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Synthesis of acetate from carbon dioxide and molecular hydrogen is considered to be the first carbon assimilation pathway on earth. It combines carbon dioxide fixation into acetyl-CoA with the production of ATP via an energized cell membrane. How the pathway is coupled with the net synthesis of ATP has been an enigma. The anaerobic, acetogenic bacterium Acetobacterium woodii uses an ancient version of this pathway without cytochromes and quinones. It generates a sodium ion potential across the cell membrane by the sodium-motive ferredoxin:NAD oxidoreductase (Rnf). The genome sequence of A. woodii solves the enigma: it uncovers Rnf as the only ion-motive enzyme coupled to the pathway and unravels a metabolism designed to produce reduced ferredoxin and overcome energetic barriers by virtue of electron-bifurcating, soluble enzymes.
HDL, through sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), exerts direct cardioprotective effects on ischemic myocardium. It remains unclear whether other HDL-associated sphingophospholipids have similar effects. We therefore examined if HDL-associated sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) reduces infarct size in a mouse model of transient myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. Intravenously administered SPC dose-dependently reduced infarct size after 30 minutes of myocardial ischemia and 24 hours reperfusion compared to controls. Infarct size was also reduced by postischemic, therapeutical administration of SPC. Immunohistochemistry revealed reduced polymorphonuclear neutrophil recruitment to the infarcted area after SPC treatment, and apoptosis was attenuated as measured by TUNEL. In vitro, SPC inhibited leukocyte adhesion to TNFα-activated endothelial cells and protected rat neonatal cardiomyocytes from apoptosis. S1P3 was identified as the lysophospholipid receptor mediating the cardioprotection by SPC, since its effect was completely absent in S1P3-deficient mice. We conclude that HDL-associated SPC directly protects against myocardial reperfusion injury in vivo via the S1P3 receptor.
From July 2002 to March 2004 the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) aboard the European Space Agency´s Environmental Satellite (Envisat) measured nearly continuously mid infrared limb radiance spectra. These measurements are utilised to retrieve the global distribution of the chlorofluorocarbon CFC-11 by applying a new fast forward model for Envisat MIPAS and an accompanying optimal estimation retrieval processor. A detailed analysis shows that the total retrieval errors of the individual CFC-11 volume mixing ratios are typically below 10% in the altitude range 10 to 25 km and that the systematic components dominate. Contribution of a priori information to the retrieval results are less than 5 to 10% and the vertical resolution of the observations is about 3 to 4 km in the same vertical range. The data are successfully validated by comparison with several other space experiments, an air-borne in-situ instrument, measurements from ground-based networks, and independent Envisat MIPAS analyses. The retrieval results from 425 000 Envisat MIPAS limb scans are compiled to provide a new climatological data set of CFC-11. The climatology shows significantly lower CFC-11 abundances in the lower stratosphere compared with the Reference Atmospheres for MIPAS (RAMstan V3.1) climatology. Depending on the atmospheric conditions the differences between the climatologies are up to 30 to 110 ppt (45 to 150%) at 19 to 27 km altitude. Additionally, time series of CFC-11 mean abundance and variability for five latitudinal bands are presented. The observed CFC-11 distributions can be explained by the residual mean circulation and large-scale eddy-transports in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. The new CFC-11 data set is well suited for further scientific studies.
Strong perturbations of the Arctic stratosphere during the winter 2002/2003 by planetary waves led to enhanced stretching and folding of the vortex. On two occasions the vortex in the lower stratosphere split into two secondary vortices that re-merged after some days. As a result of these strong disturbances the role of transport in and out of the vortex was stronger than usual. An advection and mixing simulation with the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS) utilising a suite of inert tracers tagging the original position of the air masses has been carried out. The results show a variety of synoptic and small scale features in the vicinity of the vortex boundary, especially long filaments peeling off the vortex edge and being slowly mixed into the mid latitude environment. The vortex folding events, followed by re-merging of different parts of the vortex led to strong filamentation of the vortex interior. During January, February, and March 2003 flights of the Russian high-altitude aircraft Geophysica were performed in order to probe the vortex, filaments and in one case the merging zone between the secondary vortices. Comparisons between CLaMS results and observations obtained from the Geophysica flights show in general good agreement. Several areas affected by both transport and strong mixing could be identified, allowing explanation of many of the structures observed during the flights. Furthermore, the CLaMS simulations allow for a quantification of the air mass exchange between mid latitudes and the vortex interior. The simulation suggests that after the formation of the vortex was completed, its interior remaind relatively undisturbed. Only during the two re-merging events were substantial amounts of extra-vortex air transported into the polar vortex. When in March the vortex starts weakening additional influence from lower latitudes becomes apparent in the model results. In the lower stratosphere export of vortex air leads only to a fraction of about 5% polar air in mid latitudes by the end of March. An upper limit for the contribution of ozone depleted vortex air on mid-latitude ozone loss is derived, indicating that the maximum final impact of dilution is on the order of 50%.
During the second part of the TROCCINOX campaign that took place in Brazil in early 2005, chemical species were measured on-board of the high altitude research aircraft Geophysica (ozone, water vapor, NO, NOy, CH4 and CO) in the altitude range up to 20 km (or up to 450 K potential temperature), i.e. spanning the TTL region roughly extending between 350 and 420 K.
Analysis of transport across TTL is performed using a new version of the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS). In this new version, the stratospheric model has been extended to the earth surface. Above the tropopause, the isentropic and cross-isentropic advection in CLaMS is driven by ECMWF winds and heating/cooling rates derived from a radiation calculation. Below the tropopause the model smoothly transforms from the isentropic to hybrid-pressure coordinate and, in this way, takes into account the effect of large-scale convective transport as implemented in the ECMWF vertical wind. As with other CLaMS simulations, the irreversible transport, i.e. mixing, is controlled by the local horizontal strain and vertical shear rates.
Stratospheric and tropospheric signatures in the TTL can be seen both in the observation and in the model. The composition of air above ≈350 K is mainly controlled by mixing on a time scale of weeks or even months. Based on CLaMS transport studies where mixing can be completely switched off, we deduce that vertical mixing, mainly driven by the vertical shear in the outflow regions of the large-scale convection and in the vicinity of the subtropical jets, is necessary to understand the upward transport of the tropospheric air from the main convective outflow around 350 K up to the tropical tropopause around 380 K. This mechanism is most effective if the outflow of the mesoscale convective systems interacts with the subtropical jets.
Strong perturbations of the Arctic stratosphere during the winter 2002/2003 by planetary waves led to enhanced stretching and folding of the vortex. On two occasions the vortex in the lower stratosphere split into two secondary vortices that re-merged after some days. As a result of these strong disturbances the role of transport in and out of the vortex was stronger than usual. An advection and mixing simulation with the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS) utilising a suite of inert tracers tagging the original position of the air masses has been carried out. The results show a variety of synoptic and small scale features in the vicinity of the vortex boundary, especially long filaments peeling off the vortex edge and being slowly mixed into the mid latitude environment. The vortex folding events, followed by re-merging of different parts of the vortex led to strong filamentation of the vortex interior. During January, February, and March 2003 flights of the Russian high-altitude aircraft Geophysica were performed in order to probe the vortex, filaments and in one case the merging zone between the secondary vortices. Comparisons between CLaMS results and observations obtained from the Geophysica flights show in general good agreement.
We present simulations with the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS) for the Arctic winter 2002/2003. We integrated a Lagrangian denitrification scheme into the three-dimensional version of CLaMS that calculates the growth and sedimentation of nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) particles along individual particle trajectories. From those, we derive the HNO3 downward flux resulting from different particle nucleation assumptions. The simulation results show a clear vertical redistribution of total inorganic nitrogen ( ), with a maximum vortex average permanent removal of over 5ppb in late December between 500 and 550K and a corresponding increase of of over 2ppb below about 450K. The simulated vertical redistribution of is compared with balloon observations by MkIV and in-situ observations from the high altitude aircraft Geophysica. Assuming a globally uniform NAT particle nucleation rate of 7.8x10-6cm-3h-1 in the model, the observed denitrification is well reproduced.
In the investigated winter 2002/2003, the denitrification has only moderate impact (≤14%) on the simulated vortex average ozone loss of about 1.1ppm near the 460K level. At higher altitudes, above 600K potential temperature, the simulations show significant ozone depletion through -catalytic cycles due to the unusual early exposure of vortex air to sunlight.
The Match method for the quantification of polar chemical ozone loss is investigated mainly with respect to the impact of the transport of air masses across the vortex edge. For the winter 2002/03, we show that significant transport across the vortex edge occurred and was simulated by the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere. In-situ observations of inert tracers and ozone from HAGAR on the Geophysica aircraft and balloon-borne sondes, and remote observations from MIPAS on the ENVISAT satellite were reproduced well by CLaMS. The model even reproduced a small vortex remnant that remained a distinct feature until June 2003 and was also observed in-situ by a balloon-borne whole air sampler. We use this CLaMS simulation to quantify the impact of transport across the vortex edge on ozone loss estimates from the Match method. We show that a time integration of the determined vortex average ozone loss rates, as performed in Match, results in a larger ozone loss than the polar vortex average ozone loss in CLaMS. The determination of the Match ozone loss rates is also influenced by the transport of air across the vortex edge. We use the model to investigate how the sampling of the ozone sondes on which Match is based represents the vortex average ozone loss rate. Both the time integration of ozone loss and the determination of ozone loss rates for Match are evaluated using the winter 2002/2003 CLaMS simulation. These impacts can explain the majority of the differences between CLaMS and Match column ozone loss. While the investigated effects somewhat reduce the apparent discrepancy in January ozone loss rates reported earlier, a distinct discrepancy between simulations and Match remains. However, its contribution to the accumulated ozone loss over the winter is not large.
The Match method for quantification of polar chemical ozone loss is investigated mainly with respect to the impact of mixing across the vortex edge onto this estimate. We show for the winter 2002/03 that significant mixing across the vortex edge occurred and was accurately modeled by the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere. Observations of inert tracers and ozone in-situ from HAGAR on the Geophysica aircraft and sondes and also remote from MIPAS on ENVISAT were reproduced well. The model even reproduced a small vortex remnant that was isolated until June 2003 and was observed in-situ by a balloon-borne whole air sampler. We use this CLaMS simulation to quantify the impact of cross vortex edge mixing on the results of the Match method. It is shown that a time integration of the determined vortex average ozone loss rates as performed in Match results in larger ozone loss than the polar vortex average ozone loss in CLaMS. Also, the determination of the Match ozone loss rates can be influenced by mixing. This is especially important below 430 K, where ozone outside the vortex is lower than inside and the vortex boundary is not a strong transport barrier. This effect and further sampling effects cause an offset between vortex average ozone loss rates derived from Match and deduced from CLaMS with an even sampling for the entire vortex. Both, the time-integration of ozone loss and the determination of ozone loss rates for Match are evaluated using the winter 2002/03 CLaMS simulation. These impacts can explain the differences between CLaMS and Match column ozone loss. While the investigated effects somewhat reduce the apparent discrepancy in January ozone loss rates, a discrepancy between simulations and Match remains. However, its contribution to the accumulated ozone loss over the winter is not large.
