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Healthy bone is a rigid yet living tissue that undergoes continuous remodeling. Osteoclasts resorb bone in the remodeling cycle. They secrete H(+)-ions and proteinases to dissolve bone mineral and degrade organic bone matrix, respectively. One of the main collagenolytic proteinase in osteoclasts is cathepsin K, a member of papain family cysteine proteinases. Recently, it has been shown that osteoblasts may contribute to organic matrix remodeling. We therefore investigated their ability to produce cathepsin K for this action. Trabecular bone samples were collected from patients operated due to a fracture of the femoral neck. Part of the bone was decalcified and the rest was used for cell isolation. Sections from the decalcified bone were immunostained with antibodies against cathepsin K. Isolated cells were characterized for their ability to form mineralized matrix and subsequently analyzed for their cathepsin K production by Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR. Osteoblasts, bone lining cells and some osteocytes in situ showed cathepsin K immunoreactivity and osteoblast-like cells in vitro produced cathepsin K mRNA and released both 42 kDa pro- and 27 kDa processed cathepsin K to culture media. Osteoblastic cathepsin K may thus contribute to collagenous matrix maintenance and recycling of improperly processed collagen I. Whether osteoblastic cathepsin K synthesis has consequences in diseases characterized by abnormal bone matrix turnover remains to be investigated.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of organotypic cultures of rat epidermal cells as a tool to study non-invasive dermal gene delivery. Also, a novel transfection method employing liposomal pre-treatment of stratum corneum (SC) was evaluated. Rat epidermal cells were cultured on Transwell tissue culture inserts and formation of stratum corneum barrier was evaluated in permeability studies with two model compounds. Transfections were performed with naked pCMV-SEAP2 plasmid and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP)/dioleyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE)/DNA lipoplexes. Naked DNA was administered on the stratum corneum of the cell culture model with or without prior treatment of the stratum corneum with DOTAP/DOPE liposomes. Transfection was evaluated non-invasively by monitoring concentrations of secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) in the culture medium of the basolateral compartment at 24-h intervals. Transfection with lipoplexes produced significant gene expression in rat epidermal keratinocyte (REK) epidermal culture model. Likewise, delivery of naked DNA on stratum corneum after DOTAP/DOPE liposome pre-treatment produced gene expression. Naked DNA alone did not result in detectable gene expression. In dermal gene delivery studies REK epidermal culture model is a suitable tool that includes tight stratum corneum and allows transgene expression in viable epidermis and non-invasive sampling of secreted gene product in the basolateral compartment. Liposomal pre-treatment of the stratum corneum augments transfection of viable epidermis.

Our aim was to study factors associated with long-term non-recovery from major depression. A total of 109 patients with major depression were followed prospectively for 2 years. A diagnosis of major depression based on SCID interviews at follow-up indicated non-recovery. The effect of several established risk factors was assessed. A third (30%) of the patients did not recover. Severity of initial depression were associated with poor outcome according to univariate analysis. Nevertheless, personality disorder and rural area of residence were associated with non-recovery in final multivariate analysis. Major depression in patients with personality disorder should be treated as effectively as possible. Moreover, service planning in rural areas needs attention.

In this study we investigate the correlation between single-trial evoked brain responses and galvanic skin responses (GSR). The correlation between the two signals is examined by using a modified principal component regression based approach. A potential application of the study is to utilize the GSR measurements in a form of a prior information in the estimation of the brain potentials when only small number of trials is available.

Four-month-old infants heard their own mother's voice and a voice of an unfamiliar female as "oddballs" in a stream of acoustic information. The neuronal processing from 50 to 500 ms (as evaluated with event-related brain potentials, ERPs) was expected to be obligatory and from 500 to 900 ms to include cognitive processing. There was a clear shift in the processing speed between the mother's and unfamiliar voices at around 350 ms. While earlier obligatory ERP components occurred at significantly shorter latency to the mother's voice, later endogenous components were significantly delayed relative to the unfamiliar voice. The amplitude differences between the experimental stimuli were clearest for the last ERP potential, which presumably includes largest cognitive component. The size of the potential was significantly lower for mother than for unfamiliar voice. The results suggest that the behaviorally well-documented mutual sensitization between infant and mother and the special importance of output from mother is seen as an enhanced arousal to mother's voice and as signs of a clear memory template for own mother's voice at very early age.

Patients with schizophrenia are known to have behavioral deficits in recognizing faces and facial expressions. However, the ability to process simple visual stimuli appears to be intact in first-episode psychosis. The aim of this study was to examine complex visual processing, especially the event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by human faces, in early psychosis. Never-medicated patients in acute psychosis (n=18) were compared with healthy controls (n=19). Photographs of human faces were presented in a classic oddball paradigm requiring a motor response to a smiling face. Cerebral sources of ERPs were analyzed of the averaged responses, using minimum norm estimates, and dipole models. Face-sensitive response at 145 ms after the face stimuli was of significantly higher amplitude in our never-medicated patients, and the activity distribution between the groups was clearly different. At the early phase of a psychotic illness, these alterations in face-related neuronal network processes represent perceptual disturbance in psychosis, possibly including state and trait, as well as potential physiological compensatory features.

Objective: Based on case-control and prospective studies elevated blood total homocysteine (tHcy) has been suggested to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The purpose of the study was to explore the joint effect of increased serum tHcy concentration and other risk factors on the risk of CVD mortality in middle-aged men without a history of heart disease or stroke., Design: A prospective, population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor (KIHD) Study., Setting: Eastern Finland. Subjects. A total of 802 men aged 46-64 years, examined in 1991-93., Main Outcome Measures: CVD mortality event., Results: The mean serum tHcy concentration was 10.8 micromol L(-1) (SD 3.3). During the average follow-up time of 10.8 years 50 men experienced a CVD death. The hazard rate ratio for CVD mortality was 1.80 (95% confidence interval: 1.02-3.19) in men in the highest serum tHcy third versus lower thirds after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, elevated serum tHcy concentration appeared to increase the risk of CVD death in men who smoke or who have high circulating concentrations of serum total or LDL cholesterol, apo-B apolipoprotein or plasma fibrinogen., Conclusion: We conclude that homocysteine may increase the risk of CVD mortality in middle-aged men from Eastern Finland, and it may especially increase the risk when present with other risk factors for CVD.

