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Biomedical subjects

L A Smith

Publications and source records attributed to L A Smith.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Shear bond strengths of the tenure dentin bonding systems.

A third generation dentinal bonding system, Tenure Solution dentin bonding system, has recently become commercially available. The original system has been modified twice. The objectives of this in vitro study were to determine the shear bond strengths of the three systems to dentin 15 minutes after specimen preparation, after 24 hours storage in physiological saline at 37 degrees C with and without temperature cycling, and after 4 weeks storage with and without temperature cycling. The shear bond strengths decreased with duration of storage but of each storage interval temperature cycling had no adverse effect on shear bond strength.

Benzoates↗
PubMed1989

Precursors of Androctonus australis scorpion neurotoxins. Structures of precursors, processing outcomes, and expression of a functional recombinant toxin II.

From a cDNA library made from telsons of scorpions of the species Androctonus australis, full-length cDNAs of about 370 nucleotides encoding precursors of toxins active on mammals or on insects have been isolated using oligonucleotide probes. Sequence analysis of the cDNAs revealed that the precursors contain signal peptides of about 20 amino acid residues. In addition, precursors of toxins active on mammals have extensions at their COOH-terminal ends: Arg or Gly-Arg. The processing steps required to generate toxins from their respective precursors are thus not identical for all of them. Southern blot analysis performed at the genomic level with a cDNA encoding toxin II suggested a single copy gene having a minimum size of 2800 base pairs. Finally, in an attempt to successfully express an animal toxin, monkey kidney COS-7 cells transfected with a plasmid harboring a cDNA encoding toxin II transiently expressed a recombinant toxin having the immunological and biological properties of toxin II.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Effects of divalent cations on snake venom cardiotoxin-induced hemolysis and 3H-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate release from human red blood cells.

At a low concentration of Naja naja kaouthia cardiotoxin (3 microM) Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2+ (2 mM), had little to no effect on 3H-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate (3H-dGlu-6-p) or hemoglobin release. At higher concentrations of N. n. kaouthia cardiotoxin (greater than or equal to 10 microM), Ca2+ (2 mM), but not Sr2+ or Ba2+, significantly enhanced 3H-dGlu-6-p and hemoglobin release. Mn2+ (2 mM) almost completely inhibited 3H-dGlu-6-p release and hemolysis at both the 3 microM and 10 microM concentrations of cardiotoxin. At a fixed concentration of N. n. kaouthia cardiotoxin (3 microM). Ca2+ at low concentrations (0.5 mM) enhanced 3H-dGlu-6-p and hemoglobin release, but at higher concentrations caused a dose-dependent inhibition of cardiotoxin action. The cardiotoxin from N. n. kaouthia venom (3 microM) induced 3H-dGlu-6-p release and hemolysis release with similar time courses and to similar extents. 3H-dGlu-6-p release induced by cardiotoxin was greatly enhanced as the pH of the medium was increased from 7.0 to 8.5. Similarities between 3H-dGlu-6-p and hemoglobin release do not support opening of pores in the plasmalemma of all red blood cells as the mode of action of cardiotoxins, but suggests that complete lysis of a subpopulation of cells occurs. Cardiotoxins have two components of lysis, only one of which is Ca2+-dependent. The Ca2+-dependent lysis is only evident at higher cardiotoxin concentrations and is likely due to trace phospholipase A2 contamination in the toxin fraction. Mn2+ is an effective antagonist of cardiotoxin action.

Barium↗
PubMed1989

Factors influencing the hemolysis of human erythrocytes by cardiotoxins from Naja naja kaouthia and Naja naja atra venoms and a phospholipase A2 with cardiotoxin-like activities from Bungarus fasciatus venom.

