BACKGROUND A successful outcome of pregnancy depends on proper placental formation. In the very b... more BACKGROUND A successful outcome of pregnancy depends on proper placental formation. In the very beginning of this process, trophoblast invasion and fibrin deposition into the wall of the decidual veins play an important part. Two polymorphisms, coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) Val34Leu and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G, interfere with fibrin cross-linking and regulation of fibrinolysis and may therefore contribute to early pregnancy loss. METHODS We enrolled 49 unrelated Caucasian women with a history of two consecutive or three to six nonconsecutive early pregnancy losses and 48 unrelated parous healthy controls without a history of pregnancy loss and evaluated them for the following genetic variants: the factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A gene mutations, the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T and A1298C polymorphisms, and the PAI-1 4G/5G and FXIII Val34Leu polymorphisms. RESULTS For the isolated occurrence of PAI-1 4G/5G or FXIII Val34Leu, we found no ...
Standard blood laboratory parameters may have diagnostic potential, if polymerase-chain-reaction ... more Standard blood laboratory parameters may have diagnostic potential, if polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) tests are not available on time. We evaluated standard blood laboratory parameters of 655 COVID-19 patients suspected to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, who underwent PCR testing in one of five hospitals in Vienna, Austria. We compared laboratory parameters, clinical characteristics, and outcomes between positive and negative PCR-tested patients and evaluated the ability of those parameters to distinguish between groups. Of the 590 patients (20–100 years, 276 females and 314 males), 208 were PCR-positive. Positive compared to negative PCR-tested patients had significantly lower levels of leukocytes, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocytes, and thrombocytes; while significantly higher levels were detected with erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, C-reactive-protein, ferritin, activated-partial-thromboplastin-time, alanine-aminotransf...
Rat bone marrow cells (BMC) cultured in the presence of murine colony-stimulating factor type 1 (... more Rat bone marrow cells (BMC) cultured in the presence of murine colony-stimulating factor type 1 (CSF-1) differentiate within 7 days into a cell population containing 96–100% macrophages (Mφ). In this study, binding of 10 different fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated lectins to cultured BMC at various stages of differentiation into Mφ was investigated. Only soybean agglutinin (SBA) showed a binding pattern that was significantly correlated to Mφ differentiation. Nearly all adherent (A) cells bound SBA. Binding of SBA to nonadherent (NA) cells increased from 20% on day 0 to 80% on day 8. NA cells were separated by means of a fluorescence-activated cell sorter into SBA-, SBA±, and SBA+ fractions. On day 0 and day 2, Mφ, blast-like cells, eosinophils, and some neutrophils were found in the SBA+ population. From day 4 onwards, the SBA+ fraction contained almost exclusively Mφ. Neutrophils and some blasts were found in the SBA-population on days 0 and 2. In the SBA± fraction, mai...
Effects of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and bone morpho... more Effects of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) on the expression of genes involved in the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts in culture were analysed. The best sequence of growth factor addition that induces expansion of cells before their differentiation was sought. Primary human osteoblasts in in vitro culture were treated with IGF1, BMP2 or FGF2 (10 ng/ml) for 24 hours (IGF1) or 48 hours (BMP2 and FGF2). Experiments were performed during the exponential growth phase with approximately 1e7 cells per 75 cm(2) flask. mRNA was reverse transcribed directly and analysed using RT-PCR Taqman assays. Expression levels of key genes involved in cell growth and differentiation (CDH11, TNFRSF11B, RUNX2, POSTN, ALP, WNT5A, LEF1, HSPA5, FOS, p21) were monitored using RT-PCR with gene-specific Taqman probes. Autocrine expression of BMP2 is stimulated by FGF2 and BMP2 itself. BMP2 and FGF2 act as proliferativ...
Fructose in excessive amounts exerts negative effects on insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and... more Fructose in excessive amounts exerts negative effects on insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and liver metabolism. These adverse outcomes were attributed to its disturbances of key metabolic pathways in the liver. Recently, possible consequences of high fructose levels directly on adipocytes in vivo have been considered. We have cultured adipocytes in growth media containing 1 g/L fructose additionally to glucose and monitored the cells fate. Cells developed lipid vesicles much earlier with fructose and showed altered kinetics of the expression of mRNAs involved in lipogenesis and hexose uptake. Adiponectin secretion, too, peaked earlier in fructose containing media than in media with glucose only. From these data it can be speculated that similar effects of fructose containing diets happen in vivo also. Apart from toxic action on liver cells, adipocytes might be stimulated to take up extra fructose and generate new lipid vesicles, further dysregulating energy homeostasis.
