[Computerized medical records in primary health care: mostly a losing business].
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Ambulatory Care Facilities↗
Biomedical subjects
A Olsen
Publications and source records attributed to A Olsen.
Dental gallium alloy composites studied by SEM and TEM.
Analytical scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) studies of dental gallium alloys have been carried out. The Ga alloys were made by triturating a LU powder (Ag-Sn-Cu rich alloy powder) and a GF powder (Ag-Sn-Cu-Pd rich alloy powder) with a liquid Ga alloy containing Ga, In and Sn. The dental materials were found to be composites consisting of remaining, undissolved particles from the Ag-based alloy powders in a matrix of reaction products with the Ga alloy. SEM studies have been carried out to give an overview of the composites. The distribution of the elements was found by the X-ray mapping technique. The phases in the matrix and the remaining alloy particles have been identified by electron diffraction, high-resolution electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The following phases were identified in the LU alloy: orthorhombic Ag3Sn, cubic Ag9In4, tetragonal beta-Sn and hexagonal Ag2Ga. In addition to these well-known phases Ga-rich regions were observed consisting of an intergrowth of tetragonal CuGa2 and one of the cubic gamma-Cu9Ga4 phases. In addition to these phases cubic Ga7Pd3 was found in the GF alloy. The anomalous setting expansion of the GF alloy may be explained by the presence of Ga7Pd3.
Alloys↗
The intermediate hosts of Dracunculus medinensis in northern region, Ghana.
Cyclopoid copepods were collected over a period of 17 months from six man-made water reservoirs in an area of northern Ghana where dracunculiasis is endemic. The numbers and species of cyclopoid copepods as well as the species naturally infected with Dracunculus medinensis larvae were recorded at fortinightly intervals. The occurrence of copepods was compared with concurrent rainfall and with monthly incidences of dracunculiasis in the year after the reservoir survey. Seven species and two subspecies of copepods were found in the study area: Thermocyclops neglectus decipiens, T. crassu' consimilis, T. incisus, T. inopinus, T. emini, Mesocyclops major, M. ogunnus, M. kieferi and Cryptocyclops linjanticus. More than 60% of all the cyclopoids found were T. n. decipiens and only four species (T. incisus, T. inopinus, T. n. decipiens and M. kieferi) were found infected. Infection rates were very low (< or = 0.3%). The seasonal fluctuations of cyclopoid copepods showed different patterns in the six reservoirs, perhaps related to local circumstances not investigated in the present study. As the people in the study area are very mobile during the dracunculiasis transmission season, it seems likely that some of them become infected at water sources other than the ones investigated. It was therefore difficult to correlate occurrence of cyclopoid copepods in the local water sources with the prevalence of the human infection in the catchment area. No conclusion as to the most important intermediate host(s) in the area could be made.
Animals↗
Multiple sclerosis in the Faroe Islands. 7. Results of a case control questionnaire with multiple controls.
Detailed questionnaires were completed in 1978-79 by 23 of the 28 then known resident Faroese multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 127 controls. These controls were divided into 69 Group A (patient sibs and other relatives), 37 Group B (matched neighbor controls, their spouses and sibs, plus patient's spouse), and 21 Group C (distant matched controls, spouses, relatives living where MS patients never resided and British troops were not encamped during the war). No differences between cases and controls were found for education, occupation, types of residence, bathing, sanitary or drinking facilities, and nature of house construction or heating. Detailed dietary histories, available for half the subjects, revealed no differences, cases versus controls, for four age periods between age 0 and 30 years, and for 16 specified foodstuffs. Animal exposures showed overall no consistent differences by location or type of animal. There was a tendency to greater exposure to British troops during the war for cases versus Groups A and B but this did not attain statistical significance. Vaccinations for smallpox, tetanus and diphtheria were less common in the MS; no difference was found for other vaccinations. Except for a relative deficit in the cases for rubella and (insignificantly) for measles, mumps and chicken pox, reported illnesses were equally common among all groups. Operations, hospitalizations and injuries did not differentiate the groups, nor did age at menarche for women. Neurologic symptoms were significantly more common in the cases than in the controls.
