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C Lundberg

Publications and source records attributed to C Lundberg.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The 1994 International Consensus Conference on Dementia and Driving: a brief report. Swedish National Road Administration.

A possible relationship exists between the increased relative crash risk of older drivers and the prevalence of age-related diseases such as dementia. However, although dementia effects cognitive functions essential for safe driving, the evaluation of driving competence in demented persons is problematic. A clear-cut policy, intended chiefly for primary care physicians, is still lacking. In recognition of this fact, the Swedish National Road Administration invited a group of researchers to review existing research and to formulate a consensus on the issue of driving and dementia. The consensus group suggested that physicians should routinely make a cursory evaluation of the mental condition of their older driving patients. When signs of cognitive impairment are detected, possible influence on visuospatial skills, attention, judgment, and memory functions should be carefully considered. Information from caregivers on past and current driving performance as well as functions relating to activities of daily living (ADL) should be taken into account. Consensus was reached that a diagnosis of moderate to severe dementia indicates sufficient cognitive impairment to preclude driving. In addition, diagnosed mildly demented individuals or nondiagnosed cognitively impaired individuals with functional deterioration should be considered for specialized assessment of driving competence.

Automobile Driving↗

Do the leukocytes in the surface secretion on the adenoid have an immunological function?

To elucidate whether leukocytes in the surface secretion on the adenoid have a potential immunological function, imprint samples of surface secretion were obtained from the adenoid of 11 children and the corresponding mucosal area of 10 adults. May-Grünewald-Giemsa staining was used for evaluation of cell morphology and spatial relations, and immunohistochemical staining for identification of granulocytes, B cells, T cells and macrophages. The children's imprints showed large numbers of leukocytes, with mononuclear cells in the majority. The adults' imprints were characterized by moderate numbers of epithelial cells and few leukocytes. In six out of seven adenoid secretions successfully analysed with all four CD antigens, there was the simultaneous presence of granulocytes, B cells, 1 cells and macrophages. This was the case in one of nine analysable adult secretions. The CD-positive cells were often seen in juxtaposition, in clusters of two to 10 cells, as well as in contact with leukocytes of unknown CD antigenicity and epithelial cells. The simultaneous presence in the secretion of morphologically intact and CD antigen-presenting leukocytes in juxtaposition could indicate a potential immunological function of these cells.

Adenoids↗

Conditionally immortalized neural progenitor cell lines integrate and differentiate after grafting to the adult rat striatum. A combined autoradiographic and electron microscopic study.

Neural progenitor cell lines, generated by conditional immortalization from the embryonic CNS, have previously been shown to survive and integrate after transplantation to the adult brain. The present study was designed to investigate the in vivo differentiation and morphological features of grafted neural progenitors using combined autoradiography and transmission electron microscopy of two temperature-sensitive neural progenitor cell lines, HiB5 and ST14A, labeled with 3H-thymidine prior to grafting. Two weeks after transplantation to the striatum the cells were found dispersed over an area extending about 1.5 mm from the injection site. Labeled cells located within the myelinated fiber bundles of the internal capsule were closely associated with myelinated axons and presented profiles similar to oligodendrocytes, while most of the grafted cells in the grey matter had morphological features of astroglia. Some labeled cells occurred also in close association with small blood vessels, morphologically resembling host pericytes. The results show that the immortalized neural progenitors can differentiate into mature glial cells, including astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and pericytes, after implantation into the adult striatum. The ability of the cells to become fully integrated with the resident glial population suggests that they will be highly useful as vehicles for intracerebral transgene expression in ex vivo gene transfer.

Animals↗

Host regulation of glial markers in intrastriatal grafts of conditionally immortalized neural stem cell lines.

After transplantation into the adult CNS the immortalized neural stem cell lines ST14A and HiB5 differentiate preferentially into glia-like cells. After lesions of the host brain, which activate resting glial populations, the grafted cells responded with up-regulation of glial markers and a change in morphology towards a reactive state. The protein expression followed the same pattern as in the host glial population. The results show that the astrocytes formed by the grafted neural stem cells become functionally integrated in the host brain and that they may take an active part in the reactive gliosis caused by brain damage.

