Essentials
We performed repeated measurements of C‐reactive protein (CRP) and obesity in a cohort study.
CRP was associated with risk of myocardial infarction and venous thromboembolism.
CRP was a ...mediator for risk of myocardial infarction in obese men and women.
CRP was a partial mediator for risk of venous thromboembolism in obese women, but not in men.
Summary
Background
Low‐grade inflammation in obesity may be a shared pathway for the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and myocardial infarction (MI).
Objectives
To investigate the associations between repeated measurements of C‐reactive protein (CRP) and the risks of MI and VTE, and to explore whether CRP mediated these risks in obese subjects.
Methods
CRP and obesity measures were collected from 15 134 subjects who participated in one or more surveys of the Tromsø study in 1994–1995, 2001–2002, or 2007–2008. Incident VTEs and MIs were registered until 1 January 2011. Time‐varying Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios of MI and VTE according to categories of CRP and obesity measures.
Results
There were 291 VTEs and 920 MIs during follow‐up. High levels of CRP (≥ 3 mg L−1 versus < 1 mg L−1) were associated with increased risks of MI (hazard ratio HR 1.73; 95% confidence interval CI 1.32–2.26) and VTE (HR 1.84; 95% CI 1.22–2.78) in women, but only with MI in men (HR 1.93; 95% CI 1.53–2.44). All obesity measures showed stronger associations with CRP in women than in men. In obese women (body mass index BMI of ≥ 30 kg m−2 versus < 25 kg m−2), adjustment for CRP attenuated the risk estimate for VTE by 22%, whereas the incidence rates of VTE increased with combined categories of higher BMI and CRP. No association was found in men.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that low‐grade inflammation, assessed by measurement of CRP, is associated with the risks of MI and VTE, and may be a shared pathway for MI and VTE in obesity.
Summary
Aims
Whether atrial fibrillation is related to risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has not been extensively studied. Therefore, we investigated the association between atrial fibrillation ...and future risk of VTE in a population‐based cohort.
Methods
In total, 29 975 subjects were recruited from three surveys of the Tromsø study and followed from enrollment (1994–1995, 2001–2002 and 2007–2008) up to 2010. Incident events of atrial fibrillation and VTE during follow‐up were recorded. Information on potential confounders was obtained at baseline. Cox‐regression models with atrial fibrillation as time‐dependent variable were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for VTE with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
During 16 years of median follow‐up, 1604 subjects were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and 614 with incident VTE. The risk of VTE was substantially increased during the first 6 months after diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (HR, 8.44; 95% CI, 5.61–12.69), and remained increased throughout the study period (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.43–1.99) compared with those without atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation displayed higher risk estimates for pulmonary embolism (HR, 11.84; 95% CI, 6.80–20.63) than for deep vein thrombosis (HR, 6.20; 95% CI, 3.37–11.39) during the first 6 months, and was still associated with pulmonary embolism (HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.24–3.10) but not with deep vein thrombosis (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.66–1.75) more than 6 months after diagnosis.
Conclusion
Atrial fibrillation was associated with increased risk of VTE, and pulmonary embolism in particular. Our findings support the concept that isolated pulmonary embolism may originate from right atrial thrombi due to atrial fibrillation.
Essentials
Impact of cancer stage on venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk is not well‐known in all cancers.
The Scandinavian Thrombosis and Cancer Cohort provides person‐time data and validated VTEs.
...Impact of cancer stage on VTE incidence tended to vary with cancer type.
Cancer stage may not per se be a risk factor for VTE in all cancer types.
Summary
Background
Absolute measures of the impact of cancer stage on the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with distinct cancer types have not been investigated in a large population‐based cohort study.
Objectives
To investigate differences in the incidence rates of objectively confirmed VTE according to the development of cancer in a large population‐based cohort study. Cancer type and stage at the time of diagnosis were taken into account.
