Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Becker.
The nerve growth-promoting effects of the fluid accumulating in vivo from 1 to 28 days within silicone chambers were tested on the sciatic nerves of rats. We measured the elongation of sensory axons following nerve transection repaired by means of fibrin sealant allowing local application of the fluid. We found no difference between transections treated with chamber fluid and controls.
The authors describe a flap with a pedicle derived from the dorsal branch of the ulnar artery. The ulnar artery gives rise to the dorsal ulnar artery 2 to 5 cm before the pisiform. This artery passes under the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle, accompanied by the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve. It supplies an area 10 to 20 cm long by 5 to 9 cm wide on the ulnar side of the forearm and it also supplies the skin lying over the last three metacarpals on the dorsum of the hand and the Vth abductor. This artery also sends a branch to flexor carpi ulnaris and to the pisiform. It is now possible to trace a large flap in the forearm without interrupting the arterial axis. Large defects of the dorsum of the hand, wrist, thenar and hypothenar eminences can be covered by this pedicle or island flap. This artery is remarkably constant. Five clinical cases are presented.
We have studied allosteric effects of the Ca channel blockers d-(cis)-diltiazem, (+/-)-verapamil, and (S)- and (R)-devapamil on the specific binding of the 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative (+)-[3H]PN 200-110 to intact tissue cultured rat heart cells. In polarized cells (membrane potential, -38 +/- 4 mV) d-(cis)-diltiazem (5 microM) increased the affinity of the radiolabel 2-4-fold causing 100-187% enhancement of binding at (+)-PN 200-110 concentrations below 0.5 nM. (+/-)-Verapamil (0.1-3 microM) had a similar, although smaller, effect on (+)-PN 200-110 binding. The two enantiomers of devapamil were without effect. In depolarized cells (membrane potential, 0 mV) d-(cis)-diltiazem had a small and the phenylalkylamines a strong inhibitory effect on (+)-PN 200-110 binding, mainly due to a reduction of binding affinity. At 50% receptor occupation by the radioligand, (R)-devapamil, (+/-)-verapamil, and (S)-devapamil displaced 40, 55, and 75%, respectively, of specifically bound radiolabel. Half-maximal effects were reached with 50, 20, and 4.5 nM, respectively, of the three compounds. Compared with nominally Ca-free medium (containing 3-5 microM Ca), addition of 1.25 mM CaCl2 caused an increase in the maximal binding capacity for (+)-PN 200-110 in both polarized and depolarized cells. However, Ca had only marginal effects on the allosteric interactions between (+)-PN 200-110, d-(cis)-diltiazem, and verapamil. We conclude from our results that positive cooperative interactions between Ca channel blockers prevail under conditions in which the voltage-dependent Ca channel can fluctuate between closed, open, and inactivated states. Negative cooperativity is usually observed under conditions in which all channels are inactivated (depolarized cells, fragmented membranes). Therefore, it is impossible to predict the type and the extent of allosteric interactions in vivo from studies in cell homogenates.
A new skin or fascial flap is described, based on the dorsal ulnar artery. In hundred fresh cadaveric forearms this vessel was constant with a diameter of 1 to 1.3 mm, passing dorsally from the ulnar artery deep to the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. It supplies the skin and the fascia in the distal two thirds of the ulnar side of the forearm (length from 9 to 20 cm; width 1.5 to 10 cm). A flap based on this vessel can cover defects of the dorsal and palmar aspects of the hand and wrist, the thenar and the hypothenar eminence. It can be used as a fascial flap to avoid fibrosis around the median nerve and the tendons. The authors show the anatomy and some clinical cases.
Results of an experimental study in the rat showed that a healthy gland transplanted into a lymphedematous zone can function for a sustained period and improve the edema. It is possible, therefore, without adversely affecting the lower limb lymphatic circulation, to transplant the superior external group of inguinal glands into the axilla of a "big arm".
