| 1. |
- Andersson, H.O., et al.
(author)
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Optimization of P1-P3 groups in symmetric and asymmetric HIV-1 protease inhibitors
- 2003
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In: European Journal of Biochemistry. - : Wiley. - 0014-2956 .- 1432-1033. ; 270:8, s. 1746-1758
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- HIV-1 protease is an important target for treatment of AIDS, and efficient drugs have been developed. However, the resistance and negative side effects of the current drugs has necessitated the development of new compounds with different binding patterns. In this study, nine C-terminally duplicated HIV-1 protease inhibitors were cocrystallised with the enzyme, the crystal structures analysed at 1.8-2.3 Å resolution, and the inhibitory activity of the compounds characterized in order to evaluate the effects of the individual modifications. These compounds comprise two central hydroxy groups that mimic the geminal hydroxy groups of a cleavage-reaction intermediate. One of the hydroxy groups is located between the d-oxygen atoms of the two catalytic aspartic acid residues, and the other in the gauche position relative to the first. The asymmetric binding of the two central inhibitory hydroxyls induced a small deviation from exact C2 symmetry in the whole enzyme-inhibitor complex. The study shows that the protease molecule could accommodate its structure to different sizes of the P2/P2' groups. The structural alterations were, however, relatively conservative and limited. The binding capacity of the S3/S3' sites was exploited by elongation of the compounds with groups in the P3/P3' positions or by extension of the P1/P1' groups. Furthermore, water molecules were shown to be important binding links between the protease and the inhibitors. This study produced a number of inhibitors with Ki values in the 100 picomolar range.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Pia, et al.
(author)
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Oral health problems in elderly rehabilitation patients
- 2004
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In: International Journal of Dental Hygiene. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1601-5029 .- 1601-5037. ; 2:2, s. 70-77
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A combination of poor oral hygiene and dry mouth may be hazardous to the oral health status. However, systematic assessments in order to detect oral health problems are seldom performed in the nursing care of the elderly. The aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of oral health problems measured using the Revised Oral Assessment Guide (ROAG) and to analyse associations between oral health problems and age, gender, living conditions, cohabitation, reason for admission, number of drugs, and functional and nutritional status. One registered nurse performed oral health assessments using ROAG in 161 newly admitted elderly patients in rehabilitation care. Oral health problems were found in 71% of the patients. Thirty per cent of these patients had between four and eight problems. Low saliva flow and problems related to lips were the most frequent oral health problems. Problems in oral health status were significantly associated with presence of respiratory diseases (problems with gums, lips, alterations on the tongue and mucous membranes), living in special accommodation (low saliva flow, problems with teeth/dentures and alterations on the tongue), being undernourished (alterations on the tongue and low saliva flow) and being a woman (low saliva flow). The highest Odds ratio (OR) was found in problems with gums in relation with prevalence of respiratory diseases (OR 8.9; confidence interval (CI) 2.8–27.8; P < 0.0005). This study indicates the importance of standardised oral health assessments in order to detect oral health problems which can otherwise be hidden when the patients are admitted to the hospital ward.
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| 3. |
- Dopson, Mark, et al.
(author)
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Chromosomally encoded arsenical resistance of the moderately thermophilic acidophile Acidithiobacillus caldus.
- 2001
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In: Extremophiles. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1431-0651 .- 1433-4909. ; 5:4, s. 247-255
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Arsenical resistance is important to bioleaching microorganisms because these organisms release arsenic from minerals such as arsenopyrite during bioleaching. The acidophile Acidithiobacillus caldus KU was found to be resistant to the arsenical ions arsenate, arsenite, and antimony via an inducible, chromosomally encoded resistance mechanism. Because no apparent alteration of the toxic ions was observed, Acidithiobacillus (At.) caldus was tested to determine if it was resistant as a result of decreased accumulation of toxic ions. Reduced accumulation of arsenate and arsenite by induced At. caldus cells supported this hypothesis. It was also found that, with the addition of an energy source, induced At. caldus could transport arsenate and arsenite out of the cell against a concentration gradient. The lack of efflux in the absence of an added energy source and in the presence of inhibitors suggested that efflux was energy dependent. Induced At. caldus also expressed arsenate reductase activity, indicating that At. caldus has an arsenical resistance mechanism that is analogous to previously described systems from other Bacteria. Southern hybridization analysis showed that At. caldus and other gram-negative acidophiles carry an Escherichia coli arsB homologue on the chromosome.
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| 6. |
- Klefsgård, Rosemarie, et al.
(author)
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A 1-year follow-up quality of life study after hemodynamically successful or unsuccessful surgical revascularization of lower limb ischemia
- 2001
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In: Journal of Vascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-6809 .- 0741-5214. ; 33:1, s. 114-122
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PURPOSE: The impact of hemodynamically successful or unsuccessful bypass grafting or angioplasty on patients' quality of life was assessed throughout the first year postsurgery. METHODS: A total of 146 patients, 97 patients who underwent successful revascularization and 49 patients who underwent unsuccessful revascularization, were assessed for quality of life with the Nottingham Health Profile. RESULTS: Hemodynamically successful revascularization resulted in an immediate and lasting impact on the patients' quality of life. Despite hemodynamic failure, patients had improvements in pain, emotional reactions, sleep, and family relationships at the 1-year follow-up assessment. A successful revascularization in patients with claudication demonstrated the most marked quality of life benefits, including all health dimensions that were not normal at baseline. Patients with critical ischemia had improved quality of life for pain, sleep, and physical mobility. High ankle pressure, in the claudicant group, and a high sense of coherence were significantly associated with high quality of life. CONCLUSION: The treatment of lower limb ischemia resulted in an immediate and relatively lasting improvement in patients' quality of life. Patients who underwent hemodynamically successful bypass grafting procedures or angioplasty demonstrated higher quality of life benefits than patients who underwent a failed bypass grafting procedure. Quality of life was further determined by means of the patients' sense of coherence.
