TY - JOUR A1 - Mueller-Nordhorn, Jacqueline A1 - Muckelbauer, Rebecca A1 - Englert, Heike A1 - Grittner, Ulrike A1 - Berger, Hendrike A1 - Sonntag, Frank A1 - Völler, Heinz A1 - Prugger, Christof A1 - Wegscheider, Karl A1 - Katus, Hugo A. A1 - Willich, Stefan N. T1 - Longitudinal association between body mass index and health-related quality of life JF - PLoS one N2 - Objective: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important outcome in individuals with a high risk for cardiovascular diseases. We investigated the association of HRQoL and body mass index (BMI) as an indicator for obesity. Design: Secondary longitudinal analysis of the ORBITAL study, an intervention study which included high-risk cardiovascular primary care patients with hypercholesterolemia and an indication for statin therapy. Methods: HRQoL was determined with the generic Short Form (SF)-12 health status instrument. Body weight and height were assessed at baseline and at months 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36. We used a linear and a linear mixed-effects regression model to investigate the association between BMI and SF-12 summary scores at baseline as well as between change in BMI and SF-12 summary scores over 3 years. We adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, and in the longitudinal analysis also for the study arm and its interaction term with time. Results: Of the 7640 participants who completed the baseline questionnaire, 6726 participants (mean age: 61 years) were analyzed. The baseline BMI was inversely associated with physical and mental SF-12 summary scores (beta [95% CI] per 1 kg/ m(2) : -0.36 [-0.41; -0.30] and -0.05 [-0.11; -0.00], respectively). A significant association between the change in BMI and physical SF-12 summary scores over time was only present in women (-0.18 [-0.27; -0.09]) and only in obese participants (-0.19 [-0.29; -0.10]). A change in BMI was directly associated with mental SF-12 summary scores (0.12 [0.06; 0.19]) in the total population. Conclusion: Increases in BMI were associated with decreases in physical HRQoL, particularly in obese individuals and in women. In contrast, the mental HRQoL seemed to increase with increasing BMI over time. Thus, body weight management with respect to the HRQoL should be evaluated differentially by sex and body weight status. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0093071 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 9 IS - 3 PB - PLoS CY - San Fransisco ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gaeckle, Maren A1 - Domahs, Frank A1 - Kartmann, Angelika A1 - Tomandl, Bernd A1 - Frank, Ulrike T1 - Predictors of Penetration-Aspiration in Parkinson’s Disease Patients With Dysphagia BT - a retrospective analysis JF - Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology N2 - Methods: The data of 89 PD patients with dysphagia who underwent routinely conducted videofluoroscopic studies of swallowing (VFSS) were included in this retrospective study. The occurrence of penetration-aspiration was defined as scores >= 3 on the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS). Four commonly reported signs of dysphagia in PD patients were evaluated as possible predictors. Furthermore, the relationships between the occurrence of penetration-aspiration and liquid bolus volume as well as clinical severity of PD (modified Hoehn and Yahr scale) were examined. Results: Logistic regression showed that a delayed initiation of the pharyngeal swallow (odds ratio [OR] = 7.47, P = .008) and a reduced hyolaryngeal excursion (OR = 5.13, P = .012) were predictors of penetration-aspiration. Moreover, there was a strong, positive correlation between increasing liquid bolus volume and penetration-aspiration (gamma = 0.71, P < .001). No correlation was found between severity of PD and penetration-aspiration (gamma = 0.077, P = .783). Conclusion: Results of the present study allow for a better understanding of penetration-aspiration risk in PD patients. They are useful for treatment planning in order to improve safe oral intake and adequate nutrition. KW - pneumonia KW - videofluoroscopy Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1177/0003489419841398 SN - 0003-4894 SN - 1943-572X VL - 128 IS - 8 SP - 728 EP - 735 PB - Sage Publ. CY - Thousand Oaks ER - TY - GEN A1 - Embs, Frank A1 - Funhoff, Dirk A1 - Laschewsky, André A1 - Licht, Ulrike A1 - Ohst, Holger A1 - Prass, Werner A1 - Ringsdorf, Helmut A1 - Wegner, Gerhard A1 - Wehrmann, Rolf T1 - Preformed polymers for Langmuir-Blodgett films- molecular concepts N2 - The use of preformed polymers for the preparation of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) multilayers is reviewed. Principles for polymer self-organization are outlined and the appropriate molecular designs are discussed. Recent developments in the different classes of polymers for LB multilayers are presented, and their outstanding properties highlighted. