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Biomedical subjects

J Johnsen

Publications and source records attributed to J Johnsen.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Reduced IgG Fc-receptor-mediated phagocytosis in human monocytes isolated from alcoholics.

Blood monocytes (MC) were isolated from alcoholics and from age-matched controls. Phagocytosis mediated by the IgG Fc-receptor (Fc-R) was assessed in the MC immediately after isolation by using IgG-opsonized sheep erythrocytes as test particles. Experiments were also performed after preincubating the MC in medium containing 10% autologous serum with or without ethanol (80 mM) in vitro at 37 degrees C for 15 min, and with or without ethanol (80 mM) present during the internalization assay in vitro (37 degrees C for 60 min). MC from alcoholics exhibited lower phagocytic capacity via the Fc-R than MC from healthy controls, approximately 50% versus 70% phagocytosing cells. Preincubation of the MC in medium containing 10% autologous serum with 80 mM ethanol, reduced the percentage of phagocytosing MC from controls to 55%, whereas no further reduction occurred in cells from alcoholics. When present during the assays of Fc-R function, ethanol decreased MC phagocytosis of IgG-coated particles significantly in both test groups, to about 30% phagocytosing cells. Blood samples disclosed increased serum levels of markers of liver dysfunction, immunoglobulins, increased sedimentation rate, and white blood cell counts among the alcoholics, while their serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 were reduced.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Some aspects of antioxidant status in blood from alcoholics.

The effect of ethanol consumption on serum concentration of alpha-tocopherol, erythrocyte activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase were studied in 34 male alcoholics and 35 age-matched controls. Serum concentration of alpha-tocopherol was 30% lower in the alcoholics as compared to the controls (p less than 0.001). No significant difference was found in erythrocyte activities of Cu-Zn-containing superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, or catalase between the groups. Of the 12 alcoholics with subnormal serum alpha-tocopherol, 50% had concomitant neurological clinical scores and cerebellar atrophy, and their neurological scores were significantly higher (82%) than for alcoholics with normal alpha-tocopherol levels (p less than 0.03). However, no significant correlation was observed between levels of alpha-tocopherol and neurological clinical scores or cerebellar atrophy. When entering the study, alcoholics and controls were each randomized into two separate groups, receiving vitamin E supplementation (100 mg/day) or placebo capsules for 10 days, respectively. In the four subgroups, alpha-tocopherol levels increased only in alcoholics receiving vitamin E supplementation (23%) (p less than 0.001). The reduced serum levels of alpha-tocopherol in alcoholics may be normalized by vitamin E supplementation.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Diminished serum concentration of vitamin E in alcoholics.

The effect of heavy alcohol consumption on serum concentrations of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and selenium was studied in 13 alcoholics and 19 control subjects. Ethanol intake during the year previous to the study was in the range from 22 to 354 g/day and from 0 to 16 g/day among the alcoholics and controls, respectively. Of the 13 alcoholics, 6 had a serum concentration of alpha-tocopherol below the lower limit of reference (14 mumol/l) and mean serum concentration of alpha-tocopherol was reduced by 37% as compared to controls (p less than 0.002). Estimated dietary intake of alpha-tocopherol during the year previous to the study was approximately 40% lower for the alcoholics (p less than 0.05). During hard-drinking periods the alcoholics had a markedly reduced intake of alpha-tocopherol as compared to moderate-drinking and abstinent periods. Mean serum concentration of selenium was significantly reduced in the alcoholics (1.2 +/- 0.3 mumol/l) as compared to the controls (1.6 +/- 0.2 mumol/l) (p less than 0.002). The reduced serum levels of alpha-tocopherol and selenium may influence the maintenance of normal cell structure and function, and contribute to development of diseases frequently observed in alcoholics.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Sensitivity of clinical isolates from German hospitals to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (Augmentin) compared with other antibiotics.

17,244 pathogens isolated from clinical specimens of 24 hospitals in the Moers area (North-Rhine Westphalia, FRG) were tested in regard to their susceptibility to Augmentin (amoxicillin and clavulanic acid). For this purpose, minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined by use of microbroth dilution technique. 80% of Gram-negative, 98% of Gram-positive and 97% of anaerobic isolates were susceptible to Augmentin (breakpoint 4 mg/l amoxicillin in the presence of 2.5 mg/l clavulanic acid). In a second part of the study the susceptibility to Augmentin of 4.137 Gram-negative and 10.958 Gram-positive pathogens was compared to their sensitivity against benzylpenicillin, flucloxacillin, mezlocillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, fusidic acid, ampicillin, cefaclor and doxycyclin.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1988

A comparison of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin with other biological markers of excessive drinking.

