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Biomedical subjects

K Persson

Publications and source records attributed to K Persson.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Effects of ovariectomy on mechanical properties and collagen content in rabbit lower urinary tract smooth muscle.

Fourteen female rabbits underwent ovariectomy or were sham-operated six weeks before investigation. Detrusor and urethral strips (longitudinal and circular urethral muscle fibers were studied separately) were prepared and length-tension relations studied in organ baths experiments. In addition, the specimens were examined for collagen content. Maximal active tension in the detrusor, longitudinal and circular urethral preparations, determined as the response to K+ (124mM), was reached when the length of the strips was 178 +/- 8% (n = 7), 153 +/- 9% (n = 5), and 127 +/- 5% (n = 7) of the resting length, respectively. Ovariectomy did not alter the length for development of maximal active tension. In detrusor strips, ovariectomy caused a significant increase in maximal active tension from 39 +/- 7 mN (sham-operated rabbits) to 79 +/- 11 mN (p < 0.01), despite an unchanged relative amount of smooth muscle. The maximal active tension produced in the urethra was lower (15-25 mN) than in the detrusor, and not significantly affected by ovariectomy. Approximately 40% of the dry defatted tissue weight of the detrusor consisted of collagen, whereas corresponding value in the urethra was 50-60%. Ovariectomy had no effect on tissue collagen concentrations. In conclusion, ovariectomy for six weeks did not affect the passive mechanical properties or the collagen concentration in rabbit lower urinary tract smooth muscle, but increased the responsiveness of the detrusor muscle to K+ (124 mM).

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Effect of patient position on the sagittal-plane profile of the thoracolumbar spine.

Although the normal sagittal profile of the thoracolumbar spine has been described, this has been obtained primarily by using young individuals standing. We sought to describe the sagittal profile of the thoracolumbar spine in an older population in the supine cross-table lateral position compared with that standing. We enrolled 50 volunteers with no history of back pain or spine deformity and 50 matched subjects with mechanical back pain (LBP) only. Lateral radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine (T10-S1) in both standing and cross-table supine positions were obtained. Lordosis from L1 to S1, kyphosis from T10 to L1, and the changes seen moving from the supine position to standing were calculated. There were few differences comparing the two groups in either the standing or cross-table supine position, or when changing positions. Within each group, however, there were small, but significant, differences in the midlumbar and thoracolumbar spine when comparing supine versus standing. Both asymptomatic individuals and those with a history of LBP demonstrated similar small but statistically significant increases in lumbar lordosis and thoracolumbar kyphosis when standing versus supine. The clinical significance of these findings remains to be determined.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Structured observation of motor performance (SOMP-I) applied to preterm and full term infants who needed neonatal intensive care. A cross-sectional analysis of progress and quality of motor performance at ages 0-10 months.

A new protocol for Structured Observation of Motor Performance in Infants, SOMP-I, designed to describe both progress and quality of motor performance, was evaluated concerning its ability to describe and to discriminate between the motor performance observed in different groups of infants. Sixty-eight infants born at < 32 completed weeks (c.w.) of gestation formed group I, 81 infants born at 32-37 c.w. group II and 77 infants born at > 37 c.w. group III. Seventy-two neonatally healthy full term infants served as controls (group IV). The detailed assessment of level (progress) of motor development at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 10 months of age corrected for preterm birth disclosed few differences in mean level between the groups. Most were found between group I and the control group. In contrast, the quality of motor performance, expressed as proportion of infants with deviations, type of deviation, and total number of deviations per infant, showed many differences, especially between groups I and III, respectively, and the control group. Thus, the SOMP-I protocol permits a detailed assessment both of the level of motor development and the quality of motor performance but has a better discriminative ability for the latter.

Clinical Protocols↗
PubMed1995

Co-existence of nitrergic, peptidergic and acetylcholine esterase-positive nerves in the pig lower urinary tract.

