Body and abdominal fat accumulation may be a consequence of intestinal dysbiosis leading to lowered levels of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabolites of the enteric microbiome. Since butter is a natural source of SCFAs, we investigated the influence of ad libitum butter consumption on intestinal microbiota composition and on markers of metabolic disorders and general health in middle aged female and male C57BL/6 mice.

Control of intestinal motility requires an intact enteric neurotransmission. Synaptosomal-associated protein 25 (SNAP-25) is an essential component of the synaptic vesicle fusion machinery. The aim of the study was to investigate the localization and expression of SNAP-25 in the human intestine and cultured enteric neurons and to assess its regulation by the neurotrophic factor glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). SNAP-25 expression and distribution were analyzed in GDNF-stimulated enteric nerve cell cultures, and synaptic vesicles were evaluated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Human colonic specimens were processed for site-specific SNAP-25 gene expression analysis and SNAP-25 immunohistochemistry including dual-labeling with the pan-neuronal marker PGP 9.5. Additionally, gene expression levels and distributional patterns of SNAP-25 were analyzed in colonic specimens of patients with diverticular disease (DD). GDNF-treated enteric nerve cell cultures showed abundant expression of SNAP-25 and exhibited granular staining corresponding to synaptic vesicles. SNAP-25 gene expression was detected in all colonic layers and isolated myenteric ganglia. SNAP-25 co-localized with PGP 9.5 in submucosal and myenteric ganglia and intramuscular nerve fibers. In patients with DD, both SNAP-25 mRNA expression and immunoreactive profiles were decreased compared to controls. GDNF-induced growth and differentiation of cultured enteric neurons is paralleled by increased expression of SNAP-25 and formation of synaptic vesicles reflecting enhanced synaptogenesis. The expression of SNAP-25 within the human enteric nervous system and its downregulation in DD suggest an essential role in enteric neurotransmission and render SNAP-25 as a marker for impaired synaptic plasticity in enteric neuropathies underlying intestinal motility disorders.

Background and Objectives: Some years ago, egg consumption was considered to be bad for heart health, blood vessels or for people watching their cholesterol levels. Meanwhile, recent meta-analysis studies concluded that higher consumption of egg is not associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This discrepancy raises an important question as to whether the gut microbiota plays a role in digestion, absorption and metabolism of eggs in the digestive tract. There are four primary ways in which eggs (or egg consumption) can impact on the composition of the intestinal microbiota: a) by its nutrition-related factors; through its microbiological status; b) through the potential presence of residues of drugs applied to laying hens; and d) through its allergens. Current studies suggest that high dietary fat intake may contribute to metabolic syndrome pathogenesis through altering intestinal microbiota (a decrease in gut barrier-protecting beneficial Bifidobacteria spp. population and an increase in E coli population), increasing intestinal permeability, and promoting inflammation [Brown et al., 2012; Martinez-Medina et al., 2014]. Because per capita consumption of egg has increased continuously (221 – 259 eggs) and eggs contain high levels of cholesterol and saturated-fat, we were interested in investigating whether egg consumption and egg microbiota impact on the composition of the gut microbiota and immunological/metabolic/inflammatory biomarkers in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. Materials and Methods: Briefly, freshly defecated fecal pellets were collected aseptically from 6 – 8 donor mice, weighed, and then placed in 200 ml of MRS broth. The fecal pellets were resuspended in 200 ml MRS broth by vortexing and by gently bashing with a sterile bacteriological loop, and the resulting cell suspensions were incubated anaerobically without or with whole boiled eggs at 37 °C for 24h. After incubation, serial dilutions were made in sterile PBS and suitable dilutions were plated onto MRS agar for anaerobic culturable bacteria. Afterwards, MRS agar plates were incubated anaerobically at 37 °C for 48 hours and the numbers of colonies on the plates were counted. After the plating process, bacterial cultures were used to measure pH values. For the first time, we used Konelab 20i Clinical Chemistry Analyzer to assess the actual rate of glucose consumption by bacteria, as manifested by quantitative measurement of glucose concentrations in bacterial cell-free culture supernatants (showing the rate of glucose disappearance). However, we conducted similar experimental series with a pure culture of the human-derived Bifidobacterium DSM 20086 strain. Results: Our preliminary in vitro and ex vivo experiments show that addition of egg to MRS broth medium did not inhibit, but rather augmented the growth of culturable anaerobic bacteria from mouse faeces as well as human intestinal-derived Bifidobacterium DSM 20086 strain, as manifested by higher bacterial counts (CFU/ml). This was associated with lower pH values and glucose concentrations in bacterial cultures as reliable and quantitative indicators for prediction of the rate of glucose utilization. Conclusion: Overall, our experiments show that although egg contains high cholesterol and saturated-fat contents, it has not any demonstrably negative impacts on bacterial growth parameters in culturable anaerobic bacteria from mouse faeces as well as human-derived Bifidobacterium DSM 20086 strain. If this happens in vivo, then egg consumption may beneficially modify gut microbiota community composition, which in turn may play a favorable role in the digestion, absorption and metabolism of egg in the digestive tract. Our ongoing cell culture and in vivo studies will provide additional insights into the molecular and cellular basis, underpinning the interplay between egg metabolism and gut microbiota composition.

