| 1. |
|
|
| 2. |
- Pasupuleti, Mukesh, et al.
(författare)
-
Preservation of Antimicrobial Properties of Complement Peptide C3a, from Invertebrates to Humans
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 282:4, s. 2520-2528
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The human anaphylatoxin peptide C3a, generated during complement activation, exerts antimicrobial effects. Phylogenetic analysis, sequence analyses, and structural modeling studies paired with antimicrobial assays of peptides from known C3a sequences showed that, in particular in vertebrate C3a, crucial structural determinants governing antimicrobial activity have been conserved during the evolution of C3a. Thus, regions of the ancient C3a from Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda as well as corresponding parts of human C3a exhibited helical structures upon binding to bacterial lipopolysaccharide permeabilized liposomes and were antimicrobial against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Human C3a and C4a (but not C5a) were antimicrobial, in concert with the separate evolutionary development of the chemotactic C5a. Thus, the results demonstrate that, notwithstanding a significant sequence variation, functional and structural constraints imposed on C3a during evolution have preserved critical properties governing antimicrobial activity.
|
|
| 3. |
- Ekbäck, Maria [Palmetun], et al.
(författare)
-
"It is always on my mind" : women's experiences of their bodies when living with hirsutism
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Health Care for Women International. - London : Taylor & Francis. - 0739-9332 .- 1096-4665. ; 30:5, s. 358-372
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many women suffer from excessive hair growth, often in combination with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It is unclear how hirsutism influences such women's experiences of their bodies. Our aim is to describe and interpret women's experiences of their bodies when living with hirsutism. Interviews were conducted with 10 women with hirsutism. We used a qualitative latent content analysis. Four closely intertwined themes were disclosed: the body was experienced as a yoke, a freak, a disgrace, and as a prison. Hirsutism deeply affects women's experiences of their bodies in a negative way.
|
|
| 4. |
- Carré, Helena, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
-
Improved contact tracing for Chlamydia trachomatis with experienced tracers, tracing for one year back in time and interviewing by phone in remote areas
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Sexually Transmitted Infections. - : BMJ publishing. - 1368-4973 .- 1472-3263. ; 84:3, s. 239-242
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To evaluate the Swedish model for contact tracing and especiallythe "Västerbotten model" with centralised, extended contactinterview periods, sometimes by telephone.Methods: Using questionnaires, the contact tracing and interview procedurewas evaluated during 2002, followed by an evaluation of contactinterviewing by phone in 2005–6.Results: Patients with diagnosed Chlamydia trachomatis infection reportedon average 2.5 sexual contacts, 3.0 contacts when contact interviewingwas performed at the clinic, and 2.3 contacts when performedby phone. 65% of the sexual contacts with a known test resultwere infected.Conclusion: Centralised contact tracing, exploring the sexual history forat least 12 months back in time, shows good results. Combinedwith screening of certain risk groups it is probably one effectiveway of preventing C trachomatis infections. Preventing C trachomatisby primary prevention such as information and counselling is,however, still of great importance.
|
|
| 5. |
- Hadad, Ronza, et al.
(författare)
-
Evaluation of the new COBAS TaqMan CT test v2.0 and impact on the proportion of new variant Chlamydia trachomatis by the introduction of diagnostics detecting new variant C trachomatis in Örebro county, Sweden
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Sexually Transmitted Infections. - London : BMJ Publishing Group. - 1368-4973 .- 1472-3263. ; 85, s. 190-193
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis (nvCT), discovered in Sweden in 2006, contains a 377-bp cryptic plasmid deletion, which includes the targets for the COBAS Amplicor/TaqMan C trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoea and Abbott m2000rt C trachomatis/N gonorrhoea tests.Objectives: To evaluate the new real-time COBAS TaqMan CT test v2.0 (CTM CT v2.0) for C trachomatis diagnostics and to investigate whether the proportion of nvCT was affected by the introduction of genetic diagnostics detecting nvCT (LightMix 480HT) in Örebro county, Sweden.Methods: CTM CT v2.0 compared with LightMix 480 HT PCR for the diagnosis of C trachomatis was evaluated. Discrepant samples were analysed using BD ProbeTec ET and Abbott m2000rt RealTime CT II. All previously LightMix and cell culture-positive samples were analysed using an nvCT-specific PCR.Results: The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of CTM CT v2.0 for examined samples (n = 1058) was 100%, 99.8%, 100% and 98.2%, respectively. Of 11 577 consecutive PCR samples, 9.4% (n = 1084) were positive and 34.3% (n = 372) of these were nvCT. Of 2306 consecutive culture samples, 5.0% (n = 116) were C trachomatis positive and 38.8% (n = 45) of these were nvCT.Conclusions: CTM CT v2.0 is a sensitive and specific method for C trachomatis detection. Studies including larger numbers of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients as well as genital and extragenital samples, and in comparison with other internationally validated and, ideally, US Food and Drug Administration-approved C trachomatis nucleic acid amplification tests are imperative. The proportion of nvCT remains high in Örebro county, Sweden, despite the introduction of genetic diagnostics to detect the mutant.