Adolescent↗
The acceptability and effectiveness of a polyester drinking-water filter in a dracunculiasis-endemic village in northern region, Ghana.
In the global effort to eradicate dracunculiasis (guinea-worm disease) one of the main tools is the use of filters for filtering unsafe drinking-water. The expensive and high-quality monofilament nylon filters, which for many years were donated to all dracunculiasis-endemic countries, are now mainly reserved for highly endemic countries. Polyester cloth is less expensive, and we investigated the user acceptability and effectiveness of this material as a drinking-water filter in a dracunculiasis-endemic village in Northern Region, Ghana, over a 3-month period. The polyester cloth completely retained the stages of copepods that are responsible for transmitting dracunculiasis. Over the 3-month study period a majority of respondents found that the new cloth was superior to the nylon filter with regard to strength (83%), filtering time (80%), and the ease with which the filter could be cleaned (87%). Inspection revealed that the filters were used intensively and that the new cloth was damaged after 2-3 months of use, which is also the case for the monofilament nylon filters.
Animals↗
The transcription of human alpha 1(I) procollagen gene (COL1A1) is suppressed by tumour necrosis factor-alpha through proximal short promoter elements: evidence for suppression mechanisms mediated by two nuclear-factorbinding sites.
Recent studies have demonstrated that tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) decreases alpha 1(I) procollagen gene (COL1A1) expression in cultured human dermal fibroblasts. The purpose of this study was to analyse the transcriptional control of COL1A1 by TNF-alpha. Cultured human dermal fibroblasts were transiently transfected with plasmids containing 5' flanking sequences of COL1A1 fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene, and were incubated for 48 h in medium with or without TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha inhibited the CAT activity of fibroblasts transfected with plasmids containing 2.3 kb of 5' flanking sequences of COL1A1, whereas the activity of control plasmids containing the herpes simplex thymidine kinase promoter gene (pBLCAT) was unaltered. A series of deletion constructs of various small substitution mutations of the COL1A1 5' flanking region fused to the CAT gene were also transfected, and CAT activity was measured after incubation with TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha suppressed COL1A1 promoter activity through proximal short promoter elements containing only 107 bp. Short substitution mutations between -101 and -97 bp or between -46 and -38 bp abolished TNF-alpha suppression of COL1A1 promoter activity. DNA-protein complex formation was observed involving both sites in gel retardation assays. These results suggest that TNF-alpha suppressed COL1A1 promoter activity through elements located between -101 and -97 bp and between -46 and -38 bp of the COL1A1 promoter, and that the suppression involved DNA-protein interactions.
Base Sequence↗
Report an abstracts of the third international workshop on human chromosome 19 mapping 1996.
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Animals↗
The effect of formaldehyde exposure on the transmembrane distribution of free amino acids in muscles of Mytilus edulis
Free amino acids in the posterior adductor muscle of mussels (Mytilus edulis) occur in a high-energy gradient group, with energy gradients of 15­18 kJ mol-1 (aspartate, beta-alanine, glycine, taurine and threonine), and a low-energy gradient group, with energy gradients around 12 kJ mol-1 (the rest of the amino acids). Two of the amino acids, glycine and taurine, are present at intracellular concentrations of 100­150 mmol kg-1, while the other amino acids occur at concentrations below 50 mmol kg-1. Exposure of mussels to formaldehyde causes a marked influx of Na+ into the muscle cells and an increase in cellular water content. The Na+ gradient, which provides the energy for the cellular accumulation of free amino acids, is reduced. The drop in the Na+ gradient is accompanied by a nearly proportional reduction in the energy gradients of all amino acids in the high-energy gradient group and a 150 mmol kg-1 reduction in the total intracellular concentration of free amino acids. Most of this reduction is made up by the Na+-dependent amino acids aspartate, glycine and threonine, the concentrations of which are reduced by about 120 mmol kg-1. The transmembrane distribution of the low-energy gradient amino acids seems to be independent of the Na+ gradient, and these amino acids display only moderate reductions in their intracellular concentrations when the Na+ gradient is reduced. The reduction in the concentrations of the free amino acids appears to be a volume-regulatory response, serving to bring the cell volume back to its optimal level after the formaldehyde-induced Na+ influx has caused a cellular swelling. The basis of these differences in Na+-dependence is discussed. Taurine, which is the quantitatively dominating organic solute and an important volume-regulatory osmolyte in mussels, does not take part in the volume-regulatory response. This may be due the role of taurine in the protection against potentially toxic Ca2+, which enters the cells in large quantities when mussels are exposed to formaldehyde.
