University of Münster

About: University of Münster is a education organization based out in Münster, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 35609 authors who have published 69059 publications receiving 2278534 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Munster & University of Muenster.

Timbre-specific enhancement of auditory cortical representations in musicians.

Abstract: Neural imaging studies have shown that the brains of skilled musicians respond differently to musical stimuli than do the brains of non-musicians, particularly for musicians who commenced practice at an early age. Whether brain attributes related to musical skill are attributable to musical practice or are hereditary traits that influence the decision to train musically is a subject of controversy, owing to its pedagogic implications. Here we report that auditory cortical representations measured neuromagnetically for tones of different timbre (violin and trumpet) are enhanced compared to sine tones in violinists and trumpeters, preferentially for timbres of the instrument of training. Timbre specificity is predicted by a principle of use-dependent plasticity and imposes new requirements on nativistic accounts of brain attributes associated with musical skill.

XANTUS : a real-world, prospective, observational study of patients treated with rivaroxaban for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.

Abstract: Aims Although non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants are recommended for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) based on clinical trial results, there is a need for safety and efficacy data from unselected patients in everyday clinical practice. XANTUS investigated the safety and efficacy of the Factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban in routine clinical use in the NVAF setting. Methods and results Consecutive consenting patients with NVAF newly started on rivaroxaban were eligible and were followed up at ∼3-month intervals for 1 year, or for at least 30 days after permanent discontinuation. All adverse events (AEs) were recorded as AEs or serious AEs; major outcomes (including major bleeding, symptomatic thromboembolic events [stroke, systemic embolism, transient ischaemic attack, and myocardial infarction], and all-cause death) were centrally adjudicated. There were 6784 patients treated with rivaroxaban at 311 centres in Europe, Israel, and Canada. Mean patient age was 71.5 years (range 19–99), 41% were female, and 9.4% had documented severe or moderate renal impairment (creatinine clearance <50 mL/min). The mean CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were 2.0 and 3.4, respectively; 859 (12.7%) patients had a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0 or 1. The mean treatment duration was 329 days. Treatment-emergent major bleeding occurred in 128 patients (2.1 events per 100 patient-years), 118 (1.9 events per 100 patient-years) died, and 43 (0.7 events per 100 patient-years) suffered a stroke. Conclusion XANTUS is the first international, prospective, observational study to describe the use of rivaroxaban in a broad NVAF patient population. Rates of stroke and major bleeding were low in patients receiving rivaroxaban in routine clinical practice. Trial registration number Clinicaltrials.gov: [NCT01606995][1]. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT01606995&atom=%2Fehj%2F37%2F14%2F1145.atom

Myeloid-related proteins 8 and 14 are specifically secreted during interaction of phagocytes and activated endothelium and are useful markers for monitoring disease activity in pauciarticular-onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract: Objective To analyze which physiologic stimuli induce secretion of myeloid-related protein 8 (MRP8) and MRP14, two S100 proteins expressed in neutrophils and monocytes, and to determine whether serum concentrations of these proteins are reliable parameters for monitoring inflammatory activity in pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Methods Secretion of MRP8 and MRP14 was analyzed using a coculture system of endothelial cells and monocytes. Concentrations of MRP8/MRP14 in the serum and synovial fluid of JRA patients or culture medium were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of MRP8 and MRP14 by leukocytes in synovial tissue or fluid was investigated using immunohistochemistry. Results MRP8 and MRP14 were specifically released during interaction of activated monocytes with tumor necrosis factor–stimulated endothelial cells. Secretion was mediated via an increase in intracellular calcium levels in monocytes. In contrast, contact with resting endothelium inhibited protein kinase C–induced secretion of the proteins by monocytes. In JRA patients, MRP8 and MRP14 were strongly expressed in infiltrating neutrophils and monocytes within the inflamed joints and could be found in significantly higher concentrations in synovial fluid (mean 42,800 ng/ml) compared with serum (2,060 ng/ml). Concentrations of MRP8/MRP14 in serum correlated well with those in synovial fluid (r = 0.78) and showed a strong correlation with disease activity (r = 0.62). After intraarticular triamcinolone therapy, the serum concentrations of MRP8/MRP14 decreased significantly in therapy responders, whereas no differences were found in patients who showed no clinical benefit. Conclusion MRP8 and MRP14 are specifically released during the interaction of monocytes with inflammatory activated endothelium, probably at sites of local inflammation. Their serum concentrations represent a useful marker for monitoring local inflammation in JRA.