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Biomedical subjects

M Rasmussen

Publications and source records attributed to M Rasmussen.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Brain, liver, and adipose tissue erucic and very long chain fatty acid levels in adrenoleukodystrophy patients treated with glyceryl trierucate and trioleate oils (Lorenzo's oil).

Brain, liver, and adipose lipids were studied in the postmortem tissues of four adrenoleukodystrophy patients who had been treated with a mixture of glyceryl trioleate and trierucate oils ("Lorenzo's Oil") and compared to 7 untreated ALD patients and 3 controls. The dietary therapy appeared to reduce the levels of saturated very long chain fatty acids in the plasma, adipose tissue and liver; in the brain they were reduced in only one of the four patients. While substantial amounts of erucic acid were present in some of the tissues even 12 months after therapy had been discontinued, the levels in brain did not exceed those in controls at any time. The failure of erucic acid to enter the brain in significant quantity may be a factor in the disappointing results of dietary therapy for adrenoleukodystrophy.

Adipose Tissue↗

[Asperger's syndrome].

In the revised diagnostic systems ICD-10 and DSM-IV Asperger's syndrome is listed as a subgroup under Pervasive developmental disorders. It has been argued that persons with this syndrome have similar characteristics as high functioning autists. The knowledge now available about autism is useful for understanding Asperger's syndrome, also when it comes to treatment strategies. The authors discuss differential diagnoses and assessment programmes.

Adolescent↗

SINE-like properties of a highly repetitive element in the genome of the obligate parasitic fungus Erysiphe graminis f.sp. hordei.

The genomic organization of repetitive DNA in the obligate parasitic fungus Erysiphe graminis DC ex Mérat f.sp. hordei Em. Marchal was investigated using a cosmid library of the fungal genome. Three repetitive sequences were shown to be dispersed throughout the genome, and in a few cases they were found closely associated with long poly(dA) tracts. The most prevalent sequence is 903 bp long and accounts for at least 5% of the genome. Sequence analysis revealed features resembling mammalian Short INterspersed Elements (SINEs), namely the presence of a poly(dA) tail (33 bp), flanking direct repeats (13 bp), putative "A" and "B" blocks for RNA polymerase III binding; the corresponding transcript would be capable of forming a complex secondary structure.

Ascomycota↗

[Use of psychopharmaceuticals in child- and adolescent-outpatient practice].

The use of psychotropic drugs in a child psychiatric outpatient clinic and a child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinic was studied for 1988 and 1989, using information supplied in the new registration forms for patients in child and adolescent psychiatry in Norway. 1,052 patients were registered during the period in question, which means 1-2% of the local population in the actual age groups. The percentage of patients who received psychotropic/antiepileptic drugs varied from 6.5% to 15.2%. Stimulants, usually given to hyperactive children, were clearly the medication most often prescribed. Other forms of treatment were also registered, and it seems that psychotropic drugs are given only as a supplement to patients in need of a broad therapeutic approach. The registration forms provide useful and important knowledge in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry.

Adolescent↗

Oestradiol treatment increases the sensitivity of MCF-7 cells for the growth stimulatory effect of IGF-I.