Although elevated cardiac troponin T is caused by myocardial damage in the vast majority of the c... more Although elevated cardiac troponin T is caused by myocardial damage in the vast majority of the cases (primary cardiac causes), noncardiac disease with secondary damage to the myocardium (secondary cardiac causes) is being increasingly recognised. The present study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the frequency of primary cardiac and secondary cardiac causes of troponin-T positivity, in particular how often troponin-T positivity is associated with neuromuscular disorders. Of 16,944 troponin-T determinations in a secondary centre between April 2004 and April 2005, troponin T was positive in 1408 of them (8.3%). Of these, 622 were included for evaluation. Troponin-T positivity was associated with elevated creatine kinase in 54.5% and with creatinine >2 mg/dl (177 micromol/l) in 16.6% of the tests. The most frequent primary cardiac causes of troponin-T positivity were myocardial ischaemia (59%), atrial fibrillation (23%), and heart failure (22%). The most frequent secondary cardiac...
Cytokine-induced modulation of HLA expression on the cell surface of four human breast cancer cel... more Cytokine-induced modulation of HLA expression on the cell surface of four human breast cancer cell lines was determined by continuous flow immunocytofluorometry with the aid of monoclonal antibodies directed to a non-polymorphic determinant of HLA class I and class II (DR) antigen. IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha were potent inducers of HLA class I in all examined cell lines, with decreasing inducibility as follows: BT-20, ZR-75-1, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. HLA class II (DR) antigen was highly inducible by IFN-gamma in ZR-75-1 cells, followed by BT-20, MDA-MB-468 and MCF-7 cells. IFN-alpha increased the cell surface expression of DR antigen only in ZR-75-1 cells. IL-1-alpha induced a moderate level of HLA class I antigen in ZR-75-1, BT-20 and MDA-MB-468 cells, and HLA class II (DR) expression only in ZR-75-1 cells. This pattern of cell line inducibility by IL-1-alpha was similar to that induced by TNF-alpha. Differences in inducibility of HLA antigens on human breast cancer cell lines ind...
Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) has not been reported under anti-thrombotic therapy wi... more Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) has not been reported under anti-thrombotic therapy with acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA) in a dosage of 50 mg/d. Spinal MRI, emergency laminectomy. A 77-yo, HIV-negative female under longterm treatment over three years with ASA 50 mg/d for varicositas, prescribed by her general practitioner, experienced sudden onset back pain with radiation towards both knees after getting up in the morning. One-and-a-half hours later she also developed ascending hypesthesia and weakness originating from both distal lower limbs. Three hours after onset, hypesthesia had reached the T10-level bilaterally and she had become paraplegic. There was reduced intestinal motility, stool incontinence, and urinary hesitancy. MRI of the thoraco-lumbar spine demonstrated a SEH T9-L1 indenting the dural sack and compressing the myelon. Immediately after emergency laminectomy T10-12 with micro-surgical evacuation of the clot, 12 h after onset, she could move both legs again and was able to walk with support 7 days after surgery. This case shows that SEH occurs under a minimal dose of ASA and that such patients rapidly recover upon immediate surgical decompression and evacuation of the hematoma.
low on the dementia knowledge questionnaire expressed interest in further dementia education. The... more low on the dementia knowledge questionnaire expressed interest in further dementia education. These results suggest that the lack of initiative to seek help observed in the Chinese-American immigrant community may not be entirely due to a low level of knowledge about the illness. Alternative reasons could include a deficiency of appropriate Chinese-language educational materials or a lack of awareness about dementia health services. When presented with easily accessible educational opportunities to learn about dementia, Chinese-American immigrants are willing to participate, so it is important that individuals in this ethnic community be given appropriate resources to correct their misconceptions about dementia, leading to early recognition of its symptoms and the use of treatments and services.
