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Biomedical subjects

J Laitinen

Publications and source records attributed to J Laitinen.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Failure of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and indomethacin to reduce opiate requirement following cholecystectomy.

This randomized study examined the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and indomethacin on postoperative opiate requirement in 60 patients after cholecystectomy. An open intravenous bolus of 25 mg of indomethacin followed by an infusion of 5 mg in 1 h, alone or combined with either low or high frequency TENS, was administered during the study period of 16 h. An intravenous bolus of either 5 mg of oxycodone or 0.15 mg of buprenorphine was administered double blindly for postoperative pain relief. The number of doses of buprenorphine given (3, 9) differed (P = 0.01) from the number of doses of oxycodone given (5, 4). Neither indomethacin nor TENS reduced the postoperative opiate requirement.

Buprenorphine↗
PubMed1991

Effect of diet therapy on maximum aerobic power in obese, hyperglycaemic men with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

To find out the effect of correction of hyperglycaemia on maximum aerobic power and anaerobic threshold, we studied 40 middle-aged obese men with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes before and after 3 months diet therapy. Respiratory gas exchange was measured during maximal incremental bicycle exercise test with breath-by-breath technique at rest, at anaerobic threshold and at peak exercise. As a whole group, the diabetic men reached higher work load after therapy (+9 +/- 3 W (mean +/- SEM), p less than 0.01). A weak inverse linear correlation was found between the changes in fasting blood glucose and in maximum oxygen uptake (r = -0.29, p less than 0.05). When the patients were divided into two groups according to the median values in the change in fasting blood glucose, only those men with more than 1 mmol l-1 decrease in fasting blood glucose improved maximum oxygen uptake (+124 +/- 55 ml min-1 or +6%, p less than 0.05). Oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold did not change significantly. These results suggest that the correction of hyperglycaemia by diet therapy may improve maximal aerobic power in obese men with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Once-daily theophylline in the treatment of nocturnal asthma.

The efficacy and side-effects of individually adjusted doses of controlled-release theophylline given once daily in the evening (average dose 650 mg) were compared with those of standard treatment with controlled-release terbutaline 7.5 mg b.d. Thirty-six asthmatics with regular morning obstruction ("morning dipping") were studied over two treatment periods each of two weeks, according to a crossover, randomized, double blind design. Morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) was slightly but significantly higher with theophylline (363 l.min-1) than terbutaline (342 l.min-1). Feelings of dyspnoea on waking in the morning were also less pronounced with theophylline. There were no other differences between the treatment periods during the day or night, with respect to dyspnoea or any the other symptoms. Side-effects were mild and were reported with similar frequencies during both treatments. It is concluded than an individually adjusted dose of once-daily theophylline administered in the evening is at least as effective as conventional therapy with controlled-release terbutaline in preventing nocturnal and early morning asthma, when both drugs are added to regular medication with inhaled sympathomimetics and steroids.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

c-Ha-rasVal 12 oncogene-transformed NIH-3T3 fibroblasts display more decondensed nucleosomal organization than normal fibroblasts.

We have compared the nucleosomal organization of c-Ha-rasVal 12 oncogene-transformed NIH-3T3 fibroblasts with that of normal fibroblasts by using micrococcal nuclease (MNase) as a probe for the chromatin structure. The bulk chromatin from asynchronously and exponentially growing ras-transformed cells was much more sensitive to MNase digestion than chromatin from the normal cells. Southern hybridization analyses of the MNase digests with probes specific for the ornithine decarboxylase (odc) and c-myc genes showed that the coding and/or 3' end regions of these growth-inducible genes carry a nucleosomal organization both in ras-transformed and normal cells. Studies with cells synchronized by serum starvation showed that in both cell lines the nucleosomal organization of chromatin is relatively condensed at the quiescent state, becomes highly decondensed during the late G1 phase of the cell cycle, and starts again to condense during the S phase. However, in ras-transformed cells the decondensation state stayed much longer than in normal cells. Moreover, irrespective of the phase of the cell cycle the bulk chromatin as well as that of the odc and c-myc genes was more sensitive to MNase digestion in the ras-transformed cell than in the normal fibroblast. Decondensation of the chromatin was also observed in the normal c-Ha-ras protooncogene-transfected cells, but to a lesser extent than in the mutant ras-transformed cells. Whether the increased degree of chromatin decondensation plays a regulatory role in the increased expression of many growth-related genes in the ras-transformed cells remains an interesting object of further study.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Extracellular adhesive molecules in neurite growth.

This review deals with two topics: (1) the effects of fibronectin and laminin on neurite growth and the molecular mechanisms of these effects, and (2) isolation and properties of the adhesive molecule p30. This novel molecule is an abundant heparin-binding protein in perinatal rat brain, and is suggested to have a role in neuronal growth.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Psychosocial effects of continuous oxygen therapy in hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Twenty six hypoxaemic patients with severe and stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were treated with continuous domiciliary oxygen for a six month period. The patients were evaluated 1, 3 and 6 months after the start of oxygen therapy. In addition to blood gas analysis, 15 coping skills were evaluated by the patient and by the nurse, who also rated the general activity of the patients. Depression was measured by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at the start of the trial and after six months' oxygen therapy. The general psychosocial response was meagre; no significant changes were observed in any psychosocial measures. The response was slightly better in younger and less hypoxaemic patients. We conclude that the psychosocial response to oxygen therapy in severely hypoxaemic COPD patients is limited.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

99mTc-leukocyte scintigraphy in prosthetic vascular graft infections.

