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Biomedical subjects

S Berg

Publications and source records attributed to S Berg.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Expression of apoptosis-associated genes by human dermal scar fibroblasts.

The purpose of this study was to determine if aberrant apoptosis plays a role in pathologic wound healing as manifested by hypertrophic scarring and keloid formation. Apoptosis has recently been found to participate in the transition between granulation tissue and the development of definitive scar. The question that remains to be answered is what stimuli initiate apoptosis during wound healing. Hitherto, regulatory factors and pathways involved have been largely undefined. We investigated heterogeneity among fibroblasts derived from normal skin and keloid scar, by examining apoptotic profiles and pathways for these cells. Quantitative analysis of apoptotic cells using an Annexin-V-FITC binding assay showed that normal skin fibroblast cultures were found to have a two-fold higher percentage of apoptotic cells than did keloid fibroblast cultures. To study apoptotic pathways and related death-associated genes, a ribonuclease protection assay was performed for fibroblasts exposed to anti-Fas antibody and tumor necrosis factor-alpha to activate the Fas/TNF receptor apoptotic pathway. Compared with normal skin fibroblasts, keloid fibroblasts exhibited decreased expression of apoptosis-associated genes.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Multidimensional patterns of aging: a cluster-analytic approach.

A person-oriented approach, cluster analysis, was used to define patterns of aging in 335 subjects from the Gothenburg study of 70-year-olds (H-70). Five distinct patterns, based on the domains of well-being, physical health, functional capacity, cognitive abilities, and social contacts, were found, and members of the five groups were followed longitudinally over 9 years. Overall, the majority of the subjects were in relatively high performing groups at age 70. Two of the groups had very low levels on all of the domains. Group membership at age 70 was predictive of later performance, suggesting that there is utility in typologies of aging individuals and/or trajectories of aging. This study supports a multidimensional approach to the study of variability in aging. Refining the description of agers, and of aging, can contribute both to basic understanding of aging processes and to practical matters of meeting the long-term needs of elderly people.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Preoperative rehearsal of active coping imagery influences subjective and hormonal responses to abdominal surgery.

Existing evidence suggests that preoperative psychological preparation that is designed to reduce anxiety may sensitize cortisol and adrenaline responses to surgery. In a controlled trial of abdominal surgery patients, we therefore tested the effects of a preoperative preparation that used guided imagery, not to reduce anxiety, but to increase patients' feelings of being able to cope with surgical stress; 26 imagery patients were compared with 25 controls who received, instead, background information about the hospital. State-anxiety was similar in each group, but imagery patients experienced less postoperative pain than did the controls, were less distressed by it, felt that they coped with it better, and requested less analgesia. Hormone levels measured in peripheral venous blood did not differ on the afternoon of admission, before preparation. Cortisol levels were, however, lower in imagery patients than in controls immediately before and after surgery. Noradrenaline levels were greater on these occasions in imagery patients than controls. The results are interpreted in relation to two theories. One states that preoperative "worry" reduces surgical stress. The other concerns the influence of active and passive coping on endocrine responses to stress.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The influence of white matter lesions on neuropsychological functioning in demented and non-demented 85-year-olds.

White matter lesions on computed tomography of the head were studied in relation to neuropsychological functioning in subjects from a representative sample of non-demented (n = 134) and demented (n = 98) 85-year-olds. Non-demented subjects with white matter lesions (n = 46) scored significantly lower in tests of verbal ability (Synonyms), spatial ability (Block Design, Clock Test), perceptual speed (Identical forms), secondary memory (Thurstone Picture Memory), basic arithmetic (Coin Test) and the global cognitive screening test Mini-Mental State Examination than non-demented subjects without white matter lesions (n = 88). Demented subjects with white matter lesions (n = 67) scored significantly lower in tests of spatial ability (Block Design and Clock Test) and secondary memory (free recall in the MIR memory test, Ten-word memory test I and II) and in the Mini-Mental State Examination than demented subjects without white matter lesions (n = 31). It is concluded that white matter lesions contribute to cognitive decline in both non-demented and demented elderly subjects.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Results of the performance testing of purpose-built and PC-based electrocardiographs using a simple evaluation procedure.

