Validating a short form of the Parental-Caregivers Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ) and the Family Impact Scale (FIS) in Finnish language.

AIM: This study aimed to adapt the short-form versions of the Parental-Caregivers Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ), and the Family Impact Scale (FIS) in the Finnish language and to test its validity and reliability. Another aim was to compare the background factors of parents with respect to P-CPQ and FIS outcomes. METHODS: This study was conducted among a convenient sample of parents who visited the public dental clinic in Sievi, Finland, from May to October 2016. A total of 54 parents of 2-8-year-old children completed the short-form of the P-CPQ questionnaire and 50 parents of 2-8-year-olds completed the FIS questionnaire while visiting for their children's routine dental check-up. Parents completed the self-administered P-CPQ and FIS questionnaires. Reliability and validity of the short-form of the P-CPQ and FIS were assessed. Differences between gender, and family size were evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test and the differences between age groups were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA test. RESULT: The Finnish versions of both the short forms of the P-CPQ and FIS had alpha values within the acceptable range. The scales also showed good construct validity. Toddlers (2-4-year olds) had the highest scores for both the P-CPQ and FIS-8 subscales. Likewise, families with 5 or more children had high FIS scores. CONCLUSION: The short form of the P-CPQ and FIS in Finnish language are valid and reliable. The oral health of the child seems to have the greatest family impact among parents with five or more children and in families with 2-4-year olds.

Ultrasonography as a Guiding Method in Breast Micro-Calcification Vacuum-Assisted Biopsies.

Purpose: To assess the visibility of breast micro-calcifications using ultrasonography (US) and the accuracy and clinical usefulness of vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) using US guidance (USVAB) as compared to stereotactic guidance (SVAB). Materials and Methods: The study material comprised 158 retrospectively reviewed micro-calcification cases examined with US before VAB. The pre-biopsy US positivity frequency distributions were calculated, and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of VAB determined by comparing VAB histology with the surgical pathology or a 12-month follow-up. Results: 158 US examinations yielded 80 positive and 78 negative results. US positivity correlated to a large size and a suspicious BI-RADS category of the calcifications. USVAB was performed in 49 cases with 61 % malignant, 12 % high-risk and 27 % benign results. The percentages for the 109 SVAB cases were 40 %, 28 % and 32 %, respectively. Specimen radiography demonstrated calcifications in 48 of the 49 (98 %) USVAB cases and in 107 of the 109 (98 %) SVAB cases. The overall accuracy of VAB was 94 % (USVAB 98 %, SVAB 94 %), the sensitivity was 88 % (USVAB 97 %, SVAB 83 %), and the specificity was 100 %. The higher sensitivity of USVAB was due to an accumulation of atypical hyperplasia diagnoses in the SVAB group. The final diagnosis was invasive ductal carcinoma in 21 US-positive and in 4 US-negative cases. Conclusion: Approximately 50 % of mammographically detected micro-calcifications could be detected with ultrasonography. US was found to be a valuable alternative guidance method for vacuum-assisted biopsy of micro-calcifications with a technical success rate and diagnostic accuracy well comparable to the stereotactic method.

Ultrasonography as a Guiding Method in Breast Micro-Calcification Vacuum-Assisted Biopsies.

PURPOSE: To assess the visibility of breast micro-calcifications using ultrasonography (US) and the accuracy and clinical usefulness of vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) using US guidance (USVAB) as compared to stereotactic guidance (SVAB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study material comprised 158 retrospectively reviewed micro-calcification cases examined with US before VAB. The pre-biopsy US positivity frequency distributions were calculated, and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of VAB determined by comparing VAB histology with the surgical pathology or a 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: 158 US examinations yielded 80 positive and 78 negative results. US positivity correlated to a large size and a suspicious BI-RADS category of the calcifications. USVAB was performed in 49 cases with 61 % malignant, 12 % high-risk and 27 % benign results. The percentages for the 109 SVAB cases were 40 %, 28 % and 32 %, respectively. Specimen radiography demonstrated calcifications in 48 of the 49 (98 %) USVAB cases and in 107 of the 109 (98 %) SVAB cases. The overall accuracy of VAB was 94 % (USVAB 98 %, SVAB 94 %), the sensitivity was 88 % (USVAB 97 %, SVAB 83 %), and the specificity was 100 %. The higher sensitivity of USVAB was due to an accumulation of atypical hyperplasia diagnoses in the SVAB group. The final diagnosis was invasive ductal carcinoma in 21 US-positive and in 4 US-negative cases. CONCLUSION: Approximately 50 % of mammographically detected micro-calcifications could be detected with ultrasonography. US was found to be a valuable alternative guidance method for vacuum-assisted biopsy of micro-calcifications with a technical success rate and diagnostic accuracy well comparable to the stereotactic method.

Vanadium(V) removal from aqueous solution and real wastewater using quaternized pine sawdust.

