[A survey of Local Physicians and Psychotherapists on Cooperation in Regional Networks for Early Child Interventions in Saxony-Anhalt]. / Befragung von niedergelassenen Ärzten/innen und Psychotherapeuten/innen zur Kooperation in regionalen Netzwerken der Frühen Hilfen in Sachsen-Anhalt.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood interventions positively contribute to health related child development. For these interventions, networks are a necessary prerequisite as they promote interdisciplinary and interprofessional cooperation. This holds especially true for the integration of health system protagonists. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey local paediatrists, gynaecologists, general practitioners, and psychotherapists were asked about their knowledge, experiences, desires, and reservations regarding cooperation in early childhood intervention networks. RESULTS: 64 out of 1747 (3.7%) eligible clinicians answered the survey. On average they estimated that 10.1% of the families they are treating would benefit from early childhood interventions. Participants rated themselves as competent to offer appropriate early childhood interventions. The youth welfare service was judged as the most important institution for their own professional practice by 84.4%. Additionally to an applicable agenda, a fair group moderation of network meetings was seen as a substantial requirement in order to take part in network meetings. CONCLUSION: Health professionals are important protagonists in early childhood interventions. Clinicians should assess relevant problems in families and offer appropriate support on a regular basis. Alongside clearly defined regional contacts, interprofessional continuing education seems mandatory.

On the use of magnets to disrupt the physiological compass of birds.

Behavioral researchers have attached magnets to birds during orientation experiments, assuming that such magnets will disrupt their ability to obtain magnetic information. Here, we investigate the effect of an attached magnet on the ability to derive directional information from a radical-pair based compass mechanism. We outline in some detail the geometrical symmetries that would allow a bird to identify magnetic directions in a radical-pair based compass. We show that the artificial field through an attached magnet will quickly disrupt the birds' ability to distinguish pole-ward from equator-ward headings, but that much stronger fields are necessary to disrupt their ability to detect the magnetic axis. Together with estimates of the functional limits of a radical-pair based compass, our calculations suggest that artificial fields of comparable size to the geomagnetic field are not generally sufficient to render a radical-pair based compass non-functional.

Lack of effect of oxytocin on the numbers of "synaptic" ribbons, cyclic guanosine monophosphate and serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity in organ-cultured pineals of three strains of rats.

In addition to the stimulating influence of the sympathetic system on the function of the mammalian pineal gland, neuropeptides such as neuropeptide Y, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) are thought to function as modulators. Since AVP has been shown to influence pineal melatonin synthesis, the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible effects of the second hypothalamic nonapeptide oxytocin (OT), which likewise has been detected in the pineal gland. We therefore studied "synaptic" ribbon (SR) numbers, N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and the intracellular concentration of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) following in vitro incubation of rat pineals in media containing OT (10(-5) M), noradrenaline (NA, 10(-5) M) or both NA and OT. Pineal glands were derived from rats of three different strains (Sprague-Dawley, Long-Evans and the AVP-deficient strain Brattleboro). Neither morphological nor biochemical analyses showed a difference between control and OT-incubated organs in any of the strains tested. In Brattleboro rats, but not in the other strains, noradrenaline slightly increased the number of SR which was not observed when NA and OT were combined. The addition of NA resulted in distinct augmentation of NAT activity and cGMP content, which were not affected by additional OT application. These results suggest that oxytocin is not crucially involved in the regulation of pineal gland function.

An automated HPLC determination of meticlorpindol in eggs with UV absorbance detection, using on-line dialysis and pre-concentration as sample clean-up; occurrence in and carry over to eggs.

A fully automated HPLC determination of the coccidiostat meticlorpindol in whole egg, egg white and yolk is described. The sample homogenate is dialysed on-line against water. The dialysate is concentrated on-line on a short reversed-phase (RP) column. The contents of this column are transferred to the reversed-phase analytical column by means of the mobile phase. Meticlorpindol is detected using an absorbance detector at 270 nm. Linear calibration graphs are obtained in the range 40-900 ng/g in whole egg and egg white (detection limit 10 ng/g) and 80-1800 ng/g in yolk (detection limit 20 ng/g). Out of 111 commercially obtained egg samples 12 contained meticlorpindol with levels varying from 10 to 433 ng/g. A group of laying hens, kept in cages, received 10 mg/kg of Lerbek (meticlorpindol and methylbenzoquate; Dow Chemical) in the feed for 10 days. Meticlorpindol residues in the eggs rose to a level of 622 ng/g. Meticlorpindol was found in the eggs until 6 days after withdrawal of the medicated feed. Another group received 110 mg/kg in the feed. Meticlorpindol residues rose to levels of 4480 ng/g in the eggs, 5880 ng/g in the egg white and 2660 ng/g in the yolk. Meticlorpindol was found in the eggs and the egg white until 14 days and in the yolk until 8 days after withdrawal of the medicated feed.

[Automated determination of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) and acetyl metabolites (MADDS and DADDS) in milk with the FAST-LC system]. / Automatisierte Bestimmung von 4,4'-Diaminodiphenylsulfon (DDS) und Acetylmetaboliten (MADDS und DADDS) in Milch mit dem FAST-LC-System.

With the described method it is possible to determinate residues of Dapsone (DDS) and its acetylated metabolites (mono- and diacetyldapsone) in milk. The determination is being carried out with a FAST-LC system (Fully Automated Sample Treatment Liquid Chromatography). The purification is a combination of dialysing the milk against water and absorption of the nonpolar components from the dialysate on the preconcentration column of the LC-system used (RP, 40 microns). With back-flush, the concentrate is being injected into the analytical column (RP-8, 5 microns). The detection is being carried out with the help of a UV-absorbance detector, at a wavelength of 296 mm. The detection limit is approximately 2 micrograms/l (DADDS: 5 micrograms/l). The required amount of the sample is 5 ml. The recovery, reproducibility and linearity for the three components in milk are good.

[On the effect of colloid sulphur addition to shampoos on the pileous skin of the head (author's transl)]. / Uber die Wirkung eines Zusatzes von kolloidalem Schwefel zu Haarwaschmitteln auf die behaarte Kopfhaut

A group of 16 male test persons was subjected to hair washes with a standard tenside solution over a period of 4 weeks at one-weekly intervals. 1.25% colloidal sulphur were added to the solution for the 3rd hair wash. From the 2nd week onwards quantitative lipid determinations were carried out on the 2nd and 5th day after washing. The samples from the 5th day were also analysed by thin-layer chromatography. We could not demonstrate any influence on the amount of lipid. There was, however, after the addition of sulphur a significant reduction in the free fatty acids to the advantage of the triglycerides. The addition of sulphur, therefore, brings about a decrease in the bacterial lipolysis of the triglycerides on the hair of the head. Apart from this, a significant increase in the free cholesterol and a significant decrease in the wax and cholesterol esters could be demonstrated after the application of sulphur. This could be possibly an expresion of the keratolytic effect of the sulphur.