Vergleich einer allgemein psychiatrischen Klientel mit psychisch kranken Rechtsbrechern hinsichtlich persönlichkeitsbezogener und neuropsychologischer Aspekte

Ziel dieser klinischen Studie war es, mögliche Unterschiede in Persönlichkeit und Neuropsychologie zwischen forensischen und allgemein psychiatrischen Patienten sowie zwischen den Diagnosegruppen der allgemein psychiatrischen Klientel zu detektieren. Straftätern kann weiterhin kein spezifisches Störungsbild zugeschrieben werden. Ein „Übergang“ vom allgemein psychisch Kranken zum psychisch kranken Rechtsbrecher scheint fließend (Forensifizierung). Frühzeitiges Erkennen der Patienten mit erhöhtem Gewalttätigkeitsrisiko und deren intensive Nachbetreuung ist unbedingt nötig (Kriminalprävention)

No Abuse Potential of Silexan in Healthy Recreational Drug Users: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND Silexan is a lavender essential oil with established anxiolytic and calming efficacy. Here we asked whether there is a potential for abuse in human patients. METHODS We carried out a phase I abuse liability single-center, double-blind, 5-way crossover study in healthy users of recreational central nervous system depressants. They received single oral doses of 80 mg (therapeutic dose) and 640 mg Silexan, 2 mg and 4 mg lorazepam (active control) and placebo in randomized order, with 4- to 14-day washout periods between treatments. Pharmacodynamic measures included validated visual analogue scales assessing positive, negative, and sedative drug effects and balance of effects; a short form of the Addiction Research Center Inventory; and a drug similarity assessment. The primary outcome measure was the individual maximum value on the drug liking visual analogue scale during 24 hours post-dose. RESULTS Forty participants were randomized and 34 were evaluable for pharmacodynamic outcomes. In intraindividual head-to-head comparisons of the drug liking visual analogue scale maximum value, both doses of Silexan were rated similar to placebo whereas differences were observed between Silexan and lorazepam and between placebo and lorazepam (P < .001). These data were supported by all secondary measures of positive drug effects and of balance of effects. Differences between placebo and both doses of Silexan were always negligible in magnitude. Moreover, Silexan showed no sedative effects and was not perceived to be similar to commonly used drugs that participants had used in the past. CONCLUSIONS Silexan did not exhibit any abuse potential in a standard abuse potential detection screen study and is unlikely to be recreationally abused

