Ultraäänikuvauksella arvioidun lihakkuuden yhteys sonnien kasvukoetuloksiin

vokKirjasto Aj-kYhteenvet

Suomalainen julkaisuaktiivisuus psykiatrian alan ydinlehdissä vuosina 2001-2010

Bibliometrian menetelmät ovat vakiinnuttaneet asemansa tutkimustyön arvioinnin apuvälineenä. Tässä työssä esitellään 30 maan psykiatrian tutkimustoiminnan tuloksellisuutta vertailemalla tutkimusryhmien julkaisutoimintaa vuosina 2001-2010 kansainvälisissä psykiatrian ja sen lähialueiden näkyvimmissä lehdissä. Lisäksi analysoidaan Suomen psykiatrian julkaisutoiminnan kansainvälistä yhteistyötä. Tulosten mukaan ydinlehtien julkaisemien artikkeleiden määrä oli kasvanut tarkastelujakson aikana kolmanneksella ja kaikissa maissa psykiatrian julkaisuaktiivisuus oli lisääntynyt. Suomalaisten kirjoittajien osuus kaikista artikkeleista oli 1,7 prosenttia. Suomalaisten artikkeleista yli puolet oli yhteisjulkaisuja ulkomaisten tutkijoiden kanssa. Kansainvälisten yhteisjulkaisujen osuus oli kasvanut tasaisesti koko 2000-luvun. Suurimmassa osassa suomalaisia kirjoittajia sisältävistä tutkimuksista myös vastuukirjoittaja oli Suomesta. Tämä osuus oli kuitenkin laskenut viime vuosina kansainvälisen yhteistyön lisääntymisen myötä

Standardised regression coefficient as an effect size index in summarising findings in epidemiological studies

Background: a major problem in evaluating and reviewing the published findings of studies on the association between a quantitative explanatory variable and a quantitative dependent variable is that the results are analysed and reported in many different ways. To achieve an effective review of different studies, a consistent presentation of the results is necessary. This paper aims to exemplify the main topics related to summarising and pooling research findings from multivariable models with a quantitative response variable. Methods: we outline the complexities involved in synthesising associations. We describe a method by which it is possible to transform the findings into a common effect size index which is based on standardised regression coefficients. To describe the approach we searched original research articles published before January 2012 for findings of the relationship between polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and birth weight of new-borns. Studies with maternal PCB measurements and birth weight as a continuous variable were included. Results: the evaluation of 24 included articles reveled that there was variation in variable measurement methods, transformations, descriptive statistics and inference methods. Research syntheses were performed summarizing regression coefficients to estimate the effect of PCBs on birth weight. A birth weight decline related to increase in PCB level was found. Conclusions: the proposed method can be useful in quantitatively reviewing published studies when different exposure measurement methods are used or differential control of potential confounding factors is not an issue

Impact of Astroprincin (FAM171A1) Expression in Oral Tongue Cancer

Astroprincin (APCN, FAM171A1) is a recently characterized transmembrane glycoprotein that is abundant in brain astrocytes and is overexpressed in some tumors. However, the expression and role of APCN is unknown in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Aim of this study was to investigate the expression of APCN in OTSCC tissue samples and to analyze possible association of APCN with clinicopathological features and survival rates. This study included 76 patients treated for OTSCC. Expression of APCN in OTSCC tissue sections was examined by immunohistochemistry with a rabbit polyclonal antibody (MAP346) against APCN. All tumors were scored for intensity and percentage of APCN staining at the superficial, middle, and invasive front areas. High expression of APCN was significantly associated with increased tumor size (P = 0.013) and with OTSCC recurrence (P = 0.026). In this pilot study, we observed that the amount of APCN is associated with the size and recurrence of OTSCC. This finding suggests a role of APCN during OTSCC progression.Peer reviewe

