Increasing the Inflammatory Competence of Macrophages with IL-6 or with Combination of IL-4 and LPS Restrains the Invasiveness of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Recent studies suggest that pro-inflammatory type M1 macrophages inhibit tumor progression and that anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages enhance it. The aim of this study was to examine the interaction of type M1 and M2 macrophages with pancreatic cancer cells. We studied the migration rate of fluorescein stained pancreatic cancer cells on Matrigel cultured alone or with Granulocyte- Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) differentiated macrophages or with Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (M-CSF) differentiated macrophages, skewing the phenotype towards pro- and anti-inflammatory direction, respectively. Macrophage differentiation was assessed with flow cytometry and the cytokine secretion in cell cultures with cytokine array. Both GM-CSF and M-CSF differentiated macrophages increased the migration rate of primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line (MiaPaCa-2) and metastatic cell line (HPAF-II). Stimulation with IL6 or IL4+ LPS reversed the macrophages' increasing effect on the migration rate of Mi-aPaCa-2 completely and partly of HPAF-II. Co-culture with MiaPaCa-2 reduced the inflammatory cytokine secretion of GM-CSF differentiated macrophages. Co-culture of macrophages with pancreatic cancer cells seem to change the inflammatory cytokine profile of GM-CSF differentiated macrophages and this might explain why also GM-CSF differentiated macrophages promoted the invasion. Adding IL6 or IL4+ LPS to the cell culture with MiaPaCa-2 and GM-CSF or M-CSF differentiated macrophages increased the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and this could contribute to the reversion of the macrophage induced increase of cancer cell migration rate.Peer reviewe

Skeletal muscle mitochondrial DNA content and aerobic metabolism in patients with antiretroviral therapy-associated lipoatrophy

Objectives To assess whether mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle characterizes antiretroviral therapy (ART)-associated lipoatrophy (LA). Methods A cross-sectional study comparing HIV-infected, antiretroviral-treated patients with LA (n = 5; LA+) and without LA (n = 5; non-LA) was conducted. Positron emission tomography was used to measure blood flow, oxygen extraction and oxygen consumption in quadriceps femoris muscle during rest and aerobic exercise. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was quantified by PCR. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging. All data are given as means ± SEM. Results Compared with the non-LA group, the LA+ group had significantly less limb fat and more intra-abdominal fat, but similar leg muscle mass. The LA+ group versus the non-LA group had reduced mtDNA content per nucleus in adipose tissue (173 ± 38 versus 328 ± 62; P = 0.067), but not in skeletal muscle (2606 ± 375 versus 2842 ± 309; P = 0.64). Perfusion in resting muscle (34 ± 7 versus 28 ± 6 mL/kg/min in the LA+ group versus the non-LA group; P = 0.5), and the mean absolute (277 ± 30 versus 274 ± 43 mL/kg/min, respectively; P = 0.95) and relative (10.6 ± 2.5- versus 11.9 ± 1.5-fold change, respectively; P = 0.67) increases in perfusion during exercise were similar between the groups. Oxygen consumption at rest (2.2 ± 0.7 versus 2.1 ± 0.3 mL/kg/min in the LA+ group versus the non-LA group; P = 0.9), and the mean absolute (14.6 ± 1.7 versus 24.3 ± 8.8 mL/kg/min, respectively; P = 0.3) and relative (10.3 ± 2.8- versus 11.7 ± 2.4-fold change, respectively; P = 0.73) exercise-induced increases in oxygen consumption were similar between the groups. The oxygen extraction fraction was comparable between the groups, both at rest and during exercise. Plasma lactate concentrations remained unchanged in both groups during exercise. Conclusions HIV-infected patients with ART-associated LA have similar mtDNA content in skeletal muscle and comparable skeletal muscle aerobic exercise metabolism to antiretroviral-treated non-lipoatrophic patient

Human α2β1HI CD133+VE epithelial prostate stem cells express low levels of active androgen receptor

