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Climate change is rapidly altering the Arctic environment. Although long-term environmental observations have been made at a few locations in the Arctic, the incomplete coverage from ground stations is a main limitation to observations in these remote areas. Here we present a wind and sun powered multi-purpose mobile observatory (ARC-MO) that enables near real time measurements of air, ice, land, rivers, and marine parameters in remote off-grid areas. Two test units were constructed and placed in Northeast Greenland where they have collected data from cabled and wireless instruments deployed in the environment since late summer 2021. The two units can communicate locally via WiFi (units placed 25 km apart) and transmit near-real time data globally over satellite. Data are streamed live and accessible from (https://gios.org). The cost of one mobile observatory unit is c. 304.000€. These test units demonstrate the possibility for integrative and automated environmental data collection in remote coastal areas and could serve as models for a proposed global observatory system.

Chilli peppers have been shown to enhance diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) and reduce energy intake (EI) in some studies, but there are few data on other pungent spices. The primary aim of the present study was to test the acute effects of black pepper (pepper), ginger, horseradish and mustard in a meal on 4 h postprandial DIT. The secondary aim was to examine the effects on subjective appetite measures, ad libitum EI and energy balance. In a five-way placebo-controlled, single-blind, cross-over trial, twenty-two young (age 24·9 (sd 4·6) years), normal-weight (BMI 21·8 (sd 2·1) kg/m2) males were randomly assigned to receive a brunch meal with either pepper (1·3 g), ginger (20 g), horseradish (8·3 g), mustard (21 g) or no spices (placebo). The amounts of spices were chosen from pre-testing to make the meal spicy but palatable. No significant treatment effects were observed on DIT, but mustard produced DIT, which tended to be larger than that of placebo (14 %, 59 (se 3) v. 52 (se 2) kJ/h, respectively, P = 0·08). No other spice induced thermogenic effects approaching statistical significance. Subjective measures of appetite (P>0·85), ad libitum EI (P = 0·63) and energy balance (P = 0·67) also did not differ between the treatments. Finally, horseradish decreased heart rate (P = 0·048) and increased diastolic blood pressure (P = 0·049) compared with placebo. In conclusion, no reliable treatment effects on appetite, EI or energy balance were observed, although mustard tended to be thermogenic at this dose. Further studies should explore the possible strength and mechanisms of the potential thermogenic effect of mustard actives, and potential enhancement by, for example, combinations with other food components.

The optimal antiproteinuric dose of aliskiren is unknown. This study compared the effect of placebo and increasing doses of aliskiren on urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER).

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the optimal renoprotective effect of ultrahigh doses of lisinopril, as reflected by short-term changes in urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), in type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: At the Steno Diabetes Center, 49 type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy completed this double-masked randomised crossover trial consisting of an initial washout period followed by three treatment periods each lasting 2 months, where all patients received lisinopril 20, 40 and 60 mg once daily in randomised order in addition to slow-release furosemide. Allocation was concealed by sequentially numbered opaque sealed envelopes. UAER, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and estimated GFR were determined at baseline and after each treatment period. RESULTS: All 49 patients completed all three treatment periods. Baseline values were: UAER (geometric mean [95% CI]) 362 (240-545) mg/24 h, 24 h ABP (mean [SD]) 142 (14)/74 (8) mmHg and estimated GFR 75 (29) ml min(-1) 1.73 m(-2). Reductions in UAER from baseline were 63%, 71% and 70%, respectively, with the increasing doses of lisinopril (p < 0.001). Compared with lisinopril 20 mg there was a further reduction in UAER of 23% with lisinopril 40 mg and 19% with 60 mg, p < 0.05. ABP was reduced from baseline by 10/5, 13/7 and 12/7 mmHg (p < 0.001 vs baseline, p < 0.05 for diastolic ABP 20 vs 40 mg, otherwise NS between doses). The difference in UAER between 20 and 40 mg lisinopril was significant after adjustment for changes in ABP (p < 0.01). Two patients were excluded from the study because of an increase in plasma creatinine and one because of high BP; otherwise the study medication was well tolerated with few, mild, dose-independent adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Lisinopril 40 mg once daily is generally safe and offers additional reductions in BP and UAER in comparison with the currently recommended dose of 20 mg. Lisino

BACKGROUND: The deletion-allele of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and elevated ACE activity are associated with increased risk of severe hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes. We explored whether genetic and phenotypic variations in other components of the renin-angiotensin system are similarly associated. METHODS: Episodes of severe hypoglycemia were recorded in 171 consecutive type 1 diabetic outpatients during a 1-year follow-up. Participants were characterized at baseline by gene polymorphisms in angiotensinogen, ACE, angiotensin-II receptor types 1 (AT1R) and 2 (AT2R), and by plasma angiotensinogen concentration and serum ACE activity. RESULTS: Three risk factors for severe hypoglycemia were identified: plasma angiotensinogen concentration in the upper quartile (relative rate [RR] vs. lower quartile 3.1, 95% confidence interval [CI,] 1.4-6.8), serum ACE activity in the upper quartile (RR vs. lower quartile 2.9, 95% CI, 1.3-6.2), and homo- or hemizygosity for the A-allele of the X chromosome-located AT2R 1675G/A polymorphism (RR vs. noncarriers 2.5, 95% CI, 1.4-5.0). The three risk factors contributed independently to prediction of severe hypoglycemia. A backward multiple regression analysis identified a high number of renin-angiotensin system-related risk factors and reduced ability to perceive hypoglycemic warning symptoms (impaired hypoglycemia awareness) as predictors of severe hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: High renin-angiotensin system activity and the A-allele of the AT2R 1675G/A polymorphism associate with high risk of severe hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes. A potential preventive effect of renin-angiotensin system blocking drugs in patients with recurrent severe hypoglycemia merits further investigation Udgivelsesdato: 2008/3

