University of Duisburg-Essen

About: University of Duisburg-Essen is a education organization based out in Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 16072 authors who have published 39972 publications receiving 1109199 citations.

Quantitative profiling of the protein coronas that form around nanoparticles

Abstract: Nanoparticle applications in biotechnology and biomedicine are steadily increasing. In biological fluids, proteins bind to nanoparticles that form the protein corona, crucially affecting the nanoparticles' biological identity. As the corona affects in vitro and/or in vivo nanoparticle applications, we developed a method to obtain time-resolved protein corona profiles formed on various nanoparticles. After incubation in plasma or a similar biofluid, or after injection into a mouse, the first analytical step is sedimentation of the nanoparticle-protein complexes through a sucrose cushion, thereby allowing analysis of early corona formation time points. Next, corona profiles are visualized by gel electrophoresis and quantitatively analyzed after tryptic digestion using label-free liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. In contrast to other approaches, our established methodology allows the researcher to obtain qualitative and quantitative high-resolution corona signatures. The protocol can be readily extended to the investigation of protein coronas from various nanomaterials (as an example, we applied this protocol to different silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) and polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs)). Depending on the number of samples, the protocol from nanoparticle-protein complex recovery to data evaluation takes ~8-12 d to complete.

The prevalence and burden of subthreshold generalized anxiety disorder: a systematic review

Abstract: To review the prevalence and impact of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) below the diagnostic threshold and explore its treatment needs in times of scarce healthcare resources. A systematic literature search was conducted until January 2013 using PUBMED/MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, EMBASE and reference lists to identify epidemiological studies of subthreshold GAD, i.e. GAD symptoms that do not reach the current thresholds of DSM-III-R, DSM-IV or ICD-10. Quality of all included studies was assessed and median prevalences of subthreshold GAD were calculated for different subpopulations. Inclusion criteria led to 15 high-quality and 3 low-quality epidemiological studies with a total of 48,214 participants being reviewed. Whilst GAD proved to be a common mental health disorder, the prevalence for subthreshold GAD was twice that for the full syndrome. Subthreshold GAD is typically persistent, causing considerably more suffering and impairment in psychosocial and work functioning, benzodiazepine and primary health care use, than in non-anxious individuals. Subthreshold GAD can also increase the risk of onset and worsen the course of a range of comorbid mental health, pain and somatic disorders; further increasing costs. Results are robust against bias due to low study quality. Subthreshold GAD is a common, recurrent and impairing disease with verifiable morbidity that claims significant healthcare resources. As such, it should receive additional research and clinical attention.

The Effects of Perceived Brand Globalness and Perceived Brand Localness in China: Empirical Evidence on Western, Asian, and Domestic Retailers

Abstract: Internationalizing retailers have shifted their attention to developing countries in which they pursue different forms of adapted-format transfer strategies to succeed locally. However, little is known about whether such retailers can use their core advantage of a global retail brand and how consumer perceptions of such global retail brands drive retail patronage. To expand knowledge on this issue, the authors use data from 1188 Chinese consumer surveys on 36 Western, Asian, and mainland Chinese retailers. They find that retailers' perceived brand globalness and perceived brand localness enhance retail patronage only by affecting consumers' functional and psychological values. These value creation routes to success change according to retailers' origins. Although Western and Asian retailers draw equally strong benefits from their global perceptions, Asian retailers convince consumers predominantly through functional values, whereas Western retailers also influence consumers emotionally. Chinese r...