Publications by authors named "N M D G Speck"

Definitive hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) arise from a small number of hemogenic endothelial cells (HECs) within the developing embryo. Understanding the origin and ontogeny of HSPCs is of considerable interest and potential therapeutic value. It has been proposed that the murine placenta contains HECs that differentiate into HSPCs.

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Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have gained increased importance in assessing outcomes after reconstructive surgery. This also applies to the reconstruction of vulvoperineal defects after resection of gynecological or colorectal cancers in women. The objective of this study is to analyze the current state of PROM tool use within this patient population.

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To evaluate whether single-exposure, dual-energy chest X-ray (DEX) improves visualization of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and valve/vascular calcifications compared to conventional X-ray. Sixty-one bone-marrow transplant patients (22- 79 years; median 61; IQR 15; w/m, 24/37), underwent single-exposure dual-energy X-ray (Reveal 35C, KA imaging) in pa and lateral projection, followed by a standard-of-care chest CT. Two DEX pairs (pa/lateral) were calculated: a composite image (COMP) and a bone image with soft-tissue subtraction (BI).

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Background: As seroma formation is a common donor site complication following autologous breast reconstruction, we adapted the surgical protocol by introducing progressive tension sutures (PTS). This study aimed to evaluate the influence of PTS at the donor site in autologous breast reconstruction on seroma formation. Additionally, an exploratory analysis on patient satisfaction and aesthetic outcome was performed.

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Article Synopsis
  • Chronic high cholesterol levels lead to systemic immune responses that accelerate atherosclerosis, but the impact of alternating high-fat diets (HFD) had not been well studied.
  • Researchers used a mouse model to compare the effects of an alternating HFD versus a continuous HFD on atherosclerosis progression, finding that the alternating diet significantly worsened the condition.
  • The study revealed that this worsening was linked to IL-1β production, which triggered inflammatory responses and increased neutrophil levels that contributed to plaque formation and exacerbated atherosclerosis, suggesting that targeting these pathways could reverse the effects.
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