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This prospective study sought to evaluate potential savings of radiation dose to medical staff using real-time dosimetry coupled with visual radiation dose feedback during angiographic interventions. For this purpose, we analyzed a total of 214 angiographic examinations that consisted of chemoembolizations and several other types of therapeutic interventions. The Unfors RaySafe i2 dosimeter was worn by the interventionalist at chest height over the lead protection. A total of 110 interventions were performed with real-time radiation dosimetry allowing the interventionalist to react upon higher x-ray exposure and 104 examinations served as the comparative group without real-time radiation monitoring. By using the real-time display during interventions, the overall mean operator radiation dose decreased from 3.67 (IQR, 0.95–23.01) to 2.36 μSv (IQR, 0.52–12.66) (−36%; p = 0.032) at simultaneously reduced operator exposure time by 4.5 min (p = 0.071). Dividing interventions into chemoembolizations and other types of therapeutic interventions, radiation dose decreased from 1.31 (IQR, 0.46-3.62) to 0.95 μSv (IQR, 0.53-3.11) and from 24.39 (IQR, 12.14-63.0) to 10.37 μSv (IQR, 0.85-36.84), respectively, using live-screen dosimetry (p ≤ 0.005). Radiation dose reductions were also observed for the participating assistants, indicating that they could also benefit from real-time visual feedback dosimetry during interventions (−30%; p = 0.039). Integration of real-time dosimetry into clinical processes might be useful in reducing occupational radiation exposure time during angiographic interventions. The real-time visual feedback raised the awareness of interventionalists and their assistants to the potential danger of prolonged radiation exposure leading to the adoption of radiation-sparing practices. Therefore, it might create a safer environment for the medical staff by keeping the applied radiation exposure as low as possible.
The combination of histological and biomolecular analyses provides deep understanding of different biological processes and is of high interest for basic and applied research. However, the available analytical methods are still limited, especially when considering bone samples. This study compared different fixation media to identify a sufficient analytical method for the combination of histological, immuno-histological and biomolecular analyses of the same fixed, processed and paraffin embedded bone sample. Bone core biopsies of rats’ femurs were fixed in different media (RNAlater + formaldehyde (R + FFPE), methacarn (MFPE) or formaldehyde (FFPE)) for 1 week prior to decalcification by EDTA and further histological processing and paraffin embedding. Snap freezing (unfixed frozen tissue, UFT) and incubation in RNAlater were used as additional controls. After gaining the paraffin sections for histological and immunohistological analysis, the samples were deparaffined and RNA was isolated by a modified TRIZOL protocol. Subsequently, gene expression was evaluated using RT-qPCR. Comparable histo-morphological and immuno-histological results were evident in all paraffin embedded samples of MFPE, FFPE and R + FFPE. The isolated RNA in the group of MFPE showed a high concentration and high purity, which was comparable to the UFT and RNAlater groups. However, in the groups of FFPE and R + FFPE, the RNA quality and quantity were statistically significantly lower when compared to MFPE, UFT and RNAlater. RT-qPCR results showed a comparable outcome in the group of MFPE and UFT, whereas the groups of FFPE and R + FFPE did not result in a correctly amplified gene product. Sample fixation by means of methacarn is of high interest for clinical samples to allow a combination of histological, immunohistological and biomolecular analysis. The implementation of such evaluation method in clinical research may allow a deeper understanding of the processes of bone formation and regeneration.
Hepatic cells are sensitive to internal and external signals. Ethanol is one of the oldest and most widely used drugs in the world. The focus on the mechanistic engine of the alcohol-induced injury has been in the liver, which is responsible for the pathways of alcohol metabolism. Ethanol undergoes a phase I type of reaction, mainly catalyzed by the cytoplasmic enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and by the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by cytochrome (CYP) 2E1 activity and MEOS contribute to ethanol-induced toxicity. We aimed to: (1) Describe the cellular, pathophysiological and clinical effects of alcohol misuse on the liver; (2) Select the biomarkers and analytical methods utilized by the clinical laboratory to assess alcohol exposure; (3) Provide therapeutic ideas to prevent/reduce alcohol-induced liver injury; (4) Provide up-to-date knowledge regarding the Corona virus and its affect on the liver; (5) Link rare diseases with alcohol consumption. The current review contributes to risk identification of patients with alcoholic, as well as non-alcoholic, liver disease and metabolic syndrome. Additional prevalence of ethnic, genetic, and viral vulnerabilities are presented.
Mitochondrial RNA granules (MRGs) are membraneless, highly specialized compartments that play an essential role in the post-transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial gene expression. This regulation is crucial for maintaining energy production, controlling metabolic functions and ensuring homeostasis in cells. Dysregulation of mitochondrial genes has been linked to various human diseases, including neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders as well as certain types of cancer.
MRGs are composed of different RNA species, including mitochondrial precursor RNA (pre-RNA), mature tRNAs, rRNAs and mRNAs complexed with multiple proteins involved in RNA processing and mitoribosome assembly. However, despite the significance of MRGs, their protein composition, structural organization, stability and dynamics during stress conditions remain elusive. In the study reported here, I adopted a three-step approach to address the aforementioned fundamental issues.
First and foremost, I identified the protein composition of MRGs and unveiled their architectural complexity. To characterize the MRG proteome, I applied the cutting-edge TurboID-based proximity labeling approach combined with quantitative mass spectrometry. Proximity labeling was conducted on 20 distinct MRG-associated human proteins, resulting in the identification of more than 1,700 protein-protein interactions. This expansive dataset enabled me to create a comprehensive network, providing valuable insights into both the (sub)architecture as well as the core structure of MRGs in-depth.
Secondly, I investigated the spatio-temporal dynamics of MRGs under various mitochondrial stress conditions. To monitor the morphological alterations and compositional changes of MRGs, I utilized time-resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy and proteomics, respectively. In this analysis, I applied IMT1, the first specific inhibitor that selectively targets mitochondrial transcription. Using this methodology, I pinpointed precise conditions that triggered MRGs’ disassembly during stress, followed by their reassembly when nascent RNA production was restored. The results of this examination elucidate that MRGs are highly dynamic and stress adaptive structures, capable of rapid dissolution and reassembly, a process closely connected to mitochondrial transcription.
Thirdly, I aimed to explore the impact of RNA turnover on MRGs’ integrity during stress, employing confocal fluorescence microscopy and quantitative real-time PCR. I observed that depletion of MRG proteins associated with RNA degradation counteracts MRGs’ disassembly under stress conditions, a phenomenon attributed to the accumulation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). These results emphasize the critical role of pre-RNA turnover in maintaining MRG integrity and reveal that MRGs can be stabilized by dsRNA.
Taken together, the comprehensive investigation reported in this thesis has substantially broadened and deepened our understanding of MRGs’ complexity. By identifying their molecular structure and dynamics, I have gained significant insights into the fundamental characteristics and biological functions of MRGs in cellular processes. This knowledge contributes to the identification of disease-related pathways linked to mitochondrial gene expression and may inspire future studies to develop novel therapeutic approaches.
Aim
To compare overall mortality (OM), cancer-specific mortality (CSM), and other cause mortality (OCM) rates between radical prostatectomy (RP) versus radiotherapy (RT) in clinical node-positive (cN1) prostate cancer (PCa).
Materials and Methods
Within Surveillance, Epidemiology, End Results (SEER) (2004–2016), we identified 4685 cN1 PCa patients, of whom 3589 (76.6%) versus 1096 (24.4%) were treated with RP versus RT. After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), Kaplan–Meier plots and Cox regression models tested the effect of RP versus RT on OM, while cumulative incidence plots and competing-risks regression (CRR) models addressed CSM and OCM between RP and RT patients. All analyses were repeated after the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). For CSM and OCM analyses, the propensity score was used as a covariate in the regression model.
