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Biomedical subjects

M Strohm

Publications and source records attributed to M Strohm.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Also consider sinusitis in facial pain: wisdown tooth, tumor, acute parotitis].

In numerous cases of head and facial pain, the underlying causes are found to be ENT problems. The most common cause of pain affecting the forehead and mid-facial region is acute sinusitis, in which the sphenoidal sinus is more commonly affected than previously assumed. Pain in the oral-facial region is largely due to disorders of the masticatory apparatus, but inflammatory diseases of the oral mucosa, abscesses or the so-called Eagle syndrome may also be involved. An accurate history and a clinical examination often points the physician in the right direction. To establish an accurate diagnosis, endoscopy of the upper airways and digestive system, together with ultrasonography, are usually required, followed, where necessary, by a radiological and NMR work-up, and puncture or biopsy. Provided that an accurate diagnosis has been established and multidisciplinary cooperation is available, the therapeutic options are usually effective.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

[Acquired fibrotic atresia of the external auditory canal].

BACKGROUND: There are very few communications on this pathologic entity, which is also called "postinflammatory medial meatal fibrosis" (PIMMF), its etiology and the adequate therapy. Apparently the cause is a chronic inflammation (or chronic ekzema) of the medial part of the external meatus or also a long-lasting otorrhea in chronic otitis media. The stratified epithelium of the eardrum and of the adjacent bony meatus is destroyed and replaced by fibrotic tissue. The lateral part of the auditory canal remains open and has the form of the finger of a glove, it may contain granulations, but often it is lined with a smooth stratified epithelium. A severe conductive hearing loss is the result of this anomaly. PATIENTS: During the last 10 years we operated on 46 patients (52 ears) for this pathology: after retroauricular opening, which allows the best control of the anterior tympanomeatal angle, the fibrotic tissue was removed keeping the lamina propria intact. The bony canal was widened, if necessary. The eardrum and the bony canal were covered with split skin graft from the retroauricular region, then the canal filled with an antibiotic package for 3 weeks. RESULTS: Underneath the fibrotic tissue we detected 3 cholesteatomata of the annular region, so it is important to remember, that the atresia may also cover a dangerous pathology. 6 times a second operation was necessary, besides that, we observed 14 recurrencies. All other patients had a wide epithelialized ear canal, their conductive hearing loss disappeared, and the results were stable over several years. Bacteriological and histological examinations were not helpful to clear up the etiology of this disease. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is the treatment of choice of the acquired atresia of the external meatus. We suppose that in these patients a individual disposition causes the formation of this excessive fibrosis, which has some similarity with keloid formation.

Adult↗

Poly(ADP-ribose) binds to specific domains in DNA damage checkpoint proteins.

Poly(ADP-ribose) is formed in possibly all multicellular organisms by a familiy of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs). PARP-1, the best understood and until recently the only known member of this family, is a DNA damage signal protein catalyzing its automodification with multiple, variably sized ADP-ribose polymers that may contain up to 200 residues and several branching points. Through these polymers, PARP-1 can interact noncovalently with other proteins and alter their functions. Here we report the discovery of a poly(ADP-ribose)-binding sequence motif in several important DNA damage checkpoint proteins. The 20-amino acid motif contains two conserved regions: (i) a cluster rich in basic amino acids and (ii) a pattern of hydrophobic amino acids interspersed with basic residues. Using a combination of alanine scanning, polymer blot analysis, and photoaffinity labeling, we have identified poly(ADP-ribose)-binding sites in the following proteins: p53, p21(CIP1/WAF1), xeroderma pigmentosum group A complementing protein, MSH6, DNA ligase III, XRCC1, DNA polymerase epsilon, DNA-PK(CS), Ku70, NF-kappaB, inducible nitric-oxide synthase, caspase-activated DNase, and telomerase. The poly(ADP-ribose)-binding motif was found to overlap with five important functional domains responsible for (i) protein-protein interactions, (ii) DNA binding, (iii) nuclear localization, (iv) nuclear export, and (v) protein degradation. Thus, PARPs may target specific signal network proteins via poly(ADP-ribose) and regulate their domain functions.

Alanine↗

Syntheses of photoactive analogues of adenosine diphosphate (hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidinediol and photoaffinity labeling of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase.

Two isomeric azidoadenosyl analogues of adenosine diphosphate (hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidinediol [ADP-HPD; Slama, J. T., et al. (1995) J. Med. Chem. 38, 389-393] were synthesized as photoaffinity labels for poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase. 8-Azidoadenosine diphosphate (hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidinediol (8-N3-ADP-HPD) inhibited the enzyme activity by 50% at ca. 1 microM, a concentration 80-fold lower than that where the isomeric 2-azidoadenosine diphosphate (hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidinediol did. [alpha-32P]-8-N3-ADP-HPD was therefore synthesized and used to photoderivatize poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase. Irradiation of recombinant poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase and low concentrations of [alpha-32P]-8-N3-ADP-HPD with short-wave UV light resulted in the covalent incorporation of the photoprobe into the protein, as demonstrated by gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography or acid precipitation of the protein followed by scintillation counting. No photoincorporation occurred in the absence of UV light. The photoincorporation saturated at low concentrations of the photoprobe and photoprotection was observed in the presence of low concentrations of ADP-HPD, an indication of the specificity of the photoinsertion reaction. These results demonstrate that [alpha-32P]-8-N3-ADP-HPD can be used to specifically covalently photoderivatize the enzyme to characterize the polypetides that constitute the ADP-HPD binding site of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase. The photoincorporation reaction was further used to determine the ability of ADP-ribose polymers of varying size to compete with [alpha-32P]-8-N3-ADP-HPD for binding to the enzyme. Photoincorporation of [alpha-32P]-8-N3-ADP-HPD was inhibited by 80% in the presence of low concentrations of short, unbranched ADP-ribose oligomers (5-15 ADP-ribose units in length). No similar photoprotection was afforded by the addition of a high-molecular weight highly branched polymer. These results indicate that the photolabel shares a binding site with the short, linear polymer, but not with the long, highly branched polymer.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