The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of scintigraphy with 99mTc-HMPAO-labelled leukocytes for the detection of prosthetic vascular graft infection. 51 scans were recorded in 19 patients with suspected vascular graft infection and 8 control patients. Three-phase scanning was used at 0.5, 3-6 and 18-24 h. 13 vascular graft infections (10 early, 3 late) were found. 12 of these healed with antibiotics and only one patient with late infection had to be reoperated. None of them died during the follow-up period. The sensitivity was 100% and the specificity 96%. 99mTc-leukocyte scintigraphy seems a useful tool to detect vascular graft infection and to differentiate it from infections elsewhere. The results suggest that the incidence of vascular graft infection may be greater, and the mortality rate lower, than supposed before.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Plain radiography and tomography of the internal auditory canal for the diagnosis of acoustic neuroma.

In the series of 50 acoustic neurinomas (AN) the internal auditory canal (IAC) diameter and the diameter difference between the tumor and non-tumor side are compared with the sizes of the AN. No correlation is found. About 50% of the AN cases had normal ipsilateral IAC in plain and tomographic radiographies. A pathological IAC finding strongly favours AN, but the border between a normal and pathological finding is not an exact one. A normal plain and tomographic radiography does not exclude AN and further investigations cannot be avoided. Our conclusion is that plain radiograms and tomograms have no place in the modern diagnosis of AN.

Ear, Inner↗
PubMed1987

Binding of laminin to brain gangliosides and inhibition of laminin-neuron interaction by the gangliosides.

Binding of laminin to glycolipids of neuronal membranes was studied with a thin-layer chromatography overlay assay. The major brain ganglioside GD1A was the main binding component, when chromatograms containing the same molar amount of the different brain gangliosides and the brain sulfatide were incubated with laminin at physiological ionic strength. The possible role of laminin binding to brain gangliosides in laminin-neuron interactions was studied with adhesion assays. It was found that binding of rat brain neurons to laminin is blocked by 10-40 microM brain gangliosides but not by sulfatide. The inhibition by the gangliosides is suggested to be due to competition with the cell surface interaction sites of laminin and not to binding of the gangliosides to the cells. Our findings support the idea that the adhesive and neurite-promoting effect of laminin is dependent on its interaction with gangliosides at the neuronal cell surfaces.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Localisation of a CSF fistula by metrizamide CT cisternography.

Localisation of a cerebrospinal fluid fistula in the nasal region is difficult. Lack of a suitable roentgen contrast medium for intrathecal use has earlier restricted the utility of cisternography. Metrizamide cisternography and CT have recently proved to be well tolerated and effective in revealing CSF fistulae. A case report of operatively treated CSF rhinorrhea recurring after three years is presented. With the help of CT metrizamide cisternography, the fistula could finally be localised in the sphenoidal sinus. The re-operation confirmed this finding. The technique of cisternography is described.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Computed tomography after lumbar myelography in lower back and extremity pain syndromes.

A series of 214 patients with lower back and extremity pain syndromes underwent computed tomography (CT) after lumbar myelography. CT was in full agreement with the myelographic finding in 81%. In 12% CT gave more information but did not change the therapy. In 7% CT changed the diagnoses and was of significant benefit. Myelography was considered an appropriate primary method for evaluating lower back and extremity pain syndromes if the level of suspected lesion could not be predicted. CT is suitable not only as a method for checking unclear or confusing myelographic findings but also as a primary mode in selected cases.

Back Pain↗
PubMed1982

Intracranial calcifications in cerebro-oculo-facio-skeletal (COFS) syndrome.

Two brothers with typical clinical findings of the COFS-syndrome are described. In the cranial CT performed on the younger patient at the age of 2 years and 6 months, foci of intracranial calcification located symmetrically in the region of the lenticular nucleus and hemispheric white matter were noted. This finding is clearly distinguishable from the other known patterns of intracranial calcification and could be pathognomonic of the COFS-syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1981

Surgery on pituitary adenomas in patients in a subarctic region.

The present series consists of 18 consecutive patients with pituitary adenomas operated on between 1977 and 1979 using the transfrontal route. Ten adenomas were 10, 20 or 30 times the normal maximum size of the pituitary measured according to Di Chiro and Nelson's (2) index (Table 2). Tumours without obvious suprasellar growth were operated on using the trans-sphenoidal route and thus are not included in the present series. Large and giant pituitary adenomas are preferably removed by the transfrontal route and using microsurgical techniques. Really poor vision associated with very large tumours seem to improve but not to normal level. A blind eye stays blind. Less poor vision returns to normal (Table 4). Prolactin values associated with giant prolactinomas are extremely high and may remain raised even after apparently radical extirpation. Isolated tumour-containing sellar crypts associated with these large tumours may be responsible for this observation. Postoperative radiotherapy and bromocriptine administration therefore seem advisable. Further operations may be necessary on patients with extensive posterior or lateral growths. Redundant partially intraosseous tumour fragments may be more easily removed later, possibly owing to the beneficial effects of radiation therapy. It is hoped that large and giant adenomas in the future will pass into history, even in the peripheral parts of the world. The trans-sphenoidal approach is always a better solution than the transfrontal approach whenever it can be carried out, but it requires earlier diagnosis.

Adenoma↗