The effects of red blood cell age and incubation conditions (temperature, divalent cation type and concentration, pH and glucose) on hemolysis induced by cardiotoxin fractions from Naja naja atra and Naja naja kaouthia venoms, a phospholipase A2 with cardiotoxin-like activities from Bungarus fasciatus venom and bee venom phospholipase A2 were examined. Hemolysis by the snake venom toxins was dependent on red blood cell age (aged more susceptible than fresh) and the temperature of incubation (37 degrees C greater than 20 degrees C). Divalent cations at 0.5-2.0 mM enhanced (Ca2+) or slightly decreased (Sr2+, Ba2+) hemolysis due to N. n. kaouthia and N. n. atra toxins, and greatly decreased (Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+) hemolysis by these toxins at higher concentrations (5-40 mM). For the B. fasciatus phospholipase A2, Ba2+ and Sr2+ could not fully support hemolysis in any concentration while both low (less than 0.5 mM) and high (greater than 40 mM) Ca2+ enhanced hemolysis. Bee venom phospholipase A2 only induced hemolysis (greater than 10% at greater than 40 mM) at high concentrations of Ca2+. Increasing the pH from 7.5 to 8.5 greatly increased the levels of hemolysis by the snake venom toxins and enzyme. Glucose (5.3 mM) increased hemolysis by the snake venom components at low concentrations of divalent cations (2 mM) and slightly decreased hemolysis at high concentrations (40 mM). Treatment with p-bromophenacyl bromide abolished phospholipase A2 activity of bee venom and B. fasciatus phospholipases, but did not affect hemolytic potency of N. n. kaouthia or B. fasciatus toxins. A similar mechanism, which is independent of phospholipase A2 activity, may be involved in hemolysis by the N. n. kaouthia and N. n. atra cardiotoxins. The B. fasciatus cardiotoxin-like phospholipase A2 appears to have two mechanisms of hemolysis; the first is similar to that of the two typical cardiotoxins and the second appears dependent on phospholipase A2 activity and is only evident at high Ca2+ concentrations.

Bungarotoxins↗
PubMed1989

Sequence homology between tetanus and botulinum toxins detected by an antipeptide antibody.

The extent of immunological similarity between tetanus toxin and botulinum toxins A, B, C1, and E was studied by using 10 antibodies produced against synthetic peptides representing different sequences of tetanus toxin, mouse antitetanus serum, and human Tetanus Immune Globulin. Antibodies produced against the synthetic peptides recognized tetanus toxin in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and on Western blots (immunoblots) but did not appear to recognize the native protein. One of the antitetanus peptide antibodies, which was produced against a peptide from the amino terminal, cross-reacted with three of the four botulinum toxins on immunoblots. This antibody, 1, reacted strongly with botulinum toxins B and C1 and weakly with E but did not recognize type A toxin. None of the other peptide antibodies cross-reacted with the botulinum toxins. Mouse antitetanus serum and human Tetanus Immune Globulin did not recognize any of the botulinum toxins on immunoblots. The amino-terminal region of the light chain of tetanus toxin and botulinum toxin types A, B, C1, and E are known to have sequence homology. Our data demonstrate that for tetanus toxin and botulinum toxin types B, C1, and E this region also has immunological homology. Type A, which has the least amount of homology with tetanus toxin in this region, does not share this immunological homology. These data also suggest that although the native structures of tetanus and botulinum toxins have relatively few common immunological determinants, the two toxins may contain short stretches of identical or very similar amino acid sequences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Renorenal reflexes present in young and captopril-treated adult spontaneously hypertensive rats.

In normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats stimulation of renal mechanoreceptors or chemoreceptors by increasing ureteral pressure or renal pelvic perfusion with 0.9 M NaCl results in a contralateral inhibitory renorenal reflex response with contralateral diuresis and natriuresis. However, in 14-15-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) renal sensory receptor stimulation failed to elicit a contralateral inhibitory renorenal reflex response. The present study was performed to examine whether the lack of a renorenal reflex response in SHR was related to elevated arterial pressure by studying the responses to renal sensory receptor stimulation in 5-6-week-old SHR and in 12-16-week-old SHR that had been treated with captopril from 3 weeks of age to prevent the development of hypertension. In 5-6-week-old SHR, mean arterial pressure was 113 +/- 3 mm Hg. Graded increases of ureteral pressure of 15 and 29 mm Hg resulted in graded increases in ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity of 57 +/- 22% and 120 +/- 38%. Contralateral urinary sodium excretion increased from 0.26 +/- 0.06 to 0.35 +/- 0.07 mumol/min/g and from 0.36 +/- 0.08 to 0.46 +/- 0.11 mumol/min/g, respectively. In captopril-treated SHR, mean arterial pressure was 109 +/- 3 mm Hg. Increasing ureteral pressure by 34 mm Hg increased ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity 65 +/- 21% and contralateral urinary sodium excretion from 1.28 +/- 0.24 to 1.53 +/- 0.30 mumol/min/g. Similar results were produced by renal chemoreceptor stimulation. It is concluded that renal sensory receptor stimulation results in a contralateral inhibitory renorenal reflex response in 5-6-week-old SHR and in SHR treated with captopril to prevent the development of hypertension. These results suggest that the previously demonstrated lack of a renorenal reflex response to renal sensory receptor stimulation in hypertensive SHR is related to the maintenance of hypertension.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Quantitation of purified monoclonal antibody needed to prevent HSV-1 induced stromal keratitis in mice.

