Microglia’s morphological responses to insufficient sleep and recovery sleep in ventral hippocampus

Tavoitteet Unta tarvitaan aivojen tasapainotilan ylläpitämiseksi. Krooninen riittämätön uni voi aiheuttaa akuutin tulehdustilan. Mikrogliat ovat aivojen omia immuunipuolustussoluja. Tutkimukseni pyrki kartoittamaan, miten mikroglian morfologia muuttuu riittämättömän unen sekä siitä toipumisen jälkeen. Mikroglian morfologiaa tutkitaan, sillä mikroglian morfologia on yhteydessä microglian toiminnalliseen tilaan. Hypoteesimme oli, että mikrogliat aktivoituvat riittämättömän unen jälkeen. Aktivoitunut tila näkyy mikroglian haarakkeiden vähäisempänä haaroittumisena ja haarakkeiden vähentyneenä lukumääränä, sekä mikroglian sooman koon kasvamisena. Menetelmät Hiiriä käsiteltiin hellävaroen yhdensän tunnin ajan, jotta ne valvoisivat päivän ja siten mallintaisivat akuuttia unettomuutta. Kroonista katkonaista unta taas mallinnettiin hyödyntäen erityistä häkkiä, jossa tanko liikkui häkin läpi kahden minuutin välein havahduttaen hiiret unestaan 14 peräkkäisenä päivänä. Osa hiiristä sai toipua katkonaisesta unesta nukkumalla rajoittamattomasti kolmen vuorokauden ajan. Hiiriä käytettiin, jotta aivonäytteitä voitaisiin kerätä. Kummankin unettomuuden mallin jälkeen eläimet lopetettiin ja perfusoitiin. Aivonäytteet otettiin ventraalisesta hippokampuksesta. Mikroglia värjättiin immunohistokemiallisesti ja kuvattiin konfokaali-mikroskoopilla. Mikroglian haarakkeiden ramifikaatio ja sooman koko kvantifioitiin piirtämällä haarakkeet ja segmentoimalla soomat kuvista. Tulokset Akuutti unettomuus eikä krooninen unen katkonaisuus aiheuttaneet mikrogliassa morfologisia muutoksia kontrolliryhmiin verrattuna. Yllättäen sooman koko oli merkittävästi pienempi kroonisen katkonaisen unen ja sitä seuraavan toipumisunen jälkeen kontrolliryhmään verrattuna. Johtopäätökset Mikroglian morfologia ja siten toiminta ei ole välttämättä muuttunut ventraalisessa hippokampuksessa akuutissa unettomuussa ja kroonisessa katkonaisen unessa. Mikroglian sooman koko oli merkittävästi pienempi kroonisen katkonaisen unen ja siitä toipumisen jälkeen kontrolliryhmään verrattuna. Tämä voi johtua siitä, että tässä kontrolliryhmässä mikroglian sooman koko oli suurempi kuin muissa kontrolliryhmissä, joten jatkotutkimuksia tarvitaan vaikutuksen varmentamiseksi.Aims Sleep is needed to maintain brain homeostasis. Chronic insufficient sleep has been associated with elevated levels of inflammatory markers. Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain. As microglial morphology correlates with their functional state, the current study aimed to characterize microglial morphology after insufficient sleep and recovery sleep. We hypothesised that microglia adopt an activated state after insufficient sleep, indicated by a deramification of the branches and an enlargement of cell bodies compared with the controls. Methods We caused insufficient sleep with acute sleep deprivation by 9 h of gentle handling, and conducted sleep fragmentation for 14 days in mice. The tissue was collected after perfusing the animals with PFA. The brain tissue from ventral hippocampus was immunostained for microglia and imaged with a confocal microscope. Ramification and soma size were quantified by tracing the branches and segmenting the somas. Results Neither the acute sleep deprivation nor the chronic fragmented sleep did result in any differences in morphology compared with their control groups. Surprisingly, the soma size was significantly smaller following the recovery sleep after fragmented sleep compared with the controls. Conclusions Microglial morphology and thus function may not be affected by acute sleep deprivation and chronic fragmented sleep in ventral hippocampus. Microglial soma size was significantly smaller after recovery sleep following chronic fragmented sleep compared with the control. This could have been due to larger soma sizes in this control group compared with other controls. Further studies are needed

Challenges of outsourcing systems integration - Lessons learned from the public sector