Purpose: Filler injections for aesthetic purposes are very popular, but can have far-reaching and irreversible consequences. This report describes the course of a patient with devastating complications after glabellar hyaluronic acid injection, their pathomechanism, management and outcome.
Observations: A healthy, 43-year-old woman underwent her first hyaluronic acid injection in the glabella and went blind on her left eye immediately thereafter. Massaging of the injection area and observation were performed, before she presented with swelling of the left forehead and upper lid, ptosis, complete ophthalmoplegia and blindness in our hospital. Immediate massaging of the globe and systemic therapy including acetylsalicylic acid, tinzaparin sodium and cortisone was initiated and hyaluronidase injections in the injection area were performed. In the further course, the patient developed necrotic and hemorrhagic skin and mucosal lesions, lagophthalmos, anterior and posterior segment ischemia and globe hypotonia with consecutive globe deformation. In the follow-up of 2.5 months, lid swelling, lagophthalmos and ptosis resolved and keratopathy improved but blindness, skin lesions and strabismus with reduced eye motility were still present and madarosis and early enophthalmos were detected.
Conclusions and Importance: The outcome of ophthalmic artery occlusion after hyaluronic acid filler injection is poor. Sufficient knowledge about facial anatomy, the implementation of filler injections and the management of complications is essential for the practitioner. The patient should be clarified about potential and even rare risks of these procedures.
Background: Nitric oxide (NO) is an essential vasodilator. In vascular diseases, oxidative stress attenuates NO signaling by both chemical scavenging of free NO and oxidation and down-regulation of its major intracellular receptor, the alpha/beta heterodimeric heme-containing soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). Oxidation can also induce loss of sGC's heme and responsiveness to NO.
Results: sGC activators such as BAY 58-2667 bind to oxidized/heme-free sGC and reactivate the enzyme to exert disease-specific vasodilation. Here we show that oxidation-induced down-regulation of sGC protein extends to isolated blood vessels. Mechanistically, degradation was triggered through sGC ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. The heme-binding site ligand, BAY 58-2667, prevented sGC ubiquitination and stabilized both alpha and beta subunits.
Conclusion: Collectively, our data establish oxidation-ubiquitination of sGC as a modulator of NO/cGMP signaling and point to a new mechanism of action for sGC activating vasodilators by stabilizing their receptor, oxidized/heme-free sGC.
In der Prävention und Behandlung des frühen Mammakarzinoms sind über die Jahre immer wieder kleine, aber bedeutsame Fortschritte gemacht worden. In der Prävention gewinnen die sogenannten Panel-Gen-Analysen immer mehr an Bedeutung, da das durch die getesteten Gene bedingte Risiko immer besser verstanden wird und somit Konzepte für die Integration in die Krankenversorgung erarbeitet werden können. In der adjuvanten Situation konnte die erste Studie in der sogenannten postneoadjuvanten Situation bei fehlender pathologischer Komplettremission nach Trastuzumab oder Pertuzumab + Trastuzumab eine deutliche Verbesserung der Prognose zeigen. Weitere Studien mit diesem postneoadjuvanten Therapiekonzept werden zurzeit noch durchgeführt. Die CDK4/6-Inhibitoren, die in der metastasierten Situation eine deutliche Verbesserung des progressionsfreien Überlebens gezeigt hatten, werden zurzeit in der adjuvanten Situation in großen Therapiestudien getestet. Diese und weitere neue Daten zur Behandlung oder Prävention des primären Mammakarzinoms werden in dieser Übersichtsarbeit vor dem Hintergrund aktueller Studien vorgestellt.
This summary provides an overview of how new therapies or new aspects of established therapies relate to the latest findings. Neoadjuvant therapy, local therapy, new aspects of systemic therapy, and prognostic and predictive factors are presented. In the neoadjuvant setting, the association between pathological complete response (pCR) and prognosis is still of interest as is the identification of new molecular predictors for new therapies such as CDK4/6 inhibitors. As regards surgical treatment, the target is still to reduce the aggressiveness of surgery. To achieve this, a better understanding particularly of ductal carcinoma in situ is required. With regard to systemic therapy, more data on the best combinations and therapy sequences for existing therapies is available. Finally, the use of prognostic and predictive factors may help to avoid overtreatment and ensure that patients only receive therapies which have been shown to be effective for their specific condition and have fewer side effects.
Die Behandlung von Patientinnen mit fortgeschrittenem Mammakarzinom hat sich in den letzten Jahren weiterentwickelt. Zusätzlich zum Therapiefortschritt in den etablierten Subgruppen (Hormonrezeptor- und HER2-Status) gibt es nun Therapien, die sich an einzelnen molekularen Charakteristika orientieren, wie zum Beispiel die PARP-Inhibitortherapie bei BRCA-mutierten Patientinnen. Zusätzlich dazu sind Tests in der Entwicklung, die innerhalb von Subgruppen weitere Marker etablieren sollen, um die Wirksamkeit einer Therapie vorherzusagen. Die PI3K-Mutationstestung bei HER2-negativen, hormonrezeptorpositiven Tumoren, und die PD-L1-Testung von Immunzellen bei triple-negativen Tumoren werden voraussichtlich in der klinischen Praxis etabliert, um Patientinnen für die jeweiligen Therapien auszuwählen. Mit neuen Therapieansätzen treten auch neue Nebenwirkungen auf. Das Management dieser Nebenwirkungen ebenso wie die der klassischen Therapien (supportive Therapie) ist mit der Einführung neuer Behandlungen essenziell, um die Lebensqualität der Patientinnen zu erhalten. Das Wissen über Maßnahmen zur Erhaltung und Verbesserung der Lebensqualität hat in den letzten Jahren deutlich zugenommen. Lifestyle-Faktoren sollten dabei ebenso Berücksichtigung finden wie moderne Therapieverfahren. Diese Übersichtsarbeit fasst die neuesten Studien und Veröffentlichungen zusammen und bewertet sie in Bezug auf die Relevanz für die klinische Praxis.
The treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer has developed further in recent years. In addition to therapeutic progress in the established subgroups (hormone receptor and HER2 status), there are now therapies which are geared to individual molecular characteristics, such as PARP inhibitor therapy in BRCA-mutated patients. In addition to this, tests are being developed which are intended to establish additional markers within subgroups in order to predict the efficacy of a therapy. PI3K mutation testing in HER2-negative, hormone-receptor-positive tumours and PD-L1 testing of immune cells in triple-negative tumours are expected to become established in clinical practice in order to select patients for the respective therapies. With new therapeutic approaches, new adverse effects also appear. The management of these adverse effects, just as those of classical therapy (supportive therapy), is essential with the introduction of new treatments in order to preserve patientsʼ quality of life. Knowledge regarding measures to preserve and improve quality of life has significantly increased in recent years. Lifestyle factors should be taken into account, as should modern therapeutic methods. This review summarises the latest studies and publications and evaluates them in regard to the relevance for clinical practice.
Update Mammakarzinom 2018 (Teil 2) – fortgeschrittenes Mammakarzinom, Lebensqualität und Prävention
(2018)
Die Behandlung des metastasierten Mammakarzinoms hat bei immer neu zu testenden Therapien deutlich an Komplexität zugenommen. Therapien werden nunmehr nur noch für spezielle klinische oder molekulare Subgruppen entwickelt. Hierbei spielen die intrinsischen, molekularen Subtypen zwar immer noch die größte Rolle, jedoch gibt es zunehmend auch Therapien, die subgruppen- oder sogar histologieübergreifend entwickelt werden, wie z. B. der PARP-Inhibitor bei BRCA-mutierten Patientinnen (Mamma- und Ovarialkarzinom). Aber auch Supportivtherapien entwickeln sich weiter, sodass Probleme wie die Alopezie besser behandelt werden können und neue Therapiearten von Übelkeit und Erbrechen etabliert werden. In einem engen Zusammenhang mit den Supportivtherapien stehen die Nebenwirkungen, welche bei Patientinnen mit einem metastasierten Mammakarzinom einen direkten Einfluss auf die Prognose haben. Hier könnten digitale Werkzeuge helfen, um ein besseres Patientinnenmanagement zu etablieren. Diese Übersichtsarbeit soll diese Aspekte vor dem Hintergrund neuer, aktuell publizierter Studien beleuchten und einen Einblick geben, wie sich diese Studien zu etablierten Routinetherapien verhalten. Zusätzlich werden aktuelle Aspekte der Mammakarzinomprävention beleuchtet.
Beim primären, frühen Mammakarzinom zielt die Behandlungsplanung auf ein immer besseres Verständnis der Erkrankung ab. Die Identifikation von Patientinnen mit einer exzellenten Prognose könnte dieser Gruppe helfen, unnötige Therapien zu vermeiden. Weiterhin wird die Planung der Therapie immer weiter auf die Patientin abgestimmt. Das Wissen über Patientinnen, die besonders von einer Chemotherapie profitieren, wächst genauso wie das Wissen um Patientinnen, die von einer Immuntherapie profitieren könnten. Hinsichtlich der Immuntherapien stehen die durchgeführten Studien kurz vor der Publikation. Einzelne kleinere Studien bieten einen ersten Einblick in die Wirksamkeit der Checkpoint-Inhibitoren (Anti-PD1/PDL1-Therapien). Nicht zuletzt konnte kürzlich eine der größten Brustkrebsstudien aller Zeiten zu Ende geführt werden. Die Anwendung eines Multigentests konnte zeigen, dass er ausreicht, um Patientinnen mit einer so guten Prognose zu identifizieren, dass keine Chemotherapie nötig ist. Dieser Review-Artikel soll die aktuellen Studien zusammenfassen und einen Ausblick der gegenwärtigen Entwicklungen geben.
For many years, small but significant advancements have been made time and again in the prevention and treatment of early breast cancer. The so-called panel gene analyses are becoming more and more important in prevention, since the risk due to the tested genes is better understood and as a result, concepts for integration in health care can be developed. In the adjuvant situation, the first study in the so-called post-neoadjuvant situation was able to demonstrate a clear improvement in the prognosis with an absent pathological complete remission following trastuzumab or pertuzumab + trastuzumab. Additional studies with this post-neoadjuvant therapeutic concept are still being conducted at present. The CDK4/6 inhibitors which had shown a significant improvement in progression-free survival in a metastatic situation are currently being tested in the adjuvant situation in large therapeutic studies. These and other new data for the treatment or prevention of primary breast cancer are presented in this review against the backdrop of current studies.
