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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated the state of ill-health among patients with schizophrenia. We examined the number of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, the number of hospital admissions and outpatient contacts and the quality of treatment during the pandemic in comparison with the previous years., Methods: We identified patients ≥18 years old registered in the Danish Schizophrenia Registry from 2016 to 2022. Using a generalized linear model, we estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for each variable of interest., Results: A minor reduction in the number of new cases, admissions and outpatient contacts was seen during the first lockdown; however, there was no overall change across the pandemic period compared with the pre-pandemic period. We found no change in the proportion of patients who were interviewed using a diagnostic tool (37.0 % during pandemic vs 37.9 % pre-pandemic; PR = 0.87; 95 % CI 0.68-1.12) or received family intervention (57.7 % vs 57.1 %; PR = 0.97; 95 % CI 0.81-1.15), and no decrease was observed in the proportion of patients assessed for social support. Furthermore, no change in the proportion of patients re-admitted within 30 days (35.9 % vs 35.0 %; PR = 0.96; 95 % CI 0.88-1.07) or screened for suicide risk in relation to discharge (55.2 % vs 56.8 %; PR = 0.96; 95 % CI 0.97-1.09) was observed., Conclusions: Recognition and treatment of schizophrenia was minimally affected during the first lockdown, but across the pandemic period no overall change was observed. The quality of treatment of schizophrenia was unchanged., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies of the relation between polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of atrial fibrillation have been inconclusive. The risk of atrial fibrillation may depend on the interaction between n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids as both types of fatty acids are involved in the regulation of systemic inflammation., Objective: We investigated the association between dietary intake of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (individually and in combination) and the risk of atrial fibrillation with focus on potential interaction between the two types of polyunsaturated fatty acids., Design: The risk of atrial fibrillation in the Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort was analyzed using the pseudo-observation method to explore cumulative risks on an additive scale providing risk differences. Dietary intake of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids was assessed by food frequency questionnaires. The main analyses were adjusted for the dietary intake of n-3 α-linolenic acid and n-6 linoleic acid to account for endogenous synthesis of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Interaction was assessed as deviation from additivity of absolute association measures (risk differences)., Results: Cumulative risks in 15-year age periods were estimated in three strata of the cohort (N = 54,737). No associations between intake of n-3 or n-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and atrial fibrillation were found, neither when analyzed separately as primary exposures nor when interaction between n-3 and n-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids was explored., Conclusion: This study suggests no association between intake of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Whether and how n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are related to type 2 diabetes (T2D) is debated. Objectively measured plasma PUFAs can help to clarify these associations., Methods and Findings: Plasma phospholipid PUFAs were measured by gas chromatography among 12,132 incident T2D cases and 15,919 subcohort participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-InterAct study across eight European countries. Country-specific hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Prentice-weighted Cox regression and pooled by random-effects meta-analysis. We also systematically reviewed published prospective studies on circulating PUFAs and T2D risk and pooled the quantitative evidence for comparison with results from EPIC-InterAct. In EPIC-InterAct, among long-chain n-3 PUFAs, α-linolenic acid (ALA) was inversely associated with T2D (HR per standard deviation [SD] 0.93; 95% CI 0.88-0.98), but eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were not significantly associated. Among n-6 PUFAs, linoleic acid (LA) (0.80; 95% CI 0.77-0.83) and eicosadienoic acid (EDA) (0.89; 95% CI 0.85-0.94) were inversely related, and arachidonic acid (AA) was not significantly associated, while significant positive associations were observed with γ-linolenic acid (GLA), dihomo-GLA, docosatetraenoic acid (DTA), and docosapentaenoic acid (n6-DPA), with HRs between 1.13 to 1.46 per SD. These findings from EPIC-InterAct were broadly similar to comparative findings from summary estimates from up to nine studies including between 71 to 2,499 T2D cases. Limitations included potential residual confounding and the inability to distinguish between dietary and metabolic influences on plasma phospholipid PUFAs., Conclusions: These large-scale findings suggest an important inverse association of circulating plant-origin n-3 PUFA (ALA) but no convincing association of marine-derived n3 PUFAs (EPA and DHA) with T2D. Moreover, they highlight that the most abundant n6-PUFA (LA) is inversely associated with T2D. The detection of associations with previously less well-investigated PUFAs points to the importance of considering individual fatty acids rather than focusing on fatty acid class.