There is a lack of knowledge about the effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) in severe psychotic depression. The aim of this study was to investigate both the effect of ECT on attention-dependent ERP (P300) and the correlation of P300 values with depression level. We recorded the auditory ERPs of 23 patients expressing psychotic symptoms and fulfilling the DSM-III-R criteria for treatment-resistant severe major depressive episode before and a week after successful bitemporal ECT. The clinical status was assessed with Hamilton (Ham-D) and Montgomery and Asberg (MADRS) depression scales. ECT was clinically very effective with these scales. On the level of auditory processing, ECT increased P300 amplitude with no significant effect on latency. Small amplitudes over the left hemisphere before treatment were associated with bigger Ham-D-score decrement. ECT produces a significant increase in brain activity at the level of attention-dependent auditory processing in severe depression. The change in electrical responses seems to represent a largely independent variable from the clinical assessment scales, even if the recovery rate was remarkable, because the change in overall symptom scores did not correlate with the P300 changes.

In order to investigate the neurophysiological mechanisms related to the infant's preference of maternal stimuli over other stimuli, auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in responses to the mother's voice and to a voice of an unfamiliar female in 15 infants at the age of 4 months. Stimuli were presented in intermittent and alternating trains of four identical stimuli (mother's voice or an unfamiliar voice). A significant amplitude difference was observed in the responses. This was seen as a negative 'shift' in the responses to mother's voice after approximately 350 ms. The finding suggests that the infants allocate more attention to process their own mothers' voices compared to unfamiliar voices and it may work in favor of establishing and strengthening an emotional tie between the infant and its mother., (Copyright 2003 Elsevier B.V.)

The purpose of this report is to study serotonin reuptake of the brain in a severely overtrained athlete by using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). A 26-year-old team athlete increased his training volume (by 200 %) and intensity markedly in a new high-level team. After two months, he started to feel continuous fatigue. He had tinnitus in his left ear, he felt disturbing palpitation and had pollacisuria. After four months, he started to suffer from insomnia. He still continued to play for another three months, after which he was unable to play. He could only sleep for 3 to 4 hours per night. Only minor abnormalities could be found in extensive physical and laboratory examinations. The athlete had a severe overtraining state. In the brain SPECT scans, using the specific radioligand for serotonin transporter imaging ( (123)I labelled 2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-[4-iodophenyl]-nortropane), low activity areas were detected in the midbrain, anterior gingulus, and left frontal and temporo-occipital lobes. In a psychiatric examination, the patient was found to have signs of major depression, which he hardly recognized himself. We conclude, that that the severe overtraining state could have been related to decreased serotonin reuptake in the brain and signs of major depression.

The effect of molecular structure of four sorbitan monoester surfactants (sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate and sorbitan monooleate) on the formation of simple three-component creams is presented. Interfacial properties of the surfactants were determined using a du Nouy tensiometer and rheological properties of selected creams with oscillation stress sweep, creep recovery and viscosity tests. Depending on the composition, sorbitan monolaurate and sorbitan monooleate formed both o/w creams and w/o creams, while sorbitan monopalmitate and sorbitan monostearate formed only o/w creams. Sorbitan monostearate and sorbitan monopalmitate had the smallest cmc and A(cmc) values and they were the most effective surfactants in lowering the interfacial tension. These surfactants formed the most stable and elastic creams with clear linear viscoelastic regions and small compliance values. Sorbitan monolaurate and sorbitan monooleate formed viscous creams without elastic properties.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the fit between Inuit conceptions of effective helping and Western counselling., Study Design/methods: The essential components and value foundations of effective Western counselling, including multicultural counselling, were identified from primary and secondary counselling texts. Inuit traditional values and helping practices were identified from the transcripts of interviews with Inuit elders. Interviews with 5 younger Inuit provided information about the counselling needs of contemporary Inuit. Grounded theory analysis of all texts and interview transcripts was used to determine each informant group's conceptions of the elements of effective counselling. A comparative chart was then constructed of the important relationship factors, strategies and process, and effective interventions identified by each informant group., Results: The values and relationship factors of effective counselling are similar in traditional and Western helping, and these same factors are important to the contemporary Inuit interviewed. Affective, behavioural and cognitive interventions were used traditionally; modern generic counselling also uses a variety of strategies from these three primary categories. Cognitive and cognitive-behavioural approaches to problem-solving were traditionally of primary importance, with expression of feelings also seen as essential., Conclusion: Western and traditional Inuit helping correspond, and cognitive/cognitive-behavioural approaches especially complement Inuit cultural practice.

Laminin has been proposed to influence the function of human adrenal cortex. We have studied the distribution of laminin (Ln) chains using immunofluorescence in human fetal and adult adrenal cortex. In the fetal gland Ln alpha2- and alpha5-chains were weakly expressed in the definitive zone, whereas Ln alpha4-, beta1-, and gamma1-chains occurred around vessels. In the adult gland, Ln alpha2-, alpha5-, and gamma1-chains were found in epithelial basement membranes (BM) in all cortical zones, Ln alpha4-chain in vessels, Ln beta1-chain in outer zone, and Ln beta2-chain in the two inner zones of the cortex, respectively. Among the integrins in adult gland, integrin alpha(3)-subunit was confined to basal surfaces of cortical cells, alpha(6) to vessels, alpha(1) to the stroma, and alpha(2) diffusely to epithelial cells. Lutheran glycoprotein and dystroglycan occurred in the fetal gland diffusely in the definitive zone and throughout the epithelium in the adult. The isoform composition of BM of the adult adrenal gland is distinct, with Ln-2 and -10 in BM of the outer zone and Ln-4 and -11 in BM of the two inner zones. The results suggest that integrin alpha(3)beta(1) and Lutheran are candidate receptors for Ln-10 and -11, whereas dystroglycan probably binds Ln-2 and -4.

