The humanistic burden of immunoglobulin A nephropathy on patients and care-partners in the United States.

Purpose: This cross-sectional survey study quantified the humanistic burden of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), in terms of physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work productivity, among adults with primary IgAN and their care-partners.

Methods: HRQoL was assessed (01/31/22 - 05/31/23) with validated tools including the KDQoL-36 (with SF-12), GAD-7 (anxiety), PHQ-9 (depression), and WPAI: SHP (work productivity). Participant characteristics and total/domain scores were summarized; selected outcomes were compared to an external, kidney disease-free cohort.

An English list of trait words including valence, social desirability, and observability ratings.

To enable flexible and controlled research on personality, information processing, and interactions in socio-emotional contexts, the availability of highly controlled stimulus material, especially trait words and related attributes, is indispensable. Existing word databases contain mainly nouns and rating dimensions, and their role in studies within socio-emotional contexts are limited. This study aimed to create an English list of traits (ELoT), a database containing 500 trait adjectives rated by a large sample (n = 822, 57.

Dealing with Corticosteroid and High-Dose Cyclosporine Therapy in a Pyoderma Gangrenosum Patient Contracting a COVID-19 Infection.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare and chronic neutrophil inflammation belonging to the spectrum of autoinflammatory disorders. Immunosuppressive therapy is the cornerstone of successful treatment. However, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, physicians struggle with therapeutic strategies during infection.

Self-referential processing and perspective taking in patients with a borderline personality disorder.

Divergent self- and other-referential processes play a particular role in the development and maintenance of borderline personality disorder (BPD). This study investigated self-referential processes in patients with BPD and age-matched controls. Participants performed a trait-judgment task, taking their own and the perspective of a close other person.

Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: Exploring the buffering role of self-compassion and self-esteem.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show lower self-compassion and self-esteem than healthy controls and whether patients' self-compassion and self-esteem moderate the association between childhood trauma and the severity of their BPD symptoms.

Method: Self-reported self-compassion, self-esteem, and the current severity of BPD symptoms were assessed in 35 female patients with BPD and 35 age-matched control participants. Further, traumatic childhood experiences were recorded in the patient group.

Role of high-resolution ultrasound in detection and monitoring of peripheral nerve tumor burden in neurofibromatosis in children.

Purpose: Peripheral nerve sheath tumors are hallmark findings in neurofibromatosis types 1 and 2. With increasing size, they typically lead to neurological symptoms, and NF1 patients have a lifetime risk of 8-13% for developing malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Medical imaging is therefore highly needed for early detection and exact localization of symptomatic or potentially malignant tumors.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Has No Specific Effect on Self-referential Processes.

The processing of self-referential information can be influenced by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The present randomized controlled study investigated whether similar effects can be elicited through the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) regarding the "self-serving bias" (SSB) and the "mnemic neglect effect" (MNE). Seventy-five healthy males ( = 25; SD = 4.

Voice Function in Gender-Diverse People Assigned Female at Birth: Results From a Participant-Centered Mixed-Methods Study and Implications for Clinical Practice.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there were indications of restrictions to voice function in our group of gender-diverse people assigned female at birth (GD people) and whether the participants would benefit from professional voice support. Method We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional, mixed-methods study combining qualitative content analyses of semistructured interviews, phoniatric examinations, and acoustical voice analyses. Fourteen German-speaking GD people participated.

How females think about themselves and how they assume that significant others think about them: The influence of perspective taking on self-referential processing.

People maintain a positive self-concept through positive self-appraisals (Self-Serving Bias Effect, SSBE) and a diminished memory for self-threatening information (Mnemic-Neglect Effect, MNE). Other people also influence a person's self-concept. This study investigated SSBE and MNE in 60 females by using a trait-judgment paradigm applying two perspectives (self- and third-person appraisals) and a recall task.

Do Transmasculine Speakers Present With Gender-Related Voice Problems? Insights From a Participant-Centered Mixed-Methods Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are indications of gender-related voice problems in our transmasculine participants and to analyze how discrepancies between participant self-evaluations and researcher-led examinations can be best negotiated to ensure a participant-centered interpretation.

Method: We conducted a participant-centered mixed-methods study combining qualitative content analyses of semistructured interviews, acoustical voice analyses, and an examination of gender attributions to voice. Fourteen German-speaking transmasculine people, 14 cisfemale control persons, and 7 cismale control persons participated.

Minimal change disease and idiopathic FSGS: manifestations of the same disease.

Minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are the key histological findings in patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS). Although MCD and idiopathic FSGS are often considered to represent separate entities based on differences in their presenting characteristics, histology and outcomes, little evidence exists for this separation. We propose that MCD and idiopathic FSGS are different manifestations of the same progressive disease.

Transmasculine People's Voice Function: A Review of the Currently Available Evidence.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the currently available discursive and empirical data relating to those aspects of transmasculine people's vocal situations that are not primarily gender-related, to identify restrictions to voice function that have been observed in this population, and to make suggestions for future voice research and clinical practice.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive review of the voice literature. Publications were identified by searching six electronic databases and bibliographies of relevant articles.

γ-Glutamyl Transferase Is an Independent Biomarker of Splanchnic Thrombosis in Patients With Myeloproliferative Neoplasm.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are associated with an increased risk of thrombotic events and constitute the major risk factor of splanchnic venous thrombosis (SVT) in Western countries. Although timely anticoagulation resolves SVT, unrecognized SVT frequently leads to portal hypertension and, potentially, variceal bleeding, which may render anticoagulation difficult. Thus, early identification of SVT development is clinically relevant in MPN patients.

