[Clinical studies of a caries-defense varnish containing sialin-like material].
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Acetates↗
Biomedical subjects
J Ling
Publications and source records attributed to J Ling.
[Corticosteroid responsive inflammatory myopathy with autoantibody against Golgi apparatus].
A 51-year-old woman of progressive myopathy predominantly involving proximal groups of limb-muscle was reported. Serum enzymes originating from the skeletal muscle always remained within normal range, and a positive autoantibody against Golgi apparatus and the SS-A (Ro) antibody in serum were noted. In muscle biopsy performed twice, extensive degenerating/regenerating fibers and sparce inflammatory cells between connective tissue elements in light microscopy, and disrupted lamellar structure of Golgi apparatus in electron microscopy were observed. Corticosteroid therapy was markedly effective. In the present case of a "so-called" limb-girdle syndrome, humoral autoantibodies, especially against Golgi apparatus, could induce a metabolic disturbance in the muscle fiber.
Autoantibodies↗
[Expression of MHC and cell adhesion molecules in muscular sarcoidosis].
Biopsied skeletal muscles from 5 patients with muscular sarcoidosis (nodular type; 1, and myopathic type; 4) were immunocytochemically examined. All biopsies presented granulomatous changes. Atrophic or regenerating muscle fibers adjacent to granuloma demonstrated compression or ischemic changes. In the center of the granuloma, CD68+ epitheloid cells and giant cells, and CD4+ T cells were localized. At the periphery of the granuloma, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD20+ B cells, and CD68+ macrophages were found. Expression of HLA-A,B,C was diffuse in the muscle fibers. Expression of HLA-DR and ICAM-1 was more prominent near the granuloma or perifascicular fibers, and that of LFA-3 was moderate in those lesions. VCAM-1 was expressed in endothelial cells and macrophages near the granuloma. Those findings indicate that interferon-gamma or TNF-alpha produced by infiltrating inflammatory cells may induce expression of these immunologic markers or adhesion molecules. Immunocytochemical differences between the nodular and myopathic forms of sarcoidosis are not evident, but either localization or abundance of granuloma in muscle bulks is relevant to weakness or atrophy of clinically affected muscle.
Aged↗
[Immunostaining of anti-Fas IgG1 antibody in diseased human muscle].
Immunostaining of the Fas antigen using the anti-Fas IgG1 antibody was performed on biopsied human diseased muscles. The immunostaining showed negative results in the control muscles. In dystrophinopathy [DMD and BMD], positivity was seen mainly in type 2 fibers with no correlation to the opaque fibers and histochemical Ca2+ loading fibers in DMD. In DMD carriers, a relative correlation was seen between dystrophin-negative and Fas-positive fibers. In distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles, fibers with positive staining in the vacuoles but negative in their membranes were seen at high frequency. In FSH, a very low frequency of positivity was seen. And in myotonic dystrophy, positivity was seen in the type 2 fibers containing the internal nuclei. In inflammatory myopathies, strong positivity was seen in the medium size fibers, and mild to moderate positivity in the fibers facing the perimysium. In neurogenic muscular disorders, fibers with concave borders or highly atrophic fibers showed Fas-positivity. In conclusion, there was no disease-specific Fas reaction in the human pathologic muscle samples, but the high positivity was apparent in some myopathies. This fact of Fas antigen would reflect a pathologic state in the skeletal muscle.
Antibodies↗
[Expression of the heat shock protein 70 in inflammatory myopathies].
Heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) expression was immunohistochemically observed in diseased muscle fibers of 35 patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and 7 with polymyositis (PM). In DM, HSP 70 was localized in the sarcoplasm of type 1 fibers adjacent to the small vessels showing deposits of complement components in 13 patients and in the atrophic fibers at perifascicular regions in 7. HSP 70 was also expressed more preferentially in the small vessels rather than in the sarcoplasm in 13 DM patients. In PM, the expression of HSP 70 was blurred in all fibers including non-necrotic fibers invaded by T cells. In conclusion, HSP 70 is likely more frequently to be expressed in the sarcoplasm of DM than PM due to probable ischemic insults.
