Natural history of some Siberian melitaeine butterfly species (Nymphalidae: Melitaeini) and their parasitoids

We report observations on the larval gregarious behaviour, host plant use and parasitoids of six species of melitaeine butterfly in the Russian Republic of Buryatia. We observed post-diapause larvae in two habitats, steppe and taiga forest region. Five species were found in the steppe region: Euphydryas aurinia davidi, Melitaea cinxia, M. latonigena, M. didymoides and M. phoebe. Three species (M. cinxia, M. latonigena and M. didymoides) fed on the same host plant, Veronica incana (Plantaginaceae). Euphydryas aurinia larvae were found on Scabiosa comosa (Dipsacaceae) and M. phoebe larvae on Stemmacantha uniflora (Asteraceae). Three species were found in the taiga region (M. cinxia, M. latonigena and M. centralasiae), of which the first two fed on Veronica incana. Five species of hymenopteran parasitoids and three species of dipteran parasitoids were reared from the butterfly larvae of five species

Sori siitä 5.-6.7.2014

Sori siitä 5. – 6.7.2014 on julkinen taideteos, joka toteutettiin Poriin Kokemäenjoen rannalle. Sen on tehnyt Aalto-yliopiston opiskelija muistoksi Harjavallan nikkelipäästössä kuolleille simpukoille. (Wikipedia) Opinnäytetyössäni kerron vuodon seurauksista ympäristölle ja avaan lukijalle simpukoiden ihmeellistä elinkiertoa. Koska nikkelivuodon on todettu johtuneen inhimillisestä erehdyksestä, kerron myös nikkelistä, sillä olemme nikkelin käyttäjinä kaikki jonkinlaisessa vastuussa tapahtuneesta. Pohdin opinnäytetyössäni muistomerkille asetettuja keskeisiä sisällöllisiä tavoitteita, sekä näitä tavoitteita suhteessa taiteelliseen työhöni. Kerron Guerilla Art (suom. sissitaide) taidesuuntauksesta, sillä kyseinen suuntaus on vahvasti se, johon minä kallistun ja vastaavanlaista liikehdintää nähdään myös muussa kaupunkiaktivismissa. Teos oli omin luvin pystytetty ja projektin keskeisiä kysymyksiä onkin – miksi julkinen taide on niin byrokraattista? Teoksen uutisointi Satakunnan Kansassa synnytti innokasta keskustelua sosiaalisessa mediassa, mikä oli tekijälle mielenkiintoista seurattavaa ja arvokasta palautetta tehdystä työstä. Vaikka teos sai kiitosta yleisöltä ja siunauksen Satakunnan Kansan toimittaja Sini Kuvajalta, katosi veistos lopulta paikoiltaan. Teokselle muodostui näin ollen kokonainen elinkaari alusta loppuun.Sori siitä 5. – 6.7.2014 is a public artwork, which was implemented on the shore of the Kokemäki river in Pori, Finland. It was done by a student from Aalto University in memory of the mussels which were killed in the Harjavalta nickel leak. (Wikipedia) In my thesis I tell about the consequences of the leak to the environment and open up the amazing life of mussels for the reader. I also tell about nickel, as the leak happened because of human error and as users of nickel I feel that we are all responsible for what happened on some level. In my thesis I reflect on some of the main objectives set for a memorial and how these objectives are realised in my artistic work. I tell about the Guerrilla Art movement, as it my own direction and the same kind of movement can be seen in other citizen activism as well. The work was mounted without permission and one of the main questions of the project is – why is public art so bureaucratic? Reports on the work in the local newspaper, Satakunnan Kansa, provoked enthusiastic discussion in social media, which was very interesting to follow from my point of view and provided valuable feedback. Even though the work received praise from the public and a blessing from the local arts journalist, the work dissapeared from the site. Consequently the work had a whole life cycle from beginning to the end

Novel Bioactive Glass Putty (S53P4) as Bone Graft Expander in Minimally Invasive Lumbosacral Interbody Fusion

