Imipramine and desipramine have been estimated in the plasma of patients receiving therapeutic doses of imipramine. The compounds were extracted as bases into n‐heptane, separated by thin‐layer chromatography and transferred into coloured spots by an oxidative procedure. The quantification was made with a new densitometric technique of high sensitivity. The coefficient of variation was 11–16% at concentrations of 20 μg litre−1 (71ṁ2 nmol and 75ṁ0 nmol litre−1 for imipramine and desipramine respectively) and the recovery was 70–81%.

In freshly harvested Aspergillus terreus cultures grown for the production of lovastatin (formerly called mevinolin), no monacolin L could be detected. However, during the isolation of lovastatin, significant quantities of monacolin L appeared. It has been discovered that a new metabolite structurally related to the membersof the monacolin series is present. This metabolite is unstable and under mildly acidic conditions and elevated temperature, it converts to monacolin L. The subject metabolite is proven to be a hydroxylated derivative of dihydromonacolin L identified as 3a-hydroxy-3,5-dihydromonacolin L. It seems that all monacolin L found later during various treatments of the broth and broth extracts is formed from that precursor via a dehydration reaction. The newmetabolite was converted to its phenacyl ester, by means of extractive alkylation, for isolation and structure elucidation by chemical, chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. This ester, on standing, gradually formed the corresponding lactone.Compoundswhich inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis are potential drug candidates for the treatment of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease in humans. Such an effect is achieved by competitive inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, the key enzyme in the pathway of cholesterol biosynthesis. Potent inhibitors such as compactin (ML-236B)1}, dihydrocompactin2), lovastatin3'0, and several other compounds of the monacolin series5~7) were found among the metabolites of certain fungi including Monascus ruber, Penicillium citrinum and Aspergillus terreus. The theoretical and practical importance of these compoundsis evidenced by studies directed at their biosynthesis8~x0) and metabolism1* >x2). A. terreus was described as the culture of choice for the production of lovastatin13). Intermediate products during isolation, particularly crude samples immediately after lactonization contain significant amounts of monacolin L. However, no detectable amounts of same are found in freshly harvested broths. The observations presented here provide an explanation for this phenomenon.Materials and Methods Fermentation of A. terreus1T ubes of lyophilized culture MF-4845were suspended each in 10 ml of sterilized mediumconsisting of the following nutrients: Corn steep liquor 5 g, tomato paste 40 g, oatmeal 10 g, glucose 10 g and trace element solution 10 g in 1 liter of tap water and adjusted to pH 6.8. The trace element solution contained FeSO4-7H2O 1,000 mg, MnSO4-4H2O 1,000 mg, CuCl2-2H2O 25 mg, CaCl2-2H2O 100 mg, H3BO3 56mg, (NH4)6Mo7O24-4H2O 19mg and ZnSO4-7H2O 200mg in 1 liter of tap water. The inoculated samples were incubated in an unbaffled 250-ml Erlenmeyer flask for 24 hours at 28°C on

SynopsisThe synthesis and characterization of poly(LysAlaa) are described. The polytetrapeptide is a model for short sequences found in proelastin, and is presumably involved in desmosine or isodesmosine cross-link formation in the native protein. Poly(LysAla3) is found to possess a mixture of conformations in aqueous solution dependent on molecular weight and pH. Low-molecular-weight (ca. 3000) material appears to be a mixture of random and extended helix at neutral pH. However, as the molecular weight is increased an increasing amount of a-helix is observed rising to >50% for mol wt = 21,000. The a-helical chain segments are thermally stable, melting to a mixture of extended and random forms at T, = 25°C. High pH (10.5) promotes further a-helix formation but at pH >11.0 the polypeptide becomes insoluble. The inference is that short chain segments of the peptide in elastin are unlikely to be a-helical in the equilibrium state but may fluctuate through such a conformation.

Objective Traumatic experiences during or after childbirth are subject of intense discussions in mainstream and social media as well as in scientific literature. Aim of this evaluation is to estimate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth in postpartum women and to evaluate the influence of maternal, obstetrical and neonatal characteristics on the degree of PTSD symptoms measured by the Impact of Events Scale questionnaire (IES-R). Methods In total, 589 women who gave birth in the University Medical Center Mainz, Germany in 2016, participated in a survey within the first days after birth. Of these, 278 also participated 6 months later. All participants received the validated Impact of Events Scale questionnaire (IES-R). The influence of maternal, obstetric and fetal parameters on PTSD score was evaluated. Results PTSD overall prevalence was 2.9%. Patients with PTSD had significantly less often personal support during labor (p < 0.001). Maternal age (p < 0.001), parity (p < 0.001), migration background (p < 0.001), mode of delivery (p < 0.001) and assistance during labor (p < 0.001) were parameters significantly influential on the PTSD symptom level measured by the IES-R. Conclusions Maternal PTSD prevalence after childbirth seems to be quite rare with 2.9%. Nevertheless, recent findings assume that this prevalence may only represent the “tip of the iceberg”. PTSD after childbirth should not be underestimated. As PTSD depends on personal vulnerability and existing risk factors, patients at risk have to be detected before childbirth, which appears to be challenging especially for obstetric and family care professionals.

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