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Biomedical subjects

E Heikkinen

Publications and source records attributed to E Heikkinen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Imipenem-cilastatin vs. tobramycin and metronidazole for appendicitis-related infections.

The efficacy of imipenem-cilastatin was compared with that of tobramycin and metronidazole for the treatment of appendicitis-associated abdominal infections in children in an open, randomized trial. Two hundred eighteen patients between 2.5 and 16.8 years of age hospitalized for appendectomy because of suspected acute appendicitis were allocated to 5 treatment groups. The appendix was perforated in 54 (33.8%) of the 160 cases with appendicitis. All patients responded favorably to treatment. Infection in the wound occurred in 15 of 125 (12.0%) of those without preoperative antibiotic therapy and in 5 of 83 (6.0%) of those given imipenem preoperatively (P = 0.12; 95% confidence interval, -2.2 to 14.2%). C-reactive protein decreased significantly faster in those with perforated appendix treated with imipenem than in those treated with tobramycin and metronidazole (58.2 mg/liter vs. 89.4 mg/liter, P less than 0.05 on the third postoperative day). Imipenem-cilastatin was at least as effective and economically comparable as tobramycin and metronidazole for the treatment of appendicitis-associated infections in children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Genetic basis of reduced eyes in the hybrids of Drosophila virilis phylad species.

Structural anomalies were detected in F1 and backcross hybrids of Drosophila virilis and three of its sibling species Drosophila novamexicana, Drosophila americana texana and Drosophila americana americana. Similar but not identical anomalies have been described in D. virilis x D. lummei hybrids. F1 (D. virilis x D. novamexicana) hybrids had only slight disorders in the abdominal cuticula, but 5.3% of the first backcross generation hybrids had reduced eyes. Eye defects in the second generation were due to interaction of the heterozygous fourth chromosome of D. novamexicana with the homozygous D. virilis chromosomes 2 and 3. Reciprocal F1 hybrids between D. virilis and D. a. americana and between D. virilis and D. a. texana had normal eyes, but in the second hybrid generation 4.9% of D. virilis x D. a. americana and 1.6% of D. virilis x D. a. texana hybrids had anomalous eyes. In D. virilis x D. a. texana hybrids, the heterozygous fourth chromosome of D. a. texana was incompatible with homozygous D. virilis chromosomes 2 and 3. Of the D. virilis x D. a. americana hybrids homozygous for D. virilis chromosomes 2 and 3, 10.2% had the eye defect. The incompatibility system of non-conspecific chromosomes causing the eye anomalies in the hybrids of these three species pairs was different from those in D. virilis x D. lummei hybrids and has evolved independently after the diverging of the American lineage from D. lummei.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Bone mineral density and physical activity in 50-60-year-old women.

The bone mineral density (BMD) of the calcaneus was measured utilizing a single energy photon absorption method in 108 women, aged 50-60 years. The women who participated in vigorous exercise two or more times a week or whose total physical activity amounted to 4 h a week had significantly higher BMD values than those who exercised less than two times a week or did less than 4 h physical activity a week. The physically active women also showed higher values for leg extension force and maximal oxygen uptake. BMD and leg extension force were positively correlated, whereas correlations between BMD and body mass, and the width of the calcaneus were negative. When other life-style variables were taken into account, such as smoking and drinking, a significant difference in BMD was found between physically active and sedentary women, but not between the smokers and non-smokers, or the drinkers and non-drinkers.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1991

Wrinkling of the eye in hybrids between Drosophila virilis and Drosophila lummei is caused by interaction of maternal and zygotic genes.

Hybrids of Drosophila virilis females and Drosophila lummei males have visible developmental anomalies in external adult structures. Reciprocal hybrids are normal, and the anomalies are not found in other interspecific F1 hybrids of the virilis subgroup. Antibiotic treatments with ampicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline did not cure the syndrome. The genetic basis of the wrinkling of the compound eye was analysed in detail. Both male and female F1 progeny of D. virilis mothers were affected, indicating that wrinkling of eyes is maternally determined. F1 hybrid females produced healthy progeny. Backcross hybrid females (D. virilis x F1) with 16 different combinations of autosomes, either heterozygous or homozygous for D. virilis, were crossed with D. lummei males. It was found that homozygous D. virilis chromosomes 2 and 5 together were necessary to induce the maternal effect. The hybrid zygote responded to the maternal effect when the chromosomes 2, 4 and/or 5 were heterozygous. Elimination of the small sixth (dot) chromosome of D. lummei from the hybrids was correlated with the wrinkling of eyes, but was not the cause, as the two phenomena had a different genetic basis and temperature response. Furthermore, the eyes were wrinkled in flies which presumably had had no D. lummei dot chromosome to lose.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Sterility of male and female hybrids of Drosophila virilis and Drosophila lummei.

