No clinically relevant relationship between different quantitative measurement methods of the lateral femoral condyle morphology on lateral radiographs in anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients.

Purpose: To clarify whether different methods of quantifying lateral femoral condyle (LFC) bone morphology as risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury on lateral radiographs should be considered as individual risk factors and to assess inter- and intraobserver reliability.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 487 patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction at our institution. Routine lateral radiographs of the injured knees were utilized to measure the following parameters: LFC ratio (LFCR), height of LFC to anteroposterior diameter ratio (HAPR), femur tibia size ratio (FTSR), tibia to posterior femoral condyle ratio (TPFCR) and Porto ratios (XY/AB; B/AB; B/XY).

Patients' and caregivers' perception of multidimensional and palliative care in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - protocol of a German multicentre study.

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an inevitably fatal condition that leads to a progressive loss of physical functioning, which results in a high psychosocial burden and organizational challenges related to medical care. Multidimensional and multiprofessional care is advised to meet the complex needs of patients and their families. Many healthcare systems, including Germany, may not be able to meet these needs because non-medical services such as psychological support or social counselling are not regularly included in the care of patients with ALS (pwALS).

Preoperative ultrasound elastography for postoperative pancreatic fistula prediction after pancreatoduodenectomy: A prospective study.

Background: Postoperative pancreatic fistulas are the most frequent major complications after pancreatoduodenectomy. The soft pancreatic texture is a critical, independent risk factor for postoperative pancreatic fistulas after pancreatoduodenectomy. The current gold standard for postoperative pancreatic fistula risk evaluation consists of the surgeon's intraoperative palpation of the pancreatic texture and, thus, lacks objectivity.

[The informed decision as an aim of evidence-based health information: the example of cancer screening].

In order to enable people to make an informed decision about participating in cancer screening, disadvantages like medical risks have be communicated in addition to advantages. The information in the decision aids should be evidence-based, neutral, balanced, understandable, and adequate in scope. The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) was commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) in 2014 and 2015 to develop decision aids in the form of brochures on participation in mammography, colorectal cancer, and cervical cancer screening, which are now in use.

Increased chitotriosidase 1 concentration following nusinersen treatment in spinal muscular atrophy.

Background: Studies regarding the impact of (neuro)inflammation and inflammatory response following repetitive, intrathecally administered antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) in 5q-associated spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are sparse. Increased risk of hydrocephalus in untreated SMA patients and a marginal but significant increase of the serum/CSF albumin ratio (Qalb) with rare cases of communicating hydrocephalus during nusinersen treatment were reported, which confirms the unmet need of an inflammatory biomarker in SMA. The aim of this study was to investigate the (neuro)inflammatory marker chitotriosidase 1 (CHIT1) in SMA patients before and following the treatment with the ASO nusinersen.

In-Orbit Performance of the GRACE Follow-on Laser Ranging Interferometer.

The Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) instrument on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-On mission has provided the first laser interferometric range measurements between remote spacecraft, separated by approximately 220 km. Autonomous controls that lock the laser frequency to a cavity reference and establish the 5 degrees of freedom two-way laser link between remote spacecraft succeeded on the first attempt. Active beam pointing based on differential wave front sensing compensates spacecraft attitude fluctuations.

Motor Unit Number Index (MUNIX) of hand muscles is a disease biomarker for adult spinal muscular atrophy.

Objective: There is still insufficient knowledge about natural history in adult spinal muscular atrophy, thus valid markers for treatment and disease monitoring are urgently needed.

Methods: We studied hand muscle innervation pattern of 38 adult genetically confirmed 5q spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients by the motor unit number index (MUNIX) method. Data were compared to healthy controls and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and systematically correlated to typical disease-relevant scores and other clinical as well as demographic characteristics.

Regulatory link between steryl ester formation and hydrolysis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Steryl esters and triacylglycerols are the major storage lipids of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Steryl esters are formed in the endoplasmic reticulum by the two acyl-CoA:sterol acyltransferases Are1p and Are2p, whereas steryl ester hydrolysis is catalyzed by the three steryl ester hydrolases Yeh1p, Yeh2p and Tgl1p. To shed light on the regulatory link between steryl ester formation and hydrolysis in the maintenance of cellular sterol and free fatty acid levels we employed yeast mutants which lacked the enzymes catalyzing the degradation of steryl esters.

Defects in triacylglycerol lipolysis affect synthesis of triacylglycerols and steryl esters in the yeast.

Tgl3p, Tgl4p and Tgl5p are the major triacylglycerol lipases of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalyzing degradation of triacylglycerols stored in lipid droplets. Previous results from our laboratory (Athenstaedt and Daum, 2005, J. Biol.

Rapid revelation of radiocarbon records with laser ablation Accelerator Mass Spectrometry.

By focusing high-intensity laser pulses on carbonate samples carbon dioxide is generated and can be directly introduced into the gas ion source (GIS) of an Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (AMS). This new technique allows rapid radiocarbon analyses at high spatial resolution. The design of the deignated laser ablation cell as well as first results on a stalagmite sample are presented.

Modifications of the C terminus affect functionality and stability of yeast triacylglycerol lipase Tgl3p.

Lipid droplets are specific organelles for the storage of triacylglycerols and steryl esters. They are surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer with a small but specific set of proteins embedded. Assembly and insertion of proteins into this surface membrane is an intriguing question of lipid droplet biology.

Up-regulation of the chemokine CCL18 by macrophages is a potential immunomodulatory pathway in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most frequent form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), which can deteriorate from patch stage to dermal-based tumors and systemic involvement in years. The interaction of chemokines in the skin with CTCL cells might have implications for the pathogenesis of the disease. In this study, we show by PCR analysis and immunofluorescence staining that the chemokine CCL18 is present in skin biopsy specimens of patients with MF and its precursor form parapsoriasis en plaque but not in healthy tissue.

Epithelial endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis in sporadic idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Rationale: The molecular pathomechanisms underlying idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are elusive, but chronic epithelial injury has recently been suggested as key event.

Objectives: We investigated the possible implication of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis in sporadic IPF.

Methods: We analyzed peripheral explanted lung tissues from patients with sporadic IPF (n = 24), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n = 9), and organ donors (n = 12) for expression of major ER stress mediators and apoptosis markers by means of immunoblotting, semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and the TUNEL method.

Patterns of linkage disequilibrium in the MHC region on human chromosome 6p.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome are thought to be organised into blocks of high internal linkage disequilibrium (LD), separated by intermittent recombination hotspots. Since understanding haplotype structure is critical for an accurate assessment of inter-individual genetic differences, we investigated up to 968 SNPs from a 10-Mb region on chromosome 6p21, including the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC), in five different population samples (45-550 individuals). Regions of well-defined block structure were found to coexist alongside large areas lacking any clear structure; occasional long-range LD was observed in all five samples.