Biomedical subjects

O B Tysnes

Publications and source records attributed to O B Tysnes.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

[Hemiballismus in cerebral infarction].

BACKGROUND: Hemiballismus has traditionally been linked to lesions in the subthalamic nucleus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied six patients with hemiballismus presumably caused by ischaemic stroke. They were followed for up to two years. RESULTS: Cerebral MRI with special projections showed that four out of six patients had ischaemic lesions in other parts of the brain than the subthalamic nucleus. Knowledge of the basalganglio-thalamocortical circuits is used to try to explain the cause of hemiballismus. Neuroleptics and benzodiazepines are the usual medical treatment for hemiballism and were helpful also in our patients. The prognosis in hemiballismus is good; four of our six patients had spontaneous recovery within nine months. INTERPRETATION: The prognosis was not related to the site of the lesion.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Increasing mortality from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Norway?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a possible increase in incidence of ALS in Norway. METHODS: Death certificate data from all deaths in Norway in the period 1961 to 1994 for ALS, PD, and MG were obtained from Statistics Norway and related to population statistics. Data on ALS was obtained on sex, age, and place of death and compared with mortality data in PD and MG for the same period. Data were standardized using the 1990 population as standard population. Poisson regression was used to test for trends in mortality. The data from the death certificates were related to a clinical study performed on ALS in one of the counties during the same period. RESULTS: The annual mortality of ALS almost doubled during the period studied, rising from 1.38 to 2.54 per 100,000 inhabitants at the end of the study. The increased mortality appeared solely in the population older than 60 years of age, with a peak in mortality in the age group 80 to 84 years. The increase was larger in women than in men, and the ratio between the sexes was 1.32 (men-women, age-adjusted at the end of the study). The mortality in patients with PD showed a similar increase to that seen in ALS, whereas no increase in mortality was observed in patients with a diagnosis of MG. There were considerable differences in ALS mortality in different counties, but no clear regional trends were observed. CONCLUSION: The authors report increasing ALS mortality. Although the increase in mortality is restricted to the population aged 65 years or older, it cannot be explained by increasing age of the general population alone.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

[Polyneuropathy is an early finding in primary systemic amyloidosis].

BACKGROUND: Polyneuropathy is associated with several pathological conditions. Amyloidosis is a less common cause of polyneuropathy. Amyloidosis is caused by the accumulation of insoluble protein fibrils (amyloid) in the extracellular matrix. Primary systemic amyloidosis is caused by B-lymphocyte dyscrasia. Polyneuropathy is the first sign of primary systemic amyloidosis in about 20% of the cases, and is characterised by relentless progression, painfulness, and prominent symptoms of autonomic neuropathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We describe three cases of primary systemic amyloidosis that started with polyneuropathy. RESULTS: The diagnosis of primary systemic amyloidosis is often delayed more than two years after the onset of polyneuropathy. Biopsy of rectum, fat tissue, bone marrow, or peripheral nerve are diagnostic tools. INTERPRETATION: The survival of non-treated patients is about 18 months after the diagnosis. With chemotherapy the survival is prolonged to approximately 38 months.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

[Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance tomography--a new instrument in the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease].

Creutzfeldt-Jakob's disease (CJD) is characterised by rapidly progressive dementia, ataxia, myoclonus, and several other neurological deficits. It generally affects older adults and occurs in sporadic, genetic and iatrogenic forms. Death occurs usually within one year after onset of the disease. The diagnosis is based on clinical criteria, neurophysiological and radiological findings, and confirmed by postmortal histopathology. During the last two years several cases of CJD have been reported with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MR) abnormalities, represented by increased signal intensity indicating reduced diffusion in basal ganglia and/or cortex cerebri. These abnormalities seem to be characteristic of CJD. We report a case of CJD in a 54-year-old woman who developed vertigo, nystagmus, ataxia, myoclonus, and dementia over a period of eight months. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed increased signal intensity in corpus striatum and gyrus cinguli. The diagnosis was postmortally confirmed with histopathology.

Brain↗

PubMed1999

[Dolichoectasia of the intracranial arteries and stroke].

Intracranial arterial dolichoectasia is a condition related to stroke. The prevalence in patients suffering from their first cerebral infarction is estimated to be 3%. Patients with dolichoectasia are more likely to have lacunar infarctions than those without. They have a higher survival rate and better functional prognosis after first cerebral infarction, but a higher rate of stroke recurrence. The aetiology and pathogenesis of the condition is unknown. Only 0.5% of patients suffering a first cerebral infarction have dolichoectasia of both the carotid and vertebrobasilar system. We describe a case of atypical dolichoectasia affecting both circulatory systems as well as the middle and anterior cerebral arteries, with intracerebral haemorrhage.

