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The electronic structure of the low-energy states of 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxy diimide ( 1 ) is investigated in terms of CASSCF method. At this level of approximation the Franck–Condon (FC) parameters were evaluated for the 13 totally symmetric modes of ( 1 ) molecule in its dipole-allowed low-energy 1 1 B 2 u and 1 1 B 3 u electronic states. These parameters are then employed to simulate the vibrational structures of absorption and fluorescence spectra of N , N ′ -dibutyl ( 2 ) and N , N ′ -bis-hydroxypropyl ( 3 ) derivatives of naphthyl diimides measured in the region corresponding to the low-energy 1 1 A g → 1 1 B 2 u and 1 1 A g → 1 1 B 3 u overlapping transitions.

Absolute configurations of C(α)-chiral primary allylic amines can be determined from the CD spectra of their N-phthaloyl derivatives. This method is based on the exciton coupling of the allowed π–π* transitions in the phthalimide and olefin chromophores: positive helicity of the N–Cα–CC bond system results in a positive Cotton effect at ca. 220 nm, a negative Cotton effect is obtained for the negative helicity N–Cα–CC bond chain.

The absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of 1,8-naphthalimide are analyzed in terms of the number of contributing electronic transitions and their polarization. The experimental results are supported by semiempirical INDO/S calculations. It is demonstrated that the strongly allowed, pi --> pi naphthalene transition of the 1,8-naphthalimide chromophore located at 231 nm is perfectly suited for absolute configuration assignments of amine derivatives on the basis of the bichromophoric exciton coupling. Both degenerate (bis-1,8-naphthalimide) and nondegenerate (1,8-naphthalimide-phthalimide, 1,8-naphthalimide-phenyl, or 1,8-naphthalimide-benzoate) couplings were studied. In the latter case, the sign of the exciton Cotton effect was opposite to the sign of the degenerate exciton Cotton effect for the same absolute configuration. An extension of the application of the exciton coupling to the 264 nm pi --> pi transition of 1,9-anthraimide is also shown.

In this study we present 2 postmenopausal women who showed clinical symptoms that resembled those of a rather well-defined group of vascular dementia disorders, termed subcortical dementia (Binswanger disease, CADASIL). Patient 1 exhibited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants in the ND5 gene at position 13,708 and the Cytb gene at position 15,257. These DNA variants have been described in a number of neurologic disorders, but their pathogenetic potential is unclear. Patient 2 showed the same DNA alterations and an additional mtDNA variant at position 15,812 in the Cytb gene. The principal neurohistologic features of the 2 atrophic brains presented here include: subtotal selective neuronal cell loss in the cortex and, to a lesser degree, in the basal ganglia (claustrum, putamen, globus pallidus), sparing palaeocortex and periarchaeocortex, and a very characteristic and diagnostic feature was detachment of astrocytic processes from capillary walls resulting in pericapillary space formation. These pericapillary spaces were partially filled with macrophages. The spaces were not associated with total breakdown of the blood vessel walls as demonstrated by the absence of erythrocytes, lymphocytes, or polymorphonuclear leukocytes outside the vascular bed of the brain; progressive subcortical encephalopathy, as it is seen in subcortical dementia (Binswanger), but lacking arterial lipohyalinosis. The cerebral grey and white matter revealed cuffing of arteries and arterioles by adventitial macrophages. The neocortical and subcortical changes were accompanied by myriads of activated macrophages filled with lipids. The pathology of our 2 cases differs from that of other neurodegenerative disorders and we suggest the term of "disseminated neocortical and subcortical encephalopathy (DNSE) with widespread activation of brain macrophages".

300 patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases distinct from Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) were screened for the presence of mitochondrial DNA mutations. We report on nine patients, eight female and one male, who all harboured mutations at positions 13,708 and 15,257 of the mitochondrial DNA. Both mutations have previously been claimed to be associated with LHON. Based on our results, these mutations occur in a number of different neurodegenerative diseases and therefore cannot be regarded as "LHON" mutations.

5570 Background: Global malnutrition is widespread among patients with ovarian cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the nutritional status on the clinical outcome of patients with primary or recurrent ovarian and peritoneal cancer. Methods: In a two-year-period (January 2007 - December 2008) 152 consecutive patients were analysed. 79 (52%) of them had primary and 73 (48%) recurrent disease. At the time of admission for surgical therapy, the body composition was analysed with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) using phase angle alpha and ratio of extra-cellular mass and body cell mass (ECM/BCM). Serum protein parameters were registered. The risk of malnutrition was estimated by Nutritional Risk Score (NRS). During operation a standardised and validated tumor documentation tool (IMO) was performed. Nutritional parameters were correlated with IMO-parameters. Results: The median age of patients was 56 years (range 48–66) with median BMI 24.4 kg/m2 (range 21.8–27.3). In 23% primary and 14% recurrent cases a high nutritional risk was classified (NRS≥3). These patients had significantly lower serum albumin, pre-albumin and transferrin levels compared to patients with NRS No significant financial relationships to disclose.

e16564 Background: The purpose of this study was to examine an influence of poor nutritional status on surgical outcome in patients with ovarian cancer. Methods: Data from 152 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed ovarian cancer were prospectively analyzed. Overall 79 suffered from primary and 73 from recurrent disease. All patients received a systematic nutritional assessment prior to cytoreductive surgery and postoperative all complications were analyzed in detail. The Nutritional Risk Score (NRS-2002) was used to identify patients at high nutritional risk (NRS≥3). Intraoperatively, a standardized documentation script (IMO) was applied including tumor localization, surgical interventions, and postoperative residual tumor mass. Results: 29 patients (19%) were classified as malnourished, including 19 (24%) with primary and 10 (14%) with recurrent disease. These patients showed a significantly poorer performance status preoperatively compared to patients with NRS No significant financial relationships to disclose.

The cationic lipophilic dye Rhodamine 123 (Rh123) is selectively enriched in mitochondria in a membrane potential-dependent manner. Application of drugs which interfere with the electron flow of the respiratory chain lead to a severe reduction of mitochondrial dye uptake. In this communication we show that the same effect is observed after Rh123-staining of respiratory-deficient yeast mutants. Based on this observation we used flow cytometry to discriminate respiratory-compentent and respiratory-deficient yeast cells. Combined with a cell sorter we were able to selectively enrich respiring and non-respiring yeast cells, repectively, from a mixture of cells.