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Biomedical subjects

J Woodward

Publications and source records attributed to J Woodward.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Cortical extracellular sodium transients after human head injury: an indicator of secondary brain damage?

Animal studies indicate that elevated extracellular sodium can increase glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between sodium and glutamate and the effect of changes in sodium concentrations on the outcome of head-injured patients. Thirty-four (34) patients were selected for this study and divided into a group of patients having episodes (> or = 30-min) of high sodium in dialysates (> or = 200 mM; HIGH, n = 11) and a group of patients having no such episodes (NORMAL, n = 23). Levels for sodium (226 +/- 5.7 mM), glutamate (12.53 +/- 2.2 microM) and ICP (32.2 +/- 4.0 mm Hg,) were relatively high during the high sodium episodes. Overall, mean values for glutamate, ICP and outcome did not differ amono both groups. The mean dialysate sodium concentration, however, was significantly higher in the HIGH (178 +/- 6 mM) compared to the NORMAL group (158 +/- 3 mM; p < 0.01). Spearman rank correlation between sodium and glutamate or ICP were not significant. The HIGH sodium group did not have significantly more patients with poor outcome than the NORMAL group. The results indicated sodium concentrations did not affect the outcome of head-injured patients. However, other sodium monitoring techniques are desirable to elucidate these apparent potentially major sodium transients, which we have observed in the human cortex, after severe head injury.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

In vitro activity of RPR 106972 alone and in combination with vancomycin, ampicillin, and gentamicin against multidrug-resistant enterococci.

This investigation used checkerboard and time-kill assays to evaluate the in vitro activity of RPR 106972 (45% pristinamycin IB and 55% pristinamycin IIB) alone and in combination with vancomycin or ampicillin +/- gentamicin against multidrug-resistant enterococci. The checkerboard procedure resulted in synergistic or additive effects in 91% of the isolates with the combination of RPR 106972 plus vancomycin versus 68% with RPR 106972 plus ampicillin. The addition of gentamicin to either combination resulted in synergistic or additive results in 100% of the isolates. Inhibitory activity was observed with the time-kill assay with mean change in log10 CFU/mL at 24 h of -0.31 for RPR 106972, 3.3 for vancomycin, -0.46 for RPR 106972 plus vancomycin, and -0.35 for RPR 106972 plus vancomycin and gentamicin. No antagonism was noted with any of the combinations. RPR 106972 demonstrates good inhibitory activity against Enterococcus faecium and may prove useful in the treatment of enterococcal infections.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1998

Enzymatic conversion of sucrose to hydrogen

The enzymatic conversion of sugars to hydrogen could be a promising method for alternative fuel production. Maple tree sap is a source of environmental sugar (e.g., sucrose) that has the potential to be converted into hydrogen using the enzymes invertase, glucose dehydrogenase (GDH), hydrogenase, and glucose isomerase (GI) and the cofactor NADP+/NADPH. The kinetics of hydrogen production have been studied, and optimal conditions for hydrogen production are described. At low initial sucrose concentrations, in the absence of glucose isomerase, stoichiometric yields of 1 mol of H2/mol of sucrose were achieved. At higher sucrose concentrations, the yield of hydrogen declined so that at an initial sucrose concentration of 292 mM only 7% yield of hydrogen was obtained. The reason for this low yield was studied and shown not to be caused by enzyme inactivation or a pH drop during the reaction but due to an instability of the cofactor NADP+. Although gluconic acid inhibited both NADPH production and oxidation by GDH and hydrogenase, respectively, it was not the major cause of NADP+ instability. Fructose was also shown to be converted to hydrogen if GI was present in the reaction mixture. Also, by starting with sucrose, 1. 34 mol of H2/mol of sucrose was obtained if GI was present in the reaction mixture.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Performance of anesthesia machines' devices that are not part of the Food and Drug Administration's daily checkout.

OBJECTIVE: The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) checkout recommendations are to be applied, at least daily, on anesthesia machines. Devices included in the checkout are crucial to the safe operation of the machine. Remaining devices do not need to be checked as often. However, they should be checked at some appropriate interval. We calculated the reliability of the non-FDA checkout devices, to predict failure rates of these devices. METHODS: The study included 36 North American Drager Narkomed anesthesia machines that were in service a total of 109,410 days at a university hospital. Reliability (i.e., statistical) analyses were done using in-house data recorded by biomedical technicians during 3359 monthly machine inspections. If any one device was operating outside of the limits of the manufacturer's specifications, the machine was labeled as having failed its inspection. RESULTS: Assumptions of the failure analysis were satisfied. The mean time between failures equaled 1351 days or 3.7 years (lower 95% confidence bound 1123 days or 3.1 years). The mean daily probability of one or more devices failing to perform within the manufacturer's specification between inspections equaled 1.1, 2.2%, and 4.4% for inspections every 1, 2, or 4 months, respectively. Probabilities that a machine would fail on demand between inspections were approximately equal to the mean daily probabilities of machine failure. The mean number of days per year that a machine would be operating with a device that is outside of the limits of its specifications equaled 4, 8, and 12, days, respectively. The mean daily probabilities of failure and the probabilities of failure on demand were both directly proportional to the inspection interval. CONCLUSIONS: Our failure analysis provides a rational basis for choosing an appropriate inspection interval for anesthesia machines' devices that are not included in the FDA's checkout recommendations.