Cerebral Angiography↗

PubMed1998

Expression of annexin II in glioma cell lines and in brain tumor biopsies.

Annexin II is a calcium and phospholipid binding protein and a substrate for protein-tyrosine kinases. Increased levels of annexin II are observed in various cancer cells and tissues, and the molecule has been proposed as a marker of malignancy in vivo. Annexin II was expressed in four glioma cell lines (D-54MG, D-37MG, U251MG and GaMG), as determined by Western blot analyses, immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometric measurements. In addition, annexin II expression was also found in cryostat sections obtained from 15 consecutive brain tumor biopsies: Ten were histologically classified as glioblastomas, one as an astrocytoma, two as meningiomas and two as brain metastases. Cultured spheroids from the glioma cell lines and from three of the glioblastoma biopsies showed lower levels of annexin II, than found in the monolayers of the cell lines and in the freshly cut biopsies. The annexin II expression of the cell lines were not found to be related to their proliferative, migratory or invasive properties. These findings indicate that although annexin II may serve as a marker of malignancy in vivo, its expression can be reduced in vitro, and appear unrelated to malignant features of glioma cell lines.

Annexin A2↗

PubMed1998

Dynamic determination of human glioma invasion in vitro.

OBJECT: The goal of this study was to evaluate whether there is any relationship between survival of patients with brain tumor and tumor proliferation or tumor invasion in vitro. METHODS: Samples of freshly resected brain tumors from 14 patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) were directly grown as three-dimensional multicellular spheroids. The tumor spheroids were cocultured with fetal rat brain cell aggregates (BCAs), used to represent an organotypical normal brain tissue model. Before the coculture, the tumor spheroids and the BCAs were stained with two different carbocyanine dyes, 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) and 3,3'-dioctadecycloxacarbocyanine perchlorate (DiO), respectively. During the coculture, confocal laser scanning microscopy allowed a sequential analysis of tumor cell invasion by visualizing dynamic aspects of the invasive process. Single cocultures were examined at three different time points (24, 48, and 96 hours). During the observation period there was a change in the structural morphology of the cocultures, with a progressive decrease in BCA volume. Furthermore, the scanning confocal micrographs revealed a bidirectional movement of tumor cells and normal cells into brain and tumor tissue, respectively. It is also shown that there is a considerable variation in the rate of BCA destruction in cocultures of glioma spheroids generated directly from biopsy specimens. This variation is seen both between spheroids generated from the same biopsy as well as between spheroids that are grown from different biopsy specimens. Cell proliferation measured by Ki-67 immunohistochemical analysis of biopsy samples obtained in the same patients revealed a correlation between tumor cell proliferation and tissue destruction of the BCAs, as determined by a reduction in BCA volume (p = 0.0338). No correlation was found when survival was related to the same parameters (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present work provides a model for quick and efficient assessment of dynamic interactions between tumor and normal brain tissue shortly after surgery.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

[5-year experience with a clinic for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].

An out-patient service for patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the ALS-clinic, was established at the Department of Neurology, Haukeland Hospital, in 1990. The number of ALS patients who were hospitalised during the period 1990-1995 was 59, with a mean stay in hospital of 14.8 days. Eleven of the patients died in hospital. The ALS-clinic had 127 consultations during the same period, with a mean of 2.2 consultations per patient. Speech difficulties were the dominating problem at 26 of the consultations. 32 patients experienced feeding difficulties, and a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was performed in nine cases. Respiratory problems dominated in ten patients, but only two of these patients wanted a home ventilator. Various assistive devices were adapted for 16 patients.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗

PubMed1997

[A new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Do we want development of a new epidemic?].

Human spongiform encephalopathies have been receiving a lot of attention lately, because of a new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and its possible connection to bovine spongiform encephalopathy which has reached epidemic proportions in Great Britain during the last ten years. Four different human spongiform encephalopathies have been described, the most common being Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which can occur in a sporadic, familial or transmissible form. The infectious agent is mainly, possibly solely, composed of a pathogenous isoform of a normal membrane-bound glycoprotein, called a prion. In animals, spongiform encephalopathies occur most frequently in sheep, as scrapie, and in cattle, as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease. There is substantial evidence to suggest that this disease in cattle is the source of the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, although this has yet to be proven. An important question is whether the cases of the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease registered so far are the start of an epidemic, as in the case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

[Pyuria, bacteriuria and urinary tract infections in hospitalized patients with spinal cord injuries].

