| 1. |
- Bengtsson, Mariette, et al.
(author)
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Further validation of the visual analogue scale for irritable bowel syndrome after use in clinical practice
- 2013
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In: Gastroenterology Nursing. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1042-895X .- 1538-9766. ; 36:3, s. 188-198
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Visual Analogue Scale for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (VAS-IBS), a self-rating questionnaire, was designed to measure symptoms and the effect of treatment in patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. The aim of this descriptive correlational study was to conduct further psychometric validation after the VAS-IBS had been used in clinical practice, translate it into English, and compare the results with controls. Forty-nine patients with irritable bowel syndrome (median age = 38 years old [range, 18-69 years]) were compared with 90 healthy persons (median age = 44 years old [range, 21-77 years]) who served as controls. The patients with irritable bowel syndrome completed 3 questionnaires: the VAS-IBS, the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, and the Perception of Change of Symptoms. Controls completed only the VAS-IBS. Results showed that the VAS-IBS is a valid questionnaire that measures the degree of change of symptoms and discriminates between patients who have irritable bowel syndrome from those who do not. It is important to compare the VAS-IBS among different cultural populations so we suggest that the English version of the VAS-IBS should now be used in English-speaking countries and be further tested for validity and reliability with English-speaking patients.
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| 2. |
- Ekesbo, Rickard, et al.
(author)
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Chronic Helicobacter pylori infection in a population in southern Sweden analysed by histopathology, immunoblot and ELISA serology.
- 2006
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In: European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepathology. - 1473-5687. ; 18:6, s. 589-593
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. Many individuals are infected with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Some develop ulcers or mucosal atrophy. Aims. To correlate the histological characteristics of the H. pylori-induced gastritis to the immunoblot pattern of the H. pylori infection and to compare the presence of H. pylori bacteria in tissue specimens with ELISA serology and immunoblot analysis. Methods. One hundred and sixty-six consecutive patients were referred to gastroscopy. Forty patients were excluded for various reasons and 126 were included in the study. Results. Twenty-three patients had ulcerations and 25 erosions. Ninety-two (73%) had a chronic gastritis and in 90 (71%) it involved both the antrum and corpus. Ninety-one (72%), of whom 96% had a chronic gastritis, had visible bacteria in the tissue specimens, used as the 'gold standard' for the detection of infection. In patients with chronic gastritis 65 (70%) had positive H. pylori ELISA serology, 27 (30%) had negative H. pylori ELISA, while 76 (83%) had a positive immunoblot pattern. The ELISA positive patients had more advanced chronic gastritis but a lower frequency of metaplasia and atrophy. Acute inflammatory activity in the chronic gastritis had a high immunoreactivity to 120 kDa (CagA) protein and was significantly correlated to antibody reactivity to proteins in the 53-65 kDa range (heat shock proteins) and to a 43 kDa subunit. Metaplasia and atrophy in antrum was associated with a 62 kDa protein band. Conclusion. Almost all H. pylori-infected patients had a pangastritis, visible in both antrum and corpus. Acute inflammatory activity in the chronic gastritis and the presence of metaplasia and atrophy in antrum were associated with a specific immunoblot pattern, indicating infection with more virulent strains. Immunoblot analysis had a better sensitivity than ELISA H. pylori serology.
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| 3. |
- Ekesbo, Rickard, et al.
(author)
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Effects of anti-secretory factor (ASF) on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- 2008
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0281-3432 .- 1502-7724. ; 26:2, s. 106-110
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective. To evaluate the role of the endogenous protein anti-secretory factor (ASF) on the symptoms, especially loose stools, in irritable bowel ayndrome (IBS). Design. A diet with specially processed cereals (SPC) known to induce ASF production was used in patients with IBS, in an eight-week randomized, placebo-controlled study. Subjects. Eighty-two patients with IBS were randomized to a diet with either SPC or placebo. Main outcome measures. The overall clinical condition and the quality of life were measured by VAS and SF-36 questionnaire, respectively. The plasma levels of ASF were determined in 14 patients with dominating loose stools before and after diet. Results. All patients significantly (p < 0.001) improved in IBS-related symptoms irrespective of active or placebo diet. In an active-diet sub-group with diarrhoea (n = 11) there was a significant (p < 0.05) correlation between the increase of plasma ASF level and the improvement on the VAS. Conclusion. Both study groups improved significantly on the VAS but no additive effect was seen for the active treatment. In the sub-group with loose stools, the SPC diet induced ASF plasma levels in IBS patients and was correlated to significant symptom improvement in the individual patient.
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| 4. |
- Elzuki, A, et al.
