Rapid degradation of ferulic acid via 4-vinylguaiacol and vanillin by a newly isolated strain of bacillus coagulans.

A new strain Bacillus coagulans BK07 was isolated from decomposed wood-bark, based on its ability to grow on ferulic acid as a sole carbon source. This strain rapidly decarboxylated ferulic acid to 4-vinylguaiacol, which was immediately converted to vanillin and then oxidized to vanillic acid. Vanillic acid was further demethylated to protocatechuic acid. Above 95% substrate degradation was obtained within 7 h of growth on ferulic acid medium, which is the shortest period of time reported to date. The major degradation products, was isolated and identified by thin-layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were 4-vinylguaiacol, vanillin, vanillic acid and protocatechuic acid.

Effect of Blalock Taussig shunt on clinical parameters, left ventricular function and pulmonary arteries.

Twenty children (mean age 3.25 years) with congenital cyanotic heart disease undergoing modified left Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt were studied. The mean follow-up period was 9.5 months (range 6 months to 1 year). The shunt was performed for cyanotic spells in 15 (75%) and hypoplastic pulmonary arteries in 5 (25%) patients. There were no immediate or late complications. None had cyanotic spell after the shunt. The mean arterial oxygen saturation improved from 66.47 +/- 11.9 to 76.97 +/- 8.16% (p = 0.0003) and mean hematocrit decreased from 51.55 +/- 9.5 to 46.5 +/- 9.7 (p = 0.002) after the shunt. The left atrial systolic volume and left ventricular diastolic volume also increased significantly following the shunt (from 15.82 +/- 6.37 to 20.83 +/- 8.91 ml p = 0.006 and from 36.13 +/- 16.08 to 41.08 +/- 20.07 ml (p = 0.01) respectively. There was significant growth of main, right and left pulmonary arteries and pulmonary valve annulus after the procedure.

Discrete subaortic stenosis: a study of 20 cases.

Twenty patients with discrete subaortic stenosis were studied during last 11 years. Cross sectional echocardiography and angiography demonstrated a membrane in 17 (85%), fibromuscullar collar in 2 (10%), and diffuse tunnel type of obstruction in 1 (5%) patient. Eighty five percent of patients had severe obstruction with average peak systolic gradients being 96.5 +/- 36.3 mm of Hg. Eight patients with membranous obstruction seen during the last 5 years underwent successful balloon dilatation with decrease in peak systolic gradient from 107.1 +/- 24.2 to 32.3 +/- 14.2. The haemodynamic benefits were sustained during 4 to 24 (mean 9.6) months followup. The results indicate that balloon dilatation can be a safe and effective treatment for thin subaortic membrane. Surgical resection is needed in patients with collar or tunnel type of obstruction.

Lytic effect of Bacillus subtilis elastase on gram-positive and negative bacteria.

Elastase of B. subtilis 6a caused lysis of freshly grown cells of Gram-negative (Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive (B. subtilis) bacteria. Heat killed and lyophilised Gram-positive and negative bacteria showed higher sensitivity to elastase. Both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were lysed maximally by elastase at pH 8.0. At this pH, activity of elastase was maximum in Tris-HCl and glycine-NaOH buffers followed by Tris-maleate and cacodylate buffers.

Protective and therapeutic efficacies of protein A on 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene-induced rat mammary adenocarcinoma.

Protein A of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I is a powerful immunostimulating agent. Female Swiss Portan rats fed 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthrancene (DMBA) exhibited increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity, which returned to normal levels following eight weeks of treatment with 12 micrograms protein A subcutaneously. Protein A reduced the potential of tumor induction by DMBA as observed by the noninduction of tumors until three months after discontinuation of protein A administration. The total leukocyte count was not affected. Protein A treatment for six weeks of DMBA-induced mammary adenocarcinoma-bearing rats caused the increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity to decrease but not to normal levels, indicating regression but no disappearance of the tumors. The total leukocyte count of the tumor bearers was stimulated by protein A and increased 24 hours after protein A administration; however, in the fourth week of treatment it returned to normal levels. The leukocytosis suggests that protein A could cause tumor necrosis by an inflammatory reaction, edema, and cell destruction and thus tumor regression.

