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Biomedical subjects

S Larsen

Publications and source records attributed to S Larsen.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Quantitation of immunoglobulin- and peptide hormone-producing cells in gastrointestinal mucosa. Comparison of direct immunofluorescence and the unlabelled antibody peroxidase--antiperoxidase method.

Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) and the unlabelled antibody peroxidase--antiperoxidase (PAP) methods were compared on a quantitative basis with regard to visualization of IgA immunocytes and gastrin cells in human gastric mucosa, and secretin cells in canine duodenal mucosa. With both DIF and PAP, two serial sections from 13 biopsy specimens were evaluated for each cell type--thus keeping tissue preparation the same with both staining methods. The three cell types were well visualized regardless of method, and there was no significant difference between cell numbers recorded with the DIF or PAP. When blind duplicate counts were obtained with an interval of three weeks, comparisons of weighted differences and the Kendall's rank correlation test indicated good precision; the reproducibility of duplicate enumerations with each method was comparable to that between the two methods. It was concluded that DIF and PAP are equally applicable for studies of these three cell types under the conditions used in this investigation.

Cell Count↗

Absence of ear asymmetry in blind children on a dichotic listening task compared to sighted controls.

Previous investigations of blind children's reading of braille have shown that braille script is more accurately read by the left hand. This phenomenon is conceived of as a reflection of hemispheric specialization, and it is suggested that owing to the highly spatial character of the script, braille reading involves processes in the right hemisphere to a greater extent than normal visual script. The hypothesis is advanced that a group of blind children will exhibit a bilateral pattern of ear asymmetry on a dichotic listening task than a control group of sighted children. The data from an investigation of 66 children, 8 to 17 years old, support this hypothesis. It is argued that this result reflects a difference in hemispheric laterality between blind and sighted children, and the possible cause of this phenomena is discussed in relation to the appropriate research.

Adolescent↗

Histamine content and mast cell count of detrusor muscle in patients with interstitial cystitis and other types of chronic cystitis.

The quantitative mast cell count in the detrusor muscle, the histamine content and the degree of collagen staining material in the bladder wall have been evaluated in order to elucidate their value in distinguishing between patients with interstitial cystitis and other types of chronic cystitis. The number of mast cells in the detrusor muscle was statistically significantly increased in patients with interstitial cystitis compared with the control group (P less than 0.0001). With a proposed level of greater than 20 mast cells/sq mm of muscle tissue the diagnostic specificity was 88% and the diagnostic sensitivity 95%. The histamine content in the bladder wall was significantly increased in patients with interstitial cystitis (P less than 0.05) but not useful as a diagnostic test. The amount of collagen staining material was significantly increased in the intra- and inter-fascicular muscle tissue of the bladder in patients with interstitial cystitis (P less than 0.0005, P less than 0.001) and might be used as a support for the histological diagnosis, even in patients with uncontracted bladders.

Adult↗

Difference in systolic blood pressure between arm arm and ankle region in children 0-15 years old.

Arm and ankle systolic blood pressure was measured in a supine position in 95 children aged between 2 days and 16 years using either the ultrasound Doppler technique (0-6 years) or the strain-gauge technique (7-16 years). Among children below 1 year of age, the ankle systolic blood pressure was significantly lower than the arm blood pressure and lowest when recorded over the dorsal pedal artery as compared to the post-tibial artery. Children over 1 year of age had a higher ankle systolic blood pressure compared to the arm which corresponds to earlier findings among adults. The study indicates that lower limb systolic pressure is greater than upper limb systolic pressure but first demonstrable at the time when the babies begin to stand or walk. These findings might be used in evaluation of children suspected for aortic coarctation.

Adolescent↗

Intrarenal backflow during retrograde pyelography with graded intrapelvic pressure. A pathoanatomic study.

Histologic examination was performed in 21 baby-pig kidneys after retrograde pyelography with a mixture of meglumine sodium diatrizoate and Ferritin at intrapelvic pressures of either 30-35 or 70-75 mm Hg. In further 4 kidneys light microscopy was done after retrograde pyelography with a mixture of barium sulfate and gelatin at an intrapelvic pressure of 70-75 mm Hg. The primary pathway for intrarenal backflow was canalicular. The contrast material entered the interstitium only by one route: Tubular leakage. Only in the central portions of the kidney leakage was seen. Interstitial Ferritin was found more frequently in areas with intrarenal backflow at an intrapelvic pressure of 70-75 mm Hg than of 30-35 mm Hg.

Animals↗

Circulating immune complexes and C1 activation in patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, before and after treatment with immunosuppression and plasma exchange.

Well-known assays for detection of circulating immune complexes (CIC) (C1 q binding assay, C1q deviation test, solid-phase C1 q binding assay, solid-phase conglutinin binding assay, and the platelet aggregation test) were used in 30 patients with different kinds of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. In 89% of the patients evidence of CIC was found in at least one of the assays. 81% of the patients were positive in the C1q binding assay and/or the conglutinin binding assay with addition of complement. CIC were more often detected by several assays, and with higher values in patients with systemic disease than in patients with renal involvement alone. CIC were found in 2 patients with Goodpasture's syndrome. 15 patients were reexamined after treatment with plasma exchange, when the disease was clinically inactive. The patients were still on immunosuppressive treatment. In most of these, CIC were detectable, but with lower values than at the start of treatment. Before treatment, high levels of C1r-C1s-C1 inactivator complexes suggested increased C1 activation in 93% of the patients. C-reactive protein was raised, and the concentrations of C1 q, C1s, C4, C3 and factor B were normal or high in most of the patients. Pronounced hypocomplementemia was found only in 2 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). After treatment, the levels of C-reactive protein, C1 q, C1s, C3 and factor B had decreased in the non-SLE patients, while the average levels of C4 and C1r-C1s-C1 inactivator complexes were essentially unchanged.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Papillary morphology in adult human kidneys and in baby and adult pig kidneys.

The morphology of the renal papillae was studied by inspection in a series of: (1) Hampshire/Duroc piglet kidneys; (2) Danish Landrace adult pig kidneys, and (3) kidneys obtained at necropsy from adult patients. In both man and pig two main types of papillae were found: (1) a single or 'simple' papilla which drains one renal lobe, and (2) a fused or 'compound' papilla which drains two or more renal lobes. Compound papillae were found most frequently in the Hampshire/Duroc kidneys and least frequently in the human kidneys. In all three groups compound papillae were found most frequently in the upper pole. Intrarenal backflow during retrograde pyelography in the piglet kidney at intrapelvic pressures of 30-35 mm Hg (moderate) and of 70-75 mm Hg (high) was related to the morphology of the individual papilla. Both types of papilla could be divided into an open type containing at least two round or oval orifices of the papillary ducts and a closed type with small, often slit-like orifices. At moderate intrapelvic pressure intrarenal backflow occurred mainly in the open compound papillae whereas at high intrapelvic pressure it occurred in nearly all open compound papillae and in about 50% of the open simple papillae. It is concluded that papillary morphology plays an important role in the predominant upper polar occurrence of intrarenal backflow/intrarenal reflux during micturition cystography and in the higher frequency of intrarenal backflow in the mid-zone than in the lower pole in adult human beings.

Aged↗

Reproducibility and observer variation at computed tomography and ultrasound of the normal pancreas.

In order to evaluate the reproducibility of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US), 13 patients with a normal pancreas were examined twice with the two techniques by the same observers. The results of the measurements of the pancreas were reproducible using both CT and US. In estimating the intraobserver variation at CT in 20 patients, the location and spread of the measurements of the diameters of the pancreatic head were reproducible, but the diameters of the pancreatic body and tail were significantly larger at the second observation. Further, the differences in the measurements of the size and dispersion of the pancreatic diameters at CT between two observers were significant, apart from the diameter of the pancreatic tail, where no significant difference was noted. The differences between two observers were greater than for the same. Using US, the results may indicate that the measurements were even less reproducible than using CT, both for the same observer and between two observers. However, all the measured diameters within the 95 per cent confidence intervals, were within the normal range. Consequently, even if most measurements differed significantly, these differences may probably not lead to any false conclusions concerning the limits of the normal size of the pancreas.

Diagnostic Errors↗

Intrarenal backflow and renal perfusion during increased intrapelvic pressure in excised porcine kidneys.

The effect of increased intrapelvic pressure on renal perfusion was examined by simple magnified angiography of freshly excised artificially perfused kidneys of adult Danish Landrace pigs. In all kidneys control angiography was performed at normal intrapelvic pressure (0-5 mmHg). Intrapelvic pressure was raised by retrograde ureteral perfusion of saline in 9 kidneys. Repeat angiography was performed at an intrapelvic pressure of 30-35 mmHg (4 kidneys), 50-55 mmHg (5 kidneys) or 0-5 mmHg (4 kidneys). Angiography demonstrated a delay in arterial filling in kidneys with increased intrapelvic pressure. Perfusate flow measurements showed a corresponding fall in perfusion flow. Retrograde ureteral perfusion was repeated at similar pressures using contrast medium. Intrarenal backflow (IRB) was demonstrated in all 9 kidneys with elevated intrapelvic pressure. IRB localized to 84 per cent of the compound papillae and to 40 per cent of the simple papillae, and was independent of the level of elevated intrapelvic pressure. One-third of the papillae with IRB had absent or markedly decreased arterial filling in the corresponding lobe at angiography. A third retrograde ureteral perfusion was done with a mixture of barium sulphate and gelatin in 4 kidneys. Light microscopy demonstrated that the primary pathway for IRB was canalicular. The contrast medium entered the interstice by three routes: (1) Tubular leakage in the papilla and the corticomedullary region, (2) tears originating in the papilla itself and (3) tears in the calyceal fornix with extension into the parenchyma.

