Elektrokardiographische Beobachtungen Über den Ablauf Einer Akuten Myokarditis Nach Grippe

Zusammenfassung Bei einem 21 jähr. Studenten, der zur Zeit einer Grippeepidemie eine Influenza durchgemacht hatte, traten 2 Wochen darauf zuerst kompletter Block mit Ohnmachtsanfällen, später nach Wiederherstellung der normalen Schlagfolge Störungen der Reizbildung und insbesondere der Reizausbreitung sowohl im Vorhof als auch in besonders ausgedehntem Maße innerhalb der Kammer auf, die auf eine diffuse Erkrankung des spezifischen Muskelsystems hinwiesen. Gleichzeitig bestanden Oppressionsgefühl auf der Brust, Mattigkeit, vorübergehend geringe Temperatursteigerungen. Alle diese Symptome werden als Grippe-Myokarditis gedeutet. Besonders wertvoll für die Erkennung dieses und ähnlicher Krankheitsbilder erweist sich die elektrokardiographische Untersuchung, die auch beim Fehlen anderer auf die Myokardaffektion bezüglichen Symptome, insbesondere auch von Arhythmien, durch den Nachweis von Störungen der Erregungsausbreitung in Vorhof oder Kammer Aufklärung über das Bestehen eines pathologischen Prozesses im Myokard zu geben vermag. Die frühzeitige Erkennung dieses Krankheitszustandes ist aber mit Rücksicht auf die notwendigen prophylaktischen Maßnahmen von großer Wichtigkeit.     

Development of a molecular-beacon assay to detect the G1896A precore mutation in hepatitis B virus-infected individuals

The 1896 precore (PC) mutation is the most frequent cause of hepatitis B virus e-antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Detection of the 1896 PC mutation has application in studies monitoring antiviral therapy and the natural history of the disease. Identification of this mutation is usually performed by direct sequencing, which is both costly and laborious. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid, high-throughput assay to detect the 1896 PC mutation using real-time PCR and molecular-beacon technology. The assay was initially standardized on oligonucleotide targets and plasmids containing the wild-type (WT) and PC mutation and then tested on plasma samples from children with HBV DNA of >10(6) copies/ml. Nine individuals were HBeAg negative and suspected to harbor HBeAg mutations, while 12 children were HBeAg positive and selected as controls. Ninety percent (19 of 21) of plasma samples tested with molecular beacons were in complete agreement with sequencing results. The remaining 10% (2 of 21) of samples were identified as heterogeneous mixtures of WT and mutant virus by molecular beacons, though sequencing found only a homogeneous mutant in both cases. Overall, the 1896 PC mutation was detected by this assay in 55.5% of the children with HBeAg-negative infection. In summary, this assay is a rapid, sensitive, and specific technique that effectively discriminates WT from 1896 PC mutant HBV and may be useful in clinical and epidemiological studies.     

Cytologische Kriterien der Wirkung von Sanamycin

Zusammenfassung Die cytostatische Wirkung des Sanamycin auf Milz, Thymus und Nebennieren des Kaninchens wurde mit Hilfe einer vergleichenden cyto-histologischen Untersuchungtechnik geprüft, um einen näheren Einblick in die zellspezifischen Angriffspunkte des Medikamentes zu gewinnen. Der Effekt auf die normale Lymphopoese besteht in einer zeitlich begrenzten Abnahme der reifen Lymphocyten zugunsten einer Vermehrung der Lymphoblasten, wobei histologisch eine allgemeine Reduktion der lymphatischen Gewebsanteile in Erscheinung tritt. Das RHS bleibt in diesem Zusammenhang unberührt. Die Nebennieren zeigen nach hohen Sanamycindosen Veränderungen, die einer beträchtlichen Stresswirkung oder einer reversiblen toxischen Schäidgung entsprechen können. Das durch kurzfristige Sensibilisierung stimulierte Zellsubstrat der Antikörperbildung erfährt durch Sanamycingaben eine nachhaltige Depression, während dieser Effekt bei chronisch sensibilisierten Tieren wesentlich geringer ausgeprägt ist. Die tierexperimentell erhobenen Befunde werden im Hinblick auf die therapeutische Sanamycinwirkung bei lymphatischen Systemkrankheiten und die Möglichkeiteiner Beeinflussungakuter Antigen-Antikörperreaktionen diskutiert.Herrn Professor Dr.R. Schoen zum 65. Geburtstag.     