Analysis of Variance↗

Generation of DOPA-producing astrocytes by retroviral transduction of the human tyrosine hydroxylase gene: in vitro characterization and in vivo effects in the rat Parkinson model.

Astrocytes secreting high levels of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) have been generated by retrovirus-mediated transfer of the human tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene. Immature astrocytes obtained from prenatal rat brain were cocultured with TH virus producing psi-2 cells that had been pretreated with the mitosis inhibitor mitomycin-C. During the first week of coculture DOPA production gradually increased to reach a plateau after 7-9 days. At this time point virtually all cells were GFAP positive and over 80% of them expressed TH. DOPA production in the transduced astrocytes was largely independent of exogenous cofactor, and DOPA release into the medium was not influenced by addition of either KCl or tetrodotoxin or by removal of Ca2+ from the culture medium, indicating that the newly synthesized DOPA was constitutively released from the cells. Transplantation of the TH-transduced astrocytes to the striatum in unilaterally 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats reduced apomorphine-induced turning by about 50% at 2 weeks postgrafting. Microscopic analysis revealed that the transduced astrocytes survived very well after transplantation and that some of the grafted cells had migrated out, partly along blood vessels, into the surrounding striatum. TH expression was observed in cells with both the appearance of mature GFAP-positive astrocytes, as well as in more immature-looking cells. However, only a few percent of all transplanted cells maintained significant expression of the transgene, as determined by TH immuno-histochemistry. The results show that primary astrocytes may be highly useful as gene carriers for ex vivo gene therapy in the CNS. With future improvement in the gene transduction procedure for more efficient, sustained expression of the TH transgene in vivo, genetically engineered DOPA-producing astrocytes hold great promise as a tool to explore the potential of ex vivo gene therapy in Parkinson's disease.

Animals↗

Conditionally immortalized neural progenitor cells grafted to the striatum exhibit site-specific neuronal differentiation and establish connections with the host globus pallidus.

The cell line RN33B has been reported to differentiate into neurons in a site-specific manner when grafted to the cortex and hippocampus of adult rats. To investigate the fate of RN33B cells in a subcortical structure, we grafted RN33B cells into the intact or excitoxically lesioned striatum of adult or neonatal rats. The total number and phenotypic characteristics of the [3H]thymidine-labeled grafted cells were analyzed at different time points after transplantation. Transplanted RN33B cells were found to survive, integrate, and differentiate into both neurons and astrocytes, and a significant proportion of the cells (approx. 10%) were found to differentiate into cells with morphological and phenotypic characteristics of medium-sized striatal projection neurons. Retrograde tracing showed that at least some of the graft-derived neurons were capable of establishing connections with one of the primary striatal targets, the globus pallidus. These findings demonstrate a remarkable capacity of the RN33B cells for site-specific neuronal differentiation in both the adult and the developing striatum and suggest that the same differentiating factors that are operating during normal neurogenesis in brain development are retained, at least to some extent, also in the adult CNS.

Adult↗

Neutrophils in mucosal secretion are functionally active.

The leucocytes in the secretion on the tonsillar surface have been regarded as inactivated and dying cells with no essential function in the defence of the underlying mucosa. In recent studies, we showed that in acute tonsillitis there are very few, if any, bacteria in the parenchyma, whereas in the secretion on the tonsillar surface there are huge numbers of bacteria and neutrophils, and furthermore, extensive phagocytosis. The present study was performed to elucidate the functional capacity of the neutrophils in the secretion on the tonsillar surface. Secretion samples were taken from the tonsillar surface of healthy volunteers with an imprint technique which allows transfer of secretion from the mucosa to a glass slide with maintained topographic position of the cells. The capacity of the neutrophils to respond to chemotactic stimuli and to phagocytize and further process labelled yeast particles was studied in this in vitro system. The results show that the neutrophils in the secretion have the same properties as in tissue, and also when having arrived in the secretion they can identify and attack new prey.

Adult↗

How beds are used at a University Hospital--a study of bed and bedside activities.

