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Background: Flexor tendon injuries cause significant morbidity in working-age population. The epidemiology of these injuries in adult population is not well known. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of flexor tendon injuries in a Northern Finnish population.Material and Methods: Data on flexor tendon injuries, from 2004 to 2010, were retrieved from patient records from four hospitals, which offer surgical repair of the flexor tendon injuries in a well-defined area in Northern Finland. The incidence of flexor tendon injury as well as the gender-specific incidence rates was calculated. Mechanism of injury, concomitant nerve injuries, and re-operations were also recorded.Results: The incidence rate of flexor tendon injury was 7.0/100,000 person-years. The incidence was higher in men and inversely related to age. The most common finger to be affected was the fifth digit. In 37% of injuries also digital nerve was affected. The most common finger to have simultaneous digital nerve injury was the thumb.Conclusion: Flexor tendon laceration is a relatively rare injury. It predominantly affects working-aged young males and frequently includes a nerve injury, which requires microsurgical skills from the surgeon performing the repair. This study describes epidemiology of flexor tendon injuries and therefore helps planning the surgical and rehabilitation services needed to address this entity.

Interventions: In 2007, the Finnish National Board of Education (FNBE) and the National Public Health Institute (KTL) recommended to schools that they quit regular selling of candies and soft drinks. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine how and why such selling changed from 2007 to 2008 after the national recommendation. Methods: Surveys were conducted using online questionnaires to all upper comprehensive schools in Finland. In 2007, 480 (49%) and in 2008, 507 (51%) schools answered the questionnaire; 319 (32%) schools participated in both studies. Schools were asked whether they sold candies, soft drinks or other sweet products and, if they had changed the selling of these products, why. The changes in selling were analyzed by using McNemar's test. Results: Of the responding schools, 56% (n=267) and 46% (n=233) sold sweet products in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Of the schools responding both years, 56% reported selling sweet products in 2007 and 50% in 2008. Selling had decreased by 11% among the schools that took part in both studies. The main reasons stated for quitting selling these products were concern about pupils' health (40%) and the recommendation of the FNBE and KTL (38%). Conclusions: The national recommendation was followed by some decrease in sale of sweet products. For further progress, new actions, both policy measures and broader public involvement, may be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interventions: In 2007, the Finnish National Board of Education (FNBE) and the National Public Health Institute (KTL) recommended to schools that they quit regular selling of candies and soft drinks. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine how and why such selling changed from 2007 to 2008 after the national recommendation. Methods: Surveys were conducted using online questionnaires to all upper comprehensive schools in Finland. In 2007, 480 (49%) and in 2008, 507 (51%) schools answered the questionnaire; 319 (32%) schools participated in both studies. Schools were asked whether they sold candies, soft drinks or other sweet products and, if they had changed the selling of these products, why. The changes in selling were analyzed by using McNemar's test. Results: Of the responding schools, 56% (n=267) and 46% (n=233) sold sweet products in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Of the schools responding both years, 56% reported selling sweet products in 2007 and 50% in 2008. Selling had decreased by 11% among the schools that took part in both studies. The main reasons stated for quitting selling these products were concern about pupils' health (40%) and the recommendation of the FNBE and KTL (38%). Conclusions: The national recommendation was followed by some decrease in sale of sweet products. For further progress, new actions, both policy measures and broader public involvement, may be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortices can form when finite quantal systems are set rotating. In the limit of small particle numbers, the vortex formation in a harmonically trapped fermionsystem, with repulsively interacting particles, shows similarities to the corresponding bosonsystem, with vortices entering the rotating cloud for increasing rotation. For a larger number of fermions, N15, the fermion vortices compete and co-exist with (Chamon-Wen) edge-reconstructed ground states, forcing some ground states, as for example the central single vortex, into the spectrum of excited states. Experimentally, the fermion system could, for instance, be electrons in a semiconductor heterostructure, a quantum dot, and the corresponding boson system, a Bose-Einstein condensate in a magneto optical trap.

