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PubMed2000

Ultrasound determined carotid and femoral atherosclerosis in Lithuanian and Swedish men: the LiVicordia study.

Coronary heart disease mortality is four times higher in Lithuanian compared to Swedish middle-aged men. Using the same equipment (Acuson XP10 with 5 MHz linear transducer) and staff, we compared the amount of atherosclerosis in carotid and femoral arteries in 100 randomly sampled 50-year-old men in each of the cities Vilnius, Lithuania and Linköping, Sweden. Atherosclerotic plaques were more abundant in Vilnius men compared to Linköping men (53 versus 28% in the common carotid artery, 73 versus 37% in the common femoral artery, P < 0.001 for both). Plaques were thicker and more extended in arteries of Vilnius men, and an ultrasound atherosclerosis score was higher in both carotid and femoral arteries (P < 0.001 for all). More Vilnius men had a maximal intima-media thickness of the common femoral artery above 1 mm (P<0.005). Stiffness in the common carotid artery was higher in Vilnius men (P<0.001). In a linear regression model of the pooled material, after adjustment for city was made, smoking, systolic blood pressure, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and beta-carotene (inversely) significantly contributed to a high total ultrasound score (r2 = 0.32). These findings show that the higher coronary mortality noted in Lithuanian men goes together with a higher prevalence of early peripheral atherosclerosis.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMed2003

Ecotoxicological study of Lithuanian and Estonian wastewaters: selection of the biotests, and correspondence between toxicity and chemical-based indices.

The toxicity of industrial and urban wastewater (WW) samples collected in Lithuania and Estonia was evaluated by using a suite of biological tests comprising the Algaltoxkit F with Selenastrum capricornutum, the Charatox with Nitellopsis obtusa, Daphtoxkit F with Daphnia magna, Thamnotoxkit F with Thamnocephalus platyurus, Protoxkit F with Tetrahymena thermophila and the Microtox with Vibrio fischeri. The Charatox and Thamnotoxkit F tests showed highest relative sensitivity, responding to 80-90% of samples, respectively, and both expressed good discrimination capacity between samples. Principal Component and pairwise correlation analysis allowed to select test-battery consisting of Charatox, Thamnotoxkit and Microtox. The WW toxicity was evaluated by means of cumulative indices such as average toxicity (AvTx) and two indices derived from the PEEP-index (Environ. Toxicol. Water Qual. 8 (1993) 115). In addition to these integrated evaluations of test-battery response, WW toxicity was evaluated according to the most sensitive test (MST) in the battery. The linear regression analysis between cumulative toxicity indices and chemical-based indices (derived from comparison of WW chemical concentrations and their respective maximum allowable concentration) revealed positive linear relationships (r(2)=0.7-0.8), while toxicity evaluation based on the MST was less positively related with chemical analysis data (r(2)=0.5-0.6). Although better coincidence between the toxicity and chemical-based assessments was achieved when information from all tests in the battery was assembled, the prediction of toxicity from chemical data was still limited. In search of suitable test-battery for the screening of certain type of WWs, a preliminary study comprising excessive suite of tests might be useful.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Prevalence of hospital-acquired infection in a Lithuanian hospital.

A prevalence survey in the biggest Lithuanian hospital was undertaken as part of the hospital infection control programme in Lithuania, in collaboration with Statens Seruminstitut, Denmark, to introduce modern methods and technologies in infection control. It aimed to test the methodology of prevalence studies identifying features of community- and hospital-acquired infections, use of clinical microbiology and antibiotics. It was found that 27.3% of all patients had an infection at the time of the survey. The prevalence rate of community-acquired infection (CAI) was 20.5% and of hospital-acquired infection (HAI), 9.2%. Almost one third of all HAI were acquired in other hospitals but still active at the time of the survey. HAIs were more prevalent in children (14.9%) than in adult patients (7.7%). The prevalence of HAI varied from 1.0% in neurological departments to 61.5% in the burns unit. Respiratory tract infections were the most common accounting up to 49.1% of all HAI and 28.3% of CAI. At the time of survey 26.0% of patients were receiving antibiotic treatment although more than one third of these were recorded as having no infection. Microbiological investigations were performed in 41.1% cases of HAI. In this hospital, the survey data indicated an array of preventive priorities which will be exploited during the current hospital infection control programme. A national prevalence study is planned using the experience gained.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Socioeconomic factors, material inequalities, and perceived control in self-rated health: cross-sectional data from seven post-communist countries.

