Catalogue Search | MBRL
Are you sure you want to remove the book from the shelf?
{{itemTitle}}
1,418
result(s) for
"Stuermer, Michael"
Sort by:
Putin and the rise of Russia
An expert contemporary analysis of Vladimir Putin, his policies, and his key role in shaping a resurgent Russia's new role in world affairs.
Book
Effects of 8-Prenylnaringenin and Whole-Body Vibration Therapy on a Rat Model of Osteopenia
Background. 8-Prenylnaringenin (8-PN) is the phytoestrogen with the highest affinity for estrogen receptor-α (ER-α), which is required to maintain BMD. The osteoprotective properties of 8-PN have been demonstrated previously in tibiae. We used a rat osteopenia model to perform the first investigation of 8-PN with whole-body vertical vibration (WBVV). Study Design. Ovariectomy was performed on 52 of 64 Sprague-Dawley rats. Five weeks after ovariectomy, one group received daily injections (sc) of 8-PN (1.77 mg/kg) for 10 weeks; a second group was treated with both 8-PN and WBVV (twice a day, 15 min, 35 Hz, amplitude 0.47 mm). Other groups received either only WBVV or no treatment. Methods. The rats were sacrificed 15 weeks after ovariectomy. Lumbar vertebrae and femora were removed for biomechanical and morphological assessment. Results. 8-PN at a cancer-safe dose did not cause fundamental improvements in osteoporotic bones. Treatment with 8-PN caused a slight increase in uterine wet weight. Combined therapy using WBVV and 8-PN showed no significant improvements in bone structure and biomechanical properties. Conclusion. We cannot confirm the osteoprotective effects of 8-PN at a cancer-safe dose in primary affected osteoporotic bones. Higher concentrations of 8-PN are not advisable for safety reasons. Adjunctive therapy with WBVV demonstrates no convincing effects on bones.
Journal Article
Effect of Urocortin on strength and microarchitecture of osteopenic rat femur
As yet there is no evidence of the potential antiosteoporotic effect of Urocortin-1 (UCN), a corticotropin releasing factor related peptide, in vivo. In this study, and for the first time, we investigated the effect of UCN in a rat osteopenia model. Sixty female Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: (1) sham-operated, (2) untreated ovariectomized (OVX) rats, (3) and (4) OVX animals treated for 5 weeks with daily subcutaneous low-dose UCN (3 μg/kg of BW) or high-dose UCN (30 μg/kg of BW) 8 weeks after ovariectomy, and (5) OVX rats treated with daily estrogen (0.2 mg/kg of BW p.o) 8 weeks after ovariectomy for 5 weeks (E). After sacrifice, the femurs were reserved for biomechanical, histomorphometric and ash testing. In the biomechanical test, the high-dose UCN rats showed significantly improved mechanical stiffness (341.6 N/mm) compared with the untreated OVX animals (275.9 N/mm). In the histomorphometric evaluation, the high-dose UCN rats demonstrated an improved trabecular microarchitecture especially and significantly at the distal femur (distal femur Tb.Ar = 41.4 % and N.Nd/mm
2
= 26.8, proximal femur Tb.Ar = 71.8 % and N.Nd/mm
2
= 28.7) compared with untreated OVX rats (distal femur Tb.Ar = 23.3 % and N.Nd/mm
2
= 11.7, proximal femur Tb.Ar = 60.2 % and N.Nd/mm
2
= 25.2). Our results show that short-term treatment with UCN seems to have a positive effect on the metaphyseal bone structure and strength of the femur in ovariectomized rats.
Journal Article
Which patellae are likely to redislocate?
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for recurrent lateral patellar dislocations and to incorporate those factors into a patellar instability severity score.
Methods
Sixty-one patients [male/female 35/26; median age 19 years (range 9–51 years)] formed the study group for this investigation. Within the study group, 40 patients experienced a patellar redislocation within 24 months after the primary dislocation, whereas 21 patients, who were assessed after a median follow-up of 37 months (range 24–60 months), had not experienced a subsequent episode of lateral patellar instability. In all patients, age at the time of the primary dislocation, gender, the affected body side, body mass index, bilateral instability, physical activity according to Baecke’s questionnaire, the grade of trochlear dysplasia, patellar height, tibial tuberosity–trochlear groove (TT–TG) distance, and patellar tilt were assessed. The odds ratio (OR) of each factor with regard to the patellar redislocation was calculated using contingency tables. Based on these data, a “patellar instability severity score” was calculated.
