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Achieving functional neuronal dendrite structure through sequential stochastic growth and retraction
(2020)
Class I ventral posterior dendritic arborisation (c1vpda) proprioceptive sensory neurons respond to contractions in the Drosophila larval body wall during crawling. Their dendritic branches run along the direction of contraction, possibly a functional requirement to maximise membrane curvature during crawling contractions. Although the molecular machinery of dendritic patterning in c1vpda has been extensively studied, the process leading to the precise elaboration of their comb-like shapes remains elusive. Here, to link dendrite shape with its proprioceptive role, we performed long-term, non-invasive, in vivo time-lapse imaging of c1vpda embryonic and larval morphogenesis to reveal a sequence of differentiation stages. We combined computer models and dendritic branch dynamics tracking to propose that distinct sequential phases of stochastic growth and retraction achieve efficient dendritic trees both in terms of wire and function. Our study shows how dendrite growth balances structure–function requirements, shedding new light on general principles of self-organisation in functionally specialised dendrites.
Achieving functional neuronal dendrite structure through sequential stochastic growth and retraction
(2020)
Class I ventral posterior dendritic arborisation (c1vpda) proprioceptive sensory neurons respond to contractions in the Drosophila larval body wall during crawling. Their dendritic branches run along the direction of contraction, possibly a functional requirement to maximise membrane curvature during crawling contractions. Although the molecular machinery of dendritic patterning in c1vpda has been extensively studied, the process leading to the precise elaboration of their comb-like shapes remains elusive. Here, to link dendrite shape with its proprioceptive role, we performed long-term, non-invasive, in vivo time-lapse imaging of c1vpda embryonic and larval morphogenesis to reveal a sequence of differentiation stages. We combined computer models and dendritic branch dynamics tracking to propose that distinct sequential phases of targeted growth and stochastic retraction achieve efficient dendritic trees both in terms of wire and function. Our study shows how dendrite growth balances structure–function requirements, shedding new light on general principles of self-organisation in functionally specialised dendrites.
Simple Summary: Tooth roots are increasingly applied for bone reconstruction before implant placement. Growth factors stored in the dentin are assumed to enhance bone regeneration, however, the evidence is low. To this aim, collagen membranes were coated with dentin lysates obtained from extracted porcine teeth or remain untreated. The collagen membranes were tested for their capacity to stimulate bone formation in rat calvarial bone defects. After four weeks of healing, micro-computed tomography and histological analyses revealed that dentin lysates coating had no significant impact on the rather strong bone regeneration reaching a nearly complete defect closure even in untreated defects. It can thus be concluded that dentin lysates do not hinder bone regeneration. Conclusions concerning a possible stimulation of bone regeneration by dentin lysates should not be drawn.
Abstract: Autogenous tooth roots are increasingly applied as a grafting material in alveolar bone augmentation. Since tooth roots undergo creeping substitution similar to bone grafts, it can be hypothesized that osteoclasts release the growth factors stored in the dentin thereby influencing bone formation. To test this hypothesis, collagen membranes were either soaked in acid dentin lysates (ADL) from extracted porcine teeth or serum–free medium followed by lyophilization. Thereafter, these membranes covered standardized 5-mm-diameter critical-size defects in calvarial bone on rats. After four weeks of healing, micro-computed tomography and histological analyses using undecalcified thin ground sections were performed. Micro-computed tomography of the inner 4.5 mm calvaria defects revealed a median bone defect coverage of 91% (CI: 87–95) in the ADL group and 94% (CI: 65–100) in the control group, without significant differences between the groups (intergroup p > 0.05). Furthermore, bone volume (BV) was similar between ADL group (5.7 mm3, CI: 3.4–7.1) and control group (5.7 mm3, CI: 2.9–9.7). Histomorphometry of the defect area confirmed these findings with bone area values amounting to 2.1 mm2 (CI: 1.2–2.6) in the ADL group and 2.0 mm2 (CI: 1.1–3.0) in the control group. Together, these data suggest that acid dentin lysate lyophilized onto collagen membranes failed to modulate the robust bone formation when placed onto calvarial defects.
Purpose: Recent advances in the treatment algorithm of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) have significantly improved complete response (CR) rates and disease-free survival (DFS), but therapy resistance, with its substantial impact on outcomes and survival, remains a major challenge. Our group has recently unraveled a critical role of interleukin-1α (IL-1α) signaling in activating inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts (iCAFs) and mediating radiation-induced senescence, extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and ultimately therapy resistance. We here summarize the recently initiated ACO/ARO/AIO-21 phase I trial, testing the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 RA) anakinra in combination with fluoropyrimidine-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for advanced rectal cancer.
Methods/Design: The ACO/ARO/AIO-21 is an investigator-driven, prospective, open-labeled phase I drug-repurposing trial assessing the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of capecitabine administered concurrently to standard preoperative radiotherapy (45 Gy in 25 fractions followed by 9 Gy boost in 5 fractions) in combination with fixed doses of the IL-1RA anakinra (100 mg, days −10 to 40). Capecitabine will be administered using a 3 + 3 dose-escalation design (500 mg/m2 bid; 650 mg/m2 bid; 825 mg/m2 bid, respectively) from day 1 to day 40. Response assessment including digital rectal examination (DRE), endoscopy and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is scheduled 10 weeks after completion of CRT. For patients achieving clinical complete response (cCR), primary non-operative management is provided. In case of non-cCR immediate total mesorectal excision (TME) will be performed. Primary endpoint of this phase I trial is the MTD of capecitabine.
Discussion: Based on extensive preclinical research, the ACO/ARO/AIO-21 phase I trial will assess whether the IL-1RA anakinra can be safely combined with fluoropyrimidine-based CRT in rectal cancer. It will further explore the potential of IL-1 inhibition to overcome therapy resistance and improve response rates. A comprehensive translational research program will expand our understanding from a clinical perspective and may help translate the results into a randomized phase II trial.
Sound discrimination is essential in many species for communicating and foraging. Bats, for example, use sounds for echolocation and communication. In the bat auditory cortex there are neurons that process both sound categories, but how these neurons respond to acoustic transitions, that is, echolocation streams followed by a communication sound, remains unknown. Here, we show that the acoustic context, a leading sound sequence followed by a target sound, changes neuronal discriminability of echolocation versus communication calls in the cortex of awake bats of both sexes. Nonselective neurons that fire equally well to both echolocation and communication calls in the absence of context become category selective when leading context is present. On the contrary, neurons that prefer communication sounds in the absence of context turn into nonselective ones when context is added. The presence of context leads to an overall response suppression, but the strength of this suppression is stimulus specific. Suppression is strongest when context and target sounds belong to the same category, e.g.,echolocation followed by echolocation. A neuron model of stimulus-specific adaptation replicated our results in silico The model predicts selectivity to communication and echolocation sounds in the inputs arriving to the auditory cortex, as well as two forms of adaptation, presynaptic frequency-specific adaptation acting in cortical inputs and stimulus-unspecific postsynaptic adaptation. In addition, the model predicted that context effects can last up to 1.5 s after context offset and that synaptic inputs tuned to low-frequency sounds (communication signals) have the shortest decay constant of presynaptic adaptation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We studied cortical responses to isolated calls and call mixtures in awake bats and show that (1) two neuronal populations coexist in the bat cortex, including neurons that discriminate social from echolocation sounds well and neurons that are equally driven by these two ethologically different sound types; (2) acoustic context (i.e., other natural sounds preceding the target sound) affects natural sound selectivity in a manner that could not be predicted based on responses to isolated sounds; and (3) a computational model similar to those used for explaining stimulus-specific adaptation in rodents can account for the responses observed in the bat cortex to natural sounds. This model depends on segregated feedforward inputs, synaptic depression, and postsynaptic neuronal adaptation.
Aufbau: Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI)- Bildgebung ist eine auf der konventionellen Ultraschall- Bildgebung basierende Elastographie- Methode, die die quantitative Messung der Festigkeit und Elastizität von Gewebe ermöglicht. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, ARFI- Bildgebung für die Differenzierung von Schilddrüsenknoten zu evaluieren und mit der bereits gut erprobten qualitativen Messmethode der Real-Time Elastographie (RTE) zu vergleichen.
Material und Methoden: ARFI- Bildgebung basiert auf der Aussendung von akustischen Impulsen in Gewebe, wodurch lokale Gewebeverschiebungen hervorgerufen werden. Die dabei entstehenden Transversalwellen wiederum werden über auf Korrelation basierende Methoden mittels Ultraschallwellen detektiert und in m/s angegeben. Einschlusskriterien der Studie waren: Knoten ≥ 5 mm sowie eine zytologische/histologische Aufarbeitung. Alle Patienten erhielten eine konventionelle Ultraschall- Untersuchung, eine Real-Time Elastographie sowie eine ARFI- Bildgebung.
Ergebnisse: Es standen 158 Knoten aus 138 Patienten zur Analyse zur Verfügung. 137 Knoten erbrachten bei der zytologischen/histologischen Aufarbeitung ein benignes Ergebnis, 21 Knoten hingegen wurden als maligne eingestuft. Die mittlere Geschwindigkeit der Messungen der ARFI- Bildgebung in gesundem Schilddrüsengewebe betrug 1,76 m/s, in benignen Knoten 1,90 m/s und in malignen Knoten 2,69 m/s. Es konnte kein signifikanter Unterschied der mittleren Geschwindigkeit zwischen gesundem Schilddrüsengewebe und benignen Knoten ermitteltet werden, wohingegen ein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen malignen Knoten und gesundem Schilddrüsengewebe (p= 0,0019) einerseits und benignen Schilddrüsenknoten (p=0,0039) andererseits bestand. Für die diagnostische Genauigkeit bei der Diagnose von malignen Schilddrüsenknoten konnte kein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen RTE und ARFI- Bildgebung festgestellt werden (0,74 vs. 0,69, p=0,54). Die Kombination von RTE und ARFI- Bildgebung erhöhte die Spezifität bei der Diagnose von malignen Schilddrüsenknoten von 72% (nur RTE) auf 92% (kombiniert).
Schlussfolgerungen: ARFI- Bildgebung kann als zusätzliche Methode bei der diagnostischen Aufarbeitung von Schilddrüsenknoten genutzt werden und liefert dabei einen hohen negativen prädiktiven Wert sowie vergleichbare Ergebnisse wie die RTE.
