Variables associated to aging well in poor Peruvian older adults

Poster (2015)

A variant of the differential gravimetry approach for low-low satellite-to-satellite tracking based on angular velocities

Scientific Conference (2013, September)

Variant Score Ranker - a web application for intuitive missense variant prioritization

in Bioinformatics (2019)

The correct classification of missense variants as benign or pathogenic remains challenging. Pathogenic variants are expected to have higher deleterious prediction scores than benign variants in the same ... [more ▼]

The correct classification of missense variants as benign or pathogenic remains challenging. Pathogenic variants are expected to have higher deleterious prediction scores than benign variants in the same gene. However, most of the existing variant annotation tools do not reference the score range of benign population variants on gene level. Here, we present a web-application, Variant Score Ranker, which enables users to rapidly annotate variants and perform gene-specific variant score ranking on the population level. We also provide an intuitive example of how gene- and population-calibrated variant ranking scores can improve epilepsy variant prioritization. [less ▲]

Variants in Miro1 cause alterations of ER-mitochondria contact sites in fibroblasts from Parkinson's disease patients

in Journal of Clinical Medicine (2019)

Background: Although most cases of Parkinson´s disease (PD) are idiopathic with unknown cause, an increasing number of genes and genetic risk factors have been discovered that play a role in PD ... [more ▼]

Background: Although most cases of Parkinson´s disease (PD) are idiopathic with unknown cause, an increasing number of genes and genetic risk factors have been discovered that play a role in PD pathogenesis. Many of the PD‐associated proteins are involved in mitochondrial quality control, e.g., PINK1, Parkin, and LRRK2, which were recently identified as regulators of mitochondrial‐endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contact sites (MERCs) linking mitochondrial homeostasis to intracellular calcium handling. In this context, Miro1 is increasingly recognized to play a role in PD pathology. Recently, we identified the first PD patients carrying mutations in RHOT1, the gene coding for Miro1. Here, we describe two novel RHOT1 mutations identified in two PD patients and the characterization of the cellular phenotypes. Methods: Using whole exome sequencing we identified two PD patients carrying heterozygous mutations leading to the amino acid exchanges T351A and T610A in Miro1. We analyzed calcium homeostasis and MERCs in detail by live cell imaging and immunocytochemistry in patient‐derived fibroblasts. Results: We show that fibroblasts expressing mutant T351A or T610A Miro1 display impaired calcium homeostasis and a reduced amount of MERCs. All fibroblast lines from patients with pathogenic variants in Miro1, revealed alterations of the structure of MERCs. Conclusion: Our data suggest that Miro1 is important for the regulation of the structure and function of MERCs. Moreover, our study supports the role of MERCs in the pathogenesis of PD and further establishes variants in RHOT1 as rare genetic risk factors for neurodegeneration. [less ▲]

Varianz und Homogenisierung. Soziopragmatische Aspekte serieller Quellen der Frühen Neuzeit.

in Petersen, Niels; Gleba, Gudrun (Eds.) Wirtschafts- und Rechnungsbücher des Mittelalters und der Frühen Neuzeit. (2015)

Variation and trends in incidence of childhood diabetes in Europe

in Lancet (2000), 355

BACKGROUND: To study the epidemiology of childhood-onset type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes in Europe, the EURODIAB collaborative group established in 1988 prospective geographically-defined registers of ... [more ▼]

BACKGROUND: To study the epidemiology of childhood-onset type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes in Europe, the EURODIAB collaborative group established in 1988 prospective geographically-defined registers of new cases diagnosed under 15 years of age. This report is based on 16 362 cases registered during the period 1989-94 by 44 centres representing most European countries and Israel and covering a population of about 28 million children. METHODS: Multiple sources of ascertainment were used in most centres to validate the completeness of registration by the capture-recapture method. Trends in incidence during the period were analysed by Poisson regression, the data from centres within each country being pooled. FINDINGS: The standardised average annual incidence rate during the period 1989-94 ranged from 3.2 cases per 100000 per year in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to 40.2 cases per 100000 per year in two regions of Finland. By pooling over all centres, the annual rate of increase in incidence was 3.4% (95% CI 2.5-4.4%), but in some central European countries it was more rapid than this. Pooled over centres and sexes, the rates of increase were 6.3% (4.1-8.5%) for children aged 0-4 years, 3.1% (1.5-4.8%) for 5-9 years, and 2.4% (1.0-3.8%) for 10-14 years. INTERPRETATION: The results confirm a very wide range of incidence rates within Europe and show that the increase in incidence during the period varied from country to country. The rapid rate of increase in children aged under 5 years is of particular concern. PMID: 10752702 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLI [less ▲]

