Health-related factors for work participation in persons with spinal cord injury in Finland

Objective: To explore work participation and the health-related factors affecting work participation among the Finnish Spinal Cord injury (FinSCI) study population (n = 884). Methods: A cross-sectional explorative observational study in the FinSCI community survey applying Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) forms on Social Health and Global Health. Analyses of socio-demographic and injury-related data were performed. Results: Employment among the study population (n = 452) was 26.5%. Physical, Mental, Social and General Health were better in the employed group compared with work-age persons not working. Logistic regression showed that work participation was related to all health domains, but Physical Health and Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities in Social Health were the strongest indicators of likelihood of being at work. Paraplegia and young age were associated with increased likelihood of work participation. Conclusion: The first national survey among people with spinal cord injury in Finland shows low level of employment. The results suggest that pain, physical function, and ability to participate in social roles should be monitored by health and vocational professionals when assessing a person's likelihood of being in work.Peer reviewe

Atrial fibrillation genetic risk differentiates cardioembolic stroke from other stroke subtypes

AbstractObjectiveWe sought to assess whether genetic risk factors for atrial fibrillation can explain cardioembolic stroke risk.MethodsWe evaluated genetic correlations between a prior genetic study of AF and AF in the presence of cardioembolic stroke using genome-wide genotypes from the Stroke Genetics Network (N = 3,190 AF cases, 3,000 cardioembolic stroke cases, and 28,026 referents). We tested whether a previously-validated AF polygenic risk score (PRS) associated with cardioembolic and other stroke subtypes after accounting for AF clinical risk factors.ResultsWe observed strong correlation between previously reported genetic risk for AF, AF in the presence of stroke, and cardioembolic stroke (Pearson’s r=0.77 and 0.76, respectively, across SNPs with p &lt; 4.4 × 10−4 in the prior AF meta-analysis). An AF PRS, adjusted for clinical AF risk factors, was associated with cardioembolic stroke (odds ratio (OR) per standard deviation (sd) = 1.40, p = 1.45×10−48), explaining ∼20% of the heritable component of cardioembolic stroke risk. The AF PRS was also associated with stroke of undetermined cause (OR per sd = 1.07, p = 0.004), but no other primary stroke subtypes (all p &gt; 0.1).ConclusionsGenetic risk for AF is associated with cardioembolic stroke, independent of clinical risk factors. Studies are warranted to determine whether AF genetic risk can serve as a biomarker for strokes caused by AF.</jats:sec

Presence of central elements in entrepreneurial education:a case study in Northern Finland

Abstract The European Commission’s Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan names school-based entrepreneurship education as a key issue for ensuring the development of the European welfare. Accordingly, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture announced national guidelines to ensure it reaches its entrepreneurship education objectives by 2015. To comply with these guidelines, the various Finnish regions have initiated targeted development actions for improving entrepreneurship education. Practitioners and researchers share a common understanding of the central elements that a coherent entrepreneurship education pathway should include. This study aims to analyse how these central elements are incorporated at various education levels. This is a cross-sectional multiple-case study based on a semi-structured web-based questionnaire. It takes various education levels, including the comprehensive-school level, the secondary-school level and the polytechnic school and university levels, as its units of analysis and seeks to form a comprehensive picture of the entrepreneurship education pathway in Northern Finland. The questionnaire was sent to headmasters and education managers at the comprehensive- and secondary-school levels, as well as education planners and study advisors (n=67). The data revealed that a coherent entrepreneurship education pathway is not being realized in the target region. This is because the resources for teaching entrepreneurship education are not optimally allocated between the elements. For example, some elements are repeated at almost all levels of entrepreneurship education, while others are nearly absent. This study highlights the need for strategic joint action. Additionally, this paper discusses gaps in the entrepreneurship education pathway and suggests action for developing a joint strategy for meeting the entrepreneurship education objectives

Influences of a participatory strategy process on entrepreneurship education practices

Abstract The European Commission’s Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan mentions school-based entrepreneurship education as a key issue in ensuring the development of the European welfare. Already in 2009, the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland announced national guidelines for reaching the objectives for entrepreneurship education by 2015. Therefore, regions started targeted development actions towards improved entrepreneurship education. In Northern Ostrobothnia, both a strategy and an operating model for entrepreneurship education were created as a participatory strategy process during 2015. A total of 200 individuals from education, private enterprises and the public sector were involved in the strategy process. Practitioners and researchers share a common understanding of the central elements to be included in entrepreneurship education. Presence of these central elements in different levels of education in northern Finland was investigated in 2013. The investigation showed that some central elements of the coherent pathway of entrepreneurship education were not being realized at the target region, and the resources were not optimally allocated between the central elements. Some of the central elements were repeated at almost all levels of education while others were nearly absent. The study pointed out there was need for a joint entrepreneurship education strategic action. This paper presents a cross-sectional multiple-case study seeking to form a whole picture of an entrepreneurship education pathway in Northern Finland in spring 2017, and to compare it with the earlier investigation from 2013. The aim of this study is to recognize and analyze potential changes in entrepreneurship education practices one year after the participatory strategy process and publication of the strategy. The data is based on a web-based semi-structured questionnaire, which was sent to headmasters and other management of basic and secondary level education, education planners, and study advisors. The units of analysis are different levels of education (comprehensive school, secondary school, polytechnics and universities). The findings will show whether entrepreneurship education strategy guides education practices in schools. The result will be useful in implementation of and informing on entrepreneurship education strategy

Kriittiset tapahtumat perheyritysten omistajajohtajien kokemuksellisen oppimisen taustalla

