Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Hiltunen

Publications and source records attributed to K Hiltunen.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Cloning and characterization of a novel human lysyl hydroxylase isoform highly expressed in pancreas and muscle.

We report the isolation and characterization of cDNA clones for a novel isoform of lysyl hydroxylase (lysyl hydroxylase 2), a posttranslational enzyme of collagen biosynthesis. The open reading frame predicted a protein of 737 amino acids, including an amino-terminal signal peptide. The amino acid sequence has overall similarity of over 75% to the lysyl hydroxylase (lysyl hydroxylase 1) characterized earlier. This similarity is even higher in the carboxyl-terminal end of the molecules. Lysyl hydroxylase 2 contains nine cysteine residues, which are conserved in lysyl hydroxylase 1. Furthermore, the conserved histidines and aspartate residues required for lysyl hydroxylase activity are present in the sequence. Northern analysis identified a transcript of 4.2 kilobases, which was highly expressed in pancreas and muscle tissues. Expression of cDNA in insect cells using a baculovirus vector yielded proteins with lysyl hydroxylase activity and an antiserum against a synthetic peptide of the deduced amino acid sequence recognized proteins with molecular weights of 88 and 97 kDa in homogenates of the transfected cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Occlusal imbalance and temporomandibular disorders in the elderly.

The prevalence of the anamnestic symptoms and clinical signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in 76-, 81-, and 86-year-old subjects was studied, on the basis of Helkimo's anamnestic (Ai) and clinical (Di) dysfunction indexes. Occlusal status was recorded by means of the Eichner index: class A has a maximum of four supporting zones (minimum of one tooth contact between the antagonist jaws in the premolar and molar region on each side), class B has one to three supporting zones or tooth contact in the frontal area only, and class C has no supporting zones. The Eichner index was recorded with two kinds of variations: supporting zones with and without removable prostheses. In the population studied 8% were classified as Eichner class A, 22% as class B, and 70% as class C. Including occlusal supporting zones of the removable dentures, the percentages were 75% in Eichner class A, 21% in class B and 4% in class C. When the groups with and without removable prostheses were compared, no differences were found in the Ai or Di. In conclusion, among the elderly population the severity of TMD does not depend on the supporting zones of the dentition alone, and removable prostheses do not relieve the problem.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Radiographic condylar findings and occlusal imbalance in old people.

The radiographic condylar findings of 293 old people (76, 81 and 86 years old) were investigated using panoramic radiography. One hundred and twenty four subjects were clinically edentulous, and 169 had at least one natural tooth left. Condylar findings were observed in 16% of the edentulous subjects, and in 25% of the dentate subjects. Over 95% of the findings were radiographic signs often associated with osteoarthrosis. Condylar findings were more common in edentulous women (18%) than in edentulous men (9%) (P < 0.05). Imbalanced occlusion was assessed using the Eichner index. This index describes the existing occlusal support zones, dividing the dentition into three main classes. When natural dentition and fixed constructions were included 70% of the population had no occlusal contacts. With removable dentures included, class A (contacts in four support zones) represented 74% and class C (no occlusal contacts) 4% of the subjects. Three per cent of the men and 0.5% of the women had no occlusal contacts even then. Imbalanced occlusion showed no association with condylar findings; neither were there any significant differences in the condylar findings between the sexes in the dentate subjects, between the age groups, or between the dentate and edentulous groups.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1995

Prevalence of signs of temporomandibular disorders among elderly inhabitants of Helsinki, Finland.

The prevalence of clinical signs of temporomandibular disorders in 76-, 81-, and 86-year-old subjects living in Helsinki, Finland, were studied, using Helkimo's clinical dysfunction index. In percentage distribution, clinically symptom-free subjects (Di 0) constituted 20% of all those examined, and by percentage the largest group of subjects without signs was that of the oldest men (47%). Women had a higher prevalence of signs of temporomandibular disorders, and only 15% were clinically symptom-free. Four per cent of all those examined had severe symptoms. The commonest signs were impaired range of movement of the mandible and impaired function of the temporomandibular joint.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Prevalence of symptoms of craniomandibular disorders in a population of elderly inhabitants in Helsinki, Finland.

