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Biomedical subjects

S Rasmussen

Publications and source records attributed to S Rasmussen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Transgene-mediated and elicitor-induced perturbation of metabolic channeling at the entry point into the phenylpropanoid pathway

3H-l-Phenylalanine is incorporated into a range of phenylpropanoid compounds when fed to tobacco cell cultures. A significant proportion of (3)H-trans-cinnamic acid formed from (3)H-l-phenylalanine did not equilibrate with exogenous trans-cinnamic acid and therefore may be rapidly channeled through the cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H) reaction to 4-coumaric acid. Such compartmentalization of trans-cinnamic acid was not observed after elicitation or in cell cultures constitutively expressing a bean phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) transgene. Channeling between PAL and C4H was confirmed in vitro in isolated microsomes from tobacco stems or cell suspension cultures. This channeling was strongly reduced in microsomes from stems or cell cultures of transgenic PAL-overexpressing plants or after elicitation of wild-type cell cultures. Protein gel blot analysis showed that tobacco PAL1 and bean PAL were localized in both soluble and microsomal fractions, whereas tobacco PAL2 was found only in the soluble fraction. We propose that metabolic channeling of trans-cinnamic acid requires the close association of specific forms of PAL with C4H on microsomal membranes.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Fetal and maternal contributions to risk of pre-eclampsia: population based study.

OBJECTIVE: To use familial patterns of recurrence of pre-eclampsia to investigate whether paternal genes expressed in the fetus contribute to the mother's risk of pre-eclampsia and whether mother's susceptibility to pre-eclampsia is related to maternal inheritance by mitochondrial DNA. DESIGN: Linked data on pregnancies of different women who had children with the same father, and subsequently linked data on pregnancies of half sisters who either had same mother and different fathers or had same father and different mothers. SETTING: Population based data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway covering all births since 1967 (about 1.7 million) and the Norwegian Central Population Register. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relative risk of pre-eclampsia after a previous pre-eclamptic pregnancy in the family. Relative risks approximated by odds ratios. RESULTS: If a woman becomes pregnant by a man who has already fathered a pre-eclamptic pregnancy in a different woman her risk of developing pre-eclampsia is 1.8 (95% confidence interval 1.2 to 2.6). If the woman has a half sister who had pre-eclampsia and with whom she shares the same mother but different fathers the risk of pre-eclampsia is 1.6 (0.9 to 2.6). If the two sisters have the same father but different mothers the risk is 1.8 (1.01 to 2.9). CONCLUSIONS: Both the mother and the fetus contribute to the risk of pre-eclampsia, the contribution of the fetus being affected by paternal genes. Mitochondrial genes, which are transmitted by mothers, do not seem to contribute to the risk.

Fathers↗
PubMed1998

[The effect of muscle training program for home care employees].

To assess the results of general muscle training for home helpers and home nurses we followed 40 women who completed a six month strength training program. All participants were employees at the home care district Skovgården Hjørring. The training program consisted of exercises for all parts of the body. It was a general rehabilitation program and consisted of a teeterboard, a rubberband and a weight bag adjustable from one to six kg. The duration of the program was one hour. All participants were instructed in the training program by author Ulla Willadsen. The period of training lasted six months and was performed twice a week.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Reproductive career after breech presentation: subsequent pregnancy rates, interpregnancy interval, and recurrence.

OBJECTIVE: To assess subsequent pregnancy rates and recurrence of breech, as well as interpregnancy interval after a breech presentation. METHODS: We conducted a national population registry-based study using data from 1967 to 1994, with maternal record linkage of sibships, comprising the first to the fourth birth of a mother. RESULTS: The subsequent pregnancy rate after a surviving breech birth was lower than after a surviving nonbreech birth. Women with two births, of which one was a perinatal loss, had a higher subsequent pregnancy rate, compared with those who had surviving infants. The subsequent pregnancy rate was lower after a cesarean delivery irrespective of presentation. The interpregnancy interval was shorter if the previous infant died, whereas presentation did not influence the interval. The adjusted odds ratio of recurrence of breech increased from 4.32 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.08, 4.59) after one previous breech delivery to 28.1 (95% CI 12.2, 64.8) after three. CONCLUSION: Breech and cesarean delivery lowered the subsequent pregnancy rate, probably because of the women's decision not to reproduce. Thus, preconceptional counseling with information, support, and reassurance regarding future pregnancies and deliveries might reduce the discouraging effect. A high odds ratio of recurrence of breech suggests effects of recurring specific causal factors of either genetic or more permanent environmental origin.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Perinatal mortality in breech presentation sibships.

