[Many mental disorders in adulthood have specific roots in childhood].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Hellgren.
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In a twin study of autistic disorder, chromosome analyses were carried out in nine pairs of monozygotic (MZ) twins, two pairs of dizygotic (DZ) twins, one set of MZ triplets, one single twin from a MZ pair, and seven single twins from DZ pairs. All but one of the MZ sets were concordant for autistic disorder; all DZ pairs were discordant. Fragile X(q)(27.3) was found in one pair of MZ twins and in MZ triplets, i.e., in 9% of the population with autistic disorder. A marker chromosome of unknown origin was detected in a male twin with autistic disorder from a discordant DZ pair.
A protease extract from Antarctic krill (E. superba) intended as a new enzymatic debrider for necrotic ulcers has been characterized by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis and fast protein liquid chromatography. The predominant enzymes in the preparation represent trypsin-like activity associated with three serine proteinases. In addition two carboxypeptidases A and B are present as cooperative enzymes for a more complete breakdown of complex proteinaceous substrates. Biological studies on a well-defined substrate (fibrin) originating from leg ulcers, demonstrated more effective degradation by krill enzymes than bovine trypsin, a common component in marketed enzymatic debriders. These findings support previously in vitro/in vivo studies in an animal model (rat) using excised rat skin as "necrotic" tissue.
The Nordic countries were screened for the occurrence of cases of autism with a same-sexed twin under age 25 years. Twenty-one pairs (11 monozygotic and 10 dizygotic) of twins and one set of identical triplets were found and extensively examined. The concordance for autism by pair was 91% in the monoygotic and 0% in the dizygotic pairs. The corresponding concordances for cognitive disorder were 91% and 30%, respectively. In most of the pairs discordant for autism, the autistic twin had more perinatal stress. The results lend support for the notion that autism sometimes has a hereditary component and that perinatal stress is involved in some cases.
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Three acidic polysaccharide (AP) fractions and the prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) isolated from P. acnes were investigated regarding their chemotactic activities on polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Both AP's and PLS induced a significant chemotatic response, which suggests their involvement in inflammatory acne vulgaris.
The biological activity of a lipid fraction extracted from P. acnes was tested on isolated smooth muscle strips from the human utero-tubal junction. The bioassay experiments support the concept that prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) occur in P. acnes. However, in the bioassay system used, the effect of PLS was different from that of PGF2 alpha and PGI2 but similar, although not identical, to that of arachidonic acid and PGE2.
The prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) from Propionibacterium acnes increased the ovarian tissue levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) approximately 2-fold. The lipid material extracted from P. acnes thus behaved like PG's of the E-type, and since it is unlikely that other known stimulators of the ovarian cAMP system can be present in the bacterial lipid fraction, these experiments give further evidence in favour of the occurrence of PLS in P. acnes.
A new rapid culture technique (Microcult GC) for identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was compared with a standard culture procedure in 151 patients (59 males, 92 females) suffering from urethritis and/or cervicitis. In 86.8% of the patients identical results were achieved when the new and the standard culture techniques were compared. In 4% the new culture technique revealed N. gonorrhoeae, confirmed by Bram-stain microscopy, when the standard culture was negative. However in 9.1% the reverse was true. In conclusion the new technique showed a decrease of 5% compared with the standard culture method. None of the methods gave rise to detectable false reactions. The new culture procedure might be a complement in the diagnosis of gonorrhoea because of its ease and rapidity (results are available after 24 h) but the method should not be used as a single diagnostic as it suffers from an unacceptable non-specifity especially in women.
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To study the mechanism of action of erythromycin stearate in acne vulgaris, the composition of the skin surface lipids was analyzed before, during and after treatment (500 mg daily for 1 week, 250 mg daily for 2 months) in 17 patients. Quantitative thin-layer chromatography showed that the fatty acid fraction in the skin surface lipids decreased significantly during the treatment period. The clinical effect was good in 14 of 17 patients. Further investigations were performed on the effect of erythromycin stearate on purified pancreatic lipase. The enzyme activity was not inhibited by exposure to the drug.
Thermal effects were achieved from skin biopsies (epidermis, corium, subcutis) measured by batch-microcalorimetry, after exposure to potent inflammatory or antiinflammatory substances (compound 48/80, histamine, serotonine and hydrocortisone phosphate). Exothermic effects were achieved from 48-80, histamine and hydrocortisone phosphate, when exposed to the skin and lasting for varying time. From serotonine initial endothermic signals were achieved but after about 50 min there was stabilizing of the thermal reaction at the baseline. To analyze the nature of these non-specific thermal effects, determinations of O2 consumption and CO2 production were performed, using Warburg technique on exactly matched tissue pieces exposed to the same substances and run parallely with the microcalorimetrical determinations. An increased respiration, probably as an indicator of increased metabolism was registrated for all test substances acting on the skin. It felt, that the thermal effects reflect an increased metabolism of the tissue exposed to the test substances.
