ACUTE ETHANOL INTOXICATION DOES NOT INFLUENCE GONADOTROPIN SECRETION IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Acute effects of ethanol ingestion (1.0 g per kg body weight)on the serum levels of LH, FSH and prolactin were studied in10 postmenopausal women. Ethanol was administered during thefirst 3 hr of the experiment and the hormone concentrationswere monitored for 10 hr. Each subject served as her own controlin an identical experiment without ethanol. Blood alcohol concentrationreached its maximum 1.18 ± 0.02 g/l (mean ± S.E.M.)3hr after the start of the drinking. No changes were found inthe levels of LH and FSH during the experimental period. Theincrease of 80% in the mean concentration of prolactin at 4hrafter the start of drinking was not statistically significant.On the basis of these and previous results we conclude thatalcohol has no acute effects on the secretion of gonadotropinsin women.     

Determinants of teenage smoking, with special reference to non-standard family background

The prevalence of teenage smoking in a cohort of 12 058 subjects born in northern Finland in 1966 is discussed in terms of its social and family determinants, especially in “non-standard” families (with one or more of the parents absent for at least pan of the child's upbringing). The prevalence of experimental or daily smoking was 67.4%, the rate being 65.5% in the standard, two-parent families and 75.5% in the non-standard families, the difference being statistically significant (p<0.001). The corresponding prevalence of daily smoking was 6.4%, but the rate was 5.1% in standard families and 12.1% in non-standard families (p<0.001). An elevated risk of smoking existed among adolescents who had experienced death of their father or divorce of their parents and among girls who had experienced death of their mother. Maternal smoking during pregnancy and maternal age under 20 years at the time of delivery increased the risk, while being the first-born child reduced it. Among family factors existing in 1980, paternal smoking increased the risk for both sexes, while more than three siblings, mother's unemployment or gainful employment (i.e. not a housewife) were associated with smoking by the boys as was urban living, and for the girls migration by the family to a town. The results suggest that juvenile smoking may be a kind of indicator of possible problems experienced by the parents and/or the adolescents themselves with respect to parenthood and family development.     

Comparison of the Levels of Cardiovascular Risk Factors between Eastern and South-western Finland in 1982

ABSTRACT. Altogether 6523 persons aged 25–64 years were studied in eastern and south-western Finland to determine their cardiovascular risk factor levels. Among men, smoking was more prevalent in the south-western area (41 vs. 37%), serum cholesterol levels were higher in the eastern area (6.2 vs. 6.0 mmol/l) and blood pressure levels were the same in both areas (145/86 in the east vs. 14/86 in the south-west). Among women, smoking was also more common in the south-western area (24 vs. 16%) and serum cholesterol levels were higher in the eastern area (6.1 vs. 6.0 mmol/l) as well as blood pressure levels (142/84 vs. 138/81 mmHg). Among both genders, prevalence of hypertension and proportion of persons on antihypertensive drug therapy was higher in eastern Finland. The comparison of these findings with the results from previous studies carried out among men in these two areas indicates that the risk factor levels have been decreasing in both areas and that the previously observed differences in risk factor levels between eastern and south-western Finland (the levels used to be higher in the east) have levelled off. The favourable development in eastern Finland may be a result of the North Karelia Project.     

Copper in human subgingival calculus

Abstract – The Cu concentration as well as the Ca, Mg, Fe, Pb, Zn, and F concentrations were determined in subgingival calculus and the relation of Cu to Zn, Ca, Mg and Fe described. Samples of human subgingival calculus of 60 pieces from 60 subjects were ashed in an acid solution and the cation concentrations were determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The F content was analyzed with an ion-selective electrode. The data was analyzed using the multiple linear regression analysis. The mean ±SD of the Cu concentration in the subgingival calculus was 48.4 ±59.0 μg/g. Four elements, Zn, Ca, Fe and Mg, explained 41.1% of the Cu content. Zn explained 25.5% and the correlation was positive, whereas Ca (10.4%) had a negative correlation with the Cu content. The results showed such a high Cu content that it could affect the mineralization of calculus.     

