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Biomedical subjects

B Berg

Publications and source records attributed to B Berg.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

The significance of HLA-A, -B matching for the survival of cadaveric kidney transplants performed in Stockholm in 1970-78.

Of the 320 cadaveric renal transplantations carried out between 1970 and 1978 in Stockholm 308 were analysed with respect to dependence of graft survival on HLA-A, -B matching. From November, 1973, kidneys with 3 or 4 HLA-A, -B incompatibilities were accepted much more often than had previously been the case. All but 7 of the 90 grafts with 3 or 4 incompatibilities were transplanted during that period. In order to obtain as homogeneous a group as possible the transplantations performed during this period were analysed separately, and transplantation performed on diabetic patients and retransplantations were excluded. This material comprising 141 transplantations was examined also with respect to other factors that may have a bearing on graft survival. As regards the factors mean age, pre-transplantation dialysis and blood transfusions, primary diuresis at transplantation and high-dose ALG therapy there was no essential difference between the recipients of kidneys from donors with 1 or 2 HLA-A, -B incompatibilities and the 3 or 4 incompatibility group. Thirteen of the 141 transplantations were fully compatible but because this group was small it was not included in the statistical analysis. After 2 years the group with 3 or 4 HLA-A, -B incompatibilities displayed a significantly poorer graft survival than the one with 1 or 2 incompatibilities (p less than 0.05).

Graft Survival↗
PubMed1978

Cellulose degradation and cellulase formation by Phialophora malorum.

The formation of cellulases and beta-glucosidase and their location in the fungus Phialophora malorum was studied on some different carbon sources. The cellulases were found to be partly cell-free and partly cell-bound during growth on cellulose and carboxymethyl-cellulose. Glucose and cellobiose repressed the cellulase formation but a low carboxymethylcellulase activity was measurable on the glucose-grown mycelium. The unicellular stage did not appear to grow on carboxymethyl-cellulose or cellulose, but mycelium was formed on these carbon sources.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed1978

Prognostic value of blood platelet counts, coagulation factors and serum fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) in acute infections.

Platelet counts, P&P, factor V and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) in serum were determined in 96 patients with 100 episodes of acute infections. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possible correlation between the tests, separately and in combination, and the outcome of the patients. The prognostic value was found to be dubious (0.05 greater than P greater than 0.01) as regards both a low platelet count and a decreased level of P&P and very low (P greater than 0.2) as regards factor V. On the other hand, the demonstration of a raised S-FDP as well as the presence of more than one pathological test was of distinct prognostic value (P less than 0.001). It is concluded that coagulation tests are useful as supportive aids in the prognostic evaluation of patients with acute infectious diseases.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1977

Screening for medullary carcinoma of the thyroid in families with Sipple's syndrome: evaluation of new stimulation tests.

In search of new practical diagnostic methods for the early diagnosis of hereditary medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT) calcitonin release has been studied following induction by pentagastrin, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin (the C-terminal octapeptide, C8-CCK, and the native swine extract), and ethanol in eighteen cases of MCT (all but one clinically occult), three 'borderline cases', seven first degree relatives of patients with hereditary MCT and thirty-five healthy controls. Pentagastrin, subcutaneous (s.c.) or intravenous (i.v.), induced a pronounced and rapid increase of serum calcitonin within 2-5 min. The elevation was roughly proportional to the tumour mass as estimated at operation. Seventeen out of eighteen MCT patients responded to s.c. pentagastrin with a significant increase in serum calcitonin and the response correlated well with that induced by calcium infusion test. Only two blood samples, at times 0 and 5 min, were necessary for diagnosis. In the MCT patients, i.v. pentagastrin produced more pronounced elevations of serum calcitonin than did s.c. pentagastrin, whereas no increase was seen in the control group. The subjective discomfort caused by i.v. pentagastrin was somewhat more intense but lasted shorter than that induced by s.c. administration. No serious complications were seen. All of nine MCT patients responded to C8-CCK with increments in serum calcitonin exceeding those of the control group and both of two responded similarly to the native cholecystokinin-pancreozymin extract. Generally the serum calcitonin response was lower and more variable after C8-CCK than after s.c. or i.v. pentagastrin, and the subjective discomfort was also more pronounced with abdominal cramps during the injection. Ethanol in the dose used was the least effective stimulator for serum calcitonin release. Clinically suspected MCT carriers with palpable tumours can be diagnosed by determination of the basal, i.e. non-stimulated serum calcitonin levels. Other possible Sipple genome carriers, who are at the time clinically healthy with normal basal serum calcitonin, should be subjected to a s.c. or i.v. pentagastrin stimulation test at each examination. These tests are much simpler to perform than a calcium infusion, test, but seem to have about the same sensitivity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Alterations of lipid metabolism in healthy volunteers during long-term ethanol intake.

