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Biomedical subjects

A D Brown

Publications and source records attributed to A D Brown.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Videocystography with synchronous detrusor pressure and flow rate recordings.

The addition of pressure and flow rate recordings to conventional cystourethrography is relatively inexpensive in terms of cost and of radiologist's time, each investigation requiring approximately half an hour.The value of this investigation in males lies in assessing the severity and site of outlet obstruction, particularly when the prostate is not clinically enlarged. Its value in demonstrating detrusor instability in cases of obstruction and in patients with post-prostatectomy problems is discussed. It is essential to the adequate assessment of sphincter mechanisms in both males and females. The particular importance of this in the female lies in the poor results of routine surgery for incontinence where this is due to detrusor instability.Finally the importance in neurological patients of a urodynamic evaluation of continence mechanisms and voiding dysfunction, both as a preliminary assessment and as a guide to the efficacy of treatment, is outlined.Various criticisms of the technique are reviewed and appropriate rebuttals provided.

Endoscopy↗

Properties of halophil nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase. True Michaelis constants, reaction mechanisms and molecular weights.

True values of Michaelis constants of the NADP(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase from Halobacterium salinarium were not very different from those of the apparent constants reported by Aitken et al. (1970). The true constants were affected by salt in a similar manner to that of the apparent constants obtained with NADP(+) at fixed concentrations of 1.0-0.2mm and threo-d(s)-(+)-isocitrate at fixed concentrations of 2.0-0.125mm. The response of apparent V(max.) to salt concentration was highly dependent on fixed substrate concentration in solutions of sodium chloride but much less so in solutions of potassium chloride. At several levels the results emphasize the difficulty of generalizing about the salt relations of a halophil enzyme without adequate attention to substrate concentration. The enzyme has at least two different reaction mechanisms depending on salt concentration. In its ;physiological' form (i.e. in 1.0m-potassium chloride), and also in 1.0m-sodium chloride, the reaction mechanism is ordered with NADP(+) the first substrate added and NADPH the last product released. In 0.25m-sodium chloride, however, the mechanism is different and is probably non-sequential. In 4.0m-sodium chloride with low concentrations of either fixed substrate, there was evidence of a co-operative action of the variable substrate. The evidence suggests that salt participates in the reaction mechanism in two ways: one is the reversible addition to the enzyme in a manner analogous to that of a substrate; the other is dead-end complex-formation. The relative contributions of these two types of reaction determine whether salt activates or inhibits the enzyme. In addition, the inhibition caused by high concentrations of sodium chloride is more complex than the corresponding inhibition by potassium chloride. Gel-filtration experiments indicated that at very low salt concentrations the enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of about 70800. In ;physiological' concentrations of potassium chloride the enzyme appears to be a dimer (mol.wt. 122000-135000) and, in 1.0-4.0m-sodium chloride, it behaves as a trimer or tetramer (mol.wt. 224000-251000). A preliminary method of purifying the enzyme is described.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Properties of a halophil nicotinamide--adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase. Preliminary studies of the salt relations and kinetics of the crude enzyme.

The effects of chlorides on NADP-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase from Halobacterium salinarium were investigated. The enzyme is stabilized by potassium chloride and sodium chloride and this effect is discussed in relation to the Hill (1913) equation. Kinetics of the enzyme were studied within a range of concentrations of potassium chloride and sodium chloride. Apparent Michaelis constants for both substrates were affected by salt concentration, the effect being greater in sodium chloride than in potassium chloride. Minimal apparent Michaelis constants for both substrates were similar to the corresponding constants reported for yeast isocitrate dehydrogenase. V(max.) was maximal in each salt at a concentration of about 1m. The maximum was higher in sodium chloride than in potassium chloride. At salt concentrations above about 2.3m, the apparent V(max.) was lower in sodium chloride than in potassium chloride, and at salt concentrations below 0.75-1.0m, each salt behaved as a linear activator of the enzyme. Within this concentration range salt and NADP(+) acted competitively; the activation by salt was overcome at finite concentrations of NADP(+). At concentrations above about 1m, potassium chloride was a linear non-competitive inhibitor of the enzyme. Within the range 1.0-2.5m, sodium chloride was also a linear non-competitive inhibitor, but above 2.5m it caused more pronounced inhibition.

Halobacterium↗

The membrane lipids of Halobacterium halobium.

The lipid content of the cell membrane of Halobacterium halobium increased from about 15% to 21% during exponential growth of the organism. Total lipid phosphorus more than doubled during the growth cycle. The mixture of membrane lipids from stationary-phase organisms was similar to lipid mixtures from whole cells of other halobacteria inasmuch as 80% of the lipid phosphorus occurred in a diether analogue of phosphatidylglycerophosphate and an additional 7.5% occurred in the ether analogue of phosphatidylglycerol. The lipid mixture was more complex than those reported for other halophils, however, 12 components being recognized in the acetone-insoluble fraction and 17 in the acetone-soluble fraction. There were major changes in the proportions of some minor components of the acetone-insoluble fraction during a growth cycle. Three nitrogenous lipids were recognized in the acetone-insoluble fraction, but all were present in relatively low proportion. One, which was not a phospholipid, contained a bound peptide. Of the 17 acetonesoluble compounds, 15 were pigments. The major carotenoids were alpha- and beta-bacteriorubrin. The carotenoid pigments occurred at maximal concentration after 6-7 days' growth.

Carotenoids↗

Sedimentation, viscosity and partial specific volumes of membrane proteins and lipoproteins.

1. Lipoproteins or defatted proteins from the membrane of Halobacterium halobium were dissolved in 0.02m-phosphate buffer, pH7.4, with or without urea (8m). Physicochemical measurements were made on these solutions with and without addition of sodium chloride. 2. In the presence of 8m-urea the lipoproteins could be resolved into two sedimenting groups. The faster group had an average apparent molecular weight of 390 000; sedimentation coefficients of the slower group could not be determined. 3. Proteins that had been defatted by extraction with a chloroform-methanol mixture could also be resolved into two groups distinguished by their sedimentation velocities. Sedimentation coefficients of both groups were readily determined. The average apparent molecular weight of the faster group of defatted proteins in 8m-urea was 340 000 and that of the slower group was 97 000. It is concluded that attachment of lipid does not affect the state of aggregation of the proteins in 8m-urea. 4. Intrinsic viscosities of lipoproteins and defatted proteins were higher than is customary for globular proteins and suggest expanded highly-solvated molecules, consistent with the ;denaturing' action on the proteins of solutions of low ionic strength.

Bacterial Proteins↗