Biomedical subjects

A Johansson

Publications and source records attributed to A Johansson.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Psychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia treated in a psychogeriatric day hospital.

Sixty-five consecutive patients with dementia, treated at a psychogeriatric day hospital, were studied regarding prevalence of psychiatric symptoms. The clinical diagnoses were dementia of the Alzheimer type (n = 19), vascular dementia (n = 27), mixed Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia (n = 13), vascular dementia of frontal type (n = 2), and other diseases (n = 4). Mean age at referral was 75.6 +/- 6.6 years and the average treatment time was 21 +/- 14 months. About 90% of the patients showed one or several significant psychiatric symptoms during the course of dementia. Most common were delirious episodes, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and depressed mood. The relationship between clinical features and the type and duration of dementia was analyzed. Sleep disturbances and depressed mood often appeared early, whereas misidentification and delusions became more prevalent later in the course of dementia. The results indicate that the psychogeriatric day hospital may offer effective and flexible care and support to demented persons living at home.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Analysis of interobserver disagreement in the assessment of subarachnoid blood and acute hydrocephalus on CT scans.

The purpose of this study was to analyse factors for interobserver disagreements in two scales used for the assessments of the amount of blood in subarachnoid space (Fisher grading) and of acute hydrocephalus on computerized tomographic (CT) scans. The assessments made by four neuroradiologists on 59 CT scans obtained in the acute stage after subarachnoid hemorrhage were analysed by a statistical method by Svensson and Holm. This method permits the separation of the inter-observer disagreements in their random and systematic components. The overall consistency of the assessments was significant (p < 0.0005) but the neuroradiologists disagreed on half of the CT-scans. The kappa values were 0.50-0.63. The analysis showed that the main reason for disagreements was systematic inter-observer differences in their use of the clinically most important parts of staging, i.e. subarachnoid clot or intraventricular blood (Fisher grading) and too low categories (hydrocephalus). The main conclusion from this study is that the proper remedy for Fisher grading and for grading of hydrocephalus is a sharpening of the criteria of specific category levels and given this improvement both grading systems will show a high level of reliability.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗

PubMed1996

Methylprednisolone shortens the effects of bupivacaine on sensory nerve fibers in vivo.

Perineural administration of corticosteroids is frequently applied in the treatment of a variety of chronic pain conditions. Methylprednisolone selectively inhibits the transmission of nerve impulses in C-fibers whereas A-fiber activity is unaffected. In the present study the effect of a mixture of 0.05 ml of methylprednisolone (40 mg/ml) and 0.05 ml of bupivacaine (5 mg/ml) was compared to that of 0.05 ml bupivacaine (5 mg/ml) using a plantar nerve block model in the rat. The conduction of impulses in electrically stimulated A-fibers of the plantar nerve was monitored by a bipolar volley recording from the sciatic nerve. Impulse conduction in electrically stimulated C-fibers was studied through a C-fiber evoked segmental flexion reflex. The function of both the A-fibers and the C-fibers exposed to the methylprednisolone-bupivacaine mixture showed a less profound block with signs of earlier recovery than those exposed to plain bupivacaine. The A-fibers recovered somewhat faster than the C-fibers. It is postulated that methylprednisolone adjuvant to bupivacaine affects the intra-axonal uptake of bupivacaine in C-fibers but not in A-fibers by some unknown mechanism. The effect seems to be longer lasting in C-fibers than in A-fibers.

Anesthetics, Local↗

PubMed1996

Strong cytotoxicity to human gingival fibroblasts by Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the cytotoxicity of some bacterial species associated with periodontal diseases. The specificity of cytotoxicity was estimated against cells of various origin and from different individuals. The reference bacteria were Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. These bacteria were cultured for 24 h in liquid media and the supernatants were used in cytotoxicity assays. The target cells used were human gingival fibroblasts (GF), dermal fibroblasts (K4), gingival epithelial cells (E) and HeLa-cells (HeLa). These cells were exposed at 4 h or 24 h, respectively, to various concentrations of culture supernatants from the selected bacteria. The influence on the viability and metabolism of the cells were estimated quantitatively as increase in neutral red uptake and lactic acid production. Growth medium supernatants of P. gingivalis 33277 were strongly cytotoxic to gingival fibroblasts after 24 h incubation, compared to supernatants of P. gingivalis 381 or W 50, A. actinomycetemcomitans or F. nucleatum cultures. The toxic effect of P. gingivalis 33277 decreased drastically after heat inactivation, which indicates effects of proteins. By adding anti-sera the cytotoxicity of P. gingivalis 33277 could be dose dependently neutralized, which was not the case when supernatants of A. actino-mycetemcomitans was tested. Target cells of epithelial origin did not show increased cytotoxicity to P. gingivalis 33277. The results of the present study strengthen the hypothesis that P. gingivalis remains as a suspect causative key component in periodontal diseases.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans↗

