Online monitoring of BALB/3T3 metabolism and adhesion with multiparametric chip-based system.

A multiparametric chip-based system was employed to measure cell adhesion, metabolism, and response to metal compounds previously classified as cytotoxic in immortalized mouse fibroblasts (BALB/3T3 cell line). The system measures in parallel, online, and in label-free conditions the extracellular acidification rates (with pH-sensitive field effect transistors [ISFETs]), the cellular oxygen consumption (with amperometric electrode structures [Clark-type sensors]), and cell adhesion (with impedimetric interdigitated electrode structures [IDESs]). The experimental protocol was optimized to monitor metabolism and adhesion of the BALB/3T3 cell line. A total of 70,000 cells and a bicarbonate buffer-free running low-glucose Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) containing 10% fetal clone serum III and 1mM Hepes were selected to maintain cells in good conditions on the chip during the measurements performed under perfusion conditions. Cells were exposed to sodium arsenite, cadmium chloride, and cis-platinum at concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 microM. The kinetics of cell response to these compounds was analyzed and suggests that the Clark-type sensors can be more sensitive than IDESs and ISFETs in detecting the presence of high chemical concentration when short exposure times (i.e., 2h) are considered. The cytotoxicity data obtained from the online measurements of acidification, respiration, and adhesion at 24h compare well, in terms of half-inhibition concentration values (IC(50)), with the ones obtained using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and colony-forming efficiency (CFE) assay. The results show a good sensitivity of the system combined with the advantages of the online and label-free detection methods that allow following cell status before, during, and after the treatment in the same experiment.

Acute Treatment of Facet Syndrome by CT-Guided Injection of Dexamethasone-21-Palmitate Alone and in Combination with Mepivacaine.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of dexamethasone-21-palmitate and mepivacaine alone and in combination in the acute treatment of facet syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 157 patients requiring acute therapy for lumbar facet syndrome were treated with computed tomography (CT)-guided intra-articular infiltration of either an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, a local anaesthetic or a combination of the two. Patients assigned to the first treatment group (n = 60) received the corticosteroid dexamethasone-21-palmitate (Lipotalon((R))); patients in the second group (n = 36) received the local anaesthetic mepivacaine (Meaverin((R))); patients in the third group (n = 61) received a combination of the two drugs. The study duration was from November 2002 until June 2003. RESULTS: In all three groups, values for compression pain, stress pain and rest pain improved significantly from baseline within 1 hour of injection: in the dexamethasone monotherapy group there was a 13% reduction in compression pain, 20% reduction in stress, and 22% reduction in rest pain; in the groups that received mepivacaine only or a combination of the two drugs there was a 63% and 60%, respectively, reduction of compression pain, 81% and 83%, respectively, reduction of stress pain, and 84% and 77%, respectively, reduction of rest pain. After 72 hours, improvements in these variables were significantly greater in patients treated with dexamethasone-21-palmitate (either as monotherapy or in combination therapy) than in patients treated with mepivacaine alone. In both groups treated with dexamethasone palmitate there was a 57% and 64%, respectively, reduction of compression pain, 70% and 66%, respectively, reduction of stress pain, and 75% and 64%, respectively, reduction of rest pain. In the mepivacaine monotherapy group there was a 17% reduction in compression pain, 26% reduction in stress pain and 13% reduction in rest pain. Both physicians and patients also rated the dexamethasone-21-palmitate-containing regimens as more effective than mepivacaine alone at 72 hours. Over the entire observation period, combination therapy was, on average, superior to both monotherapy regimens. The proportion of patients using concomitant NSAID medication after 3 days was reduced by 50% in the mepivacaine group and by 76% and 100%, respectively, in the dexamethasone-21-palmitate and combination therapy groups. CT-guided infiltration treatment was well tolerated and was associated with virtually no side effects in this study. CONCLUSION: CT-guided infiltration of dexamethasone palmitate, particularly in combination with mepivacaine, represents a safe and effective method for the acute therapy of lumbar facet syndrome. The combination is superior to the local anaesthetic alone with regard to pain reduction up to 3 days after injection.

Multiparametric microsensor chips for screening applications.

The identification of drug targets for pharmaceutical screening can be greatly accelerated by gene databases and expression studies. The identification of leading compounds from growing libraries is realized by high throughput screening platforms. Subsequently, for optimization and validation of identified leading compounds studies of their functionality have to be carried out, and just these functionality tests are a limiting factor. A rigorous preselection of identified compounds by in vitro cellular screening is necessary prior to using the drug candidates for the further time consuming and expensive stage, e.g. in animal models. Our efforts are focused to the parallel development, adaptation and integration of different microelectronic sensors into miniaturized biochips for a multiparametric, functional on-line analysis of living cells in physiologically environments. Parallel and on-line acquisition of data related to different cellular targets is required for advanced stages of drug screening and for economizing animal tests.

[Diagnosis of unusual fractures of the wrist bones]. / Diagnostik seltener Frakturen der Handwurzelknochen.

Fractures of the navicular bone are the most frequent fractures in the region of the wrist bone. Injuries of the other carpal bones are often primarily overlooked, since the examiner commands over less routine in diagnosing these rare fractures and the carpal bones are often superimposed over one another. We examined 9.723 x-ray films of the hand performed because of suspected fracture of the os naviculare, in order to find out how often lesions of the carpal bones - with the exception of those of the scaphoid bone - were discovered via the x-ray series of the os naviculare manus. For each individual wrist bone we recorded the incidence of fractures, clinical treatment and diagnoses, including any special x-ray takes that would be necessary for the detection of a particular fracture.

[Fundamental thoughts on special education in Lüdenscheid]. / Grundlegende Gedanken zur Schule für Kranke in Lüdenscheid.

The City of Lüdenscheid's hospital school considers itself a place of learning and education in accordance with article 1 of the School law of the federal state of Northrhine-Westfalia. The students, as far as their psychophysical condition permits, are educated in groups, on the basis of their home school curricula and following individualized educational plans. Inclusion of all school subjects applicable for the various school types serves to prevent deterioration in student achievement, thus acting as an incentive. Specific activities, i.e. sports, work-related studies, music, arts, psychomotor activities, and an activity-focussed programming of school life are designed to make up for understimulation during the hospital stay.

[Radiologic diagnosis of injuries of the wrist]. / Radiologische Diagnostik bei Verletzungen der Handwurzel.

To visualise the rupture of the scaphoid bone it will be sufficient--as has been proven--to perform two additional projections from the navicular series besides the standard x-rays of the wrist joint, namely, with the hand in writing-pen position and in hyperpronation. With this procedure, almost all (99%) of fractures detected during first examination can be diagnosed. To prove the occurrence of fractures of the wrist besides those of the os naviculare, specific x-rays are employed in accordance with the results of an on-target clinical examination. Such x-rays are, in particular: lateral radioulnar x-ray rotated by 10 degrees in volar direction to assess the os triquetrum; lateral radioulnar x-ray in 10-30 degrees supination to visualise the os pisiforme; carpal tunnel x-ray to assess the entire hollow of the hand, in particular the volar parts of os pisiforme, os hamatum (hamulus) and os trapezium. Although such fractures can partly also be diagnosed by means of a navicular series, as already stated, it is not permissible to exclude the presence of a fracture if there are no abnormal findings in the navicular quartet whereas clinical findings are positive.