Gelation Kinetics and Mechanical Properties of Thiol-Tetrazole Methylsulfone Hydrogels Designed for Cell Encapsulation.

Hydrogel precursors that crosslink within minutes are essential for the development of cell encapsulation matrices and their implementation in automated systems. Such timescales allow sufficient mixing of cells and hydrogel precursors under low shear forces and the achievement of homogeneous networks and cell distributions in the 3D cell culture. The previous work showed that the thiol-tetrazole methylsulfone (TzMS) reaction crosslinks star-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels within minutes at around physiological pH and can be accelerated or slowed down with small pH changes.

Assessment of Bioenergetic Deficits in Patients With Parkinson Disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Using P-MRSI.

Background And Objective: Bioenergetic disturbance, mainly caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, is an established pathophysiologic phenomenon in neurodegenerative movement disorders. The in vivo assessment of brain energy metabolism by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging could provide pathophysiologic insights and serve in the differential diagnosis of parkinsonian disorders. In this study, we investigated such aspects of the underlying pathophysiology in patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PwPD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PwPSP).

Increased Subcortical Sodium Levels in Patients with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease characterized by an aggressive disease course. Total and intracellular-weighted sodium imaging (Na-MRI) is a promising method for investigating neurodegeneration in vivo. We enrolled 10 patients with PSP and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects; all study subjects underwent a neurological examination, whole-brain structural, and (total and intracellular-weighted) Na-MRI.

The cerebellar bioenergetic state predicts treatment response in COQ8A-related ataxia.

Introduction: Primary coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) deficiency, a recessive disorder associated with various defects of CoQ10 biosynthesis and widely varying clinical presentation, is customarily managed by oral Q10 supplementation but the benefit is debated.

Methods: To address this question, we mapped individual responses in two patients with COQ8A-related ataxia following coenzyme Q10 supplementation using noninvasive imaging. Metabolic phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging (P-MRSI) and volumetric cerebellar neuroimaging were performed to quantify the individual treatment response in two patients with COQ8A-related ataxia, each compared with eight age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects.

Relationship between brain iron deposition and mitochondrial dysfunction in idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Background: The underlying pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease is complex, involving different molecular pathways, including brain iron deposition and mitochondrial dysfunction. At a molecular level, these disease mechanisms are likely interconnected. Therefore, they offer potential strategies for disease-modifying treatments.

Aromatic Xanthates and Dithiocarbamates for the Polymerization of Ethylene through Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT).

Aromatic xanthates and dithiocarbamates were used as chain-transfer agents (CTAs) in reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerizations of ethylene under milder conditions (≤80 °C, ≤200 bar). While detrimental side fragmentation of the intermediate radical leading to loss of living chain-ends was observed before with alkyl xanthate CTAs, this was absent for the aromatic CTAs. The loss of living chain-ends was nevertheless detected for the aromatic xanthates via a different mechanism based on cross-termination.

Polymer Nanospheres with Hydrophobic Surface Groups as Supramolecular Building Blocks Produced by Aqueous PISA.

A robust and straightforward synthesis of waterborne polymer nanospheres bearing the supramolecular association unit dialkoxynapthalene at their surface is presented using polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA). A RAFT agent bearing this unit is first employed to produce poly(acrylic acid) chains, which are then chain-extended with styrene (S) to spontaneously form the nano-objects via RAFT aqueous emulsion polymerization. The particular challenge posed by the dialkoxynapthalene hydrophobicity can be overcome by the use of PISA and the deprotonation of the poly(acrylic acid).

Controlled Radical Polymerization of Ethylene Using Organotellurium Compounds.

The first successfully controlled radical polymerization (CRP) of ethylene is reported using several organotellurium chain-transfer agents (CTAs) under mild conditions (70 °C, 200 bar of ethylene) within the concept of organotellurium-mediated radical polymerization (TERP). In contrast to preceding works on CRPs of ethylene applying reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT), the TERP system provided a high livingness and chain-end functionalization of polyethylene chains. Molar-mass distributions with dispersities between 1.

Spherical Gold-Nanoparticle Assemblies with Tunable Interparticle Distances Mediated by Multifunctional RAFT Polymers.

A strategy for the controlled assembly of gold nanocrystals into dispersed three-dimensional superstructures is presented. A multifunctional RAFT agent was used to prepare multiblock polystyrene (4.4-17.

Switch-like reprogramming of gene expression after fusion of multinucleate plasmodial cells of two Physarum polycephalum sporulation mutants.

Nonlinear dynamic processes involving the differential regulation of transcription factors are considered to impact the reprogramming of stem cells, germ cells, and somatic cells. Here, we fused two multinucleate plasmodial cells of Physarum polycephalum mutants defective in different sporulation control genes while being in different physiological states. The resulting heterokaryons established one of two significantly different expression patterns of marker genes while the plasmodial halves that were fused to each other synchronized spontaneously.

Physarum polycephalum mutants in the photocontrol of sporulation display altered patterns in the correlated expression of developmentally regulated genes.

