Trends in body weight and diabetes in forty years in Iceland

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenOBJECTIVE: Obesity and diabetes are increasing problems worldwide. Therefore, new data on these issues are of importance. Here, we publish data on body mass index (BMI) and prevalence of diabetes of type 2 in Iceland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Mean BMI (kg/m2), prevalence of diabetes type 2 and obesity in people aged 45-64 years were evaluated from 1967 to 2007. Data on type 2 diabetes was based on four population Icelandic Heart Association studies (newest the REFINE (The Risk Evaluation For INfarct Estimates) Reykjavik study from 2006) with total of 17.757 individuals. Data on BMI was in addition based on three further studies, total 20.519 individuals. The same estimates were then performed for 25-84 year old people in the years 2004-2007. These were based on data from the REFINE Reykjavik study 2.410 individuals and the AGES Reykjavik study 3.027 individuals and. RESULTS: In the years 1967-2007 mean BMI increased by 2 units in both genders (45-64 year) and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes doubled in men, while the increase in women was 50%. In the years 2004-2007 the prevalence of diabetes type 2 in 25-84 year old people was 6% in men and 3% in women and the prevalence of obesity was 23% in men and 21% in women. CONCLUSIONS: Mean BMI is increasing in Iceland, especially after 1980. Prevalence of diabetes coincides with increasing body mass index.Tilgangur: Offita og sykursýki eru vaxandi vandamál og mikilvægt að nýjar upplýsingar um þessa þætti liggi fyrir. Hér er greint frá þróun líkamsþyngdarstuðuls og sykursýki af tegund 2 á Íslandi. Efniviður og aðferðir: Meðallíkamsþyngdar-stuðull (kg/m2), algengi sykursýki af tegund 2 og algengi offitu hjá 45-64 ára voru könnuð frá 1967 til 2007. Algengi sykursýki byggist á fjórum rannsóknum Hjartaverndar: Áfanga I-V í Hóprannsókn 1967-1991, Afkomendarannsókn 1997-2001, Rannsókn á ungu fólki 2001-2003 og Áhættuþáttakönnun frá 2006-2007, samtals 17.757 manns. Könnun á líkamsþyngdarstuðli byggist að auki á gögnum úr Monica-rannsókninni á Íslandi frá 1983, 1988 og 1993, heildarfjöldi 20.519. Sömu þættir voru einnig kannaðir fyrir 25-84 ára frá 2004 til 2007. Þá var notast við Áhættuþáttakönnun Hjartaverndar, 2410 manns og Öldrunarrannsókn Hjartaverndar, 3027 manns. Niðurstöður: Meðallíkamsþyngdarstuðull jókst um tvær einingar hjá báðum kynjum (45-64 ára) og algengi sykursýki af tegund 2 tvöfaldaðist hjá körlum og jókst um 50% hjá konunum á árunum 1967-2007. Algengi sykursýki af tegund 2 hjá 25-84 ára, á árunum 2004-2007 var 6% hjá körlum og 3% hjá konum. Algengi offitu var 23% hjá körlum en 21% hjá konum. Ályktanir: Meðallíkamsþyngdarstuðull hefur aukist undanfarna áratugi, einkum eftir 1980. Sykursýki eykst í hlutfalli við vaxandi ofþyngd

Overcoming the roadblocks to cardiac cell therapy using tissue engineering

Transplantations of various stem cells or their progeny have repeatedly improved cardiac performance in animal models of myocardial injury; however, the benefits observed in clinical trials have been generally less consistent. Some of the recognized challenges are poor engraftment of implanted cells and, in the case of human cardiomyocytes, functional immaturity and lack of electrical integration, leading to limited contribution to the heart’s contractile activity and increased arrhythmogenic risks. Advances in tissue and genetic engineering techniques are expected to improve the survival and integration of transplanted cells, and to support structural, functional, and bioenergetic recovery of the recipient hearts. Specifically, application of a prefabricated cardiac tissue patch to prevent dilation and to improve pumping efficiency of the infarcted heart offers a promising strategy for making stem cell therapy a clinical reality. [Display omitted

Platelet-mediated thrombosis in stenosed canine coronary arteries: Inhibition by nicergoline, a platelet-active alpha-adrenergic antagonist