The distribution of NO synthase (NOS) immunoreactive nerves and the possible co-existence with other neurotransmitters were investigated in the pig lower urinary tract. NOS immunoreactive nerves were found in the muscle layer, in the lamina propria and around blood vessels. The density of NOS immunoreactive nerves was more prominent in the trigone and urethra than in the detrusor. All parts of the lower urinary tract were supplied by numerous acetylcholine esterase (AChE) positive nerves. The number of adrenergic nerves in the trigone and urethra was moderate to rich, whereas only very few adrenergic nerves were demonstrated in the detrusor. A low to moderate number of nerve fibres containing neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were observed in the trigone and urethra, while very few were found in the detrusor. A small number of nerves, confined to the trigone and urethra, were stained for calcitonin-gene-related peptide, somatostatin and leu-enkephalin. Nerve fibres exhibiting immunoreactivity to bombesin/gastrin releasing peptide, gastrin/cholecystokinin, substance P or neurokinin A were virtually absent. Co-localization studies revealed that some NOS-immunoreactive nerves also stained for NPY, VIP or AChE. The present study shows that nitrergic nerves are present in the pig lower urinary tract in a density lower than the cholinergic, but higher than any of the studied peptidergic nerves. Coinciding localization of NOS-positive nerves with nerves expressing AChE, VIP and NPY suggests that NO may have a role as a messenger in the lower urinary tract directly and by interaction with other transmitters.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1995

Cloning and sequencing of an intronless mouse S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase gene coding for a functional enzyme strongly expressed in the liver.

A genomic clone for a mouse S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) gene was isolated from a cosmid library. Surprisingly, the gene proved to be intronless. With the exception of three base substitutions (changing 2 amino acids in the deduced protein), the 1002-nucleotide sequence of the open reading frame was identical to that of mouse AdoMetDC cDNA. Moreover, the gene contained a poly(dA) tract at the 3' end and was flanked by 13-base pair direct repeats. Our findings suggest that this gene has arisen by retroposition, in which a fully processed AdoMetDC mRNA has been reverse transcribed into a DNA copy and inserted into the genome. By polymerase chain reaction, we positively identified the intronless gene in the mouse genome, and, by primer extension analysis, we proved the gene to be functional. Thus, its transcripts were found in many cell lines and tissues of the mouse and were particularly abundant in the liver. When the open reading frame of the intronless gene was expressed in Escherichia coli HT551, a strain with no AdoMetDC activity, it was found to encode a 38-kDa protein, corresponding to AdoMetDC proenzyme. Although the change of methionine 70 to isoleucine was close to the cleavage site at serine 68, this protein underwent proenzyme processing, generating a 31-kDa alpha subunit and an 8-kDa beta subunit. Importantly, the protein encoded by the intronless gene was functional, i.e. it catalyzed the decarboxylation of S-adenosylmethionine, and its specific activity was comparable with that of recombinant human AdoMetDC purified according to the same procedure.

Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase↗
PubMed1995

Structured observation of motor performance (SOMP-I) applied to neonatally healthy fullterm infants at the ages of 0-10 months.

A new protocol for structured observation of motor performance in infants, SOMP-I, was applied to 72 neonatally healthy fullterm infants at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 10 months of age. It contains 13 items, formed as ascending scales, consisting of detailed descriptions of motor performance in different body positions and body parts. The observed motor performance is assessed regarding level of development (progress), and degree and type of deviation from the described performance (quality). When observed according to the new protocol, the infants' motor performance corresponded to higher levels of motor development with increasing age and agreed with descriptions in other standardized developmental scales. With age, the motor performance observed was distributed over more levels in the different scales and the number of infants with deviations from the described performance increased in most positions, but decreased in the prone position. The item for the head, at 2 months, showed the largest number of infants with deviations. The total number of deviations in each infant was small. In conclusion, the SOMP-I protocol can describe motor performance in a group of infants who were healthy at birth and is detailed enough to identify differences regarding progress of motor development and quality of motor performance. The assessment is easily performed.

Aging↗
PubMed1995

A caprine experimental model for studies on inflammation.