Abstract:: Recently it was demonstrated that the rotational and vibrational spectra of quantum rings containing few electrons can be described quantitatively by an effective spin-Hamiltonian combined with rigid center-of-mass rotation and internal vibrations of localized electrons. We use this model Hamiltonian to study the quantum rings at finite temperatures and in presence of a nonzero magnetic field. Total spin, angular momentum and pair correlation show similar phase diagram which can be understood with help of the rotational spectrum of the ring.

Abstract:: Ground state geometries of small hard sphere clusters were studied using two different type of contact interaction, a pair-potential and a many-atom interaction. Monte Carlo method in an FCC lattice with all possible (111) stacking faults was used to obtain the minimum energy geometries for clusters up to 59 atoms. Due to the surface energy, FCC packing is generally favoured as opposite to the HCP structure. However, in most cluster sizes the ground state obtained with the many-atom interaction has one or more stacking faults. The most symmetric geometry is usually not the ground state. Clusters with 59 and 100 atoms were studied due the possibility of a high symmetry cluster with stacking faults in all four directions. The size dependence of the total energy has similarities with that of the average moment of inertia.

Abstract:: Exact many-body methods as well as current-spin-density functional theory are used to study the magnetism and electron localization in two-dimensional quantum dots and quasi-one-dimensional quantum rings. Predictions of broken-symmetry solutions within the density functional model are confirmed by exact configuration interaction (CI) calculations: In a quantum ring the electrons localize to form an antiferromagnetic chain which can be described with a simple model Hamiltonian. In a quantum dot the magnetic field localizes the electrons as predicted with the density functional approach.

Abstract:: Structural and electronic properties of small magnesium clusters (N≤13) are studied using a first-principles simulation method in conjunction with the density functional theory and generalized gradient correction approximation for the exchange-correlation energy functional. It is observed that the onset of metallization of magnesium clusters is hard to assign since both the s-p hybridization and the energy gap between the valence and conduction bands do not evolve rapidly towards the known bulk properties. Instead these quantities show a slow and nonmonotonic evolution.

The ionization potential of sodium clusters (8 ≤ N≤ 55) at a finite temperature is studied using density functional theory and ab initiomolecular dynamics. The threshold regions of the photoionization efficiency curves are deduced from the integrated IP distributions, which are obtained from the energy eigenvalues of the highest occupied Kohn-Sham states during molecular dynamics by applying a theoretically well-defined shift. The calculated ionization potentials are directly compared to the experimental values. The energetically best geometry of Na55 is found to be a slightly distorted icosahedron.

Abstract:: We study the magnetic coupling in artificial molecules composed of two and four laterally coupled quantum dots. The electronic ground-state configurations of such systems are determined by applying current spin density functional theory which allows to include effects of magnetic fields. While the ground-state of a two-dot molecule with strong enough inter-dot coupling tends to be antiferromagnetic with respect to the spins of the single dot components, we find that a square lattice of four dots has a ferromagnetic ground state.

The spherical solid model of Almbladh and von Barth is applied to muon screening in simple and noble metals. The spherical average of the host pseudoion potential around the impurity is incorporated in the density functional calculations, which have been carried out self-consistently for both paramagnetic and spin-polarized Al, Na and Cu. It is found essential to use the spin-polarized form to evaluate the Knight shift at low metallic densities. Results are obtained for the muon hyperfine field, electric field gradient, heat of solution and diffusion barrier at different lattice locations.