Dermatomyositis↗
Identification of the iron-carbonyl stretch in distal histidine mutants of carbonmonoxymyoglobin.
Soret-excitation resonance Raman (RR) spectra are reported for six distal histidine mutants of carbonmonoxymyoglobin including H64A, H64V, H64L, H64I, H64W, and H64W/L29F. Based on 13CO isotope shifts, the iron-carbonyl stretching vibrations are unambiguously identified. The correct assignment of these modes eliminates the differences in the conformational substate occupations predicted by the RR versus IR data.
Binding Sites↗
Comparison and frequency of ventricular arrhythmias after defibrillator implantation by thoracotomy versus nonthoracotomy approaches.
Postoperative exacerbation of ventricular arrhythmias has been reported in some patients treated with thoracotomy implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). This phenomenon, which may be related to epicardial patch electrodes, may be less frequent after nonthoracotomy ICD implantation. In this nonrandomized study, postoperative arrhythmias in thoracotomy approaches (n = 52) were compared with those in nonthoracotomy approaches (n = 59). Preoperatively, all patients were clinically stable receiving an antiarrhythmic regimen chosen by serial drug testing. Nine of 52 patients in the thoracotomy group developed sustained ventricular tachycardia postoperatively while receiving the same antiarrhythmic regimen chosen preoperatively, and 1 patient eventually died. Two additional patients developed frequent and prolonged episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia requiring changes in the antiarrhythmic regimen. In the nonthoracotomy group, only 3 of 59 patients developed sustained ventricular tachycardia and 1 developed frequent nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. Thus, only 4 of 59 patients in the nonthoracotomy group developed clinically significant ventricular arrhythmia during the postoperative period compared with 11 of 52 patients in the thoracotomy group (p < 0.05). Surgical mortality was 6% in the thoracotomy group, and 0% in the nonthoracotomy group. In the remaining clinically stable patients, a marked (sevenfold) increase in asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmias was noted in 15 of 39 patients in the thoracotomy group, and in 3 of 55 patients in the nonthoracotomy group (p < 0.05). Thus, postoperative exacerbation of ventricular arrhythmia, sometimes noted with thoracotomy approaches, is very rare with nonthoracotomy approaches.
Aged↗
Luffin-S--a small novel ribosome-inactivating protein from Luffa cylindrica. Characterization and mechanism studies.
We purified and characterized a novel RIP (ribosome inactivating protein), Luffin-S from the seeds of Luffa cylindrica. Different from Luffin-A and B, which are RNA N-glycosidases with molecular weights of 27 and 28 kDa, respectively, Luffin-S has an M.W. of only approx. 10 kDa, much smaller than any other RIPs so far investigated. Its abundant resources, toxicity similar to TCS in a cell-free protein synthesis system and unique mechanism as phosphodiesterase, like alpha-sarcin, promisingly make it a potential toxic moiety of immunotoxin.
Amino Acids↗
Cleavage of supercoiled double-stranded DNA by several ribosome-inactivating proteins in vitro.
Several ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs), such as ricin (including its A-chain), luffin, cinnamomin and camphorin, were found to express enzymatic activity to cleave supercoiled double-stranded DNA. In particular, alpha-sarcin, a RIP with a novel ribonuclease activity, was first proved to have this activity. They convert supercoiled DNA into a nicked circular conformation at low concentrations and further into a linear form at high concentrations: they have no effect on linear DNA. Although intact type II RIPs exhibited no RNA N-glucosidase activity, they were detected to cleave supercoiled DNA. Even if ricin A-chain was treated by boiling, its activity on supercoiled DNA was largely retained.
Animals↗
Dioxygen is the source of the mu-oxo bridge in iron ribonucleotide reductase.
