Characterization of new oxidation products of 9H-carbazole and structure related compounds by biphenyl-utilizing bacteria.

9H-Carbazole and its derivatives are useful for versatile pharmacological applications. To obtain different derivatives of 9H-carbazole, 24 isolates of biphenyl-utilizing bacteria have been investigated regarding their ability to produce hydroxylated 9H-carbazole metabolites. Our analyses showed that 9H-carbazole was primarily converted into 9H-carbazol-1-ol (15 strains) and 9H-carbazol-3-ol (9 strains), while carbazol-9-ol was formed as a minor product (12 strains).

Immunoadsorption as treatment option in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Abnormalities of the cellular and humoral immune system have been described in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Various circulating cardiac autoantibodies have been detected among DCM patients. Circulating antibodies are extractable by immunoadsorption (IA).

Depletion of thiol-containing proteins in response to quinones in Bacillus subtilis.

Quinones are highly toxic naturally occurring thiol-reactive compounds. We have previously described novel pathways for quinone detoxification in the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. In this study, we have investigated the extent of irreversible and reversible thiol modifications caused in vivo by electrophilic quinones.

Direct measurement of left ventricular outflow tract by transthoracic real-time 3D-echocardiography increases accuracy in assessment of aortic valve stenosis.

Background: Evaluation of aortic valve stenosis is a major clinical application of echocardiography. The widely employed continuity equation requires determination of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) area. We aimed at testing whether direct area measurement in a volume data set is superior to conventional calculation from the LVOT diameter.

How do gynecologists feel about transvaginal NOTES surgery?

Background: Natural-orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is regarded as safer and less invasive than laparoscopic surgery. However, there has been no documentation of the opinions of surgically active, experienced gynecologists about the indications, contraindications, risks, and complications of transvaginal access.

Methods: A two-page questionnaire was distributed to the heads of the gynecological departments at 181 university and major teaching hospitals across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Predicting utilization of formal and informal help among general hospital inpatients with alcohol use disorders.

Aim: The aim of this prospective study was to identify predictors of utilizing formal and informal help among currently non-help-seeking individuals with alcohol use disorders.

Methods: Data was based on 197 general hospital inpatients with alcohol dependence or abuse. Using multivariable logistic regression analyses, intention to utilize formal help was tested in addition to evidence based predictors of utilization of help.

Transient receptor potential cation channels in normal and dystrophic mdx muscle.

To investigate the defective calcium regulation of dystrophin-deficient muscle fibres we studied gene expression and localization of non-voltage gated cation channels in normal and mdx mouse skeletal muscle. We found TRPC3, TRPC6, TRPV4, TRPM4 and TRPM7 to be the most abundant isoforms. Immunofluorescent staining of muscle cross-sections with antibodies against TRP proteins showed sarcolemmal localization of TRPC6 and TRPM7, both, for mdx and control.

Fish oil supplementation in the parenteral nutrition of critically ill medical patients: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To test whether supplementation of parenteral nutrition with fish oil - aimed at increasing the n-3:n-6 ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to 1:2 - affects systemic inflammation and clinical outcome compared to standard parenteral nutrition with an n-3/n-6 ratio of 1:7 in medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Design: Single-centre, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised clinical trial.

Setting: Twelve-bed medical ICU of a university hospital.

Determination of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) in pancreatic islets and its in vitro and in vivo degradation kinetics in serum using a highly sensitive enzyme immunoassay.

Glutamic acid decarboxylase GAD65 autoantibodies (GADA) are an established marker for autoimmune diabetes. Recently, the autoantigen GAD65 itself was proposed as biomarker of beta-cell loss for prediction of autoimmune diabetes and graft rejection after islet transplantation. Therefore, the GAD65 content in pancreatic islets of different species and its serum degradation kinetics were examined in this study using a sensitive immunoassay.

Association between parity and autoimmune thyroiditis in a general female population.

Background: Autoimmune thyroid disease (AIT) is more common in females than in males. Furthermore, it is well documented that the risk of thyroid autoimmunity increases during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. The objective of the present study was to analyse the association between parity and AIT by using ultrasound and serological data.

Alcohol problem drinking among general hospital inpatients in northeastern Germany.

Objective: To estimate proportions of alcohol problem drinking: alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and drinking above recommended levels among general hospital inpatients in northeastern Germany.

Method: The sample includes consecutively admitted inpatients (n=14,332) between 18 and 64 years old. This study adopted a two-stage-sampling approach including screening and ascertainment of diagnosis based on DSM-IV criteria and a quantity-frequency index.

Proteomic signatures uncover thiol-specific electrophile resistance mechanisms in Bacillus subtilis.

Proteomic and transcriptomics signatures are powerful tools for visualizing global changes in gene expression in bacterial cells after exposure to stress, starvation or toxic compounds. Based on the global expression profile and the dissection into specific regulons, this knowledge can be used to predict the mode of action for novel antimicrobial compounds. This review summarizes our recent progress of proteomic signatures in the model bacterium for low-GC Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis in response to the antimicrobial compounds phenol, catechol, salicylic acid, 2-methylhydroquinone (2-MHQ) and 6-brom-2-vinyl-chroman-4-on (chromanon).

Population-based research on occupational and environmental factors for leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the Northern Germany Leukemia and Lymphoma Study (NLL).

Background: The Northern Germany Leukemia and Lymphoma Study (NLL) is a population-based study designed to provide a quantitative basis for investigations into occupational and environmental risk factors for leukemia and lymphoma.

Methods: All incident cases of leukemia and lymphoma diagnosed between 1/1/1986 and 12/31/1998 in six counties in Northern Germany were actively ascertained. Controls were selected from population registries.

