Nutrient additions to seagrass seed planting improve seedling emergence and growth

To maximize the opportunities of seagrass as a nature-based solution requires restoration to occur on a large scale. New methods and knowledge are required that can solve ecological bottlenecks, improving its reliability and effectiveness. Although there is increasing interest in the use of seeds for seagrass restoration there exists a limited understanding of how best to plant them with the most knowledge on germination and seedling emergence coming from laboratory studies. Here we present the results of a novel field study on the emergence success of seeds of the seagrass Zostera marina when subjected to varied planting treatments. Seeds were planted into hessian bags according to a factorial design of three treatments (sediment type, detritus addition, and nutrient addition). By adding nutrients to natural sediment, the present study provides some evidence of seagrass shoot emergence and maximum shoot length doubling. The present study provides evidence that even in heavily nutrient-rich environments, seagrass sediments may require additional nutrients to improve seedling emergence and growth. It also highlights the highly variable nature of planting seagrass seeds in shallow coastal environments. Critically this study provides increasing levels of evidence that small subtleties in the method can have large consequences for seagrass restoration and that for restoration to scale to levels that are relevant for nature-based solutions there remain many unknowns that require consideration.

Serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentration as a diagnostic tool to identify testicular tissue in canine disorders of sexual development

Disorders of sexual development (DSD) may have their origin in alterations of the chromosomal, gonadal or phenotypic sex. Affected animals are usually presented because of ambiguous external genitalia, seldom because of reproductive disorders. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is secreted in the gonads with higher amounts in males than in females and can be used to identify gonadal tissue in sexually normally developed dogs. The aim of this study was to examine the diagnostic potential of serum AMH to identify testicular tissue in 11 dogs with DSD. The diagnostic procedures applied were: determination of the phenotypic sex (n = 11), genital ultrasound (n = 9), determination of the SRY gene (n = 11), karyogram (n = 6), gonadectomy (n = 11), pathohistology of the gonads (n = 10), serum AMH measurement (n = 11). 39 female dogs described in a previous study and 19 male dogs with a normal spermiogram served as controls for the AMH serum concentrations in sexually intact dogs. The 11 dogs with DSD were classified as 7 XY DSD and 4 XX DSD. Presumptive testes were obtained in 10 dogs and 1 dog had an ovotestis combined with a testis. Mean serum AMH values of the dogs with DSD were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than in male and female controls. The upper limit of the AMH test (≥ 23ng/ml) was reached in 6 dogs. High AMH concentrations have been described previously in cryptorchid dogs. 1 dog with a male phenotype and 2 with a female phenotype had AMH values within the range of the male controls, although all of them had cryptorchid testes. A Poodle, in which epididymis were identified but no definitive gonads, had an AMH concentration of the lower limit of the test (≤ 0.01 ng/ml), comparable to previously described castrated dogs. This study indicates that serum AMH levels are a useful diagnostic tool to identify testicular tissue in dogs with DSD and suggests the possible use of AMH to diagnose testicular dysgenesis.

Non-viral reprogramming of human nucleus pulposus cells with FOXF1 via extracellular vesicle delivery: an in vitro and in vivo study

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is characterized by decreased cellularity and proteoglycan synthesis and increased inflammation, catabolism, and neural/vascular ingrowth. Regenerative methods for IVD degeneration are largely cell-therapy-based or involve viral vectors, which are associated with mutagenesis and undesired immune responses. The present study used bulk electroporation and engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) to deliver forkhead-box F1 (FOXF1) mRNA to degenerate human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells as a minimally invasive therapeutic strategy for IVD regeneration. Bulk electroporation was used to investigate FOXF1 effects on human NP cells during a 4-week culture in 3D agarose constructs. Engineered EV delivery of FOXF1 into human IVD cells in monolayer was determined, with subsequent in vivo validation in a pilot mouse IVD puncture model. FOXF1 transfection significantly altered gene expression by upregulating healthy NP markers [FOXF1, keratin 19 (KRT19)], decreasing inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, -6], catabolic enzymes [metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13)] and nerve growth factor (NGF), with significant increases in glycosaminoglycan accumulation in human NP cells. Engineered EVs loaded with FOXF1 demonstrated successful encapsulation of FOXF1 cargo and effective uptake by human NP cells cultured in monolayer. Injection of FOXF1-loaded EVs into the mouse IVD in vivo resulted in a significant upregulation of FOXF1 and Brachyury, compared to controls at 7 d post-injection, with no evidence of cytotoxicity. This is the first study to demonstrate non-viral delivery of FOXF1 and reprogramming of human NP cells in vitro and mouse IVD cells in vivo. This strategy represents a non-addictive approach for treating IVD degeneration and associated back pain.