OBJECTIVE: To compare perinatal mortality in breech presentation delivered vaginally and by cesarean in individual births and in sibships. METHODS: A national, population registry-based study, 1967-1994, was conducted, with maternal record linkage of sibships, comprising the first to the third birth of a mother. The main outcome was perinatal mortality. Odds ratios of perinatal mortality were calculated and adjusted by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The overall relative perinatal mortality was 4.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.1, 4.5) in breech compared with nonbreech presentation and 5.4 (95% CI 4.7, 6.2) in vaginal compared with cesarean delivery. The relative perinatal mortality in breech compared with nonbreech presentation was lowest in birth order one compared with birth orders two and three. In breech vaginal delivery compared with cesarean delivery, the opposite effect of birth order was found. The highest perinatal mortality was found in a current breech presentation of a sibship with no previous breech births. In birth subsequent to breech births, perinatal mortality was more or less independent of current presentation, without respect to delivery method. The increased perinatal mortality in breech presentation is explained partly by its association with other risk factors for perinatal death. CONCLUSION: Women with recurring breech presentation represent a lower risk of adverse perinatal outcome. This might be explained by a biologic mechanism or by increased quality of antenatal care. An increased mortality in subsequent nonbreech siblings after a breech presentation was surprising.

Breech Presentation↗
PubMed1998

Divergent cardiac response to exercise in essential hypertension vs. normotension and the effect of enalapril.

The aims of this study were to examine (1) the cardiac response to exercise in essential hypertension and (2) the effect of long-term enalapril treatment on cardiac reserve. Ten normotensive control subjects and 15 patients with moderate, essential hypertension underwent radionuclide ventriculography during graded, supine exercise (0 W-50 W-100 W). The hypertensive patients were studied during monotherapy using hydrochlorothiazide and 3 and 12 months after supplementation with enalapril 10-40 mg o.d. During exercise, the control subjects demonstrated a 17% increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) mediated by a 30% decrease in end-systolic volume, a small increase in stroke volume and a minor biphasic (increase-decrease) change in end-diastolic volume. In the hypertensive patients, both the end-diastolic and the end-systolic volume increased substantially with no increase in LVEF, although stroke volume increased by 33%. Long-term therapy with enalapril induced only a minor change towards a more normal pattern of cardiac response to exercise. The hypertensive patients increased their stroke volume during exercise by recruiting preload reserve instead of increasing contractility. Long-term treatment with enalapril had little, if any, effect on this abnormal cardiac response.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

How repeat measurements affect the mean diameter of the umbilical vein and the ductus venosus.

Blood flow measurement in the fetus is susceptible to substantial error. Increased numbers of measurements can improve the precision. To quantify this, we assessed how the number of ultrasound measurements affected the calculation of individual mean diameters of fetal veins. A study of the umbilical vein (UV) and ductus venosus (DV) was carried out in 167 pregnancies in a clinical setting. The UV diameter was measured 2-13 times in 163 participants and the DV for the same number of times in 158. A one-way analysis of variance gave mean within-subject SD of 0.23 mm for the UV (diameter 2.0-8.0 mm) and 0.17 mm for the DV (diameter 0.3-2.3 mm). The 95% limit for the within-subject mean diameter calculated from two, four, six and ten measurements of the UV were 0.31, 0.22, 0.18 and 0.14 mm, respectively. For the DV the corresponding results were 0.23, 0.16, 0.13 and 0.10 mm. The study shows how increasing the number of measurements to calculate a mean diameter substantially improves the precision of vascular cross-section assessment. The limitation of the method is expressed in the exponential increase in numbers needed to achieve further improvement.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1998

Smoking, hemoglobin concentration and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of cigarette smoking on first- to second-trimester change in hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and the presence of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). In smokers and non-smokers the mean difference between the first- and second-trimester Hb concentration was 1.5-1.6 and 1.3 g/dl, respectively (p < 0.0001). The incidence of PIH among smokers and non-smokers was 4.0 and 7.5%, respectively (p < 0.0001). The risk of PIH increased with increasing second-trimester Hb. After adjustment for factors including previous pregnancies, maternal age and weight gain by logistic regression analysis, the increased Hb declined and the decreased incidence of PIH in smokers persisted.

