Publications by authors named "Michael A Pickard"

Background And Objectives: Relative to hemoglobin (Hb) A(₁c), glycated albumin (GA) more accurately reflects glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus and ESRD. We determined the association between GA, HbA(₁c), and glucose levels with survival and hospitalizations in diabetic dialysis patients.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Quarterly GA levels were measured for up to 2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In their capacity to transform xenobiotics and polluting compounds, fungal peroxidases and their use in the environmental field have a recognized and important potential. However, both fundamental and practical issues, such as enzyme stability and availability, have delayed the development of industrial applications. Three main protein engineering challenges have been identified: (1) Enhancement of operational stability, specifically hydrogen peroxide stability in the case of fungal peroxidases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Non-ligninolytic fungal peroxidases produced by Coprinus cinereus UAMH 4103 and Coprinus sp. UAMH 10067 were purified, characterized and evaluated as cost-effective alternatives to horseradish peroxidase for aqueous phenol treatment. Purified Coprinus peroxidases exhibited a molecular weight of 36 kDa on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Optimum culture conditions for the batch production of extracellular peroxidase by Coprinus cinereus UAMH 4103 and Coprinus sp. UAMH 10067 were explored using 2 statistical experimental designs, including 2-level, 7-factor fractional factorial design and 2-factor central composite design. Of the 7 factors examined in the screening study, the concentrations of carbon (glucose) and nitrogen (peptone or casitone) sources showed significant effects on the peroxidase production by Coprinus sp.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We studied polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) oxidation using whole cells and purified manganese-lignin peroxidase (MnLiP) from Bjerkandera adusta UAMH 8258. Although the metabolism of PAHs by B. adusta has been previously demonstrated, less than 5% mineralization of 14C-labelled PAHs occurred in this study over a 40-day period.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Microbial metabolism of organosulfur compounds is of interest in the petroleum industry for in-field viscosity reduction and desulfurization. Here, dibenzyl sulfide (DBS) metabolism in white rot fungi was studied. Trametes trogii UAMH 8156, Trametes hirsuta UAMH 8165, Phanerochaete chrysosporium ATCC 24725, Trametes versicolor IFO 30340 (formerly Coriolus sp.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces fumago was crystallized. The crystals were modified with several cross-linkers, but only glurataldehyde was able to produce catalytically active and insoluble crystals. Unlike other immobilized chloroperoxidase preparations, these catalytic crystals are more thermostable than the unmodified soluble enzyme.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ten strains of Bjerkandera adusta from the University of Alberta Microfungus Collection and Herbarium (UAMH) were compared for manganese peroxidase production. The enzyme from B. adusta UAMH 8258 was chosen for further study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF