Luminescent coordination polymers for the VIS and NIR range constituting LnCl3 and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane.

A series of 14 lanthanide containing coordination polymers LnCl3 with 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (bpe) was synthesized from either thiazole or pyridine. Depending on the ligand content, a structural diversity from 3D-frameworks [LnCl3(bpe)2]·thz, Ln = Ce-Lu, to 1D-strands [La2Cl6(bpe)2(thz)6] and [LnCl3(bpe)(py)2]·(bpe/py), Ln = Gd, Er, was obtained and characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction, powder diffraction, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry (DTA/TG), IR-spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The compounds exhibit a variety of luminescence properties and different phenomena. This includes ligand centred fluorescence, metal-centred 5d-4f/4f-4f emission in the visible and the NIR range, antenna effects via Dexter and Förster energy transfer mechanisms, excitation dependent emission with a correlating shift of the chromaticity coordinates and inner filter effects by combined re-absorption/emission.

[Use of botulinum toxin in ORL departments in Germany]. / Verwendung von Botulinumtoxin an HNO-Kliniken in Deutschland.

BACKGROUND: There are no regional data about the prevalence and use of botulinum toxin (BoNT) in otorhinolaryngology (ORL) departments in Germany. In order to obtain an overview of the current applications of BoNT in ORL departments a survey was carried out. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standardized multi-choice questionnaires were mailed to 150 ORL departments. In the analysis a differentiation was made between university and regional departments. Also an analysis of the whole collective of respondent hospitals was carried out. The most commonly treated indication is the Frey syndrome followed by hypersalivation due to a salivary fistula after parotidectomy, dysphagia, aesthetic application and laryngeal dystonia. RESULTS: The rate of return was 62% and 75% of all responding hospitals use BoNT as a therapeutic option, especially where "off-label-use" indications are concerned (15 out of 20 indications or 75%). DISCUSSION: BoNT is widely used as a therapeutic option with an increasing trend. Due to different applications a schedule of hospitals would be helpful in order to be able to find the nearest hospital for the appropriate indications.

GyrA sequence-based typing of Legionella.

Comparative sequence analysis of a 423-bp segment of the gyrA gene including a region homologous to the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of other species was evaluated as a novel typing method for Legionella strains. The study was performed with 29 reference strains representing 11 different Legionella species, with various serogroups, and with 13 clinical isolates of L. pneumophila. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and serotyping were employed for comparison of the clinical isolates. QRDR sequencing proved to be a highly discriminative tool for typing Legionellae, and permitted identification of species, serogroups and even different strains within serogroup 1. None of the isolates were resistant to quinolones in vitro and this correlated with dissence of mutations in the QRDR region. The data show that comparative sequence analysis of a short fragment of the gyrA gene is a potentially useful tool for typing of Legionella beyond the serogroup level. It is anticipated that mutations of the QRDR may arise in Legionella as a consequence of the introduction of quinolones as the agents of choice for the treatment of infections with this agent in immunocompromised patients. The employment of QRDR-typing maybe helpful in uncovering such mutations.

Comparative evaluation of three different genotyping methods for investigation of nosocomial outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in hospitals.

The increased incidence of nosocomial Legionnaires' disease in two hospitals prompted investigation of possible environmental sources. In the search for an effective DNA-typing technique for use in hospital epidemiology, the performance and convenience of three methods-SfiI macrorestriction analysis (MRA), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR)-were compared. Twenty-nine outbreak-associated and eight nonassociated strains of Legionella pneumophila with 13 MRA types and subtypes were investigated. These strains comprised isolates from bronchoalveolar lavages, from environmental, patient-related sources, and type strains. All three typing methods detected one predominant genotype associated with the outbreaks in both hospitals. All of them correctly assigned epidemiologically associated, environmental isolates to their respective patient specimens. AP-PCR was the least discriminating and least reproducible technique. In contrast, AFLP was demonstrated as being the method with the best interassay reproducibility (90%) and concordance (94%) in comparison to the genotyping standard of MRA and the epidemiological data. Analysis of AFLP fragments revealed 12 different types and subtypes. Because of its simplicity and reproducibility, AFLP proved to be the most effective technique in outbreak investigation.