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Biomedical subjects

P Olsen

Publications and source records attributed to P Olsen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

YPD, PombePD and WormPD: model organism volumes of the BioKnowledge library, an integrated resource for protein information.

The BioKnowledge Library is a relational database and web site (http://www.proteome.com) composed of protein-specific information collected from the scientific literature. Each Protein Report on the web site summarizes and displays published information about a single protein, including its biochemical function, role in the cell and in the whole organism, localization, mutant phenotype and genetic interactions, regulation, domains and motifs, interactions with other proteins and other relevant data. This report describes four species-specific volumes of the BioKnowledge Library, concerned with the model organisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae (YPD), Schizosaccharomyces pombe (PombePD) and Caenorhabditis elegans (WormPD), and with the fungal pathogen Candida albicans (CalPD). Protein Reports of each species are unified in format, easily searchable and extensively cross-referenced between species. The relevance of these comprehensively curated resources to analysis of proteins in other species is discussed, and is illustrated by a survey of model organism proteins that have similarity to human proteins involved in disease.

Animals↗

Maternal infections in pregnancy and the development of asthma among offspring.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that asthma phenotype could probably be programmed before birth. The current study examined the impact of maternal vaginitis and febrile infections during pregnancy on the subsequent development of asthma among children. METHODS: The analyses were based on 8088 children from the northern Finland birth cohort, 1985-1986. RESULTS: The prevalence of asthma at age 7 was 3.5%. Children had a higher risk of asthma if their mothers experienced vaginitis and febrile infections during pregnancy, odds ratio (OR) = 1.41, (95% CI: 1.08-1.84) and 1.65 (95% CI: 1.25-2.18), respectively, after adjusting for other covariates. There was a clear time trend in risk of childhood asthma corresponding to the timing of maternal febrile infections in pregnancy. The adjusted OR for the first, second and third trimesters were 2.08 (95% CI: 1.13-3.82), 1.73 (95% CI: 1.09-2.75) and 1.44 (95% CI: 0.97-2.15), respectively. Maternal history of allergic diseases, birthweight <2500 g and male gender also seemed to be risk factors for childhood asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that further investigation of the relation of maternal infections during pregnancy to asthma among children seems warranted.

Adolescent↗

Lack of histological cerebellar changes in Wistar rats given pulegone for 28 days. Comparison of immersion and perfusion tissue fixation.

Pulegone was given orally by gavage to groups of 28 SPF Wistar rats at dosage levels of 0 or 160 mg/kg body weight per day for 28 days. Clinically treated animals showed slackness, depression, decreased food consumption, and body weight. The loss of body weight was accompanied by a marked decrease in plasma creatinine. In contrast to earlier results, this study did not reveal occurrence of cyst-like spaces in the white matter of cerebellum using either perfusion or immersion tissue fixation techniques. Pulegone increased plasma alkaline phosphatase and relative liver weight indicating an adverse effect on the liver.

Animals↗

Genetic identification of two major modifier loci of polycystic kidney disease progression in pcy mice.

Unlike the uniform disease progression in inbred animals, polycystic kidney disease (PKD) progression within human families can be highly variable. This may be due to environmental or genetic factors or both. To determine if PKD severity can be influenced by modifier genes, we carried out an intercross between DBA/2-pcy/pcy and Mus m. castaneous involving 3,105 6-wk-old F2 mice. Large differences in PKD severity were observed in this cross. In addition, 23/ 800 phenotypically normal mice were pcy/pcy genotypically. These results demonstrated that PKD progression in pcy/ pcy mice is a quantitative trait that is strongly modulated by modifier genes. Whole genome quantitative trait loci mapping of 114 selected pcy/pcy mice (68 with the mild PKD and 46 with severe PKD) identified two loci, MOP1 and MOP2 that strongly modulate PKD progression. MOP1 (max LOD score = 10.3 at D4Mit111) and MOP2 (max LOD score = 13.8 at D16Mit1) accounted for 36.7 and 46.8% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. Two-factor ANOVA of the phenotypes and genotypes of all 673 pcy/pcy mice from our cross indicated that MOP1 and MOP2 alleles regulate PKD progression in a complex additive manner. Characterization of these novel modifying loci may provide additional insights into the pathogenesis of polycystic kidney diseases.

Analysis of Variance↗

PCR assay or culture for diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis in the routine diagnostic laboratory?

A nested PCR method was compared with culture for the detection of Bordetella pertussis in a routine clinical diagnostic laboratory. A total of 241 clinical nasopharyngeal aspirates were examined in parallel in the laboratory. Both methods were positive for 75 samples (31%), eight samples were positive by nested PCR only (3.3%), and one sample was positive by culture only (0.4%). The mean time actually required in the clinical laboratory (not operating with pertussis diagnosis during weekends) from the day of arrival to the diagnosis of a positive or negative sample by the nested PCR assay was 1.8 +/- 1.3 days (mean +/- SD), for positive culture 4.5 +/- 1.4 days and for negative culture 10.5 +/- 1.0 days. The hands-on time in the laboratory to perform the nested PCR was 2 h, for a positive culture 25 min, and for a negative culture 15 min. The cost analysis of the methods, when running one sample at a time, showed that the laboratory cost for PCR was six times higher than culture. When running four samples together the cost for PCR was three times higher than culture. In conclusion, the nested PCR is the more rapid and sensitive method compared to culture. With the present design, the PCR-protocol involves higher material expenditure and claims more hands-on time.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Peer review: an approach to performance evaluation in a professional practice model.

