Exercise reduces immune suppression and breast cancer progression in a preclinical model

Exercise is associated with favorable changes in circulating immune cells and improved survival in early-stage breast cancer patients, but the mechansims remain to be fully elucidated. Preclinical studies indicate that physical activity started before tumor injection reduces tumor incidence and progression. Here we tested whether exercise has anti-tumor effects in mice with established 4T1 mammary carcinoma, a mouse model of triple negative breast cancer. Exercise slowed tumor progression and reduced the tumor-induced accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). The reduction in MDSCs was accompanied by a relative increase in natural killer and CD8 T cell activation, suggesting that exercise restores a favorable immune environment. Consistently, exercise improved responses to a combination of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade and focal radiotherapy. These data support further investigations of exercise in breast cancer patients treated with combinations of immunotherapy and cytotoxic agents to improve cancer outcomes.

[Amendment to the documentation of decisions to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining therapies in consideration of wish to donate organs : Recommendation of the Ethics Section and the Organ Donation and Transplantation Section of the German Interdisciplinary Association of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) in collaboration with the Ethics Section of the German Society of Medical Intensive Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine (DGIIN)]

The Ethics Section of the German Interdisciplinary Association of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) recently published a documentation for decisions to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining therapies. The wish to donate organs was not considered explicitly. Therefore the Ethics Section and the Organ Donation and Transplantation Section of the DIVI together with the Ethics Section of the German Society of Medical Intensive Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine worked out a supplementary footnote for the documentation form to address the individual case of a patient's wish to donate organs.

Effect of locally applied trapidil on norepinephrine- and dinoprost-evoked hand vein constriction in healthy men

OBJECTIVE

In this study the effect of locally administered trapidil on human hand veins was examined.

SUBJECTS

10 healthy male volunteers aged 20 - 30 years were included.

METHOD

The dorsal hand vein compliance technique was used. In a crossover design the influence of locally infused trapidil (mainly 5 - 400 microg/min) on hand veins preconstricted with either norepinephrine (adrenoceptor agonist) or dinoprost (prostaglandin F2alpha) was investigated. Preconstriction reduced the vein diameter by about 80% with continuous local infusion of individually determined doses of norepinephrine in the range 11 - 1,000 ng/min and dinoprost in the range 90 - 5,600 ng/min. Blood pressure, cardiac function (electrocardiogram) and skin temperature of the hand infused were monitored.

RESULTS

Locally applied trapidil produced a dose-dependent dilation of hand veins preconstricted with norepinephrine and dinoprost. The corresponding ED50 values of trapidil did not differ significantly on an intraindividual comparison. Clinically important side effects with the drugs used were not observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that trapidil has a direct dilating action on superficial veins in humans. This effect is apparently achieved without involvement of adrenoceptors or prostanoid receptors in venous smooth muscle.

Computer-assisted long-term measurements of urinary output and other biological data

A computerized system is described, combining automatic collection of urine in short intervals (minutes) over long periods (days) and recordings of body temperature, MABP, and heart rate in chronically instrumented conscious dogs. During the studies the dogs are housed in metabolic cages. Indwelling catheters and electrical wires are connected to a specially designed swivel and directed out of the cage to the next room. Infusions, blood sampling, and monitoring can be performed from this room without disturbance to the dogs. Three examples of recordings are given. In one of these examples the sodium excretion patterns on 5 consecutive days under continuous saline infusion in one dog is evaluated. Urine was collected every 20 min. Sodium excretion showed cyclic variations. Fourier analysis exhibited 18-h periods and 4- to 8-h periods. The described system renders, e.g., coherent time series analysis possible for a variety of simultaneously recorded physiological variables and may thus acquire considerable importance for integrative physiology.

[Results of transpupillar vitrectomy (author's transl)]

Vitreous prolapse in cataract surgery or during the extraction of a dislocated lens; corneal dystrophy in aphacic eyes due to corneo-vitreous contact and vitreous invading the anterior chamber following perforating injury proved to be valid indications for partial transpupillary vitrectomy. In malignant glaucoma, in postoperative wound rupture following cataract extraction, in open-sky-surgery of the anterior segment of aphacic eyes and in other particular conditions, transpupillary vitrectomy may also be considered. The transpupillary approach is not indicated in retinal detachment, unless prepupillary vitreous incarceration pulling up of the retina is obvious. Transpupillary vitrectomy can be performed without much harm to the eye even in children, if indicated (congenital cataract, congenital on traumatic lens dislocation, perforating lens injury). In general the results of transpupillary vitrectomy are good. Longterm complications are relatively rare. Experiences on 208 eyes are reported in particular.

[Association of Posner-Schlossman-syndrome with Adisson's disease (author's transl)]

After introductory remarks concerning the Posner-Schlossman-syndrome (syndrome of glaucomatocyclitic crises) a case is reviewed. The concurrence with Addison's disease in this patient gives rise to speculations as to possible connections between the two conditions, but the conclusion is that the simultaneous occurrence of the two diseases at present must be regarded as coincidental.