Journal Article↗
[From a registry to a clinical information system. Development of the Datacor system at the surgery department A, Rikshospitalet].
Based on a simple register for thoracic and cardiovascular operations a modulated system has been built up at Department of Surgery A. The register covers waiting list, a basic patient record, extensive operative data, the postoperative course and the final outcome. A local area network includes 36 microcomputers with approximately 75 users. Owing to lack of commercially available programs, local applications based on dBase have been developed. In this article we discuss our positive experiences from use of the local system with respect to administration, quality assurance and local research, its future place within a larger hospital system interconnected via a backbone, the need for better support and graphic user interface.
Cardiac Surgical Procedures↗
The antimicrobial activity of lactic acid bacteria from fermented maize (kenkey) and their interactions during fermentation.
A total of 241 lactic acid bacteria belonging to Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus fermentum/reuteri and Lactobacillus brevis from various processing stages of maize dough fermentation were investigated. Results indicated that each processing stage has its own microenvironment with strong antimicrobial activity. About half of the Lact. plantarum and practically all of the Lact. fermentum/reuteri investigated were shown to inhibit other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, explaining the elimination of these organisms during the initial processing stages. Further, widespread microbial interactions amounting to 85% to 18% of all combinations tested were demonstrated amongst lactic acid bacteria within the various processing stages, i.e. raw material, steeping, 0 h and 48 h of fermentation, explaining the microbial succession taking place amongst lactic acid bacteria during fermentation. The antimicrobial effect was explained by the combined effect of acids, compounds sensitive to proteolytic enzymes and other compounds with antimicrobial activity with the acid production being the most important factor. The pattern of antimicrobial factors was not species-specific and the safety and storage stability of fermented maize seem to depend on a mixed population of lactic acid bacteria with different types of antimicrobial characteristics. This means that introduction of pure cultures as starters may impose a risk to the product.
Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
Computer vision for quality control and inspection.
Ever-increasing requirements for documentation and productivity necessitate in-line quality inspection and control. Computer vision technology can be a useful tool in this context. This article describes how the process operates and offers an application case study.
Artificial Intelligence↗
Fine mapping and haplotype analysis of the locus for congenital nephrotic syndrome on chromosome 19q13.1.
We have recently localized the gene for congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF) to chromosome 19q12-13.1. On the basis of observed recombination events, the gene was localized between markers D19S416/D19S425/D19S213/D19S208/D19S191 and D19S224. Here we have extended the mapping efforts, on the basis of a detailed physical map of the region. By means of three new polymorphic markers--D19S608, D19S609, and D19S610--developed in this study, the critical candidate region could be further restricted. Significant linkage disequilibrium was observed with markers D19S610, D19S608, D19S224, and D19S220, the strongest allelic association being 84% with marker D19S610 at 19q13.1. This suggests that the CNF gene locus lies in close proximity to marker D19S610. Combination of the informative markers revealed four main haplotype categories. Different geographic distribution was observed between these haplotype groups when they were placed on the map of finland according to the birthplaces of grandparents.
Base Sequence↗
Inhalation of levomepromazine in severe acute asthma.
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Acute Disease↗
Functional analysis of human alpha 1(I) procollagen gene promoter. Differential activity in collagen-producing and -nonproducing cells and response to transforming growth factor beta 1.
