Nuclear genetic background influences the phenotype of the Drosophila tko25t mitochondrial protein-synthesis mutant.

The Drosophila tko25t point mutation in the gene encoding mitoribosomal protein S12 produces a complex phenotype of multiple respiratory chain deficiency, developmental delay, bang-sensitivity, impaired hearing, sugar and antibiotic sensitivity, and impaired male courtship. Its phenotypic severity was previously shown to be alleviated by inbreeding and to vary with mitochondrial genetic background. Here, we show similarly profound effects conferred by nuclear genetic background.

Lethal Interaction of Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genotypes in .

, like most animal species, displays considerable genetic variation in both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Here we tested whether any of four natural mtDNA variants was able to modify the effect of the phenotypically mild, nuclear mutation, affecting mitochondrial protein synthesis. When combined with , the mtDNA from wild strain KSA2 produced pupal lethality, accompanied by the presence of melanotic nodules in L3 larvae.

Unintentional drowning: Role of medicinal drugs and alcohol.

Background: Alcohol is a well-known risk factor in unintentional drownings. Whereas psychotropic drugs, like alcohol, may cause psychomotor impairment and affect cognition, no detailed studies have focused on their association with drowning. Finland provides extensive post-mortem toxicological data for studies on drowning because of its high medico-legal autopsy rates.

Mitochondrial genotype modulates mtDNA copy number and organismal phenotype in Drosophila.

We evaluated the role of natural mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation on mtDNA copy number, biochemical features and life history traits in Drosophila cybrid strains. We demonstrate the effects of both coding region and non-coding A+T region variation on mtDNA copy number, and demonstrate that copy number correlates with mitochondrial biochemistry and metabolically important traits such as development time. For example, high mtDNA copy number correlates with longer development times.

Burden of Fire Injuries in Finland: Lost Productivity and Benefits.

The aim of this study was to assess the economic burden of fire-related injury from two perspectives: post-injury social security compensations and also productivity losses due to the lost productive time from a societal perspective induced by the injury. A cohort of 1503 inpatients who sustained fire-related injury during the period 2001-2005 was retrospectively followed up for 5-10 years until the end of 2010, using linkages between several administrative registers. The study process was started in 2015 and finalized on March 2016.

Economic burden of fire-related deaths in Finland, 2000-2010: Indirect costs using a human capital approach.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the indirect economic burden of fire-related deaths in Finland in the period 2000-2010.

Methods: The Human Capital (HC) approach was the main method used to estimate productivity losses due to fire-related deaths. Additionally, Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL) due to deaths were reported.

The use of psychoactive prescription drugs among DUI suspects.

Background: The study seeks to increase understanding of the use of psychoactive prescription drugs among persons suspected of driving under the influence (DUI). We studied whether the use of prescribed psychoactive medication was associated with DUI, and examined the difference in the use of prescription drugs between DUI recidivists and those arrested only once.

Methods: In this register-based study, persons suspected of DUI (n=29470) were drawn from the Register of DUI suspects, and an age- and gender-matched reference population (n=30043) was drawn from the Finnish general population.

Opioid Concentrations in Oral Fluid and Plasma in Cancer Patients With Pain.

Context: Measuring opioid concentrations in pain treatment is warranted in situations where optimal opioid analgesia is difficult to reach.

Objectives: To assess the usefulness of oral fluid (OFL) as an alternative to plasma in opioid concentration monitoring in cancer patients on chronic opioid therapy.

Methods: We collected OFL and plasma samples from 64 cancer patients on controlled-release (CR) oral morphine, CR oral oxycodone, or transdermal (TD) fentanyl for pain.

Inpatient costs of fire-related injuries in Finland.

The aim of this study was to approximate the direct health care costs of fire-related injuries in inpatient care in Finland. Using the PERFECT costing method, cost data from both Finnish burn centres were linked to the fire-related injury patient data from the Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register (FHDR, 2001-2009). Additionally, a sample of 168 patients from the Helsinki Burn Centre was linked to the FHDR to examine the relation of %TBSA.

The arrest of drivers under the influence as a predictor of subsequent social disadvantage and death.

Background: The association between DUI (driving under the influence) and disadvantaged social background has been shown in cross-sectional studies, but less is known about the processes behind this phenomenon. We aimed to examine the effect of DUI arrest on subsequent social disadvantage in Finland during 1993-2006 to provide more understanding about the dynamics of DUI and marginalization and to study DUI arrest as a potential point of intervention.

Methods: In this longitudinal, register-based study the Register of DUI suspects (n=68894) was linked with the Employment Register.

Commentary: why is the odds ratio for involvement in serious road traffic accident among drunk drivers in Norway and Finland higher than in other countries?

Objective: Recent Norwegian and Finnish studies have found high odds ratios for serious or fatal injury in road traffic accidents among drivers after drinking alcohol. In this report we have compared the odds ratios with results from studies in other countries.

Methods: A literature review was conducted.

Comparison of drug concentrations between whole blood and oral fluid.

The relationship of drug concentrations between oral fluid and whole blood was evaluated by studying the linear correlation of concentrations and calculating the oral fluid to blood concentration ratios (OF/B) for different substances. Paired oral fluid and whole blood samples were collected from volunteers and persons suspected of drug use in four European countries. Oral fluid samples were collected with the Saliva∙Sampler™ device.

