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Biomedical subjects

A Pakarinen

Publications and source records attributed to A Pakarinen.

72 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Serum and urinary vanadium of vanadium-exposed workers.

In this investigation the environment of vanadium workers was studied. It was found that low concentrations of vanadium (0.01--0.04 mg/m3) in the air do not correlate with vanadium serum levels or its urinary excretion. The results, however, suggest that values of vanadium in serum and urine samples reflect absorption of vanadium because vanadium could not be detected in the urine of referents. In higher vanadium exposure (0.2--0.5 mg/m3), the concentration in the air inhaled remaining unknown due to the use of dust masks, urinary vanadium excretion and serum vanadium level decreased significantly with exposure-free time.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1978

Maternal, foetal and neonatal blood creatine-phosphokinase-activities and creatine-phosphokinase-isoenzymes after labour with and without epidural analgesia and after caesarean section.

Maternal, cord and neonatal blood creatine-phosphokinase (CK) activities and CK-isoenzymes were determined in connection with 24 labours after normal pregnancies. In eight cases there was a normal vaginal delivery; in another eight cases there was a normal vaginal delivery with segmental epidural analgesia; and in the remaining eight cases there was an elective caesarean section under general anaesthesia. The lowest maternal blood CK-activities were seen in connection with caesarean section. There was a statistically significant difference in the maternal CK levels after delivery between cases with caesarean section and normal labour (P less than 0.05) and between cases with caesarean section and labour with segmental epidural analgesia (P less than 0.001). Most of the maternal CK-activity was of muscular type, and there were no statistically significant differences in isoenzyme fractions between the different groups. The neonatal blood CK-activities were at their peak at the age of 1 day in all groups. Between the groups there were no statistically significant differences in cord or neonatal blood CK-activities at any time. Most of the cord and neonatal blood CK-activity was also of muscular type, and there were no significant differences in the CK-isoenzyme fractions between the groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Serum prolactin, FSH and LH during puberty in girls and boys.

Serum prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were determined in 200 girls and 80 boys. The boys have been examined on three occasions at one-year intervals and the girls twice at 1.5-year intervals. In girls, serum FSH rapidly increased in the youngest age groups (7.5-11.5 years), whereas in boys, the increase took place later and the first significant increase was seen between age groups 9.5 and 12.5 years. In girls, a rise in serum LH took place later than that of FSH (between 10.5 and 11.5 years), and LH peaked at 13.0-13.5 years. In boys, the timing in the changes of serum LH closely resembled that of FSH. The girls displayed a significant increase in serum prolactin between 7.5 and 8.5 years, and this was followed by a slow progressive increase. In the group of boys, serum prolactin did not show any significant changes. In girls, there was a correlation between serum LH and body weight, as well as calculated fat amount and body fat percentage early in puberty. There was no correlation between serum LH and chronological or bone age in this age group, which suggests that the correlation found is not due to age-related parallel phenomena.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Correlations between plasma renin activity, angiotensin II, and aldosterone.

To obtain more information about the relationships of the components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, we measured plasma renin activity (PRA) and the concentrations of plasma angiotensin II (AII) and aldosterone (PA) in 36 healthy 19-22-yr-old students, both after a night's bed rest and after 2 h of ambulation. The correlations of these parameters were calculated. PRA, AII, and PA were determined by RIAs. The values of AII after rest correlated positively both with PRA (r = 0.80; P less than 0.001) and with PA (r = 0.51; P less than 0.01). AII also showed a good correlation with PRA (r = 0.77; P less than 0.001) and with PA (r = 0.67; P less than 0.01) after ambulation. The latter correlation was higher than that after rest. Positive correlations were also found between the increases in PRA and AII and between AII and PA. Further, a multiple regression analysis was carried out to calculate the regression equations for these parameters. The results support the view that PRA and AII parallel each other in normal physiological circumstances. They also seem to indicate that AII has an important role in the basal as well as in the posture-stimulated secretion of aldosterone in normal man.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Evaluation of radioimmunological methods for assay of plasma and urinary aldosterone.

Two radioimmunological methods for assay of plasma and urinary aldosterone were carefully evaluated. In the plasma method a radioimmunoassay is preceded by chromatography on a Sephadex LH-20 column. The method for urine includes a preextraction, hydrolysis of the acid-labile conjugates of aldosterone, and a radioimmunoassay. Both methods fulfill the criteria of reliability and are suitable for both routine and demanding research assays. The plasma method, using columns of double length, is also applicable to analysis of aldosterone in plasma of newborn children, and pregnant females and in cord plasma. The concentration of plasma aldosterone in healthy subjects on an ad lib salt diet was 162 +/- 93 (S.D.) pmol/1 in the supine position and 312 +/- 217 (S.D.) pmol/1 upright. The urinary excretion of aldosterone in healthy subjects was 28.3 +/- 16.7 (S.D.) nmol/24 h.

