Vitamin D and brain health: an observational and Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundHigher vitamin D status has been suggested to have beneficial effects on the brain. ObjectivesTo investigate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], neuroimaging features, and the risk of dementia and stroke. MethodsWe used prospective data from the UK Biobank (37–73 y at baseline) to examine the association between 25(OH)D concentrations with neuroimaging outcomes (N =… Continue reading Vitamin D and brain health: an observational and Mendelian randomization study

Carbon dioxide rises beyond acceptable safety levels in children under nose and mouth covering: Results of an experimental measurement study in healthy children

AbstractNose and mouth covering (NMC) has been made compulsory for children in many countries during the Covid-19 pandemic. We wanted to determine the average CO2 levels in inhaled air with NMC in children between age 6 and 17. We used short term measurements under surgical masks and FFP2 masks according to European norm EN 149,… Continue reading Carbon dioxide rises beyond acceptable safety levels in children under nose and mouth covering: Results of an experimental measurement study in healthy children

Interleukin-27 signaling serves as an immunological checkpoint for innate cytotoxic cells to promote hepatocellular carcinoma

AbstractWhile inflammatory mechanisms driving hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) had been proposed, the regulators of anti-cancer immunity in HCC remain poorly understood. We found that IL-27 receptor (IL-27R) signaling promotes HCC development in vivo. High IL-27EBI3 cytokine or IL-27RA expression correlated with poor prognosis for patients with HCC. Loss of IL-27R suppressed HCC in vivo in two… Continue reading Interleukin-27 signaling serves as an immunological checkpoint for innate cytotoxic cells to promote hepatocellular carcinoma

Sex differences in sequelae from COVID-19 infection and in long COVID syndrome: a review

AbstractObjectiveWe conducted literature reviews to uncover differential effects of sex on sequelae from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and on long COVID syndrome. MethodsTwo authors independently searched OvidSP in Embase, Medline, Biosis, and Derwent Drug File. Publications reporting original, sex-disaggregated data for sequelae of COVID-19 (published before August 2020) and long COVID syndrome (published before June… Continue reading Sex differences in sequelae from COVID-19 infection and in long COVID syndrome: a review

A predictive model using the mesoscopic architecture of the living brain to detect Alzheimer’s disease

BackgroundAlzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, causes a progressive and irreversible deterioration of cognition that can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, leading to suboptimal patient care. MethodsWe developed a predictive model that computes multi-regional statistical morpho-functional mesoscopic traits from T1-weighted MRI scans, with or without cognitive scores. For each patient, a biomarker called… Continue reading A predictive model using the mesoscopic architecture of the living brain to detect Alzheimer’s disease

Robust variation in infant gut microbiome assembly across a spectrum of lifestyles

Establishing early diversityHumans living an urbanized lifestyle in industrialized countries tend to have less diverse microbiota than people living more rural existences. Using fecal 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, Olm et al. found that after the first 6 months of life, the microbiome of infants living in contrasting environments diverged from Bifidobacteria-dominated assemblages. Deep metagenomic sequencing… Continue reading Robust variation in infant gut microbiome assembly across a spectrum of lifestyles

Covid-19 vaccination BNT162b2 temporarily impairs semen concentration and total motile count among semen donors

AbstractBackgroundThe development of covid-19 vaccinations represents a notable scientific achievement. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised regarding their possible detrimental impact on male fertility ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of covid-19 BNT162b2 (Pfizer) vaccine on semen parameters among semen donors (SD). Methods37 SD from three sperm banks that provided 220 samples, were included in that retrospective longitudinal… Continue reading Covid-19 vaccination BNT162b2 temporarily impairs semen concentration and total motile count among semen donors

Association of Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Time and Physical Activity With Risk of Stroke Among US Adults

Importance The amount and intensity of physical activity required to prevent stroke are yet to be fully determined because of previous reliance on self-reporting measures. Furthermore, the association between objectively measured time spent being sedentary as an independent risk factor for stroke is unknown. Objective To investigate the associations of accelerometer-measured sedentary time and physical… Continue reading Association of Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Time and Physical Activity With Risk of Stroke Among US Adults

Mendelian randomization study of maternal coffee consumption and its influence on birthweight, stillbirth, miscarriage, gestational age and pre-term birth

BackgroundCoffee consumption has been associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes, although data from randomized–controlled trials are lacking. We investigate whether there is a causal relationship between coffee consumption and miscarriage, stillbirth, birthweight, gestational age and pre-term birth using Mendelian randomization (MR). MethodsA two-sample MR study was performed using summary results data from a genome-wide association… Continue reading Mendelian randomization study of maternal coffee consumption and its influence on birthweight, stillbirth, miscarriage, gestational age and pre-term birth