PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Rasmussen

Publications and source records attributed to C Rasmussen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

The diagnostic headache diary--a headache expert system.

The purpose with the headache expert system was to develop a diagnostic and educational tool for the general practitioners (GP), in order to improve their management of headache disorders. This chapter describes the diagnostic headache diary, an expert system intended for education and diagnosing headache disorders. The diagnostic headache diary can be printed and used by headache patients at home to record their headache attacks and medicine consumption by a day to day basis. It can also be used by the GP at the clinic in order to provide the headache diagnoses. The diagnostic headache diary was written in the programming language Delphi and implemented as a stand-alone Windows 95 program. It was integrated as one of five modules in the headache tutorial described in another chapter of this book. The diagnostic headache diary consists of four modules: Patient data, diary, medication and diagnosis. Configured around a database, the diagnostic headache diary allows entries of several patients and search facilities. The diagnostic headache diary was tested and validated by entering expert-diagnosed data from different headache disorders which where compared to the computer generated diagnoses.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed2000

Headache tutorial.

The headache multimedia educational tool for the general practitioners, consists of five different modules, i.e. classification, clinical data, headache tutorial, diagnostic headache diary and nomenclature. It is possible to move between the modules both vertically and horizontally. This paper concerns the headache tutorial. It consist of case records that the user can test his diagnostic abilities on. Each case record is subdivided into an interview by the physician, physical and neurological examination, laboratory test, sum of positive diagnostic elements, suggestions of diagnoses and management. A total of 12 case records are provided. The system will be available on a CD-ROM.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Aggressive perinatal care for high-order multiple gestations: Does good perinatal outcome justify aggressive assisted reproductive techniques?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that must be considered for appropriate counseling of patients with high-order multiple gestations. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review was carried out from all high-order multiple gestations that were managed by a single perinatology group from February 1993-June 1998. Twin pregnancies that did not result from fetal reduction procedures were used as a control group. RESULTS: Clinical outcome data were analyzed from 9 quadruplet, 25 triplet, 19 reduced twin, and 24 nonreduced twin pregnancies. Women with quadruplet pregnancies were admitted more frequently at an early gestational age, the infants were delivered earlier, and the maternal and neonatal hospital days were longer than for triplet and reduced and nonreduced twin gestations. Triplet pregnancies had an earlier gestational age at delivery (32.3 vs 34.2 weeks), a higher incidence of preterm labor (87% vs 68%), and a higher percentage of neonatal intensive care unit admissions (94% vs 59%) than reduced twin gestations. Reduced twins were hospitalized longer (16.4 vs 9.8 days), were delivered earlier (34.2 vs 36.2 weeks), had a higher incidence of preterm labor (68% vs 29%), and had a greater percentage of neonatal intensive care unit admissions (59% vs 21%), a greater percentage of birth weight <1500 g, and a greater frequency of respiratory distress syndrome (16% vs 2%) than nonreduced twins. There was no difference in neonatal survival and neurologic morbidity when all groups were compared. CONCLUSION: Although early delivery and prolonged (maternal and neonatal) hospitalization were common with quadruplets and triplets, maternal and neonatal outcomes were excellent. The decision for reduction from triplets to twins may not necessarily change pregnancy outcome but should still be discussed as an option for the parents. Continued efforts need to be made to reduce the overall number of iatrogenic high-order multiple gestations.

Female↗
PubMed1999

Cloning of a Schizosaccharomyces pombe homologue of elongation factor 1 alpha by two-hybrid selection of calmodulin-binding proteins.

This study reports the cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1alpha) from the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The cDNA was cloned from an Schizosaccharomyces pombe expression library by a two-hybrid selection for clones encoding calmodulin (CaM)-binding proteins. The predicted protein is highly homologous to mammalian EF1alpha, indicating a strong tendency towards conservation of the primary amino acid sequence. The protein was expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion in both bacteria and in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The bacterial protein was shown by solution assay to compete with CaM kinase II for CaM. The CaM binding domain was localized to the C-terminus of the protein by this method. Expression of full-length EF1alpha in vivo caused an increase in cell cycle length and a decreased rate of growth as evidenced by a lack of elongated cells in slowly dividing cultures. This effect appears to involve CaM binding because a truncation mutant version of EF1alpha lacking the CaM binding domain did not cause cell cycle delay.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

[Lumbar disk prolapse. Alcohol, tobacco and prognosis].