The -1082 interleukin-10 polymorphism is associated with acute respiratory failure after major trauma: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Acute respiratory failure is a common, life-threatening complication after severe trauma. Polymorphisms in cytokine genes, linked to cytokine inducibility, may influence the susceptibility to acute respiratory failure and serve as risk predictors.

Methods: This PROSPECTIVE cohort study (n = 100) included Caucasian multiple trauma (Injury Severity Score [ISS] >15) patients at a level 1 trauma center in Berlin, Germany.

The relationship between smokers' motivation to quit and intensity of tobacco control at the population level: a comparison of five European countries.

Background: Smoking prevalence differs significantly across Europe. In addition, there are considerable differences in tobacco control activities across European countries. The relationship between prevalence and policy is under-researched.

Male at-risk drinkers with heavy episodic drinking: a subclinical diagnosis?

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine to what extent general hospital inpatients with risky drinking patterns differ regarding alcohol-associated characteristics. In particular, we tested whether persons with at-risk and heavy episodic drinking (ARHE) differ from those persons with at-risk drinking only (AR) and heavy episodic drinking only (HE).

Method: The participants were recruited using a two-stage sampling process: (1) screening and (2) diagnostic.

Brief alcohol intervention for general hospital inpatients: a randomized controlled trial.

Aim: To test the effectiveness of a brief alcohol intervention among non-dependent general hospital inpatients with alcohol problems, delivered by either a specialized liaison service or hospital physicians.

Method: All inpatients of 29 wards from four general hospitals of one region in Germany were screened for alcohol problems (n=14,332). Of those screening positive, 595 patients were included in a randomized controlled group design using a time-frame.

Millimetre wave therapy for pain relief after total knee arthroplasty: a randomised controlled trial.

Millimetre wave therapy (MWT) is a promising complementary method for pain relief, however rigorous investigations of its effectiveness are needed. The purpose of this study was to examine if MWT can reduce opioid requirement compared to sham procedure applied for relief of acute pain in patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Eighty patients undergoing TKA were randomly assigned to receive MWT or sham procedure.

Dose-response relation between volume of drinking and alcohol-related diseases in male general hospital inpatients.

Aims: Previous studies investigating dose-response relations between volume of drinking and diseases have focused on single diseases only. Until now, the relation between the drinking volume and the risk of having any alcohol-attributable disease is largely unknown. The aim of the present study is to investigate to what extent is the risk of diseases with different alcohol-attributable fractions (AAFs) predicted by daily alcohol consumption (> 120 g, 61-120 g vs 31-60 g).

Women are periodontally healthier than men, but why don't they have more teeth than men?

Objective: Periodontal diseases are more prevalent in men than in women. However, in a population-based epidemiological study, we found that, on average, women have fewer teeth than men. The aim of this study was to test different hypotheses that could explain this obvious paradox.

No influence of atopic diseases on antibody titres following tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis B immunisation among adults.

Several studies have reported associations between reduced humoral immune response to vaccine antigens and diseases with modified reactions of the immune system. We have investigated the influence of atopic diseases on specific IgG levels to tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis B (HB), following immunisation, in a general adult population. From the Study of Health in Pomerania, a total number of 3,920 subjects aged 20 to 79 years were included in the analyses.

Ex vivo gene transfer of viral interleukin-10 to BB rat islets: no protection after transplantation to diabetic BB rats.

Allogeneic and autoimmune islet destruction limits the success of islet transplantation in autoimmune diabetic patients. This study was designed to investigate whether ex vivo gene transfer of viral interleukin-10 (vIL-10) protects BioBreeding (BB) rat islets from autoimmune destruction after transplantation into diabetic BB recipients. Islets were transduced with adenoviral constructs (Ad) expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) or vIL-10.

The MarR-type repressor MhqR (YkvE) regulates multiple dioxygenases/glyoxalases and an azoreductase which confer resistance to 2-methylhydroquinone and catechol in Bacillus subtilis.

Catechol and 2-methylhydroquinone (2-MHQ) cause the induction of the thiol-specific stress response and four dioxygenases/glyoxalases in Bacillus subtilis. Using transcription factor arrays, the MarR-type regulator YkvE was identified as a repressor of the dioxygenase/glyoxalase-encoding mhqE gene. Transcriptional and proteome analyses of the DeltaykvE mutant revealed the upregulation of ykcA (mhqA), ydfNOP (mhqNOP), yodED (mhqED) and yvaB (azoR2) encoding multiple dioxygenases/glyoxalases, oxidoreductases and an azoreductase.

The influence of parental drinking behaviour and antisocial personality disorder on adolescent behavioural problems: results of the Greifswalder Family Study.

Aim: Contradictory results have been produced by previous research on the question to what extent do children of alcoholics (COAs) differ in measures of externalizing symptoms from children of non-alcoholic parents. The goal of this study was to determine whether COAs are characterized by more behavioural problems than non-COAs, and also to determine the influence of a paternal antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in this context.

Methods: In this study, 340 children and adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 years and their parents were included.

Temperament and character in patients with borderline personality disorder taking gender and comorbidity into account.

This study examined correlations of borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms with scales from Cloninger's psychobiological model taking gender and psychiatric comorbidity into consideration. Inpatients with BPD (n = 202) were compared to several control groups including psychiatrically healthy persons (n = 327), subjects with affective disorders (n = 46), alcohol use disorders (n = 47), cluster C personality disorders (n = 23) and antisocial personality disorder (n = 25). The results indicate that only males with BPD presented an 'explosive' temperament suggested by Cloninger, with simultaneously high levels of novelty seeking and harm avoidance.