A Randomized, Controlled Trial of #Liraglutide for Adolescents with #Obesity

Liraglutide was superior to placebo with regard to the change from baseline in the BMI standard-deviation score at week 56 (estimated difference, −0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.37 to −0.08; P=0.002). A reduction in BMI of at least 5% was observed in 51 of 113 participants in the liraglutide group and in 20 of 105… Continue reading A Randomized, Controlled Trial of #Liraglutide for Adolescents with #Obesity

Loss of life expectancy from air #pollution compared to other risk factors: a worldwide perspective

..We used a data-informed atmospheric model to calculate worldwide exposure to PM2.5 and ozone pollution, which was combined with the GEMM to estimate disease-specific excess mortality and loss of life expectancy (LLE) in 2015. Using this model, we investigated the effects of different pollution sources, distinguishing between natural (wildfires, aeolian dust) and anthropogenic emissions, including… Continue reading Loss of life expectancy from air #pollution compared to other risk factors: a worldwide perspective

#IL-4 induces M2 macrophages to produce sustained #analgesia via opioids

IL-4 is a pleiotropic antiinflammatory cytokine, which can be neuroprotective after nervous system injury. The beneficial actions of IL-4 are thought to result from the blunting of action of inflammatory mediators, such as proinflammatory cytokines. Here, we demonstrate that IL-4 induces M2 macrophages to continuously produce opioid peptides and ameliorate pain. IL-4 application at injured… Continue reading #IL-4 induces M2 macrophages to produce sustained #analgesia via opioids

Joint Effects of #Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference on the Incidence of #Hypertension in a Community-Based Chinese Population

.. During 2.3 years of follow-up, 19.1% (n = 97) of the men and 13.6% (n = 158) of the women developed incident hypertension. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for obesity (BMI ≥30) were 3.49 (1.59–7.66) and 2.60 (1.48–4.55) for men and women, respectively. A 1-point increase in BMI was associated… Continue reading Joint Effects of #Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference on the Incidence of #Hypertension in a Community-Based Chinese Population

Potential Effects of #Coronaviruses on the #Cardiovascular System

Coronavirus disease 2019 can cause a viral pneumonia with additional extrapulmonary manifestations and complications. A large proportion of patients have underlying cardiovascular disease and/or cardiac risk factors. Factors associated with mortality include male sex, advanced age, and presence of comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases. Acute cardiac injury determined by elevated… Continue reading Potential Effects of #Coronaviruses on the #Cardiovascular System

Hours lying down per day, as a proxy for sedentary behaviour and risk of #diabetes in young and middle-aged adults in Norway: an 11-year follow-up of the HUNT study

..362 individuals (2.1%) developed diabetes during an average of 11-year follow-up. Individuals who reported lying down ≥9 hours/day had an adjusted OR of 1.35 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.80) for incident diabetes compared with those lying down 8 hours/day. Lying down ≤7 hours/day was not associated with the risk of diabetes. In analysis stratified by physical activity, the… Continue reading Hours lying down per day, as a proxy for sedentary behaviour and risk of #diabetes in young and middle-aged adults in Norway: an 11-year follow-up of the HUNT study

EMA advises continued use of medicines for #hypertension, heart or #kidney disease during COVID-19 pandemic

EMA is aware of recent media reports and publications which question whether some medicines, for instance angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs, or sartan medicines), could worsen coronavirus disease (COVID-19). ACE inhibitors and ARBs are most commonly used for treating patients with high blood pressure, heart failure or kidney disease. It… Continue reading EMA advises continued use of medicines for #hypertension, heart or #kidney disease during COVID-19 pandemic

Protein Structure and Sequence Reanalysis of 2019-nCoV Genome Refutes Snakes as Its Intermediate Host and the Unique Similarity between Its Spike Protein Insertions and HIV-1

As the infection of 2019-nCoV #coronavirus is quickly developing into a global pneumonia epidemic, the careful analysis of its transmission and cellular mechanisms is sorely needed. In this Communication, we first analyzed two recent studies that concluded that snakes are the intermediate hosts of 2019-nCoV and that the 2019-nCoV spike protein insertions share a unique… Continue reading Protein Structure and Sequence Reanalysis of 2019-nCoV Genome Refutes Snakes as Its Intermediate Host and the Unique Similarity between Its Spike Protein Insertions and HIV-1

AAO-HNS: #Anosmia, Hyposmia, and #Dysgeusia Symptoms of #Coronavirus Disease

Anecdotal evidence is rapidly accumulating from sites around the world that anosmia and dysgeusia are significant symptoms associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Anosmia, in particular, has been seen in patients ultimately testing positive for the coronavirus with no other symptoms. We propose that these symptoms be added to the list of screening tools for possible… Continue reading AAO-HNS: #Anosmia, Hyposmia, and #Dysgeusia Symptoms of #Coronavirus Disease