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Biomedical subjects

G Andersson

Publications and source records attributed to G Andersson.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Skeletal muscle changes in patients with chronic heart failure before and after treatment with enalapril.

To evaluate if enalapril treatment can influence skeletal muscle metabolism and histology we investigated 26 patients with congestive heart failure and 20 normal subjects. The patients were treated with enalapril for 3 months in addition to diuretics and digitalis. Biopsies from the lateral vastus muscle were taken before and after treatment. Citrate synthetase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and phosphorylase activities were significantly decreased in the patients compared with controls. The number of capillaries per fibre and the number of capillaries surrounding each fibre were significantly decreased among patients. After 3 months of enalapril treatment functional class improved significantly. The lactate dehydrogenase activity increased whereas the oxidative enzymes did not change significantly. The type I, II and II A fibre areas increased significantly after enalapril treatment. We conclude that patients with chronic heart failure have decreased activity of oxidative enzymes and of phosphorylase in skeletal muscle. They also have decreased capillarization in skeletal muscle. These changes were not influenced by enalapril treatment. The increase in muscle fibre area seen after enalapril treatment could be due to increased physical activity. The cause of increased muscle lactate dehydrogenase activity after enalapril treatment needs further investigation.

3-Hydroxyacyl CoA Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1996

Interleukin-1 beta and phenytoin reduce alpha 1 (I) procollagen mRNA expression in human gingival fibroblasts.

Effects of and interactions between interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and phenytoin (PHT) on alpha 1 (I) procollagen gene and protein expression in human gingival fibroblasts and its relation to prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) formation were studied. IL-1 beta (300 pg/ ml) reduced the steady-state level of alpha 1 (I) procollagen mRNA by 50% and decreased the amount of procollagen I by 35%. PHT (10 micrograms/ml) reduced the level of alpha 1 (I) procollagen mRNA by 40% but the amount of procollagen I in the medium was unchanged. In combination with IL-1 beta, PHT potentiated the inhibitory effect of IL-1 beta on alpha 1 (I) procollagen mRNA level that was accompanied by an increased PGE2 formation. Preincubation with indomethacin (10(-6) M) partially reduced the inhibitory effect of IL-1 beta as well as of IL-1 beta in combination with PHT on the mRNA level of alpha 1 (I) procollagen. The inhibitory effect of PHT was unaffected by indomethacin treatment. Addition of exogenous PGE2 (> or = 10 nM) dose-dependently reduced steady-state level of alpha 1 (I) procollagen mRNA as well as the amount of procollagen 1. The study indicates that IL-1 reduces the expression of alpha 1 (I) procollagen mRNA in human gingival fibroblasts partly by a prostaglandin endoperoxide (PGH) synthase-mediated pathway and partly by a PGH-synthase independent pathway, whereas PHT reduces alpha 1 (I) procollagen gene expression by a PGH-synthase independent pathway. The potentiation of the inhibitory effect of IL-1 induced by PHT was mediated mainly by a PGH-synthase dependent pathway.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1996

Respiratory tract colonization and infection in patients with chronic tracheostomy. A one-year study in patients living at home.

The high rate of complications, especially respiratory tract infection (RTI), reported in patients with chronic tracheostomy (CT) has discouraged physicians from using this method. However, previous studies of CT have concerned mainly hospitalized patients. We have followed the bacterial colonization patterns of the upper and lower respiratory tract and recorded all RTIs in 39 outpatients with CT during a 12-mo period. Patients were colonized with one or more potential pathogens at the stomal site and in the trachea in 95% and 83%, respectively, of all sampling occasions. Staphylococcus aureus, gram-negative enteric bacteria (GNEB), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common colonizing bacteria at these sites. Seventy percent of bronchial-protected brush cultures were negative, despite simultaneous heavy colonization of the stomal site or the trachea. Only 18 of 39 (46%) patients were treated with antibiotics because of RTIs on a total of 30 occasions during the study year. Of these, only five episodes of pneumonia in four patients were registered, corresponding to an incidence of about 10 per 100 person years. We conclude that outpatients with chronic tracheostomy can be managed with a low risk for developing severe RTIs, despite massive airway colonization with potentially pathogenic bacteria.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Elderly hearing-impaired persons' coping behavior.

Little is known about the coping behavior associated with hearing impairment. In this study, 24 elderly hearing-impaired participants participated in a structured video interview including communication faults (provocations) presented in association with sounds. The participants also completed measures of self-perceived hearing handicap, optimism, and depression. Several behaviors were coded independently by two observers using a rating scale that reached average Cohen's kappa of .75. A more conservative estimate resulted in a kappa of .50. Results showed that the provocations affected behavior differently. Especially problematic for the participants was a provocation in which the interviewer talked with his hand in front of his mouth. With one exception, no gender differences were found. Few significant relations between the assessed behaviors and self-assessed handicap, optimism, and depression were found. Hearing measurement (pure tone average and speech recognition) were not clearly related with the coping behaviors assessed. Behavioral observation techniques designed for the elderly hearing impaired should be further studied.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Predictors of daily assessed hearing aid use and hearing capability using visual analogue scales.