Hospital beds have to fulfil many demands, and the features of the bed will consequently affect the comfort of both patients and staff at the ward. In the present study the use of hospital beds at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Göteborg was investigated. The study was performed in two somatic wards; one general surgery ward and one internal medicine. The exact time of the observations as well as the categories of usage and activities performed on and at the bedside by the caring staff and the patients were registered. The study shows that there is a substantial difference between the two wards. In the surgery ward, the beds to a great extent play an active part in medical therapy and treatment, whereas beds in the medicine ward are used for vegetative recovery such as sleep, rest and alimentation. The personnel spent only a few hours with the patients, while they were in their beds, most of the caring occurring away from the bed. The results of the present study concerning how beds are utilized in modern hospital care should be considered when purchasing and designing hospital beds.

Bed Occupancy↗

Can a physician recognize an older driver with increased crash risk potential?

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors in a medical examination that distinguish convicted older drivers with traffic violations from other drivers. DESIGN: Matched case-control study. SETTING: Two countries in Sweden. SUBJECTS: Thirty-seven drivers older than age 65, whose driving licenses have been temporarily suspended, each matched to one control subject based on age, sex, type of driving license, year of first license, living area, educational level, and annual distance driven. MEASUREMENTS: Case and control subjects were compared with respect to medical history, medication use, blood tests, drawing and memory tests, Mini-Mental State Examination, medical status findings, visual acuity, and brain imaging procedures. MAIN RESULTS: The group of drivers with suspended driving licenses did not differ from matched controls with respect to visual acuity or presence of cardiovascular diseases. However, persons with suspended driving licenses were more likely than control subjects to have suspected or mild dementia (P < .010) and to perform less well on two easily administrated screening tests: copying a cube (P < .010) and 5-item recall (P < .010). Case subjects with crashes had significantly more cardiovascular diseases than case subjects with other moving violations (P < .050). These case subjects with crashes also had significantly more cognitive impairments than control subjects without crashes as shown by a higher clinical dementia rating score (CDR) (P < .001), lower score on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (P < .050), and lower level of performance in the copying task (cube) (P < .050) and 5-item recall test (P < .010). They also had evidence of greater cognitive impairment than those case subjects with other moving violations. CONCLUSIONS: Visual acuity and common medical examination did not distinguish convicted older drivers with crashes or other moving violations from controls. There was evidence that even mild cognitive impairment contributed to the risk of losing a driving license because of crashes.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Medical screening of older drivers as a traffic safety measure--a comparative Finnish-Swedish evaluation study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety effect of age-related medical screening of older drivers by comparing the licensing laws and accident rates for older road users in Finland and Sweden. DESIGN: Post hoc comparison of Sweden and Finland with respect to three different risk variables. SETTING: Nationwide Swedish and Finnish accident, licensing, and population data from the year 1990 were provided for the present study by the local authorities responsible for tabulating these data. PARTICIPANTS: Data about all citizens born in 1960 or earlier, i.e., aged 30 years or more in the year of measurement, are included. MEASUREMENTS: Rates of police-reported private car accidents leading to personal injury, fatality rates of private car drivers and passengers, and fatality rates of unprotected road users. RESULTS: The age-related variation in private car accident and private car fatality trends was similar in both countries. Fatalities among unprotected road users (i.e., pedestrians, cyclists, and mopedists) increased more sharply with age among the older Finnish population than among the Swedish population. CONCLUSION: We found no safety-related reasons to implement age-related medical screening of older drivers of the kind practiced in Finland. On the contrary, by producing a modal shift toward a more risky mode of travelling, this screening may indirectly lead to higher fatality rates among older road users.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Changes in cartilage proteoglycan aggrecan after intra-articular injection of interleukin-1 in rabbits: studies of synovial fluid and articular cartilage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how acute but transient inflammation affects the cartilage proteoglycan aggrecan and the value of analyses of synovial fluid to study this. METHODS: For 96 hours after a single intra-articular injection of rabbit knees with human interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) or vehicle, articular cartilage and synovial fluid were examined using a putative indicator of aggrecan synthesis (aggrecan chondroitin sulphate epitope 846), immunoreactive keratan sulphate, and total glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content. Aggrecan extractability (with 0.5 M NaCl) followed by 4 M guanidine hydrochloride extraction permitted analyses of cartilage damage, total content and aggrecan heterogeneity. Aggrecan epitopes as well as GAG were assayed in synovial fluid. Changes were related to total joint leucocyte content in synovial fluid. RESULTS: At 10 ng, IL-1 alpha produced a transient increase in synovial fluid leucocytes at six hours and 24 hours. This accompanied a reduction in content and increased extractability of GAG, which was greatest in the tibial medial compartment of the knee. Further studies of this compartment showed no change in keratan sulphate epitope content, but a transient increase in extractability in 0.5 M NaCl. Epitope 846 content and extractability were unchanged. Total contents and extractability for GAG were inversely correlated in both controls and joints injected with IL-1 alpha. These changes were accompanied by transient increases in GAG, keratan sulphate epitope, and 846 content in synovial fluid. CONCLUSION: According to the aggrecan component measured, damage to the matrix of articular cartilage was sometimes reflected by a transient increased extractability and a net loss of aggrecan. There was always an increased release of GAG, and keratan sulphate, and 846 epitopes into synovial fluid. These studies show that changes in aggrecan epitopes and GAG in synovial fluid reflect changes in cartilage metabolism induced by acute transient inflammation.

