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Biomedical subjects

M Herrmann

Publications and source records attributed to M Herrmann.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Antimicrobial susceptibilities of Stomatococcus mucilaginosus and of Micrococcus spp.

The in vitro susceptibilities of 63 isolates of Stomatococcus mucilaginosus and of 188 isolates of Micrococcus spp. to 18 antimicrobial agents were determined by the agar dilution method. Many beta-lactams, imipenem, rifampin, and the glycopeptides were shown to be active in vitro against Stomatococcus and Micrococcus isolates, whereas the activities of antibiotics such as some aminoglycosides, erythromycin, and fosfomycin against an important number of these microorganisms are limited.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1995

Fast and high-affinity binding of B-lymphotropic papovavirus to human B-lymphoma cell lines.

Binding of B-lymphotropic papovavirus (LPV) to host cells differing in susceptibility to viral infection was determined by a newly established, direct, nonradioactive virus binding assay, which allows quantitative description of the binding characteristics by receptor saturation and Scatchard analysis. LPV binding to the highly susceptible human B-lymphoma cell line BJA-B K88 is specific, saturable, and noncooperative. Binding occurs very fast, with an association rate constant (k1) of 6.7 x 10(7) M-1s-1, and is of high affinity, with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 2.9 x 10(-12) M; and the virus-receptor complex is stable, with a half life of 70 min. The binding affinities of receptors on four other highly, moderately, or weakly susceptible human B-lymphoma cell lines were similar, with up to twofold variation around a mean Kd value of 3 x 10(-12) M, suggesting the presence of the same LPV receptor on all of these cell lines. This view is further supported by the finding that in all cases a terminal sialic acid is necessary for LPV binding. Tunicamycin has been shown to drastically induce LPV susceptibility and LPV binding in weakly and moderately susceptible B-lymphoma cell lines (O.T. Keppler, M. Herrmann, M. Oppenländer, W. Meschede, and M. Pawlita, J. Virol. 68:6933-6939, 1994). The hypothesis that the constitutively expressed and tunicamycin-induced LPV receptors are identical is strengthened by our finding that both receptor types displayed the same high affinity. LPV susceptibility of different B-lymphoma cell lines was correlated with receptor number but not with receptor affinity. The numbers of receptors per cell on highly and moderately susceptible cell lines ranged from 2,000 to 400 and were directly proportional to LPV susceptibility. This indicates that the number of high-affinity receptors per cell is a key regulating factor for the LPV host range.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Poststroke depression. Is there a pathoanatomic correlate for depression in the postacute stage of stroke?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study is aimed at the pathoanatomic correlates of depression in the postacute stage of patients with stroke. METHODS: Of a consecutive series of 104 stroke patients, a subgroup of 47 patients with single demarcated unilateral lesions was selected. Clinical examination, neuroradiological CT scan examination, and psychiatric assessment were performed within a 2-month period after the acute stroke. Depression was assessed with the Cornell Depression Scale, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and according to modified DSM-III-R criteria. The neuroradiological examination of all patients was performed on the same scanner, and lesion location, lesion volume, and ventricle-to-brain ratio were analyzed. RESULTS: We found no significant differences in depression scores between patients with left and right hemisphere lesions and no correlation between the severity of depression and the anteriority and the volume of lesion or brain atrophy. Major depressive disorders were only found in nine patients with left hemisphere lesions, all involving the basal ganglia, whereas none of the patients with right hemisphere stroke exhibited major depression. CONCLUSIONS: Lesions in the vicinity of the left hemisphere basal ganglia tend to play a crucial role in the development of major depression after the acute stage of stroke. The pathophysiological implications of this finding are discussed.

Brain↗
PubMed1995

On the functional organisation of hyaline articular cartilage.

Function of agonists and antagonists and the centering effect of the muscles on the connected joint result in constant changes of the site of load. Based on a model it is assumed that chondric cells organise in form of "functional units" within the single layers of the hyaline tectorial cartilage. In each case a small number of those units is subject to the rhythm of load and relief in a fixed period of time given. After 24-hour-culture of small pieces of cartilage in Ham's F-10 medium erected cilia are found on the predominantly ciliated chondrocytes with this indicating relief of pressure. In these cells massive glycogen synthesis and an active Golgi apparatus are present. In parallel, chondrones are found in which cellular contact functions via a cilium. Time-dependent glycogen occurs in these cells too. Cells having almost the same synthesis time course of the glycogen join up to form "functional units", which are particularly involved in the biomechanic cartilage behavior in the radiar cell zone.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

[Determining patient staff with regard to needs and requirement profile for neuropsychologists, speech therapists and occupational therapists of acute care neurologic clinics in Germany].

The directors of neurological emergency-care departments were asked about the number and work profile of psychologists, occupational and speech therapists in their institutions. A majority of departments in West Germany employed their own speech and occupational therapists. In East Germany, a majority had their own psychology service. Work profiles and demands for personnel did not differ between the East and West. On the basis of the results, recommendations are made for the number of therapists required in neurological emergency-care departments.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

PCR and reverse dot hybridization for the detection of endogenous retroviral transcripts.