Activated SUMOylation restricts MHC class I antigen presentation to confer immune evasion in cancer
(2022)
Activated SUMOylation is a hallmark of cancer. Starting from a targeted screening for SUMO-regulated immune evasion mechanisms, we identified an evolutionarily conserved function of activated SUMOylation, which attenuated the immunogenicity of tumor cells. Activated SUMOylation allowed cancer cells to evade CD8+ T cell–mediated immunosurveillance by suppressing the MHC class I (MHC-I) antigen-processing and presentation machinery (APM). Loss of the MHC-I APM is a frequent cause of resistance to cancer immunotherapies, and the pharmacological inhibition of SUMOylation (SUMOi) resulted in reduced activity of the transcriptional repressor scaffold attachment factor B (SAFB) and induction of the MHC-I APM. Consequently, SUMOi enhanced the presentation of antigens and the susceptibility of tumor cells to CD8+ T cell–mediated killing. Importantly, SUMOi also triggered the activation of CD8+ T cells and thereby drove a feed-forward loop amplifying the specific antitumor immune response. In summary, we showed that activated SUMOylation allowed tumor cells to evade antitumor immunosurveillance, and we have expanded the understanding of SUMOi as a rational therapeutic strategy for enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies.
The integrated stress response (ISR) is a central cellular adaptive program that is activated by diverse stressors including ER stress, hypoxia and nutrient deprivation to orchestrate responses via activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). We hypothesized that ATF4 is essential for the adaptation of human glioblastoma (GB) cells to the conditions of the tumor microenvironment and is contributing to therapy resistance against chemotherapy. ATF4 induction in GB cells was modulated pharmacologically and genetically and investigated in the context of temozolomide treatment as well as glucose and oxygen deprivation. The relevance of the ISR was analyzed by cell death and metabolic measurements under conditions to approximate aspects of the GB microenvironment. ATF4 protein levels were induced by temozolomide treatment. In line, ATF4 gene suppressed GB cells (ATF4sh) displayed increased cell death and decreased survival after temozolomide treatment. Similar results were observed after treatment with the ISR inhibitor ISRIB. ATF4sh and ISRIB treated GB cells were sensitized to hypoxia-induced cell death. Our experimental study provides evidence for an important role of ATF4 for the adaptation of human GB cells to conditions of the tumor microenvironment characterized by low oxygen and nutrient availability and for the development of temozolomide resistance. Inhibiting the ISR in GB cells could therefore be a promising therapeutic approach.
Background: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is genetically activated in approximately 50% of glioblastomas (GBs). Its inhibition has been explored clinically but produced disappointing results, potentially due to metabolic effects that protect GB cells against nutrient deprivation and hypoxia. Here, we hypothesized that EGFR activation could disable metabolic adaptation and define a GB cell population sensitive to starvation.
Methods: Using genetically engineered GB cells to model different types of EGFR activation, we analyzed changes in metabolism and cell survival under conditions of the tumor microenvironment.
Results: We found that expression of mutant EGFRvIII as well as EGF stimulation of EGFR-overexpressing cells impaired physiological adaptation to starvation and rendered cells sensitive to hypoxia-induced cell death. This was preceded by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion and an increase in glycolysis. Furthermore, EGFRvIII mutant cells had higher levels of mitochondrial superoxides potentially due to decreased metabolic flux into the serine synthesis pathway which was associated with a decrease in the NADPH/NADP+ ratio.
Conclusions: The finding that EGFR activation renders GB cells susceptible to starvation could help to identify a subgroup of patients more likely to benefit from starvation-inducing therapies.
Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common symptom in people participating in exercise, sport, or recreational physical activities. Several remedies have been proposed to prevent and alleviate DOMS. In 2008 and 2015, two studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of acupuncture on symptoms and muscle function in eccentric exercise-induced DOMS of the biceps brachii muscle. In 2008 a prospective, randomized, controlled, observer and subject-blinded trial was undertaken with 22 healthy subjects (22–30 years; 12 females) being randomly assigned to three treatment groups: real acupuncture (deep needling at classic acupuncture points and tender points; n = 7), sham-acupuncture (superficial needling at non-acupuncture points; n = 8), and control (n = 7). In 2015, a five-arm randomized controlled study was conducted with 60 subjects (22 females, 23.6 ± 2.8 years). Participants were randomly allocated to needle, laser, sham needle, sham laser acupuncture, and no intervention.
In both cases treatment was applied immediately, 24 and 48 hours after DOMS induction.
The outcome measures included pain perception (visual analogue scale; VAS), mechanical pain threshold (MPT), maximum isometric voluntary force (MIVF) and pressure pain threshold (PPT).
Results: In 2008, following nonparametric testing, there were no significant differences between groups in outcome measures at baseline. After 72 hours, pain perception (VAS) was significantly lower in the acupuncture group compared to the sham acupuncture and control subjects. However, the mean MPT and MIVF scores were not significantly different between groups. This lead to the conclusion, that acupuncture seemed to have no effects on MPT and muscle function, but reduced perceived pain arising from exercise-induced DOMS.
The more recent results from 2015 indicated that neither verum nor sham interventions significantly improved outcomes within 72 hours when compared with the no treatment control (P > 0.05).
Objective: Trauma is the most common cause of death among young adults. Alcohol intoxication plays a significant role as a cause of accidents and as a potent immunomodulator of the post-traumatic response to tissue injury. Polytraumatized patients are frequently at risk to developing infectious complications, which may be aggravated by alcohol-induced immunosuppression. Systemic levels of integral proteins of the gastrointestinal tract such as syndecan-1 or intestinal fatty acid binding proteins (FABP-I) reflect the intestinal barrier function. The exact impact of acute alcohol intoxication on the barrier function and endotoxin bioactivity have not been clarified yet. Methods: 22 healthy volunteers received a precisely defined amount of alcohol (whiskey–cola) every 20 min over a period of 4 h to reach the calculated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 1‰. Blood samples were taken before alcohol drinking as a control, and after 2, 4, 6, 24 and 48 h after beginning with alcohol consumption. In addition, urine samples were collected. Intestinal permeability was determined by serum and urine values of FABP-I, syndecan-1, and soluble (s)CD14 as a marker for the endotoxin translocation via the intestinal barrier by ELISA. BAC was determined. Results: Systemic FABP-I was significantly reduced 2 h after the onset of alcohol drinking, and remained decreased after 4 h. However, at 6 h, FABP-I significantly elevated compared to previous measurements as well as to controls (p < 0.05). Systemic sCD14 was significantly elevated after 6, 24 and 48 h after the onset of alcohol consumption (p < 0.05). Systemic FABP-I at 2 h after drinking significantly correlated with the sCD14 concentration after 24 h indicating an enhanced systemic LPS bioactivity. Women showed significantly lower levels of syndecan-1 in serum and urine and urine for all time points until 6 h and lower FABP-I in the serum after 2 h. Conclusions: Even relative low amounts of alcohol affect the immune system of healthy volunteers, although these changes appear minor in women. A potential damage to the intestinal barrier and presumed enhanced systemic endotoxin bioactivity after acute alcohol consumption is proposed, which represents a continuous immunological challenge for the organism and should be considered for the following days after drinking.
Background: Excessive alcohol intake is associated with adverse immune response-related effects, however, acute and chronic abuse differently modulate monocyte activation. In this study, we have evaluated the phenotypic and functional changes of monocytes in acutely intoxicated healthy volunteers (HV).
Methods: Twenty-two HV consumed individually adjusted amounts of alcoholic beverages until reaching a blood alcohol level of 1‰ after 4h (T4). Peripheral blood was withdrawn before and 2h (T2), 4h (T4), 6h (T6), 24h (T24), and 48h (T48) after starting the experiment and stained for CD14, CD16 and TLR4. CD14brightCD16-, CD14brightCD16+ and CD14dimCD16+ monocyte subsets and their TLR4 expression were analyzed by flow cytometry. Inflammasome activation via caspase-1 in CD14+ monocytes was measured upon an ex vivo in vitro LPS stimulation. Systemic IL-1β and adhesion capacity of isolated CD14+ monocytes upon LPS stimulation were evaluated.
Results: The percentage of CD14+ monocyte did not change following alcohol intoxication, whereas CD14brightCD16- monocyte subset significantly increased at T2 and T24, CD14brightCD16+ at T2, T4 and T6 and CD14dimCD16+ at T4 and T6. The relative fraction of TLR4 expressing CD14+ monocytes as well as the density of TLR4 surface presentation increased at T2 and decreased at T48 significantly. TLR4+CD14+ monocytes were significantly enhanced in all subsets at T2. TLR4 expression significantly decreased in CD14brightCD16- at T48, in CD14brightCD16+ at T24 and T48, increased in CD14dimCD16+ at T2. IL-1β release upon LPS stimulation decreased at T48, correlating with TLR4 receptor expression. Alcohol downregulated inflammasome activation following ex vivo in vitro stimulation with LPS between T2 and T48 vs. T0. The adhesion capacity of CD14+ monocytes decreased from T2 with significance at T4, T6 and T48. Following LPS administration, a significant reduction of adhesion was observed at T4 and T6.
Conclusions: Alcohol intoxication immediately redistributes monocyte subsets toward the pro-inflammatory phenotype with their subsequent differentiation into the anti-inflammatory phenotype. This is paralleled by a significant functional depression, suggesting an alcohol-induced time-dependent hyporesponsiveness of monocytes to pathogenic triggers.
Background: Knee osteoarthritis is associated with higher kinetic friction in the knee joint, hence increased acoustic emissions during motion. Decreases in compressive load and improvements in movement quality might reduce this friction and, thus, sound amplitude. We investigated if an exercise treatment acutely affects knee joint sounds during different activities of daily life.
Methods: Eighteen participants with knee osteoarthritis (aged 51.8 ± 7.3 years; 14 females) were included in this randomized crossover trial. A neuromuscular exercise intervention and a placebo laser needle acupuncture treatment were performed. Before and after both interventions, knee joint sounds were measured during three different activities of daily living (standing up/sitting down, walking, descending stairs) by means of vibroarthrography. The mean amplitude (dB) and the median power frequency (MPF, Hz) were assessed at the medial tibial plateau and the patella. Differences in knee acoustic emissions between placebo and exercise interventions were calculated by analyses of covariance.
