Detection of Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 specific antibodies in experimentally infected pigs by an indirect LPS ELISA.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Nielsen.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The effect of recombinant human erythropoietin therapy on correction of renal anaemia was evaluated. A total of 100 patients with endstage renal disease and anaemia (level of haemoglobin < 9.6 g/dl) received erythropoietin for 125 patient years. In 81 patients the level of haemoglobin increased to the intended range (10.5-12.0 g/dl) within three to four months. In 16 of the patients acute infections were followed by a temporary reduction in the haemoglobin level. In 11 patients a previous transfusion requirement was reduced, or, in most cases, abolished. In the remaining eight patients the transfusion requirement was unchanged. The patients with either a sub-optimal or no response suffered from chronic infections, malignant diseases or recurrent bleeding episodes. In 28 patients the level of haemoglobin exceeded the intended target for a period of four months (average). Serious side effects were not observed. Six patients had 'flu-like symptoms after the first injections. Three cases of thrombosis of the arterio-venous fistula were observed in two patients. The frequency of thrombosis of the vascular access did not exceed what we expected to find.
Twenty-two patients in haemodialysis were treated with erythropoietin subcutaneously in a double-blinded cross-over study with erythropoietin prepared either as a lyophilisate or an albumin-solution. The aim was to compare local reactions and pain. Both preparations were tolerated well. No major adverse reactions were seen. Erythropoietin albumin-solution was associated with significantly more burning pain than erythropoietin lyophilisate. Allergy does not seem to be involved. Albumin could be the irritative agent.
The seasonal problem of respiratory infections in children caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is worldwide. A number of these infections are known to occur by nosocomial acquisition. In order to reduce the risk, measures, such as cohort nursing and handwashing, have been used in the paediatric department of Odense University Hospital for three years. In a retrospective evaluation of this routine practice the incidence of nosocomial RSV infections was recorded. The overall rate of nosocomial infection was low, but was proportionally highest in the unit for children aged under 6 months; no change in incidence was seen over the three-year period. In the infectious disease unit, where the majority of RSV infected children were admitted, the rate of nosocomial infection decreased despite an unchanged routine. This difference cannot be explained simply on the basis of longer hospital admission of the children under 6 months of age, but might relate to acquired immunity in children of all ages in the infectious diseases unit or better facilities for segregation within that unit.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of total body irradiation (TBI) and cyclosporine A (CyA) on graft survival and the lymphatic system in a concordant hamster-to-rat heart transplantation model, and to compare these effects with those of total lymphoid irradiation (TLI). Preoperatively TBI was given as a single dose of 5 Gy, CyA was given intramuscularly at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day. TBI prolonged graft survival to seven days. Combined TBI and CyA prolonged graft survival to ten days. The effect of TBI on graft survival, total white blood cell count (WBC) and differential counts was reproducible but not as distinct as the effect of TLI. Analysis of changes in WBC and differential counts combined with the morphology of the grafts at rejection and of spleens from TBI- and CyA-treated animals indicates a reproducible immunosuppressive effect of TBI and a severe type of acute humoral rejection with vasculitis and cellular infiltrates dominated by macrophages and neutrophilic granulocytes. In conclusion, we find TBI a simple pretreatment which may be useful in combination with other immunosuppressive treatment as preoperative induction and depletion therapy.
Heat stress reduces the capability for sustained exercise. On the other hand, with repeated exposures to hot environments, exhaustion is delayed. This paper examines the hypothesis that high core temperature might be the ultimate cause of the fatigue and inability to continue to exercise in hot dry environmental conditions. It is suggested that a high core temperature is the ultimate cause of fatigue due to heat stress.
A total of 130 strains of the fish pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida isolated in Denmark, Norway, Scotland, Canada and the USA were examined. The strains originated from farmed salmonid fish. The biochemical, physiological and serological characteristics, antibiotic resistance patterns and cell surface-related properties were compared. Aeromonas salmonicida was found to be remarkably consistent in general cultural and biochemical characteristics. It is noteworthy that the strains were positive in the fermentation of L-arabinose and were negative in the fermentation of D-arabinose. All the strains were highly proteolytic. It was observed, however, that 5% of the strains did not digest calf and trout serum and the production of haemolysin and degradation of casein by the same strains were delayed compared with the other strains. Common to all of the rough strains were auto-aggregation and ability to bind the dyes Coomassie brilliant blue and Congo red and the majority of these strains were highly hydrophobic. The strains were tested for their susceptibility to 22 antibacterial agents. Antibiotic resistance profiles of Aer. salmonicida indicated that resistance to the quinolones and oxytetracycline was increasing and that multi-resistant strains were found in several countries. The variation found in antibiograms could have potential as epidemiological markers in certain geographic areas.
