Antimony porphyrins as red-light powered photocatalysts for solar fuel production from halide solutions in the presence of air.

Halide ions (X(-)) as cheap and abundant electron donors are oxidized with simulated sunlight in a photocatalytic reaction based on robust antimony porphyrins acting as red-light harvesting multielectron transfer sensitizers. Besides halogen formation (X2/X3(-)) this solar energy storing process under certain conditions also accumulates hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a second energy-rich compound.

Dislocation of a double-lumen tunneled hemodialysis catheter causing dysfunction and bleeding.

Dislocation of tunneled hemodialysis catheters is rare. This report describes displacement of a split catheter with the tip of the arterial limb outside and the venous limb inside the jugular vein. Use of the catheter with the limbs in inverse fashion caused severe hemorrhage along the catheter tunnel. To avoid this complication, a short subcutaneous catheter tunnel is recommended in adipose patients.

[Leptospirosis (Weil's syndrome) with renal failure, severe jaundice, disseminated hemorrhages and xanthopsia]. / Leptospirose mit akutem Nierenversagen, schwerem lkterus, disseminierten Blutungen und Xanthopsie.

We report a case of a 48-year-old man from western Austria with severe leptospirosis. This disease occurs worldwide but predominates in the tropics. The infectious urine of a wide variety of domestic and wild animals mediates transmission of the infection, which characteristically has a biphasic pattern. It begins with the "leptospiraemic phase" with high fever, conjunctival suffusion, muscle pain and headache. Hepatitis, nephritis and haemorrhages may follow. The second "immune phase" has a greater variety of clinical manifestations. Fever and the initial symptoms may recur and the central and peripheral nervous system may be involved. The patient reported showed all major characteristics except conjunctival suffusion. The outcome was favourable despite some conditions with a poor prognosis (jaundice, renal failure, haemorrhages). The extreme severity of jaundice and the xanthopsia (yellow vision) make the case unique.

[Low dosage intravenous calcitriol bolus therapy in chronic hemodialysis patients]. / Niedrig dosierte intravenöse Calcitriol-Bolustherapie bei chronischen Hämodialysepatienten.

Severe secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients on chronic renal replacement therapy is still an immense problem, even after the introduction of the oral calcitriol therapy. Because the current first choice treatment--intravenous calcitriol-bolus application--fails to decrease parathyroidhormone (PTH) in some patients, we decided to monitor 22 chronic hemodialysis patients receiving low dose therapy with 3 x 1 micrograms calcitriol per week for a period of 6 months. After 6 months the PTH increased from 430 +/- 318 to 573 +/- 508 pg/ml (p < 0.05), the serum calcium from 2.14 +/- 0.22 to 2.31 +/- 15 mmol/l (p < 0.01). There was no significant change in serum phosphate, alkaline phosphatase (APH) and osteocalcin. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to their basal PTH-levels. Group 1 (n = 7, PTH < 200 pg/ml) showed a significant decrease of the PTH-levels from 99 +/- 38 to 61 +/- 53 pg/ml (p < 0.05). There was no significant change in serum calcium, phosphate, APH and osteocalcin levels. In group 2 (n = 15, PTH > 300 pg/ml) the PTH increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 585 +/- 287 to 812 +/- 439 pg/ml. No significant change was found for APH or osteocalcin. Calcium and phosphate levels increased significantly from 2.11 +/- 0.20 to 2.31 +/- 0.12 mmol/l (p < 0.01) and from 2.29 +/- 0.47 to 2.74 +/- 0.60 mmol/l (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Experiences with total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation of intraoperatively selected parathyroid tissue in reactive renal hyperparathyroidism]. / Erfahrungen mit der totalen Parathyreoidektomie und Autotransplantation intraoperativ ausgewählten Parathyreoidea-Gewebes beim reaktiven renalen Hyperparathyreoidismus.

Surgery is indicated in cases of therapy-resistant reactive renal hyperparathyroidism with clinical symptoms and signs. The method of choice is total parathyroidectomy, with autotransplantation of parathyroid tissue into the forearm musculature. Twenty-two patients were parathyroidectomized. In 19 cases the intraoperative selection of tissue for autotransplantation was made by means of a stereoscopic magnifying glass. With one exception, only fragments of type 1a glands and type 1a-like areas obtained from type 2 glands were transplanted. In 18 of the 22 cases parathyroid hormone levels decreased from 1131 +/- 657 preoperatively to 87 +/- 53 pg/ml postoperatively. In 4 patients with postoperative values over 200 pg/ml a transplant-related recurrence of hyperparathyroidism or a remaining 5th gland in the cervical region was suspected. In all 22 patients serum calcium, as well as alkaline phosphatase levels returned to normal and the clinical signs of hyperparathyroidism disappeared.

[Nephrotic syndrome and acute interstitial nephritis after phenylbutazone]. / Nephrotisches Syndrom und akute interstitielle Nephritis nach Phenylbutazon.

A 59-year-old man developed a nephrotic syndrome and mild renal failure after treatment with phenylbutazone. Light microscope examination of a renal biopsy specimen showed minimal glomerular alterations, and electron microscopy showed diffuse fusion of epithelial cell foot processes without immune deposits. The interstitium revealed focal lymphocyte infiltrates identified as activated T-cells by immune histologic differentiation. The unusual combination of nephrotic syndrome with acute interstitial nephritis is a rare adverse reaction of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID). A disordered cell-mediated immunity could lead to interstitial infiltration of T-lymphocytes which, releasing lymphokines and a vascular permeability factor, cause the glomerular proteinuria. In addition, NSAID inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis may enhance production of these lymphocyte-derived substances. Since the nephrotic syndrome persisted 5 months after withdrawal of phenylbutazone, steroid therapy was initiated and 2 months later the renal insufficiency and proteinuria were resolved.

[Headache and EEG changes caused by acetate and bicarbonate dialysis]. / Kopfschmerzen und EEG-Veränderungen unter Azetat- und Bikarbonatdialyse.

10 patients suffering from severe headache during Acetatedialysis were subsequently treated with Acetatedialysis (AD) and Bicarbonatedialysis (BD). During AD the headaches occurred more frequently and more intensely. After AD a deterioration of EEG-results was also seen more frequently than after BD. Urea, osmolarity and sodium in the blood as well as heart frequency and blood pressure showed no different variation. An essential difference was found in correction of the metabolic acidosis. After AD there could be seen a negative base excess and a fall in PaCO2, after BD the PaCO2 rose and the base excess was positive. Headaches and EEG-changes as signs of a cerebral dysfunction (disequilibrium syndrome) may perhaps be caused by a decrease of the cerebral blood flow. From our experience we recommend a change to BD for patients suffering from headaches during AD.