Latest news with #Aarhus
Medscape
15 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
UK Valproate Restrictions in Men Justified? New Data
A large Danish cohort study showed no significant increase in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) among children fathered by men taking valproate during spermatogenesis, challenging earlier safety concerns and current UK restrictions on valproate use in men. As previously reported by Medscape Medical News , the decision to restrict the drug in women and in men younger than 55 years was made in January 2024, after the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issued new guidance on the drug's use. 'Paternal exposure to antiseizure medication in association with conception is unlikely to pose any major risk for the offspring,' the investigators led by Jakob Christensen, DrMedSci, consultant neurologist at Aarhus University Hospital and professor at Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, noted. The study was published online on May 22 in JAMA Network Open . Unnecessary Precaution? In the US and Europe, there is strong guidance about avoiding valproate in pregnant women and women of childbearing age due to an elevated risk for birth defects and other developmental problems. In January 2024, the European Medicines Agency's (EMA's) safety committee (Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee [PRAC]) expanded precautionary measures on valproate use to men considering fatherhood. The advisory was fueled largely by an observational study by the contract research organization IQVIA. The study showed that about 5 out of 100 children had an NDD when born to fathers taking valproate during the 3 months before conception compared with about 3 out of 100 when born to fathers treated with lamotrigine or levetiracetam. Last summer, Christensen and colleagues were unable to replicate the IQVIA results in a study using a subset of the same IQVIA data. However, at the time, only limited information about the IQVIA study was publicly available. Once additional information from the IQVIA study became available, the researchers tried again to replicate the findings, aligning their methods more closely with the IQVIA study. Despite using the same methodology and incorporating additional data, they were still unable to replicate the IQVIA findings. Their conclusion remained unchanged — there was no statistically significant increased risk for NDDs. Specifically, among 961 children exposed to paternal valproate monotherapy and 1401 exposed to lamotrigine or levetiracetam, there was no significant increase in risk for NDDs (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.02; 95% CI, 0.67-1.54). 'This finding remained robust across analyses of specific NDDs, analyses of valproate dose, analyses accounting for time trends, analyses allowing for polytherapy, analyses expanding the definition of NDDs, analyses restricted to fathers with epilepsy, and analyses with a restricted exposure window,' Christensen and colleagues reported. Restricting analyses to fathers with epilepsy of unknown cause yielded a higher risk (aHR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.13-5.44), but this association was no longer significant in analyses matched on birth year (aHR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.00-5.44). Additional sensitivity analyses (restricting exposure window, excluding children with epilepsy or maternal epilepsy, and accounting for polytherapy) consistently showed no elevated risk for NDDs associated with paternal valproate exposure. 'We've examined this issue from many angles and still find no evidence supporting the concern behind EMA's recommendations,' Christensen said in a news release. Will the EMA Reconsider? Reached for comment, Aatif Husain, MD, epileptologist, neurologist, and sleep medicine specialist at DukeHealth, Durham, North Carolina, said, 'There seems to be a fair amount of literature' suggesting no increased risk for NDDs in children whose fathers use valproate. 'A recent systematic review that included 10 other studies came to this same conclusion,' said Husain, who wasn't involved in the Danish study. Taken together, the data 'would probably move EMA to relook at their guidance to see if it needs to be modified,' he said. Medscape Medical News reached out to the EMA press office for comment and received the following response. 'As with every medicine authorized in the EU, EMA continues monitoring and supervising the safety of these medicines. This includes monitoring information from various sources, such as spontaneous reports, clinical studies, scientific literature, and management of safety signals, which consists of a set of activities to determine whether there are new risks associated with an active substance or a medicine or whether known risks have changed. Should there be any updates, EMA will communicate them via the PRAC Highlights.' Husain told Medscape Medical News that neither the FDA nor the American Epilepsy Society has issued guidance on valproate use in men 'because the data has not been strong enough.'