Results
The patellar instability severity score has six factors: age, bilateral instability, the severity of trochlear dysplasia, patella alta, TT–TG distance, and patellar tilt; the total possible score is seven. Reapplying this score to the study population revealed a median score of 4 points (range 2–7) for those patients with an early episode of patellar redislocation and a median score of 3 points (range 1–6) for those without a redislocation (
p
= 0.0004). The OR for recurrent dislocations was 4.88 (95 % CI 1.57–15.17) for the patients who scored 4 or more points when compared with the patients who scored 3 or fewer points (
p
= 0.0064).
Conclusion
Based on the individual patient data, the patellar instability severity score allows an initial risk assessment for experiencing a recurrent patellar dislocation and might help differentiate between responders and non-responders to conservative treatment after primary lateral patellar instability.
Level of evidence
Case–control study, Level III.
Journal Article
The Impact of Strontium Ranelate on Metaphyseal Bone Healing in Ovariectomized Rats
The following questions were addressed: whether therapy with strontium ranelate (SR) should be continued or interrupted if the fractures occur during SR treatment and whether SR could be applied directly after fracture to improve bone healing. Sprague–Dawley rats (3 month old) were ovariectomized (Ovx,
n
= 48) or left intact (
n
= 12). After 8 weeks, a bilateral transverse osteotomy of the tibia metaphysis was created in all rats. Ovx rats were divided into four groups: Ovx; SR applied directly after Ovx until osteotomy (prophylaxis, SR pr, 8 weeks); SR applied after osteotomy (therapy, SR th, 5 weeks); SR applied during the whole experiment (pr + th, 13 weeks). SR dosage was 625 mg/kg body weight/day, administered in the feed. Five weeks later, tibiae were analyzed by biomechanical, histological, micro-CT, and gene expression analyses. The SR pr + th treatment increased total bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume fraction, cortical BMD and volume, callus area and density, serum alkaline phosphatase, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase mRNA, accelerated osteotomy bridging, and callus formation at weeks 2 and 3 of healing and decreased the osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of nuclear factor kB ligand mRNA ratio. SR th enlarged callus area and improved callus formation during the 5th week of healing. SR pr improved cortical BMD preserving bone after SR discontinuation (5-week rest); the bone healing was not affected. SR content in the tibia metaphysis was the highest in SR pr + th group and was not different between SR pr and SR th. SR has a positive effect on osteoporotic bone healing in rat and SR treatment can be continued after the fracture occurs or applied directly after the fracture.
Journal Article
Influence of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Chondrogenic Differentiation and Proliferation of Chondrocytes and Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Background/Aims: Autologous chondrocyte (CC) transplantation has the disadvantages of requiring two surgical interventions and in vitro expansion of cells, implying the risk of cellular dedifferentiation. Our clinical aim is to develop a one-step procedure for autologous CC transplantation, i.e. harvesting, isolation and reimplantation of CC performed in one single surgical procedure. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a source of autologous growth factors reported to have mitogenic effects. The objective of this study was to test the influence of PRP as an autologous scaffold on freshly isolated CC and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Methods: CC and MSC were subjected to two- or three-dimensional (3D) growth systems, either with or without PRP. Chondrogenic differentiation was determined via quantification of collagen type II mRNA and immunohistochemical staining. Results: We observed a proliferative effect for MSCs exposed to PRP in monolayer culture and an increase in the expression of chondrogenic markers when cells are exposed to a 3D environment. CCs exposed to PRP show a decrease in the chondrogenic phenotype with increasing proliferative activity. Conclusion: PRP has a proliferative effect on CCs and MSCs. In a one-step procedure for autologous CC transplantation, this might be an advantage over other scaffold materials, but confirmation in in vivo studies is required.