Signal processing methods for reducing artifacts in microelectrode brain recordings caused by functional electrical stimulation

OBJECTIVE

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a promising technology for restoring movement to paralyzed limbs. Intracortical brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs) have enabled intuitive control over virtual and robotic movements, and more recently over upper extremity FES neuroprostheses. However, electrical stimulation of muscles creates artifacts in intracortical microelectrode recordings that could degrade iBCI performance. Here, we investigate methods for reducing the cortically recorded artifacts that result from peripheral electrical stimulation.

APPROACH

One participant in the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial had two intracortical microelectrode arrays placed in the motor cortex, and thirty-six stimulating intramuscular electrodes placed in the muscles of the contralateral limb. We characterized intracortically recorded electrical artifacts during both intramuscular and surface stimulation. We compared the performance of three artifact reduction methods: blanking, common average reference (CAR) and linear regression reference (LRR), which creates channel-specific reference signals, composed of weighted sums of other channels.

MAIN RESULTS

Electrical artifacts resulting from surface stimulation were 175  ×  larger than baseline neural recordings (which were 110 µV peak-to-peak), while intramuscular stimulation artifacts were only 4  ×  larger. The artifact waveforms were highly consistent across electrodes within each array. Application of LRR reduced artifact magnitudes to less than 10 µV and largely preserved the original neural feature values used for decoding. Unmitigated stimulation artifacts decreased iBCI decoding performance, but performance was almost completely recovered using LRR, which outperformed CAR and blanking and extracted useful neural information during stimulation artifact periods.

SIGNIFICANCE

The LRR method was effective at reducing electrical artifacts resulting from both intramuscular and surface FES, and almost completely restored iBCI decoding performance (>90% recovery for surface stimulation and full recovery for intramuscular stimulation). The results demonstrate that FES-induced artifacts can be easily mitigated in FES  +  iBCI systems by using LRR for artifact reduction, and suggest that the LRR method may also be useful in other noise reduction applications.

Attentional bias toward and distractibility by sexual cues: A meta-analytic integration

From an evolutionary perspective, sexual stimuli are highly salient and are assumed to be processed with high priority. Hence, attentional processing of sexual cues is expected to not only bias attention but to also distract from other cognitive (foreground) tasks. It is, however, unclear to what extent these stimuli capture attention and whether there are differences between men and women. This meta-analysis combined the results of 32 studies employing experiments of attentional bias toward and distraction by sexual stimuli. From these, 13 studies provided data to examine gender differences. Overall, attentional bias and distractibility was lower than anticipated (g_z = 0.43, p < .001) and there was support for the assumption of higher attention bias/interference in men (g_s = 0.29, p = .031). Importantly, there was evidence for the presence of publication bias. With this in mind, findings are discussed in the context of stimulus features, the impact of provoked sexual arousal and motivational state, and gender-specific and -nonspecific neural processing of sexual stimuli which influence attention toward them.

Closed-loop cortical control of virtual reach and posture using Cartesian and joint velocity commands

OBJECTIVE

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are a promising technology for the restoration of function to people with paralysis, especially for controlling coordinated reaching. Typical BCI studies decode Cartesian endpoint velocities as commands, but human arm movements might be better controlled in a joint-based coordinate frame, which may match underlying movement encoding in the motor cortex. A better understanding of BCI controlled reaching by people with paralysis may lead to performance improvements in brain-controlled assistive devices.

