Der Austausch von Carbonylsulfid (COS) zwischen Vegetation und Atmosphäre unter erhöhter CO 2-Umgebungskonzentration

The responses of photosynthetic plant gas exchange, COS uptake and carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity were studied on Quercus ilex (Holm oak), and beech Fagus sylvatica L

Rezente Bodenbewegungspotenziale in Schleswig-Holstein (Deutschland)

Die Entwicklung des Nordwestdeutschen Beckens und seiner rezenten Topographie ist geprägt von einer Vielzahl endogener und exogener Prozesse: Tektonik, Vulkanismus, Diapirismus, Eisvorstöße, elsterzeitlichen Rinnen und die Ablagerung von quartären Sedimenten. Mit Hilfe der Quantifizierung von Bodenbewegungspotenzialen wurde für Schleswig-Holstein der Einfluß von Tiefenstrukturen (insbesondere Salzstrukturen und tektonische Störungen) auf die Entwicklung der rezenten Topographie in Schleswig-Holstein untersucht. Dabei wurden folgende Parameter berücksichtigt: (1) Salzstrukturen; (2) Tektonischen Störungen; (3) Oberflächennahe Störungen, die mit einer hohen Wahrscheinlichkeit an der Erdoberfläche ausstreichen; (4) Elsterzeitliche Rinnen (tiefer 100 m); (5) Historische Erdbeben; (6) In Satellitenbildszenen kartierte Lineamente (7) Korrelationskoeffizienten, die zwischen 7 stratigraphischen Horizonten des „Geotektonischen Atlas von NW-Deutschland“ berechnet wurden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass in Schleswig-Holstein großflächig rezente Bodenbewegungs-potenziale auftreten, die auf tektonische Störungen und Salzstrukturen zurückzuführen sind und sich hauptsächlich auf den Bereich des Glückstadt Grabens beschränken. In den 5 Gebieten Sterup, Tellingstedt Nord, Oldensworth Nord, Schwarzenbek und Plön treten die höchsten Bodenbewegungspotenziale auf. Sie dokumentieren rezente Prozesse in diesen Gebieten. In den Gebieten Sterup, Schwarzenbek und Plön sind aktive, an der Erdoberfläche ausstreichende Störungen lokalisiert, deren Auftreten auch durch kartierte Luft- und Satellitenbildlineare belegt wird. Im Gebiet Plön werden die ermittelten Bodenbewegungspotenziale durch eine, sich rezent vergrößernde Senke bei Kleinneudorf bestätigt. Unterhalb der Senke führen, begünstigt durch tektonische Störungen, Lösungsprozesse in tertiären Sedimenten zu Hohlraumbildungen, die das rezente Absacken der Senke verursachen. Für Bereiche höchsten Bodenbewegungspotenzials kann ein Einfluß von Tiefenstrukturen auf die Entwicklung der rezenten Topographie nachgewiesen werden. So beeinflussen oberflächennahe Störungen in dem Gebiet Plön die Entwicklung des Plöner Sees. Im Gebiet Schwarzenbek verursacht ein N-S orientiertes Störungsband ein Abknicken des Elbverlaufs. Weiterhin kann ein Einfluß der Entwicklung der rezenten Topographie durch eine Interaktion zwischen Eisauflast und Salzmobilität in den Gebieten Sterup und Oldensworth nachgewiesen werden. Demnach ist die Ablagerung quartärer Sedimente und somit der Grenzverlauf der Flußgebietseinheiten Eider und Schlei-Trave zwischen den Salzstrukturen Sterup und Meezen beeinflusst durch eine aktive Reaktion beider Salzstrukturen auf Eisauflast. Im Bereich Oldensworth zeigen geologische Schnitte von der Basis Oberkreide bis zur rezenten Topographie, dass die Salzmauern Oldensworth und Hennstedt die Ablagerung quartärer Sedimente aktiv beeinflussten. Weiterhin orientiert sich der Elbverlauf von Hamburg bis zur Mündung an den Randbereichen von Salzstrukturen, die bis in den oberflächennahen Bereich aufgestiegen sind.

Clinical and antibacterial effect of an anti-inflammatory toothpaste formulation with Scutellaria baicalensis extract on experimental gingivitis

It was the aim of the study to evaluate the clinical and antibacterial effect of a dentifrice containing an anti-inflammatory plant extract (SB) versus a placebo (PLA) using an experimental gingivitis model. Forty subjects (20 per group) discontinued all oral hygiene measures for four teeth for a period of 21 days using a shield (to generate a possible gingivitis) while they could brush the other teeth normally. After brushing, the shield was removed and teeth were treated with the randomly assigned toothpaste slurry for 1 min. Löe and Silness gingival index (GI), Silness and Löe plaque index (PI), and biofilm vitality (VF%) were assessed at days 0, 14, and 21, respectively. Subjects of the PLA group developed a GI of 0.82?±?0.342 (day 14) and 1.585?±?0.218 (day 21), while the data of the SB group were significantly reduced (0.355?±?0.243 and 0.934?±?0.342, p?

