Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Identification of lactococci and enterococci by colony hybridization with 23S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes.

Specific sequences of 23S rRNA of Lactococcus lactis, Enterococcus faecalis, Enteroccus faecium, and Enterococcus malodoratus/Enterococcus avium were identified, and complementary oligonucleotide probes were synthesized. The specificity of the probes was evaluated by dot blot and colony hybridizations. The probes can be used for the specific detection and identification of colonies of the corresponding species in mixed cultures

Minderung der Laermemission von motorisierten Zweiraedern Untersuchung hinsichtlich Auswirkung getroffener administrativer Massnahmen sowie Erarbeitung von Vorschlaegen zur weiteren Emissionsminderung

For realizing the investigations 20 motorcycles of different producers were chosen and made available. Noise measurements according to EEC - directive 78/1015/EWG, 87/56/EWG, modifications of the research institution of noise and vibration in Aachen and own proposals have been conducted. The experiences made in practice and the measures taken by us following was found out: especially motorcycles with high power and high performance rating revolution within the measure distance don't accelerate corresponding their real power and therefore reach relatively low noise emission. For finding a better registration of such motorcycles following modification of the directive will be recommended: Motorcycles with a displacement over 175 ccm [and a power of more than 0,2 KW/kg empty weight] should drive into the measure distance in the 2. gear with at least 50% of the highest power engine revolution and higher speed, as this revolution won't be reached by 50 km/h, drive in the 3. gear with a speed of 60 km/h into the measure distanceSIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RN 8908(93-116) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Chancen und Risiken von interaktiven Multimedia Systemen in der betrieblichen Aus- und Weiterbildung

With regard to the far reaching multimedial communication technology in reference to company training and extended education plans, a clear deficit can be seen in the area of concepts and estimates concerning the effects of an intensified use of multimedia systems. In order to erect an understandable and unified technological assessment, an evaluation outline was designed which depicts the essential criteria areas. With the aid of returned questionnaires from various manufacturers, users and critics, an effective and most efficient path for the development of technology will be ascertained. A mixture of various learning methods will be described in order to provide a principle scenario of an educational concept. A case study 'Employment Conditions of Multimedial Information and Schooling Services in the Customer Organization' summarizes the results of the pilot project AKUBIS and sets the results in relation to the above mentioned assessment framework. In the concluding discussion, the employment and use potentials as well as the current knowledge deficit and actual employment inhibitions will be discussed. (orig.)Das breite Vordringen multimedialer Kommunikationstechnik in die Bereiche der betrieblichen Aus- und Weiterbildung laesst ein deutliches Defizit an Konzepten und Abschaetzungen bzgl. der Auswirkungen eines verstaerkten Einsatzes von Multimedia-Systemen erkennen. Fuer die Aufstellung von nachvollziehbaren und ganzheitlichen Folgenabschaetzungen ist deshalb ein Bewertungsrahmen erstellt worden, der wesentliche Kriterienbereiche abbildet. Mittels Befragungen von Herstellern, Anwendern und Kritkern wird versucht, moegliche Entwicklungspfade fuer die Technikentwicklung zu ermitteln. Als prinzipielles Szenario fuer ein moegliches Bildungskonzept wird ein Mix von verschiedenen Lernmedien beschrieben. Eine Fallstudie zu 'Einsatzbedingungen von multimedialen Informations- und Schulungsdiensten in der Kundenorganisation' fasst Ergebnisse des Pilotprojektes AKUBIS zusammen und setzt die Ergebnisse in Beziehung zu dem oben genannten Bewertungsraster. In der abschliessenden Diskussion werden Einsatz- und Nutzenpotentiale sowie noch bestehende Wissensdefizite und Einsatzhemmnisse diskutiert. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F94B0725+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Praktische Erprobung eines mobilen Zweiradpruefstandes im Vergleich mit anderen Kontrollmethoden

TIB: RN 8908 (86-049) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Auswirkungen der Softwaregestaltung Vorstudie zur Technikfolgenabschaetzung

Available from TIB Hannover: F94B530+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

ROBL - a CRG beamline for radiochemistry and materials research at the ESRF

Der Bericht beschreibt die Rossendorfer Beamline (ROBL), die vom Forschungszentrum Rossendorf an der ESRF errichtet wurde. ROBL besteht aus zwei unabhaengigen Messplaetzen: einem kleinen radiochemischen Labor fuer Roentgen-Adsorptionsspektroskopie an offenen radioaktiven Proben und einem Vielzweckmessplatz fuer Materialuntersuchungen insbesondere mit Roentgendiffraktion und Reflektometrie. Der Radiochemie-Messplatz ist eine weltweit unikale Einrichtung an einer modernen Synchrontronstrahlungsquelle. (orig.)The paper describes the Rossendorf Beamline (ROBL) built by the Forschungszentrum Rossendorf at th ESRF. ROBL comprises two different and independently operating experimental stations: a radiochemistry laboratory for X-ray absorption spectroscopy of non-sealed radioactive samples and a general purpose materials research station for X-ray diffraction and reflectometry mainly of thin films and interfaces modified by ion beam techniques. The radiochemistry set-up is worldwide a unique installation at a modern synchrotron radiation source. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RR 1847(256) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Comparison of Different Approaches To Quantify Staphylococcus aureus Cells by Real-Time Quantitative PCR and Application of This Technique for Examination of Cheese

Two different real-time quantitative PCR (RTQ-PCR) approaches were applied for PCR-based quantification of Staphylococcus aureus cells by targeting the thermonuclease (nuc) gene. Purified DNA extracts from pure cultures of S. aureus were quantified in a LightCycler system using SYBR Green I. Quantification proved to be less sensitive (60 nuc gene copies/μl) than using a fluorigenic TaqMan probe (6 nuc gene copies/μl). Comparison of the LightCycler system and the well-established ABI Prism 7700 SDS with TaqMan probes revealed no statistically significant differences with respect to sensitivity and reproducibility. Application of the RTQ-PCR assay to quantify S. aureus cells in artificially contaminated cheeses of different types achieved sensitivities from 1.5 × 10(2) to 6.4 × 10(2) copies of the nuc gene/2 g, depending on the cheese matrix. The coefficients of correlation between log CFU and nuc gene copy numbers ranged from 0.979 to 0.998, thus enabling calculation of the number of CFU of S. aureus in cheese by performing RTQ-PCR