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Biomedical subjects

M Reichert

Publications and source records attributed to M Reichert.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Methods for reducing biosensor membrane biofouling.

The deleterious effect that biofouling has on sensor stability is a serious impediment to the development of long term implanted biosensors. This paper reviews the surface modification strategies currently employed to minimize membrane biofouling of in vivo sensors. Nine sensor modifications are discussed herein: hydrogels, phospholipid-based biomimicry, flow-based systems, Nafion, surfactants, naturally derived materials, covalent attachments, diamond-like carbons, and topology.

Journal Article↗

Incidence and prevalence of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis among children in Atlanta and Seattle.

The incidence and prevalence of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) for children aged <18 years were estimated in 2 US cities, Atlanta and Seattle, in 1996. All otolaryngologists in a 24-county area in metropolitan Atlanta (101 physicians) and an 8-county area in metropolitan Seattle (139 physicians) agreed to participate in the study. Medical record chart abstraction was performed only for children with documented current residence in the study area (21 patients in Atlanta and 14 patients in Seattle). The incidence rate for juvenile RRP was 1.11/100,000 population in Atlanta and 0.36/100, 000 in Seattle. The prevalence rate was 2.59/100,000 population in Atlanta and 1.69/100,000 in Seattle. In neither city did prevalences differ significantly when stratified by sex or race. Extrapolation of these estimates to the US population suggests that 80-1500 incident cases and 700-3000 prevalent cases of juvenile RRP will occur in the United States during 1999.

Adolescent↗

The PDZ domains of zonula occludens-1 induce an epithelial to mesenchymal transition of Madin-Darby canine kidney I cells. Evidence for a role of beta-catenin/Tcf/Lef signaling.

The integrity of cell-cell contacts such as adherens junctions (AJ) and tight junctions (TJ) is essential for the function of epithelia. During carcinogenesis, the increased motility and invasiveness of tumor cells reflect the loss of characteristic epithelial features, including cell adhesion. While beta-catenin, a component of AJ, plays a well characterized dual role in cell adhesion and signal transduction leading to epithelial cell transformation, little is known about possible roles of tight junction components in signaling processes. Here we show that mutants of the TJ protein zonula occludens protein-1 (ZO-1), which encode the PDZ domains (ZO-1 PDZ) but no longer localize at the plasma membrane, induce a dramatic epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of Madin-Darby canine kidney I (MDCKI) cells. The observed EMT of these MDCK-PDZ cells is characterized by a repression of epithelial marker genes, a restricted differentiation potential and a significantly induced tumorigenicity. Intriguingly, the beta-catenin signaling pathway is activated in the cells expressing the ZO-1 PDZ protein. Ectopic expression of the adenomatous polyposis coli tumor suppressor gene, known to down-regulate activated beta-catenin signaling, reverts the transformed fibroblastoid phenotype of MDCK-PDZ cells. Thus, cytoplasmic localization of the ZO-1 PDZ domains induces an EMT in MDCKI cells, most likely by modulating beta-catenin signaling.

Animals↗

New nonsteroidal steroid 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors. Syntheses and structure-activity studies on carboxamide phenylalkyl-substituted pyridones and piperidones.

In the search for nonsteroidal inhibitors of 5 alpha-reductase for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), we synthesized diisopropyl (1a-8a) and tert-butyl (1b-8b) benzamides, as well as ethyl benzoates (1c, 3c), which were substituted in 4 position via variable alkyl spacer (n = 0: 1-4, n = 1: 5, 7 and n = 3: 6, 8) with a 1-methyl-2-pyridone (1, 2, 5, 6) or a 1-methyl-2-piperidone (3, 4, 7, 8) moiety mimicking steroidal ring A. The directly connected benzamides (1a-4a, 1b-4b) and benzoates (1c, 3c) were obtained by palladium-catalysed coupling reaction of diethyl(3-pyridyl)-borane with 4-bromobenzoic acid derivatives, followed by alpha-oxidation of the 1-methyl-pyridinium salt and subsequent separation of the regioisomers. Catalytic hydrogenation of the pyridones (1, 2) led to the piperidones (3, 4). The preparation of the benzamides with a methylene (5, 7) and a propylene spacer (6, 8), respectively, started with the reduction of the keto group of 5-benzoyl-1,2-dihydro-1-methyl-2(1H)-pyridone and catalytic hydrogenation of the alkene obtained by Wittig reaction of 5-formyl-1,2-dihydro-1-methyl-2(1H)-pyridone with (2-phenylethyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide, respectively. The phenyl ring was functionalized by Friedel-Crafts reaction, haloform cleavage to give the acid, formation of the acid chloride, and subsequent treatment with the appropriate amines. Again, catalytic hydrogenation of the pyridones (5, 6) led to the piperidones (7, 8). The 5 alpha-reductase inhibitory properties were determined using rat ventral prostate, as well as human BPH tissue as enzyme source, 1 beta-2 beta-[3H]testosterone as substrate and a HPLC procedure for the separation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Tested at a concentration of 100 microM, the inhibition values of 1-8 ranged from 0-79%. Significant differences were observed between rat and human enzyme. The most active compound was ethyl 4-(1-methyl-2-oxopiperid-5-yl)benzoate 3c (68%) for the human enzyme and N,N-bis(1-methylethyl)-4-[3-(1,2-dihydro-1-methyl-2-oxopyrid-5-yl) propyl] benzamide 6a (79%) for the rat enzyme.

