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J Liukkonen

Publications and source records attributed to J Liukkonen.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Characterization of a novel bacterial adhesion specificity of Streptococcus suis recognizing blood group P receptor oligosaccharides.

Streptococcus suis causes sepsis, meningitis, and other serious infections in piglets, and meningitis in humans. Hemagglutination inhibition experiments with mono- and oligosaccharides and glycoproteins indicated that galactose-binding strains of S. suis recognized the Gal alpha 1-4Gal sequence present in the P1 and Pk blood group antigen structures. In thin-layer chromatography overlay assays the bacteria bound to trihexosylceramide (GbO3) but not to globoside (GbO4) or Forssman glycolipid (GbO5), in contrast to P-fimbriated Escherichia coli, which bound only to the latter two. The S. suis adhesin also differed from that of E. coli in that some of the hydrogen bonds formed with the receptor, as determined with chemically modified receptor analogues, were different. In agreement with the binding specificity, the S. suis bacteria agglutinated best among P blood group erythrocytes those of the P1k and P2k type, and from different animal erythrocytes those from rabbit, which express GbO3 as the predominant glycolipid. Binding to frozen sections of pig pharyngeal tissue was decreased by the free GbO3 oligosaccharide and its protein conjugate, which indicated that the corresponding glycolipid may function as receptor for galactose-binding strains of S. suis in pig pharyngeal epithelium.

Bacterial Adhesion↗
PubMed1993

Does ketorolac tromethamine, a new analgesic, decrease postoperative recovery time, narcotic requirements, nausea and/or vomiting, and unscheduled hospital admissions: a retrospective analysis.

This study retrospectively evaluated patients receiving intramuscular ketorolac for postoperative analgesia as compared to intravenous narcotics. Ninety-eight patients' charts were reviewed. Forty-nine subjects who received ketorolac postoperatively (intramuscularly) when entering the post anesthesia recovery unit, were matched with forty-nine subjects who had had similar diagnoses (operated on during the same eight months) who did not receive ketorolac (groups 1 and 2). All subjects received narcotics (intravenously) when complaining of pain. Variables recorded were type and duration of procedure, patient age, gender, post anesthesia recovery time, unscheduled admissions, ketorolac dose, narcotic requirements and doses, and nausea and/or vomiting. Data for each of the two groups were compared by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Groups 1 and 2 did not differ in type or duration of surgery, patient age or gender. Procedures ranged from dilatation and curettage to major spinal surgeries. Post anesthesia recovery unit times, narcotic dosages and nausea and/or vomiting were not different between group 1 and 2. The timing of administration for the ketorolac may be a reason for these results; it may be beneficial if administered intraoperatively, or intravenously (when FDA approved in the United States) during the postoperative period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Identification of N-acetylneuraminyl alpha 2-->3 poly-N-acetyllactosamine glycans as the receptors of sialic acid-binding Streptococcus suis strains.

Streptococcus suis is a common cause of sepsis, meningitis, and other serious infections in young piglets and also causes meningitis in humans. The cell-binding specificity of sialic acid-recognizing strains of Streptococcus suis was investigated. Treatment of human erythrocytes with sialidase or mild periodate abolished hemagglutination. Hemagglutination inhibition experiments with sialyl oligosaccharides indicated that the adhesin preferred the sequence NeuNAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4Glc(NAc). Resialylation of desialylated erythrocytes with Gal beta 1-3(4)GlcNAc alpha 2-3-sialyltransferase induced a strong hemagglutination, whereas no or only weak hemagglutination was obtained with cells resialylated with two other sialyltransferases. Binding of radiolabeled bacteria to blots of erythrocyte membrane proteins revealed binding to the poly-N-acetyllactosamine-containing components Band 3, Band 4.5, and polyglycosyl ceramides and to glycophorin A. The involvement of glycophorin A as a major ligand was excluded by the strong hemagglutination of trypsin-treated erythrocytes and En(a-) erythrocytes defective in glycophorin A. Sensitivity of the hemagglutination toward endo-beta-galactosidase treatment of erythrocytes and inhibition by purified poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl glycopeptides indicated that the adhesin bound to glycans containing the following structure: NeuNAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗
PubMed1992

Clinical picture and long-term course of epileptic seizures that occur during clozapine treatment.

Clozapine is an atypical neuroleptic drug that has proved to be effective in alleviating psychotic symptoms refractory to treatment with standard neuroleptic drugs. In addition to hematological side effects, an increased susceptibility to epileptic seizures during clozapine treatment has previously been described. In this report, we describe the clinical picture and electroencephalographic findings of 12 schizophrenic patients who have had from one to six clozapine-associated epileptic convulsions.

Adult↗