Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) are high-risk factors of diabetes development and may be caused by defective insulin secretion in pancreatic beta-cells. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion is mediated by voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channels in which the gamma-4 subunit (CaVγ4) is required for the beta-cell to maintain its differentiated state. We here aim to explo

Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, not all obese individuals develop the disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cause of differential insulin secretion capacity of pancreatic islets from donors with T2D and non-T2D (ND), especially obese donors (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). Islets from obese donors with T2D had reduced insulin secretion, decreased β-cell exocytosis, and h

Macrophages are a major immune cell type in the tumor microenvironment, where they display a tumor-supporting phenotype. Factor H (FH) is a complement inhibitor that also plays a role in several cellular functions. To date, the phenotype of monocytes stimulated with FH has been unexplored. We discovered that FH is a survival factor for CD14+ primary human monocytes, promoting their differentiation

Background: To prevent severe contractures and their impact on adjacent joints in children with cerebral palsy (CP), it is crucial to treat the reduced range of motion early and to understand the order by which contractures appear. The aim of this study was to determine how a hip–knee or ankle contracture are associated with the time to and sequence of contracture development in adjacent joints. M

Vascular bio-scaffolds produced from decellularized tissue offer a promising material for treatment of several types of cardiovascular diseases. These materials have the potential to maintain the functional properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and allow for growth and remodeling in vivo. The most commonly used methods for decellularization are based on chemicals and enzymes combinations,

The agricultural sector has a critical role in creating social and environmental value of natural resources in addition to its traditional role of creating economic value by supplying food to the ever-increasing world population. In fulfilling this dual role, the agricultural sector often faces competing pressures: to operate financially profitable businesses and to create, maintain, and benefit f

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate if there is a causal relationship between circulating levels of TIM-1 (T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 1) and incidence of stroke. Approach and Results: Plasma TIM-1 was analyzed in 4591 subjects (40% men; mean age, 57.5 years) attending the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study. Incidence of stroke was studied in relation to TIM-1 levels during a m

The purpose of this study is to look into patronage effects of extended supply outside peak hours on regional public transport services. Previous studies have shown that the service frequency is an attribute of great importance for regional passengers, but little is known about the details regarding peak and off-peak frequencies or service hours. The present study addresses this knowledge gap, dep

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate differences in clinical features and HLA genotypes between adult-onset and childhood-onset patients with type 1 diabetes in a Chinese population. Materials and Methods: This study enrolled 716 Han Chinese patients with type 1 diabetes from Guangdong (258 childhood-onset and 458 adult-onset) to compare their clinical features. Of them 214 patient

Type 1 diabetes (T1D)-an autoimmune disease that destroys the pancreatic islets, resulting in insulin deficiency-often begins early in life when islet autoantibody appearance signals high risk1. However, clinical diabetes can follow in weeks or only after decades, and is very difficult to predict. Ketoacidosis at onset remains common2,3 and is most severe in the very young4,5, in whom it can be li

Purpose: An increasing body of evidence suggests that excreting a generous volume of diluted urine is associated with short- and long-term beneficial health effects, especially for kidney and metabolic function. However, water intake and hydration remain under-investigated and optimal hydration is poorly and inconsistently defined. This review tests the hypothesis that optimal chronic water intake

Thyroid function has a widespread effect on the cardiometabolic system. However, the causal association between either subclinical hyper-or hypothyroidism and the thyroid hormones with blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is not clear. We aim to investigate this in a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with thyroid-stimu