Thiols Act as Methyl Traps in the Biocatalytic Demethylation of Guaiacol Derivatives.

Demethylating methyl phenyl ethers is challenging, especially when the products are catechol derivatives prone to follow-up reactions. For biocatalytic demethylation, monooxygenases have previously been described requiring molecular oxygen which may cause oxidative side reactions. Here we show that such compounds can be demethylated anaerobically by using cobalamin-dependent methyltransferases exploiting thiols like ethyl 3-mercaptopropionate as a methyl trap. Using just two equivalents of this reagent, a broad spectrum of substituted guaiacol derivatives were demethylated, with conversions mostly above 90 %. This strategy was used to prepare the highly valuable antioxidant hydroxytyrosol on a one-gram scale in 97 % isolated yield.

[Dementia Care Nurse - Feasibility study of outreach assistance for people with dementia and their family carers]. / Dementia Care Nurse.

Dementia Care Nurse - Feasibility study of outreach assistance for people with dementia and their family carers Abstract. Background: Case management for dementia is stipulated in the German national dementia strategy. The effectiveness of case management has been investigated many times, yet the results are heterogeneous. On the contrary, the implementation processes of case management concepts have to date rarely been described or evaluated in detail. Aim: The aim of the project was to analyze the implementation of an outreaching assistance for people with dementia and to explore the changes in care, acceptance, and also facilitators and barriers to the implementation. Methods: Between 08 / 2018 and 07 / 2019, outreaching assistance for people with dementia and their family carers was implemented. Quantitative and qualitative data were prospectively collected using semi-standardised interviews in the context of outreach assistance. Results: A total of 113 people with dementia were included in the study, and for the most part family carers could be involved. On average, eight contacts took place over a period of 74 days. The areas of need and support were diverse. The use of support services increased by 19 % after the end of the intervention. Conclusions: The implementation of continuous and processual support for people with dementia and their carers is possible, whereby the structure and procedure should be transparent. A comprehensive orientation and networking is beneficial. The effectiveness of the intervention remains to be investigated in a controlled study.

[Challenges in dementia care at home - The situation at home of a married couple]. / Herausforderungen bei Demenz in den eigenen vier Wänden.

Challenges in dementia care at home - The situation at home of a married couple Abstract. Background: People with dementia and their relatives are faced with major challenges due to complex dementia symptoms. Families need information and counselling in order to find adequate dementia care services tailored to their needs. AIM: This case report's objective is to exemplify the domestic situation of a married couple who is faced with significant challenges within the family and the care system due to the husband's dementia and Parkinson's disease. METHODS: The Dementia Care Nurse project included case monitoring; by means of different assessments relevant information was recorded and the family's situation described. RESULTS: The family's problems and their need for support were multifaceted and entailed reimbursement of costs, application for care services as well as management of challenging behaviours and reduction of the caregiver's psychosocial burden. CONCLUSIONS: The family, particularly the spouse caregiver, was effectively supported in meeting the challenges of dementia, e. g. by drawing on professional services and sorting out entitlement to benefits. From the perspective of the experience in the project, independent counselling structures such as a case management approach are indispenable in order to stabilise the domestic situation.

Die Lebenssituation von Menschen mit Demenz und pflegenden Angehörigen während der Coronavirus-Pandemie Eine qualitative Studie.

The life situation of people with dementia and family carers during the coronavirus pandemic - A qualitative study Abstract. Background: The measures initiated as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have far-reaching consequences for the everyday life of people with dementia and their family carers. Both are usually among those who are the most vulnerable and thus are subject to rigorous restrictions. Their everyday life is made more difficult because care and respite services are currently suspended. In addition, people with dementia have difficulty understanding and implementing the restrictions and hygiene rules. AIMS: This study aims to describe the current life situation of family carers and people with dementia. METHODS: For this purpose, 21 telephone interviews with both family carers and people with dementia have been conducted twice during the spring of 2020 and were subsequently evaluated by a content analysis. RESULTS: The interviewees experienced the situation differently. Especially the social isolation, the higher amount of care, the uncertainty of the situation and the increase in psychological symptoms are described as being stressful. With regard to coping with the situation, discussions are taking place about the support from the social environment, alternative ways of communication, experiences with comparable crises, the stability of formal care and the handling of information. CONCLUSIONS: Family carers and people with dementia feel stressed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but many of them have coping strategies for this special situation. Informal support is a particularly important support mechanism.

