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Biomedical subjects

M Larsson

Publications and source records attributed to M Larsson.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Rapid ion-exchange chromatography for preparative separation of proteins. IV. Application to bovine carbonic anhydrase III from skeletal muscle.

Bovine muscle carbonic anhydrase III was purified to homogeneity by the strategy of rapid ion-exchange chromatography. The ionic exchanger used was CM-cellulose, and this is the first application of this technique on a cation exchanger. Nitrogen gas was used to pressurize the chromatographic column to accelerate the elution. The results show that proteins with high isoelectric points can also be purified in this way. The procedure is very time-saving compared with conventional chromatography, reducing the elution time five- to ten-fold. The proteins are in addition protected against oxidation by air.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Cerebrospinal fluid catecholamine metabolites in HIV-infected patients.

Twenty-eight HIV-seropositive individuals--11 asymptomatic cases, 8 with lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS), and 9 with AIDS--were investigated. Clinical staging of the AIDS dementia complex was done in the 9 AIDS patients. The catecholamine metabolites 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in CSF were determined in all the HIV patients and in 20 healthy volunteers. The CSF MHPG levels did not differ significantly between healthy subjects and HIV-infected patients at any stage of the infection. The CSF concentrations of HVA differed between the groups only during the AIDS stage. The mean CSF HVA value in the AIDS patients was 42% lower than in the healthy subjects and significantly lower than in any other stage of HIV infection (P less than .01). Patients with signs of the AIDS dementia complex had reduced CSF HVA levels, but there was no clear relationship between HVA concentration and stage of the AIDS dementia complex.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1991

Accidents in the institutionalized elderly: a risk analysis.

Among a total of 4,862 admittances to a Swedish geriatric hospital and its associated nursing homes, 827 accidents occurred in 588 patients during one year. The purpose of the present study was to establish the direct causes of these accidents and to identify possible risk factors. Information was collected from medical records, interviews with patients and staff, examination of the mental and physical state of the patients, and through reconstruction of the accidents. The investigation embraced 270 patients with 308 major accidents (fractures, sprains, open wounds, concussions and injuries to ligaments), and 318 patients with 519 minor accidents (bruises, contusions, abrasions and minor burns). Injury-free patients with nearest lower bed number in relation to patients with major accidents formed a control group. Patients with previous injuries, balance disturbances, and polypharmacy were at high risk, and intrinsic factors such as dizziness and impaired balance proved to be more significant as direct causes for the occurrence of accidents than environmental factors. The estimated risk for a patient with all these risk factors to have an accident during one year was 94%.

Accidents↗
PubMed1991

High antibody responses in rabbits immunized with influenza virus ISCOMs containing a repeated sequence of the Plasmodium falciparum antigen Pf155/RESA.

Immunostimulating complexes (ISCOMs) are spherical structures where immunogens are presented as multimers in a matrix of the adjuvant Quil A. ISCOMs have been shown to enhance the immunogenicity of several antigens important to both human and veterinary vaccine development. We have coupled a fusion protein, designated ZZ-M2, comprising eight copies of the C-terminal repeat subunit EENV of the Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage antigen Pf155/RESA and two IgG-binding domains of staphylococcal protein A (SpA), to preformed influenza virus envelope protein ISCOMs. Rabbits immunized with the conjugated ISCOMs produced high titres of antibodies even after the first injection. These antibodies reacted with the EENV repeat sequence in ELISA and with Pf155/RESA in immunofluorescence on infected erythrocytes. The antibody response, which was sustained for more than 20 weeks, was efficiently boosted and superior or equal to that obtained after immunization with ZZ-M2 in Freund's complete adjuvant. In contrast, the antibody response induced in rabbits immunized with ZZ-M2 in Syntex Adjuvant Formulation-MF (SAF-MF) was weak and of short duration. The antibodies produced after immunization with ZZ-M2 coupled to influenza virus ISCOMs mainly recognized epitopes formed by two or more EENV subunits and were highly specific for Pf155/RESA. Furthermore, the antibodies efficiently inhibited merozoite reinvasion of erythrocytes in vitro, indicating that they recognized epitopes exposed on the native antigen. In addition, the ZZ-M2-conjugated ISCOMs also induced high titres of antibodies reacting with SpA or the influenza virus envelope protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1991

A comparison between experienced and objectively demonstrated urinary leakage in 85-year old men and women.

