PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Nurmi

Publications and source records attributed to T Nurmi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Isoflavone content of the soy based supplements.

A large number of soy isoflavone products with indications of possible health effects are available on the market. Fifteen different soy based products were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with coulometric electrode array detector to determine the total amount of isoflavones in aglycones after the hydrolysis and identify the different forms of the isoflavone conjugates. The aim of the study was to evaluate how well the isoflavone content data supplied by the producers correspond to our analysis results. Only one product contained isoflavones measured in aglycones the same amount as was the value given by the producer. The total amount of the isoflavones in aglycones ranged from 0.121 to 201 mg/g. Measured amounts of isoflavones in aglycones after the hydrolysis were in general lower than the values in the product labels. Product data were often confusing and the concrete amount of isoflavones was difficult to find out.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed2002

Phloem fortification in rye bread elevates serum enterolactone level.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the lignan content of phloem powder enriched rye bread and to study the dose-response relationship of the effect of dietary plant lignans derived from phloem on intestinal production of enterolactone by measuring enterolactone concentration in serum. DESIGN: A randomized double-blind supplementation trial. SUBJECTS: Seventy-five non-smoking men recruited by newspaper advertisements. INTERVENTION: Subjects were randomized to three study groups receiving either rye bread high in phloem (HP, 14% of rye flour substituted with phloem powder), rye bread low in phloem (LP, 7% of rye flour substituted with phloem powder) or placebo rye bread. Participants consumed 70 g of study bread daily for 4 weeks and provided serum samples for enterolactone analysis at baseline and at the end of the intervention. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in serum enterolactone concentration in the LP and HP groups compared with the placebo group (P=0.009 and P=0.003, respectively). Considerable interindividual differences were observed in the response to dietary lignans within the study groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that plant lignans attached to insoluble fibre layer in phloem can be further metabolized and converted to enterolactone presumably by the bacteria present in the colon. Phloem powder is useful source of lignans for functional foods aimed to elevate serum enterolactone levels. SPONSORSHIP: Phloem powder and the study breads were provided by Finnpettu Oy and Linkosuo Oy, respectively. The clinical study work was sponsored in part by Oy Jurilab Ltd.

4-Butyrolactone↗
PubMed2001

In vitro metabolism of plant lignans: new precursors of mammalian lignans enterolactone and enterodiol.

The metabolism of the plant lignans matairesinol, secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, syringaresinol, arctigenin, 7-hydroxymatairesinol, isolariciresinol, and lariciresinol by human fecal microflora was investigated to study their properties as mammalian lignan precursors. The quantitative analyses of lignan precursors and the mammalian lignans enterolactone and enterodiol were performed by HPLC with coulometric electrode array detector. The metabolic products, including mammalian lignans, were characterized as trimethylsilyl derivatives by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Matairesinol, secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol, and pinoresinol were converted to mammalian lignans only. Several metabolites were isolated and tentatively identified as for syringaresinol and arctigenin in addition to the mammalian lignans. Metabolites of 7-hydroxymatairesinol were characterized as enterolactone and 7-hydroxyenterolactone by comparison with authentic reference compounds. A metabolic scheme describing the conversion of the most abundant new mammalian lignan precursors, pinoresinol and lariciresinol, is presented.

4-Butyrolactone↗
PubMed1999

Sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for profiling phytoestrogens using coulometric electrode array detection: application to plasma analysis.

An HPLC method for profiling 13 phytoestrogens and their metabolites using coulometric electrode array detection was developed. Sensitivity of the method was slightly less than that of our GC-MS method, but significantly higher compared to the HPLC methods using diode-array or UV detection. Detection limits varied from 3.4 (secoisolariciresinol) to 40.3 (genistin) pg on column. Signal linearities ranged from the detection limits to 61 ng on column. Resolution values for the peak pairs varied from 1.1 (O-desmethylangolensin-anhydrosecoisolariciresinol) to 16 (daidzin-genistin). Intra- and interassay retention time variations were negligible and detector response variation was eliminated by frequent calibration. Chromatographic method was applied to plasma analyses and 6 of the 13 compounds were detected. Method accuracy for those six analytes varied from 69% (enterodiol) to 118% (genistein). Intraassay precision CVs ranged from 1.5% (enterolactone, 12.4 nmol/liter) to 14% (genistein, 245 nmol/liter) and interassay precision CVs ranged from 9.9% (daidzein, 67.4 nmol/liter) to 44% (enterodiol, 1.20 nmol/liter).

Automation↗
PubMed1996

HLA types in women with cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) lesions prospectively followed up for 10 years.