(author)
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Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (PiZ) may be a risk factor for duodenal ulcer in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection
- 2000
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - 0036-5521. ; 35:1, s. 32-35
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abstract BACKGROUND: Most individuals with Helicobacter pylori infection in Western countries have no evidence of peptic ulcer disease (PUD). We therefore assessed the PiZ deficiency variant of the major plasma protease inhibitor alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1AT) as a risk factor for PUD in H. pylori-infected individuals. METHODS: The cohort comprised 100 patients with endoscopically or surgically proven PUD (30 patients with duodenal ulcer (DU) and 70 patients with gastric ulcer (GU)) and 162 age- and sex-matched controls with PUD-negative endoscopic findings and no history of PUD. Plasma samples were screened for alpha1AT deficiency (PiZ) with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and phenotyped by isoelectric focusing. H. pylori infection was evaluated with an IgG ELISA technique. RESULTS: Among the 262 patients 17 (6.5%) were positive for the PiZ alpha1AT deficiency, a frequency of the same magnitude as in the Swedish general population (4.7%). Of the PiZ carriers 76% (13 of 17) had H. pylori antibodies compared with 61% (151 of 245) of the non-PiZ carriers (NS). The prevalence of DU tended to be higher in H. pylori-positive PiZ carriers than in non-PiZ carriers (15.4%, 4 of 26 versus 0 of 4). Furthermore, among patients with DU a high PiZ allele frequency (13.3%, 4 of 30) was found compared with the general population (4.7%) (odds ratio (OR), 3.2; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-8.94; P = 0.02). All DU patients carrying the PiZ allele were positive for H. pylori. In addition, four of five PiZ carriers with H. pylori infection and PUD had DU. CONCLUSIONS: The PiZ allele may be a contributing factor in the development of DU in H. pylori-positive individuals.
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| 5. |
- Farrants, Kristin, et al.
(author)
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Trajectories of future sickness absence and disability pension days among individuals with a new sickness absence spell due to osteoarthritis diagnosis ≥21 days : a prospective cohort study with 13-month follow-up
- 2019
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In: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2044-6055. ; 9:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of musculoskeletal diagnoses also among working-age populations, and often leads to long-term sickness absence (SA) spells or even disability pension (DP).THE AIM: was to identify future trajectories of days of SA and/or DP among people with a new SA spell due to osteoarthritis that became ≥21 long, and to investigate sociodemographic and morbidity characteristics of individuals in identified trajectories.METHODS: tests and multinomial logistic regression.RESULTS: We identified five trajectories of SA/DP days: 'fast decrease' (36% of the cohort), 'medium fast decrease' (29%), 'slow decrease' (15%), 'fluctuating' (12%) and 'late decrease' (8%). Individuals in the two trajectories who still had SA/DP days at end of follow-up (late decrease and fluctuating) were more likely to be older, born outside the EU and have indicators of more severe morbidity than those in the other trajectories.CONCLUSION: Five trajectories of future SA/DP days were identified; 80% of the cohort belonged to trajectories with no SA/DP by the end of follow-up. Identifying trajectories of future SA/DP provides new insights regarding the developments of SA/DP over time among people on SA due to osteoarthritis; not only days in the initial SA spell but also in new spells during follow-up need to be included for a better understanding.
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| 6. |
- Hansson, Karin, et al.
(author)
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Therapeutic targeting of KSP in preclinical models of high-risk neuroblastoma
- 2020
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In: Science Translational Medicine. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1946-6242 .- 1946-6234. ; 12:562
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Neuroblastoma is a childhood malignancy with often dismal prognosis; relapse is common despite intense treatment. Here, we used human tumor organoids representing multiple MYCN-amplified high-risk neuroblastomas to perform a high-throughput drug screen with approved or emerging oncology drugs. Tumor-selective effects were calculated using drug sensitivity scores. Several drugs with previously unreported anti-neuroblastoma effects were identified by stringent selection criteria. ARRY-520, an inhibitor of kinesin spindle protein (KSP), was among those causing reduced viability. High expression of the KSP-encoding gene KIF11 was associated with poor outcome in neuroblastoma. Genome-scale loss-of-function screens in hundreds of human cancer cell lines across 22 tumor types revealed that KIF11 is particularly important for neuroblastoma cell viability. KSP inhibition in neuroblastoma patient-derived xenograft (PDX) cells resulted in the formation of abnormal monoastral spindles, mitotic arrest, up-regulation of mitosis-associated genes, and apoptosis. In vivo, KSP inhibition caused regression of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma PDX tumors. Furthermore, treatment of mice harboring orthotopic neuroblastoma PDX tumors resulted in increased survival. Our results suggested that KSP inhibition could be a promising treatment strategy in children with high-risk neuroblastoma.
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| 7. |
- Karling, Pontus, et al.
(author)
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Function and dysfunction of the colon and anorectum in adults: working team report of the Swedish Motility Group (SMoG).