APPROACH

Two intracortical BCI participants in the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial performed a visual 3D endpoint virtual reality reaching task using two decoders: Cartesian and joint velocity. Task performance metrics (i.e. success rate and path efficiency) and single feature and population tuning were compared across the two decoder conditions. The participants also demonstrated the first BCI control of a fourth dimension of reaching, the arm's swivel angle, in a 4D posture matching task.

MAIN RESULTS

Both users achieved significantly higher success rates using Cartesian velocity control, and joint controlled trajectories were more variable and significantly more curved. Neural tuning analyses showed that most single feature activity was best described by a Cartesian kinematic encoding model, and population analyses revealed only slight differences in aggregate activity between the decoder conditions. Simulations of a BCI user reproduced trajectory features seen during closed-loop joint control when assuming only Cartesian-tuned features passed through a joint decoder. With minimal training, both participants controlled the virtual arm's swivel angle to complete a 4D posture matching task, and achieved significantly higher success using a Cartesian  +  swivel velocity decoder compared to a joint velocity decoder.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results suggest that Cartesian velocity command interfaces may provide better BCI control of arm movements than other kinematic variables, even in 4D posture tasks with swivel angle targets.

Ants Response to Human-Induced Disturbance in a Rain Tropical Forest

A high rate of human-induced disturbance of tropical ecosystems results in enormous loss of biodiversity due to local extinctions. Yet, mechanisms at the population level that lead to the extinction are still poorly understood. Here we tested the hypothesis that human-induced disturbance results in smaller amount of nesting sites for wood-dwelling arthropods that leads to smaller population size and diminished reproduction, and therefore, may promote local extinctions. We completed censuses in less-disturbed and human-disturbed secondary rain forest plots in Puerto Rico. We measured population size and brood production in wood-nesting ants and examined whether these parameters differ between less-disturbed and more-disturbed habitats. In addition, we measured volume of wood parts of all inhabited and potential nesting sites to assess nest site availability. We found that more human-disturbed forests furnish smaller nest sites, resulting in diminished population size and lowered brood production. Our study shows that human-induced disturbance decreases volume of available nesting sites that leads to decreased population size and lowered reproduction. Thus, in addition to the well-documented loss of species richness in human-disturbed tropical habitats, we demonstrated the direct effect of the disturbance that may promote vulnerability of local populations.

Colony size and brood investment of Myrmica rubra ant colonies in habitats invaded by goldenrods

Ant richness and abundance are negatively affected by the invasion of alien goldenrods (Solidago sp.). However, little is known about the mechanisms standing behind the impact of the invaders on ant life history, such as colony investments in growth and reproduction. We examined this problem of the investments of Myrmica rubra ant colonies living in different grasslands invaded and non-invaded by goldenrods. Altogether, 47 colonies were analysed; and for each colony, we calculated the number of queens, workers and the production of young workers, gynes, and males. We found that colonies from invaded meadows are smaller in size, but have a similar number of adult queens compared to colonies from non-invaded sites. We also found different brood investments among colonies from invaded and non-invaded meadows-colonies from non-invaded meadows produce more young workers and invest more in growth, whereas colonies from invaded meadows invest more in reproduction through higher gyne production. Male production was at a similar level in colonies from both habitat types. The observed patterns may be explained by the effect of various environmental factors occurring in both grassland types, such as stress in changed habitats, higher competition among gynes in non-invaded grasslands, or finally, by the adaptive colony-level response of ants to stress. The higher production of gynes observed in the invaded grasslands may support dispersal and enhance the probability of establishing a colony in a more favourable location.

Cardiac safety of tiotropium in patients with COPD: a combined analysis of Holter-ECG data from four randomised clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Tiotropium is generally well tolerated; however, there has been debate whether antimuscarinics, particularly tiotropium administered via Respimat(®) Soft Mist(™) Inhaler, may induce cardiac arrhythmias in a vulnerable subpopulation with cardiovascular comorbidity. The aim of this study was to provide evidence of the cardiac safety of tiotropium maintenance therapy.

