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.     

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.     

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.     

Oral health promotion among Finnish adolescents between 1977 and 1989

In Finland a national, comprehensive preventive oriented oralhealth programme was implemented in 1972. Oral health habitsand services as well as their development were followed in theJuvenile Health Habit Study programme between 1977 and 1989.Postal questionnaires were sent to 12–18 year old Finnsevery second year from 1977. The response rates of the nationallyrepresentative samples were 79–88%. The most recent questionnairewas answered by 3220 adolescents (80%). Use of oral health services increased continuously from 1977to 1985. In 1985 there was a slight decrease in the use among16 and 18 year olds. Sex and socioeconomic differences in theuse of these services disappeared in 1985. In 1989 half of theadolescents had received instruction about oral hygiene butonly 20% about use of sugar during their last dental visit. Oral hygiene habits (toothbrushing and use of dental floss)improved slowly but continuously during the whole period Dailyuse of dental floss was still rare and one-third of the Finnishboys did not brush their teeth daily in 1989. The most common sugar-containing products used daily were hotsweet drinks (sugar-sweetened coffee, tea and hot chocolate).Use of sugar-sweetened coffee and cakes decreased but that ofsweets, soft drinks, sugar-sweetened tea and hot chocolate remainedunchanged. Use of sweetened yogurt increased slightly. The positive trend in the use of oral health services and oralhealth behaviour can be explained by the national oral healthpromotion programme. Extensive toothbrush and toothpaste advertisementsand changes in teenagers' life-style associated with urbanizationof the society may also have contributed to the improvements.     

MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-2 (72 kD TYPE IV COLLAGENASE) EXPRESSION OCCURS IN THE EARLY STAGE OF HUMAN MELANOCYTIC TUMOUR PROGRESSION AND MAY HAVE PROGNOSTIC VALUE

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), a member of the matrix metalloproteinase family, participates in degradation of the pericellular and extracellular matrix during neoplastic growth and metastasis. Experimental data have substantiated its role in melanoma invasion, but there is no information at present concerning its expression in histological specimens from human melanocytic tumours. This study describes the occurrence and immunolocalization of MMP-2 in human melanocytic lesions, defining distinct steps in melanoma progression. Paraffin-embedded sections from 118 melanocytic lesions were immunostained using a specific antibody to 72 kD type IV collagenase. The material included 34 common naevocellular naevi, 14 dysplastic naevi, 21 in situ melanomas, 20 primary malignant melanomas, and 29 melanoma metastases. Intracytoplasmic MMP-2 immunoreactive protein was found in the ‘naevocytic nests’ of common naevi, in junctional naevus cells, and in melanoma cells. The surrounding normal skin stained negatively, except for occasional macrophages, sweat glands, and hair follicles. The number of MMP-2-positive cells increased with decreasing architectural organization and increasing atypia in the melanocytic lesions. The MMP-2 positivity in the primary and subcutaneous melanoma lesions correlated with later haematogenous metastasis. The data suggest that MMP-2 expression is an early event in melanocytic tumour progression, but is nevertheless prognostic for haematogenous metastasis in melanoma.     

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.