Agroclavine, an alkaloid produced by some species of fungi and dicotyledon plants, and its 1-alkylated derivatives are potentially useful as antineoplastic drugs, since they exert potent and selective cytostatic effects. In the present study, we have investigated agroclavine and its 1-propyl and 1-pentyl derivatives for mutagenicity. The genetic end point studied was the reversion of strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA 100, TA 98, TA 1537) and Escherichia coli (WP2 uvrA), auxotrophic for histidine and tryptophan, respectively. The compounds were tested directly and in the presence of a mammalian xenobiotic-metabolizing system. In the direct test, agroclavine and the two alkylated derivatives examined exhibited substantial bacteriotoxicity but no mutagenicity. Addition of NADPH-fortified postmitochondrial supernatant fraction of rat liver homogenate led to a clear-cut decrease in bacteriotoxicity and to the formation of mutagenic products. Each compound was effective in all three strains of S. typhimurium used. In E. coli only spurious effects were seen. 1-Pentylagroclavine, the most hydrophobic compound in the series, was the strongest mutagen. Agroclavine, the least hydrophobic compound, was the weakest. The mutagenic potencies and efficacies of all these test compounds were much weaker than those of the positive controls, which were known mutagens and carcinogens. Moreover, the differential effect of metabolism by liver enzymes demonstrates that the toxicity and mutagenicity of agroclavine and its derivatives are caused by different chemical species. Hence, it may be possible to develop derivatives that are cytotoxic but not mutagenic.
Electrophysiological and electron microscopic techniques were used to investigate the actions of potassium depolarization, black widow venom (BWSV), Ca2+-ionophore A 23187 and hyperosmotic solution on mouse hemidiaphragms poisoned in vitro with botulinum A toxin (BoTx) and tetanus toxin (TeTx). These neurotoxins reduced the frequency of miniature endplate potentials (m.e.p.ps) from 5/s of the control to 2/min and 21/min, respectively. High potassium (25 mmol/l) increased the m.e.p.p.-frequency at BoTx- and TeTx-poisoned endplates to 30/min and 50/s, respectively. The ultrastructure of endplates showed no obvious changes. BWSV (0.04 glands/ml) was just as effective in promoting transmitter release from BoTx-treated endplates as in control preparations. Electron micrographs revealed depletion of vesicles as well as swollen and disrupted mitochondria. When preparations were pretreated with TeTx, BWSV only moderately increased transmitter release and no alterations of the ultrastructure could be observed. At TeTx- or BoTx-poisoned endplates Ca2+-ionophore A 23187 usually produced an extreme reduction of m.e.p.p.-frequency (0.005/s), sometimes preceded by a short burst-like release. The ultrastructure of these endplates was not obviously affected. Application of hyperosmotic solution to BoTx- or TeTx-poisoned preparations further reduced the already low m.e.p.p.-frequency. These results further demonstrate that TeTx and BoTx act at different sites in the transmitter releasing process.
The pulmonary effects of pericardial effusion were studied in eight anesthetized dogs, with emphasis on lung mechanics, O2 exchange, and extravascular thermal lung volume (ETV) accumulation, while warm saline was instilled into the pericardium to elevate pericardial pressure. The results were compared with those from four time-controlled and sham-operated dogs. ETV, as measured by a double-indicator technique, increased from 8.1 +/- 0.8 ml/kg at a pericardial pressure of 0 mm Hg to 12.9 +/- 2.1 ml/kg at 11.0 mm Hg (p less than .01). In the control group, ETV increased from 6.5 +/- 0.7 to 8.2 +/- 0.5 ml/kg over an equal time span. This increase in ETV in the experimental dogs was inversely related to pulmonary compliance, which decreased by 29% as ETV increased (p less than .05), whereas in the time-controlled group of animals it decreased by 8.8%. Arterial PO2 did not deteriorate during the protocol in either group. Histologic examination showed increased interstitial fluid, but neither alveolar fluid nor septal edema, and gravimetric measurements of lung liquid were also consistent with interstitial fluid accumulation in experimental but not control animals. These findings are concordant with the clinical observation that alveolar edema is rarely seen in the presence of pericardial tamponade. Conceivably, progression from interstitial to alveolar edema did not occur both because of the low pulmonary blood flow that occurs as part of pericardial tamponade physiology and/or because the hydrostatic pressures were not elevated enough to produce higher rates of fluid transudation.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Voltage-dependent Ca channels were studied in living, tissue cultured rat heart cells using patch clamp analysis of single channels and radioligand binding studies at different membrane potentials. Ca channel activating and blocking dihydropyridines (DHP) show cooperative interaction and, therefore, bind to at least two different binding sites on the channel protein. Cooperative interactions between activating and blocking DHP, between DHP and verapamil and between DHP and diltiazem are all voltage dependent. The type of interaction in polarized cells and hence, the possible effects in vivo cannot be predicted from studies in cell homogenates.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