Results: Controlled for participant's age, knee demanding activity level and osteoarthritis stage, the conditions significantly differed in their impact on the MPF (mean(± SD) pre-post-differences standing up: placebo: 9.55(± 29.15) Hz/ exercise: 13.01(± 56.06) Hz, F = 4.9, p < 0.05) and the amplitude (standing up: placebo:0.75(± 1.43) dB/ exercise: 0.51(± 4.68) dB, F = 5.0, p < 0.05; sitting down: placebo: 0.07(± 1.21) dB/ exercise: -0.16(± .36) dB, F = 4.7, p < 0.05) at the tibia. There were no differences in the MPF and amplitude during walking and descending stairs (p > 0.05). At the patella, we found significant differences in the MPF during walking (placebo 0.08(± 1.42) Hz/ exercise: 15.76(± 64.25) Hz, F = 4.8, p < .05) and in the amplitude during descending stairs (placebo: 0.02 (± 2.72) dB/ exercise: -0.73(± 2.84) dB, F = 4.9, p < 0.05). There were no differences in standing up/ sitting down for both parameters, nor in descending stairs for the MPF and walking for the amplitude (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: The MPF pre-post differences of the exercise intervention were higher compared to the MPF pre-post differences of the placebo treatment. The amplitude pre-post differences were lower in the exercise intervention. In particular, the sound amplitude might be an indicator for therapy effects in persons with knee osteoarthritis.
Trial registration: The study was retrospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00022936, date of registry: 26/08/2020).
Acute kidney injury (AKI) complicates the clinical course of hospitalized patients by increasing need for intensive care treatment and mortality. There is only little data about its impact on AML patients undergoing intensive induction chemotherapy. In this study, we analyzed the incidence as well as risk factors for AKI development and its impact on the clinical course of AML patients undergoing induction chemotherapy. We retrospectively analyzed data from 401 AML patients undergoing induction chemotherapy between 2007 and 2019. AKI was defined and stratified according to KIDGO criteria by referring to a defined baseline serum creatinine measured on day 1 of induction chemotherapy. Seventy-two of 401 (18%) AML patients suffered from AKI during induction chemotherapy. AML patients with AKI had more days with fever (7 vs. 5, p = 0.028) and were more often treated on intensive care unit (45.8% vs. 10.6%, p < 0.001). AML patients with AKI had a significantly lower complete remission rate after induction chemotherapy and, with 402 days, a significantly shorter median overall survival (OS) (median OS for AML patients without AKI not reached). In this study, we demonstrate that the KIDGO classification allows mortality risk stratification for AML patients undergoing induction chemotherapy. Relatively mild AKI episodes have impact on the clinical course of these patients and can lead to chronic impairment of kidney function. Therefore, we recommend incorporating risk factors for AKI in decision-making considering nutrition, fluid management, as well as the choice of potentially nephrotoxic medication in order to decrease the incidence of AKI.
Purpose: Acute-on-chronic subdural hematoma (acSDH) describes acute bleeding into a chronic subdural hematoma (SDH), after surgery or second trauma. Because seizures are a well-known complication of SDH, associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, we aimed to analyze the incidence of acute symptomatic seizures (ASz), including status epilepticus, and determine the functional outcomes in this specific cohort of patients.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed, including patients with acSDH who were admitted to our department between 2010 and 2019. The incidence and timely onset of ASz and status epilepticus were evaluated. Functional outcomes at discharge and at 3–6 month follow-up were analyzed based on the modified Rankin scale.
Results: Of 506 patients with chronic SDH, 29 patients (5.7%) were diagnosed with acSDH. The overall incidence of ASz and status epilepticus were 72.4% and 10.3%, respectively. Favorable outcomes were identified in 11 patients (52.4%) in the ASz group compared with 6 patients (75%) in the non-ASz group. The mortality rate was higher in the ASz group compared with that in the control group (29% vs 0%). At follow-up, favorable outcomes were similar to those observed at discharge (52.4% in the ASz group and 71.4% in the control group). The mortality rate was still higher in the ASz group, at 32% compared with 14% for the control group.
Conclusion: AcSDH has a high risk for ASz, including status epilepticus, and is associated with unfavorable outcomes and high mortality. Thus, prophylactic treatment with antiepileptic drugs should be considered among this specific cohort of patients.
ADAM15 protein amplifies focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation under genotoxic stress conditions
(2012)
ADAM15, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase, is capable of counteracting genotoxic stress-induced apoptosis by the suppression of caspase-3 activation. A cell line expressing the membrane-bound ADAM15 without its cytoplasmic tail, however, lost this anti-apoptotic property, suggesting a crucial role of the intracellular domain as a scaffold for recruitment of survival signal-transducing kinases. Accordingly, an enhanced phosphorylation of FAK at Tyr-397, Tyr-576, and Tyr-861 was detected upon genotoxic stress by camptothecin in ADAM15-transfected T/C28a4 cells, but not in transfectants expressing an ADAM15 mutant without the cytoplasmic tail. Accordingly, a specific binding of the cytoplasmic ADAM15 domain to the C terminus of FAK could be shown by mammalian two-hybrid, pulldown, and far Western studies. In cells expressing full-length ADAM15, a concomitant activation of Src at Tyr-416 was detected upon camptothecin exposure. Cells transfected with a chimeric construct consisting of the extracellular IL-2 receptor α-chain and the cytoplasmic ADAM15 domain were IL-2-stimulated to prove that the ADAM15 tail can transduce a percepted extracellular signal to enhance FAK and Src phosphorylation. Our studies further demonstrate Src binding to FAK but not a direct Src interaction with ADAM15, suggesting FAK as a critical intracellular adaptor for ADAM15-dependent enhancement of FAK/Src activation. Moreover, the apoptosis induction elicited by specific inhibitors (PP2, FAK 14 inhibitor) of FAK/Src signaling was significantly reduced by ADAM15 expression. The newly uncovered counter-regulatory response to genotoxic stress in a chondrocytic survival pathway is potentially also relevant to apoptosis resistance in neoplastic growth.
Background: The purpose of this pilot study was to create a valid and reliable set of assessment questions for examining Evidence-based Dentistry (EbD) knowledge. For this reason, we adapted and validated for dental students the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ), which assesses Evidence-based Medicine (EbM) abilities.
Methods: The Berlin Questionnaire was validated with medical residents. We adapted it for use in a dentistry setting. An expert panel reviewed the adapted BQ for content validity. A cross-sectional cohort representing four training levels (EbD-novice dental students, EbD-trained dental students, dentists, and EbM−/EbD-expert faculty) completed the questionnaire. A total of 140 participants comprised the validation set. Internal reliability, item difficulty and item discrimination were assessed. Construct validity was assessed by comparing the mean total scores of students to faculty and comparing proportions of students and faculty who passed each item.
Results: Among the 133 participants (52 EbD-novice dental students, 53 EbD-trained dental students, 12 dentists, and 16 EbM-/ EbD-expert faculty), a statistically significant (p < 0.001) difference was evident in the total score corresponding to the training level. The total score reliability and psychometric properties of items modified for discipline-specific content were acceptable. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.648.
Conclusion: The adapted Berlin Questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument to assess competence in Evidence-based Dentistry in dental students. Future research will focus on refining the instrument further.
Objective: Randomized trials have shown that concomitant methotrexate (MTX) augments the effectiveness of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but its benefit in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has not been demonstrated. The goal of this study was to examine whether the impact of concomitant MTX on therapeutic outcomes in patients with PsA was similar to its effects in RA.
Methods: We used data from highly comparable and concurrent observational studies of patients with PsA (N = 1424) or RA (N = 3148) who initiated adalimumab therapy during routine clinical care. The 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and patient-reported pain scores were evaluated in patients who received 24 months of continuous treatment with adalimumab monotherapy or adalimumab + MTX and in patients who initiated or stopped concomitant MTX during ongoing adalimumab therapy.
Results: Twenty-four months of continuous treatment with adalimumab + MTX was superior to adalimumab monotherapy in RA patients, while no significant difference was observed in patients with PsA. RA patients who added MTX during the study showed significant individual improvements in DAS28 and pain scores at 6 months after the change in therapy, while those who removed MTX had slight increases in disease activity. In contrast, in patients with PsA, neither initiation nor removal of MTX during continuous adalimumab therapy had a significant effect on therapeutic outcomes.
Conclusion: Addition of MTX to adalimumab confers further therapeutic benefit in patients with RA, but not in those with PsA, suggesting differences in MTX effects in these two patient populations.
Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01078090, NCT01077258, NCT01111240
Gene therapy has garnered increasing interest over recent decades. Several therapies employing gene transfer mechanisms have been developed, and, of these, adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have demonstrated viability for use with in vivo gene therapy. Several AAV-based therapeutics have received regulatory approval in the last few years including those for retinal disease, spinal muscular atrophy or aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency. Lately, with the introduction of novel liver-directed AAV vector-based therapeutics for the treatment of haemophilia A and B, gene therapy has attracted significant attention in the hepatology community, with the liver increasingly recognised as a target for gene therapy. However, the introduction of foreign DNA into hepatocytes is associated with a risk of hepatic reactions, with raised ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) being – so far – the most commonly reported side effects. The complete mechanisms underlying the ALT flairs remain to be determined and the long-term risks associated with these new treatments is not yet known. The liver community is increasingly being asked to support liver-directed gene therapy to mitigate potential liver associated harm. In this review, we focus on AAV vector-based gene therapy, shedding light on this promising technique and its remarkable success in haemophilia, with a special focus on hepatic complications and their management in daily clinical practice.
Small-bowel tumors are rare and account for approximately 5% of all gastrointestinal tumors. Approximately 65% of small-bowel tumors are malignant, and approximately 40% of these tumors are adenocarcinomas. Similar to colorectal adenocarcinoma, premalignant adenomas of the small bowel may progress to carcinoma. This occurs both sporadically and in the context of hereditary tumor syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome). Herein cases with small-bowel adenocarcinomas visualized with both capsule endoscopy and double-balloon enteroscopy are presented. This article is part of an expert video encyclopedia.
Studies have demonstrated an increased risk of accidents and injuries in children, adolescents and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, little is known about how accident risk may alter over the lifespan. Additionally, it would be important to know if the most common types of accidents and injuries differ in ADHD patients over different age groups. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence of an ameliorating effect of ADHD medication on accident risk. Lastly, the underlying risk factors and causal mechanisms behind increased accident risk remain unclear. We therefore conducted a systematic review focusing on the above described research questions. Our results suggested that accident/injury type and overall risk changes in ADHD patients over the lifespan. ADHD medication appeared to be similarly effective at reducing accident risk in all age groups. However, studies with direct comparisons of accident/injuries and effects of medication at different age groups or in old age are still missing. Finally, comorbidities associated with ADHD such as substance abuse appear to further increase the accident/injury risk.
Neurometabolic diseases (NMDs) are typically caused by genetic abnormalities affecting enzyme functions, which in turn interfere with normal development and activity of the nervous system. Although the individual disorders are rare, NMDs are collectively relatively common and often lead to lifelong difficulties and high societal costs. Neuropsychiatric manifestations, including ADHD symptoms, are prominent in many NMDs, also when the primary biochemical defect originates in cells and tissues outside the nervous system. ADHD symptoms have been described in phenylketonuria, tyrosinemias, alkaptonuria, succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency, X-linked ichthyosis, maple syrup urine disease, and several mitochondrial disorders, but are probably present in many other NMDs and may pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Here we review current literature linking NMDs with ADHD symptoms. We cite emerging evidence that many NMDs converge on common neurochemical mechanisms that interfere with monoamine neurotransmitter synthesis, transport, metabolism, or receptor functions, mechanisms that are also considered central in ADHD pathophysiology and treatment. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic implications of these findings and propose a path forward to increase our understanding of these relationships.
Adhesion of human pathogenic bacteria to endothelial cells is facilitated by fibronectin interaction
(2023)
Human pathogenic bacteria circulating in the bloodstream need to find a way to interact with endothelial cells (ECs) lining the blood vessels to infect and colonise the host. The extracellular matrix (ECM) of ECs might represent an attractive initial target for bacterial interaction, as many bacterial adhesins have reported affinities to ECM proteins, in particular to fibronectin (Fn). Here, we analysed the general role of EC-expressed Fn for bacterial adhesion. For this, we evaluated the expression levels of ECM coding genes in different ECs, revealing that Fn is the highest expressed gene and thereby, it is highly abundant in the ECM environment of ECs. The role of Fn as a mediator in bacterial cell-host adhesion was evaluated in adhesion assays of Acinetobacter baumannii, Bartonella henselae, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Staphylococcus aureus to ECs. The assays demonstrated that bacteria colocalised with Fn fibres, as observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Fn removal from the ECM environment (FN1 knockout ECs) diminished bacterial adherence to ECs in both static and dynamic adhesion assays to varying extents, as evaluated via absolute quantification using qPCR. Interactions between adhesins and Fn might represent the crucial step for the adhesion of human-pathogenic Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria targeting the ECs as a niche of infection.
Prognosis of refractory childhood cancers despite multimodal treatment strategies remains poor. Here, we report a single center experience encountered in 18 patients with refractory solid malignancies treated with adoptive cellular immunotherapy (ACI) from haploidentical or matched donors following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. While seven patients were in partial and six in complete remission (CR), five patients suffered from relapsed diseases at the time of ACI. 1.5-year probabilities of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 19.5% and 16.1% for all patients. Patients in CR showed estimated 1.5-year OS and PFS of 50.1% and 42.7%, respectively. CR was induced or rather sustained in ten children, with two still being alive 9.6 and 9.3 years after ACI. Naïve, central and effector memory T-cells correlated with responses. However, the majority of patients relapsed. Cumulative incidence of relapse was 79.8% at 1.5 years. Acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) occurred in nine of 18 patients (50%) with aGVHD grade I–II observed in six (33%) and aGVHD grade III seen in three (17%) patients, manageable in all cases.
Altogether, study results indicate that donor-derived ACI at its current state offers palliation but no clear curative benefit for refractory childhood cancers and warrants further improvement.
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) belongs to one of the eight herpes viruses known to infect humans. While primary VZV infection (chickenpox) is generally a disease of childhood, herpes zoster occurs primarily in elderly persons (>50 years). Herpes zoster, also called shingles, is a neurocutaneous disease resulting from reactivation of latent VZV infection within dorsal root ganglia. Severe complications may occur in elderly persons and immunocompromised of any age, including severe complication of the eye, ear, skin and internal organs, and the peripheral and central nervous systems. A progressive decline of VZV-specific cell-mediated immunity and age are associated with an increased incidence and severity of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN is the most common complication of herpes zoster causing chronic, debilitating pain. In cases with characteristic signs and symptoms (presence of prodromal pain, eruptions, grouped vesicles, segmental pain), the diagnosis is almost distinctive enough and no laboratory investigations are required. However, for patients lacking no characteristic pathology, a rapid laboratory diagnosis may be helpful to begin antiviral therapy as soon as possible. Antiviral therapy should be initiated immediately within 72 h after rash onset, particularly in older patients. The main aim of treatment is to control and reduce acute zoster pain, shorten virus replication, avoid dissemination of skin lesions and prevent PHN and other severe complications. The aim of the present review is to outline advantages and disadvantages of different herpes zoster laboratory methods (microscopy, direct immunofluorescence assay, detection of viral DNA, virus isolation and serological methods). A live attenuated VZV vaccine has been developed to prevent herpes zoster and PHN in individuals >60 years of age (Shingles Prevention Study). This review summarises the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical aspects, complications, therapy and prevention of varicella zoster.
Background: Unwanted anticholinergic effects are both underestimated and frequently overlooked. Failure to identify adverse drug reactions (ADRs) can lead to prescribing cascades and the unnecessary use of over-thecounter products. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to explore and quantify the frequency and severity of ADRs associated with amitriptyline vs. placebo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving adults with any indication, as well as healthy individuals. Methods: A systematic search in six electronic databases, forward/backward searches, manual searches, and searches for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval studies, will be performed. Placebo-controlled RCTs evaluating amitriptyline in any dosage, regardless of indication and without restrictions on the time and language of publication, will be included, as will healthy individuals. Studies of topical amitriptyline, combination therapies, or including <100 participants, will be excluded. Two investigators will screen the studies independently, assess methodological quality, and extract data on design, population, intervention, and outcomes ((non-)anticholinergic ADRs, e.g., symptoms, test results, and adverse drug events (ADEs) such as falls). The primary outcome will be the frequency of anticholinergic ADRs as a binary outcome (absolute number of patients with/without anticholinergic ADRs) in amitriptyline vs. placebo groups. Anticholinergic ADRs will be defined by an experienced clinical pharmacologist, based on literature and data from Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. Secondary outcomes will be frequency and severity of (non-)anticholinergic ADRs and ADEs. The information will be synthesized in meta-analyses and narratives. We intend to assess heterogeneity using metaregression (for indication, outcome, and time points) and I2 statistics. Binary outcomes will be expressed as odds ratios, and continuous outcomes as standardized mean differences. Effect measures will be provided using 95% confidence intervals. We plan sensitivity analyses to assess methodological quality, outcome reporting etc., and subgroup analyses on age, dosage, and duration of treatment. Discussion: We will quantify the frequency of anticholinergic and other ADRs/ADEs in adults taking amitriptyline for any indication by comparing rates for amitriptyline vs. placebo, hence, preventing bias from disease symptoms and nocebo effects. As no standardized instrument exists to measure it, our overall estimate of anticholinergic ADRs may have limitations.
Adverse events during supervised exercise interventions in pediatric oncology - a nationwide survey
(2021)
Objectives: Exercise interventions during and after treatment for pediatric cancer are associated with beneficial physical, psychological, and social effects. However, valid data about adverse events (AEs) of such interventions have rarely been evaluated. This retrospective study evaluates AEs that occurred during supervised oncological exercise programs for pediatric cancer patients and survivors. Methods: This Germany-wide study used a self-administered online survey focusing on general program characteristics and AEs retrospectively for 2019. The questionnaire included (a) basic data on the offered exercise program, (b) AEs with consequences (Grade 2–5) that occurred in 2019 during an exercise intervention, (c) number of Grade 1 AEs, (d) safety procedures as part of the exercise programs, and (e) possibility to give feedback and describe experience with AEs in free text. Results: Out of 26 eligible exercise programs, response rate of program leaders was 92.3% (n = 24). Representatives working for Universities (n = 6), rehabilitation clinics (n = 3), acute cancer clinics (n = 12), and activity camps (n = 3) participated. In total, 35,110 exercise interventions with varying duration were recorded for 2019. Six AEs with consequences (Grade 2–3) occurred during exercise interventions after cancer treatment resulting in an incidence of 17 per 100,000 exercise interventions (0.017%). No life-threatening consequences or death were reported and no serious AE occurred during acute cancer treatment. Grade 1 AE occurred with a frequency of 983, corresponding to an incidence of 2,800 per 100,000 interventions (2.8%). Most frequent Grade 1 AE were muscle soreness, circulatory problems, and abdominal pain. The most frequent preventive safety procedures at the institutions were regular breaks, consultations with the medical treatment team, and material selection with low injury potential. Conclusions: Supervised exercise interventions for pediatric cancer patients and survivors seem to be safe and AEs with consequences comparatively rare when compared to general childhood population data. Occurrence of grade 1 AEs was common, however, causality was probably not evident between AEs and the exercise intervention. Future research should standardize assessment of AEs in clinical practice and research, and prospectively register and evaluate AEs that occur in the context of exercise interventions in pediatric cancer patients and survivors.
Diese Versuchsreihe beschäftigte sich mit der Fragestellung, ob günstige Handelsmarken- Zigaretten mehr Feinstaub als teure Markenzigaretten emittieren. Dabei wurde der Passivrauch untersucht, welcher durch das Verrauchen verschiedener Zigarettenmarken entstand. Feinstaub stellt heutzutage den wichtigsten einzelnen gesundheitsschädlichen Faktor in Innenräumen dar. Das Augenmerk liegt dabei hauptsächlich auf den feinen Partikeln (PM2,5, PM1). Tumore, chronische Atemwegserkrankungen und eine erhöhte Mortalität stellen nur einen Teil der massiven gesundheitlichen Folgen durch Feinstaub dar. Vulnerable Bevölkerungsgruppen wie Kinder und alte Personen sind besonders durch Passivrauch gefährdet. Die Ergebnisse der Versuchsreihe dienen als Grundlage, um den gesundheitsschädlichen Einfluss des Passivrauchs zu interpretieren. Günstige Handelsmarken-Zigaretten weisen, unter anderem wegen des beständig ansteigenden Zigarettenpreises als auch der anhaltenden Inflation in Deutschland, einen wachsenden Marktanteil auf. Daher müssen sie auch weiterhin in wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen mit einbezogen werden.
Drei teure sowie drei günstige Zigarettenmarken wurden miteinander und mit der Referenzzigarette 3R4F der Universität Kentucky verglichen. Zu den teuren Marken zählten Marlboro, Camel und Nil. Die günstigeren Handelsmarken-Zigaretten waren Giants, Goldfield und Jakordia. Die Rauchpumpe „Automatic environmental tobacco smoke emitter“ (AETSE) ermöglichte in einem definierten Raum der abgeschlossenen Rauchkammer, Passivrauch zu erzeugen, ohne die menschliche Gesundheit zu gefährden. Ein standardisiertes Rauchprotokoll garantierte dabei reproduzierbare und vergleichbare Ergebnisse. Das Laser Aerosolspektrometer (LAS) Modell 1.109 der Firma Grimm wies eine Messspanne von 0,25 μm bis 32 μm auf. So konnte der Feinstaub gemessen und gruppiert werden. Obwohl der Versuchsaufbau nicht vollkommen realitätsgetreu war, entstand ein adäquater Vergleich der Feinstaubemissionen von (Handels-)Markenzigaretten.
PM10 und PM2,5 wurden erhoben, weil sie die von der EU und WHO standardisierten Messwerte für die Luftverschmutzung durch Feinstaub sind. Die Messung von PM1 rechtfertigt sich durch die stärker gesundheitsschädigende Komponente von Partikeln dieser Größenordnung. Für diese drei Größenfraktionen wurden die mittlere Konzentration Cmean sowie die Area Under The Curve (AUC) ermittelt. Die AUC stellt dabei die Höhe der Gesamtexposition durch Feinstaub dar.
Die Ergebnisse dieser Versuchsreihe zeigen, dass PM1 den größten Anteil der Feinstaubemission der getesteten Zigaretten ausmachte. Alle Zigarettenmarken haben in einem abgeschlossenen Raum Feinstaubmengen in gesundheitsgefährdender Menge produziert. Die Handelsmarke Jakordia emittierte beim Verrauchen generell weniger Feinstaub als alle anderen Zigarettenmarken. Im Allgemeinen konnte kein Unterschied zwischen den günstigen Handels- und den teuren Markenzigaretten festgestellt werden. Es ist wissenschaftlich belegt, dass sich jede Feinstaubkonzentration negativ auf die Gesundheit auswirkt. Die Ergebnisse können dementsprechend in Gänze unter dem Gesichtspunkt der Gesundheitsschädlichkeit eingestuft werden.
Aufgrund veralteter und unspezifischer, beziehungsweise fehlender Angaben zu den Inhaltsstoffen der einzelnen Zigarettensorten, konnte die Ursache der Unterschiede zwischen Jakordia und den anderen Marken nicht geklärt werden. Die Zigarettenhersteller müssen verpflichtet werden, die detaillierten Zusammensetzungen der Tabakprodukte den Behörden wie dem BMEL oder dem Bundesgesundheitsministerium zugänglich zu machen. Dies wäre ein wichtiger Bestandteil für die zukünftige Forschung und Risikobewertung der verschiedenen Inhalts- und Zusatzstoffe.
Nitric oxide (NO)-sensitive soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) is the major cytosolic receptor for NO, catalyzing the conversion of GTP to cGMP. In a search for proteins specifically interacting with human sGC, we have identified the multidomain protein AGAP1, the prototype of an ArfGAP protein with a GTPase-like domain, Ankyrin repeats, and a pleckstrin homology domain. AGAP1 binds through its carboxyl terminal portion to both the α1 and β1 subunits of sGC. We demonstrate that AGAP1 mRNA and protein are co-expressed with sGC in human, murine, and rat cells and tissues and that the two proteins interact in vitro and in vivo. We also show that AGAP1 is prone to tyrosine phosphorylation by Src-like kinases and that tyrosine phosphorylation potently increases the interaction between AGAP1 and sGC, indicating that complex formation is modulated by reversible phosphorylation. Our findings may hint to a potential role of AGAP1 in integrating signals from Arf, NO/cGMP, and tyrosine kinase signaling pathways.
Determination of a minimal postmortem interval via age estimation of necrophagous diptera has been restricted to the juvenile stages and the time until emergence of the adult fly, i.e. up until 2–6 weeks depending on species and temperature. Age estimation of adult flies could extend this period by adding the age of the fly to the time needed for complete development. In this context pteridines are promising metabolites, as they accumulate in the eyes of flies with increasing age. We studied adults of the blow fly Lucilia sericata at constant temperatures of 16 °C and 25 °C up to an age of 25 days and estimated their pteridine levels by fluorescence spectroscopy. Age was given in accumulated degree days (ADD) across temperatures. Additionally, a mock case was set up to test the applicability of the method. Pteridine increases logarithmically with increasing ADD, but after 70–80 ADD the increase slows down and the curve approaches a maximum. Sex had a significant impact (p < 4.09 × 10−6) on pteridine fluorescence level, while body-size and head-width did not. The mock case demonstrated that a slight overestimation of the real age (in ADD) only occurred in two out of 30 samples. Age determination of L. sericata on the basis of pteridine levels seems to be limited to an age of about 70 ADD, but depending on the ambient temperature this could cover an extra amount of time of about 5–7 days after completion of the metamorphosis.
Hearing loss in old age, which often goes untreated, has far-reaching consequences. Furthermore, reduction of cognitive abilities and dementia can also occur, which also affects quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the hearing performance of seniors without hearing complaints with respect to speech perception in noise and the ability to localize sounds. Results were tested for correlations with age and cognitive performance. The study included 40 subjects aged between 60 and 90 years (mean age: 69.3 years) with not self-reported hearing problems. The subjects were screened for dementia. Audiological tests included pure-tone audiometry and speech perception in two types of background noise (continuous and amplitude-modulated noise) which was either co-located or spatially separated (multi-source noise field, MSNF) from the target speech. Sound localization ability was assessed and hearing performance was self-evaluated by a questionnaire. Speech in noise and sound localization was compared with young normal hearing adults. Although considering themselves as hearing normal, 17 subjects had at least a mild hearing loss. There was a significant negative correlation between hearing loss and dementia screening (DemTect) score. Speech perception in noise decreased significantly with age. There were significant negative correlations between speech perception in noise and DemTect score for both spatial configurations. Mean SRTs obtained in the co-located noise condition with amplitude-modulated noise were on average 3.1 dB better than with continuous noise. This gap-listening effect was severely diminished compared to a younger normal hearing subject group. In continuous noise, spatial separation of speech and noise led to better SRTs compared to the co-located masker condition. SRTs in MSNF deteriorated in modulated noise compared to continuous noise by 2.6 dB. Highest impact of age was found for speech perception scores using noise stimuli with temporal modulation in binaural test conditions. Mean localization error was in the range of young adults. Mean amount of front/back confusions was 11.5% higher than for young adults. Speech perception tests in the presence of temporally modulated noise can serve as a screening method for early detection of hearing disorders in older adults. This allows for early prescription of hearing aids.
Estimating the age of the developmental stages of the blow fly Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is of forensic relevance for the determination of the minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin). Fly eggs and larvae can be aged using anatomical and morphological characters and their modification during development. However, such methods can only hardly be applied for aging fly pupae. Previous study described age estimation of C. vicina pupae using gene expression, but just when reared at constant temperatures, but fluctuating temperatures represent a more realistic scenario at a crime scene. Therefore, age-dependent gene expression of C. vicina pupae were compared at 3 fluctuating and 3 constant temperatures, the latter representing the mean values of the fluctuating profiles. The chosen marker genes showed uniform expression patterns during metamorphosis of C. vicina pupae bred at different temperature conditions (constant or fluctuating) but the same mean temperature (e.g. constant 10 °C vs. fluctuating 5–15 °C). We present an R-based statistical tool, which enables estimation of the age of the examined pupa based on the analysed gene expression data.
The accumulation of functionally impaired mitochondria is a key event in aging. Previous works with the fungal aging model Podospora anserina demonstrated pronounced age-dependent changes of mitochondrial morphology and ultrastructure, as well as alterations of transcript and protein levels, including individual proteins of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The identified protein changes do not reflect the level of the whole protein complexes as they function in-vivo. In the present study, we investigated in detail the age-dependent changes of assembled mitochondrial protein complexes, using complexome profiling. We observed pronounced age-depen-dent alterations of the OXPHOS complexes, including the loss of mitochondrial respiratory supercomplexes (mtRSCs) and a reduction in the abundance of complex I and complex IV. Additionally, we identified a switch from the standard complex IV-dependent respiration to an alternative respiration during the aging of the P. anserina wild type. Interestingly, we identified proteasome components, as well as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins, for which the recruitment to mitochondria appeared to be increased in the mitochondria of older cultures. Overall, our data demonstrate pronounced age-dependent alterations of the protein complexes involved in energy transduction and suggest the induction of different non-mitochondrial salvage pathways, to counteract the age-dependent mitochondrial impairments which occur during aging.
Alkylglycerol monooxygenase (AGMO) is a tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)-dependent enzyme with major expression in the liver and white adipose tissue that cleaves alkyl ether glycerolipids. The present study describes the disclosure and biological characterization of a candidate compound (Cp6), which inhibits AGMO with an IC50 of 30–100 µM and 5–20-fold preference of AGMO relative to other BH4-dependent enzymes, i.e., phenylalanine-hydroxylase and nitric oxide synthase. The viability and metabolic activity of mouse 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, HepG2 human hepatocytes and mouse RAW264.7 macrophages were not affected up to 10-fold of the IC50. However, Cp6 reversibly inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells towards adipocytes, in which AGMO expression was upregulated upon differentiation. Cp6 reduced the accumulation of lipid droplets in adipocytes upon differentiation and in HepG2 cells exposed to free fatty acids. Cp6 also inhibited IL-4-driven differentiation of RAW264.7 macrophages towards M2-like macrophages, which serve as adipocyte progenitors in adipose tissue. Collectively, the data suggest that pharmacologic AGMO inhibition may affect lipid storage.
