Ova transport and fertility after resection of the oviductal isthmus in pigs.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Larsson.
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The fibrinolytic activity in the vessel wall (FAV), in plasma and in euglobulin solution (FAE) was determined in rats exposed to cigarette smoke in an inhalation chamber or treated with contraceptive hormones. In the smoke-exposed rats increased FAE and significantly decreased FAV were demonstrated. No effect on fibrinolysis was recorded in the hormone-treated rats, in which mean plasma levels of ethinylestradiol and d-norgestrel were 74 pg/ml and 0.17 ng/ml, respectively, six hours after the last subcutaneous administration.
The influence of ethinylestradiol (EE2) and d-norgestrel (d-Ng) was studied in a melanoma cell line producing a tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) very similar to or identical with the t-PA isolated in extracts from human uterus. The cell cultures were exposed to the two contraceptive steroids by addition of EE2 or d-Ng dissolved in a week alcoholic solution to the culture media, in which the released t-PA was assayed by an immunoradiometric method. A strongly stimulating effect of ethanol (0.76% w/v) on the t-PA production was demonstrated. Whereas, EE2 in the concentration of 1.7 X 10(-7)M and d-Ng in the concentration of 8.6 X 10(-7)M both caused a significantly reduced secretion of t-PA, and this effect was independent of whether the cell cultures were grown to confluency in the presence of the two synthetic steroids or not. It was concluded, that the two contraceptive steroids had an inhibitory effect on the production of t-PA in melanoma cell culture.
A longitudinal population study of 1462 women aged 38-60 was carried out in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1968-9. In univariate analysis the ratio of waist to hip circumference showed a significant positive association with the 12 year incidence of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, and death. The association with incidence of myocardial infarction remained in multivariate analysis and was independent of age, body mass index, smoking habit, serum cholesterol concentration, serum triglyceride concentration, and systolic blood pressure. The relation between the ratio of waist to hip circumference and the end points of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, and death was stronger than for any other anthropometric variable studied.
To study the possible risk factors for cardiovascular disease, we collected data on plasma levels of coagulation factors, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and smoking in a random sample of 792 men 54 years of age. During 13.5 years of follow-up, myocardial infarction occurred in 92 men, stroke in 37, and death from causes other than myocardial infarction or stroke in 60. The blood pressure, degree of smoking, serum cholesterol, and fibrinogen level measured at the base-line examination proved to be significant risk factors for infarction by univariate analyses during follow-up, and blood pressure and fibrinogen were risk factors for stroke. Fibrinogen and smoking were strongly related to each other. The relation between fibrinogen and infarction, and between fibrinogen and stroke, became weaker when blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and smoking habits were taken into account, but was still significant for stroke. Although causality cannot be inferred from these data, it is possible that the fibrinogen level plays an important part in the development of stroke and myocardial infarction.
In a prospective study of risk factors for ischaemic heart disease 792 54 year old men selected by year of birth (1913) and residence in Gothenburg agreed to attend for questioning and a battery of anthropometric and other measurements in 1967. Thirteen years later these baseline findings were reviewed in relation to the numbers of men who had subsequently suffered a stroke, ischaemic heart disease, or death from all causes. Neither quintiles nor deciles of initial indices of obesity (body mass index, sum of three skinfold thickness measurements, waist or hip circumference) showed a significant correlation with any of the three end points studied. Statistically significant associations were, however, found between the waist to hip circumference ratio and the occurrence of stroke (p = 0.002) and ischaemic heart disease (p = 0.04). When the confounding effect of body mass index or the sum of three skinfold thicknesses was accounted for the waist to hip circumference ratio was significantly associated with all three end points. This ratio, however, was not an independent long term predictor of these end points when smoking, systolic blood pressure, and serum cholesterol concentration were taken into account. These results indicate that in middle aged men the distribution of fat deposits may be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease and death than the degree of adiposity.
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.
