Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Witkiewicz

Publications and source records attributed to H Witkiewicz.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

A differential scanning calorimetry study of retrieved orthopedic implants made of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to examine thermal and thermooxidative properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) of five acetabular components of failed orthopedic implants retrieved at revision of total hip arthoplasty. The results were compared with controls (unimplanted acetabular cups, a 20-year-old slab of UHMW-PE, and raw material). Profiles of exothermic peaks indicated increased levels of oxidation in all retrieved cups. In three retrieved cups, DSC revealed an additional peak of endotherm that was not seen in control samples. The additional endotherm peaks were not artifacts due to oxidation during scanning, heat buildup during cutting of the samples, or the sterilization method after retrieval. The additional peak was associated with the bulk of the polymer that was extracted with hexane. It varied in relative area, depending on its original location of the sample in a cup, implicating local variability in the extent of changes in material property. The distribution of the changes suggests that, during implantation, tissue exposure and friction affected the level of oxidation and degree of crystallinity in the UHMW-PE to a greater degree than did loading alone. Overall results showed that DSC may be a useful tool in evaluating changes in the properties of UHMW-PE orthopedic components in vivo.

Acetabulum↗
PubMed1993

Fate of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) wear debris in patients with hip implants.

The process of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) breakdown, started at the articular surface of the cup, continues in small fragments after generation. An assiduous interaction between the UHMW-PE particles and the host cells leads to oxidative changes of the UHMW-PE and to size reduction of the particles simultaneous with transporting them toward, and finally by, lymphatic or blood vessels. The particles are mobilized by means of enzymatic, extracellular matrix-degrading activity of cells that have phagocytosed them or adhered to them. Together, these characteristics indicate an attempt by the natural cellular immunity system to eliminate the implant wear debris. Macrophages are the main effector cells acting as scavengers; however, excessive amount of the wear debris evokes phagocytic activity of cells other than macrophages as well.

Alloys↗
PubMed1993

Improved design of riboprobes from pBluescript and related vectors for in situ hybridization.

The pBluescript family of plasmids and phagemids are sophisticated multi-purpose cloning vectors that allow convenient production of single-stranded sense and anti-sense RNA probes corresponding to DNA sequences inserted into a large multiple cloning site array. We have observed that in many applications sense (control) probes generated from genes cloned into pBluescript II KS(-) give high background signals on in situ hybridization to human tissue sections. Our studies indicate that this spurious hybridization is due to sequences contained within both strands of the multiple cloning site between the SmaI and SacI sites that are similar to human 28S rRNA. This information is useful in construct design in order to minimize nonspecific background problems, as demonstrated by in situ hybridization of sense and anti-sense probes corresponding to a portion of human stromelysin-3 to sections of human lung carcinoma.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1986

The FI gene product of bacterial virus Lambda is related to the E. coli chromosomal protein NS2 and is involved in intracellular DNA organization.

A likely function of the Lambda FI gene product (gpFI) is condensation of developmental forms of the bacteriophage DNA in the host cell. Several characteristics of gpFI support this hypothesis: it is similar in its structure and properties to E. coli NS proteins whose involvement in the bacterial DNA condensation has been established and it comigrates with DNA during fractionation of host cell lysate through a sucrose gradient.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

A model of lambda DNA arrangement in the viral particle.

The icosahedral shape of the lambda head suggests a 12-subunit structure of the collapsed DNA inside. The internal space of an icosahedron can optimally be filled by 12 geometrical figures each of which is a combination of a cone and more than half of a sphere. Such a pear-like geometrical figure is, in fact, formed spontaneously by DNA collapsed under certain conditions in vitro (Eickbush & Moudrianakis, 1978). It is proposed that a pear-like structure formed by about 4000 bp is the fundamental structural subunit of packaged lambda DNA. A possible arrangement of the 12 subunits inside the phage head relative to the tail is discussed. We hypothesize that lambda DNA is packaged into proheads in its condensed form. A driving force promoting the DNA translocation could be an ATP-dependent activity of a DNA topoisomerase (gpA/gpNu1), which would induce further reduction in the linking number of the already strongly negatively supercoiled DNA by rotation of one DNA strand around the other. The additional strain accumulated at the end of DNA molecule bound by the topoisomerase beyond a critical value would lead to regional collapse of the viral genome into a pear-like structure.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Polyhedrin gene of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus.

A portion of the genome of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Bombyx mori has been cloned. This part of the viral genome contains the gene encoding the viral occlusion body protein, polyhedrin. The polyhedrin gene has been sequenced in its entirety together with some of its 5' and 3' flanking sequences. The primary structure of polyhedrin predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the gene was found to be somewhat different from the one reported previously for the authentic protein (E. A. Kozlov, T. L. Levitina, N. M. Gusak, and S. B. Serebryani, Bioorg. Khim., 7:1008-1015, 1981; S. B. Serebryani, T. L. Levitina, M. L. Kautsman, Y. L. Radavski, N. M. Gusak, M. N. Ovander, N. V. Sucharenko, and E. A. Kozlov, J. Invertebr. Pathol., 30:442-443, 1977). Comparison of the primary structures of the polyhedrin of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus of B. mori with that of Autographa californica suggests that considerable selective pressure has been exercised at the protein level during evolution. Nucleotide sequence comparisons of the two structural genes reveal that the coding sequences have diverged significantly through the accumulation of silent and replacement substitutions. In contrast, a remarkable degree of sequence conservation was found to exist in the domains corresponding to the 5' and 3' noncoding regions of the polyhedrin mRNAs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

[Responsibility].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Ethics, Nursing↗
PubMed1984

[Living memories].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

History, 20th Century↗
PubMed1982

The head protein D of bacterial virus lambda is related to eukaryotic chromosomal proteins.

Bacteriophage lambda structural head protein D has physiochemical properties in common with eukaryotic chromosomal proteins. It has a low affinity for hydroxylapatite, it is heat stable and acid soluble. Moreover, it cross-reacts immunologically with histones H2A and H2B. The deduced primary structure of the D protein shows striking homology to calf chromosomal high mobility group HMG-14 protein. There are two clusters of four ( LSAK , ASDE ) and one of three (APA) identical amino acid residues. Additionally the cluster ETK of protein D occurs three times in HMG-14 and 14 single identical residues are present. A mechanism for an alternative to a nucleosomal mode of nuclear DNA condensation and a possible function of HMG proteins are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1979

The fate of phage lambda DNA in lambda-infected minicells.

The fate of phage lambda DNA in lambda-infected Escherichia coli minicells harboring the plasmid ColE1, and in plasmid-free minicells, were studied. Binding of lambda DNA to the minicell membrane, and formation of the supercoiled covalently-closed circular structure has been demonstrated. Phage infection abolishes plasmid DNA synthesis. Only a very slight, non-replicative lambda DNA synthesis occurs, soon after infection. This synthesis is associated with fragments of lambda DNA arising during, or soon after its penetration.

Bacteriophage lambda↗
PubMed1975

Ribonucleic acid synthesis after adsorption of the bacteriophage lambda on Escherichia coli minicells.

Lambda bacteriophage adsorbs on the chromosome-less small bodies (minicells) produced by aberrant cell division of Escherichia coli P678-54. The plasmid-less minicells, as well as the minicells harbouring the colicinogenic factor E1, reveal a considerable inhibition of total RNA synthesis after phage adsorption. Both kinds of minicells synthesize RNA hybridizable to lambda DNA, but in the plasmid-harbouring minicells lambda RNA synthesis is much more intensive.

Adsorption↗