Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling with MeDIP-seq using archived dried blood spots

Segment distribution along the repeat-rich gene SFI1. Visualization of 500 bp segments (250 bp sliding window) at the SFI1 locus for hDBS, rDBS and oDBS. (PDF 113 kb

Incidence of Free of Charge Physiotherapy in a Danish National Cohort of Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Background: Denmark is a welfare state with a publically funded healthcare system that includes the right to free of charge physiotherapy (FCP) for patients with chronic or progressive disease who fulfill strict criteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of referral to FCP in patients with a hospital diagnosis of stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) between 2007 and 2016. Methods: The study was register-based and included data from The Danish National Patient Registry and The National Health Service Registry. The study population included the four largest disease groups receiving FCP in Denmark. The incidence of receiving FCP was reported as the cumulated incidence proportion (CIP). Results: The study showed that FCP was mainly initiated within the first 2 years after diagnosis. The 2-year CIP was 8% for stroke patients, 53% for PD patients, 49% for MS patients, and 16% for RA patients. The proportion of patients referred to FCP generally increased over the period of the study due to more patients being referred from medical specialists in primary care. Conclusion: This study found substantial differences in the incidence of referral to FCP in a Danish population of stroke, PD, MS and RA patients

Polyautoimmunity in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus:A nationwide sex- and age-matched cohort study from Denmark

BACKGROUND: Polyautoimmunity is defined as having 2 or more autoimmune diseases. Little is known about polyautoimmunity in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE).OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence and 5-year incidence of non-lupus erythematosus (LE) autoimmune diseases in patients with CLE.METHODS: Patients with CLE were identified In the Danish National Patient Registry and each patient was age- and sex-matched with 10 general population controls. Outcome information on non-LE autoimmune diseases was obtained by register-linkage between Danish National Patient Registry and the National Prescription Register. The risk ratio (RR) for prevalent non-LE autoimmune disease at time of CLE diagnosis was calculated in modified Poisson regression; and hazard ratios (HRs) for incident non-LE autoimmune disease were estimated in Cox regression analyses.RESULTS: Overall, 1674 patients with CLE had a higher prevalence of a non-LE autoimmune disease than the comparators (18.5 vs 7.9%; RR 2.4; 95% CI, 2.1 to 2.6). Correspondingly, the cumulative incidence of a non-LE autoimmune disease during 5 years of follow-up was increased for the patients with CLE: HR 3.5 (95% CI, 3.0 to 4.0).LIMITATIONS: Risk of detection and misclassification bias, mainly pertaining to the CLE group.CONCLUSION: Patients with CLE had higher prevalence and 5-year cumulative incidence of a non-LE autoimmune disease than the general population.</p

The diagnostic accuracy and outcomes after coronary computed tomography angiography vs. conventional functional testing in patients with stable angina pectoris: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aims: To systematically review and perform a meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy and post-test outcomes of conventional exercise electrocardiography (XECG) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) compared with coronary computed tomography angiography (coronary CTA) in patients suspected of stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods and results: We systematically searched for studies published from January 2002 to February 2013 examining the diagnostic accuracy (defined as at least ≥50% luminal obstruction on invasive coronary angiography) and outcomes of coronary CTA (≥16 slice) in comparison with XECG and SPECT. The search revealed 11 eligible studies (N = 1575) comparing the diagnostic accuracy and 7 studies (N = 216.603) the outcomes of coronary CTA vs. XECG or/and SPECT. The per-patient sensitivity [95% confidence interval (95% CI)] to identify significant CAD was 98% (93–99%) for coronary CTA vs. 67% (54–78%) (P < 0.001) for XECG and 99% (96–100%) vs. 73% (59–83%) (P = 0.001) for SPECT. The specificity (95% CI) of coronary CTA was 82% (63–93%) vs. 46% (30–64%) (P < 0.001) for XECG and 71% (60–80%) vs. 48% (31–64%) (P = 0.14) for SPECT. The odds ratio (OR) of downstream test utilization (DTU) for coronary CTA vs. XECG/SPECT was 1.38 (1.33–1.43, P < 0.001), for revascularization 2.63 (2.50–2.77, P < 0.001), for non-fatal myocardial infarction 0.53 (0.39–0.72, P < 0.001), and for all-cause mortality 1.01 (0.87–1.18, P = 0.87). Conclusion: The up-front diagnostic performance of coronary CTA is higher than of XECG and SPECT. When compared with XECG/SPECT testing, coronary CTA testing is associated with increased DTU and coronary revascularization