METHODS

Combined analysis of Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) data from clinical trials of tiotropium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Trials in the Boehringer Ingelheim clinical trials database conducted between 2003 and 2012, involving tiotropium HandiHaler(®) 18 μg and/or tiotropium Respimat(®) (1.25-, 2.5-, 5.0- and 10-μg doses) were reviewed. All trials involving Holter-ECG monitoring during this period were included in the analysis. Men and women aged ≥ 40 years with a smoking history of ≥ 10 pack-years, and a clinical diagnosis of COPD were included. Holter ECGs were evaluated for heart rate (HR), supraventricular premature beats (SVPBs), ventricular premature beats (VPBs) and pauses. Quantitative and categorical end-points were derived for each of the Holter monitoring days.

RESULTS

Four trials (n = 727) were included in the analysis. Respimat(®) (1.25-10 μg) or HandiHaler(®) (18 μg) was not associated with changes in HR, SVPBs, VPBs and pauses compared with placebo or the pretreatment baseline period. In terms of cardiac arrhythmia end-points, there was no evidence for an exposure-effect relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

In this analysis, tiotropium maintenance therapy administered using Respimat(®) (1.25-10 μg) or HandiHaler(®) (18 μg) once daily for periods of up to 48 weeks was well tolerated with no increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia in patients with COPD.

Comparison of transrectal prostate biopsy results with histology of transurethral resection of the prostate in men undergoing high-intensity focused ultrasound

INTRODUCTION

The aim of our study was to evaluate the significance of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) to detect prostate cancer (PCa). A comparison was performed of the TURP specimens of patients undergoing high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) with the core biopsies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

TURP before undergoing HIFU therapy was performed in 106 patients without neoadjuvant treatment. The resected tissue was subjected to histopathological evaluation and compared to the histological results of transrectal prostate biopsy.

RESULTS

Cancer was detected in the resected tissue of 69 patients (65%). A positive correlation of the amount of resected tissue and detection of PCa could be demonstrated in a multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

With a rate of 65% PCa detected by TURP, our data provide evidence that TURP might be suitable to detect PCa in a small group of selected patients with continuously rising PSA levels and several negative biopsies. On the other hand, these data underline/reinforce the necessity to treat the whole gland using modern treatment modalities such as HIFU and cryotherapy.

Utility of immunohistochemistry markers in the interpretation of post-high-intensive focussed ultrasound prostate biopsy cores

PURPOSE

To overcome the difficulties in the interpretation of postoperative tumor obtaining biopsy cores for patients who treated their prostate cancer with high-intensity focussed ultrasound (HIFU) therapy.

METHODS

The H&E slides of 58 patients with residual prostate cancer after HIFU treatment were systematically reviewed. Correlation between the pathologist's findings and immunohistochemical expression of MIB-1, alpha-Methyl-Co-Racemase and 34βE-12 staining was analyzed.

RESULTS

Mean time from treatment to biopsy was 40.2 (8-208) weeks. The expert review of the H&E slides identified 40 patients with viable carcinoma in the post-HIFU biopsy cores. 18 patients were revised to necrosis-only-tumors. These biopsies were performed not later than 16 weeks after HIFU treatment (median 10.9 weeks, range 8-14). Both MIB-1 and AMACR staining displayed significant differential expression in viable carcinoma (p < 0.001) compared to necrosis tumors. Referring to viable carcinoma tissue, AMACR staining index was significantly rising, the longer treatment dated back from biopsy (p < 0.002). In this context, 34-β-E12 stained negative through all tumor areas and positive in the majority (85%) of the surrounding non-neoplastic epithelium.

CONCLUSIONS

AMACR and MIB-1 reliably differentiate viable carcinoma from a process of ongoing irreversible necrosis in early post-HIFU prostate biopsy cores and therefore proposed-in addition with 34 beta-E12-as useful markers exposing suspicious tumor foci in difficult cases.

