WNT3A and the induction of the osteogenic differentiation in adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Adipose tissue derived stem cells (ASCs) can easily be isolated, but the osteogenic differentiation potential is limited. To improve this differentiation potential, more investigations are required about signaling proteins for the induction of the osteogenic differentiation. This study focused on the WNT3A protein, because little is known about the canonical WNT signaling pathway and the osteogenic differentiation of ASCs.

Serum uromodulin-a marker of kidney function and renal parenchymal integrity.

Background: An ELISA to analyse uromodulin in human serum (sUmod) was developed, validated and tested for clinical applications.

Methods: We assessed sUmod, a very stable antigen, in controls, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 1-5, persons with autoimmune kidney diseases and recipients of a renal allograft by ELISA.

Results: Median sUmod in 190 blood donors was 207 ng/mL (women: men, median 230 versus 188 ng/mL, P = 0.

The hedgehog-signaling pathway is repressed during the osteogenic differentiation of dental follicle cells.

Dental follicle stem cells (DFCs) are precursor cells of alveolar osteoblasts, and previous studies have shown that the growth factor bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)2 induces the osteogenic differentiation of DFCs. However, the molecular mechanism down-stream of the induction of the osteogenic differentiation by BMP2 remains elusive. We investigated therefore the phosphoproteome of DFCs after the induction of the osteogenic differentiation with BMP2.

miRNA-101 supports the osteogenic differentiation in human dental follicle cells.

Objective: Human dental follicle cells (DFCs) are genuine precursor cells of cementoblasts and alveolar bone osteoblasts. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of non-coding endogenous RNAs that silence gene expression post-transcriptionally. miRNA101 actively regulates the osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament cells.

Evaluation of implant-materials as cell carriers for dental stem cells under in vitro conditions.

Background: Dental stem cells in combination with implant materials may become an alternative to autologous bone transplants. For tissue engineering different types of soft and rigid implant materials are available, but little is known about the viability and the osteogenic differentiation of dental stem cells on these different types of materials. According to previous studies we proposed that rigid bone substitute materials are superior to soft materials for dental tissue engineering.

Evaluation of surgical outcome and influencing risk factors in patients with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws.

Purpose: Surgical treatment of the medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is still challenging. We examined the outcome of the resection of osteonecrotic lesions and the influence of potential risk factors on the operative success.

Methods: Seventy six surgical interventions on 40 patients were evaluated in a prospective design with a mean follow-up of 55 weeks.

Endoscopic Treatment of Early Barrett's Neoplasia: Expanding Indications, New Challenges.

Endoscopic therapy of early Barrett's neoplasia is nowadays the treatment of choice and recommended over surgery in most current guidelines. Recent data suggest radiofrequency ablation of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia when confirmed by an expert pathologist. Endoscopic therapy of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and mucosal Barrett's adenocarcinoma consists of two steps: first endoscopic resection of all visible lesions, and second ablation of the remaining flat Barrett's mucosa to reduce the rate of recurrences and metachronous neoplasia.

The parathyroid hormone-related protein is secreted during the osteogenic differentiation of human dental follicle cells and inhibits the alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of DLX3.

The dental follicle is involved in tooth eruption and it expresses a great amount of the parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP). PTHrP as an extracellular protein is required for a multitude of different regulations of enchondral bone development and differentiation of bone precursor cells and of the development of craniofacial tissues. The dental follicle contains also precursor cells (DFCs) of the periodontium.

A comprehensive treatment for peritoneal metastases from gastric cancer with curative intent.

Recently, Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International (PSOGI) developed a novel comprehensive treatment consisting of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and perioperative chemotherapy (POC) for the treatment of peritoneal metastases (PM) from gastric cancer with curative intent. This article reviews the results of this treatment and verifies its indication. In this strategy, peritoneal cancer index (PCI) is determined by laparoscopy, and a peritoneal port is placed.

Narrow-band Imaging International Colorectal Endoscopic Classification to predict polyp histology: REDEFINE study (with videos).

Background And Aims: The Narrow-band Imaging International Colorectal Endoscopic (NICE) Classification has been validated for differentiating hyperplastic from adenomatous polyps. This classification system was based on narrow-band imaging (NBI) technology, leaving uncertainty regarding its applicability to other systems. The aim of this study was to assess accuracy and reliability of histologic predictions for polyps <1 cm by applying the NICE classification to the Fujinon Spectral Imaging Color Enhancement (FICE) System.