A purified IgG2a monoclonal antibody with a neutralizing titer of 10(4) and specificity for gD was evaluated for its therapeutic potential in a murine ocular infection model. BALB/c mice, infected on the scarified cornea with 10 times the HSV-1 strain RE concentration needed to produce severe and persistent stromal opacity, were given a single inoculation of antibody intraperitoneally 24 hours later. The animals were then followed for corneal disease development. Antibody, at concentrations as low as 10 micrograms per mouse, was strikingly effective at preventing corneal opacity. Furthermore, the corneas, once clear, remained clear whereas the controls developed +3 to +5 stromal disease which was still present 60 days post-infection. Animals that had been treated and recovered from infection were resistant to subsequent HSV-1 challenge on the opposite cornea. These results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of systemically administered microgram quantities of anti-gD antibody.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Differential effects of tumor promoters on P210bcr-abl expression.

It is a widely held theory that the bcr-abl hybrid gene plays an active role in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The bcr-abl gene product (P210bcr-abl) is a structurally altered and enzymatically activated form of the normal c-abl gene product. P210bcr-abl is expressed in two cell lines derived from CML patients in blast crisis: K562 and EM2. Activation of protein kinase C by the strong tumor promoter TPA induced dramatic changes in K562 cells. We have shown that exposure of K562 cells to low concentrations (10 nM) of TPA stopped cell division and sharply reduced the expression of P210bcr-abl. In contrast, similar treatment of EM2 cells resulted in a slightly increased proliferation rate and stimulation of P210bcr-abl expression. A second tumor promoter, mezerein, also dramatically reduced P210 levels in K562 cells and elevated them in EM2 cells. These observations establish that expression of the bcr-abl gene can be either increased or decreased, depending on the cell type, and that these effects correlate with the proliferative state of the cell. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that P210bcr-abl plays an important role in the maintenance of CML.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMed1989

Acute, distribution, and subchronic toxicological studies of succinate tartrates.

The estimated single-dose oral toxicity (50% lethality) of succinate tartrates (ST) was 2-3 g/kg in rats. ST produced minimal to moderate dermal irritation but no evidence of systemic toxicity in a standard acute percutaneous toxicity test in rabbits. ST was not an eye irritant in a standard rabbit low-volume eye irritation test. ST was not genotoxic in a series of six genotoxicity tests. A 14-day oral gavage study in rats at a dose range of 0.05-1.0 g ST/kg/day produced only gastric irritation. The no-observed-effect level (NOEL) for gastric irritation was 0.1 g/kg for males and 0.05 g/kg for females. A 28-day percutaneous toxicity study in rabbits produced minimal to moderate dermal irritation and no adverse systemic effects at a high dose of 450 mg ST/kg/day. Single-dose absorption, distribution, and elimination (ADE) studies in male rats showed that 10-15% of an oral dose and 1-3% of a dermal dose were absorbed. Approximately 98% of the orally administered ST was eliminated as 14C in urine, feces, or expired CO2 after 72 hr. Approximately 80% of the dermally absorbed 14C dose was eliminated in urine, feces, or expired CO2 after 72 hr. In conclusion, no adverse effects were noted in acute toxicity, genotoxicity, or subchronic toxicity studies conducted with ST.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1988

Effect of confinement method on physiology and production of gestating gilts.

Four replicates of 12 Dekalb crossbred gilts were blocked by breeding dates and randomly allotted to four treatments: tethers, crates, loose stalls and dirtlot. Ear vein cannulas were established and blood samples obtained from each gilt on d 2, 9 and 65 of treatment Blood cell counts, blood chemistry profile (12 items), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), basal cortisol and cortisol in response to administration of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (CR-ACTH) were determined. Tethered gilts had depressed CR-ACTH at d 2, probably related to their active struggles against the tethers during the initial period following restraint. Triiodothyronine was greatest in gilts housed loose with access to stalls, probably reflecting the fighting that often occurred among those gilts, and was lowest in gilts on dirtlot on d 2. Glutamic pyruvate transaminase was elevated in gilts on dirtlot at d 9 and 65, probably a result of their increased exercise. Behaviors indicative of "restlessness" were negatively correlated with CR-ACTH at d 9 and 65. Gilts were initially stressed when restrained in tethers, but their CR-ACTH became equivalent to that of gilts in other housing by 9 d. Housing had no effect on production.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Facilitatory role of efferent renal nerve activity on renal sensory receptors.

