Biomedical subjects

M Lindberg

Publications and source records attributed to M Lindberg.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2001

Regulation of insulin-like growth factor-I and thioredoxin expression by estradiol in the reproductive tract of the prepubertal female lamb.

Estradiol (E(2)) has been shown to be an important uterine growth promoting molecule in the ovariectomized (ovx) rat, which increases the mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and the redox enzyme thioredoxin. The aim of this study was to explore the role of E(2) in the regulation of IGF-I and thioredoxin in the reproductive tract of the prepubertal female lamb. Twenty 3-month-old lambs were treated with i.m. injections of E(2) at 24 h intervals. The animals were sacrificed 12 or 24 h after the last injection, and 72 h was the longest treatment period. The mRNA levels of thioredoxin and IGF-I were determined by a solution hybridization technique. There was a 5-fold increase in the cervical IGF-I mRNA level 12 h after the first E(2) injection. The uterine IGF-I mRNA level was doubled after 12 h and this increase was maintained during the rest of the experimental period. The IGF-I mRNA level in the oviducts was more than doubled 12 and 24 h after the E(2) injection, then the level decreased towards the initial level. The thioredoxin mRNA level in the cervix was increased 4-fold after 24 h, whereas no significant effect was seen in the uterus. The thioredoxin mRNA level in the oviduct was more than doubled 12 and 24 h after the first E(2) injection. Thus, estradiol regulates the expression of IGF-I and thioredoxin in the reproductive tract of prepubertal lambs.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Botulinum A toxin improves life quality in severe primary focal hyperhidrosis.

Focal hyperhidrosis is a condition that may disturb emotional, social and professional life. Treatment options for severe cases are surgical sympathectomy and local chemical sweat gland denervation by intradermal injections of botulinum toxin A (Btx A). The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is a simple validated questionnaire designed to measure and compare disability in different skin diseases. The aim of this study was to assess quality of life with the DLQI before and after treatment with botulinum toxin injections in a group of patients with severe hyperhidrosis. DLQI was administered to 58 randomly chosen patients before and after treatment. All patients answered the DLQI questionnaire prior to treatment and 53/58 at mean 5.2 months after treatment. The mean DLQI score in the 58 patients before treatment was 10.3 (2-23). In the group of 16/53 patients who had a relapse of sweating when answering the DLQI a second time, no significant improvement was seen [score 10.6 before and 8.8 after treatment (P = 0.21)]. In patients without relapse, a 76% improvement was obtained (DLQI was reduced from 9.9 to 2.4; P < 0.0001). The study showed that focal hyperhidrosis may considerably reduce life quality and the disability experienced by the patients can be largely reversed by botulinum toxin injections.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Asthma care and factors affecting medication compliance: the patient's point of view.

OBJECTIVE: To identify important factors that can influence patient compliance with prescribed medication and to elucidate aspects of asthma care from the patient's point of view. DESIGN: Field investigation; the interviewer used a semi-structured questionnaire. SETTING: Patients with asthma in primary health care settings in Sweden. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 77 patients was randomly selected from 11 primary health care centres in southern Sweden; 63 of these patients participated in the study. CONCLUSION: The factors of importance for self-reported compliance with prescribed medication were age, gender, duration of the disease, the attitude of the staff and information/education about asthma. The patients expressed important aspects of care, and these are in accordance with how an asthma nurse practice functions in Sweden.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Characterization of Chlamydia trachomatis omp1 genotypes among sexually transmitted disease patients in Sweden.

