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Biomedical subjects

R Cardenas

Publications and source records attributed to R Cardenas.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Hemodialysis hypotension: interaction of inhibitors, iNOS, and the interdialytic period.

Hypotension during hemodialysis in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) not explained by excessive ultrafiltration has been linked to an apparent increase in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO). The authors tested whether the induction of NO synthase (iNOS) by cytokines or differences in the concentrations of inhibitors of NOS or both could account for variability in the amount of NO synthesized during hemodialysis. Plasma levels of an inhibitor of NOS, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), L-arginine, the substrate for NOS, the end-products N02+N03, iNOS activity in circulating buffy coat cells, and their interdialytic changes were measured in 10 patients during three treatments. Predialysis (0') levels of ADMA were markedly elevated with a mean of 0.008+/-0.002 micromol/mL of deproteinized plasma, compared to controls where ADMA is present in trace amounts. ADMA levels from 30 minutes to the end of dialysis correlated directly with the drop in blood pressure (BP), with levels being much higher in patients with severe hypotension. Postdialysis ADMA levels correlated directly with the 0' systolic BP and the drop in BP at the next dialysis treatment. NOS activity was detected in two thirds of the predialysis buffy coat samples, and appeared to increase as dialysis progressed. 0' iNOS activity correlated inversely with the 0' BP, but activities did not differ based on percent drop in BP. iNOS activity in the 0' samples correlated inversely with the time since the last dialysis, reflecting the greater accumulation of dialyzable inhibitors of NOS as the interval is prolonged. The interdialytic change in iNOS activity correlated inversely with the drop in BP. The isoform detected immunochemically in the buffy coat samples had an Mr of 130 kDa and was reactive with antihuman iNOS. Thus, iNOS is already induced in the cells of the buffy coat in many intermittently hemodialyzed ESRD subjects, but its expression may be masked by inhibitors. After 60 minutes of dialysis (too brief a time for the de novo induction of iNOS,) the appearance of or increase in iNOS activity suggests that an inhibitor had been removed. Because ADMA levels are associated with higher predialysis systolic BPs that result in a greater severity of hypotension, reduction in ADMA concentrations would appear to play a major role in the resumption of NO synthesis by various isoforms.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Endogenous reactive oxygen metabolites mediate sublethal endothelial cell dysfunction during reoxygenation.

PURPOSE: Endothelial cells (EC) secrete vasoactive eicosanoids, which maintain organ blood flow. Because EC are a major source of eicosanoids, we studied the effects of reoxygenation on EC prostacyclin production. METHODS: Bovine aortic EC cultures were exposed to 2 hours of normoxia, then 1 hour of hypoxia (PO2 = 10 +/- 3.5 mm Hg), followed by 1.5 hours of reoxygenation in either normal medium or medium plus either superoxide dismutase (SOD, 300 units/ml), catalase (1200 units/ml), allopurinol (5.0 x 10(-4) mol/L), or dinitrophenol (10(-4) mol/L). RESULTS: Prostacyclin production decreased to 40% (p < 0.05) of basal prostacyclin production after 1 hour of hypoxia. EC reoxygenated with control medium recovered to 48% of basal prostacyclin production. EC reoxygenated in SOD resulted in recovery (p < 0.05) to 154% of basal prostacyclin production after 60 minutes. Catalase treatment resulted in recovery to 105% (p < 0.05) of basal prostacyclin production within 30 minutes of reoxygenation. Allopurinol treatment resulted in 77% recovery (p < 0.05) of basal prostacyclin production only during 30 minutes of reoxygenation. Dinitrophenol treatment resulted in significant (> or = 85%, p < 0.05) sustained recovery of basal prostacyclin production at 30, 60, and 90 minutes of experimental reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: The hypoxia-induced decrease in EC prostacyclin does not recover during reoxygenation. Catalase/SOD allowed return to baseline prostacyclin production during reoxygenation, implicating reactive oxygen metabolites as mediators of decreased eicosanoid biosynthesis. Recovery of prostacyclin production after 60 minutes reoxygenation with dinitrophenol but not allopurinol suggests a mitochondrial origin of the oxygen metabolites responsible for decreased prostacyclin biosynthesis.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1996

Pigment cholelithiasis induced by vitamin A and its prevention by butylated hydroxytoluene.

We previously reported on the induction by vitamin A of gallstones, rich in calcium and phosphate, in hamsters. On the other hand, it has been reported that the phenolic antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) potentiates the hepatotoxicity of vitamin A. In the present work we have tested the effect of BHT on the lithogenicity of vitamin A and on bile composition. The urinary excretion of calcium and phosphate was determined to assess a possible asymptomatic bone resorption due to vitamin A toxicity, and/or an effect of BHT on the homeostasis of calcium and phosphate. Three groups of 18 male hamsters were fed with the following diets for 70 days: Group 1, Purina Nutricubes (DB); Group 2, DB + 25,000 IU% retinol acetate (DL); Group 3, DL + 500 mg% BHT. Vitamin A (Group 2) induced gallstones in 78% of the animals, increased bile flow and biliary phosphate and calcium concentrations, and reduced those of bile salt, cholesterol and phospholipid. BHT (Group 3) reduced gallstone frequency to 5.5%, and decreased biliary phosphate, calcium and lipids toward more normal concentrations. Vitamin A alone or with BHT did not significantly affect food intake or urinary excretion of calcium and phosphate.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Stability and fluctuations of the potato carboxypeptidase A protein inhibitor fold: a molecular dynamics study.

