University of Kiel

About: University of Kiel is a education organization based out in Kiel, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 27816 authors who have published 57114 publications receiving 2061802 citations. The organization is also known as: Christian Albrechts University & Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.

Automata on infinite objects

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on finite automata on infinite sequences and infinite trees. The chapter discusses the complexity of the complementation process and the equivalence test. Deterministic Muller automata and nondeterministic Buchi automata are equivalent in recognition power. Any nonempty Rabin recognizable set contains a regular tree and shows that the emptiness problem for Rabin tree automata is decidable. The chapter discusses the formulation of two interesting generalizations of Rabin's Tree Theorem and presents some remarks on the undecidable extensions of the monadic theory of the binary tree. A short overview of the work that studies the fine structure of the class of Rabin recognizable sets of trees is also presented in the chapter. Depending on the formalism in which tree properties are classified, the results fall in three categories: monadic second-order logic, tree automata, and fixed-point calculi.

Critical review: vegetables and fruit in the prevention of chronic diseases

Abstract: Vegetables and fruit provide a significant part of human nutrition, as they are important sources of nutrients, dietary fibre, and phytochemicals. However, it is uncertain whether the risk of certain chronic diseases can be reduced by increased consumption of vegetables or fruit by the general public, and what strength of evidence has to be allocated to such an association. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the studies available in the literature and the respective study results has been performed and evaluated regarding obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, cancer, chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, osteoporosis, eye diseases, and dementia. For judgement, the strength of evidence for a risk association, the level of evidence, and the number of studies were considered, the quality of the studies and their estimated relevance based on study design and size. For hypertension, CHD, and stroke, there is convincing evidence that increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruit reduces the risk of disease. There is probable evidence that the risk of cancer in general is inversely associated with the consumption of vegetables and fruit. In addition, there is possible evidence that an increased consumption of vegetables and fruit may prevent body weight gain. As overweight is the most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus, an increased consumption of vegetables and fruit therefore might indirectly reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Independent of overweight, there is probable evidence that there is no influence of increased consumption on the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. There is possible evidence that increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruit lowers the risk of certain eye diseases, dementia and the risk of osteoporosis. Likewise, current data on asthma, COPD, and RA indicate that an increase in vegetable and fruit consumption may contribute to the prevention of these diseases. For IBD, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, there was insufficient evidence regarding an association with the consumption of vegetables and fruit. This critical review on the associations between the intake of vegetables and fruit and the risk of several chronic diseases shows that a high daily intake of these foods promotes health. Therefore, from a scientific point of view, national campaigns to increase vegetable and fruit consumption are justified. The promotion of vegetable and fruit consumption by nutrition and health policies is a preferable strategy to decrease the burden of several chronic diseases in Western societies.

von Willebrand Factor–Cleaving Protease in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura and the Hemolytic–Uremic Syndrome

Abstract: Background Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and the hemolytic–uremic syndrome are severe microvascular disorders of platelet clumping with similar signs and symptoms. Unusually large multimers of von Willebrand factor, capable of agglutinating circulating platelets under high shear stress, occur in the two conditions. We investigated the prevalence of von Willebrand factor–cleaving protease deficiency in patients with familial and nonfamilial forms of these disorders. Methods Plasma samples were obtained from 53 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura or hemolytic–uremic syndrome. Von Willebrand factor–cleaving protease was assayed in diluted plasma samples with purified normal von Willebrand factor as the substrate. The extent of the degradation of von Willebrand factor was assessed by electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate–agarose gels and immunoblotting. To determine whether an inhibitor of von Willebrand factor–cleaving protease was present, we measured the protease activity in normal ...

TNM staging of foregut (neuro)endocrine tumors: a consensus proposal including a grading system

Abstract: The need for standards in the management of patients with endocrine tumors of the digestive system prompted the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS) to organize a first Consensus Conference, which was held in Frascati (Rome) and was based on the recently published ENETS guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of digestive neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Here, we report the tumor–node–metastasis proposal for foregut NETs of the stomach, duodenum, and pancreas that was designed, discussed, and consensually approved at this conference. In addition, we report the proposal for a working formulation for the grading of digestive NETs based on mitotic count and Ki-67 index. This proposal, which needs to be validated, is meant to help clinicians in the stratification, treatment, and follow-up of patients.