Die primäre ziliäre Dyskinesie (PCD) ist eine seltene angeborene Erkrankung der Zilien, die sich zumeist im respiratorischen System manifestiert.

Regulation of intestinal motility depends on an intact synaptic vesicle apparatus. Thus, we investigated the expression of the synaptic vesicle markers synaptophysin and synaptobrevin in the human enteric nervous system (ENS) and their regulation by glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in cultured enteric neurons. Full-thickness specimens of the human colon were assessed for expression of synaptophysin and synaptobrevin and neuronal localization was assessed by dual-label immunocytochemistry with PGP 9.5. Effects of GDNF on both synaptic markers were monitored in enteric nerve cell cultures and the presence of varicosities was determined by applying electron microscopy to the cultures. Human colonic specimens showed immunoreactivity for synaptophysin and synaptobrevin in both myenteric and submucosal ganglia as well as in nerve fibers. Both synaptic vesicle markers co-localized with the neuronal marker PGP 9.5 and exhibited granular accumulation patterns in the human and rat ENS. In cultured rat myenteric neurons GDNF treatment promoted expression of both synaptic vesicle markers and the formation of neuronal varicosities. The regulation of synaptophysin and synaptobrevin in enteric neurons by GDNF argues for the induction of functional neuronal networks in culture characterized by an increase of synaptogenesis.

Einleitung: Während der Progression des duktalen Pankreasadenokarzinoms (PDAC) kommt es im Tumorstroma zur Anreicherung regulatorischer T-Zellen (Tregs) sowie in Gangepithel- bzw. Karzinomzellen zur Hochregulation des Adhäsionsmoleküls L1CAM. Beide Phänomene sind mit einer schlechten Prognose assoziiert.

Inflammatorische Pseudotumore (IPT) sind seltene Läsionen, die in nahezu allen Organen, am häufigsten aber in Lunge, Mediastinum und in der Leber vorkommen können. Die Ätiologie der Läsionen ist unklar, eine entzündliche Genese wird angenommen. Aufgrund der geringen Inzidenz fehlen jedoch Studien, die bisherigen Erfahrungen beziehen sich auf Einzelfallberichte. Bei Auftreten von inflammatorischen Pseudotumoren in der Leber ist eine Abgrenzung zu malignen Läsionen auch in der kontrastmittelverstärkten Sonografie (CEUS) nicht möglich und die Diagnose muss bioptisch gesichert werden. Wir berichten über einen 22-jährigen Mann, der initial mit rechtsseitigen Unterbauchbeschwerden und Fieber unter Appendizitisverdacht appendektomiert wurde. Bei postoperativer Beschwerdepersistenz wurden sonografisch eine partielle Pfortaderthrombose, eine periportale Lymphadenopathie sowie 2 echoarme Lebertumoren mit einer für maligne Herdsetzungen charakteristischen Kontrastmittel-Perfusionskinetik diagnostiziert: isoechogene arterielle KM-Perfusion, isoechogenes Enhancement in der portalvenösen Phase und Wash-out-Phänomen in der sinusoidalen Speicherphase. Die ultraschallgeleitete Feinnadelbiopsie und die Tumorregression unter Therapie sicherten die Diagnose inflammatorischer Pseudotumoren der Leber. Ätiopathogenetisch bedeutsam wurde ferner primär sonografisch eine Ileitis terminalis (Morbus Crohn) diagnostiziert.