Influence on metabolic function of the liver and barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract under Tirilazad therapy in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Zusammenfassend kann man folgende Schlüsse aus dieser Studie ziehen: Es konnte keine Änderung des effektiven Leberblutflusses zwischen den Gruppen oder während, bzw. nach Herz-Lungen-Maschine gesehen werden. Während des cardiopulmonalen Bypasses kann ein signi-fikanter Rückgang der ICG- Extraktionsfraktion – möglicher Weise als Ausdruck einer Mikrozirkulationsstörung – beobachtet werden. Eine signifikant bessere sekretorische Leberfunktion kann durch Tirilazad nicht erreicht werden. Die Fähigkeit der Leber, Laktat aus dem Blut zu extrahieren, wurde in dieser Studie weder durch die Herz-Lungen-Maschine, noch durch die Gabe von Tirilazad beeinflusst. Die Fähigkeit der Leber aus Lidocian Monoethylglycinxylidid zu synthetisieren wurde ebenfalls weder durch die Herz-Lungen-Maschine, noch durch die Gabe von Tirilazad beeinflusst. Die Mannitolausscheidung sinkt in der Placebogruppe am postoperativen Tag signifikant ab. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass es im Verlauf möglicherweise zu einer Reduktion der funktionellen Ober-fläche des Dünndarmes gekommen ist. In der Tirilazadgruppe ist kein signifikanter Rückgang der Mannitolausscheidung zu verzeichnen. Da die Werte für den postoperativen Tag in dieser Gruppe jedoch eine große Streuung aufweisen, ist ein protektiver Effekt des Tirilazads für die Integrität der Darmwandbarriere nicht bewiesen. Die Lactuloseausscheidung zeigt sich in der Placebogruppe im zeitlichen Verlauf unverändert. In der Tirilazadgruppe nimmt die Lactuloseausscheidung am postoperativen Tag zu, was auf eine ge-steigerte Permeabilität des Dünndarmes hinweist. Da aber auch in dieser Gruppe die Werte für den postoperativen Tag eine große Streuung aufweisen, handelt es sich hierbei wahrscheinlich um einen statistischen Fehler. Der Permeabilitätsindex weist auf eine Zunahme der Permeabilität am postoperativen Tag in der Placebogruppe hin. In der Tirilazadgruppe konnte keine signifikante Zunahme des Permeabilitäts-indexes verzeichnet werden. Dies kann in der unterschiedlichen Lactuloseausscheidung begründet sein. Die Saccharoseausscheidung (die der Magenpermeabilität entspricht) ändert sich in der Placebo-gruppe nicht. Jedoch sind die Werte für den postoperativen Tag weit gestreut. In der Tirilazad-gruppe kommt es am postoperativen Tag zu einer Zunahme der Magenpermeabilität. Alle diese Ergebnisse zusammenfassend, kann die vorliegende Studie keine Beeinflussung der Funktion der Gastrointestinaltraktes nach cardiopulmonalem Bypass bei Patienten mit Herz- klappenersatz durch die Therapie mit Tirilazad zeigen.This study leads to the following conclusions: a variation of effective hepatic blood flow between the groups during respectively after cardiopulmonary bypass could not be monitored. During cardiopulmonary bypass a significant reduction of the ICG-extraction fraction – possibly as a result of a dysfunction in microcirculation – was observed. A significantly better secretory liver function could not be achieved by Tirilazad treatment. The liver’s ability to extract Lactate from the blood was influenced by neither cardiopulmonary bypass nor Tirilazad treatment. Also its ability to synthesize Monoethylglycinxylidide from Lidocaine was not effectet by cardiopulmonary bypass or Tirilazad. Elimination of Mannitol in the Placebo group decreases sigificantly on the day after surgery which indicates that the funktionelle Oberfläche des Dünndarms was possibly reduced during the process. There ist no significant decline in the elimination of mannitol in the Tirilazad group. As the data of the postoperative day in this group show a wide variance, a protective effect of Tirilazad on the integrity of the intestinal wall is not proven. Time depedent there is no change in the elimination of lactulose in the placebo group. On postoperative day in the Tirilazad group the elimination of lactulose augments, which indicates increased permeability of the small intestine. As also in this group the variance of data is wide on the postoperative day, this is probably random error. The Permeability-Index indicates an increase of permeability in the placebo group on the postoperative day. In the Tirilazad group no significant increase in Permeability-Index can be observed. This can be originated to the differences in elimination of lactulose. Elimination of Sucrose (which equates permeability of the stomach) does not change in the placebo group. However, the data are scattered widely on the postoperative day. In the Tirilazad group an increase in gastric permeability on the postoperative day can be seen. Summing up all these results this study is not able to show any influence on the function of the gastrointestinal tract under Tirilazad therapy after cardiopulmonary bypass in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Effects of Bifidobacterium animalis NCIMB 41199 in dogs with chronic enteropathies

Ziel der Studie war es, anhand klinischer, verdauungsphysiologischer und immunologischer Parameter und anhand des Einflusses der Intervention auf die Mikrobiota des Verdauungstraktes die Effizienz des Probiotikums als (unterstützende) Therapie bei Hunden mit chronischer Enteropathie zu evaluieren. Dazu wurden an drei verschiedenen Einrichtungen über zwei Jahre 32 Hunde rekrutiert, die eine chronische oder chronisch intermittierende Diarrhoe aufgrund einer chronisch entzündlichen Erkrankung des Dünn- und/ oder Dickdarmes aufwiesen. Es handelte sich um eine doppelblinde, plazebokontrollierte und randomisierte Interventionsstudie, in der die Tiere über einen Zeitraum von 90 Tagen beobachtet wurden. Die Tiere erhielten entweder ein Plazebo oder das aus dem kaninen Gastrointestinaltrakt isolierte Bifidobacterium animalis NCIMB 41199 in einer Dosierung von 1,85-3,20 x 10(hoch9) KbE einmal täglich per os. Klinische und verdauungsphysiologische Parameter wurden entweder täglich mithilfe von Tagebüchern erhoben (Aktivität, Appetit, Erbrechen, Kotkonsistenz, Kotabsatzfrequenz, Hämatochezie, Auftreten mukoider Fäzes) oder mithilfe einer klinischen Untersuchung und durch Fragebogen (Körpermasse, Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index (CIBDAI), Futterakzeptanz, Entwicklung der Erkrankung im Laufe der Studie, Body Condition Score (BCS), Flatulenzen, Borborygmen, Bauchschmerzen, Unbehagen) im Studienzeitraum erfasst (Tage 0, 14, 30, 60, und 90). Die Blutuntersuchungen zu Beginn und Abschluss der Studie umfassten hämatologische und klinisch-chemische Parameter sowie die Bestimmung von Trypsin-like Immunoreactivity (TLI), Cobalamin, Folsäure und C-reaktivem Protein. Im Blut wurden die Anteile verschiedener Lymphozytenoberflächenmarker (CD21, CD5, CD4 und CD8) erfasst. Die Mikrobiota der Fäzes wurde zu Beginn, in der Mitte der Studie und zum Abschluss mithilfe molekularbiologischer Verfahren selektiv charakterisiert. Der Untersuchungszeitraum wurde in Perioden unterteilt und diese im Gruppenvergleich ausgewertet. Zusätzlich wurden innerhalb der Gruppen Änderungen der verschiedenen Parameter zwischen Beginn und Abschluss verglichen. Unterschiede mit einer Irrtumswahrscheinlichkeit von p<0,05 wurden als signifikant angesehen. Nicht normalverteilte Daten wurden mithilfe des Mann-Whitney-U-Tests, normalverteilte Daten mithilfe des T-Tests ausgewertet. Es kam in den Gruppen trotz der randomisierten Verteilung der Tiere auf Plazebo- und Probiotikagruppe zu einer unterschiedlichen Gewichtung der Erkrankungsgrade. So wiesen die Hunde der Probiotikagruppe zu Beginn der Studie signifikant höhere CIBDAI-Werte und eine stärkere Veränderung der in den Tagebüchern und Fragebogen dokumentierten Parameter auf als die Hunde der Plazebogruppe. Es kam in beiden Gruppen im Laufe der Studie zu einer klinischen Besserung, doch während die Hunde der Plazebogruppe im ersten Drittel der Studie häufig signifikant bzw. tendenziell bessere Werte aufwiesen als die Hunde der Probiotikagruppe, war es zwischen Tag 31 und 60 umgekehrt. Im letzten Drittel zeigte zwar die Plazebogruppe signifikant geformtere Fäzes, die übrigen Parameter zeigten keinen Gruppenunterschied. Bei der Auswertung der Fragebögen zeigte die Probiotikagruppe zu Studienabschluss eine geringere Kotabsatzfrequenz und einen günstigeren CIBDAI. Während die Hunde der Probiotikagruppe zu Beginn der Studie numerisch häufiger Kot absetzten als die Hunde der Plazebogruppe, war es in den Perioden 2 und 3 signifikant umgekehrt. Im letzten Studienabschnitt konnte kein Gruppenunterschied mehr festgestellt werden. Eine signifikante Beeinflussung von Blutparametern oder der immunologischen Parameter konnte nicht festgestellt werden. Der Einfluss von Bifidobacterium animalis NCIMB 41199 auf die Zusammensetzung der fäkalen Mikrobiota war gering. Das Probiotikum selbst konnte zu Beginn der Studie bei keinem Tier und in der Mitte und am Abschluss der Studie ausschließlich in der Probiotikagruppe nachgewiesen werden, sodass von einer zuverlässigen Verabreichung durch die Tierhalter auszugehen war. Die vorliegenden Daten sind aufgrund der Heterogenität der Patienten sowie der individuell ausgerichteten Behandlungsverfahren nicht zweifelsfrei interpretierbar. Es ergaben sich Hinweise auf eine günstigere Beeinflussung des Krankheitsverlaufs bei Tieren der Probiotikagruppe im Vergleich zur Plazebogruppe. Für