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Biomedical subjects

S R Nelson

Publications and source records attributed to S R Nelson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Patterns of glucose use after bicuculline-induced convulsions in relationship to gamma-aminobutyric acid and mu-opioid receptors in the ventral pallidum--functional markers for the ventral pallidum.

Bicuculline-induced convulsions increased glucose use throughout the brain and sharply demarcated the ventral pallidum and globus pallidus. Glucose use in the nucleus accumbens also increased after bicuculline-induced convulsions, except for a circumscribed region in the dorsomedial shell. Since the projection from the nucleus accumbens to the ventral pallidum contains gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the opioid peptide, enkephalin, the pattern of increased glucose use in the ventral pallidum and nucleus accumbens after bicuculline-induced convulsions was compared to the topography of GABAA and mu-opioid receptors. The pattern of glucose use in the nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum resembled the topography of GABAA, but differed from that of mu-opioid receptors. Bicuculline may disinhibit GABAergic efferents to the ventral pallidum resulting in a dramatic increase in glucose use within striatopallidal synaptic terminals as well as in local terminals of the pallidal projection neurons.

Animals

The osmotic/calcium stress theory of brain damage: are free radicals involved?

This overview presents data showing that glucose use increases and that excitatory amino acids (i.e., glutamate, aspartate), taurine and ascorbate increase in the extracellular fluid during seizures. During the cellular hyperactive state taurine appears to serve as an osmoregulator and ascorbate may serve as either an antioxidant or as a pro-oxidant. Finally, a unifying hypothesis is given for seizure-induced brain damage. This unifying hypothesis states that during seizures there is a release of excitatory amino acids which act on glutamatergic receptors, increasing neuronal activity and thereby increasing glucose use. This hyperactivity of cells causes an influx of calcium (i.e., calcium stress) and water movements (i.e., osmotic stress) into the cells that culminate in brain damage mediated by reactive oxygen species.

Amino Acids

Enhanced surgical exposure for the high extracranial internal carotid artery.

The need for enhanced surgical exposure for the high extracranial (Zone III) internal carotid artery is not uncommon. In certain circumstances, the posterior border and angle of the mandible may interfere with access to the distal internal carotid artery (ICA). The use of modified mandibular osteotomies has provided vascular surgeons in our institution with improved exposure of the ICA in selected cases. The intraoral sagittal split and extraoral vertical ramus osteotomies of the mandible allow manipulation of the posterior border and angle of the mandible with low morbidity and minimal postoperative complications. These procedures can be performed for both dentate and edentulous patients without the need for intermaxillary fixation. This paper introduces these modifications and discusses the benefits over previously described methods of mandibular manipulation.

Carotid Artery, Internal

Effects of polymerization contraction in composite restorations.

Post-gel polymerization contraction of resin composite induces contraction stresses at the composite-tooth bond and in surrounding tooth structure. Strain gauges have been shown to be an effective method for measuring linear post-gel polymerization contraction of composites. A new model was developed in which the composite sample was bonded to and circumscribed by an acrylic ring. The model simulates a composite restoration surrounded by dentine. A strain gauge measured the deformation of the ring while a second strain gauge simultaneously recorded the dimensional change of the sample. Stresses placed on the acrylic ring as a result of polymerization contraction of the composite were calculated, based on the strains on the ring and the ring's material properties. Four composites (Heliomolar, Vivadent, Tonawanda, NY, USA; Herculite XR, Kerr Manufacturing Co., Romulus, MI, USA; P-50, 3M Co., St Paul, MN, USA; Silux Plus 3M Co.) were evaluated for polymerization contraction strain and stress on the surrounding acrylic ring during polymerization. At the end of the 60 s light application, Heliomolar demonstrated significantly lower post-gel contraction (0.12 per cent, P less than 0.05) when compared to the other materials. When the strain reached an equilibrium at the end of 14 min Heliomolar continued to demonstrate lower post-gel contraction, however this was not statistically significant at P less than 0.05. When the contraction stress on the surrounding acrylic ring was considered, P-50 rapidly developed and produced the largest stress values (1.7 MPa) at the end of the light application while Heliomolar produced the lowest stress values (0.3 MPa). These values, however, were not significantly different when evaluated statistically.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Composite Resins

Serum amyloid P component in chronic renal failure and dialysis.

