Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

J E Peters

Publications and source records attributed to J E Peters.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Further studies on Pseudomonas aeruginosa LasA: analysis of specificity.

Full elastolytic activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a result of the combined activities of elastase, alkaline proteinase, and the lasA gene product, LasA. The results of this study demonstrate that an active fragment of the LasA protein which is isolated from the culture supernatant fraction is capable of degrading elastin in the absence of elastase, thus showing that LasA is a second elastase produced by this organism. In addition, it is shown that LasA-mediated enhancement of elastolysis results from the separate activities of LasA and elastase upon elastin. The LasA protein does not affect the secretion or activation of a proelastase as previously proposed in other studies. Furthermore, LasA has specific proteolytic capability, as demonstrated by its ability to cleave beta-casein. Preliminary analysis of beta-casein cleavage in the presence of various protease inhibitors suggests that LasA may be classified as a modified serine protease.

Amino Acid Sequence

Correlates of vestibular evaluation results during the first year of life.

Prenatal and perinatal correlates of abnormal auditory brainstem responses in neonates have been studied extensively. In contrast, vestibular function during the first year of life has received sparse attention. Using a specially modified vestibular test battery, 65 infants (17 low-risk, 48 high-risk) were initially evaluated during their first 6 months of life. Results revealed normal vestibular function in 46 infants (13 low-risk, 33 high-risk) and abnormal findings at either 3 or 6 months in 19 infants (4 low-risk, 15 high-risk). Correlations between vestibular results and variables such as auditory brainstem response results, birth history, and postnatal course in the neonatal intensive care unit were analyzed statistically. While some differences were mildly significant, none were highly significant. The lack of significant correlation between abnormal auditory brainstem response and vestibular results is of particular interest.

Data Interpretation, Statistical

Purification and characterization of an active fragment of the LasA protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: enhancement of elastase activity.

A 22-kilodalton protein purified from the culture supernatant fraction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (strains PA220 and PAO1) was found to enhance the elastolytic activity of purified P. aeruginosa elastase. N-terminal sequence analysis identified the protein as a fragment of the lasA gene product (P.A. Schad and B.H. Iglewski, J. Bacteriol. 170:2784-2789, 1988). However, comparative analysis with the reported LasA sequence indicated that the purified LasA fragment is longer than the deduced sequence reported. The purified LasA fragment had minimal elastolytic and proteolytic activity and did not enhance the proteolytic activity of purified elastase, yet enhanced the elastolytic activity more than 25-fold. The LasA fragment was found to also enhance the elastolytic activities of thermolysin, human neutrophil elastase, and proteinase K. The results presented here suggest that the LasA protein interacts with the elastin substrate rather than modifying elastase.

Bacterial Proteins

Intellectual, behavioral, and linguistic characteristics of three children with 18p- syndrome.

Developmental characteristics of three girls with 18p- syndrome are described, with detailed history and results of psychological and speech/language evaluations completed at various ages. Results suggest that some children with 18p- syndrome have average abilities in selected areas, despite previous reports that these children have mild to severe mental retardation. Two of the three girls had more severe deficits in linguistic, as opposed to nonlinguistic, abilities. All had similar difficulties with speech articulation. It is suggested that children with speech/language delays who have physical features associated with this syndrome have chromosome analysis performed. It is also recommended that children identified as having 18p- syndrome be referred for comprehensive developmental assessments and remedial special education programming before a specific prognosis is determined.

Articulation Disorders

Expandable intraluminal vascular graft: a feasibility study.

An expandable intraluminal graft mounted coaxially over an angioplasty balloon catheter was used in dog arteries. The graft, a wire mesh tube that has the ability to retain its expanded shape, opposes elastic recoil of the arterial wall after maximum balloon inflation. Eighteen grafts were placed in the abdominal aorta and iliac femoral, renal, superior mesenteric, and carotid arteries of eight dogs through femoral or carotid arteriotomies. Two grafts were placed in areas of artificially induced stenosis, completely restoring the lumen. Overall patency rate at 35 weeks was 77%. Histopathologic examination of patent grafts showed complete endothelialization at 3 weeks. The smaller caliber grafts and those that had outflow obstruction showed significant degrees of intimal hyperplasia.

Angiography

The normal mucosal surface pattern of the duodenal bulb: radiologic-histologic correlation.

Similar to the stomach and colon, the duodenum also demonstrates a fine mucosal relief pattern on double-contrast radiographic examination. Two patterns may be identified--fine reticular and "small dot." In order to investigate the origin of these patterns, duodenal bulb specimens were obtained at autopsy, and macroscopic and microscopic features were correlated with radiographic patterns. Findings indicate that the surface patterns identified radiographically on cadaveric specimens and in live patient subjects are due to villi and the collections of barium within the intervening sulci. Knowledge of this normal pattern will prevent misdiagnoses, especially when inflammatory disease of the duodenum is being considered.

Duodenum

Pruritic dermatitis in asthmatic basenji-greyhound dogs: a model for human atopic dermatitis.

A recurrent, nonseasonal pruritic dermatitis manifested as lichenified plaques and as inflammatory nodules and papules in each of fourteen basenji-greyhound (B-G) crossbreed dogs, all of which demonstrated both nonspecific and Ascaris-specific airway hyperreactivity, with changes in pulmonary mechanics of the same order as those seen in symptomatic human asthma. Other features analogous to human atopic disease included blunted cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) responsiveness to beta adrenergic agents and in vivo release of histamine and slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis in response to antigen aerosol challenge. The dermatitis appears to be a manifestation of the atopic state in these dogs and may provide an animal model for the study of human atopic dermatitis.

