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Biomedical subjects

J Fried

Publications and source records attributed to J Fried.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

On the dynamics and function of ciliates in sequencing batch biofilm reactors.

Ciliates are known to directly influence the performance of wastewater treatment plants mainly by feeding on suspended particles. By monitoring two lab-scale sequencing batch biofilm reactors (SBBR), one filled with expanded shale (clay spheres), the other with "Kaldnes" particles (PE-carriers), the succession of biofilm communities with special emphasis on ciliates was monitored for one year. Ciliates were identified and quantified at the species level and compared to rotifer and nematode abundances. Members of the subclass Peritrichia clearly dominated the community of protozoa. Epistylis cf. coronata and Opercularia asymmetrica were the dominant species within this group. The tree-like structure of their colonies provided a distinctive augmentation of the area available for bacterial colonization. The flux of water, produced by E. cf. coronata due to cilia motility, has been visualized and measured by video processing. This flux of water was still measurable at distances > 500 microm and maximum water currents raised up to 180 microm s(-1). Therefore, the role of ciliates is not only restricted to the ingestion of bacteria and suspended particles. They also alter water flux and carry nutrients to the inner parts of the biofilm. Thus, monitoring biofilm formation in wastewater treatment plants should always consider the impact of protists such as ciliates.

Animals↗

Dental hygienists' knowledge of menopause and its potential oral manifestations.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess dental hygienists' general knowledge of menopause and its possible oral manifestations. Demographic descriptors, including education level, course work, and menopausal status, were examined to determine their influence on knowledge levels. METHOD: A 27-item, self-administered survey was mailed to a random sample of Connecticut dental hygienists. Frequency distributions and inferential statistics (ANOVA, t-test) were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Fifty-four percent of respondents scored 75 percent or higher in general knowledge about menopause. Seven percent scored the same about its oral effects. Educational level and dental hygiene college curricula influenced the oral effect scores. Dental hygienists with bachelor degrees exhibited more knowledge than those with certificate/associate degrees. Those who had taken a college course on the oral effects of menopause had more knowledge than those who had not. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that dental hygienists need more education about menopause and its related oral conditions. Those with additional knowledge might be more able to provide comprehensive care to menopausal and post-menopausal dental patients. Future research using larger sample sizes may enhance the education of dental hygienists in this area.

Analysis of Variance↗

Rationally designed inhibitors of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase.

Functionalized 2-alkyl derivatives of inosinic acid have been synthesized to serve as reversible as well as irreversible inhibitors of the human type II enzyme inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase. These compounds were designed to react with Cys-331 of the enzyme to form covalent bonds so as to interfere with the normal enzyme mechanism which involves attack of Cys-331 at C-2 of the substrate. Mass spectrometric analysis of the reaction products after enzymatic degradation confirmed the appropriateness of the inhibitor design.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

A phase II study of cisplatin/ifosfamide in recurrent/metastatic undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma among young blacks in southern Africa.

Recurrent/metastatic, undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UDNPC) is known to be chemosensitive but has rarely been studied in Phase II methodology. No studies concerning its chemoresponsiveness among southern Africans have been demonstrated to date. From 1990 through 1994, 18 African patients from the Johannesburg metropolitan area with recurrent (following radiotherapy failure) or primarily metastatic (bone) UDNPC were treated with ifosfamide (3 g/m), mesna, and cisplatin (50 mg/m) for 2 days. Three patients (15%) attained complete remission and eight (44%) partial remission, yielding an overall response rate of 59%. Median response duration was 28 weeks. Two patients (11%) had stable disease with symptomatic improvement and five (30%) progressed on therapy. Treatment was generally well tolerated but there was one treatment-related death (neutropenic sepsis). The combination of ifosfamide/cisplatin appears to be promising in UDNPC commonly seen in young patients in southern Africa. However, the duration of response still tends to be brief.

Adolescent↗

Elevation of cardiac output and oxygen delivery improves outcome in septic shock.