Results
Overall, RT patients were older, harbored higher prostate-specific antigen values, higher clinical T and higher Gleason grade groups. PSM resulted in two equally sized groups of 894 RP versus 894 RT patients. After PSM, 5-year OM, CSM, and OCM rates were, respectively, 15.4% versus 25%, 9.3% versus 17%, and 6.1% versus 8% for RP versus RT (all p < 0.001) and yielded respective multivariate hazard ratios (HRs) of 0.63 (0.52–0.78, p < 0.001), 0.66 (0.52–0.86, p < 0.001), 0.71 (0.5–1.0, p = 0.05), all favoring RP. After IPTW, Cox regression models yielded HR of 0.55 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.46–0.66) for OM, and CRR yielded HRs of 0.49 (0.34–0.70) and 0.54 (0.36–0.79) for, respectively, CSM and OCM, all favoring RP (all p < 0.001).
Conclusions
RP may hold a CSM advantage over RT in cN1 PCa patients.
Research in social insects has shown that hydrocarbons on their cuticle are species-specific. This has also been proven for Diptera and is a promising tool for identifying important fly taxa in Forensic Entomology. Sometimes the empty puparia, in which the metamorphosis to the adult fly has taken place, can be the most useful entomological evidence at the crime scene. However, so far, they are used with little profit in criminal investigations due to the difficulties of reliably discriminate among different species. We analysed the CHC chemical profiles of empty puparia from seven forensically important blow flies Calliphora vicina, Chrysomya albiceps, Lucilia caesar, Lucilia sericata, Lucilia silvarum, Protophormia terraenovae, Phormia regina and the flesh fly Sarcophaga caerulescens. The aim was to use their profiles for identification but also investigate geographical differences by comparing profiles of the same species (here: C. vicina and L. sericata) from different regions. The cuticular hydrocarbons were extracted with hexane and analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our results reveal distinguishing differences within the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles allowing for identification of all analysed species. There were also differences shown in the profiles of C. vicina from Germany, Spain, Norway and England, indicating that geographical locations can be determined from this chemical analysis. Differences in L. sericata, sampled from England and two locations in Germany, were less pronounced, but there was even some indication that it may be possible to distinguish populations within Germany that are about 70 km apart from one another.
With the introduction of the virtual allocation crossmatch in the Eurotransplant (ET) region in 2023, the determination of unacceptable antigen mismatches (UAM) in kidney transplant recipients is of utmost importance for histocompatibility laboratories and transplant centers. Therefore, a joined working group of members from the German Society for Immunogenetics (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immungenetik, DGI) and the German Transplantation Society (Deutsche Transplantationsgesellschaft, DTG) revised and updated the previous recommendations from 2015 in light of recently published evidence. Like in the previous version, a wide range of topics is covered from technical issues to clinical risk factors. This review summarizes the evidence about the prognostic value of contemporary methods for HLA antibody detection and identification, as well as the impact of UAM on waiting time, on which these recommendations are based. As no clear criteria could be determined to differentiate potentially harmful from harmless HLA antibodies, the general recommendation is to assign all HLA against which plausible antibodies are found as UAM. There is, however, a need for individualized solutions for highly immunized patients. These revised recommendations provide a list of aspects that need to be considered when assigning UAM to enable a fair and comprehensible procedure and to harmonize risk stratification prior to kidney transplantation between transplant centers.
Inflammation is a crucial host defense mechanism activated in response to injury or infection. Its primary goal is to eliminate the source of the disturbance, repair the damaged tissue, and restore homeostasis. Inflammatory processes can be recognized through increased blood flow, higher vascular permeability, and the recruitment of leukocytes and plasma proteins to the tissue. A pathogen-induced inflammation triggers various pro- and anti-inflammatory processes. Local tissue cells and Toll-like receptors call upon innate immune cells like neutrophils, dendritic cells (DCs), and monocytes to respond to the intruder. They move across the endothelium and respond to local signals by releasing mediators or cytotoxic compounds, phagocytosing, or polarizing. To study local pathogen-induced inflammation, a zymosan-induced inflammation model was used in the hind paws of mice, which caused a Toll-like receptor 2 mediated inflammation. Multi-Epitope-Ligand-Cartography (MELC) was used for multiple sequential immunohistochemistry with 40 different antibodies on the same tissue. Bioinformatic analysis and graphical representation revealed a specific inflammatory architecture consisting of three major areas based on macrophage polarization and their cellular neighborhoods: a core region containing the pathogen, a pro-inflammatory region containing M1-like macrophages, and a region containing anti-inflammatory cells. This discovery highlights the coexistence of pro- and antiinflammatory processes during an ongoing inflammation and challenges the concept of a gradual temporal transition from pro- to anti-inflammation. Flow cytometry of the whole paw was performed to support and refine the MELC results. Eosinophils were used as a specific immune cell population to investigate their role in the inflammatory structure. They were found to be present in all three inflammatory regions, adapting their cytokine profile according to their localization. Depleting eosinophils reduced Interleukin 4 (IL-4)- levels, increased edema formation, and mechanical and thermal hypersensitivities during inflammation resolution. In the absence of eosinophils, pro- and anti-inflammatory region could not be determined in the inflammatory architecture, neutrophil numbers increased, and efferocytosis and M2-macrophage polarization were reduced. IL-4 administration restored these regions, normalized neutrophil numbers, efferocytosis, M2-macrophage polarization, and resolution of zymosan-induced hypersensitivity. The results show that eosinophils expressing IL-4 support the resolution of inflammation by enabling the development of an anti-inflammatory framework that encloses pro-inflammatory regions.
Background: Survival data regarding cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients according to the type and extent of tumor-associated vascular thrombus are scarce.
Objective: To test for survival differences in mRCC patients treated with CN according to the type and extent of tumor-associated vascular thrombus.
Design, setting, and participants: Within Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Research Plus (2004–2017), we identified CN mRCC patients with renal vein (pT3a-TT) versus infradiaphragmatic inferior vena cava (IVC; pT3b) versus supradiaphragmatic IVC tumor thrombus/IVC invasion (pT3c).
Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Overall survival (OS) was addressed in Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses, in addition to 3-mo landmark analyses.
Results and limitations: Of 2170 mRCC patients, 1880 (87%), 204 (9%), and 86 (4%) harbored pT3a-TT, pT3b, and pT3c, respectively. The respective median OS periods were 21, 23, and 12 mo (p < 0.001). In multivariable Cox regression models, pT3c stage, but not pT3b stage, was an independent predictor of higher overall mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–1.73; p = 0.007), as well as in 6-mo landmark analyses (HR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.02–1.80; p = 0.04). In the sensitivity analysis, relying on all pT3a patients, the predictor status of pT3c stage remained unchanged (HR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.09–1.71; p = 0.007). Limitations have to be addressed regarding the sample size and the retrospective design of the current study.
Conclusions: Although overall mortality is significantly higher in pT3c mRCC patients than in their pT3b and pT3a-TT counterparts, these individuals may still expect 12-mo or better OS after CN versus virtually 2-yr OS in their pT3a and pT3b counterparts.
Patient summary: In this study, we looked at the survival outcomes of metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients who presented with tumor thrombus at cytoreductive nephrectomy. Even though these patients with most advanced tumor thrombus stage demonstrated lower survival rates, the median overall survival was still 1 yr.
Middle-aged persons with multimorbidity have to take their illnesses into account in their daily work, family and leisure activities. The MuMiA project aims to identify early preventive measures that make it easier for those between 30 and 60 years of age with multiple chronic diseases to manage their illnesses in their everyday lives. An interdisciplinary workshop and interviews with multimorbid middle-aged adults and their principal healthcare providers will be used to collect information on the management of care in the contexts of patients’ daily work, family and leisure activities. Data obtained in the interviews will be coded inductively and analysed using content analysis. Workshop outputs will be transcribed and evaluated by the authors. This study has received ethical approval from the Faculty of Medicine Ethics Committee of Goethe University (2021-47). The project will generate prevention recommendations that reflect the experiences of middle-aged persons living with multimorbidity and the views of their principal healthcare providers. The findings will be disseminated via conferences and peer-reviewed publications.
