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Publications (694)
There is an urgent need to develop technologies for removing CO 2 from the atmosphere to combat climate change. Microalgae and cyanobacteria, such as Arthrospira platensis (AP), have shown promise due to their high photoautotrophic biomass production. Conventional AP culture media are supplemented with high concentrations of NaHCO 3 since AP utiliz...
Aim:
First assessment of flow changes in the jugular veins using high resolution ultrasound vector flow.
Material und methods:
15 patients (8 males, 7 females) with an age range of 35 to 82 years (mean age 58.53±12.26 years) were examined by an experienced examiner using high power ultrasound equipment (Resona R9, Mindray) with probe technology...
Background The rapid evolution of ultrasound technology has allowed widespread use of handheld ultrasound devices (HHUDs) for many possible applications. Along with the adult population, the use of HHUDs for Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in pediatric medicine has been increasing over the last few years. However, pediatric-specific literature is...
Background:
Liver biotransformation is the major route for drug metabolism in humans, often catalysed by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. This first-pass effect can lead to hepatotoxicity and influences the bioavailability of drugs.
Objective:
We aimed to establish in vitro culture systems simulating the liver first-pass to study effects of the pr...
The growth of cyanobacteria can vary considerably depending on the ambient temperature. Since the optimal growth temperature for Arthrospira platensis (strain SAG21.99) is not yet known, this was investigated in the present study. The study revealed that a process temperature of 30°C seems to be optimal for the Arthrospira strain SAG21.99 cultivati...
In the liver, phase-1 biotransformation of drugs and other xenobiotics is largely facilitated by enzyme complexes consisting of cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CPR) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs). Generated from human liver-derived cell lines, recombinant in vitro cell systems with overexpression of defined phase-1 enzymes are widely use...
Objective:
To test and initially describe a new handheld wireless ultrasound technique (TE Air) for clinical use.
Methods:
In this pilot study, the new ultrasound device TE Air from Mindray was used to examine the hepatic and renal vessels of healthy volunteers for first impressions. The probe has a sector transducer with a frequency range of 1....
Cancer patients are at a very high risk of serious thrombotic events, often fatal. The causes discussed include the detachment of thrombogenic particles from tumor cells or the adverse effects of chemotherapeutic agents. Cytostatic agents can either act directly on their targets or, in the case of a prodrug approach, require metabolization for thei...
Goal of the study was the assessment of AI-assisted diagnosis of solid thyroid foci with multimodal modern ultrasound imaging. 50 patients (26–81 years, 54.7±13.1 years) were included in the study. Multimodal ultrasound imaging by means of B-mode with linear probe (4–12 MHz) with option of automated documentation of findings by means of AI, with su...
The cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis is a well-known source of bioactive substances. Growth and the generation of bioactive ingredients of Arthrospira platensis depend mainly on the quantity of light in a controlled environment. Photoinhibition is a time, nutrient, and light intensity-dependent decrease in photosynthetic efficiency. However, to...
Current ultrasound multifrequency probes allow both improved detail resolution and depth of penetration when examining the liver. Also, new developments in vascular diagnostics, elastography with fibrosis assessment, evaluation of possible steatosis, and parametric and time intensity curve (TIC) analysis of dynamic microvascularization of the liver...
Background:
Physical training in patients with heart failure can affect hemodynamic, cardiac and angiogenesis parameters.
Objective:
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of traditional moderate-intensity rehabilitation training and interval training on some angiogenesis factors in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patien...
Iodinated contrast media (ICM) are widely used for diagnostic and interventional procedures in radiology and cardiology. Ideally, they should not interact with blood cells or vascular wall cells to avoid deteriorations of the blood circulation. However, it is well known that ICM can affect erythrocytes as well as endothelial cells which consequentl...
The cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis) is a natural source of considerable amounts of ingredients that are relevant for nutra- and pharmaceutical uses. Different hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances can be obtained by extraction from the biomass. The respective extraction techniques determine the composition of substances...
The characterization of novel radiotracers toward their metabolic stability is an essential part of their development. While in vitro methods such as liver microsome assays or ex vivo blood or tissue samples provide information on overall stability, little or no information is obtained on cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme and isoform-specific contributi...