The aim of the study was to examine whether smoking or the intake of different alcoholic beverages are associated with the outcome after first time lumbar disc surgery. One hundred and forty-eight patients consecutively operated upon for lumbar disk herniation over a one-year period were classified according to various social and demographic variables. Two and a half years later they were asked about their drinking and smoking habits and the outcome of the operation was assessed using a rating scale. Results showed that intake of wine, but not other alcoholic drinks, was associated with a good prognosis. Logistic regression analysis calculated that intake of wine was associated with a fourfold increase in success rate. This odds ratio was not significantly reduced by the following variables: Age, sex, smoking habits, employment status, social class, household income or marital status. In conclusion, intake of wine was associated with a good prognosis after lumbar discectomy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Lumbar disc herniation: favourable outcome associated with intake of wine.

Recent research indicates that non-smoking and intake of alcoholic beverages, in particular wine, are associated with beneficial effects on several diseases, especially atherosclerosis. The aim of the study was to investigate whether smoking or the intake of different alcoholic beverages are associated with the outcome 2 1/2 years after first-time lumbar disc surgery. The design was a follow-up study, using a questionnaire including a rating scale. All 170 patients consecutively operated upon for a lumbar disc herniation over a 1-year period were clinically examined at the time of the operation and classified according to various social and demographic variables. The main outcome measure, 2 1/2 years after, was the total rating score, i.e. the sum of three equally weighted outcome measures: pain, impairment and self-assessment of the operation result. The questionnaires were completed by 148 patients (87%). The median age of patients was 41 years; 60 of them were women. Fifty-four per cent were smokers and 42% wine drinkers. Logistic regression analysis calculated a fourfold increase in the success rate for wine drinkers. This fourfold odds ratio was not significantly reduced by the following variables: age, sex, social class, household income, smoking habits, employment status or marital status. Smoking could not be shown to be an independent risk factor for the outcome. Intake of wine was found to be associated with a good prognosis after first-time lumbar disc surgery, and this association could not be attributed to the lifestyle characteristics studied.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Effects of triptorelin versus placebo on the symptoms of endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of a GnRH-agonist, triptorelin, versus placebo on the symptoms of endometriosis. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, double-blind study of 6 months of treatment followed by 12 months of follow-up. SETTING: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology at two universities and one general hospital. PATIENT(S): Forty-nine women with symptoms of laparoscopically verified endometriosis. INTERVENTION(S): Triptorelin depot or placebo was given every 4 weeks. Clinical evaluation, including the Duration Intensity Behavior Scale and Visual Analogue Scale for pain, was performed before the injections and up to 12 months after treatment. A control laparoscopy was performed 4-6 weeks after the last injection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Quantitation of pain. RESULT(S): Twenty-four patients had active treatment and 25 received placebo. Pain symptoms according to both scales were significantly more reduced after 2 months of triptorelin treatment compared to placebo. The extent of endometriotic lesions was reduced 50% during triptorelin treatment and increased 17% during placebo. The average area of endometriotic lesions was reduced 45% during triptorelin treatment but was unchanged during placebo. Side effects, mainly hot flushes, were experienced by 80% of the actively treated group but also by 33% of patients in the placebo group. Because of recurrent symptoms, only five patients could be observed for 12 months after completion of treatment. CONCLUSION(S): Triptorelin reduces endometriotic lesions and pain to a significantly higher degree than placebo.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Falloposcopy in conjunction with laparoscopy: possibilities and limitations.

Falloposcopy is a transvaginal microendoscopic technique to explore the human Fallopian tube from the uterotubal ostium to the fimbrial end. Falloposcopy provides a unique possibility to visualize endotubal disease and may be used therapeutically for removal of debris and for cutting down filmy intraluminal adhesions. To assess the clinical performance of falloposcopy as part of an infertility investigation, a total of 43 women scheduled for laparoscopy as part of an investigation of infertility had a falloposcopy performed in conjunction with the laparoscopy. All women were investigated at Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm and Akademiska Hospital, Uppsala, during 1995 and 1996. Images from the endosalpinx were obtained in 26 of 43 women (60.5%). In 10 women (23.3%), it was possible to obtain images from both tubes. No images were of sufficient quality to describe the entire tubal mucosa in detail. Falloposcopy represents a unique tool for visualization of endotubal disease and may provide a valuable instrument for in-vivo exploration of tubal physiology. However, certain technical problems limit the usefulness of this method in routine clinical practice. These technical problems have to be solved before falloposcopy can achieve a central position in investigation and treatment of tubal disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Combined use of a true-bipolar sensing implantable cardioverter defibrillator in a patient having a prior implantable spinal cord stimulator for intractable pain.

