[Chronic, non-infectious diarrhea: diagnostics and therapy].

Chronic, non-infectious diarrhea can be caused by a variety of gastrointestinal diseases. In anamnesis, it is important to take accompanying warning symptoms and specific triggers into account. The fecal inflammatory marker calprotectin may help differentiating between organic and functional gastrointestinal disorders, but it is not specific.

Virus elimination in activated sludge systems: from batch tests to mathematical modeling.

A virus tool based on Activated Sludge Model No. 3 for modeling virus elimination in activated sludge systems was developed and calibrated with the results from laboratory-scale batch tests and from measurements in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The somatic coliphages were used as an indicator for human pathogenic enteric viruses.

GeSn-on-Si normal incidence photodetectors with bandwidths more than 40 GHz.

GeSn (Sn content up to 4.2%) photodiodes with vertical pin structures were grown on thin Ge virtual substrates on Si by a low temperature (160 °C) molecular beam epitaxy. Vertical detectors were fabricated by a double mesa process with mesa radii between 5 µm and 80 µm.

A mass balance approach to the fate of viruses in a municipal wastewater treatment plant during summer and winter seasons.

In contrast to previous discussion on general virus removal efficiency and identifying surrogates for human pathogenic viruses, this study focuses on virus retention within each step of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Additionally, the influence of weather conditions on virus removal was addressed. To account for the virus retention, this study describes a mass balance of somatic coliphages (bacterial viruses) in a municipal WWTP, performed in the winter and summer seasons of 2011.

A Multicenter, Open Labeled, Randomized, Phase III Study Comparing Lopinavir/Ritonavir Plus Atazanavir to Lopinavir/Ritonavir Plus Zidovudine and Lamivudine in Naive HIV-1-Infected Patients: 48-Week Analysis of the LORAN Trial.

Objective: The primary aim of the study was to compare the metabolic side effects of a nucleoside analogue-containing regimen with a nucleoside analogue-sparing double protease inhibitor regimen. A secondary goal was to test for efficacy of a double-PI regimen.

Design: Multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III clinical trial.

Treatment of sicca symptoms with hydroxychloroquine in patients with Sjogren's syndrome.

Objective: There is no established disease-modifying treatment of xerostomia and xerophthalmia in SS. This retrospective study was performed in order to evaluate the efficacy of HCQ for glandular function, i.e.

Association of common variable immunodeficiency with vitamin B6 deficiency.

Objective: To study the prevalence of vitamin B(6) deficiency in common variable immunodeficiency and the impact of vitamin B(6) supplementation on immune function in the disorder.

Design: Open, non-blinded.

Setting: Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany.

The use of PEG-Hirudin in chronic hemodialysis monitored by the Ecarin Clotting Time: influence on clotting of the extracorporeal system and hemostatic parameters.

Aim: The aim of our study was to investigate the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-Hirudin (PEG-H) as an anticoagulant in hemodialysis including drug monitoring with the Ecarin Clotting Time (ECT) in whole blood and to compare this regimen with standard anticoagulant unfractionated heparin (UFH) for influence on hemostatic parameters and clot frequency of the extracorporeal system.

Patients And Methods: The application of PEG-H as an anticoagulant in patients on chronic HD was studied in 20 patients (12 males, 8 females) from a single center in an exploratory, open-label, controlled, single-blind, dose-finding study. The patients were divided in 2 groups with 10 patients each (Group I and II); both received 3 dialyses with UFH, thereafter Group I received 5 dialyses with PEG-H and Group II 10 dialyses with PEG-H.

Successful treatment of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) in a HIV infected patient with multiple relapsing leishmaniasis from Western Europe.

We present a 42-year-old man who was admitted with worsening of his general condition and facial skin lesions. He had previously been diagnosed with HIV infection and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Diagnostic work-up revealed a new relapse of VL paralleled by the diagnosis of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL).

Association of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors with scleroderma.

Objective: Scleroderma is an autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology. A genetic contribution has been demonstrated, and genes influencing activation of the immune system have been potentially identified as candidate genes in this process. The repertoire of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) that are involved in the activation of T cells and natural killer cells is highly variable.

Anticoagulant efficacy of PEG-Hirudin in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Background: Heparins are currently the anticoagulants of choice in long-term hemodialysis (HD). Because of their shortcomings, including the increasing incidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT II), alternative anticoagulation is necessary. The study objectives were to provide safe and effective HD by investigating an appropriate PEG (polyethylene glycol)-Hirudin dosage regimen in patients on HD, as well as to compare the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of PEG-Hirudin with that of unfractionated heparin (UFH).

Successful tumor necrosis factor alpha blockade treatment in therapy-resistant sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disorder histologically characterized by a noncaseating granulomatous inflammatory process. The etiology remains unclear, but tumor necrosis factor alpha seems to play a crucial role. Herein we describe a patient with severe sarcoidosis involving the lung and liver.

Antibodies against alpha-fodrin in Sjögren's syndrome.

Alpha-fodrin is a part of the membrane skeleton and expressed in the majority of mammalian cells. It is cleaved in apoptosis by caspase 3. One of the cleavage products, a 120-kDa protein, represents a neoantigen.