Septic shock is characterized by hypoperfusion and tissue energy defects. We prospectively evaluated the therapeutic benefit of augmenting cardiac output and therefore oxygen delivery (DO2) on mortality in patients with septic shock. Twenty-five patients were randomized to a normal treatment (NT) group and 26 patients were randomized to an optimal treatment (OT) group. All patients had a clinically evident site of infection, sepsis as defined by a systemic response to the infection, and shock indicated by systemic hypoperfusion. Patients were treated during the initial 72 h by an algorithm differing only in the end point of resuscitation. The cardiac index (CI) was increased to 3.0 L/min/m2 in the NT group and to 6 L/min/m2 in the OT group. There were no significant differences in cardiorespiratory parameters in the NT and OT groups on entrance into the study. During treatment, CI averaged 3.6 +/- 0.2 L/min/m2 and DO2 averaged 8.6 +/- 0.8 ml/min/kg in the NT group and CI averaged 5.1 +/- 0.2 L/min/m2 and DO2 averaged 12.2 +/- 0.7 ml/min/kg in the OT group (p less than 0.01). A significant correlation between DO2 and survival was observed. Seventy-two percent of the OT patients died vs 50 percent of the NT patients (p = 0.14). Surviving NT patients stayed 13.7 +/- 3 days in the ICU vs 7.4 +/- 0.6 days (p less than 0.05) for the OT patients. Since some of the NT patients were spontaneously hyperdynamic and some of the OT patients did not achieve their desired end point, patients were arbitrarily subsetted using a midpoint CI of 4.5 L/min/m2. The NT less than 4.5 group had a CI of 3.1 +/- 0.2 L/min/m2 and DO2 of 10.9 +/- 1.0 ml/min/kg while the OT group greater than 4.5 L/min/m2 had a CI of 5.7 +/- 0.2 L/min/m2 and a DO2 of 13.8 +/- 0.7 ml/min/kg (p less than 0.01). Mortality in the NT less than 4.5 group was 74 percent as compared with 40 percent in the OT greater than 4.5 group (p less than 0.05).

Albumins↗

Pyrimethamine: an approach to the development of a male contraceptive.

With the human population of the world currently more than 5.2 billion and growing at an explosive rate, the need for additional forms of readily available contraception appears paramount. To date, contraception techniques in the male have been very limited. The present study demonstrates the ability of pyrimethamine (PYR) to cause spermatogenic arrest and male infertility in mice in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, upon cessation of drug administration all animals returned to normal fertility status. It is also suggested that the action of PYR is due to its antifolate action. Thus, PYR represents another approach toward development of a male contraceptive.

Animals↗

Immunophenotypic analysis of lymphocytes and myeloma cells in patients with multiple myeloma.

The immunological phenotypes of lymphocytes and myeloma cells in 48 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) were analyzed using a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Myeloma cells were positive for OKT10, BL3, PCA1 and BA2. In a few cases, they were also positive for the B cell-associated antigens J5, B1 and I2. Eight of 48 cases had more than 15% J5-positive lymphocytes, and some lymphocytes in MM expressed plasma cell-associated antigens (PCA1, BL3, OKT10), suggesting a possible clonal involvement. These observations demonstrate the heterogeneity of surface antigen expression of myeloma cells and suggest that BL3, PCA1, BA2 and J5 may be useful mAbs for purging myeloma cells from bone marrow for autologous transplantation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Fatal hemorrhage from an arterio-portal-peritoneal fistula after percutaneous liver biopsy.

Exsanguinating hemorrhage complicated a percutaneous needle biopsy in a 64-yr-old woman with a probable collagen vascular disease. Angiography performed before Gelfoam embolization demonstrated a hepatic arterio-portal venous-peritoneal fistula, a lesion not previously described, to be a cause of the hemorrhage. Although surgery remains the treatment of choice, the role of selective hepatic arteriography and Gelfoam embolization in patients with serious hemorrhage who are poor surgical risks needs evaluation.

Arteriovenous Fistula↗

Difluorothromboxane A2 and stereoisomers: stable derivatives of thromboxane A2 with differential effects on platelets and blood vessels.