Urine specimens from 15 patients with paresis of the urinary bladder following injury of the spinal cord were examined weekly for a total number of 352 weeks. Pyuria was found in 103 specimens. In more than 95% there was concordance between microscopic and chemical evaluation. Bacteriuria was found in 144 specimens, among which pyuria was found in 76. In 77 cases there was indication for antibacterial treatment, based on bacteriological and clinical parameters. The most frequent bacterium isolated was Escherichia coli. Pyuria was present in more than three of four cases that were identified as urinary tract infections. However, almost one of every two cases with bacteriuria showed no pyuria. It is concluded that clinical symptoms of urinary tract infection together with identification of pyuria call for antibacterial treatment. Bacterial examination, should always be undertaken given symptoms of infection with no presence of pyuria.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Quantification of glioma cell invasion by confocal laser scanning microscopy in an in vitro co-culture system.

Malignant invasion in co-cultures of spheroids from the glioma cell line GaMg into brain cell aggregates (BA) was determined by two different techniques: by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and by conventional light microscopic observations of semi-thin sections obtained from co-cultures. The remaining BA volumes were detected by CLSM in vital dye-fluorescent-stained co-cultures. The same specimens were fixed and embedded in Epon, and cut for histologic and morphometric analyses. The results show that CLSM can be used for continuous determination of progressive glioma invasion. Compared to the light microscopic observations, the degree of invasion appeared slightly lower when analyzed by CLSM. We conclude that the CLSM provides the possibility for continuous studies on interaction between normal and malignant cells. Therefore it considerably improves existing methods for studying tumor cell invasion in vitro.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

[Prion diseases. Review of the literature on the light of two case reports of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease].

During the last ten years the diseases scrapie in sheep and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (or mad cow disease) in cattle have received increased attention. Through the 1960s it became apparent that scrapie in sheep and kuru and later Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in man were infectious diseases. During the last decade the appearance of mad cow disease in Great Britain has increased the fear that humans can develop Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease through their food. A special characteristic of the infectious agent, the prion, is its lack of DNA. It has been shown that the prion most probably has a pure protein structure. The prion may exist in two slightly different structural patterns, one of which induces the various prion diseases in animals and man. In 1994 two men with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease were diagnosed at Haukeland Hospital. Their symptoms and clinical data are presented, together with a review of the literature on prion diseases in animals and man.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Heterogeneic modulation of malignant behavior in human glioma cells in defined and serum-containing media.

Malignant features in three glioma cell lines were studied in four defined media of various complexity. The cell lines D37MG, D54MG, and GaMG were able to grow in monolayer culture in all media examined, and as multicellular tumor spheroids in the two most nutrient-rich media. In the defined media, none of the cell lines were able to migrate in a migration assay on poly-D-lysine-coated plastic surfaces. Flow cytometric analysis of the GaMG cell line demonstrated no medium-dependent selection of subclones of glioma cells in spheroids cultured for 30 d. Morphological diversity of spheroids varied according to the supplementation of the media. The capacity of glioma cells to invade cellular rat brain aggregates was intact in the media examined. However, glioma migration was severely inhibited by the lack of specific serum components. This study demonstrates that glioma growth and invasion was heterogeneously preserved in the defined media used. Depending on the assay to be used in the study of glioma cell behavior, the degree of medium supplementation has to be considered.

Brain Neoplasms↗

PubMed1995

Thymomas express epitopes shared by the ryanodine receptor.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with thymoma have antibodies against ryanodine receptor (RyR) of skeletal and heart muscle. In this study, thymomas were examined for reactivity with a panel of polyclonal rabbit antibodies against various short peptides of RyR. An antibody against peptide C2 in the transmembrane region of RyR stained thymoma epithelial cells in cryosections of 17/23 thymomas, and detected a 40-kDa peptide in Western blotting of a thymoma membrane fraction. The other RyR antibodies did not react with thymoma tissue. The anti-C2 RyR antibody did not react with normal thymus, tonsil or carcinoma of colon. The results strongly indicate that epithelial thymoma cells express an epitope shared by the transmembrane region of skeletal and cardiac muscle RyR.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

Glioma cell invasion visualized by scanning confocal laser microscopy in an in vitro co-culture system.