A method for detection and genotyping of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections based on omp1 gene amplification and sequencing was developed. DNA was extracted from urogenital or urine samples using a Chelex-based method, and an approximately 1,100-bp-long fragment from the omp1 gene was directly amplified and sequenced. Genotyping was performed by BLAST similarity search, and phylogenetic tree analysis was used to illustrate the evolutionary relationships between clinical isolates and reference strains. The method was used to determine the genotypes of C. trachomatis in 237 positive urogenital and/or urine specimens collected at a Swedish sexually transmitted disease clinic during 1 year. The most common genotypes corresponded to serotypes E (47%) and F (17%). The omp1 gene was highly conserved for genotype E (106 of 112 samples without any mutation) and F (41 of 42 samples without any mutation) strains but appear slightly less conserved for genotypes G (n = 6) and H (n = 6), where the sequences displayed one to four nucleotide substitutions relative to the reference sequence. Genotyping of samples collected at the follow-up visit indicated that two patients had become reinfected, while three other patients suffered treatment failure or reinfection. One woman appeared to have a mixed infection with two different C. trachomatis strains. This omp1 genotyping method had a high reproducibility and could be used for epidemiological characterization of sexually transmitted Chlamydia infections.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Instrumental and dermatologist evaluation of the effect of glycerine and urea on dry skin in atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Moisturising creams are useful treatment adjuncts in inflammatory dermatoses and have beneficial effects in the treatment of dry, scaly skin. The effects on dryness and skin permeability of a new moisturising cream with 20% glycerine was compared with its placebo and with a medicinally authorised cream with 4% urea (combined with 4% sodium chloride) in the treatment of dry skin. METHODS: Patients (n=109) with atopic dermatitis were treated for 30 days with a moisturiser in a randomised, parallel and double-blind fashion. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin capacitance were assessed instrumentally, and changes in the dryness of the skin were assessed by the dermatologist. RESULTS: No difference in TEWL was found between glycerine treatment and its placebo, whereas a lower value was found in the urea-treated area compared to the glycerine-treated area. No difference in skin capacitance was found. The clinical assessment of dryness showed urea to be superior to glycerine in treating the condition. CONCLUSIONS: Moisturising creams are different, not only with respect to composition but also with respect to their influence on skin as a barrier to water in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Unexpected skin barrier influence from nonionic emulsifiers.

Skin disorders are often treated with creams containing various active substances. The creams also contain emulsifiers, which are surface-active ingredients used to stabilize the emulsion. Emulsifiers are potential irritants and in the present study the influence of stearic acid, glyceryl stearate, PEG-2, -9, -40, and -100 stearate, steareth-2, -10 and -21 on normal as well as on irritated skin have been evaluated with non-invasive measurements. Test emulsions were created by incorporating 5% emulsifiers in a water/mineral oil mixture (50:50). The emulsions and their vehicle were then applied to normal skin for 48 h and to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) damaged skin for 17 h in aluminum chambers. Twenty-four hours after removal of the chambers the test sites were evaluated for degree of irritation. In normal skin, the emulsifiers induced significant differences in TEWL but not in skin blood flow. Five of the emulsifiers increased TEWL. In SLS-damaged skin an aggravation of the irritation was expected. However, no differences regarding skin blood flow was noted from the emulsifiers. Furthermore, three emulsifiers unexpectedly decreased TEWL. These results highlight the possibility of absorption of these emulsifiers into the lipid bilayer, which increase TEWL in normal skin and decrease TEWL in damaged skin.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMed2000

A novel IS-like element frequently inserted in a putative virulence regulator in bovine mastitis isolates of Streptococcus dysgalactiae.

Streptococcus dysgalactiae, a Lancefield group C streptococcus, is commonly isolated from bovine mastitis. We recently identified a putative regulon in two S. dysgalactiae strains, 8215 and Epi9, consisting of two consecutive genes, dmg and dem, coding for a possible regulatory protein and an M-like protein with fibrinogen- and IgG-binding-properties, respectively. During these studies a short sequence homologous to an IS element was found to be inserted in the dmg gene of strain 8215. The present investigation describes the complete sequence of this IS-like element, named ISSdy1, which consists of 1218 bp and contains two ORFs, flanked by imperfect repeats. The nucleotide sequence of the IS-like element shows 82% identity to the previously reported sequence of IS199 from Streptococcus mutans V403. The deduced amino acid sequences of the ORFs also revealed high homology to transposases from IS elements in Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, and Shigella dysenteriae, all belonging to the IS3 family. We studied the distribution of ISSdy1 in 57 S. dysgalactiae isolates using PCR analysis with specific primers derived from the IS element. Ninety-eight percent of the isolates contained the ISSdy1 element. Surprisingly, in the majority of studied strains a copy of the IS-like element was found to be inserted in the dmg gene, a putative virulence regulator.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2000

Immunocytochemical distribution of the GABA(B) receptor splice variants GABA(B) R1a and R1b in the rat CNS and dorsal root ganglia.

