Martin Gaisberger

Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg · Research Institute Gastein

Objective: The study aim was to investigate the course of pain in rest and motion in seven different rheumatic diseases (RMD), prior and after multimodal spa therapy including low-dose radon treatment and at 3-, 6-; and 9-month follow up. Methods: Complete data from the radon indication registry including information on 561 subjects with RMD were a...

Background Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have significantly lower quality of life (QoL) than the general population. Holistic interventions addressing QoL comprise spa- or balneotherapy including radon. These interventions have shown to be beneficial in reducing pain and improving QoL in AS-patients. We explored the association of spa-t...

Objective To study whether layer‐specific cartilage transverse relaxation time (T2) and/or longitudinal change is associated with clinically relevant knee osteoarthritis (OA) disease progression. Methods The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarker Consortium was a nested case–control study on 600 knees from 600 Osteoarthritis In...

Objective To study the longitudinal performance of fully automated cartilage segmentation in knees with radiographic osteoarthritis (OA), we evaluated the sensitivity to change in progressor knees from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health OA Biomarkers Consortium between the automated and previously reported manual expert segmentati...

Background The present study aimed to predict the expected number of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) in Austria up to the year 2080. Methods Demographic data and population projections between 2019 and 2080 were obtained from European authorities. Information about recent age- and sex-stratified prevalence of patients with self-reported physicia...

In a variety of physiological and pathophysiological conditions, cells are exposed to acidic environments. Severe synovial fluid acidification also occurs in a progressive state of osteoarthritis (OA) affecting articular chondrocytes. In prior studies extracellular acidification has been shown to protect cells from apoptosis but the underlying mech...

Background Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have significantly lower quality of life (QoL) than the general population. Holistic interventions addressing QoL include spa- or balneotherapy. Inclusion of radon in spa-therapy treatments is beneficial in reducing pain and shows promising results in improving QoL in AS-patients. We aimed to exp...

Background The present study aimed to predict the expected number of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) in Austria up to the year 2080. Methods Demographic data and population projections between 2019 and 2080 were obtained from European authorities. Information about recent age- and sex-stratified prevalence of patients with self-reported physicia...

Multimodal therapies comprising spa applications are widely used as non-pharmaceutical treatment options for musculoskeletal diseases. The purpose of this randomized, controlled, open pilot study was to elucidate the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in a multimodal therapy approach. Twenty-five elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA...

Background: Short-term, indoor exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is still highly prevalent; however, little is known about the acute lung response in adult asthma. Objectives: We investigated whether acute, experimental ETS exposure influences symptoms, lung function, and inflammatory parameters. Methods: Human subjects with asthma...

Chondrocytes face extreme alterations of extracellular osmolarity and pH, which force them to appropriately regulate their cell volume (CV) and cellular pH. Perturbations of these mechanisms lead to chondrocyte death and ultimately to osteoarthritis (OA), the most common chronic joint diseases worldwide. OA hallmarks are altered cartilage hydration...

Zusammenfassung An SARS-CoV‑2 haben sich in den letzten Monaten weltweit Millionen von Menschen infiziert, Hunderttausende sind an den Folgen einer Infektion gestorben. Das Ende der Pandemie ist nicht absehbar und viele Menschen haben Ängste, sich in unterschiedlichen Settings zu infizieren. Der Gasteiner Heilstollen (GHST) ist eine weltweit einmal...

The term long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) describes non protein-coding transcripts with a length greater than 200 base pairs. The ongoing discovery, characterization and functional categorization of lncRNAs has led to a better understanding of the involvement of lncRNAs in diverse biological and pathological processes including cancer. Aberrant express...

Introduction Patient education is an important part of the management of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Given that patients with diverse diseases do not have the same needs, it is crucial to assess the educational requirements of targeted groups to provide tailored educational interventions. The aim of our study was to assess educational n...

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die niedrig dosierte Radon-Balneo- und Speläotherapie sind seit langem als effiziente Behandlungsformen etabliert und haben sich als therapeutische Optionen bei rheumatischen Erkrankungen bewährt. Radon ist ein natürlich vorkommendes radioaktives Edelgas, das in der Lage ist, analgetische und entzündungshemmende Wirkungen zu erziele...

Microglia are first-line defense antigen-presenting phagocytes in the central nervous system. Activated microglial cells release pro-inflammatory cytokines and can trigger an oxidative burst. The amino acid glycine exerts anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and cytoprotective effects and influences cell volume regulation. This study aimed to invest...

Subjective effects on health of Gastein Healing Gallery.

Influence of self-reported treatment expectations and motivations on treatment outcomes of the Gastein Healing Gallery

Subjective effects on health of Gastein Healing Gallery

The transfer of radon from thermal water via the skin to different human organs in radon therapy can experimentally be determined by measuring the radon activity concentration in the exhaled air. In this study, six volunteers were exposed to radon-rich thermal water in a bathtub, comprising eleven measurements. Exhaled activity concentrations were...

First Place in Graduate Oral Competition

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the most abundant non‐psychoactive compound of Cannabis sativa extracts. Cannabinoids have been shown to exhibit anti‐inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti‐tumorigenic effects. In the present study we investigated the effects of CBD on human articular chondrocytes. Cell viability was determined by Resaz...

