Hepatocyte-specific disruption of soluble epoxide hydrolase attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm formation: novel role of the liver in aneurysm pathogenesis.

Introduction: Inflammation is a key pathogenic feature of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a pro-inflammatory enzyme that converts cytochrome P450-derived epoxides of fatty acids to the corresponding diols, and pharmacological inhibition of sEH prevented AAA formation. Both cytochrome P450 enzymes and sEH are highly expressed in the liver.

Central sympathetic chemosensitivity and Kir1 potassium channels in the cat.

The possible involvement of potassium channels in central chemosensitivity, with special reference to the Kir1.1 potassium channel, was investigated by studying the CO(2) response of presympathetic neurons in the rostroventrolateral medulla (RVLM) in the absence or presence of various K(+) channel inhibitors. Synaptic input to RVLM neurons was blocked by local injection of omega-agatoxin and omega-conotoxin.

Central hypercapnic chemoreflex modulation of renal sympathetic nerve activity in experimental heart failure.

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in the pathophysiology and progression of congestive heart failure (CHF). The precise mechanisms responsible for sympathetic activation in CHF are not yet clearly established. An altered central hypercapnic chemoreflex modulation of sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) might be an explanation.

Lack of neurotrophin-4 causes selective structural and chemical deficits in sympathetic ganglia and their preganglionic innervation.

Neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) is perhaps the still most enigmatic member of the neurotrophin family. We show here that NT-4 is expressed in neurons of paravertebral and prevertebral sympathetic ganglia, i.e.

[Quality assurance (general) at the medical school of Heidelberg as a model].

Because of new social and professional challenges, especially in the developed countries, there is a trend towards change and quality assurance is taking place in medical education over the past 20 years. In Heidelberg, the new way of teaching the students by general practitioners includes quality assurance by questionnaires, reports of practice visits, quality conferences of the teachers, and co-operation of the students. 90% of the students recommended the practice-based structured program as very useful, especially the work with the patients in the general practices, 87% of the teaching general practitioners accepted special criteria for teaching; by this way an academic general practice can be established to meet the future expectations of primary medical care.