Spectrum of tricuspid atresia--a study of 23 cases.

The present report describes the clinical and angio-cardiographic features of 23 cases of tricuspid atresia. Nineteen patients had type I anatomy, 2 patients had type II anatomy and 2 patients had type III anatomy. In addition to the standard features, there were some uncommon associations observed. These included double outlet right ventricle, double outlet left ventricle, single coronary artery, complete heart block, right axis deviation, ostium primum atrial septal defect and coarctation of the aorta.

Clinical and hemodynamic profile of patients with calcific mitral valve disease.

Clinical, hemodynamic and fluoroscopic findings were analysed in 1123 patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease. The incidence of mitral valve calcification was 15 percent (mild 3 percent, moderate 9 percent, and severe 3 percent). There was a male preponderance (male 17 percent, female 5 percent). The presence of moderate to severe degree of calcification of mitral valve correlated with age, rhythm, transmitral gradient, associated mild mitral regurgitation, pulmonary artery pressure, systemic embolisation and previous commissurotomy. No correlation was found between the degree of calcification and presence or absence of other valve lesions.

Optimization of 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase production by Escherichia coli 080.

7 alpha-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.159) production by Escherichia coli strain 080 was highest when the organism was grown in brain heart infusion broth at pH 6.5 for 72-96 h with shaking at 37 degrees C. The oxygen consumption rate had a strong effect on the production of this constitutive enzyme. Glucose and lactose at 0.2-0.4%, detergents, and ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid were found to increase the enzyme production.

Prevalence of significant coronary heart disease in valvular heart disease in Indian patients.

Records of 326 patients were analysed to determine the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in patients with valvular heart disease (VHD) and to identify the group in whom coronary arteriography is essential. Significant CHD (60% or more luminal narrowing) was found in 7 per cent of cases, and its prevalence was 3 per cent in mitral, 10 per cent in aortic, and 6 per cent in combined mitral and aortic valve disease. Angina was present in 14 per cent of patients with mitral, 39 per cent with aortic, and 21 per cent with combined mitral and aortic valve disease. Seventy-three per cent of patients with CHD had angina whereas only 19 per cent with angina had CHD. The prevalence of CHD was higher in patients above 50 years (13%) and in males (98%) as compared to those below 50 years (3%) and females (none). We conclude that the prevalence of CHD is low in our patients with VHD. Routine coronary arteriography is recommended only in males over the age of 50 years.

Use of a modified cupric acetate method for the detection and quantitation of xylanolytic activities: a comparative study with the congo red method.

A modified cupric acetate method for the screening and quantitation of xylanolytic activities was comparable with the more widely used congo red method with respect to sensitivity and ease of use and was shown to have points of merit over the latter. The use of a non-linear correction, in comparison to the conventional linear one, for the effect of dilution on the quantitative plate assay was evaluated.

Purification of 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli strain 080.

Purification studies of 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7 alpha-HSDH) (EC 1.1.1.159) from Escherichia coli 080 showed that 1.59-fold purification could be achieved by heating (60 degrees C for 10 min) the ultracentrifuged enzyme preparation, and 6.46-fold purification was achieved by subsequent precipitation with ammonium sulfate. Further purification on Sephadex G-100 gel gave 10.1-fold purification. After pooling and concentrating the active fractions obtained from the Sephadex G-100 filtration, an 11.1-fold purification was achieved using DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The purified enzyme produced a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and its molecular weight was determined to be 54,000. The enzyme was immunogenic and showed immunoprecipitation with homologus antisera.

Lytic effect of Vibrio cholerae elastase on gram-positive and -negative bacteria.

Elastase of Vibrio cholerae caused the lysis of freshly grown cells of Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella paratyphi A and Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacteria. Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis) organisms were resistant to this enzyme. Heat killed and lyophilized Gram-positive and -negative bacteria (except S. aureus and S. epidermidis) showed higher sensitivity to elastase. Both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria were lyzed maximally by elastase at pH 8.0. At this pH, lytic activity of elastase was maximum in Tris-HCl and glycine-NaOH buffers followed by Tris-maleate and cacodylate buffers.

Tenolol in angina pectoris.

Selective Beta Blocker Tenolol (IPCA) 50 mg. (A50) and 100 mg. (A100) single dose drug therapy was tried in 25 cases of angina pectoris. Hypertensives were excluded from trial. There were 4 diabetics. Drug trial over a period of 4 weeks revealed subjective and objective improvement with A50 and A100 assessed at the end of 2 and 4 weeks. The average angina attacks/2 wks. was 13.12 +/- 11.26 in basal state whereas the reduction in angina attacks was 6.285 +/- 8.80 with Tenolol 50 mg. and 3.72 +/- 2.86 with 100 mg which was statistically significant. Objective assessment of each patient done by Computerised Stress Test (CST) at the end of 2 and 4 weeks of Tenolol 50 mg and 100 mg revealed statistically significant improvement in their ST depression i.e. 3.645 +/- 1.463 mm basal ST depression, 1.692 +/- 1.680 after Tenolol 50 mg and 2.318 +/- 1.270 after Tenolol 100 mg. There was statistically significant fall in systolic BP (SBP) and double product (DP) both with A50 and 100 mg. Only one patient had slow ventricular tachycardia and mild hypotension during CST.

Kinetic properties of 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli 080.

Results on the kinetics of 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 7 alpha-HSDH showed that this enzyme could oxidize all bile acids having an -OH group at the C-7 position. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed Michaelis constant (Km) values of 0.83 and 0.12 mM for cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid, respectively. The effect of enzyme concentration on the reaction velocity showed a constant increase in the enzyme activity with increase in enzyme-protein concentration. 7 alpha-HSDH was activated by Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mn2+ ions and by reducing agents having a thiol group (dithiothreitol, 2-mercaptoethanol). Co2+, Hg2+, Fe3+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Ba2+, and Cu2+ ions, chelating agents (potassium oxalate, heparin, EDTA) oxidizing agents (sodium perchlorate, sodium periodate, sodium persulphate), and detergents (Tween 20, Tween 40, Tween 80, Triton X-100, sodium lauryl sulphate) were inhibitory to 7 alpha-HSDH activity.

Production and partial characterization of elastase of Vibrio cholerae Inaba.

Conditions are described for the production of extracellular elastase by Vibrio cholerae Inaba 2/57. The yield of the enzyme was maximum in shake cultures grown in alkaline peptone water at 37 degrees C and was stable in culture supernatants. The enzyme, partially purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration showed a molecular weight of 30,000 and an activity between pH 5.0-8.0 with an optimum of 8.0 in Tris-maleate buffer. The elastinolytic activity was maximal in glycine-NaOH buffer and minimal in phosphate buffer. The enzyme activity was adversely affected by temperature greater than or equal to 40 degrees C.

Induction of mixed function oxidase activities of protein A in rat mammary tumors.

Following s.c. administration of purified protein A, to 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene-induced mammary-tumor-bearing rats, a regenerated metabolism of the carcinogen was observed. The antitumor effect of protein A was evident from the decrease in tumor volume. The phase I and phase II enzyme activities suggest that protein A has the ability to induce the mixed function oxidases activity, which are active in the metabolism of xenobiotics.

Histopathological study of rat mammary adenocarcinoma after protein A administration.

Protein A was purified from Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I and administered subcutaneously for a period of six weeks to a 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene-induced rat mammary adenocarcinoma model, which resulted in a significant reduction in tumor volume. Considerable fibrosis, inflammatory reactions, cellular debris, and edema were the hallmarks of tumor necrosis caused by administration of protein A. Calcification, which may be the replacement of earlier necrosis, also was observed. Thick eosinophilic secretions were observed in the lumina of the breast tubules. The results suggest that inflammatory mechanisms may be activated, accounting for the tumoricidal effects observed following treatment with protein A.

Entrapment of venous catheter following inferior vena caval spasm.

This is a report of a case in which a 5F high-flow right coronary catheter with its guide wire was entrapped within the inferior vena cava following a venous spasm. Local infusion of nitroglycerin (NTG) relieved the spasm, and the guidewire-catheter assembly could be safely retrieved.