In order to study differences in action between "Ca2+-entry blockers" on smooth muscle and peripheral nerves, the effects of nifedipine, verapamil, and diltiazem on noradrenaline (NA)-induced contractions and electrically evoked release of 3H-NA were investigated in the female rabbit urethra. In addition, possible influences of Ca2+-entry blockers on alpha-adrenoceptors were studied with radioligand binding technique. Exposure to Ca2+-free medium completely abolished the contractile response to 1 microM NA in the rabbit urethra, indicating that the contraction was entirely dependent on influx of extracellular Ca2+. The Ca2+-entry blockers inhibited the NA-induced contractions in the following order of potency: nifedipine greater than verapamil approximately equal to diltiazem. In contrast to nifedipine and diltiazem, which produced a maximum inhibition of between 50 and 60%, verapamil was able to abolish the contractile responses to NA. The electrically evoked efflux of 3H-NA was decreased by diltiazem and increased by verapamil, whereas nifedipine failed to alter the 3H-NA efflux. Only verapamil was effective in inhibiting specific 3H-DHE binding to a crude membrane preparation of the rabbit bladder base and urethra, and the inhibition appeared to be of the competitive type. It is suggested that the effects of verapamil on electrically evoked efflux of 3H-NA and on NA-induced contractions can be partly explained by blockade of pre- and post-junctional alpha-adrenoceptors. The failure of nifedipine and diltiazem to abolish the NA-induced contraction might indicate the existence of different Ca2+-entry pathways in urethral smooth muscle.
Laminaria tents were inserted to induce cervical dilatation prior to suction abortion in 42 primigravidae. The plasma level of 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2 alpha, the principal metabolite of prostaglandin F 2 alpha, increased during the dilatation period. The gentle dilatation by laminaria tents probably induces an endogenous synthesis of prostaglandins causing a softening of the cervix.
The separate effect of ethinylestradiol (4 micrograms/kg b.w./day) and d-norgestrel (20 micrograms/kg b.w./day) on the fibrinolytic activity in plasma and in vessel walls of the hind leg was investigated in an experimental study on rats. No hormonal effect on the fibrinolytic activity in plasma was registered. However, a significantly increased fibrinolytic activity in the vessel wall of the distal hind leg was demonstrated in the d-norgestrel-treated rats with plasma levels well below those reported in women using combined contraceptive pills. On the contrary, the fibrinolytic activity of the vessel wall was uninfluenced in the ethinylestradiol-treated rats with plasma levels corresponding to those in women on contraceptive pills containing 30 micrograms ethinylestradiol.
The release of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) from incubated specimens of human veins was investigated by an immunoradiometric determination of the concentration of t-PA in the medium. The initial release of t-PA was strongly correlated to the weight of the incubated specimens. T-PA was not demonstrable after the third day of incubation. The addition of d-norgestrel (83.3 ng/ml) to the medium significantly stimulated the release of t-PA; whereas, ethinylestradiol (16.6 ng/ml) did not have an effect.
Eighteen highly physically active men aged 65 years, training since youth, were compared to 67-year-old men from the general population. Body fat was low in the well-trained men, particularly in the central regions of the body. They smoked less. They characterized themselves as being in a general state of good health and well-being. Plasma insulin values were remarkably low. Blood pressure and resting heart rate were lower and ventilatory capacity better than in controls, and they had less heart diseases. The "juvenile" traits in their energy metabolism as well as in blood pressure and in their own perception of being highly energetic were not associated with less aging characteristics of hair, skin, or function of senses. The results obtained in this selected group suggest that physical activity protects against several age-dependent conditions as well as obesity, also at a fairly advanced age. These findings as well as the observations of differences in ventilatory function, smoking habits, and well-being between the group of highly physically active men and the control group deserve further studies.
The search for suitable methods of attaching the boron isotope 10B to tumour cells in the human body for the treatment of malignant disease has prompted a study of ways of optimising the localisation of 10B in mammalian tissues. Compounds rich in boron, linked to various carriers, have been studied in experimental animals and in systems of cultivated cells. The current experimental prerequisites and results are outlined. The method for 'neutron capture radiography' has significant potential for general application in experimental physiology. The techniques are presented from this viewpoint and compared with other methods for visualisation of macromolecular markers by the use of physical or chemical principles.