Pseudotumours of the liver are rare entities, which cannot be differentiated from malignant liver lesions by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) or radiological imaging. We report of a 22-year-old man with persistant abdominal pain and fever after appendectomy. Fundamental ultrasound showed an inflammatory swelling of the terminal ileum, suspicious of Crohn's disease as well as two solid liver lesions and left portal vein thrombosis. The enhancement patterns of both liver tumors on CEUS showed inhomogeneous isoenhancement during the arterial and portal phases and hypoenhancement during the late phase, mimiking malignant lesions. Ultrasound-guided biopsy, histology and follow-up, however, confirmed the diagnosis of hepatic inflammatory pseudotumour (IPT). When diagnosing a pseudotumour of the liver, the rare coincidence with chronic inflammatory bowel disease should be considered.

Hintergrund: Die primäre ziliäre Dyskinesie (PCD) stellt nach der zystischen Fibrose die 2. wichtige kongenitale Erkrankung dar, die in den Spätstadien insbesondere zu Bronchiektasen führt. Die Frühdiagnostik ist daher von entscheidender Bedeutung.

Background: The Fibrous dysplasia is a rare disease of bone metabolism. Most common on the extremities, its appearance at the skull base is rare but of importance in clinical otorhinolaryngology. The patients suffer from problems such as cosmetical limitation, recurrent pain and in later phases from functional losses which result from bone dysplasia.Methods: Based on the experiences of these cases and the study of the current literature we would like to suggest a stage dependent therapy concept that includes conservativ options as well as surgical methods which are divided into curative and palliative surgical treatments.Patients: The Department of Otorhinolaryngology in Bochum has been involved in the therapy of eight patients suffering from fibrous dysplasia which have been treated and examined from six to twenty years.Results: Treatment in fibrous dysplasia can be efficient in increasing quality of life. A complete healing is rare and not the main target of treatment.Conclusions: The staged therapy of fibrous dysplasia consists of conservative and surgical treatment and the combination of both. The decision for an individual therapy concept might be difficult and often requires close interdisciplinary cooperation.

Das Infektionsschutzgesetz wurde zum 01.01.2001 in Deutschland eingeführt. Es beinhaltet auch eine Meldepflicht für Einrichtungen der pathologisch-anatomischen Diagnostik. Alle während der letzten 45 Monate seit Inkrafttreten diagnostizierten meldepflichtigen Krankheiten und Krankheitserreger wurden in dieser Arbeit ausgewertet.

Einleitung: Die Tuberkulose ist weiterhin eine relevante Infektionskrankheit, die klinisch zu Lebzeiten häufig nicht diagnostiziert wird. Die aktuelle Häufigkeit im Obduktionsgut sollte untersucht werden. Methodik: Ausgewertet wurden alle Autopsieberichte (n=3,947) des Institutes für Pathologie der Ruhr-Universität Bochum von 1990 bis 2004, bei denen die Tuberkulose allein- oder teilursächliche Todesursache war. Ergebnisse: Insgesamt fanden sich 55 Fälle (=1,39% aller Sektionen) mit einer relevanten Tuberkulose, hiervon waren 32,7% aktiv und 27,3% inaktiv. Kombinationen kamen in 40% vor. In 70,9% der Fälle lagen weitere relevante Grundleiden vor. In 94,6% war die Tuberkulose in den Lungen entwickelt. Unter den aktiven Formen fanden sich (bei Mehrfachnennung) in 29,1% azinös-nodöse Herde, in 27,3% Frühkavernen und in 18,2% käsige Pneumonien. Miliartuberkulosen konnten in 14,5%, eine tuberkulöse Meningoenzephalitis in 12,7% und eine Wirbelsäulentuberkulose in 7,3% nachgewiesen werden. Bei den inaktiven Formen standen lokale Vernarbungen mit 32,7%, Pleuraschwarten und Verwachsungen mit 21,8% und Spätkavernen bzw. Myzetome mit 16,3% im Vordergrund. Bei 18,2% der Patienten waren thoraxchirurgische Operationen durchgeführt worden, in 10,9% fand sich ein Cor pulmonale. Aktive Formen wurden signifikant häufiger in den Altersgruppen von 30–59 und 80–99 Jahren gefunden. In den letzten 7 ½ Jahren kam es zu einer signifikanten Zunahme aktiver Verlaufsformen (91,7% vs. 58,1%, p=0,00647), diese wurden in 45,5% der Fälle klinisch nicht diagnostiziert. Schlussfolgerung: Die frühe Diagnose der Tuberkulose ist für den Patienten und die mögliche Verbreitung der Erreger von entscheidender Bedeutung, wobei zunehmend mit akuten Verläufen gerechnet werden muss. Zur Qualitätssicherung und zur Absicherung der Mortalitätsstatistik sind hierbei Obduktionen unverzichtbar.

