Abstract. Plakoglobin (~-catenin), a member of the armadillo family of proteins, is a constituent of the cytoplasmic plaque of desmosomes, as well as of other adhering cell junctions, and is involved in anchorage of cytoskeletal filaments to specific cadherins. We have generated a null mutation of the plakoglobin gene in mice. Homozygous -/-mutant animals die between days 12-16 of embryogenesis due to defects in heart function. Often, heart ventricles burst and blood floods the pericard. This tissue instability correlates with the absence of desmosomes in heart, but not in epithelial organs. Instead, extended adherens junctions are formed in the heart, which contain desmosomal proteins, i.e., desmoplakin. Thus, plakoglobin is an essential component of myocardiac desmosomes and seems to play a crucial role in the sorting out of desmosomal and adherens junction components, and consequently in the architecture of intercalated discs and the stabilization of heart tissue.

Prolonged compression therapy after proximal deep vein thrombosis significantly reduces symptoms and may prevent post-thrombotic skin changes. Whether these findings translate to the prevention of advanced disease states with ulcerations remains unclear.

Lower limb venous flow parameters differ significantly between healthy obese and nonobese individuals. These findings support the mechanical role of abdominal adipose tissue potentially leading to elevated risk for both venous thromboembolism and chronic venous insufficiency.

BOLD MR imaging of calf muscles-depending on underlying key parameters-has moderate to good correlation with LDF and TcPo2 measurements during ischemia and reactive hyperemia.

OBJECTIVE: To define the specificity and extent of duplex sonography (DS) findings suggestive of vessel wall inflammation in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). METHODS: Patients admitted between December 2006 and April 2009 to the University Hospital Basel with a suspicion of GCA were eligible for the study. DS of 2x11 arterial regions was performed in all study participants, and American College of Rheumatology criteria were applied to classify patients into GCA or non-GCA groups. RESULTS: GCA was diagnosed in 38 of the 72 participants (53%). A DS pattern suggestive of vessel wall inflammation was not observed in any of the patients in the non-GCA group but, in 21 of the 38 patients with GCA (55%), DS signs suggestive of vessel wall inflammation of > or =1 vessel region were detected. In 12 of the 38 patients with GCA (32%), DS signs of large vessel vasculitis (LVV) were found in > or =1 vessel region(s) of both upper and lower limb vessels. Follow-up DS was performed 6 months after the baseline examination in 9 of the 12 patients with LVV and showed the persistence of most findings despite normalised signs of systemic inflammation. CONCLUSION: DS detects changes in the vessel wall that appear to be specific for GCA; they can be present in upper and lower limb arteries of patients with GCA. Surprisingly, DS-detectable LVV and signs of systemic inflammation are largely dissociated. Basel with a suspicion of GCA were eligible for the study. DS of 2×11 arterial regions was performed in all study participants, and American College of Rheumatology criteria were applied to classify patients into GCA or non-GCA groups.Results GCA was diagnosed in 38 of the 72 participants (53%). A DS pattern suggestive of vessel wall infl ammation was not observed in any of the patients in the non-GCA group but, in 21 of the 38 patients with GCA (55%), DS signs suggestive of vessel wall infl ammation of ≥1 vessel region were detected. In 12 of the 38 patients with GCA (32%), DS signs of large vessel vasculitis (LVV) were found in ≥1 vessel region(s) of both upper and lower limb vessels. Follow-up DS was performed 6 months after the baseline examination in 9 of the 12 patients with LVV and showed the persistence of most fi ndings despite normalised signs of systemic infl ammation. Conclusion DS detects changes in the vessel wall that appear to be specifi c for GCA; they can be present in upper and lower limb arteries of patients with GCA. Surprisingly, DS-detectable LVV and signs of systemic infl ammation are largely dissociated.