Differences between private and public primary health care centers and differences between men and women in antihypertensive care and cardiovascular prevention in all patients with hypertension treated in primary care in Stockholm County, Sweden.

Aims: To study differences in cardiovascular prevention and hypertension management in primary care in men and women, with comparisons between public and privately operated primary health care (PHC).

Methods: We used register data from Region Stockholm on collected prescribed medication and registered diagnoses, to identify patients aged 30 years and above with hypertension. Age-adjusted logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 99% confidence intervals (99% CIs) using public PHC centers as referents.

Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder.

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with deficits in social cognition and behavior, but why these deficits are acquired is unknown. We hypothesized that a reduced association between actions and outcomes for others, i.e.

Response to azathioprine treatment in autoimmune hepatitis is dependent on glutathione transferase genotypes.

Background: Azathioprine (AZA) is part of the standard treatment for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The first step in the complex bioconversion of AZA to active metabolites is mediated by glutathione transferases (GSTs).

Aims: Elucidate the association between GSTM1 and GSTT1 copy number variation (CNV), genetic variation in GSTA2, GSTP1, and inosine-triphosphate-pyrophosphatase, and the response to AZA in AIH.

Enhancing dementia prediction: A 19-year validation of the CAIDE risk score with insulin resistance and APOE ε4 integration in a population-based cohort.

Background: Dementia is a significant cause of disability and dependency. Persons with high dementia risk but intact cognition will benefit from preventive interventions.

Objectives: The aim was to validate dementia risk score Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Incidence of Dementia (CAIDE) in a national population-based cohort with data on age, education, hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia and physical activity.

Prognostic performance of the two-step clinical care pathway in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Background & Aims: Current guidelines recommend a 2-step approach for risk stratification in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) with Fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) followed by liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) or similar second-line tests. This study aimed to examine to prognostic performance of this approach.

Methods: The VCTE-Prognosis Study was a longitudinal study of patients with MASLD who had undergone VCTE examinations at 16 centres from the US, Europe and Asia with subsequent follow-up for clinical events.

Atrial fibrillation versus. atrial myopathy in thrombogenesis: Two sides of the same coin?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial myopathy are recognized contributors to cardiovascular morbidity, particularly ischemic stroke. AF poses an elevated risk of thrombogenesis due to irregular heart rhythm leading to blood stasis and clot formation. Atrial myopathy, marked by structural and functional alterations in the atria, is emerging as a crucial factor influencing thromboembolic events, independently of AF.

Genetics of biliary atresia: Approaches, pathological insights and challenges.

Biliary atresia (BA) is a severe neonatal cholestatic disorder marked by fibro-obliteration of the extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts. It is the most common cause of pediatric end-stage liver disease and the leading indication for liver transplantation in children. There is significant heterogeneity in the etiology, involving various genetic and environmental factors such as viral infection, immune dysregulation and genetic predisposition to defective hepatobiliary development.

Glutamate molecular structure and protein affect the inhibition of breast cancer cell metastasis: Cell-derived exosomes inhibitory effects through the MAPK signaling pathway.

The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of glutamate molecular structure and protein on breast cancer cell metastasis and the potential inhibitory mechanism of cell-derived exosomes via MAPK signaling pathway. Breast cancer cell lines with high metastatic potential were selected by in vitro cell culture technique. The effects of specific inhibitors of glutamic acid on the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells were studied.

Lung function-associated exposome profile in the era of climate change: Pooled analysis of 8 population-based European cohorts within the EXPANSE project.

Background: The independent and interrelated long-term effects of the exposome such as air pollution, greenness, and ambient temperature on lung function are not well understood, yet relevant in the light of climate change.

Methods: Pre-bronchodilation FEV1 from five mature birth cohorts (N = 4724) and three adult cohorts (N = 6052) from five European countries were used to assess cross-sectional associations with air pollution, greenness, and ambient temperature, assigned to their residential address. All two-way interactions and square terms were a priori included in building the final elastic net regression model.

Nurses' experiences of cross-cultural care encounters in Swedish pediatric hospital care: A qualitative study.

Purpose: Nurses are expected to provide appropriate care for children from diverse cultural backgrounds to achieve the aims of current legislation on good care and to ensure equal terms for the entire population. This study aim was to describe nurses' experiences of cross-cultural care encounters when interacting with children and families with a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background in Swedish pediatric hospital care.

Design And Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted.

Multicenter screening for ADHD among school-age pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes - study protocol.

Purpose: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition that affects approximately 5% of the pediatric population, with increased prevalence among those with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Reports suggest that unrecognized and untreated ADHD impairs T1D control and that ADHD may be underdiagnosed in the Polish population. The International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes recommends neurodevelopmental assessments in children with T1D, but specific guidelines on procedures and implementation are lacking.