The Infectious Disease Control Act enacted in Germany in 1.1.2001 led to a duty of notification also for institutes of pathologic-anatomical diagnostics. All reports within 45 months after enacting concerning diseases and agents being subject to registration were evaluated. Among the notifiable diseases with fatal outcome ( section sign 6) belonged 3 cases of Meningococcus sepsis, 13 of tuberculosis und 5 cases of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. During lifetime 54% of tuberculosis cases remained undetected. Notifiable agents ( section sign 7.1) concerned 92 times Mycobacterium-tuberculosis-complex, twice Influenza Virus and one case of Cryptosporidiosis and Giardia lamblia each. Six Echinococcus granulosus cysts were reported ( section sign 7.2). Notification needs exact diagnosis of infectious diseases and agents being subject of registration. By this pathologists participate in the control of infectious diseases.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Tuberculosis is still a relevant infectious disease, which is clinically often not diagnosed during a patient's lifetime. We investigated the frequency of tuberculosis in autopsies.METHODS:3947 autopsy reports from the Institute of Pathology at the Ruhr University Bochum,were analysed for the period from 1990 to 2004. Tuberculosis was mentioned in 148 reports.RESULTS:55 (1.39%) cases showed relevant tuberculosis. In 39 (70.9%) cases further other relevant diseases were diagnosed. Lung involvement was grossly present in 52 (94.6%) cases. Of the active forms, 16 (29.1%) showed acinar nodal foci, 15 (27.3%) so-called early cavities and 10 (18.2%) caseous pneumonia. Miliary tuberculosis was found in 8 (14.5%) cases, tubercular meningoencephalitis in 7 (12.7%), and tuberculosis of the spine in 4 (7.3%). The inactive forms showed scarring or pleural adhesions (n = 30, 54.5%), late cavities and mycetomas (n = 9, 16.3%). Active forms of tuberculosis were more frequent in the age groups from 30 to 59 and 80 to 99 years. In the last period of the study an increase in active forms (22:2 = 91.7% vs. 18:13 = 58.1%, p = 0.0065) was noted, while 10 of 22 (45.5%) cases were not detected clinically. In 13 (0.33%) cases tuberculosis had been diagnosed as requiring treatment but no tuberculosis was found at autopsy.CONCLUSION:Early diagnosis of tuberculosis is very important for patients and for inhibiting a possible spread of bacteria, especially considering the increase in frequency of active forms of tuberculosis. Autopsies are still indispensable for providing quality control and disease statistics.

Staphylococcus saprophyticus surface-associated protein (Ssp) was the first surface protein described for this organism. Ssp-positive strains display a fuzzy layer of surface-associated material in electron micrographs, whereas Ssp-negative strains appear to be smooth. The physiologic function of Ssp, however, has remained elusive. To clone the associated gene, we determined the N-terminal sequence, as well as an internal amino acid sequence, of the purified protein. We derived two degenerate primers from these peptide sequences, which we used to identify the ssp gene from genomic DNA of S. saprophyticus 7108. The gene was cloned by PCR techniques and was found to be homologous to genes encoding staphylococcal lipases. In keeping with this finding, strains 7108 and 9325, which are Ssp positive, showed lipase activity on tributyrylglycerol agar plates, whereas the Ssp-negative strain CCM883 did not. Association of enzyme activity with the cloned DNA was proven by introducing the gene into Staphylococcus carnosus TM300. When wild-type strain 7108 and an isogenic mutant were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, strain 7108 exhibited the fuzzy surface layer, whereas the mutant appeared to be smooth. Lipase activity and the surface appendages could be restored by reintroduction of the cloned gene into the mutant. Experiments using immobilized collagen type I did not provide evidence for the involvement of Ssp in adherence to this matrix protein. Our experiments thus provided evidence that Ssp is a surface-associated lipase of S. saprophyticus.