Activity and components of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor pathway in hidradenitis suppurativa.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease, characterized by painful, purulent and destructive skin alterations in intertriginous areas.

Objectives: We investigated the expression and role in HS of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), the regulator of neutrophil biology, as clinical signs of a neutrophilic granulocyte-driven inflammation are distinctive in the disease.

Methods: Skin and blood samples obtained from different cohorts of patients with HS and control individuals were assessed by RNA sequencing, quantitative polymerase chain reaction on reverse transcribed mRNA, and/or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Automatic identification of relevant chemical compounds from patents.

In commercial research and development projects, public disclosure of new chemical compounds often takes place in patents. Only a small proportion of these compounds are published in journals, usually a few years after the patent. Patent authorities make available the patents but do not provide systematic continuous chemical annotations.

The IL-1 Pathway Is Hyperactive in Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Contributes to Skin Infiltration and Destruction.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) (also designated acne inversa) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by painful purulent skin lesions and progressive destruction of skin architecture. Despite the high burden for the patients, pathogenetic pathways underlying HS alterations remain obscure. When we examined the HS cytokine pattern, IL-1β turned out to be a highly prominent cytokine, overexpressed even compared with psoriatic lesions.

The CHEMDNER corpus of chemicals and drugs and its annotation principles.

The automatic extraction of chemical information from text requires the recognition of chemical entity mentions as one of its key steps. When developing supervised named entity recognition (NER) systems, the availability of a large, manually annotated text corpus is desirable. Furthermore, large corpora permit the robust evaluation and comparison of different approaches that detect chemicals in documents.

Ontology-based content analysis of US patent applications from 2001-2010.

Ontology-based semantic text analysis methods allow to automatically extract knowledge relationships and data from text documents. In this review, we have applied these technologies for the systematic analysis of pharmaceutical patents. Hierarchical concepts from the knowledge domains of chemical compounds, diseases and proteins were used to annotate full-text US patent applications that deal with pharmacological activities of chemical compounds and filed in the years 2001-2010.

Computed tomography of the abdomen in Saanen goats: III. kidneys, ureters and urinary bladder.

This study describes the findings of computed tomography (CT) of the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder and adrenal glands in 28 healthy female Saanen goats. CT examination and anatomical slice preparation postmortem was performed as described in the first communication. After subjective evaluation of the CT images, various variables including the size, volume and density of the kidneys, the diameter of the ureters and the size of the adrenal glands were measured.

Computed tomography of the abdomen in Saanen goats: II. liver, spleen, abomasum, and intestine.

This study describes the results of computed tomography (CT) of the liver, spleen, abomasum, small intestine and large intestine in 30 healthy Saanen goats. CT examination and anatomical slice preparation postmortem were performed as described in the first communication. After subjective evaluation of the CT images, various variables including the length/size, volume and density of the liver, spleen and gallbladder, the wall thickness of the abomasum, small intestine and large intestine and the diameter of the intestine were measured.

Computed tomography of the abdomen in Saanen goats: I. reticulum, rumen and omasum.

Computed tomography (CT) of the reticulum, rumen and omasum was carried out in 30 healthy goats and the images were compared to corresponding body sections obtained at postmortem. A multidetector CT was used to examine goats in sternal recumbency. A setting of 120 KV and 270 mA was used to produce 1.

[Ultrasonographic findings in a cow with extraskeletal chondroblastic osteosarcoma of the neck region].

This case report describes the clinical, ultrasonographic and pathological findings in a five-year-old Swiss Braunvieh cow with extraskeletal chondroblastic osteosarcoma of the neck region. The cow was referred because of a firm, non-painful swelling, approximately 25 cm in diameter, which was situated mainly on the lower left side of the neck but extended to the right. Ultrasonographic examination of the mass revealed a chambered structure containing echoic material that was separated by hyperechoic septa.

Ultrasonographic findings in 63 cows with haemorrhagic bowel syndrome.

Cows with haemorrhagic bowel syndrome were examined by ultrasonography. A 5.0 MHz linear transducer was used to scan the right side of 63 standing, non-sedated cows.

[Ultrasonographic findings in a goat with ascites due to a mesothelioma].

The aim of this case report was to describe the clinical, ultrasonographic and postmortem findings in a goat with a mesothelioma. The most striking clinical sign was marked bilateral distension of the abdomen caused by ascites. Other signs included abnormal general condition, weight loss, hypothermia and increased heart rate.

[Ultrasonographic and computed tomographic findings in a goat with mediastinal lymphocytic thymoma].

This case report describes the clinical, sonographic, computed tomographic and pathological findings in a 9-year-old goat with mediastinal lymphocytic thymoma. The goat was referred to the Department of Farm Animals because of weight loss and dyspnoea. The lead clinical findings were increased heart rate, increased respiratory rate and heart sounds heard only on the right side.

Sonographic findings in an alpaca with Mycobacterium kansasii infection.

This case report describes the clinical, ultrasonographic and postmortem findings in an alpaca with Mycobacterium kansasii infection. The alpaca was referred because of chronic weight loss and weakness. The results of clinical examination, haematology and serum biochemistry were not diagnostic.

