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Biomedical subjects

P Jensen

Publications and source records attributed to P Jensen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Herpes virus-like DNA (HHV-8) in immunosuppressive therapy-related, HIV-related and classical Kaposi's sarcoma in Norwegian patients.

The recently discovered human herpes virus 8 (Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma. Using polymerase chain reaction we detected DNA sequences of this herpes virus in 11 of 14 biopsy specimens from Kaposi's sarcoma in Norwegian patients, including the immunosuppressive therapy-related type (3 of 3), the HIV-related type (4 of 5), and the classical type (4 of 6). The results support the hypothesis of a role for human herpes virus 8 in all types of Kaposi's sarcoma independent of geographical area.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Pain patterns after distension of the gallbladder in patients with acute cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: Visceral pain is characterized by poor pain localization and a referred or radiating pain pattern. Its clinical importance in the abdomen is stressed by the finding that about one-third of patients still complain of abdominal pain after cholecystectomy. A better understanding of symptoms arising from the gallbladder and the underlying pathophysiology is therefore desirable. The aim of the present study was consequently primarily to characterize the symptom patterns after distension of the gallbladder. Secondary aims were to describe the pressure-volume relation in the gallbladder and the cystic duct opening pressure. METHODS: Twelve patients (nine women, three men) treated with cholecystostomy for acute cholecystitis were investigated. Simultaneous cholescintigraphy and measurement of changes in intraluminal gallbladder pressure after injections of saline through a gallbladder catheter were performed. After each injection of saline the localization of pain and the presence of nausea and vomiting were registered. The injections continued until the patient felt abdominal pain necessitating cessation of the investigation or until the cystic duct opened (visualized on cholescintigraphy). RESULTS: Distension of the gallbladder caused pain in 10 of the 12 patients. In 70% the pain was localized under the right costal margin or in the epigastrium. No mathematical formula could describe the pressure-volume relation in the gallbladder. The cystic duct opening pressure varied between 3 and 44 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: Pain caused by increased gallbladder pressure is localized mostly, but not always, under the right curvature and in the epigastrium. A substantial variation in cystic duct opening pressure was found.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

Crime in Huntington's disease: a study of registered offences among patients, relatives, and controls.

OBJECTIVES: Criminal behaviour has been described as a problem in Huntington's disease, but systematic studies including control groups have been missing. Based on information from Danish registries, rates and types of crime committed by patients with Huntington's disease, non-affected relatives, and controls were studied. METHODS: 99 males and 151 females with Huntington's disease were compared with 334 non-affected first degree relatives (134 men and 200 women) and to matched control groups as to frequencies and types of registered criminal convictions. Due to specific age criteria, the group of relatives comprised only about 9% carriers of the gene coding for Huntington's disease. RESULTS: In male patients, crime rates were significantly increased compared with first degree relatives (RR=2.8) and controls (RR=2.3). All types of crime occurred more often in male patients; more severe crimes (murder, rape, arson) were not reported. Rates of drunken driving were significantly increased compared with relatives (RR=3.8) and controls (RR=7.1). Crime rates were neither increased in female patients nor in male and female first degree relatives. CONCLUSION: The results indicate increased prevalence of criminal behaviour in males carrying the gene for Huntington's disease. The crimes committed seem to be of relatively minor severity and are probably closely linked to the personality changes often seen as a result of the disease process, although depressive reactions to the disease, with secondary alcohol misuse, may also play a part. Environmental and familial factors shared by patients and non-affected at risk persons seem to be of less aetiological importance.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Sarcolemmal glucose transport and GLUT-4 translocation during exercise are diminished by endurance training.