The treatment of metastatic breast cancer has become more complicated due to increasing numbers of new therapies which need to be tested. Therapies are now being developed to treat special clinical or molecular subgroups. Even though intrinsic molecular subtypes play a major role, more and more new therapies for subgroups and histological subtypes are being developed, such as the use of PARP inhibitors to treat patients with BRCA mutations (breast and ovarian cancer). Supportive therapies are also evolving, allowing problems such as alopecia or nausea and vomiting to be treated more effectively. Treatment-related side effects have a direct impact on the prognosis of patients with metastatic breast cancer, and supportive therapy can improve compliance. Digital tools could be useful to establish better patient management systems. This overview provides an insight into recent trials and how the findings could affect routine treatment. Current aspects of breast cancer prevention are also presented.
In primary early breast cancer, the aim of treatment planning is to obtain an increasingly better understanding of the disease. The identification of patients with an excellent prognosis could help this group avoid unnecessary treatments. Furthermore, the planning of treatment is becoming increasingly patient-focussed. There is a growing understanding of those patients who benefit particularly from chemotherapy, as well as of those who could benefit from immunotherapy. Studies conducted on immunotherapies will be published shortly. Smaller individual studies offer an initial insight into the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD1/PDL1 therapies). Not least, one of the largest breast cancer studies of all times has recently come to an end. The use of a multigene test has shown that it is sufficient to identify patients with such a good prognosis that chemotherapy is unnecessary. This review article is intended to summarise the current studies and give an outlook on current developments.
In dieser Übersichtsarbeit wird dargestellt, wie neue Therapien oder neue Aspekte etablierter Therapien in Zusammenhang mit neuesten, aktuellen Erkenntnissen stehen. Neoadjuvanz, Lokaltherapie, neue Aspekte der Systemtherapie und Prognose- sowie Prädiktivfaktoren werden beleuchtet. In der Neoadjuvanz ist nach wie vor der Zusammenhang zwischen pCR und Prognose von Interesse, ebenso wie neue molekulare Prädiktoren für neue Therapien wie CDK4/6-Inhibitoren zu identifizieren. Bei der operativen Behandlung wird weiter nach einer Reduktion der Aggressivität gestrebt. Insbesondere das duktale Carcinoma in situ muss dafür noch besser verstanden werden. Bei den Systemtherapien wächst die Datenlage zum Verständnis der besten Kombinationen und Therapieabläufe für bestehende Therapieverfahren. Letztendlich muss mithilfe von Prognose- und Prädiktivfaktoren vermieden werden, dass Übertherapien stattfinden und nur die Patientin spezifische Therapien erhält, welche bei dieser individuellen Patientin eine nachgewiesene Wirksamkeit mit wenig Nebenwirkungen haben.
Tierfilme und -reportagen haben Konjunktur, neue Bildtechnologien ermöglichen immer differenziertere Einblicke in Verhaltens- und Lebensweisen bekannter und unbekannter Tierarten. Wir fühlen uns als teilnehmende Beobachter in scheinbar gewagtester Nähe. Das "Privatleben" der Tiere wird bis in den letzten Winkel verfolgt, die Entdeckung der Tierindividualitäten schreitet voran, Tiere bekommen ein Schicksal und wecken Empathie, der vor über 2000 Jahren entstandene Tier-Mensch-Verwandtschafts-Topos, dem noch jeder Gedanke an die Abstammung der Arten fern lag, wird neu belebt. Doch das kulturelle Interesse am Tier erschöpft sich nicht im Fasziniertsein durch perfekt visualisierte Verhaltensstudien oder durch neueste Lesarten der Tiermetaphorik, in der es stets weniger um Tiere als um Menschen geht. Der historische Wandel der menschlichen Tierbeziehung wird in der Tierethik reflektiert.
Seit der Antike umstrittene kognitive Fähigkeiten verschiedener Tierarten bilden heute einen einzelwissenschaftlich fundierten philosophischen Diskussions- und Forschungsgegenstand ("Der Geist der Tiere"). Die Biosemiotik macht große Fortschritte, der Tier-Mensch-Vergleich - bereits ein Kernstück antiker Anthropologie und Ethik - erfährt eine tiefgreifende Umwertung. Dabei steht nicht mehr von vornherein der Mensch im Mittelpunkt; vielmehr wird versucht, das Animalische in seiner Artenvielfalt als eine vielgestaltige eigene Lebensform zu beschreiben; diese ist nicht länger an Maßstäben einer Anthropozentrik zu messen, die im innersten teleologisch geblieben ist. Der Tier-Mensch-Vergleich wird heute nicht mehr so einseitig und ausschließlich auf kognitive Fähigkeiten bezogen. Vielmehr werden weitere Aspekte wie Emotionalität, Wertungs- bzw. Präferenzverhalten, moralanaloge Verhaltensweisen, Antriebsstrukturen, Soziabilität, Zeichenverhalten mit einbezogen. Diese Komplexität der Vergleichspunkte oder Vergleichseinheiten war erst mit dem neuzeitlichen Rationalismus immer mehr eingeschränkt worden. Die gegenwärtig wiedergewonnene Komplexität lässt nach historischen Vorbildern Ausschau halten; da verwundert es nicht, wenn eine Anthropologie ins Blickfeld rückt, die im Tier-Mensch-Vergleich einen ihrer wichtigsten Ausgangspunkte hatte: die antike Anthropologie.
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are neurodegenerative disorders, caused or modified by an unstable CAG-repeat expansion in the SCA2 gene, which encodes a polyglutamine (polyQ) domain expansion in ataxin-2 (ATXN2). ATXN2 is an RNA-binding protein and interacts with the poly(A)-binding protein PABPC1, localizing to ribosomes at the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Under cell stress, ATXN2, PABPC1 and small ribosomal subunits are relocated to stress granules, where mRNAs are protected from translation and from degradation. It is unknown whether ATXN2 associates preferentially with specific mRNAs or how it modulates RNA processing. Here, we investigated the RNA profile of the liver and cerebellum from Atxn2 knockout (Atxn2−/−) mice at two adult ages, employing oligonucleotide microarrays. Prominent increases were observed for Lsm12/Paip1 (>2-fold), translation modulators known as protein interactor/competitor of ATXN2 and for Plin3/Mttp (>1.3-fold), known as apolipoprotein modulators in agreement with the hepatosteatosis phenotype of the Atxn2−/− mice. Consistent modest upregulations were also observed for many factors in the ribosome and the translation/secretion apparatus. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR in liver tissue validated >1.2-fold upregulations for the ribosomal biogenesis modulator Nop10, the ribosomal components Rps10, Rps18, Rpl14, Rpl18, Gnb2l1, the translation initiation factors Eif2s2, Eif3s6, Eif4b, Pabpc1 and the rER translocase factors Srp14, Ssr1, Sec61b. Quantitative immunoblots substantiated the increased abundance of NOP10, RPS3, RPS6, RPS10, RPS18, GNB2L1 in SDS protein fractions, and of PABPC1. In mouse embryonal fibroblasts, ATXN2 absence also enhanced phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein S6 during growth stimulation, while impairing the rate of overall protein synthesis rates, suggesting a block between the enhanced translation drive and the impaired execution. Thus, the physiological role of ATXN2 subtly modifies the abundance of cellular translation factors as well as global translation.
Abstract: The hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are characterized by cognitive decline and behavioral changes. The most prominent brain region affected by the progression of AD is the hippocampal formation. The pathogenesis involves a successive loss of hippocampal neurons accompanied by a decline in learning and memory consolidation mainly attributed to an accumulation of senile plaques. The amyloid precursor protein (APP) has been identified as precursor of Aβ-peptides, the main constituents of senile plaques. Until now, little is known about the physiological function of APP within the central nervous system. The allocation of APP to the proteome of the highly dynamic presynaptic active zone (PAZ) highlights APP as a yet unknown player in neuronal communication and signaling. In this study, we analyze the impact of APP deletion on the hippocampal PAZ proteome. The native hippocampal PAZ derived from APP mouse mutants (APP-KOs and NexCreAPP/APLP2-cDKOs) was isolated by subcellular fractionation and immunopurification. Subsequently, an isobaric labeling was performed using TMT6 for protein identification and quantification by high-resolution mass spectrometry. We combine bioinformatics tools and biochemical approaches to address the proteomics dataset and to understand the role of individual proteins. The impact of APP deletion on the hippocampal PAZ proteome was visualized by creating protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks that incorporated APP into the synaptic vesicle cycle, cytoskeletal organization, and calcium-homeostasis. The combination of subcellular fractionation, immunopurification, proteomic analysis, and bioinformatics allowed us to identify APP as structural and functional regulator in a context-sensitive manner within the hippocampal active zone network.
Author Summary: More than 20 years ago, the amyloid precursor protein (APP) was identified as the precursor protein of the Aβ peptide, the main component of senile plaques in brains affected by Alzheimer’s disease. However, little is known about the physiological function of amyloid precursor protein. Allocating APP to the proteome of the structurally and functionally dynamic presynaptic active zone highlights APP as a hitherto unknown player within the presynaptic network. The hippocampus is the most prominent brain region for learning and memory consolidation, and a vulnerable target for neurodegenerative disease, e. g. Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, our experimental design is focused on the hippocampal neurotransmitter release site. Currently, the underlying mechanism of how APP acts within presynaptic networks is still elusive. Within the scope of this research article, we constructed a network of APP within the presynaptic active zone and how deletion of APP affects these individual networks. We combine bioinformatics tools and biochemical approaches to address the dataset provided by proteomics. Furthermore, we could unravel that APP executes regulatory functions within the synaptic vesicle cycle, cytoskeletal rearrangements and Ca2+-homeostasis. Taken together, our findings offer a new perspective on the physiological function of APP in the central nervous system and may provide a molecular link to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Synaptic release sites are characterized by exocytosis-competent synaptic vesicles tightly anchored to the presynaptic active zone (PAZ) whose proteome orchestrates the fast signaling events involved in synaptic vesicle cycle and plasticity. Allocation of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) to the PAZ proteome implicated a functional impact of APP in neuronal communication. In this study, we combined state-of-the-art proteomics, electrophysiology and bioinformatics to address protein abundance and functional changes at the native hippocampal PAZ in young and old APP-KO mice. We evaluated if APP deletion has an impact on the metabolic activity of presynaptic mitochondria. Furthermore, we quantified differences in the phosphorylation status after long-term-potentiation (LTP) induction at the purified native PAZ. We observed an increase in the phosphorylation of the signaling enzyme calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) only in old APP-KO mice. During aging APP deletion is accompanied by a severe decrease in metabolic activity and hyperphosphorylation of CaMKII. This attributes an essential functional role to APP at hippocampal PAZ and putative molecular mechanisms underlying the age-dependent impairments in learning and memory in APP-KO mice.
