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- Agvald-Öhman, C, et al.
(author)
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Anaerobic bacteria commonly colonize the lower airways of intubated ICU patients
- 2003
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In: Clinical Microbiology and Infection. - : Elsevier BV. - 1198-743X .- 1469-0691. ; 9:5, s. 397-405
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives To investigate respiratory tract colonization by aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in mechanically ventilated patients. Methods Bacterial colonization of the stomach and the respiratory tract was qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed over time in 41 consecutive mechanically ventilated patients in a Swedish intensive care unit (ICU), with special emphasis on elucidation of the role of anaerobic bacteria in the lower respiratory tract. Samples were taken from the oropharynx, gastric juice, subglottic space and trachea within 24 h (median 14 h) of intubation, and then every third day until day 18 and every fifth day until day 33. Results The patients were often heavily colonized with microorganisms not considered to belong to a healthy normal oropharyngeal and gastric flora on admission to the ICU. A majority harbored enterococci, coagulase-negative staphylococci and Candida spp. in at least one site on day 1. Anaerobic bacteria, mainly peptostreptococci and Prevotella spp., were isolated from subglottic and/or tracheal secretions in 59% of the patients. Different routes of tracheal colonization for different groups of microorganisms were found. Primary or concomitant colonization of the oropharynx with staphylococci, enterococci, enterobacteria and Candida was often seen, while Pseudomonas spp., other non-fermenting Gram-negative rods and several anaerobic species often primarily colonized the trachea, indicating exogenous or direct gastrointestinal routes of colonization. Conclusions Mechanically ventilated patients were heavily colonized in their lower airways by potential pathogenic microorganisms, including a high load of anaerobic bacteria. Different routes of colonization were shown for different species.
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- Crabtree, Judy S, et al.
(author)
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Of mice and MEN1 : Insulinomas in a conditional mouse knockout.
- 2003
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In: Molecular and Cellular Biology. - 0270-7306 .- 1098-5549. ; 23:17, s. 6075-6085
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) develop multiple endocrine tumors, primarily affecting the parathyroid, pituitary, and endocrine pancreas, due to the inactivation of the MEN1 gene. A conditional mouse model was developed to evaluate the loss of the mouse homolog, Men1, in the pancreatic beta cell. Men1 in these mice contains exons 3 to 8 flanked by loxP sites, such that, when the mice are crossed to transgenic mice expressing cre from the rat insulin promoter (RIP-cre), exons 3 to 8 are deleted in beta cells. By 60 weeks of age, >80% of mice homozygous for the floxed Men1 gene and expressing RIP-cre develop multiple pancreatic islet adenomas. The formation of adenomas results in elevated serum insulin levels and decreased blood glucose levels. The delay in tumor appearance, even with early loss of both copies of Men1, implies that additional somatic events are required for adenoma formation in beta cells. Comparative genomic hybridization of beta cell tumor DNA from these mice reveals duplication of chromosome 11, potentially revealing regions of interest with respect to tumorigenesis.
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- Jaeger, B, et al.
(author)
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Body dissatisfaction and its interrelations with other risk factors for bulimia nervosa in 12 countries.
- 2002
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In: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. - 0033-3190 .- 1423-0348. ; 71:1, s. 54-61
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted that risk factors for bulimia nervosa, mainly body dissatisfaction, are dependent on cultural factors. However, to date few studies have compared data from different cultures with an appropriate methodology. Therefore we aimed to gather reliable information on body dissatisfaction and other risk factors for bulimia from different nations and to reveal their functional interrelations.METHODS: A series of 10 silhouettes, designed to be as far as possible free from cultural and other detailed aspects, was shown to 1,751 medical and nursing students in 12 nations. A functional model was applied to each sample and tested by structural equation methodology.RESULTS: The most extreme body dissatisfaction was found in northern Mediterranean countries, followed by northern European countries. Countries currently undergoing a process of westernization show an intermediate amount of body dissatisfaction, and non-western countries demonstrate rather low values. Body dissatisfaction is the most important influence on dieting behaviour in most countries.CONCLUSIONS: Despite ongoing adoption of western values worldwide, we observe remarkable differences in body dissatisfaction between different cultures. That body dissatisfaction seems disturbingly partly detached from the actual BMI, i.e. possible overweight, as well as from feelings of low self-esteem in some western countries, raises new questions about the possible origin of the pressure to be thin.
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- Nordin, Pär, et al.