The prevalence of symptoms of craniomandibular disorders (CMD) was studied by using a questionnaire in a random sample of 76-, 81-, and 86-year-old subjects living in Helsinki, Finland. Symptoms were reported with lower prevalence with increasing age. Of the total group of 364, 34% reported awareness of one or more symptoms of CMD, but only 2% found their symptoms extremely severe. Thirty per cent reported pains in the head and neck region, and 4% had headache daily.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Creatine phosphokinase in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, and microscopic findings in brain and heart in hypothermic rabbits.

Signs of hypothermia injury were studied in rabbits cooled to a core temperature of 30 degrees C by immersion in ice water and thereafter rewarmed to 35 degrees C. Anaesthetized control rabbits were kept normothermic (37 degrees C) for a corresponding time (4 h). Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activity increased 24 h after hypothermia to 20-fold in serum. In cerebrospinal fluid the activity was already significantly (5-fold) increased after hypothermia and was still as high at 24 h. Smaller increase was also found in the control normothermic rabbits both in serum (10-fold) and cerebrospinal fluid (2-fold). The values had returned to the initial level after 1 week. Small haemorrhages were observed in the brain at 24 h and slight scarring was seen in the myocardium of some rabbits which had lived 4 weeks following hypothermia. The results indicate that CPK can be a useful marker in the diagnostics of hypothermia death, especially in cerebrospinal fluid, which is less affected than blood by autolysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Ethanol-induced changes in gastric mucosal content of cyclic AMP and ATP in the rat.

The stomach of urethane-anaesthetised rats was perfused with 10% (v/v) ethanol. At 40 min, the secretion of acid was strongly inhibited and the contents of cyclic AMP and ATP were lowered in the superficial mucosa, but not in whole gastric mucosa. After discontinuation of the ethanol perfusion, the rate of gastric acid output as well as the cyclic AMP and ATP levels recovered. Most of the acid-secreting parietal cells were found in the superficial mucosa where the changes of cyclic AMP and ATP took place. The results suggest that lowering of the mucosal contents of cyclic AMP and ATP may be involved in the ethanol-induced inhibition of the gastric acid output.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1975

Respiratory control in isolated perfused rat heart. Role of the equilibrium relations between the mitochondrial electron carriers and the adenylate system.

The effects of KCl-induced cardiac arrest on the redox state of the fluorescent flavoproteins and nicotinamide nucleotides and on that of cytochromes c and a were studied by surface fluorometric and reflectance spectrophotometric methods. These changes were compared with measurements of the concentrations of the adenylate system, creatine phosphate, some intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and reactants of the glutamate dehydrogenase system. KCl-induced cardiac arrest caused reduction of the fluorescent flavoproteins and nicotinamide nucleotides, oxidation of cytochromes c and a, inhibition of oxygen consumption and an increase in the ATP/(ADP X Pi) ratio. The increase in the latter was due mainly to a decrease in the concentration of Pi and an equivalent increase in creatine phosphate. The cytochromes c and a were maintained at equal redox potential and changed in parallel. When the redox state of the mitochondrial NAD couple was calculated from the glutamate dehydrogenase equilibrium, the free energy change (deltaG) corresponding to the potential difference between the NAD couple and cytochrome c was 115.8 kj/mol in the beating heart and 122.2 kj/mol in the arrested heart. The deltaG values of ATP hydrolysis calculated from the concentrations of ATP, Pi and ADP, corrected for bound ADP, were 111.1 kj/2 mol and 115.4 kj/2 mol in the beating and arrested heart respectively. The accumulation of citrate and the direction of the redox changes in the respiratory carriers indicate that the tricarboxylic acid cycle flux is controlled by the respiratory chain. The data also show a near equilibrium between the electron carriers and the adenylate system and suggest that the equilibrium hypothesis of mitochondrial respiratory control is applicable to intact myocardial tissue.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

HEDIS: implementation issues.

Historically, employers have asked health plans to measure performance in terms of quality, utilization, satisfaction, and cost. As organizations collected these data, employers realized that rarely were all the data comparable. Several employers, such as Xerox Corporation, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Bull HN Information Systems, Inc., agreed to work together to create reporting criteria that would standardize measurement. This collaboration resulted in the Health Plan Employer Data Information Set (HEDIS) criteria. This article reviews some of the implementation issues and decisions that a plan must resolve to gather accurate HEDIS data.

Data Collection↗