Background. Cardiovascular risk prediction is particularly important in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Yet, data on whether the combined addition of albuminuria and estimated ...glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) improves cardiovascular risk prediction in individuals without CVD in the community is scarce.
Methods. We investigated associations between urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), cystatin C-based eGFR and cardiovascular mortality in a community-based cohort of elderly men (ULSAM study; n = 1113, mean age 71 years, 208 cardiovascular deaths, median follow-up 12.9 years) with prespecified analyses in participants without CVD (n = 649, 86 cardiovascular deaths).
Results. Using multivariable Cox regression, higher UAER and lower eGFR were associated with increased risk for cardiovascular mortality independently of established cardiovascular risk factors in the whole sample and in men without CVD at baseline subsample without CVD: UAER; hazard ratio (HR) per 1 SD 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.51, P = 0.01; eGFR: HR per 1 SD 0.74, 95% CI 0.59-0.92, P = 0.007. Analyses of model discrimination, calibration, reclassification and global fit suggested that UAER and eGFR also add relevant prognostic information beyond established cardiovascular risk factors in participants without prevalent CVD. Interestingly, established cutoffs used to diagnose microalbuminuria (UAER > 20 μg/min) and chronic kidney disease Stage 3 (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2), appeared less suitable for cardiovascular risk prediction integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) 0.006, P = 0.11, while cutoffs UAER > 6 μg/min and eGFR < 45 mL/min/1.73m2 significantly improved IDI (0.047, P < 0.001).
Conclusions. UAER and eGFR improved cardiovascular risk prediction beyond established cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting that these kidney biomarkers may be useful in predicting cardiovascular death in elderly men.
To investigate associations between serum cathepsin S, impaired insulin sensitivity, defective insulin secretion, and diabetes risk in a community-based sample of elderly men without diabetes.
Serum ...cathepsin S, insulin sensitivity (euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp), and insulin secretion (early insulin response during an oral glucose tolerance test) were measured in 905 participants of the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men (mean age, 71 years). Thirty participants developed diabetes during 6 years of follow-up.
After adjustment for age, anthropometric variables, and inflammatory markers, higher cathepsin S was associated with decreased insulin sensitivity (regression coefficient per SD increase -0.09 95% CI -0.14 to -0.04, P = 0.001), but no association with early insulin response was found. Moreover, higher cathepsin S was associated with a higher risk for developing diabetes (odds ratio per SD increase 1.48 1.08-2.01, P = 0.01).
Cathepsin S activity appears to be involved in the early dysregulation of glucose and insulin metabolism.
To explain the variations in field strength measurements seen when measuring radio-frequency (RF) propagation in jet turbines, a model based on helical propagating waves is presented. The model uses ...a simplified model of the jet turbine based on a cylindrical structure and is compared with both electromagnetic (EM) simulations and measured values. Measurements and simulated values show good correspondence and show that a sum of helical propagating waves could be a useful tool to model the expected field variations.
A compact single-stage 8-1 Gysel Combiner in planar technology for operation with 352-MHz pulses with peak output power of 10 kW has been designed, manufactured, and tested. The module has 0.2-dB ...insertion loss when operated at nominal power, and the return loss of all ports is 20 dB or better. The module was operated using 3.3-ms pulses at 14-Hz repetition rate without any signs of degradation, thermal heating, or arcing. The new design makes use of inclusions of weakly coupled lines in the common point section of the Gysel combiner. It is possible to adjust port imbalances caused by parasitic line coupling in the system for optimum performance at a given frequency by adjusting the coupling.
A conformal antenna structure based on dual triangular patches is presented. The dual antennas are designed to be used in diversity based sensor node applications and are integrated in the enclosure ...of the node. The internal shielded enclosure houses the required electronics and power supply. Simulations and measurements show acceptable diversity performance and efficiency in the second resonance mode.
Objective: Cathepsin S has been suggested provide a mechanistic link between obesity and atherosclerosis, possibly mediated via adipose tissue-derived inflammation. Previous data have shown an ...association between circulating cathepsin S and inflammatory markers in the obese, but to date, community-based reports are lacking. Accordingly, we aimed to investigate the association between serum levels of cathepsin S and markers of cytokine-mediated inflammation in a community-based sample, with prespecified subgroup analyses in nonobese participants.
Methods: Serum cathepsin S, C-reactive protein (CRP), and IL-6 were measured in a community-based cohort of elderly men (Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men; mean age 71 years, n = 991). CRP and IL-6 were also measured at a reexamination after 7 yr.
Results: After adjustment for age, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, diabetes treatment, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, hypertension treatment, serum cholesterol, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, prior cardiovascular disease, smoking, and leisure time physical activity, higher cathepsin S was associated with higher CRP (regression coefficient for 1 sd increase, 0.13; 95% confidence interval 0.07–0.19; P < 0.001) and higher serum IL-6 (regression coefficient for 1 sd increase, 0.08; 95% confidence interval 0.01–0.14; P = 0.02). These associations remained similar in normal-weight participants (body mass index <25 kg/m2, n = 375). In longitudinal analyses, higher cathepsin S at baseline was associated with higher serum CRP and IL-6 after 7 yr.
Conclusions: These results provide additional evidence for the interplay between cathepsin S and inflammatory activity and suggest that this association is present also in normal-weight individuals in the community.
Higher serum cathepsin S is associated with higher serum C reactive protein and interleukin-6 also in normal weight elderly men.
Spatial variations of the broadband time-domain impulse response in a reverberation chamber are studied experimentally. The goal is to introduce the technique as a means for characterizing ...reverberation chambers and to demonstrate typical results and the information that can be extracted. Similar measurements are performed in a lab room for comparison. The results provide new insights regarding the signal environment inside a reverberation chamber and how it compares to real-life environments. The minimum number of signal paths in the chamber is calculated based on the spatial and temporal resolutions used in the characterization.
A conformal antenna structure based on dual triangular patches is presented. The dual antennas are designed, to be used in diversity based sensor node applications and are integrated in the enclosure ...of the node. The internal shielded enclosure houses the required electronics and power supply. Simulations and measurements show acceptable diversity performance and efficiency in the second resonance mode.
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