This study was carried out to test absorbable self-reinforced poly-l-lactide (PLLA) screws as lag screws in the fixation of cortical bone osteotomies. A right tibial osteotomy was performed in 72 rabbits, of which 36 were fixed with 4.5 mm in diameter metallic cortical screws and 36 with self-reinforced PLLA screws manufactured by a sintering method. Follow-up times were 6, 12, and 24 weeks. After killing the rabbits all operated and the control tibias were examined macroscopically and radiographed. Sixty pairs of tibias were tested for shear strength; the rest were evaluated histologically, microradiographically and by oxytetracycline fluorescence. Macroscopically, 97% of the metallic and 44% of the PLLA screw-fixed osteotomies healed well. Radiographically, the metallic group healed significantly better and there were less malpositions than in the PLLA group. The shear strengths of the operated tibias were divided by those of the controls to give comparative shear strengths. The mean comparative shear strengths were 52% at 6, 61% at 12 and 76% at 24 weeks in the metallic group and 38, 49 and 61% in the PLLA group, respectively. No statistically significant difference in shear strength was observed between the groups. A mild foreign-body reaction was found in the histological evaluation in both groups, and normal bone healing was noticed in the microradiography and in the fluorescence studies. In conclusion, the sintered self-reinforced microradiography and in the fluorescence studies. In conclusion, the sintered self-reinforced PLLA screws were insufficiently strong to be used as a single lag screws in the fixation of tibial cortical bone osteotomies in rabbits.

The paper describes a distributed microcomputer network for hier-archical control of manipulators. A sensory-interactive manipulator is a complex system where the information processing is executed at different levels. The control system is partitioned into three functional levels. The developed multiprocessor architecture is flexible to accomodate the data processing in different levels and the integration of intelligent sensors. The multiprocessor system has been implemented on a high power crane manipulator.

We report on our results in two interesting questions related to muon spin rotation studies in condensed matter: (i) energetics of muons in metals, including lattice relaxation and zero point motion in self-trapping phenomena, and (ii) systematics of Knight shifts and hyperfine fields.

The rate of positron detrapping in thermal equilibrium from lattice defects has been calculated by relating it to the specific trapping rate. The results for vacancies, dislocations and surfaces each show a different temperature dependence for the escape rate. For vacancies a measure of the importance of the detrapping can be obtained from the ratio of the vacancy formation energy to the positron binding energy in the defect. The positronium desorption rate from a surface is also calculated and agreement with experimental results is found.

Of all the 95 primary tracheal carcinomas diagnosed in Finland in 1967–1985, 72% were squamous cell carcinomas. Fifty-three percent were located in the lower third of the trachea. Main symptoms were dyspnea, cough and hemoptysis. Fifty-nine percent of the patients developed extratracheal growth during the follow-up of 12 years, with lungs, neck, liver, and bones being the most common sites. In addition, autopsy revealed mediastinal metastases in 25% of patients. Vocal cord palsy at the time of diagnosis was present in 33%. The size and location of tumor in the trachea did not affect survival significantly. Patients with adenoid cystic carcinomas had the best prognosis.

Extensive measurements of the heat capacity of liquid3He in the normal and superfluid phases are reported. The experiments range from 0.8 to 10 mK and cover pressures from 0 to 32.5 bar in zero magnetic field. The phase diagram of3He, based on the platinum NMR temperature scale, is presented. In the normal liquid at low pressures and near the superfluid transitionTc an excess specific heat is found. The effective massm* of3He is at all pressures about 30% smaller than the values reported earlier. The calculated Fermi liquid parameters F0 and F1 are reduced asm*/m, while the spin alignment factor (1 + Z0/4)-1 is enhanced from 3.1–3.8 to 4.3–5.3, depending on pressure. The specific heat discontinuity ?C/C atTc is forP = 0 close to the BCS value 1.43, whereas at 32.5 bar ?C/C is 1.90±0.03 in the B phase and 2.04±0.03 in the A phase, revealing distinctly the pressure dependence of strong coupling effects. The temperature dependence of the specific heat in the B phase agrees with a model calculation of Serene and Rainer. The latent heatL at the AB transition is 1.14±0.02 µJ/mole forP = 32.5 bar and decreases quickly as the polycritical point is approached; at 23.0 bar,L = 0.03 ± 0.02 µJ/mole.