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
- Josefson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
-
Nickel allergy and hand eczema : a 20-year follow up
- 2006
-
Ingår i: Contact Dermatitis. - Oxford : Wiley. - 0105-1873 .- 1600-0536. ; 55:5, s. 286-290
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of hand eczema after 20 years in women patch tested to nickel during childhood. In 1982-1983, 960 schoolgirls were patch tested for nickel allergy; its prevalence was found to be 9%. 20 years later, the same individuals received a questionnaire regarding hand eczema and factors of importance for the development of hand eczema. 735 of 908 women (80.9%) answered the questionnaire. In total, 17.6% of respondents reported hand eczema after the age of 15 years, and the 1-year prevalence was 12.8%. There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of hand eczema between the groups who had previously tested positive and negative for nickel allergy. 38.3% of the respondents considered themselves to be nickel sensitive at the time they answered the questionnaire; in this group, the reported prevalence of hand eczema after age 15 was 22.5%. 31.4% of those with a history of atopic dermatitis reported hand eczema after age 15, compared with 10.6% of those without (P < 0.001). In conclusion, contact allergy to nickel in childhood did not seem to increase the prevalence of hand eczema later in life.
|
|
| 8. |
- Josefson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
-
Nickel allergy as risk factor for hand eczema : a population-based study
- 2009
-
Ingår i: British Journal of Dermatology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0007-0963 .- 1365-2133. ; 160:4, s. 828-834
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: In population-based studies using self-reported nickel allergy, a hand eczema prevalence of 30-43% has been reported in individuals with nickel allergy. In a previous Swedish study, 958 schoolgirls were patch tested for nickel. In a questionnaire follow up 20 years later no association was found between nickel allergy and hand eczema. OBJECTIVES: To investigate further the relation between nickel allergy and hand eczema. METHODS: Three hundred and sixty-nine women, still living in the same geographical area, now aged 30-40 years, were patch tested and clinically investigated regarding hand eczema. RESULTS: Patch testing showed 30.1% nickel-positive individuals. The adjusted prevalence proportion ratio (PPR) for hand eczema after age 15 years in relation to nickel patch test results was 1.03 (95% confidence interval, CI 0.71-1.50). A history of childhood eczema was reported by 35.9%, and the PPR for hand eczema in relation to childhood eczema was 3.68 (95% CI 2.45-5.54). When analysing the relation separately in women with and without a history of childhood eczema a statistical interaction was found. The hand eczema risk was doubled in nickel-positive women without a history of childhood eczema, with a PPR of 2.23 (95% CI 1.10-4.49) for hand eczema after age 15 years. CONCLUSIONS: A doubled risk for hand eczema was found in nickel-positive women without a history of childhood eczema. When analysing all participants, there was no statistically significant difference between nickel-positive and nickel-negative women regarding occurrence of hand eczema. The most important risk factor for hand eczema was childhood eczema. The risk for hand eczema in nickel-positive women may previously have been overestimated.
|
|
| 9. |
|
|
| 10. |
- Kubanova, A., et al.
(författare)
-
National surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 2005-2006 and recommendations of first-line antimicrobial drugs for gonorrhoea treatment in Russia
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Sexually Transmitted Infections. - London : BMJ Publishing Group. - 1368-4973 .- 1472-3263. ; 84:4, s. 285-289
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To investigate comprehensively the antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae during 2005-2006 in a national survey and to recommend effective antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of gonorrhoea in Russia.METHODS: The susceptibility of N gonorrhoeae isolates, cultured mainly from consecutive gonorrhoea patients (n = 1030) during the period January 2005 to December 2006 in Russia, to penicillin G, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and spectinomycin was analysed using the agar dilution method. Nitrocefin discs were used for beta-lactamase detection.RESULTS: All isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone. During 2005 and 2006, however, 5%, 50%, 70% and 77% displayed intermediate susceptibility or resistance to spectinomycin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and penicillin G, respectively. Furthermore, 4% of the isolates were beta-lactamase producing during these years. The different federal districts of Russia displayed substantial heterogeneities with regard to the prevalence of gonorrhoea and antimicrobial resistance among N gonorrhoeae isolates.CONCLUSIONS: In Russia, penicillins, ciprofloxacin, or tetracycline should definitively not be used in the empirical treatment of gonorrhoea. The recommended first-line antimicrobial drug should be ceftriaxone. If ceftriaxone is not available, spectinomycin ought to be used. Increasing levels of intermediate susceptibility and resistance to spectinomycin have, however, been observed during recent years and, accordingly, great care and monitoring should be undertaken when using this agent. Continuous local, national and international surveillance of N gonorrhoeae antimicrobial susceptibility, in order to reveal the emergence of new resistance, to monitor changing patterns of susceptibility and to be able to update treatment recommendations on a regular basis, is crucial.
|
|