The Guardian
18 hours ago
- The Guardian
Denmark's adventure playground: why the Aarhus region is a must-visit for outdoor-lovers
Whether you're a seasoned adventurer ready to take a multi-day canoe trip through Denmark's varied landscapes, or you just want to find some peace in nature on an afternoon hike, the diverse outdoor attractions of Aarhus and the surrounding region offer everyone a chance to explore at their leisure. Located in Jutland, the mainland peninsula of Denmark that borders northern Germany, this area is full of spectacular nature experiences, from glorious sandy beaches to ancient landscapes shaped by the ice age. Can you be outdoorsy in a city? Aarhus says you can. From its numerous biking routes to its royal hunting forest, not to mention its harbour, Denmark's second city has a lot to offer. The city's harbour baths, floating swimming pools in the clear, clean harbour, are a great place to start. Opened in 2018, they quickly became a popular hangout on a sunny day, and incorporate a range of different pools, sundecks and diving platforms. It's all free – just bring a swimsuit and a towel. There are plenty of other water-based activities to try in Aarhus, too. At La Sauna, you can try the Danish tradition of saunagus. It's a combination of sweat, scent oils, music and low lighting, with a saunagus master on hand to guide you through three intense sessions over the course of about an hour. Surf Agency, also in the city, offers paddleboard trips and kiteboarding options, led by certified teachers. You don't have to have any experience of these sports as there are courses suitable for all levels. The calm waters around the Aarhus coastline offer ideal conditions for paddleboarding in particular, so it makes for an unforgettable day out that the whole family can share. Beyond the water, head to Marselisborg Forests just outside the city centre for walks under beech trees and a 16-mile mountain bike trail. The 550-hectare forest has a deer park, campsites, old watermills and even an amusement park among the trees. Locals love the True Forest, a favourite picnic spot and hiking and running area. Funny you should ask: Djursland, 40 minutes' drive north-east of Aarhus, happens to be the area's unofficial adventure playground. Much of it is given over to Mols Bjerge national park, a beautiful, diverse area of landscape that includes forests of ancient trees, little harbours, swathes of sandy beaches and pastures. It's also home to the very pretty town of Ebeltoft, where you can pick up the ingredients you need for a picnic. Mols Bjerge is renowned as a great place to go hiking – the 50-mile Mols Bjerge mountain trail is one of the best known – and you'll find everything from castle ruins to troll forests in the ice-age scenery along its route. Beyond the national park, there are some lovely coastal cycling routes in this gentle scenery. As well as paths that wind in and out of woodlands and small villages, there are a number of routes along old railway lines and, near Ebeltoft, an established mountain bike route. Much of the scenery in this area is harmonious and gentle – rolling hills that sink down to gently shelving beaches. Karlby and Sangstrup Cliffs are a neat counterpoint to all of this: two rather unusual sandstone cliffs three miles long and 17 metres high on the northern part of Djursland. On the rocky beaches beneath them, you're likely to find fossils, including petrified sea urchins, and even stone-age flints. Look out for porpoises just offshore. An hour's drive to the north-west of Aarhus, Viborg offers more adventures in Danish nature. It's the starting point for one of Denmark's most ancient routes: the Hærvejen, or the ancient road, which runs down the spine of Jutland. The full 620-mile route can be done on foot or by bike, staying at little hostels along the way. A bit like the South West Coast Path in the UK, it can be broken up into distinct sections so you do it over multiple trips, exploring forests and lakes and towns established by the Vikings. The main stage is from Viborg to Jelling, along which you can discover some of Jutland's most beautiful scenery, from heather-clad hills to quiet paths winding past large dolmen and burial mounds. You'll end your journey at the Jelling Stone, one of Denmark's most significant Viking sights. Viborg may be inland, almost equidistant from Jutland's east and west coasts, but there's still lots of water to enjoy. At the Viborg lakes Nørresø and Søndersø, you can swim, fish for carp or go paddleboarding. A bike ride around the lakes shows the town off from all its angles. It's also a good place for a troll hunt: scrapwood artist Thomas Dambo has hidden one of his many trolls in the Viborg area. The river delta at Randers, 45 minutes' drive north of Aarhus, is the ideal location if you like to canoe. The country's longest river, the Gudenåen, flows through the city and from there you can pick up a number of extraordinary canoeing adventures, suitable for all abilities, where you can travel across broad lakes, paddle past old mill villages and explore the natural wildlife as you go. Kingfishers flit across the water and the peace and quiet you'll discover is magical. It's easy to do it as a day trip from the city. Beyond the river, Randers offers plenty of space to breathe, notably along the Randers Fjord, where reed beds grow, ready to be used in thatched roofs, and yachts sail gently by. For wildlife lovers, Naturpark Randers Fjord is not to be missed. This stunning nature reserve encompasses the area where the fjord meets the saltwater of the Kattegat, the strait joining the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, and tidal flats and salt meadows fringe the water. It's a lovely area for hiking and birdwatching – eagles have been spotted – as well as boating. In the summer, the area's many shelters offer a chance to sleep out under Denmark's wide, starry skies. Discover the outdoor soul of Denmark in the Aarhus region
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Denmark Data Center Portfolio Report 2025: Detailed Analysis of 27 Existing and 5 Upcoming Data Center Facilities
