| 1. |
- Ekberg, Olle, et al.
(författare)
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Autonomic nerve dysfunction in patients with bolus-specific esophageal dysmotility
- 1995
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Ingår i: Dysphagia. - 1432-0460. ; 10:1, s. 44-48
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The pathogenetic mechanisms causing esophageal dysmotility is not well understood. We examined 13 patients with solid bolus dysphagia in a radiologic barium study including the swallowing of a 14-mm tablet. In all 13 patients the tablet was caught in the proximal or midesophagus. In 8 patients, the entrapment was associated with symptoms (Group 1) whereas in 5 patients (Group 2), no symptoms were reported. All 13 patients together with a control group of 56 healthy, nondysphagic subjects were tested for autonomic nerve function. Autonomic nerve function tests included registration of electrocardiographic R-R interval variation during deep breathing test (E/I ratio), a test of parasympathetic, vagal, nerve function. The results showed that the E/I ratio was significantly lower in patients with symptoms of bolus-specific esophageal dysmotility (-2,19 [1.76]) (median [interquartile range]) compared with patients without symptoms (0.05 [2, 87], p = 0.0192) and controls (-0.25 [1.26], p = 0.0009). In conclusion, symptomatic bolus-specific esophageal dysmotility is associated with vagal nerve dysfunction.
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| 2. |
- Fernö, Mårten, et al.
(författare)
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Recurrence-free survival in breast cancer improved by adjuvant tamoxifen--especially for progesterone receptor positive tumors with a high proliferation
- 1995
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Ingår i: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. - 1573-7217. ; 36:1, s. 23-34
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Although the beneficial effect on breast cancer of adjuvant tamoxifen (TAM) is well established, in the series studied by our group this effect seems to have been restricted to patients with steroid receptor (especially progesterone receptor (PgR)) positive tumors. However, as some patients with PgR-positive tumors manifested recurrence despite adjuvant TAM treatment, the question arose whether some other biological factor(s) could be used to identify these non-responding cases. The level of the S-phase fraction (SPF), as measured by flow cytometry, has been shown to be a useful prognostic marker, prognosis being better in cases where the SPF is low than in those where it is high. The aim of the present study was to relate the prognosis after adjuvant TAM to SPF among patients with PgR-positive tumors. In the PgR-positive group as a whole, the effect of TAM on prognosis was more pronounced in the high SPF group than in the low SPF group (p = 0.005) the respective decrease in 3 year recurrence rate was from 19 to 43% and from 17 to 9%. Multivariate analysis of the data for the TAM-treated group showed the level of PgR concentration (low positive vs. high positive), lymph node status, and tumor size to be independent predictive factors, but not the level of SPF (i.e. high vs. low). By contrast, among patients not treated with TAM, the SPF was a strong independent prognostic factor. To sum up, SPF was a strong independent predictor of outcome only for patients receiving no systemic adjuvant therapy, but not in patients receiving adjuvant TAM. Patients with PgR-positive and high S-phase tumors derived more benefit from TAM than patients with PgR-positive and low SPF tumors.
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| 3. |
- Jernström, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Temporary increase of FSH levels in healthy, nulliparous, young women after cessation of low-dose oral contraceptive use
- 1995
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Ingår i: Contraception. - 0010-7824. ; 52:1, s. 51-56
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PIP: At the University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, researchers grouped healthy nulliparous women aged 19-25 into current, former, and never users of low-dose combined oral contraceptives (OCs) to examine the effect of the OCs on the levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The subjects were from two independent samples. Based on the day the blood was sampled, their hormone level readings were divided into follicular and luteal phases. Former OC users had higher FSH levels than did never users, regardless of menstrual cycle phase (group 1: 1.9 vs. 1.6 mcg/l for follicular phase, 1.6 vs. 1 mcg/l for luteal phase; p = 0.004) (group 2: 2.05 vs. 1.7 mcg/l, 1.55 vs. 1.25 mcg/l; p = 0.028). The transient increase of FSH levels appeared to peak 12 months after the women stopped using the OC. The researchers found that the temporary increase in FSH levels was still significant after they excluded eight women with low progesterone levels (10 nmol/l in luteal phase and 3.5 nmol/l in follicular phase) and adjusted for age (p = 0.015). LH levels were much higher in former users than never users in the first sample (1.6 vs. 1 mcg/l for follicular phase, 1.8 vs. 1.15 mcg/l for luteal phase; p = 0.014), but not in the second sample. Smoking and time since awakening had no effect on FSH and LH levels. Present users experienced suppressed FSH and LH levels. These findings indicate that former OC users experience a rebound-like phenomenon in FSH levels. Since the sample size was small and only one blood sample was taken from each woman at each of the sampling times, the researchers caution that these findings are preliminary and unconfirmed.
