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Biomedical subjects

S Weber

Publications and source records attributed to S Weber.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Pharmacologic profile of a low molecular weight heparin (enoxaparin): experimental and clinical validation of the prophylactic antithrombotic effects.

Some 10 low molecular weight heparin products are currently available for commercial use. Enoxaparin and fraxiparin appear to be the most developed low molecular weight heparins. Many well-designed clinical trials have been carried out for different clinical indications with both of these products. As shown in both experimental and clinical settings, the prophylactic antithrombotic efficacy of enoxaparin is distinct from other low molecular weight heparins. Enoxaparin has provided consistently impressive clinical results. Moreover, at comparable dosages, other products have exhibited safety/efficacy profiles different from that of enoxaparin. The clinical performance of each low molecular weight heparin is characteristic of only that particular agent. Besides the commercially available low molecular weight heparin preparations, some 14 other agents are under development at this time. Although each product has similar basic characteristics, their biological actions should be studied carefully. Apart from differences in the physicochemical properties, the pharmacologic actions of these agents may differ significantly. Only results from valid clinical trials will show similarities or differences between the low molecular weight heparins. Other manufacturers should follow the lead of enoxaparin and conduct their own clinical trials on each of their products.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 3' half of the genome of bovine leukaemia virus grown in FLK cells.

The DNA sequence of the env and px (tat) regions of bovine leukaemia virus cloned from integrated proviral DNA of the virus producing FLK cell line was determined and compared with published sequences cloned from bovine leukaemia virus-induced tumours of cattle. The homology of 97% between a Belgian tumour clone and the FLK clone was significantly lower than that between a Japanese tumour clone and the FLK clone, where less than 1% nucleotide exchanges were observed. The sequences of cDNAs synthesized from purified virus RNA material which had been grown in different FLK sublines were found completely identical with one another as well as with the equivalent FLK proviral DNA sequences.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

[Adrenergic betareceptors and cardiac insufficiency].

Noradrenergic sympathetic tone is always increased in chronic left ventricular failure of which it is one of the main compensatory mechanisms. Beta-1-adrenergic stimulation increases the heart rate and left ventricular contractility. However, the efficacy of this "compensatory" mechanism is limited on the one hand by the energetic cost of inotropic stimulation and, on the other hand, by the phenomenon of desensitisation and down-regulation of myocardial beta-1-receptors during intense and prolonged noradrenergic stimulation as observed in chronic cardiac failure. These physiopathological concepts raise the question of the indications of drugs affecting betareceptors in cardiac failure. Positive inotropic beta-mimetics can only be used during short periods of acute decompensation: low dose betablocker therapy protects the betareceptors from the phenomenon of desensitisation and seem to exert a beneficial action in this way in some cases of cardiac failure; these preliminary results require confirmation by large scale controlled therapeutic trials. Finally, a new pharmacological class of drugs, the beta-1 adrenergic partial agonists, seems to be useful in the management of moderate degrees of cardiac failure due to ischemic heart disease.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1990

[Vasomotility of the bronchial circulation in cardiac failure].

The bronchial circulation is a physiological left-to-left shunt; the venous return of the bronchial arteries vascularising the intra-pulmonary bronchi drains directly into the left heart chambers. In cardiac failure, increased left ventricular filling pressures affects the bronchial circulation and causes stasis and congestion. Congestion of the arterial and venous bronchial microcirculation leads to thickening of the bronchial mucosa and submucosa, resulting in a tendency to obstruct small and medium-sized airways. The bronchial circulation can be explored indirectly in cardiac failure by the spirometric response to adrenergic agonists and antagonists administered by inhalation: bronchial vasomotor phenomena explain the symptomatology of cardiac asthma and also seem to play a role in the genesis of the dyspnoea of effort in patients with cardiac failure.

Bronchi↗
PubMed1989

[Polyendocrinopathy combined with primary pulmonary arterial hypertension].

We report the case of a woman who had premature menopause, adrenal insufficiency and hypothyroidism by peripheral gland lesion, all most probably due to an autoimmune disorder, and who subsequently developed primary pulmonary arterial hypertension. The causes of this hypertension are ill-defined, but an autoimmune origin has often been envisaged since primary pulmonary arterial hypertension is not unfrequently associated with connective tissue diseases. Its association with an autoimmune polyendocrinopathy has only been reported, to our knowledge, on four occasions; in all 4 cases the thyroid gland was involved, and a connective tissue disease was present in 3 of them. Our case, which includes adrenal insufficiency and premature menopause is, as far as we know, unique. The possible link between these various diseases is their autoimmune nature, in which case primary pulmonary arterial hypertension would belong to the category of organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Our case supports the hypothesis that a number of isolated primary pulmonary arterial hypertensions could be of autoimmune origin.

