Protein Kinase D Is Dispensable for Development and Survival of .

Members of the Protein Kinase D (PKD) family are involved in numerous cellular processes in mammals, including cell survival after oxidative stress, polarized transport of Golgi vesicles, as well as cell migration and invasion. PKD proteins belong to the PKC/CAMK class of serine/threonine kinases, and transmit diacylglycerol-regulated signals. Whereas three PKD isoforms are known in mammals, contains a single PKD homolog.

Establishing and monitoring of urethral sphincter deficiency in a large animal model.

Background: Different methods for induction and monitoring of urethral sphincter deficiency were explored in a large animal model.

Methods: Sphincter deficiency was established in female pigs by dilatation and cauterization, and amount and frequencies of voiding were monitored and explored by pad test. Sphincteric closure pressures were recorded prior to and immediately after treatment of each animal, and on day 21 by two techniques: standard urethral pressure profilometry (s-UPP) and high-definition urethral pressure profilometry (HD-UPP).

Precise injection of human mesenchymal stromal cells in the urethral sphincter complex of Göttingen minipigs without unspecific bulking effects.

Aim: To investigate if injection of cells in the urethral sphincter complex causes unspecific bulking effects.

Methods: Human mesenchymal stromal cells were isolated, expanded, and characterized. For transurethral injection, cells were labeled with the fluorescent dye PKH26 and in magnetic resonance imaging associated experiments with superparamagnetic particles.

Collagen cell carriers seeded with human urothelial cells for urethral reconstructive surgery: first results in a xenograft minipig model.

Purpose: Urethral strictures are a common disease of the lower urinary tract in men. At present, the use of buccal mucosa is the method of choice for long or recurrent strictures. However, autologous tissue-engineered grafts are still under investigation for reconstructive urological surgery.

Assessing the reproducibility of high definition urethral pressure profilometry and its correlation with an air-charged system.

Introduction: Recently, a new urodynamic method for the assessment of stress urinary incontinence called high definition urethral pressure profilometry (HD-UPP) has been introduced. This method combines a novel microtip catheter with advanced signal processing to enable spatial data location and the reconstruction of a pressure image inside the urethra. In order to assess the reproducibility of HD-UPP data, we statistically evaluate HD-UPP datasets and compare them to data from a double balloon air-charged system.

Signal processing in urodynamics: towards high definition urethral pressure profilometry.

Background: Urethral pressure profilometry (UPP) is used in the diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) which is a significant medical, social, and economic problem. Low spatial pressure resolution, common occurrence of artifacts, and uncertainties in data location limit the diagnostic value of UPP. To overcome these limitations, high definition urethral pressure profilometry (HD-UPP) combining enhanced UPP hardware and signal processing algorithms has been developed.

Eliminating pulse-induced artifacts in Urethral Pressure data.

Urethral Pressure Profilometry (UPP) is a tool in the diagnosis of urinary incontinence. The pressure profile along the urethra is measured by a special catheter in order to assess the contraction strength of the sphincter muscle. The use of microtip catheters with several pressure sensors and an integrated acceleration sensor enables signal reconstruction of the pressure distribution on the urethra's inside.

High definition urethral pressure profilometry: Evaluating a novel microtip catheter.

Introduction: Urethral pressure profilometry (UPP) is used in the diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). SUI is a significant medical, social, and economic problem, affecting about 12.5% of the population.

A novel transgenic rat model for spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 recapitulates neuropathological changes and supplies in vivo imaging biomarkers.

Spinocerebellar ataxia 17 (SCA17) is an autosomal-dominant, late-onset neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat in the TATA-box-binding protein (TBP). To further investigate this devastating disease, we sought to create a first transgenic rat model for SCA17 that carries a full human cDNA fragment of the TBP gene with 64 CAA/CAG repeats (TBPQ64). In line with previous observations in mouse models for SCA17, TBPQ64 rats show a severe neurological phenotype including ataxia, impairment of postural reflexes, and hyperactivity in early stages followed by reduced activity, loss of body weight, and early death.

NKp80 defines and stimulates a reactive subset of CD8 T cells.

NKp80, an activating homodimeric C-type lectin-like receptor (CTLR), is expressed on essentially all human natural killer (NK) cells and stimulates their cytotoxicity and cytokine release. Recently, we demonstrated that the ligand for NKp80 is the myeloid-specific CTLR activation-induced C-type lectin (AICL), which is encoded in the natural killer gene complex (NKC) adjacent to NKp80. Here, we show that NKp80 also is expressed on a minor fraction of human CD8 T cells that exhibit a high responsiveness and an effector memory phenotype.