PubMed1996

The interference of gingival cell cultures with growth of selected bacteria.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the interference of oral tissue cells or cell lines (effector cells) with growth of reference bacteria, and furthermore to investigate whether cells derived from different individuals differ in such activity. The reference bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mitis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. The effector cells used were gingival fibroblasts (GF) from 21 periodontally involved persons, gingival epithelial cells (E) from 2 such persons, HeLa cells (HeLa), and an amnion cell line (Amnion). The cells were cultivated and their supernatants tested for antibacterial activity in a Bioscreen robot analyzer (Labsystems, Finland). Results suggest that the antibacterial activity of each tested primary cell line of tissue had its own profile depending on cell type and donor, and that the composition of oral microbiota was influenced by oral cells, which might, in turn, contribute to the variations in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans↗

PubMed1996

Gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging in asymptomatic knees.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the occurrence and extent of Gd-DTPA-enhanced synovial structures in asymptomatic knee joints of middle-aged healthy individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: MR imaging of the knee joint was performed in 10 healthy subjects aged 40-61 years. The study included a sagittal T1-weighted SE sequence before and after i.v. injection of 0.1 mmol Gd-DTPA/kg b.w. RESULTS: Contrast-enhanced synovial structures were found in all knees. The extent of the synovial structures was usually not uniform within the examined joint. In the intercondylar fossa, the thickness of synovial structures was more often pronounced. In the suprapatellar recess, synovial thickness was constant and minimal. CONCLUSION: The presence and the varying extent and thickness of synovial structures in asymptomatic knees in middle-aged individuals must be considered in the evaluation of early and mild synovitis of the knee joint with Gd-enhanced MR imaging in this age group.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Some aspects of dental health in young adult Indian vegetarians. A pilot study.

The effect of a vegetarian diet on oral health status could be manifold, but reports have so far mainly appeared from within Western populations. This study reports the oral health status of southeast Indian vegetarians, obtained by means of a questionnaire, clinical examination, and study cast evaluations. The material comprised 30 vegetarians and 25 sex- and age-matched non-vegetarian controls. Comparison between the samples included dietary and oral hygiene habits, health-related variables, caries prevalence, and dentoalveolar characteristics. The questionnaire showed significantly less consumption of between-meal sweets and more widespread use of a soft toothbrush by the vegetarians. The vegetarians had a significantly higher degree of tooth wear than the non-vegetarians, but no difference in the degree of wear between women and men in either group was found. The vegetarians had a significantly higher tendency towards crowding in the maxillary arch, numerically higher DMFT, and greater number of cervical buccal defects than the controls. The results of this study suggest that the Indian vegetarian diet may produce certain effects on the oral health, associations that need to be studied further.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Dental erosion, soft-drink intake, and oral health in young Saudi men, and the development of a system for assessing erosive anterior tooth wear.

The aim of the study was to investigate some aspects of the oral health of male Saudi military inductees with special reference to soft-drink consumption, dental erosion, caries and fluorosis prevalences; a second aim of the study was to develop a system for assessing dental erosion. The material comprised a random selection of 95 individuals with a mean age of 20.9 years (range, 19-25 years). A questionnaire survey was made of each individual's dietary and oral hygiene habits and general and oral health, in addition to clinical, study cast, radiographic, and photographic examinations. The results showed that soft-drink consumption in the sample (x = 247 1/year) far exceeded that found in Western populations and that professional and self-administered dental care were generally scant. Twenty-eight percent of the maxillary anterior teeth showed pronounced dental erosion. Fluorosis was a common finding, and the number of untreated carious cavities was high. DMFT (mean = 10.0; DT = 7.7; MT = 0.5; FT = 1.8) and DMFS (mean = 18.3; DS = 12.6; MS = 2.5; FS = 3.2) were higher than those of comparable Western populations and showed an approximately threefold increase over a period of about 18 years as compared with that previously reported in a similar Saudi sample. In view of the high frequencies of dental erosion, untreated carious cavities, and fluorosis reported here and the strong indication of an increasing caries prevalence, the need for serious recognition of the implications in the planning of future dental health care program is stressed.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Family planning in Vietnam--women's experiences and dilemma: a community study from the Red River Delta.