Microalgae cultivation for biomass production and nutrient removal implies the use of natural light and minimal control of the temperature for obtaining a low cost production. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of temperature control at natural light on biomass productivity and removal of NH4-N and PO4-P of a mesophilic strain of Chlorella. Chlorella sp. was grown in reject water of anaerobically digested municipal sludge, sludge liquor, inside a greenhouse compartment (Ås, Norway, 59°N) using batch cultures (300 mL). Five experiments were conducted from May to September, and effects of different levels of temperature control and diurnal variations were investigated. The highest biomass productivities (0.45 g L(-1) day(-1)) in the linear growth phase were obtained at daily light integrals ≥12 mol day(-1) m(-2). Results showed that the average temperature was of more importance than the night or day temperature range. At average temperatures <22 °C for cultures with no temperature control, the productivity decreased by 23 and 39 % compared to cultures with full temperature control (24-25 °C). In one experiment, the productivity was reduced at no temperature control due to prolonged high daytime temperatures (>32 °C) and were followed by a lower NH4-N removal rate. Otherwise, temperature had little effect on NH4-N removal. The level of temperature control did not affect removal of PO4-P. Cellular starch content varied from ~15-38 % in the evening and was generally lower at no temperature control. In the morning the starch content was reduced to ~4-12 % with no difference between the different levels of temperature control. (~4-12 %).

Background: Although the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) pathway is central in adipogenesis, it remains unknown whether it influences change in body weight (BW) and whether dietary fat has a modifying effect on the association., Objectives: We examined whether 27 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 4 genes in the PPARγ pathway are associated with the OR of being a BW gainer or with annual changes in anthropometry and whether intake of total fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, or saturated fat has a modifying effect on these associations., Methods: A case-noncase study included 11,048 men and women from cohorts in the European Diet, Obesity and Genes study; 5552 were cases, defined as individuals with the greatest BW gain during follow-up, and 6548 were randomly selected, including 5496 noncases. We selected 4 genes [CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β (CEBPB), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2, PPARγ gene (PPARG), and sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1] according to evidence about biologic plausibility for interactions with dietary fat in weight regulation. Diet was assessed at baseline, and anthropometry was followed for 7 y., Results: The ORs for being a BW gainer for the 27 genetic variants ranged from 0.87 (95% CI: 0.79, 1.03) to 1.12 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.22) per additional minor allele. Uncorrected, CEBPB rs4253449 had a significant interaction with the intake of total fat and subgroups of fat. The OR for being a BW gainer for each additional rs4253449 minor allele per 100 kcal higher total fat intake was 1.07 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.12; P = 0.008), and similar associations were found for subgroups of fat., Conclusions: Among European men and women, the influence of dietary fat on associations between SNPs in the PPARγ pathway and anthropometry is likely to be absent or marginal. The observed interaction between rs4253449 and dietary fat needs confirmation., (© 2016 American Society for Nutrition.)

