Increased serum levels of the S-100 protein are associated with hypoxic brain damage after cardiac arrest.

Background And Purpose: Patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest have a high early mortality rate. Prognostic evaluation based on clinical observations is uncertain and would benefit from the use of biochemical markers of hypoxic brain damage. The astroglial protein S-100 is an established biochemical marker of central nervous system injury.

The Gothenburg breast screening trial: first results on mortality, incidence, and mode of detection for women ages 39-49 years at randomization.

Background: The effect of mammography screening on breast carcinoma mortality in women ages < 50 years remains unclear.

Methods: A randomized trial of invitation to breast carcinoma screening with mammography was performed in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden. The purpose was to estimate the effect of mammographic screening on breast carcinoma mortality in women ages < 50 years.

Sympathetic and renin-angiotensin activation during graded hypovolemia in pigs: impact on mesenteric perfusion and duodenal mucosal function.

Sympathetic and angiotensinergic activation reduce splanchnic oxygen delivery during hypovolemia, which may lead to failure of the intestinal mucosal barrier and eventually multiple organ dysfunction. This study integrates sympathetic and angiotensinergic responses with splanchnic hemodynamics and duodenal mucosal function during hypovolemia and evaluates pharmacologic blockade of either system to ameliorate the impact of acute hypovolemia. Chloralose-anesthetized pigs subjected to 20 and 40% blood volume reductions were randomized to controls or administered guanethidine or enalaprilate to block sympathetic and angiotensinergic activation, as assessed by plasma norepinephrine spillover and angiotensin II levels, respectively.

Stone formation in the prostatic urethra after cryotherapy for prostate cancer.

We report on 3 cases of stone formation in the prostatic urethra after cryosurgical ablation of the prostate. This complication occurred late in the course, many months after the normal postoperative healing process apparently was finished and patients enjoyed normal voiding. Transrectal ultrasound proved to be useful in making the diagnosis.

Determination of dimethylated arginines in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with multigradient elution, N(G),N(G)-dimethyl-L-arginine (asymmetric-DMA, ADMA) and N(G),N'(G)-dimethyl-L-arginine (symmetric-DMA, SDMA) can be separated from human plasma samples. The dimethylarginine compounds in plasma, after extraction with a cation-exchange column, are converted to fluorescent derivatives with o-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) in an alkaline medium and the derivatives are separated simultaneously within 50 min on a reversed-phase column (Ultracarb 3 ODS(20)). The recoveries of ADMA and SDMA are over 80% and the method permits quantitative determination of dimethylated arginines at concentrations as low as 0.

Propagation velocity of muscle action potentials in the growing normal child.

Power spectrum analysis of myoelectric signals has been used to measure the propagation velocity in a large number of voluntary action potentials in biceps and brachioradialis muscles of normal children, 0-20 years old. The method used can be applied to both single motor units signals and interference electromyogram. From measurements of single motor units, the distribution of potential velocities in the muscle can be obtained, which makes conclusive statements on the development of the velocity during childhood more reliable.

The Gothenburg Breast Cancer Screening Trial: preliminary results on breast cancer mortality for women aged 39-49.

We carried out a randomized trial of invitation to screening mammography in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden, to estimate the effect of screening on breast cancer mortality in women under age 50 years. A total of 11,724 women aged 39-49 were randomized to the study group, which was invited to mammographic screening every 18 months; 14,217 women in the same age range were randomized to a control group, which was not invited to screening until the fifth screen of the study group. Breast cancers diagnosed in both groups between randomization and immediately after the first screen of the control group were followed up for death from breast cancer to the end of December 1994.

Does simple hysterectomy alter bowel function?

Background And Aims: Hysterectomy is believed to be associated with disturbed defecation, mainly constipation. This study longitudinally describes bowel function in women submitted for hysterectomy.

Material And Methods: Rectoanal manovolumetry, whole gut transit time and detailed interviews on bowel function and dyspareunia were performed preoperatively and at 3 and 11-18 months after hysterectomy in 42 women.

Fetal fibronectin in vaginal fluid of women in prolonged pregnancy.

The aim of this study was to determine fetal fibronectin in vaginal fluid of women in prolonged pregnancy, its relationship to a modified Bishop score and its predictiveness of delivery within 3 days. Vaginal samples were collected from 80 women at 42 weeks of gestation for the fetal fibronectin assay. A modified Bishop score was estimated.

Continuous measurement of gastric nitric oxide production.

