Attached to the web--harmful use of the Internet and its correlates.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to test the validity of the Finnish version of the Internet Addiction Test and the correlates of harmful use of the Internet. METHODS: One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five students (45.5% men and 54.5% women, mean age 24.7 years, S.D.=5.7) filled in a web-based questionnaire including IAT, reasons for use of the Internet, distress, social support, and substance use. RESULTS: Men had a statistically significantly higher mean score on the IAT than women. Subjects with self-reported use of cannabis had higher mean score on the IAT compared to non-users (39.5 [11.3] vs 35.8 [10.8]). The total IAT score was associated with "adult entertainment" (OR=1.07, 95%CI: 1.06-1.08, P<0.001), "playing games" (OR=1.05, 95%CI: 1.04-1.06, P<0.001), "chatting" (OR=1.07, 95%CI: 1.06-1.08, P<0.001) and "discussion" (OR=1.08, 95%CI: 1.07-1.09, P<0.001) as reasons for Internet use. The IAT score had a significant negative correlation with social support (r=-0.24, P<0.001) and a significant positive correlation with the CAGE score (r=0.18, P<0.001). Using factor analysis, we found a single factor solution with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.92. CONCLUSIONS: The IAT seems to provide a valid measurement of harmful use of the Internet, as the score was significantly associated with variables tapping psychopathology.

TRAIL pathway components and their putative role in granulosa cell apoptosis in the human ovary.

Extensive apoptotic oocyte reduction occurs during fetal ovarian development. The regulatory pathways responsible for oocyte selection to programmed cell death are, however, poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential involvement of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its death receptors TRAIL-R1/DR4 and TRAIL-R2/DR5 and decoy receptors TRAIL-R3/DcR1 and TRAIL-R4/DcR2 in the apoptotic process characterizing human fetal and adult ovaries. For this purpose, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were applied to human fetal and adult ovarian samples to study the mRNA and protein expression of TRAIL pathway components, and a human granulosa cell tumor-derived cell line (KGN) was used to elucidate functional effects of TRAIL on apoptosis. TRAIL was expressed in human fetal ovary from the 11th week until term. The pro-apoptotic TRAIL-R2/DR5 and the anti-apoptotic TRAIL-R4/DcR2 were also expressed in human ovaries throughout the fetal period. Among the different ovarian cell types, these TRAIL pathway components were mainly localized in the oocytes, and their expression increased towards term. Expression of TRAIL-R1/DR4 and TRAIL-R3/DcR1 was negligible in all of the fetal ovaries studied. Adult ovaries expressed TRAIL, TRAIL-R2/DR5, TRAIL-R3/DcR1 and TRAIL-R4/DcR2 in granulosa cells and oocytes of small primary/secondary follicles as well as in granulosa and theca cells of more developed antral follicles. In KGN cells, TRAIL efficiently induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, and this was blocked by a caspase inhibitor. The results indicate a role of the TRAIL pathway components in the regulation of granulosa cell apoptosis in in vitro and suggest that these factors may have a role in regulating ovarian apoptosis also in vivo.

Prevalence of disability in three birth cohorts at old age over time spans of 10 and 20 years.

The prevalence of disability at the age of 75+ measured by the Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) was compared among three birth cohorts: those born < or = 1903 (n = 348), those born < or = 1913 (n = 586), and those born < or = 1923 (n = 758). Significant risk factors for disability were female sex and age; the cohort effect was not significant. The prevalence rates of disability were 29.0% (95% CI 24.2-33.8), 34.8% (30.9-38.7), and 28.8% (25.5-32.0) for the first, second, and third cohorts. In the age group 75-79 years the rates were 20.1% (95% CI 13.8-26.4), 25.5% (20.2-30.7), and 14.4% (10.6-18.1). The change was due to the declining disability of women. The distributions in the three cohorts based on the numbers of ADL limitations did not differ. As far as the whole aged populations were concerned, longer life was not accompanied by improving health.

Active retrotransposons are a common feature of grass genomes.

A large fraction of the genomes of grasses, members of the family Graminae, is composed of retrotransposons. These elements resemble animal retroviruses in their structure and possess a life cycle similar to theirs that includes transcription, translation, and integration of daughter copies. We have investigated if retrotransposons are generally transcribed in the grasses and other plants, and whether the various families of elements are translationally and integrationally active in multiple grass species. A systematic search of 7.8 x 10(5) publicly available expressed sequence tags from plants revealed widespread retrotransposon transcripts at a frequency of one in 1,000. Monocot retrotransposons found relatively more expressed sequence tags from non-source species than did those of dicots. Antibodies were raised to the capsid protein, GAG, of BARE-1, a transcribed and translated copia-like retrotransposon of barley (Hordeum vulgare). These detected immunoreactive proteins of sizes identical to those of the BARE-1 GAG and polyprotein, respectively, in other species of the tribe Triticeae as well as in oats (Avena sativa) and rice (Oryza sativa). Retrotransposon-based markers showed integrational polymorphisms for BARE-1 in different subfamilies of the Graminae. The results suggest that grasses share families of transcriptionally, translationally, and integrationally active retrotransposons, enabling a comparative and integrative approach to understanding the life cycle of retrotransposons and their impact on the genome.