In traditional Vietnamese culture the expectations on women were to get at least one son, who could carry on the lineage. In the 1980s, a two-child population policy was introduced and family planning campaigns intensified. The aim of this study was to explore women's experience of family planning in relation to the potentially conflicting demands on their fertility. Data on reproductive histories and contraceptive use were collected in a random sample survey among 206 women of reproductive age in Thai Binh province, northern Vietnam. Qualitative data were obtained in interviews with a selected group of women. Over half of the women used modern contraception, mainly the intrauterine device (IUD). The perceived side-effects of the IUD were higher than those reported by local health workers or from clinical studies of the same IUD. Women's problems in fertility regulation are discussed in the broader context of a society in transition. The importance of male progeny was still strong. Many families with 'only' daughters had a third child, contrary to the two-child policy. It is suggested that conflicting demands on women's fertility are reflected in the high rates of IUD-complaint and psychosomatic side-effects. Improved services and wider contraceptive choice are needed, as well as research on the interaction between population policies, sociocultural change and women's health.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Detection of immobilized amplicons by ELISA-like techniques.

The NucleoLink surface is a physically modified, thermostable, optically clear resin. It allows the covalent binding of 5'-phosphorylated oligonucleotides. Target DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is accomplished by asymmetric amplification on the covalently immobilized primer that develops into immobilized amplicons. A DNA fragment of bovine leukemia virus is used as a model system for the detection of immobilized amplicons by ELISA-like techniques. Covalently bound oligonucleotides are also utilized as capture probe in the hybridization-based signal amplification for detection of an infectious organism.

DNA, Viral↗

PubMed1995

Structure of an acidic microcapsular glycan from the reference strain (C.D.C. 866-57) for Serratia marcescens serogroup O1.

The structure of the acidic polysaccharide from Serratia marcescens serogroup O1 has been investigated. NMR spectroscopy together with sugar and methylation analysis have been used as well as a uronic degradation. The polysaccharide consists of pentasaccharide repeating units having the following structure. (sequence see text) The polysaccharide also contains one equivalent of O-acetyl groups per repeating unit present on, inter alia, a hydroxymethyl group.

Acetylglucosamine↗

PubMed1995

Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase can accept NADP+ as coenzyme in high concentrations of acetonitrile.

The coenzyme specificity of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase assayed in mixtures of acetonitrile and buffer, 0.01 M Tris/HCl pH 7.4, was investigated. The enzyme could accept NADP+ as coenzyme if it was first bio-imprinted with NADP+, i.e. precipitated from an aqueous buffer with 1-propanol in the presence of NADP+ dried, and then assayed in a system with less than 10% buffer. When assayed in a system with 25% buffer, no activity with NADP+ as coenzyme was observed. The activity was measured with a coenzyme regeneration assay with cinnamoyl alcohol and octylaldehyde as substrates. Other methods to prepare a binary complex of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase and NADP+, i.e. if the enzyme was immobilized on silica and NADP+ added afterwards or if it was deposited on Celite together with NADP+, failed to show any bio-imprinting effect. The activity of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase bioimprinted with NADP+ and assayed in acetonitrile/buffer mixtures with less than 10% buffer showed the same or higher activity than an enzyme preparation prepared by bio-imprinting with NAD+. The hypothesis is that the conformation of the active site of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase is modified to one that is complementary to the ligand present during precipitation and drying. This is possible because of the restricted motility of the enzyme conformation in high concentrations of organic solvent. In the presence of more than 10% buffer the mobility increases in such a way that the imposed conformation with activity towards NADP+ disappears.

Acetonitriles↗

PubMed1995

Different subcellular localization of cytochrome b and the dormant NADPH-oxidase in neutrophils and macrophages: effect on the production of reactive oxygen species during phagocytosis.

When neutrophils and macrophages phagocytose a prey, e.g., complement (C3b)-opsonized yeast particles, the oxygen radical generating NADPH-oxidase is activated. In neutrophils, most of the production of oxygen metabolites occurred in an intracellular compartment, possibly in the phagolysosome. In contrast, no intracellular production could be detected in human macrophages. In these cells, the subcellular localization of the superoxide-generating NADPH-oxidase and associated cytochrome b was assessed in intact cells with indirect immunofluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy, and with subcellular fractionation, using centrifugation on Percoll density gradients. A dual localization of the cytochrome b as well as the dormant NADPH-oxidase activity in neutrophils was in agreement with earlier immunocytochemical, biochemical, and subcellular fractionation studies. Furthermore, most of the activity was recovered from the specific granules, whereas only a small fraction was retained in the plasma membrane. In contrast, the cytochrome b/NADPH-oxidase activity in macrophages localized primarily in the plasma membrane fraction. We suggest that the macrophages are incapable of producing reactive oxygen species intraphagosomally, due to an absence of a granule-localized pool of the membrane components of the NADPH-oxidase.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Airway effects of salmeterol in healthy individuals.

