Gesundheitsrisiko Mobilfunkstrahlung? Was ändert sich mit 5G?

Exposure of the population to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) is dominated by the use of wireless communication devices close to the body. Exposure from transmitters far from the body is on average several orders of magnitude below the international guideline values. With increasing mobile data usage and the associated use of higher frequencies for 5G, a densification of the mobile network is to be expected. However, this will not necessarily increase the overall RF-EMF exposure of the population, as mobile phones emit less with better signal quality. 5G is a technological advancement of the previous mobile radio technology with the same biophysical properties. So far, no health effects below the guideline limits have been consistently demonstrated for RF-EMF. Biological effects such as changes of the electrical activity of the brain or the oxidative balance were observed for high local exposure in the range of the exposure guideline limits. According to current knowledge, they do not represent a health risk

Mitochondrial genomes of giant deers suggest their late survival in Central Europe

The giant deer Megaloceros giganteus is among the most fascinating Late Pleistocene Eurasian megafauna that became extinct at the end of the last ice age. Important questions persist regarding its phylogenetic relationship to contemporary taxa and the reasons for its extinction. We analyzed two large ancient cervid bone fragments recovered from cave sites in the Swabian Jura (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) dated to 12,000 years ago. Using hybridization capture in combination with next generation sequencing, we were able to reconstruct nearly complete mitochondrial genomes from both specimens. Both mtDNAs cluster phylogenetically with fallow deer and show high similarity to previously studied partial Megaloceros giganteus DNA from Kamyshlov in western Siberia and Killavullen in Ireland. The unexpected presence of Megaloceros giganteus in Southern Germany after the Ice Age suggests a later survival in Central Europe than previously proposed. The complete mtDNAs provide strong phylogenetic support for a Dama-Megaloceros clade. Furthermore, isotope analyses support an increasing competition between giant deer, red deer, and reindeer after the Last Glacial Maximum, which might have contributed to the extinction of Megaloceros in Central Europe

Разработка технических средств повышения эффективности солнечных установок

In this paper a method and means of increasing the power generated by solar installations during the day are considered. It is recommended to use acrylic concentrator and solar tracker with active type of tracking based on the control board without microcontrollers. This feature allows using DC commutator motor as an electric drive component, which simplifies the construction of the whole system significantly

Aspirin inhibits the acute venodilator response to furosemide in patients with chronic heart failure

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the effect of aspirin on the venodilator effect of furosemide in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) BACKGROUND: Furosemide has an acute venodilator effect preceding its diuretic action, which is blocked by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The ability of therapeutic doses of aspirin to block this effect of furosemide in patients with CHF has not been studied. For comparison, the venodilator response to nitroglycerin (NTG) was also studied. METHODS: Eleven patients with CHF were randomized to receive placebo, aspirin at 75 mg/day or aspirin at 300 mg/day for 14 days in a double-blind, crossover study. The effect of these pretreatments on the change in forearm venous capacitance (FVC) after 20 mg of intravenous furosemide was measured over 20 min by using venous occlusion plethysmography. In a second study, the effect of 400 μg of sublingual NTG on FVC was documented in 11 similar patients (nine participated in the first study). RESULTS: Mean arterial pressure, heart rate and forearm blood flow did not change in response to furosemide. After placebo pretreatment, furosemide caused an increase in FVC of 2.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] −0.9% to 5.2%; mean response over 20 min). By comparison, FVC fell by −1.1% (95% CI −4.2% to 1.9%) after pretreatment with aspirin at 75 mg/day, and by −3.7% (95% CI −6.8% to −0.7%) after aspirin at 300 mg/day (p = 0.020). In the second study, NTG increased FVC by 2.1% (95% CI −1.6% to 5.8%) (p = 0.95 vs. furosemide). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CHF, venodilation occurs within minutes of the administration of intravenous dose of furosemide. Our observation that aspirin inhibits this effect further questions the use of aspirin in patients with CHF

Mitochondrial oxidative stress and nitrate tolerance – comparison of nitroglycerin and pentaerithrityl tetranitrate in Mn-SOD(+/- )mice

BACKGROUND: Chronic therapy with nitroglycerin (GTN) results in a rapid development of nitrate tolerance which is associated with an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). According to recent studies, mitochondrial ROS formation and oxidative inactivation of the organic nitrate bioactivating enzyme mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-2) play an important role for the development of nitrate and cross-tolerance. METHODS: Tolerance was induced by infusion of wild type (WT) and heterozygous manganese superoxide dismutase mice (Mn-SOD(+/-)) with ethanolic solution of GTN (12.5 μg/min/kg for 4 d). For comparison, the tolerance-free pentaerithrityl tetranitrate (PETN, 17.5 μg/min/kg for 4 d) was infused in DMSO. Vascular reactivity was measured by isometric tension studies of isolated aortic rings. ROS formation and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-2) activity was measured in isolated heart mitochondria. RESULTS: Chronic GTN infusion lead to impaired vascular responses to GTN and acetylcholine (ACh), increased the ROS formation in mitochondria and decreased ALDH-2 activity in Mn-SOD(+/- )mice. In contrast, PETN infusion did not increase mitochondrial ROS formation, did not decrease ALDH-2 activity and accordingly did not lead to tolerance and cross-tolerance in Mn-SOD(+/- )mice. PETN but not GTN increased heme oxygenase-1 mRNA in EA.hy 926 cells and bilirubin efficiently scavenged GTN-derived ROS. CONCLUSION: Chronic GTN infusion stimulates mitochondrial ROS production which is an important mechanism leading to tolerance and cross-tolerance. The tetranitrate PETN is devoid of mitochondrial oxidative stress induction and according to the present animal study as well as numerous previous clinical studies can be used without limitations due to tolerance and cross-tolerance