Quantitative determination of progesterone (P4) in canine blood serum using an enzyme-linked fluorescence assay

Progesterone (P4) measurement in the peripheral blood is an objective parameter for determination of reproductive functions in the bitch. This study evaluates an enzyme-linked fluorescence assay (ELFA) (Biomerieux, France) for the determination of progesterone validated for use in human. The ELFA is to be performed on the MiniVidas automated analyser which provides quantitative results within 45 min. Blood samples from a total of 27 female dogs of different breeds were used. To test the correctness of the ELFA 15 blood samples with a range of 0.3-40.0 ng/ml were compared to a radioimmunoassay (RIA) validated in the dog. The values obtained with the MiniVidas showed a high agreement (mean deviation 15%), deviations were in both directions and the correlation coefficient was 0.989. The coefficient of correlation according to Passing-Bablok test was 0.995. The intra-assay reproducibility in the MiniVidas system was tested on five samples (mean values 61.8, 6.8, 51.4, 43.7 and 1.1 ng/ml). The coefficients of variation (CV; 10-12 replicates) were 3.4%, 6.7%, 2.6%, 3.1% and 25.4%, respectively. Four serum samples (mean value 47.0, 15.1, 49.1 and 4.0 ng/ml) from different bitches were assayed singly in 10 separate series to test the inter-assay variability. The corresponding CV was 2.1%, 2.2%, 3.1% and 4.3% respectively. Samples from three dogs were used to test the accuracy of the assay. These samples were diluted (1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16) with charcoal-stripped human serum (Biomerieux, France) and tested in three runs. The expected values were met in a range of 60-75%. Measurement of progesterone for the detection of ovulation as well as prediction of parturition provided meaningful results. As a conclusion the use of the MiniVidas system for determination of P4 in peripheral blood of the bitch provides rapid and reliable results.

[Leptospirosis (Weil's disease) in Augsburg]

HISTORY

Three unrelated patients presented within three months at the Central Hospital of Augsburg, Southern Germany, with jaundice of initially unknown etiology. Patient (Pt.) 1, a 51-year old man was admitted with a history of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice and anuria. Pt. 2 was a 58-year-old man who had fever and shivering, and had developed jaundice after a fishing-trip to Canada. Pt. 3 was a 66-year-old woman who presented at the Emergency Unit with recently developed jaundice and pain in the right lateral epigastric area.

INVESTIGATIONS

Laboratory results showed elevated levels for bilirubin, CK, BUN, creatinine and low thrombocytes in patients 1 and 2. An elevated lipase level was found in Pt 1, while Pt 3 had an elevated bilirubin and thrombocytopenia. In Pt 1 and 2 active leptospirosis was diagnosed by serological tests. The third patient showed a subsided leptospirosis, the jaundice having been due to a histologically confirmed drug-associated hepatitis.

TREATMENT AND COURSE

Patients 1 and 2, who had active disease, showed the full-blown clinical picture of Weil's disease with jaundice, renal failure and thrombocytopenia. After administration of penicillin G and a third generation cephalosporin (ceftriaxone), respectively, all symptoms disappeared. The 66-year-old woman (Pt 3) developed pneumonia and died of multiple organ failure.

CONCLUSION

Leptospirosis is an important differential diagnosis in patients with recent onset of jaundice and acute renal failure. A detailed history may offer the crucial hint and serological tests provide proof. The clinical outcome mainly depends on starting antimicrobial therapy with penicillin G or a third generation cephalosporin as soon as practicable.

Fulminant metastatic spread in a patient with an early gastric cancer

A patient with an early gastric cancer was treated initially by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) at our hospital. The resected specimen showed a depth of submucosal infiltration of more than 500 microm. Therefore, in accordance with the extended criteria with regard to EMR, the patient underwent gastrectomy. The TNM stage was pT1 (sm3), pN0 (0 / 58), cM0, L0, V0, G2 after surgery (UICC stage Ia). At 3 months later ultrasound revealed a new mass in the liver, and biopsy showed a rapidly growing metastasis of the gastric adenocarcinoma. Finally, immunohistochemical analysis of all the lymph nodes of the resected stomach revealed a micrometastasis (3mm) directly under the ESD site. The patient died 6 months later. This clinical case highlights the risk of affected lymph nodes in early gastric cancer and the consequent risk of metastasis which increases with greater depth of infiltration to the submucosa.

