FRET mechanism between a fluorescent breast-cancer drug and photodynamic therapy sensitizers.

Tamoxifen is one of the most frequently used drugs for the treatment of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, which is the most prevalent form of hormone dependent breast cancer. A few years ago, we developed a fluorescent derivative of tamoxifen formed by the covalent binding of tamoxifen to a common dye biomarker. The new compound, known as FLTX1, showed the pharmacological activity of the tamoxifen moiety and efficient fluorescence properties, which could be used synergistically to improve the effect of the drug. In this paper, we demonstrate that irradiation at the absorption band of FLTX1 can result in fluorescence resonance energy transfer to photosensitizers such as Rose Bengal and Merocyanine 540, activating the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Indeed, the generation of ROS was demonstrated using a colorimetric assay. Since FLTX1 mostly binds estrogen-receptor overexpressing cancer cells, the results obtained are very promising and suggest a new therapeutic strategy combining chemo- and photodynamic therapies.

Length variation of a polyglutamine array in the gene encoding a small-conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel (hKCa3) and susceptibility to idiopathic generalized epilepsy.

The present association study tested whether length variations of two adjacent polymorphic CAG repeats in the coding sequence of a small-conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel (hKCa3) confer susceptibility to common subtypes of idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). We found no significant difference in the allelic length distribution of the CAG repeats between 290 healthy German controls and the entire sample of 126 German IGE patients (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, P = 0.44) or two subgroups, comprising either 78 patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, P = 0.74) or 59 patients with idiopathic absence epilepsies (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, P = 0.44). Moreover, the allelic distribution in parents-child trios of 46 IGE offspring did not differ significantly between the transmitted and non-transmitted parental alleles (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, P = 0.48). Therefore, our association study provides no evidence that length variations of polyglutamine arrays in the N-terminus of the hKCa3 channel exert a frequent and relevant effect in the epileptogenesis of common subtypes of IGE.

The fine structure of denervated and reinnervated muscle spindles: morphometric study of intrafusal muscle fibers.

The fine structure of normal, denervated, and reinnervated muscle spindles in lower lumbrical muscles of rats was studied morphometrically at time intervals ranging from 3-14 months. In control spindles, the mean transverse area of mitochondria was estimated to be more than twice as large in nuclear chain than in typical nuclear bag fibers. Following denervation, there was a severe decrease of the mean number and transverse area of mitochondria, and a moderate, but statistically significant decrease of the mean transverse area of intrafusal muscle fibers (IMFs) despite an increase of the number of IMFs. At 12-14 months of reinnervation, changes of the transverse areas of IMFs were statistically insignificant, but the mean values for the mitochondria were incompletely restored. At 4 x 3 months, after fourfold repeated crush injuries to the nerve, most of the values estimated (transverse area of mitochondria; number, shape, and transverse area of IMFs and nuclei) tended to approach those in denervated rather than in reinnervated IMFs. The differences of the reactions of intra- and extrafusal muscle fibers following complete motor and sensory denervation appeared to be in accordance with their normal dimensional dissimilarities.

[Inpatient rehabilitation of chronic schizophrenic patients with a behavior therapy token reinforcement program]. / Stationäre Rehabilitation chronisch schizophrener Patienten mit einem verhaltenstherapeutischen Münzverstärkerprogramm.

The efficacy of a token economy system was assessed in a study involving 76 chronic schizophrenics who were inpatients during a treatment period of four years. The interrelations between therapeutic success on the one hand, and socio-economic as well as course of disease-related factors on the other were studied, including psychopathology and the efficacy of token economy.

[Comparative analysis of mezlocillin/metronidazole and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid as "one shot" preventive antibiotic administration in colorectal interventions]. / Vergleichsanalyse von Mezlozillin/Metronidazol und Amoxicillin/Clavulansäure als "one shot"-Antibiotikaprophylaxe bei kolorektalen Eingriffen.

The prophylactic effect of intraoperative "one shot" antibiotic application in colorectal surgery was investigated. Patients were randomised and the antibiotic combination Mezlocillin/Metronidazole (group A) or Amoxicillin/Clavulamid acid (group B) was applicated in 160 patients. 111 patients were selected for the study (group A: 59; group B: 52 patients). In the postoperative course 53% (group A) and 67% (group B) of the patients developed bacterial infections. Abdominal wound healing was complicated by infection in 15% (A) and 12% (B) of the patients. A significant difference between the two groups could not be proven, 24% of all patients with documented intraoperative bacterial contamination and 10% of the patients with negative findings developed wound infections. In colorectal surgery patients are still at high risk for infectious complications. Applicated antibiotics should basically cover aerobic and anaerobic germs.