Richard Serra - Philip Glass

In dieser Arbeit soll den Gemeinsamkeiten im Werk von Richard Serra und Philip Glass nachgegangen werden. Ausgehend von der Analyse von Serras Arbeiten werden die drei prägnantesten Korrelationen mit den (frühen) Arbeiten von Glass – nämlich Prozess, Zeit und Linie - aufgezeigt und untersucht werden. Interdependenzen und individuelle Leistungen beider Künstler sollen ebenso betrachtet werden, wie die Entwicklung der Werke im Laufe der Zeit, frei nach Serras Zitat „work comes out of work“: die Verlagerung von Interessen und der Wandel von Problemstellungen. Nicht zuletzt soll auf die Bedeutung von medienübergreifenden Problemstellungen und Problemlösungen in der Kunst hingewiesen werden, die nicht nur auf Glass und Serra im speziellen zutreffen, sondern auch generell Gültigkeit haben

In vivo regulation of interleukin 1β in patients with cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes

The investigation of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in human inflammatory diseases is hampered by the fact that it is virtually undetectable in human plasma. We demonstrate that by administering the anti–human IL-1β antibody canakinumab (ACZ885) to humans, the resulting formation of IL-1β–antibody complexes allowed the detection of in vivo–produced IL-1β. A two-compartment mathematical model was generated that predicted a constitutive production rate of 6 ng/d IL-1β in healthy subjects. In contrast, patients with cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS), a rare monogenetic disease driven by uncontrolled caspase-1 activity and IL-1 production, produced a mean of 31 ng/d. Treatment with canakinumab not only induced long-lasting complete clinical response but also reduced the production rate of IL-1β to normal levels within 8 wk of treatment, suggesting that IL-1β production in these patients was mainly IL-1β driven. The model further indicated that IL-1β is the only cytokine driving disease severity and duration of response to canakinumab. A correction for natural IL-1 antagonists was not required to fit the data. Together, the study allowed new insights into the production and regulation of IL-1β in man. It also indicated that CAPS is entirely mediated by IL-1β and that canakinumab treatment restores physiological IL-1β production

Comparison of 1.0 M gadobutrol and 0.5 M gadopentate dimeglumine-enhanced MRI in 471 patients with known or suspected renal lesions: Results of a multicenter, single-blind, interindividual, randomized clinical phase III trial

The purpose of this phase III clinical trial was to compare two different extracellular contrast agents, 1.0 M gadobutrol and 0.5 M gadopentate dimeglumine, for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with known or suspected focal renal lesions. Using a multicenter, single-blind, interindividual, randomized study design, both contrast agents were compared in a total of 471 patients regarding their diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity to correctly classify focal lesions of the kidney. To test for noninferiority the diagnostic accuracy rates for both contrast agents were compared with CT results based on a blinded reading. The average diagnostic accuracy across the three blinded readers ('average reader') was 83.7% for gadobutrol and 87.3% for gadopentate dimeglumine. The increase in accuracy from precontrast to combined precontrast and postcontrast MRI was 8.0% for gadobutrol and 6.9% for gadopentate dimeglumine. Sensitivity of the average reader was 85.2% for gadobutrol and 88.7% for gadopentate dimeglumine. Specificity of the average reader was 82.1% for gadobutrol and 86.1% for gadopentate dimeglumine. In conclusion, this study documents evidence for the noninferiority of a single i.v. bolus injection of 1.0 M gadobutrol compared with 0.5 M gadopentate dimeglumine in the diagnostic assessment of renal lesions with CE-MRI