A new experimental model for in vivo studies on local inflammation in the goat is presented. The teat and udder cisterns were separated by a surgical procedure, resulting in the teat cistern being an isolated pouch which is easily accessible through the teat canal and suitable for experimental studies. The surgery was consistently successful in closing the passage and no post-surgical complications were observed. The model was applied to a study of the inflammatory response induced by infusion of Salmonella endotoxin. A marked response was observed as measured by the accumulation of leukocytes, serum albumin and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) in the test cistern. An initial increase in serum albumin, indicating an increase in the epithelial permeability, was observed from 1.5 h after endotoxin infusion. Approximately 0.5 h later, the cell count started to increase, reaching its peak level 3 h after infusion. The NAGase concentration was closely correlated with the cell count. The model provides new possibilities for in vivo studies on local inflammation and fulfils many of the requirements of an inflammatory model; for example, it allows non-traumatic repeated samplings from the same animal. The goat is a suitable experimental animal for many studies and, as each goat has two teats, intra-goat comparisons can be performed.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1995

Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the M and S genome segments of a Swedish Puumala virus isolate.

The Swedish Puumala (PUU) virus strain Vindeln 83-L20, isolated from a bank vole trapped in 1983 near Vindeln, Västerbotten county, Sweden, was characterized by nucleotide sequence analysis. The coding region of the M segment was determined by PCR followed by direct sequencing and the entire S segment was characterized by cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis. The genomic organization was found to be very similar to that of other PUU virus strains regarding open reading frames, polypeptide sizes and potential glycosylation sites. According to phylogenetic analysis 83-L20 was found to represent a new lineage within the Puumala virus serotype in the Hantavirus genus. The M segment sequence of 83-L20 was found to be more closely related to the Finnish PUU virus strains than to strains from Central Europe or from Russia. The evolutionary origin of the S segment was not as clearly resolved since the branching points of all PUU virus strains in the phylogenetic tree were nearly the same.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Effects of KRN2391, a novel vasodilator acting as a nitrate and a K+ channel opener, on the rabbit lower urinary tract.

1. The relaxant effect of KRN2391, suggested to act both as a nitrate and a K+ channel opener, was investigated in the rabbit lower urinary tract and compared with the effects of the NO-donor SIN-1 and the K+ channel opener levcromakalim. 2. KRN2391 10(-4) M was able to relax precontracted urethral preparations by 87 +/- 4%. Corresponding values for levcromakalim 10(-4) M and SIN-1 10(-4) M were 58 +/- 8% and 103 +/- 2%, respectively. The -logEC50 values for KRN2391, SIN-1 and levcromakalim were 6.0 +/- 0.1, 4.9 +/- 0.2 and 5.8 +/- 0.2. The relaxant effect of KRN2391 on the bladder was small (29 +/- 3%). 3. The levels of cyclic GMP in the urethral preparations were significantly increased after administration of KRN2391 10(-4) M and SIN-1 10(-4) M, but not after levcromakalim 10(-4) M, the levels measured being 9.9 +/- 2.2, 20.9 +/- 5.1, and 5.2 +/- 1.0, compared to the control value, 3.7 +/- 0.5 pmol/mg protein. The levels of cyclic AMP were, however, not changed. 4. The relaxations, caused by KRN2391 in the urethral preparations, were accompanied by a hyperpolarization (14 +/- 4 mV) of the membrane potential. 5. Methylene blue 3 x 10(-5) M and glibenclamide 10(-5) M significantly reduced the relaxant effect of KRN2391 in the urethral smooth muscle. 6. We suggest that in the rabbit lower urinary tract, KRN2391 acts mainly as an NO-donor.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Breast self-examination among Swedish women: a survey of frequency, knowledge, and attitudes.

Breast cancer is a common cause of death among women. The aim of this study was to determine whether women carry out regular breast self-examination (BSE), and to describe their knowledge of, and attitudes towards, breast cancer. Questionnaires were mailed to 200 randomly selected women who had not undergone breast cancer surgery. The response rate was 81%. The respondents were divided in three groups: those who practiced BSE regularly, those who practiced BSE occasionally, and those who did not practice BSE. The results show that only 10% of the sample practice BSE. Neither age, educational background, nor occupation, nor having knowledge of breast disease and medical outcome was associated with BSE practice. Nor did having a close relative or friend with breast cancer affect the practice of BSE.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with codeine for postoperative pain relief in ten extensive metabolisers and one poor metaboliser of dextromethorphan.