(author)
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Randomized trial of Lichtenstein versus Shouldice hernia repair in general surgical practice
- 2002
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In: British Journal of Surgery. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0007-1323 .- 1365-2168. ; 89:1, s. 45-49
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background:The aim of the present randomized trial was to compare the Shouldice procedure and the Lichtenstein hernia repair with respect to recurrence rate, technical difficulty, convalescence and chronic pain. A further aim was to determine to what extent general surgeons in routine surgical practice were able to reproduce the excellent results reported from specialist hernia centres.Methods:Three hundred patients with primary inguinal hernia were randomized to either a Shouldice repair or to a tension-free Lichtenstein repair. In a pretrial training programme the five participating general surgeons were taught to perform the two techniques in a standard manner. Follow-up was performed after 8 weeks, 1 year and 3 years. The last examination was performed by an independent blinded assessor.Results:There was a significant difference in operating time in favour of the Lichtenstein technique. After a follow-up of 36–77 months seven recurrences were found in the Shouldice group (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 1·3 to 8·1) and one in the mesh group (95 per cent c.i. 0·0 to 2·0). Chronic groin pain was reported by 4·2 and 5·6 per cent in the Shouldice and Lichtenstein groups respectively. It was characterized as mild or moderate in all except two patients who had the Shouldice operation.Conclusion: Lichtenstein hernia repair was easier to learn, took less time and resulted in fewer recurrences. It was possible to achieve excellent results with this technique in a general surgical unit. © 2002 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd
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- Adamsson, I, et al.
(author)
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Microbial ecology and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections : Review
- 2000
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In: Journal of chemotherapy. - 1120-009X .- 1973-9478. ; 12:1, s. 5-16
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aims of the present study were to investigate the ecological disturbances caused by four different anti-H. pylori regimens, to compare different methods for diagnosing H. pylori, and to study the genetic variability of H. pylori. The patients included in the study were all treated at the Center of Gastroenterology, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute. All patients were H. pylori-positive before entering the study, confirmed by rapid urease test, histology, culture and urea breath test or PCR. Treatment regimens included in the study were omeprazole alone (OP), in combination with amoxicillin (OA), in combination with amoxicillin and metronidazole (OAM) and in combination with clarithromycin and metronidazole (OCM). Samples from the mouth (saliva and dental plaque), stomach (biopsies from the gastric mucosa in the corpus and in the antrum) and the intestine (feces) were collected before, during and after treatment. The oral microflora was challenged by the three treatment regimens including antimicrobial agents, with the emergence of resistant streptococci and staphylococci in the OCM group. Bacterial strains in the gastric mucosa increased in numbers during treatment in all treatment groups, probably due to the pH rise, which provides a better environment for the commensal microflora. This overgrowth was especially pronounced during treatment with omeprazole alone (OP), possibly due to the fact that a concomitant suppression exerted by the antimicrobial agents occurred in the other treatment groups. H. pylori was, on the other hand, suppressed during treatment in all treatment groups, possibly due to a direct effect of omeprazole and to the colonization resistance expressed by the normal microflora, An emergence of resistant commensal strains in the gastric mucosa was seen in the OCM and the OAM groups. The intestinal microflora was most altered in the OAM and the OCM groups, with persistent disturbances in the OCM group 4 weeks after treatment. The frequency of resistant Enterococcus spp, (OCM), Enterobacteriaceae spp, (OA and OAM) and Bacteroides spp, (OCM) was increased during and after treatment. Different detection methods for H. pylori were compared and PCR was shown to have higher sensitivity than other routine diagnostic tests. The patients in the present study seemed to be colonized with a single strain of H. pylori. Treatment failures in patients treated with OAM were caused by recrudescence. These four patients with relapsing H. pylori infection, were shown to be reinfected with the original H. pylori strain, indicating that H. pylori escapes treatment by a thus far unknown mechanism.
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| 10. |
- Agvald-Öhman, C, et al.
(author)
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Multiresistant coagulase-negative staphylococci disseminate frequently between intubated patients in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit
- 2004
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In: Critical Care. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1364-8535 .- 1466-609X. ; 8:1, s. R42-R47
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction The intensive care unit is burdened with a high frequency of nosocomial infections often caused by multiresistant nosocomial pathogens. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are reported to be the third causative agent of nosocomial infections and the most frequent cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections. CoNS are a part of the normal microflora of skin but can also colonize the nasal mucosa, the lower airways and invasive devices. The main aim of the present study was to investigate colonization and the rate of cross-transmissions of CoNS between intubated patients in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit. Materials and methods Twenty consecutive patients, ventilated for at least 3 days, were included. Samples were collected from the upper and lower airways. All samples were cultured quantitatively and CoNS were identified by morphology and biochemical tests. A total of 199 CoNS isolates from 17 patients were genetically fingerprinted by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis in order to identify clones and to monitor dissemination within and between patients. Results An unexpected high number of transmission events were detected. Five genotypes were each isolated from two or more patients, and 14/20 patients were involved in at least one and up to eight probable transmission events. Conclusions A frequent transmission of CoNS was found between patients in the intensive care unit. Although transmission of bacteria does not necessarily lead to infection, it is nevertheless an indication that infection control measures can be improved.
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