A normal reference interval for serum amyloid P component (SAP) concentration in the serum was established in 500 healthy adult individuals (274 women, 226 men), by electroimmunoassay calibrated with standards of highly purified, isolated SAP. The mass of SAP in these was determined from the extinction coefficient of SAP at 280 nm measured here precisely for the first time by spectrophotometry and cryogenic drying. The mean (SD, range) SAP concentration was significantly lower in women: 24 mg/l (8, 8-55), compared to 32 mg/l (7, 12-50) in men (P less than 0.001). In renal insufficiency patients, 38 with chronic renal failure, 79 on hemodialysis and 66 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, the mean values for SAP concentration were all significantly higher than normal (range of means, 39-59 mg/l in men and 35-42 mg/l in women), but did not correlate with serum creatinine, duration of dialysis or the presence of an acute phase response. The metabolism of SAP is thus altered in renal failure and is not normalized by dialysis, but it is not clear whether this is relevant to the pathogenesis of dialysis related arthropathy and amyloidosis.

Adult

Imaging of haemodialysis-associated amyloidosis with 123I-serum amyloid P component.

Long-term haemodialysis is frequently complicated by amyloid deposition in which the fibrils consist of beta 2-microglobulin. Dialysis-related amyloid disease causes extensive morbidity and has been associated with deaths in some cases. All amyloid deposits contain amyloid P component that is derived from the normal circulating protein, serum amyloid P component (SAP). We have used scintigraphic imaging after injection of 123I-labelled SAP to assess the distribution of amyloidosis in 38 patients receiving long-term haemodialysis for end-stage renal failure. There was focal localisation of tracer at all sites where histological examination confirmed amyloid deposition. Splenic uptake was seen in 12 patients, indicating splenic amyloidosis, but there was no evidence of other visceral involvement. 6 control subjects who had been dialysed for under 1.5 years showed no localisation of tracer, nor was there any uptake of 123I-labelled human serum albumin in 3 long-term dialysis patients with histologically confirmed amyloidosis and positive 123I-SAP images. Negative scans were also obtained in 5 patients who had been transplanted 0.8-2.4 years previously, despite past evidence of dialysis arthropathy (5) and histologically proven amyloidosis (4). 123I-SAP scintigraphy may be helpful as a non-invasive method for both the diagnosis and monitoring of dialysis-associated amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis

Isolation and characterization of the integral glycosaminoglycan constituents of human amyloid A and monoclonal light-chain amyloid fibrils.

Amyloid fibrils were isolated by extraction in water from the livers and spleens of four patients who had died of monoclonal, light-chain (AL)-type, systemic amyloidosis and one with reactive systemic, amyloid A protein (AA)-type amyloidosis. Each fibril preparation contained 1-2% by weight of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which was tightly associated with the fibrils and not just co-isolated from the tissues with them. After exhaustive digestion of the fibrils with papain and Pronase, the GAGs were specifically precipitated with cetylpyridinium chloride and were identified by cellulose acetate electrophoresis and selective susceptibility to specific glycosidases. All the preparations contained approximately equal amounts of heparan sulphate and dermatan sulphate. There was no evidence for the presence of chondroitin sulphate or other GAGs. Fine structural analysis by oligosaccharide mapping in gradient polyacrylamide gels, following partial digestion with specific glycosidases, showed very similar structures among the heparan sulphates and the dermatan sulphates, respectively. GAGs were also extracted by solubilizing amyloid fibrils in 4 M-guanidinium chloride followed by CsCl density-gradient ultracentrifugation. Although a minor proportion of the GAG material obtained in this way was apparently in the form of proteoglycan molecules, most of it was free GAG chains. The presence in amyloid fibrils of different types, in different organs and from different patients of particular GAG classes with similar structures supports the view that these molecules may be of pathogenic significance.

Amyloidosis

Lithium modifies convulsions and brain phosphoinositide turnover induced by organophosphates.

