Epicardial atherosclerosis and coronary tortuosity in patients with acetylcholine-induced coronary spasm.

Background: Angina pectoris in the absence of relevant epicardial stenoses is frequently caused by coronary spasm. This mechanism of angina is common yet underdiagnosed in daily clinical practice. The pathophysiology of coronary spasm is complex, multifactorial, and not completely understood.

Proteolytic cleavage of human fibrinogen by cathepsin B.

Human fibrinogen was cleaved by human liver cathepsin B in vitro. The time course of the degradation was followed by SDS-PAGE. Using activated cathepsin B in a weight ratio of enzyme to fibrinogen of 1:100 a pH optimum of 6.

The role of coagulation, fibrinogenolysis and fibrinolysis in the development of fluid and clotted cadaver plasma.

Parameters for coagulation, fibrinogenolysis and fibrinolysis were measured in order to understand the formation of fluid or clotted cadaver plasma. All values found were distinctly elevated without significant differences between fluid and clotted material. The electrophoretic banding pattern of the fibrinogen and fibrin material also proved extensive coagulation and fibrinolysis in all cases.

Limited fibrinogenolysis in stored whole blood and in fresh frozen plasma.

Measurement of the F-CB3 related antigen of the fibrinogen alpha-chain shows a time dependent increase of fibrino(geno)lysis in whole blood during storage from 70.7 +/- 16.4 pmol/ml (day 2) to 356.

X-ray crystallographic and biochemical characterization of single crystals formed by proteolytically modified human fibrinogen.

Large single crystals (0.7 mm X 0.4 mm X 0.