Transformative Unternehmen

Die Rolle von Unternehmen bei der großen Transformation in Richtung einer nachhaltigen Gesellschaft ist noch unzureichend beschrieben. Der Beitrag zeigt auf, worin die besonderen Qualitäten transformativer Unternehmen liegen

Cardiovascular training improves fitness in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objective: Several studies suggest that patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week individually heart rate-monitored, moderately intensive cardiovascular training on cardiovascular fitness and perceived disease activity in AS patients. Methods: Patients diagnosed with AS according to modified New York criteria were to either 'cardiovascular training' or 'attention control'. The training group performed three cardiovascular trainings per week. All participants attended one weekly usual care flexibility training. Attention control contained regular discussion groups on coping strategies. Adherence was self-monitored. Assessments were performed at baseline and after the intervention period of 3 months. Physical fitness was the primary endpoint, measured in watts using a submaximal bicycle test following the PWC75% protocol. All analyses controlled for gender, age, body mass index, baseline fitness and physical activity levels, and BASDAI. Results: Of 106 AS patients enrolled, 40% were women, mean age was 49 (SD +/-12) years. 76.5% of the training group reported exercising at least three times a week. At 3 month follow-up, fitness level in the training group was significantly higher than in the control group (90.32 (SD 4.52) vs.109.84 (SD 4.72) respectively, p=0.001), independent of other covariates. Average BASDAI total score was 0.31 points lower (p = 0.31) in the training group, reaching significance for the 'peripheral pain' subscore (1.19; p=0.01), but not for 'back pain' or 'fatigue'. Conclusions: Cardiovascular training, in addition to flexibility exercise, increased fitness in AS patients and reduced their peripheral pain

Protocol for a population-based Ankylosing Spondylitis (PAS) cohort in Wales

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To develop a population-based cohort of people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Wales using (1) secondary care clinical datasets, (2) patient-derived questionnaire data and (3) routinely-collected information in order to examine disease history and the health economic cost of AS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This data model will include and link (1) secondary care clinician datasets (i.e. electronic patient notes from the rheumatologist) (2) patient completed questionnaires (giving information on disease activity, medication, function, quality of life, work limitations and health service utilisation) and (3) a broad range of routinely collected data (including; GP records, in-patient hospital admission data, emergency department data, laboratory/pathology data and social services databases). The protocol involves the use of a unique and powerful data linkage system which allows datasets to be interlinked and to complement each other.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This cohort can integrate patient supplied, primary and secondary care data into a unified data model. This can be used to study a range of issues such as; the true economic costs to the health care system and the patient, factors associated with the development of severe disease, long term adverse events of new and existing medication and to understand the disease history of this condition. It will benefit patients, clinicians and health care managers. This study forms a pilot project for the use of routine data/patient data linked cohorts for other chronic conditions.</p

BAAV Mediated GJB2 Gene Transfer Restores Gap Junction Coupling in Cochlear Organotypic Cultures from Deaf Cx26Sox10Cre Mice

The deafness locus DFNB1 contains GJB2, the gene encoding connexin26 and GJB6, encoding connexin30, which appear to be coordinately regulated in the inner ear. In this work, we investigated the expression and function of connexin26 and connexin30 from postnatal day 5 to adult age in double transgenic Cx26Sox10Cre mice, which we obtained by crossing connexin26 floxed mice with a deleter Sox10–Cre line. Cx26Sox10Cre mice presented with complete connexin26 ablation in the epithelial gap junction network of the cochlea, whereas connexin30 expression was developmentally delayed; immunolabeling patterns for both connexins were normal in the cochlear lateral wall. In vivo electrophysiological measurements in Cx26Sox10Cre mice revealed profound hearing loss accompanied by reduction of endocochlear potential, and functional experiments performed in postnatal cochlear organotypic cultures showed impaired gap junction coupling. Transduction of these cultures with a bovine adeno associated virus vector restored connexin26 protein expression and rescued gap junction coupling. These results suggest that restoration of normal connexin levels by gene delivery via recombinant adeno associated virus could be a way to rescue hearing function in DFNB1 mouse models and, in future, lead to the development of therapeutic interventions in humans