Certain genotypes of HPV have been recently implicated in the etiology of carcinoma of the uterine cervix. In order to determine whether HLA antigen-controlled immunoregulatory functions have a role in the pathogenesis of HPV infections, class I and II HLA antigen typing was carried out on a series of 96 randomly selected women who were part of a cohort of 530 women prospectively followed up for cervical HPV infections in our clinic since 1981. The frequency of the DQ3 antigen, which has previously been reported to be increased among cervical cancer patients, was decreased in our HPV patients compared with the control group of Finnish women, but it was slightly increased in HPV16-infected women (P = 0.0812). However, we were able to demonstrate that HLA-DR5 antigen is significantly increased (i) in patients with high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) (P < 0.02), and (ii) in women harbouring the high risk HPV type 16 (P = 0.0003), thus confirming earlier reports of an association of this HLA antigen and cervical cancer. Such a close association between the high risk HPV type 16 with an HLA antigen might have important implications in the possible immunogenetic basis of the increased risk for squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic↗
PubMed1990

T-lymphocyte subsets defined by double immunofluorescence in multiple sclerosis.

T-lymphocyte subpopulations were studied in the blood of 25 multiple sclerosis patients and 25 healthy age and sex-matched controls. Monoclonal antibodies labelled with different fluorochromes were used to define the percentages of CD4 (helper/inducer) and CD8 (suppressor/cytotoxic) positive cells and to dissect them into phenotypic subgroups. The results confirm the decrease in CD8 positive cells in the blood associated with multiple sclerosis. The subset showing the most marked decrease was the CD11 marker negative population, which has been reported to be associated with cytotoxicity rather than suppression. There was no significant decrease in the percentage of cells positive for both CD4 and CD45R markers reported to contain suppressor-inducer or naive T-helper cells in the MS patients. The results suggest that further dissection of T-cell subpopulations may clarify our understanding of this disease process.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Lymphocyte subsets in the cerebrospinal fluid in active multiple sclerosis.

We studied the relative number of lymphocyte subsets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with active multiple sclerosis. The cells were double-labeled with monoclonal antibodies and were studied using a fluorescence-activated cell analyzer. The number of Leu2+Leu15+ cells and Leu3+Leu18+ cells was markedly reduced in the CSF but not in the peripheral blood of the patients. The number of Leu3+Leu18+ cells was reduced also in the CSF of control patients (patients with other inflammatory or infectious neurological diseases).

Flow Cytometry↗
PubMed1988

IgA, IgG and IgM anti-blood group A antibodies induced by pneumococcal vaccine.

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine contaminated with blood group A-like substance stimulated long-lasting production of anti-A antibodies in 10 of 11 subjects with O or B blood group. ELISA using blood group A substance as antigen detected increased IgA anti-A levels 18 months after vaccination in 82% of O and B subjects, the corresponding values being 73% for IgG and 18% for IgM. In females of O or B blood group becoming pregnant with a fetus of group A or AB, prior immunization to blood group A substance may cause a potential risk for haemolytic disease of the newborn.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1988

Tumour-associated antigens in primary mouse fibroblasts induced by transformation with bovine papillomavirus type 1.

Bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV 1) DNA was used to transform primary fibroblasts of C57BL/6J mice. Transformation frequency in these cells was much lower than in C127 cells and not associated with the appearance of morphologically distinct foci. However, continuous lines of transformed C57BL/6J cells were developed by serial subculturing of transfected cells. These transformed cell lines showed phenotypic properties associated with transformation including abnormal karyotypes. They contained variable amounts of viral DNA, but the copy number was in the same range as in six C127 transformants tested for comparison. In two cell lines monomeric viral DNA in an episomal form was detected. Slowly migrating viral sequences in these and in the third line were probably episomal concatamers, but the possibility of integration could not be excluded. There was some variation in immunogenicity, but all cell lines induced a cell-mediated immune response in syngeneic mice detected by the chromium release assay. In addition to BPV 1-transformed cell lines, the effector cells also reacted against an unidentified antigen shared by 2 cell lines transformed by SV40 and UV irradiation, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

NK activity and NK-like non-specific cytolysis after PPD, rubella and measles antigen stimulation in multiple sclerosis.

Blood samples were collected from 14 pairs of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and from age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was tested against the K562 cell line on the day of collection and again after 3 days in vitro culture with medium or with purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD), inactivated rubella virus or inactivated measles virus antigen. Lymphocytes from MS patients had a lower spontaneous cytotoxic activity compared to the controls both on the day of collection (P less than 0.025) and after 3 days in culture with medium alone (P less than 0.025). The activity decreased during in vitro culture in both groups, but the decrease was greater among MS patients (P less than 0.05). In cultures with antigens, a strong increase of NK-like cell-mediated cytolysis (NK-like CMC) was noted especially in cultures stimulated with PPD. There were no significant differences in the increase of the activity among MS patients and control subjects. A significant correlation between the increase of NK-like CMC and the lymphocyte blast transformation response induced by each antigen was found.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Characterization of in vivo activated lymphocytes found in the peripheral blood of patients undergoing cardiac operation.