Confrontation cultures between glioma spheroids and brain cell aggregates are well established in glioma research, and the model reflects several similarities to the in vivo brain tumour invasive process. The lipid-binding fluorescent carbocyanine dyes DiO (3,3'-dioctadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate) and DiI (1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3,'3,'-tetramethylinocarbocyanine perchlorate) are widely used in cell biology as tracers for studying cell movement. Mature brain cell aggregates grown from fetal rat brain cells, and spheroids initiated from two glioma cell lines (GaMg and D-54Mg) were stained with DiO and DiI, respectively. Penetration of DiI and DiO into the tumour spheroids and brain aggregates was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). After 48 h of dye exposures, the tracers had almost completely penetrated the tumour spheroids and brain aggregates. Light-microscopic sections of the specimens indicated that the dye incorporation had little effect on cellular morphology. Cell migration from DiI stained D-54Mg and GaMg spheroids was similar to that observed from unstained spheroids. Growth was also unaffected after 48 h of DiI exposure. Gioma cell invasion was assessed by CLSM using co-cultures of DiI -stained spheroids and DiO-stained brain cell aggregates. Optical sections revealed a gradual decrease in remaining brain volume, indicating a progressive invasive process. Single tumour cells were identified deep within the brain aggregates. In addition normal brain cells were also identified in the tumour spheroids. It is concluded that vital staining can be used to identify both normal cells and tumour cells during tumour cell invasion in vitro. The method may provide the possibility for studying the kinetics of single normal and tumour cell movement in individual tumour/brain co-cultures.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Development and reversion of methionine dependence in a human glioma cell line: relation to homocysteine remethylation and cobalamin status.

We investigated the biochemical changes which accompanied the development and reversion of methionine dependence in a human glioma cell line GaMg. This cell line attained a higher proliferation rate and more malignant morphology with increasing passages in vitro. Early passages (P10, P25, and P45) were able to grow in a methionine-deficient medium supplemented with homocysteine (Met-Hcy+), while a later passage (P60) had lost this ability, i.e., it had become methionine-dependent. From P60 cells, a methionine-independent revertant (P60R) was established by exposing the cells to 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine, followed by culture in a Met-Hcy+ medium. In these genetically related cell lines, we investigated homocysteine remethylation and the functional state of cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase, the enzyme responsible for remethylation of homocysteine to methionine. The methionine synthase activity in cell extracts was similar in all cell sublines. Intact cell methionine biosynthesis and nitrous oxide-dependent homocysteine export reflect homocysteine remethylation in cells cultured in a Met-Hcy+ and methionine-containing (Met+Hcy-) medium, respectively. Both of these parameters, as well as the cellular content of the substrate 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, and the cofactor methylcobalamin, in addition to adenosylcobalamin, were high in P10, declined progressively in P45 and P60, and were restored in P60R. P25 cells had some unique features among the methionine-independent phenotypes because both homocysteine remethylation and the level of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate were low in Met+Hcy- medium. The maximal homocysteine export rate in the presence of nitrous oxide, which reflects the overall transmethylation rate, was high in P60 and even higher in P60R compared to the lower passages. The basis for development of methionine dependence during culture of this glioma cell line seems related to the combined effects of reduced methionine biosynthesis and an increased overall transmethylation rate. The single parameter which most closely correlated to the ability to use homocysteine for growth was methylcobalamin. These data support a model for methionine dependence, which implies impaired provision of cobalamin to methionine synthase.

5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltran↗

PubMed1994

[Varicella zoster infections and neurologic complications].

We describe three patients who suffered from neurological complications to varicella-zoster virus infections. One had polyradiculoneuritis, another myelitis, and a third suffered from focal encephalitis. These patients were all treated with acyclovir, and showed good recovery within a few days. The diagnosis must be based on clinical characteristics, together with virological and immunological tests. The indications for antiviral treatment are discussed.

Acyclovir↗

PubMed1994

Prognostic factors and survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

This study of clinical outcome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) evaluated 148 patients (93 men and 55 women) diagnosed in Hordaland county, Norway, during the period 1970 to 1990. In addition to evaluation of clinical data, data were available on sex, age at diagnosis, time from appearance of symptoms to diagnosis, family history, EMG and spinal fluid. Sixty-nine cases were bulbar ALS and 79 were spinal ALS. Median survival from diagnosis was 16.5 months, 26.0 months in the spinal and 12.1 months in the bulbar form. The survival time decreased with increasing age at the start of disease. A brief interval from start of symptoms to diagnosis was also a poor prognostic factor. Cases with mainly spastic clinical appearance had longer survival than those with marked atrophy. Sex, appearance of familial cases, increased protein level in the spinal fluid, or disease confirmed or not by EMG had no influence on the prognosis. The importance of the prognostic variables was assessed simultaneously using a proportional hazards model. To test the validity of the prognostic factors, a binary survival outcome was established and a predictive rule determined by logistic regression. The data were applied on 11 ALS cases collected outside Hordaland county. Only 1 out of 7 patients with a predicted probability of living more than 1 year actually died within this time period. Two out of 4 patients in the poor prognostic group were dead within a year from the time of diagnosis.

Adult↗