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Biomedical subjects

G Andersen

Publications and source records attributed to G Andersen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Expression in Escherichia coli: purification and characterization of cyclin H, a subunit of the human general transcription/DNA repair factor TFIIH.

The human cyclin H, a protein normally associated with the cyclin-dependent kinase cdk7, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli using a T7 RNA polymerase expression system and further purified to apparent homogeneity. The purified recombinant cyclin H is similar to the endogenous one according to the following criteria: molecular weight, microsequencing and mass spectra studies, ability to interact with cdk7, and regulatory kinase activity. The scale-up of cyclin H purification is described.

Affinity Labels↗
PubMed1997

Treatment of ventricular fibrillation during anaesthesia in an anaesthesia simulator.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate treatment of ventricular fibrillation (VF) occurring during anaesthesia and the use of a full-scale simulator, 80 anaesthetists in teams of two were attending a training session in the simulator Sophus. METHODS: The sessions were recorded on videotape and reviewed with the anaesthetists afterwards. Time of treatment and the sequence were registered. RESULTS: Onset time for VF was the starting point. Most of the subjects changed respiratory settings. Four teams did not change inspiratory oxygen and 17 teams did not turn off the vaporiser. Cardiac compression was initiated by all teams. DC-defibrillation was not used by two teams, with 38 of 40 teams defibrillating once, 37 twice and 29 teams three times. Adrenaline was administered by 30 of 40 teams. CONCLUSION: There was very little consistency among the teams regarding treatment for VF according to accepted algorithms. An anaesthesia simulator could be a tool for training and it is a safe way of demonstrating for the anaesthetist that certain treatment algorithms and behaviour during critical incidents are the most effective.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1996

The crystal structure of human cyclin H.

The crystal structure of human cyclin H has been solved at 2.6 A resolution by the MIR method and refined to an R-factor of 23.1%. The core of the molecule consists of two helical repeats adopting the canonical cyclin fold already observed in the structures of cyclin A [Brown et al. (1995) Structure 3, 1235-1247; Jeffrey et al. (1995) Nature 376, 313-320; Russo et al. (1996) Nature 382, 325-331] and TFIIB [Nikoilov et al. (1995) Nature 377, 119-128]. The N-terminal and C-terminal residues form a new domain built on two long helices interacting essentially with the first repeat of the molecule.

Crystallization↗
PubMed1996

[Risk factors for depression after apoplexy].

An unselected cohort of 285 stroke patients, median age 69 years, was studied for correlation between potential risk factors and the one-year incidence of post-stroke depression (PSD). The following factors correlated significantly to PSD a history of previous stroke, a history of previous depression, female gender, living alone and social distress pre-stroke. Further, social inactivity, decrease in social activity, pathological crying and intellectual impairment at one month but not functional outcome correlated to PSD. A multivariate regression analysis showed that intellectual impairment explained 42% of the variance of the mood score. Major depression was unrelated to lesion location. We conclude the etiology of PSD is a complex mixture of pre-stroke personal and social factors and stroke-induced social, emotional and intellectual handicap.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Dementia of depression or depression of dementia in stroke?

This study describes the correlation between changes in mood symptoms assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and intellectual impairment assessed by the Brief Cognitive Rating Scale (BCRS) and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS) in 166 unselected 1-year survivors after stroke, in whom post-stroke depression (PSD) has previously been described and validated. The course of intellectual impairment associated with PSD was compared with the course of intellectual impairment in non-PSD patients. In general, improvement in mood symptoms was correlated with an improvement in intellectual function. However, in 53 PSD patients improvement in intellectual performance was absent, despite the fact that the patients reported being significantly less distressed by dementia symptoms. Antidepressive medication did not lead to any improvement in MDRS score. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis of 'dementia of depression'. To the contrary, the findings indicate 'depression of dementia'.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

[Effective treatment of depression following apoplexy with citalopram].

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram in treating post-stroke depression. A six-week double-blind placebo-controlled trial was undertaken. Diagnosis and outcome were determined using the Hamilton Depression Scale, and unwanted effects were measured using the UKU side effect rating scale. Sixty-six consecutive depressed patients entered the trial 2-52 weeks post-stroke. They were assigned to equally sized treatment and placebo groups. The initial level of depression and demographic parameters were comparable in the two groups. Significantly greater improvement was seen in patients treated with citalopram (10-40 mg/day) for three and six weeks. Half of the 28 patients who entered the trial two to six weeks post-stroke recovered within a month, independent of the treatment given. This indicates a high degree of spontaneous recovery in the early phase after stroke. In contrast, placebo recovery was infrequent in patients who started treatment seven weeks or more post-stroke. No serious side effects related to the treatment were detected, those present being mild and usually transient. The trial demonstrates that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram offers an advantageous new treatment of post-stroke depression that is both safe and effective.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1995

Risk factors for post-stroke depression.

