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Biomedical subjects

H Helenius

Publications and source records attributed to H Helenius.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Reactions of the mandible to experimentally induced asymmetrical growth of the maxilla in the rat.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the interrelation in growth and morphogenesis between the maxilla and the mandible. Asymmetrical growth was induced in the maxilla of 10-day-old LE/T rats by means of unilateral artificial synostosis of the frontonasal and frontopremaxillary sutures. Untreated rats were used as controls. Biometric and microscopic observations were made at the ages of 30, 50, and 100 days. The arrest of sutural growth was followed by reduced sagittal growth of the maxilla, significantly more so on the treated side. Its anterior part became bent towards the treated side and rotated around the sagittal axis. In response to the primary alteration in maxillary shape, the mandible adapted by developing a secondary asymmetry in that it was shorter on the treated side than on the contralateral side throughout the experiment and shorter on the untreated side than in the untreated controls at 30 days. When the distances were adjusted for body weight, the mandibular length on the untreated side appeared to be virtually unaffected by the experimental procedure or even exceeded the control value at 50 days. The mandibular ramus was higher on the treated side than on the contralateral side at 30 days, and became bilaterally higher than in the untreated controls with increasing age. The results imply that the growth in length of the mandible follows that of the maxilla to some extent and are indicative of a restraining effect of the shortened maxilla on mandibular growth. The existence of a mechanism responsible for keeping the height of the ramus the same on both sides is suggested.

Aging↗
PubMed1995

Fathers' smoking and use of alcohol--the viewpoint of maternity health care clinics and well-baby clinics.

The study population consists of the fathers of the families which took part in the project 'The Finnish Family Competence Study', conducted by the Department of Public Health, University of Turku. The initial phase of the study included 1279 men. At the onset of the study project their families were expecting their first baby. When examining the fathers' use of alcohol, it was found that those with the highest level of basic education and those in professional occupations had the highest frequency of alcohol use, but they only consumed small amounts of alcohol at a time. In contrast, industrial employees and those with a lower level of education used alcohol less frequently, but they used larger amounts at a time. Thirty-two per cent of the respondents reduced their drinking after the onset of the wife's pregnancy. Of the respondents 43.7% were smokers, 8.4% of whom stopped smoking after the onset of the wife's pregnancy. Smoking cessation by the father was statistically significantly explained by the fact that the wife had not smoked before pregnancy or that she had stopped smoking after the onset of pregnancy, in which case the father did the same. When the fathers were divided into two categories according to their alcohol use, i.e. lighter and heavier users, it was found that the latter group had a more negative attitude towards their children. Similarly, smoking fathers were found to have a more negative attitude towards their children that the non-smoking ones.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Masseter muscle activity in diagnosed sleep bruxists compared with non-symptomatic controls.

All-night polysomnographic recordings were made of clinically diagnosed sleep bruxists (n = 23) and non-symptomatic controls (n = 6). The total duration of masseter contraction (MC) episodes during sleep was 11.6 minutes per night in bruxists and 6.6 in controls (P < 0.01). The mean frequency of MC episodes was 11.0 per hour of sleep in bruxists and 6.4 in controls (P < 0.05). The mean relative amplitude of MC episodes reflecting clenching strength was 0.81 in bruxists and 0.56 in controls (P < 0.01). The percentage distribution of mixed and phasic MC episodes was 94% among bruxists and 88% in controls. The remaining activity was classified as tonic in both groups. The subclassification of rhythmic jaw movements (RJM), defined as three or more separate rhythmic contractions during MC episode were also evaluated. The frequency of those MC episodes with RJM was 3.6 per hour of sleep in bruxists and 1.1 in controls (P < 0.001). The difference in the relative amplitude between the two study groups suggests that the amount of clenching force is the primary factor responsible for the harmful effects of sleep bruxism on the masticatory apparatus. The most significant difference was seen in those phasic and mixed MC episodes which also included the subclassification of rhythmic jaw movement. The result suggests that relative amplitude and rhythmicity of MC episodes can be used as a basis to confirm the diagnosis and to evaluate the treatment effects of suspected sleep bruxists.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Pleurodesis with doxycycline or Corynebacterium parvum in malignant pleural effusion.

Pleurodesis with doxycycline (100 mg and 600 mg) and Corynebacterium parvum (1 mg and 7 mg) were compared in 41 patients with malignant effusion. To evaluate the mechanisms, pleural fluid pH, leukocytes, granulocytes, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum IL-6, as well as C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured before and on 2 consecutive days after treatment. Corynebacterium parvum produced a greater acute-phase response measured with fever, serum CRP and IL-6 than doxycycline. However, no change in pleural fluid IL-6 was demonstrated. Among the 35 assessed patients, 26 had objective response, similar in all four treatment groups. Side-effects were more common with Corynebacterium parvum. Based on this preliminary study we conclude that doxycycline, even in low doses, is a highly effective and well tolerated agent for palliative treatment of malignant pleural effusion. As the responses were similar despite different inflammatory reactions, the two agents probably induce pleural obliteration through different mechanisms.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed1995

Infantile colic: child and family three years later.

