In situ spectroscopy of ligand exchange reactions at the surface of colloidal gold and silver nanoparticles.

Gold and silver nanoparticles with their tunable optical and electronic properties are of great interest for a wide range of applications. Often the ligands at the surface of the nanoparticles have to be exchanged in a second step after particle formation in order to obtain a desired surface functionalization. For many techniques, this process is not accessible in situ.

Delineation of multiple chlorinated ethene sources in an industrialized area--a forensic field study using compound-specific isotope analysis.

Identification of polluters and the allocation of contaminant sources are key tasks when evaluating complex subsurface contamination with multiple and overlapping plumes, as frequently found in industrial areas. Under certain conditions, compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) may provide decisive information in such environmental litigation studies. Here, we present an illustrative case study highlighting the potential and limitations of using delta13C values of halogenated hydrocarbons (tetrachloroethene and its transformation products) as a keytracer for discriminating different contaminant sources, even in the presence of biodegradation and a complex hydrogeology.

In-vivo metabolism of VLDL-apolipoprotein-B, -CIII and -E in normolipidemic subjects.

Background And Aim: ApoE and apoC-III are important components of lipoprotein metabolism. While the function of both apoproteins is relatively well understood, little is known about the in vivo metabolism of these proteins, partly because of the lack of a standardized method to isolate these apoproteins in large sample numbers.

Methods And Results: We developed a new reverse phase HPLC method (acetonitril/phosphate gradient; Aquapore RP-300, 7 microm, 220 x 4.

[The long-run development of mortality in Germany].

The paper deals with the long-run development in mortality at individual ages in Germany by using a relative index of change in probabilities to die. The mortality at early childhood ages diminished to about one percent of what it was in the first German life table of 1871/81. Changes in infant mortality alone were responsible for 25 percent of the total increase in "life expectancy at birth" in the observation period.

Evaluation of the potential clinical and economic effects of bodyweight stabilisation with acarbose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A decision-analytical approach.

Bodyweight is an acknowledged independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). The present model analysis was undertaken to investigate the clinical and economic impact of bodyweight gain in patients with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and its effects on the development of CHD. Based on a retrospective re-evaluation of data from the Diabetes Intervention Study (DIS), patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and stable bodyweight (group A) had a significantly lower rate of combined CHD events (30.

The effects of dementia in German acute care hospitals.

In this study a representative sample of German acute care hospitals is used to describe the effects of dementia within acute care hospitals. Data from hospital patients above age 60 with the diagnosis dementia (ICD 290, 293, 294 and 310), collected over an observation period of 12 years, are compared with nondemented hospital patients at the same ages. The differences in the average length of stay between demented and nondemented patients are only relatively small in German acute care hospitals.

[Regional differences of results of disability assessment for domestic health care needs in 1995 and possible explanations].

In 1995 a statutory nursing care insurance was set up in Germany. The MDK (Medical Service of Health Care Insurance Institutions) has been asked to evaluate the eligibility of the individual patients. Within a few months after this body began its work, strong regional differences in incidence became visible.

[Future population growth in the Augsburg area--model calculations using the DEPOP model].

Regional population forecasts are on average even more uncertain than nationwide projections, due to the greater importance of migration and the unstable smaller absolute numbers. Other than national projections, local or regional calculations do normally have an explicit goal. In this paper, a projection of the population and age structure in the region of Augsburg is used to demonstrate some specific aspects of local population projections used for public health purposes.

[Long-term changes in availability of domestic nursing care based on family structure changes--a model calculation].

A central hypothesis in German family sociology is the observation of a disruption of family structures. If this disintegration prevails up to highest ages it must, among others, lead to an increasing inability to perform nursing care within families. The most important person in case of a need for nursing care is the spouse.

[A new model for economic studies of therapies exemplified by postoperative parenteral nutrition].

In this economic evaluation we compared the costs of a new therapeutic system (two-chamber bag) in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) with the comparative standard therapeutic systems (multiple-bottle system in intensive care patients followed by a combination solution (glass bottles) on the ward). In the model, standard treatment algorithms of a 10-day course TPN for patients after major gastric surgery were specified for both application systems, the two-chamber bag and the comparative system. Based on the standard treatment pattern, the resource utilisation (manpower services, medical needs, material) was assessed.

[Development of dementia to the year 2050. Model calculations for Germany with special reference to future mortality progress].

On the basis of existing age structures of the demented, a demographic-epidemiological model (DEPOP) is used to project the number of demented to the year 2050 in Germany. In particular a future progress in survivorship of the oldest is assumed in the simulation run in continuation of the already visible path of demographic aging. Taking future mortality reductions into calculation the total number of the demented population will increase at least threefold.

Life expectancy in Germany: possible reasons for the increasing gap between East and West Germany.

The current life expectancy of East and West Germans is different. After the late 1980s, life expectancy at birth in both regions, which was comparable in the early 1950s, became almost three years lower in East Germany. Life-table calculations of German birth cohorts since 1900 revealed that a difference between the groups in cardiovascular disease prevalence was associated with the difference in life expectancy.

A survey of nosocomial infections and their influence on hospital mortality rates.

Nosocomial infections play an important role in contributing to hospital mortality. In order to obtain a large sample a survey was conducted between 1978 and 1989 of more than 66,000 patients in German acute care hospitals. The data were used to assess the influence of nosocomial infections on mortality rates.

[Hospital infections and their consequences in patients of advanced age].

On the basis of a representative survey of more than 66,000 patients in German acute hospitals from 1978 to 1989 the incidence and consequences of nosocomial infections on length of hospital stay and mortality for patients above age 60 are discussed. Infection rates are higher for female patients and increase with age for both sexes. Surprisingly the length of stay differences due to nosocomial infections are smaller in absolute and relative terms for older patients.

[Mortality in relation to type of insurance--an empirical study with representative German data 1974 to 1990].

In Germany different forms of insurance funds (private funds, social security for blue collar or for white collar workers, firm-specific funds) secure against sickness risks. Actual governmental policy is to increase the competition between funds by introducing the possibility to switch from one to the other. In order to compensate for the differences in risk of health status between individual members a compensation payment planned according to age and sex of the members.

[The long-term development of labor force potential using alternative assumptions of (net) migration to Germany].

"Using model calculations to the year 2050, this paper shows the decisive role that assumptions on future (net) migration to Germany will play in the long-term development of the labor force potential. The particular focus of this paper is to point out the importance of (net) migration not only in terms of absolute figures, but more importantly in terms of the age and gender structure. The annual net migration of 500,000 or 250,000 persons leads, depending on the assumption of its age structure, to extreme differences in the long-term development of the labor force potential.

[Does obesity increase mortality? An empirical evaluation of German hospital data].

The vast majority of investigations on the relationship between BMI (body mass index) and mortality results in a U-shaped relationship. Using a randomly selected number of more than 32,000 patients of German acute hospitals the U-shaped relationship is confirmed for mortality from cardiovascular diseases. BMI and mortality are not related over wide ranges of BMI for mortality from all causes.

A cost-comparison study: Ulobetasol versus clobetasol in severe localized psoriasis.

A computerized decision-tree model was used in a cost-comparison study of two ultra-high potency topical corticosteroids (ulobetasol and clobetasol) indicated for the initial treatment of acute attacks of severe localized psoriasis. Among the variable factors involved in this study were the different non-responder rates of the two preparations and the frequencies of the alternative treatments used for non-responders (PUVA, SUP, etretinate or dithranol). National standards for therapeutic procedures of the corticosteroid and alternative treatments used were compiled and assessed from an expert survey.