Background: Studies of related individuals have consistently demonstrated notable familial aggregation of cancer. We aim to estimate the heritability and genetic correlation attributable to the additive effects of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for cancer at 13 anatomical sites., Methods: Between 2007 and 2014, the US National Cancer Institute has generated data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for 49 492 cancer case patients and 34 131 control patients. We apply novel mixed model methodology (GCTA) to this GWAS data to estimate the heritability of individual cancers, as well as the proportion of heritability attributable to cigarette smoking in smoking-related cancers, and the genetic correlation between pairs of cancers., Results: GWAS heritability was statistically significant at nearly all sites, with the estimates of array-based heritability, hl (2), on the liability threshold (LT) scale ranging from 0.05 to 0.38. Estimating the combined heritability of multiple smoking characteristics, we calculate that at least 24% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 14% to 37%) and 7% (95% CI = 4% to 11%) of the heritability for lung and bladder cancer, respectively, can be attributed to genetic determinants of smoking. Most pairs of cancers studied did not show evidence of strong genetic correlation. We found only four pairs of cancers with marginally statistically significant correlations, specifically kidney and testes (ρ = 0.73, SE = 0.28), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and pediatric osteosarcoma (ρ = 0.53, SE = 0.21), DLBCL and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (ρ = 0.51, SE =0.18), and bladder and lung (ρ = 0.35, SE = 0.14). Correlation analysis also indicates that the genetic architecture of lung cancer differs between a smoking population of European ancestry and a nonsmoking Asian population, allowing for the possibility that the genetic etiology for the same disease can vary by population and environmental exposures., Conclusion: Our results provide important insights into the genetic architecture of cancers and suggest new avenues for investigation., (Published by Oxford University Press 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.)

We aimed to investigate the causal effect of circulating uric acid concentrations on type 2 diabetes risk. A Mendelian randomization study was performed using a genetic score with 24 uric acid-associated loci. We used data of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-InterAct case-cohort study, comprising 24,265 individuals of European ancestry from eight European countries. During a mean (SD) follow-up of 10 (4) years, 10,576 verified incident case subjects with type 2 diabetes were ascertained. Higher uric acid was associated with a higher diabetes risk after adjustment for confounders, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.20 (95% CI 1.11, 1.30) per 59.48 µmol/L (1 mg/dL) uric acid. The genetic score raised uric acid by 17 µmol/L (95% CI 15, 18) per SD increase and explained 4% of uric acid variation. By using the genetic score to estimate the unconfounded effect, we found that a 59.48 µmol/L higher uric acid concentration did not have a causal effect on diabetes (HR 1.01 [95% CI 0.87, 1.16]). Including data from the Diabetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis (DIAGRAM) consortium, increasing our dataset to 41,508 case subjects with diabetes, the summary odds ratio estimate was 0.99 (95% CI 0.92, 1.06). In conclusion, our study does not support a causal effect of circulating uric acid on diabetes risk. Uric acid-lowering therapies may therefore not be beneficial in reducing diabetes risk., (© 2015 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.)

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and large-scale replication studies have identified common variants in 79 loci associated with breast cancer, explaining ∼14% of the familial risk of the disease. To identify new susceptibility loci, we performed a meta-analysis of 11 GWAS, comprising 15,748 breast cancer cases and 18,084 controls together with 46,785 cases and 42,892 controls from 41 studies genotyped on a 211,155-marker custom array (iCOGS). Analyses were restricted to women of European ancestry. We generated genotypes for more than 11 million SNPs by imputation using the 1000 Genomes Project reference panel, and we identified 15 new loci associated with breast cancer at P < 5 × 10(-8). Combining association analysis with ChIP-seq chromatin binding data in mammary cell lines and ChIA-PET chromatin interaction data from ENCODE, we identified likely target genes in two regions: SETBP1 at 18q12.3 and RNF115 and PDZK1 at 1q21.1. One association appears to be driven by an amino acid substitution encoded in EXO1.

The aim of this study was to find an inexpensive and environmentally friendly CO 2 source for growing the hydrogen-producing microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . The effect of different flue gas concentrations from a silicomanganese smelter on the growth of these algae at a photon flux density of 200 μmol photons m -2  s -1 applied 24 h day -1 was studied. First, the algae were grown in a laboratory at 1.2, 6.8 and 17.1 % ( v / v ) pure CO 2 gas mixed with fresh air. After 5 days of growth, the dry biomass per litre algal culture was slightly higher (17 %) at 6.8 % CO 2 as compared to at 1.2 % CO 2 . A further increase to 17.1 % CO 2 decreased the biomass by about 40 %. Then, the flue gas from a silicomanganese smelter was used as a CO 2 source for growing the algae. The flue gas was characterized by a high CO 2 concentration (about 17 %  v / v ), low oxygen concentration (about 4 %), about 100 ppm NO x and 1 ppm SO 2 . The culture medium bubbled with undiluted flue gas contained about 490 mg L -1 dissolved CO 2 and 4.0 mg L -1 dissolved O 2 , while the lowest flue gas concentration contained about 280 mg L -1 CO 2 and 7.1 mg L -1 O 2 . Undiluted flue gas (17.4 % CO 2 ) decreased the biomass of the algae by about 40 % as compared with 4.8 % pure CO 2 gas or flue gas diluted to a concentration of 6.3 % CO 2 . Flue gas diluted to give 10.0 % CO 2 gave less reduction in the growth of the algae (22 %). It was concluded that the high CO 2 concentration itself caused the growth reduction and not the air pollutants, and the very low O 2 concentrations in the growth medium could not counteract this negative effect.