Recent clinical data support the clinical use of oral lavender oil in patients suffering from subsyndromal anxiety. We identified the molecular mechanism of action that will alter the perception of lavender oil as a nonspecific ingredient of aromatherapy to a potent anxiolytic inhibiting voltage dependent calcium channels (VOCCs) as highly selective drug target. In contrast to previous publications where exorbitant high concentrations were used, the effects of lavender oil in behavioral, biochemical, and electrophysiological experiments were investigated in physiological concentrations in the nanomolar range, which correlate to a single dosage of 80 mg/d in humans that was used in clinical trials. We show for the first time that lavender oil bears some similarities with the established anxiolytic pregabalin. Lavender oil inhibits VOCCs in synaptosomes, primary hippocampal neurons and stably overexpressing cell lines in the same range such as pregabalin. Interestingly, Silexan does not primarily bind to P/Q type calcium channels such as pregabalin and does not interact with the binding site of pregabalin, the α2δ subunit of VOCCs. Lavender oil reduces non-selectively the calcium influx through several different types of VOCCs such as the N-type, P/Q-type and T-type VOCCs. In the hippocampus, one brain region important for anxiety disorders, we show that inhibition by lavender oil is mainly mediated via N-type and P/Q-type VOCCs. Taken together, we provide a pharmacological and molecular rationale for the clinical use of the oral application of lavender oil in patients suffering from anxiety.
Genetic code expansion facilitates position‐selective labeling of rna for biophysical studies
(2019)
Nature relies on reading and synthesizing the genetic code with high fidelity. Nucleic acid building blocks that are orthogonal to the canonical A‐T and G‐C base‐pairs are therefore uniquely suitable to facilitate position‐specific labeling of nucleic acids. Here, we employ the orthogonal kappa‐xanthosine‐base‐pair for in vitro transcription of labeled RNA. We devised an improved synthetic route to obtain the phosphoramidite of the deoxy‐version of the kappa nucleoside in solid phase synthesis. From this DNA template, we demonstrate the reliable incorporation of xanthosine during in vitro transcription. Using NMR spectroscopy, we show that xanthosine introduces only minor structural changes in an RNA helix. We furthermore synthesized a clickable 7‐deaza‐xanthosine, which allows to site‐specifically modify transcribed RNA molecules with fluorophores or other labels.
Background: Data on the economic impact of Lyme borreliosis (LB) on European health care systems is scarce. This project focused on the epidemiology and costs for laboratory testing in LB patients in Germany.
Materials and Methods: We performed a sentinel analysis of epidemiological and medicoeconomic data for 2007 and 2008. Data was provided by a German statutory health insurance (DAK) company covering approx. 6.04 million members. In addition, the quality of diagnostic testing for LB in Germany was studied.
Results: In 2007 and 2008, the incident diagnosis LB was coded on average for 15,742 out of 6.04 million insured members (0.26%). 20,986 EIAs and 12,558 immunoblots were ordered annually for these patients. For all insured members in the outpatient sector, a total of 174,820 EIAs and 52,280 immunoblots were reimbursed annually to health care providers (cost: 2,600,850€). For Germany, the overall expected cost is estimated at 51,215,105€. However, proficiency testing data questioned test quality and standardization of diagnostic assays used.
Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest ongoing issues related to care for LB and may help to improve future LB disease management.
EUSOBI and 30 national breast radiology bodies support mammography for population-based screening, demonstrated to reduce breast cancer (BC) mortality and treatment impact. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the reduction in mortality is 40 % for women aged 50–69 years taking up the invitation while the probability of false-positive needle biopsy is <1 % per round and overdiagnosis is only 1–10 % for a 20-year screening. Mortality reduction was also observed for the age groups 40–49 years and 70–74 years, although with “limited evidence”. Thus, we firstly recommend biennial screening mammography for average-risk women aged 50–69 years; extension up to 73 or 75 years, biennially, is a second priority, from 40–45 to 49 years, annually, a third priority. Screening with thermography or other optical tools as alternatives to mammography is discouraged. Preference should be given to population screening programmes on a territorial basis, with double reading. Adoption of digital mammography (not film-screen or phosphor-plate computer radiography) is a priority, which also improves sensitivity in dense breasts. Radiologists qualified as screening readers should be involved in programmes. Digital breast tomosynthesis is also set to become “routine mammography” in the screening setting in the next future. Dedicated pathways for high-risk women offering breast MRI according to national or international guidelines and recommendations are encouraged.
The title compound, [Li2(C25H23BN4OP)2], features a centrosymmetric dimeric complex. The four-memberered Li2O2 ring is exactly planar due to symmetry. The Li atom is four-coordinated by two O atoms and by two N atoms of two different pyrazole rings. The dihedral angle between two pyrazole rings bonded to the same B atom is 45.66 (9)°. The B—N—N—Li—N—N metalla ring adopts a boat conformation. The crystal packing is stabilized by van der Waals interactions only.
The complete molecule of the title compound, [Sn(C6H5)2Cl2(C9H21OP)2], is generated by crystallographic inversion symmetry, the Sn atom is located on a special position of site symmetry \overline{1}. The Sn atom adopts an all-trans SnC2O2Cl2 octahedral geometry. As a consequence of the bulky substituents at the O atom, the P-O-Sn bond angle is 163.9 (3)°. Key indicators: single-crystal X-ray study; T = 173 K; mean σ(C–C) = 0.012 Å; R factor = 0.058; wR factor = 0.099; data-to-parameter ratio = 18.6.
Background: With the aging population and a rising incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), there is an emerging need for developing strategies to treat elderly patients.
Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 158 patients treated with definitive, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for SCCHN. Clinicopathological characteristics, acute toxicities, and oncological outcomes were compared between patients younger and older than (or of age equal to) 65, 70, and 75 years.
Results: RT dose, chemotherapy regimen, and total chemotherapy dose were balanced between the groups. After a median follow-up of 29 months, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), local control rate, and distant metastasis-free survival stratified by age of ≥65, ≥70, or ≥75 years revealed no differences. The rate of acute toxicities was also not higher for older patients. Worse ECOG performance score (ECOG 2-3) was associated with impaired OS () and PFS ().
Conclusion: Definitive treatment with CRT for SCCHN is feasible and effective; even in advanced age treatment decisions should be made according to general condition and comorbidity, rather than calendar age alone.
Methodik
(2002)
Die vegetationskundliche und strukturelle Zuordnung der Lebensraumtypen erfolgt nach der vorrangig von Braun-Blanquet entwickelten Vegetationsklassifizierung, einer hierarchischen Gliederung der Vegetationstypen (Syntaxonomie), die die Ebenen der Assoziation, des Verbandes, der Ordnung und der Klasse umfasst. Hierbei ist die Assoziation die grundlegende Einheit, in der die Pflanzengesellschaften zusammengefasst werden, die sich durch gleiche charakteristische Arten(gruppen)kombinationen auszeichnen. Der Verband vereinigt ähnliche Assoziationen. Das sind bereits umfassendere, jedoch standörtlich noch recht einheitliche Vegetationseinheiten. In Ordnungen werden ähnliche Verbände zusammengefasst. Die Klasse vereinigt ähnliche Ordnungen.
Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent female cancer and preferentially metastasizes to bone. The transcription factor TGFB-induced factor homeobox 1 (TGIF) is involved in bone metabolism. However, it is not yet known whether TGIF is associated with BC bone metastasis or patient outcome and thus of potential interest. Methods: TGIF expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 1197 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples from BC patients treated in the GAIN (German Adjuvant Intergroup Node-Positive) study with two adjuvant dose-dense schedules of chemotherapy with or without bisphosphonate ibandronate. TGIF expression was categorized into negative/low and moderate/strong staining. Endpoints were disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and time to primary bone metastasis as first site of relapse (TTPBM). Results: We found associations of higher TGIF protein expression with smaller tumor size (p= 0.015), well differentiated phenotype (p< 0.001) and estrogen receptor (ER)-positive BC (p< 0.001). Patients with higher TGIF expression levels showed a significantly longer disease-free (DFS: HR 0.75 [95%CI 0.59–0.95], log-rank p=0.019) and overall survival (OS: HR 0.69 [95%CI 0.50–0.94], log-rank p= 0.019), but no association with TTPBM (HR 0.77 [95%CI 0.51–1.16]; p= 0.213). Univariate analysis in molecular subgroups emphasized that elevated TGIF expression was prognostic for both DFS and OS in ER-positive BC patients (DFS: HR 0.68 [95%CI 0.51–0.91]; log-rank p= 0.009, interaction p= 0.130; OS: HR 0.60 [95%CI 0.41–0.88], log-rank p= 0.008, interaction p= 0.107) and in the HER2-negative subgroup (DFS:HR 0.67 [95%CI 0.50–0.88], log-rank p= 0.004, interaction p= 0.034; OS: HR 0.57 [95%CI 0.40–0.81], log-rank p= 0.002, interaction p= 0.015). Conclusions: Our results suggest that moderate to high TGIF expression is a common feature of breast cancer cells and that this is not associated with bone metastases as first site of relapse. However, a reduced expression is linked to tumor progression, especially in HER2-negative breast cancer.
Following publication of the original article, the authors noticed an incorrect affiliation for Christine Stürken and Udo Schumacher. The correct affiliations are as follows: Christine Stürken: Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Udo Schumacher: Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. The affiliations have been correctly published in this correction and the original article has been updated.
There is limited knowledge on the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in dialysis patients. We have investigated the association between diabetes mellitus and lipid-related biomarkers and retinopathy in hemodialysis patients. We reviewed 1,255 hemodialysis patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who participated in the German Diabetes and Dialysis Study (4D Study). Associations between categorical clinical, biochemical variables and diabetic retinopathy were examined by logistic regression. On average, patients were 66 ± 8 years of age, 54% were male and the HbA1c was 6.7% ± 1.3%. DR, found in 71% of the patients, was significantly and positively associated with fasting glucose, HbA1c, time on dialysis, age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index and the prevalence of other microvascular diseases (e.g. neuropathy). Unexpectedly, DR was associated with high HDL cholesterol and high apolipoproteins AI and AII. Patients with coronary artery disease were less likely to have DR. DR was not associated with gender, smoking, diastolic blood pressure, VLDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. In summary, the prevalence of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus requiring hemodialysis is higher than in patients suffering from T2DM, who do not receive hemodialysis. DR was positively related to systolic blood pressure (BP), glucometabolic control, and, paradoxically, HDL cholesterol. This data suggests that glucose and blood pressure control may delay the development of DR in patients with diabetes mellitus on dialysis.