Aldosterone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical laboratory results of vanadium-exposed workers.

Vanadium pentoxide exposure and its effect on select hematologic and chemical laboratory tests for workers exposed to 0.2-0.5 mg/m3 vanadium was studied. No association was found between vanadium exposure and the results of laboratory tests. The values of some chemical laboratory tests differed from those of controls. These findings, however, were not considered to be clinically significant because the mean values differed only slightly from each other. Hematologic tests showed no abnormalities when the concentration of vanadium in the factory air was 0.01-0.04 mg/m3.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Muscle hypertrophy, strength development, and serum hormones during strength training in elderly women with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of strength training on maximal force, cross-sectional area (CSA), and electromyographic (EMG) activity of muscles and serum hormone concentrations in elderly females with fibromyalgia (FM). METHODS: Twenty-six patients with FM were randomly assigned to a training (FMT; n = 13; mean age 60 years) or a control (FMC; n = 13; 59 years) group. FMT performed progressive strength training twice a week for 21 weeks. The measurements included maximal isometric and concentric leg extension forces, EMG activity of the vastus lateralis and medialis, CSA of the quadriceps femoris, and serum concentrations of testosterone (T), free testosterone (FT), growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and cortisol. Subjectively perceived symptoms of FM were also assessed. RESULTS: All patients were able to complete the training. In FMT strength training led to increases of 36% (p<0.001) and 33% (p<0.001) in maximal isometric and concentric forces, respectively. The CSA increased by 5% (p<0.001) and the EMG activity in isometric action by 47% (p<0.001) and in concentric action by 57% (p<0.001). Basal serum hormone concentrations remained unaltered during strength training. The subjective perceived symptoms showed a minor decreasing tendency (ns). No statistically significant changes occurred in any of these parameters in FMC. CONCLUSION: Progressive strength training increases strength, CSA, and voluntary activation of the trained muscles in elderly women with FM, while the measured basal serum hormone concentrations remain unaltered. Strength training benefits the overall physical fitness of the patients without adverse effects or any exacerbation of symptoms and should be included in the rehabilitation programmes of elderly patients with FM.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of prolonged combined strength and endurance training on physical fitness, body composition and serum hormones in women with rheumatoid arthritis and in healthy controls.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of a 21-week combined strength and endurance training period on physical fitness, serum hormone concentrations, and subcutaneous fat in 23 women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in 12 matched healthy subjects was studied. METHODS: The measurements included leg extension forces and EMG activity, muscle and fat thickness on thigh, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and serum concentrations of testosterone, free testosterone, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), and cortisol. RESULTS: During the training period significant increases took place in VO2max, muscle strength and EMG activity in both groups. The increases of the quadriceps femoris thickness were 6.5% (p < 0.001) in the healthy controls and 7.4% (p < 0.001) in the RA cases. The decreases in subcutaneous fat thicknesses were 9.9% (p < 0.001) and 12.3% (p < 0.001), respectively. No significant changes were found in serum hormone concentrations, but RA women showed lower levels of IGF-I during the whole follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In RA women with stable disease the combined strength and endurance training increases physical fitness. Further the training increases muscle mass and decreases subcutaneous fat. It may decrease risks of cardiovascular diseases in RA patients. The intensive training had minor effects on serum hormone concentrations.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Low-dose spironolactone in the treatment of female hirsutism.

Twelve women, 11 with hirsutism and one with alopecia areata, were treated with low-dose spironolactone (50 mg daily) from the 4th until the 22nd cycle day over 12 consecutive menstrual cycles. Eight hirsute women observed a favorable effect on hirsutism in 3 to 8 months, and hair loss ceased in the one patient with alopecia areata. No significant side effects occurred. Low-dose spironolactone decreased the concentration of total and free testosterone and elevated the concentration of prolactin on the 10th cycle day, while LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone, DHEAS, SHBG, and cortisol levels remained unchanged. The plasma aldosterone concentration increased significantly during the treatment, although serum potassium and sodium concentrations remained unchanged. Low-dose spironolactone is, thus, safe and effective in the treatment of hirsutism. It seems to be useful as an initial or alternative treatment.

Acne Vulgaris↗