The anatomical distribution of the GABA(B) receptor (GBR) splice variants GBR1a and 1b in the CNS has not previously been studied. In the present study, distribution of the splice variants was mapped using immunohistochemistry. Polyclonal antibodies against splice variant unique epitopes were raised in rabbits. Affinity purified antibodies were used according to routine immunohistochemical procedures in sections from the rat CNS or dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The staining intensity was high in the cerebral cortex but lower in basal ganglia and the hippocampus. In the cerebellum, there was a marked difference in the distribution of GBR1a- and 1b-like immunoreactivity (LI). GBR1a-LI was preferentially localised in the granule cell layer whilst GBR1b-LI was mostly found in Purkinje cells and in the molecular layer. Cell bodies of the deep cerebellar nuclei stained for the GBR1a antibody while terminals surrounding the cell bodies were strongly labelled with the GBR1b antibody. A similar pre- vs postsynaptic pattern was seen in several nuclei ventral or caudal to the cerebellum (e.g. the cochlear nucleus, the facial nucleus, the spinal cord) but not in regions rostral to the cerebellum. In the spinal cord, strong labelling for both antibodies was seen in the dorsal horn. The GBR1b but not the GBR1a antibody stained tanycytes in the epithelium of the 3rd ventricle and in the central canal at the brain stem level. DRG neurons were positive for both the GBR1a and 1b antibody, but the former stained the cells much more intensely. Satellite cells were labelled with the GBR1b antibody. The most important aspect of these findings is that in some nuclei, GBR1b may mediate inhibition of transmitter release while in the same regions, GBR1a may mediate postsynaptic inhibition. Further, the observations support previous findings that GBR1b is the predominant splice variant in Purkinje cells.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Asthma, skin symptoms, and allergy in a condom factory.

BACKGROUND: Cases of occupational asthma have been reported in condom factories in the UK and France, but there has been no epidemiologic study of groups of workers in such factories. This investigation aimed to study the prevalence of symptoms in a Swedish condom factory, to determine groups at special risk, and to suggest preventive measures. METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to 35 employees, 29 women and six men with mean ages of 37 and 32 years, respectively. All subjects were interviewed by a physician and underwent skin prick test with latex and epicutaneous testing with 39 substances, and blood samples were taken for allergy testing. RESULTS: Phadiatop was positive in 23%, RAST against Lycopodium in 31%, and RAST against latex in one of these 11. Ten subjects (29%) had work-related nose/eye symptoms; of these, eight had positive RAST to Lycopodium; three also had symptoms of occupational asthma and contact urticaria. Only one had positive RAST to latex. Five of the nine subjects with positive Phadiatop also had positive RAST to Lycopodium. All those with RAST positive to Lycopodium had worked in packaging, the area of the factory with the greatest exposure. The results of the patch tests did not correlate with the work-related symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In a Swedish condom factory, there were a high prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis and a small number of cases of asthma and contact urticaria caused by allergy to Lycopodium.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

The use of protective gloves and the prevalence of hand eczema, skin complaints and allergy to natural rubber latex among dental personnel in the county of Uppsala, Sweden.

During the past decade, there has been an increasing problem with acrylate allergy and natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy among dental personnel. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of these problems among dentists, dental nurses and dental hygienists in Uppsala county, Sweden. The study was based on a self-administered questionnaire sent to 690 persons with 527 responders (76%). The most common skin problem was dry skin, fissures and/or itching on the hands. Of the 72 persons (13.6%) reporting to have suffered from hand eczema during the past 12 months, 41 were patch tested with the TRUE Test standard series and the Swedish dental screening series. In the patch tested group, 9.8% reacted to 1 or more of the acrylates. In addition, 389 persons were tested for NRL allergy with the Pharmacia Upjohn CAP-RAST test, and of these, we found 7.2% to be positive. The prevalence of self-reported hand eczema and the number of positive CAP-RAST tests differed between the 3 occupations, with higher figures for the dentists. There was also a correlation between atopic eczema and hand eczema. Of those reporting skin symptoms, 67.7% connected them to the place of work and 28.8% related them to the use of gloves.

