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Biomedical subjects

A Eriksson

Publications and source records attributed to A Eriksson.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Abdominal aortic aneurysms: distribution of elastin, collagen I and III, and intermediate filament proteins desmin and vimentin--a comparison of familial and nonfamilial aneurysms.

The aortic walls of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and of healthy controls were examined for elastin, collagen I and III, and the intermediate filament proteins desmin and vimentin by immunohistochemical, enzyme histochemical, and routine histological techniques. The morphology of the aneurysmatic walls varied considerably from case to case, but many pathological changes were seen in all cases, e.g., extensive atherosclerotic plaques in the intima, prominent alterations in amount and organization of the elastic lamellae in the media, and an increase of connective tissue. Both collagen I and III were present in all the aneurysmatic walls. The smooth muscle cells in all the aortic walls showed a marked heterogeneity with respect to the morphological appearance, the enzyme histochemical features, and the content of desmin and vimentin. Vimentin occurred in some intimal, medial muscle, and adventitial cells of both the controls and the AAA patients. Desmin occurred in some of the intimal, medial, and adventitial muscle cells of both the controls and the AAA patients. All the cells with desmin in the intima and media also contained vimentin. Thus, smooth muscle cells in the walls of both the normal human abdominal aorta and aneurysms contained either vimentin, desmin, or both. This variability may be explained by the presence of different phenotypes of smooth muscle cells and could be of significance for the development of atherosclerosis and aneurysms. Of special interest was the finding that 5 of the 24 AAA patients studied had blood relatives with the same disease, suggesting a hereditary influence. However, no systematic differences between the morphological appearance of the aneurysmatic walls in familial and nonfamilial AAA could be detected.

Aged↗

Heart valve involvement in familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy.

Involvement of the heart is common in the various types of amyloidosis. Little attention has, however, been paid to the presence and significance of amyloid in cardiac valves. We examined the heart valves of twelve autopsy cases with familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. All leaflets showed more or less abundant amyloid infiltration with significant valvular aortic stenosis due to degenerative calcification in two cases. In familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy, amyloid deposits are thus invariably present in the valves, but the valvular function is often preserved. Amyloid may, however, produce hemodynamically significant valvular lesions, and the importance of valvular involvement in the various types of amyloidosis may still be underestimated.

Adult↗

Serum levels of neopterin as related to the prognosis of human prostatic carcinoma.

In 93 patients suffering from prostatic cancer, serum levels of neopterin, a pteridine reflecting activation of the immune defence system, were measured at the time of diagnosis and 6 and 12 months after treatment with orchidectomy or estrogens. Neopterin levels were initially greater than 10 nM/l in 27% of the patients and in this group tumor recurrences occurred in 28% as compared to 7% in the group with neopterin less than 10 nM/l. No apparent correlation between tumor stage and grade and neopterin levels could be demonstrated. Neopterin levels decreased significantly after onset of treatment (p less than 0.001), which implicates a hormone dependence. But still patients with initially elevated serum neopterin levels, and thus an assumed activated immune defence system at the time of diagnosis, had lower survival rates than those without elevated neopterin levels (p less than 0.001). It is concluded that elevated levels of neopterin in serum is a sign of poor prognosis in human prostatic cancer.

Aged↗

Collisions with passenger cars and moose, Sweden.

The number of collisions between motor vehicles and moose is increasing in many countries. Collisions with large, high animals such as moose cause typical rear- and downward deformation of the windshield pillars and front roof, most pronounced for small passenger cars; the injury risk increases with the deformation of the car. A strengthening of the windshield pillars and front roof and the use of antilacerative windshields would reduce the injury risk to car occupants.

Accidents, Traffic↗

The patients dying after long terminal phase have acidotic brains; implications for biochemical measurements on autopsy tissue.

Measurement of the frontal cortex and the medulla oblongata pH at autopsy revealed that those brains from individuals who died after long terminal phase had lower pHs than those who died quickly. These low pHs (pH 6.0-6.5) corresponded to lactic acid concentrations (20-25 mM) which are known to be neurotoxic. The cerebrospinal fluid pH and blood pH correlated with the cortical pH. The significance of these observations to the study of the biochemistry and histology on post-mortem human brain tissue and their possible clinical relevance are discussed.

Acidosis↗

Radiofrequency electromagnetic leakage fields from plastic welding machines. Measurements and reducing measures.

Operators of unshielded plastic welding machines are often exposed to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic leakage fields that substantially exceed all present occupational standards. Measurements show that the Swedish ceiling values (SE = SH = 250 W/m2) in many cases are exceeded at distances up to 1 meter from the electrode. To reduce the stray fields to an acceptable level at the location of the operator, RF field suppression devices should be fitted to the machine. We have studied the strength and the extent of the RF leakage field under various operating conditions and also investigated different methods for reducing the leakage field. The following measurements have been performed: E- and H-field strengths as a function of distance from the electrode, and as a function of load/tuning; the time dependence of [E]2 for various combinations of tuning and welding times producing a welding seam with the same strength; isopower density curves for SE and SH = 250 W/m2 with different types of RF emission control devices fitted to the machine; the RF voltage between the electrode and the welding table and the RF voltage on the machine casing. By decreasing the RF power and increasing the welding time the field strengths at the location of the operator can be reduced to levels below the ceiling values. The RF voltage between the electrode and the welding table ranged from 800 V up to 2100 V for the different plastic material that was welded. The RF voltage on certain parts on the chassis could be as high as 200 V. In order to reduce these voltages and the stray fields the machine should be equipped with a "large capacitive shield" in cases where this is possible.