An unselected cohort of 285 stroke patients, median age 69 years, were studied for correlation between potential risk factors and the 1-year incidence of post-stroke depression (PSD). The following factors correlated significantly with PSD: a history of previous stroke, a history of previous depression, female gender, living alone and social distress prestroke. Further, social inactivity, decrease in social activity, pathological crying and intellectual impairment at 1 month but not functional outcome correlated to PSD. A multivariate regression analysis showed that intellectual impairment explained 42% of variance of mood score. Major depression was unrelated to lesion location. We conclude that etiology to PSD is a complex mixture of prestroke personal and social factors, and stroke induced social, emotional and intellectual handicap.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

Treatment of uncontrolled crying after stroke.

Uncontrolled crying after stroke is a disturbance of the motor concomitants of emotional affect. It manifests as stereotyped outbursts of crying that are excessive to an appropriate emotional response. The episodes can be triggered by almost any kind of emotional stimulus (happiness, excitement, sadness, just being looked at or talked to, the sight of a doctor, etc.) and can even occur without any obvious external or internal stimulus. The condition is socially embarrassing, and in the most severely affected patients the crying episodes can be so violent that they interfere with rehabilitation. Although frequent (1-year incidence is 20%), the condition often goes unrecognised because patients and relatives rarely complain about it spontaneously. Effective treatment has now been documented in 3 controlled studies of tricyclic antidepressants and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram. There seems to be a rationale for the latter approach to treatment, in that post-stroke pathological crying may be attributable to stroke-induced partial destruction of the serotonergic raphe nuclei in the brainstem or their ascending projections to the hemispheres. Although our knowledge of the aetiology and treatment of the condition is limited, and the need for further study is considerable, the present treatment possibilities can significantly improve quality of life for patients with this socially embarrassing and sometimes debilitating condition.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1995

[Serratia marcescens nucleases. I. Comparison of native and recombinant nucleases using electrospray mass spectrometry].

Isoforms of the natural and recombinant nucleases of Serratia marcescens were characterized by their molecular mass, which was determined by electrospray mass spectrometry. The natural nuclease was isolated from the S. marcescens B10M1 culture, whereas the recombinant nuclease was obtained from Escherichia coli MT102 cells carrying plasmid p403-SD2 with the nuclease gene nuc. The primary structure for each of the isoforms isolated from the nuclease preparations was determined by comparing its molecular mass with that of known amino acid sequence, which was determined from the nucleotide sequence of the nuc gene. Both preparations included identical nuclease variants with N-terminal amino acid residues removed. The number of isoforms in the natural nuclease was, however, significantly greater than in the recombinant nuclease. The structures of some of the isoforms were confirmed by N-terminal analysis.

Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose↗
PubMed1994

[Treatment of episiotomy wound infections. Incision and drainage versus incision, curettage and sutures under antibiotic cover--a randomized trial].

Conventional, "open" treatment of episiotomy wound infections was compared to incision, curettage and primary suture under antibiotic cover in a prospective, randomized study. During the period 1.5.1986-31.12.1988 there were 4154 vaginal deliveries with episiotomy, of which 20 (0.48%) became infected. Seventeen of these patients consented to enter the study. Median time for healing was 12 days following suture and 19 days after "open" treatment (not significant). Hospitalization time was the same in the two groups. No re-infections were seen. A need for vaginal plastic repair was found in three of nine of the conventionally treated patients and in none of the patients in the suture group (not significant). It is concluded that treatment of episiotomy wound infections with incision, curettage and primary suture under antibiotic cover is an attractive, safe ad convenient alternative treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Incidence of post-stroke depression during the first year in a large unselected stroke population determined using a valid standardized rating scale.

This study describes the development of post-stroke depression (PSD) prospectively during the first year post-stroke in 285 unselected stroke patients. An appropriate unselected population-based control group without cerebral pathology is included for comparison. Psychiatric assessment with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was undertaken unmodified. PSD was defined as HDRS > or = 13. The one-year incidence of PSD among the 209 survivors able to communicate reliably at 1 month was 41%. Most cases develop within the first months following stroke (79%), the frequency of new cases of PSD at one year being 5%, a level comparable to that in the control group. Depressed and nondepressed stroke patients consistently scored 4 points greater on total HDRS than in the corresponding controls.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Multifocal osteonecrosis related to steroid treatment in a patient with ulcerative colitis.