We studied in vivo lymphocyte activation in patients who underwent cardiac operation. A large number of deoxyribonucleic acid-synthesizing cells characterized by 3H-thymidine uptake and morphologically atypical lymphocytes were found after operation in the peripheral blood samples of patients, the peak level occurring on the sixth or seventh postoperative day. Most of the deoxyribonucleic acid-synthesizing cells were in the B cell fraction. The number of antibody secreting cells in the patients' peripheral blood samples was found increased from the normal level after operation. Immunoglobulin A-secreting cells were the most elevated fraction. The percentage of helper (OKT4) and suppressor (OKT8) cells in the postoperative samples was not significantly different from that in the preoperative samples. Only a few were Ia antigen positive cells. Co-culture of patients' B cells with their own T cells and with the T cells taken from two healthy controls revealed no signs of any helper or suppressor effect on these antibody-secreting cells. The results show that after cardiac operation the peripheral blood of patients contains an increased number of immunoglobulin secreting cells. The regulatory T-lymphocytes seem not to have any effect in vitro on these in vivo activated cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Post-mortem bacterial culture of bronchial mucus and heart blood in hospital and non-hospital autopsies: effect of morgue time and length of hospitalization.

We studied cultures of 109 bronchial mucus and 67 heart blood specimens from unselected hospital autopsies and 40 bronchial mucus and heart blood specimens from unselected non-hospital (forensic) autopsies, performed 1-11 days after death. The most prevalent bacterium was Streptococcus viridans. No association was found between morgue time and the number of species isolated from each bronchial mucus or heart blood specimen in either hospital or non-hospital autopsies, nor between morgue time and the number of occasions different species were isolated from the bronchial mucus or heart blood specimens in either series. Bronchial mucus and heart blood cultures from the hospital autopsies gave more often gram negative rods and less often other microbes in result than those from the non-hospital autopsies (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.025 respectively). There was a highly significant association between the length of hospitalization and the occurrence of gram negative rods both in the bronchial mucus and heart blood (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.0001 respectively), a result which probably reflects the ante-mortem colonization of the respiratory tract with gram negative bacilli among hospitalized patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Postmortem radiographic, histological and bacteriological studies of terminal respiratory infections and other pulmonary lesions in hospital and non-hospital necropsies.

One lung from 109 unselected hospital and 43 unselected non-hospital necropsies was studied using postmortem radiography with histological verification. Signs of acute bacterial infection, including bronchiolitis or bronchopneumonia, were present in 42.2% of the hospital necropsies and infection was the immediate cause of death in 8.3%. There was only one case of incipient bronchopneumonia among the non-hospital necropsies. Emphysema was the most common other pulmonary lesion in both groups. Gram negative bacteria were found significantly more often in the bronchial mucus of lungs with any pulmonary lesion, particularly those with signs of bacterial infection, than in the bronchial mucus of morphologically normal lungs in both groups of patients. In addition, the frequency of infections was associated with length of stay in hospital. This may reflect the prevalence of Gram negative infections in hospitals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Cell-mediated immunodeficiency in Down's syndrome: normal IL-2 production but inverted ratio of T cell subsets.

To get more information on the mechanism of cell-mediated immunodeficiency associated with Down's syndrome, 18 patients were studied for PHA-induced lymphocyte transformation and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. A normal amount of IL-2 was produced although half of the patients showed decreased blast transformation. T cell subpopulations were studied in some patients with decreased and with normal blast transformation. All studied patients with decreased blast transformation had inverted helper/suppressor T cell ratio.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Rapid detection of rotavirus in stool by latex agglutination: comparison with radioimmunoassay and electron microscopy and clinical evaluation of the test.

A latex agglutination test (LX) using antisera prepared against Nebraska calf diarrhea virus (NCDV) is described for the detection of rotavirus in stool of children with acute gastroenteritis. The test was compared with electron microscopy (EM) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) with 100 stools positive or negative for rotavirus. Out of 53 stools positive in RIA or EM, 49 were positive in LX and 4 were negative. Two specimens negative in EM and RIA were falsely positive in LX. The method was also tested in two clinical series with 115 stools from 101 children. Altogether 67/115 stools were positive in RIA, and 62/115 in LX. Out of 7 stools with contradictory results, 6 were negative in LX but positive in RIA, and 1 was positive in LX but negative in RIA. The results indicate that the LX is suitable for rapid screening of rotavirus gastroenteritis in clinical practice.

Antigens, Viral↗