- 2009
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In: Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1502-7708 .- 0036-5521. ; 44:6, s. 646-60
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Symptoms of fecal incontinence and constipation are common in the general population. These can, however, be unreliably reported and are poorly discriminatory for underlying pathophysiology. Furthermore, both symptoms may coexist. In the elderly, fecal impaction always must be excluded. For patients with constipation, colon transit studies, anorectal manometry and defecography may help to identify patients with slow-transit constipation and/or pelvic floor dysfunction. The best documented medical treatments for constipation are the macrogols, lactulose and isphagula. Evolving drugs include lubiprostone, which enhances colonic secretion by activating chloride channels. Surgery is restricted for a highly selected group of patients with severe slow-transit constipation and for those with large rectoceles that demonstrably cause rectal evacuatory impairment. For patients with fecal incontinence that does not resolve on antidiarrheal treatment, functional and structural evaluation with anorectal manometry and endoanal ultrasound or magnetic resonance (MR) of the anal canal may help to guide management. Sacral nerve stimulation is a rapidly evolving alternative when other treatments such as biofeedback and direct sphincter repair have failed. Advances in understanding the pathophysiology as a guide to treatment of patients with constipation and fecal incontinence is a continuing important goal for translational research. The content of this article is a summary of presentations given by the authors at the Fourth Meeting of the Swedish Motility Group, held in Gothenburg in April 2007.
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| 8. |
- Khan, Mehmood Alam, et al.
(author)
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fastphylo : Fast tools for phylogenetics
- 2013
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In: BMC Bioinformatics. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2105. ; 14:1, s. 334-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Distance methods are ubiquitous tools in phylogenetics. Their primary purpose may be to reconstruct evolutionary history, but they are also used as components in bioinformatic pipelines. However, poor computational efficiency has been a constraint on the applicability of distance methods on very large problem instances. Results: We present fastphylo, a software package containing implementations of efficient algorithms for two common problems in phylogenetics: estimating DNA/protein sequence distances and reconstructing a phylogeny from a distance matrix. We compare fastphylo with other neighbor joining based methods and report the results in terms of speed and memory efficiency. Conclusions: Fastphylo is a fast, memory efficient, and easy to use software suite. Due to its modular architecture, fastphylo is a flexible tool for many phylogenetic studies.
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| 9. |
- Lindgren, David, et al.
(author)
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Isolation and characterization of progenitor-like cells from human renal proximal tubules.
- 2011
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In: American Journal of Pathology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-2191 .- 0002-9440. ; 178:2, s. 828-837
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The tubules of the kidney display a remarkable capacity for self-renewal on damage. Whether this regeneration is mediated by dedifferentiating surviving cells or, as recently suggested, by stem cells has not been unequivocally settled. Herein, we demonstrate that aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity may be used for isolation of cells with progenitor characteristics from adult human renal cortical tissue. Gene expression profiling of the isolated ALDH(high) and ALDH(low) cell fractions followed by immunohistochemical interrogation of renal tissues enabled us to delineate a tentative progenitor cell population scattered through the proximal tubules (PTs). These cells expressed CD24 and CD133, previously described markers for renal progenitors of Bowman's capsule. Furthermore, we show that the PT cells, and the glomerular progenitors, are positive for KRT7, KRT19, BCL2, and vimentin. In addition, tubular epithelium regenerating on acute tubular necrosis displayed long stretches of CD133(+)/VIM(+) cells, further substantiating that these cells may represent a progenitor cell population. Furthermore, a potential association of these progenitor cells with papillary renal cell carcinoma was discovered. Taken together, our data demonstrate the presence of a previously unappreciated subset of the PT cells that may be endowed with a more robust phenotype, allowing increased resistance to acute renal injury, enabling rapid repopulation of the tubules.
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| 10. |
- Nyström, Jenny, 1972, et al.
(author)
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CRIM1 is localized to the podocyte filtration slit diaphragm of the adult human kidney
- 2009
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In: Nephrol Dial Transplant. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2385 .- 1460-2385 .- 0931-0509. ; 24:7, s. 2038-44
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: CRIM1 is a plasma membrane bound protein containing six cysteine-rich repeats (CRR). Through these, CRIM1 has been shown to interact with a subgroup of the TGF-beta superfamily, the bone morphogenic proteins (BMP) isoforms 2, 4 and 7. The probable action is to modulate the signalling properties of these factors. CRIM1 has also been shown to regulate the release of VEGFA by podocytes during renal organogenesis. Knock-out studies in mice have shown that CRIM1 is critically involved in the development of the central nervous system, eye and kidney. Replacement of CRIM1 with a defective version leads to renal dysgenesis and perinatal death. We have analysed the distribution of CRIM1 in adult human renal tissue. METHODS: To this end, we have used immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy. We performed western blotting for the CRIM1 protein, using lysates from isolated glomerular podocytes and human renal tissue homogenate. By using quantitative PCR, we compared the CRIM1 mRNA levels in podocytes, human renal tissue homogenate, primary human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells and primary human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. RESULTS: The results show that in the human adult kidney, CRIM1 is mainly expressed in the glomerular podocytes and is associated with the insertional region of the filtration slit diaphragm (SD) of the podocyte pedicles. CONCLUSIONS: CRIM1 is a protein that should be added to the list of proteins associated with the podocyte filtration SD and with the probable action of modulating BMP and VEGFA signalling.
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