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 6, 2025-- The 'Denmark Existing & Upcoming Data Center Portfolio' database has been added to offering. Denmark currently has over 25 active data centers with around 100 MW of total IT power. The upcoming capacity is expected to reach 400 MW - more than four times the existing capacity. atNorth and Prime Data Centers are leading upcoming developments with large-scale projects. Digital Realty and STACK Infrastructure are among the top existing operators with nearly 70 MW of combined capacity. Around 60% of the current rack capacity is centered in Copenhagen. Aarhus and Skanderborg are gaining attention as emerging data center hubs. Most of the upcoming facilities are planned in and around Copenhagen, reinforcing its position as the country's core data center market. Key Market Highlights This database (Excel) product covers the Denmark data center market portfolio analysis, which will provide the following information on the colocation data centers: Existing Data Centers (27 Facilities) Upcoming Data Centers (5 Facilities) Target Audience Key Topics Covered: 1. About the Database 2. Scope & Assumptions 3. Definitions 4. Snapshot: Existing & Upcoming Data Center Facility 5. Existing Data Center Database 6. Upcoming Data Center Facility 7. Existing vs. Upcoming Capacity (Infographics) 8. Colocation Pricing The major operators/investors covered in this Denmark Data Center Colocation Market Database include: For more information about this database visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. View source version on CONTACT: Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 KEYWORD: DENMARK EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE DATA MANAGEMENT SOURCE: Research and Markets Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 06/06/2025 08:04 AM/DISC: 06/06/2025 08:02 AM
STV News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Mats Knoester urges Dons team-mates to focus on jobs not occasion in cup final
Aberdeen full-back Mats Knoester will take a fresh and painful lesson into Saturday's Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final. The Dutch defender suffered a 1-0 defeat in last season's Danish Cup final while playing on loan with Aarhus. Knoester felt his side were caught up in the occasion at the crucial moment against Silkeborg and is determined to focus on the football and not the trophy when Aberdeen take on Celtic at Hampden. The former Feyenoord youth player, who joined Aberdeen from Ferencvaros in January, said: 'I'm looking forward to it very much. Of course it's the biggest game of the season, and I think also the nicest, because there's a prize at stake. 'In one way, of course it's very different, because you can win the cup, which is massive. On the other hand, it's a game which we play every week, so we also need to focus on the things as a player or as a team we need to do well to actually get there. 'So don't think like, oh, final, final, final, and then forget what we need to do. It's about finding that balance and then go out there and take it.' The 26-year-old added: 'I had a cup final last season. In that game we were doing all right, but a minor error got us a 1-0 defeat. 'So the lesson is that in that game I felt like the team was a bit too busy with winning a cup final instead of focusing on your tasks as a player and as a team. So that's the lesson I take. Take it step by step.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Medscape
20-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Does Weight Gain After Breast Cancer Affect Outcome?
Women who gain a more substantial amount of weight after being diagnosed with breast cancer face an increased risk of dying from the disease, according to findings from a new study. However, that higher mortality risk only appears to apply to women who are overweight or at a healthy weight before diagnosis, not to those who are obese prediagnosis, explained lead study author Sixten Harborg, MD, PhD, with Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, who presented the findings at European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Breast Cancer 2025. Obesity at breast cancer diagnosis is associated with dismal prognosis, but the effect of postdiagnosis weight change remains underinvestigated and 'the evidence is inconclusive,' Harborg told attendees. The researchers set out to identify weight gain thresholds associated with breast cancer mortality using the prospective Nurses' Health Study. Harborg and colleagues focused on a subpopulation of 6803 women with nonmetastatic breast cancer and calculated the relative weight change from prediagnosis and postdiagnosis weight records as percentage of weight change from the last reported prediagnosis weight to the first postdiagnosis weight. Weight change was classified as stable weight (−2% to +2%), moderate weight loss (−2% to −5%), major weight loss (< −5%), moderate weight gain (+2% to +5%), and major weight gain (> +5%). Overall, 1179 women died of breast cancer during a median follow-up of 8.5 years. Compared with women with stable weight after diagnosis, women with major weight gain had an increased risk for breast-cancer mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.26). The increased risk associated with major weight gain after diagnosis was observed in women with healthy weight or overweight before diagnosis (aHR, 1.32 and 1.37, respectively) but not in those with obesity before diagnosis (aHR, 1.01). There was also a trend towards increased breast cancer mortality in women with major weight loss, although this was not statistically significant (aHR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.96-1.34), and moderate weight gain or loss was not associated with increased mortality risk. Those who are overweight or a healthy weight at diagnosis seem to be most affected by weight gain post-diagnosis, Harborg concluded. Invited discussant for the study, Hope Rugo, MD, with University of California San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center, said the effect of weight gain on breast cancer mortality is 'fascinating.' That the risk was seen only in women at a healthy weight or overweight at diagnosis is 'presumably because those who are obese at the start already have a higher risk of mortality from breast cancer,' said Rugo. Rugo noted that in a recent meta-analysis of 64 studies looking at weight change in relation to breast cancer prognosis, higher postdiagnosis body mass index (BMI) was associated with an increased all-cause mortality, breast cancer–specific mortality, and second primary breast cancer. So, what can be done? 'The BWEL trial stands out as a trial that may help us understand what the benefit of weight loss [is],' Rugo told attendees. That trial enrolled more than 3100 overweight or obese women (BMI ≥ 27) with stages II-III breast cancer diagnosed within the past 14 months who had completed treatment. The study team showed that a telephone-based weight loss intervention led to clinically meaningful weight loss and sustained weight loss over 12 months, which was associated with improved metabolic markers and insulin resistance. Rugo also noted that in the Prospective Studies of Diet and Cancer study, compared with stable weight, sustained weight loss, even modest amounts, was associated with a lower risk of developing breast cancer for women aged 50 years or older. 'We still don't know what weight loss does,' she concluded. But 'we know that prevention of weight gain is better, and we will look to the BWEL study over time, as well as exercise intervention studies that are ongoing for more insights.'
