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Biomedical subjects

K Eriksson

Publications and source records attributed to K Eriksson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Increased bronchial responsiveness in workers sawing Scots pine.

The purpose of the present investigation was to study bronchial responsiveness and pulmonary function in Swedish sawmill workers, who are not exposed to plicatic acid, the sensitizer in red wood cedar asthma. Bronchial responsiveness, transfer factor, spirometry, and precipitating antibodies in serum against sawmill fungi were measured in 164 workers at five sawmills. The results from workers inside the sawing area (sawyers, n=59), in the trimming department (trimmers, n=66), and from other workers in the sawmill (sawyer-referents, n=39) were compared. Sawyers had higher bronchial responsiveness than referents. In 55% of the sawyers FEV1 decreased by 20% or more within the highest dose of methacholine compared with 31% of sawyer-referents and 41% of trimmers (p<0.01, sawyers/referents). Sawyers decreased 74% more in FEV1 per milligram of inhaled methacholine compared with referents (geometric means, p<0.01). The transfer test in never-smokers was 13% lower in sawyers than in trimmers (p<0.01) and 8% lower compared with sawyer-referents (nonsignificant p<0.1). Presence of precipitating antibodies was not associated with changes in pulmonary function. Some agents in the sawing area of sawmills appear to increase bronchial responsiveness and decrease diffusion capacity.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Virus-specific antibody production and polyclonal B-cell activation in the intestinal mucosa of HIV-infected individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To examine possible changes in mucosal B-cell activation status. DESIGN: To examine the frequency and isotype distribution of total and HIV-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) in the intestinal mucosa of HIV-infected individuals. METHODS: Mucosal lymphocytes were obtained by enzymatic treatment of duodenal pinch biopsies and the numbers of ASC were assayed with the enzyme-linked immunospot technique. RESULTS: High numbers of HIV-specific ASC were found in the intestine of all HIV-infected individuals despite low levels of HIV-specific blood ASC. All HIV-infected individuals had large numbers of intestinal immunoglobulin (Ig) A-ASC against the HIV envelope glycoprotein gp160. Eight out of nine patients also had HIV gp160-specific intestinal IgG-ASC. These HIV-specific ASC were detected irrespective of disease stage, route of infection, or levels of circulating CD4+ T cells. HIV-specific ASC were found in peripheral blood from patients with CD4+ T cells > or = 100 x 10(6)/l blood, but in none of three patients with low CD4+ T-cell counts. The frequencies of virus-specific ASC in the blood were on average 100-fold lower than that observed within the intestinal mucosa. Mucosal polyclonal B-cell activation was evident in HIV-infected individuals, as documented by significantly elevated numbers of Ig-secreting cells (ISC) in all three major Ig classes; on average, seven-, five- and 20-fold numbers of IgA, IgG and IgM-ISC compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, substantial numbers of ASC reacting with unrelated antigens such as dog albumin and keyhole limpet haemocyanin were detected in HIV-infected patients. Interestingly, patients with CD4+ T cells < 100 x 10(6)/l blood displayed large numbers of HIV-specific intestinal ASC even though total numbers of ISC, including ASC reactive to unrelated antigens, were decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The large numbers of virus-specific ASC found in the intestine of HIV-infected individuals may be a consequence of local replication of HIV-1 resulting in a continuous antigen stimulation. The persistence of strong intestinal anti-HIV responses even at late stages of disease suggest that the mucosal B-cell responses are functionally intact throughout the disease. Furthermore, these results suggest that there is no correlation between HIV-specific ASC numbers and polyclonal B-cell activation. These observations indicate that intestinal B-cell activation is profoundly disregulated in HIV-infected individuals.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1995

Induction of specific immunity at mucosal surfaces: prospects for vaccine development.

We have demonstrated the feasibility of studying antigen-specific immune responses in a variety of mucosal tissues in humans after vaccination and during infection. In this respect, we have documented the usefulness of both oral cholera and ETEC vaccines for assessing in functional terms specific subpopulations of B- and T-cell immunocytes during an immune response initiated and/or expressed in human mucosal tissues. Circulating specific IgA antibody-secreting cells in blood appear to reflect recent or ongoing antigen exposure of mucosal surfaces. This implies that the detection of such cells in blood, the most accessible lymphoid compartment in humans, represents the simplest way to assess the immunogenicity of mucosal vaccines and to supplement the diagnostic and monitoring of active mucosal infections. Our studies indicate that while the concept of an integrated mucosal immune network is clearly operational in humans (at least in regards to induction of secretory antibody responses), its generalization appears somewhat simplistic as illustrated by the compartmentalization of immune responses initiated in certain mucosal organs such as the small intestine and the tonsils. Finally, the potential of the cholera toxin B subunit as a carrier for delivery of chemically or genetically linked foreign epitopes for induction of disseminated mucosal immune responses raises hope for the development of broadly applicable vaccines to control mucosal infections.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Sample preparation for Chlamydia pneumoniae PCR.

