Microwave-assisted preparation of yeast cells for ultrastructural analysis by electron microscopy.

Budding yeast is widely used as a model organism to study the biogenesis and architecture of organellar membranes, which can be visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Preparation of yeast cells for TEM can be quite challenging and time-consuming. Here, we describe an optimized protocol for conventional fixation of yeast cells with potassium permanganate combined with cell wall permeabilization with sodium metaperiodate and embedding in Epon.

Regulation with cell size ensures mitochondrial DNA homeostasis during cell growth.

To maintain stable DNA concentrations, proliferating cells need to coordinate DNA replication with cell growth. For nuclear DNA, eukaryotic cells achieve this by coupling DNA replication to cell-cycle progression, ensuring that DNA is doubled exactly once per cell cycle. By contrast, mitochondrial DNA replication is typically not strictly coupled to the cell cycle, leaving the open question of how cells maintain the correct amount of mitochondrial DNA during cell growth.

Functional biomarkers derived from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging differentiate PDAC subgroups and reveal gemcitabine-induced hypo-vascularization.

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a molecularly heterogeneous tumor entity with no clinically established imaging biomarkers. We hypothesize that tumor morphology and physiology, including vascularity and perfusion, show variations that can be detected by differences in contrast agent (CA) accumulation measured non-invasively. This work seeks to establish imaging biomarkers for tumor stratification and therapy response monitoring in PDAC, based on this hypothesis.

Increasing normality-persisting barriers: Current socio-demographic characteristics of 350 individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

Introduction: The number of individuals requesting medical treatment for gender dysphoria has increased significantly within the past years. Our purpose was to examine current biographic and socio-demographic characteristics and aspects of legal gender reassignment.

Design: Medical files from n = 350 individuals of a German Endocrine outpatient clinic were collected from 2009 to 2017 and analysed retrospectively.

Safety and rapid efficacy of guideline-based gender-affirming hormone therapy: an analysis of 388 individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

Objective: Hormone treatment is an important part of gender reassignment therapy in gender dysphoria. Previous data about efficacy and safety are commonly based on small cohorts or they comprise former cohorts under meanwhile obsolete therapy regimes. Our objective was to investigate these topics in a large cohort of individuals under guideline-based treatment.