A case of multifocal steroid related osteonecrosis in a patient with ulcerative colitis is presented. The pathogenesis, diagnosis, natural history, and treatment of the disease is discussed briefly with emphasis on the importance of early diagnosis--preferably by magnetic resonance imaging. Early diagnosis often depends on the gastroenterologist considering the possibility of osteonecrosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Pathoanatomic correlation between poststroke pathological crying and damage to brain areas involved in serotonergic neurotransmission.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to correlate the severity of poststroke pathological crying with lesion size and location. METHODS: Twelve selected stroke patients were ranked in terms of overall clinical severity of the syndrome of pathological crying, and the size and location of the stroke lesion(s) were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: The patients with the clinically most severe pathological crying had relatively large bilateral pontine lesions without lesions in the hemispheres. The intermediate group had bilateral central hemispheric lesions, and the clinically least affected patients had mainly unilateral large subcortical lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Poststroke pathological crying may be attributable to stroke-induced partial destruction of the serotonergic raphe nuclei in the brain stem or their ascending projections to the hemispheres.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Effective treatment of poststroke depression with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram in treating poststroke depression, since available treatments are usually poorly tolerated. METHODS: A 6-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken. Diagnosis and outcome were determined using the Hamilton Depression Scale, and unwanted effects were measured using the UKU side effect rating scale. Sixty-six consecutive depressed patients from an unselected population of 285 stroke patients aged 25 to 80 years entered the trial 2 to 52 weeks after stroke. They were assigned to equally sized treatment and placebo groups. The initial level of depression was comparable in the two groups (mean baseline Hamilton Depression scores, 19.4 and 18.9, respectively). Demographic parameters were also comparable in the two groups. RESULTS: Significantly greater improvement was seen in patients treated with citalopram (10 to 40 mg/d) for 3 and 6 weeks, both when including all patients (intention-to-treat analysis, P < .05) and excluding patients who dropped out during the first 3 weeks (efficacy analysis, P < .005). Half of the 28 patients who entered the trial 2 to 6 weeks after stroke recovered within 1 month, independent of the treatment given. This indicates a high degree of spontaneous recovery in the early phase after stroke. In contrast, recovery was infrequent in placebo group patients who became depressed 7 weeks or more after stroke. No serious side effects related to the treatment were detected; those present were mild and usually transient. CONCLUSIONS: This trial demonstrates that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram offers an advantageous new treatment of poststroke depression that is both safe and effective.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Cerebral dysfunction after prolonged use of opioids].

Cerebral dysfunction due to long-term treatment with opioids is a problem of increasing relevance because of the rapidly growing use of opioids. A review of psychomotor and cognitive test methods is given, including their application in patients on long-term opioid treatment. The findings of the most valid studies on cancer patients in long-term treatment with opioids are an increase in continuous reaction time and subjective sedation score regardless of the routes of administration. Studies of drug addicts in long-term treatment with opioids seem to reflect a lowering of the general level of activity. According to recent studies, patients with chronic non-malignant pain conditions are responsible for the major part of the total opioid consumption. So far, no studies of cerebral dysfunction have been performed on this group of patients. Further research should concentrate on the use of few valid psychomotor and cognitive tests and should include patients with chronic non-malignant pain conditions.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed1993

[Renal vein thrombosis in the neonatal period].

Renal vein thrombosis is a rare disease, which most often occurs in the newborn, in premature babies with complicated deliveries, dehydration, septicaemia or congenital heart defects or in neonates delivered by diabetic mothers. Renal vein thrombosis is due to venous stasis secondary to haemoconcentration or decreased renal perfusion. The typical features are a palpable flank mass, microscopic haematuria, thrombocytopenia, leucocytosis and fever. Ultrasonographic examination shows an enlarged kidney with decreased echogenicity and loss of corticomedullary differentiation combined with hyperechoic streaks throughout the kidney. In Doppler sonography the obstruction of the peripheral veins causes a missing or even negative diastolic flow in the renal arteries. Intravenous pyelography and CT demonstrate missing or delayed excretion in the enlarged kidney. Usually the affected kidney becomes atrophic with calcifications of the renal parenchyma, the renal vein or the inferior vena cava. Therapy is symptomatic. The prognosis is dependent on the extent of the thrombus. In 25% of cases the affected kidney will improve or regain its normal function.

Heparin↗