BACKGROUND A successful outcome of pregnancy depends on proper placental formation. In the very b... more BACKGROUND A successful outcome of pregnancy depends on proper placental formation. In the very beginning of this process, trophoblast invasion and fibrin deposition into the wall of the decidual veins play an important part. Two polymorphisms, coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) Val34Leu and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G, interfere with fibrin cross-linking and regulation of fibrinolysis and may therefore contribute to early pregnancy loss. METHODS We enrolled 49 unrelated Caucasian women with a history of two consecutive or three to six nonconsecutive early pregnancy losses and 48 unrelated parous healthy controls without a history of pregnancy loss and evaluated them for the following genetic variants: the factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A gene mutations, the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T and A1298C polymorphisms, and the PAI-1 4G/5G and FXIII Val34Leu polymorphisms. RESULTS For the isolated occurrence of PAI-1 4G/5G or FXIII Val34Leu, we found no ...
Standard blood laboratory parameters may have diagnostic potential, if polymerase-chain-reaction ... more Standard blood laboratory parameters may have diagnostic potential, if polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) tests are not available on time. We evaluated standard blood laboratory parameters of 655 COVID-19 patients suspected to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, who underwent PCR testing in one of five hospitals in Vienna, Austria. We compared laboratory parameters, clinical characteristics, and outcomes between positive and negative PCR-tested patients and evaluated the ability of those parameters to distinguish between groups. Of the 590 patients (20–100 years, 276 females and 314 males), 208 were PCR-positive. Positive compared to negative PCR-tested patients had significantly lower levels of leukocytes, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocytes, and thrombocytes; while significantly higher levels were detected with erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, C-reactive-protein, ferritin, activated-partial-thromboplastin-time, alanine-aminotransf...
Rat bone marrow cells (BMC) cultured in the presence of murine colony-stimulating factor type 1 (... more Rat bone marrow cells (BMC) cultured in the presence of murine colony-stimulating factor type 1 (CSF-1) differentiate within 7 days into a cell population containing 96–100% macrophages (Mφ). In this study, binding of 10 different fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated lectins to cultured BMC at various stages of differentiation into Mφ was investigated. Only soybean agglutinin (SBA) showed a binding pattern that was significantly correlated to Mφ differentiation. Nearly all adherent (A) cells bound SBA. Binding of SBA to nonadherent (NA) cells increased from 20% on day 0 to 80% on day 8. NA cells were separated by means of a fluorescence-activated cell sorter into SBA-, SBA±, and SBA+ fractions. On day 0 and day 2, Mφ, blast-like cells, eosinophils, and some neutrophils were found in the SBA+ population. From day 4 onwards, the SBA+ fraction contained almost exclusively Mφ. Neutrophils and some blasts were found in the SBA-population on days 0 and 2. In the SBA± fraction, mai...
Effects of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and bone morpho... more Effects of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) on the expression of genes involved in the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts in culture were analysed. The best sequence of growth factor addition that induces expansion of cells before their differentiation was sought. Primary human osteoblasts in in vitro culture were treated with IGF1, BMP2 or FGF2 (10 ng/ml) for 24 hours (IGF1) or 48 hours (BMP2 and FGF2). Experiments were performed during the exponential growth phase with approximately 1e7 cells per 75 cm(2) flask. mRNA was reverse transcribed directly and analysed using RT-PCR Taqman assays. Expression levels of key genes involved in cell growth and differentiation (CDH11, TNFRSF11B, RUNX2, POSTN, ALP, WNT5A, LEF1, HSPA5, FOS, p21) were monitored using RT-PCR with gene-specific Taqman probes. Autocrine expression of BMP2 is stimulated by FGF2 and BMP2 itself. BMP2 and FGF2 act as proliferativ...
Fructose in excessive amounts exerts negative effects on insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and... more Fructose in excessive amounts exerts negative effects on insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and liver metabolism. These adverse outcomes were attributed to its disturbances of key metabolic pathways in the liver. Recently, possible consequences of high fructose levels directly on adipocytes in vivo have been considered. We have cultured adipocytes in growth media containing 1 g/L fructose additionally to glucose and monitored the cells fate. Cells developed lipid vesicles much earlier with fructose and showed altered kinetics of the expression of mRNAs involved in lipogenesis and hexose uptake. Adiponectin secretion, too, peaked earlier in fructose containing media than in media with glucose only. From these data it can be speculated that similar effects of fructose containing diets happen in vivo also. Apart from toxic action on liver cells, adipocytes might be stimulated to take up extra fructose and generate new lipid vesicles, further dysregulating energy homeostasis.
