Interleukin-11 Overexpression and M2 Macrophage Density are Associated with Angiogenic Activity in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To investigate the expression of IL-11 and its receptor IL-11Rα and to quantify density of CD163⁺ M2 macrophages in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).     

The curvilinear relationship of early-life adversity and successful aging: the mediating role of mental health

Objectives: The steeling effect suggests that early-life adversity can have a beneficial impact later in life. However, little is known about its underlying mechanisms and long-term outcomes . The study aimed to examine the role of early-life adversity (ELA) on successful aging, and whether this relationship can be explained by mental and physical health.

Method: Socio-demographics, early-life adversity (ELA), individual quality of life (iQoL), and mental and physical health of 270 individuals (M_age = 66.82 years, 71.5% female) were assessed. Polynomial regressions and mediation analyses were conducted.

Results: Significant inverse U-shaped associations were found between ELA and iQoL (β = ?.59, p = .005) and between ELA and mental health (β = ?.64, p = .002), but not between ELA and physical health. Furthermore, mental health significantly mediated the relationship between ELA and iQoL (b = ?.84, BCa CI [?1.66, ?.27]).

Conclusion: Highest level of individual quality of life (i.e. successful aging) was related to a moderate amount of ELA. Additionally, mental health significantly mediated this relationship. These findings suggest that some amount of ELA could be beneficial for successful aging. Resource-focused interventions are needed to improve health and promote successful aging for an underdetected, at-risk subgroup with low early-life adversity.     

Urogynäkologische Diagnostik – Update 2019

Zur erfolgreichen Therapie von komplexen Beckenbodenfunktionsstörungen wie Harninkontinenz und Genitalsenkung ist eine individuelle und abgestufte Diagnostik unverzichtbar. Eine Erfassung aller störenden Symptome mit Einschätzung des Leidensdrucks sowie eine urogynäkologische Untersuchung mit verschiedenen Funktionstests sind leicht durchführbar und erfordern keinen technischen Aufwand. Die Einschätzung des Ausmaßes der Beckenbodenschädigung und die Evaluation der Koordinations‑, Relaxations- und Kontraktionsfähigkeit der Levatormuskulatur geben Aufschluss über einen adäquaten Therapiestart. Die Durchführung einer Beckenbodensonographie sollte ebenfalls großzügig erfolgen. Die 2‑D-Sonographie liefert in der Inkontinenzdiagnostik vielfältige und ausreichende Informationen, wie Mobilität der Harnröhre und Lagekontrolle von eingelegten Bändern. Bei Prolapszuständen könnte der 3‑D-Ultraschall durch Detektion tieferer Muskelschichten wertvolle Zusatzbefunde aufzeigen, die eine noch bessere Planung des Operationsverfahrens und Aufklärung der Patientin ermöglichen. Die urodynamische Untersuchung und die Urethrozystoskopie sollten individuell bei Bedarf Einsatz finden.     

Electronic speckle pattern interferometry: a novel non-invasive tool for studying drug transport rate through free films.

In this work, Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) is presented as a non-invasive tool to study drug transport in controlled release systems. ESPI is shown to be a feasible tool to measure drug film permeability via comparison with an ordinary diaphragm cell. A specially designed cuvette was used in the release study: the polymeric film separated the donor and the receiving chambers of the cuvette to create a diffusion cell with no mixing in the two chambers. Thus, the cuvette mimicked a coated system immersed in a stagnant bulk liquid. Concentration profile data were obtained for the two compartments. Using these data, it was possible to visually discriminate between a film subject only to diffusion and a film subject to diffusion as well as osmotic effects. Moreover, using the concentration profile data collected at different time intervals, it was possible to follow the film properties in terms of drug permeability, thus studying how drug permeability depended on drug concentration. Compared to other measuring techniques, ESPI offers the advantages that no invasive measurements are needed, and that no sampling and calibration are required. Furthermore, the permeability can be measured with no influence of mass transfer in the boundary layers.     

Changing mortality patterns in Nauruans: an example of epidemiological transition.

