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Background: The clinical effect of copper accumulation on the heart of patients suffering from Wilson's disease (WD) is not completely understood. We aimed to determine if patients with WD show signs of cardiac involvement, structural heart disease or autonomic dysfunction. In this prospective trial, we studied 61 patients (mean age 44.3 ± 15.2 years, 51% males) with WD and compared them to 61 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. All subjects underwent clinical examination, blood tests, echocardiography and 24 h electrocardiographic (ECG) recording., Results: Left- and right ventricular systolic function did not differ significantly between WD patients and controls. However, 5 of the 61 patients had a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Furthermore, diastolic dysfunction was more prevalent in WD patients (9 of 61 vs. 0 of 61, p = 0.001). The severity of WD based on the Unified Wilson's Disease Rating Scale was significantly correlated to NT-pro BNP (r = 0.34, P = 0.013). Patients with an exacerbation of WD in medical history had higher troponin levels compared to those without (11.3 ± 4.7 vs 4.6 ± 1.2). The autonomic function assessed by triangular index (TI) and SDNN-index was significantly reduced in WD patients compared to controls in most in almost every age category (p-value TI and SDNN: age 20-29, p < 0.001 and 0.05; age 30-39, p < 0.01 and not significant (ns); age 40-49, p < 0,01 and 0.001; age 50-59, p = ns and < 0.001, age 60-70, p < 0.05 and ns)., Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that cardiac involvement and autonomic dysfunction in WD is possible, however the underlying cause is still not known. We suggest that patients with signs and symptoms of structural heart disease should be examined by a cardiologist in addition to the interdisciplinary treatment team of WD.

The formation of carbon-carbon bonds is one of the fundamental transformations in chemistry. In this regard the application of palladium-based catalysts has been extensively investigated during recent years, but nowadays research focuses on iron catalysis, due to sustainability, costs and toxicity issues; hence numerous examples for iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions have been established, based on the coupling of electrophiles (R(1)-X, X = halide) with nucleophiles (R(2)-MgX). Only a small number of protocols deals with the iron-catalyzed oxidative coupling of nucleophiles (R(1)-MgX + R(2)-MgX) with the aid of oxidants (1,2-dihaloethanes). However, some issues arise with these oxidants; hence more recently the potential of the industrial waste product nitrous oxide (N(2)O) was investigated, because the unproblematic side product N(2) is formed. Based on that, we demonstrate the catalytic potential of easily accessible iron complexes in the oxidative coupling of Grignard reagents. Importantly, nitrous oxide was essential to obtain yields up to >99% at mild conditions (e.g. 1 atm, ambient temperature) and low catalyst loadings (0.1 mol%) Excellent catalyst performance is realized with turnover numbers of up to 1000 and turnover frequencies of up to 12000 h(-1). Moreover, a good functional group tolerance is observed (e.g. amide, ester, nitrile, alkene, alkyne). Afterwards the reaction of different Grignard reagents revealed interesting results with respect to the selectivity of cross-coupling product formation.

Iron will: The iron-catalyzed depolymerization of a range of polyethers is studied. The products of the depolymerization reactions are chloroesters, which can be used as starting materials for new polymers. In the presence of simple iron salts extraordinary catalyst activities and selectivities are feasible at low temperature., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Recycling polymers: In the present study, the efficient zinc-catalyzed depolymerization of a variety of artificial polyethers has been investigated. Chloroesters were obtained as the depolymerization products, which are suitable precursors for new polymers. By using straightforward zinc salts, extraordinary catalyst activities and selectivities were feasible (see scheme)., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Investigating the cause of an outbreak of mild diarrhoea in a boar rearing unit with about 750 animals, C. coli was found in all diseased animals, i.e. it was isolated from the intestines of culled boars and from faeces samples; often the amount of C. coli was very high. The intragastric application of C. coli to 5 weaning pigs (about 35 kg) resulted in the shedding of large numbers of C. coli via the faeces at days 3 and 5 post infectionem only. The development of the animals was undisturbed during the 17 days of the experiment. Carrying out follow-up investigation, C. coli was isolated at least once per animal from all healthy animals (n = 40) from the 3 farms, delivering young boars to the unit. C. coli is regarded as an opportunistic microorganism in the intestines of swine, able to cause diarrhoea only when combined with infection-promoting factors. In the case presented, these factors were nitrate-enriched water, changes in the composition of feed and the rapid shift from winter conditions to a warm spring.