[Health service aspects of electroconvulsive therapy: analysis of external referrals to a university medical center].

Background: The application of ECT in Germany varies widely depending on regional availability. This shortfall in ECT supply is partly compensated via referrals to hospitals with ECT services, yet restricted by limited resources in these clinics.

Objective: External referrals for ECT were investigated at the University Medical Center Göttingen.

Genome-wide association study identifies inversion in the locus to modify risk for alcoholic and non-alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.

Objective: Alcohol-related pancreatitis is associated with a disproportionately large number of hospitalisations among GI disorders. Despite its clinical importance, genetic susceptibility to alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (CP) is poorly characterised. To identify risk genes for alcoholic CP and to evaluate their relevance in non-alcoholic CP, we performed a genome-wide association study and functional characterisation of a new pancreatitis locus.

Does "Individual Placement and Support" Satisfy the Users' Needs?

This study aims to investigate clients' satisfaction with individual placement and support (IPS) at the University Hospital for Psychiatry Zurich (PUK). Furthermore, this study aims to investigate if clients feel the approach of IPS as a useful approach to fulfill their needs. One hundred twenty-five people were recruited from one of the three IPS services of PUK and were asked to complete a structured questionnaire.

Using platelet-rich plasma to treat jumper's knees: Exploring the effect of a second closely-timed infiltration.

Objectives: Some clinical series have evaluated the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of proximal patellar tendinopathy. Although it is possible that a single infiltrative administration may prove to be an effective treatment for this indication, most of the existing studies evaluated the effects of two or three successive infiltrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether two infiltrations of PRP proves more effective than a single treatment.

Corrigendum: Core competencies for pharmaceutical physicians and drug development scientists.

[This corrects the article on p. 105 in vol. 4, PMID: 23986704.

Core competencies for pharmaceutical physicians and drug development scientists.

Professional groups, such as IFAPP (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine), are expected to produce the defined core competencies to orient the discipline and the academic programs for the development of future competent professionals and to advance the profession. On the other hand, PharmaTrain, an Innovative Medicines Initiative project, has become the largest public-private partnership in biomedicine in the European Continent and aims to provide postgraduate courses that are designed to meet the needs of professionals working in medicines development. A working group was formed within IFAPP including representatives from PharmaTrain, academic institutions and national member associations, with special interest and experience on Quality Improvement through education.

Variants in CPA1 are strongly associated with early onset chronic pancreatitis.

Chronic pancreatitis is an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas. We analyzed CPA1, encoding carboxypeptidase A1, in subjects with nonalcoholic chronic pancreatitis (cases) and controls in a German discovery set and three replication sets. Functionally impaired variants were present in 29/944 (3.

Energy recapture through deceleration - regenerative braking in electric vehicles from a user perspective.

Unlabelled: We report results from a 1-year field study (N = 80) on user interactions with regenerative braking in electric vehicles. Designed to recapture energy in vehicles with electric powertrains, regenerative braking has an important influence on both the task of driving and energy consumption. Results from user assessments and data from onboard data loggers indicate that most drivers quickly learned to interact with the system, which was triggered via accelerator.

European initiative towards quality standards in education and training for discovery, development and use of medicines.

This position paper recommends a set of standards for quality assessment of continuing professional development (CPD) for medicines research and development (R&D). We have developed these standards to help us achieve the education and training goals of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI; www.imi.

In vivo comparison of hard tissue regeneration with human mesenchymal stem cells processed with either the FICOLL method or the BMAC method.

Objective: To compare new bone formation in maxillary sinus augmentation procedures using biomaterial associated with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) separated by two different isolation methods.

Background: In regenerative medicine open cell concentration systems are only allowed for clinical application under good manufacturing practice conditions.

Methods: Mononuclear cells, including MSCs, were concentrated with either the synthetic polysaccharide (FICOLL) method (classic open system--control group, n = 6 sinus) or the bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) method (closed system--test group, n = 12 sinus) and transplanted in combination with biomaterial.

The preeminence of clusters.

Many cities and countries still view the foundation of a biotech sector as desirable for a high-tech, intellectually driven economy. But a discussion by seasoned biotech management and investors suggests that attaining an environment with the right mix of money, management and innovation remains a difficult and long-term challenge.

Solar wind neon from Genesis: implications for the lunar noble gas record.

Lunar soils have been thought to contain two solar noble gas components with distinct isotopic composition. One has been identified as implanted solar wind, the other as higher-energy solar particles. The latter was puzzling because its relative amounts were much too large compared with present-day fluxes, suggesting periodic, very high solar activity in the past.

Ca2+-agonistic effect of a T-type Ca-channel blocker mibefradil (Ro 40-5967).

Here we report that a Ca2+ antagonist mibefradil (Ro 40-5967) which has been shown to be a selective inhibitor of T-type calcium channels increases free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the cytoplasm of cultured smooth muscle cells isolated from porcine coronary artery. Smooth muscle cells were loaded with Fura 2 and a videoimage system was used to follow the [Ca2+]i responses. It was shown that at a concentration of 1 nM mibefradil induced a transient [Ca2+]i elevation in individual cells and at a concentration of 100 nM this compound stimulated almost all the cells in monolayer.

Cardiovascular care with the new T-type calcium channel antagonist: possible role of attendant sympathetic nervous system inhibition.

