Polymere imidazolcarbonsäuren, 2. Über das schwermetallionenbindungsvermögen von chelatharzen mit 4,5-sicarboxyimidazolyl-gruppen

The swelling behaviour, the time-dependence of the uptake of Cu²⁺-ions, and the pH-dependence of the uptake of Cu²⁺-, Ni²⁺-, Cd²⁺-, Zn²⁺- and Mg²⁺-ions of crosslinked poly[1-(4,5-dicarboxy-1-imidiazolyl)ethylene] ( 1 ) and poly{1-[p-(4,5-dicarboxy-2-imidazolyl)phenyl]ethylene} ( 2 ) were investigated. Both resins have a high selectivity for heavy metal ions. For resins 1 the uptake of heavy metal ions in the presence of an excess of EDTA was studied. Furthermore the possibility to remove Hg²⁺-ions from aqueous alkalichloride solutions by resin 1 was investigated.     

Über poly[1-N-(4-isothiocyanatophenyl)carbamoyloxy-methyläthylen-co-1-hydroxymethyläthylen]e als träger zur immobilisierung von papain

Poly[1-N-(4-isothiocyanatophenyl)carbamoyloxymethylethylene-co-1-hydroxymethylethylene]s ( 5a – c ) were obtained by reaction of poly(allyl alcohol) ( 2 ) with 4-isothiocyanatophenyl isocyanate ( 3 ). In some cases 1,4-phenylenediisocyanate ( 4 ) was used as crosslinking agent. These reactive carriers were found to be suitable to immobilize enzymes by covalent bonds. The binding abilities of these polymers 5a – e for butylamine, 3,4-dichloroaniline, peptone (from lactalbumin), and papain were investigated. The enzymatic activity, the pH-optimum, the apparent Michaelis-constant K_M(app), and the activity dependance on temperature were determined for the immobilized papain.     

Amphotere ionenaustauscher, 5

Amphoteric ion exchangers with uniform structure were obtained by copolymerization of aziridinyl monomers followed by alkaline saponification of the ester groups of the polymers. The following compounds were copolymerized: Diethyl 2,4-di(1-aziridinyl)glutarate ( 1 ) with either diethyl (1-aziridinyl)succinate ( 4 ), diethyl (1-aziridinyl)fumarate ( 5 ) or dimethyl (1-aziridinylmethyl)succinate ( 6 ); diethyl ester of 3,3′-(1,4-phenylene) and 3,3′-(1,3-phenylene)di[3-(1-aziridinyl)propionic acid] ( 2a ) and ( 2b ), respectively, with either methyl (1-aziridinyl) acetate ( 7 ) or methyl (1-aziridinyl)propionate ( 8 ); dimethyl 3,6-di(1-aziridinyl)cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate ( 3 ) with dimethyl 6-(1-aziridinyl)cyclo-2-hexene-1,2-dicarboxylate ( 9 ). Further the dioctylester of 3,3′-(1,4-phenylene)di[3-(1-aziridinyl)propionic acid] ( 10 ) was homopolymerized. The properties of the amphoteric resins were investigated. In particular the binding ability for Cu^2⊕, Ni^2⊕, Zn^2⊕, and Mg^2⊕ ions and the swelling ability were studied as function of the pH of the solution. The uptake of CU²⁺ ions was determined as a function of time. An average capacity for Cu²⁺ ions of 2,5 to 3,75 mmol/g of dry resin was found at pH 5,5–6.     

Polymyxin B,a selective inhibitor of protein kinase C,diminishes the release of noradrenaline and the enhancement of release caused by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate

Summary Slices of the rabbit hippocampus were labelled with ³H-noradrenaline, superfused continuously with a modified Krebs-Henseleit medium containing the uptake inhibitor cocaine and stimulated electrically (2 ms, 3 Hz, 24 mA, 5 V/cm). Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB), a potent activator of protein kinase C (PKC), strongly enhanced the electrically-evoked overflow of tritium. In contrast, polymyxin B, a relatively selective inhibitor of PKC, diminished the evoked tritium overflow in a time-and concentration-dependent manner. The enhancement of the evoked overflow of tritium caused by PDB was strongly reduced in the presence of polymyxin B (100 mol/l). These results suggest 1. that PKC may be involved in the physiological mechanism of action-potential-induced noradrenaline release from noradrenergic nerve terminals and 2. that the PDB-induced enhancement of noradrenaline release may be due to a direct activation of PKC.Abbreviations PKC protein kinase C - PDB phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate - TPA 12-O-tetradecanoyl 13-acetate     

Traumatic aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta

From July 1979 to December 1985 we observed 51 patients with traumatic lesions of the descending thoracic aorta. Twenty-nine had acute ruptures, mostly accompanied by multiple injuries, and 27 had to be operated upon immediately. Twenty-two patients (19 males, 3 females) had chronic traumatic aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta (more than six weeks after trauma). Mean age at the time of trauma was 24 years. Mean age at time of surgery was 36.5 years. Twelve patients were symptomatic. All were treated surgically. At surgery, complete aortic disruption was found in 15 patients and partial rupture in seven. We did not use aortic shunting of any kind, only aortic cross-clamping. Hypertension was controlled by intravenous drug infusion. The ruptured aortic segment was replaced in all cases by prosthetic Dacron graft. There were no operative deaths. One patient (age 77) died 11 weeks after surgery from multiple organ failure. One case of postoperative paraplegia was observed. This patient recovered almost completely from his neurological deficit.     