The effects of 20 MeV proton irradiation on the properties of ternary as well as Dy and Nb alloyed Nd-Fe-B magnets were studied in the present work. Additionally, the effect of irradiation temperature between 15 K and room temperature, as well as the effect of magnetic operating point during the irradiation were determined. At the room temperature the Nd-Fe-B magnets proved to be extremely sensitive to the 20 MeV proton irradiation: a dose of 10 Mrad caused almost total demagnetization of the sample. At low temperatures the irradiation induced flux loss was remarkably smaller. Furthermore, when the operating point of the magnet was near the B-axis (Bμ0H=-10)in the demagnetization curve, no flux loss was found even after irradiation at room temperature. The mechanism of the flux loss caused by the proton irradiation was considered to be similar to that induced by thermal heating.

A short-term optimization method developed for energy purchase and production in a municipal energy system is described. The description of the method is based on the application of the method to a spesific energy system, which uses a large variety of energy sources including combined heat and electricity production as well as a hydro plant with a short term regulating reservoir.

The right distal femur of 42 adult rabbits was osteotomized and fixed with two 1.5 mm in diameter metallic Kirschner wires, self-reinforced polyglycolic acid (SR-PGA, Biofix®), or self-reinforced poly-L-lactic acid (SR-PLLA) rods. Follow-up times were 6 and 12 weeks. The shear strength of 30 pairs of femora was investigated. The strength of osteotomized bones was compared with the non-osteotomized controls. After six weeks the operated femora had reached 70, 69 and 71% shear strength in metallic, SR-PGA and SR-PLLA groups, respectively. After 12 weeks the shear strength values were 75, 79 and 73%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in shear strength values between the groups. Twelve pairs of femora were studied with microradiographic, oxytetracyclic fluorescence, and histologic methods. Normal bone healing was seen in these samples. Metallic and SR-PLLA implants caused slight foreign-body reaction with giant cells and SR-PGA rods led to slight infiltration of macrophages and foam cells.

The annihilation characteristics of a positron trapped in spherical clusters of 1., 50 vacancies in Al and Mo are calculated. The results are found to depend sensitively on the void size up to a radius of about 5 Å, beyond which the size dependence disappears. The residual resistivity is shown to be nearly independent of the microvoid size during initial stages of vacancy clustering. The sizes of the microvoids in electron irradiated Mo as a function of annealing temperatures are evaluated from recent experimental positron lifetime results.

In this study, possible methods for detecting irradiation of spices are reviewed. Of the different kinds of techniques, the most promising control methods are thermo- and chemiluminescence and the microbiological and viscosimetric methods. The suitability of analytical methods for detecting possible degradation of the main compounds in the aromas of spices during irradiation is also discussed. The irradiation of spices can be detected reliably with thermoluminescence and by chemiluminescence measurements. Advantages of a new thermoluminescence method, based on mineral measurements, are also presented. Spices and their microbial contents and decontamination are discussed. Combined use of the direct epifluorescent filter technique (DEFT) and the aerobic plate count method (APC) is possibly a suitable method for detecting the irradiation of spices. Also, viscosity measurements combined with luminometric methods have been considered as possible detection methods.

Measurements of the critical mass currentJc through 0.8-µm-diameter channels in the superfluid phases of3He are reported. Experiments were made at pressures from 0 to 27.4 bar in zero external magnetic field. The pressure difference ?P along the flow channels is immeasurable within our resolution of ±0.1 µbar for sufficiently low currents in both the A and B phases, implying small or zero dissipation. In the B phase ?P grows rapidly with increasing current aboveJc. At low pressuresJc behaves like (1-T/Tcyl)3/2, whereTcyl is interpreted as the reduced superfluid transition temperature inside the flow channels;Tcyl/Tc=0.935 atP=0. If the liquid in the channels is in the A phase, the behavior of ?P vs. the mass currentJs depends on the phase A or B outside the channels. During warming a drop of about30% inJc is found both atTBA(cyl) and at;TBA(cyl) is the reduced B?A transition temperature in the channels. AboveTBA a second dissipation mechanism, with a smallerd(?P)/dJs, is observed at lower currents. These features indicate that in the A phase the ends of the channels have an important effect on the flow.