Glucose utilization during exercise of a given submaximal power output is decreased after endurance training. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mechanisms behind this phenomenon by utilizing the sarcolemmal giant vesicle technique. Eight healthy young untrained men endurance trained one thigh for 3 wk. They then exercised both thighs simultaneously at the same work load (77% of peak O2 uptake of the untrained thigh) for 40 min. Training increased muscle GLUT-4 protein by 70% (P < 0.05). Glucose uptake during exercise was 38% lower (P < 0.05) in the trained (T) thigh than in the untrained (UT) thigh because of both a lower (P < 0.05) glucose extraction and blood flow in T. During exercise, sarcolemmal GLUT-4 protein content and glucose transport capacity increased significantly less in T than in UT muscle, and muscle glucose concentration was lower in T compared with UT (P < 0.05) at the end of exercise. It is concluded that, despite a large increase in muscle GLUT-4 with endurance training, exercise of a given submaximal power output increases muscle glucose uptake less in T than in UT muscle. It is suggested that the mechanism behind this phenomenon is blunted exercise-induced translocation of GLUT-4 to the sarcolemma, resulting in a blunted increase in sarcolemmal glucose transport in T muscle.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Smoking cessation, physicians, and medical office staff. Clinical tobacco intervention in Prince Edward Island.

OBJECTIVE: To assess attitudes and self-reported behaviours of physicians and medical office staff in Prince Edward Island concerning clinical tobacco intervention (CTI). DESIGN: Mail survey of PEI primary care physicians and their medical office staff. Most surveys were not mailed back but picked up in person by research staff. SETTING: Primary care settings in PEI. PARTICIPANTS: All active primary care physicians in PEI identified in the Canadian Medical Association database and medical office staff. Respondents included 63/88 (71.6%) physicians and 59/88 (67.0%) medical office staff. Fifty-seven physicians and medical office staff surveys overlapped. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Attitudes and self-reported behaviours in CTI. RESULTS: More than 70% of the time, 68.3% of physicians reported asking new patients about their smoking behaviour and 66.7% reported that they listen to and acknowledge patients' feelings and fears about stopping smoking. Close to half (43.3%) of physicians reported thinking about or planning to do more CTI. Physicians and medical office staff reported that staff had limited involvement in methods to cue smoking interventions. Only half (50.8%) of physicians reported that their offices are well set up to identify smokers and to help them quit smoking. Offices were well set up for CTI if physicians perceived that office staff had an active role in CTI and if follow-up visits were frequently arranged. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified apparent opportunities for improving CIT, particularly in the areas of physician training, involvement of medical office staff, and awareness of billing codes. This could improve the quality of preventive care for patients in PEI.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Expression of glutamate receptor subunits in alpha-motoneurons.

Whole-cell recordings from 6.5 day embryonic chick alpha-motoneurons indicated the presence of AMPA, kainate, and NMDA glutamate receptor subtypes in each motoneuron tested. AMPA consistently evoked a desensitizing response, while kainate could evoke either a desensitizing or non-desensitizing whole-cell response. In excised membrane patches, desensitizing AMPA responses appeared to be colocalized with non-desensitizing kainate responses. Desensitizing kainate responses were seen in some patches which were not responsive to AMPA, suggesting that kainate selective subunits and AMPA selective subunits localize separately on the motoneuron membrane. To determine which of the known glutamate receptor subunits might underlie these responses, we used RT-PCR amplification to detect subunits present in mRNA isolated from adult rat spinal cord and from a highly enriched motoneuron population from embryonic chick. Sequencing of the amplified cDNA was used to verify the identity of the products and of the alternative splice variants of GluR1-4. In rat spinal cord, all subunits that we attempted to detect, including AMPA selective subunits GluR1-4, kainate selective subunits GluR5-7 and KA1-2, and NMDA subunit NR1 were present. The isolated motoneurons also contained AMPA subunits GluR1, 2, and 4, and kainate subunits GluR6 and 7. The GluR2 and 4 subunits were specifically processed by splicing, present primarily as the flip splice form.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Use of curettage in the treatment of skin tumors].

Many skin tumours can be diagnosed and treated with minimal equipment in general practice. The author describes the indications and technique of curettage for treatment of seborrhoeic warts, simple warts, and molluscum contagiosum, and basal cell carcinomas.

Basal Cell Carcinoma↗
PubMed1997

Membrane associated fatty acid binding protein (FABPpm) in human skeletal muscle is increased by endurance training.