Animals↗

Comparative study of cimetidine and trimipramine in the short-term treatment of duodenal and gastric ulcer.

Sixty-nine outpatients with endoscopically confirmed duodenal and prepyloric (DU) or gastric ulcers (GU) completed a 4-week double-blind trial with either cimetidine, 1 g/day, or trimipramine, 50 mg/day. Ulcer healing was assessed by endoscopy at 4 weeks. At the end of the study 14 of 23 patients with DU treated with cimetidine and 13 of 25 treated with trimipramine had healed ulcers. In the patients with GU 7 of 11 ulcers (cimetidine) and 4 of 10 (trimipramine) healed. The differences in healing rates between the two treatment groups were not statistically significant, either in DU and GU groups separately or in the total material. The number of pain attacks per week decreased and the symptoms improved significantly in both treatment groups in DU, GU, and totally. Both drugs were well tolerated, but two patients in each treatment group developed a slight increase in serum transaminases. No serious side effects occurred. The study suggests trimipramine as an alternative drug to the well-established drug cimetidine in the treatment of duodenal and possibly also of gastric ulcer.

Cimetidine↗

Premedication in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A comparison of glucagon and atropine given in combination with diazepam and pethidine.

The effects of four premedication regimes on clinical variables regarded as important in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were evaluated in a double-blind randomized study. The drug combinations were diazepam/glucagon, diazepam/atropine, pethidine/glucagon, and pethidine/atropine. No significant difference was observed among the combinations of regimes or between diazepam and pethidine or between glucagon and atropine with regard to the variables duration of examination, vomiting, secretion and maximal pyloric opening. Pethidine was more effective than diazepam in reducing salivation and pyloric reflux. Glucagon was more effective than atropine in reducing motility and reflux and was also superior to atropine with regard to diagnostic accuracy. Glucagon caused less subjective discomfort than atropine 2 h and 1 day after the investigation.

Adult↗

Postpartum renal failure and malignant hypertension treated with captopril.

A case of postpartum renal failure and malignant hypertension in a 24-year-old woman is reported. The condition occurred three weeks after caesarian section following a normotensive pregnancy. Treatment with a converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, for one year normalized the blood pressure, with concurrent reduction of plasma angiotension II concentration and markedly improved glomerular filtration rate. It is suggested that activation of the renin-angiotensin system may cause the hypertension and impairment of renal function in postpartum renal failure, and that use of drugs blocking the renin system may be of particular clinical value in this situation.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Improved outcome in rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis by plasma exchange treatment.

During the last 3.5 years we have had facilities to perform effective plasma exchange treatment (PE). During this period of time 12 patients of idiopathic and 19 patients of collagenous rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) appeared, Goodpasture's syndrome excluded. In an attempt to evaluate the separate effect of immunosuppression (IS) and PE, PE was if possible withheld for two weeks. In 3 patients IS alone had a satisfactory effect and therefore no PE was performed. In 2 severely ill patients IS and PE were instituted simultaneously. In 6 patients PE was started 5-12 days and in 17 patients at least 14 days after the start of IS. In 3 patients PE was started first because of suspected septicemia. 23 of the 31 patients improved; 6 from IS alone, 3 from IS and probably also from PE, 1 from PE and probably from IS, 5 both from IS and PE and 1 from PE alone. In 7 patients the individual effect of IS and PE could not be evaluated. At follow up 1-37 (median 13) months 13 patients had a S-creatinine below 200, 2 patients 200-300 and 1 patient 510 mumol/l. 3 patients went into RDT immediately and 7 after 4-22 months. 5 elderly patients died, only 1 from uremia, the others from cardiovascular diseases. The outcome was unpredictable from clinical and laboratory data. Addition of PE in the treatment of RPGN seems to have improved the outcome considerably.

Adult↗

Plasma exchange in two cases of minimal change nephrotic syndrome with acute renal failure.

One idiopathic and one nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug associated case of minimal change nephrotic syndrome with acute renal failure are described. Both patients were severely ill and needed dialysis. Treatment with corticosteroids and azathioprine for 19-21 days was ineffective. After start of plasma exchange treatment both patients rapidly recovered. The suggested effect of plasma exchange in these conditions can hardly be ascribed only to correction of the colloid oncotic pressure. An elimination of a circulating factor(s) of pathogenetic importance must also be suspected.

Acute Kidney Injury↗