Methodological challenges in using the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register for studying fire-related injuries leading to inpatient care.

Background: The objective was to examine feasibility of using hospital discharge register data for studying fire-related injuries.

Methods: The Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register (FHDR) was the database used to select relevant hospital discharge data to study usability and data quality issues. Patterns of E-coding were assessed, as well as prominent challenges in defining the incidence of injuries.

Random and systematic errors in case-control studies calculating the injury risk of driving under the influence of psychoactive substances.

Between 2006 and 2010, six population based case-control studies were conducted as part of the European research-project DRUID (DRiving Under the Influence of Drugs, alcohol and medicines). The aim of these case-control studies was to calculate odds ratios indicating the relative risk of serious injury in car crashes. The calculated odds ratios in these studies showed large variations, despite the use of uniform guidelines for the study designs.

Mental disorders associated with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs: a register-based study.

Background/aims: Mental disorders are associated with driving under the influence (DUI), but the evidence is scarce and mostly focused on a limited group of repeat drunken drivers. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine which mental disorders were risk factors for DUI of alcohol only (DUIA), of illicit drugs (DUID) or of alcohol and psychoactive prescription drugs (DUIAP), and whether and how the risk differs over time.

Methods: A register-based case-control study was conducted.

Fire-related injuries with inpatient care in Finland: a 10-year nationwide study.

The aim of this study was to examine fire-related injuries leading to inpatient care in Finland. The Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register (2000-2009) and a sample of 222 patients from the Helsinki Burn Centre who sustained flame burns was used. During the 10-years study period, the incidence of fire-related injuries with inpatient care was approximately 5.

[Psychoactive drugs and accident risk in road traffic].

In the DRUID (Driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and medicines) study, the risk of injury and death was calculated for different psychoactive substances on the basis of samples collected from drivers in road traffic and in various accident situations. The number of persons having used alcohol or drugs with negative effects on the ability to drive was lower in Finland than in Europe on the average. Aggravated drunk drivers and mixed substance abusers pose an accident risk that can be several hundredfold higher compared with sober drivers.

Analysis of naltrexone and its metabolite 6-beta-naltrexol in serum with high-performance liquid chromatography.

Background: Naltrexone has been proven to be an effective treatment option for the treatment of alcohol dependency. In this article we introduce a reliable and simple method developed for the simultaneous determination of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol in human serum by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Findings: Liquid-liquid extraction with butyl acetate from basic solutions (pH 9) was chosen for extraction with nalorphine as an internal standard (IS).

Alcohol and drugs in seriously injured drivers in six European countries.

The objective of this study was to determine the presence of alcohol and drugs in drivers severely injured in traffic crashes in six European countries. Data were collected from 2492 seriously injured drivers of cars and vans in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, between 2007 and 2010. Toxicological analysis was performed with chromatographic techniques on whole blood for 23 substances.

Substance use and social, health and safety-related factors among fatally injured drivers.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine different socio-demographic, health and safety-related factors, and psychoactive substance use among fatally injured drivers in road traffic accidents in Finland during 2006-2008.

Methods: An accident information register maintained by the Traffic Safety Committee of Insurance Companies (VALT) of the Finnish Motor Insurers' Centre was used as basic data, and the basic data were complemented with further toxicological analytical information retrieved from autopsy reports from the Department of Forensic Medicine, Helsinki University. The data included all the drivers (n=556) who were driving a motor vehicle and who died in a road traffic accident in Finland during 2006-2008.

Cannabis findings in drivers suspected of driving under the influence of drugs in Finland from 2006 to 2008.

The authors examined driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases which were found to be positive in whole blood for cannabis in Finland from 2006 to 2008. Factors studied were the number of cases positive for any combination of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the metabolites 11-hydroxy-Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-OH) and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH). Concurrent use of amphetamines, benzodiazepines and/or alcohol was also recorded, as well as the drivers' age and gender.

Benzodiazepine whole blood concentrations in cases with positive oral fluid on-site screening test results using the DrugWipe(®) single for benzodiazepines.

Reliable on-site oral fluid screening devices are a useful and convenient means of policing traffic. In Finland, benzodiazepines represent a particular challenge to traffic safety. This study presents a retrospective examination of toxicological analysis results from whole blood in cases which gave a positive screening result for benzodiazepines in oral fluid using the DrugWipe Single device (Securetec).

The association between social determinants and drunken driving: a 15-year register-based study of 81,125 suspects.

Aims: The aim of the study was to examine the association between social background and drunken driving.

Methods: A Finnish register on suspected drunken driving was combined with data on social background. There were 81,125 drivers arrested for drunken driving and 86,279 references from 1993 to 2007.

An evaluation of on-site oral fluid drug screening devices DrugWipe 5+ and Rapid STAT using oral fluid for confirmation analysis.

In this study, the performance of two on-site oral fluid drug-testing devices, DrugWipe 5(+) (Securetec) and Rapid STAT (Mavand), was assessed. The results obtained by the devices were compared with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry confirmation analysis results in oral fluid. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the tests, as well as positive and negative predictive values, were calculated based on the classified results of the comparison.