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Biomedical subjects

K Eriksson

Publications and source records attributed to K Eriksson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Amplified ELISPOT assay for the detection of HIV-specific antibody-secreting cells in subhuman primates.

A novel immunoenzyme amplification technique has been evaluated in an ELISPOT assay for the detection of antigen-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) in monkeys. In this assay, mononuclear cells containing putative ASC are incubated for a few hours in antigen-coated wells. Following removal of the cells, zones of solid phase bound antibodies secreted by individual ASC are visualized in four consecutive steps. First, a primary biotinylated anti-immunoglobulin (Ig) reagent is added followed by enzyme-labelled avidin. The amplification procedure comprises the addition of biotinylated anti-enzyme antibodies in the third stage, followed by enzyme-conjugated avidin and substrate. When evaluated in a modified ELISPOT assay for the detection of simian B cells secreting antibodies to the envelope glycoprotein gp120 of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), this amplification procedure proved to be suitable even when using anti-human Ig antisera as primary antibody reagents. This development should be useful for other ELISPOT assays where species specific anti-Ig reagents are not always available and, most importantly, for enumerating cells producing immunoreactive substances in such minute amounts that they may escape detection by conventional ELISPOT assays. Furthermore, a functional simian HIV-specific ELISPOT assay could prove valuable for assessing the humoral immunogenicity of future candidate vaccines against the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Animals

Renal elimination of verbenols in man following experimental alpha-pinene inhalation exposure.

The renal elimination of verbenols after experimental exposure to (+) and (-)alpha-pinene was studied in humans following exposure to 10, 225, and 450 mg.m-3 terpene in an exposure chamber. The pulmonary uptake was about 60%. About 8% was eliminated unchanged in exhaled air. Depending on the exposure level, about 1%-4% of the total uptake was eliminated as cis- and trans-verbenol. Most of the verbenols were eliminated within 20 h after a 2-h exposure. The renal excretion of unchanged alpha-pinene was less than 0.001%.

Adult

The alleviation of suffering--the idea of caring.

Caring science is seeking a basic category or the primary form of caring, the focus of caring science which includes the meaning of caring. Caring science does not deny the presence of suffering, even though it aims at soundness and health; suffering is the point from which it begins. Not until the patient has come to terms with his suffering can he hope to recover. Suffering is the most important basic category of all caring. It gives caring a unique quality and soundness and is something which all forms of caring aim to alleviate. Real caring is not just an abstract idea, philosophy or ideology, it is concrete work confronting suffering in real situations.

Caregivers

Never ending growth and a growth factor. I. Immunocytochemical evidence for the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor in a tapeworm.

Basic fibroblast growth factor immunoreactivity (bFGF-IR) was detected in a specific set of nerve cells in the central nervous system of the gull-tapeworm Diphyllobothrium dendriticum (Cestoda)--an obligatory endoparasite. The long varicose processes of the bFGF-IR neurons extend along the two main nerve cords, which contain an actively growing population of nerve cells. A neurotrophic function for the bFGF-like material is proposed. The adult tapeworm lives in the intestine of a homeothermic host and has a pattern of very active and never ending growth. The larval stages live in poikilothermic hosts and grow very slowly. The bFGF-IR nerve cells occur both in II stage larvae and in adult worms. Thus, no correlation between the presence of bFGF-IR and the general growth rate of the worm was found. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of an anti-bFGF immunoreactive peptide with a molecular mass of 47 kDa in both larval and adult worms.

Animals

Immunizations of monkeys with synthetic peptides disclose conserved areas on gp120 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 associated with cross-neutralizing antibodies and T-cell recognition.

Site-directed immunization was employed to identify sites on the envelope glycoprotein gp120 for antibody-mediated neutralization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Antisera were raised in monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) against a series of 40 overlapping synthetic peptides covering the entire amino acid sequence of gp120 from the HTLV-IIIB strain of HIV-1. Immune sera against 12 of these peptides were reactive with gp120 by immunoblotting analysis, and antisera raised against 5 peptides, corresponding to amino acids (aa) 152-176, 193-218, 206-230, 248-269, and 307-330, were highly efficient in neutralizing HIV-1 (HTLV-IIIB) infectivity in vitro. Admixture of individual neutralizing anti-peptide monkey sera resulted in increment in neutralizing antibody titer. Antisera with reactivity to the relatively conserved regions defined by aa 152-176, 193-230, and 248-269 also neutralized to different extents the infectivity of the five Swedish clinical isolates of HIV-1 tested. Only a few HIV-1-infected people were found to make antibodies to these three conserved domains of gp120 as judged by ELISA using synthetic peptides as antigens. Three of the peptides (aa 152-176, 248-269, and 307-330) that induced neutralization antibodies also induced interleukin 2 production and lymphocyte proliferation when added to cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from monkeys immunized with the corresponding peptides, indicating that these domains accommodate T-cell recognition sites. The results have obvious implications for the rational design of subunit vaccines against HIV-1 infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Unaltered [3H]GBR-12935 binding after chronic treatment with dopamine active drugs.

Rats were injected intraperitoneally with haloperidol 0.5 mg/kg, raclopride 1 mg/kg, bromocriptine 2.5 mg/kg, d-amphetamine 2.5 mg/kg, or cocaine 10 mg/kg twice daily for 21 days. The animals were sacrificed 72 h after last injection. Control rats were injected with saline, following the same schedule. The radioligand [3H]GBR-12935 was used as a presynaptic marker for dopamine neurites. There were no significant differences in [3H]GBR-12935 binding to striatum between drug-treated rats and controls.

Animals

Peripheral neuropathy and myopathy. An experimental study of rats on alcohol and variable dietary thiamine.

The effects of variable dietary thiamine concentrations (deficient, normal, surplus) on the development of alcoholic neuromyopathy in rats exposed for 36 weeks to 10-25% (v/v) ethanol or water (control group) as the sole drinking fluid were studied by histological and electrophysiological methods. Abnormalities in the structure of the sciatic nerve (phagocytosis, myelin abnormalities, increase in nonspecific cholinesterase activity) and tibial muscles (angular atrophic fibers, group atrophy, fibre necrosis) developed more frequently in animals on diets deficient in thiamine than in animals on diets with normal or surplus thiamine, and more frequently in animals drinking alcohol and water than in those drinking water alone. No differences were observed between the different groups in the number of perivascular sympathetic nerves, in the motor nerve conduction velocities and in the muscle fibrillation potentials. Thus, thiamine deficiency, established as a significant reduction of red blood cell transketolase activity, seems to have a deleterious effect on the peripheral nerves and muscles. The effect is enhanced by the simultaneous consumption of ethyl alcohol.

Alcoholism

Tendinography for diagnosing injuries to tendons and ligaments.

A radiographic method of tendinography is described. In rabbits no inflammatory reaction in the Achilles tendon was observed 12 to 15 days after injection of contrast medium. Effects of examination of two healthy subjects and a patient with a traumatic condition are described. Suitable amounts and concentrations of contrast medium for examinations of Achilles tendon and cruciate ligaments are discussed.

Achilles Tendon

Non-linear properties of diaphyseal bone. An experimental study on dogs.

The deformation of entire long bones from dogs has been studied in torsion. The load-deformation relationship is non-linear prior to ultimate failure and repeated successively increased loading and unloading in the non-linear range is found to reduce the stiffness of the bone. The non-linearity of the curve is assumed to be due to a change in the geometry of the bone originating from formation of small cracks in the cortex. The bone material of entire long bones from dogs seems to be linearly elastic for all torques.

Animals