degenerative joint diseases, with no effective therapeutic options available. In this study, we aimed to develop an interpenetrating, in-situ-forming hydrogel based on biocompatible and anti-fouling zwitterionic (ZI) polymers for early-stage OA treatment. We hypothesized that the anti-fouling properties of zwitterions could provide tissue protection, and the high charge density of these polymers would enhance tissue penetration and lubrication.

Optimising Exome Captures in Species With Large Genomes Using Species-Specific Repetitive DNA Blocker.

Large and highly repetitive genomes are common. However, research interests usually lie within the non-repetitive parts of the genome, as they are more likely functional, and can be used to answer questions related to adaptation, selection and evolutionary history. Exome capture is a cost-effective method for providing sequencing data from protein-coding parts of the genes.

Personalized Profiling of Lipoprotein and Lipid Metabolism Based on 1018 Measures from Combined Quantitative NMR and LC-MS/MS Platforms.

Applications of advanced omics methodologies are increasingly popular in biomedicine. However, large-scale studies aiming at clinical translation are typically siloed to single technologies. Here, we present the first comprehensive large-scale population data combining 209 lipoprotein measures from a quantitative NMR spectroscopy platform and 809 lipid classes and species from a quantitative LC-MS/MS platform.

Associations of step accelerations and cardiometabolic risk markers in early adulthood.

Physical activity (PA) has a positive effect on risk factors related to cardiometabolic health yet amount of PA and time of onset is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the relationship of PA estimates and cardiometabolic risk factors in a large healthy population of an understudied age group of young adults using a standard gravity-based method on body adiposity and risk markers. In 856 (532 women, 324 men, 32-35 years) subjects we evaluated the association of PA and cardiometabolic risk factors in early adulthood.

Understanding lipidomics associations and the lipoprotein-related caveats in population epidemiology.

Mass spectrometry lipidomics is becoming customary to analyse serum/plasma samples in epidemiology. The measurables are molecular constituents of lipoprotein particles, but very little is known on the consequences of adjusting lipidomics data with lipoprotein measures. We studied two population cohorts with 5,657 and 2,036 participants.

Identification of cell type-specific cell-penetrating peptides through in vivo phage display leveraged by next generation sequencing.

Vascular anomalies (VA) refer to abnormal blood or lymphatic vessel architecture, most often as a result of dysregulated growth. Venous malformations (VM), a subgroup of VAs, are triggered by activating mutations in the Angiopoietin/TIE2-PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway with TIE2 L914F (gene name TEK) being one of the most frequent mutations in patients with VMs. Although systemic targeting of the overactivated pathway is possible, it would be a therapeutic advantage to restrict treatment to only the affected lesions.

Nanobodies against the myelin enzyme CNPase as tools for structural and functional studies.

2',3'-Cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) is an abundant constituent of central nervous system non-compact myelin, and its loss in mice and humans causes neurodegeneration. Additionally, CNPase is frequently used as a marker antigen for myelinating cells. The catalytic activity of CNPase, the 3'-hydrolysis of 2',3'-cyclic nucleotides, is well characterised in vitro, but the in vivo function of CNPase remains unclear.

Haemoglobin levels are associated with echocardiographic measures in a Finnish midlife population.

Background: Within normal variation, higher haemoglobin (Hb) levels are associated with unhealthier body composition, adverse metabolism and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a direct, well validated and reproducible echocardiographic measure for the evaluation of cardiac contractile function, providing additional prognostic value for prediction of a variety of cardiac events. This study investigated the relation between Hb levels and cardiac function measures, including GLS, in a Finnish midlife population.

Nuclear Factor I Family Members are Key Transcription Factors Regulating Gene Expression.

The Nuclear Factor I (NFI) family of transcription factors (TFs) plays key roles in cellular differentiation, proliferation, and homeostasis. As such, NFI family members engage in a large number of interactions with other proteins and chromatin. However, despite their well-established significance, the NFIs' interactomes, their dynamics, and their functions have not been comprehensively examined.

Postmortem analyses of myocardial microRNA expression in sepsis.

Background: Sepsis can lead to myocardial depression, playing a significant role in sepsis pathophysiology, clinical care, and outcome. To gain more insight into the pathophysiology of the myocardial response in sepsis, we investigated the expression of microRNA in myocardial autopsy specimens in critically ill deceased with sepsis and non-septic controls.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we obtained myocardial tissue samples collected during autopsy from adult patients deceased with sepsis (n = 15) for routine histological examination.

Biomarkers reflecting insulin resistance increase the risk of aortic stenosis in a population-based study of 10,144 Finnish men.

Aims: To investigate a comprehensive panel of biomarkers and risk of aortic stenosis (AS) in a prospective population-based study.

Methods: Anthropometric, metabolic, and inflammatory biomarkers were measured in the Metabolic Syndrome in the Men Study of 10,144 Finnish men without AS at baseline. Cases of AS were identified from the medical records.

The collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIOA) model: Where mechanical damage meets inflammation.

Objective: To characterize inflammatory and mechanical changes in the collagenase-induced OA (CIOA) model in rats.

Design: Skeletally mature, 6-month-old Wistar rats received unilateral intraarticular injections of saline, 500 U or 1000 U of collagenase on days 0 and 2 of the study. Joint tissues were harvested on either day 4 or 70 to evaluate the acute and long-term changes.

GLS2 links glutamine metabolism and atherosclerosis by remodeling artery walls.

Metabolic dysregulation, including perturbed glutamine-glutamate homeostasis, is common among patients with cardiovascular diseases, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Using the human MESA cohort, here we show that plasma glutamine-glutamate ratio is an independent risk factor for carotid plaque progression. Mice deficient in glutaminase-2 (Gls2), the enzyme that mediates hepatic glutaminolysis, developed accelerated atherosclerosis and susceptibility to catastrophic cardiac events, while Gls2 overexpression partially protected from disease progression.

Multistate Markov chain modeling for child undernutrition transitions in Ethiopia: a longitudinal data analysis, 2002-2016.

Background: The use of the multistate Markov chain model is a valuable tool for studying child undernutrition. This allows us to examine the trends of children's transitions from one state to multiple states of undernutrition.

Objectives: In this study, our objective was to estimate the median duration for a child to first transition from one state of undernutrition to another as well as their first recurrence of undernutrition and also to analyze the typical duration of undernourishment.