Biosynthesis of lignans. Part I . Biosynthesis of Arctiin (3) and Phillyrin (5)

Lignans constitute a class of naturally occuring phenolic compounds, widely distributed in higher plants. They are formally composed of two phenylpropanoid units, stercospecifically joined at the /f-carbon atoms of their side chains. Their biosynthesis has as yet not been investigated. To sec, if these plant phenolics originate from simple phenylpropancs, various radioactively labelled, putative precursors were fed to Forsythia shoots. Chemically synthezised arylpropane derivatives, such as Ή/1 'C-glucoferulic acid, -glucoferulic aldehyde, and -coniferin were incorporated into the lignans arctiin (3) and phillyrin (5) while 3H-3,4-dimcthoxycinnamic acid was not incorporated. From these results i t may be concluded that the hydroxylated compounds are direct precursors of these dimeric phenylpropanes and are incorporated through a dimerisation step without degradation of the Q - Q skeleton

Stereospecificity of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase and synthesis of stereospecifically labelled coniferyl alcohol

Using horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase, stereospecifically tritiated (R)- and (S)-(γ-3H)-coniferyl alcohol was synthesized. Using both of these substrates it was demonstrated that cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase from lignifying Forsythia tissue specifically removes the pro-R-hydrogen atom of coniferyl alcohol in the oxidation to the aldehyde. This also means that in the reverse reaction the A-hydrogen of NADPH is transferred to the Re-site of coniferyl aldehyde

Strictosidine, the common precursor for monoterpenoid indole alkaloids with 3 α and 3 β configuration

Recently we reported that strictosidine (l> is the key intermediate in the formation of the three classes (ASDidOf3DeIm5, Iboga, Corynanthe) of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids In Catharanthus roseus and a variety of other plant species in cell culture using in vivo and in vitro techniques"2. These results were independently confirmed In Manchester 394 and subsequently also Scott et a1.5 were able to confirm the precursor role of (1) using Catharanthus material. All these results are in accord with reports on the biosynthesis of an alkaloid of taxonomically distant origin, camptothecln, for which strictosidine la&am6 was previously found to be a precursor, and recently7 also (1). The key intermediate in the biosynthesis of the majority of mono-terpenoid alkaloids is therefore (1) with 3 a (2) configuration, rather than vincoside (2) with 3 13 (lX> configuration as had previously been assumeda. However, a generalization of this precursor function of (1

Descriptive Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Counseling and Coordination Model in Psychosocial Care. Integration of Health Care and Social Rehabilitation

Introduction: A psychosocial outreach clinic was established to offer counseling and coordination of healthcare and complementary services for persons with psychosocial and mental problems. The cost-effectiveness of these services was measured based on a pre-post comparison. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted with clients of the outreach clinic. Data on resource consumption and quality of life were collected at baseline and follow-up after 3, 6, and 12 months using the Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory to assess service utilization, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey to assess quality of life. The objective of the present analysis was to estimate the relation between monetary expenditure and QALYs (quality-adjusted life-years), before and after the outreach clinic was established, descriptively. The analysis was constructed from payer’s perspective and was supplemented by a sensitivity analysis. Results: A total of 85 participants were included. Total annual expenditures before the intervention were 5,832 € per client for all service segments. During the 12-months study duration expenditures decreased to 4,350 € including the costs associated with outreach clinic services. QALYs for the 12-month study period were 0.6618 and increased about 0.0568 compared to the period before. Discussion: Despite methodological limitations due to small sample size, a pre-post comparison and the retrospective cost data collection, this study suggests acceptability of the outreach clinic as cost-effective. Conclusion: The activities of the outreach clinic as an integrated care model seem to be cost-effective regarding the relation between monetary expenditures and clients’ quality of life

