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Biomedical subjects

B Husberg

Publications and source records attributed to B Husberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Engineering and public health at CDC.

Engineering is the application of scientific and technical knowledge to solve human problems. Using imagination, judgment, and reasoning to apply science, technology, mathematics, and practical experience, engineers develop the design, production, and operation of useful objects or processes. During the 1940s, engineers dominated the ranks of CDC scientists. In fact, the first CDC director, Assistant Surgeon General Mark Hollis, was an engineer. CDC engineers were involved in malaria control through the elimination of standing water. Eventually the CDC mission expanded to include prevention and control of dengue, typhus, and other communicable diseases. The development of chlorination, water filtration, and sewage treatment were crucial to preventing waterborne illness. Beginning in the 1950s, CDC engineers began their work to improve public health while developing the fields of environmental health, industrial hygiene, and control of air pollution. Engineering disciplines represented at CDC today include biomedical, civil, chemical, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mining, and safety engineering. Most CDC engineers are located in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Engineering research at CDC has a broad stakeholder base. With the cooperation of industry, labor, trade associations, and other stakeholders and partners, current work includes studies of air contaminants, mining, safety, physical agents, ergonomics, and environmental hazards. Engineering solutions remain a cornerstone of the traditional "hierarchy of controls" approach to reducing public health hazards.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.↗

The epidemiology of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in Sweden 1987-96.

AIMS: To find out whether the incidence of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) has changed over the past decade, and if so, to investigate possible contributory factors. METHODS: All infants undergoing pyloromyotomy for IHPS in Sweden between 1987 and 1996 were studied. Using the national patient registers the yearly incidence was determined and evaluated in relation to sex, latitude, urbanisation, and type of surroundings by use of a Poisson model. RESULTS: There was a substantial decline from 2.7/1000 to 0.85/1000 over the time period. The incidence in the south was almost three times greater than in the north. CONCLUSION: The declining incidence and geographical difference suggest that environmental factors are of importance in this disorder.

Female↗

Improving safety in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry.

OBJECTIVES: Over 90% of deaths in Alaska's commercial fishing industry were due to drowning, following vessel sinkings. In the early 1990's, the U.S. Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Act required the implementation of safety measures for all fishing vessels. The purpose of our study was to examine the effectiveness of these measures in reducing the high fatality rate of Alaska's commercial fishermen. STUDY DESIGN: Alaska Occupational Injury Surveillance System and AlaskaTrauma Registry data were used to examine fishing fatalities and injuries. Demographic, risk factor, and incident data were analyzed for trend. RESULTS: During 1991-1998, there was a significant (p<0.001) (decrease in Alaskan commercial fishing deaths. Significant progress has been made in saving lives of fishermen involved in vessel sinkings. During 1991-1997, 536 fishermen suffered severe injuries (437/100,000/year). These injuries resulted from being entangled, struck or crushed by equipment (60%) and from falls (25%). CONCLUSIONS: Vessel sinkings still continue to occur, placing fishermen at substantial risk. Efforts toward improving vessel stability and hull integrity and avoidance of harsh weather conditions must be made to further reduce the fatality rate. The nature of non-fatal injuries reflect that modern fishing vessels are complex industrial environments posing multiple hazards. Measures are needed to prevent falls and improve equipment handling and machinery guarding.

Alaska↗

[Liver transplantation--development and experiences].

A liver transplant program was established in Norway in 1984, and until March 1999 200 liver transplantations have been carried out. Data for these 200 consecutive patients are briefly outlined with emphasis on survival. Relevant data are also given from the Nordic Liver Transplant Registry (NLTR), the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR) and from United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Future trends and potential advances in liver transplantation are briefly discussed. One-year and three-year survival rates for Norwegian patients have increased markedly over the years and were 85% and 75% respectively for the 1995-98 period. The number of liver transplantations per million population per year was 3.4 in Norway, 7.8 in Sweden, 5.7 in Finland and 5.4 in Denmark (1990-98). The low number of liver transplantations in Norway warrants attention. It is possible that some patients with end stage liver disease have not been offered this treatment modality. Monitoring of results and active participation in international liver transplant registries like NLTR and ELTR is an important quality control instrument.

Contraindications↗

Magnetic resonance imaging of anal sphincters after reconstruction of high or intermediate anorectal anomalies with posterior sagittal anorectoplasty and fistula-preserving technique.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Internal anal sphincter (IAS) function can be expected in approximately 75% of cases of high or intermediate anorectal anomaly reconstruction if the fistula region is preserved and transposed to become the new anal canal. METHODS: To investigate the morphology of the IAS structure, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed postoperatively in 14 patients operated on with posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) and fistula-preserving technique. The results were compared with the appearance of the anal canal in seven normal children. In addition, comparison was made with the images of five patients operated on with earlier pull-through techniques, in which the fistula region was resected. RESULTS: In all patients operated on with PSARP and fistula-preserving technique, the MRI displayed an IAS-like smooth muscle structure encircling a closed anal canal. In comparison with normal controls, the image of this IAS was more irregular and had greater variations in thickness in different directions. Moreover, the area of the IAS structure was larger in comparison with the controls. Eleven of the 14 patients showed a positive rectoanal inhibition reflex in rectoanal manometry. However, the MR findings of the three cases lacking the reflex were not different compared with the rest of the group. The five patients operated on with earlier techniques demonstrated an open anal canal without a measurable IAS smooth muscle component. CONCLUSIONS: An IAS smooth muscle structure was seen by MRI in all patients operated on with PSARP and fistula-preserving technique independently of the severity of the malformation and the postoperative physiological IAS function. However, this structure was in most cases more voluminous and irregular compared with normal controls.