Patients and Methods
The Scandinavian Thrombosis and Cancer Cohort includes data regarding cancer types, stages and objectively confirmed VTE diagnoses among 144 952 participants followed from 1993 to 2012. We studied stage‐specific incidence rates of VTE, and calculated incidence rate differences (IRDs) for VTE according to stages in patients with 10 types of solid cancer.
Results
During the entire follow‐up, 335 VTEs occurred, of which 293 occurred within 5 years. The IRD of VTE in patients with distant metastasis as compared with those with localized disease indicated large variation depending on cancer type. The highest IRD was observed for pancreatic cancer (IRD of 187.0 × 10−3 person‐years p‐y; 95% confidence interval CI − 6.7 to 380.8), and the lowest IRD was observed for prostate cancer (IRD of 3.7 × 10−3 p‐y; 95% CI − 7 to 15.2). Regional spread as compared with localized disease also indicated large variation depending on cancer type; the highest IRD was observed for uterine cancer (IRD of 37.6 × 10−3 p‐y; 95% CI − 23.7 to 99), and the IRDs for breast and prostate cancer were close to zero.
Conclusion
More advanced cancer at the time of diagnosis was associated with a higher risk of VTE, but the strength of the associations differed substantially between cancer types.
Recent improvements in the speed, cost and accuracy of next generation sequencing are revolutionizing the discovery of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SNPs are increasingly being used as an ...addition to the molecular ecology toolkit in nonmodel organisms, but their efficient use remains challenging. Here, we discuss common issues when employing SNP markers, including the high numbers of markers typically employed, the effects of ascertainment bias and the inclusion of nonneutral loci in a marker panel. We provide a critique of considerations specifically associated with the application and population genetic analysis of SNPs in nonmodel taxa, focusing specifically on some of the most commonly applied methods.
A straightforward synthesis of azobenzenes with bathochromically‐shifted absorption bands is presented. It employs an ortho‐lithiation of aromatic substrates, followed by a coupling reaction with ...aryldiazonium salts. The products are obtained with good to excellent yields after simple purification. Moreover, with the presented methodology, a structurally diverse panel of different azobenzenes, including unsymmetric tetra‐ortho‐substituted ones, can be readily obtained, which paves the way for future development of red‐light‐addressable azobenzene derivatives for in vivo application.
Red‐shifted tetra‐ortho‐substituted azobenzenes were synthesized in a rapid manner with high functional group tolerance (see picture). The privileged tetra‐ortho‐methoxy, ‐chloro, and ‐fluoro azobenzenes become readily accessible, which paves the way for future applications of red‐shifted azobenzenes in material and biological sciences.
Heat stress compromises production, fertility, and health of dairy cattle. One mitigation strategy is to select individuals that are genetically resistant to heat stress. Most of the negative effects ...of heat stress on animal performance are a consequence of either physiological adaptations to regulate body temperature or adverse consequences of failure to regulate body temperature. Thus, selection for regulation of body temperature during heat stress could increase thermotolerance. The objective was to perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for rectal temperature (RT) during heat stress in lactating Holstein cows and identify SNPs associated with genes that have large effects on RT. Records on afternoon RT where the temperature-humidity index was ≥78.2 were obtained from 4,447 cows sired by 220 bulls, resulting in 1,440 useable genotypes from the Illumina BovineSNP50 BeadChip with 39,759 SNP. For GWAS, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 adjacent SNP were averaged to identify consensus genomic regions associated with RT. The largest proportion of SNP variance (0.07 to 0.44%) was explained by markers flanking the region between 28,877,547 and 28,907,154 bp on Bos taurus autosome (BTA) 24. That region is flanked by U1 (28,822,883 to 28,823,043) and NCAD (28,992,666 to 29,241,119). In addition, the SNP at 58,500,249 bp on BTA 16 explained 0.08% and 0.11% of the SNP variance for 2- and 3-SNP analyses, respectively. That contig includes SNORA19 , RFWD2 and SCARNA3 . Other SNPs associated with RT were located on BTA 16 (close to CEP170 and PLD5), BTA 5 (near SLCO1C1 and PDE3A), BTA 4 (near KBTBD2 and LSM5), and BTA 26 (located in GOT1 , a gene implicated in protection from cellular stress). In conclusion, there are QTL for RT in heat-stressed dairy cattle. These SNPs could prove useful in genetic selection and for identification of genes involved in physiological responses to heat stress.
