3beta-substituted tropane-derivatives (author's transl)]

3β-Substituted Tropane-Derivatives An approach to synthesize nortropane-3β-acetic acid ( 1a ) and related compounds is described. The 3α-isomer 2a is readily obtainable. Nortropane-3β-derivatives e.g. 5h are synthesized via N-benzyl-nortropanes. The salt 7 prevents the conversion to tropane-3β-compounds with two carbon atoms in the chain. The configuration of the described tropanes is established by NMR-spectroscopy.     

Beiträge zur Tropanchemie, 2. Mitt.: Nortropan-3β-essigsäure,Tropachinuclidin und Dehydrotropachinuclidin

Nortropane-3β-acetic Acid, Tropaquinuclidine and Dehydrotropaquinuclidine To block intramolecular N-alkylation in synthesis of 3β-substituted tropane derivatives p-toluenesulfonamide as protecting group is used. The synthesis of 3β-tropane acetic acid and related compounds is described. β-Configuration is demonstrated by ring closure to the tricyclic tropaquinuclidine. The properties of dehydrotropaquinuclidine are discussed.     

A fixed-ankle, below-the-knee orthosis for the management of genu recurvation in spastic cerebral palsy.

A fixed-ankle, below-the-knee molded plastic splint designed to maintain the ankle in 5 degrees of dorsiflexion and correct any foot deformity was used on eighteen extremities of twelve children with spastic cerebral palsy and genu recurvatum. After an average follow-up of twenty-six months, the genu recurvatum was well controlled and gait was improved.     

Relationship between tubal function,craniofacial morphology and disorder of deglutition

Summary 26 children without hearing impairment have been examined by otolaryngologists and orthodontists. According to the tubal function test in a pressure chamber they were classified into a group with good and poor tubal function. The E.N.T. examination was unconclusive for a possible relationship between rhinological findings, mode of breathing, sinusitis, size of tonsils, nasal airway resistance and tubal function. Adenoids proved to be a mechanical impairment for active tubal function as stated by many authors.The cephalometric analysis of lateral head films combined with a static and dynamic-functional evaluation of tongue posture revealed significant differences between children with good and poor tubal function.Subjects with a vertical craniofacial growth pattern seem to be predisposed for poor tubal function.Analysing static tongue posture in children with poor tubal function the tongue lies more retracted in a backward position. The back of the tongue is flattened in relation to the palatal arch. In children with good tubal function there is a much closer contact between the back of tongue and the hard palate.Subjects with poor tubal function have an increased incidence of abnormal deglutition combined with tongue-thrust, teeth-apart swallowing, lack of sealing off the anterior oral cavity and contraction of the circumoral musculature. In children with good tubal function one can find the somatic type of swallowing that means no contractions of the circumoral muscles, no tongue-thrust during deglutition but contact of the molars and contraction of the masseter muscle.     

Strength of the relationship between tobacco smoking, nicotine dependence and the severity of alcohol dependence syndrome criteria in a population-based sample

AIMS: Little is known about the relationship between current and past smoking behaviour and the severity of alcohol dependence. The purpose was to explore the strength of this relationship. METHODS: A random population sample of 18 to 64 year-olds from northern Germany was used (n = 4075; participation rate: 70%). It included 761 cigarette smokers fulfilling at least one alcohol-dependence criterion. The severity of alcohol dependence according to the alcohol-dependence syndrome criteria frequency (ASF) was estimated by a standardized questionnaire based on diagnostic instruments of the alcohol dependence syndrome and which included five response categories, from 'never' to 'daily'. Nicotine dependence was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV) with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). As a second measure, the Fagerstr?m Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was used. RESULTS: The number of cigarettes and years of daily smoking, nicotine dependence, and the number of nicotine dependence symptoms each showed a relationship with the ASF. Effect size (w) were 0.17-0.21 for chi-squared (chi(2)) tests. In a general linear regression model with the ASF as the dependent variable (R(2) = 0.17), number of years of daily smoking, age at onset of smoking, number of attempts to reduce or quit, the number of nicotine-dependence symptoms according to DSM-IV and the FTND sum score were retained as independent variables. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term smoking, a large number of nicotine-dependence symptoms according to DSM and a strong urge to smoke according to the FTND are related with a high ASF.     

Immunomapping of EBA sera to multiple epitopes on collagen VII: further evidence that anchoring fibrils originate and terminate in the lamina densa

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is an autoimmune blistering disease with circulating antibodies to type VII collagen, a major component of anchoring fibrils located at the dermal-epidermal junction. The purpose of this study was to further confirm the ultrastructural organisation of anchoring fibrils and to assess the relationship between the clinical phenotype of EBA and target site of their autoantibodies on anchoring fibrils. We studied the ultrastructural binding site of circulating autoantibodies from two patients with atypical clinical features who predominantly presented with oral lesions, and compared this with two patients with clinically typical forms of EBA. Immunoblotting of whole dermal extracts showed labelling of 290-kDa bands consistent with that of type VII collagen as well as the non-collagenous (NC-1) domain fusion protein in three out of four patients' sera. Postembedding immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) using Lowicryl K11M embedded normal human skin and patients' sera demonstrated the majority of labelling within the lamina densa, not below the lamina densa. We conclude that EBA autoantibodies in these patient's sera bind to the NC-1 domain of collagen VII situated in the lamina densa of the epidermal basement membrane, regardless of the EBA clinical phenotype. This confirms the previous notion that anchoring fibrils originate and terminate in the lamina densa.