Einleitung: Die Obduktion nimmt einen wichtigen Stellenwert in der Medizin ein, da sie nicht nur der Klärung der Todesart und -ursache eines Verstorbenen dient, sondern auch zum Verständnis der Pathophysiologie von Erkrankungen beiträgt. In diesem zweiten Teil der Studie wurden aktuelle Normwerte für das Gewicht für die folgenden adulten Organe entwickelt: Leber, Lunge, Milz, Nieren. Zudem wurden Zusammenhänge zwischen Organgewichten und der Todesart untersucht. Material und Methoden: Die im Dreijahreszeitraum von 2011 bis 2013 im Institut für Rechtsmedizin in Frankfurt am Main durchgeführten Obduktionen wurden retrospektiv ausgewertet. Die statistischen Berechnungen erfolgten mithilfe des Programmes „BiAS. für Windows“ (epsilon-Verlag GbR, Hochheim-Darmstadt, Deutschland). Ergebnisse: Folgende Normwerte bzw. -bereiche wurden an der Studienpopulation erhoben: Leber 1047,0–2740,0 g (♂, n = 191) bzw. 749,0–2182,0 g (♀, n = 115), linke Lunge 230,0–840,0 g (♂, n = 119) bzw. 186,8–891,3 g (♀, n = 97), rechte Lunge 249,3–1005,8 g (♂, n = 116) bzw. 215,3–907,5 g (♀, n = 100), Milz 55,0–373,2 g (♂, n = 306) bzw. 50,0–355,0 g (♀, n = 204), linke Niere 110,0–255,0 g (♂, n = 258) bzw. 71,8–215,0 g (♀, n = 137), rechte Niere 100,0–270,0 g (♂, n = 266) bzw. 75,0–212,1 g (♀, n = 140). Für die am stärksten mit Organgewichten korrelierenden Körpermaße, nämlich Body-Mass-Index (BMI), Körperoberfläche („body surface area“, BSA) und Körpergewicht, wurden nach Subgruppen getrennte Normwerte ermittelt. Ein signifikanter Unterschied des Organgewichtes je nach Todesart lag bei Männern bei der Milz und bei den Nieren vor. Bei Frauen war bei keinem der Organe ein von der Todesart abhängiger signifikanter Gewichtsunterschied feststellbar. Außerdem wurden Organindizes entwickelt, mittels derer der Anwender berechnen kann, ob ein Organgewicht, Körpermaßen bzw. Alter entsprechend, im Normbereich liegt. Diskussion: Organgewichte unterliegen wie Körpermaße einem säkularen Trend, welcher jedoch nicht linear und für jedes Organ individuell verläuft. Für die Auswertung von Organgewichten im Rahmen der Obduktion werden deshalb aktuelle, an einer vergleichbaren Population erhobene Normtabellen benötigt. Bei deren Erstellung können sowohl Fälle mit natürlichem als auch mit nichtnatürlichem Tod unter weitestgehendem Ausschluss pathologisch veränderter Organe herangezogen werden.
Insgesamt geht man von ca. 200 Millionen chronischen Hepatilis-C-Virus (HCV) Trägern in der Welt aus. Der Hauptübertragungsweg der Hepatitis C ist seit der Einführung der Hepatitis C Testung im Blutspendewesen der i.v. Drogenabusus. Die Inzidenz von Neuinfektionen wird in Deutschland auf ca. 5.000/Jahr geschätzt, allerdings verlaufen die meisten akuten Infektionen unauffällig. Für das initiale Screening sind ELISA Tests zum Nachweis HCV spezifischer Antikörper am schnellsten und kostengünstigsten. Bei immungeschwächten Patienten können diese Tests allerdings aufgrund einer verzögerten oder fehlenden Immunantwort versagen. Falsch positive Resultate (insbesondere bei niedriger Reaktivität im Screening ELISA) können durch die Verwendung von rekombinanten Immunoblots verringert werden. In den letzten Jahren wurden Tests zum Nachweis des HCV Core Antigens entwickelt. Diese erwiesen sich als sehr sensitiv und vergleichbar mit der PCR für die Diagnose einer akuten HCV-Infektion. Zur Abklärung positiver oder unklarer serologischer Befunde oder zur Verlaufskontrolle der Viruslast chronisch infizierter Patienten sind Nukleinsäure Amplifikationstests (NAT) aufgrund ihrer höheren Sensitivität nach wie vor Mittel der Wahl. Die Entscheidung, welcher Patient behandelt werden sollte, ist von sehr vielen Faktoren abhängig. Diese sind das Alter des Patienten, der allgemeine Gesundheitszustand, das Risiko einer Zirrhose, Kontraindikation bzgl. der zu verwendenden Medikamente und die Wahrscheinlichkeit eines Therapieerfolgs (Viruslast, Genotyp). Es ist allgemein anerkannt, daß Patienten mit einer hohen Viruslast. (> 2 Million Kopien/ml) und der HCV-Genotyp l schlechter auf eine Therapie ansprechen.
Multiple Sklerose (MS) ist die häufigste entzündliche Erkrankung des zentralen Nervensystems (ZNS) im jungen Erwachsenenalter. Weltweit sind mehr als 2,3 Mio. Menschen betroffen – Frauen doppelt so häufig wie Männer. Die Erkrankung ist gekennzeichnet durch eine autoimmunvermittelte Demyelinisierung im ZNS einhergehend mit motorischen, sensorischen und neuropsychiatrischen Defiziten.
Bereits Charcot beschrieb im 19. Jahrhundert auch psychiatrische Syndrome als Teil der Erkrankung. Am häufigsten treten Depressionen und Angststörungen auf [1]. Im Krankheitsverlauf können auch kognitive Defizite und organische Persönlichkeitsveränderungen hinzukommen [8]. Psychotische Symptome sind selten und spielen eher eine Rolle als Nebenwirkung der MS-Therapie mit Kortikosteroiden und seltener β‑Interferonen [5].
Bei unserer Patientin trat die akute psychotische Störung als erste klinische Manifestation der MS auf und führte zur Diagnosestellung.
Eine barrierefreie Teilnahme am alltäglichen Leben stellt für Menschen mit aktiver Epilepsie häufig eine Herausforderung dar. Epileptische Anfälle können in Kindergarten, Schule und am Arbeitsplatz sowie im häuslichen Umfeld Unsicherheit und Überforderung hervorrufen. Individuell erstellte Pläne für Betreuende, Angehörige, Aufsichtspersonen und den Rettungsdienst sollen im Falle eines akuten Anfalls geeignete Handlungsanweisungen geben. Bisher gibt es hierfür im deutschsprachigen Raum keine standardisierten Vorlagen. Mit den Handlungsplänen bei epileptischen Anfällen für Laien (HEAL) bzw. Therapeuten (HEAT) werden hier 2 Formulare vorgestellt, die zum einen eine standardisierte Grundlage bieten und andererseits leicht auf den individuellen Bedarf angepasst werden können.
Eine barrierefreie Teilnahme am alltäglichen Leben stellt für Menschen mit aktiver Epilepsie häufig eine Herausforderung dar. Epileptische Anfälle können in Kindergarten, Schule und am Arbeitsplatz sowie im häuslichen Umfeld Unsicherheit und Überforderung hervorrufen. Individuell erstellte Pläne für Betreuende, Angehörige, Aufsichtspersonen und den Rettungsdienst sollen im Falle eines akuten Anfalls geeignete Handlungsanweisungen geben. Bisher gibt es hierfür im deutschsprachigen Raum keine standardisierten Vorlagen. Mit den Handlungsplänen bei epileptischen Anfällen für Laien (HEAL) bzw. Therapeuten (HEAT) werden hier 2 Formulare vorgestellt, die zum einen eine standardisierte Grundlage bieten und andererseits leicht auf den individuellen Bedarf angepasst werden können.
Akzidentielle Injektion eines unbekannten Notfallantidots zur Acetylcholinesteraseaktivierung
(2021)
In Deutschland erkranken pro Jahr bis zu 12.000 Menschen neu an Leukämie. Leukämie ist eine schwere onkologische Erkrankung, bei der reifes Knochenmarkgewebe in Folge von Mutationen unreifer und defekter Vorläuferzellen (leukämischen Blasten) verdrängt wird. Dies führt zu einer zunehmend eingeschränkten Blutbildung. Akute Leukämieformen können unbehandelt innerhalb von wenigen Wochen zum Tode führen und erfordern deshalb eine umgehende Diagnostik sowie einen raschen Therapiebeginn. Heilungschancen bestehen dann, wenn durch die Transplantation von gesunden hämatopoetischen Stammzellen (HSZT) das erkrankte Knochenmark ausreichend ersetzt wird. Leider sind Abstoßungsreaktionen des Spendermaterials (engl.: Graft-versus-Host-Disease, GvHD) keine Seltenheit.
Natürliche Killerzellen (NK-Zellen) stellen die kleinste Lymphozytenpopulation im menschlichen Blut dar und werden dem angeborenen Immunsystem zugerechnet. Sie wurden erstmals 1975 durch die Forscher Kiessling, Klein et al. entdeckt.17 Aufgrund ihrer Fähigkeit bestimmte Tumorzellen in vitro zu töten, wächst das Interesse an der Erforschung ihrer aktivierenden und inhibierenden Oberflächenrezeptoren. Die Killer-Zell-Immunoglobulin-ähnlichen Rezeptoren (KIRs) bilden dabei eine besonders diverse NKZell-Rezeptorfamilie. Lokalisiert auf Chromosom 19 liegen bis zu 17 hochpolymorphe KIRGene. Die genetische Ausstattung und Oberflächenexpression variiert von Individuum zu Individuum und bildet die Voraussetzung für die vorhandene Diversität KIR-exprimierender NK-Zellen. NK-Zellen besitzen die Fähigkeit, Gewebezellen in „körpereigen“ oder „fremd“ zu kategorisieren. Inhibitorische Killer-Immunoglobulin-ähnliche Rezeptoren (iKIR) nutzen dazu HLA-Klasse-I-Proteine (MHC-I) auf der Oberfläche gesunder Zellen. Diese schützen sie vor einem zytotoxischen NK-Zell-Angriff. NK-Zellen durchlaufen im Vorfeld einen komplexen Ausbildungssprozess48, an dessen Ende lizensierte Effektorzellen stehen. Diese können mittels gezielter Zytolyse krebstransformierte, zellulär-gestresste, sowie viralinfizierte Zellen im intakten Organismus erkennen und abtöten.