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 081 KW - Amphiphilic Polymers KW - Rod-like Polymers KW - LCPs KW - Stability of LB Films Y1 - 1991 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-17196 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Böer, Ulrike A1 - Neuschäfer-Rube, Frank A1 - Möller, Ulrike A1 - Püschel, Gerhard Paul T1 - Requirement of N-glycosylation of the prostaglandin E2 receptor EP3beta for correct sorting to the plasma membrane but not for correct folding N2 - Eight heptahelical receptors have been characterized for prostaglandin (PG) D(2), PGE(2), PGF(2alpha), prostacyclin and thromboxane A(2). They share a sequence identity of 40%. All of them have potential N-glycosylation sites. The current study analysed the role of the two N-glycosylation sites in the rat EP3beta-subtype PGE(2) receptor for protein folding and sorting. The N-glycosylation consensus sequences were eliminated by site-directed mutagenesis and receptors expressed in HEK-293 cells. Both potential N-glycosylation sites were used. Their joint elimination resulted in the synthesis of a receptor protein with full binding competence, biological activity and no reduction of affinity; however, the half-life of the non-glycosylated receptor was slightly reduced. Ligand binding to intact stably transfected cells and confocal laser microscopic immunocytochemistry showed that the glycosylated receptor was correctly inserted into the plasma membrane to a much larger extent than the non-glycosylated receptor, which tended to accumulate in the perinuclear zone of the endoplasmic reticulum. Inhibition of N-glycosylation with tunicamycin resulted in a similar perinuclear distribution of the wild-type receptor. Therefore, glycosylation of the EP3beta receptor seems not to be necessary for correct folding of the receptor protein but for the efficient transport of the receptor protein to the plasma membrane. This contrasts with a previous finding which described a reduction of the affinity for PGE(2) of the EP3alpha receptor by elimination of the distal glycosylation site when the receptor protein was expressed in insect cells. Y1 - 2000 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Frombach, Janna A1 - Rancan, Fiorenza A1 - Fleige, Emanuel A1 - Haag, Rainer A1 - Schumacher, Frank A1 - Kleuser, Burkhard A1 - Yamamoto, Kenji A1 - Rühl, Eckart A1 - Blume-Peytavi, Ulrike A1 - Vogt, Annika T1 - Skin penetration and dexamethasone release from polymer nanoparticles in ex vivo human skin T2 - The journal of investigative dermatology Y1 - 2015 SN - 0022-202X SN - 1523-1747 VL - 135 SP - S52 EP - S52 PB - Nature Publ. Group CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gervais, Frank A1 - Siedel, Ulrike A1 - Heilmann, Britta A1 - Weithoff, Guntram A1 - Heisig-Gunkel, Gabriele A1 - Nicklisch, Andreas T1 - Small-scale vertical distribution of phytoplankton, nutrients and sulphide below the oxicline of a mesotrophic lake N2 - A characteristic vertical sequence of phytoplankton populations was observed below the metalimnetic oxycline of a stratified, mesotrophic lake. Ceratium spp., Closterium acutum and Aphanizomenon flos- aquae were present in the epilimnion but had distinct population maxima in the microaerobic chemocline. Below these populations, Cryptomonas phaseolus, Planktothrix clathrata, Pseudanabaena catenata and Limnothrix sp. followed each other in the transition zone between the chemocline and the sulphide-containing hypolimnion. The dominating populations of P. clathrata and P. catenata caused a deep chlorophyll maximum. Phytoplankton structure was determined by the vertical gradients of sulphide and light. Compared with the epilimnion, nutrient availability was not fundamentally better below the oxycline but the algae might have benefited from reduced grazing pressure in their habitat. Y1 - 2003 UR - http://plankt.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/full/25/3/273 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Neuschäfer-Rube, Frank A1 - Möller, Ulrike A1 - Püschel, Gerhard Paul T1 - Structure of the 5'-flanking region of the rat prostaglandin f(2alpha) receptor N2 - Prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)), modulates hepatocyte functions via a heptahelical G(q)-coupled PGF(2alpha)-receptor (FP-R) which in liver is expressed exclusively in hepatocytes. The aim of the present study was to isolate the 5'-flanking region of the rat FP-R gene and to elucidate its basal and IL-6-modulated transcription control function in rat hepatocytes. The 5'-non-translated region of the rat hepatocyte FP-R mRNA differed from the corresponding region in rat fetal astrocyte or corpus luteum. It was encoded by exons 1a and 2 which were separated by a 1. 4 kb intron containing the exons 1b and 1c coding for the 5'-untranslated region of rat fetal astrocyte and corpus luteum FP-R mRNA, respectively. The transcription initiation site in hepatocytes was localized 263 bp upstream of the start ATG by 5'-RACE. A DNA-fragment covering the 5'-flanking region of the rFP-R gene from - 1 of the transcription initiation site to -2590 bp was cloned and sequenced. Its 3'-two thirds had a 65% sequence identity to the mouse FP-R promoter however no homology to the bovine FP-R promoter. In the overlapping sequence most of the putative transcription factor binding sites were conserved between mouse and rat. The rat promoter contained no classical TATA- or CAAT-boxes but putative binding sites for the transcription factors C/EBP, GATA-1, HNF-1, HNF-3beta, SP-1, and USF. Luciferase reporter gene constructs containing portions of the 5'-flanking region were transfected into rat hepatocytes. Luciferase expression ranked -181 >/= -608 < -1418 > -1821 >/= -2590. The strongest transcriptional activity was conferred by the region between -608 and -1418 containing a cluster of potential HNF-1 and HNF-3beta binding sites that might allow the exclusive expression of FP-R mRNA in hepatocytes. The amount of FP-R mRNA and the luciferase expression under control of the -2590 promoter fragment were reduced by IL-6 in hepatocytes. Copyright 2000 Academic Press. Y1 - 2000 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schlickewei, Ole A1 - Nienstedt, Julie Cläre A1 - Frank, Ulrike A1 - Fründt, Odette A1 - Pötter-Nerger, Monika A1 - Gerloff, Christian A1 - Buhmann, Carsten A1 - Müller, Frank A1 - Lezius, Susanne A1 - Koseki, Jana-Christiane A1 - Pflug, Christina T1 - The ability of the eating assessment tool‑10 to detect penetration and aspiration in Parkinson’s disease JF - European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology and head & neck N2 - Purpose: Dysphagia is common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and often leads to pneumonia, malnutrition, and reduced quality of life. This study investigates the ability of the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10), an established, easy self-administered screening tool, to detect aspiration in PD patients. This study aims to validate the ability of the EAT-10 to detect FEES-proven aspiration in patients with PD. Methods: In a controlled prospective cross-sectional study, a total of 50 PD patients completed the EAT-10 and, subsequently, were examined by Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) to determine the swallowing status. The results were rated through the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) and data were analyzed retrospectively. Results: PAS and EAT-10 did not correlate significantly. Selected items of the EAT-10 could not predict aspiration or residues. 19 (38%) out of 50 patients with either penetration or aspiration were not detected by the EAT-10. The diagnostic accuracy was established at only a sufficient level (AUC 0.65). An optimal cut-off value of >= 6 presented a sensitivity of 58% and specificity of 82%. Conclusions: The EAT-10 is not suited for the detection of penetration and aspiration in PD patients. Therefore, it cannot be used as a screening method in this patient population. There is still a need for a valid, simple, and efficient screening tool to assist physicians in their daily diagnostics and to avoid clinical complications. KW - Parkinson's disease KW - dysphagia KW - questionnaire KW - screening Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06377-x SN - 0937-4477 SN - 1434-4726 VL - 278 IS - 5 SP - 1661 EP - 1668 PB - Springer CY - Berlin ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Huckabee, Maggie-Lee A1 - McIntosh, Theresa A1 - Fuller, Laura A1 - Curry, Morgan A1 - Thomas, Paige A1 - Walshe, Margaret A1 - McCague, Ellen A1 - Battel, Irene A1 - Nogueira, Dalia A1 - Frank, Ulrike A1 - van den Engel-Hoek, Lenie A1 - Sella-Weiss, Oshrat T1 - The test of masticating and swallowing solids (TOMASS) BT - reliability, validity and international normative data JF - International Journal of language & communicaton disorders N2 - BackgroundClinical swallowing assessment is largely limited to qualitative assessment of behavioural observations. There are limited quantitative data that can be compared with a healthy population for identification of impairment. The Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS) was developed as a quantitative assessment of solid bolus ingestion. AimsThis research programme investigated test development indices and established normative data for the TOMASS to support translation to clinical dysphagia assessment. Conclusions & ImplicationsThe TOMASS is presented as a valid, reliable and broadly normed clinical assessment of solid bolus ingestion. Clinical application may help identify dysphagic patients at bedside and provide a non-invasive, but sensitive, measure of functional change in swallowing. KW - deglutition KW - assessment KW - mastication KW - swallowing KW - timed KW - solid Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12332 SN - 1368-2822 SN - 1460-6984 VL - 53 IS - 1 SP - 144 EP - 156 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - GEN A1 - Tian, Fang A1 - Herzschuh, Ulrike A1 - Mischke, Steffen A1 - Schlütz, Frank T1 - What drives the recent intensified vegetation degradation in Mongolia BT - Climate change or human activity? T2 - The Holocene N2 - This study examines the course and driving forces of recent vegetation change in the Mongolian steppe. A sediment core covering the last 55years from a small closed-basin lake in central Mongolia was analyzed for its multi-proxy record at annual resolution. Pollen analysis shows that highest abundances of planted Poaceae and highest vegetation diversity occurred during 1977-1992, reflecting agricultural development in the lake area. A decrease in diversity and an increase in Artemisia abundance after 1992 indicate enhanced vegetation degradation in recent times, most probably because of overgrazing and farmland abandonment. Human impact is the main factor for the vegetation degradation within the past decades as revealed by a series of redundancy analyses, while climate change and soil erosion play subordinate roles. High Pediastrum (a green algae) influx, high atomic total organic carbon/total nitrogen (TOC/TN) ratios, abundant coarse detrital grains, and the decrease of C-13(org) and N-15 since about 1977 but particularly after 1992 indicate that abundant terrestrial organic matter and nutrients were transported into the lake and caused lake eutrophication, presumably because of intensified land use. Thus, we infer that the transition to a market economy in Mongolia since the early 1990s not only caused dramatic vegetation degradation but also affected the lake ecosystem through anthropogenic changes in the catchment area. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 418 KW - central Mongolia KW - grain size KW - human impact KW - lake eutrophication KW - pollen KW - vegetation degradation Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-404201 ER -