Biotin supply by large bowel bacteria in minipigs: Evidence from intracaecal avidin

The influence of a change of colonic availability of biotin on biotin status was studied. This was done by inhibition of biotin absorption by intracaecal avidin infusion. Five adult minipigs with a permanent caecal ‘T' cannula were fed on a semi-synthetic, biotin-deficient diet for 4 months. Following an 8-week adaptation period there were nine sequential 1-week infusion periods with or without oral lactulose or antibiotics. Avidin infusion during weeks 2, 5 and 8 amounted to 18 mg/d (13 U/mg). Plasma biotin concentrations were not changed by avidin infusions. There was a significant average 84% rise in faecal biotin excretion during the avidin periods. Urinary biotin output following avidin decreased by 21 %. This is taken as evidence that biotin synthesized by colonic bacteria is available for host metabolism. A rough estimate shows that under basal conditions 1.7-17% of the metabolic allowance may be covered by this metabolic rout

Inefficacy of different strategies to improve guideline awareness – 5-year follow-up of the hypertension evaluation project (HEP)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In spite of numerous guidelines for evidence based diagnostic and therapy adequate knowledge of current recommendations is disappointingly low. In the Hypertension Evaluation Project (HEP I) we showed that awareness of national hypertension guidelines under German practitioners was less than 25% in the year 2000. This indicates the need for efficient strategies to relevantly improve guideline awareness.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To asses different tools for amending guideline knowledge we used three strategies (guideline in print, interactive guideline, expert seminars) to train 8325 randomised physicians, who had participated in the HEP I trial. Guideline knowledge of the trained physicians was again tested with the HEP questionnaire and compared to a control group of HEP I physicians.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The return rate of questionnaires was 57.9% without a significant distinction between the groups. Overall guideline awareness was still low but remarkably improved compared to the results of HEP I (37.1% vs. 23.7%, p < 0.0001). There was no difference between the trained physicians and the control group (35.8% and 35.9% vs. 39.7%, p = n.s.).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We investigated the influence of different strategies to improve guideline awareness among German physicians. None of our interventions (guideline in print, interactive guideline, expert seminars) brought a notable benefit compared to control group. However, overall knowledge of guideline contents increased from 23.7% to 37.1% over five years. Therefore, other probably multimodal interventions are necessary to significantly improve guideline awareness beyond spontaneous advancement.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ISRCTN53383289</p

Compliance of a cobalt chromium coronary stent alloy – the COVIS trial

BACKGROUND: Cobalt chromium coronary stents are increasingly being used in percutaneous coronary interventions. There are, however, no reliable data about the characteristics of unfolding and visibility of this stent alloy in vivo. The aim of this study is to compare cobalt chromium coronary stents with conventional stainless steel stents using intracoronary ultrasound. METHODS: Twenty de novo native coronary stenoses ≤ 20 mm in length (target vessel reference diameter ≥ 2.5 and ≤ 4.0 mm) received under sequential intracoronary ultrasound either a cobalt chromium stent (Multi-Link Vision(®); n = 10) or a stainless steel stent (Multi-Link Zeta(®); n = 10). RESULTS: For optimal unfolding, the cobalt chromium stent requires a higher balloon deployment pressure (13.90 ± 2.03 atm) than the stainless steel stent (11.50 ± 2.12 atm). Furthermore, the achieved target vessel diameter of the cobalt chromium stent (Visibility-Index QCA/IVUS Multi-Link Vision(®)1.13 / Multi-Link Zeta(® )1.04) is more easily overrated by Quantitative Coronary Analysis. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that stent material-specific recommendations for optimal implantation pressure and different stent material with an equal design should both be considered in interpreting QCA-analysis

Allergy and school - what's itching me?

Bornemann R, Hagemeister K, Bresser H-G, Hamelmann E. Allergie und Schule — was juckt mich das? Ein Grundschulprojekt in Bielefeld zur Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsförderung bei allergischen Krankheiten. Allergo Journal. 2016;25(7):15-23

Chiral silicon-bridged 2-(N,N-dialkylamino)ethyl-substituted indenes as potential precursors for ansa-zirconocenes

Hagemeister T, Jutzi P, Stammler A, Stammler H-G. Chiral silicon-bridged 2-(N,N-dialkylamino)ethyl-substituted indenes as potential precursors for ansa-zirconocenes. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY-REVUE CANADIENNE DE CHIMIE. 2003;81(11):1255-1262.Chiral amino-functionalized silicon-bridged indene derivatives 4a-4c were synthesized from 3-(2-(N,N-dialkylamino)ethyl)indenes 2a-2c. The C-Si coupling reactions are regioselective, leading exclusively to the formation of 1,3-disubstituted isomers in a rac/meso ratio of 1:1, as indicated by NMR spectroscopy. The solid-state structure of the dimethylsilyl-bridged bisindene (R,R)-4a is described. The formation of corresponding ansa-zirconocenes via amine elimination chemistry was monitored by H-1 NMR spectroscopy

Synthesis of 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl substituted cyclopentadienes and their zirconocene derivatives: Catalytic applications in the polymerization of ethylene

Steffenji A, Hagemeister T, Braun T, Jutzi P, Neurnann B, Stammler H-G. Synthesis of 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl substituted cyclopentadienes and their zirconocene derivatives: Catalytic applications in the polymerization of ethylene. ORGANOMETALLICS. 2007;26(22):5289-5294.The synthesis and structure of novel 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl substituted cyclopentadienes (2/3) and of their zirconocene dichloride derivatives [Zr(eta(5)-C5H4C2H4CF3)(2)Cl-2] (6) and [Zr{eta(5)-C5H3-1,2-(C2H4CF3)(2)}(2)Cl-2] (7) is reported. These precatalysts have been investigated toward their properties in the methyl-aluminoxane (MAO) assisted polymerization of ethylene. The results can be compared to the polymerization properties of the non-fluorinated analogue [Zr(eta(5)-C5H4C2H4CH3)(2)Cl-2] (11). Complexes 6 and 7 produce high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and are among the most active precatalysts for donor functionalized nonbridged metallocenes. An unprecedented temperature independence of the molar mass distribution is observed for the polymerization with 6