Anesthesiology↗
PubMed1997

The significance of white-centered retinal hemorrhages in the shaken baby syndrome.

Retinal hemorrhages in healthy children with or without a history of associated trauma are a strong indicator of child abuse. This report describes six cases of battered infants who presented with white-centered retinal hemorrhages. We discuss potential mechanisms for the presence of white-centered retinal hemorrhages in battered children.

Battered Child Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

Anaerobic degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and alkanes in petroleum-contaminated marine harbor sediments.

Although polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have usually been found to persist under strict anaerobic conditions, in a previous study an unusual site was found in San Diego Bay in which two PAHs, naphthalene and phenanthrene, were oxidized to carbon dioxide under sulfate-reducing conditions. Further investigations with these sediments revealed that methylnaphthalene, fluorene, and fluoranthene were also anaerobically oxidized to carbon dioxide in these sediments, while pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene were not. Studies with naphthalene indicated that PAH oxidation was sulfate dependent. Incubating the sediments with additional naphthalene for 1 month resulted in a significant increase in the oxidation of [14C]naphthalene. In sediments from a less heavily contaminated site in San diego Bay where PAHs were not readily degraded, naphthalene degradation could be stimulated through inoculation with active PAH-degrading sediments from the most heavily contaminated site. Sediments from the less heavily contaminated site that had been adapted for rapid anaerobic degradation of high concentrations of benzene did not oxidize naphthalene, suggesting that the benzene- and naphthalene-degrading populations were different. When fuels containing complex mixtures of alkanes were added to sediments from the two sites, there was significant degradation in the alkanes. [14C]hexadecane was also anaerobically oxidized to 14CO2 in these sediments. Molybdate, a specific inhibitor of sulfate reduction, inhibited hexadecane oxidation. These results demonstrate that a wide variety of hydrocarbon contaminants can be degraded under sulfate-reducing conditions in hydrocarbon-contaminated sediments, and they suggest that it may be possible to use sulfate reduction rather than aerobic respiration as a treatment strategy for hydrocarbon-contaminated dredged sediments.

Alkanes↗
PubMed1996

Glutamate release and cerebral blood flow after severe human head injury.

Elevations of extracellular glutamate have been found in patients with prolonged brain ischemia and focal cerebral contusions, following severe head injury. About 30% of severely head injured patients develop cerebral ischemia, defined as CBF < 18 ml/100g/min. Patients with both global and regional cerebral ischemia have the worst outcome. However, the relationship between CBF and EAA release is not well understood in head injured humans, and may differ from the findings in normal animals. To study the relationship between EAA release and CBF after severe head injury, we performed cerebral blood flow measurements using stable xenon enhanced computed tomography and correlated these with glutamate release in the extracellular fluid, measured by continuous microdialysis, in 25 severely head injured patients. Sustained cerebral blood flow reductions below the threshold for ischemic neuronal damage was closely related to massive excitatory amino acid release, as in previous animal studies. In patients without secondary ischemia, or focal contusions, delayed post-traumatic glutamate release appeared to be only transient or did not occur at all.

Cerebrovascular Circulation↗
PubMed1996

Dose-response relation between terfenadine (Seldane) and the QTc interval on the scalar electrocardiogram: distinguishing a drug effect from spontaneous variability.

