PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Weber

Publications and source records attributed to F Weber.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Bunyamwera bunyavirus nonstructural protein NSs is a nonessential gene product that contributes to viral pathogenesis.

Bunyamwera virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Bunyavirus) contains a tripartite negative-sense RNA genome. The smallest RNA segment, S, encodes the nucleocapsid protein N and a nonstructural protein, NSs, in overlapping reading frames. We have generated a mutant virus lacking NSs, called BUNdelNSs, by reverse genetics. Compared with the wild-type (wt) virus, BUNdelNSs exhibited a smaller plaque size and generated titers of virus approximately 1 log lower. In mammalian cells, the mutant expressed greatly increased levels of N protein; significantly, the marked inhibition of host cell protein synthesis shown by wt virus was considerably impaired by BUNdelNSs. When inoculated by the intracerebral route BUNdelNSs killed BALB/c mice with a slower time course than wt and exhibited a reduced cell-to-cell spread, and titers of virus in the brain were lower. In addition, the abrogation of NSs expression changed Bunyamwera virus from a noninducer to an inducer of an interferon-beta promoter. These results suggest that, although not essential for growth in tissue culture or in mice, the bunyavirus NSs protein has several functions in the virus life cycle and contributes to viral pathogenesis.

Aedes↗
PubMed1979

[Antimicrobial resistance and serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Switzerland].

One hundred and eighty strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated from various materials at the Institute of Medical Microbiology in Zurich between March and October 1978. Examination of these isolates for resistance to 6 standard antimicrobials revealed that 17 (9.4%) strains were resistant to the tetracyclines, 2 strains to sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim and 1 strain to both tetracycline and chloramphenicol. All strains were highly sensitive to benzylpenicillin, cephalothin and erythromycin. Serotyping of the pneumococci was done by the capsular quellung reaction. The prevalent serotypes in the entire collection of strains were Nos. 6, 23, 19, 3, 9, 14 and 7. The prevalent serotypes of strains isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, pus, and bronchial secretions were Nos. 4, 8, 7, 14, 9, 3, 19 and 6. Vaccination with PneumovaxTM, a vaccine containing 14 capsular antigens, should provide protection against 75% of pneumococci identified as true pathogens in this study. Pneumococci are rather rarely isolated in our laboratories. For this reason, and because the strains isolated are still sensitive to antibiotics in conventional use, mass vaccination of the population in Switzerland is not recommended. Vaccination should be carried out in certain high risk groups of patients.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1979

Pyruvate carboxylase activities in red blood cells and liver of chicks and their dependency on biotin status. First results with activation assays..

Pyruvate carboxylase activities of erythrocytes and liver preparations and their in vitro stimulation by biotin were used for the determination of the biotin status of chicks. Reasonable stability of the enzyme in erythrocytes was achieved when storing the erythrocytes deep-frozen in a glycerol-containing medium. Results of the activation assays in erythrocytes and liver are compared with biotin levels in feed, plasma and liver. The pyruvate carboxylase activation assay appears to be a useful tool for assessing the biotin status of chicks.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

[Determination of reduced and oxidised glutathione in wheat flours and doughs (author's transl)].

A quantitative method for the analysis of reduced (GSH) and oxidised (GSSG) glutathione in cereals has been developed. The steps are: Extraction of the flour or dough and carboxymethylation of GSH, gel filtration on Sephadex G-50, chromatography on Dowex 50 WX8 and after basic cleavage determination of the separated GSSG with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), separation of carboxymethylated GSH on Dowex 1X8 and determination with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. When analysing for the amount of GSH and GSSG in flours of three varieties of wheat the former ranged from 0.27 to 0.46 mumol/g and the latter from 0.26 to 0.38 mumol/g. After kneading for 5 min to a dough the GSH disappeared with a corresponding increase in GSSG.

Chromatography↗
PubMed1977

Behaviour of glibenclamide on repeated administration to diabetic patients.

Six maturity onset diabetic patients took glibenclamide 5 mg by mouth, every morning 10 min before a standard breakfast. Serum levels of immunoreactive glibenclamide, glucose and immunoreactive insulin were measured repeatedly on the first and 15th days of treatment. Measured glibenclamide blood levels were in close agreement with an analogue computer simulation of data obtained from healthy volunteers: there was no accumulation of drug in the blood, but there was strong evidence for the existence of a slowly equilibrating "deep" compartment. Considerable insulin release and correction of the breakfast-induced hyperglycaemia were observed immediately after administration of the drug, as well as 5 h later, at lunch time. The clinical significance of blood levels of glibenclamide, as well as the correlation of pharmacokinetics with pharmacodynamics, are discussed in the light of these results.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1976

Co-oxydation of a carotenoid by the enzyme lipoxygenase: influence on the formation of linoleic acid hydroperoxides.

A partially purified soybean lipoxygenase (L-3) was incubated for 15 min at pH 6.5 with linoleic acid and oxygen. Systems with and without the polyene glycoside crocin were compared. The system with crocin reacted with higher velocity with oxygen than did the control experiment without polyene. From the crocin 40% was destroyed. In the presence of crocin about 40% more linoleic acid hydroperoxides was formed than without the polyene but the linoleic acid break-down was equal in both experiments. L-3 peroxidises linoleic acid to 13L:13D:9L:9D-hydroperoxides in the proportions 43:11:21:25. In the presence of crocin the ratio of the isomers changed to 64:11:11:14.

Carotenoids↗
PubMed1975

[A case of Goldenhar syndrome: acute vitamin A intoxication in the mother during pregnancy].

The authors describe the case of a boy aged 2 1/2, who showed at birth a bilateral epibulbar dermoid, preauricular appendices on the left side and other malformations suggesting Goldenhar's syndrome. The history disclosed that in the second month of pregnancy the mother had accidentally swallowed 10 ml of an oily solution of Vitamin A during a laboratory manipulation. In their discussion, the autonrs analyse the teratogenic action of Vitamin A during embryonic development and review the aetiologies found in cases of Goldenhar's syndrome.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