Acrylates↗

PubMed2000

X-ray microanalysis of cultured keratinocytes: methodological aspects and effects of the irritant sodium lauryl sulphate on elemental composition.

Irritant substances have been shown to induce elemental changes in human and animal epidermal cells in situ. However, skin biopsies are a complicated experimental system and artefacts can be introduced by the anaesthesia necessary to take the biopsy. We therefore attempted to set up an experimental system for X-ray microanalysis (XRMA) consisting of cultured human keratinocytes. A number of methodological aspects were studied: different cell types, washing methods and different culture periods for the keratinocytes. It was also investigated whether the keratinocytes responded to exposure to sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) with changes in their elemental composition. The concentrations of biologically important elements such as Na, Mg, P and K were different in HaCaT cells (a spontaneously immortalized non-tumorigenic cell line derived from adult human keratinocytes) compared to natural human epidermal keratinocytes. The washing procedure and time of culture influenced the intracellular elemental content, and rinsing with distilled water was preferred for further experiments. Changes in the elemental content in the HaCaT cells compatible with a pattern of cell injury followed by repair by cell proliferation were seen after treatment with 3.33 microM and 33 microM SLS. We conclude that XRMA is a useful tool for the study of functional changes in cultured keratinocytes, even though the preparation methods have to be strictly controlled. The method can conceivably be used for predicting effects of different chemicals on human skin.

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMed2000

An immunohistochemical analysis of cytokine expression in allergic and irritant contact dermatitis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the specific and non-specific inflammatory responses to allergens and irritants give rise to immuno-histochemical detectable differences in the cytokine profile in the skin. Skin biopsies taken at 0, 6, 24 and 72 h from contact allergic reactions to nickel and from irritant reactions to sodium lauryl sulphate were analysed. The main finding was that the dermal cells expressed similar patterns of cytokines (IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10) in both types of contact reaction at 72 h. However, two differences were observed. Staining for the IL-1 receptor antagonist was more prominent in the dermis at the late stages of the allergic reaction compared with the late stage of the irritant reaction. The other difference was an increased interferon-gamma staining of infiltrating mononuclear inflammatory cells in the dermis in the sodium lauryl sulphate group compared with the nickel group. A more rapid general onset of cytokine production was found in the sodium lauryl sulphate group than in the nickel group. The main conclusion of this study was that after 6 h the cytokine patterns did not differ between the specific and the non-specific inflammatory responses in the skin.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Patient questionnaires in primary health care. Validation of items used in asthma care.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate each item in a patient questionnaire for the purpose of investigating whether the validity of each item is acceptable. DESIGN: The questionnaire was completed by the patients at an ordinary follow-up visit for their asthma, and within 1 week a nurse interviewed them by telephone with the aim of analysing the validity of each item through the use of predetermined criteria. SETTINGS: Patients with asthma in primary health care settings in Sweden. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-one patients were consecutively included from three different primary health care units. RESULTS: Nine of 13 items had an acceptable validity. The four items that were not found to have acceptable validity were developed further. CONCLUSION: Evaluating each item in a questionnaire by means of interviews with the specific patient population is a useful method of assuring that the intention of the patient questionnaire has been met.

Asthma↗

PubMed2000

Similarity solutions and collapse in the attractive gross-pitaevskii equation

We analyze a generalized Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation involving a paraboloidal trap potential in D space dimensions and generalized to a nonlinearity of order 2n+1. For attractive coupling constants collapse of the particle density occurs for Dn>/=2 and typically to a delta function centered at the origin of the trap. By introducing a special variable for the spherically symmetric solutions, we show that all such solutions are self-similar close to the center of the trap. Exact self-similar solutions occur if, and only if, Dn=2, and for this case of Dn=2 we exhibit an exact but rather special D=1 analytical self-similar solution collapsing to a delta function which, however, recovers and collapses periodically, while the ordinary GP equation in two space dimensions also has a special solution with periodic delta function collapses and revivals of the density. The relevance of these various results to attractive Bose-Einstein condensation in spherically symmetric traps is discussed.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Expression of staphylococcal protein Sbi is induced by human IgG.