Two degenerated oligonucleotide primers, known to amplify a fragment of the pol gene in all retroviruses tested so far have been used to amplify pol related sequences from human genomic DNA. Cloning and sequencing these fragments confirm a retroviral relationship for most of them and define 96 groups on the basis of their internal similarity. 96 pol fragments were probed with PCR amplified cDNA in reverse dot hybridization to investigate pol related transcripts. PCR amplified genomic DNA served as a control for contamination of genomic DNA in the RNA preparations. Isopycnic centrifugation in cesium trifluoroacetate yielded RNA with the lowest possible amounts of contaminating DNA. This technique is a powerful and a well-controlled tool for the detection of endogenous retroviral transcripts and may be helpful for investigating the involvement of endogenous retroviruses in various diseases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Preliminary experience with the Toronto SPV stentless porcine bioprosthesis for aortic valve replacement.

From November 1992 to March 1993 fourteen patients received the Toronto SPV stentless porcine xenograft as aortic valve replacement. Median age was 56 years (range 32-70 years). 7 patients were male and 7 female. Implanted valve sizes ranged from 23 mm to 29 mm, the majority of patients received valves with 27 and 29 mm tissue diameter. A learning process was evident by aortic crossclamp time decreasing with experience. No valve-related mortality or morbidity occurred. Postoperatively echocardiography showed near normal valve performance in most patients. The longevity of the valve, however, still has to be established. Meanwhile we continue the implant of stentless bioprostheses as aortic valve substitutes in selected patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Single-dose pharmacokinetics of oral fleroxacin in bacteremic patients.

Fleroxacin is a new broad-spectrum quinolone which can be given by the oral route. The present study was designed to assess the influence of bacteremia on the pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of fleroxacin. Thirteen patients with proven bacteremia (one or more pairs of positive blood cultures, no hypotension) were given a single 400-mg fleroxacin dose orally on two occasions while also receiving standard antibiotic therapy. The first dose was administered 12 to 36 h after the last positive blood culture was drawn (day 1), and a second dose was administered 7 days later (day 7 +/- 2) to compare the pharmacokinetics between the acute and the convalescent phases of the disease. Following each administration of fleroxacin, serial plasma samples were collected for up to 72 h and were analyzed for unchanged drug by a reversed phase high-pressure liquid chromatography technique. There were no significant changes in the following pharmacokinetic parameters (mean standard deviation) the maximum concentration of drug in serum (6.4 +/- 1.5 versus 6.7 +/- 1.9 mg/liter), the minimum concentration of drug in serum, defined as the concentration of drug in serum at 24 h postdose (3.0 +/- 1.7 versus 2.5 +/- 1.2 mg/liter), the time to the maximum concentration of drug in serum (2.3 +/- 1.4 versus 2.0 +/- 1.2 h), and the elimination half-life (19.7 +/- 8.0 versus 17.9 +/- 6.9 h). Fleroxacin clearances were compared for each individual patient. A positive correlation (R2 = 0.787) was found between the values measured on day 1 and day 7. Oral clearance of fleroxacin (CL = CL/F, where F is bioavailability was slightly, but not significantly, reduced during the bacteremic phase (oral clearance, 43.8+/- 23.5 versus 48.5 +/- 17.5 ml/min.). When compared with previous results obtained in healthy young subjects, longer times to the maximum concentration of drug in serum and elimination half-lives and higher areas under the curve were observed. This could be due to the bacteremic state, the old age of the patients (mean, 66 years), and the low renal clearance (mean calculated creatinine clearance, 71.1 ml/min). A single oral dose of 400 mg of fleroxacin provides sufficient levels in serum to cover susceptible microorganisms for at least 24 h in bacteremic patients. Renal function appeared to be the key element that had to be taken into consideration to adapt fleroxacin dosage profiles in our patient population. Bacteremia itself appeared to amplify that phenomenon, but to a much lesser extent than renal function did.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1994

Regulation of susceptibility and cell surface receptor for the B-lymphotropic papovavirus by N glycosylation.

The host range of the B-lymphotropic papovavirus (LPV) in cultured human cells is limited to a few B-lymphoma-derived cell lines. The constitutively expressed cell surface receptor for the virus is a major determinant restricting the LPV host range (G. Haun, O. T. Keppler, C. T. Bock, M. Herrmann, H. Zentgraf, and M. Pawlita, J. Virol. 67:7482-7492, 1993). Here we show that human B-lymphoma cells with low-level susceptibility are rendered highly susceptible to LPV infection by pretreatment with the N glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin but remain nonsusceptible to infection by the related polyomavirus simian virus 40. Among the selective N glycosylation processing inhibitors, deoxymannojirimycin, but not deoxynojirimycin, swainsonine, or castanospermine, could mimic the effect of tunicamycin. Tunicamycin treatment also induced a drastic enhancement of the cells' LPV-binding capacity, indicating that the induction of LPV susceptibility might be mediated by an increase in the number of functional cell surface receptors and/or by increased receptor affinity. Sialidase sensitivity of the tunicamycin-induced LPV receptor showed that oligosaccharides carrying terminal sialic acids are necessary for binding and are likely to be O linked. The constitutive LPV receptor is also sialic acid dependent, which points to a possible identity with the sialic acid-dependent tunicamycin-induced LPV receptor. We conclude that removal or modification of certain N-linked oligosaccharides in human B-lymphoma cells can enhance expression or functional activity of the sialylated LPV receptor.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1993

A neural model of the dynamic activation of memory.