A 120ps non-inertial solvent (NIS) molecular dynamics (MD) trajectory of the potato carboxypeptidase A protein inhibitor (PCI) was calculated and analyzed. It is shown that, in spite of a very low content of regular secondary structure, the PCI fold has a large degree of stability, judged from the fairly good agreement between the average MD and X-ray structures. The N-terminal and C-terminal regions behave differently, both in their isoatomic positional shifts with respect to the X-ray structure, and in atomic fluctuation pattern. Positional shifts up to 9A are detected in the exposed N-terminal region as it folds back on the inhibitor's core. This large deviation is most likely caused by the absence of the receptor protein or by the lack of supporting solvent molecules. In contrast, the C-terminal region, which is the primary contact site with the enzyme, has an average structure similar to the X-ray conformation; this feature is probably due to a hydrogen bond network to the central core of PCI. The C-terminal tail shows larger fluctuations than the core. The secondary contact site retains its structure in this simulation. The results evidence an intrinsically stable PCI fold which favors a spatially well defined, fairly flexible, structuration of the primary and secondary contact sites that optimizes PCI's interaction with its target enzyme.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1991

A molecular dynamics study of a model built Pro-36-Gly mutant derived from the potato carboxypeptidase A inhibitor protein.

A 120ps molecular dynamics (MD) trajectory was calculated and analyzed for a putative Pro-36-Gly mutant of the potato carboxypeptidase A (CPA) protein inhibitor (PCIm). The mutant protein's fold shows a large degree of stability, judged from its low alpha-carbon r.m.s. deviation from the X-ray structure of the wild type PCI (PCIw). The N-terminal tail of PCIm differs slightly less from the X-ray structure than it does in PCIw, while the mutant's C-terminal tail (the primary contact site with CPA) and residues 13-17 present deviations as they approach each other. Differences in fluctuation pattern exist between PCIm and PCIw in residues 2-4 (the N-terminal tail), 13-17, 22-23, 28-31 (the secondary contact site with CPA) and 37-38 (the C-terminal tail); the latter region is rigidified in PCIm. Results show that the MD method is able to sense local perturbative effects produced by amino acid substitutions in flexible regions of protein molecules. The simulation suggests that the conformation of the C-terminal tail is less favorable for interaction with the target protein in the mutant than it is in the wild type protein. The Pro-36-Gly mutant is predicted to be a less potent inhibitor.

Carboxypeptidases↗
PubMed1989

Circulating colony-forming units of granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages in systemic lupus erythematosus.

In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, in vitro bone marrow (BM) colony-forming units of granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages (CFU-GM) are decreased, suggesting that granulomonopoietic failure may play an important role in the mechanism of peripheral blood (PB) depletion of neutrophils and monocytes. No information concerning CFU-GM in PB of patients with SLE is available. The present study was undertaken in order to determine whether SLE itself and the inactive or active stage of disease would modify the number of GFU-GM in PB samples from 20 treatment-free SLE women, 12 inactive and eight active. CFU-GM growth was significantly decreased in both inactive (P = 0.018) and active (P = 0.008) SLE patients as compared with controls (n = 8). The difference in CFU-GM growth between SLE groups was not significant. These results indicate that the number of circulating CFU-GM is significantly reduced in patients with SLE regardless of disease activity or remission.

Female↗
PubMed1982

Measurement of right and left ventricular ejection fractions by gated equilibrium scintigraphy using Fourier functional images.

Left and right ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF and RVEF) were calculated by gated equilibrium scintigraphy in 28 normal controls and in 21 patients with heart disease. Regions of interest (ROIs) for the ventricles were assigned on the amplitude and phase Fourier images. Two methods of preprocessing of data were compared. In Method 1 the resolution was improved and the statistical noise was reduced, while in Method 2 only the statistical noise was reduced. There were no differences between the results of the two methods for the left ventricle. The mean LVEF for normal subjects was 0.63 +/- 0.06. For the right ventricle, Method 1 showed higher sensitivity in detecting reduced RVEF in pathological situations. The mean RVEF by Method 1 for normal controls was 0.56 +/- 0.07, which is significantly different (p less than 0.001) than that found by Method 2 (0.36 +/- 0.05), and similar to those reported by others employing the firstpass method. The results show the usefulness of the phase Fourier image and the importance of a suitable preprocessing of data for determining RVEF by gated equilibrium scintigraphy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

New method for obtaining IgA-specific protease.

A simple method for obtaining an active preparation of IgA-specific protease from a bacterial source is presented. In this method Streptococcus sanguis was inoculated onto the surface of a dialysis membrane on nutrient agar. Following growth, the membrane was removed from the agar surface and washed in a small volume of buffer. A solution with protease activity against IgA1 monoclonal proteins was obtained by clarification of the wash and appeared to be similar to enzyme preparations obtained by other methods.

Antibody Specificity↗
PubMed1970

Ozone and vitamin E.

Vitamin E deficiency in rats is associated with a greater susceptibility to lethal levels of ozone. Exposure of rats to sublethal ozone concentrations produces an accelerated decline in serum vitamin E levels. These findings are consistent with the possibility that lipid peroxidation is a mechanism of ozone toxicity.

Aging↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Long-term outcome of neonatal macular hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: We studied long-term visual acuity in children who had macular hemorrhages at birth. METHODS: Of 11 involved children, seven had eye examinations at about age 10. Two were contacted by telephone; two were lost to follow up. RESULTS: Of the seven examined children, six had normal visual acuities. One had reduced vision in the eye with the macular hemorrhage, possibly related to deprivation amblyopia secondary to slow resorption of the hemorrhage. The two patients contacted by telephone reported normal vision. CONCLUSION: Although macular hemorrhages generally resolve without any lasting damage, the outcome may be less favorable in some patients.

Adult↗