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Biomedical subjects

A Eriksson

Publications and source records attributed to A Eriksson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Work-place homicide by bow and arrow.

Arrow wounds represent an unusual class of wounds rarely seen by most forensic pathologists. In this paper we present a case of homicide by bow and arrow and the characteristics of such injuries. The essential characteristics of the lesions obtained from conically-tapered field points and from hunting broadhead tips are described and discussed in relation to injuries caused by firearm bullets. In the present case, three arrows struck the victim, and the order in which the injuries were sustained are analyzed. We also discuss the possibilities of localizing the shooter relative to the victim by analysis of the trajectories.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed2000

Role of alcohol in unnatural deaths: a study of all deaths in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Most previous research has concentrated on the role of alcohol in one type of unnatural death in a selected population, but the present objective was to investigate the role of alcohol in all unnatural deaths (autopsied and not autopsied). METHODS: All cases of unnatural death from 1992 through 1996 in Sweden were analyzed (n = 23,132). Death was attributed at least in part to alcohol if the deceased was a "known alcoholic"; if the underlying or contributing cause of death was alcohol-related; if the deceased had an alcohol-related inpatient diagnosis during the 3-year period prior to death; or if the deceased tested positive for blood alcohol. RESULTS: Just over 28% of the unnatural deaths could be associated with alcohol; the association with alcohol was more than twice as common in deaths of males (35%) as in females (16%). When only autopsied cases or only blood-tested cases were taken as the denominators, 38% and 44%, respectively, of the deaths were associated with alcohol. Alcohol involvement also was twice as common in intentional deaths (36%) as in unintentional deaths (18%). The intoxication group (78%) had the highest fraction of deaths that could be associated with alcohol, followed by the undetermined group (62%), homicide (49%), fire (41%), suicide (35%), asphyxia (29%), traffic (18%) and fall (9%) groups. In the 20- to 59-year age group, alcohol involvement was found in 51% of the males and 35% of the females (47% for males and females combined). CONCLUSIONS: The present estimates are conservative; alcohol involvement in unnatural deaths probably is even higher, up to 44% of the total. The present estimation is an important step in policy-making to lower the number of alcohol-related deaths in Sweden.

Accidents↗
PubMed1999

Isolation of sex-specific cDNAs from fetal mouse brain using mRNA differential display and representational difference analysis.

Comparing female and male brain structures reveals a variety of sex differences in many vertebrates. These differences are manifested throughout the brain, in regions such as the hypothalamus, the preoptic area and the amygdala. Some are thought to be induced during the fetal period by the effect of steroid hormones produced in the gonads. It is well-established that fetal androgens, probably through the conversion to estrogen by the enzyme aromatase, masculinize the nervous system and set adult mounting behavior in rodents. However, less is known about molecular mechanisms involved in gender-specific development of the brain. We have taken a broad approach to isolate sex-specific genes from fetal brain. mRNAs from 18.5 days post-coitum (dpc) female and male mouse brain were screened with the classical and the recently developed signal peptide differential display (SPDD) and with representational difference analysis of cDNA (cDNA-RDA). Two sex-specific cDNAs were isolated, F29 and M17, corresponding to the female-specific Xist gene and the male-specific Smcy gene, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Cellular adaptation of the trapezius muscle in strength-trained athletes.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the cellular events that occur in the trapezius muscle following several years of strength training. In muscle biopsies from ten elite power lifters (PL) and six control subjects (C), several parameters were studied: cross-sectional area of muscle fibres, myosin heavy chain composition (MHC) and capillary supply [capillaries around fibres (CAF) and CAF/fibre area]. A method was also developed for counting the number of myonuclei and satellite cell nuclei. The proportion of fibres expressing MHC IIA, the cross-sectional area of each fibre type and the number of myonuclei, satellite cells and fibres expressing markers for early myogenesis were significantly higher in PL than in C (P<0.05). A significant correlation between the myonuclear number and the cross-sectional area was observed. Since myonuclei in mature muscle fibres are not able to divide, we suggest that the incorporation of satellite cell nuclei into muscle fibres resulted in the maintenance of a constant nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio. The presence of small diameter fibres expressing markers for early myogenesis indicates the formation of new muscle fibres.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1999

Smoothelin in adult and developing human arteries and myocardium.