Unlabelled: Individuals with psychosis fail to differentiate external impulses and suffer from distortions of reality testing. Schizophrenia group illnesses are also associated with deficits in working memory and perception. We examined the manifestations of a very early phase of psychotic illness to automatic auditory deviance detection to clarify the basic mechanisms underlying misinterpretations of perception., Methods: Twenty-five never-medicated patients admitted for hospital evaluation of acute psychosis were studied. Fifty-eight EEG channels were recorded during an auditory oddball paradigm. Event-related potentials (ERPs) time-locked to non-attended deviant auditory stimuli were studied in patients and compared with healthy controls. Auditory processing was examined both at the level of the measured biosignals (standard and deviant responses) and with subtraction waveforms. Topographical differences were characterized using global field power (GFP) and minimum norm estimates., Results: The maximum GFP amplitudes and mean amplitudes of the 58 channels within the time windows corresponding to the previously known 'N2b', 'P3a' and 'P3b' components were clearly reduced in patients when compared to healthy controls. However, the groups did not differ during attention-independent automatic processing corresponding to the 'N1' and 'MMN' components, or with respect to the peak latencies of the GFP maxima., Conclusions: Impairment of the processing of a deviance in simple auditory input in acutely ill drug-naive first-episode psychotic patients only appears in attention-dependent processing after about 250 ms. The alterations in auditory processing differed between stimulus types, suggesting at least two mechanisms underlying the auditory discrimination impairments in acute psychosis. After 250 ms there was a linear and gradually increasing difference in magnitude between the groups in their responses to deviant stimuli, probably related to arousal. In addition, however, there was a striking difference between the groups in the processing of standard stimuli. The early processing was similar in patients and controls, but the striking difference appeared in later processing. The sensory memory deficits associated with psychosis may be explained by an abnormality in sensory model formation rather than by impaired deviant detection.

Heart rate variability (HRV) provides reliable tools to assess the integrity and reactivity of autonomic nervous function. Our aim was to examine HRV in the resting condition and during different mental loads in acute psychosis compared to healthy controls. HRV was measured in 17 first-episode drug-naive patients with psychosis and 21 healthy controls during oddball tasks and while performing the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. A discrete event series was constructed by an adaptive QRS detector algorithm and power spectrum estimation was carried out. The RMSSD (representing interval differences of successive heartbeats) and the amount of high frequency (HF) power were significantly reduced in patients. Moreover, the patients' HRV remained unaltered during the tasks, whereas in controls the HRV diminished with increasing mental load of the task. Patients with psychosis displayed less short-term HR reactivity than healthy controls. They also failed to adapt HRV according to the task-connected strain. Acute psychosis is characterized by a limited capacity to respond to external demands at the level of autonomic nervous system.

In human tissues, the laminin (Ln) alpha1 chain shows a restricted and developmentally regulated distribution in basement membranes (BMs) of a subset of epithelial tissues, including those of renal proximal convoluted tubules. The present study investigated the distribution of the Ln alpha1 chain in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and oncocytomas as well as in xenografted tumours induced in nude mice with four characterized RCC cell lines. These cell lines were also used in cell adhesion studies with purified laminins. By immunohistochemistry it was found that the Ln alpha1 chain is widely present in the BMs of RCCs, all of the specimens presenting immunoreactivity. High-grade RCCs tended to contain more BM-confined and stromal immunoreactivity than low-grade tumours, none of the grade 3 (G3) carcinomas being negative and all of the metastatic specimens showing partial or overall BM immunoreactivity. Double immunolabelling experiments showed that in RCC BMs but not in vessel walls, the Ln alpha1 chain was co-distributed with Ln alpha5, beta1, and beta2 chains, implying the presence of Ln-1/Ln-3 and Ln-10/Ln-11. In papillary RCCs, the Ln alpha1 chain co-localized with Ln-5. The oncocytomas lacked immunoreactivity for the Ln alpha1 chain. Xenografted tumours induced in nude mice showed BM-like deposition of the Ln alpha1 chain. In cell adhesion studies, mouse and human Ln-1 were equally effective in promoting cell adhesion of all RCC cell lines. For each cell line, Ln-10 and Ln-10/11 were equally effective adhesive substrates, all cell lines adhering more avidly to these laminins than to mouse or human Ln-1. As judged by inhibition assays employing specific integrin antibodies, adhesion of normal human renal proximal tubular epithelial (RPTE) cells and RCC cells from a G1 tumour to human Ln-1 was mediated mainly by alpha(6)beta(1) integrin, while only the G1 RCC cells adhered to mouse Ln-1 by using alpha(6)beta(1) integrin. For adhesion to Ln-10, RPTE cells and RCC cells from a G1 tumour used an unidentified beta(1) integrin. Cells from G3 tumours mainly used an alpha(3)beta(1) integrin complex for adhesion to mouse Ln-1 and to human Ln-1 and Ln-10. For all cells, adhesion to the Ln-10/11 mixture was mediated by an unidentified integrin complex or by other adhesion molecules. These results show that laminin trimers containing the alpha1 chain are, in contrast to oncocytomas, abundant in the BMs of RCCs. This is in keeping with their suggested origin from renal proximal tubular epithelium known for its capacity to produce the Ln alpha1 chain. The results also show that RCC cells utilize complex, mainly integrin alpha(3)beta(1)- and integrin alpha(6)beta(1)-mediated, mechanisms for adhesion to laminins. The adhesion to Ln-1 changes from integrin alpha(6)beta(1) to integrin alpha(3)beta(1) upon increasing malignancy and, especially for Ln-10 and Ln-10/11, other adhesion molecules of non-integrin type may contribute to the adhesion., (Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The aims of this study were to test the suitability of normal dental records in determining the eruption times of teeth and to compare the retrospective longitudinal DMF values with the statistical cross-sectional means. Patient records for two cohorts (1970 and 1980) were collected from three Finnish towns. The study population comprised 1910 children. The eruption times of the permanent teeth, DMFT and DMFS curves (excluding F due to fractures and M due to orthodontic reasons) were investigated for the year of examination in different study locations. The cross-sectional DMF values were compared to longitudinally calculated data. Tooth eruption was earlier in girls than in boys. However, girls did not have significantly higher DMF values than boys. In all towns, dental health was significantly better in the 1980 cohort than in the 1970 cohort. Comparison of the cross-sectional DMF values in the municipal health center statistics showed that the mean statistics gave considerably higher values than the measured values did after 15 years of age. The inconsistency between measured longitudinal DMF values and the cross-sectional statistical DMF values indicates the importance of creating computer programs for analyzing data longitudinally from normal dental records.

The aims of this study were to test the hypothesis that existing patient records serve as a source of data for survival analysis of dental health and to develop a system for routinely conducted survival analysis of dental health from tooth eruption to first caries attack. Patient records for three cohorts were collected from four towns in Finland: Oulu, Turku, Kuopio, and Kemi. The study population comprised 2103 children born and living in these towns. The Kaplan-Meier curves for dental caries were drawn separately for each tooth and for the maxilla and mandible (for each age cohort). Placements of the first restoration of all teeth in each age cohort were investigated. The 1960 cohort had an extremely high post-eruptive morbidity in all teeth. The 1970 cohort had relatively high immediate post-eruptive morbidity in both molars, but much lower than that of the 1960 cohort. The filling increment rates for second molars were lower than those of the first molars in the 1970 cohort. Characteristic of the 1980 cohort was a rapid increase in the caries increment of the premolars and second molars 4 years after eruption. The results indicate a big difference in tooth-by-tooth dental health in Finland. A huge decline in caries attack was seen from the 1960 cohort to the 1980 cohort, but a deterioration of dental health in premolars and second molars is clearly seen in the 1980 cohort in the 1990s.