The use of microalgae for biomass production and nutrient removal from the reject water produced in the dewatering process of anaerobically digested sludge, sludge liquor, was investigated. The sludge liquor was characterized by a high content of total suspended solids (1590 mg L(-1)), a high nitrogen concentration (1210 mg L(-1)), and a low phosphorus concentration (28 mg L(-1)). Chlorella sp. was grown in sludge liquor diluted with wastewater treatment plant effluent water to different concentrations (12, 25, 40, 50, 70, and 100%) using batch mode. The environmental conditions were 25 °C, a continuous lightning of 115 μmol m(-2) s(-1), and a CO2 concentration of 3.0%. The highest biomass production (0.42-0.45 g dry weight L(-1) Day(-1)) was achieved at 40-50% sludge liquor, which was comparable to the production of the control culture grown with an artificial fertilizer. The biomass production was 0.12 and 0.26 g dry weight L(-1) Day(-1) at 12% and 100% sludge liquor, respectively. The percentage of nitrogen in the algal biomass increased from 3.6% in 12% sludge liquor and reached a saturation of ∼10% in concentrations with 50% sludge liquor and higher. The phosphorus content in the biomass increased linearly from 0.2 to 1.5% with increasing sludge liquor concentrations. The highest nitrogen removal rates by algal biosynthesis were 33.6-42.6 mg TN L(-1) Day(-1) at 40-70% sludge liquor, while the highest phosphorus removal rates were 3.1-4.1 mg TP L(-1) Day(-1) at 50-100% sludge liquor., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study demonstrates that the spectral quality of radiation sources applied with ultraviolet-B (UV-B; background radiation) affects the suppression of cucumber powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) by UV-B. Suppression provided by daily UV-B exposure of 1 W/m 2 for 10 min was greatest in the presence of red light or by a complete lack of background light, and powdery mildew suppression was least in the presence of ultraviolet-A (UV-A) or blue radiation compared with plants exposed only to 16 h of daily natural light supplemented with high-pressure sodium lamps that supply broad-spectrum radiation with peaks in the yellow-orange region. Exposure of powdery mildew-inoculated plants to supplemental red light without UV-B, beginning at the end of the daylight period, also reduced disease severity; however, supplemental blue light applied in the same fashion had no effect. Daily application of UV-B at 1 W/m 2 beginning on the day of inoculation significantly reduced the severity of powdery mildew to 15% compared with 100% severity on control plants. Maximum suppression of powdery mildew was observed following 15 min of exposure to UV-B (1.1% severity compared with 100% severity on control plants) but exposure time had to be limited to 5 to 10 min to reduce phytotoxicity. There was no additional disease suppression when plants were exposed to UV-B beginning 2 days prior to inoculation compared with plants exposed to UV-B beginning on the day of inoculation. UV-B inhibited germination, infection, colony expansion, and sporulation of P. xanthii. The results suggest that efficacy of UV-B treatments, alone or in combination with red light, against P. xanthii can be enhanced by exposure of inoculated plants to these wavelengths of radiation during the night, thereby circumventing the counteracting effects of blue light and UV-A radiation. The effect of UV-B on powdery mildew seemed to be directly upon the pathogen, rather than induced resistance of the host. Night exposure of plants to 5 to 10 min of UV-B at 1 W/m 2 and inexpensive, spectral-specific, light-emitting diodes may provide additional tools to suppress powdery mildews of diverse greenhouse crops.

