Phenibutan—an Illegal Food Supplement With Psychotropic Effects and Health Risks.

Background: Phenibut (β-phenyl-γ-aminobutyric acid) is an analog of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Like abapentin and pregabalin, it inhibits α2-δ-subunits of voltagedependent presynaptic calcium channels. The potential harm resulting from the use of these gabapentinoids is currently a matter of debate.

[Intoxications in childhood and adolescence].

Poisoning of children requires quick and rational action. It is crucial to recognize a poisoning, to interpret the symptoms correctly, and to assess the severity of the poisoning as precisely as possible. This is the best way to find the optimal therapy for each patient.

[Commercial soda lime ingestion during a dive].

Breathing lime is used in closed circuit and semi-closed circuit rebreathers (CCR/SCR) for technical diving. Similar to the use in anesthesia systems, the lime usually contains hydroxycarbamide, which can react to caustic soda under the influence of water. The ingestion of components of the soda lime can lead to burns of the esophageal mucosa with the formation of colliquation necrosis and the danger of esophageal perforation.

[Inhalation of Flue Gases - Carbon Monoxide Intoxication].

Most intoxications caused by inhalation are due to carbon monoxide (CO). Usually the reasons are fires in buildings from which people cannot escape quickly enough, open fire places or carbon monoxide emissions from combustion plants. In Germany, there are more than 4000 intoxications and over 600 fatalities resulting from CO poisining every year.

[Poisoning by exotic pets].

Exotic poisonous animals such as snakes, marine animals, spiders, and scorpions are a rarity in Central Europe, but are kept as pets by some people. Poisoning caused by these animals is a particular challenge in medical care.Over a period of six years (2001-2006), a total of 202 cases of poisoning with exotic animals were registered and evaluated at four poison information centers in Germany and France.

Intox, detox, antidotes - Evidence based diagnosis and treatment of acute intoxications.

Background And Aim: Aim of this review is to describe the role of clinical toxicology in the context of acute medicine. A special focus is put on antidotes and important aspects of diagnosis and therapy of acute intoxications. The data of the annual report of GIZ-Nord Poisons Centre is analyzed concerning the following aspects: what intoxications are relevant in acute medicine, are there special aspects in therapy, e.

Transformation of Coiled α-Helices into Cross-β-Sheets Superstructure.

The fibrous silk produced by bees, wasps, ants, or hornets is known to form a four-strand α-helical coiled coil superstructure. We have succeeded in showing the formation of this coiled coil structure not only in natural fibers, but also in artificial films made of regenerated silk of the hornet Vespa simillima xanthoptera using wide- and small-angle X-ray scatterings and polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. On the basis of time-resolved simultaneous synchrotron X-ray scattering observations for in situ monitoring of the structural changes in regenerated silk material during tensile deformation, we have shown that the application of tensile force under appropriate conditions induces a transition from the coiled α-helices to a cross-β-sheet superstructure.

Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase is inhibited by ATP only at very high ATP/ADP ratios.

In the past, divergent results have been reported based on different methods and conditions used for enzymatic activity measurements of cytochrome c oxidase (CytOx). Here, we analyze in detail and show comparable and reproducible polarographic activity measurements of ATP-dependent inhibition of CytOx kinetics in intact and non-intact rat heart mitochondria and mitoplasts. We found that this mechanism is always present in isolated rat heart mitochondria and mitoplasts; however, it is measurable only at high ATP/ADP ratios using optimal protein concentrations.

[Accidental ingestion of methadone by children and suggestions for better prevention].

Despite the medial attention attracted by the presented case in January 2012 and the determined measures taken to minimize the risk of accidental poisoning for children in the direct surroundings of substituted persons, we recently faced two more cases of methadone-intoxicated children in Hamburg. We believe that the most important step to increase awareness of the dangerous effects of methadone for children might be the storage of methadone in lockable boxes, which would make it safe from access by children and third parties. Moreover this way of storing reminds the patients of the risks resulting from their medication.

Polymer/Nanoparticle Hybrid Materials of Precise Dimensions by Size-Exclusive Fishing of Metal Nanoparticles.

Polymer cages prepared by etching of gold nanoparticles from polymer templates by the "grafting around" method are designed for selective separation of metal nanoparticles. The separation process is demonstrated as a fast biphasic ligand exchange reaction. The high separation efficiency and size selectivity of the polymer cage is verified by comparison with the linear block copolymer.

Storage stability of optimal liposome-polyethylenimine complexes (lipopolyplexes) for DNA or siRNA delivery.