The long-acting beta 2-agonist salmeterol has been shown in several in vitro studies to produce non-beta-mediated relaxant effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether these effects have any relevance in humans in vivo. Thirteen healthy individuals were studied in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study on five separate days. The subjects were pre-treated orally with either propranolol 400 mg in order to block beta-adrenoceptor mediated effects or placebo. Two hours after drug intake, three increasing doses of salmeterol (25 + 50 + 100 micrograms), salbutamol (100 + 200 + 400 micrograms) or placebo were given from matched meter dose inhalers at 1-h intervals between doses. Specific airway conductance (sGAW) was measured in a body plethysmograph at the beginning of the experiment and 30 and 60 min after each inhaled dose of the beta-agonists. Salmeterol and salbutamol produced the same maximal increase in sGAW and had the same area under the dose-response curves. Pre-treatment with propranolol totally inhibited the effect of both drugs. In conclusion, salmeterol at clinically used doses did not produce any non-beta-mediated bronchodilating effect in normal individuals, measured as sGAW. Salmeterol and salbutamol showed the same efficacy but salmeterol was four times more potent than salbutamol.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMed1995

Chemoattractant-induced NADPH oxidase activity in human monocytes is terminated without any association of receptor-ligand complex to cytoskeleton.

When the chemotactic peptide formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine binds to its cell surface receptor, a transmembrane signal is generated that activates the superoxide-producing NADPH oxidase of human phagocytes. Comparing monocytes and neutrophils with regard to the production of superoxide anion induced by the peptide, we found a similar time-course for both types of cells. In neutrophils, ligand binding induced a conversion of the receptor to a high-affinity form, a change suggested to be due to an association of the receptor-ligand complex to the Triton X-100-insoluble cytoskeleton. This event has been hypothesized to terminate the signal that activates the NADPH oxidase and thereby results in cessation of the cellular production of superoxide anion. Neutrophils preincubated with the cytoskeleton-disrupting drug cytochalasin B showed an increased and prolonged superoxide anion production after activation with the peptide, thus indicating that the cytoskeleton is involved in terminating this response. Formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine was also found to induce polymerization of actin in monocytes; however, cytochalasin B had no effect on the peptide-induced generation of superoxide anion in these cells. Furthermore, also in monocytes, ligand binding induced a conversion of the receptor to a high-affinity form; however, the receptor-ligand complex did not coisolate with the Triton X-100-insoluble cytoskeleton. These results indicate that, in monocytes, the NADPH oxidase activating pathway is terminated without any association of the receptor-ligand complex to the Triton X-100-insoluble cytoskeleton.

Actins↗

PubMed1995

Evaluation of an ergonomics intervention programme in VDT workplaces.

This paper focuses on an intervention programme based on the concept of participatory ergonomics. The study was designed within the framework of a multidisciplinary project concerned with identifying the work conditions and problems necessary to improve the working life of VDT operators with routine data-entry and data-dialogue tasks. The intervention programme was evaluated in two follow-up studies. The evaluation criteria covered the proposals for improvement emerging from (1) the intervention programme's final joint decisions (of experts and employees) on measures needed, and (2) workers' views of the effectiveness of the programme itself. As the implementation period was marked by increasing turbulence caused by recession in many branches of the Swedish economy, attention was paid to the impact of the restructuring and rationalization effected by company management in the workplaces under study. To obtain a better understanding of the outcome of the intervention programme, the follow-up was extended systematically to explore the disturbing organizational factors operating during the implementation period. The results of the evaluation offer increased knowledge of organizational barriers to the implementation of ergonomics measures decided upon within the framework of intervention research.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1995

Pulmonary macrophage function in systemic gadolinium chloride-pretreated rats.

The potential use of systemic gadolinium chloride pretreatment of rats as a tool to inhibit pulmonary macrophage function was studied by measurement of its effect on phagocytosis and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by alveolar and interstitial macrophages. Gadolinium chloride solution was administered through the tail vein 48 h before the animals were killed. At 10 mg/kg, a dose which is generally used to inhibit Kupffer cell function, no effect on pulmonary macrophages was observed. Neither did a higher dose, 20 mg/kg, affect pulmonary macrophage function. It is concluded that gadolinium chloride pretreatment does not affect alveolar and interstitial macrophages upon systemic administration at doses and time after administration that generally depress Kupffer cell functioning.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Proton spin diffusion for spatial heterogeneity and morphology investigations of polymers.

The diffusion of Zeeman spin order in the laboratory frame for a system with microscopic spatial heterogeneity, due to either molecular mobility or chemical heterogeneity, has been analysed by solving the diffusion equation in the limit of two different models. By simulation of proton spin diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral areas for poly(ethylene oxide) we have demonstrated, for both models, the sensitivity of these observables to phase domain size and to the dimensionality of the diffusion process. The possibility to obtain information about the morphology is analysed. Results from calculations based on the two models are compared with experimental spin diffusion results from 1H NMR spectra of poly(ethylene oxide). Two methods for filtering the z-magnetization from the different phase domains in a solid are discussed. The efficiency of a magnetization dipolar filter based on magic and polarization echoes is presented.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