Endurance training increases the capacity for utilization of fatty acids. Since fatty acids are believed to enter cells via facilitated diffusion a possible mechanism behind this adaptation to training might be a training-induced increase in membrane content of putative fatty acid transporters. We investigated whether the expression of the 40 KD membrane associated fatty acid binding protein (FABPpm) in skeletal muscle is increased with endurance training in man. The FABPpm was detectable in a crude membrane preparation from human skeletal muscle. Three weeks of intense one-legged endurance training increased (p < 0.05) the content of FABPpm by 49% whereas in the untrained control muscle no change was observed. In addition, the activity of citrate synthase was increased (p < 0.05) by 20% in the trained compared with the untrained muscle. It is concluded that expression of FABPpm in human skeletal muscle is increased with endurance training consistent with a role of FABPpm as a sarcolemmal fatty acid transporter.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Laparoscopic fundoplication in gastroesophageal reflux].

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a chronic disorder requiring lifelong medical therapy or surgery. In the present study we evaluated the postoperative course and effect of laparoscopic fundoplication on GORD in 27 patients with a median age of 44 (range 27-73) years. Fifteen were operated on with a Watson procedure, and 12 patients had a Nissen procedure. Median stay and convalescence after surgery was one and 10 days respectively. Three patients had to be converted into open surgery (bleeding: two, unclear anatomy: one). No major complications were seen, but four patients had postoperative complications (stenosis requiring dilatation: one, subcutaneous emphysema: one, wound sepsis: one, hernia: one. The two latter complications were seen in converted patients). Two patients had prolonged dysphagia, and two patients needed slight dietetic advice for gasbloat syndrome. In 25 of 27 patients good control of GORD was accomplished as judged by symptomatology, endoscopy and 24-hour pH measurements. It is concluded that laparoscopic fundoplication offers good control of GORD with few complications, and short hospital stay and convalescence.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The Effects of Nonzero Total Electron Spin in the X ; 3 B 1 State of Methylene CH2

We report here how we have incorporated the effects of a nonzero total electron spin in the MORBID Hamiltonian and computer program [P. Jensen, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 128, 478-501 (1988); J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. 2 84, 1315-1340 (1988); in "Methods in Computational Molecular Physics" (S. Wilson and G. H. F. Diercksen, Eds.), Plenum Press, New York, 1992] for calculating the rovibronic energies of a triatomic molecule directly from the potential energy function. The spin-spin and spin-rotation Hamiltonian terms, given in a form depending on the vibrational coordinates, have been expressed in terms of isotope-independent functions and added to the MORBID rotation-vibration Hamiltonian. The eigenvalues of the resulting Hamiltonian are obtained in a variational procedure. This method is tested on the methylene radical CH2 in the X ; 3 B 1 electronic ground state for which we describe simultaneously the splittings due to electron spin for the isotopomers 12 CH2 , 12 CD2 , and 13 CH2 . For these molecules, experimental data are available, and we compare the results of least-squares fits to these data with predictions from ab initio theory.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

A Potential Energy Surface for the Electronic Ground State of H2Te Derived from Experiment

We report here the determination of a new potential energy surface for the electronic ground state of the H2Te molecule by fitting to an extensive set of very recent experimental spectroscopic data (see J.-M. Flaud, P. Arcas, H. Burger, O. Polanz, and L. Halonen, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 183, 310-335 (1997), and references therein) by means of the MORBID (Morse Oscillator Rigid Bender Internal Dynamics) computer program. The fitting to all 1111 input data (involving rotation-vibrational states with J </= 10) had a standard deviation of 0.18 cm-1 and was obtained by varying 14 parameters. With the new potential energy function, the rotation-vibration energies of H2130Te have been calculated with the MORBID program. In particular, we have calculated the rotational energy manifolds for J </= 40 in the lowest vibrational states. Compared to previous potential energy functions for H2Te, the new function has substantially improved the reproduction of the rotational spacings in the excited vibrational states. An important aim of the present work is the further characterization of the anomalous "fourfold cluster effect" (i.e., the formation of four-member groups of nearly degenerate rotation-vibration energies at high rotational excitation) exhibited by the energy levels of H2Te. Comparison of our theoretical results with the experimental results of J.-M. Flaud, M. Betrencourt, P. Arcas, H. Burger, O. Polanz, and W. J. Lafferty (1997, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 182, 396-420) provides conclusive evidence for the existence of so-called Type II clusters (clusters formed by coalescence of two energy doublets belonging to two different vibrational states) in the nu1/nu3 vibrational states of H2130Te. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

