Background: In addition to conventional chemotherapeutics, nucleic acid-based therapeutics like antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (AS-ODN) represent a novel approach for the treatment of bladder cancer (BCa). An efcient delivery of AS-ODN to the urothelium and then into cancer cells might be achieved by the local application of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). In the present study, pristine MWCNT and MWCNT functionalized with hydrophilic moieties were synthesized and then investigated regarding their physicochemical characteristics, dispersibility, biocompatibility, cellular uptake and mucoadhesive properties. Finally, their binding capacity for AS-ODN via hybridization to carrier strand oligodeoxynucleotides (CS-ODN), which were either non-covalently adsorbed or covalently bound to the diferent MWCNT types, was evaluated. Results: Pristine MWCNT were successfully functionalized with hydrophilic moieties (MWCNT-OH, -COOH, -NH2, -SH), which led to an improved dispersibility and an enhanced dispersion stability. A viability assay revealed that MWCNTOH, MWCNT-NH2 and MWCNT-SH were most biocompatible. All MWCNT were internalized by BCa cells, whereupon the highest uptake was observed for MWCNT-OH with 40% of the cells showing an engulfment. Furthermore, all types of MWCNT could adhere to the urothelium of explanted mouse bladders, but the amount of the covered urothelial area was with 2–7% rather low. As indicated by fuorescence measurements, it was possible to attach CS-ODN by adsorption and covalent binding to functionalized MWCNT. Adsorption of CS-ODN to pristine MWCNT, MWCNT-COOH and MWCNT-NH2 as well as covalent coupling to MWCNT-NH2 and MWCNT-SH resulted in the best binding capacity and stability. Subsequently, therapeutic AS-ODN could be hybridized to and reversibly released from the CS-ODN coupled via both strategies to the functionalized MWCNT. The release of AS-ODN at experimental conditions (80 °C, bufer) was most efective from CS-ODN adsorbed to MWCNT-OH and MWCNT-NH2 as well as from CS-ODN covalently attached to MWCNT-COOH, MWCNT-NH2 and MWCNT-SH. Furthermore, we could exemplarily demonstrate that AS-ODN could be released following hybridization to CS-ODN adsorbed to MWCNT-OH at physiological settings (37 °C, urine). Conclusions: In conclusion, functionalized MWCNT might be used as nanotransporters in antisense therapy for the local treatment of BCa.

Background: In Parkinson’s disease (PD), alpha-synuclein accumulation in cutaneous autonomic pilomotor and sudomotor nerve fibers has been linked to autonomic nervous system disturbances even in the early stages of the disease. This study aims to assess the association between alpha-synuclein-mediated structural autonomic nerve fiber damage and function in PD, elucidate the role of neuropathy progression during the early disease stages, and test reproducibility and external validity of pilomotor function assessment using quantitative pilomotor axon-reflex test and sudomotor function via quantitative direct and indirect test of sudomotor function. Methods/design: A prospective controlled study will be conducted at four study sites in Europe and the USA. Fifty-two male and female patients with idiopathic PD (Hoehn and Yahr 1–2) and 52 age- and sex-matched healthy controls will be recruited. Axon-reflex-mediated pilomotor erection will be induced by iontophoresis of phenylephrine on the dorsal forearm. Silicone impressions of the response will be obtained, scanned, and quantified for pilomotor muscle impressions by number, impression size, and area of axon-reflex spread. Axon-reflex-mediated sweating following acetylcholine iontophoresis will be quantified for number and size of droplets and axon-reflex spread. Sympathetic skin responses, autonomic and motor symptoms will be evaluated. Tests will be performed at baseline, after 2 weeks, 1, 2, and 3 years. Skin biopsies will be obtained at baseline and after 3 years and will be analyzed for nerve fiber density and alpha-synuclein accumulation. Discussion: We anticipate that progression of autonomic nerve dysfunction assessed via pilomotor and sudomotor axon-reflex tests is related to progression of autonomic symptom severity and alpha-synuclein deposition. Potential applications of the techniques include interventional studies evaluating disease-modifying approaches and clinical assessment of autonomic dysfunction in patients with PD.

Background: Antidepressants are widely used in the treatment of chronic pain. Applied doses are lower than those needed to unfold an antidepressive effect. While efficacy of antidepressants for chronic pain has been reported in large randomized-controlled trials (RCT), there is inconsistent data on adverse effects and tolerability. We aimed at synthesizing data from RCT to explore adverse effect profiles and tolerability of antidepressants for treatment of chronic pain. Methods: Systematic literature research and meta-analyses were performed regarding side effects and safety of different antidepressants in the treatment of chronic pain according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The National Center for Biotechnology Information library and MEDLINE were searched. Randomized placebo-controlled trials were included in quantitative data synthesis. results: Out of 1,975 screened articles, 33 papers published between 1995 and 2015 were included in our review and 23 studies were included in the meta-analyses. A higher risk for adverse effects compared to placebo was observed in all antidepressants included in our analyses, except nortriptyline. The most prevalent adverse effects were dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, headache, and constipation. Amitriptyline, mirtazapine, desipramine, venlafaxine, fluoxetine, and nortriptyline showed the highest placebo effect-adjusted risk of adverse effects. Risk for withdrawal due to adverse effects was highest in desipramine (risk ratio: 4.09, 95%-confidence interval [1.31; 12.82]) followed by milnacipran, venlafaxine, and duloxetine. The most common adverse effects under treatment with antidepressants were dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, headache, and constipation followed by palpitations, sweating, and drowsiness. However, overall tolerability was high. Each antidepressant showed distinct risk profiles of adverse effects. conclusion: Our synthesized data analysis confirmed overall tolerability of low-dose antidepressants for the treatment of chronic pain and revealed drug specific risk profiles. This encompassing characterization of adverse effect profiles might be useful in defining multimodal treatment regimens for chronic pain which also consider patients’ comorbidities and co-medication.

In Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD(H)D), treatments using methylphenidate (MPH) and behavioralinterventions like neurofeedback (NF) reflect major therapeutic options. These treatments also ameliorate ex-ecutive dysfunctions in AD(H)D. However, the mechanisms underlying effects of MPH and NF on executivefunctions in AD(H)D (e.g. the ability to inhibit prepotent responses) are far from understood. It is particularlyunclear whether these interventions affect similar or dissociable neural mechanisms and associated functionalneuroanatomical structures. This, however, is important when aiming to further improve these treatments. Wecompared the neurophysiological mechanisms of MPH and theta/beta NF treatments on inhibitory control on the basis of EEG recordings and source localization analyses. The data show that MPH and theta/beta NF bothincrease the ability to inhibit pre-potent responses to a similar extent. However, the data suggest that MPH andNF target different neurophysiological mechanisms, especially when it comes to functional neuroanatomicalstructures associated with these effects. Both treatments seem to affect neurophysiological correlates of a‘braking function’ in medial frontal areas. However, in case of the NF intervention, inferior parietal areas are alsoinvolved. This likely reflects the updating and stabilisation of efficient internal representations in order to in-itiate appropriate actions. No effects were seen in correlates of perceptual and attentional selection processes.Notably, reliable effects were only obtained after accounting for intra-individual variability in the neurophy-siological data, which may also explain the diversity of findings in studies on treatment effects in AD(H)D,especially concerning neurofeedback.

Die dritte Summer School des Dresden Design Hub widmete sich im Mai gedruckten und gefalteten Objekten und den Phänomenen Fab Lab und Makerspace – treffenderweise im temporären Makerspace der SLUB. Für die Wissenschaft besitzt der Makerspace-Bewegung mindestens zwei überaus aktuelle und relevante Ansatzpunkte.

In der ingenieurwissenschaftlichen Bereichsbibliothek DrePunct der SLUB wurde im Februar 2015 der neue Makerspace offiziell eingeweiht. Im ehemaligen Karten- und Atlantenlesesaal bieten wir nun eine offene Werkstatt für praktisches und experimentelles Arbeiten in der Bibliothek – für Forschung und Entwicklung, Do-ityourself-Projekte, interaktives Lernen und interdisziplinäre Wissensvermittlung. Wir zeigen und erproben dort Wege für vornehmlich nichttextuelle Wissensgenerierung und -vermittlung in der Bibliothek und für die Wissenschaftsregion Dresden.

Sonderausgabe des 'Universitätsjournal - Die Zeitung der Technischen Universität Dresden' von 2000:Prolog S. 5 Inhaltsverzeichnis S. 6 Innovation hat Tradition an der TU Dresden S. 7 MEDIZIN Ästhetisch korrekt und leistungsstark: Das implantierbare Hörgerät S. 8 Voller Klang mit der Gehörknöchelchen-Prothese S. 9 KOMMUNIKATION Voll in Fahrt nach dem „Elchtest” S. 11 Störungsfrei mit dem Handy der Zukunft arbeiten S. 12 Virtuell in 3-D durch die Alpen-Höhle fliegen S. 13 DRESS liest an jedem Ort per Handy E-Mails vor S. 14 BILDUNG UND INFORMATION Multimedia-Unterricht bietet mehr als nur Surfen S. 17 Wer beim Surfen nicht sehen kann, muss hören und fühlen S. 18 NEUE MATERIALIEN Keramik – der Stoff, aus dem Knochen maßgeschneidert werden S. 20 Textilien verstärken leichte Hochleistungsrotoren S. 22 Mit flockig leichten High-Tech-Dämmstoffen isolieren S. 23 UMWELT Folien schützen Hölzer vor Borkenkäfern und Pilzen S. 24 Die Eigengeräusche des Autos „eindellen“ S. 25 Hilfe aus dem Erdboden: Umweltfreundlich Baumwolle bleichen S. 26 Sachsens Wälder für die Zukunft S. 28 VERKEHR Zukunftsfähige Strategien für ein flexibles Verkehrsnetz S. 30 Leiser rollt der Verkehr übers Flüsterpflaster S. 34 Unfälle zeigen, welche Sicherheitstechnik verbessert werden muss S. 35 Kontakte / Impressum / Bildnachweise S. 38

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