Tackling the challenge of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes across Europe: a joint action by more than 300 public health professionals. Commentary.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes pose significant health challenges in Europe, affecting millions and burdening healthcare systems. The recent EU4Health Programme places reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) at the forefront, through a Joint Action focused on CVD and diabetes (JACARDI, Joint Action on CARdiovascular diseases and DIabetes). This initiative unites 21 European countries, including Ukraine, and over 300 experts. Employing an innovative approach and standardised methodology, JACARDI implements 142 pilot projects covering the entire "patient" journey. Particular focus will be given to improvement of data availability and quality. Additionally, JACARDI will emphasise transversal and intersectional aspects, such as health equity, determinants of health, and social, cultural, and ethnic diversity, while pioneering gender-transformative leadership. Committed to evidence-based interventions, JACARDI aims to harmonise strategies and disseminate knowledge for enhanced CVD and diabetes prevention and management. The goal is to identify effective strategies for wider implementation, fostering cross-national collaboration and fortifying Europe's health resilience.

[Assessment of 24-hour blood pressure function of the single kidney in children with renal agenesis]. / 24-godzinna ocena cisnienia tetniczego oraz funkcji jedynej nerki u dzieci z agenezjq.

UNLABELLED: The aim of work was the assessment of the length and function of the single kidney and arterial blood in children with renal agenesis (AN) treated in our Department in 2000-2003 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The examinations were carried out: in 38 children (M--23, F--15) aged 1-16 years (mean 7.6 +/- 5.3) with unilateral AN, in whom in the ultrasound examination the picture of the single kidney was normal. The control group consisted of 40 healthy children aged 6.5 +/- 5.4 years. Ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM) was performed using ambulatory blood pressure monitor: BR--102 monitor f. Schiller. The renal length was assessed using ultrasound examination with 3.5 MHz or 5 MHz probe. Creatinine clearance was estimated by Schwartz method. Serum levels of creatinine was assayed by Jaffe method and urine protein by biuret method. RESULTS: Mean renal length was 93.9 +/- 18.33 mm. The degree of compensatory hypertrophia was 12.1 +/- 1.7%. Creatinine clearance and 24-hour proteinuria were normal. Mean systolic (RRs) and diastolic (RRr) blood pressure in children with AN was higher but did not exceed 95th centile by height. Nocturnal fall of RRs i RRr in children with single kidney (7.27 +/- 0.3% for RRs and 8.78 +/- 0.3 for RRr) was lower than in control group. We found a strong positive correlation between RRs and renal length (r = 0.725; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Renal agenesis (AN) does not cause impairment of the function of single kidney in childhood but leads to disturbances in 24-hour rhythm of arterial blood with the decrease of physiological nocturnal fall.

Granzyme B-induced apoptosis requires both direct caspase activation and relief of caspase inhibition.

Cytotoxic lymphocytes employ Granzyme B as a potent initiator of apoptosis to cleave and activate effector caspases. Unexpectedly, cells transfected with Bcl-2 were resistant to granzyme B-induced killing, suggesting that a mitochondrial pathway was critical. Utilizing cells expressing a dominant-negative caspase 9, the current study demonstrated that caspase activation via the apoptosome was not required. Indeed, cleavage of caspase 3 to p20 still occurred in Bcl-2-transfectants but processing to p17 was blocked. This blockade was recapitulated by the Inhibitor-of-Apoptosis-Protein XIAP and relieved by Smac/DIABLO. Thus granzyme B mediates direct cleavage of caspase 3 and also activates mitochondrial disruption, resulting in the release of proapoptotic proteins that suppress caspase inhibition. Engagement of both pathways is critical for granzyme-induced killing.