Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Fischer

Publications and source records attributed to J Fischer.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Free sequestered disc herniation at the S2 level misdiagnosed as neuroma.

The case of a 38 year-old-man with a mass at the S2 level similar to a benign nerve root tumor (neuroma) is reported. The CT scan examination revealed the mass close underneath but not in connection with a disc herniation at the L5/S1 level. During operation the mass was not encountered as tumor but as free sequestered disc herniation, which was confirmed by histological examination. The reasons for considering the mass a tumor are discussed.

Adult↗

Familial defective apolipoprotein B-100: haplotype analysis of the arginine(3500)----glutamine mutation.

Familial defective apolipoprotein B-100 (FDB) is a recently identified, dominantly inherited genetic disorder, which leads to an increased serum level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol with reduced affinity for the LDL receptor. It is postulated that this disorder results from a G to A mutation at nucleotide 10,708 in exon 26 of the apo B gene creating a substitution of glutamine for arginine in the codon for amino acid 3500. To investigate whether recurrent mutation has contributed to the high frequency of FDB, we have conducted a haplotype analysis in previously reported and newly detected FDB heterozygotes in Germany. 5 FDB families and 6 unrelated FDB heterozygotes were genotypes at 4 polymorphic sites in the 3' end of the apo B gene. These sites consisted of the diallelic markers XbaI, MspI, EcoRI and the hypervariable region (3'HVR). In 5 FDB families and 1 unrelated FDB heterozygote the arginine(3500)----glutamine mutation could be unambiguously assigned to the haplotype XbaI-/MspI+/EcoRI-/3'HVR48, in the other 5 FDB unrelated heterozygotes this finding was consistent with the combination of the genotype. The existence of the arginine(3500)----glutamine mutation on the same and supposedly rare allele suggests that the mutant alleles are identical by descent in our population. The fact that the same mutant allele was identified in North America and Austria suggests a common European origin of the arginine(3500)----glutamine mutation.

Adult↗

A "Pap" test for men? Male urethral smears as screening tool for detecting subclinical human papillomavirus infection.

We have explored the potential of using immunoperoxidase staining and in situ DNA hybridization techniques to detect the HPV common antigen and HPV DNA (subtypes 6/11 and 16/18) in urethral smears obtained from men with no grossly visible urethral lesions, with or without HPV-related clinical history. A total of 91 such smears were studied of which 25 (27.5%) were positive for HPV antigen. Of the latter, 20 (80%) were positive for HPV 6/11 DNA, 3 (12%) were positive for HPV 16/18 DNA, one smear (4%) was positive for both, and one was negative for both. The technique of obtaining male urethral smears and immunostaining them for HPV antigen is simple, rapid, specific, and far more sensitive than conventional morphologic observations. Since antigen-positive cells are the source for spreading HPV infection, identifying individuals with such cells can help limit the spread of infection by alerting sexual partners, and also can be used to monitor the infectious status of the patient after therapy. DNA subtyping of HPV-positive patients may be useful in predicting the potential for malignant transformation which varies among the different HPV subtypes.

Antigens, Viral↗

The effect of copper deficiency on adriamycin toxicity.

The effect of copper (Cu) deficiency on antioxidant status of liver and heart and its effect on adriamycin toxicity was assessed. Weanling rats were fed Cu-adequate (+Cu) and Cu-deficient (-Cu) diets for 3 weeks and then injected intraperitoneally once with saline or adriamycin (8 mg/kg). All -Cu rats had increased heart/body weight ratios compared to +Cu rats. Regardless of Cu status, adriamycin decreased body weight and increased heart cytochrome c oxidase, but had no effect on Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) index or liver cytochrome c oxidase activity. -Cu, adriamycin rats had significantly decreased heart weights (0.54 + 0.02 g/kg body wt.) compared to -Cu, saline rats (0.69 +/- 0.05 g/kg body wt.). Four of 6 -Cu rats given adriamycin had abnormal EKGs, with 3 showing extrasystoles and 1 having a severe bradycardia. All +Cu rats given adriamycin had normal EKGs. Pathological changes detected with electron microscopy were most severe in -Cu rats given adriamycin.

Animals↗

[Flashback following use of cannabis--a review].

The present study tries to find an answer to the question, whether the consumption of cannabis can cause flashbacks, and, if so, under what circumstances they occur. This is of interest for the treatment, prognosis and also from the legal viewpoint. The definition of a flashback is often unclear. Empirical investigations are often not sufficiently comparable, the supplementary data are very often missing, making the evaluation of the results difficult. Self-diagnosis by the consumer is usually unsuitable for estimating the frequency and phenomenology of flashbacks. Cannabis may trigger flashbacks after consuming hallucinogenes; the probability of the occurrence of a flashback seems to increase with the amount of hallucinogenes a person has consumed. A definite correlation between the amount of hashish consumed and the occurrence of flashback does not exist. Flashbacks have also been reported after consuming cannabis alone. However, data vary regarding the frequency of such flashbacks. According to the available data they occur rarely and require a thorough differential diagnostic evaluation in each individual case. As a rule, the occurrence of a flashback may take place in cases where there is an intake of hallucinogenic drugs in the recent case history.