The ability of 37 urinary incontinent 85-year old men and women to perform the 48-h pad test in their home environment was studied. Assessment of the magnitude of urinary incontinence by the 48-h pad test was compared with a subjective assessment, performed by the men and women themselves. Twenty-eight of the 37 men and women successfully performed the 48-h pad test. Early signs of dementia and defective vision were the main reasons for not completing the test successfully. The six women who considered their urinary incontinence to be slight had a maximum leakage per pad of 5.3 +/- 1.4 g. The corresponding figure for women with moderate incontinence was 48.8 +/- 12.3 g. None of the women considered their incontinence to be severe, even though eight of the women had a leakage per pad of greater than 30 g. Six men considered their incontinence to be moderate (25.0 +/- 8.1 g) and one man considered his incontinence to be severe (31 g/pad). Fourteen of the 28 men and women underestimated the magnitude of their urinary incontinence.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Inflammatory indices for chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive airway disease. Cell populations in bronchial and bronchoalveolar lavage.

The development of chronic bronchitis (CB) and chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD) seems to be related to inflammatory changes of airway structure. However, the cause and the exact location and type of these changes resulting in altered airway function are not known. Mucosal inflammation is characterized by the recruitment of granulocytes, macrophages and lymphocytes as well as by the shedding of epithelial cells. The present chapter discusses the usefulness of bronchial lavage (BL; 50 ml of lavage volume) directly followed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL; 200 ml), for the characterization and quantification of inflammation in proximal and peripheral airways, respectively. On the basis of results from the literature and a pilot study on CB patients with or without coexisting COAD, the following conclusions may be drawn: There is a profound difference in lavage cell composition and numbers between non-smokers and smokers. However, within the group of smokers there are few additional changes in cell numbers and composition when concomitant airway disease is present. The obstruction of the COAD patients is correlated to a reduced recovery of BL and BAL fluid. Furthermore, these patients seem to have a reduced number of most cell types in their BL. This diminitution is not just related to the reduced fluid recovery. The BL cells have a lower viability and BL macrophages have a reduced phagocytic capacity when compared with matching BAL cells. The viability of cells was lowest in BL from the COAD group. These findings may suggest that COAD entails a reduced transport of macrophages to the small airways and/or an enhanced turnover of these cells in the bronchi. Functional studies of lavage cells may supply additional, and perhaps more specific, information on the mechanisms involved in the inflammatory process.

Bronchi↗
PubMed1990

Seasonal variation in the phagocytic activity and arachidonic-acid metabolism of human blood monocytes in healthy non-smokers, smokers and chronic bronchitics.

Peripheral blood monocytes are precursor cells to alveolar macrophages (AMs). Many studies have been performed with a view to assessing the differences, in respect of morphology and function, between the AMs of smokers and those of non-smokers. Disturbed host-defence activity of smokers' AMs is reflected by, for instance, decreased phagocytic activity and impaired arachidonic acid metabolism. However, very little attention has been paid to the question what effects cigarette smoking and chronic bronchitis may have on the function of the precursors of these cells--the blood monocytes. The collection of blood monocytes is much less laborious than the sampling of AMs. Therefore, it would be a great advance if the deteriorated host defence in chronic bronchitis could be detected and followed by studies of blood monocytes. However, a seasonal variation in monocyte function, discussed in this paper, may counteract the advantage inherent in repeated sampling. This seasonal variation in cellular host-defence mechanisms should be taken into account when designing longitudinal intervention trials in chronic bronchitis.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1990

Renal function in rats with essential fatty acid deficiency.

1. Renal function was studied in 50-, 70-, 90- and 200-day-old rats with essential fatty acid deficiency. The pharmacokinetics of tobramycin was investigated in 90-day-old essential fatty acid-deficient rats. 2. A higher glomerular filtration rate and a higher serum concentration of urea were seen in 50-day-old essential fatty acid-deficient rats compared with age-matched controls. Later, the glomerular filtration rate progressively deteriorated in parallel with a decline in effective renal plasma flow and with a concomittant rise in serum levels of urea and creatinine. The serum concentration of protein was lower in the rats with essential fatty acid deficiency and that of sodium was higher than in the control rats. The non-renal clearance of tobramycin was increased in the rats with essential fatty acid deficiency. 3. The early hyperfiltration in essential fatty acid-deficient rats with the subsequent fall in glomerular filtration rate, which was paralleled by a rise in serum levels of urea and creatinine, as well as the increased non-renal clearance of tobramycin, are in accordance with the clinical manifestations of cystic fibrosis. Rats with essential fatty acid deficiency might be a useful model with which to study the pathophysiological renal changes in cystic fibrosis related to the progressive essential fatty acid deficiency in this disease.