Occupational and leisure-time physical activity are considered to provide similar health benefits. The authors tested this hypothesis.
A representative sample of Danish employees (n=7144, 52% ...females) reported levels of occupational and leisure-time physical activity in 2005. Long-term sickness absence (LTSA) spells of ≥3 consecutive weeks were retrieved from a social-transfer payment register from 2005 to 2007.
341 men and 620 females experienced a spell of LTSA during the period. Cox analyses adjusted for age, gender, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, chronic disease, social support from immediate superior, emotional demands, social class and occupational or leisure-time physical activity showed a decreased risk for LTSA among workers with moderate (HR 0.85, CI 0.72 to 1.01) and high (HR 0.77, CI 0.62 to 0.95) leisure-time physical activity in reference to those with low leisure-time physical activity. In contrast, an increased risk for LTSA was shown among workers with moderate (HR 1.59, CI 1.35 to 1.88) and high (HR 1.84, CI 1.55 to 2.18) occupational physical activity referencing those with low occupational physical activity.
The hypothesis was rejected. In a dose-response manner, occupational physical activity increased the risk for LTSA, while leisure-time physical activity decreased the risk for LTSA. The findings indicate opposing effects of occupational and leisure-time physical activity on global health.
The E12-14-012 experiment, performed in Jefferson Lab Hall A, has collected exclusive electron-scattering data (e,e'p) in parallel kinematics using natural argon and natural titanium targets. In this ...study we report the first results of the analysis of the data set corresponding to beam energy 2222 GeV, electron scattering angle 21.5° , and proton emission angle –50° . The differential cross sections, measured with ≈4% uncertainty, have been studied as a function of missing energy and missing momentum, and compared to the results of Monte Carlo simulations, obtained from a model based on the distorted-wave impulse approximation.
Broodstock of Atlantic cod were fed with three diets; astaxanthin supplemented (100 ppm kg⁻¹) hydrated diet (30% water) (HWHAs), no additional astaxanthin supplemented (50 ppm kg⁻¹) hydrated diet ...(30% water) (HWLAs) and a control diet (50 ppm kg⁻¹ astaxanthin and 10% water). Throughout the spawning period, eggs were collected daily and fertilization success and proportion of embryos with normal cleavage were recorded. Larvae were reared using standard culture methods. Larval growth was recorded every 10 days and larval survival was recorded at 50 days post hatch. In general, broodstock fed with diets containing higher water content (HWHAs and HWLAs) and higher astaxanthin (HWHAs) had higher egg production and efficiency of egg output, lower egg incubation mortality and higher larval growth and survival. Broodstock fed with higher water content diets consumed less feed compared to control group. Also, broodstock fed with HWHAs and HWLAs recovered faster in terms of body condition than the control group. The egg bound mortality of female fish was significantly higher in control broodstock compared to broodstock fed with HWHAs and HWLAs. Broodstock fed with higher astaxanthin (HWHAs) had significantly higher fertilization success than other two groups however; no differences were found in proportion embryos with normal cleavage among different groups. Larval survival was significantly higher in HWHAs broodstock compared to other two groups. Our results showed that increased water content and astaxanthin levels in the diet could improve the condition and fecundity of Atlantic cod broodstock.
We present a search at the Jefferson Laboratory for new forces mediated by sub-GeV vector bosons with weak coupling α' to electrons. Such a particle A' can be produced in electron-nucleus ...fixed-target scattering and then decay to an e + e- pair, producing a narrow resonance in the QED trident spectrum. Using APEX test run data, we searched in the mass range 175-250 MeV, found no evidence for an A'→ e+ e- reaction, and set an upper limit of α'/α ~/= 10(-6). Our findings demonstrate that fixed-target searches can explore a new, wide, and important range of masses and couplings for sub-GeV forces.
PDF
