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Die Wiedererlangung eines intakten weiblichen Körperbildes nach Mastektomie gehört heute zum Gesamtkonzept in der Brustkrebsbehandlung. Eine Kontroverse, welche sich in den letzten Jahren zunehmend herauskristallisiert hat, ist die Festlegung des Zeitpunktes des Verfahrens: Primärrekonstruktion (im selben Eingriff wie Mastektomie) oder Sekundärrekonstruktion. Akzeptierte Indikationen zur Primärrekonstruktion sind DCIS und Frühkarzinome, welche keine adjuvante Therapie benötigen. Es häufen sich die Hinweise, dass die Indikation zur Primärrekonstruktion auch beim fortgeschrittenen Karzinom gestellt werden kann. Dies ist auf verbesserte Operations- und Radiotherapietechniken zurückzuführen. Der Patientenwunsch ist demnach der wichtigste Faktor in der Entscheidungsfindung zur Rekonstruktion und zur Festlegung des Zeitpunktes. Dementsprechend bedarf es spezialisierter Fachpersonen, welche die betroffene Patientin in der Entscheidungshilfe kompetent unterstützt.

In this study, we aimed at validating a rotary cell culture system (RCCS) bioreactor with medium recirculation and external oxygenation, for cartilage tissue engineering. Primary bovine and human culture-expanded chondrocytes were seeded into non-woven meshes of esterified hyaluronan (HYAFF((R))-11), and the resulting constructs were cultured statically or in the RCCS, in the presence of insulin and TGF beta 3, for up to 4 weeks. Culture in the RCCS did not induce significant differences in the contents of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and collagen deposited, but markedly affected their distribution. In contrast to statically grown tissues, engineered cartilage cultured in the RCCS had a bi-zonal structure, consisting of an outgrowing fibrous capsule deficient in GAG and rich in collagen, and an inner region more positively stained for GAG. Structurally, trends were similar using primary bovine or expanded human chondrocytes, although the human cells deposited inferior amounts of matrix. The use of the presented RCCS, in conjunction with the described medium composition, has the potential to generate bi-zonal tissues with features qualitatively resembling the native meniscus.

Conductive polymers such as polypyrrole (Ppy) are potentially useful as an active interface for altering cellular processes and function. Their utilization in medically related applications however have been substantially held back by their non-degradable nature. Herein we report a novel approach to creation of bioerodible polypyrroles via modification of pyrrole beta-carbon with an ionizable moiety. It has been shown that the erosion rate of acid-bearing derivative of polypyrrole increases with pH, which is consistent with the pH dependent ionization of carboxylic acid group. The novel paradigm proposed for the creation of bioerodible polypyrroles allows for simple and efficient control over the erosion rate of the substrate independent of the polymer chain length, via the choice of the terminal ionizable group and its concentration along the polymer backbone.

Between 10% and 15% of the adult population have gallstones and therefore symptomatic cholelithiasis is the second most common indication for surgery in general practice. It's diagnosis depends on the patients history, clinical findings, laboratory tests and ultrasound. In case of symptomatic gallstones surgery offers the only permanent cure and specific complications due to gallstones such as ileus or fistula are becoming rare. With the introduction of minimal invasive surgery at the end of this century laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now considered to be the standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones. This approach can be offered to90% of patients in elective cases and in between 60%-80% of patients having acute cholecystitis with a low morbidity and mortality rate. The main advantages of the laparoscopic approach are the overall increased patients comfort with less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, recovery and off work time. Although the rate of common bile duct injury appears to be increased using this minimal invasive approach, this rate is still sufficiently small to justify the use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic disease. Open cholecystecomy remains the treatment of choice for complicated gallstone disease (i.e. cancer, Mirizzi syndrome, severe inflammation) and high risk patients. In case of acute cholecystitis the laparoscopic treatment with all it's advantages may also be offered to many patients. However, in those cases the conversion rate to the open approach may be markedly increased which has not to be considered as a complication of the laparoscopic approach but as a maximization of safety and effectiveness of the treatment.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency has been conducted with increased risk for tuberculosis (TB). Despite this association, discrepancies exist among different studies in different regions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its predictors in tuberculosis among the Iranian-Azari population. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 participants were enrolled in this study, 30 of which were newly diagnosed TB patients and 30 were healthy volunteers. At least two serum samples were collected, the first sample before the start of anti-TB treatment and the second sample 3 months after the effective treatment. Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25 patients vs. 2 healthy individuals; P