The formation of the iron-radical cofactor in the R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase has been monitored by resonance Raman spectroscopy. The differrous cluster in reduced R2 functions as a tyrosine oxidase; it uses O2 to oxidize Tyr-122 to a stable radical and results in an oxo-bridged diferric cluster. The Phe-122 mutant produces an identical dinuclear iron center and provides a simplified model for O2 activation. Oxidation with 18O2 results in quantitative incorporation of 18O into the diferric cluster as evidenced by the 13-cm-1 downshift in the Fe-O-Fe stretching vibration at 500 cm-1. Thus, O2 must be coordinated to the diiron center during O-O bond cleavage. When the Phe-208 adjacent to the diferous cluster is mutated to Tyr, reaction with O2 results in its oxidation to dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA-208) and subsequent coordination to Fe as a catecholate ligand. The Fe-O/(catecholate) stretching modes at 512 and 592 cm-1 shift by -13 and -8 cm-1, respectively, when the oxidation is performed in H(2)18O. These isotope shifts indicate that the second oxygen atom of DOPA-208 originates from H2O rather than O2. Taken together, our results are consistent with a mu-1,1-peroxide and a high valent iron-oxo species as reaction intermediates. A common pathway for oxygen activation by the related iron-oxo enzymes methane monooxygenase and fatty acid desaturase is proposed.
Catechols↗
The association of intradialytic parenteral nutrition administration with survival in hemodialysis patients.
Hemodialysis patients who had received intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) during 1991 were identified. These patients were compared with unexposed controls after adjusting for demographic variables, baseline renal diagnosis, diabetic status, serum albumin (ALB), creatinine (CRE), and urea reduction ratio. At lower levels of ALB (< or = 3.4 g/dL), treatment with IDPN was associated with a reduction in the odds of death at 1 year, an effect that became stronger at lower levels of CRE (< or = 8.0 mg/dL). In contrast, treatment with IDPN in patients with normal ALB was associated with increased mortality. Time trend analyses of ALB and CRE demonstrated progressive increases toward pretreatment levels in IDPN recipients that were not evident in control subjects. These time trend data suggest that in undernourished hemodialysis patients, IDPN can effect the serum levels of valid biochemical surrogates of visceral and somatic protein nutrition. Albeit retrospective, the improvement in survival at year's end among patients with ALB < or = 3.4 g/dL suggests that malnutrition and its attendant ill effects in hemodialysis patients may respond to aggressive therapeutic intervention, such as IDPN. These important findings should be prospectively confirmed in a randomized clinical trial.
Creatinine↗
Totally implantable total artificial heart and ventricular assist device with multipurpose miniature electromechanical energy system.
A multipurpose miniature electromechanical energy system has been developed to yield a compact, efficient, durable, and biocompatible total artificial heart (TAH) and ventricular assist device (VAD). Associated controller-driver electronics were recently miniaturized and converted into hybrid circuits. The hybrid controller consists of a microprocessor and controller, motor driver, Hall sensor, and commutation circuit hybrids. The sizing study demonstrated that all these components can be incorporated in the pumping unit of the TAH and VAD, particularly in the centerpiece of the TAH and the motor housing of the VAD. Both TAH and VAD pumping units will start when their power line is connected to either the internal power pack or the external battery unit. As a redundant driving and diagnostic port, an emergency port was newly added and will be placed in subcutaneous location. In case of system failure, the skin will be cut down, and an external motor drive or a pneumatic driver will be connected to this port to run the TAH. This will minimize the circulatory arrest time. Overall efficiency of the TAH without the transcutaneous energy transmission system was 14-18% to deliver pump outputs of 4-9 L/min against the right and left afterload pressures of 25 and 100 mm Hg. The internal power requirement ranged from 6 to 13 W. The rechargeable batteries such as NiCd or NiMH with 1 AH capacity can run the TAH for 30-45 min. The external power requirement, when TETS efficiency of 75% was assumed, ranged from 8 to 18 W. The accelerated endurance test in the 42 degrees C saline bath demonstrated stable performance over 4 months. Long-term endurance and chronic animal studies will continue toward a system with 5 years durability by the year 2000.
