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Biomedical subjects

H Kremer

Publications and source records attributed to H Kremer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[Thoracic actinomycosis masquerading as a central bronchial carcinoma].

A 41-year-old cachectic woman (weight 42.7 kg, height 1.65 m) was admitted to hospital because a chest radiogram had suggested a left central bronchial carcinoma. Four days previously she had noted for the first time a firm elastic swelling parasternally in the fourth intercostal space. This swelling was directly aspirated by needle after bronchoscopic results had been nonspecific. Surprisingly, pus containing actinomyces filaments was aspirated. Computed tomography confirmed a paramediastinal abscess, 8 x 5 x 6 cm, which had infiltrated into the left thoracic wall. The abscess was incised and drained. After treatment for two weeks, initially with three times daily 10 mega penicillin G intravenously, followed by erythromycin, 500 mg twice daily for 12 weeks, the thoracic actinomycosis was no longer demonstrable radiologically and by ultrasound. It is suggested that in any unclear pulmonary infiltrate without evidence of tuberculosis or carcinoma actinomycosis should be included in the differential diagnosis.

Actinomycosis↗

Quality of life and circadian variation of heart rate and heart rate variability in short-term survivors and nonsurvivors after acute myocardial infarction.

The purpose of this study was the simultaneous examination of the quality of life and changes in heart rate (HR) variables of patients immediately following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Quality of life, estimated on a rating scale assessing the patients' well-being, as well as the circadian rhythm of their HR and HR variability, were determined within the first 3 days and at approximately 3 weeks after admission and the results were related to survival. The quality of life within the first 3 days post AMI was low in both the surviving (n = 42) and the nonsurviving (n = 5) patients but only the scores of the survivors increased significantly over the following three weeks. The HR of the survivors, initially lower than that of the nonsurvivors, decreased significantly at 3 weeks and a normal circadian pattern had developed. The HR variability of the survivors within the first 3 days was significantly higher than that of the nonsurvivors and had developed a clear circadian pattern after 3 weeks. It is concluded that in patients with AMI such diverse clinical aspects as quality of life and circadian patterns of HR and HR variability can be assessed meaningfully immediately post AMI and may find common expression in changes in sympathovagal balance.

Aged↗

Cosegregation of missense mutations of the luteinizing hormone receptor gene with familial male-limited precocious puberty.

Familial male-limited precocious puberty is a male-limited autosomal dominant condition. It is characterized by increased testosterone synthesis in the absence of testicular stimulation by luteinizing hormone (LH). We hypothesised that an abnormal configuration of the LH receptor might autonomously activate G protein coupling, and thereby cause the overproduction of testosterone in this condition. To test this hypothesis, we screened for mutations in a part of the LH receptor gene that is important for G protein binding. DNA sequence variation was detected in 2 out of 5 families with male-limited precocious puberty by the single strand conformation polymorphism technique. Direct sequencing demonstrated different single nucleotide substitutions in the sixth transmembrane region of the LH receptor gene. The mutations cosegregated with the disorder in both families (lod score 5.76 without recombination). Both mutations cause an amino acid substitution in the sixth transmembrane domain, close to the C-terminal portion of the third cytoplasmatic loop, a region which is important for the binding of G proteins. We conclude that familial male-limited precocious puberty cosegregates with missense mutations in the LH receptor gene. These findings support the hypothesis that increased activity of the LH receptor is the pathogenetic mechanism that causes the abnormal pubertal development in this condition.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Acetazolamide in dominant cystoid macular dystrophy. A pilot study.

UNLABELLED: Eight patients (four men, four women), with low visual acuity caused by autosomal dominant cystoid macular dystrophy, were treated daily with oral 250 mg dose acetazolamide. Treatment ranged from two to 17 months. None of these eight patients had improvement of visual acuity of more than 0.1. CONCLUSION: Treatment with 250 mg acetazolamide appears not to be an effective therapy for cystoid macular oedema in dominant cystoid macular dystrophy. The electroretinography b-wave/a-wave ratio was normal. The primary lesion in dominant cystoid macular dystrophy remains obscure.

Acetazolamide↗

[Recurrent renal colic with passing of horny lamellae. A rare differential diagnosis of renal calculi].

A 64-year-old man reported left-sided renal colics recurring regularly every 5-10 months for the past 25 years. After a typical colic urinary sediment was found to contain brownish, flaky elastic material which histologically consisted of nucleus-free keratoid lamellae. Calcium concentration in serum and urine was normal, as were the serum parathormone (215 pg/l) and inorganic phosphate levels. The intravenous pyelogram revealed a polycyclicly circumscribed filling defect (15 x 20 mm) in the left renal pelvis. At ureteroscopy a lamellar brown-grey tumour was identified which arose from the medial wall of the pelvis. Histological examination demonstrated hyper- and parakeratotic hornified squamous epithelium without malignant degeneration. This finding suggested a cholesteatoma originating from squamous epithelial metaplasia. The tumour was removed endoscopically and the renal wall coagulated by laser, a procedure repeated after 3 months. The patient has been free of symptoms for 3 years.