Many cell types express an acid-sensitive outwardly rectifying (ASOR) anion current of an unknown function. We characterized such a current in BV-2 microglial cells and then studied its interrelation with the volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying (VSOR) Cl− current and the effect of acidosis on cell volume regulation. We used patch clamp, the Coult...

Background The study of resilient traits (RT) including self-compassion, self-forgiveness, forgiveness of others, and gratitude has garnered the attention of investigators involved in health and healthcare research (1, 2). Little is known about such RT in patients with AS, RA, and FM. Objectives To examine patient group differences in levels and m...

Educational needs in patients with rheumatic and musculosceletal diseases

Background Sleep problems and fatigue are very common in rheumatic diseases and painful conditions. There is mounting evidence that sleep problems and fatigue have reciprocal influences on musculoskeletal pain, mood, and overall well-being of patients with rheumatic disorders. In addition, sleeping problems are a risk factor for developing chronic...

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major public health problem among the increasing aged and obese population, therefore development and investigation of new therapeutics is a major focus of OA research. Endocannabinoids (ECs), cannabinoids derived from the Cannabis sativa plant and synthetic cannabinoids have been attributed anti-inflammatory, an...

Biliary tract cancer is a devastating disease with limited therapeutic options. The involvement of cancer stem cells in biliary tract cancer is likely. Napabucasin is a previously described cancer stem cell inhibitor that is currently being used in clinical trials. However, data regarding napabucasin and biliary tract cancer are not available yet....

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a key role in epigenetic mechanisms in health and disease and their dysfunction is implied in several cancer entities. Analysis of expression patterns in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) indicated HDAC5 to be a potential target for future therapies. As a first step towards a possible treatment, the aim of t...

Cellular migration is essential in diverse physiological and pathophysiological processes. Here, we present a protocol for quantitative analysis of migration using confluence detection allowing continuous, non-endpoint measurement with minimal hands-on time under cell incubator conditions. Applicability was tested using substances which enhance (EG...

Background/aims: The neutral, non-essential amino acid glycine has manifold functions and effects under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Besides its function as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, glycine also exerts immunomodulatory effects and as an osmolyte it participates in cell volume regulation. During phagocyt...

The clonogenic assay is a widely used method to study the ability of cells to 'infinitely' produce progeny and is, therefore, used as a tool in tumor biology to measure tumor-initiating capacity and stem cell status. However, the standard protocol of using 6-well plates has several disadvantages. By miniaturizing the assay to a 96-well microplate f...

Background The specific microclimate of alpine waterfalls with high levels of ionized water aerosols has been suggested to trigger beneficial immunological and psychological effects. In the present three-armed randomized controlled clinical study, we focused on effects on (i) immunological reagibility, on (ii) physiological stress responses, and on...

Background/aims: Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) of pancreatic β-cells involves glucose uptake and metabolism, closure of KATP channels and depolarization of the cell membrane potential (Vmem), activation of voltage-activated Ca2+ currents (ICav) and influx of Ca2+, which eventually triggers hormone exocytosis. Beside this classical pa...

In the Gastein valley, numerous facilities use radon for the treatment of various diseases either by exposure to radon in air or in radon rich thermal water. In this study, six test persons were exposed to radon thermal water in a bathtub and the time-dependent radon activity concentration in the exhaled air was recorded. At temperatures between 38...

Background/aims: Previously we described insulinotropic effects of Leonurus sibiricus L. plant extracts used for diabetes mellitus treatment in Traditional Mongolian Medicine. The flavonoid quercetin and its glycoside rutin, which exert anti-diabetic properties in vivo by interfering with insulin signaling in peripheral target tissues, are constit...

It is the scope of this paper to propose an additional charging mechanism of water-fall generated aerosols. The observations leading to this approach arose from a field study at five waterfalls in the Austrian Alps. Thereby, size distributions of ion clusters, their mobility and their intermediate progenies near waterfalls have been measured with a...

Objective: Ionized water aerosols have been suggested to exert beneficial health effects on pediatric allergic asthma. Their effect was evaluated in a randomized controlled clinical trial as part of a summer asthma camp. Methods: Asthmatic allergic children (n = 54) spent 3 weeks in an alpine asthma camp; half of the group was exposed to water a...

During a three-year field campaign of measuring waterfall generated ions, we monitored five different waterfalls in the Austrian Alps. Most measurements were performed at the Krimml waterfall (Salzburg, Austria), which is the biggest waterfall in Europe, and the Gartl waterfall (Mölltal, Austria). We characterized spatial, time and size distributio...

During a three-year field campaign of measuring waterfall generated ions, we monitored five different waterfalls in the Austrian Alps. Most measurements were performed at the Krimml waterfall (Salzburg), which is the biggest and most visited one in Europe and the Gartl waterfall (Mölltal, Carinthia). Smallest ion sizes (0.9–2 nm) were measured with...

Chromatin modifications, such as reversible histone acetylation, play a key role in the regulation of T cell development and function. However, the role of individual histone deacetylases (HDACs) in T cells is less well understood. In this article, we show by conditional gene targeting that T cell-specific loss of HDAC1 led to an increased inflamma...