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Introduction: The use of psychotropic medications has emerged in children, but the monitoring practices are diverse. With the aim of systematizing psychotropic medication practices in children, the Medication Unit was launched at the department of child psychiatry of Tampere University Hospital (TAUH) in February 2021. Aims and methods: The aim of this retrospective patient report-based study was to examine the performed psychotropic medication monitoring in the Medication Unit between 1 February and 31 December 2021. Results: The median age of the study patients (n = 57) was 10.7 years and 77% were males. The most common medications at the first visit to the Medication Unit were methylphenidate (44%) and risperidone (23%). Performed somatic monitoring followed the medication group-specific guidelines well, but target symptom reporting and dialogue concerning adverse effects was not as systematic. Conclusion: The monitoring of psychotropic medications in the Medication Unit was well executed, systematic and followed the local guidelines well. During this study, co-operation with the nursing staff, clearly defined tasks, predefined protocols and proper facilities probably benefitted the monitoring. Further studies on strategies to improve psychotropic medication practices within the child psychiatric service system are needed.

Matilda Roslin-Kalliola (18371923) oli merikarvialainen mäkitupalaisen tytär, ompelija ja kauppias, josta tuli Kirjailijaliiton jäsen vuonna 1922. Artikkelissa tarkastellaan Roslin-Kalliolan kirjallista toimintaa kulttuurihistoriallisesta näkökulmasta. Mikä mahdollisti sivistyneistön ulkopuolelta tulleen naisen kirjailijana toimimisen 1800-luvun lopussa ja 1900-luvun alussa? Mikä motivoi häntä kirjoittamaan?

The coexistence of heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) worsens the prognosis of patients. We aimed to study the inflammation, metabolism, adiposity, and fibrosis markers on epicardial and subcutaneous fat and blood, and their relationship with HF and AF. Samples from 185 patients undergoing cardiac surgery were collected. Levels of multi-markers on fat biopsies and plasma were analyzed. Patients were grouped by HF or AF presence. Plasma adiposity markers were increased in AF patients, while increased stretch markers correlated with HF. Patients with both AF and HF had higher ANP and GDF-15 levels. After excluding AF patients, plasma FABP4 was identified as the main HF predictor. Fat biopsies from AF patients showed an enhanced inflammatory profile. Higher levels of adiposity markers are associated with AF or HF, and higher stretch and fibrosis markers with combined AF and HF, suggesting a role of adiposity-fibrosis pathway in HF and AF coexistence., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Objectives: Surgical scrub reduces the number of microorganisms, but fails to sterilize hands, and therefore the use of sterile gloves is recommended. Glove perforation allows bacteria passage from the surgeons´ hands to the patient´s tissues. We analyze the relationship between skin flora of hands, glove perforation and contamination., Methods: A prospective study comprising 139 patients undergoing open heart surgery through a median sternotomy was conducted. Surgeons´hands were studied. Gloved and ungloved fingertips were placed on culture plates after scrubbing and before sternal closure. Removed gloves were evaluated for perforations. Samples from the surgical wound were taken for culture. Identification of isolated microorganisms was performed by conventional biochemical tests., Results: Culture of fingertips after scrubbing resulted positive in 29.13% of the samples and increased to 34.53% at the end of the procedure. Culture of gloved fingertips before closing the sternum demonstrated contamination of the outer surface in 11.87% of samples. Gloves removed before sternal closure showed perforations in 23.02% of samples. Holes were observed in 33% of contaminated gloves. No relationship between perforation and contamination of gloves was observed. The culture of the sternal wound resulted positive in 7.91% of cases. A significant relationship between the presence of microorganisms in the wound and glove contamination was demonstrated. (P<0,001)., Conclusions: Perforation does not cause significant contamination of the outer surface of surgical gloves. The statistical correlation between glove contamination and surgical wound colonization could be explained by the presence of other sources of contaminating microorganisms.