Aims/hypothesis: Given the importance of glucagon in the development of type 2 diabetes and as a potential therapeutic agent, the aim of this study was to characterise glucagon kinetics in mice and its regulation by the nutritional state. Methods: Anaesthetised C57BL/6 mice fed normal or high-fat diets, or fasted, were injected intravenously with glucagon (0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 10.0 or 20 μg/kg); blood s

Small esters represent an important class of high octane biofuels for advanced spark ignition engines. They qualify for stringent fuel screening standards and could be synthesized through various pathways. In this work, we performed a detailed investigation of the combustion of two small esters, MA (methyl acetate) and EA (ethyl acetate), including quantum chemistry calculations, experimental stud

OBJECTIVE: The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) trial investigated rates of progression to diabetes among adults with prediabetes randomized to treatment with placebo, metformin, or intensive lifestyle intervention. Among women in the DPP, diabetes risk reduction with metformin was greater in women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compared with women without GDM but with one or more

Parkinson’s disease (PD), the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, is characterized by the progressive loss of nigral dopamine neurons. The deposition of fibrillary aggregated α-synuclein in Lewy bodies (LB), that is considered to play a causative role in the disease, constitutes another key neuropathological hallmark of PD. We have recently described that synapsin III (Syn III), a syn

A prototype of a surface emissions trap, a new device for reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter from surfaces while allowing evaporation of moisture, was used to improve the indoor air quality of a school building with elevated air concentrations of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. A clear improvement of the perceived air quality was noticed a few days after the trap had been a

In addition to an increase in mean temperature, extreme climatic events, such as heat waves, are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity with climate change, which are likely to affect organism interactions, seasonal succession, and resting stage recruitment patterns in terrestrial as well as in aquatic ecosystems. For example, freshwater zooplankton with different life-history strategies

The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on platelet aggregation and coagulation is highly unclear. Studies both support and refute the impacts of omega-3 fatty acids on prolonged bleeding time and platelet inhibition as well as its purported positive effects on cardiovascular disease. In a previous pilot study we suggested an inhibition of platelet aggregation measured with multiple electrode aggregomet

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of The Turkish Sleep Apnea Database (TURKAPNE) study is to generate a cross-sectional nationwide database for defining the clinical and polysomnographic characteristics of the patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this ongoing project, all consecutive adults with suspected OSA are recruited from the sleep centers of the univers

The sympathetic nervous system and the adrenergic receptors play an important role in regulation of blood pressure. This study explored the associations between functional polymorphisms of the α 2B -, β 1 -, and β 2 -adrenergic receptor genes and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in hypertensive patients and hypertension in patients with OSA in a populationbased sample of 157 hypertensive patients and

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major disease affecting nearly 280 million people worldwide. Whilst the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to disease are poorly understood, dysfunction of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta-cells is key event for disease development. Monitoring the gene expression profiles of pancreatic beta-cells under several genetic or chemical perturbations has shed

Although numerous genes are known to regulate serum lipid traits, identified variants explain only a small proportion of the expected heritability. We intended to identify further genetic variants associated with lipid phenotypes in a self-contained population of Sorbs in Germany. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG)

Background: Dyscarbia is common in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients and its association to neurological outcome is undetermined. Methods: This is an exploratory post-hoc substudy of the Target Temperature Management (TTM) trial, including resuscitated OHCA patients, investigating the association between serial measurements of arterial partial carbon dioxide pressure (PaCO2) and neuro

Background: Older patients with a hip fracture require specialized emergency care and their first healthcare encounter before arriving at the hospital is often with the ambulance service. Since 2005 there has been a registered nurse on the crew of every ambulance in Sweden in order to provide prehospital emergency care and to prepare the patients for hospitalization. It is important to investigate

It has previously been shown in short-term interventions that kernel-based whole grain (WG) rye products have beneficial effects on test markers related to obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D increases the risk of several severe health issues, including declined cognitive functions. The protein brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is suggested to be a potential biomarker for neuronal integr

Sex differences in parasite load and immune responses are found across a wide range of animals, with females generally having lower parasite loads and stronger immune responses than males. Intrigued by these general patterns, we investigated if there was any sign of sex-specific selection on an essential component of adaptive immunity that is known to affect fitness, the major histocompatibility c