This paper presents the results of the evaluation testing of six 12-lead electrocardiographs, three purpose-built instruments and three of the recently introduced personal computer-based type (PC-based). As for PC-based electrocardiographs, three examples of the MRT systems, two examples of the 300 Hz CardioScope model and one prototype of the 1200 Hz CardioScope were examined but only results for one representative example of each are given here. It was of particular interest to compare the performance advantages and limitations of the PC-based electrocardiographs with that of instruments currently in use. A test procedure was developed that can be used by a medical technical department to evaluate an electrocardiograph before making a purchase decision. The procedure includes tests of frequency response, sampling rate, 50 Hz filter attenuation, gain and common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) plus tests based upon simulated electrocardiograms (ECGs). The procedure takes account of the AHA and ECRI recommendations for electrocardiograph checks and can be completed in less than two hours. The only equipment required being an ECG simulator and a signal generator. The results of this work show that purpose-built electrocardiographs meet all normal performance requirements, whereas the PC-based types, whilst having the potential to at least equal these requirements, currently exhibit software and hardware related problems.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Determination of the amino acid spectrum as an aid in the up-dating of skeletal findings].

Estimation of the age of skeletal remains is usually based on subjective evaluation of the morphological grade of decomposition. This assumes, that the investigator is provided with pertinent experience. Experimentally elaborated physical and chemical methods proposed for objectification of the statements did not yet assest until today due to lacking temporal correlation. Our investigations were stimulated by observations on fossil bones indicating that the collagenbound amino acids diminish very slowly dependent on geological age. Samples of 53 skeletons of five to 2500 years were pulverized and subjected to acid hydrolysis. The amino acids released from bone collagen were separated by means of thin-layer chromatography and detected by isatin and ninhydrin reagents. The dye complexes of alanine, hydroxyproline, proline, tyrosine, and valine were measured densitometrically and quantified through calibration curves. We established, that the concentrations of the amino acids exhibited a time dependent reduction as equivalent of a loss collagen. The temporal correlation is very narrow (r less than -- 0,8) and sufficient for datings within plus/minus ten years of the more recent bones. Environmental conditions during post-mortem decay seem to have little influence on this process.

Alanine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Swedish version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ).

We report herein the results of the cross-cultural adaptation and validation into the Swedish language of the parent's version of two health related quality of life instruments. The Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) is a disease specific health instrument that measures functional ability in daily living activities in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) is a generic health instrument designed to capture the physical and psychosocial well-being of children independently from the underlying disease. The Swedish CHAQ CHQ were already published and therefore were revalidated in this study. A total of 129 subjects were enrolled: 69 patients with JIA (13% systemic onset, 39% polyarticular onset, 25% extended oligoarticular subtype, and 23% persistent oligoarticular subtype) and 60 healthy children. The CHAQ clinically discriminated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic, polyarticular and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a higher degree of disability, pain, and a lower overall well-being when compared to their healthy peers. Also the CHQ clinically discriminated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic onset, polyarticular onset and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a lower physical and psychosocial well-being when compared to their healthy peers. In conclusion the Swedish version of the CHAQ-CHQ are reliable, and valid tools for the functional, physical and psychosocial assessment of children with JIA.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Unusual cases of self-asphyxiation].

Based on the description of the findings of four cases of self-strangulation with multiple knotting of the strangling device examined by the authors general criminological and specific forensic criteria for differential diagnosis of suicide and commission of the offence by another person are discussed. Though multiple knotting of the strangling device, caught hair and parts of clothes and concomitant injuries may also be seen in cases of suicide, they primarily justify the suspicion that the death was caused by another person. If it is one of those rare cases of self-strangulation with multiple knotting, the presence of symptoms of congestion in the head area, which may occasionally be absent in other cases of strangulation, is necessary for pathophysiological reasons.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of epidural bupivacaine or mepivacaine on somatosensory evoked potentials and skin resistance responses.