Aging↗
PubMed1990

Immune activation and decreased tryptophan in patients with HIV-1 infection.

We compared tryptophan, neopterin, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) concentrations in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 22 patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Tryptophan levels were found to be decreased in CSF and serum of patients whereas neopterin levels in CSF and serum and serum IFN-gamma concentrations were increased compared to healthy HIV-1 seronegatives. Tryptophan concentrations correlated negatively to neopterin concentrations, and serum neopterin concentrations correlated positively to IFN-gamma concentrations. Thus, decrease of tryptophan levels is associated with chronic immune stimulation in patients with HIV-1 infection. From the data it appears that reduced tryptophan in patients may result from induction of indoleamine (2,3)-dioxygenase by IFN-gamma.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Food deprivation alters liver glycogen metabolism and endocrine responses to hemorrhage.

Liver glycogen content, blood glucose, insulin, glucagon, and epinephrine were determined during 1 h hemorrhagic hypotension at 60 mmHg and 23 h thereafter in fed and two groups of 24-h food-deprived rats receiving either no infusion or 30% glucose intravenously during hemorrhage. Liver glycogen content was reduced by greater than 90% after 24-h food deprivation. Fed and food-deprived rats given glucose developed similar and substantial elevations of blood glucose during hemorrhage, whereas changes in blood glucose were modest in food-deprived rats given no infusion. In fed rats, liver glycogen was reduced by 60% during the 1-h bleed, but within 2 h after hemorrhage repletion of liver glycogen content commenced. By 6 h, approximately 75% of the glycogen lost during hemorrhage had been restored, and 23 h after hemorrhage liver glycogen content was six times greater compared with nonbled controls. Although glycogen levels increased after hemorrhage in food-deprived animals, the increase was negligible compared with that found in fed rats. Infusion of glucose during hemorrhage or adrenergic blockade after hemorrhage did not alter glycogen repletion in food-deprived rats. Posthemorrhage fed animals had high levels of insulin, glucagon, and epinephrine during hemorrhage, whereas insulin levels remained low in food-deprived rats despite exogenously induced hyperglycemia. It is concluded that rapid and substantial glycogen repletion can occur even immediately poststress. The conditions seem to be related to the nutritional state at the time of the insult.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Indole amine deficiency in blood and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Twenty-four patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were investigated for possible changes in certain indole amine constituents in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Albumin in serum was determined and used as a rough nutritional marker. Six of the 24 patients had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS, four had other clinical symptoms of HIV infection, and 14 had no apparent symptoms. The HIV-seropositive patients had significantly decreased tryptophan values; their blood concentrations were 28% lower and their CSF concentrations 30% lower than corresponding values in 14 healthy controls. The blood concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were 50% lower, and the platelet content of 5-HT was 36% lower in HIV-infected individuals than in the control group. The most pronounced changes were invariably seen in the six cases with AIDS and in patients with a low number of CD4+ cells. No significant difference between controls and HIV-seropositive patients was detected in the mean CSF concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), although these levels were markedly reduced in four of the HIV patients. Neither was any significant difference seen between patients and controls in the serum concentrations of albumin.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Intermittent nursing home care. Development of an alternative to institutional care.

Intermittent care was offered as an alternative to 178 patients who were at risk of permanent nursing home care, and this proved to be feasible for 55% of these patients. Non-participation was most common due to a pronounced deterioration of health status, hesitance or sick relatives. A more detailed evaluation of this form of long-term care was made for the 27 patients who were in the programme at a specific time and were able to participate in an interview. Although the patients had advanced medical problems and disabilities (80% had balance problems, 74% urinary incontinence, etc.) the majority had a positive outlook on life and appreciated intermittent care. Also from a clinical aspect this form of long-term care proved acceptable, although a decline in performance of activities of daily living and health status was frequently observed during the periods at home.

Activities of Daily Living↗