Female↗
PubMed1998

The acid-labile subunit of human ternary insulin-like growth factor binding protein complex in serum: hepatosplanchnic release, diurnal variation, circulating concentrations in healthy subjects, and diagnostic use in patients with growth hormone deficiency.

Circulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is predominantly bound in the trimeric complex comprised of IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and acid-labile subunit (ALS). Circulating concentrations of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and ALS are believed to reflect the GH secretory status, but the clinical use of ALS determination is not known. We therefore, determined the: 1) hepatosplanchnic release of ALS by liver vein catheterization (n=30); 2) 24-h diurnal variation of ALS (n=8); 3) normal age-related ranges of circulating ALS (n=1158); 4) diagnostic value of ALS in 108 patients with childhood-onset GH deficiency (GHD). We found: 1) no significant arteriovenous gradient over the liver ofALS, IGF-I, and IGFBP-3; 2) the diurnal variation of ALS was 12% (mean coefficient of variation percent); 3) ALS levels increased throughout childhood with maximal levels in puberty, with a subsequent decrease with age in adults; and 4) ALS levels were below -2 SD in 57 of 79 GHD patients (sensitivity 72%) and above 2 SD in 22 of 29 patients with normal GH response (specificity 76%), which was similar, compared with the diagnostic utility of IGF-I and IGFBP-3. Finally, our findings indicate that hepatic ALS production is not measurable by this approach or, alternatively, that the liver is not the primary source of circulating ALS, IGF-I, or IGFBP-3 in humans. In conclusion, we have provided extensive normal data for a novel ALS assay and found that circulating ALS levels exhibit minor diurnal variation. We suggest that ALS determination may be used in future classification of adults suspected of GHD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Smoking habits among pregnant women in Norway 1994-95.

AIMS: To investigate the smoking prevalence the last three months before pregnancy and at 18 weeks of gestation among women in Norway and to evaluate the impact of pre-pregnancy smoking habits, maternal age, level of education, civil status and parity on smoking cessation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective, multicenter survey. The study population included 4 766 pregnant women who attended a routine ultrasound examination at 18 weeks of pregnancy in six Norwegian hospitals during the period from September 1994 to March 1995. Smoking habits before and during pregnancy were recorded. RESULTS: The point prevalence of self-reported daily smoking among the women three months before the pregnancy was 34%. At 18 weeks of pregnancy, 21% of the women reported smoking daily (p<0.001). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that a low number of cigarettes smoked per day during the last three months before pregnancy was the best predictor for smoking cessation. Educational level, maternal age, parity and civil status were also statistically significant contributors to smoking cessation. Eighty percent of the women who were unable to stop smoking, reported a reduction in cigarette consumption. The mean number of cigarettes per day was reduced from 13.9 before pregnancy to 7.3 at 18 weeks of pregnancy (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In a national survey, 21% of the pregnant women reported smoking daily in the second trimester. Thirty-eight percent of the women who were daily smokers before the pregnancy stopped smoking in early pregnancy. A low cigarette consumption prior to the pregnancy was the best predictor for smoking cessation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The occurrence of breech presentation in Norway 1967-1994.

BACKGROUND: To study the occurrence of breech presentation and its association with demographic and geographic variables. METHOD: Population based cohort study from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway comprising all singleton deliveries 1967-1994, a total of 1,592,064 deliveries. Of these, 45,921 in breech presentation. RESULTS: From 1967 through 1994, the breech presentation proportion increased from 2.2% (95% CI 2.1-2.3) to 3.4% (95% CI 3.2-3.5). Breech presentation was associated with high maternal age and low birth order, as well as low gestational age and birthweight. The secular trend was mainly due to demographic changes in terms of increasing proportions of births with low birth order and high maternal age. Breech presentation was most frequent in urban areas. CONCLUSIONS: Strong associations were observed between breech presentation and low birth order as well as high maternal age. The findings are compatible with both intrinsic as well as environmental mechanisms. A full understanding of the birth order effect necessitates further studies based on sibship data. Prevention of premature delivery would be an effective measure for reducing the breech presentation proportion.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Factors influencing delivery method in breech presentation.

