Improved Anticancer Activities of a New Pentafluorothio-Substituted Vorinostat-Type Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor

The development of new anticancer drugs is necessary in order deal with the disease and with the drawbacks of currently applied drugs. Epigenetic dysregulations are a central hallmark of cancerogenesis and histone deacetylases (HDACs) emerged as promising anticancer targets. HDAC inhibitors are promising epigenetic anticancer drugs and new HDAC inhibitors are sought for in order to obtain potent drug candidates. The new HDAC inhibitor SF5-SAHA was synthesized and analyzed for its anticancer properties. The new compound SF5-SAHA showed strong inhibition of tumor cell growth with IC₅₀ values similar to or lower than that of the clinically applied reference compound vorinostat/SAHA (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid). Target specific HDAC inhibition was demonstrated by Western blot analyses. Unspecific cytotoxic effects were not observed in LDH-release measurements. Pro-apoptotic formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase-3 activity induction in prostate carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines DU145 and Hep-G2 seem to be further aspects of the mode of action. Antiangiogenic activity of SF5-SAHA was observed on chorioallantoic membranes of fertilized chicken eggs (CAM assay). The presence of the pentafluorothio-substituent of SF5-SAHA increased the antiproliferative effects in both solid tumor and leukemia/lymphoma cell models when compared with its parent compound vorinostat. Based on this preliminary study, SF5-SAHA has the prerequisites to be further developed as a new HDAC inhibitory anticancer drug candidate.

Ambient Assisted Living as Support for Aging in Place: Quantitative Users' Acceptance Study on Ultrasonic Whistles

Background

Given the fact of an aging society, new supply measures and living concepts are needed, especially as health impairments along with care dependency increase with age. As many elderly people wish to stay at home for as long as possible, ambient assisted living (AAL) represents a support for aging in place.

Objective

AAL combines medical and care technology within living environments and is, therefore, a promising approach to cope with demographic change in terms of fast-growing care needs and fewer skilled workers. Ultrasonic whistles represent one innovative technical possibility for such supportive housing solutions. Central fields of application are home automation, emergency service, and positioning. As AAL technologies affect sensitive areas of life, it is of great interest under which conditions they are accepted or rejected, taking individual user requirements into account. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate users’ perception and evaluation of ultrasonic whistles.

Methods

In this study, we examined the acceptance of ultrasonic whistles in home care by function and room using a Web-based questionnaire. Besides an evaluation of the overall usefulness, we focused on the intention to use ultrasonic whistles; 270 participants assessed home automation, emergency service, and positioning as specific functions of ultrasonic whistles. Furthermore, bathroom, bedroom, and living room were evaluated as specific usage locations (rooms). With regard to the user’s perspective, the focus was set on age and attitudes toward aging of care receivers.

Results

This study revealed a significant influence of function (F_2,269=60.444; P<.001), room (F_2,269=41.388; P<.001), and the interaction of function and room (F_4,269=8.701; P<.001) on the acceptance of ultrasonic whistles. The use of emergency services within the bathroom represented the most accepted alternative, whereas positioning within the living room received the comparably lowest evaluations. Although user diversity played a minor role for acceptance overall, the assessment of single applications differed among user groups, particularly with regard to age differences (F_20,500=1.988; P<.01) in the evaluation of specific installation options such as automated doors.

Conclusions

The study revealed profound insights into the user-centered assessment of ultrasonic whistles in home care and discovered function and room as influencing acceptance parameters. Concerning user characteristics, age, and attitude toward aging partly affected these evaluations, forming the basis for and showing the importance of further investigations in this context.

Application of in situ thermography for evaluating the high-cycle and very high-cycle fatigue behaviour of cast aluminium alloy AlSi7Mg (T6)

The present paper illustrates the application of infrared thermal measurements for the investigation of crack initiation point and crack propagation in the high-cycle and the very high-cycle fatigue range of cast AlSi7Mg alloy (A356). The influence of casting defects, their location, size and amount was studied both by fractography and thermography. Besides internal and surface fatigue crack initiation as a further crack initiation type multiple fatigue crack initiation was observed via in situ thermography which can be well correlated with the results from fractography obtained by SEM investigations. In addition, crack propagation was studied by the development of the temperature measured via thermography. Moreover, the frequency influence on high-cycle fatigue behaviour was investigated. The presented results demonstrate well that the combination of fractography and thermography can give a significant contribution to the knowledge of crack initiation and propagation in the VHCF regime.