The anaemia in hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) has been suggested to be mediated in part by T lymphocytes. Consequently, we have investigated the role of T lymphocytes in this disease by cloning pre-treatment HCL T lymphocytes and testing their influence on the in vitro growth of BFU-E from autologous post-treatment and normal donors T-lymphocyte depleted peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC-T). Altogether, 24 CD4+/CD8- and 17 CD4-/CD8+ T-lymphocyte clones from 3 different HCL patients were tested. All were found to enhance the growth of BFU-E, the degree of enhancement being independent of the length of IFN treatment at the time of the post-treatment sampling. Likewise, no difference in the extent of enhancement was seen between CD4+/CD8- and CD4-/CD8+ clones, or whether the clones were tested for modulation of BFU-E from PBMNC-T of autologous or allogeneic origin. Finally, no differences could be observed between different patients in the extent of clonal enhancement. These findings, which are in line with our previous ones in normal donors, indicate that the T-lymphocyte function with regard to regulation of the erythropoiesis is normal in HCL, arguing against a T-lymphocyte mediated suppression of the erythropoiesis in HCL.
Significantly prolonged graft survival (GS) of hamster hearts transplanted heterotopically into rats can be achieved by different immunosuppressive treatment strategies. The exact mechanism of graft rejection is unclear, but it seems to be a primarily humoral, antibody-mediated type of rejection. The histopathology of long-term surviving grafts is controversial and the morphology of lymphoid tissue in spleens and lymph nodes as the possible site of anti-donor antibody formation has not previously been investigated. This report demonstrates a significantly prolonged GS in hamster-to-rat cardiac transplantation after combined treatment with total lymphoid irradiation (TLI), cyclosporin A (CyA) and anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies (MAb), where long-term GS (> 100 days) could be achieved in a few animals. The histopathology of heart grafts showed predominantly chronic vascular changes with endothelial proliferation, intimal thickening and vessel obliteration. No substantial cellular reactivity in terms of mononuclear/lymphoid cell infiltration could be demonstrated in rejected grafts. Spleens and lymph nodes were characterized by a profound global reduction in lymphoid tissue after preoperative TLI. Although subsequent lymphoid regeneration was depressed due to postoperative immunosuppression, a significant increase in IgM-positive plasma cells was observed, supporting evidence of an antibody-mediated mechanism of graft rejection. The role of CD4+ cells is unclear, but anti-donor antibody formation might involve T-cell help.
The anemia in patients with chronic renal failure can be corrected through treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin treatment. This correction is associated with changes in the rheologic variables, which could explain the changes in hemodynamics found by many investigators. The authors have followed up 11 patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis before and during six months of therapy with erythropoietin. The measurements were made before treatment, after four months of therapy, and after six months of therapy. The measurements included hematocrit, osmotic resistance of the red blood cells, red blood cell volume, plasma volume, heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and cardiac output measured by the indicator dilution method. They found a significant increase in hematocrit hemoglobin, and red blood cell volume and a decrease in osmotic resistance while the hemodynamic variables were unchanged. The conclude that, in spite of changes in rheologic variables, increasing viscosity of the blood and thus possibly increasing the peripheral resistance, these had no effect on the cardiovascular state. Erythropoietin treatment improves the subjective well-being in patients on chronic hemodialysis without compromising their cardiovascular function.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The influence of erythropoietin therapy on platelet function and fibrinolysis was evaluated in 12 anemic hemodialysis patients. Six months of therapy with human erythropoietin (50 to 80 IU/kg initially) raised the hemoglobin level to 10.8 g/dl but did not increase platelet activity in vivo as measured by beta-thromboglobulin or platelet factor 4. There was no change in the platelet aggregation thresholds in vitro for ADP, adrenaline, thrombin or collagen during treatment. Platelet number and volume were also unaffected. Fibrinolytic activity intensified as erythropoietin treatment proceeded, with a fall of euglobulin clot lysis time and rise in the activity of t-PA. PAI-1 levels also showed a downward trend, without reaching significance. Thus erythropoietin treatment in modest doses does not seem to adversely influence the hemostatic system in patients on hemodialysis.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.