Biomedical subjects

T Erbe

Publications and source records attributed to T Erbe.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Chromatographic determination of amino acid enantiomers in beers and raw materials used for their manufacture.

Using gas chromatography (GC) on a chiral stationary phase, accompanied by high-performance liquid chromatography, beers and raw materials used for manufacturing (hops, barley grains, malts) were investigated for the pattern and quantities of amino acid enantiomers. Although L-amino acids were most abundant, certain D-amino acids were detected in all beers and most of the raw materials. Highest amounts of D-amino acids were detected in special beers such as Berliner Weisse that underwent bottle-conditioning with lactic cultures, and Belgian fruit beers produced by spontaneous fermentation. It is demonstrated that GC on chiral stationary phases is highly suitable for the quantitative determination of amino acid enantiomers in beers and raw materials used for their manufacture. Quantities, relative amounts and pattern of amino acid enantiomers can serve in particular as chiral markers for the authenticity of special beers.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1998

[Nutritional content in the daily diet from selected nursing homes for the aged in State of Hessen Second Report--minerals].

Daily diet from 20 nursing homes for the elderly in the German state of Hessen were collected over a period of seven days. After weighing and protocoling, the components of the meals were combined to one sample per day. The homogenized samples were analyzed for the minerals sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, nickel, and chromium. For evaluation of the nutrient value the mineral contents were compared to the recommendations of the German Association for Nutrition (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung) for nutrient intake of the elderly. Whereas mean content of sodium and of calculated sodium chloride per day drastically exceeded the recommendation, the magnesium and chromium recommendations were not reached by far. Regarding high nutrient density requirements with respect to a lower energy demand, only a few diets could reach the recommendations for calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc density given for the elderly.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

AOX-emissions from hospitals into municipal waste water.

Adsorbable organically bound halogens (AOX) are mostly persistent in the environment, and accumulate in the food web. Some of them are toxic to humans and other organisms. AOX were measured in the effluents from six German hospitals of different size and departments like internal medicine and ear-nose and throat (ENT) as well as from laundry, kitchen and laboratory. The concentrations in the day time mixed samples of the total effluent were 0.13 mg l(-1)-0.94 mg l-1 (phi = 0.43 mg l-1). For the separately investigated departments the lowest concentrations were found in the effluent from laundry and kitchen (0.015 mg l-1), and the highest ones in the effluents from the medical departments (0.12-1.71 mg l-1, phi 0.95 mg l-1 during the week and 0.06-0.10 mg l-1 at the week-end) and the laboratories (0.05-14.2 mg l-1, phi 2.73 mg l-1). The AOX concentration in night time mixed samples were 0.07-0.41 mg l-1 (phi = 0.41 mg l-1) for the total effluents and 0.25-2.64 mg l-1 (phi = 1.11 mg l-1) for medical departments. Concentrations expected by computing the input of AOX attributable to pharmaceuticals were between 11% and 16% for two hospitals and 7.7% for an ENT department. One additional important source of AOX in hospital effluents may be x-ray contrast media containing a iodine carbon bond.

Adsorption↗

PubMed1998

[Roentgen contrast media, source for AOX-contamination of waste water by hospitals].

PURPOSE: To identify the sources for the exceeding of the upper limit of the AOX (adsorbable organic halogen, X = Cl, Br, I) in hospital waste-water and to estimate the contribution of hospital waste-water to the AOX of municipal waste-water. METHODS: For several hospitals with different medical directions, the expected AOX-concentration, as far as it is caused by iodine contrast media, was ascertained by the contrast media consumption and the water consumption. The results were compared with the measured AOX concentrations. RESULTS: The AOX-concentration of hospital waste-water varies between 0.41 mg/l and 0.94 mg/l. CONCLUSION: As a source of AOX iodine contrast media have been identified and may contribute considerably to the AOX. Hospitals with a radiological department may exceed the upper limit of the AOX which has to be observed in German municipal waste-water.

Contrast Media↗

PubMed1994

Multichannel spatial auditory display for speech communications.

A spatial auditory display for multiple speech communications was developed at NASA/Ames Research Center. Input is spatialized by the use of simplified head-related transfer functions, adapted for FIR filtering on Motorola 56001 digital signal processors. Hardware and firmware design implementations are overviewed for the initial prototype developed for NASA-Kennedy Space Center. An adaptive staircase method was used to determine intelligibility levels of four-letter call signs used by launch personnel at NASA against diotic speech babble. Spatial positions at 30 degrees azimuth increments were evaluated. The results from eight subjects showed a maximum intelligibility improvement of about 6-7 dB when the signal was spatialized to 60 or 90 degrees azimuth positions.

Auditory Perception↗