Development of a multidimensional pain questionnaire in professional dance (MPQDA): a pilot study
(2022)
Background: Pain is part of the everyday life of professional dancers. It can indicate health risks and impair the ability to work. Suitable screening tools can be used to identify pain and its risk potential. A comprehensive, multidimensional, differentiated assessment tool for pain in professional dance does not currently exist.
Methods: An initial questionnaire was developed in German and English and was assessed in a qualitative pretest. In a field study with a cross-sectional design including n = 72 dancers from Germany (n = 36 responses each in the English and German language versions), the questionnaire was optimized by item analysis, its psychometric properties (dimensionality, construct validity, reliability) were examined and the ability of the pain dimensions to classify the subjective ability to work in training was analyzed (ROC analysis).
Results: The developed Multidimensional Pain Questionnaire in Professional Dance (MPQDA) was reduced and optimized in its psychometric properties. Following questions were reduced in their items or answer categories: pain localizations (from 20 to 15 regions), accompanying symptoms (from 6 to 3 items), sensory and affective pain quality (from 20 to 10 items), pain frequency (from 4 to 3 answer categories), and the motives of working with pain (from 14 to 12 items). Regarding the subjective ability to work in training, the variables of the ability to work in rehearsals and in performances, as well as the accompanying symptoms of tension and mobility restrictions, showed a relatively good classification ability (Area under the Curve (AUC) ≥ 0.7 in the 95% confidence interval) and significant, moderate to strong correlations (Somers' D > 0.25, p < 0.05). The classification ability of the other pain dimensions was largely absent or poor.
Conclusion: The MPQDA differentiates various pain dimensions in professional dancers and is available in a compatible manner in German and English. The clinical relevance needs to be explored further in the future.
Up to the present, there has been a lack of studies on the skin health of professional and recreational dancers. Dancers are at risk of skin diseases due to contact with allergenic or irritating substances and working in humid environments. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to examine skin health in two different dance styles and training periods. Methods: Physical dermatological examination of professional dancers (PD; n = 35) and Latin American formation dancers (LD; n = 79) after a 4-week period of recovery (T0) and a period of high training or work load (T1). Results: PD are significantly more frequently affected by skin dermatoses than LD (T0, p = 0.004) (frontal traction alopecia, hair loss, facial seborrhoea, xerosis cutis of the trunk and extremities, and facial folliculitis). The following significant differences between the sexes were observed in the LD: more folliculitis of the trunk in male subjects (T0 and T1, p = 0.009), more frequent xerosis cutis of the extremities (p < 0.001) and perioral dermatitis in female subjects (T1, p = 0.043). Subjects with skin lesions trained more frequently, performed more times per year, and had longer dance experience. Discussion: Based on the findings, preventive measures for skin protection (especially informing dancers about skin health) are necessary. At the same time, further studies on this topic are important.
The deep fascia is intimately linked to skeletal muscle and may be involved in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The present study therefore explored the effect of eccentric exercise on fascia stiffness and its relation with DOMS. Healthy active male adults (n = 19, 27 ± 4 years) performed 6 x 10 maximal eccentric knee flexions using an isokinetic dynamometer. Before (baseline) as well as immediately (T0), 1 hour (T1), and each day up to 72 hours (T24 to T72) afterwards, shear wave elastography was used to measure the mechanical stiffness of the biceps femoris muscle and the overlying fascia. As a surrogate of DOMS, pain upon palpation was captured by means of a 100mm visual analogue scale. While muscle stiffness remained unchanged (p > 0.05), deep fascia stiffness increased from baseline to T24 (median: 18 kPa to 21.12 kPa, p = 0.017) and T72 (median: 18 kPa to 21.3 kPa, p = 0.001) post-exercise. Linear regression showed an association of stiffness changes at T24 and pressure pain at T72 (r2 = 0.22, p < 0.05). Maximal eccentric exercise leads to a stiffening of the fascia, which, in turn, is related to the magnitude of future DOMS. Upcoming research should therefore gauge the effectiveness of interventions modifying the mechanical properties of the connective tissue in order to accelerate recovery.
Background: Primary viral myocarditis associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov2) infection is a rare diagnosis.
Case presentation: We report the case of an unvaccinated, healthy patient with cardiogenic shock in the context of a COVID-19-associated myocarditis and therapy with simultaneous veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and percutaneous left ventricular decompression therapy with an Impella. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of therapeutic options for patients with COVID-19-associated myocarditis.
Conclusions: The majority of patients required a combination of two assist devices to achieve sufficient cardiac output until recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction. Due to the rapid onset of this fulminant cardiogenic shock immediate invasive bridging therapy in a specialized center was lifesaving.
Introduction: Studies of vocational ballet students are sparce. In particular, there is a lack of gender comparisons. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to give a musculoskeletal and sociodemographic description of the typical vocational ballet student in gender comparison. Methods: In this study, n = 414 female and n = 192 male students of the John Cranko School (JCS), aged between 5 and 22 years (Mean ± SD: 13.9 ± 3.5), were examined by an experienced orthopedist and dance physician. Results: Males started ballet (5.8/8.2 years, p < 0.001) and training at later age than females (13.5/14.6 years, p < 0.05). There was a high prevalence of low body weight among both sexes; however, particularly among female participants (58.4/16.2%, p < 0.001). Both sexes showed a large external rotation of the hip (f/m: 59/62°, p < 0.001), a large turnout (f/m: 82/86°, p < 0.01), high values for plantarflexion of the ankle joint (f/m: 72/68°, p < 0.001) and dorsiflexion of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe (f/m: 90/87°, p < 0.001). Discussion: Differences in ballet-specific characteristics between genders (f/m) are converging and are smaller than described in the past. The particularly high prevalence of low body weight among students in the vocational training sector, particularly among females, highlights the need for deeper diagnostic investigation.
Structural brain morphometry as classifier and predictor of ADHD and reward-related comorbidities
(2022)
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, and around two-thirds of affected children report persisting problems in adulthood. This negative trajectory is associated with high comorbidity with disorders like obesity, depression, or substance use disorder (SUD). Decreases in cortical volume and thickness have also been reported in depression, SUD, and obesity, but it is unclear whether structural brain alterations represent unique disorder-specific profiles. A transdiagnostic exploration of ADHD and typical comorbid disorders could help to understand whether specific morphometric brain changes are due to ADHD or, alternatively, to the comorbid disorders. In the current study, we studied the brain morphometry of 136 subjects with ADHD with and without comorbid depression, SUD, and obesity to test whether there are unique or common brain alterations. We employed a machine-learning-algorithm trained to classify subjects with ADHD in the large ENIGMA-ADHD dataset and used it to predict the diagnostic status of subjects with ADHD and/or comorbidities. The parcellation analysis demonstrated decreased cortical thickness in medial prefrontal areas that was associated with presence of any comorbidity. However, these results did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. Similarly, the machine learning analysis indicated that the predictive algorithm grouped most of our ADHD participants as belonging to the ADHD-group, but no systematic differences between comorbidity status came up. In sum, neither a classical comparison of segmented structural brain metrics nor an ML model based on the ADHD ENIGMA data differentiate between ADHD with and without comorbidities. As the ML model is based in part on adolescent brains, this might indicate that comorbid disorders and their brain changes are not captured by the ML model because it represents a different developmental brain trajectory.
Objectives: The range of motion (ROM) of the cervical spine and postural stability are important for an economical and motorically adequate adaptation of the body to any situation. Therefore, this study aims to analyze whether these two components of postural and movement control can be influenced by means of a splint in a centric position compared to habitual occlusion.
Methods: 38 recreational male athletes volunteered. Cervical spine ROM was recorded using an ultrasound system and the a pressure measuring plate for postural stability (length of center of pressure (CoP) movement, area of CoP). The two dental occlusion conditions employed were the habitual occlusion and wearing a splint in an idealized, condylar position close to the centric position. Level of significance was set at ρ ≤ 0.05.