Purpose of the study The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges of outsourcing systems integration by examining systems integrator service offered to the public sector. The focus was turned also to organizational and strategic aspects of integration instead of mere technical ones. The challenges were looked from external perspective through transaction cost economics and from internal one through capabilities. With internal challenges the goal was to identify if they relate to the customer, the service provider or if they are shared between the two. Methodology The research framework was built based on previous research in the fields of TCE, capabilities, information systems outsourcing and service co-production. The research was conducted as a single case study concentrating on one large systems integration service provider to gain full understanding of the complex research phenomena. The main data collecting was done through semi-structured interviews to enable modifying the questions according to the interviewee. Additional data sources were public reports, newspaper articles, workshop and case company internal material. Furthermore, the research is abductive, which means that some of the theoretical discussions were revised after pilot interviews. Findings The key findings of the study include the description of the external and internal challenges of systems integration. The external challenges relate to the characteristics of the service and the transactions, which combined with outsourcing, would require long lasting relationships or elaborate contracts. When the customer is a public organization, long lasting relationships are challenging due to competitive bidding. The internal challenges are due to lack of capabilities. Most of the capabilities required for successful service production are shared between the service provider and the customer because of the co-creative nature of the service. From a skills perspective, interpersonal and communication skills were identified to be more critical than technical skills

Going beyond persistent homology using persistent homology

Representational limits of message-passing graph neural networks (MP-GNNs), e.g., in terms of the Weisfeiler-Leman (WL) test for isomorphism, are well understood. Augmenting these graph models with topological features via persistent homology (PH) has gained prominence, but identifying the class of attributed graphs that PH can recognize remains open. We introduce a novel concept of color-separating sets to provide a complete resolution to this important problem. Specifically, we establish the necessary and sufficient conditions for distinguishing graphs based on the persistence of their connected components, obtained from filter functions on vertex and edge colors. Our constructions expose the limits of vertex- and edge-level PH, proving that neither category subsumes the other. Leveraging these theoretical insights, we propose RePHINE for learning topological features on graphs. RePHINE efficiently combines vertex- and edge-level PH, achieving a scheme that is provably more powerful than both. Integrating RePHINE into MP-GNNs boosts their expressive power, resulting in gains over standard PH on several benchmarks for graph classification.Comment: Accepted to NeurIPS 202

Syklinen eurooppalaistuminen, koronakriisi ja Suomi

Artikkeli tarkastelee asiantuntijahaastatteluihin perustuen, miten erilaiset mutta toisiinsa limittyneet toiminnalliset logiikat ohjasivat EU:n ja sen jäsenvaltioiden, erityisesti Suomen, politiikkaa pandemian ensimmäisen runsaan puolentoista vuoden aikana. Logiikkoja hahmottuu kolme – itsekkyys, matkiminen ja koordinaatio – mutta ne muodostavat yhdessä kokonaisuuden, jota voidaan kuvata syklisen eurooppalaisuuden käsitteellä. Vaikka eurooppalaistumisen normatiivinen perusajatus ei kriisissä näytä horjuneen, koronatoimet toivat näkyväksi jännitteen toimivallaltaan rajoitetun ja eurooppalaisia ratkaisuja etsivän komission sekä itsekkäästi käyttäytyvien jäsenmaiden välillä. Samalla jäsenmaat ovat yhteisessä tilanteessa ja yksiselitteisen tieteellisen tiedon puuttuessa matkineet toisiaan sekä oppineet toisiltaan. Vaikka ongelmia oli, artikkeli osoittaa, että EU:n kyky yhdistää joustavasti erilaisia toimintatapoja ja -logiikoita muodostivat eurooppalaisuutta eteenpäin vievän voiman. Tämä konkretisoi puhetta siitä, kuinka EU kehittyy kriisien kautta.This article examines, based on expert interviews, how different but overlapping logics of action guided the policies of the EU and its member states, especially those of Finland, in the first year and a half of the pandemic. We see three inherent logics – selfishness, emulation and coordination – taking shape, together assembling a form of what we call cyclical Europeanisation. Even though the normative principle of Europeanisation does not seem to have faltered, actions regarding the pandemic make apparent the tension between the Commission and the selfish member states. At the same time, the member states have found themselves in the situation together and have emulated each other’s policy measures under conditions of ambiguous scientific information. Regardless of the problems incurred, the ability to revert the tensions between the logics and also combine them pragmatically have formed a driving force for Europeanisation that further bolsters the argument of how the EU develops through crises – and not simply in terms of one-dimensional emergency governance

Suitability of Paper-Based Substrates for Printed Electronics

Flexible plastic substrates are widely used in printed electronics; however, they cause major climate impacts and pose sustainability challenges. In recent years, paper-based electronics has been studied to increase the recyclability and sustainability of printed electronics. The aim of this paper is to analyze the printability and performance of metal conductor layers on different paper-based substrates using both flexography and screen printing and to compare the achieved performance with that of plastic foils. In addition, the re-pulpability potential of the used paper-based substrates is evaluated. As compared to the common polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate, the layer conductivity on paper-based substrates was found to be improved with both the printing methods without having a large influence on the detail rendering. This means that a certain surface roughness and porosity is needed for the improved ink transfer and optimum ink behavior on the surface of the substrate. In the case of uncoated paper-based substrates, the conductivity and print quality decreased by preventing the formation of the proper and intimate ink-substrate contact during the ink transfer. Finally, the re-pulpability trials together with layer quality analysis detected very good, coated substrate candidates for paper-based printed electronics competing with or even outperforming the print quality on the reference PET foil

