[Nationwide survey of postgraduate medical training in clinical neurology].

Background: Currently, no data are available, which reflect the situation of medical doctors specializing in neurology in German hospitals. In order to secure the high standard of neurological patient care it is essential to evaluate the working conditions and the specialty training in neurology.

Objective: This nationwide survey was conducted throughout Germany with the aim to address problems and to give suggestions for improvements in neurological training curricula.

Detection and quantification of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) release by normal human megakaryocytes.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are known as protein cytokines involved in differentiation as well as in maturation processes within the hematopoietic system. Both enhance the proliferation and/or collagen synthesis in fibroblasts and are found within the alpha-granules of megakaryocytes. To learn more about the regulation mechanisms involving synthesis and secretion of these cytokines it is important to develop suitable experimental conditions.

Secretion of cytokines (interleukins-1 alpha, -3, and -6 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) by normal human bone marrow megakaryocytes.

The effects of cytokine stimulation [recombinant human interleukin (rhIL)-1 alpha, rhIL-3, rhIL-6, rhIL-11, and rh granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)] on the secretory activity of normal human megakaryocytes were studied by means of the reverse hemolytic plaque assay (RHPA) in enriched cell preparations. This test facilitates an extremely sensitive determination of cytokine secretion at the single-cell level, together with the clear-cut identification of each immunostained (CD61) secretory active megakaryocyte. Moreover, the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to investigate the expression of IL-6, IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), IL-9, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-13 mRNA in highly concentrated megakaryocyte preparations.