Perceived outcomes of spiritual healing: results from a prospective case series

BACKGROUND: The aims of this pilot study were to observe perceived outcomes of spiritual healing in Germany. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective case study, we performed qualitative interviews with clients and healers about perceived outcomes of spiritual healing treatments. A directed qualitative content analysis was used. In addition, we applied questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Sense of Coherence 13, SpREUK-15, intensity of complaints on visual analogue scale) at baseline and after week 1, month 2 and month 6 which were analysed descriptively. RESULTS: Seven healers and 7 clients participated, 42 interviews were analysed. In the interviews, the clients described positive body sensations, greater relaxation and well-being as short-term effects of healing treatments. Perceived longer-term effects were related to making significant life changes, creating new meanings, activating resources and improving social relationships. Patients in pain described a reduction of pain intensity. In the questionnaires, the clients reported improvements in quality of life and self-efficacy, to a smaller extent improvements of intensity of complaints and sense of coherence. CONCLUSION: The results from this pilot study could be useful to choose outcomes of future prospective studies with a larger sample: qualitative assessments combined with global and broad quantitative outcomes such as quality of life, self-efficacy and intensity of complaints could be applied

Vorteile, Probleme und Erfahrungen bei Videokonferenzen über Kontinente hinweg

Verteilte Videokonferenz an 6 Standorten (Berlin, Dresden, Duisburg, Garching, Jena, Würzburg) Videokonferenztechnologien und ihre Anwendungsszenarien "Weit entfernt und doch so nah" Viktas 200

Wahrgenommene Effekte spirituellen Heilens: Ergebnisse einer prospektiven Fallserie

Background: The aims of this pilot study were to observe perceived outcomes of spiritual healing in Germany. Patients and Methods: In this prospective case study, we performed qualitative interviews with clients and healers about perceived outcomes of spiritual healing treatments. A directed qualitative content analysis was used. In addition, we applied questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Sense of Coherence 13, SpREUK-15, intensity of complaints on visual analogue scale) at baseline and after week 1, month 2 and month 6 which were analysed descriptively. Results: Seven healers and 7 clients participated, 42 interviews were analysed. In the interviews, the clients described positive body sensations, greater relaxation and well-being as short-term effects of healing treatments. Perceived longer-term effects were related to making significant life changes, creating new meanings, activating resources and improving social relationships. Patients in pain described a reduction of pain intensity. In the questionnaires, the clients reported improvements in quality of life and self-efficacy, to a smaller extent improvements of intensity of complaints and sense of coherence. Conclusion: The results from this pilot study could be useful to choose outcomes of future prospective studies with a larger sample: qualitative assessments combined with global and broad quantitative outcomes such as quality of life, self-efficacy and intensity of complaints could be applied.Hintergrund: Ziel dieser Pilotstudie war es, subjektiv wahrgenommene Effekte des spirituellen Heilens quali­tativ und quantitativ zu erfassen. Patienten und Metho­den: In dieser prospektiven Pilotstudie wurden über 6 Monate qualitative Interviews mit Klienten und Heilern über wahrgenommene Effekte spiritueller Heilbehandlungen geführt und auf Basis einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet. Ergebnisse wurden zusätzlich mit Fragebögen (WHOQOL-BREF, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Sense of Coherence 13, SpREUK-15, Beschwerdeintensität auf visueller Analogskala) zu Studienbeginn und nach der Woche 1, Monat 2 und Monat 6 erfasst. Ergebnisse: Sieben Heiler und 7 Klienten nahmen an dieser Studie teil, 42 ­Interviews wurden analysiert. Klienten beschrieben als kurzfristige Effekte der Heilbehandlungen positive Körperempfindungen, mehr Entspannung und Wohlbefinden. Die längerfristig wahrgenommenen Effekte standen im Zusammenhang mit signifikanten Veränderungen des Lebens, neuen Deutungen, Ressourcenaktivierung und der Verbesserung sozialer Beziehungen durch die Klien­ten. Klienten mit Schmerzen beschrieben eine Verringe­rung der Schmerzintensität. In den Fragebögen zeigten sich Verbesserungen der Lebensqualität und der Selbstwirksamkeit, zu einem geringeren Ausmaß Verbesserungen der Beschwerdeintensität und des Kohärenzgefühls. Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse dieser Pilotstudie könnten nützlich sein, um Endpunkte für künftige pros­pektive Studien mit einem größeren Stichprobenumfang zu wählen: qualitative Analysen in Kombination mit Fragebögen, die globale und umfassende Aspekte wie Lebensqualität, Selbstwirksamkeit und Intensität der ­Beschwerden erfassen, sind unserer Ansicht nach am besten geeignet