Background: Diet is an essential part of the nonpharmacological management of hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate in a primary health care setting the effect of intensified diet counseling on the diet of hypertensive subjects., Methods: A total of 715 free-living subjects, ages 25-74 years, with systolic blood pressure 140-179 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure 90-109 mm Hg and/or drug treatment for hypertension participated in an open randomized trial with a 2-year follow-up at health centers in eastern Finland. The intervention group (n = 360) was advised to reduce their total fat, saturated fat, and salt intake and to increase monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat intake as well as to reduce weight and to use alcohol in moderation if at all. The usual care group (n = 355) continued with their usual primary health care. The subjects filled out a 4-day food record, and 24-h urine samples were collected at baseline and at 1- and 2-year examinations., Results: The 2-year net changes (change in intervention minus change occurring in usual care group) in total fat intake [-2.7 E% (95% CI -4.0, -1.6; P < 0.0005)], in saturated fatty acid intake [-1.7 E% (95% CI -2.3, -1.1; P < 0.0005)], and in body weight [-1.4 kg (95% CI -2.0, -0.8; P < 0.0005)] were significant. Furthermore, the 2-year net change in daily sodium intake was significant, -9 mmol (95% CI -17, -2; P = 0.021), but the 24-h urinary sodium excretion showed no difference between the study groups., Conclusion: The intensified diet counseling in primary health care resulted in dietary changes interpreted as being of benefit in the long-term treatment of hypertension and prevention of atherosclerotic vascular diseases.

This study conducted according to a 4 x 4 Latin square with 28 d periods and four ruminally cannulated Finnish Ayrshire cows investigated the effect of protein supplements differing in amino acid (AA) profile and rumen undegradable protein content on postruminal AA supply and milk production. Mammary metabolism of plasma AA and other nutrients were also studied. The basal diet (Control; 13.4% crude protein) consisted of grass silage and barley in a ratio of 55:45 on a dry matter basis. The other three isonitrogenous diets (17.0% crude protein) were control + fishmeal (FM), control + soybean meal (SBM), and control + corn gluten meal (CGM). The protein supplements replaced portions of dry matter of the control diet maintaining the silage to barley ratio constant for all diets. Dry matter intake was limited to 95% of the preexperimental ad libitum intake and was similar (mean 19.8 kg/d dry matter) across the diets. Protein supplements increased milk, lactose, and protein yields but did not affect yields of energy-corrected milk or milk fat. Milk protein yield response was numerically lowest for diet SBM. Protein supplements increased milk protein concentration but decreased milk fat and lactose concentrations. Microbial protein synthesis and rumen fermentation parameters were similar across the diets, except for an increased rumen ammonia concentration for diets supplemented with protein feeds. Protein supplements increased N intake, ruminal organic matter and N, and total tract organic matter, N, and neutral detergent fiber digestibilities. Protein supplements also increased N and AA flows into the omasum, with SBM giving the lowest and CGM the highest flows. This was associated with an unchanged microbial N flow and a higher undegraded dietary N flow. The omasal flows of individual AA reflected differences in total N flow and AA profile of the experimental diets. Differences in AA flows did not always reflect plasma AA concentrations. The results indicated that AA supply of dairy cows fed a grass silage-cereal diet can be manipulated using protein supplements differing in ruminal protein degradability and AA profile. Lower milk production response to SBM than that to FM and CGM appeared to be related mainly to lower N and AA supplies arising from a high ruminal protein degradability of SBM. Histidine appeared to be the first limiting AA for milk protein synthesis on the control diet. Mammary gland may regulate AA uptake according to requirements.

Creams from three components, surfactant, purified water and oil, were prepared. Comparable molar fractions of components were used in order to better understand the structural properties of the components used. The surfactants were sorbitan monoesters, sorbitan monolaurate, monopalmitate, monostearate and monooleate, which differed from each other in the length or structure of the hydrocarbon chain. The oils used were isopropylpalmitate and myristate, and they differed from each other in the length of the fatty acid chain. Rheological properties, droplet size distributions and types (either o/w or w/o) of the creams were studied. The rheological tests used were oscillation stress sweep test, creep recovery test and viscosity test. The modelling of the creep phase was based on the creep recovery test. Sorbitan monolaurate and monostearate formed w/o creams, sorbitan monopalmitate and monooleate o/w creams. It appeared that the double-bonded structure of the surfactant made the cream less elastic. Elasticity was increased due to lengthening of the alkyl chain of the surfactant and increased amount of surfactant. Also the lengthening of the fatty acid chain of the oil made the creams more elastic. The results of the rheological tests and droplet size distributions correlated well each other. According to the modelling of the creep phase, creams could be represented either with the Burger model or with the Maxwell model., (Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.)

Background: Previous findings of P300 alterations in depressive disorder have been controversial. We therefore used multivariate methods to study the relationship between P300 and affective and psychotic symptoms in depressive disorder., Methods: The P300 of 22 psychotropic drug-free depressed out-patients was registered within an auditory oddball paradigm. Affective and psychotic symptoms were evaluated using the depression and psychoticism subscales of SCL-90. The relationship of P300 amplitude and latency with affective and psychotic symptoms was assessed with multiple linear regression analysis and ANOVA. P300 values of the depressed patients were also compared with those of 22 healthy controls., Results: Psychotic symptoms were associated with an overall reduction in P300 amplitude, which was pronounced in the left temporocentral electrode chain (T3, C3, Cz). Psychotic symptoms were also associated with a prolonged P300 latency. Affective symptoms were associated with a relational amplitude reduction at the right temporal scalp sites. There were no statistically significant differences in P300 amplitude or latency between depressed and control-subjects., Limitations: Rather small number of study subjects. The psychotic scores were low in all subjects. Multiple statistical analyses were used, and no specific a priori hypothesis was tested., Conclusions: In depressive disorder, affective and psychotic symptoms are associated with different types of P300 alteration, which may indicate different underlying neurobiological processes.