Cross-linked and quaternized pine sawdust was tested for vanadium removal from a synthetic aqueous solution as well as from real industrial wastewater which had a considerable amount of vanadium and other ions such as sulphate, ammonium and nickel. The maximum vanadium sorption capacity of the modified pine sawdust was found to be 130 mg/g in synthetic solution and 103 mg/g in real wastewater. Modified pine sawdust worked well over a wide range of pH. Column studies with real wastewater proved that vanadium was efficiently desorbed from the material with 2 M NaOH and that the material could be reused.

Pre-pregnancy overweight overtakes gestational diabetes as a risk factor for subsequent metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with an increased risk of subsequent diabetes and metabolic syndrome (MS). The independent significance of overweight, often associated with GDM, is controversial. This study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of MS and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) values in normal and overweight women with previous insulin-treated GDM and control without GDM 19 years after the index pregnancy. METHODS: The study group consisted of 61 women with prior GDM and 55 controls who gave birth in Oulu University Hospital between 1988 and 1993. These women were further divided into subgroups according to pre-pregnancy BMI (<25 or ≥25 kg/m(2)). In 2008-2010, anthropometrics and blood pressure were measured, blood samples were taken, and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed to investigate the components of MS. CIMT was measured by Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: Total prevalence of MS was 62% in the GDM group and 31% in the control group (P=0.001); it was highest (86%) in GDM women with pre-pregnancy overweight. CIMT was significantly thicker (0.67 vs 0.56 mm, P=0.007) and more often abnormal (71.7 vs 45.3%, P=0.004) in the GDM group compared with the controls. In logistic regression analysis, the strongest factor predicting MS in the whole study population was pre-pregnancy overweight. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-pregnancy overweight was the strongest predictive factor for later MS, whereas GDM indicated increased risk of subsequent diabetes and subclinical atherosclerosis. The risk of MS was highest when both of these factors were present.

Overpopulation of Omega; in pp collisions: a way to distinguish statistical hadronization from string dynamics.

The Omega/Omega ratio originating from string decays is predicted to be larger than unity in proton-proton interactions at SPS energies ( E(lab) = 160 GeV). The antiomega dominance increases with decreasing beam energy. This surprising behavior is caused by the combinatorics of quark-antiquark production in small and low-mass strings. Since this behavior is not found in a statistical description of hadron production in proton-proton collisions, it may serve as a key observable to probe the hadronization mechanism in such collisions.

Triethyllead decreases central benzodiazepine receptor binding in rat cerebellum ex vivo.

Effect of triethyllead on the specific [3H]flunitrazepam binding was studied in rat cortical and cerebellar P2 fractions in vitro and in tissue homogenates of several rat brain regions ex vivo after 5 daily subcutaneous doses of 1.9 mg/kg triethyllead acetate to rats. Up to concentration of 100 microM, triethyllead did not affect significantly the specific [3H]flunitrazepam binding but attenuated marginally (14-18%) the GABAA receptor agonist, muscimol-induced elevation of [3H]flunitrazepam binding in cerebellar tissue. After the subacute treatment of rats with triethyllead, the specific [3H]flunitrazepam binding was 27% lower in cerebellum compared to control animals. In other brain regions the receptor binding was not changed. The data suggest that triethyllead modified the cerebellar GABAA receptor complex causing decreased binding in the benzodiazepine site. Such an inhibitory effect in the GABAA receptor complex may decrease cerebellar inhibitory output and augment the triethyllead induced convulsions and tremor.

Methylmercury modulates GABAA receptor complex differentially in rat cortical and cerebellar membranes in vitro.

Effects of methylmercury (MetHg) on the specific [3H]flunitrazepam binding were studied in rat cortical and cerebellar P2-fractions in vitro. MetHg did not affect significantly the specific [3H]flunitrazepam binding in unwashed P2-fraction but increased it marginally (by 16%) at 100 microM in washed P2-fraction, in both brain regions. Muscimol (3 microM), a GABAA agonist, stimulated the [3H]flunitrazepam binding by 30% to 50% depending on the brain region. In washed cerebellar membranes the enhancing response of muscimol was 10 to 14% lower after preincubation of the tissue with MetHg but in cerebral cortex MetHg did not modulate the muscimol response at all. The results indicate that Met-Hg may have region specific effects on GABAA receptors in vitro and the effect may depend on the occupational state of the GABA binding domain of the receptor complex.

Occurrence of infectious fish diseases in fish farms in northern Finland.

A total of 47 fish located in 10 lake and river systems in northern Finland were examined for furunculosis, enteric redmouth diseases (ERM), viral fish diseases and the parasite Gyrodactylus salaris. Furunculosis was found in 2 fish farms in different watercourses, ERM in 8 fish farms in 3 watercourses and viral diseases were not found at all. G. salaris was looked for only in salmon and rainbow trout and was found in both species in 3 farms belonging to 2 watercourses.

Changes of fatty acid composition of phospholipids in liver mitochondria and microsomes of the rat during growth.