Neuromyelitis optica - harvinaissairaus, joka on tärkeä erottaa MS-taudista

Vertaisarvioitu. Teema : neuroimmunologia.Neuromyelitis optica on autoimmuunisairaus, joka alkuperäisen määritelmänsä mukaan kohdistuu pääasiassa näköhermoratoihin ja selkäytimeen. Viime vuosina taudin diagnostiset kriteerit ja oirekirjo ovat kuitenkin laajentuneet ja nimeksi on muotoutunut neuromyelitis optica -kirjon sairaudet (neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, NMOSD). Sairaus muistuttaa aaltomaista MS-tautia, josta se on kuitenkin tärkeää erottaa. Taudit eroavat toisistaan immunologisesti, ja osa MS-taudin lääkkeistä voi jopa pahentaa NMOSD:tä. Näköhermo- ja selkäydintulehdus ovat yleensä vaikeampia kuin MS-taudissa. Taudin oirekirjon ja magneettikuvauslöydösten täsmentyminen sekä akvaporiini-4 (AQP4)- ja myeliinioligodendrosyyttiglykoproteiini (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, MOG) -vasta-aineiden löytyminen ovat selkeyttäneet diagnostiikkaa. Hoitoperiaatteetkin alkavat vähitellen selkiytyä viimeaikaisten havainnoivien ja kaksoissokkotutkimusten ansiosta.Peer reviewe

Validity of self-reported number of teeth in middle-aged Finnish adults: the Northern Finland Birth Cohort Study 1966

BackgroundWe examined the validity of self-reported number of teeth in middle-aged adults by using representative cohort data to compare corresponding self-reported and clinical values.MethodsThis validity study is part of the representative 46-year-old follow-up of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) Study. Mailed questionnaires (n=5950) requested information on self-reported number of teeth and background variables (education, tooth brushing and smoking), while clinical oral health examinations (n=1891) assessed the number of teeth (the gold standard'). The main analyses compared the self-reported and clinical values for the number of teeth in 1669 participants. Scatterplot and Bland-Altman plot served for visual analyses, and alternative correlation coefficients (Pearson, Spearman, intraclass) for numerical comparisons separately for men and women, with stratification according to background variables.ResultsThe clinical assessment revealed that the mean value for the number of teeth was 27.46 (SD=2.38), while the corresponding value based on self-reported information was 27.48 (SD=2.78). According to the Bland-Altman plot, the mean difference between the clinical and self-reported values was -0.02 (95% limits of agreement, LoA: -3.37 to 3.32). The observed ranges of intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) among men and women were 0.72 to 0.95 and 0.72 to 0.85, respectively, depending on the background variables.ConclusionsSelf-reported number of teeth in middle-aged Finnish adults agreed closely with the corresponding clinical measure.</div

Information Retrieval and Awareness about Evidence-Based Dentistry among Dental Undergraduate Students—A Comparative Study between Students from Malaysia and Finland

Background: A fundamental skill in education includes the ability to search for, evaluate, and synthesize information, and this cannot be underestimated in dental education. The aim of this study was to assess how dental students from Malaysia and Finland acquire scientific information and to compare their information retrieval skills. Methods: Fourth and fifth-year dental students from Malaysia and Finland were invited to participate. A self-administered structured questionnaire including items about the use of information sources, subjective assessment of literature retrieval skills and knowledge was used. Results: A total of 226 dental students participated in the survey: 131 from Malaysia and 95 from Finland. In both countries, the highest interest for data retrieval among students was found in the oral surgery specialty. The three most used sources of information among Malaysian students were personal lecture notes, dental textbooks, and colleagues; while Finnish students used colleagues, lecture notes, and current clinical guidelines. Students’ knowledge of evidence-based practice was inadequate in both student groups. Though the majority of participants reported that they had good or passable skills in literature retrieval, more students from Finland judged themselves to have at least good skills compared to those from Malaysia. Conclusion: Dental education in both countries includes information retrieval studies and mandatory research projects. However, students did not often use those sources that are considered essential in evidence-based dentistry. Universities should further develop educational and training interventions that guide students to use knowledge resources more effectively for critically appraising scientific evidence

