University of Jena

About: University of Jena is a education organization based out in Jena, Thüringen, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Population. The organization has 22198 authors who have published 45159 publications receiving 1401514 citations. The organization is also known as: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena & Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Morphology in the Social Amoebas

Abstract: The social amoebas (Dictyostelia) display conditional multicellularity in a wide variety of forms. Despite widespread interest in Dictyostelium discoideum as a model system, almost no molecular data exist from the rest of the group. We constructed the first molecular phylogeny of the Dictyostelia with parallel small subunit ribosomal RNA and a-tubulin data sets, and we found that dictyostelid taxonomy requires complete revision. A mapping of characters onto the phylogeny shows that the dominant trend in dictyostelid evolution is increased size and cell type specialization of fruiting structures, with some complex morphologies evolving several times independently. Thus, the latter may be controlled by only a few genes, making their underlying mechanisms relatively easy to unravel.

Procalcitonin : A new indicator of the systemic response to severe infections

Abstract: Severe infection and sepsis with consecutive multiple organ dysfunction or failure (MODS) are major causes of morbidity and mortality in modern intensive care units [1]. Recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of sepsis have made it clear that uncontrolled infections, whether clinically manifest or occult, are not the only cause of systemic inflammation and organ dysfunction. Other stimuli such as pancreatitis [2], major trauma [3], and burns [4] can also trigger an excessive inflammatory response and lead to MODS. As a result, it is now generally accepted that not all patients displaying the clinical signs of sepsis have an underlying infection. It is therefore frequently difficult to distinguish patients with systemic infection from those who appear septic but have no bacteriological or clinical evidence of infection. Common signs of systemic inflammation such as changes in body temperature, leukocytosis, and tachycardia may have an infectious or noninfectious etiology and are neither ,specific nor sensitive for sepsis. Thus, of 61 patients with sepsis (documented infection and at least two signs of remote organ failure), 35 (57%) presented with leukocytosis, 18 (29%) had leukopenia, and eight (14%) had normal leukocyte counts (unpublished data). Likewise, patients with sepsis may present with fever, hypothermia, or normal body temperature. Bacteriological evidence of infection, although considered a gold standard, may have some drawbacks. Negative blood cultures do not exclude sepsis and multiple samples may be required over extended periods before positive cultures emerge [5]. Furthermore, positive or negative cultures may not develop concurrently with clinical signs of sepsis. Because these common clinical and laboratory parameters lack sensitivity and specificity, others are needed to provide an early marker of the infectious etiology of a generalized inflammatory response and thus allow early diagnosis and the application of more specific therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, new parameters also may help identify subgroups of septic patients who may benefit from proor antiinflammatory therapies. One such parameter, procalcitonin, has recently attracted attention as a possible marker of the systemic inflammatory response to infection.