Migratory chondrogenic progenitor cells from repair tissue during the later stages of human osteoarthritis.

The regeneration of diseased hyaline cartilage continues to be a great challenge, mainly because degeneration--caused either by major injury or by age-related processes--can overextend the tissue's self-renewal capacity. We show that repair tissue from human articular cartilage during the late stages of osteoarthritis harbors a unique progenitor cell population, termed chondrogenic progenitor cells (CPCs). These exhibit stem cell characteristics such as clonogenicity, multipotency, and migratory activity.

An unusual cause of traumatic reticulitis/reticuloperitonitis in a herd of Swiss dairy cows nearby an airport.

This report describes the findings in five cows from one dairy herd, in which all 31 cows were slaughtered or euthanised because of traumatic reticuloperitonitis. All the cows had numerous thin sharp pieces of metal attached to a magnet in the reticulum, giving the magnet a hedgehog-like appearance. Investigation revealed that the cattle had eaten forage harvested from a field immediately adjacent to an airport.

Influence of patient position in myocardial SPECT on the diagnosis of CHD.

Aim: Of the study was to show that changing patient position from supine to prone results in improved specificity of myocardial SPECT (MS).

Methods: We examined the influence of patient position in MS on the diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) in 151 patients. By using a Tc-99m-labeled compound (Tetrofosmin, Myoview, Nycomed, Amersham) examinations could be performed in supine and prone position within 35 minutes.

Effectiveness of digitoxin versus trichlormethiazide/amiloride in congestive heart failure NYHA class II/III and sinus rhythm.

The effects of digitoxin and/or diuretic agents were investigated in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) in sinus rhythm with respect to changes in hemodynamic parameters, cardiac dimensions, and bicycle ergometric exercise capacity. In a randomized, double-blind study 16 male patients with CHF NYHA class II and III received a placebo for 1 week (baseline) and then were randomly allocated, double blind, to take either digitoxin (digitalis group, DI: N = 8) or trichlormethiazide/amiloride (diuretic group, DG: N = 8) for 3 weeks (VP I). The patients who were first treated with digitoxin received the diuretic agent for a further 3 weeks and vice versa (VP II).

[Sports in the heart rehabilitation group--experiences with ambulatory rehabilitation at home].

Regular physical exercise has shown to be beneficial for patients with cardiovascular disease. Therefore cardiac rehabilitation in Germany is continued for years after hospital discharge in outpatient cardiac exercise groups which meet twice a week under the guidance of a physician and a sports instructor. Before participation cardiac patients have to be examined including exercise tests and echocardiography for assessment of contraindications for exercise therapy as well as individual exercise capacity.

Highland mountain hiking and coronary artery disease: exercise tolerance and effects on left ventricular function.

Physical exercise has become a well-established concept in the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. We investigated the exercise requirements of extensive highland mountain hiking (8.7 km, 470 m to 1220 m over sea level, average incline 8.

Effect of physical exercise and vitamin C on absorption of ferric sodium citrate.

The effect of physical exercise and vitamin C on iron absorption after oral iron administration was investigated. Eight healthy male subjects without iron deficiency were studied after administration of 100 mg ferric sodium citrate complex, 100 mg ferric sodium citrate complex with 200 mg ascorbic acid, and without iron intake, both under resting conditions and after a 1-h bicycle ergometer test at moderate exercise. Serum concentrations for iron, transferrin, and ferritin were measured before and 30 min, and 1, 2, and 4 h after each administration.

The relationship between heart rate and QT interval during atrial stimulation.

The relationship between heart rate and QT interval was investigated during atrial stimulation (intrinsic effect of heart rate) in ten healthy male volunteers prior to and after administration of sotalol. The QT interval in the ECG (paper speed 200 mm/s) was determined at rates of 70, 85, 100, 115, 130, 145, and 160 beats/min and at pacing periods of 180 s each at 30, 60, 120, and 180 s. After a 15-minute period, 2.

Activation of sodium transport in human erythrocytes by beta-adrenoceptor stimulation in vivo.

Beta-adrenoceptor stimulation in vivo shifts potassium into the cells. To examine whether human erythrocytes participate in this process, we measured, along with serum or plasma potassium, the concentrations of potassium and sodium in erythrocytes. Beta-adrenoceptor stimulation was obtained by infusion of either fenoterol or hexoprenaline into 6 volunteers at rest or by endogenous amines provoked in 14 volunteers during ergometric exercise.

Indices of cardiac function during treatment with betamimetic drugs (fenoterol and hexoprenaline).

The limiting factor in the treatment of preterm labor by betamimetics is the effect of these drugs on heart rate and cardiac action. In this paper we compare these effects produced by hexoprenaline and fenoterol, which are both beta-sympathomimetic drugs now in clinical use. As indices of cardiac action we measured the pre-ejection period (PEP), the left ventricular ejection time (LVET) and their sum, namely total electromechanical systole (QS2) by thoracic impedance cardiography.