Im April 2004 wurde im Rahmen des DFG-Forschungsprojektes „Kokainkonsum in Frankfurt am Main“ eine Repräsentativbefragung in der erwachsenen Wohnbevölkerung in Frankfurt a.M. durchgeführt. Da neben Kokain auch andere illegale und legale Drogen Thema der Befragung waren, eröffnet dies die Möglichkeit, einen Blick auf den Konsum psychoaktiver Substanzen in Frankfurt am Main zu werfen. Insgesamt 1.011 18-59-jährige Frankfurterinnen und Frankfurter beteiligten sich an der postalischen Erhebung. Die Ergebnisse der in diesem Bericht vorgelegte Sonderauswertung können mit ähnlich konzipierten Befragungen für Hamburg und das Bundesgebiet verglichen werden. Tabak 35,9% der Befragten sind aktuelle Raucher/innen, weitere 25,4% haben früher einmal geraucht. Insgesamt 10,3% rauchen täglich mindestens 20 Zigaretten. Etwas mehr Männer als Frauen rauchen aktuell. Bei den Altersgruppen zeigt sich lediglich unter 18-24-jährigen eine Überrepräsentation der Raucher/innen. Der Anteil aktueller Raucher/innen in Frankfurt ist etwa mit denen in Hamburg und dem gesamten Bundesgebiet vergleichbar, allerdings zeigt sich insbesondere im Vergleich zu Hamburg, dass in Frankfurt die Quote starker Raucher/innen relativ gering ist. Alkohol Einen Alkoholkonsum in den letzten 24 Stunden geben 38,4% der Befragten an, darunter deutlich mehr Männer als Frauen; zudem steigt dieser Anteil mit zunehmendem Alter. Demgegenüber geben jüngere Befragte häufiger an, in den letzten 30 Tagen betrunken gewesen zu sein (Gesamt: 15,1%). Die 30-39-jährigen sind die Altersgruppe, die durchschnittlich am frühesten in einen regelmäßigen Alkoholkonsum eingestiegen ist. 10,5% der Befragten sind aufgrund der Intensität ihres Gebrauchsmusters als mindestens „riskante“ Konsumenten einzustufen. Der Alkoholkonsum in Frankfurt unterscheidet sich nur geringfügig von dem in Hamburg bzw. dem im Bundesgebiet. Medikamente 16% der Stichprobe haben in den zurückliegenden 30 Tagen mindestens einmal pro Woche Medikamente eingenommen, dabei dominieren mit 11,8% die Schmerzmittel. Ein deutlicher Schwerpunkt des Medikamentengebrauchs ist bei älteren Befragten auszumachen. Im Unterschied zu den beiden Vergleichsbefragungen konsumieren Frauen in Frankfurt nur etwas häufiger als Männer regelmäßig Medikamente. Cannabis Auch in Frankfurt stellt Cannabis die mit Abstand meistkonsumierte illegale Droge dar; 41,3% verfügen über Erfahrungen mit der Substanz, darunter mehr Männer als Frauen. Dieser geschlechtsspezifische Unterschied zeigt sich in verstärktem Maße bei der 12-Monats- (insgesamt 10,6%) und 30-Tages-Prävalenz (5,0%). Deutliche Schwerpunkte des aktuellen Konsums zeigen sich in den jüngeren Altersgruppen. Etwa der Hälfte der Befragten wurde Cannabis schon einmal angeboten, etwas weniger halten die Droge für leicht beschaffbar und 5,5% der Drogenunerfahrenen würden die Droge bei entsprechendem Angebot möglicherweise probieren. Diese Probierbereitschaft fällt im Vergleich zu Hamburg etwas niedriger aus, wogegen die Beschaffbarkeit in Frankfurt höher eingeschätzt wird. Die Cannabis-Prävalenzraten entsprechen in etwa denen von Hamburg, liegen aber deutlich über den gesamtdeutschen Prävalenzraten (Lebenszeit: Ffm 41,3%, HH 42,4%, D 24,5%). Die Werte für das Einstiegsalter liegen in Frankfurt unter den bundesweit ermittelten, aber über denen aus Hamburg. Andere illegale Drogen 14,0% der Befragten haben schon einmal mindestens eine illegale Droge außer Cannabis konsumiert; 2,2% haben eine derartige Substanz auch in den letzten 12 Monaten und 1% in den letzten 30 Tagen konsumiert. Kokain liegt hier mit einer Lebenszeitprävalenz von 7,5% an erster Stelle, gefolgt von LSD, psychoaktiven Pilzen, Ecstasy und Amphetaminen mit jeweils rund 5%. Auch hier verfügen Männer deutlich häufiger über Konsumerfahrungen als Frauen, aktueller Konsum dieser Substanzen ist unter 25-29-jährigen am stärksten verbreitet. Die Probierbereitschaft für ‚harte Drogen’ ist unter Unerfahrenen ausgesprochen gering, wogegen 11,2% der drogenerfahrenen Personen Kokain und 5,7% Ecstasy bei entsprechendem Angebot konsumieren würden. Je etwa 20% geben an, eine dieser Substanzen leicht beschaffen zu können. In Frankfurt verfügen mehr Personen als in Hamburg und im Bundesdurchschnitt über Erfahrungen mit illegalen Drogen (außer Cannabis), Frankfurt fällt aber hinsichtlich des aktuellen Konsums hinter Hamburg zurück und rangiert hier etwa gleichauf mit dem Bundesdurchschnitt. In der Hansestadt haben im Unterschied zu Frankfurt nahezu so viele Frauen wie Männer Erfahrungen mit ‚harten Drogen’, beim aktuellen Konsum übertreffen sie sogar die Werte für die männlichen Befragten, wogegen in Frankfurt und bundesweit hier die Männer deutlich überwiegen. Freizeitaktivitäten und politische Einstellung Die Befragten in der vorliegenden Stichprobe stufen sich selbst im Schnitt leicht „links“ der politischen „Mitte“ ein. Jüngere Personen weisen eine höhere Ausgehhäufigkeit auf als ältere Befragte. Eine hohe Ausgehhäufigkeit wiederum geht oftmals mit einer höheren Prävalenz des Konsums legaler und illegaler Drogen einher. Konsum psychoaktiver Substanzen unter Frankfurter Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen im Vergleich Im Hinblick auf die Verbreitung im Bekanntenkreis zeigt sich bei den legalen Drogen ein leicht, bei den illegalen ein deutlich erhöhter Wert unter den Frankfurter Schüler/innen. Besonders eindeutig fällt dieser Unterschied bei Cannabis, synthetischen Drogen und psychoaktiven Pilzen aus. Letzteres schlägt sich auch in der Rangliste der Konsumprävalenzen nieder, wo Ecstasy, Amphetamine und Pilze bei den Jugendlichen im Unterschied zu den Erwachsenen vor Kokain rangieren. Eine noch deutlichere Differenz zeigt sich bei den Schnüffelstoffen, die bei den Erwachsenen nahezu gar keine, bei den Schüler/innen hingegen eine vergleichsweise hohe Verbreitung finden. Fazit Die Einwohner/innen von Frankfurt am Main unterscheiden sich im Hinblick auf den Gebrauch legaler Drogen nur unwesentlich von der deutschen Allgemeinbevölkerung wie auch von der in Hamburg. Hinsichtlich der illegalen Drogen sind sowohl in Frankfurt als auch in Hamburg im Vergleich zum Bundesdurchschnitt bezogen auf die Lebenszeit höhere Erfahrungswerte zu beobachten. Bezüglich des aktuellen Konsums rangiert Hamburg leicht vor Frankfurt, und was den aktuellen Konsum ‚harter Drogen’ betrifft, liegt Frankfurt gleichauf mit dem Bundesdurchschnitt.
Der vorliegende Bericht beschreibt die Situation in der „offenen Drogenszene“ in Frankfurt am Main unter zwei Aspekten: zum einen im Hinblick auf die Veränderungen, die sich in zentralen Inhaltsbereichen wie der sozialen und gesundheitlichen Situation, dem Substanzkonsum und der Inanspruchnahme des Hilfesystems in den letzten Jahren gezeigt haben, zum zweiten im Hinblick auf die aktuelle Situation, wie sie sich in der „offenen Drogenszene“ Mitte des Jahres 2004 auf Grundlage der hier vorliegenden Daten darstellt.
Simple Summary: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a genetically heterogeneous disease. Clinical phenotypes of frequent mutations and their impact on patient outcome are well established. However, the role of rare mutations often remains elusive. We retrospectively analyzed 1529 newly diagnosed and intensively treated AML patients for mutations of BCOR and BCORL1. We report a distinct co-mutational pattern that suggests a role in disease progression rather than initiation, especially affecting mechanisms of DNA-methylation. Further, we found loss-of-function mutations of BCOR to be independent markers of poor outcomes in multivariable analysis. Therefore, loss-of-function mutations of BCOR need to be considered for AML management, as they may influence risk stratification and subsequent treatment allocation.
Abstract: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by recurrent genetic events. The BCL6 corepressor (BCOR) and its homolog, the BCL6 corepressor-like 1 (BCORL1), have been reported to be rare but recurrent mutations in AML. Previously, smaller studies have reported conflicting results regarding impacts on outcomes. Here, we retrospectively analyzed a large cohort of 1529 patients with newly diagnosed and intensively treated AML. BCOR and BCORL1 mutations were found in 71 (4.6%) and 53 patients (3.5%), respectively. Frequently co-mutated genes were DNTM3A, TET2 and RUNX1. Mutated BCORL1 and loss-of-function mutations of BCOR were significantly more common in the ELN2017 intermediate-risk group. Patients harboring loss-of-function mutations of BCOR had a significantly reduced median event-free survival (HR = 1.464 (95%-Confidence Interval (CI): 1.005–2.134), p = 0.047), relapse-free survival (HR = 1.904 (95%-CI: 1.163–3.117), p = 0.01), and trend for reduced overall survival (HR = 1.495 (95%-CI: 0.990–2.258), p = 0.056) in multivariable analysis. Our study establishes a novel role for loss-of-function mutations of BCOR regarding risk stratification in AML, which may influence treatment allocation.
