In vitro head-to-head comparison of anticoagulation properties of two heparin brands in a human blood miniature mock loop.

Objectives: The first aim was the development of a human blood miniature mock-loop system consisting of 2 identical extracorporeal circuits, which enable systematic head-to-head comparisons of test substances. In a second step, we evaluated the suitability of the mock-loop system, by comparing 2 different brands of heparin (ROTEXMEDICA vs B.BRAUN), which have showed different anticoagulation capacities in the clinic.

Characterization of extracellular vesicles derived from cardiac cells in an model of preconditioning.

Preconditioning is a promising technique to protect the heart from ischaemia-reperfusion injury. In this context, the crosstalk between different cardiac cell types and especially the exchange of cardioprotective mediators has come into the focus of current research. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs), nano-sized structures, emerged as possible communication mediators.

Structural basis for decreased induction of class IB PI3-kinases expression by MIF inhibitors.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a master regulator of proinflammatory cytokines and plays pathological roles when not properly regulated in rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, atherosclerosis, asthma and cancer. Unlike canonical cytokines, MIF has vestigial keto-enol tautomerase activity. Most of the current MIF inhibitors were screened for the inhibition of this enzymatic activity.

Selenium and its supplementation in cardiovascular disease--what do we know?

The trace element selenium is of high importance for many of the body's regulatory and metabolic functions. Balanced selenium levels are essential, whereas dysregulation can cause harm. A rapidly increasing number of studies characterizes the wide range of selenium dependent functions in the human body and elucidates the complex and multiple physiological and pathophysiological interactions of selenium and selenoproteins.