Reported is a case involving a patient with a previously implanted spinal cord stimulator (SCS) who presented for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The SCS device was located in the left lower abdominal quadrant with a stimulation electrode array placed on the dorsal aspect of the spinal cord at the T-11 thoracic level. Interaction testing demonstrated that the biopolar sensing transvenous ICD system (Medtronic 7221 Cx PCD) did not detect the stimulator's output at burst rates ranging from 20-130 pulses/s, even with the ICD set to its maximum sensitivity of 0.15 m V and the stimulator programmed to the highest patient tolerated output combinations of 5 V, 0.45 ms in the bipolar configuration and 3 V, 0.45 ms in the unipolar (i.e., case-electrode) configuration.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Cell cycle inhibitory effects of HIV and SIV Vpr and Vpx in the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

The Vpr gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and type 2 (HIV-1, HIV-2) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) encodes a small nuclear protein which is virion-associated and assists nuclear transport of the preintegration complex. Expression of HIV-1 Vpr has been shown to induce differentiation and prevent proliferation of human cells. HIV-1 Vpr has also been shown to arrest cell growth and cause morphological defects in yeast. In contrast, the Vpx gene of HIV-2 and SIV, which shares sequence homology with Vpr, does not seem to inhibit proliferation of human cells. It has been suggested that the cell cycle arrest effect of Vpr and Vpx is species and cell-type dependent. In this study, we have taken advantage of a conditional expression system to characterize the growth inhibitory effects of Vpr and Vpx of HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Our results show that both Vpr and/or Vpx of HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV arrest cell growth in S. pombe, and HIV-1 Vpr is more cytotoxic than HIV-2 or SIV Vpr or Vpx. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that yeast cells cease proliferating with DNA contents indicative of arrest in G1 and G2, with some cells showing signs of overreplication of DNA. While the observed cell cycle arrest phenotype was not identical to that observed in mammalian cells, there were similarities of growth arrest phenotype caused by Vpr and Vpx in yeast and mammalian cells. Specifically, the observation that yeast and mammalians cell both arrest in G2 with reduced p34/cdc2 kinase activity indicates that Vpr and Vpx interact with conserved target(s) in yeast and mammalian cells. The ability to use genetic analysis to elucidate the mechanisms involved makes S. pombe an excellent model system in which to study the effects of Vpr and Vpx on cellular function.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Significance and management of early graft failure after coronary artery bypass grafting: feasibility and results of acute angiography and re-re-vascularization.

UNLABELLED: Perioperative ischaemia and infarction after CABG are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To study causes of perioperative ischaemia and infarction by acute re-angiography and to treat incomplete re-vascularization caused by graft failure or any other cause. METHODS: Between 1990 and 1995, 2003 patients underwent an isolated CABG operation. Myocardial ischaemia was suspected if one or more of the following criteria were present: New changes in the ST-segment in the ECG; a CKMB value greater than 80 U/L; new Q-waves in the ECG; recurrent episodes of, or sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia; ventricular fibrillation; haemodynamic deterioration and left ventricular failure. Acute coronary angiography was performed in stable patients, while haemodynamically severely compromised patients were rushed to the operating room. RESULTS: A total of 71 (3.5%) patients of all CABGs with suspected graft failure were identified and included in the study. Patients were grouped according to whether they had an acute re-angiography (n = 59; group 1) or an immediate re-operation (n = 12; group 2) performed. In group 1, the acute re-angiography demonstrated graft failure/incomplete re-vascularization in 43 patients (73%). The angiographic findings were: Occluded vein graft(s) in 19 (32%); poor distal run-off to the grafted coronary artery in ten (17%); internal mammary artery stenosis in four (7%); internal mammary artery occlusion in three (5%); vein graft stenoses in three (5%); left mammary artery subclavian artery steal in two (3%); and the wrong coronary artery grafted in one (2%). Based on the angiography findings, 27 patients were re-operated and re-grafted. At the time of re-operation, 18 patients (67%) had evolving infarction documented by ECG or CKMB. Two patients (3%) experienced stroke in immediate relation to the re-angiography. The 30-day mortality was three (7%). In group 2, graft occlusions were found in 11 patients (92%). The 30-day mortality was six (50%). CONCLUSION: An acute re-angiography demonstrated graft failure or incomplete re-vascularization in the majority of patients with myocardial ischaemia early after CABG. Re-operation for re-re-vascularization was performed with low risk. Few patients with circulatory collapse could be saved by an immediate re-operation without preceding angiography.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Antibody levels against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b in a population of splenectomized individuals with varying vaccination status.

