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Biomedical subjects

E Dahlberg

Publications and source records attributed to E Dahlberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Urethritis associated with Chlamydia trachomatis: comparison of leukocyte esterase dipstick test of first-voided urine and methylene blue-stained urethral smear as predictors of chlamydial infection.

The use of nucleic acid amplification tests for the diagnosis of C. trachomatis has made it possible to send urine samples instead of urethral swab specimens to the laboratory. The sensitivity is very high, but not 100%, and we continue to perform a test for urethritis at our STD clinic. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of two alternative tests in the diagnosis of urethritis as predictors of C. trachomatis infection: the leukocyte esterase (LE) dipstick test of first-voided urine and polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts in a methylene blue-stained (MBS) urethral smear. Urine samples from 480 male patients attending an STD clinic were analysed using the LE test and LCR assay for C. trachomatis; urethral samples were analysed with MBS urethral smear and LCR. The majority (75.8%) of the 480 patients examined were asymptomatic. Chlamydial infection was detected in 50 patients. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of the LE test for predicting C. trachomatis infection were 46.0, 91.6 and 39.0%, respectively, among all patients examined and 25.9, 95.8 and 33.3%, respectively, among the asymptomatic patients. The corresponding values for the MBS urethral smear were 76.0, 82.1 and 33.0% among all patients and 63.0, 89.6 and 32.7% among the asymptomatic patients. At our STD clinic we chose to perform the examination of MBS urethral smears in the diagnosis of urethritis because of its higher sensitivity relative to the LE test for predicting C. trachomatis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Cytomegalovirus seropositivity and serum total cholesterol levels in young patients.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of arteries, associated with multiple genetic and environmental factors, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, modified and elevated LDL cholesterol, elevated plasma homocysteine, and infectious microorganisms such as Chlamydia pneumoniae and cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV has been implicated in atherogenesis by epidemiological studies, animal research, and molecular analyses that have demonstrated CMV nucleic acids within human atherosclerotic lesions. Studies have suggested that CMV infection may alter lipid metabolism and lead to accumulation of cholesterol within atheromatous plaques. Few studies have examined the relationship between CMV infection and serum cholesterol levels in younger individuals when much of atherogenesis occurs. To test if CMV-seropositivity is associated with high levels of serum total cholesterol in relatively young patients, CMV IgG levels and total cholesterol concentrations were analyzed in serums from 172 patients, age < 50 yr. Based on univariate analysis of variance, serum total cholesterol was significantly correlated to age and to CMV-seropositivity when gender was a cofactor, but not to gender or CMV-seropositivity alone. In 39 CMV-seropositive women, serum total cholesterol concentration averaged 218 +/- 50 mg/dL (mean +/- SD), which was significantly higher than in 53 CMV-seronegative women (194 +/- 39 mg/dL, p < 0.02). No significant difference was observed between the serum total cholesterol concentrations in 26 CMV-seropositive men and 51 CMV-seronegative men (198 +/- 42 mg/dL versus 212 +/- 48 mg/dl, respectively). Thus, this study provides evidence that CMV-seropositivity is associated with higher serum total cholesterol levels in female patients under 50 yr of age, but not in male patients of comparable age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase expression during the cell cycle of Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Cells in mitosis were harvested from exponentially growing Chinese hamster ovary cells by the mitotic detachment technique. Immediately after harvesting, the mitotic cells were seeded in tissue culture flasks and incubated at 37 degrees C in a CO2 incubator. Care was taken not to perturb the progression of cells through the cell cycle. At every hour after seeding for 14 h, cells were collected for analysis of cell cycle distribution, cellular polyamine content, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) activities, and relative mRNA contents. The progression through the cell cycle was monitored by DNA flow cytometry. The putrescine, spermidine, and spermine levels were approximately doubled during the cell cycle: putrescine mainly during late S and G2, spermidine continuously during the entire cell cycle, and spermine mainly during G1 and S. The ODC activity was low in seeded mitotic cells and the enzyme was activated in late G1 and reached a plateau in S phase. A second burst in activity was observed during late S phase and maximal ODC activity was found at the S/G2 transition. The relative ODC mRNA level approximately doubled during the cell cycle and the increase in the relative level mainly took part during mid and late S phase. AdoMetDC activity increased in late G1 and a first maximum was observed during the G1/S transition. A second burst in activity was found in mid S phase. Maximal AdoMetDC activity was found in G2. The relative AdoMetDC mRNA approximately doubled during the cell cycle and the increase in the relative level mainly took place during late G1 and early S phase. Our results indicate that polyamine synthesis was regulated at transcriptional and translational/post-translational levels during the cell cycle of Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase↗
PubMed1992