Cannabinoids↗

[Unusual course of acute leukemia with massive CNS involvement].

The article presents the case of a 37-year-old patient with acute leukemia. Four days before the appearance of acute symptoms, the patient manifested unspecific prodromes, with headache, coughing, and tiredness. Within 18 hours, he then presented the complete picture of acute leukemia, with multiple brain hemorrhages, diffused leukemic infiltration of all organs, and the typical alterations in blood picture. Eighteen hours after the first specific symptoms, the patient died of therapy-resistant cerebral pressure.

Acute Disease↗

The F9-EC cell line as a model for the analysis of differentiation.

The teratocarcinoma stem cell line F9 has been widely used as a model for the analysis of molecular mechanisms associated with differentiation. This cell line has been considered to be nullipotent and able to differentiate into endodermal-like derivatives upon treatment with retinoic acid. Nevertheless, under definite culture conditions, F9 cells are able to differentiate into derivatives of all three germ layers. The F9 cells express characteristics of early mouse embryonal cells and possess all repression factors known to be present in cells of the early mouse embryogenesis. Induction of differentiation can be achieved not only by adding chemical agents to the culture medium but also by transfection of several oncogenic sequences. In somatic cell genetic experiments, immortalized, differentiated F9-like cells have been shown to express dominantly genes responsible for the appearance of the differentiated phenotype.

Animals↗

Proteolytic enzyme activities in rat peritoneal exudate.

Proteinase activities in rat thioglycollate elicited peritoneal cells and the cell-free supernatant (lavage fluid) were measured by using the following substrates: Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-Methyl-Coumarin-Amide (for cathepsin G or chymase), Suc-Ala-Ala-Ala-AMC (for elastase or elastase-like), Z-Arg-Arg-AMC (for cathepsin B), haemoglobin (for cathepsin D) and Ala-AMC (for alanine-aminopeptidase: AAP). The enzyme activities were correlated to the quantitative distribution of various cell types in the exudate from 0 to 192 nd h. In the supernatant all the examined activities showed a higher value at 72nd h. In the cells activity of chymase and AAP proved to be very high at 0 h but after four h the activities were dropped. From this time all enzyme activities started to elevate till the 24th h. At the 96th h only the activity of cathepsin B and AAP had a high value. We conclude that the intracellular activation and secretion of proteolytic enzymes characteristic for the various peritoneal cell types involved in the acute and chronic inflammatory reaction can be followed by activity measurements using enzyme-specific substrates and inhibitors.

Aminopeptidases↗

[Texture formation of the dental ceramic core material In-Ceram and thermal expansion of its individual components].

Electron microscopic investigations of the core material In-Ceram show how its texture is formed. While these are processed the Al2O3 crystallites turn idiomorphic. Etching the material with sulphuric acid selectively dissolves the glassy phase and reveals the crystallites. The chemical composition of the two components of the core material is determined by microprobe analysis. While the crystallites are pure Al2O3, the glass consists of La2O3, SiO2, Al2O3 and CaO. Measurements of the thermal expansions of the glass and the Al2O3 frame show the value for the glass to be 5.1% lower than that of the Al2O3 frame. This results in internal pressure and contributes to the high strength of the material.

Aluminum Oxide↗

[Evaluation of an anamnesis questionnaire for the diagnosis of sleep apnea in patients with chronic diseases of the respiratory organs].

In a Rehabilitation Clinic for Diseases of the Respiratory Organs we examined 497 male patients aged 45.9 +/- 11.1 years with a relative weight of 109 +/- 16.7% who were suffering from chronic diseases of the respiratory tract (66.2% chronic bronchitis, 33.8% asthma bronchiale, 49.6% obstruction of the respiratory tract). They were subjected to a detailed physical examination and were given an anamnestic questionnaire for the purpose of diagnosing sleep-related respiratory disturbances (Siegrist et al., 1987). In addition, whole body plethysmography was performed in all patients as well as a pulse-oximetric examination during night sleep. Using factor analysis, it was possible to extract 5 factors from the 23 items of the anamnesis questionnaire. With these 5 factors, 60.5% of the total variance could be explained. These factors describe: 1. Dyspnoea (35.3%); 2. Vigilance (8.5%); 3. Sleep disturbances (6.3%); 4. Headache (5.8%) and 5. Snoring (4.7%). Different factor patterns are seen for different groups of patients. In patients suspected of an obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, however, it will always be necessary to perform further stage-wise diagnosis to safeguard the diagnosis.

Adult↗

[Spontaneous healing of a carotid-cavernous sinus fistula].

After a fall, a 67-year-old patient was admitted to our hospital. The unique clinical sign was an exophthalmus, which led to the diagnosis of carotid-cavernous sinus fistula. During his stay in our clinic the fistula was verified by CT and angiography. Transfemoral embolization was planned, but the fistula closed spontaneously prior to the intervention.

Arteriovenous Fistula↗