weiterführende Untersuchungen wäre es hilfreich, Patienten mit enger definierter Krankheitssituation auszuwählen.The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the probiotic as a (supportive) therapeutic agent on dogs with chronic enteropathies by examining digestive and immunologic parameters and the evaluation of changes in the microbiota of the digestive tract. For over the course of 2 years, 32 dogs were recruited at 3 different animal hospitals, which were shown to have had persistent or recurrent diarrhoea due to chronic inflammatory disease of the small and/or large intestine. The study was a double-blinded, placebo- controlled and randomized trail. The dogs were observed for over a period of 90 days. The animals received the placebo or the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis NCIMB 41199 at a dosage of 1.85-3.2 x 10(to the power of 9) CFU once a day per os. Clinical parameters and physiological parameters of digestion were surveyed by keeping diaries of the dog´s activities, appetites, and parameters such as vomiting, consistency of faeces, frequency of defecation and occurrence of fresh blood and/or mucus in the faeces. Questionnaires concerning the body weight, Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index (CIBDAI), acceptance of the diet, changes of the symptoms throughout the study, Body Condition Score (BCS), flatulence, borborygmi, abdominal pain and discomfort were conducted five times throughout the study. Blood examinations at the beginning and end of the study consisted of haematology, clinical chemistry, differential blood cell count as well as determination of the serum TLI, cobalamine, folic acid and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. Lymphocyte phenotyping was conducted to determine the populations of CD21, CD5, CD4 and CD8. Microbial analysis of the faeces using real time polymerase chain reaction was conducted at the beginning of the study, when half of the study was completed, and at the end of the study. Before assessing the data, the study period was divided into four periods and those were evaluated for both groups. Additional changes from the beginning to the end point of the study were compared for each group. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Data which were not normally distributed were evaluated by Mann- Whitney-U-Test, and those which were normally distributed by a Student´s t-Test. Despite the randomized distribution of the dogs, the severity of the disease was not equally distributed within the groups. The dogs of the probiotic group showed a significantly higher CIBDAI at the beginning of the study with greater modified parameters recorded in the diaries and questionnaires than the dogs of the placebo group. Throughout the study, both groups showed clinical improvements, but there was a difference: While the dogs of the placebo group showed better results than the dogs of the probiotic group at the beginning of the study, the probiotic group showed better results between days 31 and 60. At the end of the study, the dogs of the placebo group showed improved consistency of faeces, but the rest of the assayed parameters showed no differences. Analysis of the questionnaires for the probiotic group revealed improved results at the end of the study. They were similar in frequency of defecation and the CIBDAI. While the dogs of the probiotic group showed a higher defecation rate than the dogs of the placebo group at the beginning of the study, the placebo group showed a higher defecation rate in periods 2 and 3. There were no differences between the groups at the end of the study. Blood and immunological parameters were not significantly influenced by the probiotic. The influence of Bifidobacterium animalis NCIMB 41199 on the microbiota of the faeces was low. Probiotic DNA was only detected in the faeces of the probiotic group after half of the study was completed and at the end of the study. It was not detected in either group at the beginning, nor in the faeces of the dogs of the placebo group. The achieved data cannot be interpreted without a doubt due to heterogeneity of patients and individually adjusted medication. There is evidence for a positive influence on disease history in the probiotic group compared to the placebo group. For further investigations it would be useful to regard the state of the disease

