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Biomedical subjects

A H Goldstein

Publications and source records attributed to A H Goldstein.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Cyanide-insensitive and Cyanide-sensitive O(2) Uptake in Wheat: I. GRADIENT-PURIFIED MITOCHONDRIA.

The mitochondrial fraction isolated from durum wheat seedlings by differential centrifugation demonstrated antimycin A- or cyanide-insensitive O(2) uptake. Further purification of this initial mitochondrial pellet using a linear Percoll (Pharmacia) density gradient separated the mitochondria into two bands of physiologically distinct activity. Based on the usual mitochondrial respiratory criteria of ADP/O and respiratory control values, these fractions were qualitatively similar to the crude pellet. However, we observed no antimycin A-insensitive O(2) uptake in either gradient band. Antimycin A-insensitive O(2) consumption could be restored to the upper gradient band of mitochondria by the addition of linoleic acid. This activity was inhibited either by salicylhydroxamic acid or propyl gallate, a known lipoxygenase inhibitor. Likewise, addition of linoleic acid to the crude mitochondrial pellet elicited a 4- to 5-fold increase in O(2) uptake. This O(2) consumption was insensitive to antimycin A and cyanide but was inhibited by either propyl gallate or salicylhydroxamic acid. Electron microscopic examination revealed that only the lower gradient band contained contamination-free mitochondria, which, in turn, lacked ability to oxidize linoleic acid. Antimycin A-insensitive O(2) consumption in the differential centrifugation fraction from germinating durum wheat seedlings decreased over 64 hours of development.

Journal Article↗

Unionization, strikes, threatened strikes, and hospitals--the view from hospital management.

The history of union organizing efforts in the hospital field is discussed in this article, along with the factors judged necessary for successful union organizing. The role played by labor legislation in the unionization of hospital workers is shown, and the influences of the National Labor Relations Act, the Taft-Hartley amendments, and labor legislation at the local level are described. Management has largely resisted unionization because of the social nature of hospitals. Competitive market forces do not confront the not-for-profit hospitals, which are dependent upon third-party reimbursement. While strikes are an integral and essential part of collective bargaining in industry, they are, in fact, detrimental to hospitals because of these institutions' concern with human life. Despite laws and assurances from labor leaders that strikes will not occur, strikes have been used as a method for resolving disputes, through they are basically inconsistent with the economic characteristics and objectives of the hospital. The authors conclude that arbitration awards should be made by arbitrators appointed from outside of the local region of the hospital involved, ant that, because of the catastrophic effect of strikes upon patients as well as employees, arbitration awards should be required, should be binding upon both parties, and should be federally enforced.

Attitude↗

Modified fabrication techniques lead to improved centrifugal blood pump performance.

The authors are developing an implantable centrifugal blood pump for short- and medium-term (1-6 months) left ventricular assist. They hypothesized that the application of result dependent modifications to this pump would lead to overall improved performance in long-term implantation studies. Essential requirements for pump operation, such as durability and resistance to clot formation, have been achieved through specialized fabrication techniques. The antithrombogenic character of the pump has been improved through coating at the cannula-housing interfaces and the baffle seal, and through changing the impeller blade material from polysulfone to pyrolytic carbon. The electronic components of the pump have been sealed for implantable use through specialized processes of dipping and potting, and the surfaces of the internal pump components have been treated to increase durability. The device has demonstrated efficacy in five chronic sheep implantation studies of 14, 10, 28, 35, and 154 day duration. Post mortem findings from the 14 day experiment showed stable fibrin entangled around the impeller shaft and blades. After pump modification, autopsy findings of the 10 day study showed no evidence of clot. Additionally, the results of the 28 day experiment showed only a small (2.0 mm) ring of fibrin at the shaft-seal interface. In the 35 and 154 day experiments, redesign of the stators have resulted in improved motor corrosion resistance. The 35 day study showed a small, 0.5 mm wide fibrin deposit at the lip seal, but no motor failure. In the 154 day experiment, the motor failed because of stator fluid corrosion, while the explanted pump was devoid of thrombus. Based on these findings, the authors believe that these pump refinements have contributed significantly to improvements in durability and resistance to clot formation.

Animals↗

End organ function with prolonged nonpulsatile circulatory support.

The hypothesis tested in these studies was that long-term circulatory support with a nonpulsatile device is safe and causes no end organ dysfunction. An inexpensive, small centrifugal pump with a 7 L/min capacity was implanted in 6 sheep (15 acute implants have previously been reported). The inlet cannula was placed in the left atrium and the outlet graft anastomosed to the descending aorta. A percutaneous cable supplied DC power and heparinized saline (10 ml/hr) for lubrication. Outputs of pump flow, stator, animal core temperature, pump power consumption, and RPM were monitored throughout the course of each experiment. The sheep moved freely within a large pen using an overhead swivel/tether system that carried all input and output lines. Four sheep survived longer than 4 weeks, and the indices of end organ function were analyzed at 28 days. No animal revealed any neurologic dysfunction. Hemoglobin was 9.075 +/- 0.78 g/dl at 28 days, as opposed to 7.475 +/- 0.68 (p = 0.002) before surgery. The blood urea nitrogen was 9.250 +/- 4.57 versus 14 +/- 5.72 mg/dl (p = 0.041), creatinine was 0.775 +/- .10 versus 0.775 +/- 0.05 mg/dl (p > or = 0.999), total bilirubin was 0.425 +/- 0.2 versus 0.225 +/- 0.05 mg/dl (p = 0.092), serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase was 74.75 +/- 24 versus 106.25 +/- 15.84 IU/L (p = 0.015), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase was 36 +/- 28.7 versus 28.3 +/- 5.7 IU/L (p = 0.25), and total protein was 6.675 +/- 0.49 versus 5.47 +/- 0.15 g/dl (p = 0.025). It is concluded that these animals adapted very well to pulseless circulatory support. The results of these studies support the concept of an inexpensive, implantable, centrifugal pump as a ventricular assist device.

Animals↗

Development of an implantable centrifugal blood pump.

The efficacy of centrifugal pumps for short-term (0-30 days) ventricular support has been widely reported and favorably compared with pulsatile systems. A small, durable, implantable centrifugal blood pump is being developed for medium-term use (up to 6 months). The pump is based on the Medtronic Hemadyne system that has existed in multiple forms over the past 30 years. The pump is approximately the size of a tennis ball, weighs 240 g, and is comprised of a 2.5 cm plastic impeller driven by a radially coupled brushless DC motor. In vitro hydraulic performance was recorded over a wide range of flow conditions on a mock circulatory loop. The pump generated 7 L/min flow against an afterload of 100 mmHg pressure, with a maximum power draw of 10.4 watts. Pulsatile flow was preserved when placed in conjunction with a simulated left ventricle. In vivo testing was performed in 10 healthy sheep for 10-292 hr. Heparin was used to facilitate cannulation, and no anticoagulation was administered after pump implantation. Blood chemistries reflecting hematologic, pulmonary, renal, and hepatic functions were recorded and demonstrated no adverse effects with normal pump operation. Complications were related to kinking of blood conduits and thrombus formation within the cannulae. These results are encouraging and warrant further studies to prove feasibility of this pump as a medium-term implantable ventricular assist device.

Animals↗