In a study of suggested biological markers of excessive drinking, serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) was compared with serum activities of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma glutamyltransferase; serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; and erythrocyte mean cellular volume. Analytical data were studied in relation to self-reported alcohol consumption during the latest month for the 69 participating subjects. CDT was found to be the most sensitive and most specific marker of excessive drinking, and was also found to be the best marker for monitoring abstinence under treatment of alcoholics.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Restriction analysis of the structural alpha-L-fucosidase gene and its linkage to fucosidosis.

Human alpha-L-fucosidase is a lysosomal enzyme responsible for hydrolysis of alpha-L-fucoside linkages in fucoglycoconjugates. A single gene, FUCA 1, located on chromosome 1p34.1-1p36.1 encodes for alpha-L-fucosidase activity. To gain insight into the nature of the molecular defects leading to fucosidosis, we have characterized the genomic structure of FUCA 1. Restriction-endonuclease analysis suggests that at least seven exons dispersed over 22 kb are present in genomic FUCA 1. Two restriction-fragment-length polymorphisms (RFLPs) have been identified in the Caucasian population. The PvuII and BglI RFLPs each have two codominant alleles in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Allele frequencies for the PvuII RFLP are .70/.30, and those for the BglI RFLP .63/.37. Both RFLPs are in strong linkage disequilibrium with each other, with a correlation coefficient of .94. The polymorphism information content (PIC) of the combined DNA markers is .38, high enough to be useful in the prenatal diagnosis of fucosidosis. The combined lod score for linkage between the fucosidosis mutation and FUCA 1 markers in two families was significant at a recombination fraction of 0. This suggests that the fucosidosis mutation resides in FUCA 1.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed1987

Behavioral use of disulfiram in the treatment of problem drinking.

As part of an outpatient treatment research project alternative ways of using Antabuse (disulfiram) in the treatment of problem drinkers are developed. Instead of forced regular use, Antabuse was administered as a voluntary situational therapeutic tool. Subjects were 84 men and 51 women. Thirty percent of both men and women decided to use Antabuse. Men most often used disulfiram continuously for a longer period or to stop an ongoing drinking period. The women used Antabuse to secure shorter periods of abstinence as part of their drinking schedules and to prevent drinking in specific high-risk situations. The subjects using Antabuse reduced their ethanol consumption significantly (p less than .05) at the end of the follow-up period, compared to the nonusers.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Effect of heavy alcohol consumption on serum concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins and selenium.

We conducted a study of the serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3, retinol, retinol-binding protein (RBP) and selenium among 13 alcoholics and 19 control subjects, in relation to alcohol consumption and diet. The intake of ethanol last year was 178 +/- 116 g/d among the alcoholics and 3.7 +/- 4.5 g/d in the control group (p less than 0.002). The concentration of alpha-tocopherol was lower (37%) among the alcoholics, 15.2 +/- 4.4 mumol/l, compared to the controls, 24.2 +/- 4.2 mumol/l (p less than 0.002). Mean serum concentration of selenium was reduced by 25% in the alcoholics (1.2 +/- 0.3 mumol/l) as compared to the controls (1.6 +/- 0.2 mumol/l) (p less than 0.002). Fiftyeight per cent of the heavy alcohol consumers had a concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 below lower limit of reference (20 ng/ml). Serum level of retinol and RBP was similar in the two groups. Intake of vitamin E was reduced by 62% last month among the alcoholics compared to the controls, whereas no difference was found in intake of vitamin D. Of the alcoholics, 85% had increased serum activities of liver enzymes. In conclusion, heavy consumption of ethanol reduced plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol, selenium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. The two former of these observations may be of particular interest in view of the protective effect exerted by antioxidants towards cell damage. The latter observation may contribute to the high frequency of bone fractures and osteomalacia in alcoholics through disturbance of calcium and phosphate metabolism.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Diphenhydramine and the calcium carbimide-ethanol reaction: a placebo-controlled clinical study.