Following the fitting of hearing aids, 53 patients rated themselves daily during one week on visual analogue scales dealing with aspects of the hearing aids (HA) and hearing capability. Before this, the prescribing audiology assistant categorized the patient into one of four groups depending on whether she thought the patient was going to be successful or not at home after the fitting. Also compared were the effects of type of audiogram, type of hearing aid and monaural or binaural fitting on the self-assessed and audiological variables. Finally, a series of multiple regressions were performed on the data set. The results showed that the audiology assistant could predict some aspects of HA usage, but not hearing capability. Patients rated the BTE and the ITC aids as clearer than the ITE aids, but a wide range of aids were prescribed making conclusions difficult. No clear effects were found for type of audiogram or type of fitting. Multiple regressions showed that clearness of sound in the HA was the most important variable in predicting the results on hearing capability. The use of repeated daily measures is recommended in research on the effects of HA fitting.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Adhesion of human myelomonocytic (HL-60) cells induced by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and phorbol myristate acetate is dependent on osteopontin synthesis and the alpha v beta 3 integrin.

A key event in bone resorption is the attachment of osteoclasts on the bone surface. Accumulating data supports the notion that this interaction involves the matrix protein osteopontin on the bone surface interacting with a receptor of the integrin family (alpha v beta 3) at the osteoclast clear zone. Based on the recent observation that osteopontin phosphorylation appears to be required for this interaction, it is of considerable interest to delineate the structural requirements for osteopontin-mediated cell attachment. Although binding of isolated osteoclasts to osteopontin-coated surfaces involves the alpha v beta 3 integrin, this system suffers from considerable disadvantages to allow detailed studies in this respect. We have therefore turned to another cell system, HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells, to address these questions. In the presence of the phorbol ester TPA (10 nM) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (100 nM), 90% of the HL-60 cells became adherent within 24 hours and exhibited a macrophage-like appearance. Under these conditions, the osteopontin mRNA levels was elevated around 60-fold compared to the control, non-adherent cells. The absolute requirement of de novo osteopontin synthesis for the TPA and 1,25-vit D3-induced HL-60 cell adhesion was demonstrated by neutralisation of adhesion using an anti-osteopontin polyclonal antibody as well as following transfection of an antisense osteopontin phosphorothioate-modified oligonucleotide. Finally, inhibition of induced HL-60 cell adhesion by an RGD-containing peptide or by an antibody to the alpha v beta 3 integrin complex suggested that the cell-derived osteopontin interacts with this integrin. It is concluded that HL-60 cells induced to differentiate with the combination of TPA and 1,25-vit D3 can be utilised as a model system to delineate structural requirements involved in the interaction between osteopontin and the alpha v beta 3 integrin.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Iodine. Do we need an enrichment program in Denmark?

A working group was established to evaluate the need for iodine enrichment in Denmark. Judged from studies of urinary iodine excretion and one dietary survey the intake of iodine in Denmark is low compared with recommended intakes. The occurrence of non-toxic goitre is relatively high; between 9 and 13% in elderly women. Furthermore, a high occurrence of toxic goitre has been seen in the western part of Denmark. On the other hand, an increased or a high intake of iodine may lead to hyperthyroidism and thyroiditis. The working group concluded that an increase in iodine intake in the Danish population is needed and the best way to achieve this is to iodize all salt. To avoid side effects of a sudden large increase in iodine intake the initial amount of iodine in salt will only be 2 ppm.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Characterization of an anthracycline-resistant human promyelocyte leukemia (HL-60) cell line with an elevated MDR-1 gene expression.

Multidrug resistance to a variety of cytotoxic drugs is due to decreased drug accumulation at the intracellular site of drug action. When due to increased energy-dependent drug efflux, this transport change is often associated with increased expression of an efflux pump for various lipophilic compounds, for example the P-glycoprotein which is the product of the MDR-1 gene. However, previously described HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cell lines resistant to the cytotoxic effect of anthracyclines have been reported not to express P-glycoprotein. We have isolated, by drug selection, an anthracycline-resistant HL-60 cell line that, in comparison to parental drug sensitive cells, exhibits a multidrug resistant phenotype including diminished intracellular drug retention, cross-resistance to multiple cytotoxic drugs, increased expression of a monoclonal antibody C219-reactive 180 kDa P-glycoprotein detected by Western blot analysis as well as increased expression of MDR-1 mRNA as determined by Northern blot and solution hybridization/RNAse protection analyses. Evidence is presented that the anthracycline-resistant HL-60 cells have amplified the MDR-1 gene.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed1995

Primate DRB genes from the DR3 and DR8 haplotypes contain ERV9 LTR elements at identical positions.

