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Biomedical subjects

D Roth

Publications and source records attributed to D Roth.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on renal function in chronic renal failure predialysis patients.

A study was undertaken to ascertain the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) on renal function in chronic renal failure predialysis patients. The effect of improvement of anemia by r-HuEPO on the rate of decline in renal function in predialysis patients has not been previously studied prospectively in a large number of patients using reliable measures of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). To investigate the efficacy, safety, and impact of r-HuEPO therapy in chronic renal insufficiency patients, a 48-week, randomized, open-label, multicenter study was initiated in 83 anemic, predialysis (serum creatinine 3 to 8 mg/dL) patients. Serial GFRs were measured using 125I-iothalamate clearance. Forty patients were randomized to the untreated arm and 43 patients to the treatment arm (50 U/kg r-HuEPO subcutaneously three times weekly). Baseline characteristics were comparable for the r-HuEPO-treated and untreated groups. During this 48-week study, GFR, mean arterial blood pressure, and daily protein intake were not significantly different between the two groups. There was a statistically significant increase in hematocrit for the r-HuEPO-treated group that was not associated with acceleration of deterioration in residual renal function. This was demonstrated by the lack of a significant (P = 0.376) between-group difference in mean change in GFR from baseline to last available value for the r-HuEPO-treated (-2.1 +/- 3.2 mL/min) and untreated (-2.8 +/- 3.5 mL/min) groups. This study concludes that r-HuEPO therapy improves anemia in predialysis patients and does not accelerate the rate of progression to end-stage renal disease.

Adult↗

The impact of hepatitis C virus infection on renal allograft recipients.

A second generation hepatitis C virus recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) was used to screen stored perioperative serum from 641 renal allograft recipients. One hundred and nine (17%) were anti-HCV positive at the time of transplant. RIBA positivity was found to be an independent predictor of post-transplant liver disease in a logistic regression model (P < 0.05). Moreover, RIBA positive patients were at greater risk for infectious events (P = 0.03) and rejection episodes (P = 0.002). The cumulative dose of antilymphoblast globulin administered as induction therapy was an independent predictor of post-transplant liver disease in a dose response relationship. Qualitative PCR showed that 74% of the perioperative RIBA positive patients had detectable HCV RNA in a current serum sample. Further, quantitative HCV RNA analysis with a competitive template PCR and HCV strain identification by restriction fragment length polymorphism demonstrated a large range of HCV RNA copies/ml of serum and three different HCV strains (BK, Hutch and HCV-1). Neither quantity of HCV RNA nor strain type correlated with abnormal transaminases post-transplant. As yet, there has not been an effect of anti-HCV status on actuarial patient and graft survival. This study suggests that anti-HCV is not a contraindication to renal transplantation; however, we would recommend that the pre-transplant evaluation of the anti-HCV positive patient include a liver biopsy to properly stage the disease. Close post-transplant follow-up is required in view of the increased risk for infection and rejection.

Adult↗

Characterization of anti-canine cytokine monoclonal antibodies specific for IFN-gamma: effect of anti-IFN-gamma on renal transplant rejection.

Two murine monoclonal antibodies specific for IFN-gamma, ADI-1, and ADI-23 (both IgG1 kappa), were generated in BALB/c mice. The ADI-1 exhibited a higher avidity for canine rIFN-gamma than for nIFN-gamma and human rIFN-gamma. In contrast, the ADI-23 showed equal avidity for the three IFN-gamma preparations. The anti-canine IFN-gamma mAb did not bind to mouse and rat rIFN-gamma. The ADI-1, and ADI-23 mAb were also tested for binding to human rTFN-alpha and, contrary to our expectations, it was found that ADI-23 showed significant binding to human rTFN-alpha and rIFN-gamma, in contrast to ADI-1. Both anti-canine IFN-gamma mAb stained 48-h PHA-induced dog lymphoblasts. A two-site mAb ELISA was developed, which was linear in the range of 7-500 ng of canine rIFN-gamma, which indicated that the two mAb detected non-overlapping epitopes on the canine rIFN-gamma molecule. We studied the effect of ADI-1 on the prolongation of canine renal allografts. Recipients of kidney allografts, that were treated with ADI-1 by continuous arterial infusion, were prolonged to 22 and 25 days, compared to 9 and 13 days for animals given the IgG1 isotype control.

Animals↗

Insulin reverses the protection given by diabetes against gentamicin nephrotoxicity in the rat.

Rats with untreated diabetes mellitus are protected from gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity. In order to evaluate the role of hyperglycemia, glycosuria, and polyuria in this phenomenon, miniosmotic pumps filled with insulin were implanted for 15 days in seven female Sprague-Dawley rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus. Plasma glucose levels were successfully maintained under 126 mg/dl. To serve as the control group, eight age-matched diabetic (plasma glucose > 400 mg/dl) rats had miniosmotic pumps placed delivering only Ringer's solution. Six days after placement of the pumps, gentamicin (40 mg/Kg/day) was administered to all animals for 9 days. The insulin-treated diabetic rats exhibited clear signs of nephrotoxicity by Day 6 of gentamicin, whereas the diabetic control group remained free from any functional or morphological evidence of proximal tubular damage throughout the 9 days of the aminoglycoside administration. At the end of the experiment, the creatinine clearance in the insulin-treated diabetic group was 45% lower than in the untreated diabetic group (P < 0.005). In addition, there was a rise in plasma creatinine (P < 0.02), muramidase appeared in the urine, and mild patchy acute tubular necrosis of the renal cortex was observed by light microscopic examination. The insulin-treated group also accumulated more gentamicin in the renal cortex than the untreated animals (P < 0.005). It is concluded that protection against the nephrotoxic effects of gentamicin is a feature of untreated experimental diabetes mellitus in the rat and that correction of the hyperglycemic state with insulin reverses this resistance.