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| 4. |
- Nilsson, P A, et al.
(författare)
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Planarized patterning of Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films for multilayer technology
- 1995
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Ingår i: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity (Print). - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 1051-8223 .- 1558-2515. ; 5, s. 1653-1656
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Planarized layers of YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) were made by etching trenches in SrTiO3 (STO) substrates, laser depositing a YBCO film and mechanically polishing the film down to the substrate surface. These structures exhibited critical temperatures (Tc) of 88 K and a critical-current density (Jc) of 106 A/cm2 at 77 K. The planarized surface was smooth, with a maximum height difference between the YBCO and STO of 20 nm. The surfaces were used as templates for epitaxial growth of multilayer insulators of STO and PrBa2Cu3O7 (PBCO) and top YBCO layers. Complete crossovers, free of superconducting shorts, with Tc of 86 K and critical current density (Jc) of 2×105 A/cm2 were made.
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| 5. |
- Olsson, Rolf, et al.
(författare)
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Simultaneous videoradiography and pharyngeal solid state manometry (videomanometry) in 25 nondysphagic volunteers
- 1995
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Ingår i: Dysphagia. - 1432-0460. ; 10:1, s. 36-41
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent technological advances in manometry, including solid state transducers and computerized analysis, allows for reliable interpretation of intraluminal pharyngeal pressures. Simultaneous videoradiography (barium swallow) provides fluoroscopic control of the manometric sensors (videomanometry), thereby eliminating the uncertainty of sensor dislocation during laryngeal elevation. This is the first study describing normal manometric parameters in videomanometry during barium swallow. Seven manometric parameters and six videoradiographic parameters were analyzed. We included 25 nondysphagic volunteers with normal videoradiographic parameters in the study. The examination was performed in an upright physiologic position during 10-ml barium and dry swallows. Mean resting pressure in the upper esophageal sphincter was 89.6 +/- 32.6 (+/- 2 SD) mmHg. Mean residual pressure during relaxation of the upper esophageal sphincter was 7.2 +/- 8.0 (+/- 2 SD) mmHg during barium swallow and 3.8 +/- 6.2 (+/- 2 SD) mmHg during dry swallow. The mean duration of upper esophageal sphincter relaxation was 601 +/- 248 (+/- 2 SD) msec. The mean peristaltic contraction of the upper esophageal sphincter was 253.8 +/- 142.8 (+/- 2 SD) mmHg. Fourteen (56%) of the 25 had a measurable intrabolus pressure (mean 33.2 +/- 17.3 mmHg) at the level of the inferior pharyngeal constrictor. A specific finding was discovered when the epiglottis tilts down hitting the manometric sensor. This epiglottic tilt was identified in 7 subjects (28%) and caused pressures of around 600 mmHg. A standardized manometric technique is important in videomanometry, and normal values as described in this study are essential in clinical use.
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| 9. |
- Westerdahl, J, et al.
(författare)
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Is the use of sunscreens a risk factor for malignant melanoma?
- 1995
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Ingår i: Melanoma Research. - 0960-8931. ; 5:1, s. 59-65
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The relation between use of sunscreens, different host factors and malignant melanoma was investigated in a population-based, matched case-control study of malignant melanoma in the South Swedish Health Care Region, which has the highest risk for melanoma in Sweden, between 1 July 1988 and 30 June 1990. In total, 400 melanoma patients and 640 healthy controls aged 15-75 years answered a comprehensive questionnaire regarding different epidemiologic variables, including questions on use of sunscreens and different constitutional factors. The use of sunscreens was not found to protect against developing malignant melanoma. Instead, an unexpected relation between the use of sunscreens and the risk of developing malignant melanoma was seen (odds ratio (OR) 1.8 for almost always vs never using sunscreens). A tentative dose-response relation was found. Virtually the same ORs were seen in both sexes. Furthermore, persons younger than 50 years had a higher OR than persons older than 50 years. When different melanoma presentation sites were considered, lesions of the trunk were associated with sunscreen use in females (adjusted OR = 3.7 for almost always vs never using sunscreens), while lesions of the extremity or head and neck were associated with sunscreen use in males (adjusted OR = 3.2 for almost always vs never using sunscreens). Raised naevi on the left arm and freckling were shown to be the major constitutional risk factors (OR = 3.9 for more than three naevi vs none and OR = 1.4, respectively). The results were essentially unaltered in a histopathologically re-examined material. Further investigations are needed in order to form a basis for melanoma prevention.
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