Information Retrieval and Awareness about Evidence-Based Dentistry among Dental Undergraduate Students—A Comparative Study between Students from Malaysia and Finland

Background: A fundamental skill in education includes the ability to search for, evaluate, and synthesize information, and this cannot be underestimated in dental education. The aim of this study was to assess how dental students from Malaysia and Finland acquire scientific information and to compare their information retrieval skills. Methods: Fourth and fifth-year dental students from Malaysia and Finland were invited to participate. A self-administered structured questionnaire including items about the use of information sources, subjective assessment of literature retrieval skills and knowledge was used. Results: A total of 226 dental students participated in the survey: 131 from Malaysia and 95 from Finland. In both countries, the highest interest for data retrieval among students was found in the oral surgery specialty. The three most used sources of information among Malaysian students were personal lecture notes, dental textbooks, and colleagues; while Finnish students used colleagues, lecture notes, and current clinical guidelines. Students’ knowledge of evidence-based practice was inadequate in both student groups. Though the majority of participants reported that they had good or passable skills in literature retrieval, more students from Finland judged themselves to have at least good skills compared to those from Malaysia. Conclusion: Dental education in both countries includes information retrieval studies and mandatory research projects. However, students did not often use those sources that are considered essential in evidence-based dentistry. Universities should further develop educational and training interventions that guide students to use knowledge resources more effectively for critically appraising scientific evidence

E-Professionalism among Dental Students from Malaysia and Finland

The increased use of social media in dentistry is associated with both advantages and disadvantages. A new form of professionalism, “e-professionalism,” has emerged. It includes an online persona and online information in any format that displays cues to professional identity, attitudes, and behaviors. The objective was to explore the perceptions of Malaysian and Finnish dental students on e-professionalism. A survey of 613 Malaysian and Finnish students was performed. The main variables assessed were posting of objectionable or inappropriate content among students, attitudes towards unprofessional online content, perceived online presence, contacts with patients and faculty members on social media, and concerns about social media use. The prevalence of posting clearly unprofessional content was not high among dental students. Revealing information of patients was most common content of clear unprofessionalism. Students from Malaysia contacted patients and faculty members more actively in social media than students in Finland (73.6% of students in Malaysia and 11.8% in Finland had invited faculty members to be “friends”). Malaysian students were more concerned and more likely to react to inappropriate content on social media. Attitude of dental students towards social media use in dentistry were very positive in both countries. Students agreed that guiding patients online is a new responsibility for dentists in the digital age (86.4% of students in Malaysia and 73.4% in Finland). The findings indicate the existence of both benefits and dangers of social media on e-professionalism among students. There is a need to include robust digital professionalism awareness training for students

E-Professionalism among Dental Students from Malaysia and Finland

The increased use of social media in dentistry is associated with both advantages and disadvantages. A new form of professionalism, "e-professionalism," has emerged. It includes an online persona and online information in any format that displays cues to professional identity, attitudes, and behaviors. The objective was to explore the perceptions of Malaysian and Finnish dental students on e-professionalism. A survey of 613 Malaysian and Finnish students was performed. The main variables assessed were posting of objectionable or inappropriate content among students, attitudes towards unprofessional online content, perceived online presence, contacts with patients and faculty members on social media, and concerns about social media use. The prevalence of posting clearly unprofessional content was not high among dental students. Revealing information of patients was most common content of clear unprofessionalism. Students from Malaysia contacted patients and faculty members more actively in social media than students in Finland (73.6% of students in Malaysia and 11.8% in Finland had invited faculty members to be "friends"). Malaysian students were more concerned and more likely to react to inappropriate content on social media. Attitude of dental students towards social media use in dentistry were very positive in both countries. Students agreed that guiding patients online is a new responsibility for dentists in the digital age (86.4% of students in Malaysia and 73.4% in Finland). The findings indicate the existence of both benefits and dangers of social media on e-professionalism among students. There is a need to include robust digital professionalism awareness training for students.Peer reviewe