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: During atrial fibrillation (AF), the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) may be activated. In this study, our aim was to evaluate at a long-term follow-up visit the levels of plasma aldosterone and natriuretic peptides as markers of neurohormonal remodeling in patients with earlier, documented AF in relation to present heart rhythm, clinical data, and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We hypothesized that increased levels of aldosterone and natriuretic peptides were significantly associated with present AF as markers of RAAS activation during the arrhythmia. METHODS: We studied 158 patients with earlier ECG-documented AF followed by restored sinus rhythm (SR) attending a follow-up visit 2.6 years (mean) after primary inclusion. RESULTS: At follow-up, 93 patients had SR. Heart rhythm at follow-up visit (SR/AF), plasma aldosterone, plasma N-terminal pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide (Nt-proBNP), plasma N-terminal pro Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (Nt-proANP), LVEF, medication, and clinical characteristics were recorded. Standard linear multiple regression analysis including age, sex, weight, hypertension, congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, present AF at follow-up, total duration of AF disease, ongoing medication, and the LVEF as explanatory variables showed that only ongoing treatment with diuretics was significantly associated (likelihood ratio test, p = 0.0057) with a raised log-transformed plasma aldosterone, although present AF at follow-up was related to a high aldosterone level (p = 0.09). For the natriuretic peptides, present AF at follow-up (p < 0.0001), age (p < 0.0001), female gender (p = 0.0047), ischemic heart disease (p = 0.0154), and ongoing treatment with sotalol (p = 0.0003) were all independently associated with high log-transformed plasma Nt-proANP. Likewise, present AF at follow-up (p = 0.0008) as well as age (p < 0.0001) were associated with high log-transformed plasma Nt-proBNP. CONCLUSION, During atrial fibrillation (AF), the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) may be activated. In this study, our aim was to evaluate at a long-term follow-up visit the levels of plasma aldosterone and natriuretic peptides as markers of neurohormonal remodeling in patients with earlier, documented AF in relation to present heart rhythm, clinical data, and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We hypothesized that increased levels of aldosterone and natriuretic peptides were significantly associated with present AF as markers of RAAS activation during the arrhythmia.

Objective. We recently showed that plasma concentration of N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide (Nt-proANP) is strongly directly related to salt sensitivity. The aims of the present study were to test (i) whether plasma concentration of N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) is related to salt sensitivity and (ii) whether Nt-proANP, as a marker of salt sensitivity, differs between type 2 diabetes patients and nondiabetic subjects without a history of coronary heart disease. Methods. Nt-proBNP was determined in 30 Swedish normal subjects with heredity for primary hypertension and salt sensitivity was defined as the difference between mean arterial blood pressure after 1 week on a high-salt diet (240 mmol day-1) and 1 week on a low-salt diet (10 mmol day-1). Nt-proANP was measured in 253 patients with type 2 diabetes and in 230 nondiabetic subjects aged 40–70 years, all without a history of coronary heart disease. Results. Amongst the 30 subjects, in whom salt sensitivity was directly measured, Nt-proBNP was not correlated with salt sensitivity (R = −0.18, P = 0.35). Nt-proANP (median, interquartile range) was lower in patients with type 2 diabetes (505, 387–661 pmol L-1) than in nondiabetic subjects (536, 421–696 pmol L-1) (P = 0.02). In a multiple regression analysis heart rate (P < 0.00001), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.02) and diabetes status (P = 0.02) were inversely related whereas age (P < 0.00001), cystatin C (P = 0.0006), hypertension treatment (P = 0.002) and female sex (P = 0.006) were directly related to ln(Nt-proANP). Conclusion. In contrast to Nt-proANP, Nt-proBNP is not related to salt sensitivity. Salt sensitivity, as estimated by Nt-proANP, seems to be reduced in type 2 diabetes.

Sildenafil, a selective inhibitor of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) degrading phosphodiestrase 5 (PDE5), induced migraine without aura in 10 of 12 migraine patients and in healthy subjects it induced significantly more headache than placebo. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the pain-inducing effects of sildenafil would be reflected in plasma levels of important signalling molecules in migraine: cGMP, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Ten healthy subjects (four women, six men) and 12 patients (12 women) suffering from migraine without aura were included in two separate double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over studies in which placebo or sildenafil 100 mg was administered orally. Plasma levels of CGRP, cAMP and cGMP were determined in blood from the antecubital vein. Despite the ability of sildenafil to induce headache and migraine, no significant differences in plasma levels of CGRP, cGMP and cAMP were detected after sildenafil compared with placebo. In conclusion, plasma levels of CGRP, cGMP and cAMP remain normal during sildenafil-induced headache or migraine. However, since previous studies indicate an important role of these signalling molecules, the present study questions whether cAMP and cGMP in peripheral blood can be used for monitoring pathophysiological events in headache and migraine mechanisms.