Upsala journal of medical sciences
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The most profound effect of vasopressin on the kidney is to increase water reabsorption through V2-receptor (V2R) stimulation, but there are also data suggesting effects on calcium transport. To address this issue, we have established an isolated perfused kidney model with accurate pressure control, to directly study the effects of V2R stimulation on kidney function, isolated from systemic effects. ⋯ A stable isolated perfused kidney model with computer-controlled pressure regulation was developed, which retained key physiological functions. The preparation responds to pharmacological inhibition of ENaC channels and activation of V2R. Using the model, the dynamic effects of V2R stimulation on calcium handling and urine osmolality could be visualised. The study thereby provides evidence for a stimulatory role of V2R in renal calcium reabsorption.
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Cataract is a major cause of visual impairment worldwide. There is a paucity of prevalence studies from Sweden. Therefore, we report the prevalence of cataract and its risk factors in a population-based study of older adults in Sweden. ⋯ Nearly one-third of the sample were estimated to have lens opacities, or had undergone cataract surgery, making cataract a frequent disorder of older age. The study provided further evidence that increasing age, female gender, and myopia are associated with cataract.
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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one the most common types of dementia. Plaques of amyloid beta and neurofibrillary tangles of tau are two major hallmarks of AD. Metabolism of these two proteins, in part, depends on autophagy pathways. Autophagy dysfunction and protein aggregation in AD may be involved in a vicious circle. The aim of this study was to investigate whether tau or amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42) could affect expression of autophagy genes, and whether they exert their effects in the same way or not. ⋯ We conclude that both Aβ42 and Tau R406W may affect autophagy through dysregulation of autophagy genes. Interestingly, it seems that these pathological proteins exert their toxic effects on autophagy through different pathways and independently.
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Case Reports
Complete response with combined BRAF and MEK inhibition in BRAF mutated advanced low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.
More effective treatments are needed for low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC). Our patient, who suffers from metastatic LGSOC, had received all established treatments. ⋯ After eight months of therapy, the response was assessed as complete and the treatment is still, 3.5 years after initiation, of benefit. To our knowledge, no complete response on combined BRAF and MEK inhibitor treatment of low-grade serous ovarian cancer has previously been reported.
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The electronic medical record (EMR) offers unique possibilities for clinical research, but some important patient attributes are not readily available due to its unstructured properties. We applied text mining using machine learning to enable automatic classification of unstructured information on smoking status from Swedish EMR data. ⋯ A model using machine-learning algorithms to automatically classify patients' smoking status was successfully developed. Such algorithms may enable automatic assessment of smoking status and other unstructured data directly from EMRs without manual classification of complete case notes.