MCF-7 cells were grown in serum free medium (Dulbecco MEM without phenol red, supplemented with Costar SF-1 without insulin). Insulin was added as required and gave dose dependent growth stimulation at concentrations between 5 and 10,000 nM. Identical growth response curves were obtained for thymidine uptake and cell number. Oestradiol and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) added individually both gave a dose dependent stimulation of cell growth in serum free medium containing 50 nM insulin. The growth stimulatory effect of oestradiol was to a large extent inhibited with suramine, a general inhibitor of growth factors, indicating that the effect of oestradiol was mediated through stimulating autocrine secretion of a growth factor. To investigate a possible link between the effects of oestradiol and IGF-I, a specific IGF-I receptor antibody (alpha IR-3), 10 micrograms/ml was used. These experiments were carried out with 2.5 nM insulin in the medium, a concentration at which insulin had no growth stimulatory effect. Stimulation was carried out for 18 h before assay of thymidine uptake. The effect of oestradiol was not significantly reduced by alpha IR-3, indicating that IGF-I was not an autocrine mediator of oestradiol stimulation of cell growth under these conditions, whereas alpha IR-3 extensively reduced growth stimulation by IGF-I. On long term stimulation (5 days) oestradiol had a marked stimulatory effect on cell number and alpha IR-3 almost totally abrogated this effect. When oestradiol (1 nM) and IGF-I (2.5 nM) were added together, the combined effect on thymidine incorporation and cell number was significantly greater than additive. This synergistic effect on the IGF-I growth response was totally abolished by the IGF-I receptor antibody. The results suggest a cooperative interaction of oestradiol and IGF-I. It is concluded that growth stimulation of MCF-7 cells by long term treatment with oestradiol may be mediated through autocrine secretion of IGF-I. the effect of short term stimulation of thymidine incorporation suggest that the growth response of oestradiol is more complex, and indicate that a cooperative interaction with IGF-I is involved, which is unrelated to stimulated autocrine secretion.

Antibodies↗

The economics of an intensive education programme for asthmatic patients: a prospective controlled trial.

The costs and benefits of a planned patient education programme for patients with asthma were evaluated in a controlled trial. The patient education group received a planned patient education programme, performed by a physician, a pharmacist and a nurse over a 6-month period. Changes in the use of resources, productive output and in health status were measured for the patient education group and the control group. The total cost for planning, implementation and evaluation of the programme was 14074 British pounds sterling. The patient education group increased its contacts to general practitioners and the extra costs totalled 252 British pounds sterling. The increased costs of drugs used by the patient education group in the 6-month period was 2313 British pounds sterling compared with costs in the control group. The number of days lost through sickness decreased in the patient education group, corresponding to a 4528 British pounds sterling saving of otherwise lost earnings. The quality of life increased in the patient education group by 3.2 points on the Psychosomatic Discomfort Scale (2.9%). Health status increased by 38.9%. The study shows that the patient education programme has a positive clinical effect on the patient's quality of life and health status. The economic consequences of the implementation programme depend on the specific setup of the local healthcare system, where the programme is applied.

Asthma↗

Computer-aided forensic facial reconstruction.

The reconstruction of facial features on the human skull for identification purposes has, in the past, utilized either two-dimensional drafting or three-dimensional sculpting techniques. We have developed two- and three-dimensional computer-aided routines to minimize errors introduced by limits of artistic ability or by inconsistencies in the application of techniques. These routines allow generalized facial features to be manipulated to conform to the size and shape of a specific skull. Subtle alterations of the surface form, texture, and color, based on age, sex, and race, enhance the individuality of the generated facial form.

Adult↗

Cognitive deficits and thought disorder: II. An 8-month followup study.

Schizophrenic (n = 21) and manic (n = 19) patients were followed up an average of 8 months after an index assessment during an acute admission. These patients were tested at both assessments with laboratory tasks measuring distractibility and reality monitoring and were examined with clinical ratings of positive and negative thought disorder. For manic patients, none of the measures predicted the patients' clinical state of followup, while negative thought disorder, although rare, was temporally stable. For the schizophrenic patients, both negative thought disorder and distractibility were temporally stable, and more severe negative thought disorder was found at index assessment in patients who were psychotic at followup. The differential utility of laboratory and clinical indices for the prediction of overall clinical state is related to these data.

Adult↗

Retinol and retinyl esters in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Liver retinoid levels and the retinyl esters were examined in liver biopsy specimens from 70 patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver diseases. There was a wide variation in the liver retinoid levels. The liver retinoid level was statistically significantly lower in 15 patients with alcoholic liver disease and a depressed Normotest (NT) value of less than 65% compared with patients with alcoholic liver disease and a normal NT value of greater than 65% (P less than 0.01). The mean serum retinol level in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis was 0.68 +/- 0.38 mumol/l compared with 1.99 +/- 1.14 mumol/l in patients with alcoholic fatty liver (P less than 0.03). The relative amount of retinyl oleate was increased in the alcoholic fatty liver compared with the nonalcoholic fatty liver (P less than 0.001).

Adult↗