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Biomedical subjects

B Jacobson

Publications and source records attributed to B Jacobson.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Vascular endothelial cell growth inhibitor of normal and pathologic human vitreous.

Normal and pathologic human vitreous have been analyzed for the presence of a low-molecular weight inhibitor of aortic endothelial cell proliferation. Vitreous was subjected to gel chromatography and the material appearing in the retarded volume (less than 13,000 daltons) was tested for its ability to inhibit tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA by calf aortic endothelial cells. Depending on the sample of vitreous analyzed, one or more fractions showing inhibitory activity were identified in each case.

Adult

Degradation of glycosaminoglycans by extracts of calf vitreous hyalocytes.

The ability of extracts of calf vitreous hyalocytes to catalyze the degradation of glycosaminoglycans was studied by incubation with radioactively labeled substrates. The degradation of the polymeric substrates to lower molecular weight products was assayed by three methods: (1) paper chromatographic separation of low molecular weight, mobile digestion products from undigested, high molecular weight material which remains at or near the origin; (2) loss of the ability of the glycosaminoglycan to be precipitated by cetylpyridinium chloride; (3) gel chromatography to separate low molecular weight digestion products, which appear in the retarded volume, from undegraded, high molecular weight material, which is eluted in the void volume. The acidic pH optimum of the reaction suggests a lysosomal origin of the enzyme activity.

Animals

Identification of sialyl and galactosyl transferase activities in calf vitreous hyalocytes.

Sialyl and galactosyl transferase activities are demonstrated in calf vitreous hyalocytes. For study of sialyl transferase activity, a partially purified vitreous preparation (collagen and hyaluronic acid removed), and bovine submaxillary mucin were treated with an insolubilized neuraminidase before use acceptor of radioactivity from CMP-[3H]-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-[3H]-NAN). For study of galactosyl transferase activity the vitreous preparation was treated first with insolubilized neuraminidase and then with an insolubilized beta-galactosidase before use as acceptor of radioactivity from UDP-[3H]-galactose (UDP-[3H]-gal). Galactosyl transferase requires a divalent metal ion for optimal activity, and the reactions catalyzed by each enzyme are dependent upon pH, time of incubation and concentration of enzyme and/or acceptor.

Animals

Antibiotic prophylaxis in pacemaker surgery--a prospective study.

To evaluate the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis in pacemaker surgery, 100 patients were randomly assigned to a prophylaxis group receiving cloxacillin or to a control group with no antibiotics. Cloxacillin was given intravenously (2 g) 2 hours before operation, followed by 1 g every 6 hours for 2 days and the same dose perorally for 8 more days postoperatively. Adequate plasma concentrations were obtained in all patients. The follow-up time was 1-43 months. The infection rate was 2% (1/50) in the prophylaxis group and 14% (7/50) in the control group (p less than 0.05). The interval from operation to manifest infection was 9-35 days. In the control group the causal microorganism was Staphylococcus aureus in two patients, Staphylococcus epidermidis in two and unknown in three patients. In the only patient with infection in the prophylaxis group, a methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis was isolated. Infection was initially localized to the pacemaker pocket in seven patients, but septicemia developed in one of them and endocarditis in another. In one patient septicemia appeared initially, without local signs of infection. This study suggests that cloxacillin prophylaxis is of value in routine pacemaker surgery.

Aged

Factors influencing the oxidation of cysteamine and other thiols: implications for hyperthermic sensitization and radiation protection.

Some of the factors influencing the oxygen uptake and peroxide formation for cysteamine (MEA) and other thiols in serum-supplemented modified McCoy's 5A, a well-known medium used to cultivate a variety of cells in vitro, have been studied. The oxidation of MEA and cysteine in modified McCoy's 5A has been compared with that in Ham's F-12, MEM, and phosphate-buffered saline. All of the growth media were supplemented with 10% calf serum and 5% fetal calf serum. The rate of oxygen uptake for all of the studied thiols was greatest in McCoy's 5A. The data indicate that this medium may contain more copper than the other preparations. MEA and cysteine were found to be more effective at 0.4 mM at producing peroxide than dithiothreitol (DTT). N-acetylcysteine was the least reactive. The ability to produce peroxide is dependent upon the temperature, the concentration of thiol, the presence of copper ions, and pH of the medium. MEA and other thiol oxidation is inhibited by the copper chelator diethyldithiocarbamate. Catalase also reduces the oxygen uptake for all thiols. This inhibition involves the recycling of peroxide to oxygen. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was found to stimulate the oxygen uptake in the case of MEA and cysteine, but had little or no effect with DTT and glutathione. The combined presence of SOD and catalase resulted in less inhibition of oxygen uptake than that obtained by catalase alone. Alkaline pH was found to enhance the oxidation of cysteine and MEA. An important observation was the inhibition of MEA oxidation at 0 degrees C and the stimulation at 42 degrees C. The results indicate that many problems may arise when thiols are added to various media. A major consideration is concerned with the production of peroxide, superoxide, and reduced trace metal intermediates. The presence of these intermediates may result in the production of hydroxyl radical intermediates as well as the eventual oxygen depletion from the medium. Oxygen depletion may alter the results of radiation sterilization and carcinogen activation. Radical production will cause cell damage that is temperature dependent. Therefore, careful consideration must be given to changes in oxygen tension when thiols are added to cells growing in complicated growth medium to protect against either chemical or radiation damage.