Technical and non-technical skills can be reliably assessed during paramedic simulation training

BACKGROUND

Medical teams depend on technical skills (TS) as well as non-technical skills (NTS) for successful management of critical events. Simulated scenarios are an opportunity for presentation of similar crisis situations. The aim of this study was to test whether TS and NTS are assessable with satisfactory interrater reliability (IRR) during a regular paramedic training.

METHODS

Thirty paramedics were rated by two independent observers using video-recording and previously validated checklists while managing two simulated emergency scenarios as a team of two. The observed items of the team's TS included type, order, and time of adequate medical care. The NTS were restricted to six team-oriented dimensions. The IRR was quantified by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The z-transformed values of the TS and NTS were correlated by Pearson's correlation. Internal consistency was controlled using Cronbach's alpha.

RESULTS

The average measures ICC for the IRR was between 0.97 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91-0.99] and 0.98 (95% CI 0.94-0.99) for the TS sum-score, and was 0.94 (95% CI 0.87-0.97) for the NTS sum-score; the Cronbach's alpha of this NTS sum-score was 0.86. There is a positive correlation between the normalised TS and NTS sum-scores (r=0.53; P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Assessment of TS and NTS is feasible and reliable during paramedic training in emergency scenarios. TS can be reliably assessed by one trained observer; for NTS, two trained raters provide a suitable condition for excellent observations. There is a significant positive correlation between TS and NTS.

Induction of complete remission in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer: A combined anti-inflammatory therapy approach

15636

Background: The present multi-centre phase II study was designed to support the hypothesis that networking agents binding to ubiquitous accessible targets in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) may counteract neoplasia-specific aberrant cellular functions, thereby mediating objective response (primary endpoint). Method: Patients with metastatic HRPC, received both an anti- inflammatory and angiostatic therapy consisting of low-dose chemotherapy with capecitabine 1 g twice daily for 14 days every 3 weeks, day 15+, COX-2 blockade with etoricoxib 60 mg daily, day 1+, combined with two transcription modulators, pioglitazone 60 mg daily, day 1+, plus dexamethason 1 mg daily for 14 days, every 3 weeks, day 15+, until disease progression. The study was planned using the Simon optimal design. Results: Thirty-six consecutive patients (N= 22 (61%) chemo-naive, n= 14 (39%) with preceding chemotherapies, mean 2.1 regimen) with metastatic HRPC, confirmed PSA increase, assessable response, and ECOG 0–2 were enrolled between 1/03 to 5/06. Objective response occurred in 10 of 13 cases (N/n: 41%/7%) with PSA (and C-reactive protein) response >50% (N/n: 45%/21%). Median time to PSA response was 2.4 months (range 1.0 to 7.3 months). Two of three patients responding with PSA <4 ng/ml achieved complete remission after 9 and 16 months, 16 patients stable disease (N/n: 41%/64%), and 5 patients experienced progressive disease (N/n: 14%/14%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.6 months (range 0.5 to 28.5) and median overall survival (OS) 14.4 months (range 0.6 to 37.2). Multivariate analysis recognized pre-treatment with chemotherapy as negative predictor for both OS (hazard ratio 2.26 (CI 95%: 0.970; 5.277), p=0.05) and PFS (HR 2.47 (CI 95%: 1.146; 5.348), p= 0.02), and <50% PSA response as negative predictor for PFS (HR 0.38 (CI 95%: 0.171; 0.857), p= 0.01). Toxicities > WHO grade II were reported: Hand-foot syndrome (n=1), anemia (n=6), edema (n=1), cushing syndrome (n=1), hydronephrosis (n=1). Conclusions: This is the first study reporting continuous complete remissions in HRPC with a biomodulatory therapy approach. Further, the study may clinically support the upper mentioned hypothesis.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Frequent loss of SFRP1 expression in multiple human solid tumours: association with aberrant promoter methylation in renal cell carcinoma

