| 1. |
- Boman, Hans, 1955, et al.
(author)
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Newly diagnosed bladder cancer: the relationship of initial symptoms, degree of microhematuria and tumor marker status.
- 2002
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In: The Journal of urology. - 0022-5347. ; 168:5, s. 1955-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PURPOSE: We recorded initial symptoms and evaluated the frequency and intensity of hematuria in patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer. We also evaluated and compared the sensitivity of bladder wash cytology, NMP22 (Matritech, Newton, Massachusetts), BTA Stat (Bion Diagnostic Sciences, Redmond, Washington) and UBC antigen (IDL Biotech, Sollentona, Sweden) with hematuria dipsticks and flow cytometry for determining the size of erythrocytes in urine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urine samples were collected from 92 patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer, 64 with idiopathic microhematuria and 42 with nephritis. Urine was analyzed for NMP22, BTA Stat, UBC and erythrocytes size using flow cytometry. Bladder wash cytology was done at cystoscopy. Urine was analyzed for microhematuria with hematuria dipsticks at home for 7 consecutive days immediately before the operation and in the hospital on the day of surgery. RESULTS: Sensitivity was 75% for NMP22, 78% for BTA Stat, 64% for UBC and 61% for flow cytometry at 73% specificity. Cytology had 42% sensitivity at 97% specificity. Tumor size, grade and stage had a statistically significant influence on NMP22, BTA Stat, UBC and cytology. Of the patients 75% had microhematuria on the day of the operation and 75% had hematuria at least 1 of 7 days when tested at home the last week before transurethral bladder resection. The 70% of all patients with macroscopic hematuria as the initial symptom did not seem to differ from those without the condition in tumor size, grade, stage or tumor marker levels. CONCLUSIONS: Flow cytometry was not well enough able to distinguish patients with bladder cancer from controls. The sensitivity of all tested markers, including hematuria dipsticks, was high for large and high grade, high stage tumors. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether a marker could be used to determine priority among patients referred due to microhematuria.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Per-Ola, 1964, et al.
(author)
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A transforming growth factor-beta1-mediated bystander immune suppression could be associated with remission of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
- 2000
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In: Annals of hematology. - 0939-5555. ; 79:9, s. 507-13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bystander immune suppression has been demonstrated in experimental models of oral immune tolerance induction. This phenomenon is associated with expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and T-helper cell (Th) 2 cytokines. We have studied serum levels of Th cytokines and B- and T-lymphocyte subsets in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a disorder in which the production of platelet autoantibodies might be caused by a cytokine network dysregulation. Forty-six patients with ITP were separated into three groups depending on the platelet count (pltc): (1) < 50 x 10(9)/l, (2) 50-150 x 10(9)/l and (3) > 150 x 10(9)/l. We found significantly elevated plasma levels of the Th3 cytokine TGF-beta1 in patients with pltc >150x10(9)/l (23.5+/-2.8ng/ml), compared with patients with pltc <50x10(9)/l (2.3+/-0.6 ng/ml; P<0.0001), patients with pltc 50-150x 10(9)/l (7.2+/-1.7 ng/ml; P<0.0001) and healthy volunteers (9.8+/-1.3 ng/ml; P<0.01). The serum levels of the Thl cytokines interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-y were below the detection limits of the assays. Likewise, the Th2 cytokine IL-4 was not detectable or was very low both in patients and controls. The serum levels of IL-10, a Th2 cytokine, were within the assay range and patients with pltc <50 x 10(9)/l had significantly lower levels (0.6+/-0.1 pg/ml) than both patients with pltc 50-150 x 10(9)/l (1.8 +/- 0.1 pg/ml; P<0.005) and healthy volunteers (1.4+/-0.1 pg/ml; P<0.005). Furthermore, patients with pltc <50 x 10(9)/l and splenectomised patients had significantly higher levels of CD4 + CD25 + activated T cells [26.2 +/- 14.8% (P<0.05) and 26.7+/-11.9% (P<0.005), respectively] than healthy controls (16.5+/-4.0%). Also, the number of natural killer (NK) cells among patients with pltc >150 x 10(9)/l were significantly elevated (26.6+/-16.0%; P<0.05) compared with controls (17.4+/-7.6%). In conclusion, our data corroborate previous findings of elevated numbers of activated T cells in chronic ITP patients with active disease, but neither a clear-cut Th1 nor a Th2 serum cytokine profile could be established. However, ITP in remission was associated with elevated TGF-beta1, which might be a part of a bystander immune suppression. We propose that the effect of possible expression of TGF-beta1 by oral immune tolerance induction deserves to be explored in ITP patients with an active disease.
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| 3. |
- Hansson, B. A. M., et al.