Myeloid human cell lines lack functional regulation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent phase I genes.

Primary dendritic cells and myeloid cell lines are used to assess the skin sensitization hazard in in vitro approaches. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) modulates expression of CYP enzymes which play a significant role in the bioactivation of various xenobiotics. These studies revealed a strong constitutive expression of the AhR in primary human monocytes, monocyte-derived immature dendritic cells (iDC) and cord blood-derived Langerhans cells (LC).

Defective podocyte insulin signalling through p85-XBP1 promotes ATF6-dependent maladaptive ER-stress response in diabetic nephropathy.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is associated with diabetic nephropathy (DN), but its pathophysiological relevance and the mechanisms that compromise adaptive ER signalling in podocytes remain unknown. Here we show that nuclear translocation of the transcription factor spliced X-box binding protein-1 (sXBP1) is selectively impaired in DN, inducing activating transcription factor-6 (ATF6) and C/EBP homology protein (CHOP). Podocyte-specific genetic ablation of XBP1 or inducible expression of ATF6 in mice aggravates DN.

Acute and sustained effects of methylphenidate on cognition and presynaptic dopamine metabolism: an [18F]FDOPA PET study.

Methylphenidate (MPH) inhibits the reuptake of dopamine and noradrenaline. PET studies with MPH challenge show increased competition at postsynaptic D2/3-receptors, thus indirectly revealing presynaptic dopamine release. We used [(18)F]fluorodopamine ([(18)F]FDOPA)-PET in conjunction with the inlet-outlet model (IOM) of Kumakura et al.

Role of parietal epithelial cells in kidney injury: the case of rapidly progressing glomerulonephritis and focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Background: Millions of people are affected by irreversible loss of renal function and thus by a significantly increased cardiovascular risk. In this context, the parietal epithelial cells (PECs) of the glomerulus have attracted increasing attention in recent years. So far, they have been ascribed 2 major functions: (1) PECs may act as intrinsic progenitor cells to replenish podocytes and/or proximal tubular cells and (2) a major role of PECs has been proposed in 2 glomerular disease entities [i.

The emergence of the glomerular parietal epithelial cell.

Glomerular diseases are the leading causes of chronic and end-stage kidney disease. In the 1980s and 1990s, attention was focused on the biology and role of glomerular endothelial and mesangial cells. For the past two decades, seminal discoveries have been made in podocyte biology in health and disease.

The impact of dopamine on aggression: an [18F]-FDOPA PET Study in healthy males.

Cerebral dopamine (DA) transmission is thought to be an important modulator for the development and occurrence of aggressive behavior. However, the link between aggression and DA transmission in humans has not been investigated using molecular imaging and standardized behavioral tasks. We investigated aggression as a function of DA transmission in a group of (N = 21) healthy male volunteers undergoing 6-[18F]-fluoro-L-DOPA (FDOPA)-positron emission tomography (PET) and a modified version of the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP).

Effects of alcohol cue exposure on response inhibition in detoxified alcohol-dependent patients.

Background: There is evidence that exerting self-control during alcohol craving can diminish performance on subsequent tasks that require self-control. Based on the resource depletion model (Muraven and Baumeister, 2000), we examined the influence of alcohol cue exposure on detoxified alcohol-dependent patients' ability to inhibit ongoing responses.

Methods: Twenty alcohol-dependent patients were randomly assigned to an alcohol-cue exposure and a control-cue exposure condition and thereafter had to perform an inhibition task (i.

Aesthetic breast augmentation and thoracic deformities.

To ensure the best results from aesthetic breast augmentation, preoperative evaluation and adequate patient information are essential. However, assessment of the underlying thoracic shape often is neglected. Patients with obvious deformities are aware of the problematic reconstruction, whereas patients with mild or moderate deformities often are not aware of their condition and fail to see that standard breast augmentation will lead to unsatisfying results.

Nitric oxide and downstream second messenger cGMP and cAMP enhance adipogenesis in primary human preadipocytes.

Background Aims: Obesity is correlated with chronic low-grade inflammation. Thus the induction of inflammation could be used to stimulate adipose tissue formation in tissue-engineering approaches. As nitric oxide (NO) is a key regulator of inflammation, we investigated the effect of NO and its downstream signaling molecule guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) as well as adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) on preadipocytes in vitro.

Development and validation of the Rasch-based Depression Screening (DESC) using Rasch analysis and structural equation modelling.

Questionnaires for the assessment of depression benefit from modern test construction like item-response-modelling. We developed two parallel 10 item depression questionnaires, the Rasch-based Depression Screening version 1 (DESC-I) and 2 (DESC-II), by combining Rasch analysis and structural equation modelling on patient samples suffering primarily from a mental disorder or from somatic diseases. Both scales base upon a Rasch homogeneous item bank and proved unidimensionality and good model fit.

New aspects of adipogenesis: radicals and oxidative stress.

Preadipocytes are multipotent adipogenic precursor cells that can be isolated from mature adipose tissue. They have been receiving increasing attention in the context of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other nutrition-associated diseases. Understanding the physiological and pathophysiological processes in fat neo-formation, energy homeostasis, and adipose tissue physiology is the basis for research on metabolic diseases and the respective pharmaceutical intervention.