An AIF orthologue regulates apoptosis in yeast

Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), a key regulator of cell death, is essential for normal mammalian development and participates in pathological apoptosis. The proapoptotic nature of AIF and its mode of action are controversial. Here, we show that the yeast AIF homologue Ynr074cp controls yeast apoptosis. Similar to mammalian AIF, Ynr074cp is located in mitochondria and translocates to the nucleus of yeast cells in response to apoptotic stimuli. Purified Ynr074cp degrades yeast nuclei and plasmid DNA. YNR074C disruption rescues yeast cells from oxygen stress and delays age-induced apoptosis. Conversely, overexpression of Ynr074cp strongly stimulates apoptotic cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide and this effect is attenuated by disruption of cyclophilin A or the yeast caspase YCA1. We conclude that Ynr074cp is a cell death effector in yeast and rename it AIF-1 (Aif1p, gene AIF1)

Identification of a new signallining-pathway in apoptosis in anticancerdrug-resistant cancer cells

Staurosporin ist in der Lage in chemoresistenten Zellen Apoptose auszulösen. Diese Auslösung erfolgt über Caspase-9 ohne Beteiligung des Apoptosoms.Staurosporine is capable to enforce programmed cell death in cancer cells resistant to anti-cancer drugs. Staurosporin acts as inducer of apoptosis via caspase-9 in a apoptosome-independent pathway

Herstellung einer Immediatprothese. Gestaltung und Erprobung eines berufspraktischen Lehr-/ Lernarrangements im Lernfeld 6

In diesem Praxisbericht wird ein berufspraktisches Lehr-/Lernarrangement beschrieben, das an der Alice-Salomon-Schule Hannover erprobt wurde. Solche Lernsituationen dienen den Auszubildenden zum Erwerb beruflicher Handlungskompetenz. Beschrieben werden die Ziele beruflicher Bildung sowie die Methoden, die ihrem Erreichen dienen. Für den Ausbildungsberuf des Zahntechnikers / der Zahntechnikerin wurde eine typische Arbeitsaufgabe gewählt: Die Schülerinnen und Schüler stellten eine Immediatprothese her. Mit diesem Lehr-/Lernarrangement werden ausgewählte Ziele erreicht, die im Lernfeld 6 Immediat- und lnterimsprothesen planen, herstellen und bewerten beschrieben sind. In diesem Beitrag wird das Lehr-/Lernarrangement mit seinen wichtigsten Entscheidungen beschrieben. Um die Wirksamkeit des Lehr-/Lernarrangements im Hinblick auf die angestrebten Ziele festzustellen, wurde ein Erhebungsdesign entwickelt und erprobt. Dieses Design sowie die festgestellten Ergebnisse werden erörtert. (DIPF/Orig.

Adjuvant Therapy with Budesonide Post-Kasai Reduces the Need for Liver Transplantation in Biliary Atresia

Based on the hypothesis that autoimmunological factors coregulate the pathomechanism in biliary atresia (BA), adjuvant therapy with steroids has become routine, although its efficacy has never been proven. In 2010, a study on the advantages of budesonide compared to prednisolone in autoimmune hepatitis gave rise to experimental therapy using budesonide as an adjuvant BA treatment. Ninety-five BA patients prospectively received a budesonide 2 mg/dose rectal foam daily for three months (SG). A case-matched control group (CG: 81) was retrospectively recruited. The outcome measures were survival with native liver (SNL), determined at six months and two years after the Kasai procedure. The follow-up rate was 100%. At six months, SNL was statistically not different but became so after two years (SG: 54%; CG: 32%; p < 0.001). No steroid-related side effects were observed, except for eight patients with finally caught-up growth retardation. This study demonstrates for the first time a significantly longer survival with native liver in patients with BA after adjuvant therapy. However, indication, dosage, and duration of any budesonide application is not given in neonates with BA. Hence, we suggest extending the postoperative use of budesonide in a multicenter observational study with a clearly defined follow-up protocol, particularly in terms of potentially underestimated side effects

Liver transplantation: A new risk factor for intestinal intussusceptions

Background. Intestinal intussusception in adults is associated with chronic inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, abdominal tumors or previous abdominal surgery but most often of unknown origin.Aim. The aim of our study was to evaluate circumstances and identify risk factors for intussusceptions.Methods. All 65,928 abdominal ultrasound examinations performed at our tertiary medical center between January 2001 and June 2008 were analyzed retrospectively for the diagnosis “intussusception”. After identifying individuals with sonographically proven intussusception we analyzed various patients’ characteristics including age, gender and underlying disease as well as sonographic findings such as localization of the intussusception, absence or presence of ascites and lymph nodes.Results. We identified 32 cases of intussusceptions [mean age 45 years (range 18 to 88); 18 patients were male]. Twelve patients (38%) had a history of abdominal surgery including 8 patients who had undergone liver transplantation (2 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, 1 patient with cystic fibrosis, 1 patient with sarcoidosis, 1 patient with hepatocellular carcinoma and HCV infection, 1 patient with autoimmune hepatitis, 1 patient with Crigler-Najar-syndrome and one patient with echinococcus). A hepaticojejunostomy had been performed in 4 of the patients after liver transplantation. Liver transplanted patients were significantly overrepresented in the intussusception group compared with the overall cohort of patients undergoing abdominal ultrasound examination (25% vs. 8%, Chi-Square-test, p = 0.0023).Conclusion. In our retrospective study liver transplantation, in particular with hepaticojejunostomy, was identified as a new major risk factor for intestinal intussusceptions