This study examined the association between perceived control and several socioeconomic variables and self-rated health in seven post-communist countries (Russia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic). Questionnaire interviews were used to collect data on self-rated health in the last 12 months, education, marital status, perceived control based on nine questions, and material deprivation based on availability of food, clothing and heating. For each population, two ecological measures of material inequalities were available: an inequality score estimated from the survey data as the distance between the 90th and 10th percentiles of material deprivation, and Gini coefficient from published sources. Data on 5330 men and women aged 20-60 were analysed. Prevalence of poor health (worse than average) varied between 8% in Czechs and 19% in Hungarians. The age-sex-adjusted odds ratio for university vs primary education was 0.36 (0.26-0.49); odds ratios per 1 standard deviation increase in perceived control and in material deprivation were 0.58 (95% CI 0.48-0.69) and 1.51 (1.40-1.63), respectively. The odds ratio for an increase in inequality equivalent to the difference between the most and the least unequal populations was 1.49 (0.88-2.52) using the material inequality score and 1.41 (0.91-2.20) using the Gini coefficient. No indication of an effect of either inequality measure was seen after adjustment for individuals' deprivation or perceived control. The results suggest that, as in western populations, education and material deprivation are strongly related to self-rated health. Perceived control appeared statistically to mediate some of the effects of material deprivation. The non-significant effects of both ecological measures of inequality were eliminated by controlling for individuals' characteristics.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Lower serum levels of beta-carotene in Lithuanian men are accompanied by higher urinary excretion of the oxidative DNA adduct, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine. The LiVicordia study.

OBJECTIVE: In 1995, middle-aged Lithuanian men had a four-fold higher risk than Swedish men of dying from coronary heart disease. The cross-sectional LiVicordia study had reported significantly lower levels of the lipid-soluble antioxidants lycopene, beta-carotene, and gamma-tocopherol among Lithuanian men than among Swedish men. We examined whether there were differences in urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8OHdG), a marker of oxidative stress, between these groups of men. METHODS: Using automated coupled column high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, we examined 50-y-old men randomly sampled from Linköping, Sweden (n = 99) and Vilnius, Lithuania (n = 109) with regard to urinary concentrations of 8-OHdG. RESULTS: Levels of 8-OHdG were higher in the Lithuanian men than in the Swedish men (20.9 +/- 0.91 versus 14.9 +/- 0.75 nM/L, P < 0.001), and this difference was evident in smokers (P < 0.01) and non-smokers (P < 0.001). Serum levels of alpha- and beta-carotene were inversely correlated to urinary 8-OHdG levels (P < 0.05 in both cases). Habitual smoking and low levels of beta-carotene contributed significantly to higher oxidative DNA damage expressed as urinary 8-OHdG. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that increased urinary 8-OHdG levels accompany lower serum levels of antioxidants in Lithuanian men. They supported previous suggestions that increased oxidative stress may be one factor behind the higher mortality in Lithuanian men.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗
PubMed1997

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Russia and neighbouring countries: high incidence of mixed isolates.

A total of 365 isolates of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from 12 major administrative territories of Russia (from St. Petersburg in the west to South Sakhalin in the east) and from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Byelorussia, Moldavia, Ukraine and Kirghizia were identified by analysis of restriction polymorphism of ribosomal rrf-rrl spacer amplicons. The isolates were obtained mainly from ixodes persulcatus and I. ricinus ticks. Other sources included small mammals, human patients and I. trianguliceps ticks. The results showed that B. garinii (two variants) together with B. afzelii circulated throughout the territories studied. The distribution of the variant NT29 of the species B. garinii, the most frequently isolated, was associated with that of I. persulcatus ticks. B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, and the species B. valaisiana and B. lusitaniae (formerly the genomospecies VS116 and PotiB2, respectively) were isolated only from I. ricinus ticks in the western part of the studied territories. None of these three species were found in 327 isolates from Russia where I. persulcatus is the most frequently distributed vector. This work also provides evidence for a high incidence of mixed Borrelia infections within vectors and hosts (9.3% of isolates were mixtures of Borrelia species). A detailed analysis of Borrelia species distribution over the territories studied is presented.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Seasonal variation in the frequency of abnormal anaphases and mitotic index values in wild populations of herb-Paris (Paris quadrifolia L., Trilliaceae): implications for genetic monitoring.

The main aim of our study was to investigate seasonal variation in the frequency of abnormal anaphases and mitotic index values in wild populations of herb-Paris (Paris quadrifolia L., Trilliaceae). Plant material was collected in the year 2000 in Norway and in the year 2001 in Lithuania. There was statistically significant variation in the mitotic index values (chi(2)=1087.9, d.f.=16, P<0.0001) with the highest values during the active growth period in May and the lowest values at the end of vegetation period in September. Seasonal variation in the frequency of abnormal anaphases was statistically significant as well (chi(2)=28.23, d.f.=16, P=0.0297). The most frequent type of anaphase abnormality was vagrant chromosomes (64.2%) followed by bridges (28.6%), fragments (3.6%), sticky chromosomes (2.4%) and multipolar anaphases (1.2%). During the fieldwork, quite deep late frosts occurred. Mitotic index was lower in the plants collected immediately after the frosts or 1 week later than in the plants sampled before the frosts (52+/-13 and 123+/-15, respectively, P=0.0014). On the contrary, frequency of abnormal anaphases was statistically significantly elevated (P=0.0082) in plants after the frosts (6.35+/-1.54%) when compared to plants before the frosts (2.49+/-0.56%). Our results clearly indicated significant variation in the mitotic index values and frequency of abnormal anaphases in the wild populations of herb-Paris during the growth season. This variation may be related to the physiological conditions of the analysed plants as well as to certain ecological factors.

Anaphase↗
PubMed2004

Ecology and molecular characterization of dark septate fungi from roots, living stems, coarse and fine woody debris.

The aim of the present work was to determine the identity and molecular relationships between 127 strains of dark septate (DS) fungi isolated from healthy root tips, decayed coarse roots, live healthy-looking stems, coarse (stumps, snags and logs) and fine (tree branches and tops) woody debris in temperate-boreal forests in Sweden and Lithuania. Sequence analysis of ITS rDNA was used to identify the fungi. In a neighbour-joining similarity tree, all sequences were grouped into five distinct clusters. Within each of these, ITS rDNA sequence variation consisted of 2-18 nucleotides, corresponding to 1-3% of their total length. The four least variable clusters were supported with high bootstrap values of 86-100%. Comparisons with the sequences in the GenBank database showed that all our strains had a 95-100% homology with identified Phialocephala species, and they were thus assigned to this genus. The representatives of two clusters were identified, as P. fortinii and P. dimorphospora. The representatives of three remaining clusters were defined as Phialocephala sp. 35, Phialocephala sp. 6 and Phialocephala sp. 18. Within each of these clusters, ITS rDNA sequence uniformity was higher than that observed within P. fortinii and P. dimorphospora. Consequently, their clusters were most discrete, supported with bootstrap values of 100%. Genetic variation in the five distinguished Phialocephala species and their possible ecological roles are discussed. Phialocephala sp. 6 was confined to healthy root tips of conifers. P. dimorphospora was only associated with dead woody tissue of P. abies. P. fortinii, Phialocephala sp. 18 and sp. 35 were isolated from both dead and living conifers and Betula pendula. In conclusion, the present study revealed the ability of fungi from the genus Phialocephala to colonise and persist in live and dead trees under strikingly different ecological conditions.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Tree-ring analysis for the assessment of anthropogenic changes and trends.

Investigation of Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) annual radial increment (width of annual tree rings) was carried out in the surroundings of one of the largest pollution sources in Lithuania - Jonava Nitrogen Fertilizers Plant. The main objective of investigation was to analyse different sides of anthropogenic transformations of tree-ring series in the polluted environment: changes in tree growth intensity: variance changes in tree-ring series: changes in the relations with natural external factors. Three different periods of tree reaction to the environmental pollution were singled out - fertilization period, depression period and recovery period since annual emissions were essentially reduced. The variance of tree-ring series has increased several times in the polluted environment. Reaction of trees to the impact of climatic factors (temperature, precipitation) has changed significantly in the polluted environment and their sensitivity has also increased.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2005

Correlation of different biochemical parameters in blood sera of healthy and sick cows.