Die Spenderauswahl ist ein wichtiger Faktor für den Erfolg einer Stammzelltransplantation. Infundierte Spender NK-Zellen schützen das Transplantat, indem sie als wirksame Effektorzellen verbleibende Leukämiezellen aktiv eliminieren. Diese wünschenswerte Nebenwirkung wird als Graft-versus-Leukämie (GvL)-Effekt bezeichnet. Ruggeri et al. konnte zeigen, dass insbesondere Transplantationsstrategien, die auf KIR-Ligand-Fehlpaarungen (engl.: KIR-HLA-mismatch) basieren, zu weniger Rückfällen, weniger GvHD und einem besseren Gesamtüberleben bei Patienten mit akuter myeloischer Leukämie (AML) nach HSZT führt. Der KIR-HLA-mismatch wird mittlerweile aufgrund ausreichender Datenlage bei der Auswahl passender NK-Zell-Spender berücksichtigt und die Untersuchung auf die An- bzw. Abwesenheit bestimmter KIR-Gene (Haplotypisierung)
mittlerweile neben der HLA-Typisierung standardisiert in vielen Instituten durchgeführt. Daneben finden sich immer mehr Hinweise dafür, dass bereits einzelne allelische Polymorphismen innerhalb der KIR-Gene einzelner Spender großen Einfluss auf die Funktionalität ihrer NK-Zellen nehmen. Die allelische Subtypisierung von KIRs stellt aufgrund stetig steigender Zahlen neu entdeckter Allele eine Herausforderung dar. Im Januar 2019 sind für KIR2DL1 bereits 66 Allele beschrieben und für KIR3DL1 sogar 150 Allele in der Immuno Polymorphism Database (IPD) hinterlegt.
Die vorliegende Arbeit präsentiert ein praktikables Subtypisierungsverfahren, um allelische Unterschiede innerhalb der Genloci der NK-Zell-Rezeptoren KIR2DL1 und KIR3DL1 zu untersuchen. Für die Experimente wurden NK-Zellen von 20 gesunden Spendern funktionell untersucht und KIR-genetisch analysiert. Ziel war es innerhalb dieser Individuen besonders potente NK-Zellspender zu identifizieren und diese anhand bestimmter Polymorphismen und/ oder der Expression von KIR-Rezeptoren zu charakterisieren. Bei der Subtypisierung der KIR2DL1-Gene konnten 12 verschiedene, bereits bekannte KIR2DL1-Allele bestimmt werden. Die häufigsten Allele waren dabei 2DL1*001, *00201, *00302, *00401 und *00403. 5 der 20 Spender konnten der funktionell hochpotenten R245–Allelgruppe (AS Arginin an Pos. 245) zugeordnet werden. Spender 13 zeigte bei negativer KIR2DL1-SSP eine vermeintlich neue Nullallelvariante, Spender 20 eine neue heterozygote Variante, resultierend in der Kombination eines Arginin mit Alanin (R/A). Bei der allelischer Subtypisierung von KIR3DL1 wurden 25 verschiedene, bereits bekannte KIR3DL1-Allele bei den 20 Spendern bestimmt. Spender 2 zeigt zahlreiche, vorwiegend homozygote Abweichungen von der Referenzfrequenz, insbesondere im Exon 5, und wurde als neue Allelvariante gewertet. Die häufigsten KIR3DL1-Allele waren 3DL1*00101, *002 und *087. Mittels durchflusszytometrischer Messung konnte gezeigt werden, dass das bekannte Nullallel 3DL1*0040101 bei Spender 14 zu keiner Oberflächenexpression des Rezeptors führt215, während Spendern 11 und 16 als Träger des 3DL1*00402 Allels eine Oberflächenexpression von rund 10% präsentierten. Um die Spender NK-Zellen der gebildeten Gruppen funktionell zu testen, wurden die NK-Zellen experimentell mit vier unterschiedlichen transgenen L721.221-Zelllinien stimuliert. Die funktionelle Potenz der
gespendeten NK-Zellen wurde mittels eines CD107-Degranulationsassays gemessen. Nach aktuellem Stand sind nur für 53 der 150 KIR3DL1-Allele die allelischen Expressionsmuster untersucht worden. Dies bedeutet im Umkehrschluss, dass für rund 65% der bekannten KIR3DL1-Allele Daten zur Funktionalität fehlen, und damit der größte Anteil der ermittelten Allele von 6 Spendern der unknown-Expression (KIR3DL1u/u) Gruppe zugeordnet wurde. Die Spender 4 und 19 der high-Expressiongruppe (KIR3DL1h/h), sowie Spender 5 und 10 der KIR3DL1u/u-Gruppe mit den Allelen 3DL1*053, *087, *109 und Spender 2 als Träger zweier neuer KIR3DL1-Allele, zeigten in toto die besten funktionellen Ergebnisse in den Experimenten gegen die verwendete B-lymphoblastoide L721.221-Zellinien. Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit zeigen, dass bei der Spenderauswahl für NK-Zellbasierten Immuntherapie neben der Genotypisierung die allelische KIR-Subtypisierung als wertvolles Werkzeug entschiedener berücksichtigt werden sollte. Dafür ist es jedoch notwendig weiter an KIR-Subtypisierung und -Gruppierung Strategien zu arbeiten, um Natürlichen Killerzellen Wege in die klinische Standardpraxis zu bahnen.
Die allergische Rhinitis hat sich in den letzten Jahrzehnten durch Anstieg der Prävalenz und Zunahme von Symptomhäufigkeit und -schwere zu einem global bedeutsamen und kostenintensiven Gesundheitsproblem entwickelt. Mit Hilfe der derzeit geltenden Behandlungsoptionen kann eine deutliche Verbesserung der Lebensqualität erzielt werden, eine langfristige Heilung ist bislang eher selten und eine Prophylaxe von Neuerkrankungen kaum möglich. Aufgrund des hohen Forschungsaufkommens zur AR existieren weltweit eine Vielzahl an Publikationen, welche z. B. Untersuchungen zur Entschlüsselung der Pathomechanismen dieser multifaktoriellen Erkrankung, Studien für effektive pharmakologische Therapien und Forschungen auf dem Gebiet der Immunmodulation beinhalten.
In dieser Arbeit wurde eine quantitative Analyse dieser wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten unter Zuhilfenahme von szientometrische Verfahren durchgeführt, wobei auf die Daten der Datenbank des "ISI Web of Science" zurückgegriffen wurde. Nach Festlegung eines komplexen Suchbegriffes, der alle relevanten Arbeiten zum Thema der AR einschließt, wurden die 11.951 im ISI WoS veröffentlichten Publikationen (Zeitraum von 1900-2007) im Rahmen von unterschiedlichsten Fragestellungen untersucht und die Ergebnisse kritisch begutachtet. Für die Darstellung der Fakten mit der höchsten Relevanz wurden verschiedene Diagrammarten zur grafischen Präsentation gewählt. Globale Sachverhalte wurden überwiegend anhand von Diffusionskartenanamorphoten veranschaulicht.
Seit Beginn der 90er-Jahre ist ein sprunghafter Anstieg von wissenschaftlichen Veröffentlichungen zum Thema der AR zu konstatieren. Die höchste Zahl an Veröffentlichungen konnte für das letzte Jahr der Analyse mit 923 Artikeln festgestellt werden. Anhand der seit 1991 stark zunehmenden Anzahl an Veröffentlichungen und den bereits seit Mitte der 80er-Jahre anhaltend hohen Zitationszahlen kann spätestens mit Beginn der 90er-Jahre ein großes wissenschaftliches Interesse an der AR insbesondere in den Industrienationen abgelesen werden, welches scheinbar bis zum letzten Analysejahr fortbestand. Fast 50% aller veröffentlichten Artikel stammen aus nur 4 Industrienationen. Dazu zählen die USA, das UK, Deutschland und Japan, wovon allein die USA fast ein Viertel der gesamten Publikationen auf sich vereint.
Mehr als 90% der analysierten wissenschaftlichen Artikel aus über 110 Herkunftsländern wurden in englischer Sprache veröffentlicht. Etwas über 4% aller Artikel wurden in deutscher und ca. 2% in französischer Sprache publiziert.
Bei den Zeitschriftenanalysen hatten vor allem auf Allergie und Immunologie spezialisierte Zeitschriften die größte Anzahl an Veröffentlichungen zu verzeichnen, wobei die Journale "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology" und "Allergy" die meisten Artikel (jeweils über 1.000 Publikationen) veröffentlicht haben. Die Fachzeitschrift "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology" wurde mit Abstand am häufigsten zitiert (35.572 Zitate). Die höchsten Zitationsraten wurden für die weltweit bekannten und renommierten Fachjournale "The New England Journal of Medicine" und "The Lancet" ermittelt.
Nach Ländern gewichtet, wurden vor allem Publikationen aus den USA, dem UK und Deutschland äußerst häufig zitiert. Auch die ermittelten H-Indices dieser 3 Länder waren die höchsten, was bei den Untersuchungen jedoch in direktem Zusammenhang mit der großen Zahl an von diesen Ländern hervorgebrachten wissenschaftlichen Artikel gesehen werden muss. Bei Betrachtung der Zitationsraten liegen beispielsweise andere Länder, wie z. B. Neuseeland, Indien, Norwegen und Finnland, an der Spitze, obwohl dort deutlich weniger Artikel veröffentlicht wurden.
Im Rahmen der Analysen dieser Arbeit konnte aufgezeigt werden, dass die Zahl der Kooperationen zwischen Autoren und Ländern in den letzten Jahren stark zugenommen hat. Als Gründe können z. B. die verbesserten internationalen Beziehungen, die Globalisierung, sowie die sich ständig weiterentwickelnden technischen Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten hervorgehoben werden. Sehr intensive wissenschaftliche Beziehungen konnten zwischen den USA und dem UK, sowie den USA und Kanada, aber auch innerhalb Europas, z. B. zwischen dem UK und Schweden, festgestellt werden.
Die Analysen dieser Arbeit geben für die Datenbank "ISI WoS" in dem untersuchten Zeitraum ein v. a. in den Industrienationen bestehendes, aber tendenziell weltweit zunehmendes Forschungsinteresse zum Thema der AR wieder, wobei v. a. in den letzten Jahren ein Anstieg von nationalen und internationalen Kooperationsbeziehungen zu beobachten war. In den nächsten Jahrzehnten wird sich zeigen inwieweit sich das Publikationsverhalten entwickeln wird und ob beständige Forschung auf diesem Gebiet zu einer deutlichen Reduktion der hohen Prävalenz beitragen kann. Für die Betroffenen bleibt zu hoffen, dass in Zukunft weitere wichtige Erkenntnisse über diese Erkrankung gewonnen und daraus optimierte Behandlungsmöglichkeiten resultieren werden.