Eighteen highly physically active men at mean age of 65 years, and who had training since youth, were compared with men from the general population at 67 years of age (N = 644). Body fat was low in the well-trained men, particularly in central regions of the body. They smoked less and characterized themselves as being in a general state of good health and well-being. Plasma insulin values were remarkably low and blood pressure and resting heart rate were lower and ventilatory capacity better than in controls. The 'juvenile' traits in their energy metabolism, as well as in blood pressure and in their own perception of being highly energetic were not associated with less ageing characteristics of hair, skin or function of senses. The results obtained in this highly selected group suggest that physical activity might retard the rate of decline of some age-dependent factors, also at a fairly advanced age.
A radioligand binding technique was used to evaluate the proportions of alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors in crude membrane preparations obtained from the female rabbit bladder base and urethra. In addition, urethral rings were studied in vitro in an attempt to determine if alpha 1- and/or alpha 2-adrenoceptors are located postjunctionally in the urethral smooth muscle. Studies of the inhibition of [3H]-dihydroergocryptine binding by the selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin or the selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist rauwolscine revealed the alpha-adrenoceptor population to consist of approximately 25% alpha 1-adrenoceptors and 75% alpha 2-adrenoceptors. These proportions were confirmed in saturation studies with [3H]-prazosin and [3H]-rauwolscine. The sum of alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors labelled by these selective alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists was about equal to the number labelled by the non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist [3H]-dihydroergocryptine. Noradrenaline, as well as the selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine and the selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine, induced contractions of urethral ring preparations. Prazosin blocked contractions induced by phenylephrine to a greater extent than contractions induced by clonidine. The opposite was true for the inhibitory effect of rauwolscine. In addition to showing that both alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor binding sites exist in membrane preparations of the rabbit bladder base and urethra, the results reveal the presence of both adrenoceptor subtypes postjunctionally in the rabbit urethra; and both mediate contraction of the smooth muscle.
A 16-year-old female was admitted because of rapidly progressive fatigue, severe anaemia and icterus. The S-bilirubin was 190 mumol/l, COHb 7.3% and high amounts of free Hb in plasma were present. The Coombs' direct test was strongly positive with anti-IgG but negative with anti-IgM and anti-C3. Conventional therapy with very high doses of hydrocortisone i.v., cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, and transfusions of washed packed red cells proved ineffective. During 5 consecutive days she also received i.v. infusions of gamma-globulin (25 g each day). Nevertheless, her condition deteriorated and 3 plasma exchanges were carried out with impressive clinical and laboratory effects. After the 3rd plasma exchange, the patient did not require further transfusions of packed red cells. Therapy with corticosteroids could be rapidly reduced and she was discharged after 5 weeks with a normal blood picture. Since then she has remained in excellent health.
The effects of the tertiary amine atropine and its structural analogues homatropine and scopolamine, as well as the quarternary amine emeprone, were evaluated on noradrenaline (NA)-induced contractions of isolated female rabbit urethral ring preparations. In addition, the abilities of these antimuscarinics to inhibit 3H-dihydro-alpha-ergocryptine (3H-DHE) binding to alpha-adrenoceptors were studied on a crude membrane preparation from the female rabbit bladder base and urethra. Atropine and homatropine depressed the NA-induced contractions in a concentration-dependent way, whereas this was not seen with scopolamine. Emeprone 10(-5) and 10(-4) M augmented the contractions, an effect possibly attributable to a NA-uptake blocking effect. All antimuscarinics displaced specific 3H-DHE binding, the order of potency being atropine greater than homatropine greater than emeprone greater than scopolamine. In general a good correlation was seen between the binding and mechanical activity studies for atropine, homatropine and scopolamine, while this was not found for emeprone. It is concluded that alpha-adrenoceptor blockade by atropine can be observed at concentrations exceeding 10(-7) M. Scopolamine, showing alpha-adrenoceptor blocking properties only in high concentrations, may be used as an alternative for blockade of muscarinic cholinoceptors.