We undertook a study to determine the acute effects of routine firefighting on lung function and the relationship between these acute effects and nonspecific airway responsiveness. For 29 firefighters from a single fire station, we calculated the concentration of methacholine aerosol that caused a 100% increase in specific airway resistance (Pc100). Over an 8-week period we than measured FEV1 and FVC in each firefighter before and after each 24-hr workshift and after every fire. From 199 individual workshifts without fires, we calculated the mean +/- 2 SD across-workshift change in FEV1 and FVC for each firefighter. Eighteen of 76 measurements obtained within 2 hr after a fire (24%) showed a greater than 2 SD fall in FEV1 and/or FVC compared to two of 199 obtained after routine workshifts without fires (1%; p less than .001). On 13 of 18 occasions when spirometry decreased significantly, we obtained repeat spirometry (postshift) 3-18.5 hr after fires, and on four of these occasions FEV1 and/or FVC were still more than 2 SD below baseline. Decrements in spirometry occurred as often in firefighters with high Pc100s as in those with low Pc100s. In two firefighters in whom FEV1 and FVC fell by more than 10% after fires, we repeated measurements of methacholine sensitivity, and it was increased over the prestudy baseline. These findings suggest that routine firefighting is associated with a high incidence of acute decrements in lung function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The cytostatic potential of twenty antibiotic agroclavines has been examined in the L5178y mouse lymphoma cell system. Twelve of these compounds are described for the first time. It is shown that the substituent at N-1 of agroclavine is very important whereas the substituent at N-6 is of less influence if it is not hydrogen. Incorporation studies in the presence of 1-propylagroclavine suggest that DNA synthesis in the lymphoma cells is inhibited. The effect on the corresponding [3H]thymidine incorporation in murine spleen lymphocytes is comparably low. Neither a significant change of mRNA efflux nor of DNA polymerase alpha and beta activities was caused. The mechanism of action seems to be a fundamentally new one for ergoline compounds as interactions with alpha-adrenoceptors, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors are not involved.
We have investigated the effects of two oppositely acting enantiomers of the 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative 202-791 on voltage-dependent Ca channels by combining electrophysiological techniques and binding studies. The (S)-enantiomer of 202-791 promoting prolonged openings of single Ca channels, and thereby increasing transmembrane Ba currents, was classified as channel activator. The (R)-enantiomer favoring a closed state of the channel, and thereby reducing Ba currents, was classified as a channel blocker. Both compounds shifted the steady state current inactivation curve toward more negative potentials. At holding potentials positive to -20 mV, the Ca channel-activating effect of the (S)-enantiomer turned over into a blocking effect. In cells with normal resting potential the combination of the two enantiomers revealed a possible positive cooperative effect resulting in an enhancement of the open state probability of the channels. At depolarized holding potentials the activator enhanced the inhibitory effect of the blocker. Binding studies in intact cells were performed by using the radiolabeled channel-blocking dihydropyridine 3H-(+)-PN 200-110. The results showed a strong increase in binding affinity but no change in binding capacity when the cells were depolarized. Analysis of the interactions of (S)- and (R)-202-791 with this radioligand indicated stimulation of 3H-(+)-PN 200-110 binding by the (S)-enantiomer in polarized cells (membrane potential -38 +/- 4 mV). This effect could be attributed to an increase in binding affinity. The (R)-enantiomer had no such positive cooperative effect, but acted as a purely competitive ligand. Depolarization to 0 mV increased the apparent affinity of both enantiomers by factors of 38 (blocker) and 12 (activator), but abolished the cooperative effect of (S)-202-791 on the binding of the radioligand. Ca ions had little effect on the binding of 3H-(+)-PN 200-110 in polarized cells. However, in the presence of the activating (S)-enantiomer, Ca transformed the usual hyperbolic binding isotherm of the radioligand into a strongly sigmoid curve. Sigmoidicity was minimal with 3-5 microM Ca and maximal with 0.5 mM Ca. Together these data demonstrate homotropic and heterotropic cooperative interactions between channel activator and channel blocker. They indicate that at least two high affinity binding sites for dihydropyridines are associated with voltage-dependent Ca channels. Voltage dependence of both--binding affinity and cooperativity--suggests that these binding sites are located close to a structural component of the channel which is involved in the potential-sensitive gating process.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.