Rezensionen [2019]
(2019)
Verzeichnis
Einzelrezensionen
163 Babenhauserheide, Melanie: Harry Potter und die Widersprüche der Kulturindustrie. Eine ideologiekritische Analyse (DAVID N. SCHMIDT)
165 Ballis, Anja/Pecher, Claudia Maria/ Schuler, Rebecca (Hrsg.): Mehrsprachige Kinder- und Jugendliteratur. Überlegungen zur Systematik, Didaktik und Verbreitung (SVETLANA VISHEK)
167 Bannasch, Bettina/Matthes, Eva (Hrsg.): Kinder- und Jugendliteratur. Historische, erzähl- und medientheoretische, pädagogische und therapeutische Perspektiven (susanne blumesberger)
169 Batzke, Ina/ Erbacher, Eric C. /Heß, Linda M. / Lenhardt, Corinna (Hrsg.): Exploring the Fantastic. Genre, Ideology, and Popular Culture (THOMAS BITTERLICH)
170 Bertling, Maria: All-Age-Literatur. Die Entdeckung einer neuen Zielgruppe und ihrer Rezeptionsmodalitäten (NICOLA KÖNIG)
172 Blümer, Agnes: Mehrdeutigkeit übersetzen. Englische und französische Kinderliteraturklassiker der Nachkriegszeit in deutscher Übertrag (MARTINA SEIFERT)
174 Blumesberger, Susanne/Thunecke, Jörg (Hrsg.): Deutschsprachige Kinder- und Jugendliteratur während der Zwischenkriegszeit und im Exil. Schwerpunkt Österreich (KURT FRANZ)
176 Busch, Nathanael /Velten, Hans Rudolf (Hrsg.): Die Literatur des Mittelalters im Fantasyroman (SONJA LOIDL)
178 Cave, Roderick/Ayad, Sara (Hrsg.): Die Geschichte des Kinderbuches in 100 Büchern (ERNST SEIBERT)
180 Dettmar, Ute/Pecher, Claudia Maria/Schlesinger, Ron (Hrsg.): Märchen im Medienwechsel. Zur Geschichte und Gegenwart des Märchenfilms (MICHAEL STIERSTORFER)
182 Dommermuth, Clarissa: Wir sind dagegen – denn ihr seid dafür. Zur Tradition literarischer Jugendbewegungen im deutschsprachigen Raum (SUSANNE BLUMESBERGER)
184 Ellerbach, Benoît: L’Arabie contée aux Allemands. Fictions interculturelles chez Rafik Schami (ANNETTE KLIEWER)
185 Enklaar, Jattie/ Ester, Hans /Tax, Evelyne (Hrsg.): Studien über Kinder- und Jugendliteratur im europäischen Austausch von 1800 bis heute (IRIS SCHÄFER)
187 Ewers, Hans-Heino: Michael Ende neu entdecken. Was »Jim Knopf«,»Momo« und »Die unendliche Geschichte« Erwachsenen zu sagen haben (MARKUS JANKA)
189 Flegel, Monica/Parkes, Christopher (Hrsg.): Cruel Children in Popular Texts and Cultures (LENA HOFFMANN)
191 Garbe, Christine/Gürth, Christina et al. (Hrsg.): Attraktive Lesestoffe (nicht nur) für Jungen. Erzählmuster und Beispielanalysen zu populärer Kinder- und Jugendliteratur (THOMAS BITTERLICH)
193 Goga, Nina/Kümmerling-Meibauer, Bettina (Hrsg.): Maps and Mapping in Children’s Literature. Landscapes, Seascapes, and Cityscapes (Wolfgang Biesterfeld)
195 Hamer, Naomi /Nodelman, Perry / Reimer, Mavis (Hrsg.): More Words about Pictures. Current Research on Picturebooks and Visual/Verbal Texts for Young People (FARRIBA SCHULZ)
196 Hoffmann, Lena: Crossover. Mehrfachadressierung in Text, Markt und Diskurs (HEIDI LEXE)
198 Josting, Petra/Reuter, Frank/Roeder, Caroline/Wolters, Ute (Hrsg.): »Denn sie rauben sehr geschwind jedes böse Gassenkind.« ›Zigeuner‹-Bilder in Kinder- und Jugendmedien (KURT FRANZ)
200 Langemeyer, Peter /Knutsen, Karen Patrick (Hrsg.): Narratology Plus. Studies in Recent International Narratives for Children and
Young Adults / Narratologie Plus. Studien zur Erzählweise in aktueller internationaler Kinder- und Jugendliteratur (NADINE BIEKER)
202 Museumsinsel Lüttenheid (Hrsg.): Rudolf Dirks. Zwei Lausbuben und die Erfindung des modernen Comics (LUKAS SARVARI)
204 Oeste, Bettina/Preußer, Ulrike (Hrsg.): Neuvermessung deutschsprachiger Erinnerungsstrategien in der Kinder- und Jugendliteratur nach 1990 (annette kliewer)
206 Planka, Sabine (Hrsg.): Berlin. Bilder einer Metropole in erzählenden Medien für Kinder und Jugendliche (KATHARINA EGERER)
208 Press, Alexander: Die Bilder des Comics. Funktionsweisen aus kunst- und bildwissenschaftlicher Perspektive (RALF VOLLBRECHT)
209 Schenk, Klaus /Zeisberg, Ingold (Hrsg.): Fremde Räume. Interkulturalität und Semiotik des Phantastischen (ANNETTE KLIEWER)
211 Schweizerisches Institut für Kinder- und Jugendmedien SIKJM (Hrsg.): Atlas der Schweizer Kinderliteratur. Expeditionen und
Panoramen (SUSANNE RIEGLER)
Sammelrezensionen
213 Heinemann, Caroline: Produktionsräume im zeitgenössischen Kinder- und Jugendtheater. – Hentschel, Ingrid: Theater zwischen Ich und Welt. Beiträge zur Ästhetik des Kinder- und Jugendtheaters. Theorien – Praxis – Geschichte (PHILIPP SCHMERHEIM)
215 Janka, Marcus /Stierstorfer, Michael (Hrsg.): Verjüngte Antike. Griechisch-römische Mythologie in zeitgenössischen Kinder- und Jugendmedien. – Stierstorfer, Michael: Antike Mythologie in der Kinder- und Jugendliteratur der Gegenwart. Unsterbliche Götter- und Heldengeschichten? (KARINA BECKER)
218 Josting, Petra/Kruse, Iris (Hrsg.): Paul Maar. Bielefelder Poet in Residence 2015 | Paderborner Kinderliteraturtage 2016. – Wicke, Andreas /Roßbach, Nikola (Hrsg.): Paul Maar. Studien zum kinder- und jugendliterarischen Werk (SONJA MÜLLER-CARSTENS)
Stimulation of renal collecting duct principal cells with antidiuretic hormone (arginine-vasopressin, AVP) results in inhibition of the small GTPase RhoA and the enrichment of the water channel aquaporin-2 (AQP2) in the plasma membrane. The membrane insertion facilitates water reabsorption from primary urine and fine-tuning of body water homeostasis. Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) interact with RhoA, catalyze the exchange of GDP for GTP and thereby activate the GTPase. However, GEFs involved in the control of AQP2 in renal principal cells are unknown. The A-kinase anchoring protein, AKAP-Lbc, possesses GEF activity, specifically activates RhoA, and is expressed in primary renal inner medullary collecting duct principal (IMCD) cells. Through screening of 18,431 small molecules and synthesis of a focused library around one of the hits, we identified an inhibitor of the interaction of AKAP-Lbc and RhoA. This molecule, Scaff10-8, bound to RhoA, inhibited the AKAP-Lbc-mediated RhoA activation but did not interfere with RhoA activation through other GEFs or activities of other members of the Rho family of small GTPases, Rac1 and Cdc42. Scaff10-8 promoted the redistribution of AQP2 from intracellular vesicles to the periphery of IMCD cells. Thus, our data demonstrate an involvement of AKAP-Lbc-mediated RhoA activation in the control of AQP2 trafficking.
The Kinase Chemogenomic Set (KCGS): an open science resource for kinase vulnerability identification
(2021)
We describe the assembly and annotation of a chemogenomic set of protein kinase inhibitors as an open science resource for studying kinase biology. The set only includes inhibitors that show potent kinase inhibition and a narrow spectrum of activity when screened across a large panel of kinase biochemical assays. Currently, the set contains 187 inhibitors that cover 215 human kinases. The kinase chemogenomic set (KCGS), current Version 1.0, is the most highly annotated set of selective kinase inhibitors available to researchers for use in cell-based screens.
This paper reports on Monte Carlo simulation results for future measurements of the moduli of time-like proton electromagnetic form factors, |GE | and |GM|, using the ¯pp → μ+μ− reaction at PANDA (FAIR). The electromagnetic form factors are fundamental quantities parameterizing the electric and magnetic structure of hadrons. This work estimates the statistical and total accuracy with which the form factors can be measured at PANDA, using an analysis of simulated data within the PandaRoot software framework. The most crucial background channel is ¯pp → π+π−,due to the very similar behavior of muons and pions in the detector. The suppression factors are evaluated for this and all other relevant background channels at different values of antiproton beam momentum. The signal/background separation is based on a multivariate analysis, using the Boosted Decision Trees method. An expected background subtraction is included in this study, based on realistic angular distribuations of the background contribution. Systematic uncertainties are considered and the relative total uncertainties of the form factor measurements are presented.
Background: To study neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and potential predictive factors for response in locally advanced oral cavity cancer (LA-OCC).
Methods: The INVERT trial is an ongoing single-center, prospective phase 2, proof-of-principle trial. Operable patients with stage III-IVA squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity were eligible and received nCRT consisting of 60 Gy with concomitant cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. Surgery was scheduled 6-8 weeks after completion of nCRT. Explorative, multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on pretreatment tumor specimen, and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) was conducted prior to, during nCRT (day 15), and before surgery to identify potential predictive biomarkers and imaging features. Primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate.
Results: Seventeen patients with stage IVA OCC were included in this interim analysis. All patients completed nCRT. One patient died from pneumonia 10 weeks after nCRT before surgery. Complete tumor resection (R0) was achieved in 16/17 patients, of whom 7 (41%, 95% CI: 18-67%) showed pCR. According to the Clavien-Dindo classification, grade 3a and 3b complications were found in 4 (25%) and 5 (31%) patients, respectively; grade 4-5 complications did not occur. Increased changes in the apparent diffusion coefficient signal intensities between MRI at day 15 of nCRT and before surgery were associated with better response (p=0.022). Higher abundances of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) positive cytotoxic T-cells (p=0.012), PD1+ macrophages (p=0.046), and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs, p=0.036) were associated with incomplete response to nCRT.
Conclusion: nCRT for LA-OCC followed by radical surgery is feasible and shows high response rates. Larger patient cohorts from randomized trials are needed to further investigate nCRT and predictive biomarkers such as changes in DW-MRI signal intensities, tumor infiltrating immune cells, and CAFs.
Background: Germinal center-derived B cell lymphomas are tumors of the lymphoid tissues representing one of the most heterogeneous malignancies. Here we characterize the variety of transcriptomic phenotypes of this disease based on 873 biopsy specimens collected in the German Cancer Aid MMML (Molecular Mechanisms in Malignant Lymphoma) consortium. They include diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), Burkitt’s lymphoma, mixed FL/DLBCL lymphomas, primary mediastinal large B cell lymphoma, multiple myeloma, IRF4-rearranged large cell lymphoma, MYC-negative Burkitt-like lymphoma with chr. 11q aberration and mantle cell lymphoma.
Methods: We apply self-organizing map (SOM) machine learning to microarray-derived expression data to generate a holistic view on the transcriptome landscape of lymphomas, to describe the multidimensional nature of gene regulation and to pursue a modular view on co-expression. Expression data were complemented by pathological, genetic and clinical characteristics.