Zn concentration of human subgingival calculus related to F, Mg and Cu contents

Abstract – F and Zn content of human subgingival calculus was studied with respect to its Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe and Pb contents. The material consisted of 60 subgingival calculus samples from 60 persons. The element concentrations were determined with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer except for the F content, which was measured with an ion-selective electrode. The data were analyzed using the multiple linear regression analysis. 24% of F content was explained by Zn and none of the other elements were significantly related to F content. Altogether 55.4% of Zn content was accounted for-in all variables. The selected variables after the removal of nonsignificant ones explained 54.8%. The most important variable was F (24.0%) and the explanation power of Cu was 18.3% and of Mg 12.5%. The regression coefficients of these variables were positive. The mean ±s.d. concentration of Fin the samples was 221.2±174.1 μ/g and of Zn 498.6±499.1 μ/g, respectively.     

Adult asthma after non-respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in infancy: Subgroup analysis of the 20-year prospective follow-up study

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have stressed the influence of other viruses than respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the development of asthma in later childhood after bronchiolitis in infancy. However, the virus-specific prognosis until adulthood has remained obscure, due to lack of sufficiently long follow-up studies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate adult respiratory morbidity after bronchiolitis in infancy, focused on cases not caused by RSV. METHODS: A total of 54 children hospitalized for bronchiolitis at age <2 years were re-studied at median age 19 years; 22 with RSV bronchiolitis and 22 with non-RSV bronchiolitis outside RSV epidemic were included. RSV etiology was studied by antigen and antibody assays on admission. Adult asthma was defined by two ways, based on written questionnaire, clinical examination and home peak expiratory flow monitoring. Lung function was evaluated by flow-volume spirometry (FVS), bronchial reactivity by methacholine inhalation challenge (MIC), and atopy by skin prick tests (SPT). RESULTS: In the non-RSV group, asthma by two definitions was present in 41-50% (vs 18-27% in RSV group). In logistic regression, adjusted for gender, age on admission, current atopy and smoking, non-RSV etiology of bronchiolitis, compared with RSV etiology, increased asthma risk by both strict (odds ratio [OR], 8.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-58.69) and less strict (OR, 7.93; 95% CI, 1.14-55.41) criteria. An abnormal result in FVS was present in 32-41% and in MIC in 48-52% of cases in non-RSV and RSV groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Infants with non-RSV bronchiolitis requiring treatment in hospital are at an increased risk for subsequent asthma in adulthood.     

Toxicokinetics of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in Two Substrains of Male Long-Evans Rats after Intravenous Injection

Toxicokinetics of a nontoxic intravenous dose of ¹⁴C-labeledTCDD were studied in two substrains of Long-Evans (L-E) ratswith a fivefold difference in sensitivity in terms of TCDD-inducedmortality. The Turku/AB Long-Evans rat (T L-E) is the most sensitiverat strain with an oral LD50 of 17.7 µg/kg, whereas theCharles River Long-Evans rat (CR L-E) is a more resistant strain(oral LD50 95.2 µg/kg). Samples of 18 tissues were collected1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 days after dosing and analyzed for radioactivity.Body weight and fecal and urinary excretion of radioactivitywere monitored daily during the 32-day study period. CR L-Erats grew significantly faster than T L-E rats, increasing theirbody weight by 60% in 32 days compared with only 16% in T L-Erats. This difference was not caused by toxicity, because theweight gain was identical in control and TCDD-treated rats ofboth substrains. Tissue concentrations of [¹⁴C]TCDD-associatedradioactivity and area under the curve (AUC) values were lowerin CR L-E than in T L-E rats. The most pronounced differenceswere found in thymus, white adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue,and adrenals. The decrease of TCDD concentration in tissueswas faster in CR L-E than in T L-E rats, whereas fecal and urinaryexcretion was faster in T L-E than in C L-E rats. Eliminationhalf-life was 20.0 days in T L-E rats and 28.9 days in CR L-Erats. Differential toxicokinetics of TCDD in the two L-E substrainsprovide a likely explanation for the greater sensitivity ofthe T L-E strain, since observed differences in tissue concentrationsand AUC values are in good agreement with the difference insusceptibility. In addition to the more efficient tissue uptakeof TCDD in T L-E rats than in CR L-E rats, the major contributingfactor to differences in toxicokinetics seems to be a differentialgrowth rate (dilution by growth), which in turn appears to providean explanation for the difference in susceptibility. More rapidexcretion of TCDD in T L-E rats than in CR L-E rats is clearlya result of higher tissue concentrations in T L-E rats. However,this faster excretion rate is not sufficient to counterbalancethe much slower dilution by growth in T L-E rats than in CRL-E rats. Thus, dilution by growth can be a more important factorin determining the toxicokinetics and toxicity of TCDD in rodentsthan is excretion.