Catalase

Fast and efficient purification of yeast plasma membranes using cationic silica microbeads.

A fast and efficient procedure for the purification of plasma membranes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is described. Protoplasts served as starting material. They were coated with cationic silica microbeads. After lysis, the plasma membranes were washed free from debris and cell organelles. This procedure resulted in a high yield (about 85%) of plasma membranes, as judged by measuring vanadate-sensitive ATPase as a plasma membrane marker. The enzyme was enriched 12-fold relative to the homogenate after lysis. Its specific activity was 1.5--2.0 micromol/min per mg protein, the pH optimum was 6.5, and 10 microM vanadate was sufficient to obtain maximum inhibition. Based on the assay of internal markers and electron microscopic studies, we found our preparation essentially free of contamination from other cell organelles.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Coagulase-negative staphylococci and cloxacillin prophylaxis in pacemaker surgery.

In a prospective study of cloxacillin prophylaxis at pacemaker surgery per- and post-operative cultures were made. The most commonly isolated organisms from the wound were coagulase-negative staphylococci. These were typed by the scheme devised by Kloos and Schleifer. The routinely performed per-operative culture was of very little prognostic value. However, the typing was found to be useful in cases with suspected infection, as repeated isolation of the same species of coagulase-negative staphylococci with the same antibiotic susceptibility pattern may indicate pathogenicity. Incubation in enrichment medium for 2-4 days was needed in one patient who received antibiotic therapy when the specimen for culture was taken. The antibiotic prophylaxis did not eradicate even susceptible bacteria from the wound, but the infection rate was significantly lower in the prophylaxis group.

Adult

Quality control of estrogen receptor assays.

Four types of material have been used for the quality control of routine assays of estrogen receptors in human breast tumors. Pieces of hormone-dependent Nb rat mammary tumors gave a precision about 40%. Rat uteri and rat tumors pulverized at liquid nitrogen temperature and stored as powder yielded precision about 30%. Powdered and lyophilised human tumors appear the best with precision as good as 17%.

Animals

Quantitation of serum antibodies to surface antigens of group B streptococci types Ia, Ib, and III: low antibody levels in mothers of neonatally infected infants.

A method has been developed for the detection in human sera of antibodies to surface antigens of group B streptococci (GBS), types Ia, Ib, or III. The sera were absorbed with GBS type II and then added to a suspension of GBS of the type against which antibodies were to be measured. After incubation and washing of the bacteria, the antibodies present on the surface of the cells were quantitated with radiolabelled protein A. Antibodies of IgG class were detected, probably specific for types Ia, Ib, or III, with the exception that the Ib GBS suspension used could detect some antibodies to type Ia. With this method it was found that 6/7 mothers to infants with GBS septicemia had low levels of serum antibodies to the infant's type of GBS. Urogenital carriers of GBS, giving birth to neonatally healthy infants, had higher serum antibody levels against the colonizing type.

Adult

Respiratory effects and ascorbate reactions with misonidazole and other recently developed drugs.

A number of nitro compounds behave as electron acceptors with ascorbate in a non-enzyme-catalyzed reaction and with NADPH as electron donor in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction with liver homogenate. In both systems, the oxygen consumption is conveniently monitored by a Clark-type oxygen electrode. The oxygen consumption by S9 homogenate was found to be influenced by the electron affinity of the nitro compound. Detailed studies with misonidazole as the electron acceptor demonstrated that the oxygen consumption was influenced by protein and drug concentrations. Various inhibitors of electron transfer reactions, such as rotenone, antimycin A, and sodium azide, had no effect on misonidazole-stimulated oxygen utilization. However, cyanide was found to be stimulating in this system and this may be due to the inhibition of enzymes such as catalase and superoxide dismutase known to be present in S9. The oxygen consumption by S9 did not appear to be due to a hydroxylating reaction because metyrapone, a known inhibitor of this reactions, had no effect. Methional, a hydroxyl radical scavenger, was inhibitory as was glutathione. Clelands reagent had no effect. Additional studies with thiol-reactive agents suggest that a protein thiol may be important for the enzyme-catalyzed reaction between NADPH, misonidazole, and oxygen.

Animals