Tiivistelmä Tässä tutkimuksessa selvitetään, millaisia kriittisiä tapahtumia voidaan havaita perheyritysten omistajajohtajien kokemuksellisessa oppimisessa. Perheyritysten merkitys maamme taloudelle on suuri, sillä Suomessa työllistävistä yrityksistä 70 % on perheyrityksiä. Omistajajohtajien osaaminen ja valinnat ovat ratkaisevia perheyritysten uudistamiselle. Tämän tutkimuksen aineisto koostuu kymmenen suomalaisen omistajajohtajan haastatteluista, jotka kerättiin kolmesta menestyneestä, sukupolvenvaihdoksen läpikäyneestä perheyrityksestä. Merkittävistä tapahtumista kertovat narratiivit tunnistettiin kriittisten tapahtumien menetelmällä. Narratiiveissa esiintyvien teemojen avulla muodostettiin kuusi kriittisistä tapahtumista kertovaa tapahtumatyyppiä. Ne kertoivat haetusta ja saadusta tuesta, johtajan sisäistä motivaatiota vahvistavista tapahtumista, ristiriita-, muutos- ja valintatilanteista, sitouttavasta kasvuympäristöstä ja omistajuudesta, perheen ja yrittäjyyden välisestä tasapainoilusta sekä yrityksen ulkoisen toimintaympäristön haastavista ja auttavista tapahtumista. Huolimatta siitä, olivatko tapahtumat positiivisia vai negatiivisia, tapahtumat edistivät johtajana kasvamista kokemuksellisuuden kautta. Tutkimustulokset vahvistavat aiempaa tutkimusta siitä, että yrittäjien tehtävässä kasvaminen tapahtuu enemmän kokemuksellisena oppimisena kuin muodollisen koulutuksen kautta. Omistajajohtajat myös kokivat työn kautta oppimisen sisäisenä motivaatiotekijänä. Tämä tutkimus tuottaa empiiristä tietoa kokemukselliseen oppimiseen liittyvään teoreettiseen keskusteluun, aikuis- ja johtamiskoulutuksiin sekä perheyrityskeskusteluun.Abstract The critical incidents behind the experiential learning of family business owner-managers This study examines the critical incidents behind the experiential learning of family business owner-managers. In Finland, 70 % of employing companies are family businesses, forming the bulk of the Finnish economy. The skills and choices of owner-managers are crucial to the renewal of family businesses. The data of this study consists of ten Finnish owner-managers’ interviews, gathered from three successful family businesses that have undergone business succession. The narratives of significant incidents were identified by using the critical incident technique. Through themes in the narratives, six types of critical incidents were identified related to the support sought and received, internal motivation, conflicts, changes and choices, the engagement of the growth environment and ownership, the balance between family and entrepreneurship, and to the company’s external operating environment as a challenger and helper. Even though events were positive or negative, they contributed to the growth of managers through experience. This study confirms previous research indicating, that the growth of entrepreneurs occurs more through experiential learning than through formal education. Owner-managers also saw learning through work as an internal motivating factor. This study provides empirical insight into the theory of experiential learning, leader- and adult education, and debate on family businesses

Human bocaviruses and paediatric infections

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1), belonging to the Parvoviridae family, was discovered in 2005, in nasopharyngeal samples from children with respiratory tract infections. Three additional bocaviruses, HBoV2-4, were discovered in 2009-10. These viruses have mainly been found in faecal samples and their role in human diseases is still uncertain. HBoV1 causes a wide spectrum of respiratory diseases in children, including common cold, acute otitis media, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and asthma exacerbations. HBoV1 DNA can persist in airway secretions for months after an acute infection. Consequently, acute HBoV1 infection cannot be diagnosed with standard DNA PCR; quantitative PCR and serology are better diagnostic approaches. Because of their high clinical specificity, diagnostic developments such as HBoV1 mRNA and antigen detection have shown promising results. This Review summarises the knowledge on human bocaviruses, with a special focus on HBoV1

Secretin activates brown fat and induces satiation

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis is activated by feeding. Recently, we revealed a secretin-mediated gut–BAT–brain axis, which stimulates satiation in mice, but the purpose of meal-induced BAT activation in humans has been unclear. In this placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study, we investigated the effects of intravenous secretin on BAT metabolism (measured with [18F]FDG and [15O]H2O positron emission tomography) and appetite (measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging) in healthy, normal weight men (GUTBAT trial no. NCT03290846). Participants were blinded to the intervention. Secretin increased BAT glucose uptake (primary endpoint) compared to placebo by 57% (median (interquartile range, IQR), 0.82 (0.77) versus 0.59 (0.53) μmol per 100 g per min, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.09, 0.89), P = 0.002, effect size r = 0.570), while BAT perfusion remained unchanged (mean (s.d.) 4.73 (1.82) versus 6.14 (3.05) ml per 100 g per min, 95%CI (−2.91, 0.07), P = 0.063, effect size d = −0.549) (n = 15). Whole body energy expenditure increased by 2% (P = 0.011) (n = 15). Secretin attenuated blood-oxygen level-dependent activity (primary endpoint) in brain reward circuits during food cue tasks (significance level false discovery rate corrected at P = 0.05) (n = 14). Caloric intake did not significantly change, but motivation to refeed after a meal was delayed by 39 min (P = 0.039) (n = 14). No adverse effects were detected. Here we show in humans that secretin activates BAT, reduces central responses to appetizing food and delays the motivation to refeed after a meal. This suggests that meal-induced, secretin-mediated BAT activation is relevant in the control of food intake in humans. As obesity is increasing worldwide, this appetite regulating axis offers new possibilities for clinical research in treating obesity.</p