Fifty-three clinical specimens taken from the retropharyngeal mucosa of patients with longstanding respiratory tract infections were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction using two different methods for sample preparation. All specimens were divided into two aliquots, one treated with proteinase K, and the other with the Amplicor sputum sample preparation kit. All tests were run in parallel, employing a primer pair specific for Chlamydia pneumoniae. Of the samples prepared with the Amplicor kit 20.8% were found to be positive, as compared to 7.5% of the samples prepared with proteinase K. The outcome of C. pneumoniae PCR was improved by treatment involving a more complete lysis of cells derived from the specimen.

Chlamydia Infections↗
PubMed1995

Nursing leaders' and nurses' view of health.

This study is part of a scientific project, 'Multidimensional Health', the main goal of which is to introduce a broad view on health into health care and nursing. The purpose of this study is to examine the view of health among nursing leaders and members of caring staff and to compare it to that of patients (a previous study in the project). The study is based on K. Eriksson's theory of caring and its view of the human being with a body, soul and spirit, and health as a dynamic process concerning all aspects of human life. An inquiry form with open questions that brought to the fore various aspects and dimensions of health was filled in by 20 nursing leaders and was used in interviewing 49 nurses. According to the results many aspects of life are contained in the concept 'health'. Health is above all an experience of well-being. Ways of promoting one's health are described in terms of various 'healthy' living habits and preventive measures. A supporting and humane attitude is hoped for in others. There is unanimity that feelings affect health. Belief may have a positive influence on health. The meaning of life is connected with health. Even suffering is part of health. In interpreting the answers we assume three dimensions of health. 'Health as behaviour' connects health with living in a healthy way. 'Health as being' would mean a state of health and is characterized by a search for some kind of balance in one's inner state. 'Health as becoming', growing towards health, means that a person becomes whole on a higher level of integration.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1994

Infection of vaginal and colonic epithelial cells by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is neutralized by antibodies raised against conserved epitopes in the envelope glycoprotein gp120.

The rectal and genital tract mucosae are considered to be major sites of entry for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during sexual contact. We now demonstrate that vaginal epithelial cells can be infected by HIV type 1 (HIV-1) via a mechanism similar to that described for neuroglial cells and, more recently, for colorectal epithelial cells, involving initial interaction of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 with a cell-surface glycosphingolipid (sulfated lactosylceramide). A hyperimmune serum against gp120 was able to neutralize HIV-1 infection of vaginal epithelial cells. Site-directed immunization was employed to identify sites on gp120 recognized by antibodies neutralizing HIV-1 infection of vaginal and colonic epithelial cells. Hyperimmune sera were raised in monkeys against a series of 40 overlapping synthetic peptides covering the entire sequence of HIV-1 (HTLV-IIIB) gp120. Antisera raised against five synthetic peptides, corresponding to three relatively conserved regions and to the hypervariable region (V3 loop), efficiently neutralized HIV-1 infection of human vaginal epithelial cells in vitro. Similar results were obtained with the colonic cells. Hyperimmune sera to all five peptides have been shown earlier to neutralize HIV-1 infectivity in CD4+ T cells. These results have obvious implications for the design of mucosal subunit vaccines against sexually transmitted HIV-1 infections.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Epileptic EEG discharges during burst suppression.

Barbiturate anaesthesia is used in the treatment of status epilepticus and severe epilepsy of children. EEG is then used as a measure of the depth of anaesthesia, burst suppression being an easily identified EEG pattern. In this case report we describe epileptiform discharges during EEG suppression in two children undergoing barbiturate anaesthesia for treatment of intractable seizures. One of them had focal, rhythmic discharges of negative spikes on the positive suppression level. Bursts were readily produced by visual stimuli with flashes of red light but this did not increase the frequency of focal spike discharges after bursts. The other patient had generalised, high amplitude spike-wave complexes, which were easy to distinguish from the bursts. We emphasise that it is important to make a distinction between electrocerebral silence, or isoelectric EEG as it was previously called, from EEG suppression. It is also important to distinguish epileptiform discharges from bursts, if the intention is to keep the anaesthesia at EEG burst suppression level.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1993

The selective protein kinase C inhibitor GF 109203X inhibits phorbol ester-induced morphological and functional differentiation of SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells.

Previous attempts to inhibit the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) -induced differentiation of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells by non-specific inhibitors of protein kinases have failed. In the present study we have used the bisindolylmaleimide GF 109203X, which is a potent and selective inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC). GF 109203X effectively antagonized TPA-stimulated phosphorylation of an endogenous 80 kDa PKC substrate. The compound blocked neurite outgrowth and rounding up of cells induced by the phorbol ester. In addition, GF 109203X completely inhibited TPA-induced increase in cellular content of noradrenaline as well as stimulation of expression of neuropeptide Y, growth-associated protein-43 and c-fos proto-oncogene mRNA by TPA. The inhibition of the TPA-induced effects by GF 109203X was dose-dependent.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed1993

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of monoamines in the cestode Diphyllobothrium dendriticum.