Results: The cervical spine mobility increased significantly by wearing the splint regarding rotation to the left (+3.9%) and right (+2.7%) and lateral flexion to the left (+4.4%) and right (+6.7%). Wearing the splint reduced the area of sway deflections by about 31.5% in the bipedal stance and by about 2.4% (left) and 28.2% (right) in the unipedal stance. The CoP trace was reduced in the sagittal plane by approximately 8.2% in the right single-leg stance.
Conclusions: The major findings seem to demonstrate that wearing a splint that keeps the jaw close to the centric relation may increase the cervical ROM and may improve balance stability in male recreational athletes. Changing the jaw relation in athletes can possibly aid the release of performance potentials by improving coordination skills.
Background: In order to determine possible pathological deviations in body weight distribution and body sway, it is helpful to have reference values for comparison: gender and age are two main influencing factors. For this reason, it was the aim of the present study to present reference values for women between 51 and 60 years of age.
Methods: For this study, 101 subjectively healthy female Germans aged between 51 and 60 years (55.16 ± 2.89 years) volunteered and were required to stand in a habitual posture on a pressure measuring platform.
Results: The average BMI of this age group was 25.02 ± 4.55 kg/m². The left and right foot showed an almost evenly balanced load distribution with a median load of 52.33% on the left foot [tolerance interval (TR) 38.00%/68.03%; confidence interval (CI) 51.00%/53.33%] and 47.67% on the right foot [TR 31.97%/62.00%; CI 46.67%/49.00%]. The measured median load of the forefoot was 33.33% [TR 21.37%/54.60%; CI 30.67%/36.00%] and that of the rear foot was 66.67% [TR 45.50%/78.63%; CI 64.00%/69.33%]. The median body sway in the frontal plane was 11 mm [TR 5.70 mm/26.30 mm; CI 10.00 mm/11.67 mm] and that of the sagittal plane was 16 mm [TR 7.37 mm/34.32 mm; CI 14.67 mm/18.67 mm]. The median ellipse area was 1.17 cm² [TR 0.29 cm²/4.96 cm²; CI 0.98 cm²/1.35 cm²], the median ellipse width was 0.91 cm [TR 0.42 cm/1.9 cm; CI 0.84 cm/1.02 cm] and its height was 0.40 cm [TR 0.22 cm/0.89 cm; CI 0.38 cm/0.43 cm].
Conclusions: The left-to-right ratio is almost balanced. The load distribution of the forefoot to the rear foot is approximately 1:2. The median body sway values for the frontal and sagittal planes (11 and 16 mm, respectively) agree with other values. The values for the height, body weight and the BMI are comparable to the values of average German women at this age; therefore, the measured values show a presentable cross section of women in the 51–60 age group in Germany. The present data can be used as a basis for women aged 51–60 years and can support the detection of possible dysfunctions as well as injury prevention in the parameters of postural control.
Background: In the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous researchers postponed their patient and public involvement (PPI) activities. This was mainly due to assumptions on patients’ willingness and skills to participate digitally. In fact, digital PPI workshops differ from in-person meetings as some forms of non-verbal cues and body language may be missing and technical barriers may exist. Within our project HYPERION-TransCare we adapted our PPI workshop series for intervention development to a digital format and assessed whether these digital workshops were feasible for patients, health care professionals and researchers.
Methods: We used a digital meeting tool that included communication via audio, video and chat. Discussions were documented simultaneously on a digital white board. Technical support was provided via phone and chat during the workshops and with a technical introduction workshop in advance. The workshop evaluation encompassed observation protocols, participants’ feedback via chat after each workshop on their chance to speak and the usability of the digital tools, and telephone interviews on patients’ and health professionals’ experiences after the end of the workshop series.
Results: Observation protocols showed an active role of moderators in verbally encouraging every participant to get involved. Technical challenges occurred, but were in most cases immediately addressed and solved. Participants median rating of their chance to speak and the usability of the digital tool was “very good”. In the evaluation interviews participants reported a change of perspective and mutual understanding as a main benefit from the PPI workshops and described the atmosphere as inclusive and on equal footing. Benefits of the digital format such as overcoming geographical distance, saving time and combining workshop participation with professional or childcare obligations were reported. Technical support was stressed as a pre-condition for getting actively involved in digital PPI.
Conclusions: Digital formats using different didactic and documentation techniques, accompanied by technical support, can foster active patient and public involvement. The advantages of digital PPI formats such as geographical flexibility and saving time for participants as well as the opportunity to prepare and hold workshops in geographically stretched research teams persists beyond the pandemic and may in some cases outweigh the advantages of in-person communication.
Although, during the past decades, substantial advances emerged in identifying major local and systemic factors contributing to initiation and progression of osteoarthritis (OA), some neuroendocrine mechanisms are still not understood or even neglected when thinking about novel therapeutic options. One of which is the sympathetic nervous system that exhibits various OA-promoting effects in different tissues of the joint. Interestingly, the β2-adrenoceptor (AR) mediates the majority of these effects as demonstrated by several in vitro, in vivo as well as in clinical studies. This review article does not only summarize studies of the past two decades demonstrating that the β2-AR plays an OA-promoting role in different tissues of the joint but also aims to encourage the reader to think about next-level research to discover novel and innovative preventive and/or therapeutic strategies targeting the β2-AR in OA.
Inflammation is a regulated reaction of the body to control a threat such as infection or injury. An efficient resolution of inflammation is critical to prevent the development of chronic inflammation and to restore tissue homeostasis. Macrophages (Mf) play a crucial role in the onset, but also in the resolution of inflammation, because they phagocytose and eliminate pathogens and tissue debris. Efficient efferocytosis, i.e. the engulfment of apoptotic cells, represents an important trigger for the onset of the resolution response and contributes to the pro-resolving reprogramming of Mf. Despite the importance of post- transcriptional modes of regulation during the resolution phase and translational control as a key node modulating gene expression in immune cells, relevant translational alterations remain largely elusive.
In the present study, I aimed to identify translationally regulated targets in inflammatory primary murine Mf upon resolution-promoting efferocytosis. To this end, I used total RNA-sequencing as well as de novo proteomics analyses to determine global transcriptional and translational changes. Sequencing data confirmed that efferocytosis induced a pro-resolution signature in inflammatory Mf and pointed towards translational regulation because the related integrated stress response was enriched upon efferocytosis. While changes of gene expression between efferocytic and non-efferocytic Mf appeared rather small at the transcriptional level, I observed considerable differences at the level of de novo synthesized proteins. This finding suggests a regulation at the level of translation. Furthermore, the tight connection between translational and metabolic changes was confirmed by enriched metabolism-associated terms of targets upregulated by efferocytosis at both RNA and de novo protein level. Interestingly, analysis of translationally regulated targets in response to inflammatory stimulation showed reduced translation for most targets, with only little impact of efferocytosis. Among those targets, I identified pro-resolving matrix metallopeptidase 12 (Mmp12) as a novel candidate, which showed translational repression during early inflammation and translational increase during the resolution phase. Noteworthy, a first indicator for a potential translation regulatory component of Mmp12 were the extremely high mRNA levels and not overly high de novo protein levels. Validation experiments recapitulated a slight elevation of Mmp12 mRNA expression and a significant downregulation of MMP12 intracellular protein levels in inflammatory Mf, as observed in the RNA-seq and de novo proteomics datasets. To investigate whether the discrepancy in mRNA and protein expression were due to changes in translation, I applied polysomal fractionation analysis to determine the translational status of Mmp12. Inflammatory Mf displayed a significantly lower relative Mmp12 mRNA abundance in the late polysomes compared to naïve Mf, suggesting reduced translational efficiency upon inflammatory stimulation. Consequently, extracellular MMP12 levels in the supernatant of inflammatory Mf decreased, although with a slight delay.