The primary goal of this investigation was to describe the effect of terfenadine on the QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) of the scalar electrocardiogram (ECG). The design was double-blind, four-period crossover, dose escalation, which involved 28 normal healthy volunteers and 28 patients with stable cardiovascular disease. At baseline, the normal subjects had a mean QTc interval of 407 msec, whereas the patients with cardiovascular disease had a mean QTc interval of 417 msec (p<0.01). The largest increase in mean QTc on terfenadine was 24 msec in a normal subject and 28 msec in a patient with cardiovascular disease. The longest average QTc observed was 449 msec and 501 msec in any normal subject and patient with cardiovascular disease, respectively. Compared to baseline, terfenadine 60 mg twice daily is associated with a QTc increase of 6 msec in normal subjects and a 12 msec increase in patients with cardiovascular disease (p<0.01 vs baseline; p>0.05 when the two populations were compared). Although the QTc increase from baseline are statistically significant, the magnitude of the spontaneous variability in QTc in the same patients is much greater. Because 40 ECGs were obtained while taking placebo in each participant, the spontaneous variability in QTc interval with placebo was also described. Only one of the 28 normal subjects had a mean baseline QTc=440 msec, yet 14 of the 28 normal subjects had at lease one of the 40 placebo ECGs with a QTc=440 msec. The 28 patients with cardiovascular disease had a mean QTc at baseline of 417 msec; yet 20 of 28 had at lease one ECG on placebo with a QTc interval = 440 msec. On the average, the QTc fluctuated 56 msec in each patient during placebo administration. From the observed placebo variability, we calculated that an increase in QTc of=35 msec while receiving drug therapy is likely to represent a drug effect at the 95% confidence interval.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Comparison of the properties of native and pentaammineruthenium(III)-modified xylanase.

Two xylanases, xynA of Bacillus pumilus and xyn II of Trichoderma reesei, were purified and then modified by the attachment of pentaammineruthenium, thereby resulting in the generation of a xylanase with veratryl alcohol oxidase activity. Hydrolytic activity of T. reesei xyn II on soluble xylans was unchanged by modification with pentaammineruthenium; however, modification of B. pumilus xynA greatly reduced xylan hydrolysis unless the active site of the xylanase was protected with xylose during the modification. The presence of histidine, cysteine, or reduced glutathione during xylan hydrolysis greatly increased the xylanase activity of the pentaammineruthenium-modified B. pumilus xylanase. Glycine, glutamic acid, methionine, or oxidized glutathione had no effect on xylanase activity.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗
PubMed1996

In vitro hydrogen production by glucose dehydrogenase and hydrogenase.

A new in vitro enzymatic pathway for the generation of molecular hydrogen from glucose has been demonstrated. The reaction is based on the oxidation of glucose by Thermoplasma acidophilum glucose dehydrogenase with the concomitant oxidation of NADPH by Pyrococcus furiosus hydrogenase. Stoichiometric yields of hydrogen were produced from glucose with the continuous recycling of cofactor. This simple system may provide a method for the biological production of hydrogen from renewable sources. In addition, the other product of this reaction, gluconic acid, is a high-value chemical commodity.

Cloning, Molecular↗
PubMed1995

Inhibition of cellobiohydrolase I from Trichoderma reesei by palladium.

Cellulase from Trichoderma reesei is a multienzyme mixture that hydrolyzes cellulose to glucose. Two enzymes in this mixture, cellobiohydrolase (CBH) and endoglucanase (EG), possess a common structure comprising a distinct cellulose-binding domain (CBD) and catalytic domain. Inhibition of the catalytic domain of cellulases without affecting their CBD function might be useful for structure/function studies of these enzymes. Complexes of the platinum group metals were tested for their ability to inhibit the major cellulase enzyme from T. reesei, cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I). Only palladium complexes inhibited CBH I, inhibition being dependent upon the molar ratio of palladium to CBH I with 1 microM CBH I retaining only 10% of its activity in the presence of 100 microM ammonium hexachloropalladate(IV) and after the incorporation of 28 mol Pd/mol CBH I. Inhibition was irreversible and could be completely prevented by including histidine, cysteine, and cystine in the assay mixture. Although the primary mechanism of inhibition of CBH I by palladium remains to be elucidated, it could involve the binding of palladium to sulfur or cystine residues resulting in their degradation. This is based on the findings that (i) palladium-inhibited CBH I was less thermally stable than native CBH I; (ii) CBH I, chemically modified by the attachment of pentaammine ruthenium(III) to the imidazole-N of either H206 or H228, showed greater sensitivity to inhibition by palladium compared to native CBH I; and (iii) ammonium hexachloropalladate cleaved 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid)--Ellman's reagent. Binding of CBH I to crystalline cotton linters was not affected by palladium.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1995

Anti-CD2 monoclonal antibody-induced receptor changes: down modulation of cell surface CD2.