Stem cells are thought to be the cell of origin in malignant transformation in many tissues, but their role in human prostate carcinogenesis continues to be debated. One of the conflicts with this model is that cancer stem cells have been described to lack androgen receptor (AR) expression, which is of established importance in prostate cancer initiation and progression. We re-examined the expression patterns of AR within adult prostate epithelial differentiation using an optimised sensitive and specific approach examining transcript, protein and AR regulated gene expression. Highly enriched populations were isolated consisting of stem (α(2)β(1)(HI) CD133(+VE)), transiently amplifying (α(2)β(1)(HI) CD133(-VE)) and terminally differentiated (α(2)β(1)(LOW) CD133(-VE)) cells. AR transcript and protein expression was confirmed in α(2)β(1)(HI) CD133(+VE) and CD133(-VE) progenitor cells. Flow cytometry confirmed that median (±SD) fraction of cells expressing AR were 77% (±6%) in α(2)β(1)(HI) CD133(+VE) stem cells and 68% (±12%) in α(2)β(1)(HI) CD133(-VE) transiently amplifying cells. However, 3-fold lower levels of total AR protein expression (peak and median immunofluorescence) were present in α(2)β(1)(HI) CD133(+VE) stem cells compared with differentiated cells. This finding was confirmed with dual immunostaining of prostate sections for AR and CD133, which again demonstrated low levels of AR within basal CD133(+VE) cells. Activity of the AR was confirmed in prostate progenitor cells by the expression of low levels of the AR regulated genes PSA, KLK2 and TMPRSS2. The confirmation of AR expression in prostate progenitor cells allows integration of the cancer stem cell theory with the established models of prostate cancer initiation based on a functional AR. Further study of specific AR functions in prostate stem and differentiated cells may highlight novel mechanisms of prostate homeostasis and insights into tumourigenesis

Nitrogen and sulphur management: challenges for organic sources in temperate agricultural systems

A current global trend towards intensification or specialization of agricultural enterprises has been accompanied by increasing public awareness of associated environmental consequences. Air and water pollution from losses of nutrients, such as nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S), are a major concern. Governments have initiated extensive regulatory frameworks, including various land use policies, in an attempt to control or reduce the losses. This paper presents an overview of critical input and loss processes affecting N and S for temperate climates, and provides some background to the discussion in subsequent papers evaluating specific farming systems. Management effects on potential gaseous and leaching losses, the lack of synchrony between supply of nutrients and plant demand, and options for optimizing the efficiency of N and S use are reviewed. Integration of inorganic and organic fertilizer inputs and the equitable re-distribution of nutrients from manure are discussed. The paper concludes by highlighting a need for innovative research that is also targeted to practical approaches for reducing N and S losses, and improving the overall synchrony between supply and demand

Investigation of optimal parameters for finite element solution of the forward problem in magnetic field tomography based on magnetoencephalography

This paper presents an investigation of optimal parameters for finite element (FE) solution of the forward problem in magnetic field tomography (MFT) brain imaging based on magnetoencephalography (MEG). It highlights detailed analyses of the main parameters involved and evaluates their optimal values for various cases of FE model solutions (e.g., steady-state, transient, etc.). In each case, a detail study of some of the main parameters and their effects on FE solution and its accuracy are carefully tested and evaluated. These parameters include: total number and size of 3D FE elements used, number and size of elements used in surface discretisation (of both white and grey matters of the brain), number and size of elements used for approximation of current sources, number of anisotropic properties used in steady-state and transient solutions, and the time steps used in transient analyses. The optimal values of these parameters in relation to solution accuracy and mesh convergence criteria have been found and presented