Autoimmune Diseases↗
PubMed1989

Comparison of mivacurium and suxamethonium administered by bolus and infusion.

Mivacurium chloride is a new, short-acting nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent presently undergoing clinical evaluation. The neuromuscular effects of mivacurium and suxamethonium given by bolus and infusion were compared in adult patients during nitrous oxide-oxygen-opioid anaesthesia. Neuromuscular block was monitored by recording the compound electromyogram of the adductor pollicis muscle resulting from supramaximal train-of-four stimuli applied to the ulnar nerve. Time to onset of complete block and recovery to T5 were significantly shorter for suxamethonium than for mivacurium (1.0 (0.1) v. 2.5 (0.3) min and 6.4 (0.7) v. 17.5 (1.8) min; mean (SEM]. Conditions for tracheal intubation were similar in the two groups although intubation was performed 0.75-1.3 min later following mivacurium. The infusion rate required to maintain neuromuscular block was 88.6 (10.4) micrograms kg-1 min-1 for suxamethonium and 7.8 (1.2) micrograms kg-1 min-1 for mivacurium. There was a significant negative correlation between recovery to T5 and infusion rate for mivacurium and for suxamethonium. It was equally easy to titrate the infusion rate to the desired degree of block in each group. The recovery index (T25-T75) after the infusion stopped was similar in patients who received mivacurium and those who received suxamethonium.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Two changes of the same nucleotide confer resistance to diuron and antimycin in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Diuron (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) and antimycin, both inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration, block electron flow between cytochromes b and c1. Mutants resistant to either drug have been selected using Schizosaccharomyces pombe strains with an extrachromosomally inherited mutator. In analogy to Saccharomyces cerevisiae these mutational sites were assumed to map in the cytochrome b gene. DNA sequence analysis showed that two changes in the same nucleotide are responsible for resistance to antimycin and diuron. Analysis of resistant and sensitive progeny of crosses between the mutants and the wild type confirmed the correlation between mutational alteration and resistant phenotype.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Reductive cleavage and reformation of the interchain and intrachain disulfide bonds in the globular hexameric domain NC1 involved in network assembly of basement membrane collagen (type IV).

The formation of collagen IV dimers in the extracellular space requires the association of two C-terminal globular domains giving rise to a large hexameric structure NC1 (Mr = 170,000). NC1 hexamer was purified from collagenase digests of a mouse tumor and several human tissues. It was shown by electrophoresis to consist of two kinds of cross-linked, dimeric segments, Da and Db (Mr about 50,000), and monomeric segments in a molar ratio of about 3:1. In the native hexamers free SH groups were detectable by N-[14C]ethylmaleimide and other sulfhydryl reagents. They account for 4-11% of the total number of cysteine residues with some variations between preparations from different sources and in the distribution between monomers and dimers. Reduction with 10 mM dithioerythritol under non-denaturing condition completely converted dimers into monomers and allowed the alkylation of all twelve cysteine residues present in each monomeric NC1 segment. A monomeric intermediate with four to six free SH groups and a higher electrophoretic mobility than the final product was observed. Generation of this intermediate from dimers Da and Db follows apparently different routes proceeding either directly or through a dimeric intermediate respectively. The time course of conversion is best described by a mechanism consisting of two (Db) or three (Da) consecutive steps with pseudo-first-order rate constants ranging from 0.14 ms-1 to 0.5 ms-1. Glutathione-catalyzed reoxidation of completely reduced NC1 in the presence of 2 M urea results in a product indistinguishable from native material by ultracentrifugation and electrophoresis pattern. The data suggest that in situ formation of NC1 structures is catalyzed by a small fraction (5-10%) of intrinsic SH groups leading to the formation and stabilization of dimers by rearrangement of disulfide bonds.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD18 gene encodes a protein that contains potential zinc finger domains for nucleic acid binding and a putative nucleotide binding sequence.

The RAD18 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is required for postreplication repair of UV damaged DNA. We have isolated the RAD18 gene, determined its nucleotide sequence and examined if deletion mutations of this gene show different or more pronounced phenotypic effects than the previously described point mutations. The RAD18 gene open reading frame encodes a protein of 487 amino acids, with a calculated molecular weight of 55,512. The RAD18 protein contains three potential zinc finger domains for nucleic acid binding, and a putative nucleotide binding sequence that is present in many proteins that bind and hydrolyze ATP. The DNA binding and nucleotide binding activities could enable the RAD18 protein to bind damaged sites in the template DNA with high affinity. Alternatively, or in addition, RAD18 protein may be a transcriptional regulator. The rad18 deletion mutation resembles the previously described point mutations in its effects on viability, DNA repair, UV mutagenesis, and sporulation.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1988

[Comparative course of maintenance of the effects of nitrite derivatives and molsidomine after prolonged administration].