Recent studies suggest important functions for laminin-8 (Ln-8; alpha4beta1gamma1) in vascular and blood cell biology, but its distribution in human tissues has remained elusive. We have raised a monoclonal antibody (MAb) FC10, and by enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) and Western blotting techniques we show that it recognizes the human Ln alpha4-chain. Immunoreactivity for the Ln alpha4-chain was localized in tissues of mesodermal origin, such as basement membranes (BMs) of endothelia, adipocytes, and skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle cells. In addition, the Ln alpha4-chain was found in regions of some epithelial BMs, including epidermis, salivary glands, pancreas, esophageal and gastric glands, intestinal crypts, and some renal medullary tubules. Developmental differences in the distribution of Ln alpha4-chain were detected in skeletal muscle, walls of vessels, and intestinal crypts. Ln alpha4- and Ln alpha2-chains co-localized in BMs of fetal skeletal muscle cells and in some epithelial BMs, e.g., in gastric glands and acini of pancreas. Cultured human pulmonary artery endothelial (HPAE) cells produced Ln alpha4-chain as M(r) 180,000 and 200,000 doublet and rapidly deposited it to the growth substratum. In cell-free extracellular matrices of human kidney and lung, Ln alpha4-chain was found as M(r) 180,000 protein.

Four ruminally cannulated dairy cows were used to examine the effect of diet on the AA composition of rumen bacteria and protozoa, and the flow of microbial and nonmicrobial AA entering the omasal canal. Cows were offered grass-red clover silage alone, or that supplemented with 5.1 kg DM of barley, 1.9 kg DM of rapeseed meal, or 5.1 kg DM of barley and 1.9 kg DM of rapeseed meal according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. During the first 10 d of each period, cows had free access to silage and, thereafter intake was restricted to 95% of ad libitum intake. Postruminal digesta flow was assessed using the omasal canal sampling technique in combination with a triple marker method. Liquid- (LAB) and particle- (PAB) associated bacteria were isolated from digesta in the reticulorumen and protozoa from digesta entering the omasal canal. Microbial protein flow was determined using 15N as a microbial marker. Flows of AA entering the omasal canal were similar in cows fed silage diets supplemented with barley or rapeseed meal. However, rapeseed meal increased nonmicrobial AA flow while barley increased the flow of AA associated with LAB and protozoa. Diet had negligible effects on the AA profile of microbial fractions. Comparison of AA profiles across diets indicated differences between LAB and PAB for 10 out of 17 AA measured. Rumen bacteria and protozoa were found to be different for 14 out of 15 AA measured. For grass silage-based diets, energy and protein supplementations appear to alter postruminal AA supply through modifications in the proportionate contribution of microbial and nonmicrobial pools to total protein flow rather than as a direct result of changes in the AA profile of microbial protein.

In psychosis, behavior is not guided by sensory cues from surroundings. Novel, meaningful behaviors require intact integrative functions such as short-term memory and motor planning, as well as an optimized level of arousal. In this study, we monitored markers of automatic auditory processing in 15 female never-medicated psychotic patients. Fifty-eight channels of EEG were recorded simultaneously with sympathetic skin responses while arousing auditory stimuli were delivered. Neuropsychological tests concentrating on frontal lobe functions were also performed. Prominent neurophysiological and behavioral signs of increased cortical activation were observed in psychotic patients. This widespread disinhibition may attempt to compensate for the impairment of neuronal processing of sensory input from surroundings in the earliest stages of a psychotic illness.

Five Finnish ruminally cannulated Ayrshire cows were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square trial with 14-d periods to determine whether branched-chain amino acids (AA) are the second- or colimiting AA for milk protein synthesis on grass silage-cereal based diet. Mammary metabolism of AA as well as AA supply from the basal diet were also studied. Grass silage (17.5% crude protein) was given ad libitum with 9 kg/d as a cereal-based concentrate (13.8% crude protein). Treatments were basal diet without AA infusion (Control), abomasal infusion of AA mixture of His, Ile, Leu, and Val at 8.5, 14.9,27.9, and 18.3 g/d, respectively, AA mixture minus Ile, AA mixture minus Leu, and AA mixture minus Val. Glucose was infused on all treatments at 250 g/d. Amino acid infusions had no effect on dry matter intake (mean 19.2 kg/d), yields of milk (mean 25.3 kg/d), energy-corrected milk (mean 25.9 kg/d), milk protein (mean 807 g/d), lactose (mean 1261 g/d), or fat (mean 1056 g/d). Milk composition was not affected by the treatments. Plasma concentrations of His and Val responded to AA infusions but concentration of Ile increased only on treatment AA mixture minus Leu, and concentration of Leu only on treatment AA mixture minus Ile. Infusion of AA mixture of His, Ile, Leu, and Val decreased plasma concentrations of Arg, Lys, Met, Phe, and Tyr. Amino acid infusions did not affect concentrations of plasma urea and energy metabolites or AA utilization by the mammary gland. Based on unchanged production parameters, the supply of His or branched-chain AA seemed not to be limiting under the current dietary conditions. Changes in plasma AA concentrations suggest either antagonism between individual AA in absorption or increased partitioning of AA into the muscle tissues. About 75% of omasal canal nonammonia nitrogen flow (427 g/d) was of microbial origin, and AA profiles of microbial protein and omasal canal digesta were fairly similar. Postruminal AA supply seems to be dependent on the basal diet, but variation may exist even within the similar basal diets.

An advanced method for analyzing the patterning of successive galvanic skin responses (GSR) is presented. The proposed method is based on principal component analysis in which the vector containing the measured signal is presented as a weighted sum of orthogonal basis vectors. The method is tested using measurements from 20 healthy controls and 13 psychotic patients. For each subject, 11 surprising auditory stimuli were delivered to right ear at irregular intervals and evoked GSRs were recorded from the hand. For most of the healthy controls, there was a clear pattern in successive GSRs, whereas within psychotic patients the lack of time-locking of GSRs seemed to be characteristical. These between group differences can be revealed by the proposed method. With application to clustering a significant discrimination, with overall correct ratings of 82%, of healthy controls and psychotic patients is achieved. A significant fact is that all patients were ranked correctly giving the proposed method a sensitivity of 100%.

