Gastric and esophagogastric junction cancers are heterogeneous and aggressive tumors with an unpredictable response to cytotoxic treatment. New methods allowing for the analysis of drug resistance are needed. Here, we describe a novel technique by which human tumor specimens can be cultured ex vivo, preserving parts of the natural cancer microenvironment. Using a tissue chopper, fresh surgical tissue samples were cut in 400 μm slices and cultivated in 6‐well plates for up to 6 days. The slices were processed for routine histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Cytokeratin stains (CK8, AE1/3) were applied for determining tumor cellularity, Ki‐67 for proliferation, and cleaved caspase‐3 staining for apoptosis. The slices were analyzed under naive conditions and following 2–4 days in vitro exposure to 5‐FU and cisplatin. The slice culture technology allowed for a good preservation of tissue morphology and tumor cell integrity during the culture period. After chemotherapy exposure, a loss of tumor cellularity and an increase in apoptosis were observed. Drug sensitivity of the tumors could be assessed. Organotypic slice cultures of gastric and esophagogastric junction cancers were successfully established. Cytotoxic drug effects could be monitored. They may be used to examine mechanisms of drug resistance in human tissue and may provide a unique and powerful ex vivo platform for the prediction of treatment response.

Lower-grade glioma (LGG) is a group of tumors arising from the cells of the central nervous system. Although various therapy interventions are used, the prognosis remains different. Novel biomarkers are needed for the prognosis of disease and novel therapeutic strategies in LGG. The procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase (PLOD) family contains three members and is related to multiple cancers, yet it was not investigated in LGG. Data from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohorts were used to analyze the role of PLOD in LGG. As the PLOD family is involved in processes, such as tumor formation and cancer metastasis, we focused on its relationship to the tumor microenvironment (TME) in LGG. A high expression of the PLOD family relates to poor prognosis and high infiltration of immune cells within the TME. The expression level of the PLOD family might become a novel biomarker for prognosis and is a potential target for individual treatment decisions in LGG.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Chirurgische Fachdisziplinen kämpfen mit einem kritischen und sich zuspitzenden Nachwuchsproblem. Potenzielle Berufsanfänger zählen zur Generation Y, die Chefärzte und Personalabteilungen regelmäßig vor große Herausforderungen stellt. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Analyse verschiedener Maßnahmen der Personalakquise unter Berücksichtigung erhobener Motivationsfaktoren junger Medizinstudenten. Material und Methoden Umfrage unter Medizinstudenten des 1. und 9. Fachsemesters (FS) einer medizinischen Fakultät zu individuellen Motivationsfaktoren, der angestrebten Facharztweiterbildung und der gesammelten Berufserfahrung in der Chirurgie. Ergebnisse Ergebnisse von 179 der 269 befragten Medizinstudenten (66,5 %) konnten ausgewertet werden. Das Interesse an einer chirurgischen Facharztweiterbildung ist im 1. FS hoch (21 %) – fällt jedoch bis zum 9. FS deutlich ab (13 %; p = 0,23). Medizinstudenten, die im 9. FS „Aufstieg und Anerkennung“ gegenüber „flexible Arbeitszeiten“ präferieren, zeigen ein signifikant höheres Interesse an einer chirurgischen Weiterbildung (p = 0,022). Erworbene chirurgische Berufserfahrung wird mit einer durchschnittlichen Schulnote von 2+ bewertet. Schlussfolgerung Das hohe Grundinteresse an einer chirurgischen Facharztweiterbildung zu Studienbeginn ist ein Wettbewerbsvorteil der Chirurgie. Die vielfältigen Rekrutierungsanstrengungen setzen jedoch oft erst gegen Ende des Studiums an. Zur langfristigen Nachwuchsbindung haben sich insbesondere frühzeitige Programme mit „Hands-on“-Charakter im chirurgischen Kernarbeitsbereich – dem Operationssaal – als erfolgreich erwiesen.

Obesity is associated with significantly higher mortality rates, and excess adipose tissue is involved in respective pathologies. Here we established a human adipose tissue slice cultures (HATSC) model ex vivo. HATSC match the in vivo cell composition of human adipose tissue with, among others, mature adipocytes, mesenchymal stem cells as well as stroma tissue and immune cells. This is a new method, optimized for live imaging, to study adipose tissue and cell-based mechanisms of obesity in particular. HATSC survival was tested by means of conventional and immunofluorescence histological techniques, functional analyses and live imaging. Surgery-derived tissue was cut with a tissue chopper in 500 μm sections and transferred onto membranes building an air-liquid interface. HATSC were cultured in six-well plates filled with Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM), insulin, transferrin, and selenium, both with and without serum. After 0, 1, 7 and 14 days in vitro, slices were fixated and analyzed by morphology and Perilipin A for tissue viability. Immunofluorescent staining against IBA1, CD68 and Ki67 was performed to determine macrophage survival and proliferation. These experiments showed preservation of adipose tissue as well as survival and proliferation of monocytes and stroma tissue for at least 14 days in vitro even in the absence of serum. The physiological capabilities of adipocytes were functionally tested by insulin stimulation and measurement of Phospho-Akt on day 7 and 14 in vitro. Viability was further confirmed by live imaging using Calcein-AM (viable cells) and propidium iodide (apoptosis/necrosis). In conclusion, HATSC have been successfully established by preserving the monovacuolar form of adipocytes and surrounding macrophages and connective tissue. This model allows further analysis of mature human adipose tissue biology ex vivo.