Results: We present a transcriptome map of B cell lymphomas that allows visual comparison between the SOM portraits of different lymphoma strata and individual cases. It decomposes into one dozen modules of co-expressed genes related to different functional categories, to genetic defects and to the pathogenesis of lymphomas. On a molecular level, this disease rather forms a continuum of expression states than clearly separated phenotypes. We introduced the concept of combinatorial pattern types (PATs) that stratifies the lymphomas into nine PAT groups and, on a coarser level, into five prominent cancer hallmark types with proliferation, inflammation and stroma signatures. Inflammation signatures in combination with healthy B cell and tonsil characteristics associate with better overall survival rates, while proliferation in combination with inflammation and plasma cell characteristics worsens it. A phenotypic similarity tree is presented that reveals possible progression paths along the transcriptional dimensions. Our analysis provided a novel look on the transition range between FL and DLBCL, on DLBCL with poor prognosis showing expression patterns resembling that of Burkitt’s lymphoma and particularly on "double-hit" MYC and BCL2 transformed lymphomas.
Conclusions: The transcriptome map provides a tool that aggregates, refines and visualizes the data collected in the MMML study and interprets them in the light of previous knowledge to provide orientation and support in current and future studies on lymphomas and on other cancer entities.
Background: It has been demonstrated that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has a moderate effect on symptom reduction and on general well being of patients suffering from psychosis. However, questions regarding the specific efficacy of CBT, the treatment safety, the cost-effectiveness, and the moderators and mediators of treatment effects are still a major issue. The major objective of this trial is to investigate whether CBT is specifically efficacious in reducing positive symptoms when compared with non-specific supportive therapy (ST) which does not implement CBT-techniques but provides comparable therapeutic attention. Methods: The POSITIVE study is a multicenter, prospective, single-blind, parallel group, randomised clinical trial, comparing CBT and ST with respect to the efficacy in reducing positive symptoms in psychotic disorders. CBT as well as ST consist of 20 sessions altogether, 165 participants receiving CBT and 165 participants receiving ST. Major methodological aspects of the study are systematic recruitment, explicit inclusion criteria, reliability checks of assessments with control for rater shift, analysis by intention to treat, data management using remote data entry, measures of quality assurance (e.g. on-site monitoring with source data verification, regular query process), advanced statistical analysis, manualized treatment, checks of adherence and competence of therapists. Research relating the psychotherapy process with outcome, neurobiological research addressing basic questions of delusion formation using fMRI and neuropsychological assessment and treatment research investigating adaptations of CBT for adolescents is combined in this network. Problems of transfer into routine clinical care will be identified and addressed by a project focusing on cost efficiency. Discussion: This clinical trial is part of efforts to intensify psychotherapy research in the field of psychosis in Germany, to contribute to the international discussion on psychotherapy in psychotic disorders, and to help implement psychotherapy in routine care. Furthermore, the study will allow drawing conclusions about the mediators of treatment effects of CBT of psychotic disorders. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN29242879
Filamentous enzymes have been found in all domains of life, but the advantage of filamentation is often elusive1. Some anaerobic, autotrophic bacteria have an unusual filamentous enzyme for CO2 fixation—hydrogen-dependent CO2 reductase (HDCR)2,3—which directly converts H2 and CO2 into formic acid. HDCR reduces CO2 with a higher activity than any other known biological or chemical catalyst4,5, and it has therefore gained considerable interest in two areas of global relevance: hydrogen storage and combating climate change by capturing atmospheric CO2. However, the mechanistic basis of the high catalytic turnover rate of HDCR has remained unknown. Here we use cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the structure of a short HDCR filament from the acetogenic bacterium Thermoanaerobacter kivui. The minimum repeating unit is a hexamer that consists of a formate dehydrogenase (FdhF) and two hydrogenases (HydA2) bound around a central core of hydrogenase Fe-S subunits, one HycB3 and two HycB4. These small bacterial polyferredoxin-like proteins oligomerize through their C-terminal helices to form the backbone of the filament. By combining structure-directed mutagenesis with enzymatic analysis, we show that filamentation and rapid electron transfer through the filament enhance the activity of HDCR. To investigate the structure of HDCR in situ, we imaged T. kivui cells with cryo-electron tomography and found that HDCR filaments bundle into large ring-shaped superstructures attached to the plasma membrane. This supramolecular organization may further enhance the stability and connectivity of HDCR to form a specialized metabolic subcompartment within the cell.
OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy, safety, and tolerability of an oral enzyme combination (OEC) containing proteolytic enzymes and bioflavonoid vs diclofenac (DIC), a nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an individual patient-level pooled reanalysis of patient-reported data from prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group studies in adult patients with moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis of the knee treated for at least 3 weeks with OEC or DIC. Appropriate trials were identified with a systemic literature and database search. Data were extracted from the original case-report forms and reanalyzed by a blinded evaluation committee. The primary end point was the improvement of the Lequesne algofunctional index (LAFI) score at study end vs baseline. Secondary end points addressed LAFI response rates, treatment-related pain-intensity changes, adverse events, and laboratory parameters.
RESULTS: Six trials were identified that enrolled in total 774 patients, of whom 759 had post-baseline data for safety analysis, 697 (n=348/349 with OEC/DIC) for intent to treat, 524 for per protocol efficacy analysis, and 500 for laboratory evaluation. LAFI scores - the primary efficacy end point - decreased comparably with both treatments and improved with both treatments significantly vs baseline (OEC 12.6±2.4 to 9.1±3.9, DIC 12.7±2.4 to 9.1±4.2, effect size 0.9/0.88; P<0.001 for each). In parallel, movement-related 11-point numeric rating-scale pain intensity improved significantly (P<0.001) and comparably with both treatments from baseline (6.4±1.9/6.6±1.8) to study end (3.8±2.7/3.9±2.5). Overall, 55/81 OEC/DIC patients of the safety-analysis population (14.7%/21.1%, P=0.022) reported 90/133 treatment-emergent adverse events, followed by premature treatment discontinuations in 22/39 patients (5.9%/10.2%, P=0.030). Changes in laboratory parameters were significantly less with OEC vs DIC: on average 18.8% vs 86.3% of patients presented a decrease with respect to hemoglobin, hematocrit, or erythrocyte count (P<0.001), and 28.2% vs 72.6% showed an increase in AST, ALT, or GGT (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: When compared with DIC, OEC showed comparable efficacy and a superior tolerability/safety profile associated with a significantly lower risk of treatment-emergent adverse events, related study discontinuations, and changes in laboratory parameters.
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a highly heritable neuropsychiatric disease characterized by recurrent episodes of mania and depression. BD shows substantial clinical and genetic overlap with other psychiatric disorders, in particular schizophrenia (SCZ). The genes underlying this etiological overlap remain largely unknown. A recent SCZ genome wide association study (GWAS) by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium identified 128 independent genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The present study investigated whether these SCZ-associated SNPs also contribute to BD development through the performance of association testing in a large BD GWAS dataset (9747 patients, 14278 controls). After re-imputation and correction for sample overlap, 22 of 107 investigated SCZ SNPs showed nominal association with BD. The number of shared SCZ-BD SNPs was significantly higher than expected (p = 1.46x10-8). This provides further evidence that SCZ-associated loci contribute to the development of BD. Two SNPs remained significant after Bonferroni correction. The most strongly associated SNP was located near TRANK1, which is a reported genome-wide significant risk gene for BD. Pathway analyses for all shared SCZ-BD SNPs revealed 25 nominally enriched gene-sets, which showed partial overlap in terms of the underlying genes. The enriched gene-sets included calcium- and glutamate signaling, neuropathic pain signaling in dorsal horn neurons, and calmodulin binding. The present data provide further insights into shared risk loci and disease-associated pathways for BD and SCZ. This may suggest new research directions for the treatment and prevention of these two major psychiatric disorders.
The biological effects of energetic heavy ions are attracting increasing interest for their applications in cancer therapy and protection against space radiation. The cascade of events leading to cell death or late effects starts from stochastic energy deposition on the nanometer scale and the corresponding lesions in biological molecules, primarily DNA. We have developed experimental techniques to visualize DNA nanolesions induced by heavy ions. Nanolesions appear in cells as “streaks” which can be visualized by using different DNA repair markers. We have studied the kinetics of repair of these “streaks” also with respect to the chromatin conformation. Initial steps in the modeling of the energy deposition patterns at the micrometer and nanometer scale were made with MCHIT and TRAX models, respectively.
Background: Radiochemotherapy (RCT) has been shown to induce changes in immune cell homeostasis which might affect antitumor immune responses. In the present study, we aimed to compare the composition and kinetics of major lymphocyte subsets in the periphery of patients with non-locoregional recurrent (n = 23) and locoregional recurrent (n = 9) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) upon primary RCT. Methods: EDTA-blood of non-locoregional recurrent SCCHN patients was collected before (t0), after application of 20–30 Gy (t1), in the follow-up period 3 (t2) and 6 months (t3) after RCT. In patients with locoregional recurrence blood samples were taken at t0, t1, t2 and at the time of recurrence (t5). EDTA-blood of age-related, healthy volunteers (n = 22) served as a control (Ctrl). Major lymphocyte subpopulations were phenotyped by multiparameter flow cytometry. Results: Patients with non-recurrent SCCHN had significantly lower proportions of CD19+ B cells compared to healthy individuals before start of any therapy (t0) that dropped further until 3 months after RCT (t2), but reached initial levels 6 months after RCT (t3). The proportion of CD3+ T and CD3+/CD4+ T helper cells continuously decreased between t0 and t3, whereas that of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and CD3+/CD56+ NK-like T cells (NKT) gradually increased in the same period of time in non-recurrent patients. The percentage of CD4+/CD25+/FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) decreased directly after RCT, but increased above initial levels in the follow-up period 3 (t2) and 6 (t3) months after RCT. Patients with locoregional recurrence showed similar trends with respect to B, T cells and Tregs between t0 and t5. CD4+ T helper cells remained stably low between t0 and t5 in patients with locoregional recurrence compared to Ctrl. NKT/NK cell subsets (CD56+/CD69+, CD3−/CD56+, CD3−/CD94+, CD3−/NKG2D+, CD3−/NKp30+, CD3−/NKp46+) increased continuously up to 6 months after RCT (t0-t3) in patients without locoregional recurrence, whereas in patients with locoregional recurrence, these subsets remained stably low until time of recurrence (t5). Conclusion: Monitoring the kinetics of lymphocyte subpopulations especially activatory NK cells before and after RCT might provide a clue with respect to the development of an early locoregional recurrence in patients with SCCHN. However, studies with larger patient cohorts are needed. Trial registration: Observational Study on Biomarkers in Head and Neck Cancer (HNprädBio), NCT02059668. Registered on 11 February 2014, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02059668.
Purpose: To compare the effective lens position (ELP), anterior chamber depth (ACD) changes, and visual outcomes in patients with and without pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) after cataract surgery.
Design: Prospective, randomized, fellow-eye controlled clinical case series.
