Renal denervation reduces atrial remodeling in hypertensive rats with metabolic syndrome.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is highly prevalent in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome and is related to inflammation and activation of the sympathoadrenergic system. The multi-ligand Receptor-for-Advanced-Glycation-End-products (RAGE) activates inflammation-associated tissue remodeling and is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system. Its counterpart, soluble RAGE (sRAGE), serves as anti-inflammatory decoy receptor with protective properties.

Renal Denervation Prevents Atrial Arrhythmogenic Substrate Development in CKD.

Background: In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), atrial fibrillation (AF) is highly prevalent and represents a major risk factor for stroke and death. CKD is associated with atrial proarrhythmic remodeling and activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Whether reduction of the sympathetic nerve activity by renal denervation (RDN) inhibits AF vulnerability in CKD is unknown.

The Multi-Purpose Airborne Sensor Carrier MASC-3 for Wind and Turbulence Measurements in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer.

For atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) studies, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can provide new information in addition to traditional in-situ measurements, or by ground- or satellite-based remote sensing techniques. The ability of fixed-wing UAS to transect the ABL in short time supplement ground-based measurements and the ability to extent the data horizontally and vertically allows manifold investigations. Thus, the measurements can provide many new possibilities for investigating the ABL.

Blood Pressure and Cognitive Performance After a Single Administration of a Camphor-Crataegus Combination in Adolescents with Low Blood Pressure.

Low blood pressure is rather widespread among adolescents and frequently accompanied by complaints. Two single-center, double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trials were performed with adolescent participants in the age range of 14 - 17 y having a systolic blood pressure below 118 mmHg (boys) or 110 mmHg (girls). They received a single dose of 20 drops of a fixed combination of natural D-camphor and an ethanolic extract from fresh berries (CCC) or of an ethanolic placebo.

In ovo expression of microRNA in ventral chick midbrain.

Non-coding RNAs are additional players in regulating gene expression. Targeted in ovo electroporation of specific areas provides a unique tool for spatial and temporal control of ectopic microRNA expression. However, ventral brain structures like ventral midbrain are rather difficult to reach for any manipulations.

Hierarchy of carcinoma cell responses to apigenin: gap junctional coupling versus proliferation.

We discriminated the role of gap junctional communication and phenotypic constitution of tumour cells in determining their responsiveness to apigenin. Effects of apigenin on intercellular communication and proliferation of two lines of carcinoma cells, uncoupled HeLa cells and their coupled Cx43-transfected counterparts, were analysed and compared with the responses of highly coupled BICR/M1Rk cells. Dye transfer analyses demonstrated that apigenin decreases the degree of coupling in Cx43-coupled populations of HeLa cells but does not affect BICR/M1Rk cells.

Targeted disruption of mouse fibroblast activation protein.

Human fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a member of the serine prolyl oligopeptidase family, is a type II cell surface glycoprotein selectively expressed by fibroblastic cells in areas of active tissue remodeling, such as the embryonic mesenchyme, areas of wound healing, the gravid uterus, and the reactive stroma of epithelial cancers. Homologues of FAP have been identified in the mouse and Xenopus laevis. FAP is a dual-specificity enzyme that acts as a dipeptidyl peptidase and collagenase in vitro.

[Spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee joint: MRT compared to CT, scintigraphy and histology].

Purpose: We compared MR imaging with scintigraphy and CT in eight patients with spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee. The histological changes accounting for the MR signal abnormalities were evaluated.

Methods: Eight patients with spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee joint underwent MR imaging before and after i.

Acute fracture of the femoral neck: assessment of femoral head perfusion with gadopentetate dimeglumine-enhanced MR imaging.

Objective: Evaluation of the perfusion and viability of the femoral head after fracture of the femoral neck is important because the outcome of conservative treatment or joint-preserving surgery is adversely affected by the development of capital osteonecrosis. We evaluated the use of MR imaging, before and after IV administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine, for assessing perfusion of the femoral head in 13 patients with acute fracture of the femoral neck.

Subjects And Methods: Multiecho (1600/30-240 [TR/TE]) MR images were obtained before contrast administration and gradient-echo (315/14, 90 degrees flip angle) MR images were obtained both before and after contrast administration.

[Intracranial tumor-like lesions in children and young adults with multiple sclerosis].

Atypical early manifestations of multiple sclerosis (MS) are common in children and young adults. 6 patients (aged 5 to 33 years) were examined by MR because of confusing neurological manifestations. In addition to small MS lesions there were also large intracerebral lesions which, however, did not occupy additional space but which looked more like tumours or abscesses.

[Magnetic resonance tomography in orthotopic liver transplantation].

14 patients with orthotopic liver transplantation were prospectively studied with MR imaging. MR imaging demonstrated a perivascular collar surrounding central portal venous branches in 14 patients. The perivascular collar had low signal intensity on T1-weighted and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images.