Practical skills training influences knowledge and attitude of dental students towards emergency medical care

BACKGROUND

Medical emergencies in dental practice are generally perceived as being rare. Nonetheless, recent studies have shown that incidents occur on a regular basis. Therefore, patients have the right to expect necessary skills to manage life-threatening situations from every dentist.

OBJECTIVE

To observe students' attitude and self-assessment towards emergency medical care (EMC) and its practical appliance.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Students of dentistry took part in small group sessions for adult and paediatric basic life support. Participants filled out pre-post questionnaires regarding knowledge and attitude towards EMC (6, respectively, 10-point Likert scale). Additionally, feedback was asked for the quality of course and tutors.

RESULTS

Forty dental students in their last 2 years of study registered for the EMC courses. The majority had never attended any first-aid course; the mean age was 25% and 75% were women. A comparison between pre- and post-evaluation showed that the participation in practical training easily enhances the students' awareness of EMC importance as well as self-confidence in managing emergencies. After the course, 71% shared the opinion that retraining should be obligatory for all medical personnel. At the same time, students' self-assessment of confidence for specific tasks got significant upgrades in every aspect.

CONCLUSION

The evaluation data clearly show the participants' needs to deal with topics of EMC within the curriculum of dentistry. The proposed course is able to change participants' attitudes towards EMC and its importance for their daily practice. The considerable enhancement of self-confidence in performing EMC-techniques might also lead to more willingness to manage emergency situations.

Murine leukocytes with ring-shaped nuclei include granulocytes, monocytes, and their precursors

Leukocytes with ring-shaped nuclei (ring cells) are present in bone marrow (BM; approximately 50% of BM cells), in peripheral blood (PB), and in inflammatory infiltrates of mice, but also in humans during myeloproliferative disorders. They are usually referred to as polymorphonuclear cells (PMN), but we demonstrate that they additionally encompass different types of mononuclear (MNC)-like ring cells. PMN ring cells had constricted ring-shaped nuclei with a wide cytoplasmic center and were sorted among the GR-1high fraction. The MNC-like ring cells belonged to the GR-1low fraction. Their nuclei were not segmented and the cytoplasmic center of their nuclei was small. They were heterogeneous with one subgroup containing monocytes/macrophages according to ultrastructure, immunophenotype (BM8, F4/80, CD13, ER-HR3), activity of unspecific esterase, and phagocytosis of Leishmania major. A second subgroup contained myeloic precursor cells as they proliferated (Ki67), expressed ER-MP12, and showed on ultrastructure distribution patterns of peroxidase activity compatible with myelocytes, promyelocytes, or promonocytes. A third subgroup of cells had large, sometimes lobulated nuclei, was lineage marker(negative/low) (GR-1, Mac-1, B220 etc.), CD38-, but c-kit+ and sca-1+, and thus belonged to a close progeny of murine hematopoietic stem cells. In PB, ring cells encompassed mainly PMN, but also monocytes and cells with characteristics of both the granulocytic and monocytic lineage. Thus, ring cells comprise mature and precursor forms of myeloic cells. Their analysis revealed that in mice a clear distinction between the granulocytic and monocytic lineage beyond the GM-CFU stage is not always feasible.

Expression of fetal cytokeratins in epidermal cells and colloid bodies in lichen planus

Clusters of immunoglobulin (Ig)-coated colloid bodies (CBs) in the dermo-epidermal zone are a typical immunohistochemical feature in lichen planus (LP)-lesions. They are considered to represent dyskeratotic basal keratinocytes, yet their composition has not been completely elucidated. In the present study, skin biopsies of 10 LP-lesions, 3 other dermatoses, and 10 biopsies of normal skin were studied immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against fetal and differentiated epidermal antigens. CBs were identified by FITC-anti-Ig. Binding of MAb was visualized by double staining technique. Cytokeratin (CK) 10/11, a marker of epidermal differentiation, was consistently detected in suprabasal keratinocytes and also in up to 95% of Ig-positive CBs in LP. CK10/11 was additionally detected in basal keratinocytes in 9 LP-lesions, but not in normal skin. The basal cell-specific MAb BL7 stained basal layer keratinocytes in all biopsies. In contrast to normal skin, in LP scattered suprabasal keratinocytes and CBs were also positive for BL7 in 10 and 7 cases, respectively. While fetal cytokeratins (CK13 and CK8/18) were completely absent in control skin specimens, both cytokeratins were detected in various numbers of keratinocytes and CBs in all LP-lesions. Our results support the hypothesis of an epidermal origin of CBs. The cytokeratin profile seems to be severely disturbed in LP. This includes both accelerated differentiation by the expression of suprabasal CK10/11 in basal keratinocytes and dedifferentiation by the expression of fetal epidermal antigens (CK13 and CK8/18). It is tempting to speculate that the observed alterations may trigger T-cell activation and inflammatory onset in LP.

