Midday and nadir salivary cortisol appear superior to cortisol awakening response in burnout assessment and monitoring.

Burnout and work-related stress symptoms of anxiety disorder and depression cause prolonged work absenteeism and early retirement. Hence, reliable identification of patients under risk and monitoring of treatment success is highly warranted. We aimed to evaluate stress-specific biomarkers in a population-based, "real-world" cohort (burnouts: n = 40, healthy controls: n = 26), recruited at a preventive care ward, at baseline and after a four-month follow up, during which patients received medical and psychological treatment.

A combination of routine blood analytes predicts fitness decrement in elderly endurance athletes.

Endurance sports are enjoying greater popularity, particularly among new target groups such as the elderly. Predictors of future physical capacities providing a basis for training adaptations are in high demand. We therefore aimed to estimate the future physical performance of elderly marathoners (runners/bicyclists) using a set of easily accessible standard laboratory parameters.

Low Vitamin D Levels Do Not Predict Hyperglycemia in Elderly Endurance Athletes (but in Controls).

Background And Aim: Recent studies revealed a link between hypovitaminosis D3 and the risk for hyperglycemia. Further mechanistic and interventional investigations suggested a common reason for both conditions rather than a causal relationship. Exposure to sunlight is the most relevant source of vitamin D3 (25(OH)D), whereas adipose tissue is able to store relevant amounts of the lipophilic vitamin.

rs6295 [C]-Allele Protects Against Depressive Mood in Elderly Endurance Athletes.

A single nucleotide variant within the promoter of the 5-hydroxytryptamine1A (5HT1A) receptor, rs6295, is part of a binding site for the transcription factor. We aimed to ascertain whether the rs6295 mediates the effect of exercise on depressive mood in elderly endurance athletes. We prospectively enrolled 55 elderly athletes (marathon runners/bicyclists) and 58 controls.

A double-blind, randomized clinical study to determine the efficacy of benzocaine 10% on histamine-induced pruritus and UVB-light induced slight sunburn pain.

Introduction: This study aims to explore the efficacy of the topical application of 10% benzocaine for treating pruritus and pain as compared to vehicle ointment.

Methods: Twenty male subjects were treated in a randomized double-blind fashion with the investigational medicinal product (IMPD) and vehicle. Immediately after the injection of 100 µg histamine on both arms, subjects received topical treatment and pruritus was subsequently assessed with visual analogue scale (VASpruritus) and Eppendorfer questionnaire.

Serum level of IP-10 increases predictive value of IL28B polymorphisms for spontaneous clearance of acute HCV infection.

Background & Aims: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL28B and serum levels of interferon γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) predict outcomes of antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We associated IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917, along with serum levels of IP-10, with outcomes of patients with acute hepatitis C (AHC).

Methods: We studied 120 patients with AHC (64 male; 37 ± 16 years old) and 96 healthy individuals (controls).

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 patients at an academic center in Europe involved in prospective, controlled trials: is there a selection bias?

Unlabelled: Pegylated interferon-alpha2/ribavirin (peg-IFN/RBV) is the standard of care (SOC) for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. Currently, direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) are evaluated in clinical trials. The aim of this study was to compare baseline characteristics and sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in patients included in clinical trials to those receiving SOC.

Extracorporeal artificial liver support in hypoxic liver injury.

The incidence of hypoxic liver injury, most commonly referred to as hypoxic hepatitis (HH), is up to 10% in critically ill patients. In the majority of cases, HH occurs as a consequence of haemodynamic impairment following cardiogenic or septic shock. A marked, dramatic increase in the aminotransferase levels in a setting of cardiocirculatory failure is the key characteristic of HH.

Development of ARDS after Excessive Kath Consumption: A Case Report.

Khat is a drug widely used in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Khat leaves contain, among other substances, the psychoactive alkaloid cathinone, which induce central nervous system stimulation leading to euphoria, hyperactivity, restlessness, and insomnia. However, it also could cause psychological adverse effects such as lethargy, sleepiness, psychoses, and depression necessitating pharmacologic treatment.

von Willebrand factor antigen: a novel on-treatment predictor of response to antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C genotypes 1 and 4.

Background: Levels of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF-Ag) increase during combination antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The present study investigates the association between these changes in vWF-Ag levels and response to treatment.

Methods: Changes in levels of vWF-Ag on antiviral combination treatment in 184 patients with CHC genotype 1 or 4 infections were measured prospectively and effect on response was studied.

Impact of IL28B genotype on the early and sustained virologic response in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background & Aims: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene that encodes interleukin (IL)-28B predict response of patients with chronic hepatitis C to antiviral therapy. We investigated the roles of polymorphisms rs12979860 and rs8099917 on the early virologic response of treatment-naïve patients.

Methods: SNPs were identified by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of samples from 682 patients (genotype [GT]1=372, GT2/3=208, GT4=102) who were treated with 180 μg pegylated interferon-α2a and 400 or 800 mg (GT2/3, depending on the protocol) or 1000-1200 mg (GT1/4) ribavirin/day.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells express TRAIL and induce CD4+ T-cell apoptosis in HIV-1 viremic patients.

Artificial Toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8) ligands can endow plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-dependent lytic properties. Keeping in mind that ssRNA serves as natural TLR7/8 ligand, we searched for TRAIL-expressing cells in persons infected with HIV and identified TRAIL+ pDCs in HIV-1 viremic persons, but not in nonviremic and healthy persons. TRAIL expression on pDCs was directly correlated with individual viral loads.

Serial intravascular ultrasonographic measurements after implantation of biodegradable polymer-coated stents in porcine coronary arteries.

Background: Biodegradable stent coatings provide a potential for local drug delivery at the time of vascular injury, while possible tissue toxicity is avoided through constant degradation, leaving behind a bare metal stent.

Design: Serial three-dimensional (3D) intravascular ultrasonographic results on bare Megaflex stents and biodegradable polymer-coated Megaflex stents (Hyper stents) (Eurocor, Bonn, Germany) were compared 1 and 4 weeks after intracoronary implantation in pigs.

Methods: Under general anaesthesia, the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries of domestic pigs were stented with Megaflex and Hyper stents, using right femoral artery access.