Danube University Krems

About: Danube University Krems is a education organization based out in Krems, Niederösterreich, Austria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Stroke & Population. The organization has 498 authors who have published 1572 publications receiving 68797 citations.

Novel genetic susceptibility loci for diabetic end-stage renal disease identified through robust naive Bayes classification

Abstract: Diabetic nephropathy is a major diabetic complication, and diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Family studies suggest a hereditary component for diabetic nephropathy. However, only a few genes have been associated with diabetic nephropathy or ESRD in diabetic patients. Our aim was to detect novel genetic variants associated with diabetic nephropathy and ESRD. We exploited a novel algorithm, ‘Bag of Naive Bayes’, whose marker selection strategy is complementary to that of conventional genome-wide association models based on univariate association tests. The analysis was performed on a genome-wide association study of 3,464 patients with type 1 diabetes from the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy (FinnDiane) Study and subsequently replicated with 4,263 type 1 diabetes patients from the Steno Diabetes Centre, the All Ireland-Warren 3-Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes UK collection (UK–Republic of Ireland) and the Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes US Study (GoKinD US). Five genetic loci (WNT4/ZBTB40-rs12137135, RGMA/MCTP2-rs17709344, MAPRE1P2-rs1670754, SEMA6D/SLC24A5-rs12917114 and SIK1-rs2838302) were associated with ESRD in the FinnDiane study. An association between ESRD and rs17709344, tagging the previously identified rs12437854 and located between the RGMA and MCTP2 genes, was replicated in independent case–control cohorts. rs12917114 near SEMA6D was associated with ESRD in the replication cohorts under the genotypic model (p < 0.05), and rs12137135 upstream of WNT4 was associated with ESRD in Steno. This study supports the previously identified findings on the RGMA/MCTP2 region and suggests novel susceptibility loci for ESRD. This highlights the importance of applying complementary statistical methods to detect novel genetic variants in diabetic nephropathy and, in general, in complex diseases.

Development of affinity microparticles for extracorporeal blood purification based on crystalline bacterial cell surface proteins.

Abstract: In this article, the development of specific adsorbents for extracorporeal blood purification are described Affinity microparticles were prepared by linking Protein A to crystalline cell surface layers (S-layers) from Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus 1111-69 S-layers were used in the form of cell wall fragments obtained by breaking whole cells by ultrasonification, resulting in cup-shaped structures (average size 05 x 1 microm) completely covered with S-layer protein Protein A was covalently bound to carboxylic acid groups of the S-layer protein after activation with 1-ethyl-3,3'(dimethylamino)propylcarbodiimide In batch adsorption experiments with fresh frozen human plasma, the resulting S-layer based affinity microparticles showed a high adsorption capacity for IgG (40 mg IgG were bound per g wet pellet of S-layer based affinity microparticles) Fractions eluted from the microparticles were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis They contained only IgG demonstrating that adsorption was specific In biocompatibility tests, preparations of the S-layer microparticles showed no low-density lipoprotein-reactivity, no cytotoxicity, and no cytokine inducing activity

Modeling Treatment Processes Using Information Extraction

Abstract: Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are important means to improve the quality of care by supporting medical staff. Modeling CPGs in a computerinterpretable form is a prerequisite for various computer applications to support their application. However, transforming guidelines in a formal guideline representation is a difficult task. Existing methods and tools demand detailed medical knowledge, knowledge about the formal representations, and a manual modeling. In this chapter we introduce methods and tools for formalizing CPGs and we propose a methodology to reduce the human effort needed in the translation from original textual guidelines to formalized processable knowledge bases. The idea of our methodology is to use Information Extraction methods to help in the semi-automation of guideline content formalization of treatment processes. Thereby, the human modeler will be supported by both automating parts of the modeling process and making the modeling process traceable and comprehensible. Our methodology, called LASSIE, represents a novel method applying a stepwise procedure. The general idea is to use this method to formalize guidelines in any guideline representation language by applying both general steps (i.e., languageindependent) and language-specific steps. In order to evaluate both the methodology and the Information Extraction system, a framework was implemented and applied to several guidelines from the medical subject of otolaryngology. The framework has been applied to formalize the guidelines in the formal Asbru plan representation. Findings in the evaluation indicate that using semi-automatic, stepwise Information Extraction methods are a valuable instrument to formalize CPGs.

Macroporous Composite Cryogels with Embedded Polystyrene Divinylbenzene Microparticles for the Adsorption of Toxic Metabolites from Blood

Abstract: Composite monolithic adsorbents were prepared by the incorporation of neutral polystyrene divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) microparticles into macroporous polymer structures produced by cryogelation of agarose or poly(vinyl alcohol). The composite materials exhibited excellent flow-through properties. Scanning electron microscopy of the composite cryogels revealed that the microparticles were covered by thin films of poly(vinyl alcohol) or agarose and thus were withheld in the monolith structure. Plain PS-DVB microparticles showed efficient adsorption of albumin-bound toxins related to liver failure (bilirubin and cholic acid) and of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6). The rates of adsorption and the amount of adsorbed factors were lower for the embedded microparticles as compared to the parent PS-DVB microparticles, indicating the importance of the accessibility of the adsorbent pores. Still, the macroporous composite materials showed efficient adsorption of albumin-bound toxins related to liver failure as well as efficient binding of cytokines, combined with good blood compatibility. Thus, the incorporation of microparticles into macroporous polymer structures may provide an option for the development of adsorption modules for extracorporeal blood purification.