| 1. |
- Aittomaki, K, et al.
(författare)
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Safety issues in assisted reproduction technology: should ICSI patients have genetic testing before treatment? A practical proposition to help patient information
- 2004
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Ingår i: Hum Reprod. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). ; 19:3, s. 472-476
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ICSI is a highly efficient treatment of male factor infertility and therefore increasingly used to treat infertile men successfully. However, when used to treat patients with a genetic cause for their infertility, there may be an increased risk for the offspring. Chromosome aberrations, Y chromosome microdeletions and CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) mutations alone may explain up to 25% of azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia. These genetic defects could be identified before treatment, in which case informed decisions could be made by the couple to be treated concerning the treatment, prenatal testing or preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Therefore, we propose that men with very low sperm counts (<5 x 10(6)/ml) considering ICSI should always be informed of the possibility of genetic testing. The information should include a precise statement of the implications of the results for the patient, his family and his offspring, and reassurance that a decision to test or not to test, or the subsequent test results will not be used as a reason for withholding treatment. Testing should always remain voluntary, and the couples themselves should decide whether or not they choose to be tested. If an abnormality is identified, patients should be referred to specialist genetic counselling.
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| 2. |
- Almroth, Gabriel, 1953-, et al.
(författare)
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Perspectives on hepatitis B infections and the efficacy of vaccination (hepatitis B and pneumococci) in dialysis patients.
- 2003
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Ingår i: Upsala journal of medical sciences. - : Uppsala Medical Society. - 0300-9734 .- 2000-1967. ; 108:1, s. 61-74
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hepatitis B is a well known problem in dialysis units. We therefore examined the historical frequency of hepatitis B carriers in our unit, our vaccination program to hepatitis B virus (HBV), the response to hepatitis B vaccine, the IgG subclass response of anti-HBs and the response and IgG subclass response to pneumococcal vaccination (another vaccine) in dialysis patients. From 1970 and onwards 23 HBV carriers were found, but no new cases of hepatitis B occurred during the study period, i.e. from 1980 and onwards. Only one of the carriers was alive by the end of 2001. In four patients liver disease (in one of them liver cirrhosis) may have been a concomitant cause of death. The antibody response to hepatitis B vaccine was significantly lower in patients than in staff. In four patients a fourth injection was cancelled due to transplantation and bad health, while such data were lacking in 8 cases. In anti-HBs positive patients and controls a significant difference in the response of healthy adults was observed in anti-HBs IgG1 (p < 0.001) vs all other IgG subclasses. Dialysis patients had low levels, or negative findings, in all cases, with IgG1 as the highest proportion found (3/11 patients). An antibody response to pneumococcal vaccination was registered in 25 out of 29 dialysis patients (in all 86%). The IgG-subclass vaccination response to pneumococci in 28 dialysis patients was mainly IgG2 and IgG1 but also occurred in IgG3 and IgG4. Prevaccination antibody levels of the controls were higher in IgG1 and IgG2 (p < 0.01) (n = 21) than in dialysis patients (n = 28). Hepatitis B is nowadays a rare, but still dangerous disease in nephrology units. Dialysis patients have a reduced response to hepatitis B vaccine and vaccination schedules should be started early as some patients otherwise may not receive a fourth injection. The adequate antibody response to pneumococcal vaccination mainly due to IgG2 and IgG1 antibodies indicates that the antigen involved is important in vaccination responses in dialysis patients.
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| 3. |
- Altimiras, Jordi, 1967-, et al.
(författare)
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Intrinsic autoregulation of cardiac output in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at different heart rates
- 2004
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Ingår i: J Exp Biol. - : The Company of Biologists. ; 207:Pt 2, s. 195-201
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Intrinsic regulation of the heart in teleosts is partly driven by central venous pressure, which exerts a modulatory role on stroke volume according to the well-known Frank-Starling mechanism. Although this mechanism is well understood from heart perfusion studies, less is known about how this mechanism operates in vivo, where heart rate varies markedly. We used zatebradine, a bradycardic agent, to attain resting heart rates in surgically instrumented animals. A dose of zatebradine of 2.79+/-0.47 mg l(-1) decreased heart rate by half, from 44.4+/-4.19 beats min(-1) to 22.1+/-1.9 beats min(-1). Zatebradine had no significant effect on the peripheral vasculature and no inotropic effects, so was a suitable pharmacological agent with which to manipulate heart rate. When heart rate halved, cardiac output dropped to 87.5+/-4.6% of the control value, due to the concomitant increase in stroke volume to 165+/-13%. In vivo recordings of venous pressure at varying heart rates indicated that the partial compensation in cardiac output was possible through an increase in pressure in the sinus venosus, from -0.06+/-0.04 kPa at a control heart rate of 58.3+/-3.5 beats min(-1) (N=10) to 0.07+/-0.05 kPa after injection of zatebradine (4 mg kg(-1)). The operation of the so-called time-dependent autoregulatory mechanism was further demonstrated in perfused hearts. The positive pressures recorded in the sinus venosus at low heart rates coincident with non-invasive measurements in trout suggest that atrial filling in trout is more dependent on the build-up of pressure in the venous circulation (vis-a-tergo filling) than a suction mechanism during ventricular contraction (vis-a-fronte filling).