We study an Attractor Neural Network that stores natural concepts, organized in semantic classes. The concepts are represented by distributed patterns over a space of attributes, and are related by both semantic and episodic associations. While semantic relations are expressed through an hierarchical coding over the attribute space, episodic links are realized via specific synaptic projections. Due to dynamic thresholds expressing neuronal fatigue, the network's behavior is characterized by convergence toward the concept patterns on a short time scale, and by transitions between the various patterns on a longer time scale. In its baseline, undamaged state, the network manifests semantic, episodic, and random transitions, and demonstrates the phenomenon of priming. Modeling possible pathological changes, we have found that increasing the 'noise' level or the rate of neuronal fatigue decreases the frequency of semantic transitions. When neurons characterized by large synaptic connectivity are deleted, semantic transitions decay before the episodic ones, in accordance with the findings in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1993

Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus septicaemia: the toxic strep syndrome. Report of our cases developing septic shock and multiple organ failure.

During the last two decades, severe group A beta-haemolytic streptococcal infections have been defined as the "toxic strep syndrome", and have been reported not only in immunocompromised or elderly people, but also occasionally in previously healthy patients. We describe 4 patients presenting with the toxic strep syndrome, requiring surgery and intensive care, and briefly review the related literature. Fatigue, localized pain and other nonspecific symptoms were associated with the onset of the disease, followed by septic shock with multiple organ failure. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention, if necessary, are mandatory. Subsequently, appropriate supportive treatment of vital organ dysfunction and penicillin as the antibiotic of choice represent the cornerstones of the management of this syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to surface-bound platelets: role of fibrinogen/fibrin and platelet integrins.

Platelets adhering to artificial or biologic surfaces have been implicated in the pathogenesis of catheter infections or endocarditis; however, the ligands involved in Staphylococcus aureus interaction with adherent platelets remain incompletely understood. Radiolabeled S. aureus Cowan I were incubated with purified platelets adherent to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) coverslips and washed, and adhesion was determined. Platelets promoted adhesion of S. aureus approximately 30-fold compared with adhesion to albumin-PMMA. In the presence of both plasma (1% vol/vol) and platelets, adhesion was extensively promoted, with 30% (of inoculated) S. aureus adherent (150-fold increase). Platelet pretreatment with anti-GPIIb/IIIa monoclonal antibodies or inhibitors of platelet activation decreased plasma-enhanced adhesion, suggesting a role of platelet activation in S. aureus adhesion. Plasma-enhanced adhesion was sensitive to thrombin antagonists, proteinase inhibitors, heparin, or antifibrinogen antibodies, indicating that fibrinogen/fibrin is necessary for bridging between adherent platelets and S. aureus. In conclusion, S. aureus adhesion to immobilized platelets may play a role in the pathogenesis of invasive bloodstream infections or endocarditis.

Bacterial Adhesion↗
PubMed1993

A soluble form of the human transferrin receptor is released by activated lymphocytes in vitro.

Soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR) were detected in culture supernatants of activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using a sandwich ELISA technique with two non-cross-reacting TfR MoAbs. Mitogenic stimulation of lymphoid cells induced both up-regulation of TfR surface density and release of sTfR to the medium. Peak levels of sTfR in culture supernatants occurred at day 4 after activation, 1 day later than maximum expression of TfR in the plasma membrane. Production of sTfR was independent of proliferation, as demonstrated by measuring sTfR release by PBMC, which had been irradiated with a dose of 20 Gy before activation. In addition to these in vitro experiments, we tested the sera of 85 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease accompanied by in vivo activation of lymphocytes, for their sTfR levels. No correlation of these data was detectable to serum concentrations of the soluble alpha-chain of the IL-2 receptor, an unequivocal marker of lymphocyte activation. However, they correlated negatively to the haemoglobin content of the patients' erythrocytes, indicating that erythroid progenitors are the predominant source of sTfR in SLE patients' sera.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1993

Molecular characterization of the enniatin synthetase gene encoding a multifunctional enzyme catalysing N-methyldepsipeptide formation in Fusarium scirpi.

The gene encoding the multifunctional enzyme enniatin synthetase from Fusarium scirpi (esyn1) was isolated and characterized by transcriptional mapping and expression studies in Escherichia coli. This is the first example of a gene encoding an N-methyl peptide synthetase. The nucleotide sequence revealed an open reading frame of 9393 bp encoding a protein of 3131 amino acids (M(r) 346,900). Two domains designated EA and EB within the protein were identified which share similarity to each other and to microbial peptide synthetase domains. In contrast to the N-terminal domain EA, the carboxyl terminal domain EB is interrupted by a 434-amino-acid portion which shows local similarity to a motif apparently conserved within adenine and cytosine RNA and DNA methyltransferases and therefore seems to harbour the N-methyl-transferase function of the multienzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