Adolescent↗

A comparison of treatment with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt or distal splenorenal shunt in the management of variceal bleeding prior to liver transplantation.

Recurrent variceal bleeding in liver transplant candidates with end-stage liver disease can complicate or even prohibit a subsequent transplant procedure (OLT). Endoscopic sclerotherapy and medical therapy are considered as first-line management with surgical shunts reserved for refractory situations. Surgical shunts can be associated with a high mortality in this population and may complicate subsequent OLT. The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been recommended in these patients as a bridge to OLT. This is a new modality that has not been compared with previously established therapies such as the distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS). In this study we report our experience with 35 liver transplant recipients who had a previous TIPS (18 patients) or DSRS (17 patients) for variceal bleeding. The TIPS group had a significantly larger proportion of critically ill and Child-Pugh C patients. Mean operating time was more prolonged in the DSRS group (P = 0.014) but transfusion requirements were similar. Intraoperative portal vein blood flow measurements averaged 2132 +/- 725 ml/min in the TIPS group compared with 1120 +/- 351 ml/min in the DSRS group (P < 0.001). Arterial flows were similar. Mean ICU and hospital stays were similar. There were 3 hospital mortalities in the DSRS group and none in the TIPS group (P = 0.1). We conclude that TIPS is a valuable tool in the management of recurrent variceal bleeding prior to liver transplantation. Intraoperative hemodynamic measurements suggest a theoretical advantage with TIPS. In a group of patients with advanced liver disease we report an outcome that is similar to patients treated with DSRS prior to liver transplantation. The role of TIPS in the treatment of nontransplant candidates remains to be clarified.

Adult↗

FK506 trough levels in whole blood and plasma in liver transplant recipients. Correlation with clinical events and side effects.

FK506 trough levels were measured by ELISA in paired whole-blood and plasma samples in 59 liver transplant recipients. Patients with nephrotoxicity had higher FK506 whole-blood and plasma levels (27.5 +/- 3.2 ng/ml and 1.44 +/- 0.14 ng/ml) than patients with stable liver function (15.2 +/- 2.1 ng/ml and 0.98 +/- 0.15 ng/ml, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Patients with acute rejection had FK506 whole-blood and plasma levels within the same range as patients with stable liver function. Patients with severe neurotoxicity had significantly higher FK506 whole-blood and plasma levels (31.3 +/- 6.8 ng/ml and 3.9 +/- 1.4 ng/ml) in comparison with patients with mild-to-moderate neurotoxicity (18.1 +/- 2.4 ng/ml and 1.1 +/- 0.13 ng/ml) (P = 0.048 and P < 0.001, respectively). Long-term use of FK506 was associated with a significant reduction in glomerular filtration rate at 1-year posttransplant in patients on primary FK506 treatment (33%, P < 0.001). The reduction in glomerular filtration rate correlated with the yearly mean FK506 plasma but not with whole-blood levels or FK506 dose. There was a correlation between FK506 whole-blood and plasma levels (r = 0.713, P < 0.001) but not between the levels (whole blood or plasma) and FK506 dose (mg/day or mg/kg/day). The mean FK506 whole-blood and plasma levels were 14.1 +/- 0.26 ng/ml and 0.96 +/- 0.75 ng/ml, respectively. There was a large intra- and interpatient variability in the ratio between whole-blood and plasma levels (range 1.0-73.5), with a mean ratio of 18.0 +/- 0.28 (+/- SEM). In conclusion, monitoring of FK506 trough levels is of importance to avoid nephro- and neurotoxicity, but monitoring is only of limited help to avoid acute rejection. Monitoring of FK506 levels in plasma seems to be superior to that in whole blood.

Adult↗

Causes of late graft loss after liver transplantation.

The causes of graft loss in liver transplant recipients with a graft functioning for more than 1 year post-transplant were analyzed. Of 500 liver transplants in 434 patients, 362 grafts were functioning for more than 1 year. After 1 year, 42 grafts were later lost (11.6%). Thirty-three grafts were lost by death and 9 retransplants were done with 8 patients. Of the grafts lost by death, 12 had no evidence of dysfunction. The actuarial 2- and 5-year graft survival in liver transplantation recipients with functioning grafts for more than 1 year was 91 and 83%, respectively. The graft loss rate was 3.4 times higher during the 2nd year post-transplant than during 2-5 years post-transplant. The most common causes of graft loss were chronic rejection (26.2%), recurrent hepatitis (23.8%), arterial thrombosis/stenosis (11.9%) and recurrent malignancy (9.5%). No graft was lost from acute rejection. There was no difference in timing of the graft lost between the different causes. The pretransplant diagnosis of hepatitis B, chronic rejection, and malignancy was associated with the highest frequency of late graft lost. In conclusion, long-term graft survival is good after liver transplantation in patients with a functioning graft for more than 1 year. The main causes of graft loss were chronic rejection and recurrent hepatitis. Prevention and treatment for these conditions may further improve the results after liver transplantation.

Adolescent↗