Understanding the influence of in situ produced dextran on wheat dough baking performance: Maturograph, biaxial extension, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis

Rheological tests performed under conditions relevant to those experienced during proof and oven rise are necessary for understanding the mechanisms of dextran addition on wheat dough baking performance. This study evaluated the effect of a high molecular weight (Mw) dextran, produced in situ by Weissella confusa A16 or externally added, on wheat dough rheological properties including, (i) proofing behavior using a maturograph; (ii) bi-axial extensional profile using a dough inflation system; and (iii) viscoelastic characters (proof) and thermo-mechanical properties (simulated baking) by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMA). The externally-added dextran increased dough elasticity, tenacity, and viscoelastic characters, but reduced dough extensibility at bubble rupture. DMA tests of doughs under dynamic heating conditions showed a sharp increase of elastic and loss moduli until maximum between 75 and 95 degrees C, accompanied by a drastic decrease of Tan delta (dough stiffening). Dextran addition exhibited a weakening effect on the dough thermal properties i.e., decreased peak moduli during heating. On the other hand, the mild acidic conditions during sourdough fermentation favored the activity of in situ produced dextran, conferring significantly improved thermal-mechanical properties and dough extensibility. This may explain the superior ability of in situ produced dextran to improve bread volume and crumb softness compared to the external-added dextran. By analyzing rheological parameters, we showed that the maximum proofing moduli in DMA, fermentation stability, dough level, and elasticity in maturogram were predictors of good baking quality. Overall, our study provides the mechanistic underpinning and optimum of dextran as a natural improver of bread quality.Peer reviewe

Communicating the Neuroscience of Psychopathy and Its Influence on Moral Behavior : Protocol of Two Experimental Studies

Neuroscience has identified brain structures and functions that correlate with psychopathic tendencies. Since psychopathic traits can be traced back to physical neural attributes, it has been argued that psychopaths are not truly responsible for their actions and therefore should not be blamed for their psychopathic behaviors. This experimental research aims to evaluate what effect communicating this theory of psychopathy has on the moral behavior of lay people. If psychopathy is blamed on the brain, people may feel less morally responsible for their own psychopathic tendencies and therefore may be more likely to display those tendencies. An online study will provide participants with false feedback about their psychopathic traits supposedly based on their digital footprint (i.e., Facebook likes), thus classifying them as having either above-average or below-average psychopathic traits and describing psychopathy in cognitive or neurobiological terms. This particular study will assess the extent to which lay people are influenced by feedback regarding their psychopathic traits, and how this might affect their moral behavior in online tasks. Public recognition of these potential negative consequences of neuroscience communication will also be assessed. A field study using the lost letter technique will be conducted to examine lay people's endorsement of neurobiological, as compared to cognitive, explanations of criminal behavior. This field and online experimental research could inform the future communication of neuroscience to the public in a way that is sensitive to the potential negative consequences of communicating such science. In particular, this research may have implications for the future means by which neurobiological predictors of offending can be safely communicated to offenders.Peer reviewe

First Steps Towards Gamification Of Online Physics And Mathematics Assignments

The objective of this practice paper is to describe and analyse the use of online learning tasks on engineering mathematics and physics courses. The development of learning tasks was inspired by the promising effects of gamification techniques in higher education. Hence, some gamification elements, such as bonus points and immediate feedback were integrated into the learning tasks. Course results and student feedback demonstrate the positive impact of gamification of online learning tasks on students’ motivation and learning. In the end, further possibilities of increasing the number and repertoire of gamification techniques in engineering mathematics and physics courses are discussed

Vezf1 regulates cardiac structure and contractile function

Background Vascular endothelial zinc finger 1 (Vezf1) is a transcription factor previously shown to regulate vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. We aimed to investigate the role of Vezf1 in the postnatal heart. Methods The role of Vezf1 in regulating cardiac growth and contractile function was studied in zebrafish and in primary cardiomyocytes. Findings We find that expression of Vezf1 is decreased in diseased human myocardium and mouse hearts. Our experimental data shows that knockdown of zebrafish Vezf1 reduces cardiac growth and results in impaired ventricular contractile response to β-adrenergic stimuli. However, Vezf1 knockdown is not associated with dysregulation of cardiomyocyte Ca2+ transient kinetics. Gene ontology enrichment analysis indicates that Vezf1 regulates cardiac muscle contraction and dilated cardiomyopathy related genes and we identify cardiomyocyte Myh7/β-MHC as key target for Vezf1. We further identify a key role for an MCAT binding site in the Myh7 promoter regulating the response to Vezf1 knockdown and show that TEAD-1 is a binding partner of Vezf1. Interpretation We demonstrate a role for Vezf1 in regulation of compensatory cardiac growth and cardiomyocyte contractile function, which may be relevant in human cardiac disease.Peer reviewe