Publications by authors named "Graf B"

Article Synopsis
  • Fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis is a growing concern in healthcare settings, leading to outbreaks similar to those caused by Candida auris, with a notable outbreak documented in Berlin from late 2018 through 2022.
  • A retrospective study employed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to analyze samples from various healthcare facilities to track the spread and resistance patterns of this pathogen.
  • The research aimed to create a reliable multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) system to better understand and monitor the outbreak, using patient records and genomic data to analyze transmission dynamics.
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Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) are widely used viral vectors for in vivo gene therapy. The purification of AAV, particularly the separation of genome-containing from empty AAV capsids, is usually time-consuming and requires expensive equipment. In this study, we present a novel laboratory scale anion exchange flow-through polishing method designed to separate full and empty AAV.

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  • The significance of prehospital cervical spine immobilization in trauma patients is debated, especially due to potential negative effects like increased intracranial pressure, necessitating further research on the long-term use of rigid orthoses.
  • A study was conducted comparing cervical spine mobility when using a vacuum mattress with and without a rigid orthosis during simulated emergency transport in an ambulance.
  • Results showed statistically significant differences in biomechanical parameters, indicating that the use of a rigid orthosis may impact cervical spine movement during transport, but further investigation is needed to draw firm conclusions.
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  • A significant number of COVID-19 patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome developed secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC) as a liver complication during the pandemic.
  • 17 patients were diagnosed and treated for COVID-19 SSC at a medical center between February 2020 and October 2022, with data analyzed to identify risk factors and treatment methods.
  • The study found that 2.6% of severe COVID-19 patients developed SSC, with high mortality rates; however, endoscopic treatments showed promise in managing biliary issues and could serve as a bridge to liver transplantation.
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Background: Opioid induced hyperalgesia (OIH) describes a state of altered pain sensation due to opioid exposure. It often occurs among persons with opioid use disorder receiving substitution therapy.

Methods: The purpose of this study was to find out, whether OIH diagnosis could be facilitated by an objective pain indicating marker: the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex (NFR).

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  • Accurate renal function assessment is crucial for drug pharmacokinetics, and iohexol clearance closely reflects the glomerular filtration rate, although traditional methods involve intravenous injections which carry risks.
  • A study involving 37 intensive care patients compared iohexol clearance determined through high-performance liquid chromatography to glomerular filtration rate estimations using CKD-EPI-2021 formulas, finding nonlinear fitting to be more precise and reliable.
  • The results showed that while bias was slightly greater when comparing iohexol clearance with creatinine and cystatin C, the overall agreement was better and this method can be effectively implemented in clinical and pharmacological settings.
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Background/aim: One in two people will develop a tumor during their lifetime. Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is one of the most aggressive types of cancer in humans with very poor long-term survival. A central role in the carcinogenesis of pancreatic cancer has been attributed to NFAT transcription factors.

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  • Assessing how well our bodies can absorb nutrients is complicated due to various digestion stages and regulatory systems in our cells.
  • Different models exist to study nutrient absorption, which makes it challenging to evaluate the resulting data.
  • This research aims to clarify the various models used to test how food compounds pass through our body, taking into account the unique characteristics of different molecules while providing comparative data.
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(L.) Moench is a medicinal plant commonly used for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, the common cold, sore throat, migraine, colic, stomach cramps, and toothaches and the promotion of wound healing. Based on the known pharmacological properties of essential oils (EOs), we hypothesized that EOs may contribute to these medicinal properties.

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Fatty acids (FAs) play a central metabolic role in living cells as constituents of membranes, cellular energy reserves, and second messenger precursors. A 2.6 MDa FA synthase (FAS), where the enzymatic reactions and structures are known, is responsible for FA biosynthesis in yeast.

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Background/aim: The transcription factors NFATc2 and Sp1 play a key role in the progression of pancreatic cancer because they interact inside the cells and exert their carcinogenic effect through transcriptional modification. Drugs can also induce a variety of oncogenic signalling cascades. The risk of tumour progression and metastasis seems to be significantly increased in the perioperative period.

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  • * Out of 140 patients, 16 developed POD, and it was more common in men and those with lower mental scores.
  • * The researchers found that music and positive suggestions did not change the occurrence of POD, pain levels, or need for medications after surgery.
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Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive malignancies in humans. The main reason for its unfavourable prognosis is the combination of rapid tumour growth, early-onset metastasis and currently still inadequate diagnostic and therapeutic options. Thus, only very few patients are eligible for radical resection of the primary tumour as the only curative treatment option available so far.

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  • Patients with COVID-19 and severe respiratory failure may need veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO), but due to its complexity and high mortality rates, identifying suitable candidates is crucial.
  • This study analyzed 129 patients who received VV ECMO to find predictors of survival, focusing on factors like age and platelet count at the start of the treatment.
  • Key findings revealed that younger age and higher platelet counts significantly correlated with better outcomes, allowing for risk stratification into three groups with varying mortality rates based on a combination of clinical parameters.
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This paper presents the design and implementation of a scalable laser ranger finder (LRF)-based prototype system, which enables distance measurement and precise localization of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in real-time. The system consists of a telescope and camera as the image acquisition components, supplemented by an LRF and a fast steering mirror (FSM) to obtain the distance measurement. By combining the optical path of the camera and the LRF through a dichroic mirror, the LRF is accurately aligned by the FSM based on the angular position of a UAV within the camera field of view.

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Background/aim: The influence of surgical interventions and anaesthesiological procedures on tumour progression was investigated as early as the 1920s. In current cancer management, the perioperative phase is increasingly being considered a vulnerable period with an increased risk of tumour cell dissemination due to medication, surgical manipulation, and immunosuppression. The extent to which narcotics administered in the perioperative setting influence the oncological outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer is still unclear.

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A significant number of patients with severe cardiovascular disease, undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), present with hypertension. While internal mammary arteries (IMAs) may be a better alternative to vein grafts, their impaired vasodilator function affects their patency. Our objectives were to (1) determine if inhibition of the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP1B1, using liposome-encapsulated 2,3′,4,5′-tetramethoxystilbene (TMS), can potentiate vasodilation of IMAs from CABG patients, and (2) assess mechanisms involved using coronary arteries from normal rats, in an ex vivo model of hypertension.

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Fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis plays a central role in the metabolism of living cells as building blocks of biological membranes, energy reserves of the cell, and precursors to second messenger molecules. In keeping with its central metabolic role, FA biosynthesis impacts several cellular functions and its misfunction is linked to disease, such as cancer, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Cellular FA biosynthesis is conducted by fatty acid synthases (FAS).

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Background: In a previous study, we had investigated the intensive care course of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the first wave in Germany by calculating models for prognosticating in-hospital death with univariable and multivariable regression analysis. This study analyzed if these models were also applicable to patients with COVID-19 in the second wave.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 98 critical care patients with COVID-19, who had been treated at the University Medical Center Regensburg, Germany, between October 2020 and February 2021.

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Background: Candida auris a frequently multidrug-resistant yeast species that poses a global health threat due to its high potential for hospital outbreaks. While C. auris has become endemic in parts of Asia and Africa, transmissions have so far rarely been reported in Western Europe except for Great Britain and Spain.

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