The Potential of Neonatal Organ Donation in Central Sweden.

Pediatric organ transplant recipients have a higher risk for wait list mortality due to the scarcity of size matched organs. Neonatal organ donation could potentially ameliorate the discrepancy but is currently not implemented in Sweden. This study aims to evaluate the potential of neonatal organ donation in central Sweden using a standardized protocol with organ specific criteria.

A Haplotype GWAS in Syndromic Familial Colorectal Cancer.

A previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with gastric and/or prostate cancer in their families suggested genetic loci with a shared risk for these three cancers. A second haplotype GWAS was undertaken in the same colorectal cancer patients and different controls with the aim of confirming the result and finding novel loci. The haplotype GWAS analysis involved 685 patients with colorectal cancer cases and 1642 healthy controls from Sweden.

Charge Reversal of the Uppermost Arginine in Sliding Helix S4-I Affects Gating of Cardiac Sodium Channel.

Several mutations of the uppermost arginine, R219, in the voltage-sensing sliding helix S4 of cardiac sodium channel Nav1.5 are reported in the ClinVar databases, but the clinical significance of the respective variants is unknown (VUSs). AlphaFold 3 models predicted a significant downshift of S4 in the R219C VUS.

Comprehensive Analysis of Gene Expression Alongside , , and Virulence Genes in Septicemic Using Real-Time PCR.

Sepsis is a serious worldwide health concern, and () is the main cause. This study investigates the co-expression of and , and genes in isolated from septicemic patients, aiming to clarify the interaction between virulence and resistance. This study evaluated 100 isolates from septicemic patients.

Predicting Early Death in Head and Neck Cancer-A Pilot Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate biomarkers and biological characteristics of tumor biopsies from patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) to assess the risk of early death. Furthermore, we analyzed whether any combination of markers could be used for the prognostication of death within six months after cancer diagnosis. Patients diagnosed with HNC, receiving curative treatment decision at a multidisciplinary tumor board meeting, and who died within six months of diagnosis were included in this study.

Exploring Potential Complement Modulation Strategies for Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Kidney Transplantation.

The complement system plays a crucial role in regulating the inflammatory responses in kidney transplantation, potentially contributing to early decline in kidney function. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is among the factors affecting graft outcomes and a primary contributor to delayed graft function. Complement activation, particularly the alternative pathway, participates in the pathogenesis of IRI, involving all kidney compartments.

Advancing Sustainable HIV Services Through Integration in Primary Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Perspective on Practical Recommendations.

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear a disproportionate burden of the global HIV epidemic. Integrating HIV services into primary healthcare is a crucial strategy to accelerate progress towards ending the epidemic. However, several challenges hinder effective integration, including underfunding, human resource shortages, infrastructure limitations, weak health systems, and sociocultural factors.

The Novel Histological Prostatic Inflammation Score Helps Defining the Association Between Stromal and Glandular Inflammation with the Risk of Prostate Cancer at Prostate Biopsy.

There is emerging evidence of an inverse association between prostatic inflammation (PI) and prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis and outcome. The Irani score, a validated system that scores PI according to the grade of stromal infiltration (Irani G) and the aggressiveness of glandular infiltration (Irani A), has indeed been found to be inversely associated with PCa diagnosis and outcome, but the presence of two categories (G and A) makes the performance of this score suboptimal. This study aimed to determine whether a novel prostatic inflammation score (PIS) that combines Irani G and A scores better defined the risk of being diagnosed with PCa at prostate biopsy (PBx).

Integrative proteogenomic analysis identifies COL6A3-derived endotrophin as a mediator of the effect of obesity on coronary artery disease.

Obesity strongly increases the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, yet the underlying mediators of this relationship are not fully understood. Given that obesity strongly influences circulating protein levels, we investigated proteins mediating the effects of obesity on coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. By integrating two-step proteome-wide Mendelian randomization, colocalization, epigenomics and single-cell RNA sequencing, we identified five mediators and prioritized collagen type VI α3 (COL6A3).

KLRB1 expression in nasopharyngeal mucosa as a prognostic biomarker in COVID-19 patients.

The resurgence of COVID-19 and the rise in severe outcomes emphasize the need for reliable prognostic markers to guide patient care and optimize ICU and hospital resources. This study investigates the potential of nasopharyngeal swabs to identify biomarkers that predict ICU admission or death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We analyzed nasopharyngeal exudates from 95 hospitalized patients in 2020 using high-plex RNA quantification on the NanoString nCounter platform.