The HLA-DRB genes of the human major histocompatibility complex constitute a multigene family with a varying number of DRB genes in different haplotypes. To gain further knowledge concerning the evolutionary relationship, the complete nucleotide sequence was determined for a region spanning introns 4 and 5 of the three DRB genes (DRB1*0301, DRB2, and DRB3*0101) from a DR52 haplotype and the single DRB gene (DRB1*08021) in the DR8 haplotype. These analyses identified as endogenous retroviral long terminal repeat element (ERV9 LTR3), inserted at identical positions in intron 5 of the functional DRB genes in these two haplotypes. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence from introns 4 and 5 including the ERV9 LTR elements revealed a strong similarity between the three expressed DRB genes. The DRB3*0101 and DRB1*08021 genes were most similar in this comparison. These findings provide further evidence for a separate duplication in a primordial DR52 haplotype followed by a gene contraction event in the DR8 haplotype. A homologous element was found in a chimpanzee DRB gene from a DR52 haplotype. This represents the first characterized ERV9 LTR element in a nonhuman species. The corresponding introns of the DRB genes in the DR4 haplotype contain no ERV9 LTRs. In contrast, these genes have insertions of distinct Alu repeats, implying distinct evolutionary histories of DR52 and DR53 haplotypes, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses of DRB introns from DR52, DR53, and DR8 haplotypes showed a close relationship between the DRB2 and DRB4 genes. Thus, the ancestral DR haplotype that evolved to generate the DR52 and DR53 haplotypes most likely shared a primordial common DRB gene.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Divorce-risk trends in Sweden 1971-1993.

"The purpose of this paper is to introduce an updated system of annual indexes of divorce risks and to use the system to display trends in divorce risks for Swedish women over the years since 1971. Divorce-risk trends turn out to have been quite different for women at different parities. Trends for women in their first marriage (the majority) are also somewhat different from trends in later marriages. After a spurt in divorces at parity 0 connected with a divorce reform in 1974, divorce risks have been quite stable for women at this parity, but they have increased steadily among married mothers, mostly as an effect of an increasing prevalence of premarital childbearing. Our indexes are produced by an indirect standardization of register data with respect to women's age at marriage, duration of marriage, and order of marriage. We also recommend standardization with respect to an indicator of premarital childbearing, which is particularly important in a population with extensive nonmarital cohabitation." (SUMMARY IN FRE)

Biology↗
PubMed1995

An evaluation of a behavioural treatment approach to hearing impairment.

Twenty-four elderly hearing impaired Ss participated in an experimental treatment study and received either behavioural group treatment or served as untreated controls. The treatment package included applied relaxation, video self-modelling, exposure, information and various coping skills. Assessments (pre-post) were conducted using a structured video-interview measuring coping behaviour. In order to evoke behavioural compensation small acoustic provocations were included in the interview. The edited videos were then rated blindly by two trained observers. Pre-post assessments also included daily registered hearing problems on visual analogue scales and a questionnaire. Finally, a one month follow-up blind telephone interview was conducted. Results showed significant beneficial effects in favour of the treatment package and support the implementation of a behavioural approach in audiological rehabilitation research.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

Characterization of three separated exons in the HLA class II DR region of the human major histocompatibility complex.

The human major histocompatibility complex, HLA, is a highly polymorphic gene region which includes the DRA and DRB genes. The number of DRB genes differs between haplotypes. The DR4 haplotype seems to be one of the most complex with five DRB loci, DRB1, DRB4, DRB7, DRB8, and DRB9, in addition to the single DRA locus. We determined the nucleotide sequences of three separated DRB exons located between the DRB4 locus and the DRA locus in the DR4 haplotype, two DRB signal-peptide exons (S1 and S3) and one DRB first-domain exon (locus designation DRB9). Sequence comparisons suggest the following order of events for the origin of these exons: DRB9 seems to be the oldest exon and has previously been detected in multiple HLA haplotypes. DRB9 is more divergent than the three other known DRB pseudogenes, all of which have been found in apes. This suggests that DRB9 arose prior to the hominoid divergence. An L1 repeat has been inserted 3' to DRB9. Subsequently, a LTR of the ERV9 retrovirus-like family was inserted into the L1 repeat. Such LTRs have recently been observed in some of the other DRB genes. The pseudogenes DRB7 and DRB8 (containing only exons 3-6) arose after DRB9. Finally, the separated signal peptide exons S1 and S3 were formed. The molecular characterization of these separated DRB exons and insertion elements further clarifies the complex evolutionary history of the HLA-DR region. These selectively neutral exons may serve as useful markers for tracing the phylogeny of HLA haplotypes.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Contribution from upper and lower airways to exhaled endogenous nitric oxide in humans.