OBJECTIVE: To assess differences in family functioning or child-rearing attitudes within families with previously colicky infants and to assess whether the children differed in their behavior, development, or frequency of allergies. STUDY DESIGN: A controlled, prospective study with infants (3 months to 3 years of age) and their families. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred thirty-eight infants with and 866 infants without exhibited colic and their families. METHODS: Questionnaires to mothers and nurses regarding infantile colic (3 months of age); questionnaires to mothers, fathers, and nurses regarding interactions within the family, parents' satisfaction with daily life, child caring, child behavior, and development (3 years old); the Denver Developmental Screening Test (parents filled out at home during the whole 3 years of infant development); the Achenbach Behavior Checklist for 2- to 3-year-old children (the 3-year visit at a well baby clinic). RESULTS: The families of previously colicky infants demonstrated more dissatisfaction with the arrangements of daily family responsibilities and with the amount of both leisure time and shared activities. The children in the colic group had more sleeping problems and more frequent temper tantrums (at 3 years of age) than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The families with colicky infants had more distress 3 years later. Families with colicky infants should be provided practical support in improving daily family functioning and child rearing. In addition, underlying problems in family relationships should be managed appropriately.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Postoperative hematomas after successful lumbar microdiscectomy or percutaneous nucleotomy: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

We evaluated the incidence of postoperative extradural hematomas by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique in 44 patients who underwent successful surgery for a virgin lumbar disc herniation. Of these patients, 28 were treated with microdiscectomy and 16 with percutaneous nucleotomy. Postoperative hematoma proved to be a universal MRI finding in the microsurgically treated patients: hematomas were found in all patients in the microdiscectomy group. In 12 (43%) patients the hematoma extended into the dural sack. The incidence of hematomas was significantly (p = 0.001) lower in the patients treated with percutaneous nucleotomy: hematomas were detected in only 10 (63%) of the 16 patients in the nucleotomy group. The hematomas in these patients were also smaller in size and none of them connected with the dural sac. Correlation between the hematomas and clinical findings showed that the presence of a hematoma had no obvious effect on the immediate postoperative recovery of a patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Suicide clustering in a psychiatric hospital with a history of a suicide epidemic: a quantitative study.

To determine if the suicides in a Finnish psychiatric hospital with a history of a suicide epidemic were clustered and if the sex distribution of the suicides followed a random pattern, the authors conducted statistical analyses of the temporal distribution and sex distribution of 59 consecutive inpatient suicides over the years 1967-1992 in the hospital. They found no statistically significant temporal clustering and that the sex distribution of the suicides was random. They conclude that inpatient suicide epidemics seem to be rare and separate events, related more to temporary micro-social factors and to the psychopathology of individual patients than to permanent characteristics of a particular hospital.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Children's poor toothbrushing behavior and mothers' assessment of dental health education at well-baby clinics.

The purpose of the study was to investigate which factors in the child's environment are associated with poor toothbrushing behavior in 3-year-old children. Mothers' attitudes towards dental education at well-baby clinics and the relation of this attitude to children's toothbrushing frequency were also studied. The population sample was obtained by means of stratified cluster sampling of all primigravid women in the study area. The data were collected from the women by structured questionnaires and patient cards from dental well-baby clinics. The present study led to the following conclusions: a) new approaches are needed to make rural populations appreciate the benefits of oral hygiene; b) young mothers need support in their personal and in their children's dental health care; c) each family expecting their first child needs a basic amount of counseling. Health-conscious parents must be supported in the maintenance of their health habits; and d) the provider of the basic counseling has no significant role in the formation of health habits.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1993

Psychosocial predisposing factors for infantile colic.

OBJECTIVE: To study associations between characteristics of families during the first pregnancy and after childbirth and the development of infantile colic. DESIGN: Randomised, stratified cluster sampling. Follow up from the first visit to a maternity health care clinic during pregnancy to three months after birth with confidential semistructured questionnaires. SETTING: Maternity health care clinics in primary health care centres in Finland. SUBJECTS: 1443 nulliparous women and 1407 partners. Altogether 1333 women and 1279 men returned the questionnaires. When the infants were 3 months old 1208 women and 1115 men returned questionnaires. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Marital relationship; personal and social behaviour of parents during the pregnancy and their coping with the pregnancy; mothers' physical health and events, symptoms, and experiences in relation to pregnancy; self confidence and experiences of mothers and fathers in relation to childbirth; and parents' sociodemographic and educational variables. Measure of colic when the infant was 3 months old. RESULTS: Experience of stress and physical symptoms during the pregnancy, dissatisfaction with the sexual relationship, and negative experiences during childbirth were associated with the development of colic in the baby. None of the sociodemographic factors was associated with colic. CONCLUSIONS: Early preventive health work during pregnancy should attempt to improve parents' tolerance of symptoms of stress and ability to cope and increase their confidence in parenting abilities.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

Prevalence of frequent headache in young Finnish adults starting a family.

