Introduction: Having in mind the promising results of lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative gamma probe application for the detection of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in malignant melanoma, breast and penis cancer, we tried to identify the SLN in prostate cancer by applying a comparable technique. Materials and Method: 350 patients with prostate cancer were examined after providing informed consent. The day before pelvic lymphadenectomy technetium-99m nanocolloid was transrectally injected into the prostate under ultrasound guidance. A single central application was done per prostate lobe in most cases. Activity attained 90– 400 MBq, and the total injected volume was about 2–3 ml. Hereafter, lymphoscintigraphy was carried out. Those lymph nodes having been identified as SLN by means of gamma probe detection and lymphoscintigraphy were removed intraoperatively. Later, most of the cases had different types of pelvic lymphadenectomy. SLN received serial sections and immunohistochemistry, non-SLN step sections. Results: 335 patients showed at least 1 SLN in lymphoscintigraphy. 24.7% had lymph node metastases. In 2 patients, metastases in non-SLN were found without at least one SLN being affected (false-negative patient). Conclusion: Our experience suggests that the SLN identification is not only feasible in breast cancer and malignant melanoma, but also in prostate cancer with a comparable technique.

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In the light of the proceeding demographic change in Europe, companies have to face the challenge to cope with the changes of the working environment with a continuously aging workforce. Hence, the design of age-based work systems and processes becomes an important factor of German companies. Having this in mind, a task analysis and screening procedure (ATS) was developed to consider age-related changes directly by planning and to avoid an overstraining in older people. With the conception and evaluation of ATS, a first basic approach could be generated to identify age-critical fields of activity in the product development and production process. Due to the comparison of work requirements and age-related abilities, it is possible to illustrate age-related spheres of activity and to infer design recommendations in order to design work systems in a corrective and conceptive way.

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