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| 4. |
- Andersson, Per-Åke, 1954, et al.
(författare)
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Inflation, Monetary Policy and Structural Adjustment in Zambia
- 2002
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Ingår i: International Economics. ; LV(4), s. 425-449
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper analyses the monetary policy and its impact on the rate of inflation during the economic structural adjustment programs in Zambia during 1987 to 1993. To avoid the Lucas critique, the focus is on a sample period, 1987 to 1993, which is relevant for analysing inflation and monetary policy during adjustment programs. The sample does not include other types of monetary regimes than the ones relevant for analysing the adjustment process. The supply of money and the price level are decomposed into permanent and transitory components. The results suggest that the price level in Zambia was driven by the supply of money, and that the authorities were able to reduce inflation by restricting the money supply process during the adjustment programs.
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| 5. |
- Andersson, Tony, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Phosphoinositide 3-kinase is involved in Xenopus and Labrus melanophore aggregation
- 2003
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Ingår i: Cellular Signalling. - 0898-6568 .- 1873-3913. ; 15:12, s. 1119-1127
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Melanophores are pigmented cells capable of quick colour changes through coordinated transport of their intracellular pigment granules. We demonstrate the involvement of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K) in Xenopus and Labrus aggregation by the use of the PI3-K inhibitor, LY-294002. In Xenopus, wortmannin-insensitive PI3-K was found to be essential for the aggregation, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation and tyrosine phosphorylation of a 280-kDa protein, and for the maintenance of low cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) during the aggregated state. Pre-aggregated cells disperse completely to LY-294002 at 50-100 muM, involving a transient elevation in cAMP due to adenylate cyclase (AC) stimulation or to inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE). The inactive analogue LY-303511 did not induce dispersion at the same concentrations. PDE4 and/or PDE2 was found to be involved in melanosome aggregation. The similar kinetics of LY-294002 and various PDE inhibitors indicates that the elevation of cAMP might be due to inhibition of PDE. In Labrus melanophores, LY-294002 had a less dramatic effect, probably due to less dependence on PDE in regulation of cAMP levels. In Xenopus aggregation, we suggest that melatonin stimulation of the Mel1c receptor via G(betagamma) activates PI3-K that, directly or indirectly via MAPK, activates PDE. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 6. |
- Andius, Patrik, 1963, et al.
(författare)
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Prognostic factors in patients with carcinoma in situ treated with intravesical bacille Calmette-Guérin.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Scand J Urol Nephrol. - : Informa UK Limited. ; 38:4, s. 285-290
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract Objective: To report prognostic factors and follow-up data for an unselected group of patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the urinary bladder treated with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Material and Methods: The clinical records of patients with CIS treated with BCG were reviewed. All 173 patients treated between 1986 and 1997 in four hospitals in two Swedish cities were included. The median follow-up period was 72 months (range 6-154 months). The impact of 18 variables on the times to recurrence and progression was studied using multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Results: No pre-treatment variables, including type of CIS and T1G3 tumour, had prognostic value in terms of time to progression. The result of the first cystoscopy had a very strong prognostic importance: 44% of patients with a positive first cystoscopy progressed in stage, 59% were BCG failures and 35% died from urothelial cancer. The corresponding values for patients with a negative first cystoscopy were 11%, 18% and 8%. Fourteen patients (8%) were diagnosed with an upper urinary tract tumour but no variable had prognostic significance. The diagnoses of the upper urinary tract tumours were evenly distributed during follow-up. Conclusions: We were not able to predict which patients would respond favourably to BCG. Cystectomy should be strongly considered even after a positive first cystoscopy. The accumulated incidence of patients with bladder CIS and a subsequent upper urinary tract tumour is rather high but it is questionable whether the prognosis will improve if routine follow-up urographies are performed.
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| 7. |
- Bauer, H C, et al.
(författare)
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The Scandinavian Sarcoma Group Register 1986-2001.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica. Supplementum. - : Medical Journals Sweden AB. - 0300-8827 .- 0001-6470. ; 75:Supplement 311, s. 8-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 8. |
- Bellomo, Nicola, 1943, et al.