[Bilateral massive macronodular adrenal gland hyperplasia. A rare cause of Cushing's syndrome].

A 46-year-old man with known arterial hypertension for 10 years had, over the last two years, developed increasing obesity, particularly of the trunk, with other symptoms typical of Cushing's syndrome. Hormone analysis demonstrated hypercortisolism and decreased plasma ACTH concentration. The dexamethasone inhibition test failed to show any significant suppression of serum cortisol. Plasma ACTH was not increased in the corticotrophin-releasing hormone and the metyrapone tests. In the short ACTH test there was an excessive cortisol increase. Abdominal computed tomography revealed both adrenals to be enlarged (6 x 4 cm) and coarsely nodular. Adrenolytic treatment with ketoconazole (400 mg daily) caused symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, but a reduced dosage of 200 mg daily lowered the cortisol level to between 5 and 11 micrograms/dl and normalized the blood pressure and clinical signs of Cushing's syndrome disappeared. Subsequent bilateral adrenalectomy confirmed the diagnosis of massive macronodular adrenal hyperplasia. Substitution treatment with twice daily 25 mg cortisone acetate and 0.05 mg fludrocortisone was started postoperatively.

Adrenal Gland Diseases↗

[Stapes surgery in otosclerosis and small middle ear abnormality].

Stapes surgery in otosclerosis (first and revision operation) and in minor middle ear malformation follows the same principles, but the surgical problems are rather different. When analyzing three groups of patients, which had been operated on the same technique, we could show that the risks of the operation in malformation and revision surgery are not greater than they are in primary otosclerosis surgery. The audiologic results are more satisfying in the latter; malformation surgery and revision surgery have almost the same results which are lying somewhat below those of primary otosclerosis surgery. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, who is able to adopt his surgical technique at the individual situation, stapes surgery is nearly without risk in all these indications; an improvement of the air-conducting level of 18-23 dB can be expected and a social hearing above 35 dB can be provided in 83% of otosclerosis patients, in 79% of malformation patients and in 57% of revision patients.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗

[Distant metastases of epitheliomas of the upper respiratory and digestive tracts].

Distant metastases of ENT tumors are rare; when analysing 1.666 patients, we found them in 6.5%. They started especially from tumors of the hypopharynx (19.7%), oral cavity (7.6%), oropharynx (5.6%) and larynx (3.2%). 9 metastases were diagnosed, before therapy started, all the others appeared late, even later than 5 years after therapy in some cases of carcinoma of the larynx. The metastases were situated in the lung (71 cases), the skeleton (45 cases), the pleura (11 cases) and the liver (8 cases), but in rare instances in almost every organon. The main examinations for staging are therefore: the radiograph of the chest, the sonography of the abdomen and the scintigraphy of the skeleton. These examinations may be completed, if necessary, by the CT-scan. A patient with distant metastases never could be healed.

Carcinoma↗

[Otogenic extradural pneumatocele, 36 years after a gunshot injury].

In the reported case an extradural pneumatocele developed 36 years after the mastoid tip had been destroyed by a bullet. It had reached the occiput and led to destruction of the bone surrounding its distal end, so that air could be found directly under the galea. In the literature there are only few case reports referring the otogenic origin of a posttraumatic extradural pneumatocele. Furthermore, an overpressure in the middle ear cleft or mastoid could be excluded because of the presence of a tympanic membrane perforation. In spite of a chronically infected middle ear, there was no infection of the pneumatocele.

Deafness↗

[Damage to inner ear function caused by the effect of ionizing rays].

In the literature the inner ear is claimed to be resistent to the effects of ionizing irradiation. We therefore studied the inner ear function in a group of 49 patients who had undergone radiotherapy for malignant tumors of the head in which the irradiated field included at least one inner ear. 67 ears had been irradiated, 46 of them showed a sensorineural hearing loss of 10 dB or more. The frequency and the degree of the inner ear damage was correlated with the dosage of the irradiation and with the time elapsed after the end of radiotherapy.

Adult↗

[High-resolution and dynamic computed tomography in the diagnosis of glomus tympanicum and glomus jugulare tumors].

In order to differentiate residual or recurrent tumour from scar tissue, high resolution computer tomography was combined with dynamic scanning. In 19 patients examined, glomus tumours were found in eight and lymph node metastases in one. This non-invasive method, which can be used on an outpatient basis, is essential for follow-up and is useful as an addition in primary tumour staging.

Female↗