Postoperative pain relief with codeine was evaluated in 11 women undergoing hysterectomy. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) was used to administer codeine. After the study the patients were phenotyped with respect to the O-demethylation of dextromethorphan (cytochrome P4502D6 polymorphism). Ten were extensive metabolisers and one a poor metaboliser. There was a nine-fold variation in the minimum plasma concentration of codeine consistent with pain relief (40-350 ng ml-1). Two patients did not experience any effect of codeine, one of whom was a poor metaboliser of dextromethorphan, confirmed by genotyping. In the other nine patients the effective dose of codeine varied from 4.8-25.3 mg h-1.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Inflammation in the bovine teat cistern induced by Staphylococcus aureus.

The inflammatory response, characterized by the accumulation of leukocytes, bovine serum albumin and the lysosomal enzyme N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, was studied after inoculation of either 5 x 10(5) colony-forming units (CFU) or 2 x 10(2) CFU of the Staphylococcus aureus strain SA 14391 into teat cisterns of dry cows after surgical closure of the passage between the teat and udder cisterns. Teat cistern samples were taken before, and twice daily for 7 days after, inoculation of the bacteria. Infusion of sterile saline constituted a control. Persistent infections occurred in all teats inoculated with the higher dose (5 x 10(5) CFU) of bacteria, and a prominent inflammatory response was elicited. Marked differences were observed in leukocyte migration patterns between different cows, and a cyclic influx of leukocytes was evident. Inoculation of the lower dose (2 x 10(2) CFU) of bacteria did not result in a persistent infection, and only a slight inflammatory response was observed. The results indicate that the bovine teat tissues are capable of mounting a strong local inflammatory response to S. aureus infection. A large number of leukocytes invaded the teat, but, despite their numbers, they were unable to subdue the infection, except when the bacterial count was low.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1995

Factors involved in the relaxation of female pig urethra evoked by electrical field stimulation.

1. Non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxations induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS) were studied in pig isolated urethra. The mechanism for relaxation was characterized by measurement of cyclic nucleotides and by study of involvement of different subsets of voltage-operated calcium channels (VOCCs). 2. EFS evoked frequency-dependent and tetrodotoxin-sensitive relaxations in the presence of propranolol (1 microM), phentolamine (1 microM) and scopolamine (1 microM). At low frequencies (< 12 Hz), relaxations were rapid, whereas at high (> 12 Hz) frequencies distinct biphasic relaxations were evoked. The latter consisted of a rapidly developing first phase followed by a more long-lasting second phase. 3. Treatment with the NO-synthesis inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG; 0.3 mM) inhibited relaxations at low frequencies of stimulation. At high frequencies (> 12 Hz) only the first relaxation phase was affected. 4. Measurement of cyclic nucleotides in preparations subjected to continuous nerve-stimulation, revealed an increase in guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) levels from 1.3 +/- 0.3 to 3.0 +/- 0.4 pmol mg-1 protein (P < 0.01). In the presence of L-NOARG, there was a significant decrease in cyclic GMP content to control. However, there was no increase in cyclic GMP content in response to EFS. Levels of cyclic AMP remained unchanged following EFS. 5. Treatment with the N-type VOCC-inhibitor, omega-conotoxin GVIA (0.1 microM) reduced NO-dependent relaxations, the effect being most pronounced at low frequencies (1-4 Hz) of stimulation. The NO independent second phase of the relaxation, studied in the presence of L-NOARG (0.3 mM) at 16-30 Hz, was however markedly reduced or abolished by omega-conotoxin GVIA. omega-Conotoxin MVIIC (1 microM)or omega-agatoxin IVA (30 nM) had no effect on electrically evoked relaxations.6. These results suggest that NANC-nerve derived urethral relaxation in the pig consists of two apparently independent components. One is mediated by NO and associated with an increase in cyclic GMP content. The other mediator is unknown and produces relaxations not associated with changes in levels of cyclic nucleotides. The release of this mediator seems to involve the N-type VOCC, since the relaxation was markedly reduced or abolished by omega-conotoxin GVIA.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Detection and subsequent sequencing of Puumala virus from human specimens by PCR.

