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Biomedical subjects

H Berg

Publications and source records attributed to H Berg.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Effectiveness and tolerance of long-term uricosuric treatment].

In an open-controlled, randomized trial over 24 weeks, the serum uric acid lowering effect of a daily dose of 100 mg allopurinol in combination with 20 mg benzbromarone compared to 300 mg allopurinol only was investigated on a total of 60 patients suffering from hyperuricemia. Both preparations led to a decrease of the serum uric acid value to normal. In those patients however, who had received the combination the reduction of the serum uric acid level was more pronounced. Tolerance was generally good. Side-effects were not reported.

Adult

Bending of oligonucleotides containing an isosteric nucleobase: 7-deaza-2'-deoxyadenosine replacing dA within d(A)6 tracts.

Decanucleotide duplexes of the parent sequence d(GGCA6C).d(CCGT6G) containing various numbers of 2'-deoxytubercidin (c7Ad) in place of 2'-deoxyadenosine have been synthesized. Phosphoramidites of protected c7Ad (3a,b) were used in automated solid-phase synthesis together with those of regular nucleosides. Upon enzymic 5'-phosphorylation and ligation, multimers of 5 and 7-11 were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and compared with regard to intrinsic, sequence-directed bending. Replacement of dA by c7Ad within the oligomers decreased bending, but the extent depends strongly on the position of incorporation: strong bending was still observed if the 3'- and 5'-terminal dA residues of the dA tract were replaced while the interruption of the d(A)6 tract by c7Ad reduced bending strongly.

Aminoglycosides

[Oxygen status of arterial blood including uncompensated mixed venous oxygen tension and cardial oxygen compensation factor. Reevaluation on the basis of 250 arterial punctures].

In arterial blood from 250 patients we measured pH, pco2, and po2 (electrochemically) together with total-hemoglobin concentration, oxygen saturation, carboxy- and methemoglobin fractions (spectrometrically). With a previously published algorithm we calculated the effective hemoglobin concentration, total-oxygen concentration, half saturation tension, erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentration, and two new oxygen parameters: uncompensated mixed venous oxygen tension and cardiac oxygen compensation factor. 11% of the patients have normal arterial oxygen tension, but nevertheless risk of tissue hypoxia judged from the two new oxygen parameters. This is due to a low hemoglobin concentration and/or low half saturation tension (increased hemoglobin oxygen affinity). Some patients have decreased arterial oxygen tension but normal uncompensated mixed venous oxygen tension (15%) or normal cardiac oxygen compensation factor (9%). This is due to a high hemoglobin concentration and/or increased half saturation tension. The latter varies from 2.6 to 5.2 kPa (ref.: 3.3-3.9 kPa); 36% have decreased, 27% increased values. The 2,3-diphospho-glycerate concentration varies from 2.0 to 7.9 mmol/l (ref.: 3.6-5.1 mmol/l); 14% have decreased, 30% increased values. Uncompensated mixed venous oxygen tension varies from 1.8 to 5.7 kPa (ref.: 4.5-5.5 kPaf). The cardiac oxygen compensation factor varies from 0.9 to infinity (ref.: 0.8-1.6). We conclude that the variation in the different oxygen parameters is so significant that it justifies routine calculation for all arterial blood samples where the measurement on a conventional blood gas analyzer is supplemented with measurement on one of the new multi-wavelength hemoximeters. The calculation algorithm permits calculation of all the oxygen parameters for the majority of arterial samples (84%) where the oxygen saturation is less than or equal to 0.970.

Adult

[Fibrinolytic treatment of superior vena cava syndrome, a complication of a central venous catheter].

Central venous catheterization plays a major role in anesthesia and intensive care medicine. Catheter-induced thrombosis, a common complication, develops in 15-47% of cases. A possible sequela is the occlusion of a large central vein; one early sign is edema of the upper extremities or face. Although complete occlusion of a central vein appears to be rare, this complication should be recognized in view of the extensive use of central venous catheters today. We report a case of severe superior vena cava syndrome that developed after catheterization of the right internal jugular vein. Fibrinolytic treatment using streptokinase and urokinase proved to be successful. A dose of 100,000 units/h was chosen for each agent, and heparin was added during urokinase therapy. Profound clinical improvement was observed after a few hours. Bleeding complications did not occur during the 4 days of treatment.