Cutaneous drug reactions. An attempt to quantitative estimation.

The drugs taken by patients with suspected cutaneous drug reactions (CDR) were recorded during a 4-year period at Sahlgren Hospital in Gotenburg in a prospective study. A total of 440 patients were included. By dividing the frequency of occurrence of the recorded drugs by the number of sold defined daily doses (SDDD) for the city during the same period of time, figures for the CDR risk for different drugs corrected for frequency of use were obtained. The risk of CDR seemed to be highest for gold compounds, trimethoprim with and without sulphonamides, cephalosporins and penicillins. The most common types of CDR were macular and mucalopapular eruptions, followed by urticaria and cutaneous vasculitis. The results correlate well with those of the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program.

Drug Eruptions↗
PubMed1989

Trichophyton rubrum abscesses in immunocompromised patients. A case report.

A 72-year-old immunocompromised man with myelodysplastic syndrome who developed multiple erythematous, scaly abscesses like lesions on his left foot and lower leg is described. He also had dry scaly lesions on his soles and lesions on several toe nails. A punch biopsy showed abscesses with fungal elements and Trichophyton rubrum was cultured from skin scales and the biopsy. A diagnosis of T. rubrum abscesses should be suspected in all immunocompromised patients with signs of superficial dermatophyte infection.

Abscess↗
PubMed1987

Relationship of dietary gluten intake to dapsone dose in dermatitis herpetiformis.

The gluten intake was quantitated utilizing a dietary history method in 43 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis on non-restricted diet. The mean daily gluten intake was 15 g. The individual intake of gluten was related to the maintenance dose of dapsone. It was significantly higher in patients on 100-150 mg dapsone daily than in those taking 0-25 mg daily. There was a significant correlation between amount of gluten in the diet and the dapsone dose (p less than 0.01, rs = 0.43). Villous atrophy was not related to the dapsone dose. It is suggested that the gluten-sensitive enteropathy changes the intestinal permeability and thus contributes to the development of blisters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Muscle fiber types in thoracic erector spinae muscles. Fiber types in idiopathic and other forms of scoliosis.

Histochemical studies of the thoracic part of the erector spinae muscles in scoliosis have shown a consistently higher proportion of Type 1 fibers on the convex side. The fiber distribution of the multifidus and semispinalis muscles was studied in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Compared with sex- and age-matched controls, a "normal" percentage of Type 1 fibers was found on the convex right side and significantly smaller percentage of Type 1 fibers on the concave side. Boys with AIS showed the same pattern as girls. In two patients with double major curves, the same pattern could be seen on the convexity of both curves. Patients with congenital scoliosis or scoliosis with early onset showed a different pattern with a "normal" percentage of Type 1 fibers on the concave side but a significantly greater percentage of Type 1 fibers on the convex side. In AIS, the deviation in the fiber distribution may constitute a primary factor in the pathogenesis of scoliosis. In congenital scoliosis the differences in fiber distribution between the convex and concave sides are considered secondary in the pathogenesis of the spinal curvature.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Effects of ACTH on the ligand-binding properties of the glucocorticoid receptor exerted not only via elevated levels of corticosteroids.

