Effects of xenon and isoflurane on apoptosis and inflammation in a porcine myocardial infarction model.

Volatile anaesthetics can reduce the infarction size in myocardial tissue when administered before and during experimentally induced ischaemia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether xenon is beneficial compared to isoflurane in limiting myocardial tissue apoptosis and inflammation induced by experimental ischaemia-reperfusion injury in a porcine right ventricular infarction model. Twenty-one animals used for this study randomly received isoflurane, xenon or thiopental, (n=6-8 per group).

Effects of antipsychotic treatment on psychopathology and motor symptoms. A placebo-controlled study in healthy volunteers.

Rationale: There is increased interest in elucidating the range of symptoms of schizophrenia and their response to treatment with medications. Particularly negative and cognitive symptoms are often resistant to the therapy with currently available antipsychotics. There are even similarities between negative symptoms in psychosis and the side effects of antidopaminergic antipsychotic drugs.

Impact of different antidopaminergic mechanisms on the dopaminergic control of prolactin secretion.

Antipsychotics are the most common cause of pharmacologically induced hyperprolactinemia. Although this adverse effect was the subject of numerous observations, the mechanisms and promotive factors were not completely investigated yet. Increased awareness of clinical consequences of hyperprolactinemia implicates the necessity for further examinations.

Effects of controlled released BMP-7 on markers of inflammation and degradation during the cultivation of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of BMP-7 released from polylactide microspheres on the appearance of various catabolic and inflammatory cytokines secreted by osteoarthritic chondrocytes cultivated in a collagen gel. Articular chondrocytes of 15 patients suffering from osteoarthritis are transferred to a collagen type-I gel. Additionally, BMP-7 encapsulated into polylactide microspheres (50 ng BMP-7/mL gel) is added.

Dose reduction for semi-automated volumetry of hepatic metastasis in MDCT studies.

Objectives: To investigate the performance of semi-automated measurements (RECIST, volume) of hepatic metastases in multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) under normal-dose- and simulated low-dose-protocols.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-five patients (67 +/- 13 years) with a total of 79 hepatic metastases underwent 16-MDCT (120 kv, 160 mAseff, pitch 1, 3 mm slice thickness, 2 mm reconstruction increment, B30f standard soft tissue kernel) for either initial staging or therapy monitoring. Corresponding raw data from these standard-dose scans were simulated at lower radiation doses of 80/60/40 mAseff (Somatom Noise Vers.

Radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases-software-assisted evaluation of the ablation zone in MDCT: tumor-free follow-up versus local recurrent disease.

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in change of size and CT value between local recurrences and tumor-free areas after CT-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatic metastases during follow-up by means of dedicated software for automatic evaluation of hepatic lesions. Thirty-two patients with 54 liver metastases from breast or colorectal cancer underwent triphasic contrast-enhanced multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) to evaluate hepatic metastatic spread and localization before CT-guided RFA and for follow-up after intervention. Sixteen of these patients (65.