The functional impact of attenuated Mmp12 translation upon inflammatory stimulation was assessed in migration assays. While siRNA-mediated knockdown of Mmp12 did not alter Mf migration on uncoated plates, it increased migration 3-fold on matrigel/elastin-coated plates. Importantly, the increase in migrated distance driven by siMmp12 could be lowered by the addition of exogenous recombinant MMP12 protein. In line with reduced Mmp12 translation and MMP12 protein in inflammatory Mf, I observed a significant increase in cell migration on matrigel/elastin-coated plates, while it remained unaltered on uncoated plates. Consequently, Mf elastase MMP12 degrades elastin, thereby cell migration along elastin fibers is diminished. In inflammatory Mf, Mmp12 is translationally downregulated, thereby enhancing the migratory capacity.
In summary, the present study identifies a substantial contribution of translational regulation in the course of inflammation shown by high changes between inflammatory naïve and efferocytic Mf at the de novo proteomic level. Specifically, I was able to determine the translational regulation of pro-resolving Mmp12, which is repressed during early inflammation and recovers during the resolution phase. Functionally, translational control of MMP12 emerged as a strategy to alter the migratory properties of Mf, enabling enhanced, matrix- dependent migration of Mf during the early inflammatory phase, while restricting migration during the resolution phase.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent and -independent pathways mediate curcumin anti-aging effects
(2022)
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor whose activity can be modulated by polyphenols, such as curcumin. AhR and curcumin have evolutionarily conserved effects on aging. Here, we investigated whether and how the AhR mediates the anti-aging effects of curcumin across species. Using a combination of in vivo, in vitro, and in silico analyses, we demonstrated that curcumin has AhR-dependent or -independent effects in a context-specific manner. We found that in Caenorhabditis elegans, AhR mediates curcumin-induced lifespan extension, most likely through a ligand-independent inhibitory mechanism related to its antioxidant activity. Curcumin also showed AhR-independent anti-aging activities, such as protection against aggregation-prone proteins and oxidative stress in C. elegans and promotion of the migratory capacity of human primary endothelial cells. These AhR-independent effects are largely mediated by the Nrf2/SKN-1 pathway.
The pathophysiology of Takotsubo Syndrome (TTS) is not completely understood and the trigger of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in TTS is not clear either. We therefore sought to find an association between TTS and primary electrical diseases. A total of 148 TTS patients were analyzed between 2003 and 2017 in a bi-centric manner. Additionally, a literature review was performed. The patients were included in an ongoing retrospective cohort database. The coexistence of TTS and primary electrical diseases was confirmed in five cases as the following: catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT, 18-year-old female) (n = 1), LQTS 1 (72-year-old female and 65-year-old female) (n = 2), LQTS 2 (17-year-old female) (n = 1), and LQTS in the absence of mutations (22-year-old female). Four patients suffered from malignant tachyarrhythmia and recurrent syncope after TTS. Except for the CPVT patient and one LQTS 1 patient, all other cases underwent subcutaneous ICD implantation. An event recorder of the CPVT patient after starting beta-blocker did not detect arrhythmias. The diagnosis of primary electrical disease was in 80% of cases unmasked on a TTS event. This diagnosis triggered a family clinical and genetic screening confirming the diagnosis of primary electrical disease. A subsequent literature review identified five cases as the following: a congenital atrioventricular block (n = 1), a Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome (n = 1), and a family LQTS in the absence of a mutation (n = 2), LQTS 2 (n = 1). A primary electrical disease should be suspected in young and old TTS patients with a family history of sudden cardiac death. In suspected cases, e.g., ongoing QT interval prolongation, despite recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction a family screening is recommended.
Whereas the lack of biomarkers in penile cancer (PeCa) impedes the development of efficacious treatment protocols, preliminary evidence suggests that c-MET and associated signaling elements may be dysregulated in this disorder. In the following study, we investigated whether c-MET and associated key molecular elements may have prognostic and therapeutic utility in PeCa. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from therapy-naïve patients with invasive PeCa was used for tissue microarray (TMA) analysis. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the expression of the proteins c-MET, PPARg, β-catenin, snail, survivin, and n-MYC. In total, 94 PeCa patients with available tumor tissue were included. The median age was 64.9 years. High-grade tumors were present in 23.4%, and high-risk HPV was detected in 25.5%. The median follow-up was 32.5 months. High expression of snail was associated with HPV-positive tumors. Expression of β-catenin was inversely associated with grading. In both univariate COX regression analysis and the log-rank test, an increased expression of PPARg and c-MET was predictive of inferior disease-specific survival (DSS). Moreover, in multivariate analysis, a higher expression of c-MET was independently associated with worse DSS. Blocking c-MET with cabozantinib and tivantinib induced a significant decrease in viability in the primary PeCa cell line UKF-PeC3 isolated from the tumor tissue as well as in cisplatin- and osimertinib-resistant sublines. Strikingly, a higher sensitivity to tivantinib could be detected in the latter, pointing to the promising option of utilizing this agent in the second-line treatment setting.
The cellular composition of the tumor microenvironment, including tumor, immune, stromal, and endothelial cells, significantly influences responses to cancer therapies. In this study, we analyzed the impact of oxidative stress, induced by cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), on tumor cells, T cells, and macrophages, which comprise part of the melanoma microenvironment. To accomplish this, cells were grown in different in vitro cell culture models and were treated with varying amounts of CAP. Subsequent alterations in viability, proliferation, and phenotype were analyzed via flow cytometry and metabolic alterations by Seahorse Cell Mito Stress Tests. It was found that cells generally exhibited reduced viability and proliferation, stemming from CAP induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and subsequent apoptosis, as well as increased mitochondrial stress following CAP treatment. Overall, sensitivity to CAP treatment was found to be cell type dependent with T cells being the most affected. Interestingly, CAP influenced the polarization of M0 macrophages to a “M0/M2-like” phenotype, and M1 macrophages were found to display a heightened sensitivity to CAP induced mitochondrial stress. CAP also inhibited the growth and killed melanoma cells in 2D and 3D in vitro cell culture models in a dose-dependent manner. Improving our understanding of oxidative stress, mechanisms to manipulate it, and its implications for the tumor microenvironment may help in the discovery of new therapeutic targets.
In this review article, we will first provide a brief overview of the ErbB receptor–ligand system and its importance in developmental and physiological processes. We will then review the literature regarding the role of ErbB receptors and their ligands in the maladaptive remodeling of lung tissue, with special emphasis on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Here we will focus on the pathways and cellular processes contributing to epithelial–mesenchymal miscommunication seen in this pathology. We will also provide an overview of the in vivo studies addressing the efficacy of different ErbB signaling inhibitors in experimental models of lung injury and highlight how such studies may contribute to our understanding of ErbB biology in the lung. Finally, we will discuss what we learned from clinical applications of the ErbB1 signaling inhibitors in cancer in order to advance clinical trials in IPF.
Children’s and adolescents’ lives drastically changed during COVID lockdowns worldwide. To compare accident- and injury-related admissions to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) during the first German COVID lockdown with previous years, we conducted a retrospective multicenter study among 37 PICUs (21.5% of German PICU capacities). A total of 1444 admissions after accidents or injuries during the first lockdown period and matched periods of 2017–2019 were reported and standardized morbidity ratios (SMR) were calculated. Total PICU admissions due to accidents/injuries declined from an average of 366 to 346 (SMR 0.95 (CI 0.85–1.05)). Admissions with trauma increased from 196 to 212 (1.07 (0.93–1.23). Traffic accidents and school/kindergarten accidents decreased (0.77 (0.57–1.02 and 0.26 (0.05–0.75)), whereas household and leisure accidents increased (1.33 (1.06–1.66) and 1.34 (1.06–1.67)). Less neurosurgeries and more visceral surgeries were performed (0.69 (0.38–1.16) and 2.09 (1.19–3.39)). Non-accidental non-suicidal injuries declined (0.73 (0.42–1.17)). Suicide attempts increased in adolescent boys (1.38 (0.51–3.02)), but decreased in adolescent girls (0.56 (0.32–0.79)). In summary, changed trauma mechanisms entailed different surgeries compared to previous years. We found no evidence for an increase in child abuse cases requiring intensive care. The increase in suicide attempts among boys demands investigation.
Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection associated with high mortality, partly due to delayed diagnosis and inadequate empiric therapy. As fungal cultures often fail to grow Mucorales, identification of respective hyphae in tissue is frequently needed for diagnosis but may be challenging. We studied fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) targeting specific regions of the fungal ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of Mucorales to improve diagnosis of mucormycosis from tissue samples. We generated a probe combination specifically targeting Mucorales. Probe specificity was verified in silico and using cultivated fungi. Mucorales hyphae in tissue of a mouse model demonstrated a bright cytoplasmatic hybridization signal. In tissue samples of patients with mucormycosis, a positive signal was seen in 7 of 12 (58.3%) samples. However, autofluorescence in 3 of 7 (42.9%) samples impaired the diagnostic yield. Subsequent experiments suggested that availability of nutrients and antifungal therapy may impact on the FISH signal obtained with Mucorales hyphae. Diagnosis of mucormycosis from tissue might be improved by rRNA FISH in a limited number of cases only. FISH signals may reflect different wphysiological states of fungi in tissue. Further studies are needed to define the value of FISH to diagnose mucormycosis from other clinical samples.
Background: High reproducibility and low intra- and interobserver variability are important strengths of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). In clinical practice a significant learning curve may however be observed. Basic CMR courses offer an average of 1.4 h dedicated to lecturing and demonstrating left ventricular (LV) function analysis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of initial teaching on complete and intermediate beginners’ quantitative measurements of LV volumes and function by CMR.
Methods: Standard clinical cine CMR sequences were acquired in 15 patients. Five observers (two complete beginners, one intermediate, two experienced) measured LV volumes. Before initial evaluation beginners read the SCMR guidelines on CMR analysis. After initial evaluation, beginners participated in a two-hour teaching session including cases and hands-on training, representative for most basic CMR courses, after which it is uncertain to what extent different centres provide continued teaching and feedback in-house. Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) assessed delineations. Agreement, accuracy, precision, repeatability and reliability were assessed by Bland-Altman, coefficient of variation, and intraclass correlation coefficient methods.
Results: Endocardial DSC improved after teaching (+0.14 ± 0.17;p < 0.001) for complete beginners. Low intraobserver variability was found before and after teaching, however with wide limits of agreement. Beginners underestimated volumes by up to 44 ml (EDV), 27 ml (ESV) and overestimated LVM by up to 53 g before teaching, improving to an underestimation of up to 9 ml (EDV), 7 ml (ESV) and an overestimation of up to 30 g (LVM) after teaching. For the intermediate beginner, however, accuracy was quite high already before teaching.
Conclusions: Initial teaching to complete beginners increases accuracy for assessment of LV volumes, however with high bias and low precision even after standardised teaching as offered in most basic CMR courses. Even though the intermediate beginner showed quite high accuracy already before teaching, precision did generally not improve after standardised teaching. To maintain CMR as a technique known for high accuracy and reproducibility and low intra- and inter-observer variability for quantitative measurements, internationally standardised training should be encouraged including high-quality feedback mechanisms. Objective measurements of training methods, training duration and, above all, quality of assessments are required.
Low-caloric formula diets can improve hemodynamic parameters of patients with type 2 diabetes. We, therefore, hypothesized that persons with overweight or obesity can benefit from a high-protein, low-glycemic but moderate-caloric formula diet. This post-hoc analysis of the Almased Concept against Overweight and Obesity and Related Health Risk- (ACOORH) trial investigated the impact of a lifestyle intervention combined with a formula diet (INT, n = 308) compared to a control group with lifestyle intervention alone (CON, n = 155) on hemodynamic parameters (systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), resting heart rate (HR), and pulse wave velocity (PWV)) in high-risk individuals with prehypertension or hypertension. INT replaced meals during the first 6 months (1 week: 3 meals/day; 2–4 weeks: 2 meals/day; 5–26 weeks: 1 meal/day). Study duration was 12 months. From the starting cohort, 304 (68.3%, INT: n = 216; CON: n = 101) participants had a complete dataset. Compared to CON, INT significantly reduced more SBP (−7.3 mmHg 95% CI [−9.2; −5.3] vs. −3.3 mmHg [−5.9; −0.8], p < 0.049) and DBP (−3.7 mmHg [−4.9; −2.5] vs. −1.4 mmHg [−3.1; 0.2], p < 0.028) after 12 months. Compared to CON, INT showed a pronounced reduction in resting HR and PWV after 6 months but both lost significance after 12 months. Changes in SBP, DBP, and PWV were significantly associated positively with changes in body weight and fat mass (all p < 0.05) and resting HR correlated positively with fasting insulin (p < 0.001) after 12 months. Combining a lifestyle intervention with a high-protein and low-glycemic formula diet improves hemodynamic parameters to a greater extent than lifestyle intervention alone in high-risk individuals with overweight and obesity.
Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) is a group of nematodes that infect people and transmitted through soil media. STH occurs especially among pre-school and school-aged children, and commonly related to environmental sanitation and personal hygiene. The study objected to determine the factors related to the incidence of STH in children 5-15 years who lived surrounding the Sukawinatan district of Palembang city. The observational analytic using the cross-sectional design, consisted of 110 subjects sampled by consecutive sampling. Data on environmental sanitation and personal hygiene were obtained by questionnaires, while infection status using the Kato-Katz faecal technic. The results were analyzed using Chi-square test (α = 0.05), showed that 24.5% of population where infected with STH. A number of 1-24-2 children were infected with hookworm-Ascaris lumbricoides-Trichuris trichiura infection, respectively. Based on statistical test results, the association of STH infection with variables were: waste disposal (p = 0.268), water facilities (p = 1.000), sewage disposal (p = 0.224), latrine (p = 0.021), hand washing prior to meal (p = 0.001), hand washing after defecate (p = 0.028), use of footwear (p = 0.013), and nail hygiene (p = 1.000). Concluded that the significant factors related to STH were use of latrine, hand washing behaviour, and use of footwear. Further research will be necessary to successfully eliminate this neglected tropical disease.
Introduction: Older patients with multimorbidity, polypharmacy and related complex care needs represent a growing proportion of the population and a challenge for healthcare systems. Particularly in transitional care (hospital admission and hospital discharge), medical errors, inappropriate treatment, patient concerns and lack of confidence in healthcare are major problems that may arise from a lack of information continuity. The aim of this study is to develop an intervention to improve informational continuity of care at the interface between general practice and hospital care.
Methods and analysis: A qualitative approach will be used to develop our participatory intervention. Overall, 32 semistructured interviews with relevant stakeholders will be conducted and analysed. The stakeholders will include healthcare professionals from the outpatient setting (general practitioners, healthcare assistants, ambulatory care nurses) and the inpatient setting (clinical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, clinical information scientists) as well as patients and informal caregivers. At a series of workshops based on the results of the stakeholder analyses, we aim to develop a participatory intervention that will then be implemented in a subsequent pilot study. The same stakeholder groups will be invited for participation in the workshops.
Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval for this study was waived by the Ethics Committee of Goethe University Frankfurt because of the nature of the proposed study. Written informed consent will be obtained from all study participants prior to participation. Results will be tested in a pilot study and disseminated at (inter)national conferences and via publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Background: Particulate matter (PM) emission caused by tobacco combustion leads to severe health burdens worldwide. Second-hand smoke exposure is extraordinarily high in enclosed spaces (e.g., indoor rooms, car cabins) and poses a particular threat to the health of vulnerable individuals (e.g., children, elderly, etc.). This study aimed to establish a new measuring platform and investigate PM emissions under four different ventilation conditions inside a car cabin without exposing any person to harmful tobacco smoke.