5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors↗

The Raf-1 kinase associates with vimentin kinases and regulates the structure of vimentin filaments.

Using immobilized GST-Raf-1 as bait, we have isolated the intermediate filament protein vimentin as a Raf-1-associated protein. Vimentin coimmunoprecipitated and colocalized with Raf-1 in fibroblasts. Vimentin was not a Raf-1 substrate, but was phosphorylated by Raf-1-associated vimentin kinases. We provide evidence for at least two Raf-1-associated vimentin kinases and identified one as casein kinase 2. They are regulated by Raf-1, since the activation status of Raf-1 correlated with the phosphorylation of vimentin. Vimentin phosphorylation by Raf-1 preparations interfered with its polymerization in vitro. A subset of tryptic vimentin phosphopeptides induced by Raf-1 in vitro matched the vimentin phosphopeptides isolated from v-raf-transfected cells labeled with orthophosphoric acid, indicating that Raf-1 also induces vimentin phosphorylation in intact cells. In NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, the selective activation of an estrogen-regulated Raf-1 mutant induced a rearrangement and depolymerization of the reticular vimentin scaffold similar to the changes elicited by serum treatment. The rearrangement of the vimentin network occurred independently of the MEK/ERK pathway. These data identify a new branch point in Raf-1 signaling, which links Raf-1 to changes in the cytoskeletal architecture.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Protective effects of a live attenuated bovine leukaemia virus vaccine with deletion in the R3 and G4 genes.

In this study the protective effects of a live attenuated bovine leukaemia provirus (pBLVDX) with deletion in the R3 and G4 genes were tested. Six out of six sheep appeared to resist challenge with parental BLV344. Two out of three animals transfected with pBLVDX were protected against challenge with bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) from a naturally infected cow. As a model for the protection against infection by members of the human T-lymphotropic virus/BLV group, these data provide evidence that a DNA-based vaccination with an attenuated provirus is able to protect against challenge infections.

Animals↗

[Computer support of workflow in the hospital: concepts, technology and application].

For a variety of reasons, hospitals are developing a growing interest in changing their information systems to support patient processes in a more direct way. This means to actively deliver the tasks to be performed to the right persons at the right point in time with the necessary information and the application functions needed for performing these tasks. Process-oriented workflow technology is a very interesting candidate to achieve this goal. It offers components for the computer-based analysis, modeling, animation, coordination and monitoring of (hospital) processes. In this paper we discuss the perspectives offered by workflow-based, clinical information systems. We survey key features of today's business process modeling tools and of workflow management systems, and we show how they can be applied in the clinical domain. To illustrate the huge potential offered by workflow technology, we present results from the project "Using Workflow Management Systems for Clinical Applications". Within this project we thoroughly analyzed and redesigned core processes from the University's Women hospital and we proto-typically implemented a workflow-based application system for the support of processes from the division day clinic. Although our work shows that current workflow technology is still lacking some important features, in the long run, it may strongly influence information processing within hospitals.

Computers↗

Analysis of cell cycle arrest in adipocyte differentiation.

Confluent 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiate to adipocytes in the presence of insulin, dexamethasone, and isobutylmethylxanthine (IDI). A transient increase of DNA synthesis is induced in 3T3-L1 cells 18 h after addition of IDI, followed by an arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Growth arrested cells express the proto-oncogene c-myc and the gene for the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBPalpha) between day 2 and 5. While c-Myc is strongly implicated in cell proliferation, C/EBPalpha: is a differentiation-specific transcription factor with antiproliferative activity. Here we have characterized the cell cycle arrest in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. Arrested cells express the Cdk inhibitors p21 and p27, but, at the same time, show hyperphosphorylation of Rb and expression of the E2F-regulated thymidine kinase gene. The addition of new serum to arrested cells resulted in cyclin A expression and Cdk2 activity, but not in DNA synthesis. Simian virus 40 large tumor antigen (LTAg) is a potent mitogen. The mutant LTAg-K1, deficient in binding of pocket proteins and unable to induce DNA synthesis in serum-starved 3T3-L1 cells, efficiently induced DNA synthesis in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. This indicates that pocket proteins are probably not involved in the control of the cell cycle arrest during 3T3-L1 cell differentiation. Our data suggest that the differentiation-specific cell cycle block in 3T3-L1 cells is resistant to high levels of c-Myc, inactivation of pocket proteins, upregulation of cyclin A levels, and Cdk2 activation, but can be abolished by a function of LTAg that is independent of binding to pocket proteins.

3T3 Cells↗