Variation in GP decisions on antihypertensive treatment in oldest-old and frail individuals across 29 countries

in BMC Geriatrics (2017)

Background In oldest-old patients (>80), few trials showed efficacy of treating hypertension and they included mostly the healthiest elderly. The resulting lack of knowledge has led to inconsistent ... [more ▼]

Background In oldest-old patients (>80), few trials showed efficacy of treating hypertension and they included mostly the healthiest elderly. The resulting lack of knowledge has led to inconsistent guidelines, mainly based on systolic blood pressure (SBP), cardiovascular disease (CVD) but not on frailty despite the high prevalence in oldest-old. This may lead to variation how General Practitioners (GPs) treat hypertension. Our aim was to investigate treatment variation of GPs in oldest-olds across countries and to identify the role of frailty in that decision. Methods Using a survey, we compared treatment decisions in cases of oldest-old varying in SBP, CVD, and frailty. GPs were asked if they would start antihypertensive treatment in each case. In 2016, we invited GPs in Europe, Brazil, Israel, and New Zealand. We compared the percentage of cases that would be treated per countries. A logistic mixed-effects model was used to derive odds ratio (OR) for frailty with 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for SBP, CVD, and GP characteristics (sex, location and prevalence of oldest-old per GP office, and years of experience). The mixed-effects model was used to account for the multiple assessments per GP. Results The 29 countries yielded 2543 participating GPs: 52% were female, 51% located in a city, 71% reported a high prevalence of oldest-old in their offices, 38% and had >20 years of experience. Across countries, considerable variation was found in the decision to start antihypertensive treatment in the oldest-old ranging from 34 to 88%. In 24/29 (83%) countries, frailty was associated with GPs’ decision not to start treatment even after adjustment for SBP, CVD, and GP characteristics (OR 0.53, 95%CI 0.48–0.59; ORs per country 0.11–1.78). Conclusions Across countries, we found considerable variation in starting antihypertensive medication in oldest-old. The frail oldest-old had an odds ratio of 0.53 of receiving antihypertensive treatment. Future hypertension trials should also include frail patients to acquire evidence on the efficacy of antihypertensive treatment in oldest-old patients with frailty, with the aim to get evidence-based data for clinical decision-making. [less ▲]

Variation, Wandel, Wissen : Studien zum Hochdeutschen und Niederdeutschen

Book published by Peter Lang (2013)

A variational principle for computing nonequilibrium fluxes and potentials in genome-scale biochemical networks

in Journal of Theoretical Biology (2012), 292

We derive a convex optimization problem on a steady-state no nequilibrium network of biochemical reactions, with the property that energy conservation and the second law of thermodynamics both hold at the ... [more ▼]

We derive a convex optimization problem on a steady-state no nequilibrium network of biochemical reactions, with the property that energy conservation and the second law of thermodynamics both hold at the problem solution. This suggests a new variational principle for biochemical networks that can be implemented in a computationally tractable manner. We derive the Lagrange dual of the optimization problem and use strong duality to demonstrate that a biochemical analogue of Tellegen’s theorem holds at optimality. Each optimal flux is dependent on a free parameter that we relate to an elementary kinetic parameter when mass action kinetics is assumed. [less ▲]

Variations in the work function of doped single- and few-layer graphene assessed by Kelvin probe force microscopy and density functional theory

in Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (2011), 83(23),

We present Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements of single-and few-layer graphene resting on SiO2 substrates. We compare the layer thickness dependency of the measured surface potential with ab ... [more ▼]

We present Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements of single-and few-layer graphene resting on SiO2 substrates. We compare the layer thickness dependency of the measured surface potential with ab initio density functional theory calculations of the work function for substrate-doped graphene. The ab initio calculations show that the work function of single-and bilayer graphene is mainly given by a variation of the Fermi energy with respect to the Dirac point energy as a function of doping, and that electrostatic interlayer screening only becomes relevant for thicker multilayer graphene. From the Raman G-line shift and the comparison of the Kelvin probe data with the ab initio calculations, we independently find an interlayer screening length in the order of four to five layers. Furthermore, we describe in-plane variations of the work function, which can be attributed to partial screening of charge impurities in the substrate, and result in a nonuniform charge density in single-layer graphene. [less ▲]