Emerging Concepts for the Endoscopic Management of Superficial Esophageal Adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: Endoscopic therapy has revolutionized the treatment of Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or intramucosal adenocarcinoma by allowing preservation of the esophagus in many patients who would previously have had an esophagectomy. This paradigm shift initially occurred at high-volume centers in North America and Europe but now is becoming mainstream therapy. There is a lack of uniform guidelines and algorithms for the management of these patients.

Molecular mechanisms in dental follicle precursor cells during the osteogenic differentiation.

The discovery of dental stem cells received extensive attention because of its significance for the development of novel cellular therapies in dentistry. However, dental stem cells are also excellent for studies about cellular processes during dental tissue development or regeneration. Multipotent undifferentiated cells in the dental follicle (DFCs) are one example of dental stem cells.

The influence of the donor on dental apical papilla stem cell properties.

Stem cells from the human dental apical papilla (SCAP) can be obtained from almost all extracted wisdom teeth with an immature tooth root. Although different stem cell lines are used for studies, it remains elusive whether specific characteristics of the dental stem cell cultures such as proliferation rates or the cell differentiation potential are related to the cell source, e.g.

The AKT signaling pathway sustains the osteogenic differentiation in human dental follicle cells.

Signaling transduction pathways are established by interactions between growth factors, protein kinases, and transcription factors, and they play a crucial role in tooth development. Precursor cells of the dental follicle (DFCs) are used for in vitro studies about molecular mechanisms during periodontal development. Previous studies have already shown that the growth factor BMP2 and the transcription factor EGR1 are involved in the osteogenic differentiation in DFCs while interactions with protein kinase-based pathways remain elusive.

The patient perspective: Quality of life in advanced heart failure with frequent hospitalisations.

End of life is an unfortunate but inevitable phase of the heart failure patients' journey. It is often preceded by a stage in the progression of heart failure defined as advanced heart failure, and characterised by poor quality of life and frequent hospitalisations. In clinical practice, the efficacy of treatments for advanced heart failure is often assessed by parameters such as clinical status, haemodynamics, neurohormonal status, and echo/MRI indices.

The WNT inhibitor APCDD1 sustains the expression of β-catenin during the osteogenic differentiation of human dental follicle cells.

In hair follicle cells APCDD1 inhibits the canonical WNT/β-Catenin pathway and its inactivation is associated with an autosomal dominant form of hair loss. We analyzed the role of APCDD1 for the osteogenic differentiation in dental follicle cells (DFCs) and identified a new and surprising function. Contrarily to hair follicle cells APCDD1 was crucial for the expression of β-Catenin and for the activity of the TCF/LEF reporter assay in DFCs.

Decreased cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor levels in critically ill patients.

The immune system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis are linked by several mechanisms. Intracellular glucocorticoid receptors represent one important connection. The aim of this study was to examine the coherence between the number of glucocorticoid receptors, activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammatory cytokine levels and the severity of illness in critically ill patients.

Intensive care unit alarms--how many do we need?

Objective: To validate cardiovascular alarms in critically ill patients in an experimental setting by generating a database of physiologic data and clinical alarm annotations, and report the current rate of alarms and their clinical validity. Currently, monitoring of physiologic parameters in critically ill patients is performed by alarm systems with high sensitivity, but low specificity. As a consequence, a multitude of alarms with potentially negative impact on the quality of care is generated.

Collection of annotated data in a clinical validation study for alarm algorithms in intensive care--a methodologic framework.

Introduction: Monitoring of physiologic parameters in critically ill patients is currently performed by threshold alarm systems with high sensitivity but low specificity. As a consequence, a multitude of alarms are generated, leading to an impaired clinical value of these alarms due to reduced alertness of the intensive care unit (ICU) staff. To evaluate a new alarm procedure, we currently generate a database of physiologic data and clinical alarm annotations.

Contrast enhanced harmonic ultrasound for differentiating breast tumors - first results.

Purpose: To investigate the extent to which indeterminate lesions of the breast can be differentiated in the early and late phase after bolus injection of the ultrasound contrast medium Optison.

Materials And Methods: Fifty female patients (mean age: 49 years) with a altogether 53 preoperatively impalpable indeterminate breast tumors, 20 fibroadenomas and 33 carcinomas, were examined by B-mode imaging and contrast medium-enhanced ultrasound with power Doppler (three patients had multifocal carcinomas). The tumors had a diameter of 5-15 mm (mean diameter: 9 mm).

Vascularization and perfusion of hepatocellular carcinoma: assessment with contrast-enhanced ultrasound using perflutren protein-type A microspheres.

Purpose: To assess the vascularization and the perfusion within hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) including treatment-related changes with contrast-enhanced (CE) ultrasound (US).

Materials And Methods: Twenty-six biopsy-verified HCC lesions (size between 2.5-8 cm, median 3.