Light-emitting diodes (LED) can be utilized as tailorable artificial light sources for the cultivation of cyanobacteria such as Arthrospira platensis (AP). To study the influence of different LED light colors on phototrophic growth and biomass composition, AP was cultured in closed bioreactors and exposed to red, green, blue, or white LED lights. T...
Background:
Ultrasound follow-up of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is challenging due to the bent course of the stent-graft.
Objective:
Aim of this retrospective study was to assess to which extent the combination of HR flow with Glazing Flow improves hemodynamic assessment in the ultrasound follow-up of TIPS.
Methods:
Co...
Aim:
To examine to what extent the high frame rate contrast-enhanced ultrasound (HiFR) diagnostic enables the conclusive diagnosis of liver changes with suspected malignancy.
Material/methods:
Ultrasound examinations were performed by an experienced examiner using a multifrequency probe (SC6-1) on a high-end ultrasound system (Resona 7, Mindray)...
In vivo endothelialization of polymer-based cardiovascular implant materials is a promising strategy to reduce the risk of platelet adherence and the subsequent thrombus formation and implant failure. However, endothelial cells from elderly patients are likely to exhibit a senescent phenotype that may counteract endothelialization. The senescence s...
Tissue reconstruction has an unmet need for soft active scaffolds that enable gentle loading with regeneration‐directing bioactive components by soaking up but also provide macroscopic dimensional stability. Here microporous hydrogels capable of an inverse shape‐memory effect (iSME) are described, which in contrast to classical shape‐memory polymer...
Aim:
To evaluate the additive clinical value of endoluminal contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) after interventional placement of drainages in abdominal fluid collections.
Material/method:
Examination of 30 patients using a 1-6 MHz convex probe (Resona 7, Mindray) to locate the fluid collection in B-Mode. Additionally, dynamic endoluminal CEUS w...
Aim:
This study aims to evaluate optimized breast implant surface-structure analysis by comparing high-end ultrasound technology with a new high frequency technique. This comparative study used new breast implants with different surfaces in an in vitro setting.
Methods:
Nine idle silicon or polyurethane (PU) breast implants were examined by two...
Glycerol-based epoxy networks have great potential for surface functionalization, providing anti-microbial and protein repellant function. However, the synthesis of glycerol glycidyl ether (GGE) monomer often requires excessive epichlorohydrin (ECH). ECH derived organochloride containing byproducts from monomer production maybe present in the eluen...
The aim of this present clinical pilot study is the display of typical perfusion results in patients with solid, non-cystic breast lesions. The lesions were characterized using contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with (i) time intensity curve analyses (TIC) and (ii) parametric color maps. The 24 asymptomatic patients included were genetically teste...
In human cardiovascular research, sheep in particular are used as a large animal model in addition to pigs. In these animals, medical products, developed and tested for human medical purposes, are almost exclusively used in interventional studies. Therefore, the extent to which platelets from human and ovine blood differ in terms of adherence, aggr...
The pig is the most widely used large animal model in Europe, with cardiovascular research being one of the main areas of application. Adequate refinement of interventional studies in this field, meeting the requirements of Russel and Burchs’ 3 R concept, can only be performed if blood-contacting medical devices are hemocompatible. Because most med...
Cell-based in vitro liver models are an important tool in the development and evaluation of new drugs in pharmacological and toxicological drug assessment. Hepatic microsomal enzyme complexes, consisting of cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CPR) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs), play a decisive role in catalysing phase-1 biotransformation of...
Arthrospira platensis (AP) and some of its derived products have well-established biological activities as antioxidants or as agents to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. Furthermore, AP products have gained increasing importance as potential anti-cancer agents. However, the ingredients of the available products vary greatly with the origi...
Sulfated biomolecules are known to influence numerous biological processes in all living organisms. Particularly, they contribute to prevent and inhibit the hypercoagulation condition. The failure of polymeric implants and blood contacting devices is often related to hypercoagulation and microbial contamination. Here, bioactive sulfated biomacromol...
Background:
Type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients are prone to develop atherothrombotic events due to platelet hyper-reactivity stemming from platelet miRNA-223 down-regulation and over-expression of its corresponding target, P2RY12.
Objective:
The study sought to determine the effects of long-term aerobic training on the expression levels...
Aim:
To evaluate the possibilities of flow detection using high resolution flow (HR Flow) and Glazing Flow technique in patients with liver parenchymal changes and flow changes in comparison to colour coded Doppler sonography (CCDS)MATERIAL AND METHODS:All examinations were performed using a multi frequency matrix convex probe with high resolution...
