TY  - JOUR
A1  - Gruschwitz, Philipp
A1  - Hartung, Viktor
A1  - Kleefeldt, Florian
A1  - Ergün, Süleyman
A1  - Lichthardt, Sven
A1  - Huflage, Henner
A1  - Hendel, Robin
A1  - Kunz, Andreas Steven
A1  - Pannenbecker, Pauline
A1  - Kuhl, Philipp Josef
A1  - Augustin, Anne Marie
A1  - Bley, Thorsten Alexander
A1  - Petritsch, Bernhard
A1  - Grunz, Jan-Peter
T1  - Standardized assessment of vascular reconstruction kernels in photon-counting CT angiographies of the leg using a continuous extracorporeal perfusion model
JF  - Scientific Reports
N2  - This study evaluated the influence of different vascular reconstruction kernels on the image quality of CT angiographies of the lower extremity runoff using a 1st-generation photon-counting-detector CT (PCD-CT) compared with dose-matched examinations on a 3rd-generation energy-integrating-detector CT (EID-CT). Inducing continuous extracorporeal perfusion in a human cadaveric model, we performed CT angiographies of eight upper leg arterial runoffs with radiation dose-equivalent 120 kVp acquisition protocols (CTDIvol 5 mGy). Reconstructions were executed with different vascular kernels, matching the individual modulation transfer functions between scanners. Signal-to-noise-ratios (SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratios (CNR) were computed to assess objective image quality. Six radiologists evaluated image quality subjectively using a forced-choice pairwise comparison tool. Interrater agreement was determined by calculating Kendall’s concordance coefficient (W). The intraluminal attenuation of PCD-CT images was significantly higher than of EID-CT (414.7 ± 27.3 HU vs. 329.3 ± 24.5 HU; p < 0.001). Using comparable kernels, image noise with PCD-CT was significantly lower than with EID-CT (p ≤ 0.044). Correspondingly, SNR and CNR were approximately twofold higher for PCD-CT (p < 0.001). Increasing the spatial frequency for PCD-CT reconstructions by one level resulted in similar metrics compared to EID-CT (CNRfat; EID-CT Bv49: 21.7 ± 3.7 versus PCD-CT Bv60: 21.4 ± 3.5). Overall image quality of PCD-CTA achieved ratings superior to EID-CTA irrespective of the used reconstruction kernels (best: PCD-CT Bv60; worst: EID-CT Bv40; p < 0.001). Interrater agreement was good (W = 0.78). Concluding, PCD-CT offers superior intraluminal attenuation, SNR, and CNR compared to EID-CT in angiographies of the upper leg arterial runoff. Combined with improved subjective image quality, PCD-CT facilitates the use of sharper convolution kernels and ultimately bears the potential of improved vascular structure assessability.
KW  - experimental models of disease
KW  - preclinical research
KW  - translational research
Y1  - 2023
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-357912
VL  - 13
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Bellut, Maximilian
A1  - Papp, Lena
A1  - Bieber, Michael
A1  - Kraft, Peter
A1  - Stoll, Guido
A1  - Schuhmann, Michael K.
T1  - NLPR3 inflammasome inhibition alleviates hypoxic endothelial cell death in-vitro and protects blood-brain barrier integrity in murine stroke
JF  - Cell Death & Disease
N2  - In ischemic stroke (IS) impairment of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has an important role in the secondary deterioration of neurological function. BBB disruption is associated with ischemia-induced inflammation, brain edema formation, and hemorrhagic infarct transformation, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Dysfunction of endothelial cells (EC) may play a central role in this process. Although neuronal NLR-family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome upregulation is an established trigger of inflammation in IS, the contribution of its expression in EC is unclear. We here used brain EC, exposed them to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in vitro, and analyzed their survival depending on inflammasome inhibition with the NLRP3-specific drug MCC950. During OGD, EC death could significantly be reduced when targeting NLRP3, concomitant with diminished endothelial NLRP3 expression. Furthermore, MCC950 led to reduced levels of Caspase 1 (p20) and activated Gasdermin D as markers for pyroptosis. Moreover, inflammasome inhibition reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory chemokines, cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) in EC. In a translational approach, IS was induced in C57Bl/6 mice by 60 mins transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and 23 hours of reperfusion. Stroke volume, functional outcome, the BBB integrity, and-in good agreement with the in vitro results-MMP9 secretion as well as EC survival improved significantly in MCC950-treated mice. In conclusion, our results establish the NLRP3 inflammasome as a critical pathogenic effector of stroke-induced BBB disruption by activating inflammatory signaling cascades and pyroptosis in brain EC.
KW  - inflammasome
KW  - preclinical research
KW  - stroke
Y1  - 2022
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-265693
VL  - 13
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Weismann, Dirk
A1  - Möckel, Martin
A1  - Paeth, Heiko
A1  - Slagman, Anna
T1  - Modelling variations of emergency attendances using data on community mobility, climate and air pollution
JF  - Scientific Reports
N2  - Air pollution is associated with morbidity and mortality worldwide. We investigated the impact of improved air quality during the economic lockdown during the SARS-Cov2 pandemic on emergency room (ER) admissions in Germany. Weekly aggregated clinical data from 33 hospitals were collected in 2019 and 2020. Hourly concentrations of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide (NO2, SO2), carbon and nitrogen monoxide (CO, NO), ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5) measured by ground stations and meteorological data (ERA5) were selected from a 30 km radius around the corresponding ED. Mobility was assessed using aggregated cell phone data. A linear stepwise multiple regression model was used to predict ER admissions. The average weekly emergency numbers vary from 200 to over 1600 cases (total n = 2,216,217). The mean maximum decrease in caseload was 5 standard deviations. With the enforcement of the shutdown in March, the mobility index dropped by almost 40%. Of all air pollutants, NO2 has the strongest correlation with ER visits when averaged across all departments. Using a linear stepwise multiple regression model, 63% of the variation in ER visits is explained by the mobility index, but still 6% of the variation is explained by air quality and climate change.
KW  - cardiovascular diseases
KW  - environmental health
KW  - environmental impact
KW  - preclinical research
KW  - preventive medicine
KW  - reproductive disorders
KW  - respiratory signs and symptoms
Y1  - 2023
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-357578
VL  - 13
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Luetkens, Karsten Sebastian
A1  - Ergün, Süleyman
A1  - Huflage, Henner
A1  - Kunz, Andreas Steven
A1  - Gietzen, Carsten Herbert
A1  - Conrads, Nora
A1  - Pennig, Lenhard
A1  - Goertz, Lukas
A1  - Bley, Thorsten Alexander
A1  - Gassenmaier, Tobias
A1  - Grunz, Jan-Peter
T1  - Dose reduction potential in cone-beam CT imaging of upper extremity joints with a twin robotic x-ray system
JF  - Scientific Reports
N2  - Cone-beam computed tomography is a powerful tool for 3D imaging of the appendicular skeleton, facilitating detailed visualization of bone microarchitecture. This study evaluated various combinations of acquisition and reconstruction parameters for the cone-beam CT mode of a twin robotic x-ray system in cadaveric wrist and elbow scans, aiming to define the best possible trade-off between image quality and radiation dose. Images were acquired with different combinations of tube voltage and tube current–time product, resulting in five scan protocols with varying volume CT dose indices: full-dose (FD; 17.4 mGy), low-dose (LD; 4.5 mGy), ultra-low-dose (ULD; 1.15 mGy), modulated low-dose (mLD; 0.6 mGy) and modulated ultra-low-dose (mULD; 0.29 mGy). Each set of projection data was reconstructed with three convolution kernels (very sharp [Ur77], sharp [Br69], intermediate [Br62]). Five radiologists subjectively assessed the image quality of cortical bone, cancellous bone and soft tissue using seven-point scales. Irrespective of the reconstruction kernel, overall image quality of every FD, LD and ULD scan was deemed suitable for diagnostic use in contrast to mLD (very sharp/sharp/intermediate: 60/55/70%) and mULD (0/3/5%). Superior depiction of cortical and cancellous bone was achieved in FD\(_{Ur77}\) and LD\(_{Ur77}\) examinations (p < 0.001) with LD\(_{Ur77}\) scans also providing favorable bone visualization compared to FD\(_{Br69}\) and FD\(_{Br62}\) (p < 0.001). Fleiss’ kappa was 0.618 (0.594–0.641; p < 0.001), indicating substantial interrater reliability. In this study, we demonstrate that considerable dose reduction can be realized while maintaining diagnostic image quality in upper extremity joint scans with the cone-beam CT mode of a twin robotic x-ray system. Application of sharper convolution kernels for image reconstruction facilitates superior display of bone microarchitecture.
KW  - medical research
KW  - preclinical research
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-270429
VL  - 11
IS  - 1
ER  -