The effects of nicergoline, a new agent that blocks alpha-adrenergic receptors and inhibits platelet phospholipase, were evaluated in a canine model of platelet-mediated coronary thrombosis. In 48 open chest dogs, the circumflex coronary artery was stenosed by plicating the artery wall with a suture. Thirty-four of the 48 dogs exhibited cyclic reductions in flow in the stenotic vessel, followed by a sudden return to control levels. The reductions in flow were unabated in all but two dogs after heparin administration (1,000 U/kg per h), unaffected by large doses of nitroglycerin and nifedipine and associated with platelet aggregates in the stenotic segment (demonstrated by histologic and electron microscopic examination). These observations support the conclusion that the flow reductions were caused by platelet aggregation rather than by fibrin deposition or vasospasm.Twenty dogs were monitored for 1 hour after heparin administration and then assigned to a control (n = 7) or nicergoline-treated (n = 13; 1 mg/kg intravenously) group. In control dogs, cyclic reductions in flow continued unchanged for another hour, whereas in the treated group they were markedly decreased in 1 dog and completely abolished in the other 12 dogs. Aspirin (30 mg/ kg intravenously) suppressed flow reductions in all control dogs, confirming the primary role of platelet aggregation in the phenomenon.This study provides a modified model of platelet-mediated thrombosis in stenosed coronary arteries. Furthermore, the results indicate that nicergoline can effectively interfere with platelet function in vivo. The potent antithrombotic activity exhibited by nicergoline might enhance the therapeutic usefulness of this vasodilator

Antenna beam characterisation for the global 21cm experiment LEDA and its impact on signal model parameter reconstruction

Cosmic Dawn, the onset of star formation in the early universe, can in principle be studied via the 21cm transition of neutral hydrogen, for which a sky-averaged absorption signal, redshifted to MHz frequencies, is predicted to be {\it O}(10-100)\,mK. Detection requires separation of the 21cm signal from bright chromatic foreground emission due to Galactic structure, and the characterisation of how it couples to instrumental response. In this work, we present characterisation of antenna gain patterns for the Large-aperture Experiment to detect the Dark Ages (LEDA) via simulations, assessing the effects of the antenna ground-plane geometries used, and measured soil properties. We then investigate the impact of beam pattern uncertainties on the reconstruction of a Gaussian absorption feature. Assuming the pattern is known and correcting for the chromaticity of the instrument, the foregrounds can be modelled with a log-polynomial, and the 21cm signal identified with high accuracy. However, uncertainties on the soil properties lead to \textperthousand\ changes in the chromaticity that can bias the signal recovery. The bias can be up to a factor of two in amplitude and up to few \% in the frequency location. These effects do not appear to be mitigated by larger ground planes, conversely gain patterns with larger ground planes exhibit more complex frequency structure, significantly compromising the parameter reconstruction. Our results, consistent with findings from other antenna design studies, emphasise the importance of chromatic response and suggest caution in assuming log-polynomial foreground models in global signal experiments.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Measurement of the LOFAR-HBA beam patterns using an unmanned aerial vehicle in the near field

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is exploited to characterize in situ the high-band antennas (HBAs) of the low-frequency array (LOFAR) CS302 station located in Exloo, The Netherlands. The size of an HBA array is about 30 m. The Fraunhofer distance (a few kilometers) is not reachable in the frequency band (120 to 240 MHz) within the flight regulation limits. Therefore, far-field patterns cannot be directly measured. The UAV, equipped with an radio frequency synthesizer and a dipole antenna, flies in the near-field region of the considered array. Measurement of three different frequencies (124, 150, and 180 MHz) is efficiently made during the same UAV flight. The near-field focusing method is exploited to validate the far-field pattern of the array under test within an angular range around the beam axis. Such a technique avoids both the time consuming λ∕2 sampling of the aperture field and the further application of computationally heavy near-field to far-field transformations. The array beam is well reconstructed in the main lobe and first sidelobes within a 2D scan plane sampled with a radial raster. A further postprocessing technique is proposed and validated on a subarray of HBAs. It suggests efficient ways for the future characterization of regular aperture arrays for SKA-MID Phase 2

Morning administration of 0.4 U/kg/day insulin glargine 300 U/mL provides less fluctuating 24-hour pharmacodynamics and more even pharmacokinetic profiles compared with insulin degludec 100 U/mL in type 1 diabetes

