Current diagnosis and treatment practice for pulmonary hypertension in bronchopulmonary dysplasia-A survey study in Germany (PUsH BPD).

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the most severe complication in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and associated with significant mortality. Diagnostic and treatment strategies, however, still lack standardization. By the use of a survey study (PH in BPD), we assessed clinical practice (diagnosis, treatment, follow-up) in preterm infants with early postnatal persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) as well as at risk for or with established BPD-associated PH between 06/2018 and 10/2020 in two-thirds of all German perinatal centers with >70 very low birthweight infants/year including their cardiology departments and outpatient units.

Laccase-Catalyzed Derivatization of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics and Glucosamine.

The increasing demand for new and effective antibiotics requires intelligent strategies to obtain a wide range of potential candidates. Laccase-catalyzed reactions have been successfully applied to synthesize new β-lactam antibiotics and other antibiotics. In this work, laccases from three different origins were used to produce new aminoglycoside antibiotics.

Laccase-catalyzed derivatization of 6-aminopenicillanic, 7-aminocephalosporanic and 7-aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic acid.

Trametes spec. laccase (EC 1.10.

Prospective evaluation of hydroxychloroquine in pediatric interstitial lung diseases: Study protocol for an investigator-initiated, randomized controlled, parallel-group clinical trial.

Background: Interstitial lung diseases in children (chILD) are rare and consist of many different entities that affect the parenchyma of the lungs, leading to a chronic lung disease. The natural course of many of these diseases is connected with a high morbidity and significant mortality. Symptomatic treatment consists of oxygen supplementation, adequate nutrition adapted to the high energy demand generated by the disease due to the increased breathing effort required, as well as immunization against respiratory pathogens to prevent exacerbations through respiratory infections.

Hospitalisation patterns of patients with interstitial lung disease in the light of comorbidities and medical treatment - a German claims data analysis.

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a heterogeneous group of mainly chronic lung diseases differing in disease course and prognosis. For most subtypes, evidence on relevance and outcomes of hospitalisations is lacking.

Methods: Using German claims data we investigated number of hospitalisations (zero-inflated-negative-binomial models providing rate ratios (RR)) and time to first hospitalisation (Cox proportional-hazard models providing hazard ratios (RR)) for nine ILD-subtypes.

Psychometric properties and minimal important differences of SF-36 in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare disease with a median survival of 3-5 years after diagnosis with limited treatment options. The aim of this study is to assess the psychometric characteristics of the Short Form 36 Health Status Questionnaire (SF-36) in IPF and to provide disease specific minimally important differences (MID).

Methods: Data source was the European IPF Registry (eurIPFreg).

Associations between comorbidities, their treatment and survival in patients with interstitial lung diseases - a claims data analysis.

Background: Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are associated with a high burden of disease. However, data on the prognostic impact of comorbidities and comorbidity-related pharmaceutical treatments in patients with various ILDs remain sparse.

Methods: Using longitudinal claims data from a German Statutory Health Insurance Fund, we assessed comorbidity in ILD subtypes and associated drug treatments.

Targeted synthesis of novel β-lactam antibiotics by laccase-catalyzed reaction of aromatic substrates selected by pre-testing for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity.

The rapidly increasing problem of antimicrobial-drug resistance requires the development of new antimicrobial agents. The laccase-catalyzed amination of dihydroxy aromatics is a new and promising method to enlarge the range of currently available antibiotics. Thirty-eight potential 1,2- and 1,4-hydroquinoid laccase substrates were screened for their antibacterial and cytotoxic activity to select the best substrates for laccase-catalyzed coupling reaction resulting in potent antibacterial derivatives.

Exploring Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Interstitial Lung Diseases: Rationale, Aims, and Design of a Nationwide Prospective Registry--The EXCITING-ILD Registry.