Animals↗

Posttraumatic endophthalmitis. Causative organisms, treatment, and prevention.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic endophthalmitis is a rare complication of penetrating eye injuries that results in blindness in potentially salvageable eyes. METHODS: 36 cases of posttraumatic endophthalmitis were evaluated retrospectively to determine which factors were associated with visual loss. All cases were treated with intravenous and intraocular antibiotics. Pars plana vitrectomy was performed in 15 (41.7%) cases as an adjunct to treatment. RESULTS: Patients ranged in age from 18 months to 83 years, and included 30 men (83%) and 6 women (17%). Intraocular foreign bodies were present in 6 patients (16.7%), 9 (25%) had corneal lacerations, 13 (36.1%) had corneoscleral or scleral lacerations, and 8 (22.2%) had ocular trauma of unknown type. Of the 36 eyes, 21 (58.3%) had positive culture results, and 10 of these (27.8%) had multiple organisms. The most common isolates were Staphylococcus species (26.5%), Streptococcus species (20.6%), and Bacillus species (14.7%). In 4 cases the diagnosis was made 6 or more years after injury. Final visual acuity was 20/200 in 8 eyes (22.2%) and 20/300 in 1 eye. In 17 cases (47.2%), the eye was salvaged but visual acuity was 5/200 or worse, and 10 eyes (27.8%) were lost to enucleation or phthisis bulbi. CONCLUSION: Prompt diagnosis and early treatment with intraocular and systemic antibiotics are important in the successful management of posttraumatic endophthalmitis. The use of pars plana vitrectomy was associated with a good visual outcome when used in select cases.

Adolescent↗

Healthier work environments through action research.

A team of nurses and a university-based nurse researcher describe a nursing theory-based action research plan to promote a healthier work environment. The process combines research and practice to achieve desired outcomes within an acute-care setting.

Health Promotion↗

Continuity of care and client outcomes in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program on chronic mental illness.

The impact on services and outcomes of the local mental health authorities (LMHAs) developed under the RWJF Program on Chronic Mental Illness (CMI) was evaluated in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo. Two cohorts of clients with CMI discharged from an episode of acute 24-hour care were recruited in each city: the first cohorts were drawn shortly after the demonstration began and the second, two years later. The LMHAs in the three Ohio cities increased case management for the second cohorts at two months, but not at 12 months, after hospital discharge. The second cohorts in Baltimore and Cincinnati experienced lower turnover among case managers during the year after discharge, but there was no significant improvement in client outcomes. Creation of LMHAs may be a necessary, but not sufficient, step toward improving outcomes and should be followed by improvement in the quantity and quality of services.

Chronic Disease↗

Antioxidant and neutrophil-inhibiting properties of new 2-O-methyl-6-(alkylthio)ascorbic acid derivatives.

A series of new 6-(alkylthio)ascorbic acids was synthesized, and their inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation and the oxidative burst of human neutrophils were tested. Of 12 structurally different lipophilic ascorbic acid derivatives 6-S-n-hexadecyl-2-O-methyl-6-deoxy-6-thio-L-ascorbic acid (7b; B-003) inhibited the Fe2+/ADP-induced lipid peroxidation of rat liver microsomes with an IC50 value of 2 microM. In human neutrophils, 7b most potently inhibited the fMLP-induced oxidative burst in a cell density-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 0.6 microM at 5 x 10(5) cells/mL. Shorter alkyl chain lengths decreased the inhibitory potency for both lipid peroxidation and oxidative burst, but in general no correlation was found between the two parameters. Likewise, 6-S-n-hexadecyl-3-O-methyl-6-thio-L-ascorbic acid (7c; B-015), the regioisomer of 7b, was a potent antioxidant but did not affect the oxidative burst. Since superoxide anions generated by xanthine/xanthine oxidase were not quenched by 7b, it became evident that its target was somewhere between receptor stimulation and NADPH-oxidase activation. By measuring the cellular concentrations of 7b and 7c, an accumulation of the first was found explaining its potency and the dependence on cell density. Expecting a pKa value of 3.3 for 7b and 7.7 for 7c a protonophore action of 7b was likely and could be verified by the drop in intracellular pH (pHi) which did not occur with 7c. Ionophores such as nigericin, CCCP, or propionic acid also lowered the pHi but did not inhibit the oxidative burst, indicating that the pHi drop was not the cause for this inhibition. 7b also strongly inhibited the fMLP-induced secretion of azurophilic (IC50 = 7 microM) and specific (IC50 = 2.5 microM) granules.