Uusiomateriaalien käyttö tien päällysrakenteessa

Tiivistelmä. Tässä kandidaatin työssä tutustutaan kirjallisuuskatsauksena uusiomateriaalien käytön mahdollisuuksiin tien päällysrakenteessa Suomessa. Työn tavoitteena on löytää uusiomateriaalien ominaisuuksia ja etuja, jotka ovat tien päällysrakenteen toiminnan kannalta hyödyllisiä sekä koostaa kattavasti tietoa uusiomateriaaleista ja niihin liittyvistä haasteista. Tutkitaan useasta näkökulmasta miksi uusiomateriaalien käyttöä kannattaisi lisätä materiaalitehokkuuden, ympäristön sekä toisaalta tierakentamisen tulevaisuuden kannalta. Työssä käydään läpi tien päällysrakenteen rakennekerrokset, sekä mitä niiden toiminnalta vaaditaan liikennekuormituksen alla. Tarkastellaan yleisesti mitä materiaalivaatimuksia eri rakennekerroksilla on, sekä millaiset vaatimukset koskevat erityisesti uusiomateriaaleja. Käydään pintapuolisesti läpi mitkä lait ja luvat koskevat ja säätelevät uusiomateriaalien hyödyntämistä. Tierakentamiseen potentiaalisia uusiomateriaaleja saadaan teollisuuden sivuvirroista, rakennusjätteistä ja yhdyskuntajätteistä. Teollisuuden sivuvirroista saatavia tärkeimpiä uusiomateriaaleja ovat pohja- ja lentotuhka, masuunihiekka, masuunikuonamurske, ferrokromikuonahiekka ja -murske, kalkit, kalkkikivimurske, kalsiitin rikastushiekka ja jätteenpolton pohjakuona. Rakennusjätteistä saatavia uusiomateriaaleja ovat betonimurske, kevytbetoni- ja kevytsorajäte, asfalttimurske ja -rouhe sekä tiilimurske. Yhdyskuntajätteistä potentiaalisimpia ovat rengasrouhe, lasimurske ja vaahtolasimurske. Näiden uusiomateriaalien valmistus, ominaisuudet ja rakentamisen vaatimukset käydään läpi. Tien päällysrakenteesta on mahdollista löytää uusiomateriaaleille käyttökohteita jokaisesta rakennekerroksesta. Erityisesti routaeristeen asemassa, sekä keventämään ja kuivattamaan tierakennetta. Joidenkin uusiomateriaalien sitoutumisominaisuuksien ansiosta rakenteesta saadaan lujempi kuin vastaavilla luonnonkiviainesmateriaaleilla, jolloin tierakennetta on mahdollista ohentaa. Työn tulosten mukaan taloudellisesti uusiomateriaalien etu nousee esiin, jos työskentely tapahtuu ahtaassa tilassa esimerkiksi saneerauskohteessa. Muut uusiomateriaalien edut liittyvät niiden ominaisuuksiin, kuten hyviin kuivatus-, sitoutumis- ja routaeristysominaisuuksiin ja materiaalin keveyteen. Uusiomateriaalin käyttöön liittyviä haasteita ovat esimerkiksi ohjeistuksen ja tiedon puute, materiaalien korkea pH, laatu, iso kaivuvastus ja varastointi.Use of recovered materials in the top structure of road. Abstract. In this bachelor’s thesis we look into possibilities of the use of recovered materials in the top structure of road in Finland as a literature survey. The aim of the thesis is to find qualities and advantages of the recovered materials, which are advantageous for the top structure of the road. In addition, the thesis aims to compile comprehensive information of the recovered materials and their challenges. Thesis studies from several point of views why there should be more use of recovered materials, for example because of the material efficiency, environment and on the other hand the future of the road construction. Thesis describes the structural layers of road’s top structure and how they are required to work under the traffic load. What material demands different structural layers have and what demands apply specially to the recovered materials. Thesis goes superficially through, what laws and permits affect and regulate the use of recovered materials. Potentially suitable recovered materials are obtained from industries’ byproduct streams, construction waste and community waste. Most important recovered materials from industries’ byproduct streams are bottom and fly ash, blast furnace sand, blast furnace slag crush, ferrochrome slag sand and crush, limes, limestone crumb, calcite enrichment sand and waste incineration base slag. Materials from construction waste are concrete crush, lightweight concrete and expanded clay waste, asphalt crush and brick crush. Most usable community wastes are tyre crush, glass crush and foam glass crush. These recovered materials’ manufacturing, attributes and demands for construction are reviewed. In every layer in the top structure of road it is possible to find various applications for the recovered materials. Specially as frost insulation, and to lighten and drain the road structure. Due to some recovered materials’ bond formation structure becomes stronger than with the natural aggregates, thus structure can be thinned. According to the thesis results, financially recovered materials advantages come up, when the work takes place in limited space, for example in a renovation site. Other recovered materials’ advantages connect to their attributes, as good draining, bonding, frost insulation and lightness. Challenges involving the use of recovered materials are for example the lack of instructions and knowledge, high pH of the materials, material quality big excavation resistance and storing

Rotational torque measurement device

A device for measuring torque applied through a rotating member. A first torsion reference member is fixedly coupled to the rotating member at a first axial position and a second torsion reference member is fixedly coupled to the rotating member at a second axial position. A first detector detects the passage of the first torsion reference member past the first detector upon each full rotation of the rotating member and to generate a first signal upon each passage of the first torsion reference member. A second detector detects the passage of the second torsion reference member past the second detector upon each full rotation of the rotating member and to generate a second signal upon each passage of the second torsion reference member. A controller calculates a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal relative during rotation of the rotating member under a torsional load.https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/patents/1003/thumbnail.jp

Erityisopettajien ja kouluterveydenhoitajien yhteistyö ja sen kehittämistarpeet peruskoulussa:”Pienenkin huolen ilmaantuessa asiaan pitäisi tarttua mahdollisimman pian.”

Tiivistelmä. Suomessa perusopetuksen yhtenä tehtävänä on lasten ja nuorten hyvinvoinnin tukeminen, mikä edellyttää yhteistyötä kotien ja koulun eri ammattilaisten kesken. Peruskoulussa lasten ja nuorten hyvinvointia tuetaan oppilashuollon, oppimisen ja koulunkäynnin kolmiportaisen tuen sekä vaativan erityisen tuen keinoin. Tukitoimista huolimatta oppilaiden tuen tarve on kuitenkin kasvanut vuosi vuodelta, eikä kukaan tunnu tietävän syytä miksi. Tähän liittyen Oulun yliopistossa tutkitaan, miksi erityisopetuksen ja tuen tarpeen määrä näyttää koko ajan kasvavan ja olisiko erityisopetuksen ja terveydenhuollon yhteistyöllä mahdollista vähentää erityisopetuksen ja tuen tarpeen kasvua tukien lasta yhdessä, ennaltaehkäisevästi. Tutkimukseni tarkoituksena on kuvailla erityisopettajien ja kouluterveydenhoitajien yhteistyötä ja sen kehittämistarpeita oppilaiden tukemisen keinona. Tavoitteenani on tutkimuskohdetta kuvailemalla tuottaa tietoa, millaista erityisopettajien ja terveydenhoitajien yhteistyö ja sen kehittämistarpeet ovat heidän itsensä kokemana, yhteistyön kehittämisen tueksi. Tutkimuskysymykset ovat 1) millaista on erityisopettajien ja kouluterveydenhoitajien yhteistyö peruskoulussa ja 2) miten erityisopettajat ja kouluterveydenhoitajat kehittäisivät yhteistyötään oppilaiden tukemisen keinona. Kyseessä on laadullinen tutkimus, jossa on fenomenologinen lähestymistapa. Keräsin tutkimukseni aineiston sähköisellä kyselylomakkeella erityisopettajilta ja kouluterveydenhoitajilta Pohjois-Suomen alueelta. Tutkimustulosten mukaan erityisopettajat ja kouluterveydenhoitajat tekevät yhteistyötä yleisimmin konsultatiivisesti jakaakseen yksittäisten oppilaiden tilanteita toisilleen. Seuraavaksi yleisimpiä yhteistyön aiheita ovat kouluterveydenhuolto, yksilökohtainen oppilashuolto sekä oppimisen sekä koulunkäynnin tuki. Vasta näiden jälkeen seuraavaksi yleisin yhteistyön aihe on yhteisöllinen oppilashuolto. Yhteistyö tapahtuu useammin spontaanisti etänä kuin suunnitelmallisesti läsnä. Erityisopettajat ja kouluterveydenhoitajat kokevat vaitiolo- ja salassapitosäädösten haastavan aitoa monialaista yhteistyötä. Kehittämisehdotuksena he esittävätkin vaitiolo- ja salassapitosäädösten muuttamista tiedonkulun parantamiseksi sekä yhteisen ajan ja kouluterveydenhoitajan resurssien lisäämistä. Johtopäätöksenä totean, että erityisopettajien ja kouluterveydenhoitajien yhteistyö näyttää edelleen painottuvan yksittäisten oppilaiden korjaavaan tukeen kouluyhteisön ennaltaehkäisevä tuen sijaan. Erityisopettajien ja kouluterveydenhoitajien yhteistyön kehittäminen on tarpeen, jotta tuloksellisen monialaisen yhteistyön edellytykset, kuten toimiva vuorovaikutus sekä selkeät tavoitteet, roolit ja vastuut, täyttyvät lasten ja nuorten hyvinvoinnin tukemiseksi. Salassapito- ja vaitiolosäädösten selkeyttäminen erityisopettajille ja kouluterveydenhoitajille on tarpeen tiedonkulun parantamiseksi heidän välillään.Special education teachers and school nurses in comprehensive school : cooperation and development needs in their cooperation “Even small concerns should be addressed as soon as possible.”. Abstract. In Finland, one of the tasks of basic education is to support the well-being of children and young people. In order to achieve it, cooperation between parents and different professionals at school is required. In comprehensive school, the well-being of children and young people is supported through pupil welfare services, three tiers of support and significant special support. Despite these current support measures, the need for pupil support is growing every year, and no one seems to know why. Thus, in the University of Oulu it is studied why the need of special education and support is growing. It is also studied whether cooperation between special education and health care could reduce preventively the growing need for special education and support, as well as enable cooperation in supporting the pupils. In this context, the purpose of this research is to describe the cooperation between special education teachers and school nurses as a means to support pupils, as well as identify development needs in their cooperation. The research aim is to produce information on how special education teachers and school nurses themselves experience the cooperation and development needs in the cooperation. The research questions are 1) how is the cooperation between special education teachers and school nurses in comprehensive school and 2) how would special education teachers and school nurses develop their cooperation as a means of supporting pupils. The research is a qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. The research data is collected with an electronic questionnaire from special education teachers and school nurses from the region of Northern Finland. The results of this study show that special education teachers and school nurses most often work together in a consultative way to share information on the situations of pupils. The second most common reasons for cooperation are school health care, individual pupil welfare services and support in learning and school attendance. Only after those, the third most common reason of cooperation is collective pupil welfare services. Collaboration often takes place remotely and spontaneously rather than systematically at present. Special education teachers and school nurses feel that confidentiality legislation challenge genuine multidisciplinary collaboration. When asked for development proposals, they propose changing the confidentiality legislation in order to improve the flow of information, as well as increasing the resources of the school nurses and increasing time for a cooperation. In conclusion, cooperation between special education teachers and school nurses still seems to focus on remedial support for individual pupils rather than being preventive support from the school community. The development of the cooperation between special education teachers and school nurses is necessary in order to meet the conditions for effective multidisciplinary cooperation, such as effective interaction and clear goals, roles and responsibilities in supporting the well-being of children and young people. There is also a need to clarify the content of the confidentiality legislation for special education teachers and school nurses to improve the flow of information between them

Coexpression of vesicular glutamate transporters 1 and 2, glutamic acid decarboxylase and calretinin in rat entorhinal cortex

We studied the distribution and coexpression of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGluT1, VGluT2), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and calretinin (CR, calcium-binding protein) in rat entorhinal cortex, using immunofluorescence staining and multichannel confocal laser scanning microscopy. Images were computer processed and subjected to automated 3D object recognition, colocalization analysis and 3D reconstruction. Since the VGluTs (in contrast to CR and GAD) occurred in fibers and axon terminals only, we focused our attention on these neuronal processes. An intense, punctate VGluT1-staining occurred everywhere in the entorhinal cortex. Our computer program resolved these punctae as small 3D objects. Also VGluT2 showed a punctate immunostaining pattern, yet with half the number of 3D objects per tissue volume compared with VGluT1, and with statistically significantly larger 3D objects. Both VGluTs were distributed homogeneously across cortical layers, with in MEA VGluT1 slightly more densely distributed than in LEA. The distribution pattern and the size distribution of GAD 3D objects resembled that of VGluT2. CR-immunopositive fibers were abundant in all cortical layers. In double-stained sections we noted ample colocalization of CR and VGluT2, whereas coexpression of CR and VGluT1 was nearly absent. Also in triple-staining experiments (VGluT2, GAD and CR combined) we noted coexpression of VGluT2 and CR and, in addition, frequent coexpression of GAD and CR. Modest colocalization occurred of VGluT2 and GAD, and incidental colocalization of all three markers. We conclude that the CR-containing axon terminals in the entorhinal cortex belong to at least two subpopulations of CR-neurons: a glutamatergic excitatory and a GABAergic inhibitory