In order to determine antibody levels against Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in a population of splenectomized subjects, 561 persons in a Danish county, splenectomized between 1984 and 1993 were identified. Two hundred and thirty-five were alive and 149 participated in the study. Each person donated a blood sample for antibody determination by ELISA. Though vaccine coverage among the 149 persons was 91% only 52% had 'protective' levels of pneumococcal antibodies. Despite recommendations for regular follow-up on pneumococcal antibody levels this had only been carried out in 4% of the subjects. Splenectomized subjects who needed pneumococcal revaccination were significantly more likely to have received their initial vaccination less than 14 days before or after splenectomy, as recommended, than those not requiring revaccination. Therefore, the timing of initial pneumococcal vaccination in relation to splenectomy seems to be important. All persons had Hib antibody levels higher than 0.15 microgram/ml and 60% had levels higher than 1 microgram/ml, which are the levels thought to provide short term and long term protection, respectively. In total, 37% of the 149 persons tested had pneumococcal and Hib antibody levels thought to correlate with protection from serious infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

A mechanism for negative gene regulation in Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus.

The Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) ie-1 gene product (IE-1) is thought to play a central role in stimulating early viral transcription. IE-1 has been demonstrated to activate several early viral gene promoters and to negatively regulate the promoters of two other AcMNPV regulatory genes, ie-0 and ie-2. Our results indicate that IE-1 negatively regulates the expression of certain genes by binding directly, or as part of a complex, to promoter regions containing a specific IE-1-binding motif (5'-ACBYGTAA-3') near their mRNA start sites. The IE-1 binding motif was also found within the palindromic sequences of AcMNPV homologous repeat (hr) regions that have been shown to bind IE-1. The role of this IE-1 binding motif in the regulation of the ie-2 and pe-38 promoters was examined by introducing mutations in these promoters in which the central 6 bp were replaced with BglII sites. GUS reporter constructs containing ie-2 and pe-38 promoter fragments with and without these specific mutations were cotransfected into Sf9 cells with various amounts of an ie-1-containing plasmid (pIe-1). Comparisons of GUS expression produced by the mutant and wild-type constructs demonstrated that the IE-1 binding motif mediated a significant decrease in expression from the ie-2 and pe-38 promoters in response to increasing pIe-1 concentrations. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with pIe-1-transfected cell extracts and supershift assays with IE-1-specific antiserum demonstrated that IE-1 binds to promoter fragments containing the IE-1 binding motif but does not bind to promoter fragments lacking this motif.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

What psychology students know and believe about Charles Darwin.

204 introductory and 154 advanced students in psychology were asked about their knowledge of Charles Darwin and endorsement of belief statements about the status of evolutionary theory. Advanced students had higher scores than introductory students on three of six multiple-choice knowledge items and differed from them on all six statements of belief as assessed by chi 2. Advanced students appear to know more about evolutionary theory but may be less inclined to endorse its relevancy to psychology.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMed1997

Quality assurance in endoscopic surgery.

A number of operative procedures in gynecology are now being performed with the help of endoscopy, a development that was not based upon appropriate clinical trials. Quality assurance is today's challenge in gynecological endoscopic surgery. Although as a rule data from quality registers cannot be used for comparative purposes, they may guarantee a basic standard of documentation of surgical results. Quality assurance is a continuous process and a means to improve quality in general. Quality indicators are specific criteria that denote quality change and play a key role in quality programs. It is important to realize that quality in this sense may be viewed not only from the medical aspect but from a variety of perspectives including education, training and medical care.

Female↗
PubMed1997

Non-parametric classification of esophagus motility by means of neural networks.

Automatic long-term recording of esophageal pressures by means of intraluminal transducers is used increasingly for evaluation of esophageal function. Most automatic analysis techniques are based on detection of derived parameters from the time series by means of arbitrary rule-based criterions. The aim of the present work has been to test the ability of neural networks to identify abnormal contraction patterns in patients with non-obstructive dysphagia (NOBD). Nineteen volunteers and 22 patients with NOBD underwent simultaneous recordings of four pressures in the esophagus for at least 23 hours. Data from 21 subjects were selected for training. The performances of two trained networks were subsequently verified on reference data from 20 subjects. The results show that non-parametric classification by means of neural networks has good potentials. Back propagation shows good performance with a sensitivity of 1.0 and a specificity of 0.8.

Adult↗