Heart rate, mortality, and the relation with clinical and subclinical cardiovascular diseases: results from the Gutenberg Health Study

BACKGROUND: Higher, but also lower resting heart rate (HR), has been associated with increased cardiovascular events and mortality. Little is known about the interplay between HR, cardiovascular risk factors, concomitant diseases, vascular (endothelial) function, neurohormonal biomarkers, and all-cause mortality in the general population. Thus, we aimed to investigate these relationships in a population-based cohort. METHODS: 15,010 individuals (aged 35-74 at enrolment in 2007-2012) from the Gutenberg Health Study were analyzed. Multivariable regression modeling was used to assess the relation between the variables and conditional density plots were generated for cardiovascular risk factors, diseases, and mortality to show their dependence on HR. RESULTS: There were 714 deaths in the total sample at 7.67 +/- 1.68 years of follow-up. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, coronary and peripheral artery disease, chronic heart failure, and previous myocardial infarction exhibited a J-shaped association with HR. Mortality showed a similar relation with a nadir of 64 beats per minute (bpm) in the total sample. Each 10 bpm HR reduction in HR \u3c 64 subjects was independently associated with increased mortality (Hazard Ratio 1.36; 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.75). This increased risk was also present in HR \u3e 64 subjects (Hazard Ratio 1.29; 95% confidence interval 1.19-1.41 per 10 bpm increase in HR). Results found for vascular and neurohormonal biomarkers exhibited a differential picture in subjects with a HR below and above the nadir. DISCUSSION: These results indicate that in addition to a higher HR, a lower HR is associated with increased mortality

The future of multiple sclerosis treatments

Introduction. There are not many conditions in which the last few decades have brought such a major change in the landscape of treatments as is the case of multiple sclerosis (MS). A number of disease modifying treatments (DMTs) are presently available for the treatment of the inflammatory phase of this disabling disease; however, the need for treating neurodegeneration and halting the progression of disability is still unmet. Areas covered: In this paper we review the available information on existing and emerging DMTs and we discuss their place within the context of different treatment strategies in MS. Expert Commentary: The future of MS treatments should include the development of new treatment strategies tackling disease progression, together with a better understanding of the side-effects and the best sequential strategy of implementation of available and emerging drugs

Coronary stent strut fractures: classification, prevalence and clinical associations

Introduction. The frequency, characteristics and clinical implications of Strut fractures (SFs) remain incompletely understood. Methods and results. A total of 185 (160 patients) newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) were imaged. SFs were found in 21 DES (11.4%) and were classified in four patterns: one single stacked strut (41%); two or more stacked struts (23%); deformation without gap (27%); transection (9%). In multivariable analysis, calcific and bifurcation lesions were associated with SF in DES (OR: 3.5 [1.1-11] and 4.0 [2.2-7.2], p < 0.05). Device eccentricity and asymmetry as well as optical coherence tomography (OCT) features of impaired strut healing were also associated with SF. The prevalence of fractures was similar in a set of 289 bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS). In a separate series of 20 device thromboses and 36 device restenoses, the prevalence of SF was higher (61.2% of DES and 66.7% of BRS, p < 0.001 for both), with a higher frequency of complex SF patterns (p < 0.0001). In logistic regression analysis, fractures were a correlate of device complications (p < 0.0001, OR = 24.9 [5.6-111] for DES and OR = 6.0 [1.8-20] for BRS). Discussion. The prevalence of OCT-diagnosed SF was unexpectedly high in the setting of elective controls and it increased by about three-fold in the setting of device failure. Fractures were associated with increased lesion complexity and device asymmetry/eccentricity and were more frequent in the setting of device failure such as restenosis and thrombosis.Cardiovascular Aspects of Radiolog

Comprehensive exploration of the effects of miRNA SNPs on monocyte gene expression

We aimed to assess whether pri-miRNA SNPs (miSNPs) could influence monocyte gene expression, either through marginal association or by interacting with polymorphisms located in 3'UTR regions (3utrSNPs). We then conducted a genome-wide search for marginal miSNPs effects and pairwise miSNPs × 3utrSNPs interactions in a sample of 1,467 individuals for which genome-wide monocyte expression and genotype data were available. Statistical associations that survived multiple testing correction were tested for replication in an independent sample of 758 individuals with both monocyte gene expression and genotype data. In both studies, the hsa-mir-1279 rs1463335 was found to modulate in cis the expression of LYZ and in trans the expression of CNTN6, CTRC, COPZ2, KRT9, LRRFIP1, NOD1, PCDHA6, ST5 and TRAF3IP2 genes, supporting the role of hsa-mir-1279 as a regulator of several genes in monocytes. In addition, we identified two robust miSNPs × 3utrSNPs interactions, one involving HLA-DPB1 rs1042448 and hsa-mir-219-1 rs107822, the second the H1F0 rs1894644 and hsa-mir-659 rs5750504, modulating the expression of the associated genes. As some of the aforementioned genes have previously been reported to reside at disease-associated loci, our findings provide novel arguments supporting the hypothesis that the genetic variability of miRNAs could also contribute to the susceptibility to human diseases