Biofouling on medical device surfaces, which is initiated by protein adsorption and adhesion of microbes especially the antibiotic-resistant bacteria, attracts global attention for centuries due to its enduring challenges in healthcare. Here, the antifouling effect of hydrophilic poly(glycerol glycidyl ether) (polyGGE) film is explored in compariso...
Aim:
To improve preoperative diagnostics of solid non-cystic thyroid lesions by using new high-performance ultrasound techniques: optimized B-mode morphology, elastography, Color-Coded Doppler-Sonography (CCDS) and contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)MATERIALS AND METHODS:In 33 cases solid, non-cystic thyroid lesions were rated as TIRADS 3 and up f...
Aim:
To evaluate the diagnostic reliability of a new generation wireless point-of care ultrasound device for abdominal and thoracic findings.
Material and methods:
40 patients (16 females, 24 males 19 -80 years, on average 56.1 years) were scanned by an experienced examiner using the new wireless Vscan Air device for abdominal and thoracic findi...
Arthrospira platensis (AP) is a cyanobacterium with a high economic value and is nowadays one of the most important industrially cultivated microalgae. Knowledge of its growth is essential for the understanding of its physiology and yield. The growth of AP biomass occurs through two mechanisms: (1) propagation by fragmentation of trichomes, and (2)...
A vertical flat-type bioreactor consisting of transparent polyethylene (food safe) was constructed, which is characterized by a flexible design and allows the adjustment of a light path of 1 cm – 8.5 cm and a working volume of 1.5 l – 4 l. To characterize the performance of the bioreactor, cultivation experiments were performed with the cyanobacter...
Within the last years a comprehensive number of scientific studies demonstrated beneficial effect of Arthropira platensis (AP) as dietary supplement due to a high content of proteins, minerals and vitamins. Positive effects like promoting the immune system, reducing inflammation and an anti-oxidant capacity are reported. In this study, the effect o...
The adherence and shear-resistance of human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC) on polymers is determined in vitro in order to qualify cardiovascular implant materials. In these tests, variable fractions of HUVEC do not adhere to the material but remain suspended in the culture medium. Nonadherent HUVEC usually stop growing, rapidly lose the...
Objective:
To assess the impact and procedural input of intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and ultrasound elastography on surgical decision making during the procedure and consequently the out-come after hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) surgery.
Materials and methods:
Data of 50 consecutive patients, who un...
The application of cytostatic drugs or natural substances to inhibit cancer growth and progression is an important and evolving subject of cancer research. There has been a surge of interest in marine bioresources, particularly algae, as well as cyanobacteria and their bioactive ingredients. Dried biomass products of Arthrospira and Chlorella have...
The establishment of confluent endothelial cell (EC) monolayers on implanted materials has been identified as a concept to avoid thrombus formation but is a continuous challenge in cardiovascular device engineering. Here, material properties of gelatin-based hydrogels obtained by reacting gelatin with varying amounts of lysine diisocyanate ethyl es...
The external perfusion software (VueBox™) for contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), enables the quantitative analysis of micro-vascularization within non-cystic lesions in terms of characterization and detection. This review summarizes our work about parathyroid gland, thyroid gland, liver, prostate and other tissues as well as original studies in t...
Although cardiovascular devices are mostly implanted in arteries or to replace arteries, in vitro studies on implant endothelialization are commonly performed with human umbilical cord-derived venous endothelial cells (HUVEC). In light of considerable differences, both morphologically and functionally, between arterial and venous endothelial cells,...
Immunocompatibility and non-thrombogenicity are important requirements for biomedical applications such as vascular grafts. Here, gelatin-based hydrogels formed by reaction of porcine gelatin with increasing amounts of lysine diisocyanate ethyl ester were investigated in vitro in this regard. In addition, potential adverse effects of the hydrogels...
Nanoporous microparticles prepared from poly(ether imide) (PEI) are discussed as candidate adsorber materials for the removal of uremic toxins during apheresis. Polymers exhibiting such porosity can induce the formation of micro-gas/air pockets when exposed to fluids. Such air presenting material surfaces are reported to induce platelet activation...
