Seasonal Temperature Changes Do Not Affect Cardiac Glucose Metabolism

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99mTechnetium Sestamibi-123Iodine Scintigraphy Is More Accurate Than 99mTechnetium Sestamibi Alone before Surgery for Primary Hyperparathyroidism

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Serotonin transporter binding of [123I]ADAM in bulimic women, their healthy twin sisters, and healthy women: a SPET study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is believed to be caused by an interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Previous studies support the existence of a bulimia-related endophenotype as well as disturbances in serotonin (5-HT) transmission. We studied serotonin transporter (SERT) binding in BN, and to investigate the possibility of a SERT-related endophenotype for BN, did this in a sample of female twins. We hypothesized clearly reduced SERT binding in BN women as opposed to healthy women, and intermediate SERT binding in unaffected co-twins.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied 13 female twins with BN (9 with purging and 4 with non-purging BN) and 25 healthy women, including 6 healthy twin sisters of BN patients and 19 women from 10 healthy twin pairs. [¹²³I]ADAM, a selective SERT radioligand for single photon emission tomography (SPET) imaging, was used to assess SERT availability in the midbrain and the thalamus.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No differences in SERT binding were evident when comparing the BN women, their unaffected co-twins and the healthy controls (p = 0.14). The healthy sisters of the BN patients and the healthy control women had similar SERT binding in both brain regions. In a <it>post hoc </it>subgroup analysis, the purging bulimics had higher SERT binding than the healthy women in the midbrain (p = 0.03), but not in the thalamus.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our finding of increased SERT binding in the midbrain in the purging BN women raises the possibility that this subgroup of bulimics might differ in serotonergic function from the non-purging ones. The similarity of the unaffected co-twins and the healthy controls doesn't support our initial assumption of a SERT-related endophenotype for BN. Due to the small sample size, our results need to be interpreted with caution and verified in a larger sample.</p

Betonirakenteiden ympäristövaikutukset ja kierrätysmahdollisuudet

The work was based entirely on literature and material available on the internet. In this thesis, I described the concrete manufacturing process from the point of view of the construction site and partly from the point of view of the factory. I can also give my own view on the subject through my own work history. I will tell and at the same time familiarise myself with the history of concrete and cement production. The aim was primarily to come up with an interesting topic for my own thesis, but the end result was an awakening to the reality of how much more potential concrete has from an environmental point of view. Concrete needs cement to bind and cement is the main raw material for concrete. I looked at the production of cement, its environmental impact and emissions, and the emissions of the concrete industry as a whole, both in Finland and globally. I also presented some of my own calculations of emissions from the concrete industry in relation to the national and global emissions. I tried to find as much Finnish language literature and research as possible on concrete's ability to act as a carbon sink, but there is very limited information available on the subject. The observation is quite recent and there is little research available on the subject, although carbonation is a long-established concept. However, I wrote as much as the existing data allowed. I also gave some information on the use of recycled concrete as a raw material for new concrete, and on the research that has been carried out in this respect. As there was little research data and literature available on the subject in Finland, I had to use other theses and bachelor's theses as sources. The result of the thesis is a reflection on how emissions trading and political policies could steer the concrete and construction industry towards a more circular economy.Työ perustui kokonaan kirjallisuuteen ja internetissä tarjolla olevaan materiaaliin. Tässä opinnäytetyössä kerroin betonin valmistusprosessista työmaan, sekä osittain tehtaan näkökulmasta. Osaan antaa aiheeseen myös omaa näkemystäni oman työhistoriani kautta. Kerron ja samalla perehdyn itse betonin ja sementin valmistuksen historiaan. Tavoitteena ensisijaisesti oli keksiä itselle opinnäytetyöhön mielenkiintoinen aihe, mutta lopputulemana oli herääminen todellisuuteen siitä, kuinka paljon lisää potentiaalia ympäristövaikutusten näkökulmasta betonilla olisi. Betoni tarvitsee sitoutuakseen sementtiä ja se onkin betonin tärkein raaka-aine. Käsittelin sementin valmistusta, sen ympäristövaikutuksia ja päästöjä, sekä koko betoniteollisuuden päästöjä niin Suomessa kuin globaalisti. Esitin myös hieman omia laskelmia betoniteollisuuden päästöistä suhteessa koko maan ja maailmanlaajuisiin päästöihin. Yritin etsiä mahdollisimman paljon Suomen kielistä kirjallisuutta ja tutkimusta koskien betonin kykyä toimia hiilinieluna, mutta aiheesta on hyvin rajallisesti tietoa saatavilla. Havainto on melko tuore, eikä tutkimusta ole juurikaan tähän liittyen saatavilla vaikkakin karbonatisaatio on jo pitkään tunnettu käsite. Kirjoitin aiheesta kuitenkin niin paljon, kuin olemassa oleva aineisto antoi myöden. Lisäksi kerroin hieman kierrätysbetonin käytöstä uusiobetonin raaka-aineena, sekä tehdyistä tutkimuksista tämän suhteen. Koska aiheesta oli vähän Suomessa tehtyä tutkimusdataa, että kirjallisuutta saatavilla, jouduin käyttämään lähteenä myös muita opinnäyte-, että kandidaatintöitä. Opinnäytetyön tuloksena on pohdintaa siitä, kuinka päästökaupalla ja poliittisilla linjauksilla voisi ohjata betoni- ja rakennusteollisuutta enemmän kiertotalouden suuntaan

Follow-up of intramyocardial bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation beyond 10 years

Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) have been evaluated for their ability to improve cardiac repair and benefit patients with severe ischemic heart disease and heart failure. In our single-center trial in 2006–2011 we demonstrated the safety and efficacy of BMMCs injected intramyocardially in conjunction with coronary artery bypass surgery. The effect persisted in the follow-up study 5 years later. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of BMMC therapy beyond 10 years. A total of 18 patients (46%) died during over 10-years follow-up and 21 were contacted for participation. Late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) and clinical evaluation were performed on 14 patients, seven from each group. CMRIs from the study baseline, 1-year and 5-years follow-ups were re-analyzed to enable comparison. The CMRI demonstrated a 2.1-fold larger reduction in the mass of late gadolinium enhancement values between the preoperative and the over 10-years follow-up, suggesting less scar or fibrosis after BMMC treatment (− 15.1%; 95% CI − 23 to − 6.7% vs. − 7.3%; 95% CI − 16 to 4.5%, p = 0.039), compared to placebo. No differences in mortality or morbidity were observed. Intramyocardially injected BMMCs may exert long-term benefits in patients with ischemic heart failure. This deserves further evaluation in patients who have received BMMCs in international clinical studies over two decades.Peer reviewe