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the clinically achieved interbody fusion rate in minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) operations, when using a novel bioactive glass (BAG) S53P4 putty as bone graft expander together with local autologous bone (AB). A second purpose was to assess radiologically the subsidence of intervertebral cage into vertebral endplates. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of 20 patients operated on with MI-TLIF for 24 levels by a neurosurgeon in our clinic between 2014 and 2016. In addition to routine follow-up by static plain radiographs, the patients with special complaints were investigated with computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An independent neuroradiologist analysed the interbody fusion by bridging bone criteria in CT scans and subsidence either in CT scans or in static plain radiographs. The patients were followed up to 12-24 months postoperative. Results The interbody fusion rate of 95.8% could be defined based on CT analysis of the symptomatic patients. Of the eight symptomatic patients, one had interbody cage dislocation of 2-3 mm posteriorly, lucency around a sacral screw and breakage of the other sacral screw. No subsidence of cages was observed. No postoperative infections were detected. Conclusion As bone graft expander, the novel BAG S53P4 putty provides at least as good interbody fusion results as the presently used bone graft expanders and enhancers with no observed subsidence or postoperative infections

Computational fluid dynamics assessed changes of nasal airflow after inferior turbinate surgery

Objective: To demonstrate how Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations can reveal important airflow changes in the nasal cavities due to surgical interventions. Material and methods: The steady inspiratory airflow of eight patients was studied pre- and postoperatively with heat transfer from the mucous membrane by performing CFD calculations to patient specific cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Eight patients with the largest distance from pre- and postoperative mean changes in inferior turbinate volumetry and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) results were selected. Results: Calculated CFD heat transfer results from the anterior parts of the inferior turbinates, where surgical interventions were performed, decreased significantly. The heat transfer results were in line with VAS changes. Conclusion: Surgical interventions reduced heat transfer in the operated parts of the inferior turbinates and were in line with VAS changes. CFD is an option in assessing patient well-being as a function of airflow parameters from mucous membrane with larger data sets. The limitations of the study were the small sample size and the preliminary nature of the study.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Computational fluid dynamics calculations in inferior turbinate surgery : a cohort study

Purpose: To investigate how the results of nasal computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations change due to inferior turbinate surgery and how the results correlate with patient specific subjective assessment and volumetric results in the nasal cavities. Methods: The steady inspiratory airflow of 25 patients was studied pre- and postoperatively with heat transfer from the mucous membrane by performing CFD calculations to patient-specific nasal cone beam computed tomography images. These results were then compared to the severity of the patients’ nasal obstruction Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Glasgow Health Status Inventory assessments, and acoustic rhinometry measurements. Results: Total wall shear forces decreased statistically significantly (p < 0.01) in the operated parts of the inferior turbinates. Patients’ subjective nasal obstruction VAS assessment changes between the pre- and postoperative conditions correlated statistically significantly (p = 0.04) with the wall shear force results. Conclusion: Inferior turbinate surgery lead to decreased total wall shear force values postoperatively. Changes in subjective nasal obstruction VAS results against total wall shear force changes between the pre- and postoperative conditions were statistically significant. CFD data have a potential to be used for the evaluation of nasal airflow.Peer reviewe

Aging and serum exomiR content in women-effects of estrogenic hormone replacement therapy

Exosomes participate in intercellular messaging by transporting bioactive lipid-, protein-and RNA-molecules and -complexes. The contents of the exosomes reflect the physiological status of an individual making exosomes promising targets for biomarker analyses. In the present study we extracted exosome microRNAs (exomiRs) from serum samples of premenopausal women (n = 8) and monozygotic postmenopausal twins (n = 10 female pairs), discordant for the use of estrogenic hormone replacement therapy (HRT), in order to see whether the age or/and the use of HRT associates with exomiR content. A total of 241 exomiRs were detected by next generation sequencing, 10 showing age, 14 HRT and 10 age + HRT-related differences. When comparing the groups, differentially expressed miRs were predicted to affect cell proliferation processes showing inactivation with younger age and HRT usage. MiR-106-5p, -148a-3p, -27-3p, -126-5p, -28-3p and -30a-5p were significantly associated with serum 17 beta-estradiol. MiRs formed two hierarchical clusters being indicative of positive or negative health outcomes involving associations with body composition, serum 17 beta-estradiol, fat-, glucose-and inflammatory markers. Circulating exomiR clusters, obtained by NGS, could be used as indicators of metabolic and inflammatory status affected by hormonal changes at menopause. Furthermore, the individual effects of HRT-usage could be evaluated based on the serum exomiR signature.Peer reviewe