Catheterization, Central Venous

Persistently increased intestinal fraction of alkaline phosphatase.

Persistent elevation of the intestinal fraction of the alkaline phosphatase (API) as an isolated finding has to our knowledge not been reported previously. It was found in a boy followed during a period of 5.5 years. The only symptom was transient periodic fatigue observed at home, but not apparent during hospitalization. His blood type was O, RH+, Le (a-, b+) and he was a secretor of H-substance, which may be associated with rising API activity after fat-loading. In this case API was unchanged after fat-loading. Neither intestinal nor liver diseases were found, and no other cause for the elevated phosphatase activity could be demonstrated.

Alkaline Phosphatase

[Electrochemical reduction of the anthracycline antibiotic 5-iminodaunorubicin. Isolation and structural clarification of the reduction products].

After electrochemical reduction of the potential cancer chemotherapeutic 5-iminodaunorubicine two new compounds, were isolated purely by chromatographic separation. Based on 1H-NMR, IR-, UV/VIS- and MS-investigations the one reaction product was identified as 7-desoxy-5-iminodaunorubicinone as expected, while the other was proofed as 9-acetyl-9,12-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydroxy-6,11-naphthac enchinone.

Daunorubicin

Interaction of anthracycline antibiotics with biopolymers. VIII. Binding parameters of aclacinomycin A to DNA.

The binding of aclacinomycin A to DNA was investigated spectrophotometrically under equilibrium conditions. The self-association behaviour of aclacinomycin A was identified as dimerization. Based on a model of overlapping potential binding sites the subsequent results were obtained: equilibrium constant of cooperative binding K = (7.58 +/- 2.15) X 10(6) M(-1), size of a binding site alpha = 3.98 +/- 0.14 base pairs, cooperativity parameter sigma = 0.12 +/- 0.10. These parameters were compared with those of adriamycin, daunomycin, and iremycin to draw some conclusions regarding the structural specialities of aclacinomycin A.

Aclarubicin

A mesophase (liquid crystal) state of DNA complexes with anthracycline antibiotics.

In the presence of polyethyleneglycol water-salt solutions, DNA is condensed to a kind of mesophase (liquid crystals). The peculiar properties of this phase caused by anisotropic orientations have been analyzed by circular dichroism (CD) of condensed particles of DNA complexed with dyes, i.e. anthracycline antibiotics (daunomycin, aclacinomycin A), actinomycin, and ethidium bromide. The anthracycline complexes show intense CD bands in the visible and the UV region. Daunomycin induces a typical reversal of the sign of these CD bands with increasing occupation of the double helix contrary to the other ligands. This characteristic effect and its partial reversal after removal of daunomycin from the condensed particles can be the result of the change of the direction of the mesophase helical twist owing to an energy change of interaction between DNA molecules, and partially to a modification of base-plane inclination (tilt), too. This new type of DNA complex state is characterized in detail.

Animals

Circadian rhythm in urinary N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) of clinically healthy subjects. Timing and phase relation to other urinary circadian rhythms.

Urinary N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG), a lysosomal enzyme of renal tubular origin, has been shown to be a sensitive indicator of renal tubular function. This study documents a circadian rhythm in the urinary activity of NAG, statistically validated and quantified by the cosinor method, in 19 female and 15 male human subjects. The acrophase of the circadian rhythm in urinary NAG activity occurs at 09(40) with 95% confidence limits between 08(40) and 12(08) and is similar to the timing of the circadian rhythm in urinary free cortisol. The circadian acrophase of urinary NAG activity lags in timing the circadian rhythms in urine volume, Na and K excretion, and urinary free adrenalin and noradrenalin, by about five to ten hours and the circadian rhythm in creatinine excretion by about 11 hours. These functions with their characteristic phase relations are part of the internal circadian time structure of the human organism, and may provide internal phase references, independent of the "time of day." This study also documents a sex difference in mesor of the circadian rhythms in urinary NAG activity, with female subjects having a higher mesor and amplitude than the male subjects, and in the excretion of creatinine and potassium, with male subjects having a higher mesor and amplitude than the female subjects.