Animals↗

Identification of a key domain in annexin and 14-3-3 proteins that stimulate calcium-dependent exocytosis in permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells.

Calcium-dependent secretion in digitonin-permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells is stimulated by exogenous annexin II and 14-3-3 proteins. These proteins share a conserved domain that has been suggested to be involved in specific protein-protein interactions. We examined whether this domain was involved in secretion by using a synthetic peptide (P16) of sequence KGDYQKALLYLCGGDD corresponding to the C-terminus of annexin II. P16, but not truncated peptides, prevented the stimulation of secretion by 14-3-3 proteins and produced a partial inhibition of control secretion. These data suggest that the shared annexin/14-3-3 domain is important in the mechanisms controlling Ca(2+)-dependent secretion and may play a key role in protein-protein interactions during exocytosis.

14-3-3 Proteins↗

Feelings of Fatness Questionnaire: a measure of the cross-situational variability of body experience.

The Feelings of Fatness Questionnaire (FOFQ) was developed to assess the variability of bodily feelings of thinness-fatness across life situations. The FOFQ, three other conventional measures of perceptual and cognitive-affective body experience, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Eating Attitudes Test were administered to 132 undergraduate women. The FOFQ demonstrated acceptable construct validity and revealed considerable variation in "felt" body experience across psychosocial contexts. Problems with summary measures of body experience and possible cognitive processes mediating the relationship between context and subjective body experience are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Molecular monitoring of the immunosuppressive effects of cyclosporine in renal transplant patients by using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

We have developed a rapid (24 hours) quantitative PCR assay to measure the direct effect of cyclosporine on IL-2 mRNA production by activated PBMC cultures from renal transplant patients. The PBMCs were purified from normal laboratory volunteers (group A, n = 26), CsA-treated renal transplant patients with good renal function, tested between 3 and 8 weeks (group B, n = 14) or between 2 and 8 years (group C, n = 15) after surgery, and stimulated with PHA in media supplemented with either patient serum or pooled commercially obtained AB serum. The mRNA was then isolated and, using semiquantitative PCR or quantitative PCR with a competitive inhibitor, the relative levels or exact levels of IL-2 mRNA (in attomoles) could be measured. A 3-day confirmatory lymphoproliferation assay of [3H]thymidine incorporation was also performed on the samples. Kinetic analysis of the data from group A showed that the peak level of IL-2 transcription into mRNA occurred at 6 hours after mitogen stimulation. Increasing in vitro concentrations of CsA in this group resulted in lower IL-2 mRNA levels and a shift in the peak time to 12-24 hours. In the transplant recipients, there was no correlation between individual CsA blood levels and proliferation responses. However, some correlation was found between CsA blood levels and IL-2 mRNA levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗

Differential effects of IFN-gamma on kidney cell expression of MHC class II molecules, kidney cell associated molecules and their stimulatory capacity in mixed lymphocyte kidney cell culture.

Mixed cell co-cultures of lymphocytes responding to kidney cells (MLKC), islets of Langerhans (MLIC) and mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), were used to clarify mechanisms in allogeneic and autoimmune (tissue-associated) antigen presentation. Fresh kidney cortical tubular cells (KC), Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK), and dog kidney (6247) (DK) cell lines were used in MLKC reactions, and islets of Langerhans were used in the MLIC as putative antigen presenting cells (APC). The stimulating cells were treated with purified or recombinant dog interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and the detection of class II MHC molecule expression was assessed by a moneclonal antibody (mAb) (B1F6). Transcription of MHC class II mRNA and IFN-gamma mRNA was measured by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, and detection of a kidney cell (tissue-associated) antigen molecule was assessed by the mAb I1F6 that recognizes 72 and 150 kDa tubular cell protein(s) (KT1). The MDCK cell line constitutively expressed low levels of MHC class II molecules and KT1. The steady-state level of the MHC class II mRNA transcription was virtually unaltered by treatment with IFN-gamma (400 units) for 48 hours; however, the MHC cell surface protein expression was enhanced. The KC and DK cell lines constitutively expressed KT1, but not MHC class II molecules; these cells required a minimum of 4000 units, and a 62-hour incubation with IFN-gamma was needed to upregulate both surface MHC class II molecules and the transcription of corresponding specific mRNA. In the MLKC reaction both the MDCK and DK cell lines, as well as fresh KC cells, could serve as lymphocyte activators. This could be amplified by exogenous IFN-gamma. The removal of APC from the responding T cell population did not reduce the IFN-gamma effect. This indicates that IFN-gamma treatment allows for the expression of all of the co-stimulating factors and/or adhesion molecules necessary for these cells to serve as (surrogate) APC (direct as opposed to indirect antigen presentation). The requirements for purified IFN-gamma to increase this amplification was greater in the MLKC reactions with kidney cells than in the MLC reactions. The mAbs anti-IFN-gamma and I1F6 differed in their ability to inhibit lymphocyte proliferation depending on the different cell types involved. The I1F6 inhibited the MDCK and DK cell-driven MLKC (in the absence of exogenous IFN-gamma).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