Effects of muscle and moderate endurance training in patients with mild or quiescent Crohn's disease

Ziel der Studie war, die Sicherheit und Praktikabilität sowie nachgeordnet mögliche positive Effekte eines moderaten Ausdauer- und Muskeltrainings bei Patienten mit mildem oder inaktivem Morbus Crohn zu untersuchen. Methoden: In dieser Pilotstudie wurden 45 Morbus Crohn Patienten mit einem Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) von 0 bis 219 randomisiert und entweder einer Ausdauertrainings-, Muskeltrainings- oder Kontrollgruppe zugeteilt. Die Teilnehmer mussten drei Monate lang drei Mal pro Woche individuell trainieren. Zu den Zielparametern zählten die Abbruchrate, die Krankheitsaktivität (CDAI), laborchemische Entzündungsparameter einschließlich fäkales Calprotectin, anthropometrische Daten, Lebensqualität (sIBDQ), körperliche Aktivität (sIPAQ), Kraft in den oberen und unteren Extremitäten sowie funktionelle Kraft, fettfreie Körpermasse gemessen mittels Bioelektrischer Impedanz Analyse und kardiorespiratorische Kapazität berechnet mit dem Ruffier-Dickson Index. Resultate: In beiden Interventionsgruppen kam es zu keiner signifikanten Veränderung des CDAI. In der Ausdauergruppe war die Abbruchrate mit 47% gegenüber 13% in der Muskelgruppe und 0% in der Kontrollgruppe signifikant höher (p=0,04). In beiden Gruppen nahmen sowohl die maximale und durchschnittliche Kraft in der oberen und unteren Extremität als auch die funktionelle Kraft signifikant zu (alle p<0,04). Eine statistisch signifikante Gesamtverbesserung der Lebensqualität konnte nicht festgestellt werden. Es gab keine Veränderung der kardiorespiratorischen Kapazität und der fettfreien Körpermasse. Schlussfolgerung: Sowohl Ausdauer- als auch Muskeltraining können bei Patienten in Remission oder mildem Morbus Crohn sicher durchgeführt werden, Muskeltraining scheint eher durchführbar zu sein. Beide Trainingsformen haben positive Auswirkungen auf die Muskelkraft. Hierdurch können Komorbiditäten vermutlich günstig beeinflusst werden. Weitere Untersuchungen mit größeren Patientenpopulationen und auch mit Patienten mit höherer Krankheitsaktivität sind erforderlich, um die Auswirkungen auf die Krankheitsaktivität und immunologische Veränderungen weiter zu charakterisieren.The aim of this study was to examine safety and practicability as well as subordinate possible positive effects of moderate endurance and muscle training in patients with mild or quiescent Crohn's disease. Methods: In this pilot study 45 Crohn's disease patients with a Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) between 0 and 219 were randomly assigned to either an endurance training, muscle training or control group. The participants had to train individually three times a week for three months. Target parameters included drop-out rate, disease activity (CDAI), laboratory chemical inflammation parameters including fecal calprotectin, anthropometric data, quality of life (sIBDQ), physical activity (sIPAQ), strength in the upper and lower extremities and functional strength, lean body mass measured by bioelectric impedance analysis and cardiorespiratory capacity calculated with the Ruffier-Dickson index. Results: In both intervention groups there was no significant change of CDAI. In the endurance group the termination rate was with 47% significantly higher compared to 13% in the muscle group and 0% in the control group (p=0,04). In both groups, maximum and average strength in the upper and lower extremity as well as functional strength increased significantly (all p<0,04). A statistically significant overall improvement in quality of life could not be observed. There was no change in cardiorespiratory capacity and lean body mass. Conclusion: Both endurance and muscle training can be safely performed in patients in remission or mild Crohn's disease, muscle training seems to be more feasible. Both forms of training have positive effects on muscle strength. This is thought to alleviate comorbidities. Further research in larger patient populations and also in patients with higher disease activity is needed to further characterize the effects on disease activity and immunological changes in Crohn's disease patients

Onset of phase diffusion in high kinetic inductance granular aluminum micro-SQUIDs

Superconducting granular aluminum is attracting increasing interest due to its high kinetic inductance and low dissipation, favoring its use in kinetic inductance particle detectors, superconducting resonators or quantum bits. We perform switching current measurements on DC-SQUIDs, obtained by introducing two identical geometric constrictions in granular aluminum rings of various normal-state resistivities in the range from ρ n = 250–5550 μΩ cm. The relative high kinetic inductance of the SQUID loop, in the range of tens of nH, leads to a suppression of the modulation in the measured switching current versus magnetic flux, accompanied by a distortion towards a triangular shape. We observe a change in the temperature dependence of the switching current histograms with increasing normal-state film resistivity. This behavior suggests the onset of a diffusive motion of the superconducting phase across the constrictions in the two-dimensional washboard potential of the SQUIDs, which could be caused by a change of the local electromagnetic environment of films with increasing normal-state resistivities

Die wiederkehrende Emissionsprüfung nach 1. BImSchV: Für Betreiber automatisch beschickter Holzfeuerungen bis 100 kW Nennleistung

