[Sore throat with septic complications].

A young man presented with exertional dyspnea and thoracic pain following pharyngitis. The findings included pulmonary melting, left-sided pleural empyema and spondylitis. Cultures for detection of the pathogen were negative and sequencing for bacterial DNA was additionally carried out resulting in detection of Fusobacterium necrophorum that is typical for oropharyngeal infections.

[Thyroid Storm and Myxedema Coma].

Thyroid storm and myxedema coma are the most severe clinical forms of thyroid dysfunction. While both hyper- and hypothyroidsm are common diseases, thyroid storm and myxedema coma are rare. Due to their unspecific signs and symptoms they are often difficult to diagnose.

Crucial importance of the endothelial K+ channel SK3 and connexin40 in arteriolar dilations during skeletal muscle contraction.

Skeletal muscle activity requires substantial increases in blood flow, and the underlying vasodilation involves endothelial activity, but the contribution of the endothelium-dependent hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) is only poorly defined. In EDHF signaling, endothelial hyperpolarization mediated by the Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels SK3 and IK1 is a key step and also initiates gap junction-dependent conducted dilations. We assessed the role of SK3, IK1, and connexin40 (Cx40) in muscular contraction-induced dilations in the microcirculation in vivo.