Data from: Size and accumulation of fuel reserves at stopover predict nocturnal restlessness in a migratory bird

Early arrival at the breeding site positively affects the breeding success of migratory birds. During migration, birds spend most of their time at stopovers. Therefore, determining which factors shape stopover duration is essential to our understanding of avian migration. Because the main purpose of stopover is to accumulate fat as fuel for the next flight bout, fuel reserves at arrival and the accumulation of fuel are both expected to affect stopover departure decisions. Here, we determined whether in northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe), captured and temporarily contained at spring stopover, fuel reserves and fuel accumulation predict a bird’s motivation to depart, quantified by nocturnal migratory restlessness (Zugunruhe). We found that fuel reserves at capture were positively correlated with Zugunruhe, and negatively correlated with fuel accumulation. This indicates that fat birds were motivated to depart, whereas lean birds were set on staying and accumulating fuel. Moreover, the change in fuel reserves was positively correlated with the concurrent change in Zugunruhe, providing the first empirical evidence for a direct link between fuel accumulation and Zugunruhe during stopover. Our study indicates that, together with innate rhythms and weather, the size and accumulation of fuel reserves shape stopover duration, and hence overall migration time

Beneficial effects of Silexan on sleep are mediated by its anxiolytic effect

Disturbed sleep is among the most prevalent hyperarousal symptoms in anxiety disorders. Most drugs recommended for anxiety and insomnia have a sedating effect which is related to their beneficial effect on disturbed sleep. Silexan is a proprietary essential oil from Lavandula angustifolia. This drug has significant anxiolytic and sleep improving properties. Interestingly, these effects are not associated with sedation. Here we asked whether the positive effects on sleep are due to primary pharmacodynamic or secondary, disease related effects. We used the data from a double-blind, randomized study in which 212 patients were analyzed for efficacy after ten weeks' treatment with 80 mg/day Silexan or placebo. Anxiety and disturbed sleep were assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Regression-based mediation analysis was employed to estimate direct treatment effects and indirect effects mediated by anxiety control separately for each study group. Sobel's test was used to investigate the extent to which the mediator (HAMA change) contributes to the total effect of the independent variable (treatment) on the dependent variable (PSQI change). Compared to placebo, Silexan significantly reduced the total scores of the HAMA (p < 0.001) and of the PSQI (p = 0.002) after ten weeks, with clinically meaningful treatment group differences that were observed already after two and six weeks for HAMA and PSQI, respectively. Silexan had a statistically meaningful indirect effect on sleep (mediated by the effect on anxiety; p < 0.001) but no appreciable direct effect (p = 0.958). The ratio between the indirect and the total effect was determined to be 0.984, i. e., 98.4% of the total effect of Silexan on disturbed sleep were explained by the effect of Silexan on the symptoms of anxiety whereas 1.6% were attributable to a direct effect. The results indicate that Silexan exerts a secondary sleep improving effect almost exclusively through its anxiolytic action rather than by sedation. Findings are consistent with the drug's assumed mechanism of action

Modelling regional agricultural land use and climate change adaptation strategies in 4 case study regions Northern Germany

Agricultural land use in Northern Germany is characterized by a gradient of decreasing precipitation from west to east. Climate change is expected to increase temperature and decrease summer precipitation. In the context of a nationally funded project we aim to analyze climate change adaptation strategies for agricultural land use. The research is focused in 4 study regions from Eastern to Western Germany. The presented modelling approach analyses agricultural land use under climate change and for three policy scenarios (business as usual, biodiversity and climate protection). The biodiversity and climate protection scenarios each reserve area for specific scenario objectives: 10% for specific biodiversity measures and 20% for N-fixing legumes in case of the climate protection scenario. All scenarios are executed for three time steps representing year 2010, 2020 and 2030 with a constant yield increase, extrapolated from past observations. Building on IACS data for a farm typology and expert assessments of current and future land use options, we applied a linear programming farm model. Prices are exogenous and derived from CAPRI model runs for 2020 and 2030. First preliminary results show strong impacts of price assumptions and yield assessments. This results in 2020 in lower gross margins for a number of crops and finally to higher set aside areas in eastern Germany. For 2030 input–output price relations are more favourable for farmers and thus lead to lower set aside areas