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Copyright of Der Diabetologe is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Der Chirurg is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Arginase was shown to be up-regulated in different animal models of inflammatory and fibrotic airway diseases. Since arginase provides l-ornithine, one precursor for l-proline, an essential substrate for collagen synthesis, it has been suggested that arginase might be a key enzyme in airway remodelling. The present study aimed to characterize expression of arginase isoenzymes in rat and human pulmonary fibroblasts, and to test whether arginase inhibition affects collagen synthesis. In primary rat tracheal and lung fibroblasts, mRNA for arginase I and II could be detected, with arginase I as predominant isoenzyme. In contrast, in human lung fibroblasts (primary cells and different cells lines) mRNA levels for arginase I were at or below detection limit whereas arginase II mRNA was markedly higher than in rat pulmonary fibroblasts. Arginase activity in rat tracheal and lung fibroblasts was between 20 and 30 mU/mg protein, but was below detection limit (2.5 mU/mg) in human lung fibroblasts. In rat tracheal and lung fibroblasts cultured in proline-free medium, arginase inhibition by Nω-hydroxy-nor- l-arginine caused a reduction by about one-third of basal collagen I accumulation (determined by western blot analysis) and largely attenuated transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1)-induced increase in collagen accumulation, whereas basal and TGF-ß1-induced collagen accumulation by human lung fibroblasts was not affected by arginase inhibition. In conclusion, arginase isoenzymes reveal a species specific expression pattern. Arginase contributes significantly to l-proline supply for collagen synthesis in rat fibroblasts, in which arginase I is the predominant isoenzyme, but not in human fibroblasts, in which arginase II is the only isoenzyme expressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In lung fibroblasts, proliferation is inhibited by activation of EP2 prostanoid receptors which are known to couple to adenylyl cyclase. Beside the classic target of cAMP, protein kinase A (PKA), alternative cAMP effectors have been identified, among them Epac (exchange protein activated by cAMP). The present study aimed to illuminate transduction pathways mediating the anti-proliferative effects of EP2 receptors in lung fibroblasts. Proliferative activity of human lung fibroblasts was determined by measuring [3H]-thymidine incorporation. The selective EP2 receptor agonist butaprost inhibited [3H]-thymidine incorporation by 75%, an effect mimicked by forskolin, the phosphodiesterase inhibitor IBMX, the stable cAMP analogues dibutyryl-cAMP and bromo-cAMP, as well as by the Epac selective cAMP analogues 8-pCPT-2′- O-Me-cAMP and Sp-8-pCPT-2′- O-Me-cAMPS, whereas the PKA selective agonist 6-Bnz-cAMP was inactive. The PKA inhibitor Rp-8-Br-cAMPS inhibited butaprost-induced phosphorylation of CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein), but did not affect butaprost-induced inhibition of [3H]-thymidine incorporation. Partial knockdown of Epac1 by specific siRNA transfection resulted in a marked attenuation of the inhibitory potency of butaprost, whereas transfection of Epac2 siRNA or non-silencing siRNA did not affect the effectiveness of butaprost to inhibit [3H]-thymidine incorporation. In conclusion, Epac1 rather than the classic cAMP effector PKA is a crucial element in the signal transduction pathway mediating anti-proliferative effects of EP2 receptor activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sufficient luminal distension is mandatory for small bowel imaging. However, patients often are unable to ingest volumes of currently applied oral contrast compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate if administration of low doses of an oral contrast agent with high-osmolarity leads to sufficient and diagnostic bowel distension. Six healthy volunteers ingested at different occasions 150, 300 and 450 ml of a commercially available oral contrast agent (Banana Smoothie Readi-Cat, E-Z-EM; 194 mOsmol/l). Two-dimensional TrueFISP data sets were acquired in 5-min intervals up to 45 min after contrast ingestion. Small bowel distension was quantified using a visual five-grade ranking (5 = very good distension, 1 = collapsed bowel). Results were statistically compared using a Wilcoxon-Rank test. Ingestion of 450 ml and 300 ml resulted in a significantly better distension than 150 ml. The all-over average distension value for 450 ml amounted to 3.4 (300 ml: 3.0, 150 ml: 2.3) and diagnostic bowel distension could be found throughout the small intestine. Even 45 min after ingestion of 450 ml the jejunum and ileum could be reliably analyzed. Small bowel imaging with low doses of contrast leads to diagnostic distension values in healthy subjects when a high-osmolarity substance is applied. These findings may help to further refine small bowel MRI techniques, but need to be confirmed in patients with small bowel disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and the assessment of the different conservative modalities of treatment in Peyronie's disease. A representative survey among 3187 German urologists was performed using a standardized questionnaire comprising currently used concepts of therapy, their efficacy, and their tolerability.Material and Methods: A total of 636 urologists participated in the study. Altogether they had treated 6019 patients with Peyronie's disease in 2003. The majority of urologists treated between 3 and 15 patients per year. The most frequent treatment modality was the administration of potassium paraaminobenzoate, followed by vitamin E and extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Other oral drugs and intralesional drug administrations were used considerably less frequently.Results: The most commonly used treatment modalities were assessed for the best results in terms of efficacy and tolerability. However, this outcome is contradictory to the few controlled studies regarding the efficacy of the different drugs.Conclusions: The large number of patients treated demonstrates the importance of conservative therapy for Peyronie's disease. Therefore, it is unfortunate that no conservative treatment modality is currently available that cures the symptoms of this disorder in all patients affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment satisfaction of patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases receiving hospital-based intravenous (IVIG) or home-based subcutaneous (SCIG) immunoglobulin infusions requires investigation.Objective: Evaluation of the properties and suitability of the Life Quality Index (LQI), as an instrument to assess treatment satisfaction.Methods: Patients received weekly SCIG and completed the LQI, two global treatment satisfaction questions and the CHQ-PF50 (children) or the SF-36 (adults) at baseline and 10 months. The LQI was psychometrically evaluated.Results: The LQI comprised four scales: treatment interference (I), therapy related problems (II), therapy setting (III), treatment costs (IV). Convergent/discriminant validity for scales I, II, III was acceptable, for scale IV moderate. CHQ-PF50 scales behavior, bodily pain, global behavior, global health, mental health, parental impact-emotion significantly correlated with LQI scale II, the family activity scale with LQI scales I, III. SF-36 scale bodily pain significantly correlated with scale III. Internal consistency was good for scales I, II, III, but poor for scale IV. Score values significantly increased for scales I, III, IV in patients switching from IVIG to SCIG.Conclusions: Three valid LQI scales were determined. Cost-related questions should be removed due to low reliability. Patients-perceived therapy effectiveness and patient-physician/nurse interaction should be included in the instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]