Retrotransposon BARE-1: expression of encoded proteins and formation of virus-like particles in barley cells

Retrotransposons are ubiquitous and major components of plant genomes, and are characteristically retroviral-like in their genomic structure and in the major proteins encoded. Nevertheless, few have been directly demonstrated to be transcribed or reverse transcribed. The BARE-1 retrotransposon family of barley (Hordeum vulgare) is highly prevalent, actively transcribed, and contains well conserved functional regions. Insertion sites for BARE-1 are highly polymorphic in the barley genome. Here we show that BARE-1 is translated and the capsid protein (GAG) and integrase (IN) components of the predicted polyprotein are processed into polypeptides of expected size. Some of the GAG sediments as virus-like particles together with IN and with BARE-1 cDNA. Reverse transcriptase activity is also present in gradient fractions containing BARE-1 translation products. Virus-like particles have also been visualized in fractions containing BARE-1 components. Thus BARE-1 components necessary for carrying out the life cycle of an active retrotransposon appear to be present in vivo, and to assemble. This would suggest that post-translational mechanisms may be at work to prevent rapid genome inflation through unrestricted integration.

More women enter medicine: young doctors' family origin and career choice.

This study is part of the Finnish Junior Physicians 88 Study, the purpose of which was to shed light on the life situation, career choice and future plans of young doctors and their views on medical education. The survey population included all the medical doctors registered during the years 1977-1986 in Finland (n = 5208). A postal questionnaire was sent to a sample of 2632 doctors born on odd-numbered days. After a reminder letter, 1745 questionnaires (66%) were returned. Forty-nine per cent of the respondents were women. Typically both men and women doctors had a father who was an upper-level white-collar worker and a mother who was a housewife. More men than women had a father who was a doctor or other health professional. More women than men mentioned that a lifelong calling (42% vs 30%), success at school (58% vs 47%) and an interest in helping people (78% vs 71%) had considerable influence on their decision to become a doctor. Men more often than women emphasized the medical profession being regarded as a highly paid (56% vs 47%) and a high status profession (64% vs 56%) and also that a family member was a doctor (15% vs 11%).

Medical education and the corresponding professional needs of young doctors: the Finnish Junior Physician 88 study.

The Universities of Kuopio and Tampere in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Finnish Medical Association carried out the 'Junior Physician 88' study in 1988, the purpose of which was to shed further light on the life situation and future plans of young doctors and their views concerning undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. The study concerned all the doctors registered during the years 1977-1986 in Finland (n = 5208). After randomization, a postal questionnaire was sent to one half (n = 2631) of these doctors. After the first reminder letter, 1745 questionnaires (66.3%) were returned. According to the views of the respondents undergraduate hospital teaching was adequate but the teaching of practice in health centres, school health care, team-work, health care of the elderly, home health care, rehabilitation, environmental health care and administration did not meet the professional needs of doctors. All doctors were satisfied with the hospital teaching in their undergraduate curriculum. However, only the doctors who graduated from the two modern universities in Kuopio and Tampere were satisfied with their undergraduate health centre teaching.

Differentiated follicle-derived thyroid carcinoma in children.

Fifteen patients, 11 females and 4 males, aged 4-16 years with follicle-derived differentiated thyroid carcinoma treated at the Helsinki University Central Hospital during 1953 through 1984 are reported. Histologically 13 carcinomata were papillary, 1 follicular and 1 was suspected to be follicular carcinoma (atypic adenoma). Eleven (73%) had cervical lymphnode metastases and 4 (25%) pulmonary metastases as well. All patients were initially operated on; total thyroidectomy was performed in 11 and subtotal in 4 patients. In 5 patients there was invasion into the thyroid capsule, perithyroid tissues and blood vessels; 4 patients with pulmonary metastases belonged to this group. Postoperatively 5 patients received radioactive iodine, 4 patients external irradiation to the neck and 6 were given both types of radiation. Pulmonary metastases were treated with radioactive iodine. The patients have been given suppressive doses of thyroxine. The follow-up ranged from 3.5 to 33 years. One patient with extensive pulmonary metastases died 6 years after the initial treatment, all others are still alive. Twelve patients have been followed for 9 to 33 years, in 10 serum thyroglobulin was determined. Tg was undetectable in 9 patients when measured during thyroxin therapy; in 1 patient followed for 33 years, the dose was not suppressive, and there were no signs of disease and Tg in the normal range. In 2 patients Tg could not be determined but they had no signs of disease 18 and 22 years after initial treatment. It is, therefore, presumed that these patients, forming 80% of the material, are cured. Two patients followed for 3.5 years are still under treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A review of 36 cases.