Aggrecans↗

Cellular defence in surface secretion in acute pharyngotonsillitis.

As acute pharyngotonsillitis is contagious the offensive organisms are supposed to enter mostly from the outside of the diseased person into the tonsillar secretion and tissues. To elucidate the function and the pathophysiological importance of the cellular defence system in the surface secretion of the tonsils, the cellular kinetics and spatial relations between the cellular elements in the secretion were followed during the course of acute pharyngotonsillitis in 16 patients using a newly invented imprint technique. The most prominent findings in the secretions at the start of the infections, irrespective of positive or negative bacterial culture for beta-haemolytic streptococci, were huge numbers of bacteria, great numbers of granulocytes, many of which showed signs of exhaustion and death, and extensive intracellular and frustrated phagocytosis, features highly consistent with an infectious process. During healing there were rapid and profound changes in cellular content and spatial relations towards those in secretions of healthy volunteers. However, even in the surface secretions of these subjects, bacteria, granulocytes and in some areas phagocytosis were present, albeit to a significantly lesser extent. It is concluded that a cellular defence system is constantly active in the surface secretions of the tonsils. During disease, this system is strongly activated and stressed. Based on our recent and present results it is speculated that acute pharyngotonsillitis is primarily and often only due to the emergence of an overload on the cellular defence system of the surface secretion.

Adult↗

Driver licenses as a measure of older drivers' exposure: a methodological note.

The limitations of the number of driver licenses as an estimate of driving exposure were demonstrated by comparing Finnish and Swedish driver licensing practices, licensing rates and accident rates of older drivers. In Sweden, there is no screening for older license holders, and most of them keep their licenses for life. In Finland, there is a heavy and costly medico-legal control system for older license holders, leading to both screening and self-screening. Consequently, in the two countries, the numbers of driver licenses do not reflect the numbers of active older drivers in the same manner. This difference affects the comparative accident statistics: with respect to population, Finland and Sweden have similar age trends in accidents risk, but with respect to the number of driver licenses, the Finnish older drivers seem to have a higher risk of accident than the Swedish ones. It is concluded that if group comparisons of accident risk are presented using the number of driver licenses as an estimate of exposure, the licensing legislation and practice should affect all the groups in an identical manner for the comparison to be valid.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Beds used at a university hospital--a study of functions, problems and requirements.

The comfort and functional features of hospital beds are of fundamental importance to both the patients and staff on the ward. This study investigates the types and functions of the beds used at a large university hospital in Sweden, how the head nurses experienced and valued the hospital beds in their wards, and whether the nurses were familiar with standards, regulations and purchasing routines. An inventory of all the beds for adult patients was carried out in all 55 somatic wards. Interviews were conducted with 49 head nurses, and, for comparison purposes, with one purchaser as well as one expert nurse at the Gothenburg Medical Service Administration. The inventory reveals that the different wards have very similar kinds of beds regardless of specialty or caring needs. The head nurses stated that the beds were seldom ideal and that they themselves have little influence when new purchases are made. It is concluded that the head nurses have a considerable knowledge of the functions of hospital beds, which ought to be put forward in stronger terms and which should also be taken into account when new beds are purchased and designed.

