Standardization to Characterize the Complexity of Vessel Network Using the Aortic Ring Model.

Regeneration after ischemia requires to be promoted by (re)perfusion of the affected tissue, and, to date, there is no therapy that covers all needs. In treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), the secretome acts via paracrine mechanisms and has a positive influence on vascular regeneration via proangiogenic factors. A lack of standardization and the high complexity of vascular structures make it difficult to compare angiogenic readouts from different studies.

Highly Diastereoselective Access to Densely Functionalized Piperidine Cores of Influenza Endonuclease Inhibitors via a Metal-Free S1 Approach.

A novel, highly diastereoselective, and metal-free synthesis of multisubstituted piperidines via an S1 approach is reported in this study. The method allows for the preparation of highly functionalized compounds with exceptional diastereomeric selectivities and consistently reproducible yields. These compounds are of significant interest due to their remarkable biological activities toward influenza endonuclease.

Quality-assured treatment in certified cancer center networks in upper Franconia, Germany: a population-centered retrospective cohort analysis based on data of the Bavarian cancer registry.

Background: Cancer is the second most common cause of death in Germany, and treatment in certified cancer networks is recommended to ensure high-quality care. This study sought to (1) determine the percentage of all primary tumors that might potentially have been treated in certified cancer networks and (2) assess the development and current state of quality-assured cancer care for all cancer patients from a locally defined region in Upper Franconia, Germany.

Methods: This study was a population-centered retrospective cohort analysis based on data from the Bavarian Cancer Registry (2017-2023).

Electrocatalytic Reduction of Disulfide Bonds across Chemical Modalities.

The chemical properties of disulfides are leveraged in a wide array of applications, ranging from protein-drug conjugates for cancer treatment to self-healing materials. However, disulfide reduction strategies remain severely underdeveloped despite being the key to efficiently accessing the desired targets. Specifically, no homogeneous catalyst has been reported for this reaction, and conditions that allow the use of mild and green reductants (e.

Stretch-induced damage in endothelial monolayers.

Endothelial cells are constantly exposed to mechanical stimuli, of which mechanical stretch has shown various beneficial or deleterious effects depending on whether loads are within physiological or pathological levels, respectively. Vascular properties change with age, and on a cell-scale, senescence elicits changes in endothelial cell mechanical properties that together can impair its response to stretch. Here, high-rate uniaxial stretch experiments were performed to quantify and compare the stretch-induced damage of monolayers consisting of young, senescent, and aged endothelial populations.

Development of an iPSC-derived tissue-resident macrophage-based platform for the in vitro immunocompatibility assessment of human tissue engineered matrices.

Upon implanting tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs), blood-derived macrophages are believed to orchestrate the remodeling process. They initiate the immune response and mediate the remodeling of the TEHV, essential for the valve's functionality. The exact role of another macrophage type, the tissue-resident macrophages (TRMs), has not been yet elucidated even though they maintain the homeostasis of native tissues.

Sexual dimorphisms in skeletal muscle: current concepts and research horizons.

The complex compositional and functional nature of skeletal muscle makes this organ an essential topic of study for biomedical researchers and clinicians. An additional layer of complexity is added with the consideration of sex as a biological variable. Recent research advances have revealed sexual dimorphisms in developmental biology, muscle homeostasis, adaptive responses, and disorders relating to skeletal muscle.

[Quality-assured treatment in certified breast cancer centre networks in Upper Franconia, Germany: An analysis based on data of the Bavarian Cancer Registry].

Objectives: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the most common cancer-related cause of death among women in Germany. The treatment in certified breast cancer centre networks is recommended to ensure high-quality care. The aim of the study was to determine the percentage of breast cancer patients receiving cancer treatment in certified breast cancer centre networks in Upper Franconia, Germany.

Consensus statement-graft treatment in cardiovascular bypass graft surgery.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is and continues to be the preferred revascularization strategy in patients with multivessel disease. Graft selection has been shown to influence the outcomes following CABG. During the last almost 60 years saphenous vein grafts (SVG) together with the internal mammary artery have become the standard of care for patients undergoing CABG surgery.

Targeting Lipoprotein(a): Can RNA Therapeutics Provide the Next Step in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease?

Numerous genetic and epidemiologic studies have demonstrated an association between elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) and cardiovascular disease. As a result, lowering Lp(a) levels is widely recognized as a promising strategy for reducing the risk of new-onset coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. Lp(a) consists of a low-density lipoprotein-like particle with covalently linked apolipoprotein A (apo[a]) and apolipoprotein B-100, which explains its pro-thrombotic, pro-inflammatory, and pro-atherogenic properties.

