Mobilitätsverhalten, Alltag und Lebensstile in Wien und Wien-Umgebung

Series: SRE - Discussion Paper

Morbilliform Eruptions Caused by Penicillin**From the Departments of Dermatology and Cell. Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.

Although much has been learned regarding the immunology of penicillin eruptions, the advances are largely limited to reactions mediated by humeral antibodies. Therefore, we undertook a study of the more common, but less well-understood morbilliform eruptions which occur several days to weeks following penicillin therapy. Biopsies were taken from 4 patients with such eruptions and from 4 control subjects and studied by electron microscopy as well as light microscopy. The patients were skin tested with penicillin antigens and studied for hemagglutinating antibodies. The results showed no abnormalities in hemagglutinating antibodies, no detectable skin-sensitizing antibodies or delayed sensitivity to penicillin derivatives. Electron microscopy revealed striking differences between patients with penicillin eruptions and controls. The involved skins showed intercellular edema limited to the basal area and some intracellular edema. The basement lamina remained intact. Other morphologic changes presented interesting similarities to those seen in pemphigus vulgaris including clumped perinuclear tonofibrils and “tomb-stone-like” basal keratinocytes. Fluorescence studies revealed anti-epithelial antibodies in the blood serum of 2 of the 4 patients with morbilliform penicillin eruptions

Ryanodine receptor and capacitative Ca2+ entry in fresh preglomerular vascular smooth muscle cells

Ryanodine receptor and capacitative Ca2+ entry in fresh preglomerular vascular smooth muscle cells.BackgroundA multiplicity of hormonal, neural, and paracrine factors regulates preglomerular arterial tone by stimulating calcium entry or mobilization. We have previously provided evidence for capacitative (store-operated) Ca2+ entry in fresh renal vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Ryanodine-sensitive receptors (RyRs) have recently been identified in a variety of nonrenal vascular beds.MethodsWe isolated fresh rat preglomerular VSMCs with a magnetized microsphere/sieving technique; cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) was measured with fura-2 ratiometric fluorescence.ResultsRyanodine (3 μmol/L) increased [Ca2+]i from 79 to 138 nmol/L (P = 0.01). Nifedipine (Nif), given before or after ryanodine, was without effect. The addition of calcium (1 mmol/L) to VSMCs in calcium-free buffer did not alter resting [Ca2+]i. In Ca-free buffer containing Nif, [Ca2+]i rose from 61 to 88 nmol/L after the addition of the Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor cyclopiazonic acid and to 159 nmol/L after the addition of Ca2+ (1 mmol/L). Mn2+ quenched the Ca/fura signal, confirming divalent cation entry. In Ca-free buffer with Nif, [Ca2+]i increased from 80 to 94 nmol/L with the addition of ryanodine and further to 166 nmol/L after the addition of Ca2+ (1 mmol/L). Mn2+ quenching was again shown. Thus, emptying of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) with ryanodine stimulated capacitative Ca2+ entry.ConclusionPreglomerular VSMCs have functional RyR, and a capacitative (store-operated) entry mechanism is activated by the depletion of SR Ca2+ with ryanodine, as is the case with inhibitors of SR Ca2+-ATPase

Endothelin A and B receptors of preglomerular vascular smooth muscle cells

BACKGROUND: The endothelin (ET) receptors are subclassified into ET(A,) which are purely vasoconstrictive, and ET(B). The ET(B) receptors may cause either vasodilation by stimulating the release of nitric oxide from endothelial cells, or vasoconstriction of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The relative contribution of ET(A) and ET(B) receptors to calcium signaling and vasoconstriction in the renal microcirculation is not clear. Our goal was to study the cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) responses of fresh rat preglomerular VSMC and afferent arterioles to agonists and antagonists of ET(A) and ET(B) receptors in rats. METHODS: Fresh VSMC and afferent arterioles were isolated using the magnetized microsphere/sieving technique, followed by gentle collagenase digestion. [Ca(2+)](i) was measured with fura-2 ratiometric fluorescence. RESULTS: Afferent arterioles and VSMC responded to ET-1 stimulation with a rapid peak increase in [Ca(2+)](i) (Delta= 287 +/- 81 and 342 +/- 55 nmol/L, respectively). The ET(B) receptor agonist IRL 1620 stimulated a rise in [Ca(2+)](i) in afferent arterioles (106 +/- 35 nmol/L); subsequent addition of ET-1 at the IRL 1620 nadir to stimulate ET(A) receptors caused a second peak that was twice as large (213 +/- 44 nmol/L). In VSMC, the ET(B) agonist peak increase was 99 +/- 12 nmol/L; addition of ET-1 then increased [Ca(2+)](i) by 294 +/- 23 nmol/L. The ET(B) inhibitor BQ-788 prevented stimulation of [Ca(2+)](i) by IRL 1620 in afferent arterioles and VSMC; subsequent stimulation of ET(A) receptors with ET-1 caused an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) (239 +/- 17 and 248 +/- 22 nmol/L). Pretreatment with the selective ET(A) inhibitor PD 156707 attenuated but did not abolish the responses to ET-1, suggesting that the residual [Ca(2+)](i) response was caused by ET(B) stimulation. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that fresh preglomerular VSMC as well as afferent arterioles have both ET(A) and ET(B) receptors, and that the rapid peak [Ca(2+)](i) responses to the ET(B) agonist IRL 1620 are less than half that of subsequent stimulation of ET(A) receptors with ET-1. The similarity of findings in isolated VSMC and afferent arterioles suggests that responses in VSMC in our arteriolar preparation overshadow any potential contribution of endothelial cells when reagents are administered abluminally