Adult↗

Imprints from the oropharyngeal mucosa: a novel method for studies of cell-kinetics and spatial relations between leukocytes, epithelial cells and bacteria in the secretion on the surface of the mucosa.

Cell-kinetics and spatial relations between the cellular elements in the secretion on the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity and the pharynx were studied with a new imprint technique whereby pieces of foam-plastic are pressed against the mucosal surfaces and then immediately against a glass slide. For visualisation of leukocytes, epithelial cells and bacteria, imprints were stained according to May Grünewald-Giemsa and with acridine orange. For visualisation and discrimination between T and B-cells, slides were stained with immunohistochemical technique using anti-CD-3 and anti-CD-19, respectively, as antibodies. Imprints were also prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that there are large numbers of morphologically intact cells in the secretions and that there are statistically significant differences between the different mucosal areas as regards numbers, types and spatial relations between the cellular elements in the surface secretions. Rather great inter- and intra-individual differences in cellular composition were observed, indicating a dynamic system. This was further documented by observation of a dominance of polymorphonuclear leukocytes on the tonsillar surface, in contrast to the dominance of mononuclear leukocytes in secretion from the mesopharynx. We consider that this new imprint method is reliable and gives representative samples from the surface secretion. The results clearly show the need for further studies concerning the physiological role of the cellular elements in the surface secretion of the oral cavity and mesopharynx.

Bacteria↗

CNS-derived neural progenitor cells for gene transfer of nerve growth factor to the adult rat brain: complete rescue of axotomized cholinergic neurons after transplantation into the septum.

A CNS-derived conditionally immortalized temperature-sensitive neural progenitor (CINP) cell line was used to generate NGF-secreting cells suitable for intracerebral transplantation. The cells were transduced by repeated retroviral infection, using a vector containing the mouse NGF cDNA under the control of the LTR promoter. Subcloning at the permissive temperature (33 degrees C) identified a highly NGF-secreting clone (NGF-CINP), which contained multiple copies of the transgene and released NGF at a rate of 2 ng/hr/10(5) cells in vitro, both at 33 and 37 degrees C, which was approximately 1 order of magnitude higher than what was possible to achieve in the heterogeneously infected cell cultures. After transplantation to the brain, the NGF-CINPs differentiated into cells with a predominant glia-like morphology and migrated for a distance of 1-1.5 mm from the implantation site into the surrounding host tissue, without any signs of overgrowth and tumor formation. Grafts of NGF-CINP cells implanted into the septum of adult rats with complete fimbria-fornix lesion blocked over 90% of the cholinergic cell loss in the medial septum and grafts placed in the intact striatum induced accumulation of low-affinity NGF receptor positive fibers around the implantation site. Expression of the NGF transgene in vivo was demonstrated by RT-PCR at 2 weeks after grafting. It is concluded that the immortalized neural progenitors have a number of advantageous properties that make them highly useful experimental tools for gene transfer to the adult CNS.

Animals↗

Intestinal mucosal injury during porcine faecal peritonitis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of intestinal mucosal injury during faecal peritonitis in pigs, the relation of such lesions to haemodynamic variables, intramucosal pH (pHi), and endothelial adherence of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs). DESIGN: Experimental laboratory study. SETTING: University department of surgery, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 57 Juvenile pigs. INTERVENTIONS: Pigs had faecal peritonitis induced (n = 39) or a sham procedure (n = 18). In addition, 15 animals were pretreated with the monoclonal CD18 receptor antibody IB4 before induction of peritonitis with the aim of preventing tissue accumulation of PMNs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Development of mucosal lesions and correlation with haemodynamic variables. RESULTS: 17/18 (94%) of control animals had normal mucosa. The incidence of mucosal lesions in animals with faecal peritonitis was 56%. Animals with severe mucosal injury (grade 4-5) had significantly lower mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, and pHi during the last hour of the experiment compared with animals without mucosal lesions. Pretreatment with IB4 did not prevent the development of intestinal mucosal injuries. Intramucosal pH decreased during sepsis and was not affected by IB4. CONCLUSIONS: Severe intestinal mucosal injury is associated with arterial hypotension, low cardiac index, and low pH. Neither the mucosal injury nor the reduction in pHi seen during porcine faecal peritonitis seemed to be leucocyte-related phenomena.

Animals↗