Flue gases from a power plant based on waste combustion were tested as a carbon dioxide (CO2) source for growing Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. To achieve recognition as an environmentally friendly hydrogen production method, waste gases should be used to grow this hydrogen-producing microalgae. The algae were grown in undiluted flue gas containing 11.4±0.2% CO2 by volume, in diluted flue gas containing 6.7±0.1% or 2.5±0.0% CO2, and in pure liquid CO2 at a concentration of 2.7±0.2%. The NOx concentration was 45±16 mg m(-3), the SO2 concentration was 36±19 mg m(-3), the HCl concentration 4.1±1.0 mg m(-3) and the O2 concentration 7.9±0.2% in the undiluted flue gas. Undiluted flue gas reduced the dry weight production by around 20-25% when grown at a photon flux density (PFD) of 300 μmol m(-2) s(-1) artificial light and at 24 or 33°C, compared with the other treatments. A less negative effect was found at the highest flue gas concentration when the algae were grown at 75 μmol m(-2) s(-1) PFD. Growing the algae outdoors at a day length of 12.5 h and a temperature of around 24°C, the dry weight production was higher (about 15%) in the 2.6% CO2 flue gas treatment compared with all other treatments. Reducing the light level by 30% through shading did not affect the dry weight production. Calculated on aerial basis the productivity reached approximately 70 g m(-2) day(-1) in the 300 μmol m(-2) s(-1) PFD treatment (corresponding to 25 mol m(-2) day(-1)) and approximately 17 g m(-2) day(-1) in the 75μmol m(-2) s(-1) PFD treatment (corresponding to 6.5 mol m(-2) day(-1)). The outdoor production reached around 14 g m(-2) day(-1). It was concluded that the negative effect of the undiluted flue gas was attributable to the high CO2 concentration and not to the other pollutants.

We analysed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) tagging the genetic variability of six candidate genes (ATF6, FABP1, LPIN2, LPIN3, MLXIPL and MTTP) involved in the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, an important regulatory site of energy balance for associations with body mass index (BMI) and changes in weight and waist circumference. We also investigated effect modification by sex and dietary intake. Data of 6,287 individuals participating in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition were included in the analyses. Data on weight and waist circumference were followed up for 6.9 ± 2.5 years. Association of 69 tagSNPs with baseline BMI and annual changes in weight as well as waist circumference were investigated using linear regression analysis. Interactions with sex, GI and intake of carbohydrates, fat as well as saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were examined by including multiplicative SNP-covariate terms into the regression model. Neither baseline BMI nor annual weight or waist circumference changes were significantly associated with variation in the selected genes in the entire study population after correction for multiple testing. One SNP (rs1164) in LPIN2 appeared to be significantly interacting with sex (p = 0.0003) and was associated with greater annual weight gain in men (56.8 ± 23.7 g/year per allele, p = 0.02) than in women (-25.5 ± 19.8 g/year per allele, p = 0.2). With respect to gene-nutrient interaction, we could not detect any significant interactions when accounting for multiple testing. Therefore, out of our six candidate genes, LPIN2 may be considered as a candidate for further studies.

Exposure during fetal life may have long-lasting health consequences for the child. Cohorts with biological material are necessary to investigate the possible biological mechanisms behind this potential early programming of disease. The Aarhus Birth Cohort Biobank was established in 2008 as an amendment to an ongoing research database, the Aarhus Birth Cohort. It aims to provide the opportunity to investigate the role of genetic factors, environmental exposures and lifestyles in pregnancy on the risk of disease in the offspring. All pregnant women who plan to give birth at Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, and the fathers-to-be are invited to participate in the Aarhus Birth Cohort Biobank. Blood samples (mother 54 ml, father 4 ml) are drawn at the time of the routine ultrasound scanning in gestational week 12. At the same time, the women fill out a detailed questionnaire on medical and lifestyle factors. Immediately after birth, blood (10 ml) from the umbilical cord and umbilical cord tissue are sampled. Samples from the mothers are separated into plasma, buffy coat, erythrocyte suspension and serum before freezing at -80°C. Samples of whole blood are also stored, from both the mother and the father. Plasma, buffy coat, erythrocyte suspension and tissue from the umbilical cord are stored at -80°C. All researchers can apply for access to the database. For more details, see www.ab-biobank.dk or tbh@dadlnet.dk.