Despite a number of prospective registries conducted in past years, the current epidemiology of interstitial lung diseases (ILD) is still not well defined, particularly regarding the prevalence and incidence, their management, healthcare utilisation needs, and healthcare-associated costs. To address these issues in Germany, a new prospective ILD registry, "Exploring Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Interstitial Lung Diseases" (EXCITING-ILD), is being conducted by the German Centre for Lung Research in association with ambulatory, inpatient, scientific pulmonology organisations and patient support groups. This multicentre, noninterventional, prospective, and observational ILD registry aims to collect comprehensive and validated data from all healthcare institutions on the incidence, prevalence, characteristics, management, and outcomes regarding all ILD presentations in the real-world setting.

Ganoderma pfeifferi--A European relative of Ganoderma lucidum.

In contrast to well-studied and broadly used Ganoderma species, such as Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma applanatum, knowledge regarding Ganoderma pfeifferi is very limited. Herein is an overview of the phytochemistry, biological activities and possible applications of this mushroom species. In addition to triterpenoids and polysaccharides, G.

The effectiveness of the cardiovascular disease prevention programme 'KardioPro' initiated by a German sickness fund: a time-to-event analysis of routine data.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. To reduce this burden of disease, a German sickness fund ('Siemens-Betriebskrankenkasse', SBK) initiated the prevention programme 'KardioPro' including primary (risk factor reduction) and secondary (screening) prevention and guideline-based treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of 'KardioPro' as it is implemented in the real world.

Should health insurers target prevention of cardiovascular disease? A cost-effectiveness analysis of an individualised programme in Germany based on routine data.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide, making their prevention a major health care challenge. In 2006, a German statutory health insurance company presented a novel individualised prevention programme (KardioPro), which focused on coronary heart disease (CHD) screening, risk factor assessment, early detection and secondary prevention. This study evaluates KardioPro in CHD risk subgroups, and analyses the cost-effectiveness of different individualised prevention strategies.

Comparative analyses of laccase-catalyzed amination reactions for production of novel β-lactam antibiotics.

Seven novel β-lactam antibiotics with activities against Gram-positive bacterial strains, among them methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, were synthesized by amination of 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in usable yields (30-60%). These products protected mice against an infection with S. aureus lethal to the control animals.

Sensitive detection of idiotypic platelet-reactive alloantibodies by an electrical protein chip.

To prevent and treat immune-mediated platelet disorders (e.g. neonatal allo-immune thrombocytopenia and platelet transfusion refractoriness) the causative idiotypic platelet-reactive antibodies have to be detected with high sensitivity and specificity.

Novel beta-lactam antibiotics synthesized by amination of catechols using fungal laccase.

Novel cephalosporins, penicillins, and carbacephems were synthesized by amination of catechols with amino-beta-lactams like cefadroxil, amoxicillin, ampicillin and the structurally related carbacephem loracarbef using laccase from Trametes sp. All isolated monoaminated products inhibited the growth of several Gram positive bacterial strains in the agar diffusion assay, among them methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci. Observed differences in the cytotoxicity and in vivo activity in a "Staphylococcus-infected, immune suppressed mouse" model are discussed.

Novel cephalosporins synthesized by amination of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid derivatives using fungal laccases II.

Sixteen novel cephalosporins were synthesized by amination of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid derivatives with the aminocephalosporins cefadroxil, cefalexin, cefaclor, and the structurally related carbacephem loracarbef using laccases from Trametes sp. or Myceliophthora thermophila. All products inhibited the growth of several Gram positive bacterial strains in the agar diffusion assay, among them methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Novel penicillins synthesized by biotransformation using laccase from Trametes spec.

Eight novel penicillins were synthesized by heteromolecular reaction of ampicillin or amoxicillin with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid derivatives using a laccase from Trametes spec. All products inhibited the growth of several gram positive bacterial strains in the agar diffusion assay, among them methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci. The products protected mice against an infection with Staphylococcus aureus lethal to the untreated animals.

Production of Egg Yolk Antibodies against Human Cell-Associated Antigens.

The aim of this study was the production of specific IgY against cell-associated, highly conserved mammalian proteins. CD 14 is expressed on monocyte surfaces and was identified as endotoxin receptor. P 23 is a cellular protein with unclear biological function.