Methods: PM concentrations were measured during the smoking of 3R4F reference cigarettes in a Mitsubishi Space Runner (interior volume 3.709 m3). The cigarettes were smoked with a machine, eliminating exposure of the researchers. Cigarettes were extinguished 4.5 min after ignition, and PM measurements continued until 10 min after ignition.
Results: High mean PM concentrations were measured for cigarettes without ventilation after 4.5 min (PM10: 1150 µg/m3, PM2.5: 1132 µg/m3, PM1: 861.6 µg/m3) and after 10 min (PM10: 1608 µg/m3, PM2.5: 1583 µg/m3, PM1: 1133 µg/m3). 3R4F smoked under conditions with turned on ventilation resulted in reduction of PM compared to those smoked without ventilation after 4.5 min (PM10:-47.5 to -58.4%, PM2.5:-47.2 to -58%, PM1:-39.6 to -50.2%) and after 10 min (PM10:-70.8 to -74.4%, PM2.5:-70.6 to -74.3%, PM1:-64.0 to -68.0%). Cigarettes smoked without ventilation generated high PM peaks at 4.5 min (PM10: 2207 µg/m3, PM2.5: 2166 µg/m3, PM1: 1421 µg/m3) and at 10 min (PM10: 1989 µg/m3, PM2.5: 1959 µg/m3, PM1: 1375 µg/m3). PM peaks of cigarettes smoked under different ventilation modes varied at 4.5 min (PM10: 630-845 µg/m3, PM2.5: 625-836 µg/m3, PM1: 543 - 693 µg/m3) and 10 min (PM10: 124 - 130 µg/m3, PM2.5: 124 - 129 µg/m3, PM1: 118 - 124 µg/m3).
Conclusion: The new measuring platform provides a safer way for researchers to investigate PM emissions of cigarettes. These data are comparable to published research and show that smoking in a parked vehicle with the windows closed generates harmful PM emissions even when the vehicle ventilation is in operation. Future studies should be carried out using the new measuring platform investigating PM exposure and PM distribution of in-vehicle smoking under a wide range of conditions.
Background: A good physician should be empathic and altruistic, among other qualities. Therefore, the levels of socially undesirable personality traits (Dark Triad) as well as implicit motives of achievement, affiliation and power (Multi-Motive Grid) among medical students as future physicians were analyzed at two different points in their medical training.
Methods: This study includes 380 medical students in their first year and 217 in their third year in Germany. All participants completed the Dirty Dozen (DD) and Multi-Motive Grid (MMG) questionnaires at the end of two different classes as paper-and-pencil tests. Relevant differences of the Dark Triad traits between the medical students and reference sample and the two different cohorts, as well as their implicit motives, the associations of Dark Triad traits and MMG components and gender differences of the Dark Triad traits were calculated.
Results: There were no significant group differences between year one and year three medical students in narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism (Dark Triad). There were no significant differences between the medical students and reference sample except in psychopathy. Male students scored significantly higher in the Dark Triad traits than female students. In the MMG, first-year students scored significantly higher levels in Fear of Rejection, and lower levels in Hope of Success and Hope of Power than the third-year students. Some associations were found between narcissism and Machiavelliansim with Hope of Success, Hope of Power and Fear of power.
Conclusions: Dark Triad traits already appear to exist before the commencement of medical studies. These traits do not differ significantly between the medical students and reference sample; only a few MMG components seem to differ at different stages of their studies. This lack of differences between the medical students and validation cohort indicates that tests based on (undesirable) personality traits are not suitable criteria for the admission selection of medical students.
Background/aim: The aim of this study was to analyze a population of patients who had suffered from traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) by using different patient-, trauma- and treatment-related parameters.
Material and methods: All dental records of patients ≥ 3 years old who had presented at the dental emergency service between Jan 1, 2009 and Dec 31, 2016 for the treatment of dental trauma were analyzed. A total of 2758 patients were invited for a recall examination at the Department for Dental Surgery and Implantology, ZZMK Carolinum, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany; of these, 269 patients attended their recall appointments.
Results: The enrolled patient population consisted of 1718 males and 1040 females, with a mean age of 19.63 years (median 12.00 ± 17.354 years). A total of 4909 injured teeth were assessed, with a mean of 1.78 injured teeth per patient (median 2.00 ± 1.279). Males were found to be more frequently affected by TDIs compared to females (1.65:1). The majority of these injuries occurred in the first two decades of life (66.1%; n = 1824). The majority of the patients presented for initial treatment within 24 h of their accident (95.7%). The most frequent TDIs were isolated luxation injuries 49.4% (n = 2426) and isolated crown fractures 30% (n = 1472). Combination injuries were diagnosed in 20.6% of the cases (n = 1011).
Conclusions: Based on the findings of the present analysis, it can be concluded that males were more frequently affected by TDIs than females. Most patients had suffered from TDI before they had turned 10 years of age. Overall, the enamel–dentin fracture was found to be the most frequent injury, followed by concussions and lateral luxations.
Multiplex families with a high prevalence of a psychiatric disorder are often examined to identify rare genetic variants with large effect sizes. In the present study, we analysed whether the risk for bipolar disorder (BD) in BD multiplex families is influenced by common genetic variants. Furthermore, we investigated whether this risk is conferred mainly by BD-specific risk variants or by variants also associated with the susceptibility to schizophrenia or major depression. In total, 395 individuals from 33 Andalusian BD multiplex families (166 BD, 78 major depressive disorder, 151 unaffected) as well as 438 subjects from an independent, BD case/control cohort (161 unrelated BD, 277 unrelated controls) were analysed. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) for BD, schizophrenia (SCZ), and major depression were calculated and compared between the cohorts. Both the familial BD cases and unaffected family members had higher PRS for all three psychiatric disorders than the independent controls, with BD and SCZ being significant after correction for multiple testing, suggesting a high baseline risk for several psychiatric disorders in the families. Moreover, familial BD cases showed significantly higher BD PRS than unaffected family members and unrelated BD cases. A plausible hypothesis is that, in multiplex families with a general increase in risk for psychiatric disease, BD development is attributable to a high burden of common variants that confer a specific risk for BD. The present analyses demonstrated that common genetic risk variants for psychiatric disorders are likely to contribute to the high incidence of affective psychiatric disorders in the multiplex families. However, the PRS explained only part of the observed phenotypic variance, and rare variants might have also contributed to disease development.
DNA methylation profiles of aggressive behavior may capture lifetime cumulative effects of genetic, stochastic, and environmental influences associated with aggression. Here, we report the first large meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of aggressive behavior (N = 15,324 participants). In peripheral blood samples of 14,434 participants from 18 cohorts with mean ages ranging from 7 to 68 years, 13 methylation sites were significantly associated with aggression (alpha = 1.2 × 10−7; Bonferroni correction). In cord blood samples of 2425 children from five cohorts with aggression assessed at mean ages ranging from 4 to 7 years, 83% of these sites showed the same direction of association with childhood aggression (r = 0.74, p = 0.006) but no epigenome-wide significant sites were found. Top-sites (48 at a false discovery rate of 5% in the peripheral blood meta-analysis or in a combined meta-analysis of peripheral blood and cord blood) have been associated with chemical exposures, smoking, cognition, metabolic traits, and genetic variation (mQTLs). Three genes whose expression levels were associated with top-sites were previously linked to schizophrenia and general risk tolerance. At six CpGs, DNA methylation variation in blood mirrors variation in the brain. On average 44% (range = 3–82%) of the aggression–methylation association was explained by current and former smoking and BMI. These findings point at loci that are sensitive to chemical exposures with potential implications for neuronal functions. We hope these results to be a starting point for studies leading to applications as peripheral biomarkers and to reveal causal relationships with aggression and related traits.
