Concurrent Trajectories of Objectively Measured Insufficient Recovery and Workload Among a Cohort of Shift Working Hospital Employees: Quantitative Empirical Research.

Aim: To investigate concurrent changes in short shift intervals (< 11 h) and workload among hospital employees.

Design And Data Sources: This cohort study of 1904 employees in one hospital district in Finland utilised data on employees' working hours for short shift intervals and workload based on the patient classifications aggregated to a 3-week period level across 2 years, 2018-2019. The data was analysed by group-based trajectory modelling and multinominal regression models.

Quantitative Homogenization for the Obstacle Problem and Its Free Boundary.

In this manuscript we prove quantitative homogenization results for the obstacle problem with bounded measurable coefficients. As a consequence, large-scale regularity results both for the solution and the free boundary for the heterogeneous obstacle problem are derived.

Workload and short sickness absences in a cohort of Finnish hospital employees.

This article used register data on day-to-day working hours of hospital employees combined with patient characteristics at work unit (wards) level to measure workload and its implications for short, self-certified sickness absences. We measured statistically the average nursing treatment burden of different patient mixes in hospital wards, and then analyzed the overall workload (intensity) of working days by comparing it to the actual available nursing workforce. We found that a significant part of the workload variation occurred between working days, and it was related to unexpected changes in the number of employees.

Factors associated with psychological distress of workers in the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Background: The work of church employees contains many elements causing symptoms of stress and anxiety. They can lead into psychological distress and possibly indicate the beginning of a more serious psychological state. Women seem to be more disposed to psychological stress than men.

Health and Well-Being of Church Musicians during the COVID-19 Pandemic-Experiences of Health and Work-Related Distress from Musicians of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland.

Earlier research has revealed contrasting gender results in standardized mortality ratios (SMR) for cancers and cardiovascular diseases of Finnish church musicians compared with the general population. In order to better understand the SMRs, our study examined gender differences in health and work-related experiences of church musicians with special focus on experienced stress and burnout on the one hand, and work engagement and mental well-being on the other. The data were collected by a questionnaire including both standardized measures and open-ended questions.

Higher-Order Linearization and Regularity in Nonlinear Homogenization.

We prove large-scale regularity for solutions of nonlinear elliptic equations with random coefficients, thereby obtaining a version of the statement of Hilbert's 19th problem in the context of homogenization. The analysis proceeds by iteratively improving three statements together: (i) the regularity of the homogenized Lagrangian  , (ii) the commutation of higher-order linearization and homogenization, and (iii) large-scale -type regularity for higher-order linearization errors. We consequently obtain a quantitative estimate on the scaling of linearization errors, a Liouville-type theorem describing the polynomially-growing solutions of the system of higher-order linearized equations, and an explicit (heterogenous analogue of the) Taylor series for an arbitrary solution of the nonlinear equations-with the remainder term optimally controlled.

Causes of Death of Professional Musicians in the Classical Genre.

Objective: Music practice and listening have been reported to have favorable effects on human health, but empirical data are largely missing about these effects. To obtain more information about the effect of exposure to music from early childhood, we examined the causes of death of professional musicians in the classical genre.

Methods: We used standardized mortality ratios (SMR) for Finnish performing artists (n=5,780) and church musicians (n=22,368) during 1981-2016.

Music-performance regulates microRNAs in professional musicians.

Musical training and performance require precise integration of multisensory and motor centres of the human brain and can be regarded as an epigenetic modifier of brain functions. Numerous studies have identified structural and functional differences between the brains of musicians and non-musicians and superior cognitive functions in musicians. Recently, music-listening and performance has also been shown to affect the regulation of several genes, many of which were identified in songbird singing.

Creative Activities in Music--A Genome-Wide Linkage Analysis.

Creative activities in music represent a complex cognitive function of the human brain, whose biological basis is largely unknown. In order to elucidate the biological background of creative activities in music we performed genome-wide linkage and linkage disequilibrium (LD) scans in musically experienced individuals characterised for self-reported composing, arranging and non-music related creativity. The participants consisted of 474 individuals from 79 families, and 103 sporadic individuals.

The effect of music performance on the transcriptome of professional musicians.

Music performance by professional musicians involves a wide-spectrum of cognitive and multi-sensory motor skills, whose biological basis is unknown. Several neuroscientific studies have demonstrated that the brains of professional musicians and non-musicians differ structurally and functionally and that musical training enhances cognition. However, the molecules and molecular mechanisms involved in music performance remain largely unexplored.

Guide to nonlinear potential estimates.

One of the basic achievements in nonlinear potential theory is that the typical linear pointwise estimates via fundamental solutions find a precise analog in the case of nonlinear equations. We give a comprehensive account of this fact and prove new unifying families of potential estimates. We also describe new fine properties of solutions to measure data problems.

Effects of statin therapy according to plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration in the Controlled Rosuvastatin Multinational Trial in Heart Failure (CORONA): a retrospective analysis.

Background: We examined whether the antiinflammatory action of statins may be of benefit in heart failure, a state characterized by inflammation in which low cholesterol is associated with worse outcomes.

Methods And Results: We compared 10 mg rosuvastatin daily with placebo in patients with ischemic systolic heart failure according to baseline high sensitivity-C reactive protein (hs-CRP) <2.0 mg/L (placebo, n=779; rosuvastatin, n=777) or > or = 2.

