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 & Transplantation. 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.

Sense and stretchability: The role of titin and titin-associated proteins in myocardial stress-sensing and mechanical dysfunction†

Abstract: Mechanical stress signals transmitted through the heart walls during hemodynamic loading are sensed by the myocytes, which respond with changes in contractile performance and gene expression. External forces play an important role in physiological heart development and hypertrophy, but disruption of the well-balanced stress-sensing machinery causes mechanical dysregulation, cardiac remodelling, and heart failure. Nodal points of mechanosensing in the cardiomyocytes may reside in the Z-disk, I-band, and M-band regions of the sarcomeres. Longitudinal linkage of these regions is provided by the titin filament, and several 'hot spots' along this giant protein, in complex with some of its >20 ligands, may be pivotal to the myofibrillar stress or stretch response. This review outlines the known interaction partners of titin, highlights the putative stress/stretch-sensor complexes at titin's NH(2) and COOH termini and their role in myopathies, and summarizes the known disease-associated mutations in those titin regions. Another focus is the elastic I-band titin section, which interacts with a diverse number of proteins and whose main function is as a determinant of diastolic distensibility and passive stiffness. The discussion centers on recent insights into the plasticity, mechanical role, and regulation of the elastic titin springs during cardiac development and in human heart disease. Titin and titin-based protein complexes are now recognized as integral parts of the mechanosensitive protein network and as critical components in cardiomyocyte stress/stretch signalling.

A high-precision magnetoencephalographic study of human auditory steady-state responses to amplitude-modulated tones.

Abstract: The cerebral magnetic field of the auditory steady-state response (SSR) to sinusoidal amplitude-modulated (SAM) tones was recorded in healthy humans. The waveforms of underlying cortical source activity were calculated at multiples of the modulation frequency using the method of source space projection, which improved the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by a factor of 2 to 4. Since the complex amplitudes of the cortical source activity were independent of the sensor position in relation to the subject’s head, a comparison of the results across experimental sessions was possible. The effect of modulation frequency on the amplitude and phase of the SSR was investigated at 30 different values between 10 and 98 Hz. At modulation frequencies between 10 and 20 Hz the SNR of harmonics near 40 Hz were predominant over the fundamental SSR. Above 30 Hz the SSR showed an almost sinusoidal waveform with an amplitude maximum at 40 Hz. The amplitude decreased with increasing modulation frequency but was significantly different from the magnetoencephalographic (MEG) background activity up to 98 Hz. Phase response at the fundamental and first harmonic decreased monotonically with increasing modulation frequency. The group delay (apparent latency) showed peaks of 72 ms at 20 Hz, 48 ms at 40 Hz, and 26 ms at 80 Hz. The effects of stimulus intensity, modulation depth, and carrier frequency on amplitude and phase of the SSR were also investigated. The SSR amplitude decreased linearly when stimulus intensity or the modulation depth were decreased in logarithmic steps. SSR amplitude decreased by a factor of 3 when carrier frequency increased from 250 to 4000 Hz. From the phase characteristics, time delays were found in the range of 0 to 6 ms for stimulus intensity, modulation depth, and carrier frequency, which were maximal at low frequencies, low intensities, or maximal modulation depth.

A prospective survey in European Society of Cardiology member countries of atrial fibrillation management: baseline results of EURObservational Research Programme Atrial Fibrillation (EORP-AF) Pilot General Registry

Abstract: Aims Given the advances in atrial fibrillation (AF) management and the availability of new European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines, there is a need for the systematic collection of contemporary data regarding the management and treatment of AF in ESC member countries. Methods and results We conducted a registry of consecutive in- and outpatients with AF presenting to cardiologists in nine participating ESC countries. All patients with an ECG-documented diagnosis of AF confirmed in the year prior to enrolment were eligible. We enroled a total of 3119 patients from February 2012 to March 2013, with full data on clinical subtype available for 3049 patients (40.4% female; mean age 68.8 years). Common comorbidities were hypertension, coronary disease, and heart failure. Lone AF was present in only 3.9% (122 patients). Asymptomatic AF was common, particularly among those with permanent AF. Amiodarone was the most common antiarrhythmic agent used (∼20%), while beta-blockers and digoxin were the most used rate control drugs. Oral anticoagulants (OACs) were used in 80% overall, most often vitamin K antagonists (71.6%), with novel OACs being used in 8.4%. Other antithrombotics (mostly antiplatelet therapy, especially aspirin) were still used in one-third of the patients, and no antithrombotic treatment in only 4.8%. Oral anticoagulants were used in 56.4% of CHA2DS2-VASc = 0, with 26.3% having no antithrombotic therapy. A high HAS-BLED score was not used to exclude OAC use, but there was a trend towards more aspirin use in the presence of a high HAS-BLED score. Conclusion The EURObservational Research Programme Atrial Fibrillation (EORP-AF) Pilot Registry has provided systematic collection of contemporary data regarding the management and treatment of AF by cardiologists in ESC member countries. Oral anticoagulant use has increased, but novel OAC use was still low. Compliance with the treatment guidelines for patients with the lowest and higher stroke risk scores remains suboptimal.

Best Practice: Performance and Cost Evaluation of Lithium Ion Battery Active Materials with Special Emphasis on Energy Efficiency

Abstract: In order to increase the energy content of lithium ion batteries (LIBs), researchers worldwide focus on high specific energy (Wh/kg) and energy density (Wh/L) anode and cathode materials. However, most of the attention is primarily paid to the specific gravimetric and/or volumetric capacities of these materials, while other key parameters are often neglected. For practical applications, in particular for large size battery cells, the Coulombic efficiency (CE), voltage efficiency (VE), and energy efficiency (EE) have to be considered, which we point out in this work by comparing numerous LIB active materials. For all presented active materials, energy inefficiency is mainly caused by a voltage inefficiency, which in turn is affected by the voltage hysteresis between the charge and discharge curves. Hence, this study could show that materials with larger voltage hysteresis such as the ZnFe2O4 (ZFO) anode or the Li-rich cathode material exhibit also a lower VE and EE than for instance graphite and LiNi0.5Mn1...

Population Versus Clinical View of Case Fatality From Acute Coronary Heart Disease: Results From the WHO MONICA Project 1985–1990

Abstract: Background The clinical view of case fatality (CF) from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in those reaching the hospital alive is different from the population view. Registration of both hospitalized AMI cases and out-of-hospital coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths in the WHO MONICA Project allows both views to be reconciled. The WHO MONICA Project provides the largest data set worldwide to explore the relationship between CHD CF and age, sex, coronary event rate, and first versus recurrent event. Methods and Results All 79 669 events of definite AMI or possible coronary death, occurring from 1985 to 90 among 5 725 762 people, 35 to 64 years of age, in 29 MONICA populations are the basis for CF calculations. Age-adjusted CF (percentage of CHD events that were fatal) was calculated across populations, stratified for different time periods, and related to age, sex, and CHD event rate. Median 28-day population CF was 49% (range, 35% to 60%) in men and 51% (range, 34% to 70%) in women and was particularly higher in women than men in populations in which CHD event rates were low. Median 28-day CF for hospitalized events was much lower: in men 22% (range, 15% to 36%) and in women 27% (range, 19% to 46%). Among hospitalized events CF was twice as high for recurrent as for first events. Conclusions Overall 28-day CF is halved for hospitalized events compared with all events and again nearly halved for hospitalized 24-hour survivors. Because approximately two thirds of 28-day CHD deaths in men and women occurred before reaching the hospital, opportunities for reducing CF through improved care in the acute event are limited. Major emphasis should be on primary and secondary prevention.