High-Protein,Low-Glycaemic Meal Replacement Decreases Fasting Insulin and Inflammation Markers—A 12-Month Subanalysis of the ACOORH Trial

Lifestyle interventions, including meal replacement, are effective in the prevention and treatment of type-2-diabetes and obesity. Since insulin is the key weight regulator, we hypothesised that the addition of meal replacement to a lifestyle intervention reduces insulin levels more effectively than lifestyle intervention alone. In the international multicentre randomised controlled ACOORH (Almased Concept against Overweight and Obesity and Related Health Risk) trial, overweight or obese persons who meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome (n = 463) were randomised into two groups. Both groups received nutritional advice focusing on carbohydrate restriction and the use of telemonitoring devices. The intervention group substituted all three main meals per day in week 1, two meals per day in weeks 2–4, and one meal per day in weeks 5–26 with a protein-rich, low-glycaemic meal replacement. Data were collected at baseline and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. All datasets providing insulin data (n = 446) were included in this predefined subanalysis. Significantly higher reductions in insulin (−3.3 ± 8.7 µU/mL vs. −1.6 ± 9.8 µU/mL), weight (−6.1 ± 5.2 kg vs. −3.2 ± 4.6 kg), and inflammation markers were observed in the intervention group. Insulin reduction correlated with weight reduction and the highest amount of weight loss (−7.6 ± 4.9 kg) was observed in those participants with an insulin decrease > 2 µU/mL. These results underline the potential for meal replacement-based lifestyle interventions in diabetes prevention, and measurement of insulin levels may serve as an indicator for adherence to carbohydrate restriction.     

Inflammation and the Association of Vitamin D and Depressive Symptomatology

Depression and vitamin D deficiency are major public health problems. The existing literature indicates the complex relationship between depression and vitamin D. The purpose of this study was to examine whether this relationship is moderated or mediated by inflammation. A community sample (n = 7162) from the LIFE-Adult-Study was investigated, for whom depressive symptoms were assessed via the German version of CES-D scale and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and inflammatory markers (IL-6 and CRP levels, WBC count) were quantified. Mediation analyses were performed using Hayes’ PROCESS macro and regression analyses were conducted to test moderation effects. There was a significant negative correlation between CES-D and 25(OH)D, and positive associations between inflammatory markers and CES-D scores. Only WBC partially mediated the association between 25(OH)D levels and depressive symptoms both in a simple mediation model (ab: −0.0042) and a model including covariates (ab: −0.0011). None of the inflammatory markers showed a moderation effect on the association between 25(OH)D levels and depressive symptoms. This present work highlighted the complex relationship between vitamin D, depressive symptoms and inflammation. Future studies are needed to examine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on inflammation and depressive symptomatology for causality assessment.     

Management of fibrous histiocytoma of the corneoscleral limbus: Report of a case and review of the literature

Background: Fibrous histiocytomas of the corneoscleral limbus are rare tumors. We present an additional case and review the treatment approaches in the literature. So far, only light and electron microscopic studies have been performed. We used immunohistochemical stains to further characterize the cellular composition. Methods: The excised lesion was routinely fixed and processed for light microscopy and immunohistochemical studies. For comparison, three dermal fibrous histiocytomas were also examined and processed similarly. Results: The corneolimbal tumor was mainly composed of fibroblasts and histiocytes with a large amount of interstitial collagen, arranged in a storiform pattern. Immunohistochemical stains were positive for histiocytes, fibroblasts, and a marker for mesenchymal cells. The staining pattern of the dermal lesions was similar. Conclusion: Fibrous histiocytomas of the corneolimbal region are morphologically benign, slowly growing and infiltrative tumors. Complete resection, especially of the deep margin, is suggested. The immunohistochemical staining pattern is similar to that of dermal fibrous histiocytomas, which behave in a benign manner.     

The inflammatory lesion of T cell line transferred experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis of the Lewis rat: distinct nature of parenchymal and perivascular infiltrates

We have investigated the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire in the inflammatory infiltrates of T line-transferred experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) of the Lewis rats. Using a panel of TCR V-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and immunocytochemistry, we studied the nature of the T cells entering the central nervous system (CNS) after transfer of either myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive, or MBP-reactive but non-encephalitogenic T cell lines. All the MBP-specific T cell lines predominantely used the V8.2 TCR chain. T cell lines specific for the tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), using TCR V genes different from V8.2, served as controls. We first studied the time course of T cells entering the CNS. In all recipient rats, small, but significant numbers of -TCR-expressing infiltrate cells appeared in the CNS within the first 24 h after T cell transfer. In animals injected with either type of MBP-reactive T cells, the early infiltrate cells were preferentially located within the parenchyma of the spinal cord, while in PPD T lineinjected rats, the lymphocytes were mostly found in the meninges. TCR V gene usage was examined on the peak of clinical disease. Six days after T cell transfer, the TCR repertoire used by infiltrating lymphocytes in general seemed to be highly diverse. None of the V isotypes examined (i.e. V8.2, V8.5 or V10) was used by a major population of the -TCR-positive T cells. A more detailed, quantitative analysis of individual infiltrate compartments revealed, however, a preferential accumulation of V8.2-positive T cells within the parenchyma. In contrast, perivascular infiltrating cells used V genes randomly. Our results confirm first that activated T lymphocytes enter the brain rapidly irrespective of their antigen specificity. Second, the data show that most of the perivascular infiltrate T cells in the acute EAE lesion are host-derived, recruited presumably from the recirculating T cell pool, while the encephalitogenic, V8.2-positive T cells preferentially persist within the parenchyma.Abbreviations EAE experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis - MBP myelin basic protein - TCL T cell line Supported by the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq)