D-vitamin och parodontium

Detta arbete är en litteraturstudie vars syfte är att undersöka vetenskapliga artiklar för att ta reda på hur D-vitamin påverkar parodontala vävnaden och om det finns belägg för att D-vitamin har en positiv effekt på parodontala hälsan. D-vitamin är ett prohormon som reglerar immunförsvaret och kroppens absorption av kalcium och fosfor. Parodontit är en kronisk inflammatorisk sjukdom som bryter ner tänders stödjevävnad samt käkarnas alveolarben och ger upphov till tandlossning. Denna studie letar i den vetenskapliga litteraturen om det finns kausalitets samband mellan D-vitaminbrist och parodontit eftersom båda tillstånden är skelettala och inflammatoriska sjukdomar. Både parodontit och D-vitaminbrist är vanligt förekommande i den finska befolkningen. Detta arbete är baserat på litteratursökning i PubMed, Melinda, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews och internet hemsidan terveysportti.fi. Litteraturgranskningens resultat är att sambandet mellan D-vitamin halten i serum och parodontal infektion är svag. Populations studier visar att D-vitamin brist har försumbar gynnsam effekt på parodontal infektion. Däremot har D-vitamin i teorin positiv effekt på alveolarbenets mineraldensitet och immunförsvar. Denna studie visar att D-vitaminbrist kan vara orsaken till ett svagt parodontologiskt behandlingssvar om andra starkare parodontologiska riskfaktorer är uteslutna

Vertikaaliset pietsosähköiset rakenteet aktuaatioon MEMS sensoreissa

The purpose of this Master's Thesis is to investigate the feasibility of in-plane piezoelectric actuation and to identify suitable materials and methods. The focus is on the selection of piezoelectric material and its growth method. The theory of piezoelectricity is presented and piezoelectric actuation and sensing are discussed along with piezoelectric materials. In addition, crystal growth and different growth methods are presented. MEMS gyroscopes are discussed as well. Piezoelectricity is the electrical response that results from mechanical stress. Piezoelectric materials are used in actuation and sensing in MEMS and in other devices. Piezoelectric actuation offers advantages over other methods, including enhanced performance and lower power use. This thesis presents an in-plane actuator with vertical sidewall structure that is more effective than other methods. This technology can be used for example in gyroscopes and other MEMS devices. AlN is selected as the material due to its advantages over other materials, such as compatibility and availability. AlN is required to grow on vertical sidewalls and have adequate crystal quality. Out of the considered growth methods MOVPE is the only one that can meet these requirements. Experiments show that the presented sidewall actuator structure works in in-plane actuation and has increased performance compared to current methods. The developed MOVPE process is suitable for AlN growth considering the crystal quality.The purpose of this Master's Thesis is to investigate the feasibility of in-plane piezoelectric actuation and to identify suitable materials and methods. The focus is on the selection of piezoelectric material and its growth method. The theory of piezoelectricity is presented and piezoelectric actuation and sensing are discussed along with piezoelectric materials. In addition, crystal growth and different growth methods are presented. MEMS gyroscopes are discussed as well. Piezoelectricity is the electrical response that results from mechanical stress. Piezoelectric materials are used in actuation and sensing in MEMS and in other devices. Piezoelectric actuation offers advantages over other methods, including enhanced performance and lower power use. This thesis presents an in-plane actuator with vertical sidewall structure that is more effective than other methods. This technology can be used for example in gyroscopes and other MEMS devices. AlN is selected as the material due to its advantages over other materials, such as compatibility and availability. AlN is required to grow on vertical sidewalls and have adequate crystal quality. Out of the considered growth methods MOVPE is the only one that can meet these requirements. Experiments show that the presented sidewall actuator structure works in in-plane actuation and has increased performance compared to current methods. The developed MOVPE process is suitable for AlN growth considering the crystal quality. Tämän diplomityön tarkoitus on tutkia tasossa tapahtuvan pietsosähköisen aktuaation toimivuutta ja löytää siihen soveltuvia materiaaleja ja menetelmiä. Pääasiana on pietsosähköisen materiaalin ja sen kasvatusmenetelmän valinta. Pietsosähköisyyden teoria esitetään ja lisäksi käsitellään tarkemmin pietsosähköistä aktuaatioita ja havainnointia sekä materiaaleja. Lisäksi kiteen kasvu ja eri kasvatusmenetelmiä esitellään. Myös MEMS gyroskooppeja käsitellään. Pietsosähköinen ilmiö on sähköinen vaste joka syntyy mekaanisesta jännityksestä. MEMS sekä muissa laitteissa käytetään pietsosähköisiä materiaaleja aktuaatioissa ja havainnoinnissa. Pietsosähköisellä aktuaatiolla on lukuisia hyötyjä verrattuna muihin menetelmiin, mm. parempi suorituskyky ja pienempi virrankulutus. Tässä työssä esitetään tasossa toimiva vertikaaliseen rakenteeseen perustuva sivuseinä aktuaattori. Esitetty rakenne on tehokkaampi kuin muut vastaavat menetelmät. Tätä teknologiaa voidaan hyödyntää mm. gyroskoopeissa sekä muissa MEMS sensoreissa. Materiaaliksi valitaan AlN, sillä se on soveltuvin käsitellyistä materiaaleista. AlN:n tulee kasvaa pystysuorille sivuseinille riittävällä kidelaadulla. Harkituista kasvatusmenetelmistä MOVPE on ainut joka täyttää nämä vaatimukset. Kokeet osoittavat, että esitelty sivuseinärakenne on toimiva tasossa tapahtuvassa aktuaatiossa. Lisäksi sillä on parempi suorituskyky verrattuna tämänhetkisiin menetelmiin. Kehitetty MOVPE kasvatusprosessi on soveltuva AlN:n kasvatukseen kidelaadun kannalta

"Suurin vaikutuksemme maailman kestävään kehitykseen tapahtuu tuotteidemme kautta"- Kestävän kehityksen diskursiivinen legitimaatio yrityksen verkkosivuilla

This study aims to contribute to the discussion on how corporations legitimate their own existence through legitimation of sustainability engagement. More specifically, the research focused on the discourses and legitimation strategies corporations use in their own texts to assure their audience that they are a legitimate societal actor, and therefore should be supplied resources to. The research was executed as a discourse analysis on six Finnish production companies’ sustainability website texts. The data consisted of the sustainability websites’ front pages and descriptions of Approach to sustainability and Sustainability areas. Two opposing discourses were found to be used: Sustainability as an asset, which holds the idea of sustainability contributing to the organization’s operations positively and Sustainability as a liability, i.e. an obligation that has to be fulfilled. Six discursive themes under these were identified, which respectively from asset to liability were: Business core, Stakeholders, External valuation, Business impact, Moral obligation and Laws and regulations. The findings suggest that a stronger legitimacy can be achieved through strategic implications of sustainability, i.e. viewing it as an asset, where legitimacy can primarily be achieved through normalization and rationalization. Legitimacy increased through outsourcing the decision of important aspects to stakeholders through prospective normalization, as well as giving the authority to judge sustainability outside the company, through using authorization. Legitimation through the liability discourse seems to be in place especially if appealing to humanistic values when talking about employees or communities, with moralization primarily used to achieve legitimacy. Sustainability has been found to produce legitimacy to an organization’s existence, and therefore stronger stakeholder engagement. This study extends the knowledge of how corporations’ responsibilities today go beyond making profit, and especially how corporations seek to assure their audiences of their responsibility

Utredning av sexuella övergrepp på barn - ur socialarbetarsynvinkel

Only abstract. Paper copies of master’s theses are listed in the Helka database (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Electronic copies of master’s theses are either available as open access or only on thesis terminals in the Helsinki University Library.Vain tiivistelmä. Sidottujen gradujen saatavuuden voit tarkistaa Helka-tietokannasta (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Digitaaliset gradut voivat olla luettavissa avoimesti verkossa tai rajoitetusti kirjaston opinnäytekioskeilla.Endast sammandrag. Inbundna avhandlingar kan sökas i Helka-databasen (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Elektroniska kopior av avhandlingar finns antingen öppet på nätet eller endast tillgängliga i bibliotekets avhandlingsterminaler.Denna pro gradu-avhandling belyser socialarbetarnas färdigheter att sköta ärenden där man misstänker att ett barn blivit sexuellt utnyttjat. Speciellt de fall som berör incest, dvs. sexuella övergrepp inom familjen har noggrannare studerats eftersom familjepolemiken gör att dessa fall är svårare att komma åt och berör varje familjemedlem på ett eller annat sätt vilket komplicerar fallen. Den kvalitativa forskningen för avhandlingen är utförd under sommaren 2006. Åtta forskningsfrågor gällande sexuella övergrepp på barn ur socialarbetarsynvinkel e-postades till 112 utvalda socialarbetare 9.6-18.8.2006. De 36 städer vars socialcentraler kontaktades ligger längs kusten och är valda enligt det faktum att kommunen har svenskspråkiga invånare i majoritet och därmed är det sannolikare att forskningsfrågorna besvaras på svenska vilket minskar möjligheten för feltolkning av materialet. Den främsta teoretiska referensramen för avhandlingen är Sirpa Taskinens bok ”Lapsen seksuaalisen hyväksikäytön ja pahoinpitelyn selvittäminen, asiantuntijatyöryhmän suositukset sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon henkilöstölle” (2003). Också Mirja Siréns bok ”Insestiepäilyn kohtaaminen sosiaalityöntekijän näkökulmasta” (1992) är av vikt för denna avhandling och riktgivande för forskningsfrågan. Materialet för forskningen har analyserats med hjälp av innehålls- och diskursanalys och den främsta hjälpen har jag fått av Ann Kristin Larsens ” Metod helt enkelt” (2009). Jag har valt att använda mig av innehålls- och diskursanalys för att denna metod möjliggör att jämföra informanternas svar och därmed är det lättare att dra slutsatser. De färdigt formulerade frågorna som ställdes till de utvalda socialarbetare ämnade att få svar på om socialarbetarna har erfarenhet och färdighet att handha fall där man misstänker att ett barn har blivit sexuellt utnyttjat. Det visade sig att det fanns socialarbetare som inte har varit med om ett enda fall av sexuellt utnyttjande. Alla kunde dock lägga sig in i problematiken med att handha dylika fall och är medvetna om de faror som känslomässigt starka upplevelser i arbetet kan föra med sig. Det positiva är att majoriteten av de tillfrågade socialarbetarna vet hur man skall gå tillväga om det uppdagat att ett barn har sexuellt utnyttjats

Ripple Effects: How In Re Ripple Labs Inc. Litigation Could Signal The Beginning of the End of the Payment Platform

Ripple Labs provides an international payment network that allows financial institutions to transfer money more cheaply and quickly than traditional international payments. Ripple’s native digital currency, XRP, supports global payments by acting as intermediate currency between different currencies, eliminating correspondent bank’s need to hold deposits in foreign currencies. In an ongoing class action lawsuit, XRP purchasers claim that the digital asset qualifies as a security under federal securities laws and that Ripple illegally offered and sold XRP as an unregistered security. Given Ripple’s rising prominence as a tool for financial institutions, this pending case will impact cryptocurrency markets and international payments. Because XRP is most likely a security subject to regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), this matter poses an existential threat to the Ripple network. This note examines the legal issues leading up to the Ripple litigation and explains why XRP is most likely a security. It concludes by discussing the SEC’s likely approach to Ripple’s unregistered Initial Coin Offering (ICO)

Nuorten syrjäytymisen ehkäiseminen ja yhteisöllisyyden tukeminen

Projektina toteutetun opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli suunnitella ja toteuttaa viisi toiminnallista ryhmätapaamista yhdessä Porin Perusturvan työntekijöiden kanssa nuorten vastaanoton asiakkaille, jotka ovat syrjäytyneitä, yksinäisiä tai vaarassa syrjäytyä. Ryhmä koostui syrjäytyneistä tai syrjäytymisvaarassa olevista nuorista. Ryhmätapaamisten tavoitteena oli tukea nuorten yhteisöllisyyttä ja osallisuutta sekä vahvistaa heidän sosiaalisia verkkojaan ryhmätoiminnan avulla. Ryhmä tarjosi nuorille paikan, jossa he saivat tutustua toisiinsa yhteisen toiminnan avulla. Suunniteltuun kokonaisuuteen kuului viisi toiminnallista ryhmätapaamista, jotka toteutettiin 25.9–30.10.2013. Yhden ryhmätapaamisen kesto oli 1-2,5 tuntia. Ryhmään valittiin kuusi 16–18-vuotiasta nuorta vastaanoton asiakasta. Projektissa tehtiin yhteistyötä nuorten vastaanoton terveydenhoitajan ja psykiatrisen sairaanhoitajan kanssa. Projektin arvioinnin apuna käytettiin asiakkailta ja vastaanoton työntekijöiltä kerättyä kirjallista palautetta. Omaa toimintaa ryhmänohjaajina arvioitiin oppimispäiväkirjojen avulla. Nuoret kokivat ryhmäntoiminnan mukavaksi ja rennoksi yhdessäoloksi sekä pitivät kokonaisuutta hauskana kokemuksena. Ryhmän ilmapiiri oli turvallinen ja luottamuksellinen. Ryhmän avulla nuoret saivat rohkeutta kokeilla erilaisia aktiviteetteja vapaa-ajallaankin. Nuorten vastaanotto voi hyödyntää kyseistä ryhmätoiminnan mallia tulevaisuudessakin. Jatkoprojektina voitaisiin toteuttaa seurantaa siitä, miten ryhmätapaamiset ovat vaikuttaneet nuoriin. Olisi myös mielenkiintoista tietää, kokevatko nuoret hyötyneensä ryhmätapaamisista.The purpose of this thesis project was to plan and organize group activities for customers at the youth appointment in Pori. The group consisted of young people who were socially excluded, or in danger of becoming one. The goal of group activities was to support communality and participation among young people and strengthen their social connections through group activities. The group offered a place for young people, where they could get to know each other through common activity. During the project, five group activity meetings were conducted between September 25th and October 10th 2013, one meeting lasting from one to two and half hours. Six 16-18 year old youth appointment customers were chosen to the group. We cooperated with a public healthcare nurse and a psychiatric nurse from the youth appointment. Project evaluation was made through gathering written feedback from the customers and nurses. We estimated our own work as group directors through learning diaries. The customers described the group activities as pleasant and relaxed time together and they thought that it was a fun experience. The atmosphere within the group was safe and confidential. Through the group activities, the members got courage to try different activities also in their free time. The youth appointment can utilise group activity model in the future. There would be also chance to do new project about how group activities has effect on young people. It would also be interesting to find out, if young people see any benefits of group activities

Evaluation of measured dissolved and bio-met predicted bioavailable Cu, Ni and Zn concentrations in runoff from three urban catchments

Urban runoff is a diffuse source of pollution contributing to the poor ecological and chemical status of surface waters. Whilst the EU Priority Hazardous Substances Directive now identifies environmental quality standards for selected metals in relation to the bioavailable metal fraction the relationship between analytically determined metal size fractions transported by urban runoff and the often variably defined concept of bioavailability has not been thoroughly evaluated. This paper provides a review of the terminology used within urban runoff studies to characterise metal fractions and behaviour. Measured dissolved and truly dissolved (determined by ultrafiltration; <3000 molecular weight cutoff) Cu, Ni, and Zn concentrations are also compared to the bioavailable metal fraction (as predicted using Bio-met, a simplified biotic ligand model) in snowmelt and rainfall derived runoff samples from three urban catchments. The study shows that predicted bioavailable concentrations were significantly lower than truly dissolved concentrations for all metals and discusses current bioavailability modelling parameters in relation to rainfall and snowmelt runoff data sets. Statistical analysis of relationships between field and predicted bioavailable data sets indicate that the bioavailable fractions originate from both colloidal and truly dissolved fractions

Metal size distribution in rainfall and snowmelt-induced runoff from three urban catchments

The size distribution of metals transported by urban runoff has implications for treatment type and design, predicting their mobility and evaluating their potential impact on receiving waters. There is an urgent need to better understand the distribution of metals between fractions, particularly those in the sub-dissolved fractions. As a contribution to addressing this need, this study characterises the size distribution of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, V and Zn using conventional and novel techniques. Data is presented as event mean concentrations (EMC) of a total of 18 rainfall and snowmelt events at three urban sites. For all studied metals in all events and at all sites, the contribution of the truly dissolved fraction made a greater contribution to the total concentrations than the colloidal fraction. Truly dissolved Cd and Zn concentrations contributed (on average) 26% and 28% respectively, of the total EMCs with truly dissolved Cu and Ni contributing (on average) 18%. In contrast, only 1% (V) and 3% (Cr) were identified in the truly dissolved fraction. The greatest contribution of truly dissolved Cd, Cu and Zn concentrations (relative to total oncentrations) were reported during rainfall events. However, no seasonal differences were identified and differences between the sites regarding the EMCs distribution by fractions were not at a statistically significant level (p N 0.05) for any metal or event. The loads of truly dissolved and colloidal metals did not follow the patterns of particulate metal loads indicating particulates are not the main source of subdissolved metals. The data suggests that ultrafiltration as a treatment technique would not efficiently mitigate the risks posed by metals to receiving water cologie

Mapping condition-dependent regulation of metabolism in yeast through genome-scale modeling

<p>Background:</p> <p>The genome-scale metabolic model of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, first presented in 2003, was the first genome-scale network reconstruction for a eukaryotic organism. Since then continuous efforts have been made in order to improve and expand the yeast metabolic network.</p> <p>Results:</p> <p>Here we present iTO977, a comprehensive genome-scale metabolic model that contains more reactions, metabolites and genes than previous models. The model was constructed based on two earlier reconstructions, namely iIN800 and the consensus network, and then improved and expanded using gap-filling methods and by introducing new reactions and pathways based on studies of the literature and databases. The model was shown to perform well both for growth simulations in different media and gene essentiality analysis for single and double knock-outs. Further, the model was used as a scaffold for integrating transcriptomics, and flux data from four different conditions in order to identify transcriptionally controlled reactions, i.e. reactions that change both in flux and transcription between the compared conditions.</p> <p>Conclusion:</p> <p>We present a new yeast model that represents a comprehensive up-to-date collection of knowledge on yeast metabolism. The model was used for simulating the yeast metabolism under four different growth conditions and experimental data from these four conditions was integrated to the model. The model together with experimental data is a useful tool to identify condition-dependent changes of metabolism between different environmental conditions.</p