Treatment of mice with ACTH not only increased plasma corticosterone levels, but also reduced the ligand-binding capacity of the glucocorticoid receptor in skeletal muscle cytosol. Non-linear Scatchard plots were obtained for the glucocorticoid receptor following ACTH treatment. This upward concave curvilinearity could not be reproduced by simply adding to the cytosol an amount of corticosterone corresponding to the increase, even though this treatment resulted in reduced binding capacity. The addition of corticosterone resulted in a slower formation of ligand-receptor complexes (lower association rate constant), which offered a partial explanation for the low binding. In addition, ACTH treatment was also found to reduce the binding capacity in adrenalectomized mice that did not respond with corticosterone elevation. However, in this case Scatchard plots were linear.

Adrenalectomy↗
PubMed1986

Spontaneous remission of dermatitis herpetiformis: dietary and gastrointestinal studies.

Out of 98 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) living in Gothenburg, 14 were in spontaneous remission (29% of the patients without gluten free diet). Eight of these volunteered for dietary interviews and further studies. They do not seem to differ from symptomatic DH patients in the frequency of HLA-B8, achlorhydria or small-bowel enteropathy. Their estimated mean daily intake of gluten was below 12 g in six. The mean gluten intake of the eight patients in remission is significantly less than in a group of 34 patients with dapsone-requiring DH on non-restricted diet. Urinary iodine excretion was low in five, all previously instructed to restrict their iodine intake. Dietary factors could thus be suspected to be responsible for some spontaneous remissions in DH.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

A hydroxylapatite microassay for receptor binding of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 3-methylcholanthrene in various target tissues.

A "batch" hydroxylapatite assay for the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) receptor that does not require detergents is described. The receptor could be assayed in rat target tissues using either of the cytochrome P1-450 inducers [3H]TCDD or [3H]3-methylcholanthrene as radioligands. A phosphate buffer washing procedure was developed on the basis of chromatographic data and optimized to separate nonspecifically and specifically bound ligand. The assay was characterized with respect to washing efficiency, binding specificity, competition, adsorption time, amount of hydroxylapatite required to bind receptor complexes, sensitivity, and effects of detergents. Equilibrium binding parameters were determined. Receptor extracted with phosphate from hydroxylapatite was analyzed on sucrose gradients and was found to exhibit the same sedimentation properties as the receptor in crude cytosol. Furthermore, the applicability of the assay has been demonstrated in cytosolic preparations from three different target tissues: liver, lung, and thymus.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Relative binding affinity of anabolic-androgenic steroids: comparison of the binding to the androgen receptors in skeletal muscle and in prostate, as well as to sex hormone-binding globulin.

It is unclear whether anabolic steroids act on skeletal muscle via the androgen receptor (AR) in this tissue, or whether there is a separate anabolic receptor. When several anabolic steroids were tested as competitors for the binding of [3H]methyltrienolone (MT; 17 beta-hydroxy-17 alpha-methyl-4,9,11-estratrien-3-one) to the AR in rat and rabbit skeletal muscle and rat prostate, respectively, MT itself was the most efficient competitor. 1 alpha-Methyl-5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (1 alpha-methyl-DHT; mesterolone) bound most avidly to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) [relative binding affinity (RBA) about 4 times that of DHT]. Some anabolic-androgenic steroids bound strongly to the AR in skeletal muscle and prostate [ RBAs relative to that of MT: MT greater than 19-nortestosterone ( NorT ; nandrolone) greater than methenolone (17 beta-hydroxy-1-methyl-5 alpha-androst-1-en-3-one) greater than testosterone (T) greater than 1 alpha-methyl-DHT]. In other cases, AR binding was weak (RBA values less than 0.05): stanozolol (17 alpha-methyl-5 alpha- androstano [3,2-c]pyrazol-17 beta-ol), methanedienone (17 beta-hydroxy-17 alpha-methyl-1,4-androstadien-3-one), and fluoxymesterolone (9 alpha-fluoro-11 beta-hydroxy-17 alpha-methyl-T). Other compounds had RBAs too low to be determined (e.g. oxymetholone (17 beta-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethylene-17 alpha-methyl-5 alpha-androstan-3-one) and ethylestrenol (17 alpha-ethyl-4- estren -17 beta-ol). The competition pattern was similar in muscle and prostate, except for a higher RBA of DHT in the prostate. The low RBA of DHT in muscle was probably due to the previously reported rapid reduction of its 3-keto function to metabolites, which did not bind to the AR [5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol and its 3 beta-isomer (3 alpha- and 3 beta-adiol, respectively)]. Some anabolic-androgenic steroids (only a few synthetic) bound to SHBG (1 alpha-methyl-DHT much greater than DHT greater than T greater than 3 beta-adiol greater than 3 alpha-adiol = 17 alpha-methyl-T greater than methenolone greater than methanedienone greater than stanozolol). The ratio of the RBA in rat muscle to that in the prostate (an estimate of the myotrophic potency of the compounds) was close to unity, varying only between about 0.4 and 1.7 in most cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Androgens↗
PubMed1984