Prostanoids are bioactive lipid mediators and take part in many physiological and pathophysiological processes in practically every organ, tissue and cell, including the vascular, renal, gastrointestinal and reproductive systems. In this review, we focus on their influence on platelets, which are key elements in thrombosis and hemostasis. The funct...
Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause acute respiratory distress Syndrome (ARDS).
Objective:
This single centre cross-section study aimed to grade the severity of pneumonia by bed-side lung ultrasound (LUS).
Methods:
A scoring system discriminates 5 levels of lung opacities: A-lines (0 points),≥3 B-Line (1 point), coalescen...
Background:
The biophysical interaction induced by low energy pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT) on the capillary microcirculation is not well understood. Several studies indicate a significant effect of PEMFT in patients with chronic medical conditions.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of PEMFT on skin mi...
Background:
In recent years, follow-up after breast reconstruction with silicone implants and the detection of complications have been relieved by the possibility of improved diagnostic methods.
Methods:
Between January 2015 and December 2019 a total of 40 patients (29-84 years) with silicone implants were included in this retrospective study. T...
In patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) a restricted circulation in cutaneous microvessels has been reported. In this study the velocity of erythrocytes (very) in finger nailfold capillaries - a vascular area without upstream macroangiopathy - and also in toe nailfold capillaries - a post-stenotic area -was investigated using...
Aim:
To evaluate the use of dynamic contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with parametric color-coded imaging and time intensity curve analysis (TIC) for planning and follow-up after prostate arterial embolization (PAE).
Material/method:
Before and after selective iliacal embolization by PAE with a follow up of 6 months 18 male patients (43-78 yea...
Background:
Capsular contractures around breast implants usually develop leading to pain and aesthetically inadequate results and ultimately often requires the replacement of the implants. Textured silicone implants are the most commonly placed implant, but polyurethane-coated implants are increasingly being used in an attempt to ameliorate the lo...
Thrombotic events result from different pathologies and are the underlying causes of severe diseases like stroke or myocardial infarction. Recent basic research now revealed a link between food uptake, food conversion and gut metabolism. Gut microbial production of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) from dietary nutrients like choline, lecithin and L-ca...
Background: After application of iodinated contrast media (CM), a pronounced deterioration of the microcirculation in skin and myocardium was reported. Clinically, the repeated application of CM, especially, led to an increase of the renal resistance index (RRI). With respect to the transiency of the RRI increase, it is reasonable to assume that th...
There is growing evidence that COVID-19 not only affects the lungs but beyond that the endothelial system. Recent studies showed that this can lead to microcirculatory impairments and in consequence to functional disorders of all inner organs. The combination of endothelial dysfunction with a generalized inflammatory state and complement elements m...
Some months ago, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) broke out in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly around the world. Some states, such as the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Sweden and the USA initially focused on keeping the restrictions for economy and society as low as possible. The responsible authorities were of t...
Aim:
Use of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in severe cases of Covid-19 infection to assess pulmonary changes near the pleura.
Material and methods:
Bedside examinations by an experienced intensive care unit examiner using a multi-frequency probe (C1-6 MHz) with B-mode and CEUS to assess pleural-near changes in severe cases of Covid-19 infec...
Background:
In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic Germany missed to set up efficient containment measures. Consequently, the number of cases increased exponentially until a lockdown was implemented to suppress the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Fortunately, Germany has a high capability for coronavirus lab testing and more than 30,000 ICU beds. These...
In the hands of experienced examiners, the contrast enhanced sonography (CEUS) offers the possibility to analyze dynamic microcirculatory disturbances in real time dynamically without any risk for kidneys and thyroid gland even in severe progressing disease bedside. Based on severe COVID-19 infections, first experiences with abdominal CEUS examinat...
Enzymes can be a renewable source of catalytic agents and thus be interesting for sustainable approaches to create and modify functional materials. Here, thin hydrogel layers were prepared as thin coatings on hard substrates by immobilized horseradish peroxidase. Hydrophilic 4-arm star shaped telechelics from oligo(ethylene glycol) bearing on avera...
Implantation of synthetic small-diameter vascular bypass grafts is often associated with an increased risk of failure, due to thrombotic events or late intimal hyperplasia. As one of the causes an insufficient hemocompatibility of the artificial surface is discussed. Endothelialization of synthetic grafts is reported to be a promising strategy for...