The sterility of interspecific hybrids between the sibling species Drosophila virilis and D. lummei was tested in reciprocal F1s and different second generation combinations of cytoplasm, sex chromosomes and autosomes. Males with motile sperm and females with at least one mature egg were scored as fertile. When D. virilis was the mother, about 5 per cent of the F1 male progeny was sterile, the reason being that the X of D. virilis was weakly incompatible with the heterozygous second, fourth and fifth chromosomes. The F1 males carrying the X chromosome of D. lummei were all fertile. The X chromosome of D. lummei, and in particular its species-specific double inversion In(1)a + b, nevertheless caused sterility in 70 per cent of males in the presence of homozygous autosomes of D. virilis. Sterility was rare among the females, although some weakly disadvantageous X versus autosome and autosome versus autosome interactions were detected. The male and female hybrid sterilities were based on different genetic systems. The results emphasize the central role of the X chromosome in hybrid male sterility.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Functions and complications of shunts in different etiologies of childhood hydrocephalus.

Shunt function and complications in different etiologies of childhood hydrocephalus were studied in a series of 306 patients involving 1102 shunt operations. Shunts in patients with hydrocephalus caused by neoplasms proved to be most prone to shunt complications. The patency time for shunts in these patients was significantly shorter than for shunts in other patient categories [Standard number of deviations (SND) 5.9; P less than 0.001, Meyer-Kaplan life table analysis]. When the two main groups of infantile hydrocephalus-congenital obstructive hydrocephalus and hydrocephalus caused by perinatal intracerebral hemorrhage-were compared, the latter group proved to be significantly more prone to shunt infections (P less than 0.01), with an infection rate of 17.8% compared with 8.9% for the former group. The importance of this fact is stressed by the observation that these patients appear to constitute an increasing percentage of hydrocephalic patients. According to the present study, patients with congenital intracranial cysts and hydrocephalus are less prone to shunt complications, i.e., the infection rate is 6.8%, which is significantly less than that of patients with other types of hydrocephalus (P less than 0.01; chi-square test).

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1990

Viability of first and second generation hybrids of Drosophila virilis and Drosophila lummei.

F1 hybrids of D. virilis and D. lummei survived significantly worse than the parents. When D. virilis was the mother, larger proportion of hybrids failed to emerge from pupal case, but overall survival rate of reciprocals was about the same. Viability of different heterospecific combinations of sex chromosomes and autosomes was studied in backcrosses. All the sex chromosomes survived well on the background of all-heterozygous autosomes. Hemizygous X was reciprocally subvital with homozygous alien autosomes. The reduced viability was male sex limited. The X-linked factor causing this effect was localized in the area of the large, phylogenetically ancient double inversion In(1)a+b. All four large autosomes were heterotic in backcross hybrids, more strongly in females. Five out of six possible first degree interactions between the autosomes were negative, indicating incompatibility between heterospecific autosomes. This effect was stronger in females. The genetic basis for hybrid subvitality is sex-specific.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The incidence and management of the slit ventricle syndrome.

The incidence of slit ventricles of shunt treated hydrocephalic children was evaluated in a follow up study of 141 patients. Slit like ventricles on computer tomography was seen in 75 patients (53%). 52 patients (37%) suffered from clinical symptoms corresponding with overdrainage of cerebrospinal fluid. Those 52 patients with the "Slit Ventricle Syndrome" (SLVS) were treated by changing the valve to one with a higher opening pressure and/or adding an antisiphon device (ASD) to the shunt. 22 patients, initially treated by changing the opening pressure of the valve, needed the ASD later. Altogether 74 episodes of the SLVS were treated. The ASD proved reliable for the management of the SLVS. Normalization of ventricular size occurred in 54% of patients. whereas only in 15% treated without the ASD. Reduction of paroxysmal activity on EEG was seen in 70% of patients treated with the ASD, whereas only in 23% of patients treated without the ASD. Clinical relief of symptoms occurred in every patient, and ventricular catheter obstructions could be avoided, even if the ventricular size remained slit-like on CT.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

The value of lymphography in childhood solid tumours.

The lymphographic films of 40 children with solid tumours were re-evaluated to assess the value of lymphography. In 11 children the lymphographic findings were positive. In only one child with carcinoma of the small bowel the metastatic changes in a normal-sized lymph node were probably not demonstrable on ultrasound (US) or computed tomography (CT). In the most common childhood tumours the metastatic lymph nodes were enlarged and thus demonstrable on US or CT. Therefore we suggest that US or CT should be performed first, followed by lymphography in doubtful cases only.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Self-rated health and associated factors among men of different ages.