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| 7. |
- Klefsgård, Rosemarie, et al.
(author)
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Nottingham Health Profile and Short-Form 36 Health Survey questionnaires in patients with chronic lower limb ischemia: Before and after revascularization.
- 2002
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In: Journal of Vascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-6809 .- 0741-5214. ; 36:2, s. 310-317
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the usefulness of the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) as general outcome measures after vascular intervention for lower limb ischemia with respect to patients' quality of life, on the basis of validity, reliability, and responsiveness analyses. Patients and Methods: Eighty patients, 40 with claudication and 40 with critical ischemia, were assessed before and one month after revascularization by using comparable domains of the NHP and the SF-36 questionnaires. RESULTS: The SF-36 scores were less skewed and were distributed more homogeneously than the NHP scores. Discriminate validity results showed that NHP was better than SF-36 in discriminating among levels of ischemia with respect to pain and physical mobility. For both questionnaires, the reliability standards were satisfactory in most respects. The NHP was more responsive than the SF-36 in detecting within-patient changes. All of the NHP domains not zero at baseline were improved significantly one month after hemodynamically successful revascularization for patients with claudication, whereas patients with critical ischemia showed significant abatement of pain and improvements in physical mobility and social isolation. The SF-36 scores indicated a significant decrease in bodily pain and improvements in physical functioning and vitality for patients with claudication, and decrease in bodily pain and improvement in physical functioning for patients with critical ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated that both NHP and SF-36 were reliable. The SF-36 scores were less skewed than the NHP scores, whereas NHP discriminated better among levels of ischemia and was more responsive in detecting quality-of-life changes over time than SF-36 in these particular patients.
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| 8. |
- Klefsgård, Rosemarie, et al.
(author)
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The effects of successful intervention on quality of life in patients with varying degrees of lower-limb ischaemia
- 2000
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In: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1532-2165 .- 1078-5884. ; 19:3, s. 238-245
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: to assess the quality of life after successful intervention among patients with varying degrees of lower-limb ischaemia in comparison with healthy controls and the respondents>> degree of sense of coherence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: one hundred and twelve patients and 102 healthy controls were assessed for quality of life (Nottingham Health Profile) and sense of coherence. MAIN RESULTS: successful angioplasty or surgical intervention led to an improved quality of life at 6 months, in particular with regard to pain, sleep, physical mobility, hobbies and holiday and to a level similar to healthy controls in sleep, social isolation, paid employment and family relationships. It remained at a significantly lower level than that of healthy controls with regard to pain, emotional reactions, physical mobility, energy, housework, hobbies, holidays, sex and social life. Critical ischaemia patients did not reach the same level of quality of life as the claudicants or the healthy controls. CONCLUSION: successful treatment for chronic limb ischaemia improved the quality of life significantly, more so in claudicants than in patients with critical ischaemia. The degree to which the quality of life improved was associated with the patients>> sense of coherence and their ankle pressure.
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| 9. |
- Lagergren, M., et al.
(author)
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A longitudinal study integrating population, care and social services data : The Swedish National study on Aging and Care (SNAC)
- 2004
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In: Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. - Milano : Kurtis. - 1594-0667 .- 1720-8319. ; 16:2, s. 158-168
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and aims: A large, national, long-term, longitudinal, multi-purpose study has been launched in Sweden - the Swedish National study on Aging and Care (SNAC). The study involves four research centers collecting data in four different areas of Sweden.Methods: The study consists of two parts: the population part and the care and services part. In the population part, a large, representative panel of elders in different age cohorts is followed over time to record and describe the aging process from different aspects. In the care and services part, a systematic, longitudinal, individually-based collection of data is performed concerning provision of care and services together with functional ability, specific health care problems, and living conditions of the recipients living in the area.Resuits: The data collection in the population part of the SNAC is not yet completed. In the present article, some preliminary results are reported from the care and services part. These pertain to comparisons between the participating areas with respect to the prevalence of disability among those receiving care and social services in their ordinary homes and those receiving care in special accommodation. A comparison is also presented with regard to the amount of home help provided to subjects with a given disability.Conclusions: This project has several advantages. It is expected to generate a rich data base relevant for future research on aging and care and to have a direct impact on the future Swedish system of care and services for the elderly.
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| 10. |
- Lindstrom, J.L., et al.
(author)
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Interaction between self-interstitials and the oxygen dimer in silicon
- 2001
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In: Physica. B, Condensed matter. - 0921-4526 .- 1873-2135. ; 308-310, s. 284-289
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Interactions between the oxygen dimer (O2i) and silicon self-interstitials (I) and vacancies (V) have been studied in Czochralski-grown silicon (Cz-Si) crystals using infrared absorption and deep level transient spectroscopies. The focus in this report is on reactions of O2i with I. The first step in this interaction is found to be the formation of a self-interstitial-dioxygen centre (IO2i) with oxygen-related local vibrational mode (LVM) bands at 922 and 1037 cm-1. During the second formation step, another centre, I2O2i, with LVM bands at 918 and 1034 cm-1 is suggested to appear. A Si-related band at about 545 cm-1 is also assigned to both the IO2i and I2O2i centres. The IO2i centre is found to be electrically active with an acceptor level at Ec - 0.11 eV. The both defects, IO2i and I2O2i, are stable at room temperature and anneal out at about 400 and 550 K, respectively. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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