Oncogenic wingless-related mouse mammary tumour virus (Wnt) signalling, caused by epigenetic inactivation of specific pathway regulators like the putative tumour suppressor secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1), may be causally involved in the carcinogenesis of many human solid tumours including breast, colon and kidney cancer. To evaluate the incidence of SFRP1 deficiency in human tumours, we performed a large-scale SFRP1 expression analysis using immunohistochemistry on a comprehensive tissue microarray (TMA) comprising 3448 tumours from 36 organs. This TMA contained 132 different tumour subtypes as well as 26 different normal tissues. Although tumour precursor stages of, for example kidney, colon, endometrium or adrenal gland still exhibited moderate to abundant SFRP1 expression, this expression was frequently lost in the corresponding genuine tumours. We defined nine novel tumour entities with apparent loss of SFRP1 expression, i.e., cancers of the kidney, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, parathyroid, adrenal gland, gall bladder, endometrium and testis. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) exhibited the highest frequency of SFRP1 loss (89% on mRNA level; 75% on protein level) and was selected for further analysis to investigate the cause of SFRP1 loss in human tumours. We performed expression, mutation and methylation analysis in RCC and their matching normal kidney tissues. SFRP1 promoter methylation was frequently found in RCC (68%, n=38) and was correlated with loss of SFRP1 mRNA expression (p<0.05). Although loss of heterozygosity was found in 16% of RCC, structural mutations in the coding or promoter region of the SFRP1 gene were not observed. Our results indicate that loss of SFRP1 expression is a very common event in human cancer, arguing for a fundamental role of aberrant Wnt signalling in the development of solid tumours. In RCC, promoter hypermethylation seems to be the predominant mechanism of SFRP1 gene silencing and may contribute to initiation and progression of this disease.

Utilizing the ventriloquism-effect to investigate audio-visual binding

Audio-visual binding - as subset of crossmodal integration - describes the combination of information across both these senses to the subjective unified perception of a bound object. We investigated audio-visual binding by using the ventriloquism-effect (localization of a sound is biased towards and by a simultaneous visual stimulus) to act as an indicator for perceived binding. Simple visual and auditory stimuli were presented synchronously or asynchronously. fMRI was recorded during task performance (n = 19 subjects) in order to reveal activation in areas discussed to be involved in multisensory processing in the literature. Contrasting trials with reported ventriloquism-effect versus the no-binding condition revealed activation in the insula, superior temporal sulcus and parieto-occipital sulcus. Implementing the ventriloquism-effect allows us to relate these activations to consciousness-related processes, which probably are different from stimulus-driven multisensory integration in subcortical areas.

Fundamentals of dry reagent chemistries: the role of enzymes

It is evident that the specificity and catalytic efficiency of enzymes has revolutionized clinical diagnostics. Developing dry reagent systems provides convenience to the user as well as devices that are more versatile and suitable for a variety of analyses. Most dry reagent chemistries are usually less than 7 cm2 x 300 microns thick and are packaged as discrete test devices, which reduces spoilage of unused reagents. Sample volumes needed for analysis are usually in the range of 3-30 microL; the 10-microL volume is most commonly used. The use of such small volumes makes these devices suitable for neonatal and geriatric patients where large sample volumes are not often available. Hence, 150 microL of serum (approximately 300 microL of blood) is sufficient for at least 15 different analyses on a sample. Dry reagent chemistries are easy to store, readily available for use, and disposable. Only application of a sample is needed to start an analysis.

[Ultrasound education by simulator training high acceptance by ultrasound trainees of all qualification levels]

Ultrasound education improves by simulator training, however, the acceptance of ultrasound simulator training has not been investigated. Therefore we evaluated the participants response to simulator education during an ultrasound course of abdominal emergencies at an international ultrasound congress, at a regular ultrasound course and during courses at a regional hospital and an university hospital. Altogether, 62.3% of the participants judged the simulator image quality to be good. 84.3% considered the case selection to be good and 92.7% of the participants viewed the educational benefit to be good. 98.5% whished to have further ultrasound simulator courses to be developed and 95.3% of the participants opted for the integration of simulator training into the conventional ultrasound education.