Fe3O4@Au core–shell hybrid nanocomposite for MRI-guided magnetic targeted photo-chemotherapy

Lasers in Medical Science - The combination of multiple therapeutic and diagnostic functions is fast becoming a key feature in the area of clinical oncology. The advent of nanotechnology promises...     

Steroid withdrawal and donor-specific hyporeactivity after cadaveric renal allotransplantation on maintenance triple therapy

Background. Even in low doses, long-term steroid immunosuppression is known to cause serious complications. However, the safety of steroid withdrawal has not been proven in randomized clinical trials. This study examines donor-specific hyporesponsive transplant recipients before and after steroid withdrawal, to see if reduction in immunosuppression was associated with consistent changes in antidonor immunological reactivity. Methods. Using limiting dilution assays, the circulating precursor frequency of donor and third-party-reactive helper T lymphocytes (HTLpf) were determined in 21 consecutive cadaveric renal allograft recipients on standard triple therapy, before (pre-tx) and at different time points after transplantation (post-tx). Patients were selected for steroid withdrawal by clinical criteria (stable graft function and no or only one very mild rejection episode). Results. Of 21 patients studied, steroids were successfully withdrawn in nine (steroid withdrawn group, SWG) for at least 187 days (mean: 380±168.5), and were not withdrawn in 12 patients (steroid continued group, SCG). In the SWG seven of nine patients developed at least fivefold reduction of post-tx donor-reactive HTLpf (range 5-17), relative to pre-tx, as compared to two of twelve patients in the SCG, P=0.01. In both groups, the third-party-reactive HTLpf in most of these patients remained largely unchanged throughout the study period. In the SWG, no significant difference of serum creatinine level was found before and at 6 months after steroid withdrawal (mean: 138±24 versus 132±40, P=0.45). Conclusions. Patients who developed donor-specific hyporeactivity as evidenced by low donor-reactive HTLpf had stable graft function and stable HTLpf levels after complete steroid withdrawal.     

Ejaculatsuntersuchungen von Elektroschweißern

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Longitudinal studies on the prognostic significance of plasma fibrinogen in diabetes mellitus

In 243 diabetics of different duration of the disease the prognostic value of an initial estimation of plasma fibrinogen for life expectancy and development of macroangiopathy was controlled over a period of ten years. Diabetics with a cardiovascular cause of death showed at the beginning with 3.68 in contrast to 3.24 g/l weakly significantly higher fibrinogen values than the surviving patients. In analogy to this in the surviving patients the diabetics with a meanwhile appearing myocardial infarction, chronic ischaemic heart disease or manifest disturbances of the peripheral blood supply differed by higher fibrinogen concentrations from test persons without manifest macroangiopathy. There was a close correlation between plasma fibrinogen level and development of hypertension. The increase of plasma fibrinogen is apparently associated with the atherogenesis without rendering a secure prognosis in the individual case on account of a critical limiting value.     

New physical approaches to treat cancer stem cells: a review

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified as the main center of tumor therapeutic resistance. They are highly resistant against current cancer therapy approaches particularly radiation therapy (RT). Recently, a wide spectrum of physical methods has been proposed to treat CSCs, including high energetic particles, hyperthermia (HT), nanoparticles (NPs) and combination of these approaches. In this review article, the importance and benefits of the physical CSCs therapy methods such as nanomaterial-based heat treatments and particle therapy will be highlighted.     

Effects of unilatral‐ and bilateral inhibition of rostral ventral tegmental area and central nucleus of amygdala on morphine‐induced place conditioning in male Wistar rat

The rostral ventral tegmental area (VTAR) and central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) are considered the main regions for induction of psychological dependence on abused drugs, such as morphine. The main aim of this study was to investigate the transient inhibition of each right and left side as well as both sides of the VTAR and the CeA by lidocaine (2%) on morphine reward properties using the conditioned place preference (CPP) method. Male Wistar rats (250±20 g) 7 days after recovery from surgery and cannulation were conditioned to morphine (7.5 mg/kg) in CPP apparatus. Five minutes before morphine injection in conditioning phase, lidocaine was administered either uni‐ or bilaterally into the VTAR (0.25 μL/site) or CeA (0.5 μL/site). The results revealed that lidocaine administration into the left side, but not the right side of the VTAR and the CeA reduced morphine CPP significantly. The reduction was potentiated when lidocaine was injected into both sides of the VTAR and the CeA. The number of compartment crossings was reduced when lidocaine was injected into both sides of the VTAR and the CeA as well as the left side. Rearing was reduced when lidocaine was injected into the right, but not the left side of the VTAR. Sniffing and rearing increased when animals received lidocaine in the right side and reduced in the group that received lidocaine in the left side of the CeA. It was concluded that the right and the left side of VTAR and the CeA play different roles in morphine‐induced activity and reward.