German Red Cross

About: German Red Cross is a healthcare organization based out in Berlin, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Transplantation & Mesenchymal stem cell. The organization has 653 authors who have published 1146 publications receiving 40111 citations. The organization is also known as: Deutsches Rotes Kreuz & DRK.

New Angiogenic Regulators Produced by TAMs: Perspective for Targeting Tumor Angiogenesis.

Abstract: Angiogenesis is crucial to the supply of a growing tumor with nutrition and oxygen. Inhibition of angiogenesis is one of the main treatment strategies for colorectal, lung, breast, renal, and other solid cancers. However, currently applied drugs that target VEGF or receptor tyrosine kinases have limited efficiency, which raises a question concerning the mechanism of patient resistance to the already developed drugs. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were identified in the animal tumor models as a key inducer of the angiogenic switch. TAMs represent a potent source not only for VEGF, but also for a number of other pro-angiogenic factors. Our review provides information about the activity of secreted regulators of angiogenesis produced by TAMs. They include members of SEMA and S100A families, chitinase-like proteins, osteopontin, and SPARC. The COX-2, Tie2, and other factors that control the pro-angiogenic activity of TAMs are also discussed. We highlight how these recent findings explain the limitations in the efficiency of current anti-angiogenic therapy. Additionally, we describe genetic and posttranscriptional mechanisms that control the expression of factors regulating angiogenesis. Finally, we present prospects for the complex targeting of the pro-angiogenic activity of TAMs.

Urethral bulking for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after midurethral sling failure

Abstract: Aims To assess the effectiveness of a polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAHG; Bulkamid®) in treating recurrent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) following a previous midurethral sling (MUS) implant. Methods This observational study, conducted since 2009, included 60 patients with recurrent SUI or mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) after a previous MUS and who chose to be treated with PAHG. Objective and subjective outcomes were assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months after the initial injection. Patients were classified as cured based on a negative cough test (supine and standing) and 50% compared with preoperative urine loss and a VAS score improved by ≥75%. Results The volume of PAHG injected in the current study ranged from 1–3 ml. Cured/improved rates were 93.3% (56/60), 88.3% (53/60), and 83.6% (46/55) at 1, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Patients with MUI had a cured urgency urinary incontinence rate of 36.8%, 47.4%, and 38.9%, respectively. Voiding dysfunction rates were 13.3% (8/60), 8.3% (5/60), and 1.8% (1/55) at 1, 6, and 12 months and urinary tract infection rates were 5% (3/60), 11.7% (7/60), and 3.6% (2/55), respectively. Other adverse events were short-term and/or observed in <4% of patients. Conclusions PAHG can be used to treat recurrent SUI after MUS failure with good outcome and low complication rates. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:722–726, 2017. © 2016 The Authors. Neurourology and Urodynamics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.