An analysis of mortality data for the years 1982-5 was carried out for the Micronesian population (aged 15 years and over) of the central Pacific Island, Nauru. Among males, the most common causes of death were circulatory system disorders (33.3%), accidents (25.2%), and diabetes mellitus (12.1%). The majority of accidents occurred in the 15-34 year age group and involved motor vehicles. Among females, neoplasms (almost all lung and cervix) (22.4%), circulatory system disorders (20.7%), and diabetes mellitus (17.2%) were the most common causes of death. When accidents are excluded, 59.4% of deaths were in persons with diabetes. Compared with Australia, mortality rates in almost all age groups were at least five times higher for males and females for a comparable period. Nauruan life expectancy (39.5 years for men and 48.5 years for women) is one of the lowest in the world. These data confirm the high mortality associated with diabetes mellitus in Nauruans as evidenced in earlier studies. Modernization of this society through the affluence acquired by the mining of phosphate has led to serious public health problems relating to non-communicable diseases so that the mortality trends now mirror those of developed societies.     

Intravenous fate of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-based polyplexes

The objective of this study was to assess the in vivo fate of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (pDMAEMA)-based polyplexes after intravenous administration into mice. Circulation kinetics and tissue distribution in terms of plasmid localization and transfection efficiency were assessed. To gain more insight into the observed biodistribution and gene expression profile, the interaction of pDMAEMA-based polyplexes with blood components (erythrocytes and albumin) was investigated in vitro. In the case of i.v. injection of positively charged polyplexes at a dose of 30 microg DNA most of the radioactivity was found in the lungs and the liver 60 min after injection. In the case of pDMAEMA/DNA polyplexes with a negative charge, uptake occurred mainly by the liver. Administration of positively charged complexes at a 30 microg DNA dose resulted in reporter gene expression primarily in the lungs. Injection of negatively charged complexes and naked plasmid did not result in luciferase expression in any of the organs examined. In vitro turbidity experiments showed the induction of a charge dependent aggregation process upon addition of albumin to the polyplexes pointing out to the involvement of aggregate formation in the dominant lung uptake of the positively charged polyplexes. Also, incubations of polyplexes after pre-incubation with a physiological concentration of albumin with washed erythrocytes confirmed that polyplexes induce the formation of extremely large structures. This paper underlines the need for the design of systems with reduced interaction with blood components to promote the delivery of DNA to target tissues outside the lungs.     

Sollen in Krankenanstalten von Allen Patienten Seroreaktionen auf Lues Angestellt Werden?

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The relevance of therapeutic drug monitoring in plasma and erythrocytes in anti-cancer drug treatment.

Therapeutic drug monitoring generally focuses on the plasma compartment only. Differentiation between the total plasma concentration and the free fraction (plasma water) has been described for a number of limited drugs. Besides the plasma compartment, blood has also a cellular fraction which has by far the largest theoretical surface and volume for drug transport. It is with anti-cancer drugs that major progress has been made in the study of partition between the largest cellular blood compartment, i.e., erythrocytes, and the plasma compartment. The aim of the present review is to detail the progress made in predicting what a drug does in the body, i.e., pharmacodynamics including toxicity and plasma and/or red blood cell concentration monitoring. Furthermore, techniques generally used in anti-cancer drug monitoring are highlighted. Data for complex Bayesian statistical approaches and population kinetics studies are beyond the scope of this review, since this is generally limited to the plasma compartment only.     

Holographic interferometry forIn Vitro investigation of bioprosthetic valves

Dysfunction of heart valve prostheses—mechanical as well as biological—is a common problem in cardiac surgery. The reasons for the valve failures are still not well understood. Biological valves especially have an unsatisfactory durability; degeneration and calcification very often lead to the failure of the valves. In our opinion, hidden defects present in the valve material prior to implantation of the valves is a plausible explanation for the dysfunction. Hitherto there has been no technique to detect these defects without destructing the specimen. Holographic interferometry proved to be applicable forin vitro evaluation of mechanical heart valve prostheses. In the present paper we describe application of this method to biological valves. Nine porcine bioprostheses and four fresh porcine aortic valves were investigated by means of holographic interferometry. In eight of nine bioprostheses, the results showed irregularities of the leaflet structure which depend on anomalies of the connective tissue of the leaflets of the valves. To make sure that these findings are not due to normal variations of the morphology, the investigations were carried out with fresh and unfixated porcine aortic valves. In the latter, no such anomalies of the structure were detected. The results obtained confirm the above hypothesis on the origin of the later valve dysfunction. Thus, holographic interferometry tests of bioprostheses prior to their implantation prevent the use of potentially dysfunctional valves.Presented at the 35th World Congress, International College of Angiology, Copenhagen, Denmark, July 1993