Ultraviolet (UV)-B (280 to 315 nm) irradiance from 0.1 to 1.2 W m -2 and exposure times from 2 min to 2 h significantly suppressed powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa) in pot rose (Rosa × hybrida 'Toril') via reduced spore germination, infection efficiency, disease severity, and sporulation of surviving colonies. Brief daily exposure to UV-B suppressed disease severity by more than 90% compared with unexposed controls, and severity was held at low levels as long as daily brief exposures continued. Selective removal of wavelengths below 290 nm from the UV lamp sources by cellulose diacetate filters resulted in significant reduction of treatment efficacy. Exposure of plants to 2 h of UV-B during night for 1 week followed by inoculation with P. pannosa did not affect subsequent pathogen development, indicating that the treatment effect was directly upon the exposed pathogen and not operated through the host. Following 20 to 30 days of exposure, chlorophyll and flavonoid content was slightly higher in plants exposed to the highest UV-B levels. Brief daily exposure to UV-B for 5 min at 1.2 W m -2 or 1 h at 0.1 W m -2 substantially reduced mildew severity without significant phytotoxicity, and may represent a useful nonchemical option for suppression of powdery mildew in greenhouse roses and, possibly, other crops.

Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may have beneficial effects in relation to atrial fibrillation (AF) with promising data from experimental animal studies, however, results from studies in humans have been inconsistent. This review evaluates the mechanisms of action of marine n-3 PUFA in relation to AF based on experimental data and provides a status on the evidence obtained from observational studies and interventional trials. In conclusion, there is growing evidence for an effect of marine n-3 PUFA in prevention and treatment of AF. However, further studies are needed to establish which patients are more likely to benefit from n-3 PUFA, the timing of treatment, and dosages.

Background: In epidemiological studies, Helicobacter pylori infection is usually detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, infection can spontaneously clear from the mucosa during the progression of atrophy and could lead to substantial under-detection of infection and underestimation of its effect on gastric cancer (GC) risk. Antibodies detected by western blot are known to persist longer after the loss of the infection., Methods: In a nested case-control study from the Eurogast-EPIC cohort, including 88 noncardia GC cases and 338 controls, we assessed the association between noncardia GC and H. pylori infection comparing antibodies detected by western blot (HELICOBLOT2.1) to those detected by ELISA (Pyloriset EIA-GIII(®))., Results: By immunoblot, 82 cases (93.2%) were H. pylori positive, 10 of these cases (11.4%) were negative by ELISA and only 6 cases (6.8%) were negative by both ELISA and immunoblot. Multivariable odds ratio (OR) for noncardia GC comparing immunoglobulin G positive versus negative by ELISA was 6.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0-15.1], and by immunoblot, the OR was 21.4 (95% CI 7.1-64.4)., Conclusions: Using a western blot assay, nearly all noncardia GC were classified as H. pylori positive and the OR was more than threefold higher than the OR assessed by ELISA, supporting the hypothesis that H. pylori infection is a necessary condition for noncardia GC.