Doing Identity Work with Transgendered Women

Gender, sexuality and identity in relation to individual freedom and equality go to the core of who we are, as well as shape our actions. By offering a glimpse into the identity work processes of two transgendered women, I hope to make visible some of the forces and mechanisms that influence all of us, regardless of our gender or status. The transgendered are a group of people who have long been excluded, diagnosed, defined and oppressed by our current gender system. By making my interviewees’ stories heard, I hope to contribute to change in the prevailing hetero normative and dichotomic gender system. This thesis is a narrative analysis on identity work and gender. In this thesis I aim at answering how the two transgendered women engage in identity work during our consecutive discussions. I also try to identify what the role of gender is during these discussions and in identity work. I have conducted this thesis by interviewing both women in two consecutive in-depth interviews that took place a little over a year apart. After each interview I constructed a narrative that focused on the interviewee’s working life experiences regarding her gender reassignment process and career. Later on, these narratives have worked as background against which I have reflected the identity work and the practice of narrating identity that took place during our meetings. The concept of identity is based on multiple, always changing and socially constructed identities brought forward in popular queer theory literature. I have also used queer theory as a guide in identifying gender related identity work regarding my interviewees. I use the popular identity work literature and my data to name the dominant elements that are present during identity work. I also present a framework for identity work that shows how the previous identity work episode and the micro-level context have an effect on both: narrative identity practice and identity work. In addition I show how gender was present as a subject that was referred to and discussed about and a force that was always looming in the background when we were having our identity discussions. This thesis adds to current identity work literature and queer theory. By making the gender related identity work visible, it helps us to grasp on and change current gendered practices and to undo gender. It also helps us to see and identify some of the forces that contribute to shaping our identities and action

Molecular and Chemical Characterization of the Biosynthesis of the 6-MSA-Derived Meroterpenoid Yanuthone D in Aspergillus niger.

SummarySecondary metabolites in filamentous fungi constitute a rich source of bioactive molecules. We have deduced the genetic and biosynthetic pathway of the antibiotic yanuthone D from Aspergillus niger. Our analyses show that yanuthone D is a meroterpenoid derived from the polyketide 6-methylsalicylic acid (6-MSA). Yanuthone D formation depends on a cluster composed of ten genes including yanA and yanI, which encode a 6-MSA polyketide synthase and a previously undescribed O-mevalon transferase, respectively. In addition, several branching points in the pathway were discovered, revealing five yanuthones (F, G, H, I, and J). Furthermore, we have identified another compound (yanuthone X1) that defines a class of yanuthones that depend on several enzymatic activities encoded by genes in the yan cluster but that are not derived from 6-MSA

Residential exposure to transportation noise in Denmark and incidence of dementia:National cohort study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between long term residential exposure to road traffic and railway noise and risk of incident dementia. DESIGN: Nationwide prospective register based cohort study. SETTING: Denmark. PARTICIPANTS: 1 938 994 adults aged ≥60 years living in Denmark between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2017. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incident cases of all cause dementia and dementia subtypes (Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Parkinson’s disease related dementia), identified from national hospital and prescription registries. RESULTS: The study population included 103 500 participants with incident dementia, and of those, 31 219 received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, 8664 of vascular dementia, and 2192 of Parkinson’s disease related dementia. Using Cox regression models, 10 year mean exposure to road traffic and railway noise at the most (L(den)max) and least (L(den)min) exposed façades of buildings were associated with a higher risk of all cause dementia. These associations showed a general pattern of higher hazard ratios with higher noise exposure, but with a levelling off or even small declines in risk at higher noise levels. In subtype analyses, both road traffic noise and railway noise were associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, with hazard ratios of 1.16 (95% confidence interval 1.11 to 1.22) for road L(den)max ≥65 dB compared with <45 dB, 1.27 (1.22 to 1.34) for road L(den)min ≥55 dB compared with <40 dB, 1.16 (1.10 to 1.23) for railway L(den)max ≥60 dB compared with <40 dB, and 1.24 (1.17 to 1.30) for railway L(den)min ≥50 dB compared with <40 dB. Road traffic, but not railway, noise was associated with an increased risk of vascular dementia. Results indicated associations between road traffic L(den)min and Parkinson’s disease related dementia. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide cohort study found transportation noise to be associated with a higher risk of all cause dementia and dementia subtypes, especially Alzheimer’s disease