Strategies of nanoparticles integration in polymer fibers to achieve antibacterial effect and enhance cell proliferation with collagen production in tissue engineering scaffolds.

Current design strategies for biomedical tissue scaffolds are focused on multifunctionality to provide beneficial microenvironments to support tissue growth. We have developed a simple yet effective approach to create core-shell fibers of poly(3-hydroxybuty-rate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), which are homogenously covered with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. Unlike the blend process, co-axial electrospinning enabled the uniform distribution of nanoparticles without the formation of large aggregates. We observed 5 orders of magnitude reduction in Escherichia coli survival after contact with electrospun scaffolds compared to the non-material control. In addition, our hybrid cores-shell structure supported significantly higher osteoblast proliferation after 7 days of cell culture and profound generation of 3D networked collagen fibers after 14 days. The organic-inorganic composite scaffold produced in this study demonstrates a unique combination of antibacterial properties and increased bone regeneration properties. In summary, the multifunctionality of the presented core-shell cPHBV+sTiO2 scaffolds shows great promise for biomedical applications.

[Dementia in Whipple's disease?: relevance of infectious etiologies]. / Demenz bei Morbus Whipple? Die Bedeutung infektiöser Krankheitsursachen.

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 69-year old patient who had been treated for joint pain over a long time was admitted because of weight loss and dementia. He was confused and cachectic with edema and skin hyperpigmentation. INVESTIGATIONS: Laboratory findings indicated chronic infection. Duodenal biopsy revealed Whipple's disease. The PCR of cerebrospinal fluid for Tropheryma whipplei was negative. TREATMENT AND COURSE: During treatment with ceftriaxon and intravenous fluid therapy the patient's mental state improved. However his motoric state remained insufficient. CONCLUSION: Whipple's disease should be considered in dementia, even more in previous "rheumatic symptoms", in order to avoid ineffective (immunosuppressive) treatment with unfortunate consequences.

Willingness to pay for improved respiratory and cardiovascular health: a multiple-format, stated-preference approach.

This study uses stated-preference (SP) analysis to measure willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce acute episodes of respiratory and cardiovascular ill health. The SP survey employs a modified version of the health state descriptions used in the Quality of Well Being (QWB) Index. The four health state attributes are symptom, episode duration, activity restrictions and cost. Preferences are elicited using two different SP formats: graded-pair and discrete-choice. The different formats cause subjects to focus on different evaluation strategies. Combining two elicitation formats yields more valid and robust estimates than using only one approach. Estimates of indirect utility function parameters are obtained using advanced panel econometrics for each format separately and jointly. Socio-economic differences in health preferences are modelled by allowing the marginal utility of money relative to health attributes to vary across respondents. Because the joint model captures the combined preference information provided by both elicitation formats, these model estimates are used to calculate WTP. The results demonstrate the feasibility of estimating meaningful WTP values for policy-relevant respiratory and cardiac symptoms, even from subjects who never have personally experienced these conditions. Furthermore, because WTP estimates are for individual components of health improvements, estimates can be aggregated in various ways depending upon policy needs. Thus, using generic health attributes facilitates transferring WTP estimates for benefit-cost analysis of a variety of potential health interventions.

[Cervical arteriovenous malformation of the right vertebral artery]. / Zervikale arteriovenöse Malformation der Arteria vertebralis dextra.

The authors report on a cervical arteriovenous malformation in the current region of the A. vertebralis dextra. The clinical neurological deficiencies improved after ligature of this artery. Attention is drawn to problems of differential diagnosis and the differentiated application of neuroradiological methods of examination.

[Course and form variations of cyclothymic phases in lithium therapy]. / Verlaufs- und Gestaltabwandlungen zyklothymer Phasen unter Lithiumtherapie.

The authors have attempted by means of a statistical survey to quantify changes in the course and, in particular the phase-related and non-phase-related form of cyclothymic phases during long-term lithium treatment.

[The importance of occupational therapy in a social therapeutic program]. / Stellung der Arbeitstherapie im sozialtherapeutischen Programm

The author in his present paper attempts to outline some of the more important aspects of, and theoretical and practical problems associated with, the integration of occupational therapy into a large-scale sociotherapeutic program.