Background: Evidence suggests that asthma is rooted in the intrauterine environment and that intake of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) in pregnancy may have immunomodulatory effects on the child., Objective: Our aim was to examine whether increasing maternal intake of n-3 PUFAs in pregnancy may affect offspring risk of asthma., Design: In 1990, a population-based sample of 533 women with normal pregnancies were randomly assigned 2:1:1 to receive four 1-g gelatin capsules/d with fish oil providing 2.7 g n-3 PUFAs (n = 266); four 1-g, similar-looking capsules/d with olive oil (n = 136); or no oil capsules (n = 131). Women were recruited and randomly assigned around gestation week 30 and asked to take capsules until delivery. Among 531 live-born children, 528 were identified in registries and 523 were still alive by August 2006. Diagnoses from the International Coding of Diseases version 10 were extracted from a mandatory registry that recorded diagnoses reported from hospital contacts., Results: During the 16 y that passed since childbirth, 19 children from the fish oil and olive oil groups had received an asthma-related diagnosis; 10 had received the diagnosis allergic asthma. The hazard rate of asthma was reduced by 63% (95% CI: 8%, 85%; P = 0.03), whereas the hazard rate of allergic asthma was reduced by 87% (95% CI: 40%, 97%; P = 0.01) in the fish oil compared with the olive oil group., Conclusion: Under the assumption that intake of olive oil in the dose provided here was inert, our results support that increasing n-3 PUFAs in late pregnancy may carry an important prophylactic potential in relation to offspring asthma.

Bacterial IgA1 proteases share the ability to cleave human IgA1 at the hinge region. Nature has developed this trait along at least five independent evolutionary lineages. To obtain further insight into the phylogeny and function of IgA1 proteases, the nucleotide sequence of the iga gene that encodes the IgA1 protease was determined from two Streptococcus mitis strains and one Gemella haemolysans strain. Heterologous expression in Escherichia coli confirmed that the genes encode human IgA1-cleaving activity. IgA1 proteases from Streptococcus and G. haemolysans shared structural features, including a motif typical for zinc-dependent metalloproteases of clan MA(E) family M26 and an N-terminal signal sequence followed by an LPXTG cell-wall-anchor motif and two putative membrane-spanning domains. In addition, they all harboured a repeat region preceding the active site of the protease. In the streptococcal IgA1 proteases, a G5 domain, which has been suggested to bind N-acetylglucosamine, was identified. Conservation of these structures in otherwise diverse proteases suggests that they are essential to the biological function of the enzyme. The phylogenetic distribution of homologous iga genes and conservation of gene order in the iga gene region in different Streptococcus species, combined with the sequence homologies, strongly suggest that the iga gene is more ancient in Streptococcus than in G. haemolysans, and therefore that the IgA1 protease gene was transferred from Streptococcus to G. haemolysans.

Seedlings of Betula pubescens were grown at two CO(2) concentrations, in combination with either two O(3) concentrations or two air temperatures, during 34-35 days at 24 h day(-1) photoperiod in growth chambers placed in a greenhouse. Increasing the CO(2) concentration from 350 to 560 micromol mol(-1) at 17 degrees C air temperature increased the dry weight of the main leaves, main stem, branches and root. The mean relative growth rate (RGR) was increased 10% by CO(2) enrichment, while increasing the O(3) concentration from 7 to 62 nmol mol(-1) decreased the RGR by 9%. The relative biomass distribution between the different plant components was not significantly affected by the CO(2) concentration irrespective of the O(3) concentration. No significant interactions between CO(2) and O(3) concentration were found except on leaf size, which was stimulated more by elevated CO(2) concentration at high, compared to low, O(3) levels. In another experiment, elevated CO(2) (700 micromol mol(-1)) significantly increased the dry weight of the different plant components, and more at 20 degrees C than at 15 degrees C. Raising the CO(2) concentration increased the RGR by 5 and 10% at 15 and 20 degrees C, respectively. CO(2) enrichment increased the branch dry weight relatively more than the dry weight of the other plant parts. Increasing the CO(2) concentration or temperature increased the plant height and stem diameter, however, no interactions between CO(2) and temperature were found.

The economic cost of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in San Diego County, California, is forecast to increase from $103 million in 1986 to between $502 and $743 million in 1991, rising at a minimum average annual rate of 30% after adjusting for inflation. A greater emphasis on outpatient care and the use of new therapies that increase life expectancy by reducing the frequency and severity of morbidity will decrease the future annual cost of treatment but will have a small effect on total economic costs because of substantial foregone earnings by persons with AIDS. Estimating the economic impact of this disease provides valuable information for formulating effective strategies to treat AIDS patients, to provide education for limiting the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus, and to achieve other health objectives.