To gain a further understanding of the regulation of human type I collagen gene expression under physiologic and pathologic conditions, we characterized 5.3 kilobase pairs (kb) of the human alpha 1(I) procollagen gene promoter. A series of deletion constructs containing portions of the alpha 1(I) procollagen 5'-flanking region (with end points from -5.3 kb to -84 base pairs (bp)) ligated to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene were transiently transfected into NIH/3T3 cells. Maximal CAT activity was observed with constructs having 5' end points from -804 to -174 bp. A further 5' deletion to -84 bp caused a marked reduction in CAT activity. Cells transfected with plasmids containing longer 5'-flanking fragments of the alpha 1(I) procollagen gene (-2.3 or -5.3 kb) showed reduced CAT activity compared with the -804 bp construct. The activity of the alpha 1(I) procollagen promoter was much lower in cells that do not normally express type I collagen (HeLa cells) compared with collagen-producing NIH/3T3 cells. The CAT activity of deletion constructs containing longer 5' regions than -84 bp was increased by approximately 2-fold in NIH/3T3 cells treated with transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that protein-DNA complex formation with a probe corresponding to the -170 to -80 bp fragment of the alpha 1(I) procollagen promoter was markedly enhanced in nuclear extracts prepared from TGF beta 1-treated fibroblasts as compared with untreated fibroblasts. The DNA binding activity stimulated by TGF beta 1 was specific for an Sp1-like sequence at positions -164 to -142 bp in the promoter. These results demonstrate that 1) there are both positive and negative cis-acting regulatory elements in the human alpha 1(I) procollagen promoter, 2) these regulatory regions function differently in collagen-producing and -nonproducing cells, 3) the alpha 1(I) procollagen promoter contains TGF beta 1-responsive sequences located between -174 and -84 bp from the transcription start site, and 4) TGF beta 1 caused marked stimulation of the DNA binding activity of a nuclear factor interacting with an Sp1-like binding site located within a region encompassing -164 to -142 bp of the alpha 1(I) procollagen promoter.
3T3 Cells↗
[Education debate--shall we continue to be generalists?].
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Denmark↗
[Education debate--nursing lacks clear examples].
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Education, Nursing↗
Gene organization of the pregnancy-specific glycoprotein region on human chromosome 19: assembly and analysis of a 700-kb cosmid contig spanning the region.
The pregnancy-specific glycoprotein (PSG) gene family consists of 11 closely related genes that form a subgroup of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene family on 19q13.2. Using a high-resolution restriction fragment fingerprinting technique, we have assembled 256 cosmids from the PSG region into a single 700-kb contig. Fluorescence in situ hybridization to sperm pronuclei and cosmid walking experiments indicated that this PSG contig was directly telomeric of CGM8 at the telomeric end of the CEA subgroup gene cluster. Detailed restriction mapping and hybridization with gene-specific probes indicated that the order of the 11 Previously identified PSG genes is cen-PSG3-PSG8-PSG12-PSG1-PSG6-PSG7-+ ++PSG13-PSG2-PSG5-PSG4-PSG11-tel. The CEA subgroup gene CGM11 is located at the telomeric end of the PSG gene cluster. The PSG genes are all oriented in tandem with the 5'-3' direction of transcription from telomere to centromere. The detailed map also led to the identification of seven new CEA family genes in this region. One of these (CGM12), located between CGM8 and PSG3, is a member of the CEA subgroup. The remaining six (CGM13 through CGM18) are interspersed among the PSG genes and appear to form a third distinct subgroup within the CEA gene family.
Animals↗
The pregnancy-specific glycoprotein (PSG) gene cluster on human chromosome 19: fine structure of the 11 PSG genes and identification of 6 new genes forming a third subgroup within the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family.
The human pregnancy-specific glycoprotein (PSG) genes belong to the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family, which in turn is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily. We have analyzed a 700-kb cosmid contig spanning the PSG region on chromosome 19q13.2. The region contains 11 closely related PSG genes organized in tandem with a highly conserved structure and organization. Seven novel genes (CGM12 to CGM18) were found in the PSG region. CGM12 belongs to the CEA subgroup and appears to be a pseudogene. CGM13 to CGM18 forms a third new subgroup within the CEA gene family. The members of this new subgroup show 94-99% identity to each other but only 70-80% to other members of either the CEA or the PSG subgroups. They are composed of exons encoding two IgC-like domains and short hydrophilic carboxyl terminals similar to those of the PSGs. Unlike any of the known CEA family genes, however, they seem to lack the exon for an IgV-like N-terminal domain.
Amino Acid Sequence↗