On the Spectroscopically Determined Potential Energy Surfaces for the Electronic Ground States of NO2 and H2O

Previous spectroscopically determined potentials for both H216O and NO2 are discussed. It is shown that a recent H216O potential energy surface due to D. Xie and G. Yan (1996. Chem. Phys. Lett. 248, 409), which was determined by fits to vibrational term values alone and was claimed to be more accurate than other published spectroscopically determined potentials for this system, actually gives unacceptably poor results for rotationally excited water. Reasons for this failure are discussed and the dangers of relying on vibrational term values alone are emphasized. Previous spectroscopic potentials for ground state NO2 are all found to have problems with unphysical minima ("holes"). Starting from the potential energy surface for the ground (&Xtilde;2A1) electronic state of NO2 constructed by S. A. Tashkun and P. Jensen (1994. J. Mol. Spectrosc. 165, 173) using the approximate MORBID approach a suitable starting point for fits using an exact kinetic energy operator approach was constructed. Least-squares fits to 17 potential parameters gives a potential which reproduces 173 vibrational term values with a standard deviation of only 2.8 cm-1 in the low-energy region (<10 000 cm-1). For many even levels below, and all levels above, approximately 10 000 cm-1 the first excited electronic state (&Atilde;2B2) perturbs the vibrational energy levels of the ground state. We were unable to fit these levels. Tests show that the resulting effective potential surface has no problems with unphysical holes and gives a reasonable representation of the rotational structure of the low-lying vibrational states of NO2. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Fourfold Clusters of Rovibrational Energies in H2Po Studied with an ab Initio Potential Energy Function

We report here an ab initio investigation of the cluster effect (i.e., the formation of four-member groups of nearly degenerate rotation-vibration energy levels at higher J and Ka values) in the H2Po molecule. The potential energy function has been calculated ab initio for a total of 143 molecular geometries by means of the CCSD(T) method, using an averaged relativistic effective potential for Po in conjunction with a newly optimized basis set. The values of the potential energy function obtained cover the region up to around 5000 cm-1 above the equilibrium energy. On the basis of the ab initio potential, the rotation-vibration energies of H2209Po have been calculated with the MORBID (Morse oscillator rigid bender internal dynamics) Hamiltonian and computer program. In particular, we have calculated the rotational energy manifolds for J </= 40 in the vibrational ground state. We find that the formation of fourfold clusters in H2Po is very similar to that in H2Te. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

An ab Initio Study of the NH2+ Absorption Spectrum

In a previous publication (1997. P. Jensen, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 181, 207-214), rotation-vibration energy levels for the electronic ground state X3B1 of the amidogen ion, NH2+, were predicted using the MORBID Hamiltonian and computer program with an ab initio potential energy surface. In the present paper we calculate a new ab initio potential energy surface for the X3B1 state, and we calculate ab initio the potential energy surfaces of the a1A1 and b1B1 excited singlet electronic states (which become degenerate as a 1Delta state at linearity). We use the multireference configuration interaction (MR-CI) level of theory with molecular orbital bases that are optimized separately for each state by complete-active-space SCF (CASSCF) calculations. For the X state we use the MORBID Hamiltonian and computer program to obtain the rotation-vibration energies. For the a and b excited singlet electronic states we calculate the rovibronic energy levels using the RENNER Hamiltonian and computer program. We also calculate ab initio the dipole moment surfaces for the X, a, and b electronic states, and the out-of-plane transition moment surface for the b <-- a electronic transition. We use this information to simulate absorption spectra within X3B1 and a1A1 state and of the b1B1 <-- a1A1 transition in order to aid in the search for them. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Journal Article↗