The aim of this investigation was to study, with immunohistochemical methods, the distribution of the novel cytoskeletal protein smoothelin in human cardiovascular tissues, the possible changes during the development of the cardiovascular system and its correlation to the intermediate filament proteins desmin and vimentin. Smoothelin was detected in smooth muscle cells of the fetal coronary arteries. In very young subjects (up to 3 months of age), only a few cells in the media of the elastic arteries contained smoothelin, whereas it was present in most smooth muscle cells in the muscular arteries. In individuals older than 1 year, most smooth muscle cells in the media of all blood vessels contained smoothelin. In vessels with a developed intima, smoothelin was present in a variable proportion of the smooth muscle cells. With few exceptions, smoothelin was more frequently detected than desmin in medial smooth muscle cells. Smoothelin and vimentin were codistributed in the smooth muscle cells of the media in most vessels. In the cardiomyocytes (fetal to adult age), the smoothelin antibody detected epitopes located at the Z-disc level but not in the intercalated discs. In conclusion, smoothelin is more widely distributed in the muscular arteries than in the elastic arteries early in life, and thus exhibits a variable distribution during postnatal development of vascular tissues. In the adult, smoothelin is detected in the media of most vascular smooth muscle cells, both in muscular and elastic arteries, and is not necessarily codistributed with either desmin or vimentin. Evidence that smoothelin is present in human striated cardiomyocytes is also presented.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Intermediate filament proteins in developing human arteries.

The distribution of intermediate filament proteins in adult human blood vessels and in human fetal elastic arteries is relatively well-known. However, the distribution of these proteins in the course from neonate to adult has not been established. In this investigation, human postnatal arteries were studied with immunohistochemistry, using antibodies targeted on the intermediate filament proteins desmin, vimentin and cytokeratins 8, 18 and 19. Vimentin was present in most smooth muscle cells in all vessels and at all ages. The proportions of desmin-expressing cells increased in the elastic arteries during the first year of life and was higher in the pulmonary trunk than in the aorta. In the muscular arteries, the proportion of desmin-labelled cells increased in the coronary and the deep femoral arteries, but remained constant in the renal and the cerebral arteries. Cytokeratins were detected in the pulmonary trunk earlier than in the aorta. Cytokeratins were present throughout the wall of the ductus arteriosus, but desmin was present only in some cells. Thus, there are postnatal changes in the distribution of intermediate filament proteins in the elastic arteries and in some muscular arteries, whereas the intermediate filament pattern remains unchanged in other muscular arteries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Skewed secondary sex ratio in the offspring of carriers of the 214G > A mutation of the RS1 gene.

Carriers of X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (RS) were previously suggested to give birth to an excess of boys. We determined the carrier status for the 214G > A mutation of the RS1 gene in 202 females belonging to a large RS founder pedigree. The secondary sex ratio (SSR) in the offspring of 149 carriers was 129.8 (z = 2.25), which differed significantly from that of the Finnish population (SSR 106) but not from that of 53 non-carrier females belonging to the same pedigree (SSR 116.7; z = 0.51). Since possible causes for the skewed SSR include factors affecting fertilisation, implantation and embryonic death, we searched for expression of RS1 in various placental and uterine cells and found that, in addition to the retina, RS1 is expressed in the uterus. We hypothesize that the RS1 protein has a role in implantation or embryonic survival.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1999

Smoothelin and intermediate filament proteins in human aortocoronary saphenous vein by-pass grafts.

The aim of this immunohistochemical investigation was to study the distribution of the novel cytoskeletal protein smoothelin and the intermediate filament proteins vimentin and desmin in normal human great saphenous vein and in human aortocoronary by-pass vein grafts. Smoothelin was present in most smooth muscle cells in the media of the native vein. In the neointima of the vein grafts that had been in situ for three months or more, smoothelin was, in general, present only in few smooth muscle cells. Desmin was distributed in the same pattern as smoothelin in the native great saphenous vein. When desmin and smoothelin were present in the neointima, smoothelin was detected in more cells than desmin. Vimentin was present in most cells in all wall layers of both the native saphenous vein and the vein grafts. Vascular smooth muscle cells containing vimentin but not desmin or smoothelin are the principal cells in the neointima of human aortocoronary vein grafts. In some grafts, however, all three cytoskeletal proteins were detected in the neointima. The distribution of smoothelin and desmin in aortocoronary vein grafts support the postulate that these proteins are expressed mainly in the contractile smooth muscle cell phenotype.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

"Avoidable" deaths in two areas of Sweden - analysis of deaths in hospital after injury.