A questionnaire study on pre-pregnancy headache and its predictors was carried out in a representative sample of young adults expecting their first baby. The study was part of a major project on the competence of Finnish families. It included 1322 women and 1257 men, either married or cohabiting (in total, 1262 families), followed from their first contact with a maternity health care unit. A questionnaire was given separately to the women and men inquiring about their health and health behaviour, as well as about sociodemographic and psychosocial factors. The prevalence of frequent headache (at least one episode per month) was 34.3% in women, 19.3% in men and 47.1% in families. On multivariate analysis, after age-adjustment, the independent predictors of headache occurrence in women were depression, menstrual pain, responsibilities at work and psychosocial stress. The predictors in men were nervousness, psychosocial stress, lack of or irregular physical exercise and long-term disease, depression, responsibilities at work and insomnia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Social competence of people with epilepsy: a new methodological approach.

A new multivariate method, a stepwise cumulative regression analysis, which allows a polychotomous outcome variable was used to analyse a representative population sample of children with epilepsy as adults, after a follow-up of 30 years from onset of seizures. On follow-up, 63% of subjects had been in terminal remission for > or = 3 years and 48% were both seizure-free and off medication. More than a half (58%) felt completely independent in daily activities and almost as many (57%) were successfully employed. Good communication ability, good intelligence and seizure freedom were significant predictors of a good social competence.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1993

The Finnish Family Competence Study: the relationship between caries, dental health habits and general health in 3-year-old Finnish children.

The aim of this study was to examine how dental health related habits, infectious diseases and long-term illness are associated with dental health at the age of 3 in first-born children resident in a Finnish province. The study was designed as a survey using stratified randomised cluster sampling, confidential questionnaires and clinical dental examinations. The results were analysed using polytomous logistic models. In the stepwise analysis the only statistically significant explanatory factors were the use of juice at night and dental cleanliness. Antibiotic treatment or long-term illness was not significantly associated with dental health.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1992

Infections and serum IgG levels in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

To review our policy of prophylactic treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (i.v.IG) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), we analyzed the infection history, serum IgG levels (S-IgG) and disease stage of 146 patients who were treated and followed at our institution in 1980-1989. S-IgG was available for 98 patients: 55% were hypogammaglobulinemic and 56% had had at least one severe infection. There were significant associations between S-IgG and the occurrence of infections (p less than 0.01) and disease stage (p less than 0.02). There was also a significant association between disease stage and occurrence of infections (p less than 0.001). Severe infections tended to accumulate in patients with subnormal S-IgG and advanced disease stage. Totally, 292 infections were recorded, and the incidence of moderate to severe infections was 0.47 per patient year. Infection mortality was high: 42 patients died of a severe infection (46% of all causes of death). Patients with a low S-IgG and advanced disease stage are the most susceptible to death from infection and would be most likely to benefit most from i.v.IG prophylaxis; however, the cost of this therapy is so high that strict individual consideration still remains crucial for treatment decisions.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Urinary mercury concentrations in Finnish dentists.

During the past few years the safety of amalgam as a dental filling material has been the subject of general public discussion. So far there has been no agreement of whether micromercurialism, a term for the symptoms caused by minute amounts of mercury released from dental fillings, exists or not. Dentists may take mercury into their bodies from amalgam in their dental fillings and from handling it while working. We therefore included determination of urinary mercury concentrations in a comprehensive medical examination programme involving 136 dentists from South-Western Finland. We investigated factors possibly related to observed levels of mercury. The factor most closely related to high urinary mercury levels was use of amalgam by the dentist. Dentists who did not use amalgam had urinary mercury concentrations similar to those in Finns not occupationally exposed to mercury. Their "normal" excretion of mercury into the urine reflected the numbers of their dental fillings made from amalgam. The urinary concentrations of mercury of the dentists who used amalgam in their work were statistically highly significantly elevated. None of the values observed was close to the upper level for safety set by the WHO. However, since only one dentist in eight who used amalgam in their work had urinary mercury levels similar to those in Finns non-exposed to mercury at work, our findings suggest that every dentist should constantly take due care when using amalgam.

Adult↗