An autocrine synergistic desmin-SPARC network promotes cardiomyogenesis in cardiac stem cells.

The mammalian heart contains cardiac stem cells throughout life, but it has not been possible to harness or stimulate these cells to repair damaged myocardium in vivo. Assuming physiological relevance of these cells, which have evolved and have been maintained throughout mammalian evolution, we hypothesize that cardiac stem cells may contribute to cardiomyogenesis in an unorthodox manner. Since the intermediate filament protein desmin and the matricellular Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) promote cardiomyogenic differentiation during embryogenesis in a cell-autonomous and paracrine manner, respectively, we focus on their genes and employ mouse embryonic and cardiac stem cell lines as in vitro models to ask whether desmin and SPARC cooperatively influence cardiomyogenesis in cardiac stem and progenitor cells.

Clinical risk factors associated with the need for tracheostomy in traumatic cervical and high thoracic spinal cord injury.

Background: Our objective was to assess the association of completeness and level of spinal cord injury (SCI) with the need for tracheostomy and identify additional risk factors predictive of tracheostomy.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of patients with SCI between January 2017 and December 2022.

Results: Patients with complete SCI were roughly thirty-three times more likely to have a tracheostomy when compared to incomplete injury (82 ​% vs 12 ​%, p ​< ​0.

A clinical protocol for a German birth cohort study of the Maturation of Immunity Against respiratory viral Infections (MIAI).

Introduction: Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are a major global contributor to morbidity and mortality. The susceptibility and outcome of RVIs are strongly age-dependent and show considerable inter-population differences, pointing to genetically and/or environmentally driven developmental variability. The factors determining the age-dependency and shaping the age-related changes of human anti-RVI immunity after birth are still elusive.

Mortality rate and factors associated with in-hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with pulmonary embolism in Germany.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition, the prognosis of which is determined in particular by acute decompensation and hospitalization. The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and the factors associated with the in-hospital mortality of patients hospitalized with acute PE. This multicenter cross-sectional study was based on the data of PE patient cases from 36 hospitals across Germany.

What Is the Link between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Dyslipidemia in Adults? A German Retrospective Cohort Study.

Alterations in the serum lipid profile have been suspected in many psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and depression. However, studies on lipid status in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are sparse and inconsistent. Using the nationwide, population-based IQVIA Disease Analyzer database, this retrospective cohort study included 5367 outpatients from general practices in Germany aged ≥18 years with a documented first diagnosis of ADHD between January 2005 and December 2021 and 26,835 propensity score-matched individuals without ADHD.