The compulsive habit of cars
(2014)
The car dependence of people living in contemporary cities is a major concern for policy makers, who often find it difficult to persuade people into more sustainable transport modes. By contrast, recent insights from neuroscience have shown that a broad spectrum of behaviors can become habitual and, thus, resistant to change. Here, we outline the potential of collaboration between neuroscience and human geography aiming at a better understanding of habits that determine everyday commuting routines.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play essential roles in mediating inflammation and its resolution. PUFA metabolites generated by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) - soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) axis are known to regulate macrophage activation/polarization but little is known about their role in the resolution of inflammation. Monocytes were isolated from murine bone marrow or human peripheral blood and differentiated to naïve macrophages (M0). Thereafter cells were polarized using LPS and IFNγ (M1), IL-4 (M2a), or TGFβ1 (M2c). Gene expression was analyzed by RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Phagocytosis of zymosan and oxo-LDL were also assessed in vitro. Zymosan-induced peritonitis combined with immune cell profiling was used to evaluate the resolution of inflammation in vivo. The expression of sEH was comparable in M0, M1 and M2a macrophages but markedly elevated in M2c polarized cells. The increase in sEH expression elicited by TGFβ relied on the TGFβ receptor ALK5 and the phosphorylation of SMAD2, which was able to bind to the sEH promoter. In macrophages lacking sEH, M2c polarization was incomplete and characterized by lower levels of pro-resolving phagocytosis associated receptors (Tlr2 and Mrc1), as well as higher levels of the pro-inflammatory markers; Nlrp3, IL-1β and TNFα. Fitting with the failure to upregulate phagocytosis associated receptors, the uptake of zymosan and ox-LDL was less efficient in M2c macrophages from sEH-/- mice. The latter animals also demonstrated a retarded resolution of inflammation (zymosan-induced peritonitis) in vivo with fewer resident macrophages and recruited macrophages. PUFA profile analysis indicated decreased sEH substrates e.g., 11, 12-EET, as well as increased sEH products e.g., 11, 12-DHET, indicating an increased sEH activity in M2c macrophages. Taken together, our data indicates that sEH expression is required for the effective M2c polarization of macrophages and thus the resolution of inflammation.
Highlights
• It is important to distinguish acute provoked seizures due to autoimmune encephalitis from chronic unprovoked seizures due to autoimmune-associated epilepsy.
• Currently it is hardly possible in an individual AIE/ALE/RE patient to separate acute provoked seizures from chronic unprovoked seizures due to limitations in determining seizure outcomes, unclear time courses, potential causal interactions between both seizure origins, compartmentalized immune-inflammation, and a lack of licensed drugs to reliably resolve immune-inflammation in the brain parenchyma.
• This makes it hard to decide when to terminate ASMs and to counsel the individual patient regarding driving abilities and other behavioral restrictions and recommendations.
• Studies are urgently needed to define clinical and paraclinical biomarkers in a hypothesis-free, data-driven approach reliably predicting (or not) the development of AAE and the cognitive and behavioral outcome in the due course of an individual patient´s disease.
• These studies should be experimentally validated in suitable animal models.
Abstract
The current International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) definition and classification guidelines for the first time introduced the category of immune-mediated focal epilepsy in addition to structural, genetic, infectious, and metabolic aetiologies. Moreover, the ILAE Autoimmunity and Inflammation Taskforce recently provided a conceptual framework for the distinction between acute “provoked” seizures in the acute phase of autoimmune encephalitis from chronic “unprovoked” seizures due to autoimmune-associated epilepsy. The first category predominately applies to those autoimmune encephalitis patients with autoantibodies against cell surface neural antigens, in whom autoantibodies are assumed to exert a direct ictogenic effect without overt structural damage. These patients do not exhibit enduring predisposition to seizures after the “acute phase” encephalitis, and thus do not fulfil the definition of epilepsy. The second category applies to those autoimmune encephalitis patients with autoantibodies against intracellular neural antigens and Rasmussen's encephalitis, in whom T cells are assumed to cause epileptogenic effects through immune-inflammation and overt structural damage. These patients do exhibit enduring predisposition to seizures after the “acute phase” of encephalitis and thus fulfil the definition of epilepsy. AAE may result from both, ongoing brain autoimmunity and associated structural brain damage according to the current ILAE definition and classification guideline. We here discuss the shortcomings and defaults of this concept and suggest an unbiased translationally validated and data-driven approach to predict in an individual encephalitis patient the propensity to develop (or not) AAE and the cognitive and behavioural outcome.
Despite antagonizing attempts from the tobacco industry, passive inhalation of tobacco smoke is known to be cancerogenic and toxic to human health for decades. Nonetheless, millions of non-smoking adults and children are still victims of second-hand smoke. Accumulation of particulate matter (PM) in confined spaces such as the car are particularly harmful due to high concentrations. We here aimed to analyze the specific effects of ventilation conditions in the setting of a car. By the use of the measuring platform TAPaC (tobacco-associated particulate matter emissions inside a car cabin), 3R4F reference cigarettes, Marlboro red, and Marlboro gold were smoked in a car interior with a volume of 3.709 m3. Seven different ventilation conditions (C1–C7) were analyzed. Under C1, all windows were closed. Under C2–C7, the car ventilation was turned on power level 2/4 with the air directed towards the windshield. Only the passenger side window was opened, where an outer placed fan could create an airstream speed of 15.9–17.4 km/h at one meter distance to simulate a driving car. C2: Window 10 cm opened. C3: Window 10 cm opened with the fan turned on. C4: Window half-opened. C5: Window half-opened with the fan turned on. C6: Window fully opened. C7: Window fully opened with the fan turned on. Cigarettes were remotely smoked by an automatic environmental tobacco smoke emitter and a cigarette smoking device. Depending on the ventilation condition the cigarettes emitted different mean PM concentrations after 10 min under condition C1 (PM10: 1272–1697 µg/m3, PM2.5: 1253–1659 µg/m3, PM1: 964–1263 µg/m3) under C2, C4, and C6 (PM10: 68.7–196.2 µg/m3, PM2.5: 68.2–194.7 µg/m3, PM1: 66.1–183.8 µg/m3) C3, C5, and C7 (PM10: 73.7–139 µg/m3, PM2.5: 72–137.9 µg/m3, PM1:68.9–131.9 µg/m3). Vehicle ventilation is insufficient to protect passengers from toxic second-hand smoke completely. Brand-specific variations of tobacco ingredients and mixtures markedly influence PM emissions under ventilation conditions. The most efficient ventilation mode to reduce PM exposure was achieved by opening the passenger´s window 10 cm and turning the onboard ventilation on power level 2/4. In-vehicle smoking should be banned to preserve innocent risk groups (e.g., children) from harm.
Das Virus der Frühsommermeningoenzephalitis (FSME) und Borrelia burgdorferi als Erreger der Lyme-Borreliose sind die klinischbedeutsamsten durch Zecken übertragenen Infektionserreger in Europa. Der vorliegende Fall beschreibt eine serologisch gesicherte. Doppelinfektion mit dem FSME-Virus und Borellia burgdorferi bei einer 69jährigen deutschen Patientin nach einem Zeckenstich in einem österreichischen Endemiegebiet. Klinisch bestand zum Zeitpunkt der Krankenhausaufnahme eine ausgeprägte Somnolenz und ein hochgradiges Doppelbildsehen. Ein passive Immunisierung gegen FSME war postexpositionell erfolgt, konnte eine Infektion jedoch nicht verhindern. Eine Doppelinfektion durch beide Erreger wurde durch den serologischen Nachweis von spezifischen IgG und IgM Antikörpern gegen das FSME-Virus und im weiteren Verlauf auch gegen Borrelia burgdorferi im ELISA beziehungsweise im rekombinanten Immunoblot gesichert. Obwohl Doppelinfektionen durch die beiden genannten Erregerselten sind, sollten sie bei zeckenübertragenen Erkrankungen mit untypischem Verlauf in der Differentialdiagnose berücksichtigt werden.