Intramyocardial angiogenetic stem cells and epicardial erythropoietin save the acute ischemic heart.

Ischemic heart failure is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. An early boost of intracardiac regenerative key mechanisms and angiogenetic niche signaling in cardiac mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could improve myocardial infarction (MI) healing. Epicardial erythropoietin (EPO; 300 U kg) was compared with intraperitoneal and intramyocardial EPO treatments after acute MI in rats (=156).

Encephalitozoon cuniculi causes focal anterior cataract and uveitis in dogs.

Three mongrel dogs, aged 10 months (case 1), 14 months (case 2) and 7.5 years (case 3), were presented because of ophthalmologic disorders of 4 months, 6 months and 7 years duration, respectively. All three dogs were offspring of stray dogs from Hungary and Serbia and had positive serum antibody titres against Encephalitozoon (E.

Detection of Encephalitozoon cuniculi in the feline cataractous lens.

Purpose: Identification of Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) as a possible causative agent for cataracts and uveitis in cats.

Methods: Within a 12-month study period, cats that were presented with focal anterior cortical or mature cataract and secondary uveitis underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, complete blood count, serum biochemistry, serologic tests for E.

Age-related changes in seminal polymorphonuclear elastase in men with asymptomatic inflammation of the genital tract.

Aim: To investigate age-related inflammatory events in the male genital tract.

Methods: In a total of 4265 randomly collected patients attending the andrological outpatient clinic of the Center for Dermatology and Andrology, University of Giessen, Germany, ejaculate volume, pH-value, sperm concentration, total and progressive sperm motility, concentration of polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase, number of peroxidase-positive cells and fructose were measured and correlated with patient's age.

Results: While ejaculate volume, motility and fructose all correlated negatively with age, sperm concentration, PMN elastase and the pH-value showed a positive correlation.

Seasonal changes of neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in human semen.

Although there are contradictory reports, the biochemical evaluation of the seminal activity of neutral alpha-glucosidase (NAG) has repeatedly been described as an important parameter to test epididymal patency and is recommended by the WHO. Because, for a number of diagnostic parameters, seasonal variations have been described even in the human, it was the aim of this study to investigate possible circannual changes of NAG. This is an important aspect of andrological diagnosis, as seasonal changes of specific diagnostic parameters might have an impact on the accuracy and predictive power of these parameters, which in turn might have an effect on the therapeutic concept for the patients.