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this study was to compare the depth of neural block in lumbar epidural analgesia using either 20 mg/ml mepivacaine or 5 mg/ml bupivacaine. METHODS: Sixteen healthy patients were randomly divided to receive blindly either 17.5 ml mepivacaine (median, 15-20) or 17.5 ml bupivacaine (median, 14-20) for lumbar epidural analgesia. Afferent block was assessed by somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) during electrical stimulation of cutaneous sensory nerves at the T10, L1, L4, and L5 dermatomes. Efferent block was assessed by skin resistance responses (SRRs) recorded from the hand (C6), T12-L1, and foot (L5). RESULTS: Upper level of analgesia (pin-prick, cold) was T4 (T1-11) in the mepivacaine group and T4-5 (T2-9) in the bupivacaine group. In the mepivacaine group, SEPs were abolished in seven of eight cases at the T10 stimulation level and in five of eight cases at the L1 level. In the bupivacaine group, SEPs were abolished in two of eight cases at the T10 level and in three of eight cases at the L1 level. At the L4 and L5 levels, SEPs were only slightly changed in both groups. In the mepivacaine group, SRRs were completely or almost completely blocked (0-35% of control values) in all of eight cases at both the T12-L1 level and in the foot. Corresponding values for bupivacaine were six of seven and five of eight, respectively. Skin resistance responses in the foot and hand were significantly (p less than 0.05) lower in cases with abolished SEPs at the T10 stimulation level compared with those cases with preserved (although reduced) SEPs. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty mg/ml mepivacaine produces a more complete neural block than 5 mg/ml bupivacaine. The responsiveness of the afferent and efferent limbs of the nervous system was blocked in a similar manner as was shown by depression of the SEPs and SRRs.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Familial forms of schizophrenia. Cytogenetic study].

As a preliminary step in the search for chromosomal location of a susceptibility gene predisposing to schizophrenia, cytogenetic screening of patients might be useful. Search for chromosomal aberrations has successfully directed and accelerated the identification of several disease genes, such as the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene, retinoblastoma, Burkitt's lymphoma and chronic myeloïd leukemia. Although karyotypes abnormalities do not account for a large portion of cases of Schizophrenia, the two candidate regions predisposing to this disease resulted from observation of chromosomal abnormalities. First, the identification of a partial trisomy of the 5q11-q13 region (Basset et al., 1988) led Sherrington et al. (1988) to report a positive linkage with markers localized on the long arm of chromosome 5, which has not yet been replicated (Kauffman et al., 1989; Kennedy et al., 1988; St Clair et al., 1989). Second, on the basis of frequent cytogenetic abnormalities of the sex chromosome (DeLisi, 1985) in addition to epidemiological observations, Crow (1988) suggested that there could be a locus for psychosis within the pseudoautosomal region, a data which has been recently confirmed (Collinge et al., 1991). With the hypothesis that such aberrations could be more frequent among schizophrenics who have at least one affected first-degree relative, we undertook cytogenetic screening on a sample recruited from consecutive psychiatric admissions to a Psychiatric facility (Hôpital Saint Paul) involving patients living in a limited geographical area on the island of La Réunion, a French Department in the Indian Ocean.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chromosome Aberrations↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Identification of blood stains and fetal tissue using genetic fingerprinting].

Two cases from practical forensic serological investigations which could not be clarified by means of conventional serological methods, but could be resolved on the basis of the DNA finger print technique with oligonucleotide probes are presented. Both the comparison of the identity of the blood sample which had been stored for a long time and the determination of paternity in fetal material in a case of incest demonstrate the enormous possibilities of this method. However, some problems which still have not been resolved at least at present with regard to the evaluation and appraisal of the band patterns are also discussed.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nursing education and organizational commitment: degree versus diploma programs.

In the context of calls to change the educational qualifications for entry into the nursing profession, this study attempts to determine whether type of nursing education is associated with nurses' commitment to their employer hospitals. The analysis indicates that even when controlling for personal attributes, personal investments and work attitudes, type of nursing education is related to the level of organizational commitment expressed by nurses. Degree nurses are less committed than diploma nurses. Contrary to prevailing beliefs, the findings also reveal basic similarities between degree and diploma nurses on other measures of professional and work-related attitudes. From an organizational perspective, these similarities call into question the benefit of redefining educational entry standards.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Differential diagnosis of vital and postmortem processes in burn cadavers].

After presenting the most important intravitam reactions in 114 burnt corpses of the Göttingen autopsy material covering the years 1969-83 two cases are described with a) a so called burn haemorrhage in the stomach b) an extremely wide spreading of the upper thighs. Differential diagnosis and forensic significance of these findings according to chemical, histopathological and experimental examinations are discussed.

Animals↗