Acetylglucosaminidase

Electrochemical reduction pathways of anthracycline antibiotics.

The preparative electrochemical reduction of a series of anthracycline antibiotics was performed using the technique of large scale electrolysis and d. c. polarography for recording different reaction pathways. The reduction products were identified by mass spectrometric and chromatographic analyses. Only anthracyclines with sugar residues in the C-10 position chromatographic analyses. Only anthracyclines with sugar residues in the C-10 position (iremycin, roseorubicin A) were reduced reversibly by 2e- to the corresponding hydroquinones. All others with sugar residues in the C-7 position (daunomycin, 5-iminodaunomycin, adriamycin, carminomycin, beta-rhodomycin II, aclacinomycin A, 1-deoxypyrromycin) showed an irreversible behavior because of the reductive splitting of the glycosidic bond after formation of 7-deoxy compounds or -- if the C-11 OH-group was not present -- of dimers, respectively.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Two modes of longe-range orientation of DNA bases realized upon compaction.

Formation of compact particles from linear DNA-anthracycline complexes is accompanied by appearance of intense bands in the CD spectra in the region of absorption of DNA bases (UV-region) and in the region of absorption of anthracycline chromophores (visible region). The intense (positive or negative) bands in the region of anthracycline absorption demonstrate an ordered helical location of anthracycline molecules on the DNA template. This fact, in its turn, is related to formation of the DNA superstructure in PEG-containing water-salt solutions with a long-range orientation of nitrogen bases. Possible types of DNA superstructures and the relation between the local- and the long-range order of bases in the DNA superstructure are discussed.

Animals

Microbiological implications of electric field effects. II. Inactivation of yeast cells and repair of their cell envelope.

The inactivation of yeast cells in different growth phases by an electric field pulse was investigated. Cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the logarithmic growth phase were found to be much more sensitive with respect to an electric discharge than those in the stationary phase. The influence of the electric field pulse characteristics on the inactivation as well as possible secondary effects were studied. The polyene antibiotic perhydrohexafungin (PHF) is used as a tool to sense defects in the yeast cell envelope brought about by electric field action. The repair kinetics of these defects was followed after the impulse. At least two repair stages can be distinguished, a fast one in the second range and a slower one which takes place after plating the cells on a nutrient medium. The obtained results are discussed in connection with current theories of reversible dielectric breakdown in biological membrane systems.

Antifungal Agents

Microbiological implications of electric field effects. III. Stimulation of yeast protoplast fusion by electric field pulses.

Prototrophic colonies could be selected on minimal medium after mixing of protoplasts from diauxotrophic mutants of the yeasts Saccharomycopsis lipolytica and/or Lodderomyces elongisporus and treatment with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the presence of calcium chloride. This is the result of protoplast fusion and complementation of auxotrophic deficiencies. Under identical conditions an electric field pulse in the mus-range applied via an electric discharge to the protoplast-PEG mixture resulted in a drastic enhancement of the protoplast fusion rate. The presence of polyethylene glycol was demonstrated to be a prerequisite for fusion in this case, too. The frequency of hybrid formation detected a prototrophic colonies could be increased in the case of intraspecific fusion at initial electric field strengths between 2.5 and 5 kV . cm-1. The application of an electric field pulse of proper strength and duration to a yeast protoplast suspension turned out to be a more effective tool in production of fusion products that conventional methods. Large numbers of parasexual hybrids for different selection programmes in yeast genetics and for industrial purpose may be delivered by this technique.

Electricity