A sensitive method based on PCR was developed for the detection of Puumala virus (PUU) in human samples. The assay was found to be specific for PUU-like strains and distinguished between these and hantaviruses of other serotypes. The detection limit was found to be 10(-5) focus-forming units. Clinical samples were collected from patients with nephropathia epidemica in Sweden and western Russia. Five whole blood samples collected from patients in Russia with the acute phase of disease were found to be positive by the PCR. All samples were negative for PUU antigen when examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Virus isolation on Vero E6 cells from several of the acute-phase samples, including the 5 PCR-positive samples, was not successful. The amplified samples were subjected to direct nucleic acid sequencing for confirmation of identity. The sequences differed from each other and were closely related to the Russian bank vole isolate CG-1820, thereby indicating the origin of nephropathia epidemica. The PCR was used for amplification and subsequent nucleotide sequencing of eight PUU-like isolates with different geographic origins. The Swedish strains were more closely related to the Finnish PUU prototype strain, Sotkamo, than to the Russian isolates. Interestingly, a Belgian isolate, CG-13891, differed markedly from all other PUU strains.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Protein kinase C in cyclic stretch-induced nerve growth factor production by urinary tract smooth muscle cells.

Cyclic stretch of cultured urinary tract smooth muscle cells has been used to mimic some of the events that occur with bladder obstruction. The stretch stimulus induces production of nerve growth factor (NGF), which has been implicated in changes in bladder innervation. Stretch-induced NGF production was blocked by actinomycin. Involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) in the stretch-induced NGF production is strongly suggested by the following observations. Phorbol ester activators of PKC mimicked the stretch response as did platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), which acts, in part, through generation of endogenous diacylglycerols. Both stretch- and PDGF-induced NGF production were blocked by prolonged incubation with phorbol ester to downregulate PKC. Western blot analysis confirmed partial downregulation of the Ca(2+)-dependent PKC-alpha and PKC-beta 1 and near complete downregulation of the Ca(2+)-independent PKC isozymes delta, epsilon, and zeta. The involvement of PKC in transducing a physical stimulus (stretch) into a biochemical response (NGF production) has implications for novel types of therapeutic intervention in ailments such as bladder obstruction.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

A comparison between conventional and 24-hour automatic blood pressure monitoring in hypertensive pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To map the conformity between 24-hour and conventional blood pressure (BP) monitoring (24BPM, CBPM) in pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective comparative. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A standardized single BP measurement and parallel 24BPM and CBPM were carried out in 99 women (125 recordings) hospitalized for hypertension. RESULTS: Except for BP oscillation amplitude, corresponding variables correlated significantly between the methods. The mean systolic BP (SBP) was significantly higher with 24BPM compared with both CBPM (3.1 mmHg) and with the single BP measurement (4.6 mmHg). The mean diastolic BP (DBP) was significantly lower with 24BPM compared with CBPM (2.4 mmHg) and with the single measurement (2.7 mmHg). If a cut-off at 140/90 mmHg had been used for the diagnosis of hypertension and with 24BPM as the golden standard, a false positive/negative diagnosis would have resulted in 35%/20% of cases with the single BP measurement, and in 24%/17% with CBPM. CONCLUSIONS: 24BPM and CBPM gave significantly correlated but different values of the BP. The differences were small in terms of absolute mm Hg values, but resulted in a high rate of false positive and false negative diagnoses of hypertension. 24BPM cannot substitute the traditional methods for BP monitoring in pregnancy unless a new definition of hypertension is established.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Decline of herpes simplex virus type 2 and Chlamydia trachomatis infections from 1970 to 1993 indicated by a similar change in antibody pattern.

Antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) were determined in sera from pregnant women from 1970 and at intervals up to 1993. The trends for HSV-2 and Ct infections were deduced from the observed antibody rates in different age groups during the observation period. Total antibody rates for HSV-2 tended to decline toward the end of the period when age-matched groups were compared, while the Ct antibody rates peaked in 1979 and then declined gradually. Age-specific antibody rates showed declining frequencies in women younger than 20 years for both HSV-2 and Ct over the study period. Women 35 years of age and older in the early 1990s had significantly higher antibody rates than younger women at that time or than women of similar age in the early 1970s. This group of slightly older women with high antibody rates in the 1990s were 15-20 years of age in 1970 when a high antibody frequency was noted in this age group. High antibody rates against both HSV-2 and Ct in older pregnant women in the early 1990s may thus reflect a high incidence of these infections around 1970. The declining rates of antibodies in the youngest women would suggest a declining incidence of primary infections in this group.

Adult↗