Persurf,a New Method to Improve Surfactant Delivery: A Study in Surfactant Depleted Rats

Purpose

Exogenous surfactant is not very effective in adults with ARDS, since surfactant does not reach atelectatic alveoli. Perfluorocarbons (PFC) can recruit atelectatic areas but do not replace impaired endogenous surfactant. A surfactant-PFC-mixture could combine benefits of both therapies. The aim of the proof-of-principal-study was to produce a PFC-in-surfactant emulsion (Persurf) and to test in surfactant depleted Wistar rats whether Persurf achieves I.) a more homogenous pulmonary distribution and II.) a more homogenous recruitment of alveoli when compared with surfactant or PFC alone.

Methods

Three different PFC were mixed with surfactant and phospholipid concentration in the emulsion was measured. After surfactant depletion, animals either received 30 ml/kg of PF5080, 100 mg/kg of stained (green dye) Curosurf™ or 30 ml/kg of Persurf. Lungs were fixated after 1 hour of ventilation and alveolar aeration and surfactant distribution was estimated by a stereological approach.

Results

Persurf contained 3 mg/ml phospholipids and was stable for more than 48 hours. Persurf-administration improved oxygenation. Histological evaluation revealed a more homogenous surfactant distribution and alveolar inflation when compared with surfactant treated animals.

Conclusions

In surfactant depleted rats administration of PFC-in-surfactant emulsion leads to a more homogenous distribution and aeration of the lung than surfactant alone.     

Novel compound for identifying Escherichia coli.

A new chromogenic compound, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl-beta-D-glucuronide, was found to be useful for the rapid, specific, differential identification of Escherichia coli in the sanitary analysis of shellfish and wastewater. Of 1,025 presumptively positive colonies (blue) and 583 presumptively negative colonies (nonblue), only 1% false-negative and 5% false-positive results were found.     

Should laboratory mice be anaesthetized for tail biopsy?

Tail biopsies are routinely taken to genotype genetically modified mice. However, the effect of this procedure on the wellbeing of the animals has rarely been investigated. Thus, it has not yet been clearly demonstrated to what extent the mice suffer from tail biopsy (TB) and for how long. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of a single TB on the physiological and behavioural parameters of adult mice and to investigate whether or not anaesthesia can be beneficial. Body weight (BW) curves, daily food/water consumption and telemetric measurements of heart rate, body core temperature, and locomotor activity were recorded for three days following TB, both with and without anaesthesia with methoxyflurane (MOF) or diethylether (ether). Additionally, the impact of anaesthesia alone was characterized. TB without anaesthesia induced an increase in heart rate and locomotor activity for 1 h. Body core temperature was elevated for 2 h. In contrast, heart rate was increased for up to 4 h after anaesthesia. Body core temperature remained altered for up to 20 h after exposure to ether and for 44 h after exposure to MOF. BW was slightly reduced after MOF. Cases of death occurred exclusively under ether at a rate of 7%. Our results indicate a short-lived impact of a TB, whereas anaesthesia with either MOF or ether induced remarkable alterations in the parameters analysed. In conclusion, these types of anaesthesia did not improve mouse wellbeing following tail biopsy.     

Expression of AGR2 in non small cell lung cancer

We aimed to evaluate immunohistochemically the expression of the human Anterior Gradient-2 (AGR2), a gene which has recently been proposed as an oncogene for lung carcinoma development, in non small cell lung cancer and to correlate the findings to clinico-pathological data including patient survival. 95 cases of NSCLC were immunostained using a polyclonal AGR2 antibody and statistical analyses were applied to test for prognostic and diagnostic associations. AGR2 was expressed in 66.3% of cases, preferentially adenocarcinomas. There were no relevant associations with clinico-pathological parameters. A prognostic value of AGR2 could not be demonstrated neither in multivariate nor in univariate analyses. Interestingly, this is the first study to demonstrate AGR2 expression in squamous cell carcinomas. Although a prognostic value of AGR2 seems unlikely further studies are warranted to investigate the biological role of AGR2 in NSCLC and its differential expression according to histology.     

Structure-activity relationships of novel N-acyloxy-1,4-dihydropyridines as P-glycoprotein inhibitors

Series of novel N-acyloxy-1,4-dihydropyridines have been synthesized and evaluated as P-glycoprotein inhibitors in an in vitro assay to estimate their potential to act as multidrug resistance modulators in cancer cells. Structure-activity relationships are discussed and prove a significant and regiospecific influence of certain functional groups.     

Über den Umbau im wachsenden Knochen

Ohne Zusammenfassung Mit 7 Textabbildungen.     

Über die Verbindung von Epithel und Bindegewebe an der Zunge

Ohne Zusammenfassung