Increased plasma vaspin concentration in patients with sepsis: an exploratory examination

Introduction

Vaspin (visceral adipose tissue-derived serpin) was first described as an insulin-sensitizing adipose tissue hormone. Recently its anti-inflammatory function has been demonstrated. Since no appropriate data is available yet, we sought to investigate the plasma concentrations of vaspin in sepsis.

Materials and methods

57 patients in intensive care, fulfilling the ACCP/SCCM criteria for sepsis, were prospectively included in our exploratory study. The control group consisted of 48 critically ill patients, receiving intensive care after trauma or major surgery. Patients were matched by age, sex, weight and existence of diabetes before statistical analysis. Blood samples were collected on the day of diagnosis. Vaspin plasma concentrations were measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Vaspin concentrations were significantly higher in septic patients compared to the control group (0.3 (0.1-0.4) ng/mL vs. 0.1 (0.0-0.3) ng/mL, respectively; P < 0.001). Vaspin concentration showed weak positive correlation with concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) (r = 0.31, P = 0.002) as well as with SAPS II (r = 0.34, P = 0.002) and maximum of SOFA (r = 0.39, P < 0.001) scoring systems, as tested for the overall study population.

Conclusion

In the sepsis group, vaspin plasma concentration was about three-fold as high as in the median surgical control group. We demonstrated a weak positive correlation between vaspin and CRP concentration, as well as with two scoring systems commonly used in intensive care settings. Although there seems to be some connection between vaspin and inflammation, its role in human sepsis needs to be evaluated further.Key words: adipocytokine, inflammation, vaspin, CRP, intensive care     

Formale objektorientierte Softwareentwicklung mit FOX{\cal F}{{\scriptstyle{\cal O}{\cal X}}}

Zusammenfassung.   Wir stellen die neue Methode vor, die auf die formale Entwicklung sequentieller, objektorientierter Softwaresysteme abzielt. ist eine synergetische Kombination aus der semiformalen Methode Fusion und der formalen Spezifikationssprache Object-Z. Die Methode unterscheidet ausdrücklich Analyse und Entwurf, um die Komplexit?t und die unterschiedlichen Aufgaben der Softwareentwicklung zu bew?ltigen. In jeder Entwicklungsphase werden Zustands- und Verhaltensspezifikationen in graphischer oder textueller Form erstellt. Wir geben Beweisverpflichtungen an, um zu gew?hrleisten, da? die entwickelten Spezifikationen formal konsistent und vollst?ndig sind, und da? das resultierende System zur Ausgangsspezifikation konform ist. Wir illustrieren die Anwendung von an einem einfachen Beispiel, einem Grapheditor. Eingegangen am 24. Dezember 1996 / Angenommen am 8.10.1997     

Developing children's conceptual understanding of area measurement: A curriculum and teaching experiment

The present study examined the effectiveness of three instructional treatments which had different combinations of mathematical elements regarding 2-dimensional (2-D) geometry and area measurement for developing 4th-grade children's understanding of the formulas for area measurement and their ability to solve area measurement problems. Participants were 120 fourth graders. The results showed that the enriched curriculum, involving the geometry motions and area measurement connections effectively facilitated children's mathematical judgments and explanations demanding high-level conceptual understanding. The instructional curricula accentuating only 2-D geometry or numerical calculations for area measurement did not exhibit such effectiveness. Interview data revealed that the geometric operations of superimposition, decomposition, re-composition as well as the concept of congruence were deemed essential by children for the conceptualization of the formulas for area measurement.     

Private Funding for University Research in Europe — Some Models and Conceptions*

Social scientists have discovered only recently that there exists between the two major forces of modern (Western) societies (that is the market on the one hand and government on the other hand) a third sector. This sector is characterized by forces like voluntarism, idealism, generosity, autonomy of action in the public interest, brotherhood, charity and institutions like private giving, free associations and societies, philanthropic foundations and charitable trusts. The third sector is helpful in achieving voluntaty social justice outside the enforced contributions of government. If government retreats even more the future from investing an adequate share of total revenue in the science community and higher education at large, this social sub-sector will need to look for alternative funding sources. Industry as contractor (naturally paying for the goods and services delivered by the higher education sector) may be one source. The third sector, known to many of the institutions of higher education for centuries, should be another. In the highly competitive environment of the future loyalties and other benign attitudes are no longer to be taken for granted, not even by alma mater. Therefore, higher education should invest some time and talents, as well as some ECUs in order to come to terms with this sector and to get a better share from its grant-making capacities. The opportunities are there.