... im Rahmen der politischen Zielsetzung einer nachhaltigeren und umweltschonenderen Energieerzeugung wird auch die Biomassenutzung in Form der dezentralen Wärmeerzeugung gefördert, um die Energiewende voran zu treiben und Kohlenstoffdioxidemissionen durch die Nutzung nachwachsender Rohstoffe einzusparen. Bei den genutzten Technologien muss jedoch auch sichergestellt sein, dass deren Betrieb hinsichtlich der emittierten Luftschadstoffe unbedenklich ist und die geltenden Vorschriften erfüllt. Dazu zählt bei Feuerungsanlagen die wiederkehrende Emissionsprüfung

R-Process in Collapsing O/Ne/Mg Cores

Several circumstantial arguments point to the formation of the third r-process peak at A about 190, near platinum, in stars of mass of about 8-10 solar masses: 1) The delayed production of europium with respect to iron imposes a time scale that restricts the progenitor stars to less than about 10 solar masses; 2) the r-process demands a dominant robust mechanism at least for barium and above, since the relative abundance pattern of those r-process elements in low-metallicity stars is consistent with the solar pattern; 3) stars of about 8-10 solar masses produce nearly identical degenerate O/Ne/Mg cores that collapse due to electron capture; and 4) the resulting low-mass cores may produce both an r-process in a prompt explosion and a subsequent r-process in a neutrino driven wind. The prompt explosion of an O/Ne/Mg core yields low entropy and low electron fraction, and hence may produce a reasonable r-process peak at A about 190 as well as all of the r-process elements with Z greater than 56. The possible differences in the neutrino-driven wind and associated r-process due to the low-mass neutron stars expected in this mass range are also discussed.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX aasms4; to be published in ApJ Letter

FDG-PET/CT Imaging Predicts Histopathologic Treatment Responses after Neoadjuvant Therapy in Adult Primary Bone Sarcomas

Purpose. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate whether FDG-PET allows an accurate assessment of histopathologic response to neoadjuvant treatment in adult patients with primary bone sarcomas. Methods. Twelve consecutive patients with resectable, primary high grade bone sarcomas were enrolled prospectively. FDG-PET/CT imaging was performed prior to the initiation and after completion of neoadjuvant treatment. Imaging findings were correlated with histopathologic response. Results. Histopathologic responders showed significantly more pronounced decreases in tumor FDG-SUVmax from baseline to late follow up than non-responders (64 ± 19% versus 29 ± 30 %, resp.; P = .03). Using a 60% decrease in tumor FDG-uptake as a threshold for metabolic response correctly classified 3 of 4 histopathologic responders and 7 of 8 histopathologic non-responders as metabolic responders and non-responders, respectively (sensitivity, 75%; specificity, 88%). Conclusion. These results suggest that changes in FDG-SUVmax at the end of neoadjuvant treatment can identify histopathologic responders and non-responders in adult primary bone sarcoma patients

Protocol for orthotopic single-lung transplantation in mice as a tool for lung metastasis studies

The transplantation model provides the opportunity to assess the relevance of a molecule of interest for tumor cell extravasation by using a respective genetically modified donor animal. Here, we present a protocol for orthotopic single-lung transplantation in mice as a tool for lung metastasis studies. We describe steps for animal preparation, lung transplantation, and tumor cell injection. We then detail procedures for the direct comparison of tumor cell spreading between the genetically modified left lung and the naive right lung parenchyma. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Giannou et al. (2023)

Predictors of early scaffold thrombosis: results from the multicenter prospective German-Austrian ABSORB RegIstRy

Background: In randomized clinical trials, the risk of thrombotic events with the absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) was significantly higher than with metallic drug-eluting stents. We evaluated predictors of scaffold thrombosis in the large-scale, multicenter German-Austrian ABSORB RegIstRy.Methods and Results: 3178 patients with treatment of 4252 lesions using 5020 scaffolds were included. Follow-up rate at 6 months was 97.4%. Forty-five (1.42%) patients experienced definite/probable scaffold thrombosis during follow-up. Multiple regression analysis showed implantation of absorb BVS in bifurcation lesions [odds ratio (OR): 4.43;95% confidence interval (CI): 1.69-11.59;P=0.0024] or treatment in the years 2013/2014 (OR: 1.88;95% CI: 1.02-3.47;P=0.04) to be significant predictors of scaffold thrombosis. Excluding bifurcation lesions, the incidence of definite/probable scaffold thrombosis decreased from 1.8% (95% CI: 1.17-2.64%) in 2013/2014 to 0.89% (95% CI: 0.5-1.46%) in 2015/2016. In the latter period, absorb BVS were implanted more often in younger patients with less complex de novo lesions, and debulking devices and postdilatation were used more frequently. Between the two treatment periods, there was a significant reduction in myocardial infarction (2.73-1.24%, P<0.01;OR: 0.45;95% CI: 0.26-0.77), definite/probable scaffold thrombosis (1.79-0.88%, P<0.05;OR: 0.49;95% CI: 0.26-0.93), and target lesion failure and revascularization during follow-up.Conclusion: Improved procedural technique and more strict patient selection may explain a significant decrease in the absorb BVS thrombosis rates during the recruitment period of the large-scale German-Austrian ABSORB RegIstRy. In addition, treatment of bifurcation lesions was identified as an independent predictor of definite/probable scaffold thrombosis