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Biomedical subjects

A Vainio

Publications and source records attributed to A Vainio.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Treatment of terminal cancer pain in Finland: a second look.

A questionnaire concerning the treatment of cancer pain was sent to 10% and 5% random samples of Finnish physicians in 1985 and in 1990, respectively. The physicians were asked about their current practice in the treatment of pain in their cancer patients, and about their main clinical problems when treating pain. Three simulated patient cases were presented, and the adequacy of the suggestions for therapy was evaluated. The results indicated that Finnish physicians had adopted a more rational and effective analgesic therapy during the 5-year period. Treatment suggestions for the simulated patient cases had improved both in terms of daily doses of analgesics and of dose intervals, but the doses of opioids were still below those commonly used in chronic cancer pain. The clinical difficulties experienced by the physicians had changed: instead of being frustrated by the inefficacy of their treatment as in 1985, physicians were now working on the problem of finding a suitable preparation and dosage. The results suggest that the voluntary activity of patient organizations, a few pain clinics, and a few clinicians interested in pain treatment have been able to improve the practising physicians' theoretical knowledge in 5 years. In contrast to the improvement in the knowledge and skills, changing attitudes takes much longer. As many as 39% of physicians who see cancer patients at least occasionally, reported that they still had not acquired the prescription sheets necessary to prescribe opioids to outpatients.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1991

N-acetyllactosaminooligosaccharides that contain the beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----6)-D-Gal or beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----6)-D-GalNAc sequences reveal reduction-sensitive affinities for wheat germ agglutinin.

Affinity chromatography of unreduced oligosaccharides on a small column of immobilized wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) revealed high-binding affinities for several radiolabeled molecules containing at the reducing end either beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----6)-D-Gal, beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----6)-beta- D-Galp-(1----4)-D-GlcNAc, beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----6)-beta-D-Galp-(1----4)DGlc, D-GlcpNAc-(1----3)-[beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----6)]-D-Gal, beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----6)- D-GalNAc, or beta-D-Galp-(1----3)-[beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----6)]-D-GalNAc sequences. Reduction changed the binding affinities remarkably: The sequences carrying a D-galactose or 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose residue at the reducing end lost most of their affinities, but the sequences containing a D-glucose or 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose residue at the reducing end gained additional affinity upon reduction. These findings emphasize the role of the unreduced, 6-o-substituted D-galactose and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose residues for the binding of saccharides to WGA, which has been recognized previously as a lectin specific for oligosaccharides containing a 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose or sialic acid unit. The results suggested also that WGA-agarose chromatography of alditols may become a valuable method for the fractionation of oligo-N-acetyllactosaminoglycans and related saccharides.

Amino Sugars↗
PubMed1990

Morphine and oxycodone hydrochloride in the management of cancer pain.

In a double-blind crossover study, morphine and oxycodone hydrochloride were administered to 20 patients who were experiencing severe cancer pain. The peroral doses were determined on the basis of patient-controlled intravenous titration. The assumed oral bioavailability ratios were 44% (group 1, first 10 patients) and 33% (group 2, last 10 patients) for morphine and 66% (group 1) and 50% (group 2) for oxycodone hydrochloride, respectively. However, the patients were able to readjust their oral dosings. Equal analgesia was achieved with both drugs, but the intravenous dose of oxycodone hydrochloride needed was 30% higher than that of morphine. The median calculated oral/intravenous ratios giving comparable analgesia were 0.31 for morphine and 0.70 for oxycodone hydrochloride. Morphine caused more nausea than oxycodone hydrochloride and hallucinations occurred only during morphine treatment. Otherwise, there were no major differences in the side effects between these two opioids.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Comparison of two glucoamylases from Hormoconis resinae.

