Ophthalmic health care in diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study in northern Sweden.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, visual impairment/blindness and previous surgical eye treatments in patients with older-onset vs. younger-onset diabetes mellitus. A cross-sectional study of patients with diabetes mellitus in the area of Umeâ, Sweden (135,000 inhabitants) was performed during 1994-1995, comprising 1,805 diabetic patients.

The effect of zinc on bacterial phagocytosis, killing and cytoprotection in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

An in vitro study examining the effects of zinc treatment on human PMN cell phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis and the cytoprotection of zinc against staphylococcal toxins. Phagocytosis was studied by transmission electron microscopy using different microbiological techniques, one of which was designed to follow the kinetics of bacterial killing. No effect was found on phagocytosis and bacterial killing.

Effects of rye bran, oat bran and soya-bean fibre on bile composition, gallstone formation, gall-bladder morphology and serum cholesterol in Syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

The effects of rye bran, oat bran and soya-bean fibre on serum lipids, bile composition and gallstone formation were studied in male Syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). The control groups received fibre-free stone-provoking (O1 diet) or non-stone-provoking (O2 diet) diets. The serum cholesterol levels were lower for all groups fed on the diets supplemented with the dietary fibre sources compared with the control groups.

Oat bran, rye bran, and soybean hull increase goblet cell volume density in the small intestine of the golden hamster. A histochemical and stereologic light-microscopic study.

Small-intestinal morphology, particularly the amount of goblet cells, was studied in Syrian golden hamsters fed either a low-fibre (0.5% fibre) diet or the same diet supplemented with oat bran, rye bran, or soybean hull (12% fibre) during 6 weeks. All fibre diets increased the density of goblet cell volume to epithelial volume and to villus volume in the ileum and to some extent in the jejunum and also the number of goblet cells related to surface traces of villi both in the proximal and distal small intestine.

Neutralizing effect of zinc oxide on dehydroabietic acid-induced toxicity on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The cytotoxic effect of dehydroabietic acid (DHAA), a resin acid found in rosin, was studied on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) using leakage of 51Cr from prelabeled cells, supravital staining, and transmission electron microscopy. DHAA caused a strong dose-related release of 51Cr, a high uptake of trypan blue, and total cell necrosis as seen in transmission electron microscopy. Albumin slightly reduced the toxic effects, whereas the addition of zinc in various forms strongly inhibited these toxic effects of DHAA in the concentration range 10-500 micrograms/mL.