Small bipsies of the skin were taken from patients with papulo-cutaneous mastocytosis. The mast cell tumours were then degranulated with compound 48/80 (250 mug/ml in saline), and with a Sorption microcalorimeter, relatively strong exothermic reactions were measured, whereas normal skin showed only 1/10th the intensity. Disodium chromoglicate (1%) had no inhibitory effect on this thermal reaction.
Necrotic materials most frequently found in leg ulcers, including crusts with fibrinogen, pus and blood clots, were exposed to solutions of streptokinase-streptodornase and stabilized crystalline trypsin respectively. The investigations were performed at the temperatures of 26 degrees and 33 degrees C, representing the extreme values of the temperature range found in leg ulcers (arteriosclerotic ulcers, stasis ulcers) and at the pH corresponding to that of the enzyme preparations in wet dressings. Streptokinase-streptodornase demonstrated in vitro a more potent proteolytic activity than crystalline trypsin on necroses, crusts of fibrinoid and purulent exudate, which were more rapidly and thoroughly broken up. Both enzyme preparations were, however, equally effective on three-day-old blood clots.
In order to visualise the morphological changes of Epidermophyton floccosum associated with exposure to perdeuteriated n-hendecanoic acid, the architecture of the dermatophyte was investigated by means of interference contrast and scanning electron microscopy. The morphology of mycelia grown on substrate containing perdeuteriated n-hendecanoic acid, or the unlabelled analogue, was compared. The perdeuteriated n-hendecanoic acid produced a characteristic undulant effect of the hyphae. The characteristic wave-like appearance of the mycelia looked similar to the curling effect occuring after treatment of dermatophytes with griseofulvin, but was not so pronounced. Perdeuteriated n-hendecanoic acid, unlike the unlabelled analogue, also seems to cause a reduction of the number of chlamydospores perforations of the macroconidia. The changes in the morphological structure of Epidermophyton floccosum exposed to pereuteriated n-hendecanoic acid have been investigated. Morphological examination of mycelia exposed to this substance by interference contrast microscopy demonstrated a picture of defect hyphae and macroconidia. By the aid of scanning electron microscopy we have attempted to obtain a better visualization of these changes at ultrastructural level.
Investigations on the antimycotic properties of perdeuteriated fatty acids were carried out on Microsporum cains infections in vivo. The study was performed on experimental microsporie in guinea pigs using four different methods, all based on the ability of M. canis to cause alopecia. Perdeuteriated n-hendecanoic acid showed in vivo a statistically significant enhanced antimycotic effect compared to its unlabelled analogue. This is in accordance with our previous observations in vitro conditions. The remaining perdeuteriated fatty acids (C12--C18) showed no statistically significant growth retarding effect on M. canis infections in guinea pigs when compared with their unlabelled analogues. The present study attempts to ascertain if some perdeuteriated fatty acids have any antifungal activity in vivo conditions. Our previous papers (3,4) concerning the evaluation of the antifungal activity of some perdeuteriated fatty acids on dermatophytes in vitro, demonstrated that the perdeuteriation of n-hendecanoic acid, lead to a pronounced antimycotic effect on common dermatophytes as e.g. E. floccosum, T. rubrum, M. canis and T. mentagrophytes. As our previous results indicate a decreasing of fungistasis with an increasing carbon-chain length of the perdeuteriated fatty acids, we have attempted to verify this observation in vivo conditions. A special interest was, of course, focused on the most promising compound, the perdeuteriated n-hendecanoic acid.
Crude trichophytin was fractionated to find out if its lipid fraction could cause inflammatory delayed allergic skin reactions in dermatophyte-sensitized guinea pigs. The following fractions were obtained: polysaccharide-peptide, total lipids, total lipids without free fatty acids and free fatty acids. The crude trichophytin and polysaccharide-peptide fraction gave rise to strong and equal allergic delayed skin reactions after 24 h. The total lipids gave statistically significant weaker, but clearly positive reactions, and of the same degree as the free fatty acid fraction. The total lipids without free fatty acids did not produce reactions in the sensitized animals, indicating that free fatty acids are responsible for the allergic skin reactions. In some cases the free fatty acids showed comparatively intense reactions. It can be concluded that free fatty acids are antigenic substances that are, sometimes, involved in the allergic delayed skin reactions in dermatophytosis.