The effects of decreasing and increasing efferent renal nerve activity (ERNA) on the renorenal reflex responses to stimulation of renal mechanoreceptors (MR) (increased ureteral pressure) or renal chemoreceptors (CR) (retrograde ureteropelvic perfusion with 0.9 M NaCl) were examined in anesthetized rats. During prevailing ERNA, renal MR stimulation increased ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity (ARNA) from 6 to 41 counts/s (spike counter) (n = 37) and from 2 to 6 resets/min, (voltage integrator) (n = 23), contralateral urine flow rate from 5.3 to 7.4 microliters . min-1 . g-1 (n = 38) and urinary sodium excretion from 0.7 to 1.1 mumol . min-1 . g-1 (n = 38) (all P less than 0.01), without affecting mean arterial pressure or contralateral glomerular filtration rate. Similar results were obtained with renal CR stimulation. Decreasing ERNA 74 +/- 4% by hexamethonium, 10% body weight isotonic saline volume expansion, or inflation of a balloon at the junction of right atria and superior vena cava abolished the increase in ipsilateral ARNA and the contralateral diuresis and natriuresis produced by stimulation of renal MR or CR. Increasing ERNA 254 +/- 120% (peak response, n = 15, P less than 0.01) by placing the rat's tail in 53 degrees C water increased basal ARNA 249 +/- 80% (n = 6, P less than 0.05) and enhanced the ipsilateral ARNA response 202 +/- 78% (n = 9, P less than 0.01) to renal MR stimulation. These results indicate that ERNA exerts a facilitatory effect on renal MR and CR and their afferent renal nerve fibers in the renorenal reflexes.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Impaired renorenal reflexes in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

In normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats stimulation of renal mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors by increasing ureteral pressure and retrograde ureteropelvic perfusion with 0.9 M NaCl results in a contralateral inhibitory renorenal reflex response with contralateral diuresis and natriuresis. Since efferent renal nerve activity is increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and renal denervation delays the onset of hypertension in SHR in association with increased diuresis and natriuresis, the present study was undertaken to examine whether renorenal reflexes were altered in SHR compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). In WKY mean arterial pressure was 113 +/- 2 mm Hg and remained unchanged during renal mechanoreceptor and chemoreceptor stimulation. Increasing ureteral pressure 35 mm Hg increased ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity 4.5 +/- 1.7 resets/min, decreased contralateral efferent renal nerve activity 3.2 +/- 0.8 resets/min, and increased contralateral urine flow rate 33 +/- 4% and urinary sodium excretion 49 +/- 8%. Similarly, retrograde ureteropelvic perfusion with 0.9 M NaCl increased ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity 2.5 +/- 0.6 resets/min, decreased contralateral efferent renal nerve activity 2.4 +/- 1.1 resets/min, and increased contralateral urine flow rate 39 +/- 5% and urinary sodium excretion 38 +/- 8%. Stimulating renal mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors to the same extent in SHR failed to increase ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity, decrease contralateral efferent renal nerve activity, and produce a contralateral diuresis and natriuresis. It is concluded that renorenal reflexes are impaired in SHR. Failure of ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity to increase during renal mechanoreceptor and chemoreceptor stimulation indicates a peripheral defect at the level of the renal sensory receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Renorenal reflex responses to renal sensory receptor stimulation in normotension and hypertension.

The renorenal reflex responses to renal mechano-(MR) and chemoreceptor (CR) stimulation have been examined in anesthetized dogs, cats, and rats. Renal MR were stimulated by increased ureteral pressure and renal CR by retrograde ureteropelvic perfusion with 0.9 M NaCl at unchanged ureteral pressure. In the dog, renal MR stimulation results in an increase in ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity (ARNA) and contralateral efferent RNA (ERNA) and a contralateral renal vasoconstriction. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) is unchanged. Renal CR stimulation is without effect. In the cat, renal MR and CR stimulation increases MAP and either increases or decreases contralateral urine flow rate and urinary sodium excretion at unchanged renal perfusion pressure. In the rat, renal MR and CR stimulation increases ipsilateral ARNA, decreases contralateral ERNA and increases contralateral urine flow rate and urinary sodium excretion. The magnitude of the renorenal reflex responses is related to the magnitude of the stimulation. Furthermore the renorenal reflex responses are attenuated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We conclude that there is a species difference in the nature of the renorenal reflex responses to renal MR and CR stimulation. The attenuated renorenal reflexes in SHR might contribute to their hypertension by promoting increased ERNA and sodium retention.

Animals↗