Background: In severe depression, studies of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by SPECT have not produced uniform results. The association between changes in SPECT and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has shown somewhat conflicting data. No data are available on benzodiazepine receptor function SPECT studies in ECT., Methods: Twenty drug-resistant adult inpatients fulfilling the DSM-IIIR criteria for major depression were studied by SPECT (rCBF by relative ECD uptake in all, and benzodiazepine receptor function by iomazenil uptake in five subjects) before and 1 week after clinically successful bitemporal ECT. Clinical and neuropsychological test scores were used as references for the possible changes in SPECT., Results: An increased perfusion after ECT was observed in right temporal and bilateral parietal cortices, whereas no reductions in relative ECD uptake were seen after ECT. Iomazenil-SPECT revealed a highly significant increase in the benzodiazepine receptor uptake in all studied cortical regions except temporal cortices., Conclusions: Clinically successful ECT was associated with changes in vascular perfusion and GABAergic neurotransmission, providing new evidence for the mechanism of action of ECT and for the neurobiology of severe drug-resistant depression.

The aim of this study was to differentiate the response pattern characteristics of sympathetic skin responses (SSR) between unmedicated first psychotic subjects and healthy controls. We recorded SSR to novel auditory stimuli in 13 psychotic subjects and in 19 controls. There was no constant delay between a sudden change in the acoustic surroundings and SSR in psychotic subjects, whereas regularly this delay was 1.3 to 1.8 seconds in controls. The validity of the test was evaluated by blind rating responses to two categories. The lack of a regular time delay between a novel auditory stimulus and SSR suggests a timing disturbance in the neural networks regulating the autonomic nervous system responses in acute psychosis. Our finding and method may have future implications in evaluation of subtle autonomic nervous system alterations related, e.g., to drug effects.

Preterm labour (PTL) is a major contributor to preterm delivery (PTD) but delivery is often not preventable by current therapies. We conducted this study to determine the proportion of women with PTL who were and who were not candidates for tocolytic therapy. The cohort comprised residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota who delivered at >20 weeks' gestation in 1985--94 and who experienced PTL. Medical records were abstracted to identify episodes of PTL, its treatment and outcome. We developed an algorithm that accounted for gestation at delivery and pregnancy complications to determine the proportion of pregnancies complicated by PTL that were candidates for tocolytic therapy. Of 651 pregnancies complicated by PTL, a 50% probability sample, stratified by delivery year, were selected and abstracted. The cumulative incidence of PTL ranged from 3.6 to 6.4 per 100 deliveries of live or stillborn infants. Tocolysis was not contraindicated for 49.4% of all women with PTL and for a third of women with only one PTL episode. Delivery was delayed to >35 weeks in 53.8% of candidates for tocolysis. Only an additional 11.7% of women with one or more PTL episodes could have had their PTD delayed beyond 35 weeks if a perfect tocolytic therapy had been available. Many pregnancies complicated by PTL occurred at > or =35 weeks or involved maternal or obstetric factors that contraindicated tocolytic medications. The maximum incremental benefit that could be expected of a new safe and efficacious tocolytic therapy would be to reduce current PTD rates resulting from PTL by about 12%.

Changes in the rheological properties of four o/w cream formulations differing in the combination of surfactants were studied. The non-ionic surfactants used were soybean derivatives, polyethylene glycol 10 and 25 soya sterol, and sorbitol derivatives, sorbitan monooleate and trioleate. Combinations of the soybean and sorbitol derivatives were used. The rheological properties were tested during a 28-day storage period at three different storage conditions (cold, room temperature and accelerated conditions). In addition to dynamic and static rheological tests, droplet size distributions and conductivities of the creams were also determined. The consistency of the creams containing polyethylene glycol 10 soya sterol decreased during storage. Despite the greatest decreases in consistency, the creams containing polyethylene glycol 10 soya sterol exhibited the most viscoelastic structures with linear viscoelastic behaviour. Storing the creams for 28 days in the three different storage conditions made the differences in the consistency of the formulations smaller. All three storage conditions were involved when the conditions of the most viscoelastic cream of each formulation was specified. In the case of linearly viscoelastically behaving creams containing polyethylene glycol 10 soya sterol, all the rheological tests correlated with the droplet size distributions and the conductivity tests.

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were studied in seven fish species, burbot (Lota lota), pike (Esox lucius), perch (Perca fluviatilis), pikeperch (Stizopedion lucioperca), bream (Abramis brama), salmon (Salmo salar) and Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras) in River Kymijoki and its estuary polluted by Ky-5 manufacturing. The fish were caught at 14 localities along the river and its estuary. The selected species represent different trophic levels and/or inhabit different environments. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs were low, in most samples below 1 pg g(-1) ITEQ (NATO/CCMS 1988) fresh weight (fw) in muscle, except salmon and Baltic herring. These two species graze at the open sea and consequently accumulate contaminants at a large area in the Baltic Sea. The lipid content in salmon and Baltic herring was an order of magnitude higher than in other species. PCDD/Fs in fish muscle showed only slightly elevated levels in the Kymijoki area and its estuary as compared to the levels in the same species in Finnish freshwaters and sea areas. The concentration of the main impurities of the fungicide Ky-5 was higher in the Kymijoki River downstream the Ky-5 manufacturing place compared to the up-stream locations. The PCDD/F concentrations in fish liver and spawn were 10-100 times higher than the concentration in muscle, because of the much higher lipid concentrations of these organes. Consequently, the tolerable daily intake values could be as much as 100 times smaller (M. Korhonen, M. Verta, T. Vartiainen, Organohalog. Comp. 32 (1997) 305-310; P. Mikkelson, J. Paasivirta, H. Kiviranta, Organohalog. Comp. 39 (1998) 59-62).

Objective: To study the associations between the outcome of antihypertensive therapy with both patient-perceived problems and patient initiated modification of dosage instructions., Design and Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, all chronic hypertensives aged less than 75 years (n = 971) visiting nine Finnish pharmacies between May and September of 1996 were asked to participate. Of the 866 agreeing to participate, 482 returned the questionnaire (56%). After excluding persons with missing data, the final study population consisted of 428 hypertensive patients. Information on problems with treatment, the modification of dosage instructions, and blood pressure levels was based on patient self-reports., Results: Two-thirds (68%) of the study population reported suffering from one or more problems. The most common problems were symptoms of high blood pressure and adverse drug effects. Thirty-one percent of the male respondents and 21% of the female respondents reported having modified their dosage instructions. Only 36% of the patients had reached the goal blood pressure (< 160/90 mmHg). Patients having problems with hypertension treatment were significantly more likely to have modified their dosage instructions than those without problems (3+ problems, adjusted OR = 4.8). Not reaching goal blood pressure levels was significantly associated with both high number of patient-perceived problems (3+ problems, adjusted OR = 2.1) and modification of dosage instructions (adjusted OR = 1.9)., Conclusion: The poor outcome in antihypertensive therapy is associated with both patient-perceived problems and patient initiated modification of dosage instructions.