The effect of diphenhydramine on the cyanamide-ethanol reaction was evaluated in a double-blind, controlled clinical study. Seven healthy subjects ingested 50 mg calcium carbimide at 4 hours and 100 mg diphenhydramine or placebo at 2 hours before a 0.2 gm/kg iv infusion of ethanol. Blood acetaldehyde and blood ethanol analyses were performed together with recordings of blood pressure, pulse rate, and flushing intensity during the hour after ethanol infusion. Diphenhydramine increased the mean ethanol AUC but did not influence blood acetaldehyde levels. Antihistamine reduced the flushing response by 40% and decreased the pulse rate from 40 minutes onward after ethanol infusion subsequent to calcium carbamide dosing. Blood pressure was not significantly influenced by ethanol at the calcium carbimide dose we used.

Acetaldehyde↗
PubMed1986

Effect of alcohol consumption on serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, retinol, and retinol-binding protein.

The effect of chronic alcohol consumption on the concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, total retinol, and retinol-binding protein in serum was studied in chronic alcoholics (n = 12) and controls (n = 19). Ethanol intake during the last year was 178 +/- 116 and 3.7 +/- 4.5 g/day, respectively (p less than 0.002). Of the alcoholics, 58% had a concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 below lower limit of reference (20 ng/ml). Estimated dietary intake of vitamin D last year was not significantly different for the alcoholics and controls. Concentration of calcium in serum was significantly lower in alcoholics than in controls (p less than 0.05). The serum concentration of retinol and retinol-binding protein was similar in the two groups. These observations may be of relevance for some of the clinical findings related to bone disease among heavy alcohol consumers.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Utilization of benzylpenicillin as carbon, nitrogen and energy source by a Pseudomonas fluorescens strain.

A bacterium which utilizes benzylpenicillin as carbon, nitrogen and energy source was isolated from a lake sediment. The organism was identified as a strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens with a GC content of 59.71 Mol%. After growth of the organism on a mineral salts medium containing benzylpenicillin, the derivatives benzylpenicilloic acid, benzylpenilloic acid and benzylpenicillenic acid were found in culture media. There was no indication that the phenylacetate side chain of benzylpenicillin is decomposed. In uninoculated culture media benzylpenicillin, benzylpenicilloic acid and benzylpenicillenic acid were demonstrable. The following compounds were found to be absent from inoculated or uninoculated culture fluids: D-penicillamine, L-valine, L-cysteine, benzylpenillic acid and 6-aminopenicillanic acid. The organism possesses penicillinase. Penicillin acylase was not demonstrable. The reaction product of penicillinase, benzylpenicilloic acid, supports only little growth. There is no growth on 6-aminopenicillanic acid with or without NH4Cl. Relatively little growth occurs on 6-aminopenicillanic acid in the presence of phenylacetic acid. The data indicate that the nucleus of the benzylpenicillin molecule is utilized as carbon, nitrogen and energy source. During growth a part of the substrate is destroyed into scarcely usable benzylpenicilloic acid; hereby the antibiotic is detoxified.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A reinvestigation of the usefulness of breath analysis in the determination of blood acetaldehyde concentrations.

Human volunteers were given ethanol (0.4 g/kg) either intravenous or per os. They were also given ethanol (0.2 g/kg) intravenous 4 hr after receiving a dose of 50 mg citrated calcium carbimide, an aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor. During the first hour after starting the administration of ethanol, ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations were determined in expired air, blood from the right atrium, arterial blood, and venous blood. In the absence of calcium carbimide treatment, the respective maximal blood acetaldehyde concentrations were (range): 6-30 microM (calculated from breath analysis using a blood:breath partition ratio of 190 for acetaldehyde); 0-3.5 microM (right atrium blood); and 0 microM (arterial and venous blood). After calcium carbimide treatment, the maximal blood acetaldehyde concentrations were 10-220 microM (calculated from concentrations in expired air), 38-280 microM (right atrium), 31-250 microM (arterial blood), and 7-186 microM (venous blood). With aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibition, a clear correlation existed between breath concentrations and blood concentrations. Without this inhibition, no such correlation was found. A clear arterio-venous difference was seen for acetaldehyde concentrations while they were artificially elevated by calcium carbimide. Our study suggests that factors other than the equilibration of acetaldehyde between alveolar air and pulmonary blood are of great importance in determining the concentration of acetaldehyde in expired air.

Acetaldehyde↗