A retrospective study was made of 36 patients with primary gastrointestinal (GI) non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), of which 16 occurred in stomach, 14 in small intestine, 3 in ileocecal region and 3 in large intestine. The mean age was 57 years. According to the 'Working Formulation' large cell lymphomas were most common. All patients were surgically explored, 27 undergoing resection and 9 laparotomy with biopsy. Radiotherapy was given to 14 patients and 27 received chemotherapy. Patients with stomach as the primary site had a slightly better outlook than patients with intestinal tumors. In patients with stage I and II disease the group which had been resected and received both radiation treatment and chemotherapy had the best prognosis with a 3-year survival of 76%. The material also indicates that radiotherapy is of value for GI-NHL in stage I or II.

The demand for physicians in Finland. Results from a specialty-based assessment of future development and need for service.

This paper presents a nation-wide planning project conducted in cooperation with the specialists' associations, the Finnish Medical Association and the Speciality Commission of the National Board of Health. An estimation of the demand for physicians in primary care, in various specialties and in non-hospital sectors is reported and discussed. As a result of the study, a reduction in the number of admissions to medical schools is recommended. An increase in postgraduate educational efforts, in research and development, and in continuing medical education should be the result of resources, thus made available.

Amniotic adhesion malformation syndrome: fetal and placental pathology.

We describe 11 severely damaged fetuses, their placentas, and defective membranes involved in the amniotic adhesion malformation syndrome. The constantly abnormal relation between the fetus and placenta, the absence of the free umbilical cord, the extremely short umbilical cord, common absence of an umbilical artery, and severe malformations in internal organs suggest that instead of a single rupture of the amnion, the early germinal disk might have been defective. We have no clue of possible cause. Heredity seems to be improbable; the most likely explanation is a teratogenic condition during early pregnancy.

Measures of equity and efficiency in medical manpower planning. A prediction of internists needed in the Finnish national health service.

Several difficulties regarding manpower planning in health care based on need for service can be demonstrated. Easily obtainable utilisation numbers do not directly reflect demand or need for service, nor can they be used as an approximation of morbidity. Epidemiological studies, on the other hand, do not reveal "non-clinical" demand factors. Unmet demand cannot automatically be interpreted as undersupply or lack of resources. Planning according to predicted need has furthermore been severely handicapped by a nongrowing economy; it is rather asking for development through reallocation of resources. Consequently, another approach was chosen in this study - a prediction of internists needed in the Finnish national health service to ensure an equal supply and an efficient provision of services. Equity between regions was measured as number of specialists' positions, hospital admissions and out-patient visits per population. The number of admissions and visits per specialist's position was used as a measure of system efficiency. A density of specialists equal to the national mean in all regions would require a 21% increase in specialists' positions. A sensitivity analysis according to different levels of service supply as well as improved efficiency projected a 23-127% growth.

[In vitro determination of the biological activity of the electrophoretic fractions of embryonic tissue extracts]. / Opredeleneie in vitro biologicheskoi aktivnosti élektroforeticheskikh fraktsii ékstraktov iz émbrional'nykh tkanei.

The possibility of direct combining the protein fractions after electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel (PAAG) with the ectoderm of avian embryos in vitro was shown. The extract of eye vesicle of 30-33 hrs chick embryos were subjected to electrophoresis in 20% PAAG in capillaries (diameter 300 mu). The columns of PAAG were cut in equal parts and these pieces with protein fractions were combined with the trunk ectoderm of 2 days old chick embryos. The preliminary analysis has shown that some fractions of the eye vesicle exert a selective neutralizing effect on the trunk ectoderm (formation of neural tubes). The PAAG itself had no toxic or inducing effect on the trunk ectoderm cells. The lens-inducing effect of the eye vesicle fractions was not observed.

A project in physical education for handicapped and health-risk groups.

An interdisciplinary project concerning the physical education and culture of handicapped and health-risk groups, conducted during the years 1976 to 1980 under the auspices of the Finnish Society for Research in Sports and Physical Education, is reported in this paper. The concept of special group used in connection with the project is relative and describes the groups of people who do not receive the normal services in the field of physical activities. The goals of the project were not only to provide these services but also to study the problems connected with the use and supply of these services for these groups. The project approached its goals from the point of view not only of the individuals concerned but also of the organizations involved. The project was conducted in two towns and one rural community in Finland. Twenty-eight groups were formed in these communities, comprising about 500 participants. Of these, 350 regularly took part in the exercises. About 250 participants and 28 group leaders were studied in more detail. The decision-making and administrative processes at both local and national levels were analyzed. The project resulted in considerable increased activity of the persons taking part in the exercises, most of whom reported favorable results. Most group leaders also gave positive responses when asked about the results of the project. The project also effected a change in the decision-making processes at local and national levels, as more resources were allocated for these purposes than before the project. In this sense, the project fulfilled its original mission as a change agent.