The present study reports on the selective effects on human platelets and canine saphenous veins of four stable difluorinated analogues and thromboxane A2 (TXA2), in which the characteristic 2,6-dioxa[3.1.1]bicycloheptane structure of TXA2 has been retained. The four compounds differ in their stereochemistry of the 5,6 double bond and/or the 15-hydroxyl group. Only 10,10-difluoro-TXA2 (compound I) with the natural stereochemistry of TXA2 was an agonist in both platelets and canine saphenous veins (EC50 = 36 +/- 3.6 nM and 3.7 +/- 0.8 nM, respectively). (15R)-10,10-Difluoro-TXA2 (compound II), (5E)-10,10-difluoro-TXA2 (compound III), and (5E,15R)-10,10-difluoro-TXA2 (compound IV) were antagonists of platelet aggregation stimulated by compound I (Kd = 98 +/- 46 nM, 140 +/- 42 nM, and 1450 +/- 350 nM, respectively). However, compounds II, III, and IV stimulated contraction of canine saphenous veins (EC50 = 36 +/- 4.4 nM, 31 +/- 6.8 nM, and 321 +/- 50 nM, respectively). All four compounds could displace the TXA2/prostaglandin H2 antagonist 9,11-dimethylmethano-11,12-methano-16-(3- 125I-4-hydroxyphenyl)-13,14-dihydro-13-aza-15 alpha beta-omega-tetranor-TXA2 from its platelet receptor (Kd values = 100 +/- 30 nM, compound I; 280 +/- 60 nM, compound II; 230 +/- 70 nM, compound III; and 1410 +/- 1020 nM, compound IV). These results support the existence of two subtypes of TXA2/prostaglandin H2 receptors and emphasize the importance of the stereochemical requirements of these TXA2 analogues for interaction with these receptors. These stable fluorinated TXA2 analogues should prove useful tools for the further characterization of these and other TXA2/prostaglandin H2 receptors.

15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5↗

Early hemodynamic correlates of survival in patients with septic shock.

In this retrospective study, we attempted to identify early in the course of septic shock hemodynamic variables that differ between survivors and nonsurvivors. We examined the records of 78 patients with septic shock from our medical ICU (40 survivors and 38 nonsurvivors). Significant differences were found in cardiac index (CI) (4.07 +/- 0.25 vs. 2.98 +/- 0.25 L/min.m2) and oxygen delivery (DO2) (15.6 +/- 0.7 vs. 12.7 +/- 0.8 ml/min.kg) at 48 h between surviving and nonsurviving patients. Furthermore, an analysis of the relationship between DO2 and VO2 suggests a critical level of DO2 to be 15 ml/min.kg. Although no difference could be detected in initial arterial lactate concentrations, levels at 48 h were significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors (2.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 4.1 +/- 0.5 mEq/L, respectively).

Adult↗

Sustained release methylphenidate: pharmacokinetic studies in ADDH males.

Methylphenidate is widely used in the treatment of school-age children with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADDH). It is available in a short-acting (MPH) and a long-acting (MPH-SR) preparation. Nine males with ADDH participated in a 1-day pharmacokinetic study following a single morning dose of 20 mg. MPH-SR. Data are presented on MPH-SR's half-life (T 1/2), peak concentrations achieved (Cmax) and the time to the peak plasma concentrations (Tmax). Similar data were gathered from a second group of eight ADDH males treated with a higher, single morning dose of standard, short-acting MPH. After adjusting for dose differences, comparisons of the two sets of plasma concentration curves suggest that MPH-SR has a longer Tmax, but that it does not reach the same Cmax as an identical dose of standard MPH.

Adolescent↗

Cure of brain abscess caused by Nocardia asteroides resistant to multiple antibiotics.

A 29-year-old man with pulmonary infiltrates due to pulmonary alveolar proteinosis had Nocardia asteroides pneumonia and brain abscess. The nocardial infections persisted after therapy with sulfonamides, minocycline, and cefotaxime. Based on the susceptibility studies and serum antibiotic concentrations, he was treated with minocycline, 400 to 600 mg daily, cefotaxime, 12 to 30 gm daily, and probenecid for 15 months. Proteinuria observed near the completion of therapy was transient. Three years after therapy, the infections appear to have been cured.

Adult↗