Metabolic diseases of cows represent the leading internal pathology in Lithuania in terms of incidence and economic impact. This paper summarizes the mineral metabolic state of milk cows, and details the influence of feeding on serum levels of calcium, nonorganic phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, glucose, total protein, and urea quantity, and correlationd among them, in healthy dry or post-calving cows as well as in cows with osteomalacia and milk fever after calving. There was less pronounced hypocalcaemia and there were only minor changes in phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and sodium in the serum of healthy dry and post-calving cows that had silage and mineral-vitamin supplements, compared to cows that did not have supplements and silage. There was a fall in calcium and phosphorus (to 1.89 +/- 0.12 mmol/L and 0.71 +/- 0.06 mmol/L, respectively) in the blood of cows sick with milk fever after calving, while levels of magnesium and potassium were increased. The correlation between calcium and phosphorus was r = 0.6993, p < 0.001 in the serum of sick cows. There was a fall in calcium, phosphorus and magnesium (to 1.86 +/- 0.46 mmol/L, 0.75 +/- 0.37 mmol/L, and 0.60 +/- 0.19 mmol/L, respectively) and an increase in sodium level (to 158.90 +/- 19.30 mmol/L) in the blood of cows with osteomalacia in comparison with healthy cows.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed2005

Suicide-homicide temporal interrelationship, links with other fatalities, and environmental physical activity.

UNLABELLED: Homicide and suicide are extremes in human behavior. The aim of this study is to investigate the connection by time between suicide and homicide, between them and other fatalities, and their links with the level of cosmophysical activity. METHODS: Using the national database of Lithuania (1990-2002) we found that 547,875 deaths, 4,638 homicides (3,374 male) and 19,527 (16,019 male) suicides were registered in that period. Their temporal distribution over 156 months was compared with solar and cosmic-ray activity. Pearson correlation coefficients and their probabilities were established. RESULTS: There was a correlation between monthly rates of homicide and male groups. Female suicide rates correlated with male and total homicide numbers. Both homicide and suicide rates were inversely correlated with solar and cosmic-ray activity. Suicide numbers, but not homicides, were inversely related to geomagnetic activity. Suicide rates were inversely correlated with total, cardiovascular, traffic accident, and sudden deaths; homicide with total, traffic accident, and sudden deaths. CONCLUSION: Temporal distribution of homicide and suicide is significantly interrelated. Both are linked to parameters of cosmophysical activity. The influence of cosmic rays deserves special attention.

Cosmic Radiation↗
PubMed2002

Psychosocial stress, lifestyle and periodontal health.

BACKGROUND, AIMS: The hypothesis that psychosocial stress and lifestyle are related to periodontal status was tested. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed in 1997-98 in 10 areas in Lithuania (response rate 53%). Information comprised recordings of oral hygiene, calculated levels of remaining periodontal support and information about psychosocial and lifestyle factors. A hypothetical structure was tested in 2 age and gender subgroups by means of a structural equation model both for an overall fit and for the fit of individual parameters within the model. RESULTS: The hypothesised structure presented high confirmatory fit index values (CFI) in all subgroup models, i.e., CFI >0.94. However the probability value of 0.01 found in the older males model presented an unlikely event. When individual parameters within the models were tested, different misspecifications were found. Therefore the hypothesised structure needed to be revised and tested repeatedly. All revised models presented high CFI and probability values (p>0.35). The testing of individual parameters did not reveal any significantly misspecified parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The path between lifestyle and levels of remaining periodontal support was empirically supported in the present study. Although the pathway between psychosocial stress and remaining periodontal support was not empirically supported, there is reason to believe that such link is likely.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2001

Caries preventive effect of sugar-substituted chewing gum.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this 3-year community intervention trial was to determine the caries preventive effect of sugar-substituted chewing gum among Lithuanian school children, and to assess compliance with the instructions for gum use. METHODS: A total of 602 children, aged 9-14 years, from 28 school classes in five secondary schools in Kaunas, Lithuania, were given a baseline clinical and radiographic caries examination. The schools were randomly allocated to receive one of the following interventions: sorbitol/carbamide gum; sorbitol gum; xylitol gum; control gum; and no gum. Children in the four active intervention groups were asked to chew at least five pieces of gum per day, preferably after meals. The children were reexamined clinically after 1, 2 and 3 years, and radiographically after 3 years. Self-reported compliance was monitored anonymously four times during the study. RESULTS: A total of 432 children were available at the 3-year clinical follow-up examination. The crude mean 3-year caries increments (DMFS--all stages of lesion formation) were 11.8 for the sorbitol/carbamide gum group; 9.0 for the sorbitol gum group; 8.1 for the xylitol gum group; 8.3 for the control gum group; and 12.4 for the no gum group. The adjusted 3-year caries increments were statistically significantly lower in the sorbitol gum group, the xylitol gum group and the control gum group than in the no gum group, whereas no statistically significant difference was seen between the no gum group and the sorbitol/carbamide gum group. Adjusted 3-year caries increments in the xylitol gum group and the sorbitol gum group did not differ statistically significantly from the caries increments in the control gum group. Compliance with the study protocol was better in School C (xylitol gum) than in the other schools. In all schools, compliance decreased over time. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the caries preventive effect of chewing sugar-free gum is related to the chewing process itself rather than being an effect of gum sweeteners or additives, such as polyols and carbamide.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mucolipidosis type IV: the origin of the disease in the Ashkenazi Jewish population.