Role expectations of staff nurses are changing, and nurses must become empowered and actively involved in facilitating that change, rather than having their role changed for them. The shared governance framework provides an efficient way to meet current changes and increased responsibilities. Peer review is an integral component of this framework. A professional practice model with peer review increases the accountability of its members by encouraging improved work achievement and reinforcing high standards of practice. Promoting communication and sharing of each individual's practice enhances a sense of teamwork and encourages creativity and an increased sense of ownership regarding nursing practice among all model members.

Humans↗

Four-week toxicity study of 4-methoxytoluene in rats.

4-Methoxytoluene was given by gavage to 4 groups of 20 rats at dosage levels of 0, 40, 120 or 240 mg kg-1 body weight/day for 4 weeks. There was a statistically significant decrease in serum creatinine and urea in the intermediate and high dose group for both sexes. Among males, a statistically significant decrease in the packed cell volume was observed in the high and intermediate dose group. A no-observed-effect level of 40 mg kg-1 body weight/day was determined.

Administration, Oral↗

Patterns of Reactivity between a Panel of Monoclonal Antibodies and Forage Rhizobium Strains.

A panel of 11 monoclonal antibodies raised against vegetative cells of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii or Rhizobium meliloti was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for reactivity with 47 strains of R. leguminosarum biovar trifolii and 60 strains of R. meliloti. The goal of the study was to define the degree of specificity associated with each antibody and to gain an understanding of the amount of antigenic diversity found among the strains and between the species. Each antibody was tested against each Rhizobium strain in four forms: washed steamed cells, washed unsteamed cells, cell-free culture broth, and nodule squash material. Each antibody showed a different pattern of reactivity among the 107 strains. One of each of the antibodies developed against R. meliloti and R. leguminosarum biovar trifolii reacted in a highly specific manner with cells or antigen from the immunogenic strain only. Nine of the antibodies recognized secreted as well as cellular antigen from many of the strains. Analysis of patterns of reactivity between the 107 strains and the 11 antibodies separated the strains into 28 groups of which 12 were represented by one strain only.

Journal Article↗

Carcinogenicity study of the emulsifier TOSOM and the release agent TOS in Wistar rats.

Groups of 60 Wistar rats of each sex were fed diets containing 3, 6 or 12% of the margarine emulsifier TOSOM (thermally oxidized soybean oil interacted with mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids) for 2.5 yr. In addition, three groups of 60 rats of each sex were fed two products of the release agent TOS (thermally oxidized soybean oil) in dietary levels of 1.2% TOS(G) (TOS from Grindsted Product A/S, Denmark) and 0.3 and 1.2% TOS(N) (TOS from Nexus Aps, Denmark), respectively for 2.5 yr. 120 rats of each sex fed a diet containing mono- and diglycerides served as controls. The diets given to all groups were isocaloric. Clinical appearance, food consumption, body weight and weight gain, survival, haematology, and clinical chemistry parameters were examined. Gross and histopathological examinations, including neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions, were performed on all groups. Time to occurrence of tumours was recorded. No substance-related effect, including carcinogenicity, was found.

Animals↗

Carcinogenic potential of cooked food mutagens (IQ and MeIQ) in Wistar rats after short-term exposure.

Two potent cooked food mutagens, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo/4,5-f/quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo/4,5-f/quinoline (MeIQ), were examined in an initiation-promotion assay in the male wistar rat. Fourteen doses of 10 mg IQ or 10 mg MeIQ/kg b.wt. were given during initiation, followed by promotion with 500 p.p.m. phenobarbital sodium (PB) in the drinking water up to week 58. A small number of tumours of Zymbal's gland were seen in all groups treated with IQ or MeIQ, irrespective of PB-treatment. Though the promotional regimen failed to produce the expected number of liver tumours, it did induce a significant amount of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity. These results suggest that even short exposures to low doses of IQ or MeIQ produce persistent procarcinogenic lesions in the rat, and that secondary factors, e.g. promoters or high cell turnover, may over time develop these lesions into cancer.

Animals↗

Characterization of induction of protooncogene c-myc and cellular growth in human vascular smooth muscle cells by insulin and IGF-I.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) are structurally related polypeptides that stimulate DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation, probably through a common pathway. Human arterial smooth muscle cells in culture demonstrated the presence of high-affinity receptors for both these hormones. Insulin and IGF-I both exhibited cross-reactivity to each other's receptors but with an affinity that is 100-fold less than for the homologous receptor. To examine more closely the receptor responsible for producing the growth effects, we used the polyclonal antibody against the insulin receptor, B2, and a monoclonal antibody to the IGF-I receptor, alpha IR3. We studied the growth effects of insulin and IGF-I as measured by stimulation of c-myc, DNA synthesis, and cellular proliferation in the presence and absence of these antibodies. F(ab') fragments of the anti-insulin-receptor antibody at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml were capable of displacing greater than 90% of the bound insulin, thus establishing an effective insulin-receptor blockade. Under such blockade, insulin and IGF-I were both capable of doubling the amount of DNA synthesis and cell number in cultured human arterial smooth muscle cells. However, in the presence of a 1:2500 dilution of the monoclonal antibody alpha IR3, which caused a 90% displacement of IGF-I bound to its receptor, both the insulin and IGF-I effects on stimulating DNA synthesis or cellular proliferation were inhibited by greater than 90%. These findings demonstrate that the IGF-I receptor is the common pathway for the growth effects of both insulin and IGF-I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cell Division↗

Short term toxicity study in rats dosed with isoeugenol benzyl ether.

Isoeugenol benzyl ether was given to rats by gavage for 28 days at 0, 60, 120, and 240 mg/kg body weight/day. For both sexes at the highest dose and females at the intermediate dose statistically significantly decreased values were found for body weight, blood glucose (also for males at intermediate dose), blood urea and relative liver weights. No dose-related histopathological changes were seen in any organs. The no effect level was 60 mg/kg body weight/day.

Animals↗