Nine young, healthy male volunteers were given ethanol (75 g/day) for 5 weeks. The ethanol was divided into five daily doses and taken so that blood ethanol levels never exceeded 0.04% (w/v). During the latter part of the ethanol intake period, there was a significant, transient increase of plasma triglyceride (TG) concentrations followed by reduction to normal levels. A three-fold increase of lipoprotein lipase activity (LLA) occurred in biopsy specimens of adipose tissue. An increase of alpha-lipoprotein concentrations, which correlated significantly with the decrease in plasma TG levels and the increase in adipose LLA, was also observed during the ethanol intake period. No changes were observed in plasma cholesterol and beta-lipoprotein levels. A transient, three-fold increase of TG concentrations occurred in liver biopsy specimens. Ultrastructural and cytochemical examinations of the biopsy specimens showed hyperplasia of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and increased canallicular activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT) activity in most subjects towards the end of and after the ethanol intake period. Serum gamma-GT levels also increased significantly.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1977

Correlation between magnitude of MLC and kidney graft survival in intrafamilial transplantation.

The role of HLA-A and-B and HLA-D compatibility was analyzed in 63 recipients of intrafamilial kidney grafts. At 1 year post-transplantation the survival of grafts from HLA-A and-B compatible donors was 89% and that of grafts from HLA-A and/or-B incompatible donors 77%. Recipents with a Relative Response (RR) in MLC of less than 20% towards their donors, indicating HLA-D compatibility, had a 4-year graft survival of 100%. After 1 year the graft survival of this group was statistically different (p less 0-01) from the 63% graft survival of recipients with an RR greater than 60%. An RR greater than 60% indicates HLA-D incompatibility between recipient and donor. For patients with RR less than 60% the 2-year graft survival was 46%. This was lower than that of patients with RR less than 20% (P less than 0.001) and that of patients with an RR of 20--60% (P less than 0.01). The recipients with an RR of 20--60%, indicating slight HLA-D incompatibility with their donors, had a 2-year graft survival of 88%. We concluded that graft survival was correlated to the magnitude of MLC response between recipients and donors in such a way that a high MLC response indicating HLA-D incompatibility was associated with a high frequency of graft rejection while a low MLC response was associated with graft survival. HLA-D compatibility correlated with an excellent outcome in five cases in spite of HLA-A and-B incompatibility.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

The significance of HLA-A and -B matching for cadaver-kidney survival in Stockholm 1970--1976.

The significance of HLA-matching for the survival of cadaver kidneys, transplanted between January 1970 and June 1976 to 170 uraemic patients has been assessed. When the patients were divided into groups according to degree of HLA compatibility it was found that the groups so obtained were comparable neither with regard to the quality of the transplants nor to the immunosuppressive therapy given. This was due to multiple changes in policy in 1973. When the case material was divided into patients treated before and after 1973, comparable groups were obtained within each series. The only correlation found was that, in the chronologically later groups, 2 year survival rate of transplants with E-G match (3--4 incompatibilities) was inferior to that of transplants with C-D match (1-2 incompatibilities).

Cadaver↗
PubMed1977

A controlled trial of antihuman lymphocyte globulin (Behring) in cadaveric renal transplantation: improvement in graft and patient survival at one year using a high-dose regimen.

A controlled study of the effect of antihuman lymphocyte globulin (AHLG) on patient and kidney transplant survival has been performed. The AHLG was administered as an adjuvant to the routine immunosuppressive drugs in either high (30 mg/kg) or low (15 mg/kg) doses, control patients received no AHLG. The clinical condition of the recipients and the quality and the degree of immunological compatibility of the transplants were comparable. During the period of the study, the results of all first-time cadaver-kidney transplantations to non-diabetic uraemic patients were included. The actuarial graft survival rates at 12 months for the three groups (high dose, low dose and control) were 67%, 49% and 35%. The corresponding patient survival rates were 91%, 66% and 65% respectively. The difference between the results in the high dose AHLG and in the control group was significant (p less than 0.05).

Antilymphocyte Serum↗