The fatty acid patterns of rat liver mitochondrial and microsomal phospholipids were analyzed from term fetuses, 1 and 4 days old, and adult rats. The main fatty acids of phosphatidylethanolamine and -choline were stearic and palmitic acids, although the patterns differed slightly. The fatty acid composition of corresponding phospholipids in mitochondria and microsomes was similar. The fatty acid pattern of cardiolipin was dominated by linoleic acid. The most consistent feature of the developmental changes in the fatty acid patterns of all phospholipids studied was a decrease in the relative amount of monounsaturated fatty acids. The percentages of saturated fatty acids in phosphatidylethanolamine and -choline increased during neonatal development. It is suggested that the high levels of fetal monounsaturated fatty acids were due to low availability of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Severe poisoning in a child caused by a small dose of clonidine.

A girl aged 1 year 9 months ingested a single tablet of 0.3 mg of clonidine. She became soon drowsy and unconscious with bradycardia and severe hypotension. Bradycardia was antagonized promptly by atropine, and blood pressure was corrected by giving intravenous fluids. The level of consciousness fluctuated for 6 to 8 hr from alertness to unconsciousness. Serum concentrations of clonidine were only about two times higher than the mean therapeutic values in adults in the treatment of hypertension. Thus small doses of clonidine seem to be potentially dangerous for small children.

Pharmacokinetics and side-effects of clonidine.

A single oral dose of clonidine 300 microgram was administered to 8 healthy, normotensive subjects and the time course of its plasma concentrations was followed for 24 h. The plasma concentration of clonidine rose to a peak of 1.17 +/- 0.12 ng/ml at about 2 h: the absorption half-life was 0.6 +/- 0.2 h. Elimination followed first order kinetics with a half-life of 7.7 +/- 2.0 h. The correlation between the two most common side-effects of clonidine, sedation and dryness of the mouth, with the time course of its plasma concentrations was highly significant, p less than 0.01. All the subjects complained of severe sedation. During continuous administration of clonidine (75 microgram t.i.d.) for one week a steady state serum level of 0.30-0.35 ng/ml was achieved. One 75 microgram tablet of clonidine raised the serum level to about 0.69 +/- 0.13 ng/ml in two hours. After cessation of dosing, the serum level declined with a half-life of 7.5 +/- 1.5 h. The urinary excretion of unchanged clonidine was found to be about one third of the administered dose in 24 h during continuous administration and in the first 24 h after the single oral dose.

Fatty acids and long-chain bases of gangliosides of human gastrointestinal mucosa.

The fatty acid and long-chain base composition of five major gangliosides from human stomach and small and large intestine mucosa were analyzed with gas chromatography. All the gangliosides greatly resembled each other in the fatty acid pattern. The main fatty acids were C16:0, C18:0, C22:0 and C24:1. No hydroxy fatty acids could be detected. In all the gangliosides 4-sphingenine was the predominant long-chain base (70-75%). About 15% of the long-chain bases had 20 carbon atoms in their chain. No trihydroxy long-chain bases could be detected.

Ganglioside pattern and neuraminic acid content of human gastric and colonic carcinoma.

Twenty-five human gastric and 11 human colonic adenocarcinomas were analysed for their ganglioside pattern and for their content of lipid-bound and protein-bound neuraminic acid. In most carcinomas the content of both lipid-bound and protein-bound neuraminic acid was increased by an average of four- and two-fold, respectively. The ganglioside pattern of all the carcinomas resembled that of normal tissue. In six gastric carcinomas the content of lipid-bound neuraminic acid and the ratio of lipid-bound neuraminic acid to protein-bound neuraminic acid (L/P ratio) were lower than those of normal gastric mucosa. These carcinomas were significantly larger than the rest of the tumours.

Methylation analysis of the major gangliosides of the human alimentary mucosa.

The five major gangliosides of the human alimentary mucosa were purified with silicic acid column chromatography and with thin-layer chromatography. The linkages in the carbohydrate portion were analysed by permethylation with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A succesful analysis of the linkages of two hematosides and three tetraglycosylceramides was performed. Two of the tetraglycosylamides had a galactosamine in their chain and one had a glucosamine.

Gangliosides of the human gastrointestinal mucosa.

Gangliosides of the human alimentary mucosa were purified and analysed with thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography. The content of ganglioside neuraminic acid was 0.16 mumol/g dry weight in the stomach, 0.07 mumol/g dry weight in the small intestine and 0.11 mumol/g dry weight in the large intestine. Mono- and disialosylhemosides were the major gangliosides, on a molar basis 68% of the total found in the stomach and 44% of the total in the small and large intestine. Considerable amounts of more complex gangliosides were found, especially in the small and large intestine, in which the molar content of tri- and tetraglycosylgangliosides containing galactosamine made up 38% of the total. Two glucosamine-containing gangliosides were also found, the probable structures of which were mono- and disialotetraglycosylceramide. The presence of the latter is reported for the first time.