Animals↗
Formation of an Fe(III)-tyrosinate complex during biomineralization of H-subunit ferritin.
An iron(III)-tyrosinate complex was identified in ferritin by ultraviolet-visible and resonance Raman spectroscopies. Previously, a specific amino acid side chain coordinated to iron in ferritin was not known. Ferritin protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli from complementary DNA sequences of bullfrog red cell ferritin. The purple iron(III)-tyrosinate intermediate that formed during the first stages of iron uptake was replaced by the amber multinuclear iron(III)-oxo complexes of fully mineralized ferritin. Only the H subunit formed detectable amounts of the iron(III)-tyrosinate complex, which may explain the faster rates of iron biomineralization in H- compared to L-type ferritin.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Engineering of the iron site in ribonucleotide reductase to a self-hydroxylating monooxygenase.
Protein R2 of ribonucleotide reductase contains a dinuclear ferric iron center adjacent to a tyrosyl radical in the interior of the protein matrix. A patch of hydrophobic residues surrounds the iron-radical cofactor. Its importance during the oxidative generation of the iron-radical cofactor was investigated by site-directed mutagenesis of Phe-208 to tyrosine. The mutant protein R2 F208Y has prominent absorption bands at 460 and 720 nm reminiscent of those in ferric-catecholate complexes. Resonance Raman spectroscopy shows that the iron center of R2 F208Y contains a bidentate catechol ligand. The mechanism for generation of this protein-derived dihydroxyphenylalanine may be similar to the catalytic cycle of methane monooxygenase.
Base Sequence↗
The effect of taurine on age-related immune decline in mice: the effect of taurine on T cell and B cell proliferative response under costimulation with ionomycin and phorbol myristate acetate.
Proliferative responses to the costimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and suboptimal doses of ionomycin in the purified T and B cells from old mice were lower than those from young mice. The degree of the age-related decline was more significant in T cells than in B cells. Taurine, a sulfur containing amino acid, augmented the proliferative responses of T cells from both young and old mice. The augmentation of the proliferative response by taurine was more marked in old T cells than in young ones. The concentration of intracellular free calcium ion ([Ca2+]i) was significantly lower in the old T cells under the stimulation with PMA and ionomycin than that in the young ones. In the presence of taurine, the concentration of [Ca2+]i in the old T cell significantly increased under the stimulation. The results indicate that taurine improved the proliferative response of old T cells by the restoration of the increment of the concentration of [Ca2+]i under the stimulation.
Aging↗
The pattern of congenital renal anomalies associated with neural tube defects.
It has been suggested that there may be a consistent pattern of congenital renal abnormalities related to a particular sensory level in patients with spina bifida. In assessing 163 spina bifida patients by reviewing intravenous pyelograms (without knowledge of clinical details) and correlating with the level of sensory loss (without knowledge of radiological findings), the prevalence of renal abnormalities was similar, but a consistent pattern was not confirmed.
Child↗
Outbreaks of infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on neonatal and burns units of a new hospital.
Multiple introductions of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains occurred to a new hospital in Hong Kong. Two years of clinical microbiological surveillance of the resulting outbreaks was combined with laboratory investigation by phage and antibiogram typing, and plasmid profiling. The outbreaks on the special care baby (SCBU) and burns (BU) units were studied in detail, and colonization of staff and contamination of the environment were investigated. MRSA were spread by the hands of staff on the SCBU, where long-term colonization of dermatitis was important, but were probably transmitted on the BU by a combination of the airborne, transient hand-borne and environmental routes. Simple control measures to restrict hand-borne spread on the SCBU were highly effective, but control was not successful on the BU.
Burn Units↗
Antimicrobial susceptibilities of Haemophilus influenzae in Hong Kong.
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Anti-Bacterial Agents↗