Physarum polycephalum is a lower eukaryote belonging to the amoebozoa group of organisms that forms macroscopic, multinucleate plasmodial cells during its developmental cycle. Plasmodia can exit proliferative growth and differentiate by forming fruiting bodies containing mononucleate, haploid spores. This process, called sporulation, is controlled by starvation and visible light.

Highly variable mycophenolate mofetil bioavailability following nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation.

This study determined the oral bioavailability of mycophenolic acid, the active metabolite of mycophenolate mofetil, in patients undergoing nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation. Eighteen adults receiving a preparative regimen containing fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and total body irradiation were studied. Immune suppression consisted of cyclosporine and mycophenolate 1 g twice daily.

Distributions of local oxygen saturation and its response to changes of mean arterial blood pressure in the cerebral cortex adjacent to arteriovenous malformations.

Background And Purpose: To test the hypothesis that neither "steal" as cortical ischemia caused by reduced perfusion pressure nor "breakthrough" on the grounds of loss of pressure autoregulation exist in brain tissue surrounding arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), we established patterns of cortical oxygen saturation (SO(2)) adjacent to AVMs and its behavior after alterations of mean arterial blood pressure.

Methods: With a microspectrophotometer, SO(2) was scanned in the cortex around AVMs of 44 patients before and after resection and in that of a non-AVM group (n=42) before transsylvian dissection. Autoregulation was evaluated by linear regression analysis after elevation of mean arterial blood pressure (5 microg/min IV noradrenaline).

[Concentration-dependent changes in the latency and amplitude of somatosensory-evoked potentials by desflurane, isoflurane and sevoflurane].

Purpose: Comparison of the influence of desflurane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane on the parameters of cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP).

Methods: A total of 41 patients were randomly allocated to either the isoflurane, desflurane or sevoflurane group. Following induction with propofol and intubation, concentration of the volatile anaesthetic was kept constant at 1.

[Profile of the effect of succinylcholine after pre-curarization with atracurium, vecuronium or pancuronium].

Objective: The depolarizing muscle relaxant succinylcholine (SCh) may cause several side effects including muscle fasciculations and postoperative myalgia. These can be attenuated or even prevented by prior administration of a non-depolarizing muscle relaxant. A study was conducted to detect any difference between clinically established approaches concerning the successful prevention of muscular side effects and the influence on the time profile of SCh action.

[Objective quantification of spinal anesthesia by somatosensory evoked potentials after tibial nerve stimulation].

Eight patients (ASA status I) who had to undergo minor surgery of the knee received spinal anaesthesia by 80 mg hyperbaric mepivacaine. Clinical parameters of the block were compared with somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) after tibial nerve stimulation. Depending on the degree of nervous block, the early components P40, N50 and P60 of the cortical tibial SEP underwent characteristic changes.

[Severe impairment of peritoneal cavity muscles in intensive care patients (comparative anatomic studies of respiration)].

The vital function respiration is kept up by the modifiable basal activity of the thin muscles of the abdominal cavity. The diaphragm is an important part of the respiratory muscular system. The muscular system of the 'splanchnocranium' exhibits a normal spontaneous activity, which is mostly open in the laryngeal region and mostly closed in the anorectal continence organ.

Molecular analysis of mutations in thyroid tumors with TGGE.

Immunohistochemical demonstration of overexpression of the p53 protein indicates a mutational alteration of the gene. Our own investigations of 59 differentiated thyroid carcinomas revealed an overexpression in 15% of the tumors. A correlation to unfavourable tumor prognosis was found (stage I and II: 0/11 (0%); stage III: 4/26 (14%); stage IV: 5/22 (23%)).

[Muscle relaxation with no effect on oxygen uptake during isoflurane anesthesia?].

To determine the effects of vecuronium neuromuscular blockade on O2 consumption (VO2) during isoflurane anaesthesia 12 patients were studied. 12 patients (ASA-PS I-II, 37.1 +/- 12.

[A difficult intubation in a case of endolaryngeal paraganglioma].

In a female patient aged 71, a tumor of unknown histology almost completely occupied the whole of the supraglottic space. Because of the valve-like behaviour of the tumor, the patient could not be ventilated by mask. Therefore, preoxygenation and preservation of spontaneous breathing were essential.

[Treatment of fallopian tube pregnancies with prostaglandins].

In a study, the clinical use of prostaglandin F2 alpha in local and systemic application in women with ectopic pregnancies were studied (1, 9). Two different treatment schedules were defined and applied. In group A, patients with a diagnosed ectopic and beta-HCG level lower than 850 mIU/ml were treated with prostaglandin F2 alpha i.

Adaptive feedback-controlled infusion versus repetitive injections of vecuronium in patients during isoflurane anesthesia.

Study Objective: To compare vecuronium requirements using repetitive injections and a model-based, closed-loop, feedback-controlled infusion during isoflurane anesthesia.

Design: Randomized open study.

Setting: Departments of Anesthesiology and Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgery at a university hospital.

[Electrophysiologic studies in polyneuropathy of intensive care patients].

Polyneuropathy of the critically ill patient has gained attention in recent years. The symptoms of muscle weakness and impaired somatosensory perception are more obvious for the observer and recognizable for the conscious patient, if heavy long-term sedation is avoided. The cause of polyneuropathy remains unclear and diagnostic findings are still rare and partly controversial.