Mucolipidosis type IV (MLIV) is a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease in which most of the patients diagnosed hitherto are Ashkenazi Jews. The basic metabolic defect causing this disease is still unknown and the relevant gene has not yet been mapped or cloned. Seventeen Israel Ashkenazi families with MLIV patients had been interviewed to study their family origin. Although the families immigrated to Israel from various European countries they all could trace their roots three to four generations back to northern Poland or the immediate neighbouring country, Lithuania. Furthermore, there are only one or two ultraorthodox families among the 70-80 Ashkenazi families with MLIV patients worldwide, a marked under-representation of this group which constitutes at least 10% of the Ashkenazi population. This data indicate that MLIV mutation occurred only around the 18th and 19th centuries, after the major expansion of this population, in a founder in this defined European region belonging to a more modern, secular family.

Emigration and Immigration↗
PubMed2001

Lithuanian haemophilia A and B registry comprising phenotypic and genotypic data.

Haemophilia represents the most common hereditary severe bleeding disorder in humans. About 100 families with this condition live in Lithuania, one of the Baltic states with a population of 3.7 million. Haemophilia care and genetic counselling are still rendered difficult owing to limited availability of clotting factor concentrate and molecular genetic diagnosis. In the present study, a haemophilia registry, comprising phenotypic and genotypic data of the majority of Lithuanian haemophilia A and B patients, was established. The phenotype includes the degree of severity, factor VIII:C, factor VIII:Ag, factor IX:C, von Willebrand factor and antigen (VWF:RiCoF, vWF:Ag) and inhibitor status. Genotyping of the factor VIII and IX genes was performed using mutation screening methods and direct sequencing. In 61 out of 63 patients with haemophilia A (96.8%) and all eight patients with haemophilia B (100%), the causative mutations could be detected. Nineteen of the factor VIII gene defects and two of the factor IX gene mutations are reported for the first time. Identified mutations allowed direct carrier diagnosis in 83 female relatives revealing 44 carriers, 38 non-carriers and one somatic mosaicism. The information provided by this registry will be helpful for monitoring the treatment of Lithuanian haemophilia patients and also for reliable genetic counselling of the affected families in the future.

Factor IX↗
PubMed1998

The Malmö-Klaipeda WFH twinning programme: a comparative description of the haemophilia cohorts.

In 1994, the Malmö-Klaipeda twinning programme was approved by the World Federation of Hemophilia. One of the first steps in the collaboration has been to set up a registry of the haemophilia patients in the Klaipeda area. In order to collect important clinical data the patients have been examined jointly by experts on haemophilia from the two centres. Seventeen out of 25 patients with severe haemophilia known at the Klaipeda centre were examined and compared to a matched cohort of patients from the Malmö centre. The main differences between the cohorts were that home treatment was not available to the Klaipeda patients, they received less treatment in general, had higher joint scores and more frequent bleeds. The pattern of transmission of blood-borne virus was very similar, with a high prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies. We conclude that the twinning programme between Malmö and Klaipeda has resulted in several achievements, including training of staff and a necessary inventory of the patients. This should not only form a suitable platform for the future development of haemophilia care in Lithuania, but could also serve as an example for liaisons between other haemophilia centres.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Using an interpreter in qualitative interviews: does it threaten validity?

There is an extensive literature on the problem of translating scales for use across cultures, but very little is published on the problems of conducting qualitative interviews in another language with assistance of an interpreter. The aim of this paper is to describe and discuss threats to validity that arise when conducting qualitative interviews using an interpreter. Ten female student nurses in two cities in Lithuania were interviewed about how they perceived their educational program. All interviews were conducted in English with an interpreter. When using an interpreter to conduct interviews, potential threats to validity arise at various points in the interview process. A threat arises when the researcher, whose first language is Swedish, addresses a question in English to the interpreter, another during the translation by the interpreter from English to Lithuanian, and again when the interpreter translates the interviewee's Lithuanian responses to English. In the last situation, the researcher may not know whether the interpreter has summarized and/or modified the responses. To mitigate these problems, the interpreter should not only have the required linguistic abilities, but also be trained in the research field. The researcher has to be aware of these threats to validity and make efforts to meet and limit their effects.

Female↗