During the period 1967-1985, 95 primary tracheal carcinomas occurred in Finland. The mean annual incidence rate was one per one million inhabitants, the male: female ratio being 7:3. There was a significant increase of the disease by increasing age with the exception of 70-79 years. The most common location was the lower third of the trachea. Over two-thirds of the tumours were squamous carcinomas. Smoking seems to be an important risk factor at least in males.

The tissue-implant interface at a self-reinforced poly-l-lactide (SR-PLLA) expansion plug implanted in distal rabbit femoral cancellous bone was studied histologically, histomorphometrically, and microradiographically in 35 rabbits during consolidation of a transverse transcondylar osteotomy fixed with the SR-PLLA expansion plug. The absorbable plug for internal fixation of fractures and osteotomies measured 4.5 mm in diameter and 30 mm in length and had an expandable distal locking blade system. The femoral specimens were harvested in groups of 5–10 rabbits after a follow-up time of 3, 6, 12, and 24 weeks. The intact controlateral femur served as a control. Vigorous osteogenic response to the implant was already observed at 3 weeks postoperatively, and the osteoid surface fraction at 24 weeks was still significantly higher than in the unoperated contralateral femur. Incomplete union of the osteotomy seemed to result in increased fibrous tissue formation at the tissue-implant boundary. No signs of degradation of the SR-PLLA was observed within the entire follow-up period. The number of inflammatory cells at the tissue-implant interface was low. Consequently, the short-term biocompatibility of the implant was deemed acceptable. Clinical application of the expansion plug is being planned.

In this paper active optical methods for range-image formation are described. A basis for evaluating range-imaging systems is proposed and the main application fields with typical implementations are presented. Finally a ranqe-imaqing system based on a time-of-flight sensor is introduced.

Manninen MP, Antila PJ, Pukander JS, Karma PH. Occurrence of tracheal carcinoma in Finland. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 1991: 111: 1162-1169.During the period 1967-1985, 95 primary tracheal carcinomas occurred in Finland. the mean annual incidence rate was one per one million inhabitants, the male: female ratio being 7:3. There was a significant increase of the disease by increasing age with the exception of 70-79 years. the most common location was the lower third of the trachea. Over two-thirds of the tumours were squamous carcinomas. Smoking seems to be an important risk factor at least in males.

Three slide agglutination tests for identification of Staphylococcus aureuswere compared. The agglutination tests used for evaluation were Staphaurex (Wellcome Diagnostics), Staphyslide-Test (BioMerieux), and ANI S. aureusTEST (Ani Biotech Oy). A total of 347 isolates were analyzed, including 288 strains of S. aureus, 49 of S. epidermis, 11 of S. intermedius, 12 strains of other staphylococci and 14 non-staphylococcal strains. One hundred of the S. aureusstrains were isolates from cases of food poisoning, 129 from mastitis and 59 from other clinical cases. The sensitivities of the tests were also compared using diluted suspensions of S. aureusstrains and with purified Protein A dilutions. The results showed that the sensitivities of the tests were 98.6 %, 97.9 % and 99.0 % for Staphaurex, Staphyslide-test and ANI S. aureusTEST, respectively. The specificities were 100 % for the Staphyslide test and 98.8 % for both the ANI S. aureusTEST and the Staphaurex test. The sensitivities measured with diluted S. aureusstrain suspensions and Protein A solutions were equal with the Staphaurex and ANI S. aureusTEST.