Two extracellular glucoamylases (EC 3.2.1.3), glucoamylase P and glucoamylase S, were purified to homogeneity from the culture medium of Hormoconis resinae (ATCC 20495; formerly Cladosporium resinae) by a new method. Their apparent molecular masses (71 kDa glucoamylase P; 78 kDa glucoamylase S) and catalytic properties agreed well with those previously reported in the literature. Heat inactivation studies suggested that the high debranching (1,6-glycosidic) activity of glucoamylase P preparations (measured with pullulan) may reside in the same protein molecule as its 1,4-glycosidic activity (measured with soluble starch). Although glucoamylase S had virtually no debranching activity, it cross-reacted with polyclonal antibodies raised against glucoamylase P, and the two enzymes had very similar amino acid compositions. However, peptide mapping and amino-terminal sequencing studies of the peptides showed that the two enzymes have different sequences and must be encoded by different genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Morphine and oxycodone in the management of cancer pain: plasma levels determined by chemical and radioreceptor assays.

Morphine and oxycodone were administered to ten patients suffering from severe cancer pain in a double-blind cross-over study. The patients titrated themselves pain-free, first intravenously, using a patient-controlled analgesia device, and then orally. Each titration phase lasted for 48 hours. Blood samples were drawn after 36 hr of each administration phase. The plasma levels of morphine, morphine-6- and morphine-3 glucoronides were determined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), whereas the oxycodone samples were assayed with gas chromatography (GC). Twin samples were analyzed for plasma opioid activity with a radioreceptor assay (RRA) using 3H-dihydromorphine and 3H-naloxone as radioligands. Adequate analgesia was achieved with both morphine and oxycodone. About 30% more oxycodone was needed intravenously, whereas 25% less oxycodone than morphine was consumed orally. There was a good linear correlation between the morphine concentrations measured with HPLC and RRA. The mean morphine-6-glucuronide to morphine concentration ratio was 2.3 after intravenous and 4.6 after oral administration. Results from RRA indicate that oxycodone in vivo is a potent mu-agonist and that at least part of its analgesic action is mediated by active metabolites. In vitro morphine glucuronides enhanced morphine in displacing radioligands from the opioid receptors, thus suggesting their complex interactions in vivo.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1989

The linear tetrasaccharide, Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc, isolated from radiolabeled teratocarcinoma poly-N-acetyllactosaminoglycan resists the action of E. freundii endo-beta-galactosidase.

A novel linear tetrasaccharide, Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc, was isolated from partial acid hydrolysates of metabolically labeled poly-N-acetyllactosaminoglycans of murine teratocarcinoma cells. It was characterized by exo-glycosidase sequencing and by mild acid hydrolysis followed by identification of all partial cleavage products. The tetrasaccharide, and likewise labelled GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc, resisted the action of endo-beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.103) from E. freundii at a concentration of 125 mU/ml, while the isomeric, radioactive teratocarcinoma saccharides Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc and GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc were cleaved in the expected manner.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Practising physicians' experiences of treating patients with cancer pain.

To elucidate the reasons for the undertreatment of cancer pain in Finland, a questionnaire survey was made of the experiences of 421 physicians. Their view on the role of the medical authorities, the problems experienced in pain treatment, their opinion about drug abuse and side effects of analgesics and the influence of basic and postgraduate education were requested. Seventy-six percent of the respondents reported difficulties in cancer pain treatment. The main problems seemed to be inefficacy of the therapy, mentioned by half of the respondents, side effects of analgesics (18%), and difficulties in the follow-up (9%) and the psychological support (7%) of the patients. Twenty percent of the physicians reported drug dependence among their cancer patients, but a detailed analysis of the problem revealed that in most cases the physicians used the term for tolerance or withdrawal symptoms. The physicians' own clinical experience, postgraduate education and the example of colleagues were the principal sources of information in cancer pain treatment. It is reasonable to assume that treatment of terminal cancer pain can be more successful within medical practice, provided teaching and training within the field is reinforced.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed1988

Opioid treatment for radiating cancer pain: oral administration vs. epidural techniques.