[Gram-positive septic-toxic shock with bullae. Intraepidermal splitting as an indication of toxin effect]

A fourteen-year-old girl with acute otitis media died from gram positive sepsis and toxic shock despite intensive treatment. The definitive bacteriological results showed positive cultures for both S. aureus and S. pyogenes serotype A. In vitro the bacteria produced the bacterial superantigens TSST-1, enterotoxin A, enterotoxin C (S. aureus) and erythrogenic toxin C (S. pyogenes). The patient presented with large flaccid sterile bullae on her chest and arms as well as necrotizing fasciitis. Tzanck test showed keratinozytes without necrosis and no inflammatory cells. Frozen-section and conventional skin biopsy specimens revealed subcorneal intraepidermal cleavage. These cytological and histological findings are those of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) and differ from bullous erysipelas or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Therefore bacterial exotoxins are most likely responsible for the intraepidermal blistering in our case just as in SSSS. Bullae are an unfavorable prognostic sign in gram positive toxic shock syndrome. Both Tzanck test and frozen-section biopsy are easy to perform and useful in the early and rapid recognition of gram positive bullous toxic shock syndrome.

Immunological reactions against PMMA lens material?

We investigated the kind of reactions that occur after injection of a PMMA lens powder into the back skin of rabbit. The lens powder was suspended in NaCl and incomplete Freund's adjuvant to reinforce the immunological reaction. The ELISA test was carried out to detect antibodies against the lens material as a whole and against the UV absorber Tinuvin in particular. We also performed histological and immunohistochemical examinations of the back skin. We did not detect antibodies against either the lens material or against Tinuvin. Histological examination showed a foreign-body or delayed allergic reaction against the lens material. Lymphocytes surrounding the PMMA were found to be mainly of the T-type, which supports the results of the ELISA test.

[Corneal sensibility following epikeratophakia]

The postoperative rate of reinnervation following corneal surgery is widely considered to be a useful indicator of the healing process. This study reports the corneal sensitivity of 14 patients following epikeratophakia for different indications (myopia, aphakia and keratoconus) after time periods ranging from 7 to 104 weeks. All transplants were clear at the time of measurement. A newly developed aesthesiometer (using a low electric current for stimulation) was employed. Nine positions on the operated eye were chosen for the measurements, five locations of the non-operated fellow eye served as controls. On the operated eye the corneal sensitivity peripheral to the trephination were significantly reduced at the 9 and 12 o'clock positions as compared to the other eye. The 3 and 6 o'clock locations showed no significant difference. On the epikeratophakia lenticule the sensitivity was significantly reduced at all points, the center showing the largest difference (p less than 0.001). No correlation with age, sex or the indication for the procedure was observed. Although there was a trend of a positive correlation between the postoperative time period and the central corneal sensitivity, the follow-up was too short to reach significant levels. The nearly complete lack of corneal sensitivity, particularly in the center of the transplant is therefore well compatible with its long-time survival, even when the lenticule has been prepared with the cryolathe and lyophilized for transportation.

[Comparative studies of preventive antibiotic administration in ERCP]

In a nonblind nonrandomized clinical trial two groups of patients who were undergoing ERCP - A (n = 182) with antibiotic prophylaxis and B (n = 220) without an antibiotic--were compared on a prospective basis. The efficacy of properly timed prophylaxis with a therapeutically effective antibiotic had previously been established by a pilot study and a definitive trial based on HPLC assays of endoscopic biopsy specimens taken from the duodenal papilla. In Group A (n = 182) there was hyperamylasaemia without a leucocytic reaction in only 18 (14.75%) of the ERP patients and two (3.33%) of the ERC patients, but in Group B (no antibiotic - n = 220) this change was detected in 48 (35.29%) of the ERP patients and 12 (14.28%) of the ERC patients (P = 0.00018 and 0.043 respectively). Hyperamylasaemia with a leucocytic reaction occurred in only one patient with ERP from Group A (0.82%) as compared with 15 patients (11.02%) from the untreated group (P = 0.00047). These results were highly significant. There were three cases of subclinical pancreatitis and two of acute pancreatitis--all of them in the control group. Although these results were not statistically significant (because the number of cases was too small), they are clearly consistent with the growing tendency towards using antibiotic cover. On the basis of these results we regard antibiotic prophylaxis during ERCP as a sensible precaution, and in patients with any concurrent disease which heightens the risk it is essential.