Seedlings of Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) were subjected to CO 2 -enriched air (1000 μl 1 -1 ) containing 1.5 μ l -1 nitrogen oxides (NO X ) for 25 d at four photon flux densities (30, 95, 175 and 250 μmol m -2 s -1 PAR). CO 2 enrichment without NO x significantly increased the dry weights (47 to 93 %) at all light levels. Addition of NO x strongly reduced the mean dry weight at the lowest light level even below that of the unenriched control. At the two highest light levels, NO x reduced the dry weight, but much less than at the lowest level. NO X caused severe leaf injury at the lowest light level, but this effect disappeared with increased photon flux density. A system was constructed for measurement of the net CO., exchange rate (CER) for single plants. Short-term measurements showed significant reductions of CER when the NO concentration was increased from 0 to 9μl 1 -1 at 550μmol m -2 s -1 but almost no effect at 140 to 200 μmol m -2 s -1 . NO caused similar percentage reductions of CER at 335 and 1000 μl 1 CO 2 . The absorption of NO was not significantly affected by increasing the photon flux density from 150 to 550μmol m- 2 s -2 .

Eight cultivars of Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) and six cultivars of Lactuca sativa (lettuce) were subjected to CO 2 -enriched air (1000 μ11 -1 ) containing 0.7 or 0.9 μll -1 nitrogen oxides (NO x ). CO 2 enrichment without NO 2 significantly increased the dry weight of all tomato (35-81%) and lettuce cultivars (25-101%). In six of the eight tomato cultivars the dry weight was reduced by the addition of NO x . The mean relative growth rate (RGR) decreased by 4-19% depending on the cultivar. This meant that the benefit of CO 2 enrichment was almost completely eliminated in most of the cultivars. Marginal leaf necrosis appeared in some of the cultivars, while in others no visible injury developed. None of the lettuce cultivars was significantly affected by the addition of NO x.

One of the major problems in clinical cancer chemotherapy is the inability to safely administer full therapeutic doses of specific drugs in the face of dysfunction of an organ system controlling that drug's metabolism and excretion. Should efficient drug removal from blood be possible following full therapeutic doses and after tumor exposure, then theoretically, even in the presence of organ dysfunction, anticancer drug toxicity may be reduced or avoided. Preliminary experiments in our laboratory have shown that adriamycin may be efficiently removed by activated charcoal from aqueous and protein solutions and blood in vivo, and that daunorubicin is removed in vitro to the same extent. However, although methotrexate is removed efficiently in vitro and extracted 50% in vivo by charcoal hemoperfusion, its overall pharmacokinetics do not appear to be altered in comparison with the alteration in pharmacokinetics of adriamycin achieved with charcoal hemoperfusion. Computer modeling has suggested that efficient adriamycin removal is achievable, and that clinical studies are warranted. For methotrexate removal, however, previous clinical studies and our own data suggest that charcoal hemoperfusion has little utility unless a highly specific sorbent for methotrexate removal can be developed.

Plants were grown in chambers with CO 2 enrichment (1000 μl 1 -1 ) and with or without the addition of 0.85 μl 1 -1 nitrogen oxides (NO x ). The following species were tested: Lactuca sativa (lettuce), Cucumis sativus (cucumber), Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato), Saintpaulia ionantha, Rosa, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Chrysanthemum×morifolium, Helxine soleirolii, Hedera helix, and Nephrolepis exaltata. All species responded positively to an increase in CO 2 level from 330 to 1000 μl 1 -1 . The dry weights of tomato, roses and Saintpaulia responded negatively to the addition of NO x . In tomato, the reduced dry weight was due to reduction in shoot length and leaf area. In roses the stem was shorter and in Saintpaulia the leaves smaller when NO x was added. Furthermore, the time to flowering increased and number of flowers/flower buds decreased in Saintpaulia.