In order to determine the optimal pain treatment for patients with cancer involvement of the brachial or lumbar nerve plexuses, a prospective comparative study was carried out using peroral opioid therapy (SO), epidural opioid by a conventional tunnelled epidural catheter (CE) or an epidural catheter connected to an implanted injection port (Port). Pain relief, measured by a visual analog scale (VAS), was similar and adequate in every group already after the first 24 h. CNS side-effects were less frequent and the Karnofsky performance grades slightly superior in the epidural groups. Occlusion and catheter disconnection complicated the pain therapy of five epidural port patients. Epidural dislocation occurred three times in the conventional epidural group. One local infection in the CE group and two in the Port group were recorded. However, no signs of epidural infection were seen at autopsy. The results suggest that due to a lower incidence of side-effects, epidural catheter techniques are superior to peroral opioid in treating pain in these patients. However, complete pain relief was not achieved in all patients, suggesting neurogenic, non-nociceptive pain components. Both epidural techniques seem suitable for long-term pain therapy. Technical improvements are needed in the epidural catheter and the port. The long-term epidural catheter does not seem to cause any major changes in the histology of the dura mater or the connective tissue of the epidural space.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1988

Treatment of terminal cancer pain in Finland. A questionnaire survey.

A questionnaire concerning current practice in the treatment of cancer pain was sent to 783 Finnish physicians. This study is based on the replies from 421 physicians who stated that they at least sometimes see cancer patients. Three simulated patient cases were presented in the questionnaire, and the adequacy of the treatment suggestions was evaluated. The results indicated that drugs predominate in the treatment of cancer pain. The suggested doses of narcotic analgesics were well below the minimum effective daily doses. As many as half of the physicians failed to use the therapeutic modalities correctly, irrespective of the frequency of their seeing cancer patients. Education in effective pain treatment should therefore be intensified to ascertain that all physicians involved in clinical practice have satisfactory knowledge of the treatment of cancer pain.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed1986

Selenium yeast.

Baker's yeast is able to assimilate carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur sources together with a great number of minerals and trace elements into a palatable, nutritious product. The metabolism of yeast is precisely controlled during the production growth phase and thus it is possible to determine the composition of the product by controlling the raw materials. Because of existing deficiencies in the availability of certain trace elements, mainly selenium, in Finnish diets, we started testing the possibilities for enriching yeast with this essential trace element about five years ago. We have succeeded in developing a special yeast product with a selenium concentration of 500 mg/kg dry matter. Selenium was expected, because of its structural similarity to sulphur, to replace sulphur in the biosynthetic reactions of the yeast cell. We have recently studied the incorporation and distribution of selenium in yeast with radioactive selenium (75Se). Analysis of the protein fraction of selenium yeast has shown that selenium is present in all the major soluble proteins. Selenomethionine was identified as the major selenium-containing compound in the protein fraction as well as in the whole cell.

Amino Acids↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase unexpectedly cleaves the hexasaccharide Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3(Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6)Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc without branch specificity.

The branch specificity of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) was studied by analyzing the cleavage of the branched hexasaccharide Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3(Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6)[14C(U)]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (1). This hexasaccharide was cleaved to pentasaccharides Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3(GlcNAc beta 1-6) [14C(U)]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (3) and GlcNAc beta 1-3(Gal-beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6) [14C(U)]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (4) without any appreciable branch specificity. Even the further conversions of the pentasaccharides 3 and 4 into the tetrasaccharide GlcNAc beta 1-3(GlcNAc beta 1-6)[14C(U)]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc seemed to proceed at similar rates, without any appreciable branch specificity. In marked contrast to the hexasaccharide 1, the pentasaccharide Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3(Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6)[14C(U)]Gal (2), missing the reducing end GlcNAc, is known to be cleaved selectively at the 6-branch; this finding was confirmed in the present study. The different behaviour of hexasaccharide 1 and pentasaccharide 2 reflects differences in the reactivity of their 6-branches; the preferred conformations of these closely related molecules may be quite different.

Acetylglucosamine↗