Anti-CD2 mAbs suppress T cell immunity and prolong allograft survival in vivo while inducing the down-modulation of CD2 expression. Manipulation of cell surface molecules may be important in inducing tolerance, so down-modulation of CD2 expression on T cells by anti-CD2 mAbs was further defined with an in vitro model. The anti-CD2 mAb 12-15 caused CD2 expression on purified splenic T cells to decrease from 83.4 to 22.7% total positive cells while CD3, CD4, and CD8 expression remained unchanged. The expression of other adhesion molecules, LFA-1 alpha (CD11a), LFA-1 beta (CD18), Pgp-1 (CD44), CD45, MEL-14 (L-selectin), and VLA-4 alpha (CD49d), were all increased as a result of anti-CD2 treatment, whereas CD25 (IL-2R), CD48 (CD2 ligand), and ICAM-1 (CD54) remained unchanged. Kinetics showed that CD2 down-modulation was persistent and at the same magnitude from day 1 through day 7 of culture. Anti-CD2 mAb could down modulate CD2 on both CD4 and CD8 splenic lymphocyte subsets, thymocytes, and the T cell lymphoma EL-4; and, non-T cells did not seem to participate in the process of modulation. Mechanistic studies of mAb action showed that, in addition to 12-15, other anti-CD2 mAbs could cause down-modulation of T cell CD2 expression in an epitope and isotype dependent fashion and that CD2 down-modulation correlated with inhibition of receptor-driven T cell stimulation. Intact antibody, including the Fc portion, was required to induce CD2 down-modulation, and additional experiments suggested an interaction with an Fc gamma R other than Fc gamma RII or Fc gamma RIII. CD2 down-modulation did not change with the addition of the cytokines IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, TNF alpha, or TGF-beta 1. These results show that anti-CD2 mAbs significantly and persistently down-modulate CD2 on various T cell subpopulations. The mAbs must interact with both the CD2 receptor and an Fc gamma R. CD2 down-modulation is accompanied by changes in the array of other T cell surface receptors that may contribute to mechanisms of anti-CD2-induced immunosuppression.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Palladium--a new inhibitor of cellulase activities.

Palladium complexes have been shown to strongly inhibit cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) and endoglucanase II (EG II), two cellulases produced by Trichoderma reesei. Also inhibited were total cellulase (Avicelase) and beta-glucosidase (cellobiase) activities. The catalytic domain of CBH II, the second most abundant component of this cellulase, appeared less susceptible to inhibition by palladium. The inhibition was irreversible and could be prevented if histidine, cysteine or cystine was added to the enzyme reaction mixture simultaneously with the inhibitor. The binding of CBH I to microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) was unaffected by palladium.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1995

Massive persistent release of excitatory amino acids following human occlusive stroke.

BACKGROUND: Animal stroke models demonstrate excitatory amino acid (EAA) release in ischemic tissue, as measured by microdialysis. Currently glutamate antagonist drugs are being developed to protect brain tissue after ischemic events. However, the role of EAAs in human occlusive stroke is not well known. We therefore measured glutamate and aspartate release in a patient after occlusive stroke. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe a case of occlusive stroke in a 50-year-old man. A partial temporal lobectomy was done to remove infarcted tissue and to prevent brain stem compression as well as uncal herniation. A microdialysis probe was placed into the cortex to measure EAAs. Massively increased levels of glutamate and aspartate were detected in the extracellular fluid in this patient (> 300 times normal levels 6 days after infarction). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that EAAs are tremendously increased in brain tissue after occlusive stroke. The time course of the release of EAAs is much longer than animal studies have suggested previously. Administration of EAA antagonists to patients with ischemic stroke may therefore be beneficial.

Aspartic Acid↗
PubMed1995

Assessment of dose-intensive therapy in suboptimally debulked ovarian cancer: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

PURPOSE: We report a prospective randomized trial in women with advanced ovarian cancer to evaluate the importance of chemotherapy dose-intensity on survival, progression-free survival (PFS), and response. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 485 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and residual masses more than 1 cm following surgery (stage III presentation) or any stage IV presentation were randomly assigned to receive either standard therapy (cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 and cisplatin 50 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks for eight courses) or intense therapy (cyclophosphamide 1,000 mg/m2 and cisplatin 100 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks for four courses). Dose modification was rigidly controlled to maintain intensity. Clinical and pathologic responses were assessed, when appropriate, as well as PFS interval and survival. RESULTS: A total of 458 patients met all eligibility criteria and were assessed for survival and PFS. The dose-intensive group received the same total dose of cyclophosphamide and cisplatin, but 1.97 times greater dose-intensity than the standard group. Clinical and pathologic response rates; response duration, and survival were similar in both groups of patients. Hematologic, gastrointestinal, febrile episodes, septic events, and renal toxicities were significantly more common and severe in the dose-intensive group. CONCLUSION: A doubling of the dose-intensity in the treatment of bulky ovarian epithelial cancers led to no discernible improvement in patient outcome and was associated with more severe toxicity. This study provides no evidence to support the hypothesis that modest increases in dose-intensity without increasing total dose are associated with significant improvement in overall survival or PFS.

Adult↗