Freeware eLearning Flash-ECG for learning electrocardiography.

Background: Electrocardiographic (ECG) analysis can be taught in eLearning programmes with suitable software that permits the effective use of basic tools such as a ruler and a magnifier, required for measurements.

Aims: The Flash-ECG (Research & Development Unit for Medical Education, University of Helsinki, Finland) was developed to enable teachers and students to use scanned and archived ECGs on computer screens and classroom projectors.

Results: The software requires only a standard web browser with a Flash plug-in and can be integrated with learning environments (Blackboard/WebCT, Moodle).

Predictors of fatal and non-fatal outcomes in the Controlled Rosuvastatin Multinational Trial in Heart Failure (CORONA): incremental value of apolipoprotein A-1, high-sensitivity C-reactive peptide and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide.

Aims: Few prognostic models in heart failure have been developed in typically elderly patients treated with modern pharmacological therapy and even fewer included simple biochemical tests (such as creatinine), new biomarkers (such as natriuretic peptides), or, especially, both. In addition, most models have been developed for the single outcome of all-cause mortality.

Methods And Results: We built a series of models for nine different fatal and non-fatal outcomes.

Rosuvastatin in older patients with systolic heart failure.

Background: Patients with systolic heart failure have generally been excluded from statin trials. Acute coronary events are uncommon in this population, and statins have theoretical risks in these patients.

Methods: A total of 5011 patients at least 60 years of age with New York Heart Association class II, III, or IV ischemic, systolic heart failure were randomly assigned to receive 10 mg of rosuvastatin or placebo per day.

Brain metabolic alterations in adolescents and young adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure affects brain structure and function. This study examined brain metabolism using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and searched for regions of specific vulnerability in adolescents and young adults prenatally exposed to alcohol.

Methods: Ten adolescents and young adults with confirmed heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and a diagnosis within the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) were included.

Preliminary findings of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in occipital cortex during sleep deprivation.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) has revealed biochemical alterations in various psychiatric disorders. Changes in brain metabolites may be caused not only by the disease's progression or response to treatment, but also by physiological variability. The aim of this study was to use (1)H MRS to assess the effects of specific short-term physiological states on major metabolites.

Five new cases of a recently described leukoencephalopathy with high brain lactate.

Background: A new leukoencephalopathy with brainstem and spinal cord involvement and high brain lactate was recently defined. The authors describe five new patients with this entity.

Methods: Brain MRI was performed in all patients and spinal MRI and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in four patients.

Vitamin C prevents the acute atherogenic effects of passive smoking.

During passive smoking the body is attacked by an excess of free radicals inducing oxidative stress. In nonsmoking subjects even a short period of passive smoking breaks down serum antioxidant defense (TRAP) and accelerates lipid peroxidation leading to accumulation of their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in cultured human macrophages. We now studied whether these acute proatherogenic effects of secondhand smoke could be prevented by an effective free radical scavenger, vitamin C.

Phospholipase A2 activity in body fluids and pancreatic tissue in patients with acute necrotising pancreatitis.

Objective: To measure pancreatic and non-pancreatic phospholipase A2 activity in human acute necrotising pancreatitis.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: University hospital, Finland.

Genetic risk factors and ischaemic cerebrovascular disease: role of common variation of the genes encoding apolipoproteins and angiotensin-converting enzyme.

DNA polymorphisms in genes encoding apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, C-III, B and E and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) have been proposed to be associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). We studied whether the same genetic markers would also be associated with the occurrence and extent of atherosclerosis in cervical arteries. DNA samples from 234 survivors of stroke or a transient ischaemic attack aged 60 years or less were examined.

Passive smoking induces atherogenic changes in low-density lipoprotein.

Background: According to the American Heart Association, passive smoking is an important risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), but the mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood. We studied the acute effect of passive smoking on the factors that influence the development of CHD: the antioxidant defense of human serum, the extent of lipid peroxidation, and the accumulation of LDL cholesterol in cultured human macrophages, the precursors of foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions.

Methods And Results: Blood samples were collected during 2 ordinary working days from healthy, nonsmoking subjects (n=10) before and after (up to 5.

Duodenal secretion of phospholipase A2, amylase, and bicarbonate in chronic pancreatitis.

Phospholipase A2 has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis. We determined phospholipase A2 and amylase activities in duodenal juice collected during a secretin test from 30 consecutive patients who were suspected to have chronic pancreatitis or biliary disease. The patients underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) the following day.

Serum phospholipase A2, amylase, lipase, and urinary amylase activities in relation to the severity of acute pancreatitis.

Objective: To compare serum phospholipase A2 activity with measurements of conventional enzymes as an indicator of the severity of acute pancreatitis.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: University hospital, Finland.

Inhibition of serum phospholipase-A2 in acute pancreatitis by pharmacological agents in vitro.

Phospholipase-A2 has been suggested as having a role in the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis. The inhibition of phospholipase-A2 was studied in vitro using 17 pharmacological agents in the search for a specific therapy for acute pancreatitis. The inhibitory effect was tested using an isotopic assay system with 2-palmitoyl-(1-14C)-labelled dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine as a substrate and 10 microliters of serum from patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis as an enzyme source.