With the use of a double-lumen catheter, nitric oxide (NO) was dialyzed across a Gore-Tex membrane into a gas phase and subsequently analyzed on-line by chemiluminescence. This new technique for the continuous measurement of NO was evaluated bench-side and applied in the human stomach in vivo to measure the nonenzymatic formation of NO generated from nitrite in an acidic milieu. A linear relation (r2 = 0.

Physiological and histological characterisation of a pig kidney in vitro perfusion model for xenotransplantation studies.

A pig kidney perfusion model aimed for use in immunological and physiological xenotransplantation research has been developed. Organ viability was characterised by clearance studies, functional response to hormones/diureticum and by light microscopical examination. The pig kidney was perfused in a specially designed plexiglass chamber, using a roller pump and a small membrane oxygenator (O2/CO2, 95/5).

Perceived sound quality of three bone-anchored hearing aid models.

Eighteen patients judged the sound quality of the new Classic 300 and the existing HC 100 or HC 200 on 4 five-stage sound quality scales. Two of the scales relate to the perceptual dimensions softness and clarity, one relates to interference or noise and one relates to the overall impression. The evaluations were made, based on a questionnaire, in the patients' own homes and comprised the listening situations: TV news, music, conversation with two to three people in a noisy environment and one optional choice.

Paired comparisons between the Classic 300 bone-anchored and conventional bone-conduction hearing aids in terms of sound quality and speech intelligibility.

Fourteen experienced users of bone-anchored hearing aids conducted paired comparisons of sound quality and speech intelligibility for 6 and 4 different stimuli respectively in the Classic 300 and a bone-conduction hearing aid with a steel clip. Ten paired comparisons were made for each stimulus. The patient selected the best hearing aid and rated the chosen hearing aid on a scale of 'somewhat better', 'better' and 'much better'.

Impact of self-reported sleep-breathing disturbances on psychosocial performance in the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) Study.

Patients with severe obesity commonly have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In order to determine the impact of OSA on psychosocial morbidity in severe obesity, subjects enrolled in the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) Study were classified into two subgroups based on questionnaire data: one group with a high likelihood and one with a low likelihood of OSA. These groups were contrasted and multivariable analysis was used to examine whether OSA had independent effects on divorce rate, sick leave, work performance, income and self-estimated general health after adjustment for obesity, fat distribution, alcohol, smoking, medications and coexisting medical conditions.

Impact of obstructive sleep apnea and sleepiness on metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors in the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) Study.

Objective: To determine if obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is independently associated with cardiovascular risk factors and health status in subjects with severe obesity.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of epidemiological data.

Subjects: 3034 participants in the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) Cohort.

Effect of maturation on airway plasma exudation induced by eicosanoids in guinea pig.

Airway reactivity to bronchoconstrictor mediators changes with age. We studied the effects of maturational change on airway responses induced by a thromboxane A2 mimetic, U-46619 (2, 6 and 20 nmol/kg; i.v.

Pityrosporum ovale culture from the forehead of healthy children.

One hundred and thirty-eight children aged between 2 months and 15 years were investigated to determine the prevalence and quantity of the yeast Pityrosporum ovale. Samples were taken from the forehead and cultured on a medium containing cow's milk, glycerol, glycerol monostearate and Tween 60 as the lipid source. Eighty-seven per cent of all children were positive in the qualitative culture.

Airway effects of direct left-sided cervical vagal stimulation in patients with complex partial seizures.

Airway nerves have been implied in obstructive lung diseases for many years. In experimental animals, vagal stimulation produces several features of asthma, including airflow obstruction and airway plasma exudation. Vagal stimulation is a novel and effective therapy in patients with refractory epilepsy.

Hemodynamic effects of the use of oral snuff.

The hemodynamic effects during rest and exercise of oral snuff were investigated in an open, placebo-controlled study of nine habitual users of oral snuff. Blood pressure, heart rate, and central hemodynamics were measured noninvasively. Plasma concentrations of nicotine, cotinine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, as well as neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity were measured before and after snuff intake during rest and exercise.

Twelve months, treatment with inhaled salmeterol in asthmatic patients. Effects on beta 2-receptor function and inflammatory cells.

Salmeterol is a new beta 2-receptor agonist with a prolonged duration of action after inhalation, exceeding 12 h in most patients. We have performed a 12-month open follow-up study on 11 patients with reversible asthma. All patients were given salmeterol inhalations (50 micrograms twice daily).

Follow-up of men with genital papilloma virus infection. Psychosexual aspects.

Genital papilloma virus infection (GPVI) is in many patients a longlasting, relapsing disease for which no effective treatment is available. This fact and the association between the virus and cancer puts much stress on the afflicted patient. Of 41 men with GPVI interviewed, 17 (40%) reported a negative effect of the disease on their sexual life.