The delivery of nucleic acids such as DNA or siRNA still represents a major hurdle, especially with regard to possible therapeutic applications in vivo. Much attention has been focused on the development of non-viral gene delivery vectors, including liposomes or cationic polymers. Among them, polyethylenimines (PEIs) have been widely explored for the delivery of nucleic acids and show promising results.

Evidence of α-helical coiled coils and β-sheets in hornet silk.

α-Helical coiled coil and β-sheet complexes are essential structural building elements of silk proteins produced by different species of the Hymenoptera. Beside X-ray scattering at wide and small angles we applied cryo-electron diffraction and microscopy to demonstrate the presence and the details of such structures in silk of the giant hornet Vespa mandarinia japonica. Our studies on the assembly of the fibrous silk proteins and their internal organization in relation to the primary chain structure suggest a 172 Å pitch supercoil consisting of four intertwined alanine-rich α-helical strands.

Ultrasound-mediated synthesis of high-molecular weight polystyrene-grafted silver nanoparticles by facile ligand exchange reactions in suspension.

Ultrasound mediated facile ligand exchange method in suspension for the formation of polystyrene-grafted silver nanoparticles is reported. Amazingly, this method allows even grafting of very high molecular weight polystyrenes (up to 217 200 g mol(-1) ) having a single terminal thiol group at the chain end. Detailed studies are carried out to gain insights in the role of molecular weight of the ligands and the mechanism of the ligand exchange reactions.

Antioxidant treatment and outcome of Cortinarius orellanus poisoning: a case series.

Objectives: To study the frequency, severity, and long-term outcome of renal injury in Cortinarius orellanus poisoning, to evaluate the association between the ingested amount of C. orellanus and outcome, and to evaluate the effect of N-acetylcysteine and corticosteroid treatment on outcome.

Methods: Case series of eight patients.

Of pills, plants, and paraquat: the relevance of poison centers in emergency medicine.

The organization and work of a poisons center are demonstrated on the basis of GIZ-Nord Poisons Center Annual Report for 2011. In a short summary the basic principles of clinical toxicology are elucidated: the indications for gastric lavage and the application of activated charcoal. Moreover the means of enhanced elimination are presented: hemodialysis, hemoperfusion, multi-dose activated charcoal and molecular absorbent recirculating system (MARS).

Targeting the blind spot of polycationic nanocarrier-based siRNA delivery.

Polycationic nanocarriers attract increasing attention to the field of siRNA delivery. We investigated the self-assembly of siRNA vs pDNA with polycations, which are broadly used for nonviral gene and siRNA delivery. Although polyethyleneimine (PEI) was routinely adopted as siRNA carrier based on its efficacy in delivering pDNA, it has not been investigated yet why PEI efficiently delivers pDNA to cells but is controversially discussed in terms of efficacy for siRNA delivery.

Iatrogenic intravenous medication errors reported to the GIZ-Nord Poisons Center Göttingen.

Background: We analyzed the iatrogenic intravenous medication errors (IIME) reported to the GIZ-Nord Poisons Center Göttingen.

Methods: IIME over a ten year period were analyzed retrospectively and categorized into error types, age groups, drugs involved, and severity of IIME at registration and after known outcome.

Results: 265 IIME were registered from 1997 to 2006.

Influence of morphology and drug distribution on the release process of FITC-dextran-loaded microspheres prepared with different types of PLGA.

The aim of the present work was to understand the collaborative roles and the comprehensive effects of polymer nature, morphology, drug distribution and release behaviour for PLGA microspheres prepared by the double emulsion method. The morphology and drug distribution of the FITC-dextran-loaded microspheres were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), respectively. The results show that the morphology and release profiles depend on the polymer nature.

Bites and stings by exotic pets in Europe: an 11 year analysis of 404 cases from Northeastern Germany and Southeastern France.

Introduction: The presence of exotic, and sometimes venomous, pets in European homes is becoming more common. This phenomenon is the basis of a French-German cooperative evaluation of the species causing the injuries and the circumstances, severity, and treatment of the envenomations

Methods: A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional, case series of data from 1996 to 2006. The study sample consists of all cases of bites and stings by exotic pets that were registered at four poisons European poisons centers.

Iatrogenic intravenous medication errors reported to the PIC Erfurt.

Background: We investigated the iatrogenic intravenous medication errors (IIME) reported to the Poisons Information Center (PIC) Erfurt.

Methods: All IIME over a ten year period were analyzed retrospectively and categorized into error types, age groups, drugs involved, and estimated risk of toxicity.

Results: From 1997 to 2006 the PIC Erfurt registered 132 cases of IIME.