Cholesteatoma↗

Isolation and characterization of a Drosophila hydei histone DNA repeat unit.

Histone genes in D. hydei are organized in tandemly repeated clusters., accomodating in total 120-140 repeat units. We cloned one of the repeat units and analysed the nucleotide sequence. The repeat unit has a size of 5.1 x 10(3) base-pairs and contains one copy of each of the genes coding for the core histones and one copy coding for the histone H1. In the promoter regions of the genes we identified the presumptive cap sites and TATA boxes. Two additional sequence elements are shared by all five Drosophila hydei histone genes in the cluster. The sequence CCCTCT/G1 is found in the region upstream of the presumptive CAP sites. The sequence element AGTGAA occurs downstream of the presumptive cap sites and is, in contrast to the promoter element, also seen in the histone genes of Drosophila melanogaster. Cell-cycle dependent regulation of transcription of the Drosophila histone genes may be different from that in other eukaryotes since sequence elements involved in the regulation of cell-cycle dependent transcription are absent. Also other regulatory elements for transcription differ from those of other genes. The highly conserved H1-specific promoter sequence AAACACA and the H2B specific promoter sequence ATTTGCAT, which are involved in the cell-cycle dependent transcription of those histone genes in eukaryotes, are missing in the Drosophila genes. However at the 3' end of the genes the palindrome and the purine-rich region, both conserved sequence elements in histone genes of eukaryotes, are present. The spacer regions show a simple sequence organization. The silent site substitution rate between the coding regions of the D. hydei and D. melanogaster histone genes is at least 1.5 times higher for Drosophila than for sea urchin histone genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Y chromosomal fertility genes of Drosophila: a new type of eukaryotic genes.

The Y chromosomal fertility genes of Drosophila are required for sperm differentiation. They are active only in primary spermatocytes where they form giant lampbrush loops. The molecular structure of these genes was investigated and revealed an unusual composition of DNA. Short, tandemly repeated sequence clusters are interrupted by longer and more heterogeneous sequences, which probably all represent transposable elements. No indication of the presence of protein-coding regions has been found within the fertility genes. However, the lampbrush loops bind site-specific proteins recognized by immunofluorescence techniques. This, together with other experimental data, led to the hypothesis that the Y chromosomal genes have a function in binding chromosomal proteins. The data and arguments in support of this gene model are summarized in this paper.

Animals↗

HTLV-III antibody prevalence among young delinquent drug abusers in long-term residential treatment at a North-German drug clinic.

To date, long-term intravenous drug users studied at regional European centers of illicit drug use have had a high number of LAV/HTLV-III infections. Among 200 patients remanded by court or referred from prison to a special clinic in northern Germany for young delinquent drug abusers, 26 (17%) of 157 IV drug abusers were HTLV-III seropositive. With 40% seropositive, female patients showed a significantly higher prevalence of HTLV-III infection than males. The results of longitudinal serological, immunological, and clinical observations over periods of 12 months and 2-3 years indicate that under conditions of continuous medical surveillance, sound preventive counseling, and steady therapeutic care during long-term coeducative residential treatment of drug abusers, neither detectable HTLV-III transmission nor definite progression of HTLV-III induced impairment of immune regulatory functions must ensue.

AIDS-Related Complex↗

[Sonographic observation of the course of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta].

Forty-two patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm that had not been treated surgically were repeatedly examined by ultrasonography. The average observation time of all patients was 3.1 years. The total observation period including follow-up times of all patients adds up to 129 "patient years". Within this time none of the 35 asymptomatic abdominal aneurysms with transversal diameters of maximally 5 cm ruptured. Three patients of seven with larger and symptomatic aneurysms died in consequence of a rupture. Small asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms seem to have a better prognosis than previously supposed. The question whether all abdominal aneurysms should be operated on needs reconsideration, especially in the elderly.

Aged↗

[Sonography of the abdomen as a screening method].

Abdominal ultrasonic screening of patients clinically asymptomatic of abdominal disease was performed in 5 720 subjects. In these asymptomatic persons pathological ultrasonic findings were reported in 47.1% of all cases, but these were mostly without clinical relevance. This is especially true for diffuse liver disease (30.9%), asymptomatic gallstones (6.1%), and typical renal cysts (5.7%). Asymptomatic malignant abdominal tumours (0.2% or 13 cases) were detected very rarely, and were found to be mostly renal carcinomas.

Abdomen↗