Although elevated cardiac troponin T is caused by myocardial damage in the vast majority of the c... more Although elevated cardiac troponin T is caused by myocardial damage in the vast majority of the cases (primary cardiac causes), noncardiac disease with secondary damage to the myocardium (secondary cardiac causes) is being increasingly recognised. The present study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the frequency of primary cardiac and secondary cardiac causes of troponin-T positivity, in particular how often troponin-T positivity is associated with neuromuscular disorders. Of 16,944 troponin-T determinations in a secondary centre between April 2004 and April 2005, troponin T was positive in 1408 of them (8.3%). Of these, 622 were included for evaluation. Troponin-T positivity was associated with elevated creatine kinase in 54.5% and with creatinine >2 mg/dl (177 micromol/l) in 16.6% of the tests. The most frequent primary cardiac causes of troponin-T positivity were myocardial ischaemia (59%), atrial fibrillation (23%), and heart failure (22%). The most frequent secondary cardiac...
Cytokine-induced modulation of HLA expression on the cell surface of four human breast cancer cel... more Cytokine-induced modulation of HLA expression on the cell surface of four human breast cancer cell lines was determined by continuous flow immunocytofluorometry with the aid of monoclonal antibodies directed to a non-polymorphic determinant of HLA class I and class II (DR) antigen. IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha were potent inducers of HLA class I in all examined cell lines, with decreasing inducibility as follows: BT-20, ZR-75-1, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. HLA class II (DR) antigen was highly inducible by IFN-gamma in ZR-75-1 cells, followed by BT-20, MDA-MB-468 and MCF-7 cells. IFN-alpha increased the cell surface expression of DR antigen only in ZR-75-1 cells. IL-1-alpha induced a moderate level of HLA class I antigen in ZR-75-1, BT-20 and MDA-MB-468 cells, and HLA class II (DR) expression only in ZR-75-1 cells. This pattern of cell line inducibility by IL-1-alpha was similar to that induced by TNF-alpha. Differences in inducibility of HLA antigens on human breast cancer cell lines ind...
Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) has not been reported under anti-thrombotic therapy wi... more Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) has not been reported under anti-thrombotic therapy with acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA) in a dosage of 50 mg/d. Spinal MRI, emergency laminectomy. A 77-yo, HIV-negative female under longterm treatment over three years with ASA 50 mg/d for varicositas, prescribed by her general practitioner, experienced sudden onset back pain with radiation towards both knees after getting up in the morning. One-and-a-half hours later she also developed ascending hypesthesia and weakness originating from both distal lower limbs. Three hours after onset, hypesthesia had reached the T10-level bilaterally and she had become paraplegic. There was reduced intestinal motility, stool incontinence, and urinary hesitancy. MRI of the thoraco-lumbar spine demonstrated a SEH T9-L1 indenting the dural sack and compressing the myelon. Immediately after emergency laminectomy T10-12 with micro-surgical evacuation of the clot, 12 h after onset, she could move both legs again and was able to walk with support 7 days after surgery. This case shows that SEH occurs under a minimal dose of ASA and that such patients rapidly recover upon immediate surgical decompression and evacuation of the hematoma.
low on the dementia knowledge questionnaire expressed interest in further dementia education. The... more low on the dementia knowledge questionnaire expressed interest in further dementia education. These results suggest that the lack of initiative to seek help observed in the Chinese-American immigrant community may not be entirely due to a low level of knowledge about the illness. Alternative reasons could include a deficiency of appropriate Chinese-language educational materials or a lack of awareness about dementia health services. When presented with easily accessible educational opportunities to learn about dementia, Chinese-American immigrants are willing to participate, so it is important that individuals in this ethnic community be given appropriate resources to correct their misconceptions about dementia, leading to early recognition of its symptoms and the use of treatments and services.
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Papers by Walter Krugluger