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Biomedical subjects

A Butkus

Publications and source records attributed to A Butkus.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Analysis of A, B, E, and F prostaglandins as pentafluorobenzyl esters by electron-capture gas-liquid chromatography.

A new and sensitive method is described for the simultaneous analysis of a mixture containing PGE1, PGE2, PGF1alpha, and PGF2alpha by electron-capture gas-liquid chromatography. During derivatization of the mixture, PGE1 and PGE2 were converted to PGB1 and PGB2, respectively, yielding a mixture of PGB1, PGB2, PGF1alpha, and PGF2alpha trimethylsilyl ether pentafluorobenzyl esters. Gas chromatographic resolution of all four derivatives is sufficient for quantitation of each prostaglandin. The A prostaglandins were analyzed by similar conversion to the respective B prostaglandin derivatives. Minimum detection limits for the B and F prostaglandin derivatives were 10 pg and 1 pg, respectively. Samples of rabbit kidney medulla were incubated and analyzed for A, B, E, and F prostaglandins. The results indicate that the method is capable of high recovery and reproducibility.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Plane xanthoma and multiple myeloma with lipoprotein--paraprotein complexing.

Clinicopathologic findings are reported of a woman with generalized plane xanthoma, multiple myeloma (IgG type K), and hyperlipemia with very high levels of serum cholesterol and triglyceride. Complexing of the serum lipoproteins and immunoglobulins had cryoglobulin properties and was separable by ultracentrifugation. Immunofluorescent studies of skin and bone marrow demonstrated deposits of IgG with low density lipoprotein apoprotein and IgG with beta-lipoprotein, respectively. Although immunosuppressive therapy resulted in return of serum IgG, lipid, and lipoprotein levels to normal, the patient died from the myeloma. Serum lipoprotein-paraprotein complexes have been demonstrated in at least 20 other cases of cutaneous xanthomatosis and myeloma. This interaction may result in an autoimmune hyperlipemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Experimental canine atherosclerosis and its prevention. The dietary induction of severe coronary, cerebral, aortic, and iliac atherosclerosis and its prevention by safflower oil.

Severe atherosclerotic lesions were produced without thyroid suppression in seven out of eight dogs by feeding semisynthetic diets containing 5 per cent cholesterol and 16 per cent hydrogenated coconut oil for 12 to 14 months. Occlusive plaques were located in the coronary arteries and major cerebral arteries as well as in the aorta and iliac vessels. The lesions were characterized by an intense sclerotic reaction to areas of lipid deposition and foam cell accumulation in the intima. The diet induced a rapid elevation of plasma-free and esterfied cholesterol, triglyceride, and phospholipid, and the extent of aortic atherosclerosis was shown to be partially dependent on mean plasma cholesterol concentration. A second group of eight dogs were fed a diet identical with the first except for the replacement of 4 per cent hydrogenated coconut oil by 4 per cent safflower oil. Despite receiving the same amounts of dietary cholesterol and fat, this second group of dogs was completely protected from the atherogenic process. Plasma lipids became only slightly elevated and no induced atherosclerotic lesions were found at autopsy. Circulating thyroid hormone concentrations were similar between the two groups of dogs and the thyroid glands had a normal morphology in both groups.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Autoimmune hyperlipidemia in a patient. Atherosclerotic course and chaning immunoglobulin pattern during 21 years of study.

A 48 year old male patient presented with xanthomatosis, hyperbeta lipoproteinemia and hyper-IgA globulinemia; these two serum components occurred as a "complex." The patient has subsequently been studied for 22 years (1952 to 1974). His serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels have been consistently and excessively high despite efforts to regulate them by means of diet or diet and drugs. Serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentration ranged from 1,400 to 3,400 mg/dl compared with a normal value of 156 plus or minus 92 mg/dl. The metabolism of lipoproteins, judged by vitamin A turnover studies was slow. Peripheral atherosclerosis became evident 15 years after beginning the study whereas cinecoronary arteriography concurrently demonstrated only minimum changes. Xanthomas exhibited marked regression only during the last 6 years, after 16 years of diet and the addition of clofibrate for 7 years. Beta lipoprotein and IgA globulin determined by immunofluorescent and immunoelectrophoretic technics were demonstrated in the atherosclerotic material obtained from the patient's arterial wall. They were also found in the plasma cells of the bone marrow. The IgA globulin-beta lipoprotein complex in the serum was broken with difficulty. The patient's isolated IgA globulin, free of lipoprotein, formed a firm complex when mixed with beta lipoprotein prepared from normal human serum. Initially, IgA globulin studies showed presence of both kappa and lambda light chains in normal proportion. But after 18 years, the IgA globulin has become monoclonal, type lambda. The plasma cells of the bone marrow have become progressively more atypical and immature. No clinical indications of multiple myeloma have been found. It is concluded that association of lipoproteins with IgA globulin in the serum of this patient with hyperlipidemia, hyper-IgA globulinemia did not prevent the development of atherosclerotic lesions and the deposition of lipids and lipoproteins in the plaques. It is possible that the lipoprotein-immunoglobulin association may have retarded the process, since it became manifest only after many years of known hyperlipidemia.

Animals↗
PubMed1970

Prediction of coronary heart disease based on clinical suspicion, age, total cholesterol, and triglyceride.

Our results, based on the definition of coronary heart disease by cinearteriography, show that definite relationships exist among incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD), age, total cholesterol (TC), and total triglycerides, with less definite ones between free cholesterol, and phospholipids for a specific group of 450 male patients referred to the Cleveland Clinic because of suspected coronary heart disease. Equations and graphs of the association of incidence of CHD with these conditions are presented. The relationships were strong enough to be of aid in discriminating CHD from normal; the most useful being age, TC, and TG. Incidence determinations were presented in terms of total incidence and incidence associated with the variable itself. Coronary angiography demonstrated 350 CHD and 100 normals or a ratio of 3.5 to 1. This ratio is a reflection of the high accuracy with which physicians suspect CHD. Age and TC were good discriminators in these patients suspected of CHD. An improved relationship and better discrimination was obtained by relating incidence simultaneously to age, TC, and TG. The probability of having CHD is the total incidence corresponding to the patient's age, TC, and TG. The probability level of 0.90 gave 95% assurance of a correct prediction for the physician-selected group of patients. Twenty-nine per cent of them had probabilities above 0.90.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mineralocorticoid receptors in sheep kidney and parotid: studies in Na+ replete and Na+ deplete states.

1. As an adrenalectomized sheep becomes progressively more Na+ deplete, its salivary electrolyte secretion becomes increasingly sensitive to exogenous aldosterone administration. 2. Alteration in mineralocorticoid receptor affinity or concentration is a possible mechanism whereby this sensitivity could be expressed at a molecular level. 3. Bonding sites with a high affinity for aldosterone (Kd 37 degrees C approximately 5 x 10(-10) M) have been demonstrated in sheep kidney and parotid. 4. Renal binding sites were examined in detail, and shown to have affinity characteristics appropriate for mineralocorticoid receptors (aldosterone greater than deoxycorticosterone greater than dexamethasone greater than cortisol greater than progesterone greater than oestradiol greater than dihydrotestosterone). 5. No difference in mineralocoticoid receptor affinity or concentration could be shown between Na+ replete and Na+ deplete sheep, in either kidney or parotid gland. 6. Accordingly, the molecular mechanisms whereby parotid sensitivity is mediated remain as yet undefined.

Adrenalectomy↗