Highlights
• Up-to-date overview on developing new medications including candidates with novel bioloigical targets for the treatment of anxiety disorders and PTSD.
• Targeting glutamatergic, cholinergic and neurosteroid mechanisms can produce acute anxiolytic effects.
• Drugs, including psychedelics, are hypothesized to produce neuroplasticity to cause enduring clinical effects.
• Combining medication with psychological approaches may augment therapeutic efficacy.
• Advances in circuit neuroscience can be leveraged to inform the design of rationale drug targets.
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders associated with psychological trauma, stress and anxiety are a highly prevalent and increasing cause of morbidity worldwide. Current therapeutic approaches, including medication, are effective in alleviating symptoms of anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), at least in some individuals, but have unwanted side-effects and do not resolve underlying pathophysiology. After a period of stagnation, there is renewed enthusiasm from public, academic and commercial parties in designing and developing drug treatments for these disorders. Here, we aim to provide a snapshot of the current state of this field that is written for neuropharmacologists, but also practicing clinicians and the interested lay-reader. After introducing currently available drug treatments, we summarize recent/ongoing clinical assessment of novel medicines for anxiety and PTSD, grouped according to primary neurochemical targets and their potential to produce acute and/or enduring therapeutic effects. The evaluation of putative treatments targeting monoamine (including psychedelics), GABA, glutamate, cannabinoid, cholinergic and neuropeptide systems, amongst others, are discussed. We emphasize the importance of designing and clinically assessing new medications based on a firm understanding of the underlying neurobiology stemming from the rapid advances being made in neuroscience. This includes harnessing neuroplasticity to bring about lasting beneficial changes in the brain rather than – as many current medications do – produce a transient attenuation of symptoms, as exemplified by combining psychotropic/cognitive enhancing drugs with psychotherapeutic approaches. We conclude by noting some of the other emerging trends in this promising new phase of drug development.
Background: Because of limitations of transportation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, current recommendation calls for cryopreservation of allogeneic stem cell transplants before patient conditioning. A single cell therapy laboratory was selected to function as the central cryopreservation hub for all European registry donor transplants intended for the Australian-Pacific region. We examined properties of these transplants to ascertain how quality is maintained.
Methods: We analyzed 100 pandemic-related allogeneic mobilized blood-derived stem cell apheresis products generated at 30 collection sites throughout Europe, shipped to and cryopreserved at our center between April and November of 2020. Products were shipped in the cool, subsequently frozen with DMSO as cryoprotectant. Irrespective of origin, all products were frozen within the prescribed shelf-life of 72 h.
Results: Prior to cryopreservation, viable stem cell and leukocyte count according to the collection site and our reference laboratory were highly concordant (r2 = 0.96 and 0.93, respectively) and viability was > 90% in all instances. Median nominal post-thaw recovery of viable CD34+ cells was 42%. Weakly associated with poorer CD34+ cell recovery was higher leukocyte concentration, but not time lag between apheresis or addition of cryopreservant, respectively, and start of freezing. The correlation between pre- and post-thaw CD34+ cell dose was high (r2 = 0.85), hence predictable. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment were prompt with no evidence of dose dependency within the range of administered cell doses (1.31–15.56 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg).
Conclusions: General cryopreservation of allogeneic stem cell transplants is feasible. While more than half of the CD34+ cell content is lost, the remaining stem cells ensure timely engraftment.
Alcoholism is one of the leading and increasingly prevalent reasons of liver associated morbidity and mortality worldwide. Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) constitutes a severe disease with currently no satisfying treatment options. Lipoxin A4 (LXA4), a 15-lipoxygenase (ALOX15)-dependent lipid mediator involved in resolution of inflammation, showed promising pre-clinical results in the therapy of several inflammatory diseases. Since inflammation is a main driver of disease progression in alcoholic hepatitis, we investigated the impact of endogenous ALOX15-dependent lipid mediators and exogenously applied LXA4 on AH development. A mouse model for alcoholic steatohepatitis (NIAAA model) was tested in Alox12/15+/+ and Alox12/15−/− mice, with or without supplementation of LXA4. Absence of Alox12/15 aggravated parameters of liver disease, increased hepatic immune cell infiltration in AH, and elevated systemic neutrophils as a marker for systemic inflammation. Interestingly, i.p. injections of LXA4 significantly lowered transaminase levels only in Alox12/15−/− mice and reduced hepatic immune cell infiltration as well as systemic inflammatory cytokine expression in both genotypes, even though steatosis progressed. Thus, while LXA4 injection attenuated selected parameters of disease progression in Alox12/15−/− mice, its beneficial impact on immunity was also apparent in Alox12/15+/+ mice. In conclusion, pro-resolving lipid mediators may be beneficial to reduce inflammation in alcoholic hepatitis.
The crystal structure of the bovine Rieske iron-sulfur protein indicates a sulfur atom (S-1) of the iron-sulfur cluster and the sulfur atom (Sgamma) of a cysteine residue that coordinates one of the iron atoms form hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl groups of Ser-163 and Tyr-165, respectively. We have altered the equivalent Ser-183 and Tyr-185 in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rieske iron-sulfur protein by site-directed mutagenesis of the iron-sulfur protein gene to examine how these hydrogen bonds affect the midpoint potential of the iron-sulfur cluster and how changes in the midpoint potential affect the activity of the enzyme. Eliminating the hydrogen bond from the hydroxyl group of Ser-183 to S-1 of the cluster lowers the midpoint potential of the cluster by 130 mV, and eliminating the hydrogen bond from the hydroxyl group of Tyr-185 to Sgamma of Cys-159 lowers the midpoint potential by 65 mV. Eliminating both hydrogen bonds has an approximately additive effect, lowering the midpoint potential by 180 mV. Thus, these hydrogen bonds contribute significantly to the positive midpoint potential of the cluster but are not essential for its assembly. The activity of the bc1 complex decreases with the decrease in midpoint potential, confirming that oxidation of ubiquinol by the iron-sulfur protein is the rate-limiting partial reaction in the bc1 complex, and that the rate of this reaction is extensively influenced by the midpoint potential of the iron-sulfur cluster.
Highlights
• A big dataset reveals age-related alterations in EEG biomarkers and cognition.
• Prominent decline of individual alpha peak frequency primarily in temporal lobes.
• A positive association between individual alpha peak frequency and working memory.
• Absence of age-related alpha power decline when controlling for 1/f decay of the PSD.
• Alpha power is negatively associated with the speed of processing in elderly sample.
Abstract
While many structural and biochemical changes in the brain have previously been associated with older age, findings concerning functional properties of neuronal networks, as reflected in their electrophysiological signatures, remain rather controversial. These discrepancies might arise due to several reasons, including diverse factors determining general spectral slowing in the alpha frequency range as well as amplitude mixing between the rhythmic and non-rhythmic parameters. We used a large dataset (N = 1703, mean age 70) to comprehensively investigate age-related alterations in multiple EEG biomarkers taking into account rhythmic and non-rhythmic activity and their individual contributions to cognitive performance. While we found strong evidence for an individual alpha peak frequency (IAF) decline in older age, we did not observe a significant relationship between theta power and age while controlling for IAF. Not only did IAF decline with age, but it was also positively associated with interference resolution in a working memory task primarily in the right and left temporal lobes suggesting its functional role in information sampling. Critically, we did not detect a significant relationship between alpha power and age when controlling for the 1/f spectral slope, while the latter one showed age-related alterations. These findings thus suggest that the entanglement of IAF slowing and power in the theta frequency range, as well as 1/f slope and alpha power measures, might explain inconsistencies reported previously in the literature. Finally, despite the absence of age-related alterations, alpha power was negatively associated with the speed of processing in the right frontal lobe while 1/f slope showed no consistent relationship to cognitive performance. Our results thus demonstrate that multiple electrophysiological features, as well as their interplay, should be considered for the comprehensive assessment of association between age, neuronal activity, and cognitive performance.
Background: Polytraumatized patients undergo a strong immunological stress upon insult. Phagocytes (granulocytes and monocytes) play a substantial role in immunological defense against bacteria, fungi and yeast, and in the clearance of cellular debris after tissue injury. We have reported a reduced monocytes phagocytic activity early after porcine polytrauma before. However, it is unknown if both phagocyte types undergo those functional alterations, and if there is a pathogen-specific phagocytic behavior. We characterized the phagocytic activity and capacity of granulocytes and monocytes after polytrauma.
Methods: Eight pigs (Sus scrofa) underwent polytrauma consisting of lung contusion, liver laceration, tibial fracture and hemorrhagic shock with fluid resuscitation and fracture fixation with external fixator. Intensive care treatment including mechanical ventilation for 72 h followed. Phagocytic activity and capacity were investigated using an in vitro ex vivo whole blood stimulation phagocytosis assays before trauma, after surgery, 24, 48, and 72 h after trauma. Blood samples were stimulated with Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and incubated with FITC-labeled E. coli, S. aureus or S. cerevisiae for phagocytosis assessment by flow cytometry.
Results: Early polytrauma-induced significant increase of granulocytes and monocytes declined to baseline values within 24 h. Percentage of E. coli-phagocytizing granulocytes significantly decreased after polytrauma and during further intensive care treatment, while their capacity significantly increased. Interestingly, both granulocytic phagocytic activity and capacity of S. aureus significantly decreased after trauma, although a recovery was observed after 24 h and yet was followed by another decrease. The percentage of S. cerevisiae-phagocytizing granulocytes significantly increased after 24 h, while their impaired capacity after surgery and 72 h later was detected. Monocytic E. coli-phagocytizing percentage did not change, while their capacity increased after 24–72 h. After a significant decrease in S. aureus-phagocytizing monocytes after surgery, a significant increase after 24 and 48 h was observed without capacity alterations. No significant changes in S. cerevisiae-phagocytizing monocytes occurred, but their capacity dropped 48 and 72 h.
Conclusion: Phagocytic activity and capacity of granulocytes and monocytes follow a different pattern and significantly change within 72 h after polytrauma. Both phagocytic activity and capacity show significantly different alterations depending on the pathogen strain, thus potentially indicating at certain and possibly more relevant infection causes after polytrauma.