Inositol-1-phosphate (Ins1P), an index of phosphoinositide (PI) turnover, was measured in frontal and piriform cortices, caudate, thalamus, hippocampus and cerebellum in saline or LiCl (5 m Eq./kg) pretreated rats 60 min. after graded doses of DFP, paraoxon, or soman. DFP only produced bursts of convulsive activity whereas both paraoxon and soman produced prolonged tonic-clonic convulsions. All three organophosphates (OP) produced convulsions at a lower dose in LiCl than in saline pretreated rats. Regional Ins1P correlated better with the presence or absence of convulsions than with the dose of paraoxon or soman. This was true both in saline and LiCl pretreated rats. In saline pretreated non-convulsing rats, there was a cholinergic increase (1.5-2.0 X) in Ins1P in all brain regions except cerebellum after OP injection. In saline pretreated convulsing rats, there was a marked seizurogenic further increase in Ins1P; highest in caudate (8 X) and cortex (6 X). In LiCl pretreated nonconvulsing rats, the OP-induced cholinergic increase in Ins1P was significant only in caudate, thalamus and hippocampus. In LiCl pretreated convulsing rats, the further seizurogenic increase in Ins1P was less than in saline pretreated rats except in thalamus and hippocampus. Thus, OP produce both a cholinergic and a seizurogenic increase in PI turnover. These data suggest that increased PI turnover in the hippocampus may indicate a lithium-induced lowering of the seizure threshold for OP in limbic regions.

Animals

Effect of LiCl pretreatment on cholinomimetic-induced seizures and seizure-induced brain edema in rats.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats received LiCl (5 mEq/kg; sc) or saline 24 h prior to injection of cholinomimetics. Physostigmine (PHY, 0.54-0.80 mg/kg), diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP, 1.3-2.5 mg/kg), pilocarpine (PIL, 23-30 mg/kg), or saline was injected subcutaneously at time 0. Rats were observed for seizure activity for 2 h, survivors were killed 24 h later and edema was measured in samples from parietal and piriform cortices, dorsal thalmus, and hippocampus. None of the rats pretreated with saline had seizures when given doses of cholinomimetics alone. However, rats pretreated with LiCl had the following incidence of seizures: PHY 68%, DFP 71% and PIL 100%. Rats given cholinomimetic agents alone did not have brain edema. In contrast, all LiCl-pretreated rats that seized had pronounced brain edema which was greatest in the piriform cortex. Thus, these studies demonstrate that LiCl pretreatment potentiates cholinomimetic-induced seizures. Further, cholinomimetic-induced seizures produce brain changes resulting in edema.

Animals

Preparative isolation of human beta 2-microglobulin from urine.

Human beta 2-microglobulin was isolated from the urine of patients with tubular proteinuria by sequential ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography on Sepharose Q fast flow and Sephacryl S-200 respectively. Large volumes of starting material could be processed and yielded a homogeneous preparation of purity 99% or greater with a recovery of about 50% of the immunochemically demonstrable beta 2-microglobulin. This method provides protein suitable for structural studies and investigation of beta 2-microglobulin amyloidogenesis.

Chromatography, Agarose

Changes in cerebral inositol-1-phosphate concentrations in LiCl-treated rats: regional and strain differences.

LiCl-induced (5 mEq/kg) regional differences in the cerebral phosphoinositide (PI) cycle were studied by measuring inositol-1-phosphate (Ins-1-P), an intermediate in the PI cycle, in male Sprague Dawley and Han/Wistar rats by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Control Ins-1-P levels were higher frontally than caudally in both rat strains. LiCl increased Ins-1-P levels 1.8 to 7.4 fold in different regions of brain of Sprague Dawley rats but only 1.2 to 1.8 fold in Han/Wistar rats. This strain difference offers a way to compare the effects of lithium on PI metabolism versus receptor-G protein-phospholipase C coupling mechanisms.

Animals

Finger injury resulting from pulse oximeter probe during orthognathic surgery.