Methods: This prospective comparative case series enrolled 56 eyes of 56 consecutive patients with (n = 28) or without PEX (n = 28) and clinically significant cataract who underwent standard phacoemulsification and were implanted with single-piece acrylic posterior chamber intraocular lenses (IOLs). The primary outcome parameters were the ACD referring to the distance between the corneal anterior surface and the lens anterior surface, which is an indicator of the postoperative axial position of the IOL (the so-called ELP) and distance corrected visual acuity (DCVA).
Results: Before surgery, the ACD was 2.54 ± 0.42 mm in the PEX group and 2.53 ± 0.38 mm in the control group (p = 0.941). Postoperatively, the ACD was 4.29 ± 0.71 mm in the PEX group and 4.33 ± 0.72 mm in the normal group, respectively (p = 0.533). There was no significant difference in ACD changes between groups (PEX group: 1.75 ± 0.74 mm, control group: 1.81 ± 0.61 mm, p = 0.806) and DCVA pre- (p = 0.469) and postoperatively (PEX group: 0.11 ± 0.13 logMAR, control group: 0.09 ± 0.17 logMAR, p = 0.245) between groups.
Conclusion: Preoperative and postoperative ACD, as an indicator of ELP, between PEX eyes and healthy eyes after cataract surgery showed no significant difference. Phacoemulsification induced similar changes in eyes with PEX compared to healthy eyes.
This paper introduces a new methodology for the fabrication of strain-sensor elements for MEMS and NEMS applications based on the tunneling effect in nano-granular metals. The strain-sensor elements are prepared by the maskless lithography technique of focused electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID) employing the precursor trimethylmethylcyclopentadienyl platinum [MeCpPt(Me)3]. We use a cantilever-based deflection technique to determine the sensitivity (gauge factor) of the sensor element. We find that its sensitivity depends on the electrical conductivity and can be continuously tuned, either by the thickness of the deposit or by electron-beam irradiation leading to a distinct maximum in the sensitivity. This maximum finds a theoretical rationale in recent advances in the understanding of electronic charge transport in nano-granular metals.
Human behaviour is inextricably linked to the interaction of emotion and cognition. For decades, emotion and cognition were perceived as separable processes, yet with mutual interactions. Recently, this differen-tiation has been challenged by more integrative approaches, but without addressing the exact neurophysiological basis of their interaction. Here, we aimed to uncover neurophysiological mechanisms of emotion-cognition interaction. We used an emotional Flanker task paired with EEG/FEM beamforming in a large cohort (N=121) of healthy human participants, obtaining high temporal and fMRI-equivalent spatial resolution. Spatially, emotion and cognition processing overlapped in the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), specifically in pars triangularis. Temporally, emotion and cognition processing overlapped during the transition from emotional to cognitive processing, with a stronger interaction in β-band power leading to worse behavioral performance. Despite functionally segregated subdivisions in rIFG, frequency-specific information flowed extensively within IFG and top-down to visual areas (V2, Precuneus) – explaining the behavioral interference effect. Thus, for the first time we here show the neural mechanisms of emotion-cognition interaction in space, time, frequency and information transfer with high temporal and spatial resolution, revealing a central role for β-band activity in rIFG. Our results support the idea that rIFG plays a broad role in both inhibitory control and emotional interference inhibition as it is a site of convergence in both processes. Furthermore, our results have potential clinical implications for understanding dysfunctional emotion-cognition interaction and emotional interference inhibition in psychiatric disor-ders, e.g. major depression and substance use disorder, in which patients have difficulties in regulating emotions and executing inhibitory control.
The Kinase Chemogenomic Set (KCGS): An open science resource for kinase vulnerability identification
(2019)
We describe the assembly and annotation of a chemogenomic set of protein kinase inhibitors as an open science resource for studying kinase biology. The set only includes inhibitors that show potent kinase inhibition and a narrow spectrum of activity when screened across a large panel of kinase biochemical assays. Currently, the set contains 187 inhibitors that cover 215 human kinases. The kinase chemogenomic set (KCGS) is the most highly annotated set of selective kinase inhibitors available to researchers for use in cell-based screens.
Comprehensive analysis of tumour sub-volumes for radiomic risk modelling in locally advanced HNSCC
(2020)
Simple Summary: Radiomic risk models are usually based on imaging features, which are extracted from the entire gross tumour volume (GTV entire ). This approach does not explicitly consider the complex biological structure of the tumours. Therefore, in this retrospective study, we investigated the prognostic value of radiomic analyses based on different tumour sub-volumes using computed tomography imaging of patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who were treated with primary radio-chemotherapy. The GTV entire was cropped by different margins to define the rim and corresponding core sub-volumes of the tumour. Furthermore, the best performing tumour rim sub-volume was extended into surrounding tissue with different margins. As a result, the models based on the 5 mm tumour rim and on the 3 mm extended rim sub-volume showed an improved performance compared to models based on the corresponding tumour core. This indicates that the consideration of tumour sub-volumes may help to improve radiomic risk models.
Abstract: Imaging features for radiomic analyses are commonly calculated from the entire gross tumour volume (GTVentire). However, tumours are biologically complex and the consideration of different tumour regions in radiomic models may lead to an improved outcome prediction. Therefore, we investigated the prognostic value of radiomic analyses based on different tumour sub-volumes using computed tomography imaging of patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The GTVentire was cropped by different margins to define the rim and the corresponding core sub-volumes of the tumour. Subsequently, the best performing tumour rim sub-volume was extended into surrounding tissue with different margins. Radiomic risk models were developed and validated using a retrospective cohort consisting of 291 patients in one of the six Partner Sites of the German Cancer Consortium Radiation Oncology Group treated between 2005 and 2013. The validation concordance index (C-index) averaged over all applied learning algorithms and feature selection methods using the GTVentire achieved a moderate prognostic performance for loco-regional tumour control (C-index: 0.61 ± 0.04 (mean ± std)). The models based on the 5 mm tumour rim and on the 3 mm extended rim sub-volume showed higher median performances (C-index: 0.65 ± 0.02 and 0.64 ± 0.05, respectively), while models based on the corresponding tumour core volumes performed less (C-index: 0.59 ± 0.01). The difference in C-index between the 5 mm tumour rim and the corresponding core volume showed a statistical trend (p = 0.10). After additional prospective validation, the consideration of tumour sub-volumes may be a promising way to improve prognostic radiomic risk models.
Purpose: To develop and validate a CT-based radiomics signature for the prognosis of loco-regional tumour control (LRC) in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated by primary radiochemotherapy (RCTx) based on retrospective data from 6 partner sites of the German Cancer Consortium - Radiation Oncology Group (DKTK-ROG).
Material and methods: Pre-treatment CT images of 318 patients with locally advanced HNSCC were collected. Four-hundred forty-six features were extracted from each primary tumour volume and then filtered through stability analysis and clustering. First, a baseline signature was developed from demographic and tumour-associated clinical parameters. This signature was then supplemented by CT imaging features. A final signature was derived using repeated 3-fold cross-validation on the discovery cohort. Performance in external validation was assessed by the concordance index (C-Index). Furthermore, calibration and patient stratification in groups with low and high risk for loco-regional recurrence were analysed.
Results: For the clinical baseline signature, only the primary tumour volume was selected. The final signature combined the tumour volume with two independent radiomics features. It achieved moderately good discriminatory performance (C-Index [95% confidence interval]: 0.66 [0.55–0.75]) on the validation cohort along with significant patient stratification (p = 0.005) and good calibration.
Conclusion: We identified and validated a clinical-radiomics signature for LRC of locally advanced HNSCC using a multi-centric retrospective dataset. Prospective validation will be performed on the primary cohort of the HNprädBio trial of the DKTK-ROG once follow-up is completed.
Highlights:
• Assessment of body composition parameters in a large cohort of patients with HCC undergoing TACE.
• Fully automated artificial intelligence-based quantitative 3D volumetry of abdominal cavity tissue composition.
• Skeletal muscle volume and related parameters were independent prognostic factors in patients with HCC undergoing TACE.
Background & Aims: Body composition assessment (BCA) parameters have recently been identified as relevant prognostic factors for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of BCA parameters for prognosis prediction in patients with HCC undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).
Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included a total of 754 treatment-naïve patients with HCC who underwent TACE at six tertiary care centers between 2010–2020. Fully automated artificial intelligence-based quantitative 3D volumetry of abdominal cavity tissue composition was performed to assess skeletal muscle volume (SM), total adipose tissue (TAT), intra- and intermuscular adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue, and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) on pre-intervention computed tomography scans. BCA parameters were normalized to the slice number of the abdominal cavity. We assessed the influence of BCA parameters on median overall survival and performed multivariate analysis including established estimates of survival.
Results: Univariate survival analysis revealed that impaired median overall survival was predicted by low SM (p <0.001), high TAT volume (p = 0.013), and high SAT volume (p = 0.006). In multivariate survival analysis, SM remained an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.039), while TAT and SAT volumes no longer showed predictive ability. This predictive role of SM was confirmed in a subgroup analysis of patients with BCLC stage B.
Conclusions: SM is an independent prognostic factor for survival prediction. Thus, the integration of SM into novel scoring systems could potentially improve survival prediction and clinical decision-making. Fully automated approaches are needed to foster the implementation of this imaging biomarker into daily routine.
Impact and implications: Body composition assessment parameters, especially skeletal muscle volume, have been identified as relevant prognostic factors for many diseases and treatments. In this study, skeletal muscle volume has been identified as an independent prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolization. Therefore, skeletal muscle volume as a metaparameter could play a role as an opportunistic biomarker in holistic patient assessment and be integrated into decision support systems. Workflow integration with artificial intelligence is essential for automated, quantitative body composition assessment, enabling broad availability in multidisciplinary case discussions.
(1) Background: Patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who are biologically at high risk for the development of loco–regional recurrences after postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) but at intermediate risk according to clinical risk factors may benefit from additional concurrent chemotherapy. In this matched-pair study, we aimed to identify a corresponding predictive gene signature. (2) Methods: Gene expression analysis was performed on a multicenter retrospective cohort of 221 patients that were treated with postoperative radiochemotherapy (PORT-C) and 283 patients who were treated with PORT alone. Propensity score analysis was used to identify matched patient pairs from both cohorts. From differential gene expression analysis and Cox regression, a predictive gene signature was identified. (3) Results: 108 matched patient pairs were selected. We identified a 2-metagene signature that stratified patients into risk groups in both cohorts. The comparison of the high-risk patients between the two types of treatment showed higher loco–regional control (LRC) after treatment with PORT-C (p < 0.001), which was confirmed by a significant interaction term in Cox regression (p = 0.027), i.e., the 2-metagene signature was indicative for the type of treatment. (4) Conclusion: We have identified a novel gene signature that may be helpful to identify patients with high-risk HNSCC amongst those at intermediate clinical risk treated with PORT, who may benefit from additional concurrent chemotherapy.