Immunomodulating Effect of the Consumption of Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) on Exercise-Induced Inflammation in Humans.

The vegetable watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br.) is, besides being a generally nutritious food, a rich source of glucosinolates. Gluconasturtiin, the predominant glucosinolate in watercress, has been shown to have several health beneficial properties through its bioactive breakdown product phenethyl isothiocyanate. Little is known about the immunoregulatory effects of watercress. Moreover, anti-inflammatory effects have mostly been shown in in vitro or in animal models. Hence, we conducted a proof-of-concept study to investigate the effects of watercress on the human immune system. In a cross-over intervention study, 19 healthy subjects (26.5 ± 4.3 years; 14 males, 5 females) were given a single dose (85 g) of fresh self-grown watercress or a control meal. Two hours later, a 30 min high-intensity workout was conducted to promote exercise-induced inflammation. Blood samples were drawn before, 5 min after, and 3 h after the exercise unit. Inflammatory blood markers (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, MCP-1, MMP-9) were analyzed in whole blood cultures after ex vivo immune cell stimulation via lipopolysaccharides. A mild pro-inflammatory reaction was observed after watercress consumption indicated by an increase in IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α, whereas the immune response was more pronounced for both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) after the exercise unit compared to the control meal. During the recovery phase, watercress consumption led to a stronger anti-inflammatory downregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. In conclusion, we propose that watercress causes a stronger pro-inflammatory response and anti-inflammatory counter-regulation during and after exercise. The clinical relevance of these changes should be verified in future studies.

Direct grafting-from of PEDOT from a photoreactive Zr-based MOF - a novel route to electrically conductive composite materials.

The postsynthetic potential of the two-dimensional metal-organic framework Zr-bzpdc-MOF which is based on the photoreactive molecule benzophenone-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (H2bzpdc) is used here to selectively functionalize the MOF surface. We report the direct radical-induced oxidative grafting-from polymerization of the precursor EDOT on Zr-bzpdc-MOF, leading to an electrically conductive composite material and opening the road to a variety of applications.

A randomized cross-over short-term study on the short-term effects of a zinc-lactate containing mouthwash against oral malodour.

AIM: This randomized controlled cross-over-design-study investigated short-term effects on oral malodour of a zinc-lactate-containing mouthwash. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen subjects (18-65 years) with an organoleptic score (OLS) ≥2 were included. Following rinses were used: (A) a zinc-lactate-containing mouthwash (10 ml/30 s); (B) a zinc-lactate-containing mouthwash (15 ml/60 s); (C) a rinse without zinc-lactate (3 droplets/10 ml tap water/30 s) and (D) tap water (10 ml/30 s). Each formulation was evaluated by two blinded examiners comparing OLS and three volatile-sulphur-compounds (VSC; H2S (hydrogen sulphide), CH3SH (methyl mercaptan) and (CH3)2S (dimethyl sulphide)) before, 1 and 3 h after rinsing. Subject's perception was investigated with a visual-analogue-scale. Linear mixed models were used to compare all parameters simultaneously with respect to the four treatment groups with a significance level α < 0.05. RESULTS: OLS was significantly reduced by A and B compared to C and D after 3 h (p < 0.006). The sum of the 3 VSCs as well as H2S alone were significantly reduced by rinses A and B after 1 and 3 h compared to rinses C and D (p < 0.05). Significant differences were found between the four rinses for 'Taste' (p = 0.003), for 'Change of mouth feeling' (p = 0.001), for 'Feeling of freshness' (p = 0.002) and for 'Effectiveness' (p = 0.002) in favour of A & B. CONCLUSION: A zinc-lactate-containing mouthwash reduced OLS and VSC over a period of 3 h with favourable patient reported outcomes.

A Calixarene-Based Metal-Organic Framework for Highly Selective NO2 Detection.

A calixarene-based metal-organic framework (Zr-cal, [Zr6 O4 (OH)4 (FA)6 ]2 (cal)3 ], FA=formate, cal=1,3-alt-25,26,27,28-tetrakis[(carboxy)methoxy]calixarene) was synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The three-dimensional framework is a 4,6-connected network of gar topology and exhibits two equal but nonintersecting three-dimensional pore systems. It has a specific BET surface area of 670 m2 g-1 , and the calixarene cavities are accessible through the pore systems. The exposed calixarenes can be used for the visual detection and encapsulation of NO2 through the formation of deeply colored charge-transfer complexes inside the MOF. The highly selective complexation was analyzed by UV/Vis and IR spectroscopy, and the stability of the material was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. Finally, the MOF was used as a sensor material in a home-made sensor cell and showed high sensitivity for NO2 .

[Halitosis management by the general dental practitioner- results of an International Consensus Workshop*]. / Halitosismanagement für die Zahnarztpraxis. Ergebnisse eines internationalen Konsunsus-Workshops*.

Clinical investigations on patients suffering from halitosis clearly reveal that in the vast majority of cases the source for an offensive breath odor can be found within the oral cavity (90%). Based on these studies, the main sources for intra-oral halitosis where tongue coating, gingivitis/periodontitis and a combination of the two. Thus, it is perfectly logical that general dental practitioners (GDPs) should be able to manage intra-oral halitosis under the conditions found in a normal dental practice. However, GDPs who are interested in diagnosing and treating halitosis are challenged to incorporate scientifically based strategies for use in their clinics. Therefore, the present paper summarizes the results of a consensus workshop of international authorities held with the aim to reach a consensus on general guidelines on how to assess and diagnose patients’ breath odor concerns and general guidelines on regimens for the treatment of halitosis.

MEMOS: a mobile extensible memory aid system.

Memory disturbances are a frequent outcome of brain damages. Maintenance or enhancement of the patients' quality of life requires enormous effort on the part of caregivers. To support patients with brain injuries, the mobile distributed care system named MEMOS (Mobile Extensible Memory System) was designed, implemented, and tested in the day-care clinic for cognitive neurology at Leipzig University. MEMOS is implemented as a distributed system, using CORBA technologies and Enterprise Java Beans. A special palmtop computer, the Personal Memory Assistant (PMA), reminds the patient of important tasks and supervises the patient's actions. The PMA communicates with the stationary care system via a bi-directional cellular radio connection. The stationary care system was developed to be dependable and scalable. This paper describes the design and function of the MEMOS system.