OBJECTIVE: To describe causes of death and other characteristics of "avoidable" deaths in patients admitted to hospital after trauma, and estimate and analyse changes in the avoidable death rate during the years studied. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of medico legal autopsy material. SETTING: One northern and one western area in Sweden 1988-1996. SUBJECTS: 335 cases who died in hospital after trauma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Avoidable death, defined as an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 35 or less and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) head of 4 or less and cause of death. RESULTS: We found 70 avoidable deaths (21%). Among these, 15 (21%) died of head injuries, 17 (24%) of thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic injuries, and 38 (54%) of medical complications. The number of deaths after trauma decreased considerably from 1988-90 to 1994-96, but the proportion who died in hospital remained almost constant. The proportion of avoidable deaths decreased from 22% to 17%, mainly because the proportion of deaths from medical complications was halved. CONCLUSION: The standard of Swedish in-hospital trauma care has improved, particularly with a reduction in post-traumatic complications. However, there is still room for improvement in the treatment of complications among elderly people.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Effects of anabolic steroids on the muscle cells of strength-trained athletes.

PURPOSE: Athletes who use anabolic steroids get larger and stronger muscles. How this is reflected at the level of the muscle fibers has not yet been established and was the topic of this investigation. METHODS: Muscle biopsies were obtained from the trapezius muscles of high-level power lifters who have reported the use of anabolic steroids in high doses for several years and from high-level power lifters who have never used these drugs. Enzyme-immunohistochemical investigation was performed to assess muscle fiber types, fiber area, myonuclear number, frequency of satellite cells, and fibers expressing developmental protein isoforms. RESULTS: The overall muscle fiber composition was the same in both groups. The mean area for each fiber type in the reported steroid users was larger than that in the nonsteroid users (P < 0.05). The number of myonuclei and the proportion of central nuclei were also significantly higher in the reported steroid users (P < 0.05). Likewise, the frequency of fibers expressing developmental protein isoforms was significantly higher in the reported steroid users group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Intake of anabolic steroids and strength-training induce an increase in muscle size by both hypertrophy and the formation of new muscle fibers. We propose that activation of satellite cells is a key process and is enhanced by the steroid use. The incorporation of the satellite cells into preexisting fibers to maintain a constant nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio seems to be a fundamental mechanism for muscle fiber growth. Although all the subjects in this study have the same level of performance, the possibility of genetic differences between the two groups cannot be completely excluded.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1999

Human papillomavirus type 16 variant lineages characterized by nucleotide sequence analysis of the E5 coding segment and the E2 hinge region.

We have previously examined 29 cervical cell isolates for human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) sequence variations in the E6, L2 and L1 coding regions, and the long control region (LCR). Twenty-five of these isolates as well as 23 additional isolates are characterized here as we present the complete E5 coding segment and the E2 hinge region. Eight amino acid variations were observed in the E5 coding segment, 13 were identified in the E2 hinge region and 5 were observed in the overlapping E4 coding segment. These amino acid variations may be relevant to differences in biological functions and may result in altered humoral or cell-mediated immune responses to HPV-16 variants. The characterization of sequence variation within high-risk HPV types might be important in the search for epidemiological correlates of cervical cancer risk. This work complements and extends HPV-16 genome sequence information from specific isolates previously reported by our group.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

The superantigenic activity of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B is independent of the protease activity.

The nature of the mitogenic activity of pyrogenic streptococcal exotoxin B, also known as streptococcal cysteine protease, has been debated in the literature. Streptococcal exotoxin B has been shown to cleave interleukin-1beta precursor and create biologically active interleukin-1beta, a major cytokine mediating inflammation and shock. This activity could mimic the mitogenicity and cytokine release induced by superantigens in lymphocyte stimulating experiments. In this study, the protease activity of streptococcal exotoxin B was irreversibly inhibited by covalent binding of a tripeptide and the superantigenic properties of streptococcal exotoxin B were found not to be influenced by this inactivation. Native as well as protease-inactivated streptococcal exotoxin B was shown to stimulate T-cell proliferation without a need of metabolically active antigen presenting cells. Furthermore, streptococcal exotoxin B-induced T-cell proliferation was shown to require HLA-DQ since addition of HLA-DQ monoclonal antibodies totally inhibited the mitogenic activity of streptococcal exotoxin B, indicating that streptococcal exotoxin B, as other superantigens, makes direct contact with the T-cell receptor via HLA class II. The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between the proteolytic and superantigenic properties of streptococcal exotoxin B.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗
PubMed1999

Streptococcal DNase B is immunologically identical to superantigen SpeF but involves separate domains.