Electrodes↗

Highly refractile myocardial echoes in familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. A correlative echocardiographic and histopathological study.

Two-dimensional echocardiography in systemic amyloidosis has in most cases shown highly refractile myocardial echoes. The morphological basis for this finding has so far been little examined. In the present study, echocardiographic examinations were performed in vitro on autopsied hearts from ten patients with familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (FAP). An ultrasonically visible needle was used to localize the abnormal echoes, and samples were taken for histological analysis of the region of the echocardiographic abnormality. Our results indicate that the highly refractile myocardial echoes in FAP are due to nodules composed of collagen and amyloid.

Adult↗

Influence of orchidectomy or oestrogen treatment on serum levels of pregnancy associated alpha 2-glycoprotein and sex hormone binding globulin in patients with prostatic cancer.

Peripheral serum levels of testosterone, immunoreactive oestrogens (E2), FSH, LH, prolactin and growth hormone (hGH) and two steroid-sensitive proteins, 'pregnancy-associated alpha 2-glycoprotein' (alpha 2-PAG) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), were measured in patients with prostatic cancer before treatment and after orchidectomy or during combined oral and intramuscular oestrogen treatment. Following orchidectomy, the serum levels of testosterone and E2 decreased whilst the levels of FSH and LH increased significantly. No changes were noted in the serum levels of alpha 2-PAG, SHBG or prolactin. Oestrogen treatment significantly decreased the serum levels of testosterone, FSH and LH whilst levels of alpha 2-PAG, SHBG and prolactin were increased significantly. Serum levels of hGH during oestrogen treatment were significantly higher than in patients subjected to orchidectomy. These data are at variance with the established dogma of the oestrogen/androgen balance as a physiological regulator or liver protein synthesis, and indicate that factors other than the endogenous steroids may be operative. hGH may play an important role in this respect.

Aged↗

Comparison of a capillary gas chromatographic and a high-performance liquid chromatographic method of analysis for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food.

Five food samples have been analysed for a number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by capillary gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The methods give similar results and there is no significant difference in their repeatability. The capillary GC method is favoured where it is desirable to analyse for a large number of PAHs, whereas the HPLC method is preferred for the individual analysis of a smaller number of PAH isomers.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Homicidal blunt abdominal trauma with isolated laceration of the small bowel mesentery.

Nonpenetrating abdominal trauma rarely causes isolated mesenteric lacerations with fatal hemorrhages. When this does happen, it is often the result of compression by a lap seal belt or a steering wheel, only extremely rarely is it the result of a homicidal act. In the present paper, two homicide victims with resulting mesenteric tears and fatal bleeding due to sagittal compression are described. A high blood alcohol concentration may in both cases have contributed to the fatal outcome. The cases support the assumption that direct rather than indirect trauma causes this kind of lesion.

Abdominal Injuries↗

The sinoatrial node in familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. A clinico-pathological study of nine cases from northern Sweden.

The pathogenesis of disturbances of the initiation and conduction of the cardiac impulse in cardiac amyloidosis has been a matter of controversy. In this study, we have analyzed the histopathology of the sinoatrial node and the atrial myocardium in nine cases of familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. Our results indicate that in this disease, amyloid infiltration of the sinoatrial node and the atrial musculature per se may account for the electrophysiological disturbances of these regions.

Adult↗

Intermediate filament and associated proteins in the human heart: an immunofluorescence study of normal and pathological hearts.

The cytoskeleton of human ventricular myocardium in normal and pathological hearts has been analysed with immunocytochemical techniques. Specific antibodies against the intermediate filament proteins desmin (Mr 55 000) and vimentin (Mr 58 000) and antibodies against two cytoskeleton-associated proteins, a spectrin-like protein (Mr 230 000) and vinculin (Mr 130 000), have been used. We show that desmin is localized in the myocytes as an intermyofibrillar lattice at the Z disk level of the myofibrils, and at the intercalated disks. The spectrin-like protein is localized as a transverse striated pattern interlinked with fine longitudinal strands in the subplasmalemmal region of the myocytes. Vinculin is abundant in the intercalated disks and in myotendinous junctions but occurs also at the peripheral sarcolemma in the form of a regular repeat of dots and of fine bar-like extensions into the cytoplasm from the dots. These patterns were observed both in normal and in abnormal hearts, but a number of altered patterns in pathological myocytes were also seen. It is concluded that the intermediate filament system has important implications in the structural function of normal and abnormal hearts but that further studies are needed to elucidate how the different components are related to each other and how they are influenced by different disease processes.

Adult↗