(författare)
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The generalized-kinetics-based equilibrium distribution function for composite particles
- 2003
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Ingår i: Comptes Rendus - Mecanique. - : Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam.. - 1631-0721 .- 1873-7234. ; 331:7, s. 461-467
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This work is devoted to the equilibrium distribution function for a fluid of mutually non-interacting identical composite point particles in three-dimensional physical space. The distribution function is derived within the generalized-kinetics (GK) vision from the proposed probabilistic model based on quantum-mechanical bosons and fermions. The first GK advantage is that the derivation does not involve any assumption on the interpolation between bosons and fermions whereas the resulting function provides this interpolation. The second GK advantage is that composons, the particles described with the GK-based distribution function, are considerably less schematic and more consistent physically than quons. Composons correspond to a specific case of Isakov's general q-commutation relation involving an infinite number of the q-coefficients. Connection of the composon concept to previous results in the literature is pointed out. A few directions for future research on the topic are formulated. The results of the work can be used in the composite-particle fluid problems where the Maxwell–Boltzmann description is not valid, for instance, in dense populations of not too massive point-like particles of a complex, composite nature at not too high temperatures. FRENCH: Ce travail s'intéresse à la fonction de distribution d'équilibre pour un fluide mutuellement non agissant, composé de particules points dans un espace de dimension trois. La fonction de distribution provient, d'un point de vue de CG, d'un modèle probabiliste issu de la mécanique quantique des fermions et des bosons. Le premier avantage de CG est que la dérivation ne nécessite aucune hypothèse sur l'interpolation entre les bosons et les fermions alors que la fonction résultante fournit cette interpolation. Le second est que les composons, les particules décrites par ce procédé sont considérablement moins schématiques et plus consistantes, physiquement, que les quons. Les composons correspondent à un cas particulier de la relation générale de q-commutation d'Isakov, pour un nombre infini de q-coefficients. Les résultats antérieurs liés au concept de composon sont signalés et quelques directions de recherches futures sont proposées. Les résultats de ce travail peuvent servir pour l'étude de fluides composés, où la description Maxwell–Boltzmann n'est pas valable, par exemple, pour une dense population de particules, pas trop lourdes et a des températures pas trop élevées, et d'une comoposition de nature complexe.
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| 9. |
- Benesch, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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The determination of thickness and surface mass density of mesothick immunoprecipitate layers by null ellipsometry and protein 125iodine labeling.
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of colloid and interface science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0021-9797 .- 1095-7103. ; 249:1, s. 84-90
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present study was to ellipsometrically determine the thickness and surface mass density in air for up to 110-nm-thick organic layers made of alternatingly deposited layers of HSA and polyclonal anti-HSA on hydrophobic silicon. The ellipsometrically determined thickness was compared to that obtained by AFM and the deposited surface mass density calibrated with (125)I-labeled proteins. The results indicate a good agreement in protein layer thickness between AFM and ellipsometry when the protein film refractive index N(film)=1.5-0i, although then the calculated surface mass density from the ellipsometry data became grossly overestimated by the Cuypers one-component formula. A good agreement in the surface mass density was obtained when the M/A ratio in this formula was lowered from 4.14 to 2.35. This approach indicates a convenient means of determining the refractive indices and surface mass densities of mesothick organic layers proteins on solid supports.
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| 10. |
- Benson, Mikael, 1954, et al.
(författare)
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Altered levels of the soluble IL-1, IL-4 and TNF receptors, as well as the IL-1 receptor antagonist, in intermittent allergic rhinitis
- 2004
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Ingår i: Int Arch Allergy Immunol. - : S. Karger AG. - 1018-2438 .- 1423-0097. ; 134:3, s. 227-32
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The effects of cytokines are modulated by soluble cytokine receptors (SCR) and receptor antagonists. Therefore, allergic disease may depend on altered proportions between cytokines, their SCR and receptor antagonists, rather than absolute changes in cytokine levels. Little is known about SCR in intermittent allergic rhinitis (IAR). OBJECTIVE: To examine the concentrations of SCR, i.e. sIL-1R2, sIL-4R, sIL-6R and sTNFR1, as well as the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in nasal fluids from allergen-challenged patients with IAR and healthy controls. METHODS: 30 patients with birch- or grass-pollen-induced IAR and 30 healthy controls were studied. In the patients nasal fluids were obtained before as well as 1 and 6 h after allergen provocation. RESULTS: Both symptom scores and rhinoscopic signs of rhinitis increased in the patients after allergen challenge. Comparisons between patients and controls showed that sIL-4R was lower in patients before and 1 and 6 h after provocation. IL-1Ra was lower before and 1 h after provocation. In addition, lower concentrations of sTNFR1 were found in patients after 1 h, while sIL-1R2 concentrations were higher after 1 h. Comparisons of patients before and after challenge showed that IL-1Ra and sTNFR1 decreased after 1 h, while sIL-1R2 increased. No significant differences were found compared to 6 h. sIL-6R did not significantly differ between the study groups. CONCLUSIONS: After allergen challenge, significant changes in the nasal fluid levels of IL-1Ra, sIL-1R2 and sTNFR1 were found. By contrast, sIL-4R remained at lower levels than in controls both before and after challenge. Since sIL-4R modulates IgE synthesis, this may play a role in the pathogenesis of IAR.
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