Swedish Institute

About: Swedish Institute is a government organization based out in Stockholm, Sweden. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 1657 authors who have published 2301 publications receiving 103682 citations. The organization is also known as: Svenska Institutet.

Quality of life of elderly persons with cancer: a 6-month follow-up

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate possible changes in quality of life (QoL) in elderly persons diagnosed with cancer (65 years and above), in relation to age, contact with the health-care system, activities of daily living, hope, social network and support. The investigation points were at time of diagnosis (baseline), and again 3 and 6 months after the diagnosis. The study also aimed to investigate which of the aforementioned factors predicted deteriorated QoL in elderly persons with cancer from baseline to the 6-month investigation. At baseline, the sample consisted of 101 individuals aged (age 65+) recently diagnosed with cancer (74 women, 27 men), but was reduced to 75 (57 women, 18 men) by the 6-month investigation point. EORTC QLQ C30, Katz ADL, Nowotny's Hope Scale and Interview Schedule for Social Interaction were used in structured personal interviews and questionnaires. Emotional function improved significantly over time, and complaints of nausea and vomiting decreased. Contact with a district nurse at baseline predicted deteriorated QoL from baseline to 6 months later. Support from grandchildren increased significantly. About 30% of the total sample deteriorated in QoL, by the significant >/=10 units, from baseline to 6-month follow-up, while about 70% remained stable in QoL from baseline. The majority of the elderly persons with cancer showed an ability to adjust to the new condition. However, in clinical practice, specific attention should be paid to the most vulnerable groups of elderly persons with cancer: those with advanced disease and decreased hope, and those with increased need of both informal and formal assistance.

Phase I/II trial of HIV-1 hyperimmune globulin for the prevention of HIV-1 vertical transmission in Uganda.

Abstract: Objectives: To assess the safety tolerance pharmacokinetics and virologic and immunologic changes associated with the use of Ugandan HIV hyperimmune globulin (HIVIGLOB) in HIV infected pregnant Ugandan women and their infants. Design: A prospective phase I/II three-arm dose escalation trial of HIVIGLOB. Methods: HIVIGLOB was prepared from discarded HIV infected units of blood collected from the National Blood Bank in Kampala. From June 1996 to April 1997 31 HIV positive pregnant women were enrolled with HIVIGLOB infusions given at 37 weeks gestation and within 16 h of birth for infants. The first 10 mother–infant pairs were infused at a dose of 50 mg/kg followed by 11 pairs at 200 mg/kg and 10 pairs at 400 mg/kg. Study participants were followed for 30 months. Results: Thirty-one women and 29 infants were infused with HIVIGLOB. The infusions were safe and well tolerated by the women and their infants at all doses. There were no significant changes in virologic or immunologic parameters after HIVIGLOB infusion. Pharmacokinetic properties of this product were similar to other immune globulin products with a median half-life of 28 days in women and 30 days in infants. Conclusion: An HIV immune globulin product derived from HIV infected Ugandan donors is safe well tolerated and has pharmacokinetic properties consistent with other immunoglobulin products. Data suggest that a 400 mg/kg dose of HIVIGLOB would be the most appropriate dose for a subsequent efficacy trial of HIVIGLOB for the prevention of mother to child HIV transmission. (author’s)

Effects of Streptococcus pneumoniae Strain Background on Complement Resistance

Abstract: Background: Immunity to infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is dependent on complement. There are wide variations in sensitivity to complement between S. pneumoniae strains that could affect their ability to cause invasive infections. Although capsular serotype is one important factor causing differences in complement resistance between strains, there is also considerable other genetic variation between S. pneumoniae strains that may affect complementmediated immunity. We have therefore investigated whether genetically distinct S. pneumoniae strains with the same capsular serotype vary in their sensitivity to complement mediated immunity. Methodology and Principal Findings: C3b/iC3b deposition and neutrophil association were measured using flow cytometry assays for S. pneumoniae strains with different genetic backgrounds for each of eight capsular serotypes. For some capsular serotypes there was marked variation in C3b/iC3b deposition between different strains that was independent of capsule thickness and correlated closely to susceptibility to neutrophil association. C3b/iC3b deposition results also correlated weakly with the degree of IgG binding to each strain. However, the binding of C1q (the first component of the classical pathway) correlated more closely with C3b/iC3b deposition, and large differences remained in complement sensitivity between strains with the same capsular serotype in sera in which IgG had been cleaved with IdeS. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that bacterial factors independent of the capsule and recognition by IgG have strong effects on the susceptibility of S. pneumoniae to complement, and could therefore potentially account for some of the differences in virulence between strains.

Health related quality of life in patients with actinic keratosis – an observational study of patients treated in dermatology specialist care in Denmark

Abstract: Actinic keratosis (AK) is a common skin condition that may progress to non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The disease may influence Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), but studies of HRQoL in patients with AK are limited. The purpose of the study was to analyze HRQoL in patients with different severity levels of AK treated in dermatology specialist care using generic and disease-specific HRQoL instruments and to analyze their relationship. AK patients who visited dermatological clinics in Denmark were included in an observational, cross-sectional, study in a multi-center setting. Dermatologists assessed AK severity and patients completed: Actinic Keratosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (AKQoL), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and EQ-5D-5 L including EQ-VAS. Differences between categorical subgroups were tested with Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The relationship between instruments was analyzed with the Spearman correlation test. A total of 312 patients were included in the analyses. Patients reported impairment in the disease specific HRQoL instrument AKQoL (mean AKQoL 6.7, DLQI 2, EQ-5D-5 L 0.88, and EQ-VAS 79). HRQoL was least affected in patients with mild actinic disease, whereas patients with severe actinic damage suffered from further impaired HRQoL (mean AKQoL 10.1 and DLQI 4.6). Correlations between DLQI and AKQoL were moderate, whereas the correlations between DLQI and EQ-5D-5 L and between AKQoL and EQ-5D-5 L were weak. Patients with severe actinic damage showed more impairment in HRQoL than those with mild disease. Correlations between instruments suggest that they are complementary as they measure different aspects of HRQoL and are used for different purposes.

Titration-free 454 sequencing using Y adapters

Abstract: We describe a protocol for construction and quantification of libraries for emulsion PCR (emPCR)-based sequencing platforms such as Roche 454 or Ion Torrent PGM. The protocol involves library const ...