Air and bone conduction thresholds of 330 unselected urban 13-year-old children with a known history of otitis were measured under ideal conditions, using standard clinical audiometry. In the subgroups of children with different numbers (0, 1-2, 3-7, ≥8) of attacks of acute otitis media (AOM) in their history, the mean air conduction thresholds varied from 0.2 to 11.5dB at different frequencies in different AOM subgroups. Air conduction pure tone averages (F'TA, mean threshold at 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz) >20dB were not found in any of the ears. The mean bone conduction thresholds varied from—0.0 to 1.8 dB, depending on the subgroup and frequency (0.25 to 4.0 kHz) studied. Bone conduction PTAs > 10 dB were measured in 5 (0.8)) ears. Single bone conduction thresholds > 10 dB were found at different frequencies in 3 to 15 (0.5 to 2.3) of the ears, and thresholds >20 dB in only 2 ears (0.3). The mean thresholds and number of ears with decreased hearing were distributed equally between different AOM subgroups, except that some air conduction high frequency losses were more frequent in children with ≥8 attacks of AOM. We conclude that childhood AOM, even if it occurs frequently, seems not to have a significant harmful long-term effect on hearing.

A total of 167 feet in 125 patients were treated with a proximal osteotomy of the first metatarsal for hallux valgus. In addition, in 115 feet a resection of the base of the proximal phalanx was conducted, and in 25 feet the head of some lesser metatarsal bone was resected. Eight years (range 5–10 years) postoperatively the patients were sent a questionnaire concerning the present state of their feet. In all, 105 patients (142 feet) replied, and 63% stated that they felt no pain in their feet at all. Indeed, 86% of the patients indicated that, everything considered, the operation was worthwhile. The most common complaint was the difficulty of finding shoes to fit; 22.5% of the patients stated that they had a hard time with this. The average preoperative metatarsophalangeal angle was 38°, reduced by 22° postoperatively. The average preoperative first intermetatarsal angle was 15°, reduced by 5° after the operation. In the statistical analysis, no correlation between the preoperative body mass index, the hallux angle, the first intermetatarsal angle, the reduction achieved in the above mentioned angles by the operation, and patient satisfaction was found.

We studied the extended high frequency hearing of 573 white, urban, mean 13.8-year-old unselected children in Tampere, Finland. All their ear-related morbidity had been recorded since their birth and they had been examined at the ages of 7 months, 2 years, and some of them at 5 years. The extended high frequency audiometry was measured from 10 to 18 kHz, with 1 kHz steps, and the results were related to the number of attacks of acute otitis media (AOM) (0, 1-2, 3-7 and ≥8) they had experienced. The mean pure tone hearing thresholds varied from 10.7 dB at 10 kHz to 37.0 dB at 18 kHz in the right ears and between 11.6 dB at 10 kHz and 37.4 dB at 18 kHz in the left ears. Among those with ≥8 attacks of AOM the thresholds were highest, the difference between them and each of the first 3 groups being statistically significant at 13 and 14 kHz. From 11 to 16 kHz the same difference was significant between the last (≥8 AOM) and at least 2 of the first 3 AOM groups. Numerous attacks of AOM may have a harmful effect on high frequency hearing in the long term.

All of the 95 primary tracheal carcinomas registered in Finland during 1967 to 1985 were reviewed. Chest radiographs of 44 patients were available. A tracheal tumor was detected in 8 cases (18) in the primary examination and according to the review all the detected tumors were larger than 15 mm. However, when the same radiographs were reexamined by a senior radiologist, the tumor was identified in the correct site in 66. This percentage parallels the results of high kV tracheal radiography (69) performed on 32 patients. Tumors involving anterior or posterior wall and tumors near the bifurcation were the most difficult to detect.

All of the 95 primary tracheal carcinomas registered in Finland during 1967 to 1985 were reviewed. Chest radiographs of 44 patients were available. A tracheal tumor was detected in 8 cases (18%) in the primary examination and according to the review all the detected tumors were larger than 15 mm. However, when the same radiographs were reexamined by a senior radiologist, the tumor was identified in the correct site in 66%. This percentage parallels the results of high kV tracheal radiography (69%) performed on 32 patients. Tumors involving anterior or posterior wall and tumors near the bifurcation were the most difficult to detect.