Prolonged administration of nitroglycerin and its derivatives results in pharmacodynamic tolerance: although the dosage of these drugs is kept at the same level, their therapeutic effects decrease in amplitude. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that this escape phenomenon is due to depletion of cysteine in the vascular wall. This amino acid, which gives off SH radicals, is indispensable to the ultimate transformation of nitroglycerin enabling in to exert its vasodilator action. Molsidomine does not require any transformation to act on the vascular smooth muscle and should therefore remain insensitive to tolerance. The experimental and clinical data available at present seem to confirm that the effects of molsidomine administered for long periods in the treatment of coronary disease and heart failure are sustained. However, for the long-term effectiveness of molsidomine and nitrites to be compared objectively a prospective double-blind randomized trial would be needed, with both treatments being in optimal doses and intervals of administration.

Administration, Sublingual↗
PubMed1988

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Enhanced stimulation of platelets by the terminal complement components is related to the lack of C8bp in the membrane.

Recently, a protein isolated from the membrane of human E, the so-called C8 binding protein (C8bp), has been described. C8bp is characterized as a 65-kDa protein that binds to C8 and inhibits the C5b-9-mediated lysis in a homologous system. In the present study, membranes of peripheral blood cells were tested for the presence of C8bp by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. In all cells a protein band reacting with anti-C8bp was seen, the Mr, however, was only about 50 kDa. To further analyze the 50-kDa protein, we isolated the protein by phenol-water extraction and isoelectric focusing from papain-treated platelets. The isolated protein behaved similar to the E-derived C8bp: it inhibited the lysis of model target cells by C5b-9. To examine the function of C8bp in platelets, we tested platelets from patients suffering from paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). These platelets were deficient in C8bp, being in accordance with their higher lytic susceptibility in vitro. In response to sublytic C5b-9 doses, the PNH platelets released considerably more serotonin and thromboxane B2 than normal platelets. By addition of purified C8bp, the thromboxane B2 release was suppressed, indicating that C8bp not only restricts the lytic complement attack, but also regulates the C5b-9-mediated stimulation of target cells. Thus, lack of C8bp might not only result in enhanced hemolysis, but also in enhanced stimulation of platelets, which in turn might contribute to the thrombotic complications seen in some PNH-type III patients.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1988

In vitro splicing of mRNA precursors: 5' cleavage site can be predicted from the interaction between the 5' splice region and the 5' terminus of U1 snRNA.

Combinations of different mutations within the 5' splice region of the rabbit beta-globin large intron were analyzed for their effect on in vitro splicing. Based upon the complementarity of the 5' splice region to the 5' terminal region of the U1 snRNA, the exact location of the 5' cleavage site of different mutants could be predicted and was experimentally confirmed. These findings add further strong support to the hypothesis (1) that the exact location of the 5' cleavage site in pre-mRNA splicing of higher eukaryotes is determined by the overall 5' splice region via the complementarity to the 5' end of the U1 snRNA, and not by the strongly conserved GU dinucleotide.

DNA Mutational Analysis↗
PubMed1988

Systemic alkalosis as a provocative test for coronary artery spasm in patients with infrequent resting chest pain.

Systemic alkalosis was used to detect coronary spasm in 237 patients with infrequent, resting, angina-compatible chest pain. The provocative test was performed without previous coronary arteriography but only in patients with negative submaximal exercise test results. Rapid infusion of alkaline solution followed by maximal hyperventilation raised arterial pH above the 7.65 value necessary for diagnostic significance in 196 (83%) patients. In 24 (12%) of these patients the provocative test induced significant ischemic ST segment changes. In all patients with a positive response, coronary artery disease, which was predominantly vasospastic (19 patients) or atheromatous with a vasospastic contribution (five patients), was demonstrated by coronary arteriography followed, if necessary, by ergot derivative injection. Chest pain and ECG changes were always reversed within 5 minutes by intravenous nitroglycerin. Coronary arteriography was not performed in all patients with a negative response; therefore, the sensitivity of the procedure could not be assessed. However, 36 patients with a negative response to hyperventilation underwent coronary arteriography; 33 (92%) had normal arteriograms and a negative response to ergot derivatives. Hyperventilation appears to be a safe and specific diagnostic procedure in a subset of patients in whom the probability of coronary artery disease may not be judged sufficient to warrant coronary arteriography as a primary diagnostic approach.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[Antenatal fetal heart rate with special reference to maternal posture].

Between the 20th and 40th week of pregnancy in 40 normal single-fetus pregnancies, examinations were carried out at regular intervals to determine prospectively the influence of gestation age and maternal posture on fetal heart rate patterns. It could be demonstrated that both fetal maturation as pregnancy progresses and differing maternal postures lead to significant changes in the fetal parameters. Failure to take these influences into consideration can lead to a false assessment of the condition of the fetus.

Electrocardiography↗