Abstract Aim To compare steady state pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles of insulin glargine 300U/mL (Gla-300) with insulin degludec 100U/mL (Deg-100) in people with type 1 diabetes. Methods This single-centre, randomized, double-blind crossover euglycaemic clamp study included two parallel cohorts with fixed once-daily morning dose regimens. For both insulins participants received 0.4 ( n =24) or 0.6U/kg/day ( n =24), before breakfast, for 8 days prior to the clamp. The main endpoint was within-day variability (fluctuation) of the smoothed glucose infusion rate (GIR) over 24 hours (GIR-smFL 0–24 ). Results Gla-300 provided 20% less fluctuation of steady state glucose infusion rate profiles than Deg-100 over 24 hours at 0.4U/kg/day (GIR-smFL 0–24 treatment ratio 0.80 [90% confidence interval: 0.66 to 0.96], P =0.047), while at the dose of 0.6U/kg/day the difference between insulins was not statistically significant (treatment ratio 0.96 [0.83 to 1.11], P =0.603). Serum insulin concentrations appeared more evenly distributed with both dose levels of Gla-300 versus the same doses of Deg-100, as assessed by relative 6-hour fractions of the area under the curve within 24 hours. Both insulins provided exposure and activity until 30 hours (end of clamp). Conclusion Gla-300 provides less fluctuating steady state pharmacodynamic profiles (i.e. lower within-day variability) and more evenly distributed pharmacokinetic profiles, compared with Deg-100 in a once-daily morning dosing regimen of 0.4U/kg/day

Circulating Biomarkers to Identify Responders in Cardiac Cell therapy.

Bone marrow mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) therapy in ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) has no biological inclusion criteria. Here, we analyzed 63 biomarkers and cytokines in baseline plasma samples from 77 STEMI patients treated with BM-MNCs in the TIME and Late-TIME trials as well as 61 STEMI patients treated with placebo. Response to cell therapy was defined by changes in left ventricular ejection fraction, systolic/diastolic volumes, and wall motion indexes. We investigated the clinical value of circulating proteins in outcome prediction using significance testing, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Responders had higher biomarker levels (76-94% elevated) than non-responders. Several biomarkers had values that differed significantly (P < 0.05) between responders and non-responders including stem cell factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and interleukin-15. We then used these lead candidates for ROC analysis and found multiple biomarkers with values areas under the curve >0.70 including interleukin 15. These biomarkers were not involved in the placebo-treated subjects suggesting that they may have predictive power. We conclude that plasma profiling after STEMI may help identify patients with a greater likelihood of response to cell-based treatment. Prospective trials are needed to assess the predictive value of the circulating biomarkers

Similar decline in mortality rate of older persons with and without type 2 diabetes between 1993 and 2004 the Icelandic population-based Reykjavik and AGES-Reykjavik cohort studies.

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked Files. This article is open access.A decline in mortality rates due to cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality has led to increased life expectancy in the Western world in recent decades. At the same time, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, a disease associated with a twofold excess risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, has been increasing. The objective of this study was to estimate the secular trend of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality rates in two population-based cohorts of older persons, with and without type 2 diabetes, examined 11 years apart.1506 participants (42% men) from the population-based Reykjavik Study, examined during 1991-1996 (median 1993), mean age 75.0 years, and 4814 participants (43% men) from the AGES-Reykjavik Study, examined during 2002-2006 (median 2004), mean age 77.2 years, age range in both cohorts 70-87 years. The main outcome measures were age-specific mortality rates due to cardiovascular disease and all causes, over two consecutive 5.7- and 5.3-year follow-up periods.A 32% decline in cardiovascular mortality rate and a 19% decline in all-cause mortality rate were observed between 1993 and 2004. The decline was greater in those with type 2 diabetes, as illustrated by the decline in the adjusted hazard ratio of cardiovascular mortality in individuals with diabetes compared to those without diabetes, from 1.88 (95% CI 1.24-2.85) in 1993 to 1.46 (95% CI 1.11-1.91) in 2004. We also observed a concurrent decrease in major cardiovascular risk factors in both those with and without diabetes. A higher proportion of persons with diabetes received glucose-lowering, hypertensive and lipid-lowering medication in 2004.A decline in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality rates was observed in older persons during the period 1993-2004, in both those with and without type 2 diabetes. This decline may be partly explained by improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and medical treatment over the period studied. However, type 2 diabetes still persists as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality.National Institute of Health/N01-AG-1-2100 NIA Intramural Research Program Icelandic Heart Association (Hjartavernd) Icelandic Parliament (Althingi

UAV-aided calibration for commissioning of phased array radio telescopes

Calibration of antenna positions and instrumental response is a crucial step in the commissioning of a phased array radio telescope. The Low Frequency Aperture Array system of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is envisaged to consist of about 131,000 antennas. In this paper, we propose a strategy to efficiently conduct commissioning calibration of such a large phased array radio telescope using a near-field probe mounted on an nmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method using simulations. This indicates that potentially cost-saving relaxation of requirements on placement accuracy is possible. We also propose to validate this method in practice using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR)