Darüber hinaus erfolgte eine Untersuchung der Publikationsverzerrung. Ergebnisse Wir stellten fest, dass die Supplementierung mit curcuminhaltigen Präparaten mit einer Gesamt-ES (standardisierte Durchschnittsdifferenz) auf die FMD von 1,379 (95%-KI 0,485–2,274, p = 0,003) verbunden war. Die Gesamt-ES Hedges’ g betrug 1,353 (95%-KI 0,47–2,235, p = 0,03). Diese Analyse, bei der ein Modell mit Zufallseffekten verwendet wurde, spricht für eine positive und große ES von curcuminhaltigen Präparaten auf die FMD. Bei Rauchern fiel der FMD-Anstieg geringer aus als bei Nichtrauchern (ES 0,379 vs. 1,639, p = 0,034). Schlussfolgerung Die vorliegende Metaanalyse von fünf randomisierten klinischen Studien zeigt einen signifikanten Effekt curcuminhaltiger Präparate auf den FMD-Anstieg und damit auf die Endothelfunktion im Vergleich zu Placebo. Bei Rauchern ist dieser Effekt nicht stark ausgeprägt.Podoconiosis is a form of lymphoedema that occurs in tropical highland areas in genetically susceptible individuals who are exposed to irritant volcanic soils. The disease is preventable through consistent use of footwear and attention to foot hygiene; however, in endemic areas there is a strong barefoot tradition, and many cannot afford shoes. Patients with podoconiosis face significant physical disability, psychological comorbidity, reduced quality of life and experience frequent episodes of systemic illness due to acute dermatolymphangioadenitis. This review provides an overview of this important and neglected tropical skin disease and summarizes the latest research findings. © 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.The pituitary fossa is an uncommon site for metastatic tumor spread. Metastatic lesions to the sellar area derived mostly from breast, lung, renal, prostate and colon cancers, and rarely from other solid and hematologic malignancies. Almost every cancer has been reported as a source of pituitary metastasis. Pituitary metastasis can involve both the anterior and posterior lobes, but the neuro hypophysis is mainly involved. Clinical manifestations include diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism, headache, visual disturbances, ophthalmoplegia, and also compression of adjacent structures by aggressive tumor masses. Metastatic spread to the pituitary from a distant primary malignancy is commonly associated with metastases to other tissues and poor prognosis, unless efficient systemic targeted medical treatment is available for the primary cancer (melanoma, lymphoma). © 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) display a number of cultural behaviours including food washing, stone handling and certain grooming techniques. These are deemed cultural behaviours because it is presumed that they are socially learned and, importantly, that social learning is essential for their emergence. Recently, however, research has revealed that culturally naïve primates can re-innovate presumed cultural behaviours. These behaviours are said to fall within that species' "zone of latent solutions" (ZLS). A notable cultural behaviour of Japanese macaques is food washing, first reported by Japanese researchers studying wild Japanese macaques in the 1950s. To test whether culturally naïve Japanese macaques would spontaneously wash food and also, therefore, whether food-washing behaviour is within their ZLS, we presented 12 zoo-housed macaques with sweet potato covered in sand near a pool in their exhibit. Over 11 days we recorded the macaques' behaviour. While 11 of the 12 macaques ate the potato pieces, none washed them. However, 4 macaques cleaned their food, brushing off the sand using their hand or rubbing the potato against their body or another food item, using three distinct techniques. We found no change over time in the rate at which monkeys cleaned or consumed potato, but there was a significant positive correlation between the number of potato pieces a monkey ate and the number of cleaning behaviours performed. DNA Repair inhibitor We conclude that, minimally, food-cleaning behaviour is within macaques' ZLS. © 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.INTRODUCTION Intradialytic nutrition may improve nutritional status and reduce mortality in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) but has been associated with adverse events, mainly hemodynamic instability. Some dialysis centers therefore restrict intradialytic meals. In 2 clinical studies, we investigated the effects of intradialytic glucose-insulin infusion (GII) and meal intake on blood pressure (BP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), pulse wave analysis (PWA), and cardiac output (CO). PWA yielded augmentation index standardized with heart rate 75 (AIx@HR75). METHODS In the GII study, 12 nondiabetic HD patients had BP, PWV, PWA, and CO measured during 3 HD sessions standard HD, HD with glucose infusion, and HD with GII. In the Meal study, 12 nondiabetic patients had BP and PWA measured on 3 study days meal alone (non-HD), meal and HD, 2 meals and HD. Twelve matched healthy controls completed the non-HD day. FINDINGS In the GII study, glucose or GII had no additional effects on hemodynamic parameters compared with standard HD. HD resulted in a decrease in systolic BP of 13%, in diastolic BP of 9%, in AIx@HR75 of 17%, and CO of 18%. PWV was reduced by only 5%. In the Meal study, a meal alone did not change BP, whereas the combined influence of HD and meal intake reduced systolic BP with 22% and diastolic BP with 19%. Furthermore, AIx@HR75 decreased by 37% on HD days and by 36% in controls, but was unaffected on non-HD days. DISCUSSION In the GII study, HD significantly reduced BP, AIx@75, and CO, whereas PWV remained almost constant. No additional effects were observed by concomitant GII during HD. BP reductions seemed larger in the Meal study compared with the GII study. Taken together, HD per se appears as the main discriminant for intradialytic hypotension but in hemodynamically unstable patients the timing and route of nutrition provision should be considered carefully. © 2020 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.OBJECTIVE We aimed to study the effect of cariporide (CP) on protecting the saphenous vein and the role of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). BACKGROUND The saphenous vein is the main graft material used in CABG. Recent studies suggested that CP is effective in protecting against various cardiovascular diseases. METHODS Segments of a surgically removed saphenous vein were used to examine the vascular response to CP. The ALDH2 genotype and expression of related proteins were assessed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Among the conditions tested, the University of Wisconsin solution with CP (4°C, 5 min) treatment showed the best protective effect on the saphenous vein. The incidence of major adverse cardiac events was higher in the ALDH2-GA (heterozygous mutant) genotype population after CABG. CONCLUSION CP plays a role in reducing the production of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis by ALDH2-mediated mitochondrial function improvement. The ALDH2 mutant genotype might be one of the risk factors for coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.