We studied the localization of laminin alpha1, alpha2, alpha3, alpha5, beta1, beta2, and gamma1 chains and extradomain A- (EDA), EDB-, and oncofetal fibronectin by immunohistochemistry in human placental villi during placental development. The laminin alpha2, alpha5, beta1, beta2, and gamma1 chains were detected in the trophoblastic basement membrane (BM) at all stages of gestation, suggesting the presence of laminin-2, -4, -10, and -11 trimers. The laminin alpha1 chain was selectively found at sites where the villous BM was in contact with proliferating cells in trophoblastic islands or columns. EDA-Fn, but not other Fn isoforms, was found in the trophoblastic BM during the first trimester. The laminin alpha2, beta1, beta2, and gamma1 chains were detected in the villous stroma and capillaries throughout placental development, while the laminin alpha5 chain emerged distinctly during development. Extensive EDA-Fn immunoreactivity was found in first-trimester villous stroma, but distinctly fewer Fn isoforms were seen in the villous stroma during the later stages of gestation. Our results also suggest that, during the formation of new villi, laminins are not found in trophoblastic sprouts before the ingrowth of the villous mesenchyme. Rather, laminins may be deposited at the villous epithelial-mesenchymal interface. Furthermore, the results show that distinct changes occur in the localization of various laminin and Fn isoforms during the maturation of villous trophoblastic and capillary BMs.

Objective: To evaluate perceived roles and skills of pharmacists in asthma management before and after a training intervention that consisted of six in-house training sessions., Method: Altogether 315 pharmacists in the intervention group and 121 pharmacists in the control group participated in the study. The data on study variables were collected by a questionnaire during the first and last training sessions., Main Outcome Measures: Pharmacists' perceptions of their role, perceived skills, estimates of patients receiving counselling and experienced problems., Results: Based on their ratings for 16 topics, the pharmacists' perceptions about their role in counselling asthma patients remained rather stable. Handling of the inhalers and inhalation technique were considered as the most important aspects of counselling and issues dealing with the disease were regarded as the least important. Using a self-rated scale (4-10 scale), pharmacists' perceived counselling skills improved in the intervention group (6.5 vs 7.6), but not in the control group (6.5 vs 6.4). In the intervention group, the pharmacists' estimates of the proportion of new users of asthma medicines receiving counselling increased from 48% to 61% and that of old users from 18% to 26%. Before the training, the most commonly experienced problem in counselling was the pharmacists' lack of knowledge and skills. After the training, pharmacists experienced problems mainly with communication., Conclusion: When pharmacists are included in the support system for any patients group, their capabilities of fulfilling their role have to be assessed. In particular, communication skills and outcome-oriented counselling require attention.

Five Finnish Ayrshire cows were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment designed to study the effects of graded doses of postruminal His infusion on milk production, arterial concentrations, and mammary uptakes of plasma amino acids (AA) as well as utilization of added His. Grass silage (16.9% CP) was given ad libitum with 8 kg of cereal-based concentrate per day (11.3% CP). Treatments were abomasal or duodenal infusions of 250 g of glucose/d in combination with 0, 2, 4, or 6 g of His/d. Infusions did not affect dry matter intake (mean 18 kg/d). Infusion of His increased milk yield linearly from 27.0 to 28.8 kg/d, protein yield from 861 to 919 g/d and lactose yield from 1345 to 1457 g/d. Milk fat yield and content changed in a cubic manner (1240, 1167, 1296, and 1177 g/d and 4.60, 4.16, 4.60, and 4.09). Infusion of His had no influence on milk protein or lactose concentrations. Arterial Lys and His concentrations increased linearly, but other AA concentrations were unaffected as well as calculated arteriovenous differences and mammary AA uptakes. The extraction of His decreased linearly with an increasing amount of His. The utilization of added His (28%) was not affected by the level of infusion, and mammary AA uptake seemed to be regulated by an inverse relationship between arteriovenous difference of essential AA and calculated mammary plasma flow. This experiment confirmed that His is the first-limiting AA on grass silage-cereal based diets.

Laminins assemble into trimers composed of alpha, beta, and gamma chains which posttranslationally are glycosylated and sometimes proteolytically cleaved. In the current paper we set out to characterize posttranslational modifications and the laminin isoforms formed by laminin alpha1 and alpha5 chains. Comparative pulse-chase experiments and deglycosylation studies in JAR cells established that the M(r) 360,000 laminin alpha1 chain is glycosylated into a mature M(r) 400,000 band while the M(r) 370,000 laminin alpha5 chain is glycosylated into a M(r) 390,000 form that upon secretion is further processed into a M(r) 380,000 form. Hence, despite the shorter peptide length of alpha1 chain in comparison with the alpha5 chain, secreted alpha1 assumes a larger size in SDS-PAGE due to a higher degree of N-linked glycosylation and due to the lack of proteolytic processing. Immunoprecipitations and Western blotting of JAR laminins identified laminin alpha1 and laminin alpha5 chains in laminin-1 and laminin-10. In placenta laminin alpha1 chain (M(r) 400,000) and laminin alpha5 chain (M(r) 380, 000/370,000 doublet) were found in laminin-1/-3 and laminin-10/-11. Immunohistochemically we could establish that the laminin alpha1 chain in placenta is deposited in the developing villous and trophoblast basement membrane, also found to contain laminin beta2 chains. Surprisingly, a fraction of the laminin alpha1 chain from JAR cells and placenta could not be precipitated by antibodies to laminin beta1-beta3 chains, possibly pointing to an unexpected complexity in the chain composition of alpha1-containing laminin isoforms., (Copyright 2000 Academic Press.)

Background: Salt restriction, recommended as the first-line treatment of hypertension, has been proposed to lead to deficiencies in intakes of some other nutrients., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of salt restriction for 20 wk on the intake of other nutrients in free-living subjects with mildly elevated blood pressure., Design: Thirty-nine subjects (24 men, 15 women) aged 28-65 y with a mean daytime ambulatory diastolic blood pressure of 90-105 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure measured in a health care center of 95-115 mm Hg participated in the study. The subjects completed 4-d food records and their salt intake was measured by 24-h urinary sodium excretion. The subjects received both oral and written instructions from a clinical nutritionist on how to reduce their daily sodium chloride intake to <5 g/d but were instructed not to change their diet otherwise. The subjects were provided with low-salt bread during the salt-restriction period., Results: Few changes were found in nutrient intakes. In men, total energy intake decreased by 1059 kJ/d and alcohol, potassium, and vitamin D intakes decreased, but there were no significant changes in energy-adjusted potassium and vitamin D intakes. In women, total potassium intake increased, but the potassium density of the diet remained unchanged. Total selenium intake and energy-adjusted intake of selenium both decreased significantly in women., Conclusions: Salt restriction can be undertaken in free-living hypertensive subjects without any untoward changes in the intake of other nutrients.

Extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) occurs in inflammatory tissues. The celiac lesion in the small intestine is characterized by inflammation accompanied by profound morphological alterations. We used immunohistochemistry to determine the distribution of laminin, fibronectin, and tenascin isoforms in small intestinal biopsies of untreated patients with celiac disease. In normal mucosa, the distribution of laminin isoforms defines three epithelial basement membrane (BM) zones. We found that the organization of these zones was maintained in the celiac mucosa. Thus, components of laminin-5 (alpha3 and beta3) were found in the surface epithelial BM, laminin alpha2 chain was found selectively at crypt bottoms, and laminin alpha5 chain was the sole alpha-type chain in middle crypt BMs. Likewise, the distribution of fibronectin and tenascin resembled that of the normal gut. The organization of pericryptal fibroblasts and lamina propria smooth muscle strands, as defined by immunostaining for alpha-smooth muscle actin, also remained unchanged in the celiac mucosa. Unexpectedly, major ECM changes were not detected in the celiac lesion.

The effect of surfactant on the rheological properties of some cream formulations was studied. Two surfactants from two different series were combined to determine the combination which yielded the most viscoelastic structure for creams. The surfactants were the soybean derivatives soya sterol, polyethylene glycol 10 soya sterol and polyethylene glycol 25 soya sterol and the sorbitol derivatives sorbitan monooleate and sorbitan trioleate. The rheological properties of the creams were studied using oscillation stress sweep, oscillation frequency sweep and viscosity tests. Droplet size distribution and conductivity of the creams were also determined. The combination polyethylene glycol 10 soya sterol and sorbitan trioleate yielded the most viscoelastic structure with linearly viscoelastic behaviour.

Background: There is little evidence to support possible structural changes in the amygdala and hippocampus of patients with severe depression., Methods: Quantitative MRI of the amygdala and hippocampus, as well as proton spectroscopy (MRS) of mesial temporal structures were studied in 34 drug-resistant in-patients with major depression and compared with 17 age-matched controls. Volumetric MRI data were normalized for brain size., Results: The volume of the left hippocampus was significantly smaller in the patients compared with the controls. Both groups exhibited similar significant hippocampal asymmetry (left smaller than right). The patients, but not the controls, had significant asymmetry of the amygdalar volumes (right smaller than left). No differences were observed between the patients and controls in the T2 relaxation times for the hippocampus and amygdala. Mesial temporal lobe MRS revealed a significantly elevated choline/creatine ratio in the patients compared with the controls., Conclusions: This quantitative MRI study provides support for a possible association between structural and biochemical substrates and severe drug-resistant major depression.

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the adherence to a salt restriction diet and the effect of salt restriction on blood pressure in free living subjects with mildly elevated blood pressure., Design: Subjects with mildly elevated blood pressure participated in a controlled study on the effect of salt restriction on blood pressure. Subjects received oral and written instructions by a clinical nutritionist to reduce sodium chloride intake to five grams per day. A low sodium bread (0.5%) was supplied free of charge for the subjects during the whole low-sodium period (between weeks 4-24)., Subjects and Methods: Subjects were recruited from previous studies at the Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine and from local occupational health care services. Twenty-four men and 15 women aged 28-65 y with the mean daytime ambulatory diastolic blood pressure between 90-105 mmHg and office diastolic blood pressure between 95-115 mmHg were included in the study. Salt intake was monitored by 4-d food diaries and 24-h urinary sodium excretion., Results: Twenty percent of the subjects achieved a urinary sodium excretion level of less than 74 mmol/24 h corresponding to a salt intake of five grams per day. There was a significant decline (7.1+/-12.7/4.2+/-7.5) in systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels during the salt restriction diet., Conclusions: Even moderate salt restriction seems to be effective in the treatment of mildly elevated blood pressure. However, the recommended salt intake level of less than five grams per day is difficult to achieve even after intensive counselling and regular use of low salt bread.

The reference method for immunoglobulin G (IgG) avidity determination includes reagent-consuming serum titration. Aiming at better IgG avidity diagnostics, we applied a logistic model for the reproduction of antibody titration curves. This method was tested with well-characterized serum panels for cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, rubella virus, parvovirus B19, and Toxoplasma gondii. This approach for IgG avidity calculation is generally applicable and attains the diagnostic performance of the reference method while being less laborious and twice as cost-effective.

Background: The magnitude of the influence of the apolipoprotein (apo) E genotype on the lipid response to different cholesterol-lowering diet modifications has been controversial., Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of apo E genotype on serum lipid response to the separate modification of dietary fat and cholesterol., Design: A prospective study design with the 3 main apo E genotype groups (3/3, 3/4, and 4/4; n = 15 in each group) was used. Groups were matched for sex, age, body mass index, menopausal status, and baseline serum cholesterol concentration. Subjects followed 3 different diets in fixed order: 1) a standardized baseline diet (38% fat, 300 mg cholesterol/d), 2) a modified National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) diet (34% fat, 265 mg cholesterol/d), and 3) the modified NCEP diet + cholesterol (566 mg cholesterol/d). Subjects were middle-aged (50.9 +/- 8.0 y) and mildly hypercholesterolemic (6.55 +/- 1.05 mmol/L)., Results: The genotype groups differed in their total cholesterol response to the NCEP diet; the mean (95% CI) decrease being greatest, -14.1% (-19.8%, -8.6% ), in subjects with apo E genotype 4/4 (P = 0.03, analysis of variance). The increase in total cholesterol after addition of 300 mg cholesterol was also greatest in subjects with apo E 4/4 [10.4% (5.8%, 15.1%)] (P = 0.03, analysis of variance)., Conclusions: Apo E genotype modified the lipid response to changes in both dietary fat and cholesterol in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects; the response was greatest in subjects with apo E genotype 4/4 and even a moderate increase in dietary cholesterol resulted in a 10% elevation in serum total cholesterol in them.