Lund University

About: Lund University is a education organization based out in Lund, Sweden. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 42345 authors who have published 124676 publications receiving 5016438 citations. The organization is also known as: Lunds Universitet & University of Lund.

Brain lactic acidosis and ischemic cell damage: 1. Biochemistry and neurophysiology.

Abstract: This study explores the influence of severe lactic acidosis in the ischemic rat brain on postischemic recovery of the tissue energy state and neurophysiological parameters. Severe incomplete brain ischemia (cerebral blood flow below 5% of normal) was induced by bilateral carotid artery clamping combined with hypovolemic hypotension. We varied the production of lactate in the tissue by manipulating the blood glucose concentrations. A 30-min period of incomplete ischemia induced in food-deprived animals caused lactate to accumulate to 15-16 mumol g-1 in cortical tissue. Upon recirculation these animals showed: (1) a considerable recovery of the cortical energy state as evaluated from the tissue concentrations of phosphocreatine, ATP, ADP, and AMP; and (2) return of spontaneous electrocortical activity as well as of somatosensory evoked response (SER). In contrast, administration of glucose to food-deprived animals prior to ischemia caused an increase in tissue lactate concentration to about 35 mumol g-1. These animals did not recover energy balance in the tissue and neurophysiological functions did not return. In other experiments the production of lactate during 30 min of complete compression ischemia was increased from about 12 mumol g-1 (normoglycemic animals) to 20-30 mumol g-1 by preischemic hyperglycemia and, in separate animals, combined hypercapnia. The recovery of the cortical energy state upon recirculation was significantly poorer in hyperglycemic animals. It is concluded that a high degree of tissue lactic acidosis during brain ischemia impairs postischemic recovery and that different degrees of tissue lactic acidosis may explain why severe incomplete ischemia, in certain experimental models, is more deleterious than complete brain ischemia.

Association of overweight with increased risk of coronary heart disease partly independent of blood pressure and cholesterol levels: a meta-analysis of 21 cohort studies including more than 300 000 persons.

Abstract: Background: The extent to which moderate overweight (body mass index [BMI], 25.0-29.9 [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared]) and obesity (BMI, 30.0) are associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) through adverse effects on blood pressure and cholesterol levels is unclear, as is the risk of CHD that remains after these mediating effects are considered. Methods: Relative risks (RRs) of CHD associated with moderate overweight and obesity with and without adjustment for blood pressure and cholesterol concentrations were calculated by the members of a collaboration of prospective cohort studies of healthy, mainly white persons and pooled by means of random-effects models (RRs for categories of BMI in 14 cohorts and for continuous BMI in 21 cohorts; total N=302 296). Results: A total of 18 000 CHD events occurred during follow-up. The age-, sex-, physical activity–, and smokingadjusted RRs (95% confidence intervals) for moderate overweight and obesity compared with normal weight were 1.32 (1.24-1.40) and 1.81 (1.56-2.10), respectively. Additional adjustment for blood pressure and cholesterol levels reduced the RR to 1.17 (1.11-1.23) for moderate overweight and to 1.49 (1.32-1.67) for obesity. The RR associated with a 5-unit BMI increment was 1.29 (1.221.35) before and 1.16 (1.11-1.21) after adjustment for blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Conclusions: Adverse effects of overweight on blood pressure and cholesterol levels could account for about 45% of the increased risk of CHD. Even for moderate overweight, there is a significant increased risk of CHD independent of these traditional risk factors, although confounding (eg, by dietary factors) cannot be completely ruled out.

Gaia Data Release 2. Kinematics of globular clusters and dwarf galaxies around the Milky Way

Abstract: Context. Aims: The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the outstanding quality of the second data release of the Gaia mission and its power for constraining many different aspects of the dynamics of the satellites of the Milky Way. We focus here on determining the proper motions of 75 Galactic globular clusters, nine dwarf spheroidal galaxies, one ultra-faint system, and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Methods: Using data extracted from the Gaia archive, we derived the proper motions and parallaxes for these systems, as well as their uncertainties. We demonstrate that the errors, statistical and systematic, are relatively well understood. We integrated the orbits of these objects in three different Galactic potentials, and characterised their properties. We present the derived proper motions, space velocities, and characteristic orbital parameters in various tables to facilitate their use by the astronomical community. Results: Our limited and straightforward analyses have allowed us for example to (i) determine absolute and very precise proper motions for globular clusters; (ii) detect clear rotation signatures in the proper motions of at least five globular clusters; (iii) show that the satellites of the Milky Way are all on high-inclination orbits, but that they do not share a single plane of motion; (iv) derive a lower limit for the mass of the Milky Way of 9.1-2.6+6.2 × 1011 M⊙ based on the assumption that the Leo I dwarf spheroidal is bound; (v) derive a rotation curve for the Large Magellanic Cloud based solely on proper motions that is competitive with line-of-sight velocity curves, now using many orders of magnitude more sources; and (vi) unveil the dynamical effect of the bar on the motions of stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Conclusions: All these results highlight the incredible power of the Gaia astrometric mission, and in particular of its second data release.

Detection of tumor necrosis factor alpha but not tumor necrosis factor beta in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluid and serum.

Abstract: Synovial fluids from 6 of 12 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and from 3 of 11 patients with reactive arthritis contained measurable levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). Seven of 12 sera from RA patients contained TNFα, while only 1 of those from reactive arthritis patients was positive. Gamma-interferon was detected in the synovial fluids and sera of only the RA patients. Tumor necrosis factor β was not detected in any sera or synovial fluids. RA patients with detectable TNFα had higher erythrocyte sedimentation rates and synovial fluid leukocyte counts.

Epigenetics: A Molecular Link Between Environmental Factors and Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract: Although obesity, reduced physical activity, and aging increase susceptibility to type 2 diabetes, many people exposed to these risk factors do not develop the disease. Recent genome-wide association studies have identified a number of genetic variants that explain some of the interindividual variation in diabetes susceptibility (1–5). There is also a growing body of literature suggesting a role for epigenetic factors in the complex interplay between genes and the environment. Nevertheless, our knowledge about the molecular mechanisms linking environmental factors and type 2 diabetes still remains limited. This perspective will provide some insights into epigenetic mechanisms associated with type 2 diabetes. ### An overview of epigenetic regulation. Although there is no uniform definition of epigenetics, it has been described as heritable changes in gene function that occur without a change in the nucleotide sequence (6). Epigenetic modifications can be passed from one cell generation to the next (mitotic inheritance) and between generations of a species (meiotic inheritance). In plants, it is well established that epigenetic modifications can be inherited from one generation to the next (7). However, there is only limited information about the inheritance of epigenetic traits between generations in animals (8,9). Notably, epigenetic effects may also be affected by the environment, making them potentially important pathogenic mechanisms in complex multifactorial diseases such as type 2 diabetes (Fig. 1). Epigenetic factors include DNA methylations, histone modifications, and microRNAs, and they can help to explain how cells with identical DNA can differentiate into different cell types with different phenotypes. This perspective will focus on the roles of DNA methylation and histone modification in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. FIG. 1. Model proposing a role for epigenetic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Cytosine residues occurring in CG dinucleotides are targets for DNA methylation in vertebrates, and DNA methylation is associated with …