Endogenous nitric oxide (NO) is thought to regulate many biological functions, including pulmonary circulation and bronchomotion, and it has been found in exhaled air. Our aim was to study the excretion of NO in different parts of the respiratory system. Exhaled concentrations of NO were measured by chemiluminescence in chronic tracheostomy outpatients (group 1), in patients admitted for minor abdominal surgery (group 2), and in patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) during mechanical ventilation (group 3). In awake volunteers (group 4), 0.57 L/min gas was aspirated through the nasal cavity into the chemiluminescence device. In group 1 (tracheostomy, n = 5) we detected 16 +/- 2 (mean +/- s.e. mean) parts per billion (ppb) NO when exhaling through the mouth, and a lower (P < 0.05) value of 4.6 +/- 0.8 ppb NO when exhaling through the tracheostomy. Before anaesthesia, group 2 (n = 11) exhibited 18 +/- 2.4 ppb NO in orally exhaled gas, increasing considerably during exhalation through the nose. Upon endotracheal intubation exhaled NO concentration dropped to 1.3 +/- 0.2 ppb (P < 0.05). In group 3 (ARF, n = 7) tracheal NO concentrations were 0.8 +/- 0.2 ppb. In group 4 (volunteers, n = 6) 394 +/- 23 ppb NO was recorded in air from the nasal cavity. In both healthy subjects and patients with respiratory failure a significant NO excretion occurs in the lower airways and lungs. The upper airways, especially the nose, contribute the largest amount of NO (> 90%) to exhaled air. The physiological implications of an upper airway source of NO remain to be defined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Reduction in nicotine intake and oral mucosal changes among users of Swedish oral moist snuff after switching to a low-nicotine product.

The purpose of this investigation was to assess nicotine regulation among users of portion-bag Swedish oral moist snuff (snus) when switching from an ordinary snus product (Brand A) to a low-nicotine product having only half the concentration of nicotine (Brand B). Two studies were performed to compare the short-term effects on consumption and nicotine intake of switching to low-nicotine snus with those of long-term effects. In Study 1, consumption data, soft tissue changes and nicotine intake were measured in a group of 24 habitual users of Swedish portion-bag snus, both during use of their ordinary snus (Brand A) for 2 weeks and during consumption of the low-nicotine product (Brand B) for 10 weeks. In study 2, the same data were measured during 2 weeks in a reference group of 18 snus users who had been habitual users of the low-nicotine snus (Brand B) for at least one year. Although there was no increase in number of hours of daily consumption, the amount of snus consumed increased on average by 2 grams a day (+15%) when switching from Brand A to the low-nicotine Brand B (Study 1). The Brand B reference group (Study 2) consumed about 3 grams less snus a day during the same number of hours as the subjects in Study 1 who had switched to Brand B. These results indicate that snus users compensate to a small extent for the lower nicotine delivery by increasing their consumption on short-term switching but the same does not apply to long-term users.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Comparison of the effect of the linseed extract Salinum and a methyl cellulose preparation on the symptoms of dry mouth.

The effect of a linseed extract Salinum and a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose preparation called MAS-84 was compared with regard to its effect on the symptoms of dry mouth. Twenty patients with xerostomia, who had been treated for cancer in the head and neck by radiation were recruited from the clinic for maxillofacial surgery, Malmo University Hospital. Following radiation treatment the salivation was severely reduced. The symptoms of a general feeling of a dry mouth, difficulties in chewing and swallowing, taste disturbances, problems with speech and mouth burning were registered on a subjective verbal rating scale. In addition plaque index and gingival bleeding were determined. The study design was crossover and performed single blind. The experimental period was 7 weeks. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group used Salinum and the other MAS-84 for 3 weeks. The fourth week was a wash out period and for the next three weeks the patients shifted preparation. Each of the preparations was used ad libitum. Registrations of the various parameters were undertaken on days 0, 7 and 21 of the respective period. At the initial examination all patients reported considerable disturbances from mouth-dryness. These symptoms were reduced in 15 patients during the Salinum period and in 9 during the MAS-84 period. The relief was significantly more pronounced during the use of Salinum compared to that during the use of the methyl cellulose preparation. On day 21 plaque and gingival bleeding were significantly reduced during the Salinum period but not during the MAS-84 period. The results of the present study confirm those of a previous pilot study and indicate that the linseed mucilage significantly reduced the symptoms of dry mouth. This effect increased with increasing time of saliva substitute use. The linseed mucilage Salinum appeared to be a suitable saliva replacement in mouth dry patients.

Aged↗