Human Adipose Stem Cells (hASCs) Grown on Biodegradable Microcarriers in Serum- and Xeno-Free Medium Preserve Their Undifferentiated Status.

Human adipose stem cells (hASCs) are promising candidates for cell-based therapies, but they need to be efficiently expanded in vitro as they cannot be harvested in sufficient quantities. Recently, dynamic bioreactor systems operated with microcarriers achieved considerable high cell densities. Thus, they are a viable alternative to static planar cultivation systems to obtain high numbers of clinical-grade hASCs. Nevertheless, the production of considerable biomass in a short time must not be achieved to the detriment of the cells' quality. To facilitate the scalable expansion of hASC, we have developed a new serum- and xeno-free medium (UrSuppe) and a biodegradable microcarrier (BR44). In this study, we investigated whether the culture of hASCs in defined serum-free conditions on microcarriers (3D) or on planar (2D) cell culture vessels may influence the expression of some marker genes linked with the immature degree or the differentiated status of the cells. Furthermore, we investigated whether the biomaterials, which form our biodegradable MCs, may affect cell behavior and differentiation. The results confirmed that the quality and the undifferentiated status of the hASCs are very well preserved when they grow on BR44 MCs in defined serum-free conditions. Indeed, the ASCs showed a gene expression profile more compatible with an undifferentiated status than the same cells grown under standard planar conditions.

Effect of Lactose Pseudopolymorphic Transition on the Aerosolization Performance of Drug/Carrier Mixtures.

Physico-chemical properties of lactose are key factors in adhesive mixtures used as dry powder inhaler (DPI). Despite the abundant literature on this topic, the effect of the polymorphism and pseudo-polymorphism of lactose has been seldom investigated and discussed although often lactose used in DPI is subjected to unit operations, which may alter its solid-state properties. Here, we studied the aerosolization performance of salbutamol sulphate (SS) or budesonide (BUD) formulations by investigating the effect of lactose pseudopolymorphism in ternary (coarse lactose/fine lactose/drug) and binary (coarse lactose/drug) mixtures. An improvement of the aerosolization performance of SS formulations with the increase of the amount of fine micronized lactose up to 30% (fine particle fraction (FPF) = 57%) was observed. Micronized lactose contained hygroscopic anhydrous α-lactose, which converted to α-lactose monohydrate at ambient conditions. This implied that the positive effect of fines on the aerosolization performance decreased and eventually disappeared with the formulation aging. Positive effect on SS deposition was observed also with binary mixtures with anhydrous lactose, whereas the opposite occurred with budesonide-containing formulations. The collected data demonstrated the crucial role of the carrier crystal form on the positive effect of fines on the deposition.

[Outpatient care for mentally traumatized children and adolescents in Germany]. / Ambulante psychotherapeutische Versorgungssituation von traumatisierten Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland.

Outpatient care for mentally traumatized children and adolescents in Germany Abstract. Objective: In Germany, information on outpatient care for mentally traumatized children and adolescents are not available. Therefore, the study tried to investigate outpatient care in this patient-group by licensed medical and psychological psychotherapists. Method: Altogether, 206 outpatient psychotherapists with qualification for trauma therapy and license to treat children and adolescents were asked to participate by completing an anonymous standardized questionnaire. Results: The response rate was 44 %. Only 20 out of 92 participants stated that they gained sufficient knowledge regarding mental trauma treatment during their training. Besides, the study revealed that not all traumatized children and adolescents have prompt access to treatment, due to the lack of therapeutic capacities by the psychotherapists. Conclusion: The results point to the problem of not sufficient education on mental trauma in children and adolescents during the training of psychotherapists. Moreover, an increase of the capacities for treatment became obvious. Psychotherapeutic care of traumatized children and adolescents can be difficult in some regions in Germany. Consequently, training and post-graduate education of psychotherapists as well as the planning of outpatient infrastructure should be changed.

Spermidine-induced improvement of reconsolidation of memory involves calcium-dependent protein kinase in rats.

In this study, we determined whether the calcium-dependent protein kinase (PKC) signaling pathway is involved in the improvement of fear memory reconsolidation induced by the intrahippocampal administration of spermidine in rats. Male Wistar rats were trained in a fear conditioning apparatus using a 0.4-mA footshock as an unconditioned stimulus. Twenty-four hours after training, animals were re-exposed to the apparatus in the absence of shock (reactivation session). Immediately after the reactivation session, spermidine (2-200 pmol/site), the PKC inhibitor 3-[1-(dimethylaminopropyl)indol-3-yl]-4-(indol-3-yl) maleimide hydrochloride (GF 109203X, 0.3-30 pg/site), the antagonist of the polyamine-binding site at the NMDA receptor, arcaine (0.2-200 pmol/site), or the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 0.02-2 nmol/site) was injected. While the post-reactivation administration of spermidine (20 and 200 pmol/site) and PMA (2 nmol/site) improved memory reconsolidation, GF 109203X (1, 10, and 30 pg/site) and arcaine (200 pmol/site) impaired it. GF 109203X (0.3 pg/site) impaired memory reconsolidation in the presence of spermidine (200 pmol/site). PMA (0.2 nmol/site) prevented the arcaine (200 pmol/site)-induced impairment of memory reconsolidation. Anisomycin (2 µg/site) also impaired memory reconsolidation in the presence of spermidine (200 pmol/site). Drugs had no effect when they were administered in the absence of reactivation. These results suggest that the spermidine-induced enhancement of memory reconsolidation involves PKC activation.

Motivação e satisfação dos auxiliares técnicos de higienização hospitalar em um Hospital Público Federal de Porto Alegre

A motivação e a satisfação no trabalho geram grandes preocupações no cenário atual das organizações. Trabalhadores que não se sentem motivados e satisfeitos podem apresentar redução da qualidade de vida, acarretando problemas de saúde físico e mental, fraco desempenho no trabalho, falta de comprometimento com a organização e rotatividade. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo principal analisar as escalas de motivação, satisfação e perfil dos auxiliares técnicos de higienização hospitalar, em um Hospital Público Federal de Porto Alegre, com atendimento 100% Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), que fazem parte do quadro efetivo da organização e que estarão completando um ano como trabalhadores da mesma, por se tratar de uma amostragem intencional. Os resultados obtidos contribuirão para pensar formas de melhorias para aumentar os níveis de satisfação e motivação desses trabalhadores.