Amphiphilic Graft Copolymers for Time-Delayed Release of Hydrophobic Fragrances.

When a controlled or retarded release of perfumes is required such as in cosmetics or cleaning products, polymers can be applied as encapsulation agents. With regard to such applications, we investigated two amphiphilic graft copolymers featuring a polydehydroalanine (PDha) backbone and different hydrophobic side chains. Hereby, grafting of aliphatic octyl side chains (PDha-g-EOct) enabled the adsorption of the aliphatic fragrance tetrahydrolinalool with moderate loads, whereas benzyl side chains (PDha-g-BGE) allowed taking up aromatic fragrances, for example, amylsalicylate-n with exceptionally high loads of up to 8 g g-1. The side-chain density was studied as well but had no significant influence on the loading. In addition, the characterization and quantification of the load by NMR and thermogravimetric analysis were compared, and it was also possible to load the aromatic model fragrance into the graft copolymer with aliphatic side chains. After 3 months, the load had decreased by 40-50% and, hence, such systems are of interest for a long-term release of perfumes over months. Although this study is a proof-of-concept, we foresee that such polyampholytic graft copolymers can be tailored for the adsorption of a variety of hydrophobic perfumes simply by altering polarity and chemistry of the side chain.

Case management for people with dementia living at home and their informal caregivers: A scoping review.

Case management is a complex intervention aimed at addressing a variety of health needs of people in their social environment. Case management for people with dementia is often poorly defined and insufficiently described. The crucial process steps are often not well understood. We aim to map and compare the key components, processes and contextual factors of case management programmes for dementia and to explore aspects of the interventions' generalisability. Our search covered the databases PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane and GeroLit, as well as policy papers from international organisations. We included qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies in the English or German language that was published between 1999 and 2020. The programmes were analysed according to programme characteristics, case management intervention and the structural and processing conditions. We identified 67 studies dealing with 25 programmes. Approximately half of the programmes were investigated in randomised controlled trials, two programmes used a mixed-methods design and the remaining were the subject of pre-post cohort studies. Participants in the studies were predominantly dyads of people with dementia and their informal caregivers. About half of the programmes reported a theoretical framework. All the programmes were derived from case management approaches or referred to such approaches. Despite huge differences in implementation, all the programmes covered the case management steps. In 14 out of 25 programmes, case management was carried out without additional intervention, the other programmes provided mainly education and training for informal caregivers. Costs of the case management interventions were stated in more than half of the programmes.The effectiveness and generalisability of dementia-specific case management interventions could be enhanced if the framework introduced in the review was used in the future by policy, practice and research.

Thiols Act as Methyl Traps in the Biocatalytic Demethylation of Guaiacol Derivatives.

Demethylating methyl phenyl ethers is challenging, especially when the products are catechol derivatives prone to follow-up reactions. For biocatalytic demethylation, monooxygenases have previously been described requiring molecular oxygen which may cause oxidative side reactions. Here we show that such compounds can be demethylated anaerobically by using cobalamin-dependent methyltransferases exploiting thiols like ethyl 3-mercaptopropionate as a methyl trap. Using just two equivalents of this reagent, a broad spectrum of substituted guaiacol derivatives were demethylated, with conversions mostly above 90 %. This strategy was used to prepare the highly valuable antioxidant hydroxytyrosol on a one-gram scale in 97 % isolated yield.