Outcomes after surgical revascularization in diabetic patients.

Objectives: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have been repeatedly demonstrated to have worse clinical outcomes compared to patients without DM. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of DM on 1-year clinical outcomes after isolated CABG.

Methods: The European DuraGraft registry included 1130 patients (44.

The Relative Efficacy of Available Proteasome Inhibitors in Preventing Muscle Contractures Following Neonatal Brachial Plexus Injury.

Background: Contractures following neonatal brachial plexus injury (NBPI) are associated with growth deficits in denervated muscles. This impairment is mediated by an increase in muscle protein degradation, as contractures can be prevented in an NBPI mouse model with bortezomib (BTZ), a proteasome inhibitor (PI). However, BTZ treatment causes substantial toxicity (0% to 80% mortality).

The elicitation of patient and physician preferences for calculating consumer-based composite measures on hospital report cards: results of two discrete choice experiments.

The calculation of aggregated composite measures is a widely used strategy to reduce the amount of data on hospital report cards. Therefore, this study aims to elicit and compare preferences of both patients as well as referring physicians regarding publicly available hospital quality information METHODS: Based on systematic literature reviews as well as qualitative analysis, two discrete choice experiments (DCEs) were applied to elicit patients' and referring physicians' preferences. The DCEs were conducted using a fractional factorial design.

Endothelial damage inhibitor preserves the integrity of venous endothelial cells from patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery.

Objectives: Despite the success of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery using autologous saphenous vein grafts (SVGs), nearly 50% of patients experience vein graft disease within 10 years of surgery. One contributing factor to early vein graft disease is endothelial damage during short-term storage of SVGs in inappropriate solutions. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of a novel endothelial damage inhibitor (EDI) on SVGs from patients undergoing elective CABG surgery and on venous endothelial cells (VECs) derived from these SVGs.

The role of sympathetic innervation in neonatal muscle growth and neuromuscular contractures.

Neonatal brachial plexus injury (NBPI), a leading cause of pediatric upper limb paralysis, results in disabling and incurable muscle contractures that are driven by impaired longitudinal growth of denervated muscles. A rare form of NBPI, which maintains both afferent and sympathetic muscle innervation despite motor denervation, protects against contractures. We have previously ruled out a role for NRG/ErbB signaling, the predominant pathway governing antegrade afferent neuromuscular transmission, in modulating the formation of contractures.

Treatment of Cardiac Fibrosis with Extracellular Vesicles: What Is Missing for Clinical Translation?

Heart failure is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality and currently affects more than 60 million people worldwide. A key feature in the pathogenesis of almost all forms of heart failure is cardiac fibrosis, which is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components in the heart. Although cardiac fibrosis is beneficial in the short term after acute myocardial injury to preserve the structural and functional integrity of the heart, persistent cardiac fibrosis contributes to pathological cardiac remodeling, leading to mechanical and electrical dysfunction of the heart.

Preferences of People Living with HIV for Long-Acting Antiretroviral Treatment in Germany: Evidence from a Discrete Choice Experiment.

Objective: This study aimed to elicit preferences for attributes of current and novel long-acting antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus treatment.

Methods: Primary survey data were collected (July-October 2022) on a sample of 333 people living with human immunodeficiency virus in Germany from a patient recruitment agency. Respondents were invited by e-mail to respond to a web-based questionnaire.

Midterm outcomes of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery in a heterogeneous valve pathology cohort: respect or resect?

Background: Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIV) through a right lateral thoracotomy has become the standard of care at specialized centers and might soon will be the only acceptable surgical treatment option in the future era of interventional procedures. The aim of our study was to analyze the outcomes of our MIV-specialized, single-center, mixed valve pathology cohort with regard to morbidity, mortality and midterm outcomes comparing two different repair techniques (respect versus resect).

Methods: Baseline and operative variables, postoperative outcomes and follow-up information about survival, valve competence and freedom from reoperation were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

A clinical study to evaluate the safe and effective use of a new, single use stethoscope cover to enable reduction in pathogen transmission during auscultation.

Objectives: Stethoscopes carry a significant risk for pathogen transmission. Here, the safe use and performance of a new, non-sterile, single-use stethoscope cover (SC), that is impermeable for pathogens, was investigated by different healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the postoperative care setting of an intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: Fifty-four patients underwent routine auscultations with the use of the SC (Stethoglove, Stethoglove GmbH, Hamburg, Germany).