Making sense of risk. Donor risk communication in families considering living liverdonation to a child

This paper contributes to the growing line of thought in bioethics that respect for autonomy should not be equated to the facilitation of individualistic self determination through standard requirements of informed consent in all healthcare contexts. The paper describes how in the context of donation for living related liver transplantation (LRLT) meaningful, responsible decision making is often embedded within family processes and its negotiation. We suggest that good donor risk communication in families promote “conscientious autonomy” and “reflective trust”. From this, the paper offers the suggestion that transplant teams and other relevant professionals have to broaden their role and responsibility for risk communication beyond proper disclosure by addressing the impact of varied psychosocial conditions on risk interpretation and assessment for potential donors and family stakeholders. In conclusion, we suggest further research questions on how professional responsibility and role-taking in risk communication should be morally understood

Dithered Color Quantization

Image quantization and digital halftoning are fundamental problems in computer graphics, which arise when displaying high-color images on non-truecolor devices. Both steps are generally performed sequentially and, in most cases, independent of each other. Color quantization with a pixel-wise defined distortion measure and the dithering process with its local neighborhood optimize different quality criteria or, frequently, follow a heuristic without reference to any quality measure. In this paper we propose a new method to simultaneously quantize and dither color images. The method is based on a rigorous cost–function approach which optimizes a quality criterion derived from a generic model of human perception. A highly efficient algorithm for optimization based on a multiscale method is developed for the dithered color quantization cost function. The quality criterion and the optimization algorithms are evaluated on a representative set of artificial and real–world images as well as on a collection of icons. A significant image quality improvement is observed compared to standard color reduction approaches

Legal situation and current practice of waste incineration bottom ash utilisation in Europe

Almost 500 municipal solid waste incineration plants in the EU, Norway, and Switzerland generate about 17.6 Mt/a of incinerator bottom ash (IBA). IBA contains minerals and metals. Metals are mostly separated and sold to the scrap market and minerals are either disposed of in landfills or utilised in the construction sector. Since there is no uniform regulation for IBA utilisation at EU level, countries developed own rules with varying requirements for utilisation. As a result from a cooperation network between European experts an up-to-date overview of documents regulating IBA utilisation is presented. Furthermore, this work highlights the different requirements that have to be considered. Overall, 51 different parameters for the total content and 36 different parameters for the emission by leaching are defined. An analysis of the defined parameter reveals that leaching parameters are significantly more to be considered compared to total content parameters. In order to assess the leaching behaviour nine different leaching tests, including batch tests, up-flow percolation tests and one diffusion test (monolithic materials) are in place. A further discussion of leaching parameters showed that certain countries took over limit values initially defined for landfills for inert waste and adopted them for IBA utilisation. The overall utilisation rate of IBA in construction works is approximately 54 wt.%. It is revealed that the rate of utilisation does not necessarily depend on how well regulated IBA utilisation is, but rather seems to be a result of political commitment for IBA recycling and economically interesting circumstances

An iron-oxygen intermediate formed during the catalytic cycle of cysteine dioxygenase

Cysteine dioxygenase is a key enzyme in the breakdown of cysteine, but its mechanism remains controversial. A combination of spectroscopic and computational studies provides the first evidence of a short-lived intermediate in the catalytic cycle. The intermediate decays within 20 ms and has absorption maxima at 500 and 640 nm