Occurrence, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of syphilis in the prospective observational Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Background: Annual syphilis testing was reintroduced in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) in 2004. We prospectively studied occurrence, risk factors, clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches and treatment of syphilis. Methods: Over a period of 33 months, participants with positive test results for Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay were studied using the SHCS database and an additional structured case report form. Results: Of 7244 cohort participants, 909 (12.5%) had positive syphilis serology. Among these, 633 had previously been treated and had no current signs or symptoms of syphilis at time of testing. Of 218 patients with newly detected untreated syphilis, 20% reported genitooral contacts as only risk behavior and 60% were asymptomatic. Newly detected syphilis was more frequent among men who have sex with men (MSM) [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.8, P < 0.001], in persons reporting casual sexual partners (adjusted OR 2.8, P < 0.001) and in MSM of younger age (P = 0.05). Only 35% of recommended cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) examinations were performed. Neurosyphilis was diagnosed in four neurologically asymptomatic patients; all of them had a Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titer of 1:≥32. Ninety-one percent of the patients responded to treatment with at least a four-fold decline in VDRL titer. Conclusion: Syphilis remains an important coinfection in the SHCS justifying reintroduction of routine screening. Genitooral contact is a significant way of transmission and young MSM are at high risk for syphilis. Current guidelines to rule out neurosyphilis by CSF analysis are inconsistently followed in clinical practice. Serologic treatment response is above 90% in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy.

Deregulated expression of Kruppel-like factors in acute myeloid leukemia

The known participation of Kruppel-like transcription factors (KLF) in cellular differentiation prompted us to investigate their expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blast cells that are typically blocked in their differentiation. We determined the expression patterns of KLFs with a putative role in myeloid differentiation in a large cohort of primary AML patient samples, CD34+ progenitor cells and granulocytes from healthy donors. We found that KLF2, KLF3, KLF5 and KLF6 are significantly lower expressed in AML blast and CD34+ progenitor cells as compared to normal granulocytes. Moreover, we found markedly increased KLF levels in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients who received oral ATRA. Accordingly, we observed a strong induction of KLF5/6 upon ATRA-treatment in NB4 and HT93 APL but not in ATRA-resistant NB4-R cells. Lastly, knocking down KLF5 or KLF6 in NB4 cells significantly attenuated neutrophil differentiation. In conclusion, we found a significant repression of KLF transcription factors in primary AML samples as compared to mature neutrophils and further show that KLF5 and KLF6 are functionally involved in neutrophil differentiation of APL cells.

Lead discovery, chemistry optimization, and biological evaluation studies of novel biamide derivatives as CB2 receptor inverse agonists and osteoclast inhibitors

N,N'-((4-(Dimethylamino)phenyl)methylene)bis(2-phenylacetamide) was discovered by using 3D pharmacophore database searches and was biologically confirmed as a new class of CB(2) inverse agonists. Subsequently, 52 derivatives were designed and synthesized through lead chemistry optimization by modifying the rings A-C and the core structure in further SAR studies. Five compounds were developed and also confirmed as CB(2) inverse agonists with the highest CB(2) binding affinity (CB(2)K(i) of 22-85 nM, EC(50) of 4-28 nM) and best selectivity (CB(1)/CB(2) of 235- to 909-fold). Furthermore, osteoclastogenesis bioassay indicated that PAM compounds showed great inhibition of osteoclast formation. Especially, compound 26 showed 72% inhibition activity even at the low concentration of 0.1 μM. The cytotoxicity assay suggested that the inhibition of PAM compounds on osteoclastogenesis did not result from its cytotoxicity. Therefore, these PAM derivatives could be used as potential leads for the development of a new type of antiosteoporosis agent.

Music, perceived arousal, and intensity: psychophysiological reactions to Chopin's "Tristesse"

The present study investigates the relation of perceived arousal (continuous self-rating), autonomic nervous system activity (heart rate, heart rate variability) and musical characteristics (sound intensity, musical rhythm) upon listening to a complex musical piece. Twenty amateur musicians listened to two performances of Chopin's "Tristesse" with different rhythmic shapes. Besides conventional statistical methods for analyzing psychophysiological reactions (heart rate, respiration rate) and musical variables, semblance analysis was used. Perceived arousal correlated strongly with sound intensity; heart rate showed only a partial response to changes in sound intensity. Larger changes in heart rate were caused by the version with more rhythmic tension. The low-/high-frequency ratio of heart rate variability increased-whereas the high frequency component decreased-during music listening. We conclude that autonomic nervous system activity can be modulated not only by sound intensity but also by the interpreter's use of rhythmic tension. Semblance analysis enables us to track the subtle correlations between musical and physiological variables.