The connections of certain clinico-physiological indicators of health state, chronic diseases, felt symptoms, and psychic well-being with self-rated health were studied among men of different ages as a part of the more extensive research project Jyväskylä Studies on Functional Aging. Study population was selected by using systematic random sampling among men aged 31 to 35, 51 to 55 and 71 to 75 years in the city of Jyväskylä. Log-linear and logit models as well as regression and structural equation models within the framework of LISREL were used as methods of analysis. The associations between general self-rated health and the explanative variables were different in different age groups: In the youngest age group self-rated health was best explained by symptoms and index of physical fitness; among the middle-aged by symptoms and psychic well-being; and among the oldest by chronic diseases. The results suggest that self-rated health belongs to the important indicators of health, and more attention should be paid to it both in research and in medical practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Correlates of vibrotactile thresholds in men of different ages.

As a part of a larger gerontological research project vibrotactile thresholds on the inner malleolus of the ankle were studied in 355 men aged 31-35, 51-55 and 71-75 years. The groups studied were random samples of men living in the town of Jyväskylä in Finland in the year 1981. The thresholds were assessed at three frequencies: 50 Hz, 100 Hz and 250 Hz. The thresholds were associated with age at all frequencies, the means of the threshold values being significantly higher in the older age groups. Within the age groups the thresholds correlated positively with height. In addition, reaction and movement time, leg extension velocity, and postural sway were associated with the thresholds. Neither general health status nor occupational or educational background, or living habits had significant influence on the thresholds within the age groups. The results suggest that the elevation of vibrotactile thresholds is an inherent manifestation of aging in the nervous system. In addition to age, the height of the respondents is among the factors that should be taken into account when interindividual comparisons are made, if the measurement is on distal parts of the body.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Reaction and movement times in men of different ages: a population study.

Tests of psychomotor and motor speed at different levels of complexity were studied in random samples of men aged 31 to 35, 51 to 55, and 71 to 75 yr. The study was performed as a part of a larger research project on health and functional aging. Analyses indicated significantly slower responses among older men at all levels of test complexity (maximal knee extension velocity, tapping rate, simple and choice reaction and movement times). There were marked differences both between the youngest and the middle-aged groups and between the middle-aged and the oldest groups. Within the age groups high psychomotor and motor speed were associated with a favourable functioning of certain senses (vibration sensitivity and postural balance), with a high isometric muscular force, and with a high directly assessed aerobic capacity. The most important covariants of the speed functions within the age groups were, however, cognitive performance, length of education, and perceived health.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Pure-tone thresholds, speech understanding, and their correlates in samples of men of different ages.

Pure-tone thresholds and speech understanding were studied in three samples of men of different ages (31-35, 51-55 and 71-75 years). The air-conducted pure-tone thresholds were measured at 125-8,000 Hz and speech understanding by the help of interrupted and masked speech tests. The audiological measures were related to measures of other sensory functions, psychomotor speed, cognitive functions, psychic well-being, occupational and educational background and health. The results indicated a clear decrement in all audiological measures when proceeding from younger to older age groups. The results of the speech-understanding tests correlated significantly with the pure-tone thresholds both at 4,000 Hz and at the mean of three frequencies (500, 1,000, 2,000 Hz) in the speech area. The audiological measures were not associated with other sensory functions or psychic well-being but showed significant correlations with psychomotor speed and cognitive functions. The most important predictors of the auditory functions within the age groups were occupational status, noise exposure at work, cognitive capacity, education, and number of disease symptoms, which, in addition, correlated with each other.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Classification and management of the slit ventricle syndrome.

A total of 32 patients with overdrainage of CSF, fulfilling the radiological and clinical criteria for collapsed ventricles ("slit ventricles"), were classified into acute, subacute and chronic forms. The basis of classification into these categories was neurologic symptomatology. The majority (29 patients) originally had a ventriculoatrial shunt and 3 had ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Operative correction was performed in 23 patients (insertion of a high pressure valve in 18 and an antisiphon device in 5). Of these, 5 had acute, 10 subacute, and 6 chronic symptoms. Two patients without symptoms were operated on also. During the follow-up period, which varied from 2 to 11 months, no patient has shown recurrence of the original symptoms of the slit ventricle syndrome; two patients developed subacute signs and an antisiphon device was inserted in addition to the high-resistance valve. On the basis of this series, it is concluded that the slit ventricle syndrome can also develop in patients with an atrioventricular shunt and can be treated by preventing further overdrainage of CSF. Though the results are acceptable by present methods, the need for a servo-regulated shunt persists. The surgical correction should preferably be performed before the acute phase. A flowchart is presented for management of a child with suspected slit ventricles.

Acute Disease↗