GFAP and NfL as fluid biomarkers for clinical disease severity and disease progression in multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Background: Multiple system atrophy (MSA), an atypical parkinsonian syndrome, is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with currently no established fluid biomarkers available. MSA is characterized by an oligodendroglial α-synucleinopathy, progressive neuronal cell loss and concomitant astrocytosis. Here, we investigate glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) as fluid biomarkers for differential diagnosis, assessment of clinical disease severity and prediction of disease progression in MSA.

[Neuroprotective treatment of tauopathies].

Tau pathology is now considered to be the main cause of a wide spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases, which are collectively referred to as tauopathies. These include primary tauopathies, in which tau plays the main role in the pathogenesis as well as secondary tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease, in which amyloid beta also plays a substantial role in the disease process in addition to the tau pathology. Primary tauopathies include progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, Pick's disease and rare hereditary tauopathies, which are referred to as frontotemporal lobar degeneration with microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) mutation.

Blood-Vessel Mimicking Structures by Stereolithographic Fabrication of Small Porous Tubes Using Cytocompatible Polyacrylate Elastomers, Biofunctionalization and Endothelialization.

Blood vessel reconstruction is still an elusive goal for the development of in vitro models as well as artificial vascular grafts. In this study, we used a novel photo-curable cytocompatible polyacrylate material (PA) for freeform generation of synthetic vessels. We applied stereolithography for the fabrication of arbitrary 3D tubular structures with total dimensions in the centimeter range, 300 µm wall thickness, inner diameters of 1 to 2 mm and defined pores with a constant diameter of approximately 100 µm or 200 µm.

Systematic Limitations in Concentration Analysis via Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering in the Small Structure Limit.

Anomalous small angle scattering measurements have been applied to diluted solutions of anionic polyacrylates decorated by specifically-interacting Pb cations, revealing partial collapse of the polyacrylate into pearl-like subdomains with a size on the order of a few nanometers. From the pure-resonant scattering contribution of the Pb cations, and from subsequent analysis of the resonant-invariant, the amount of Pb cations condensed onto the polyanions with respect to the total amount of Pb cations in the solvent was estimated. In order to scrutinize systematic limitations in the determination of the chemical concentrations of resonant scattering counterions in the collapsed phase, Monte Carlo simulations have been performed.

The arachidonic acid metabolome serves as a conserved regulator of cholesterol metabolism.

Cholesterol metabolism is closely interrelated with cardiovascular disease in humans. Dietary supplementation with omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids including arachidonic acid (AA) was shown to favorably affect plasma LDL-C and HDL-C. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.

Predictive value of plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 for coronary restenosis: dependence on stent implantation and antithrombotic medication.

Background: The plasmin activation system is involved in the development of restenosis after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Conflicting data exist concerning the role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and its predictive value for restenosis.

Objectives: To evaluate the fibrinolytic response to injury after PCI with or without stent implantation on different antithrombotic medications and its relation to late restenosis.

Impairment of the plasmin activation system in primary pulmonary hypertension: evidence for gender differences.

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a rare disorder, with marked in-situ thrombosis of small pulmonary vessels occurring primarily in adult women. We investigated whether differences in the plasmin- and thrombin activation system are associated with the predominate affection of females. Plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), fibrinogen, thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes, and prothrombin fragments (F1.