DIFFERENCES AMONG TYPES OF CALCIUM ANTAGONISTS: Calcium antagonists lower blood pressure, relieve angina pectoris and improve chronic heart failure, primarily through peripheral and coronary vasodilation. The debate as to whether short-acting, long-lasting (L)-channel calcium influx antagonists of the 1,4-dihydropyridine type might be involved in excess cardiac mortality has raised new controversies with respect to the cardiac morbidity and mortality outcome for all calcium antagonists. Different pharmacodynamic effects (short-acting vasodilation inducing pulsatile sympathetic reflex stimulation) may explain differences in outcome with calcium antagonist therapies.

Ligand selectivity of 105 kDa and 130 kDa lipoprotein-binding proteins in vascular-smooth-muscle-cell membranes is unique.

Using ligand blotting techniques, with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) as ligand, we have previously described the existence of atypical lipoprotein-binding proteins (105 kDa and 130 kDa) in membranes from human aortic medical tissue. The present study demonstrates that these proteins are also present in membranes from cultured human (aortic and mesenteric) and rat (aortic) vascular smooth-muscle cells (VSMCs). To assess the relationship of 105 and 130 kDa lipoprotein-binding proteins to known lipoprotein receptors, ligand binding specificity was studied.

Prevention of neointima formation by mibefradil after vascular injury in rats: comparison with ACE inhibition.

Cilazapril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and mibefradil, a selective T-type voltage-operated calcium channel blocker, have been shown to prevent neointima formation after vascular injury. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the mechanism of action of both drugs. For this purpose, the influence of the renin angiotensin system on the effects of mibefradil (30 mg/kg po) and cilazapril (10 mg/kg po) on neointima formation after carotid injury were evaluated in normotensive rats (normal renin angiotensin system) and DOCA hypertensive rats (suppressed renin angiotensin system).

Low- and high-density lipoproteins as mitogenic factors for vascular smooth muscle cells: individual, additive and synergistic effects.

The mitogenic activities of low (LDL)- and high (HDL)-density lipoproteins have been examined in cultures of human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). LDL and HDL3 dose-dependently (EC50 values approximately 50 micrograms/ml) stimulated DNA and protein synthesis ([3H]-thymidine and [3H]-leucine incorporation, respectively) in the absence of exogenously added mitogens. The synthetic responses of VSMC to combinations of LDL and HDL3 were additive, indicating that each lipoprotein mediates discrete effects.

Mibefradil prevents neointima formation after vascular injury in rats. Possible role of the blockade of the T-type voltage-operated calcium channel.

Mibefradil is a novel calcium antagonist that is selective for the T-type voltage-operated calcium channel rather than the L type. Because T-type calcium channels are present on rapidly proliferating cells and mediate the increase of intracellular calcium induced by some growth factors, such as platelet-derived growth factor, we hypothesized that the blockade of T channels could prevent the excessive smooth muscle cell proliferation that occurs in conditions such as vascular injury. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated in rats the effects of mibefradil (which blocks both L- and T-type channels) on neointima formation after vascular injury, and we compared them with those of equihypotensive doses of amlodipine and verapamil (which block only L-type channels).

Endothelium-modulated proliferation of medial smooth muscle cells: influence of angiotensin II and converting enzyme inhibition.

This study investigated the role of the endothelium and angiotensin II (Ang II) in regulating medial smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. [3H]-thymidine incorporation into medial SMC of rat arteries was examined in vivo, using ballooned rat carotid arteries, as well as in vitro, using cultures of aortic tissue rings (organoids). In vivo, maximal medial [3H]-thymidine incorporation occurred within 3 days post-ballooning.

Functional aspects of vascular tenascin-C expression.

The arterial tenascin C expression in vivo and in vitro has been studied using immunohistochemistry. The functional relevance of localized tenascin C expression was assessed in vitro using various human cell types involved in the progression of vascular disease. Normotensive and hypertensive rats exhibited age-dependent patterns of vascular (aorta) tenascin expression, but the lumen-to-media-directed progression of tenascin induction was accelerated in hypertensive rats.

Diminished vascular response to inhibition of endothelium-derived nitric oxide and enhanced vasoconstriction to exogenously administered endothelin-1 in clinically healthy smokers.

Background: Smoking is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. Because endothelial dysfunction may be a marker for future atherosclerosis, we investigated the effects of smoking on endothelium-dependent control of vascular tone.

Methods And Results: The effects of brachial arterial infusions of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), a nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor; sodium nitroprusside; endothelin-1; and norepinephrine on forearm blood flow (strain-gauge plethysmography) were compared in 29 long-term smokers and 16 nonsmokers.

Activation of human peripheral monocytes by angiotensin II.

This study has investigated the ability of the vasoconstrictor peptide angiotensin II to activate human peripheral blood monocytes. Activation was monitored by measuring both the release of tumor necrosis factor alpha from monocytes and their adhesion to monolayers of human endothelial cells. Angiotensin II-elicited activation of monocytes was dose-dependent (half-maximally effective concentration approximately 0.

Angiotensin-II-induced expression of laminin complex and laminin A-chain-related transcripts in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Laminin, a major structural glycoprotein complex of basement membranes has been found to be modulated by angiotensin II in vitro and in vivo. In cultures of aortic organoids and vascular smooth muscle cells, expression of laminin was stimulated by exogenous vasoconstrictor peptide. Stimulation of laminin protein and mRNA expression was observed for both laminin B1/B2-chains and an unknown laminin heavy chain.