The previous suggestion that streptococcal superantigen SpeF might be identical to DNase B was confirmed in this study. Polyclonal SpeF-specific antisera were able to inhibit depolymerization of methyl-green DNA by DNase B. However, T-cell mitogenicity and nuclease activity appear to involve separate immune epitopes on SpeF, since sera with the capacity to neutralize the mitogenic activity of SpeF did not always inhibit the DNase activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Renoprotective effects of captopril in hypertension induced by nitric oxide synthase inhibition in experimental nephritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition in experimental nephritis during chronic inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthase. METHODS: Rats with and without autoimmune Heymann nephritis were treated with a NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME (50 mg/100 ml) and/or an ACE inhibitor captopril (20 mg/100 ml) in drinking water for 12 weeks. Urinary cGMP excretion was used as an indirect measure of NO activity. Blood pressure, urinary albumin, nitrite and nitrate levels, plasma ANP, and plasma renin activity were measured. Kidneys were examined with light microscopy and immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: Captopril treatment protected rats receiving L-NAME and none of the captopril-treated rats died. Mortality was greatest in the nephritis-L-NAME (57%) and L-NAME (43%) groups. Captopril normalized cGMP excretion, blood pressure, and prevented partly the appearance of albuminuria. Peritubular infiltration of mononuclear cells was clearly enhanced in the nephritis-L-NAME group (found in 80% of the rats) as compared with the nephritis (20%), L-NAME (40%), and control (0%) groups. The peritubular cell infiltration caused by L-NAME was prevented by captopril treatment. L-NAME-induced hypertension was associated with cardiac hypertrophy and this was prevented by captopril. CONCLUSIONS: NO may play an important renoprotective role in disease progression of chronic membranous glomerulonephritis. Captopril prevents L-NAME-induced hypertension, improves survival, and ameliorates renal damage in this type of nephritis. Dysfunction of renal NO pathways may be an important factor causing progressive renal damage in chronic nephritis. Our results suggest that the dysfunctional renal NO system may be beneficially activated by ACE inhibitors.

Albuminuria↗
PubMed1998

Vascular endothelial growth factor C induces angiogenesis in vivo.

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) recently has been described to be a relatively specific growth factor for the lymphatic vascular system. Here we report that ectopic application of recombinant VEGF-C also has potent angiogenic effects in vivo. VEGF-C is sufficiently potent to stimulate neovascularization from limbal vessels in the mouse cornea. Similar to VEGF, the angiogenic response of corneas induced by VEGF-C is intensive, with a high density of new capillaries. However, the outgrowth of microvessels stimulated by VEGF-C was significantly longer than that induced by VEGF. In the developing embryo, VEGF-C was able to induce branch sprouts from the established blood vessels. VEGF-C also induced an elongated, spindle-like cell shape change and actin reorganization in both VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-2 and VEGFR-3-overexpressing endothelial cells, but not in VEGFR-1-expressing cells. Further, both VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 could mediate proliferative and chemotactic responses in endothelial cells on VEGF-C stimulation. Thus, VEGF-C may regulate physiological angiogenesis and participate in the development and progression of angiogenic diseases in addition to lymphangiogenesis.

Allantois↗
PubMed1998

Alzheimer changes are common in aged drivers killed in single car crashes and at intersections.

With increasing age, diseases affecting the cognitive functions are more frequent. These diseases may increase the risk for fatal car crashes. We analyzed the frequency of neuropathological alterations characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (i.e. neuritic and diffuse plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles) in two association areas of the brain, parietal and frontal cerebral cortex, from 98 fatally injured aged drivers. In the age groups of 65-75 and over 75 years of age, 50% and 72% of the drivers, respectively, had neuritic plaques in either parietal and/or frontal cortex. In 14% of all killed drivers the number of neuritic plaques reached the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) age-related histologic score C, which indicates the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and an additional 33% had score B, which suggests the diagnosis of AD. Neuropathological AD changes were most common in the brains of drivers killed in single vehicle crashes, followed by multivehicle crashes at intersections and least common in multivehicle crashes elsewhere, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. In a great majority (80-85%) of cases the killed aged driver was the guilty party of the crash. The results imply, that incipient AD may contribute to fatal crashes of aged drivers, and therefore the forensic autopsy of these victims should include neuropathological examination.

Accidents, Traffic↗