The presence of biogene monoamines in adult and larval Diphyllobothrium dendriticum (Cestoda) was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED). The biogene amines serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA), and adrenaline (A) as well as many of their precursors and metabolites, comprising a total of 15 different substances, were analyzed. 5-HT, DOPA, DA, NA, and A were detected in the worm, with 5-HT, DOPA, and DA being the dominating amines. The DA metabolites DOPAC and 3-MT or the 5-HT precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan could not be detected, but two unidentified substances, believed to be catecholic, were present in the worm. A high concentration of DOPA was measured in the proglottids and especially in the eggs. This is the first report of A in a flatworm.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Systematic identification of T-cell activating epitopes on the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 in primates immunized with synthetic peptides.

Because T-cell responses are critical for defence against viral infections, an ideal vaccine should stimulate these cells. The authors have examined a series of forty overlapping synthetic peptides covering the entire amino acid sequence of the envelope protein gp120 from the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) HTLV-IIIB isolate, for harbouring putative T-cell recognition sites. The peptide-induced proliferative responses and IL-2 production by blood mononuclear cells were studied from 40 macaques previously immunized with ovalbumin-conjugated HIV-1 peptide(s). These analyses disclosed four major areas of T-cell recognition, including one novel T-cell activating region (located between amino acids 152 and 176) which was also found to harbour a domain recognized by HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies. Recognition of the latter region by CD4+ T cells did not appear to be subject to strong genetic restriction. The results of these studies have obvious implications for the development of synthetic subunit vaccines against the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

AIDS Vaccines↗
PubMed1993

To understand and alleviate suffering in a caring culture.

The purpose of this study is to help understand what suffering is, i.e. how patients and nurses describe suffering, and how suffering can be alleviated. The study has a descriptive-explorative design and its approach is phenomenological-hermeneutical. The informant (research group) are 11 nurses (nurses, doctors, hospital theologians) and five patients in a social-psychiatric nursing unit, based on Christian ideology. The results of the study show that the 'what' of suffering is unclear. The nurses tend to describe more the 'why' of suffering, i.e. the reason for suffering. The what of suffering is pain, fear, despair, lack of strength. It is a form of lack of freedom and non-motion. It is a struggle between wanting and knowing, between guilt and responsibility. The form of suffering tends to mould the caring relation. To be touched in some way by another in a meeting can alleviate the deepest suffering. Compassion will always alleviate suffering.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1993

Effects of long barbiturate anaesthesia on eight children with severe epilepsy.

Frequent epileptic seizures in children are often related to delayed psychomotor development, and status epilepticus is always a neurological emergency. In both situations barbiturate anaesthesia has been used for status epilepticus since the 1960s, and for intractable seizures in children since the 1980s. However, the clinical results on the effectiveness of barbiturate anaesthesia in children with chronic epileptic disorders remain contradictory. Between 1986 and 1991 in Tampere University Hospital in Finland long barbiturate anaesthesia was introduced--using thiopentone sodium--to eight children with very severe epilepsy. Children were 10 months to 7 years 11 months of age and the mean time from the onset of seizures to the introduction of BA was 2 years 8 months. Effects upon seizure frequency, antiepileptic medication and/or psychomotor development were clearly positive in three patients, slightly positive in one patient and in four patients there was no effect. Good effect seemed to be associated with an anaesthesia which is deep and long enough to produce loss of consciousness and spontaneous reactions, and an electroencephalographic pattern of burst-suppression. Positive results were also more often achieved when the treatment lag was less than 12 months. Physical and neurophysiological properties of barbiturates make their effectiveness as anticonvulsants understandable, but there is only little evidence to explain the mechanism of this action.

Anesthesia, General↗
PubMed1993

Intestinal antibody responses to oral vaccination in HIV-infected individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether and at what stage mucosal immune responsiveness is impaired during HIV-1 infection. DESIGN: Intestinal and systemic antibody-secreting cell (ASC) responses were examined in eight HIV-1-infected volunteers and 10 seronegative control subjects after oral cholera and parenteral tetanus vaccinations. METHODS: ASC numbers were determined before and after booster vaccinations by the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) technique. This technique was performed on cell suspensions obtained from enzymatically dispersed duodenal biopsies and from peripheral blood. RESULTS: Oral cholera vaccination evoked ASC responses in the intestinal mucosa of six out of eight HIV-1-infected volunteers, including patients with advanced disease and very low levels of circulating CD4+ T cells. The intestinal cholera ASC responses in HIV-infected volunteers were comparable to those in uninfected controls with regard to both magnitude and distribution of antibody classes. Most HIV-infected volunteers with only moderately reduced CD4+ T-cell counts also responded with vaccine-specific ASC in the blood, whereas none of the patients with < 200 x 10(6)/l CD4+ T cells per litre blood had detectable circulating ASC. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that mucosal humoral immune responsiveness to a T-cell dependent antigen is maintained in HIV-infected individuals, despite concomitant systemic humoral hyporesponsiveness.

Administration, Oral↗