Protein Sbi is an IgG- and beta(2) glycoprotein I-binding protein on the surface of Staphylococcus aureus. In most strains, the amount of protein Sbi on the cell surface is very low under normal growth conditions. However, here we show that after growth in the presence of human serum, the amount is significantly increased. In S. aureus strain 8325-4, the observed increase is concentration-dependent and the highest level is found approximately 2 h after serum addition. The active molecule in serum was found to be IgG, which causes an increase of surface-located protein Sbi in S. aureus strain 8325-4, in the clinical isolates tested as well as in protein A-negative mutants. Thus, the results suggest that binding of IgG to protein Sbi upregulates protein Sbi synthesis.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

M-like proteins of Streptococcus dysgalactiae.

Streptococcus dysgalactiae is one of the most important bacterial species isolated from bovine mastitis. To identify potential virulence factors of this species we prepared chromosomal DNA from strain 8215 and constructed a phage display library. By affinity selection of the library against fibrinogen (Fg), we isolated and characterized a gene, called demA, encoding a protein with the molecular mass of approximately 58 kDa, called DemA, displaying both plasma protein binding properties and sequence similarities with the M and M-like proteins of other streptococcal species. Purified recombinant DemA protein was found to completely inhibit Fg-binding to cells of S. dysgalactiae. A continued sequence analysis revealed that the demA gene was preceded by an open reading frame (dmgA) coding for a putative protein, called DmgA, with high similarities to the Mga proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes. By additional cloning, the corresponding dmgA and demA genes from another strain, called Epi9, were isolated and analyzed. These genes, called dmgB and demB, respectively, revealed a high degree of similarity to the corresponding genes in strain 8215. Increased binding of Fg by cells of strain Epi9, grown in an atmosphere with 10% CO(2), was correlated to an enhanced transcription of the demB gene as shown in a Northern blot. Strain 8215 did not respond to CO(2), which could be explained by a nonfunctional dmgA gene due to insertion of an insertion sequence element. Based on sequence similarities of the described proteins to Mga, M, and M-like proteins and the response to elevated level of CO(2), we suggest that the dmg and dem genes are members of a regulon similar to the described mga regulon in S. pyogenes, which encodes several virulence factors in this species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2000

Typhlitis as a presenting manifestation of acute myelogenous leukemia.

We describe a case of typhlitis with onset before diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia or initiation of chemotherapy. Typhlitis is usually seen as a complication of chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies. It is being reported with increasing frequency in association with other disease states that produce profound neutropenia.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Irritant-induced keratinocyte proliferation evaluated with two different methods: immunohistochemistry and X-ray microanalysis.

Keratinocyte proliferation in normal human skin was induced by application of irritants: sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or non-anoic acid (NAA). Each irritant was applied at three different concentrations to normal human skin in vivo under occlusion for 24 h. The irritative response was visually assessed for erythema, and the number of cycling cells was calculated from the number of Ki67 positive cells in cryosections from skin biopsies taken at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. In addition, to determine the elemental content of the epidermal cells during the response, two epidermal strata were examined by X-ray microanalysis (XRMA). Both the application of SLS and that of NAA resulted in erythema, and the number of Ki67 positive cells was increased at 48 h. XRMA revealed an initial increase in the sodium/potassium (Na/K) ratio, indicating cell membrane injury. Due to an increasing potassium (K) concentration the Na/K ratio decreased after 24 h, which is compatible with proliferation, in accordance with the Ki67 data. This was more evident in SLS-stimulated skin, where also the concentrations of magnesium (Mg) and phosphorus (P) increased, an observation commonly made in proliferating cells. It appears that application of SLS results in a period of cell damage lasting about 24-48 h, followed by a period of proliferation. The effects of NAA appear more complicated, and proliferation may take place in parallel with cell damage.

Adult↗