Apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 is associated with an increased vulnerability to cell death in Alzheimer's disease.

The presumption to suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD) accelerates with aging. One important risk factor seems to be the isoform epsilon 4 of the apolipoprotein E gene (Apo epsilon 4), which increases the risk to develop AD at an earlier age. Furthermore, convincing evidence is provided that apoptotic cell death mechanisms play an important role in neuronal cell death in AD.

[Bone marrow granulomatosis in Q-fever].

Background: Petersdorf and Beeson defined Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO) as an illness characterized by rectal temperature exceeding 38.3 degrees C on at least 3 occasions, evolving during at least 3 weeks, with no diagnosis reached after 1 week of in-patient investigation. A quarter of FUO cases is caused by infectious diseases, most often hidden abscesses, subacute endocarditis and tuberculosis.

[Neutropenic enterocolitis].

A 58-year old patient with metastasizing squamous cell carcinoma of the left lung developed fever, diffuse abdominal pain and profuse diarrhea while treated with paclitaxel and radiation therapy. A sigmoidoscopy was performed to exclude pseudomembranous colitis but showed multiple mucosal petechiae. Histologic examination disclosed neutropenic colitis.

[Benign colonic ulcer. Case report and differential diagnosis].

Benign ulcers of the colon are a rare source of colorectal bleeding. The present case report describes a woman who experienced several episodes of bleeding from an NSAID-induced ulcer of the caecum. The differential diagnosis of colonic ulcers is discussed.

[Chronic course of eosinophilic pneumonia in infection with ascaris lumbricoides].

A case of ascariasis-associated Loeffler's pneumonia is reported, which presented like Carrington's chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP). It is assumed, that under unfavourable conditions (children, old or disabled patients with high worm load) Loeffler's pneumonia takes a serious course, which can be confounded with CEP.

[An unusual form of silicosis caused by exposure to a priming putty (Asplit ET)].

A case report on a 59-year-old male patient is given who had been exposed for 30 years to silica flour when mixing the primer Asplit ET. To some extent the diagnostic findings were uncommon for silicosis and rather suggested the diagnosis of a usual interstitial pneumonitis. Only transbronchial lung biopsy and histologic examination inclusive energy-dispersing x-ray microanalysis was able to prove a complicated form of silicosis.

[Toxic megacolon in pseudomembranous colitis. Complicated course of antibiotic-induced Clostridium difficile colitis].

We report on a patient with antibiotic-induced pseudomembranous colitis aggravated by toxic megacolon. Colonoscopy not only rapidly permits the diagnosis to be established, but the relief of pressure achieved simultaneously also has a therapeutic effect. If treatment comprising parenteral fluid and electrolyte replacement in combination with oral vancomycin fails to effect an improvement, surgery becomes necessary.

[Swyer-James syndrome. Differential diagnosis of unilateral "radiolucent" lung].

The Swyer-James syndrome is diagnosed on the basis of its characteristic radiological appearance. The rapid diagnostic differentiation from the much more common condition of pulmonary embolism is described on the basis of a case report.