BACKGROUND: To study factors influencing delivery method in breech presentation. METHODS: Population based cohort study from The Medical Birth Registry of Norway, comprising all singleton deliveries in Norway, 1967-1994, 1,592,064 deliveries of which 45,921 (2.9%) were in breech presentation. RESULTS: The proportion of cesarean section in breech presentation increased from 3.6 per 100 in 1969 to 58.8 in 1994. The relative risk for delivery by cesarean section in breech presentation compared to the nonbreech population increased from 2.0 (95% CI 1.5-2.7) in 1967 to 5.9 (95% CI 5.6-6.2) in 1994. It declined by maternal age, increased by gestational age and was lowest among mothers with urban residence. A negative association was observed between the annual number of births at the delivery department and the cesarean section proportion. However, during the observation period, the centralization of breech deliveries to the largest departments was reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal delivery in breech presentation was particularly observed in large delivery departments and among mothers with urban residence. Since experience and practical competence are prerequisites for successful vaginal delivery, this centralization seems justified. Further centralization of all breech presentation births should be pursued. However, preparedness as to vaginal delivery should be established also at the smaller units, e.g. by a routine providing periodical centralized training for obstetricians working in smaller institutions.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Evaluation of a protocol for selecting fetuses in breech presentation for vaginal delivery or cesarean section.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate, with respect to obstetric intervention and neonatal outcome, a protocol for selecting fetuses in breech presentation for vaginal delivery or cesarean section. STUDY DESIGN: A clinical follow-up study was performed between 1984 and 1992 of all term singleton deliveries in breech presentation. Each case selected for vaginal delivery had a matched control in vertex presentation. RESULTS: A total of 1212 infants presented as breech. Vaginal delivery increased from 45% to 57% (p = 0.004), and cesarean section for failure of vaginal delivery declined from 21% to 6% (p < 0.00001). None, however, died or had long-term sequelae because of a complicated or failed vaginal breech delivery. A total of 8.8% of those delivered vaginally in breech versus 5.0% of those in vertex presentation were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (p = 0.009). Among those with vaginal delivery, 2.5% in breech presentation were given the clinical diagnosis of birth asphyxia versus none in the vertex position (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Breech presentation at term may be selected for vaginal delivery if properly managed.

Apgar Score↗
PubMed1997

A 2-year study of sertraline in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The present study investigated the tolerability, safety profile, and anti-obsessional efficacy of sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, during long-term treatment of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Fifty-nine OCD patients who had completed a 1 year double-blind, fixed dose study comparing sertraline and placebo subsequently entered a 1-year open extension. Among the 51 patients who had been treated with sertraline during the double-blind phase, the mean total duration of sertraline treatment was 690 days. Only treatment responders who completed the 52-week double-blind treatment phase were permitted to enter the open extension. The higher rate (p < 0.02) of sertraline patients (51 out of 241) than of placebo patients (eight out of 84), who responded to treatment and entered the open-label phase is therefore consistent with the greater mean improvement observed in the sertraline group during double-blind treatment. Placebo responders differed from sertraline responders in that they were less impaired at baseline of the double-blind study [Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) of 18.5 versus 23.4] and they exhibited less improvement during double-blind treatment (-6.1 versus -11.4). In the open-label phase all patients received sertraline at a starting dose of 50 mg once a day, titrated in 50 mg increments to a maximum dose of 200 mg according to clinical response. At end-point the mean Y-BOCS score for all patients decreased by a further 3.6 points. Patients previously treated with placebo showed greater improvement after being switched to sertraline than those who received continued sertraline treatment. Patients who completed the study and received 2 full years of sertraline treatment (n = 38) exhibited a mean improvement of 15.6 points using the Y-BOCS. Sertraline was well tolerated during both the double-blind phase and the open extension, and the incidence of adverse experiences was generally reduced during the second year of treatment. Three patients discontinued open treatment because of adverse experiences. Long-term sertraline treatment did not appear to be associated with the emergence, increased incidence, or increased severity of adverse experiences or clinically significant abnormalities in laboratory tests, vital signs, or the electrocardiogram. The study supports the long-term safety and tolerability of sertraline over a 2-year treatment course and the sustained efficacy of sertraline in patients with OCD.

1-Naphthylamine↗