Journal Article
Interview with Hans-Dietrich Genscher
Germany was always in favour of the UK joining the Common Market, in spite of French objections, because Britain—with its 'special relationship' to Washington—was seen as helping to bind the US to Europe, according to Hans-Dietrich Genscher, the longest-serving German foreign minister. Young Germans were inspired by Sir Winston Churchill's Zürich speech in 1946, calling for Germany to be part of a united continent, and Genscher saw Britain as the model of 'the new Europe'. But while a united Europe meant for Germany a return to the community of civilized nations, for Britain it meant 'the loss of empire'. Although Margaret Thatcher, when prime minister, had a 'bogeyman image' of Germany, Genscher dismissed her opposition to German unification as unimportant, because she was never likely to disagree with the US on such an issue. President Mitterrand of France was never so fiercely opposed to unification. Germany and the UK were always close on economic policy and support for the common market, but the UK was 'mentally too far removed' to join France and Germany as part of a three-nation directorate leading Europe, he says. Genscher believes that Europe will solve the problems of the common currency, and make itself more attractive to Britain, especially thanks to the single market. The rise of Euroscepticism can be attributed to Europe's failure to present itself as attractively as it ought to, and also to the 'cowardice' of politicians who agree to policies in Brussels, and then blame an anonymous power in Brussels if they prove unpopular. 'Europe is all of us', he concludes.
Journal Article
German validation of Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QOLIBRI) assessment and associated factors
The consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are still poorly understood, and no TBI-specific instrument has hitherto been available. This paper describes in detail the psychometrics and validity of the German version of an internationally developed, self-rated HRQoL tool after TBI-the QOLIBRI (Quality of Life after Brain Injury). Factors associated with HRQoL, such as the impact of cognitive status and awareness, are specifically reported. One-hundred seventy-two participants after TBI were recruited from the records of acute clinics, most of whom having a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 24-hour worst score and a Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) score. Participants had severe (24%), moderate (11%) and mild (56%) injuries as assessed on the GCS, 3 months to 15 years post-injury. The QOLIBRI uses 37 items to measure \"satisfaction\" in the areas of \"Cognition\", \"Self\", \"Daily Life and Autonomy\", and \"Social Relationships\", and \"feeling bothered\" by \"Emotions\"and \"Physical Problems\". The scales meet standard psychometric criteria (α = .84 to .96; intra-class correlation-ICC = .72 to .91). ICCs (0.68 to 0.90) and αs (.83 to .96) were also good in a subgroup of participants with lower cognitive performance. The six-subscale structure of the international sample was reproduced for the German version using confirmatory factor analyses and Rasch analysis. Scale validity was supported by systematic relationships observed between the QOLIBRI and the GOSE, Patient Competency Rating Scale for Neurorehabilitation (PCRS-NR), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), Short Form 36 (SF-36), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The German QOLIBRI contains novel information not provided by other currently available measures and has good psychometric criteria. It is potentially useful for clinicians and researchers, in post-acute and rehabilitation studies, on a group and individual level.
Journal Article
MRI but not arthroscopy accurately diagnoses femoral MPFL injury in first-time patellar dislocations
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the femoral part of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) and its injury can be accurately assessed by standard knee arthroscopy in first-time patellar dislocations or whether preoperative MRI is required to determine injury location in patients where primary MPFL repair is attempted.
Methods
Twelve patients with acute first-time dislocations and MRI-based injury of the femoral MPFL and ten patients with recurrent patellar dislocations underwent knee arthroscopy with the use of a 30-degree optic and standard antero-medial and antero-lateral portals. The femoral origin was marked with a cannula under lateral fluoroscopy. Arthroscopic findings of the location of the native femoral MPFL and its injury were compared to the results of MRI and mini-open exploration.
Results
In acute cases, the average time from primary patellar dislocation to MRI evaluation was 3 days (1–9 days), and the average time from MRI to surgery was 8 days (3–20 days). The native femoral origin of the MPFL was not visible in any of the chronic cases during arthroscopy. In addition, in all acute cases, arthroscopy failed to directly visualize injury of the femoral MPFL (0 of 12), but mini-open exploration confirmed injury in 11 of 12 patients. This means that arthroscopy was less accurate than MRI for the diagnosis of femoral MPFL injury (
P
< 0.05).
Conclusion
The results of this study indicate the limitations of knee arthroscopy in identifying the femoral disruption of the MPFL, a crucial injury that occurs in patellar dislocations. Thus, if a primary MPFL repair is planned, determination of the site of repair should be based on the preoperative MRI.
Level of evidence
Diagnostic study of non-consecutive patients, Level III.
Journal Article