Medical University of Graz

About: Medical University of Graz is a education organization based out in Graz, Steiermark, Austria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 5684 authors who have published 12349 publications receiving 417282 citations.

Telomere biology and age-related diseases

Abstract: Telomeres are the protective end caps of chromosomes and shorten with every cell division. Telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of biological age and a risk factor for age-related diseases. Epidemiologic studies show an association between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and mortality. There is solid evidence that links LTL with cardiovascular disease. Short telomeres promote atherosclerosis and impair the repair of vascular lesions. Alzheimer's disease patients have also a reduced LTL. Telomeres measured in tumor tissue from breast, colon and prostate are shorter than in healthy tissue from the same organ and the same patient. In healthy tissue directly adjacent to these tumors, telomeres are also shorter than in cells that are more distant from the cancerous lesion. A reduced telomere length in cancer tissue from breast, colon and prostate is associated with an advanced disease state at diagnosis, faster disease progression and poorer survival. By contrast, results regarding LTL and cancer are inconsistent. Furthermore, the majority of studies did not find significant associations between LTL, bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis. The present manuscript gives an overview about our current understanding of telomere biology and reviews existing knowledge regarding the relationship between telomere length and age-related diseases.

Guidelines for using proton MR spectroscopy in multicenter clinical MS studies.

Abstract: Proton MR spectroscopy (MRS) allows noninvasive characterization of chemical-pathologic changes in the brain In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), proton MRS reveals chemical pathology in focal inflammatory lesions as well as in regions of the brain that are not associated with structural abnormalities on conventional MRI In MS studies, it has been particularly useful as a method for the assessment of neurodegeneration based on decreases in the levels of the neuro-axonal marker compound, N-acetylaspartate Also, MRS has provided evidence of chemical pathology and repair involving non-neuronal brain cells based on changes in metabolites, including choline, myo-inositol, glutamate, and GABA Despite its greater pathologic specificity for axonal integrity compared to conventional MRI, MRS has been used only infrequently in clinical trials This prompted us to review current MRS clinical applications in MS, discuss the potential and limitations of the technique, and suggest recommendations for the application of MRS to clinical trials

Dermoscopy of superficial basal cell carcinoma.

Abstract: © 2005 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. • Published by BC Decker Inc ISSN: 1076–0512 • Dermatol Surg 2005;31:1710–1713. DERMOSCOPY (dermatoscopy, surface microscopy, epiluminescence microscopy) is a noninvasive technique that improves the diagnostic accuracy of many pigmented skin lesions (PSLs) compared with naked-eye examination.1 In past decades, much work has concentrated on improving diagnostic precision in malignant PSL. Subsequently, the dermoscopic pigment patterns of melanoma and pigmented basal cell carcinoma (BCC) have been studied extensively.1–9 However, dermoscopy may also prove useful in nonpigmented skin tumors, for which the clinical diagnosis is often uncertain and/or implicates a variety of differential diagnoses. In this situation, dermoscopic features, such as blood vessel morphology, may be of primary importance. Consequently, the vascular morphologies found in various skin lesions have recently been given more attention.10–13 Superficial BCC, a distinct type of BCC, is typically nonpigmented. Although dermoscopic criteria have been formulated to improve the diagnostic accuracy for pigmented BCC, the dermoscopic features of superficial BCC have yet to be formally examined.

Management of overweight and obesity in primary care-A systematic overview of international evidence-based guidelines.

Abstract: Overweight and obesity are increasing worldwide In general practice, different approaches exist to treat people with weight problems To provide the foundation for the development of a structured clinical pathway for overweight and obesity management in primary care, we performed a systematic overview of international evidence-based guidelines We searched in PubMed and major guideline databases for all guidelines published in World Health Organization (WHO) "Stratum A" nations that dealt with adults with overweight or obesity Nineteen guidelines including 711 relevant recommendations were identified Most of them concluded that a multidisciplinary team should treat overweight and obesity as a chronic disease Body mass index (BMI) should be used as a routine measure for diagnosis, and weight-related complications should be taken into account A multifactorial, comprehensive lifestyle programme that includes reduced calorie intake, increased physical activity, and measures to support behavioural change for at least 6 to 12 months is recommended After weight reduction, long-term measures for weight maintenance are necessary Bariatric surgery can be offered to people with a BMI greater than or equal to 35 kg/m2 when all non-surgical interventions have failed In conclusion, there was considerable agreement in international, evidence-based guidelines on how multidisciplinary management of overweight and obesity in primary care should be performed

Global guideline for the diagnosis and management of rare mould infections: an initiative of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology in cooperation with the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology and the American Society for Microbiology

Abstract: With increasing numbers of patients needing intensive care or who are immunosuppressed, infections caused by moulds other than Aspergillus spp or Mucorales are increasing. Although antifungal prophylaxis has shown effectiveness in preventing many invasive fungal infections, selective pressure has caused an increase of breakthrough infections caused by Fusarium, Lomentospora, and Scedosporium species, as well as by dematiaceous moulds, Rasamsonia, Schizophyllum, Scopulariopsis, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Talaromyces and Purpureocillium species. Guidance on the complex multidisciplinary management of infections caused by these pathogens has the potential to improve prognosis. Management routes depend on the availability of diagnostic and therapeutic options. The present recommendations are part of the One World-One Guideline initiative to incorporate regional differences in the epidemiology and management of rare mould infections. Experts from 24 countries contributed their knowledge and analysed published evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of rare mould infections. This consensus document intends to provide practical guidance in clinical decision making by engaging physicians and scientists involved in various aspects of clinical management. Moreover, we identify areas of uncertainty and constraints in optimising this management.