No Sex Differences in Inflammatory Response and Vascular Function During Low Estrogen Phase

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Natural Fluctuations in Progesterone Do Not Impact Endothelial Function in Healthy Perimenopausal Women

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The development of tape recorded discussions and check lists for evaluating progression in grades one through four.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Men and Women Have Similar Responses in Arterial Stiffness and Wave Reflection Post - High - Fat Meal

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Relationships Between Vascular Function and Social Determinants of Health in Young Black and White Adults

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Endothelial Function is Preserved in Ultra-Marathon Runners Following a 50 km Race

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Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Does Not Impact Vascular Function in Young, Healthy Individuals

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Change in pulmonary diffusion capacity in a general population sample over 9 years

Rationale: Data on the change in diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DL_CO) over time are limited. We aimed to examine change in DL_CO (ΔDL_CO) over a 9-year period and its predictors. Methods: A Norwegian community sample comprising 1,152 subjects aged 18–73 years was examined in 1987 and 1988. Of the 1,109 subjects still alive, 830 (75%) were re-examined in 1996/97. DL_CO was measured with the single breath-holding technique. Covariables recorded at baseline included sex, age, height, weight, smoking status, pack years, occupational exposure, educational level, and spirometry. Generalized estimating equations analyses were performed to examine relations between ΔDL_CO and the covariables. Results: At baseline, mean [standard deviation (SD)] DL_CO was 10.8 (2.4) and 7.8 (1.6) mmol·min−1·kPa−1 in men and women, respectively. Mean (SD) ΔDLCO was −0.24 (1.31) mmol·min^−1·kPa^−1. ΔDL_CO was negatively related to baseline age, DL_CO, current smoking, and pack years, and positively related to forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV_1) and weight. Sex, occupational exposure, and educational level were not related to ΔDL_CO. Conclusions: In a community sample, more rapid decline in DL_CO during 9 years of observation time was related to higher age, baseline current smoking, more pack years, larger weight, and lower FEV_1.publishedVersio

The lower airways microbiome and antimicrobial peptides in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis differ from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background The lower airways microbiome and host immune response in chronic pulmonary diseases are incompletely understood. We aimed to investigate possible microbiome characteristics and key antimicrobial peptides and proteins in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods 12 IPF patients, 12 COPD patients and 12 healthy controls were sampled with oral wash (OW), protected bronchoalveolar lavage (PBAL) and right lung protected sterile brushings (rPSB). The antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs), secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) and human beta defensins 1 and 2 (hBD-1 & hBD-2), were measured in PBAL by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The V3V4 region of the bacterial 16S rDNA gene was sequenced. Bioinformatic analyses were performed with QIIME 2. Results hBD-1 levels in PBAL for IPF were lower compared with COPD. The predominant phyla in IPF were Firmicutes, Bacteroides and Actinobacteria; Proteobacteria were among top three in COPD. Differential abundance analysis at genus level showed significant differences between study groups for less abundant, mostly oropharyngeal, microbes. Alpha diversity was lower in IPF in PBAL compared to COPD (p = 0.03) and controls (p = 0.01), as well as in rPSB compared to COPD (p = 0.02) and controls (p = 0.04). Phylogenetic beta diversity showed significantly more similarity for IPF compared with COPD and controls. There were no significant correlations between alpha diversity and AMPs. Conclusions IPF differed in microbial diversity from COPD and controls, accompanied by differences in antimicrobial peptides. Beta diversity similarity between OW and PBAL in IPF may indicate that microaspiration contributes to changes in its microbiome.publishedVersio