(author)
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Characterisation of a liquid-xenon jet laser-plasma extreme-ultraviolet source
- 2004
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In: Review of Scientific Instruments. - : AIP Publishing. - 0034-6748 .- 1089-7623. ; 75:6, s. 2122-2129
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A liquid-xenon-jet laser-plasma source for extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) and soft-x-ray generation has been characterized. Being a source candidate for EUV lithography (EUVL), we especially focus on parameters important for the integration of the source in EUVL systems. The deep-ultraviolet (DUV) out-of-band radiation (=120–400 nm) was quantified, to within a factor of two, using a flying-circus tool together with a transmission-grating spectrograph resulting in a total DUV conversion efficiency (CE) of ~0.33%/2sr. The size and the shape of the xenon plasma was investigated using an in-band-only EUV microscope, based on a spherical Mo/Si multilayer mirror and a charge-coupled device detector. Scalability of the source size from 20–270 µm full width at half maximum was shown. The maximum repetition-rate sustainable by the liquid-xenon-jet target was simulated by a double-pulse experiment indicating feasibility of >17 kHz operation. The xenon-ion energy distribution from the plasma was determined in a time-of-flight experiment with a Faraday-cup detector showing the presence of multi-kilo-electron-volt ions. Sputtering of silicon witness plates exposed to the plasma was observed, while a xenon background of >1 mbar was shown to eliminate the sputtering. It is concluded that the source has potential to meet the requirements of future EUVL systems.
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| 4. |
- Jacobsson, Bo, 1960, et al.
(author)
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Microbial invasion and cytokine response in amniotic fluid in a Swedish population of women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes.
- 2003
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In: Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. - 0001-6349. ; 82:5, s. 423-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown an association between intra-amniotic microbial invasion and/or inflammation and spontaneous preterm birth. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of intra-amniotic microorganisms and cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8] in a Swedish population, with low incidence of preterm birth, of women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes and their correlation to preterm birth. METHODS: Amniotic fluid was retrieved transabdominally from 58 patients with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes before 34 weeks of gestation. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses for Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis and culture for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were performed. IL-6 and IL-8 were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Microorganisms in amniotic fluid were detected in 13 patients (25%). Patients with bacteria detected in the amniotic fluid had significantly higher levels of IL-6 and IL-8. An amniotic fluid concentration of IL-6 >/= 0.80 ng/ml [relative risk 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-3.29, sensitivity 63%, specificity 75%] was associated with an increased risk of delivery within 7 days. There was also an association between IL-8 and preterm birth (< 34 weeks). CONCLUSIONS: Intra-amniotic microbial invasion and inflammation in this population of Swedish women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes were similar to data reported from populations with a higher incidence of preterm delivery. Amniotic IL-6 correlated to the presence of microorganisms and delivery within 7 days and IL-8 to delivery before 34 weeks.
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| 5. |
- Kaldo, Viktor, et al.
(author)
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Internetbaserad självhjälpsbehandling mot tinnitusbesvär
- 2004
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In: Svenska läkartidningen. - 0371-439X. ; 101, s. 556--560
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tinnitusbesvär kan minskas med kognitiv beteendeterapi. Självhjälpsbehandling, ofta med viss terapeutkontakt, kan öka tillgången på denna terapiform. Medicinskt färdigutredda patienter vid audiologiska avdelningen på Akademiska sjukhuset i Uppsala har sedan 1999 kunnat genomgå kognitiv beteendeterapi mot tinnitusbesvär i grupp, individuellt eller som Internetbaserad självhjälpsbehandling. Självhjälpsbehandlingen utgår från en webbplats och består av s k verktyg. En träningsvecka omfattar val av verktyg, information, instruktioner, planering av verktygens användning samt träning som registreras. Terapeuten följer patientens behandling och ger återkoppling via e-post. Stor vikt läggs vid att hålla kontinuerlig kontakt med patienten under behandlingen.Internetbehandlingens effekt har prövats i en kontrollerad studie, i en klinisk replikation samt i en direkt jämförelse med vanlig kognitiv beteendeterapi i gruppform. Resultaten har varit goda och jämförbara med ordinarie behandling.
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| 6. |
- Olsson, Bob, 1969, et al.
(author)
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T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity toward platelets in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
- 2003
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In: Nature medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1078-8956 .- 1546-170X. ; 9:9, s. 1123-4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a bleeding disorder that is characterized by increased platelet destruction and is believed to be autoantibody mediated. In this study, CD3+ T cells from ITP patients had increased expression of genes involved in cell-mediated cytotoxicity. In addition, cytotoxic cell-mediated lysis of autologous platelets was shown in active ITP. Our data suggest that T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity is an alternative mechanism for platelet destruction in ITP.
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