Animals

The Basenji-Greyhound dog model of asthma: leukocyte histamine release, serum IgE, and airway response to inhaled antigen.

To understand the immunologic mechanisms underlying the variation in airway response to inhaled Ascaris antigen (AA) in Basenji-Greyhound (BG) dogs having hyperreactive airways, we examined the relationship between leukocyte histamine release, Ascaris-specific serum IgE, changes in pulmonary resistance (RL), and decreases in dynamic compliance (Cdyn). All Ascaris-sensitive BG dogs showing airway responses to AA aerosol challenge exhibited an antigen dose-dependent release of leukocyte histamine, with total leukocyte histamine ranging from 68 to 123 ng/10(7) cells. Airway response to inhaled antigen more closely correlated with antigen dose releasing 50% total leukocyte histamine (RL, r = 0.94); Cdyn, r = 0.82), than with circulating levels of antigen-specific IgE (RL, r = 0.68; Cdyn, r = 0.69). We conclude that the airway response of sensitized BG dogs to AA inhalations is more dependent on factors affecting mediator release from pulmonary sources than circulating specific reaginic antibody.

Airway Resistance

Basenji-greyhound dog model of asthma: pulmonary responses after beta-adrenergic blockade.

To understand the mechanism underlying bronchial hyperreactivity in the Basenji-Greyhound (BG) dog, the effects of propranolol (2 mg/kg) and hexamethonium (5 mg/kg) on base-line pulmonary mechanics and on the bronchial response to aerosol challenges of citric acid and methacholine were studied in five BG dogs. Both propranolol and hexamethonium increased base-line pulmonary resistance (RL) from 0.69 +/- 0.05 (means +/- SE) cmH2O.l-1.s to 1.67 +/- 0.10 (P less than 0.05) and 2.22 +/- 0.45 cmH2O.1-1.s (P less than 0.05) and decreased dynamic compliance (Cdyn) from 190 +/- 10 ml/cmH2O to 154 +/- 9 (P less than 0.05) and 140 +/- 9 (P less than 0.05) ml/cmH2O, respectively. Both propranolol and hexamethonium potentiated the pulmonary response to 10% citric acid given for 5 min (P less than 0.05). RL postchallenge was 4.4 +/- 0.23, 8.1 +/- 0.81, and 7.8 +/- 0.31 cmH2O.l-1.s, and Cdyn was 78 +/- 5, 58 +/- 6, and 51 +/- 3 ml/cmH2O in untreated, propranolol-pretreated, and hexamethonium-pretreated animals. In untreated BG dogs, methacholine (0.075 mg/ml) increased RL from 0.94 +/- 0.25 to 2.2 +/- 0.21 cmH2O.l-1.s (234%) and decreased Cdyn from 223 +/- 39 to 141 +/- 14 ml/cmH2O (63%). In the same animals pretreated with propranolol, methacholine (0.075 mg/ml) increased RL from 1.9 +/- 0.66 to 4.8 +/- 1.37 cmH2O.l-1.s (253%) and decreased Cdyn from 144 +/- 35 to 81 +/- 15 ml/cmH2O (56%). We conclude that propranolol produces airway constriction in BG dogs, as in asthmatic humans and that the effects of propranolol on airways in BG dogs are not due to parasympathetic or alpha-adrenergic predominance.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists

Immunochemical characterization of Lymantri dispar NPV hemagglutinin: protein-carbohydrate interaction.

The agglutination of chicken erythrocytes by Lymantria dispar nuclear polyhedrosis virus polyhedrin has been shown to provide specific virus identification. Selected mono- and oligosaccharides, present in blood group substances, were assayed by the Land-steiner hapten inhibition technique for specific inhibition of polyhedrin hemagglutination. N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylglucosamine inhibit to the greatest extent; galactosamine, glucosamine and fucose to a lesser extent. The hapten inhibition data suggest that a monosaccharide possessing an equatorial 2-acetamido group interacts most avidly with the polyhedrin-combining site. Bergold demonstrated that the polyhedrin dissociates into six subunits at a pH greater than 10.0. Diafiltration equilibrium and Scatchard analysis indicate that N-acetylgalactosamine binds most avidly to the polyhedrin (Kd = 1.7 X 10(-6)) which contains six available sites, suggesting that one hemagglutination site resides on each subunit. Since virions derived in vivo and polyhedrin are serologically cross-reactive, this protein-carbohydrate interaction may play a role in host infectivity by providing a receptor site for virus attachment to target cells.

Acetylgalactosamine

[Laboratory diagnosis of liver and biliary tract disease].

Of a greater number of biochemical tests in hepatobiliary diseases by means of methematico-statistical methods (calculation of specificity and sensitiveness, variance analysis, discrimination analysis with following discrimination experiments) the parameters should be established which in a step programme with multivariate observation and non-discriminated approach give the best possible information. The recognition of patients with liver diseases (preliminary diagnostics) is at nearly 94% possible with a scale comprising GOT, AAP, some relevant clinical data (touch findings, jaundice, hepatic skin signs) and the hepatitis B-antigen. In non-discriminated approach according to our findings the following scale should not be trangressed: GPT, GOT (compare preliminary diagnostics), LAP, AP, AAP (compare preliminary diagnostics), cholesterol, TTT, bilirubin, beta-GC. As to aimed questionings the bromsulphalein test belongs to the enlarged basic scale.

Biliary Tract Diseases