Steroid hormone receptors, protein, and DNA in erector spinae muscle from scoliotic patients.

To investigate the possible influence of steroid hormones on the back muscles of scoliotic patients, steroid receptors, protein, and DNA were analyzed in muscle from 20 patients of both sexes, at different ages, and with different clinical diagnoses. Androgen and glucocorticoid receptors, but no estrogen receptors, were found. The androgen and glucocorticoid receptors had binding characteristics similar to those of corresponding receptors in other mammalian skeletal muscle, including that of humans. Whereas the concentration of androgen receptors was similar on both sides of the curve, the concentration of glucocorticoid receptors per gram of tissue (wet weight) was higher on the convex side. There were no side differences in steroid receptor content when measured per milligram of protein or per milligram of DNA. The concentrations of protein and DNA were higher on the convex than on the concave side and resulted in lower protein/DNA ratios on the former side indicating smaller "cell units" in muscle on the convex side. These data suggest that the side differences in scoliotic erector spinae muscle for these growth parameters can be secondary to the reported different distribution of fiber types on both sides, but they can also be due to a difference in growth of the muscle cells on the two sides.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Correlation between chemical structure, receptor binding, and biological activity of some novel, highly active, 16 alpha, 17 alpha-acetal-substituted glucocorticoids.

The affinity for the glucocorticoid receptor in rat skeletal muscle of some glucocorticoids with a new type of 16 alpha, 17 alpha-acetal substituent has been estimated and correlated to the glucocorticoid activities in three in vivo systems in rats. Budesonide (an approximately 1:1 mixture of the C(22) epimers of 11 beta, 21-dihydroxy-16 alpha, 17 alpha-[(22R,S)-propylmethylenedioxy]-pregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione) and the isolated (22R)- and (22S)-epimers bound to the same binding site as the potent glucocorticoids dexamethasone (DEX) or triamcinolone 16 alpha, 17 alpha-acetonide (TA), but with even higher affinity than DEX or TA, despite the lack of a 9 alpha-fluoro atom in budesonide and its epimers. The (22R)-epimer was twice as active as the (22S)-epimer, 4 times more active than TA, and 14 times more active than DEX. The introduction of a 9 alpha-fluoro atom slightly decreased the binding affinity of the (22R)-epimer of budesonide, in contrast to the positive effect of 9 alpha-fluorination of, e.g., 16 alpha, 17 alpha-acetonides. The negative influence of 9 alpha-fluorination of the (22R)-epimer was partially reversed in the 6 alpha, 9 alpha-difluorinated (22R)-epimer. Nevertheless, the fluorinated compounds were more active than DEX and TA (8 and 11 times more active than DEX, and 2 and 3 times more active than TA, in case of the 9 alpha-fluoro- and 6 alpha, 9 alpha-difluoro-derivatives of the (22R)-epimer, respectively). Budesonide is metabolized mainly to 16 alpha-hydroxyprednisolone (11 beta, 16 alpha, 17 alpha, 21-tetrahydroxy-pregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione) and 6 beta-hydroxy-budesonide. Both metabolites were very weak competitors for the ligand-binding sites on the receptor (3% and 6% of the affinity of DEX, respectively). The affinity for the receptor in vitro was closely correlated to the topical glucocorticoid activity in vivo for the 12 steroids compared (r = 0.98; R = 0.98), which supports the contention that in vitro tests for receptor affinity are useful when screening for agonists among steroids with the present type of structures. The results on receptor-ligand interaction are in accordance with X-ray crystallographic data available for some steroids.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Studies on steroid receptors in human and rabbit skeletal muscle - clues to the understanding of the mechanism of action of anabolic steroids.