Pattern and persistence of the epitope-specific IgM response against human cytomegalovirus in renal transplant patients.

The humoral immune response against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) was evaluated in immunocompromised patients by Western blotting (WB) based on recombinant viral envelope (gB and gH) and tegument (pp150 and pp65) proteins. Three groups of patients were investigated: (a) 74 renal transplant recipients; (b) 24 hemodialysis patients, both groups without clinical evidence of viral infections; and (c) 19 renal transplant patients with manifest HCMV infections. The results obtained suggest that (i) the WB is considerably more sensitive, recognizing the HCMV-specific IgM response rather than the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. An IgM response was detected in one-third of all clinically asymptomatic renal patients. (ii) The virus-specific IgM response is primarily directed against the pp150 epitope. (iii) In patients with clinically manifest HCMV disease, additional IgM reactivities are most frequently directed against the glycoprotein B epitope. (iv) The severity of HCMV infections correlates with the extent of the IgM antibody response, i.e. with the number of specific epitopes involved. (v) After transplantation, IgM reactivity and its epitope-specific pattern persist for years.     

Prevalence of human T-Cell lymphotropie virus infections in Germany

The extent of human T-cell lymphotropic retorvirus HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections in the general population in central Europe has not been investigated fully. Two hundred forty-eight thousand blood donors from southern Germany were examined serologically for antibodies to the human lymphotropic retroviruses HTLV-I and HTLV-II: 0.021% were confirmed postive and 0.056% were “indeterminate”. A limited number of seropositives and “indeterminate” samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR): the seropositives were confirmed as positive and 43% of the “indeterminate” samples were PCR-positive. The range of 0.021% HTLV-positives in 248,000 donors, i.e. about two in 10,000 individuals, mirrors closely the published data for the United States. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Fra(X) frequency on the active X-chromosome and phenotype in heterozygous carriers of the fra(X) form of mental retardation

Female heterozygotes of the fra(X) form of mental retardation show variable degrees of mental impairment and phenotype expression of the disorder. This might be an effect of inactivation of the X-chromosome which carries the fra(X)(q). Prior replication studies in heterozygous carriers gave contradictory results with respect to possible genotype-phenotype correlation. In the interpretation of these studies it is important to understand the effect of BrdU on the fra(X)(q) expression. In a group of 13 hemizygous patients with fra(X)(q) and 7 heterozygous carriers we studied the effect of BrdU on fra(X) expression. In the heterozygous carriers the use of BrdU resulted in a significant suppression of the fra(X)(q), while in hemizygous patients no difference in fra(X)(q) frequency with or without BrdU could be observed. It can be concluded that BrdU suppresses the fra(X)(q) preferentially on the inactive X-chromosome. Thus the fra(X)(q) frequency on the active X-chromosome is of primary importance in phenotype correlation studies among heterozygous carriers. In our group of heterozygous carriers we observed a negative correlation between (IQ) phenotype and fra(X)(q) expression on the active X-chromosome. This suggests that the gene for the fra(X)(q) form of mental retardation is on the X-chromosome and undergoes inactivation.     

The mast cell: distribution and maturation in the peritoneal cavity of the adult rat.

In the peritoneal cavity of the adult rat mast cells at the four stages of progressive maturation (and corresponding increase of sulphation of granules) are best demonstrated in free peritoneal fluid. Of the 0.1-0.2x10(6) cells in the free fluid, 26% are at stage 1 of maturation (all granules are stained by Alcian blue). 24% at stage 2 (majority of granules are stained by Alcian blue, minority by safranin), 20% at stage 3 (majority of granules are safranin-positive), and 30% at stage 4 (all granules are safranin-positive). Peritoneal washings yield a mean of about 1.3-1.8x10(6) mast cells of which 16% are at stage 1, 24% at stage 2, 34% at stage 3 and 26% at stage 4. The greater number recovered by washing, compared with the number in free peritoneal fluid, suggests that a substantial number of mast cells lie on the surface of the peritoneal membranes.