Pulse oximetry is a useful technique for perioperative monitoring of the surgical patient. The use of the finger clamp design of oximeter probes may cause finger injury in lengthy surgical procedures. A case is presented and discussed with respect to an ischemic finger injury created by an oximeter probe during a hypotensive anesthetic technique. Avoidance of this type of problem includes proper placement of the probe on the finger and changing the probe to a different finger every 3 to 4 hours.

Adolescent

Effects of microdialysis on brain metabolism in normal and seizure states.

The effect of intracranial microdialysis on brain glucose metabolism in control and kainic acid-treated rats was assessed by semi-quantitative [14C]2-deoxyglucose autoradiography. A dialysis fiber loop was implanted into the piriform cortex or a horizontal Vita fiber into the hippocampus, and 24 h later, fibers were perfused with Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution before and after injection of kainic acid (16 mg/kg, i.p.) [14C]2-Deoxyglucose was injected i.p. 3 h after the injection of kainic acid. Rats injected with kainic acid were initially lethargic and then proceeded through behavioral phases of staring, "wet-dog shakes", Straub tail, rearing, forepaw clonus, and, in some cases, tonic-clonic convulsions. Three hours after kainic acid, the fiber presence in the piriform cortex enhanced kainic acid-induced metabolic activity in areas adjacent to the fiber assembly, whereas the fiber in hippocampus attenuated kainic acid-induced metabolic activity in areas adjacent to the fiber assembly. The results indicate that intracranial microdialysis alters the already abnormal brain metabolism in a kainic acid-induced seizure state, but has no significant effect in the non-seizure control state.

Animals

Therapeutic defibrinogenation by ancrod: effect on limb blood flow in peripheral vascular disease.

Reduction of blood viscosity by venesection may improve peripheral blood flow but similar haemorheological changes have not been conclusively demonstrated following reduction of plasma viscosity by defibrinogenation. Ancrod is a defibrinogenating enzyme from the venom of the Malayan pit viper. We studied six male patients with severe intermittent claudication before, during and after treatment with ancrod for 48 h. Ancrod was given by initial infusion of 2 U/kg over 6 h and four subsequent bolus i.v. injections of 2 U/kg. Skin blood flow in feet and toes were measured repeatedly by laser Doppler velocimetry and calf blood flow by electronic plethysmography both before and after 2 min arterial occlusion. Plasma fibrinogen [median (range)] fell from 2.3(1.4-3.9) to 0.1(0.1-0.3) g/l and plasma viscosity from 1.81(1.61-1.90) to 1.49(1.45-1.72) cp. Dorsal foot and toe skin blood (resting or post-ischaemic) flows were not changed significantly by ancrod. Resting calf blood flow fell significantly after 49 h treatment with ancrod (P less than 0.04). Brachial and ankle blood pressures remained unchanged and haematocrit was not changed. Thus, treatment with ancrod for 48 h did not improve peripheral blood flow in patients with peripheral vascular disease. The fall observed in calf blood flow could be related to increased circulating fibrin/fibrinogen high-molecular-weight complexes and degradation products.

Adult

Soman- or kainic acid-induced convulsions decrease muscarinic receptors but not benzodiazepine receptors.

[3H]Quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) binding to muscarinic receptors decreased in the rat forebrain after convulsions induced by a single dose of either soman, a potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, or kainic acid, an excitotoxin. A Rosenthal plot revealed that the receptors decreased in number rather than affinity. When the soman-induced convulsions were blocked, the decrease in muscarinic receptors at 3 days was less extensive than when convulsions occurred and at 10 days they approached control levels in most of the brain areas. The most prominent decrements in QNB binding were in the piriform cortex where the decline in QNB binding is probably related to the extensive convulsion-associated neuropathology. The decrements in QNB binding after convulsions suggest that the convulsive state leads to a down-regulation of muscarinic receptors in some brain areas. In contrast to the decrease in QNB binding after convulsions, [3H]flunitrazepam binding to benzodiazepine receptors did not change even in the piriform cortex where the loss in muscarinic receptors was most prominent. Thus, it appears that those neuronal processes that bear muscarinic receptors are more vulnerable to convulsion-induced change than those with benzodiazepine receptors.

Animals