The mechanism of action of steroid hormones in target tissues include the binding of the steroid molecule to specific receptors in the cytoplasm. Steroid receptors may therefore be regarded as mediators of hormone action. The presence of such receptors in tissues reflects their hormone-sensitivity and the receptor levels are indicative of the relative potential for a direct hormonal action on the tissue in question. Using 3H-labeled synthetic ligands and a charcoal adsorption assay, the presence of specific androgen, glucocorticoid and estrogen (in rabbits only) receptors was demonstrated in human and rabbit skeletal muscle cytosol. These tissues can therefore be regarded as targets for these steroids. Scatchard analysis was then used to quantitate the receptors in muscle in different conditions. In back muscle of scoliotic patients, the concentrations of androgen and glucocorticoid receptors were similar on the convex and concave sides, except the concentration of glucocorticoid receptors (per g of wet weight), which was higher on the convex side. The tissue concentration (per g of wet weight) of glucocorticoid and estrogen receptors (but not of androgen receptor) was higher in rabbit soleus (slow-twitch) muscle than in the gastrocnemius/plantaris (fast-twitch) muscle complex. When the concentrations were related to the number of nuclei (i.e. expressed per mg of DNA), however, only the estrogen receptor concentration differed between the muscles (higher in soleus). Muscle atrophy in rabbit gastrocnemius muscle was induced by tenotomy or denervation and led to similar changes with an increase with time in androgen and glucocorticoid receptor levels (expressed per g of wet weight or per mg of protein) and a concomitant loss of muscle weight and protein. The total muscle content of receptors or the receptor concentration expressed per mg of DNA were also increased, but to a lesser extent. Synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroids can act directly on skeletal muscle in view of their capacity to bind to the androgen receptor as shown in the present study. Relative binding affinities of anabolic-androgenic steroids to the androgen receptor were similar in rabbit and rat skeletal muscle and in rat prostate. The protein/DNA ratio in the muscle samples was used as an estimation of the size of the "functional DNA-unit". The results indicate that slow-twitch fibers have smaller "DNA units", but also that muscle atrophy causes a decrease of the size of the "DNA unit".(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Androgens↗
PubMed1983

Estimation of the blood contamination of tissue extracts.

A method based on measurement of absorbance at 540 or 580 nm is described. The results obtained were closely correlated to the actual level of blood present in different tissues, as determined by use of radiolabeled albumin. The present technique is much simpler than earlier methods used to determine the degree of blood contamination of tissue extracts. Hence, it may find wide application in the life sciences.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

'Specific receptor binding' of radioactively labeled products of radiolysis of the estrogen receptor ligand R 2858 (17 alpha-ethynyl-11 beta-methoxy-estradiol-17 beta).

Radioactively labeled steroids undergo decomposition processes, which are dependent on time, storage conditions (temperature, solvents etc.), degree of labeling etc. This communication shows that several decomposition products of 17 alpha-ethynyl-11 beta-methoxy-estradiol-17 beta (R 2858) bind to rat uterine cytosol in a way that would be interpreted as 'specific receptor binding' if some of these compounds were present in the ligand solution used for estrogen receptor determination. Thus, the binding was charcoal-resistant and displaceable with an excess of unlabeled R 2858, and the percentage of binding was of significant magnitude to seriously interfere with receptor measurements.

Animals↗